cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LEGAL, SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN EUTHANASIA

In the present era, there is tremendous changes have taken place in beliefs and practices pertaining to the beginning of life. Family planning and birth control instead of being condemned are now accepted as a duty and responsibility. Now abortion is legal in certain circumstances, if abortion could be legal in certain circumstances, then why is there no euthanasia law for the people who have no hope of their life? All human beings have the fundamental right to live. However, there is always a dilemma involved in letting the suffering people die and killing the innocent patient under a false pretext. It can be argued that the issues involved in euthanasia have a significant implication for the individuals in society and to the policymakers. Many people pray that they will not outlive their usefulness and became a burden to their next kin, forcing them to spend large sums of money only to postpone inevitable. Euthanasia is a controversial topic and people are becomING increasingly aware of the issues attached to it. Evidence of this is the question and argument being orchestrated in a rising volume of publication seminars conferences, court decisions and legislative proposal. This work attempt to stimulate discussion and appropriate action in dealing with this present problem. This present work concentrates on the implications involved in the human rights to live especially in the field of medicine and also aims at expositing the issues of euthanasia from legal, social and ethical perspectives.
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis) Tails Found in Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Nests

Thryothorus ludovicianus (Carolina Wren) have rarely been reported to eat lizards. We found Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink) tails in 3 nests of Carolina Wrens occupying nest boxes in residential areas of Huntsville, TX, in 2017. The most likely explanation is that the wrens had been feeding the skinks or their tail sections to their nestlings.
Methods for the isolation and characterization of constituents of natural products: XXI. Use of a celite-potassium methylate column for rapid preparation of methyl esters from microgram amounts of glycerides

Abstract In a convenient, rapid procedure, a very small column of potassium methylate — Hyflo Super-Cel is used to convert microgram amounts of glycerides to methyl esters. Transesterification is complete in hydrocarbon but not in chlorinated solvents or in CS2. The methyl esters can be recovered in 92–95% yield if desired. Regardless of the solvent used, the recovered methyl esters are representative of the original fatty acid composition of the glycerides.
Why Does Shareholders Perform Equity Control Reduction after IPO in China NASDAQ Market

The first thirty companies are listed in China Nasdaq market in October 31st 2009. It means that China Nasdaq market was founded. After three months the equity control reduction became popular in these companies, even the shares are sold in discount rate of 50%. The paper investigates the financial characters and equity structure of the companies. The results found that operation cash flow and centration of shareholders have positive impact on equity control reduction and the percentage of independent directors in BOD has oppositive impact on equity control reduction. The paper contributes to oversight on IPO in China Nasdaq Market and investments on companies in China Nasdaq Market.
Second order method for solving 3D elasticity equations with complex interfaces

Elastic materials are ubiquitous in nature and indispensable components in man-made devices and equipments. When a device or equipment involves composite or multiple elastic materials, elasticity interface problems come into play. The solution of three-dimensional (3D) elasticity interface problems is significantly more difficult than that of elliptic counterparts due to the coupled vector components and cross derivatives in the governing elasticity equations. This work introduces the matched interface and boundary (MIB) method for solving 3D elasticity interface problems. The proposed MIB elasticity interface scheme utilizes fictitious values on irregular grid points near the material interface to replace function values in the discretization so that the elasticity equation can be discretized using the standard finite difference schemes as if there were no material interface. The interface jump conditions are rigorously enforced on the intersecting points between the interface and the mesh lines. Such an enforcement determines the fictitious values. A number of new techniques have been developed to construct efficient MIB elasticity interface schemes for dealing with cross derivative in coupled governing equations. The proposed method is extensively validated over both weak and strong discontinuities of the solution, both piecewise constant and position-dependent material parameters, both smooth and nonsmooth interface geometries, and both small and large contrasts in the Poisson's ratio and shear modulus across the interface. Numerical experiments indicate that the present MIB method is of second order convergence in both L ∞ and L 2 error norms for handling arbitrarily complex interfaces, including biomolecular surfaces. To our best knowledge, this is the first elasticity interface method that is able to deliver the second convergence for the molecular surfaces of proteins.
Measuring restaurant patrons' perceptions and expectations: an importance-performance analysis using the DinEX model.

