cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Group dynamics motivation to increase exercise intensity with a virtual partner.

Abstract Background The effect of the Kohler group dynamics paradigm (i.e., working together with a more capable partner where one's performance is indispensable to the team outcome) has been shown to increase motivation to exercise longer at a strength task in partnered exercise video games (exergames) using a software-generated partner (SGP). However, the effect on exercise intensity with an SGP has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation to maintain or increase exercise intensity among healthy, physically active middle-aged adults using an SGP in an aerobic exergame. Methods Participants (n = 85, mean age = 44.9 years) exercised with an SGP in a 6-day cycle ergometer protocol, randomly assigned to either (a) no partner control, (b) superior SGP who was not a teammate, or (c) superior SGP as a teammate (team score was dependent on the inferior member). The protocol alternated between 30-min continuous and 4-min interval high-intensity session days, during which participants could change cycle power output (watts) from target intensity to alter distance and speed. Results Mean change in watts from a targeted intensity (75% and 90% maximum heart rate) was the primary dependent variable reflecting motivational effort. Increases in performance over baseline were demonstrated without significant differences between conditions. Self-efficacy and enjoyment were significantly related to effort in the more intense interval sessions. Conclusion Under these conditions, no Kohler effect was observed. Exercise performance during the higher-intensity interval format is more closely related to enjoyment and self-efficacy beliefs compared to the continuous sessions.
Calcium restriction during lactation has minimal effects on post-weaning mineral metabolism and bone recovery

Dietary calcium (Ca) restriction during lactation in the rat, which induces intra-cortical and endocortical remodeling, has been proposed as a model to study bone matrix maturation in the adult skeleton. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dietary Ca restriction during lactation on post-weaning mineral metabolism and bone formation. Mated female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into groups receiving either 0.6% Ca (lactation/normal Ca) or 0.01% Ca (lactation/low Ca) diets during lactation. Virgin animals fed normal Ca were used as controls (virgin/normal Ca). At the time of weaning, animals on the low Ca diet were returned to normal Ca and cohorts of all three groups were sacrificed at days 0, 1, 2, 7, and 14 post-weaning. Lactation caused bone loss, particularly at the endocortical surface, but the amount was not affected by dietary Ca. Rats in the lactation/low Ca group had increased cortical porosity compared to the other groups, particularly within the size range of secondary osteons. Dietary Ca restriction during lactation did not affect post-weaning bone formation kinetics or serum Ca and phosphate levels. In both lactation groups, there was a transient increase in phosphate and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) post-weaning, which trended toward virgin/normal Ca levels over time. Thus, the additional challenge of low dietary Ca during lactation to induce intra-cortical remodeling in the rat has minimal effects on bone formation kinetics and mineral metabolism during the post-weaning period, providing further justification for this model to study matrix maturation in the adult skeleton.
Indwelling ports for prophylactic RBC exchanges in sickle cell patients: Comparison of bard and vortex ports.

Introduction Red blood cell exchange (RCE) procedures are commonly used for stroke prevention in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. We compared two different dual lumen ports used for RCE because differences between the port and catheter design may lead to functional variance. Methods We reviewed the RCE parameters of SCD patients following implantable port placement encountered at a single institution. Five Vortex and four Bard ports were used and compared. Patients were followed for 1-24 exchange procedures over 3-26 months performed between 2013 and 2015. Results Nine patients underwent 124 RCE procedures with no failures. A total of 74 exchanges used Vortex ports with a mean flow rate of 45.2 mL/min while 50 exchanges used Bard ports with a mean flow rate of 42.1 mL/min which was a significant difference (P = .002). A total of 85 exchanges with tPA administration preprocedure had a mean flow rate of 43.8 mL/min while 39 exchanges without had a mean flow rate of 45.4 mL/min which was not a significant difference (P = .19). Conclusion Both the Bard and Vortex ports functioned well during our study period with no treatment failures, no significant complications requiring removal or replacement, and adequate mean flow rates. While the difference in mean flow rates was statistically significant between Vortex and Bard ports, there may not be a practical difference in performance. There also does not appear to be a significant benefit in flow rates with preprocedure tPA. We conclude that both ports may be a satisfactory choice for vascular access in SCD patients expected to undergo regularly scheduled RCE.
Coping with precarity: subsistence, labor, and community politics among farmworkers in northern Mexico

This article examines the precarious lives of indigenous migrant laborers in Baja California employed in the production of fresh fruits and vegetables for consumer markets in the United States. Neoliberal agrarian policies have rendered farmworkers a structurally vulnerable labor force with limited rights and benefits compared to workers in other employment sectors. To counteract government-sanctioned unions and other detrimental state policies, farmworkers have developed a multilayered agenda of individual and collective strategies for resistance, as well as labor mobilizations for independent unions. Their political struggle requires an analysis that avoids reducing them to the unidimensional category of labor and captures the close integration and synergy between labor and community organizing by which they seek to advance the full range of their rights as workers and citizens.
Ferroelectrets Filled with a High Breakdown-Strength Gas