This pilot study analyzes the importance and performance of specific restaurant attributes presented in the DinEX instrument, which focuses on newer dimensions such as social connectedness. An importance-performance analysis was conducted using the attributes presented in the DinEX model to assess customers’ expectations, and to analyze whether the performance of a specific casual-dining restaurant in the southeastern United States meets those expectations or not. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and a sample of 209 respondents was obtained. Results show that food, service, and atmosphere are important attributes for customers, while social and health domains are not. Implications for practitioners and academics are discussed.
Leptin receptor deletion from POMC neurons increases susceptibility to high fat diet-induced obesity (1126.9)

Leptin, an adipocyte derived hormone, acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to regulate energy homeostasis. Neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus such as proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons represent a major target of leptin to regulate metabolism. However, conditional deletion of the leptin receptor (LepR) from POMC neurons has been shown to result in only a mild obesity phenotype while global or CNS LepR knockout mice are severely obese. Here, we examined the susceptibility of mice lacking the LepR in POMC neurons to high fat feeding. Mice missing the LepR specifically in POMC neurons were generated by crossing LepRfl/fl with POMCCre. LepRfl/fl-POMCCre mice and littermate controls were fed normal chow or high fat diet (HFD, containing 45% fat/kCal) from 4 to12 weeks of age. Consistent with previous reports, on normal chow, LepRbfl/fl-POMCCre mice have a slight, but significantly (P<0.05), elevated body weight (31±1 g) relative to littermate controls (28±1 g). Strikingly, on HFD, LepRbfl/fl-POMCC...
Internet-based factory monitoring

Monitoring a factory remotely over the Internet introduces a variety of issues: how to capture the factory's data in a Web-accessible database, locate the data from anywhere in the world, display it locally using a Web browser, protect private data during transmission, and shield it from unauthorized viewing. Solving those problems from scratch would be difficult, but fortunately that is not necessary. Using techniques developed for electronic commerce-including universal data access, a ubiquitous programming environment, data security and user authentication-all of these requirements can be met. The authors discuss these techniques, then show how they are used in combination to create a data monitoring system for a simulated petrochemical plant.
Software-defined intra-PON optical flow transmission via a quasi-passive reconfigurable (QPAR) node

This paper demonstrates Intra-PON optical Flow transmission via a QPAR node. Simulations show 2 to 20x traffic waiting time reduction comparing to no or fixed Intra-PON designs. Experiments show error-free Intra- and Inter-traffic with/without QPAR reconfiguration.
Evaluating Industry Self-Regulation of Food Marketing to Children.

Introduction Concern has grown about the role of televised food advertising as a contributor to childhood obesity. In response, the food industry adopted a program of self-regulation, with participating companies pledging to limit child-targeted advertising to healthier products. The implicit promise of the industry initiative is a significant improvement in the overall nutritional quality of foods marketed to children, thereby negating the need for governmental regulation to accomplish that objective. This study assesses the efficacy of industry self-regulation by comparing advertising content on children’s TV programs before and after self-regulation was implemented. Methods A systematic content analysis of food advertisements (n=625 in 2007, n=354 in 2013) appearing in children’s TV programs on the most popular cable and broadcast channels was conducted. Results All analyses were conducted in 2014. Findings indicated that no significant improvement in the overall nutritional quality of foods marketed to children has been achieved since industry self-regulation was adopted. In 2013, 80.5% of all foods advertised to children on TV were for products in the poorest nutritional category, and thus pose high risk for contributing to obesity. Conclusions The lack of significant improvement in the nutritional quality of food marketed to children is likely a result of the weak nutritional standards for defining healthy foods employed by industry, and because a substantial proportion of child-oriented food marketers do not participate in self-regulation. The lack of success achieved by self-regulation indicates that other policy actions are needed to effectively reduce children’s exposure to obesogenic food advertising.
Plans for a New Ground Based Space Radiation Research Facility in the USA

The availability of energetic heavy ion beams at particle accelerator laboratories is essential to simulate components of the space radiation environment. Such ion beams are needed for radiobiological research, to assess radiation shielding requirements for space missions, to calibrate spacecraft radiation detectors, and to study space radiation effects on electronic devices and systems. Such ground-based studies are complementary to obviously more realistic, but also much more difficult and more expensive space-based research. The purity of the accelerator beam and their monoenergetic and unidirectional nature are indispensible to gain a detailed understanding of the effects caused by the complex radiation fields encountered in space.
Observed Personality in Childhood: Psychometric and Behavioural Genetic Evidence of Two Broad Personality Factors

We examined broad dimensions of children’s personalities (total n = 1056; age = 3.5 to 12 years) based on observers’ perceptions following a few hours of structured interaction. Siblings’ behaviors during a two-hour cognitive assessment in the home were rated separately by two different observers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses clearly revealed a two-factor solution in three different samples. There was correspondence between parent-rated temperament and the observer-rated factors. Cross-sectional analyses indicated lower Plasticity among older children and higher Stability among older children. Sex differences were negligible. Plasticity and Stability were correlated in the .2 to .3 range. Most of the sibling similarity in the Plasticity was due to additive genetic influences, whereas most sibling similarity in Stability was attributable to shared environmental influences. The findings implicate a biometric factor structure to childhood personality that fits well with emerging bio-social theories of personality development.
Negative Feedbacks on Bark Beetle Outbreaks: Widespread and Severe Spruce Beetle Infestation Restricts Subsequent Infestation

Understanding disturbance interactions and their ecological consequences remains a major challenge for research on the response of forests to a changing climate. When, where, and how one disturbance may alter the severity, extent, or occurrence probability of a subsequent disturbance is encapsulated by the concept of linked disturbances. Here, we evaluated 1) how climate and forest habitat variables, including disturbance history, interact to drive 2000s spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) infestation of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) across the Southern Rocky Mountains; and 2) how previous spruce beetle infestation affects subsequent infestation across the Flat Tops Wilderness in northwestern Colorado, which experienced a severe landscape-scale spruce beetle infestation in the 1940s. We hypothesized that drought and warm temperatures would promote infestation, whereas small diameter and non-host trees, which may reflect past disturbance by spruce beetles, would inhibit infestation. Across the Southern Rocky Mountains, we found that climate and forest structure interacted to drive the 2000s infestation. Within the Flat Tops study area we found that stands infested in the 1940s were composed of higher proportions of small diameter and non-host trees ca. 60 years later. In this area, the 2000s infestation was constrained by a paucity of large diameter host trees (> 23 cm at diameter breast height), not climate. This suggests that there has not been sufficient time for trees to grow large enough to become susceptible to infestation. Concordantly, we found no overlap between areas affected by the 1940s infestation and the current infestation. These results show a severe spruce beetle infestation, which results in the depletion of susceptible hosts, can create a landscape template reducing the potential for future infestations.
Fluorescence enhancement by surface gratings

In our experimental geometry a layer of fluorescent material, either quantum dots or R6G has been spin-coated onto a PMMA grating. 40 nm thick PMMA nano-stripe gratings have been formed by E-beam lithography on top of two kinds of substrates: an ITO/Glass and an Au/Glass substrates. The thickness of the Au layer was about 50 nm. A typical periodicity of the PMMA stripe gratings was 500nm. The fluorescence coming from the PMMA gratings formed on top of the gold film was observed to be the brightest. Compared to the grating on the ITO substrate the fluorescence is enhanced by at least a factor of 10. In order to understand how the fluorescence signal is affected by the periodicity and angular rotation of the gratings, we made a sample with regions of different periodicity varying from 400nm to 1mum, and studied how fluorescence enhancement depends on the grating periodicity and sample rotation angle. It appears that the experimental conditions for maximum enhancement of fluorescence correspond to excitation of surface plasmon polaritons on the sample surface.
Transforming growth factor beta and noncytopathic mechanisms of immunodeficiency in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Abstract This study examines the contribution of transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), one of the most potent endogenous immunosuppressive factors, to the development of immunodeficiency in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Increased titers of TGF beta were found in supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HIV-infected donors as compared to uninfected controls (P less than 0.001). This correlated closely with defective responses of CD4+ lymphocytes to the recall antigens tuberculin purified protein derivative or tetanus toxoid. The addition of TGF beta-neutralizing antibody to PBMCs partially restored these defective T-cell responses. Furthermore, purified TGF beta or HIV+ PBMC culture supernatants preferentially inhibited proliferation of CD4+ lymphocytes as compared to CD8+ cells. The increased expression of the TGF beta protein was associated with increased TGF beta mRNA as determined by a polymerase chain reaction assay. This increase in TGF beta protein and mRNA was due to a selective upregulation of the TGF beta 1 isoform. These results indicate that overexpression of TGF beta 1 occurs in HIV-infected individuals and that this cytokine can contribute to impaired immune functions and to depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes.
Synapses between identified neuronal elements. An electron microscopic demonstration of degenerating axon terminals synapsing with Golgi impregnated neurons.

Abstract Golgi impregnated neurons can be gold-toned, so that in the electron microscope their profiles are marked by gold particles. It is shown that this technique can be used to determine which neurons in the cerebral cortex synapse with degenerating axon terminals. Thus, both the pre- and post-synaptic components of thalamocortical synapses can be identified.
Is ectopic pregnancy possible after hysterectomy

Objective To determine whether ectopic pregnancy should be suspected in young women with abdominal pain even after hysterectomy. Design Case report. Setting The patient presenting with abdominal pain in the emergency department was referred to a tertiary care center. Patient(s) A young woman who had had a subtotal hysterectomy 3 years prior for atonic postpartum hemorrhage during her last caesarean section presented with acute abdominal pain. Intervention(s) Urgent ultrasound showed a gestational sac of 9 weeks + 3 days. Emergency laparotomy was done for suspected ectopic pregnancy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Ultrasound, operative findings, and histopathology. Result(s) Tubal ectopic pregnancy was confirmed on laparotomy and histopathology. Conclusion(s) Early suspicion can avoid missing early and treatable ectopic gestation before life-threatening complications develop.
Discriminative stimulus properties of local anesthetics in d-amphetamine- and prntobarbital-trained pigeons