Ferroelectrets (i. e. voided, soft polymer composites with internal bipolar space charges) were prepared by laminating porous spacers between polyproplyene films in gas mixtures containing sulfur hexafluoride $(\mathrm{SF}_{6})$ , a gas of higher electric breakdown strength than air. This has the potential to reduce “back discharges”, which occur when the electric field created by the deposited space charges exceeds the breakdown strength of the gas in the void. As a result, significantly higher piezoelectric activity is expected. As shown by hysteresis curves and nonlinear capacitance dilatometry measurements, the SF 6 -filled samples do indeed exhibit an increased polarization and a $2-3\times$ enhancement in their $d_{33}$ coefficients.
Orthogonal mode decomposition of aspheric surface form errors by principal components analysis

Surface form errors generated by process variation in optical lens fabrication are optimally described using polynomial representations that are orthogonal, physically relevant, and result in small model fitting residuals. Similarly, discrete vector space methods are appropriate for the analysis of surface form data to the extent they satisfy the above criteria. A statistical approach to the analysis of aspheric surface form errors using principal components analysis (PCA) is presented. The method returns a set of independent data vectors that (1) satisfies the orthogonality requirement, (2) minimizes the number of fitting terms, and (3) represents the most significant modes of spatial variation. Following a description of the computational methods, modeling results are provided with an emphasis on surface reconstruction fidelity and statistical validation for sample sizes n > 25. Examples of the PCA surface modes are then discussed in terms of relevant physical interpretations. A PCA-based bootstrap resampling method is also developed from which an empirical Monte Carlo distribution of the RMS surface form error is generated.
RNA-sequencing of residual triple-negative breast cancers after neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to matched pretreatment biopsies from the Hoosier Oncology Group trial BRE09-146.

1002 Background: Residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients entails a high risk of disease recurrence. We investigated the transcriptomes of re...
Should Radiology Delay the Start of Fellowships? A Survey of the APDR

Rationale and Objectives Several major medical specialties have recently considered delaying the start date of their fellowship training programs to allow for completion of their trainees’ residency obligations. Radiology program directors (PDs) have voiced the need for a similar solution, as fellowship start dates at some institutions now occur well before the end of residency training. The objectives of this study are to assess the current state of the radiology fellowship transition and understand its impact on residency programs and clinical services. Materials and Methods Survey Monkey (Palo Alto, CA) was used to create a survey consisting of 9 multiple choice and 2 free text questions. The survey was approved by the survey committee of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR) and distributed via email to all 240 APDR members in November 2018. The survey was closed after 30 days. Results The response rate was 67% (160/240). Fifty-nine percent of respondents indicated some of their residents are asked to arrive at fellowships before July 1, often several days early for orientation and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) training. Sixteen percent of respondents said their own institutions ask incoming fellows to arrive early. Sixty-four percent of respondents indicated that this causes staffing problems. Seventy-eight percent of respondents supported considering a delay to the start of radiology fellowships. Conclusion Most APDR members claim that residents are asked to arrive at fellowships early to complete orientation and training before July 1, and most say that this produces staffing problems on services. A significant majority of respondents support a discussion regarding delaying fellowship start dates.
Executive Function in the Adolescent Mother- Grandmother Dyad and Development of the Young Child

Children of teen parents are at increased risk for developmental delays which impact a host of social outcomes. Maternal executive function (EF) has previously been identified as an essential contributor to quality parenting directly and child development indirectly. Further, evidence of intergenerational transmission of EF combined with the potential protective effects of the teen’s own mothers, point to the importance of both mothers’ and grandmothers’ EF capacities in parenting in multigenerational families. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship of teen mothers’ (TM) and their mothers’ (GM) executive functioning and the role of these EF capacities on the development of their young children, in particular risk for delay. Thirty-four dyads of teen mothers, 15–19 years, with 1–3-year-old children, and their biological, co-residing mothers were recruited. Participants completed a computerized EF battery, the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), and a questionnaire to screen for child developmental delay, Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition. No significant correlation was identified between TM and GM EF task performance. There were modest effect sizes for the association of higher TM and GM global executive functioning and lower risk for developmental delay (both Cohen’s d = 0.40). Future research on EF and other cognitive abilities in parents and caregivers of young children in multigenerational families may provide new insights into the complexity of early childhood development and risks for delays.
Chocolate Kisses and Eyes Watching: Disciplining, Repression, and Expression of Sexuality:

In this critical autoethnography, I highlight memories of sexual repression, liberation, and orientation within the cultural context of a Desi-Brown woman from India. I do so not to further exotici...
“You Have to Keep a Roof Over Your Head”: A Qualitative Study of Housing Needs Among Patients With Cancer in New York City

PURPOSE:Housing status can become compromised in the wake of financial hardship for some patients with cancer and become a source of disparity. This qualitative study describes the types of housing...
A Deep Learning Framework for Design and Analysis of Surgical Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) are commonly used as heart valve replacements but they are prone to fatigue failure; estimating their remaining life directly from medical images is difficult. Analyzing the valve performance can provide better guidance for personalized valve design. However, such analyses are often computationally intensive. In this work, we introduce the concept of deep learning (DL) based finite element analysis (DLFEA) to learn the deformation biomechanics of bioprosthetic aortic valves directly from simulations. The proposed DL framework can eliminate the time-consuming biomechanics simulations, while predicting valve deformations with the same fidelity. We present statistical results that demonstrate the high performance of the DLFEA framework and the applicability of the framework to predict bioprosthetic aortic valve deformations. With further development, such a tool can provide fast decision support for designing surgical bioprosthetic aortic valves. Ultimately, this framework could be extended to other BHVs and improve patient care.
Sexually Dimorphic Effects of Dietary Methionine Restriction are Dependent on Age when the Diet is Introduced.

Objective Restricting dietary methionine to 0.17% in male mice increases energy expenditure, reduces fat deposition, and improves metabolic health. The goal of this work was to compare each of these responses in postweaning male and female mice and in physically mature male and female mice. Methods Methionine-restricted (MR) diets were fed to age-matched cohorts of male and female mice for 8 to 10 weeks beginning at 8 weeks of age or beginning at 4 months of age. The physiological and transcriptional responses to MR were compared in the respective cohorts. Results Dietary MR produced sexually dimorphic changes in body composition in young growing animals, with males preserving lean at the expense of fat and females preserving fat at the expense of lean. The effects of MR on energy balance were comparable between sexes when the diet was initiated after attainment of physical maturity (4 months), and metabolic and endocrine responses were also comparable between males and females after 8 weeks on the MR diet. Conclusions The sexually dimorphic effects of MR are limited to nutrient partitioning between lean and fat tissue deposition in young, growing mice. Introduction of the diet after physical maturity produced comparable effects on growth and metabolic responses in male and female mice.
Carbohydrate-Based Micro/Nanocapsules With Controlled External Surface for Medical Applications

Micro/nanocapsules would have many more applications if we were able to controllably populate their surface with various chemical moieties. The present review introduces a novel variant of interfacial polymerization (IP) as a very robust method of manufacturing reservoir micro/nanocapsules equipped with several different functionalities on the capsules' surface. We call the method-IPCESCO (Interfacial Polymerization for Capsules' External Surface Control). As always in IP, the capsules' forming reaction is between monomers dissolved in opposite phases (oil or water) and takes place at the interface. Each monomer carries two or more functionalities reacting with functional groups of the monomer dissolved in the other phase. IPCESCO requires that one or both monomers are additionally equipped with (protected) functional groups interfering neither with the payload nor with the polymer formation. These additional groups end up everywhere in the polymeric shell but most importantly they are present on the external surface of capsules. These "handles" allow for the introduction of various moieties onto the capsules' surface. Since carbohydrate chemists developed a plurality of protecting and deprotecting methods for various functional groups such as aldehyde and hydroxyl, modified mono, and oligosaccharides are particularly well-suited to act as monomers in IPCESCO. The article discusses possible monomers and their synthesis, the transformation of protected reactive groups on the external capsules' surface into the desired functionalities, the control of the number of moieties on the surface and the capsules surface's architecture. The most important application of the novel encapsulation technology is in drug delivery. Possible surface units facilitating capsules' transport in the body, delivery to specific locations and mechanisms of capsules rupture are also addressed. Other applications of novel capsules include an ultra-sensitive quantitation and removal of pathogens, transport of nutrients in plants, detection of various antigens and other parameters in single cells.
Catalyst-mediated doping in electrochemical growth of solar silicon

Abstract The direct electrochemical reduction of silicon dioxide in molten CaCl2 has been investigated as a promising candidate for alternative production process of solar silicon. Herein, we study a catalyst-mediated doping, which is carried out by introducing dopant precursors like Al2O3, In2O3, and Sb2O3 into the molten CaCl2 during the electrochemical growth of silicon on Ag catalyst. The photoelectrochemical measurement demonstrates controllable p-type or n-type doping, and the photoresponse of doped silicon reaches 1.1±0.4 mA/cm2 under 100 mW/cm2 irradiation. Doping densities, estimated from two-point micro-probe measurements and Mott–Schottky plot analyses range from 1015 to 1016/cm3. Dopant is incorporated through Si–Ag catalyst droplet, which is supported by a high dopant content in Ag catalyst revealed by the elemental mapping of secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The catalyst-mediated doping mechanism is proposed to elucidate the doping level. The liquid droplet is presumed to be under local equilibrium along with significant loss of the dopant from it whereby the doping level becomes a function of the segregation coefficient and the rate constant of the electrochemical reaction.
Phase-Dependent CRISPR Evolution

CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas1 and Cas2) integrate foreign DNA at the “leader” end of CRISPR loci. Several CRISPR leader sequences are reported to contain a binding site for a DNA bending protein called Integration Host Factor (IHF). IHF-induced DNA bending kinks the leader of type I-E CRISPRs, recruiting an upstream sequence motif that helps dock Cas1-2 onto the first repeat of the CRISPR locus. To determine the prevalence of IHF-directed CRISPR adaptation, we analyzed 15,274 bacterial and archaeal CRISPR leaders. These experiments reveal multiple IHF binding sites and diverse upstream sequence motifs in a subset of the I-C, I-E, I-F and II-C CRISPR leaders. We identify subtype-specific motifs and show that the phase of these motifs is critical for CRISPR evolution. Collectively, this work clarifies the prevalence and mechanism(s) of IHF-dependent CRISPR evolution a
Investigating the direct and indirect effects of perceived corporate hypocrisy on turnover intentions

Perceived corporate hypocrisy, a perception of corporations claiming to have a virtuous character that they do not really possess, is a growing concern for US businesses. The purpose of this study ...
Mindfulness-based interventions among people of color: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective In the United States, people of color (POC) are disproportionately affected by various sources of stress and prevalent mental and physical health issues that may benefit from Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBIs). However, effects of MBIs for POC are unclear. This meta-analysis examines the efficacy of MBIs through randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included predominately POC (≥75% of the sample). Method: Random effects models were used to synthesize effect sizes. A total of 24 RCT samples were analyzed. Results: Samples were on average 94.4% POC and predominantly from low-income backgrounds (total N = 2,156). At post-treatment, MBIs yielded small but statistically superior outcomes to active controls (Hedges' g = 0.11) and inactive controls (g = 0.26). Compared to active controls, MBIs' effects on well-being were smaller than their effects on other outcome types. Compared to inactive controls, MBIs that focused on non-clinical populations and had higher proportion of POC had larger effect sizes. Attrition rates of MBIs did not differ from other active conditions in outpatient settings. Conclusion: Findings provide modest, preliminary empirical support for MBIs among POC. We discuss main findings, limitations, and implications for future MBI research for health promotion among POC.
Design Specifications for Eyewear with an Integrated Headborne System

The current study investigates eye location relative to adjacent facial landmarks in support of the design of eyewear and Integrated Headborne systems. The primary objective is to define, summarize, and visualize the distribution of eye (pupil) location in three-dimensional (3D) space relative to the forehead (Glabella). The variability of pupil location relative to vertical and horizontal distances from the Glabella, as well as Interpupillary Breadth were summarized to better inform the development of adjustment ranges for an eyewear designed to integrate with a headborne system.
Family Law by the Numbers: The Story That Casebooks Tell

This Article presents the findings of a content analysis of 86 family law casebooks published in the United States from 1960 to 2019. Its purpose is to critically assess the discipline of family law with the aim of informing our understandings of family law’s history and exposing its ideological foundations and consequences. Although legal thinkers have written several intellectual histories of family law, this is the first quantitative look at the field. The study finds that coverage of marriage and divorce in family law casebooks has decreased by almost half relative to other topics since the 1960s. In contrast, pages dedicated to child custody and child support have increased, more than doubling their relative share. At the same time, the boundaries of family law appear to remain quite stubborn. Notwithstanding sustained efforts by family law scholars and educators to restructure the field of family law so that it considers additional domains of law affecting families (such as tax, business, employment, health, immigration, and government benefits), the core of the academic field of family law has remained relatively static in the past 60 years. Marriage, divorce, child custody, and child support continue to dominate the topics presented in family law casebooks, representing 55% to 75% of their content since the 1960s.
Securing CAN FD by implementing AES-128, SHA256, and Message Counter based on FPGA

In this paper, we describe a real time implementation of security algorithms for automotive Electronic Control Units (ECUs). This algorithm deals with lack of security measures in CAN FD such as confidentiality, integrity, authentication. In order to achieve so, we discuss an integration of AES 128, SHA256 algorithms and a message Counter. Compared to other freshness approaches with some limitations, uniquely the message counter is padded to end of the message and then encrypted to save its freshness. This should lead to mitigation of replay attacks. Thus, implementing a hardware design based on a FPGA (virtex7) is proposed. Simulation results show that our real time hardware design ensures successfully data integrity, authenticity and mitigating replay attacks with relatively high throughput and less payload.
The Effects of Theory of Mind Training on the False Belief Understanding of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