Abstract Pigeons were trained to discriminate either d-amphetamine (1.7 mg/kg, IM) or pentobarbital (10 mg/kg, IM) from saline in a two-key, food-reinforced drug discrimination paradigm. Cocaine, procaine, and lidocaine were administered before test sessions to determine if these local anesthetics shared discriminative stimulus (DS) properties with either training drug. Cocaine (0.1–3.0 mg/kg) substituted for d-amphetamine in all 4 birds from the d-amphetamine-trained group. Procaine (3.0–56 mg/kg) substituted in 3 of the 4 birds from this group, and lidocaine (3.0–30 mg/kg) did not substitute in any bird. In contrast, cocaine, procaine, and lidocaine did not substitute for pentobarbital in any bird in the pentobarbital-trained group. These results suggest that the DS properties of some local anesthetics may be similar to those of psychomotor stimulants. Further, although some local anesthetics may have sedative-like actions, apparently these are not the basis of their DS effects.
Implications of Metaphors in Defining Technical Communication

Examining the limitations of some common metaphors for technical communication and exploring new alternatives lead to a new definition of technical communication. In current studies of the field, four metaphors appear dominant through explicit or implicit use: transmitter, channel, balance, and bridge. But each of these metaphors is limited in some way when used to describe the field. These limitations arise from complexity, directionality, or originality of the process. Some alternatives provide a new way of viewing the field: lock, translator, transformer, synthesizer, conductor, and orchestrator. The latter term leads to a tentative definition of the field: Technical communication is the process of orchestrating linguistic, visual, or auditory codes to accommodate information to the user.
Multimaterial piezoelectric fibres

Fibres are typically used as passive devices, whether in fibre-optical cables used in telecommunciations or as yarns for clothing. The demonstration of polymer-based piezoelectric fibres that can be drawn to tens of metres in length, and whose acoustic response can be actively controlled, suggests possible applications in, for example, medical imaging or acoustic sensing.
Synthesis of three14C-labelled phenanthrene aminomethanols

Synthetic procedures for the hydrochlorides of 3,6-dichloro-α-(2-piperidyl)-9-phenanthrenemethanol-14C, 3,6-dichloro-α-(dibutylaminomethyl)-9-phenanthrenemethanol-14C, and 3,6-dichloro-α-(diheptylaminomethyl)-9-phenanthrenemethanol-14C were described. Radiochemical assay of these compounds has also been reported.
Image Decomposition and Representation in Large Image Database Systems

To an increasing extent, applications demand the capability of retrieval based on image content. As a result, large image database systems need to be built to support effective and efficient accesses to image data on the basis of content. In this process, significant features must first be extracted from image data in their pixel format. These features must then be classified and indexed to assist efficient retrieval of image content. However, the issues central to automatic extraction and indexing of image content remain largely an open problem. Tools are not currently available with which to accurately specify image content for image database uses. In this paper, we investigate effective block-oriented image decomposition structures to be used as the representation of images in image database systems. Three types of block-oriented image decomposition structures, namely, quad-, quin-, and nona-trees, are compared. In analyzing and comparing these structures, wavelet transforms are used to extract image content features. Our experimental analysis illustrates that nona-tree decomposition is the most effective of the three decomposition structures available to facilitate effective content-based image retrieval. Using nona-tree structure to represent image content in an image database, various types of content-based queries and efficient image retrieval can be supported through novel indexing and searching approaches. We demonstrate that the nona-tree structure provides a highly effective approach to supporting automatic organization of images in large image database systems.
Evaluation of Hepatic Metabolism of Salicylic Acid in Perfused Rat Liver

Hepatic metabolism of salicylic acid was studied using a single-pass liver perfusion technique. Livers obtained from male, Sprague-Dawley rats (200–300 g) were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing the drug (50–100 μg/mL) and glycine (0.5 or 5 mM) or glucose (5.5 mM) or bovine serum albumin (0.33%). Effluent samples over a 30–50 min interval were analyzed for salicylic acid and its metabolites (gentisic acid, salicyluric acid, and salicyl acyl and salicyl phenolic glucuronides). Effluent concentrations of salicylic acid did not differ from those in the perfusate, indicating that the liver is not a site for the metabolism of this drug. Hepatic uptake studies are needed to confirm this finding.
Preliminary field experience with the DVLNAV integrated navigation system for oceanographic submersibles

Abstract This paper reports the development and field testing of DVLNAV, an interactive program for precision three-dimensional navigation of underwater vehicles. The goal of this system is to provide vehicle position and velocity navigation data with both the precision and update rate necessary to enable closed-loop vehicle control. We report the results of preliminary field trials of DVLNAV with the Jason II underwater robot. The performance of bottom lock Doppler navigation is evaluated with respect to long baseline acoustic navigation.
Recent advances in supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry

A summary of the recent advances in SFC/MS is included in this review. Interface designs are described as well as the key control variables. Finally, future developments in SFC/MS are predicted.
Grassroots organizations and leadership education

Training and technical assistance organizations called intermediaries have sprung up in cities to help build the capacities of grassroots organizations, but they are lacking in rural communities an...
Assessing the Allocation of Pork: Evidence From Congressional Earmarks

Distributive politics represents one of the most important and controversial aspects of legislative policymaking. In the U.S. Congress, controversies over distributive politics are most evident in the area of legislative earmarking. In this article, we employ a unique set of data matching earmarks to their legislative sponsors to assess the leading explanations of distributive politics. We find that members of the majority party do considerably better than equally situated members of the minority. Moreover, party leaders target earmarks to those holding pivotal agenda-setting positions and to electorally vulnerable members. These findings have direct implications for both the extensive political science literature on distributive politics and the practical politics of earmarking reform.
The Economics of Transnational Regions: Meaning and Measure

People often divide the world into “regions,” to facilitate analysis and organize information. The degree to which nations within areas perceived to be regions interact economically has important implications for economic policy and diplomacy. In this paper, the author analyzes and defines transnational regions in economic terms and proposes a measure of regional integration based on trade, which he calls the “regional trade ratio.” He calculates this ratio for four country groups generally considered to be world regions. He finds significant integration for all four—North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East—and high levels of integration for the latter three.
Studies on the guanidine character of poliovirus

Abstract Guanidine at a concentration of 100 μg/ml markedly inhibited the growth of all the laboratory strains of poliovirus studied. Virus pools which were obtained after several passages in the presence of guanidine became dependent upon guanidine for maximum replication. The phase of the replication cycle primarily affected by the presence or absence of guanidine was studied. In these experiments, guanidine did not seem to influence virus adsorption or its entrance into the eclipse phase. A reduction in the production of infectious RNA by infected cells was the basis of both the inhibition of g− strains by the presence of guanidine and the inhibition of g+ strains by its absence. The presence of deuterium oxide (D2O) did not reverse the inhibitory effects of guanidine upon the growth of a g− population. Changes in the guanidine character were unrelated to changes in the bovine serum inhibitor (Bo) or reproductive capacity temperature/40 ( rct 40 ) character.
An Alternative Approach to Al2O2 Ring Systems by Unexpected Cleavage of Stable Al-F- and Si-O- Bonds †

The reaction of dimethyl aluminum fluoride (Me2AlF, DMAF) with 2,6-diisopropylphenol and triethylcitrate, respectively, leads to the products (RO)6Al4F2Me4 (R = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) (1) and (ROAlFMe)2 (R = C(CH2COOEt)2(COOEt)) (2), containing Al2O2 ring systems. Both aluminum-μ-oxo fluorides have been structurally characterized. Fluorine exchange in the reaction of 2,6-diisopropylphenol with DMAF has been monitored using 19F NMR spectroscopy. The proposed processes in solution are confirmed by the solid-state structure of 1. Compound 1 contains four aluminum centers forming three four-membered ring systems. The two outer cycles consist of bridging −OR groups, whereas the aluminum atoms in the central cycle are connected via fluorine atoms. Two of the aluminum atoms are 4-fold coordinated, and two are 5-fold coordinated. Compound 1 contains a rare four-membered Al2F2 ring system. Compound 2 exhibits a dimeric structure, with oxygen rather than fluorine atoms bridging the aluminum atoms. A further carboxy oxygen ...
Work Satisfaction of Females with Full-Time Employment and Full-Time Housekeeping: 15 Years Later

-Comparison of National O p m o n Survey data Fmm 1972 and 1973 with similar data From 1987 and 1988 suggesrs that, in contrast to the earlier data which showed no difference, women who work lull-time outside the home now report greater work satisfaction than women engaged in full-time housekeeping. These results suggest that sex-role socialization in American society no longer prepares women strictly for the domestic role.
A blood-brain barrier to peroxidase in capillaries surrounded by perivascular spaces

Some investigators have hypothesized that the absence of a blood-brain barrier in specialized regions of the mammalian central nervous system is related to the occurrence of a pericapillary connective tissue space that can accommodate more substance than the usual narrow extracellular space in the remainder of the cerebral parenchyma. The capillaries of the urodele brain are well suited to test this hypothesis. All of the cerebral capillaries examined electron-microscopically in Necturus maculosus are surrounded by a collagen-containing space, about 0.5 m wide, which is delimited by an endothelial and a glial basement membrane. In Ambystoma tigrinum, some capillaries have perivascular spaces whereas others are surrounded by a single basement membrane shared by endothelium and glia and therefore resemble mammalian vessels exhibiting barrier phenomena. In both Necturus and Ambystoma, horseradish peroxidase administered intravenously one-half to two hours before fixation did not cross the brain capillary endothelium. The bulk of the protein remained in the vessel lumen, although some was incorporated by membrane-bound inclusions within the endothelium, and none ever reached the perivascular basement membrane, space or parenchyma. The amphibian cerebral endothelium is, like the mammalian endothelium, the locus for the barrier to the entry of peroxidase from blood to parenchyma. Thus, the mere occurrence of a pericapillary space is not necessarily coincident with the absence of a blood-brain barrier.
Elastic Constants of II-IV Semiconductors

The adiabatic elastic constants of the II-IV semiconducting compounds ${\mathrm{Mg}}_{2}X$ ($X=\mathrm{S}\mathrm{i},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{n},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}$) are calculated using an angular-force model. Coulombic and repulsive forces are also included to first order. The only experimental parameters required for this calculation are the bulk modulus and the long-wavelength optical-phonon frequencies which are now available from first-order ordinary and resonant Raman scattering, neutron scattering, and infrared absorption measurements. Good agreement is obtained with the experimental values of the elastic constants and also for the Szigeti effective charge. From these and similar results on fluorite-type materials, it follows that the model, previously employed by other workers for the single case of ${\mathrm{Mg}}_{2}$Sn, is more appropriate for crystals with more pronounced covalent character.
Inference on collapsibility in generalized linear models

GREENLAND and MICKEY (1988) derived a closed-form collapsibility test and confidence interval for IxJxK contingency tables with qualitative factors, and presented a small simulation study of its performance. We show how their method can be extended to regression models linear in the natural parameter of a one-parameter exponential family, in which the parameter of interest is the difference of “crude” and “adjusted” regression coefficients. A simplification of the method yields a generalization of the test for omitted covariates given by HAUSMAN (1978) for ordinary linear regression. We present an application to a study of coffee use and myocardial infarction, and a simulation study which indicates that the simplified test performs adequately in typical epidemiologic settings.
DIDS increases K+ secretion through an IsK channel in apical membrane of vestibular dark cell epithelium of gerbil.

Vestibular dark cell epithelium secretes K+ via IsKchannels in the apical membrane. The previous observation that disulfonic stilbenes increased the equivalent short circuit current (Isc) suggested that these agents might be useful investigative tools in this tissue. The present experiments were conducted to determine if the increase in Iscwas associated with an increase in K+ flux and if the effect was directly on the IsKchannel or indirectly via a cytosolic intermediary. Measurements of transepithelial K+ flux with the K+-selective vibrating probe and of changes in net cellular solute flux by measurements of epithelial cell height showed that 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DIDS) increased K+ flux by a factor of 1.96±0.71 and caused net solute efflux. The apical membrane was partitioned with a macropatch pipette and DIDS was applied either to the membrane outside the pipette, inside the pipette or to the entire apical membrane. DIDS inside the pipette increased the current across the patch, the membrane conductance, the slowly-inactivating (IsK) component of the membrane current and shifted the reversal voltage toward the equilibrium potential for K+. DIDS outside the patch decreased the patch current and conductance, consistent with shunting of current away from the membrane patch. These findings strongly support the notion that DIDS increases K+ secretion through IsKchannels in the apical membrane of vestibular dark cell epithelium by acting directly on the channels or on a tightly colocalized membrane component.
Compensating Inertia Forces During Human Load Carrying Using a Motorized Second Spine

This study focuses on how the inertia force of a backpack induced by human walking can be compensated by active load modulation through a Second Spine, a device that provides an alternate pathway to transfer loads from the shoulder to the pelvis. Human walking induces periodic vertical acceleration of the upper body. A backpack worn on the upper body undergoes this same acceleration. Inertia force is induced by this acceleration and the human body has to sustain this motion and provide necessary energy.Based on this knowledge and our previous studies on a passive Second Spine, we present studies on a motorized Second Spine that can actively modulate the vertical motion of a backpack such that the inertia forces can be reduced. This is realized by real-time sensing and actuation so that the backpack is kept inertially fixed. The performance of such a device was evaluated on an instrumented test-bed using an Instron machine, showing results in good agreement with simulation. It was shown that the backpack motion can be made nearly stationary with respect to the ground by active modulation using motors and the inertia force is reduced.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Secondary structure in transfer RNA genes.