Data from a growing number of research studies indicate that children with hearing loss are delayed in Theory of Mind (ToM) development when compared to their typically developing, hearing peers. While other researchers have studied the developmental trajectories of ToM in school-age students who are deaf, a limited number have addressed the need for interventions for this population. The present study extends the current research on ToM interventions to the Prekindergarten and Kindergarten levels. This study used a single-case multiple baseline design to examine the effects of a ToM intervention on participants' false belief understanding as well as outcomes on a near generalization measure and a far generalization measure. A ToM thought bubble intervention (i.e., a visual representation of what people are thinking) developed by Wellman and Peterson (2013 Deafness, thought bubbles, and theory-of-mind development. Developmental Psychology, 49, 2357-2367) was modified in key areas. Results from the Single-Case Design portion of the study indicate a functional, or causal, relation between the ToM intervention and the participants' acquisition of the targeted skills in each stage although progress was not uniform. Results from the pre-post assessments indicate that the children did make progress up the scale. These results inform the field in regard to the efficacy and feasibility of a ToM intervention for young deaf children.
Model-Based Optimal Strategies for Controlling Particle Size in Antisolvent Crystallization Operations

In this paper, a model-based optimal strategy is presented for the control of particle size in antisolvent crystallization. Size is controlled on demand by dynamic optimization using a population balance based model. Knowledge of the ternary solute–solvent-antisolvent equilibrium and crystallization kinetics is crucial in this strategy, and these are thus incorporated in the model. The optimization is capable of determining the optimal antisolvent feed profile that achieves a desired particle size. Experimental validation of the strategy is carried out and presented herein. Such a strategy stands as a key solution to antisolvent operations ubiquitous in the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries.
Rhodopseudomonas acidophila, sp. n., a New Species of the Budding Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria

A succinate-mineral salts medium of pH 5.2 provided selective enrichment conditions for Rhodomicrobium vannielii and for a new species belonging to the Athiorhodaceae, described herein as Rhodopseudomonas acidophila. Seven strains of the new species have been isolated from different sources in the United States and Germany. The cells are rod-shaped or ovoid, 1.0 to 1.3 mum wide and 2 to 5 mum long, and motile by means of polar flagella. Multiplication occurs by budding. The photopigments consist of bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series, together with new carotenoids. All strains can grow either under anaerobic conditions in the light or under microaerophilic to aerobic conditions in the dark. No growth factors are required. The range of simple organic substrates photo-assimilated resembles that characteristic of Rhodomicrobium. Good photolithotrophic growth is possible at the expense of molecular hydrogen; thiosulfate and sulfide are not utilized.
Agents of Change in Promoting Reflective Abstraction: A Quasi-Experimental, Study on Limits in College Calculus

We measured student performance on the concept of limit by promoting reflection through four agents of change: instructor, peer, curriculum and individual. It is based on Piaget’s four constructs of reflective abstraction: interiorization, coordination, encapsulation, and generalization, and includes the notion of reversal, as refined into a construct by Dubinsky. Our quasi-experimental study examined the performance of two sections of first-semester calculus students at a midwestern community college. Scores by students in the experimental section were significantly higher than scores by students in the control traditional section on a posttest of limits. A deeper examination of a three-tiered subgroup showed the reflective abstraction section had moderate effect size on mathematical knowledge and strategic knowledge and a large effect size on explanation.
Model and schema registry