The bacterial strand of the heteroduplex of λh80 dglyTsu+36tyrTthrT with λh80 carries a cluster of three transfer RNA genes. The bacterial strands of the heteroduplexes of φ80hpsu+,−III and φ80hpsu−III with φ80h carry two and one genes for tyrosine tRNA, respectively. When these heteroduplexes are spread under weakly denaturing conditions (low formamide), secondary structure features consisting of one or several closely clustered, short duplex regions (folds) are observed. The features map at the positions of the tRNA gene clusters. They are not seen if the DNA is hybridized to Escherichia coli tRNA. It is concluded that the secondary structure features are due to self-complementary sequences in the tRNA genes. In some cases, the duplex folds appear to involve base pairing between sequences on different tRNA genes of a cluster and may also involve the spacer sequences between the tRNA sequences.
Long-term follow-up of single versus double cuff artificial urinary sphincter insertion for the treatment of severe postprostatectomy stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVES To assess the long-term effectiveness and complications associated with single and double cuff artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation for the treatment of severe postprostatectomy stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS We updated the outcomes of 56 men with postprostatectomy SUI who underwent single (28 patients) or double (28 patients) cuff AUS placement. Originally patients in each cohort were matched according to preoperative pad usage, risk factors for complications, and age. Continence, quality of life, and complications were assessed according to the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire Short Form (IIQ-7), postoperative pad usage, chart review, and patient/family interview. RESULTS Updated data were available for 47 men (25 single cuff and 22 double cuff patients). Mean pre-AUS implant age was 67 years for each group. Average follow-up was 74.1 months and 58.0 months for single and double cuff patients, respectively. No statistically significant difference in continence improvement was noted between the two groups according to daily pad usage and overall dry rate. IIQ-7 scores improved from 14.8 to 4.1 after single cuff implants and from 16.3 to 6.4 after double cuff placement (P = 0.34). Men receiving a single cuff AUS reported seven complications requiring further operative intervention. Double cuff patients underwent 12 additional surgeries secondary to complications. CONCLUSIONS Despite our earlier findings, no significant difference in dry rate, overall continence, or quality of life was seen with long-term follow-up of single versus double cuff AUS patients. Furthermore, men receiving double cuff implants may be at higher risk of complications requiring additional surgery.
Surface Structure and Coverage of an Oligonucleotide Probe Tethered onto a Gold Substrate and Its Hybridization Efficiency for a Polynucleotide Target

A single-stranded oligonucleotide whose 5‘ end is derivatized with a mercaptohexyl tether group was either directly anchored onto a gold surface or attached to a gold surface as part of a mixed self-assembled monolayer that contains mercaptohexanol. The application of these surface-confined DNA oligomers as heterogeneous probes for the detection of polynucleotides (e.g., M13 phage DNA) is considered, with an emphasis on the elucidation of the relationship between the hybridization efficiency and the surface coverage and orientation of the probe molecules. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and flow-injection quartz crystal microbalance (FI-QCM) were used in tandem to study the immobilization of the probe, to estimate the extent and efficiency of the hybridization of M13 phage DNA (7249 bases), and to examine the effect of using a different alkanethiol to reorient the preformed film for a higher hybridization efficiency. The surface density and the resultant hybridization efficiency were found to be highly depe...
Challenges for data storage in medical imaging research.

Researchers in medical imaging have multiple challenges for storing, indexing, maintaining viability, and sharing their data. Addressing all these concerns requires a constellation of tools, but not all of them need to be local to the site. In particular, the data storage challenges faced by researchers can begin to require professional information technology skills. With limited human resources and funds, the medical imaging researcher may be better served with an outsourcing strategy for some management aspects. This paper outlines an approach to manage the main objectives faced by medical imaging scientists whose work includes processing and data mining on non-standard file formats, and relating those files to the their DICOM standard descendents. The capacity of the approach scales as the researcher’s need grows by leveraging the on-demand provisioning ability of cloud computing.
Zo is de toekomst niet geweest

Voorspellingen in het verleden over toekomstige ontwikkelingen in de technologie en in de genees- en de tandheelkunde waren van twijfelachtige waarde. Niet in het minst toen het ging om het transplanteren van elementen.
Hyperbilirubinemia and Bilirubin Toxicity in the Late Preterm Infant

Late preterm gestation is an important risk factor for the development of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and kernicterus. An exaggerated hepatic immaturity contributes to the greater prevalence, severity, and duration of neonatal jaundice in late preterm infants. Breast milk feeding is almost uniformly present and large for gestational age status, male sex, and G6PD deficiency are over-represented among that cohort of late preterm infants with kernicterus. Attention to screening measures for jaundice in the newborn nursery, the provision of lactation support, parental education, timely postdischarge follow-up, and appropriate treatment when clinically indicated should help to reduce the risk of late preterm neonates developing severe neonatal jaundice or kernicterus.
Cancer Screening in Patients Infected with HIV

Non–AIDS-defining cancers are a rising health concern among HIV-infected patients. Cancer screening is now an important component of health maintenance in HIV clinical practice. The decision to screen an HIV-infected patient for cancer should include an assessment of individualized risk for the particular cancer, life expectancy, and the harms and benefits associated with the screening test and its potential outcome. HIV-infected patients are at enhanced risk of several cancers compared to the general population; anal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and lung cancer all have good evidence demonstrating an enhanced risk in HIV-infected persons. A number of cancer screening interventions have shown benefit for specific cancers in the general population, but data on the application of these tests to HIV-infected persons are limited. Here we review the epidemiology and background literature relating to cancer screening interventions in HIV-infected persons. We then use these data to inform a conceptual model for evaluating HIV-infected patients for cancer screening.
Structural features of the S-matrix for the rotational excitation of homonuclear diatomic molecules by atom impact - Close-coupled versus approximate computations.