With the proliferation of XML vocabularies and schemas, and the advent of semantic markup languages, registries for tags defined in such languages are becoming increasingly important. A General Accounting Office (GAO) report [11] mentions the proliferation of overlapping and incompatible vocabularies and structures as one of the most important problems in the adoption of XML in the Federal government. The same report discusses various XML registries (both planned and in various stages of implementation) as a component of the solution to this problem. One part of our project involves the development of MIML (Maritime Information Markup Language) [5,7], an XML vocabulary for the marine transportation system (MTS). Given the large number of stakeholders, many of whom already have their own information models (constructed independently over several years), creating and managing a new single information model or XML schema covering all the diverse sources of data would require a large investment of time and resources and be an extremely complex task for logistical and technical reasons. It was therefore decided to incorporate existing models into MIML wherever possible. The distributed nature of this effort requires integrating and managing different kinds of models and schemas. We present a schema management and registry system that can be used as a repository for XML schemas and which possesses certain other functionality useful for schema designers and application area programmers. The distinguishing features of this system, as compared to other registry and repository efforts, are its ability to contain information about information models (currently, in Protege [3] format) as well as XML schemas, and the application of certain techniques based on ontology mapping research to the problem of detecting overlaps and conflict between XML schemas.
Mortality, dementia, and apolipoprotein E genotype in elderly white women in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the risk of death in relation to apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype and to evaluate how APOE genotype interacts with dementia and with other major medical conditions to affect survival. DESIGN: A 6-year prospective cohort study of dementia, APOE genotype and survival. SETTING: Health maintenance organization in southern California. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand eight hundred forty-two white women aged 75 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Dementia was determined using a multistage assessment procedure, medical record, and death certificate review. RESULTS: With women with the APOE 3/3 genotype as the referent, age-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for death according to genotype were 1.25 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.00–1.56) for APOE 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 and 0.83 (95% CI=0.62–1.13) for APOE 2/3 or 2/2. Survival was associated with APOE genotype (log rank test P=.02). Women with the APOE 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 genotype died at an earlier age, and those with APOE 2/2 or 2/3 died later than those with the APOE 3/3 genotype. After adjustment for age, education, and hormone use, HRs for death were significantly higher in women with the APOE 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 genotype who developed dementia (HR=3.74; 95% CI=2.81–4.99) and the APOE 2/3 genotype (HR=3.23; 95%=CI=1.97–5.28) than in women without dementia and the APOE 3/3 genotype. The HRs for death were greater with other medical conditions, but no interaction with any APOE genotype was found. CONCLUSION: In this population of elderly women, although having at least one ɛ4 allele increased the chances of an earlier death, having dementia increased the risk of death regardless of APOE genotype.
Linearity and power optimization of a microwave CMOS Gilbert cell mixer

The linearity of CMOS has been analyzed using Taylor series. A new method was employed to derive the relationship between the linearity and current consumption of the Gilbert cell mixer. The relationships between the current consumption and noise figure, conversion gain were also explored. The performance was verified via simulation using Cadence SpectreRF. The simulated results biased on measured BSIM3V3 models match the predicted performance well. Optimized design using this technique can result in 16.03 dBn input third-order intercept points (IIP3) and 50% of power in comparison to sub-optimal design simultaneously. One suggested method to calculate the weighted average of the concerned electrical parameters of the CMOS mixers is provided and used to compare overall design performances based on simulations and measurement.
Design of a Q-Band 0.18-µm CMOS band-pass attenuator

Attenuators and band-pass filters (BPFs) are widely employed in communication and radar systems as amplitude controllable and frequency selective circuits, respectively. To achieve both band-pass filtering and attenuating responses in systems, BPF and wideband attenuator are typically cascaded together as depicted in Fig. 1(a). This conventional approach, integrating two individual components, leads to an overall large circuit size and high insertion loss. To alleviate this problem, a dual-function attenuator incorporating an embedded band-pass filtering function as part of the attenuation circuitry could be employed as described in Fig. 1(b).
Enhanced detection in capillary electrophoresis: Example determination of serum mycophenolic acid

In order to overcome the poor absorbency detection limits in CE, two simple strategies were combined to increase the amount of the sample injected: a long capillary to hold extra sample while leaving adequate room for the separation and acetonitrile stacking, which concentrated the sample based on transient pseudo-ITP. The combination of these two strategies yielded sensitivity comparable or better than that of the HPLC with good separation and with better theoretical plate number. The analysis of mycophenolic acid, a common immunosuppressant drug, in serum was used here as an example to illustrate this enhanced detection and its applicability to therapeutic drug monitoring. Acetonitrile was used to remove serum proteins followed by direct injection filling 5-21% of the capillary volume and separation in a borate buffer. The overall CE method compared well to an assay by HPLC as far as sample preparation, correlation coefficient, and especially sensitivity of detection.
Pathways of urea synthesis in the elasmobranch, Squalus acanthias

Abstract 1. 1. The relative importance of the purine pathway and the ornithine cycle as routes for urea synthesis was assessed in the spiny dogfish in vivo and in liver slices in vitro . Incorporation of C 14 -labeled precursors into urea was used as a means for comparison. The labeled precursors were 2-C 14 -uric acid and 3-C 14 -serine for the purine pathway and sodium C 14 -bicarbonate for ornithine cycle studies. 2. 2. A study with sodium 2-C 14 -urate in vivo indicated that urea was synthesized by the purine pathway at a rate of 7·0 μmoles/kg body wt/hr, while a similar study with C 14 -bicarbonate indicated that urea was synthesized via the ornithine cycle at a rate of 135 μmoles/kg body wt/hr. 3. 3. Studies with isolated liver slices incubated in dogfish plasma showed that C 14 from uric acid, serine and bicarbonate was incorporated into urea. The rate of urea synthesis from uric acid was 0·023 μmoles/g/hr, from serine 0·040 μmoles/g/hr and from bicarbonate 2·25 μmoles/g/hr. The synthesis of C 14 -urea from C 14 -bicarbonate was stimulated by C 12 -ornithine and reduced by C 12 -citrulline, indicating that the conversion of bicarbonate to urea was via the ornithine cycle.
Study on Supplier Selection and Evaluation in Serviced-Oriented Manufacturing Network Based on NN