S-matrix computations for quantum transitions, considering close coupling case of homonuclear diatomic molecular rotational excitation
Quantitation of trimipramine enantiomers in human serum by enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography and mixed-mode disc solid-phase extraction.

A sensitive and stereospecific method for the quantitation of trimipramine enantiomers in human serum was developed. The assay involves the use of a novel mixed-mode disc solid-phase extraction for serum sample clean-up prior to HPLC analysis and is also free of interference from the enantiomers of desmethyltrimipramine, 2-hydroxytrimipramine, and 2-hydroxydesmethyltrimipramine, the three major metabolites of trimipramine. Chromatographic resolution of trimipramine enantiomers was performed on a reversed-phase cellulose-based chiral column (Chiralcel OD-R) under isocratic conditions using a mobile phase consisting of 0.3 M aqueous sodium perchlorate-acetonitrile (58:42, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min. Recoveries for R- and S-trimipramine enantiomers were in the range of 93-96% at 25-185 ng/ml levels. Intra-day and inter-day precisions calculated as R.S.D. were in the ranges of 0.30-8.00% and 1.60-10.20% for both enantiomers, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day accuracies calculated as percent error were in the 0.01-2.10% and 1.00-3.00% ranges for both enantiomers, respectively. Linear calibration curves were in the concentration range 15-250 ng/ml for each enantiomer in serum. The limit of quantification of each enantiomer was 15 ng/ml. The detection limit for each enantiomer in serum using a UV detector set at 210 nm was 10 ng/ml (S/N=2). In addition, separation of the enantiomers of desmethyltrimipramine, 2-hydroxytrimipramine, and 2-hydroxydesmethyltrimipramine were investigated. The desmethyltrimipramine enantiomers could be resolved on the Chiralcel OD-R column under the same chromatographic conditions as the trimipramine enantiomers, but the other two metabolite enantiomers required different mobile phases on the Chiralcel OD-R column to achieve satisfactory resolution with Rs values of 1.00.
Elder‐Vass's Move and Giddens's Call

David Elder-Vass's "For Emergence: refining Archer's account of social structure," is the latest of a number of papers which together constitute a family quarrel in the cognitive space After Postmodernism among realist social scientists. In the case under examination here in "Elder-Vass's Move and Giddens's Call", the concern is the structure and agency problem in the social sciences. The debate continuing in Elder-Vass's paper represents the proponents of the resurrection of Durkheim's social realism under the auspices of Bhaskar's Transcendental Realism; the debate that continues here as a response to the Elder-Vass paper, opposes the latter's attempt to advance the argument for social realism under the canopy of Harre's Immanental realism. The theme of this response is this: Elder-Vass fails to realize the promise of reconciling social structural realism and social relational realism.
Intel Xeon Phi accelerated Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Goddard microphysics scheme

Abstract. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is a numerical weather prediction system designed to serve both atmospheric research and operational forecasting needs. The WRF development is a done in collaboration around the globe. Furthermore, the WRF is used by academic atmospheric scientists, weather forecasters at the operational centers and so on. The WRF contains several physics components. The most time consuming one is the microphysics. One microphysics scheme is the Goddard cloud microphysics scheme. It is a sophisticated cloud microphysics scheme in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The Goddard microphysics scheme is very suitable for massively parallel computation as there are no interactions among horizontal grid points. Compared to the earlier microphysics schemes, the Goddard scheme incorporates a large number of improvements. Thus, we have optimized the Goddard scheme code. In this paper, we present our results of optimizing the Goddard microphysics scheme on Intel Many Integrated Core Architecture (MIC) hardware. The Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor is the first product based on Intel MIC architecture, and it consists of up to 61 cores connected by a high performance on-die bidirectional interconnect. The Intel MIC is capable of executing a full operating system and entire programs rather than just kernels as the GPU does. The MIC coprocessor supports all important Intel development tools. Thus, the development environment is one familiar to a vast number of CPU developers. Although, getting a maximum performance out of MICs will require using some novel optimization techniques. Those optimization techniques are discussed in this paper. The results show that the optimizations improved performance of Goddard microphysics scheme on Xeon Phi 7120P by a factor of 4.7×. In addition, the optimizations reduced the Goddard microphysics scheme's share of the total WRF processing time from 20.0 to 7.5%. Furthermore, the same optimizations improved performance on Intel Xeon E5-2670 by a factor of 2.8× compared to the original code.