The nature of service-oriented manufacturing network is modular service network for capacity need based. The difference in service capability increases the manufacturing networks’ uncertainty, making the choice of supplier more complex. A strategy for supplier selection applying FWNN (fuzzy wavelet neural network) was presented in this paper. The first stage makes use of fuzzy system, with strong competency in knowledge representation, to convert fuzzy input parameters into crisp parameters. The artificial neural network was applied to overcome adverse effects resulting from supplier selection of non-liner and dynamic property in the second stage. The simulation was made to check the performance of the algorithm. The result indicates that this method can overcome the insufficiencies of subjectivity, arbitrariness, complicated algorithm and fuzzy input parameters in supplier selection, which realizes real-time dynamic evaluation and rapid selection under the service-oriented manufacturing environment, and its maximum relative error is less than 0.4841%.
Theory of Rectification of an Insulating Layer

The problem treated is the rectification by a blocking layer of low inherent conductivity. The potential distribution is determined by the space charge due to free, current-carrying charge instead of by that due to fixed charge. The difference between this case and that treated by previous theories is pointed out. The theory is applied to copper oxide rectifiers. The result is found to agree with experimental results better than the previous theories. The applicability of the theory to other cases is also discussed.
Enhancement of near-field phase-shifting contact lithography by immersion technique

Near-field phase-shifting contact lithography is theoretically modeled incorporating the immersion technique for improvement of photoresist features. The absorption patterns in the photoresist layer, which correspond to the resolution of features after development, are found to be localized in a more compact and uniform fashion with the immersed lithographic system than with the dry system. Therefore, the resolution and profiles of the high-aspect-ratio features can be notably enhanced by immersion lithography.
African American Males Educational Success Factors

Due to the recent call for educators to increase African American educational achievement (Butler, 2012; Toldson, Sutton, & Brown, 2012; Harris & Taylor, 2012), the authors sought to identify personal characteristics associated with African American male educational success. There appears to be little discussion about this group’s success in today’s academic literature (Harper, 2009b). Thirty high-achieving African American male undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 22 at an urban southeastern American university were surveyed. Participants completed Likert scale and open-response items regarding their success in college. The results suggest high achieving African-American males deem sources of inspiration, people, and financial incentives as important for educational success. Also, a significant difference was discovered between STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) majors and non-STEM majors with regards to age, paternal relationship, and incentives (internal, external) to achieve goals. Implications for administrators and higher education were discussed.
A general approach to data-intensive computing using the Meandre component-based framework

Data deluge is the norm for research as the volumes of data grow every day. Another complication is the growing number of places and ways that the data needs to be accessed. This leads to a common requirement to integrate a variety from data source and providers to work with the informational resources. This paper describes a general approach to data-intensive computing using a component-based framework. Using the Meandre component-based framework to provided the basis for testing the hypothesis; that a general approach to data-intensive computing integration could be accomplished by creating a family of specialized data-flow components that interface with a given API specification and/or protocols. This inherent functional ability allows the dataflow developers to logically create applications, web services, and/or to directly integrate services provided by other applications or servers. The Fedora Commons Repository Experiment provides two cases that demonstrate how the component-based framework for data-intensive computing can map functional API specifications to discrete functional components that may be used in any number of data flows. This paper presents an overview of the Meandre's anatomy and some functional features it provides for components, it describes the experiment and examines the results that affirm that the approach is viable with the potential to be broadly applied to other API specifications that can then be pooled and combined with other component collections by flow developers to create integrated, interactive, and interoperable application and/or services.
Experimental Demonstration of All-Optical Switching Using the Quantum Zeno Effect

We experimentally demonstrate interaction-free all-optical switching via the quantum Zeno effect. The switch contrast is 35:1, and the experimental data matches a parameter-free fit. We discuss possible applications and future extensions.
GEOMETRICAL ISOMERIZATION OF CAROTENOIDS MEDIATED BY CATION RADICAL/DICATION FORMATION

Electrochemical oxidation of all-trans-canthaxanthin and β-carotene in dichloromethane leads to significant trans-to-cis isomerization, with cis isomers accounting for about 40% of the products formed. The electrochemically generated isomers were separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and identified as 9-cis, 13-cis, 15-cis, and 9,13-di-cis isomers of the carotenoids by 1H-NMR spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy (Q ratio). The results of simultaneous bulk electrolysis and optical absorption spectroscopy indicate the following isomerization mechanism: the all-trans cation radicals and/or dications formed by electrochemical oxidation of all-trans-carotenoids can easily undergo geometrical isomerization to form cis cation radicals and/or dications. The latter are converted by the comproportionation equilibrium to cation radicals which are then transformed to neutral cis-carotenoids by exchanging one electron with neutral carotenoids. AM1 molecular orbital calculations, which sho...
Lehrer on trustworthiness and acceptance

The paper explores Lehrer’s notions of trustworthiness and acceptance and the interplay between them; it adopts a historical approach, looking at how Lehrer’s views on these topics have evolved over the years.
Current and Future Anti-Fibrotic Therapies for Chronic Liver Disease

Chronic injury results in a wound healing response that eventually leads to fibrosis. The response is generalized, with features common among multiple organ systems. In the liver, various different types of injury lead to fibrogenesis, implying a common pathogenesis. Although several specific therapies for patients who have different liver diseases have been successfully developed, including antiviral therapies for those who have hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection, specific and effective antifibrotic therapy remains elusive. Over the past 2 decades, great advances in the understanding of fibrosis have been made and multiple mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrogenesis uncovered. Elucidation of these mechanisms has been of fundamental importance in highlighting novel potential therapies. Preclinical studies have indicated several putative therapies that might abrogate fibrogenesis. This article emphasizes mechanisms underlying fibrogenesis and reviews available and future therapeutics.
Exponential increase in age-specific prevalence of ventricular dysrhythmia among males.

Abstract Analyzing nine available studies of cardiac dysrhythmia among males shows an exponential increase of the prevalence of dysrhythmia with increased age (16–74 yr). This pattern appears in unselected populations and in populations selected for prior history of myocardial infarction. In 6 of 9 population groups the exponent for the rate of increased prevalence of any ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) with age was statistically indistinguishable from study to study despite variations in length of monitoring, of local interpretations of ECG, or of differences in the composition of these groups. Within each population group the prevalence of “frequent” VPCs or of “complex” VPCs also increased exponentially with age. The precise mathematical expression for the increase suggests an etiologic explanation for cardiac dysrhythmia common to coronary artery disease and myocardial infarctions which exhibit similar behavior.
Gel-silica hybrid optics

ABSTRACT Sol-gel processing is used to make two new types of silica optics, Type V fully dense silica and Type VIoptically transparent ultraporous silica. Type VI silica is an ideal matrix for impregnation with second phases that are optically active, resulting in a hybrid optical material with a unique combination of properties. The processing and characteristics of several hybrid optical devices are discussed includinghybrid dye lasers, scintillators and wavelength shifters, transpiration cooled windows, and laser writtenwaveguides. Advantages of the hybrid optical components are discussed along with potential applications. 'l . INTRODUCTIONIn recent years, sol-gel processing has made it possible to produce with high reliability Type V fully densesilica as well as Type VI optically transparent ultraporous silica optical components.13 The ultrastructureof porous silica gels can be controlled to meet specific application requirements.2 Type VI gel-silica, firstreported by Hench et al.1 in1988, is a porous monolithic material exhibiting excellent optical quality,1 goodthermal and chemical stability,4 and reasonably high mechanical strength.5There are several advantages of Type VI gel-silica optics: 1) near net-shape casting eliminates grinding andminimizes final polishing and finishing, which lowers the production cost of the material and makes verysmall precision optical components possible; 2) the reliability of processing offers high degree of success,which further reduces overall cost of silica optics; 3) the porous structures can be controlled over a broadrange of different pore sizes and different values of volume fraction of porosity to meet the requirementsfor hosting second phases of different molecular sizes; 4) there are interconnecting pore channels throughoutthe whole structural network and second phases can be incorporated into the matrix through these channels;and 5) the surface chemistry of the pore network can be tailored molecularly for the organic impregnants.Recently, research work on optical devices has been one of the largest growth fields in high technologyindustry due to fast signal transmittance, miniaturization, and high efficiency. Hybrid optics offers anothergrowth opportunity for this field. The second phases in the hybrid optics can be optically active, which,along with the molecularly tailored host material, offers a wide range of multifunctional characteristics inoptical operations. For example, Type VI gel-silica is an excellent candidate host material for making
Environmental factors influencing the efficacy of probiotic bacteria

Probiotic bacteria are not typical ingredients but rather living cells that can rapidly respond and adapt to changing conditions in their environment. Numerous factors from culture preparation and preservation, conditions in consumer product matrices, and genetic, dietary, cultural, and health differences between consumers can affect probiotic cell activity and probably influence the specific host–microbe interactions required for probiotic effects in the digestive tract. Understanding the impact of these factors on probiotic efficacy will aid in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of probiotic function, improve the design of probiotic-containing consumer products, and guide the establishment of standardized procedures for clinical studies intended to evaluate probiotic effects.