cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Did glacials start with global warming

Abstract Correlation of paleoclimatic evidence with orbital changes shows that the build-up of polar ice accelerated when low obliquity coincided with perihelion in Northern Hemisphere winter. Under low obliquity the insolation was channeled to the tropics at the expense of both polar caps. As perihelion moved from winter solstice toward spring equinox, the solar beam in astronomic winter and spring became stronger than in summer and autumn. This orbital configuration under climate conditions like today would lead to warming of tropical oceans but cooling of the polar regions. The areally weighted global mean surface temperature, which is dominated by the low latitudes, would increase. Consequently, during the first millennia, the early glacial ice build-up was most likely accompanied by global warming. It was the associated increase of meridional insolation and temperature gradients, which were instrumental in the transition to a glacial. A significant part of the current global warming is due to the gradual temperature increase of the tropical oceans. As the changing orbital configuration today resembles that of the last interglacial/glacial transition, the warming is likely to have a natural component.
Ultra-wideband radar receiver

Two receiver systems are under development which elaborate a ultrawideband (UWB) receiver architecture based on a 0-1 GHz time delay-channelized receiver. With the appropriate processing hardware, this receiver may be able to operate at much higher data rates than the transient digitizers currently in use. While one receiver system version employs 200 MHz A/D converters, the other uses 500 MHz A/D converters.
On the tracks of our scientific forbears

15 Blum, J. S. and Cresswell, P. (1988) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 3975-3979 16 Cresswell, P. (1985) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 82, 8188-8192 17 Rothenberger, S., Iacopena, B. J. and Kiihn, L. C. (1987) Ce1149, 423-431 18 Koch, N. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 4097-4102 19 Sant, A. J., Cullen, S. E., Giacoletto, K. S. and Schwartz, B. D. (1985) J. Exp. Med. 162, 1916-1934 20 Marks, M. S. and Cresswell, P. (1986) J. Immunol. 136, 2519-2525 21 Momburg, F., Koch, N., M611er, P., Moldenhauer, G., Butcher, G. W. and Hfimmerling, G. J. (1986)J. Immunol. 136,940-948 22 Jones, P. P., Murphy, D. B., Hewgill, D. and McDevitt, H. O. (1979)lmmunochemistrv 16, 51~0 23 Koch, N., Wong, G. H. W. and Schrader, J. W. (1986)J. Immunol. 132, 1361-1369 24 Stockinger, B., Pessara, U., Lin, R. H., Habicht, J~ and Koch, N. (1989) Cell 56, 683-689 25 Shastri, N., Malissen, B. and Hood, L. (1985) Proc. NatlAcad. Sci. USA 82, 5885 5889 26 Nowell, J. and Quaranta, V. (1985) J. F, xp. Med. 162, 1371-1376 27 Falo, L. D., Benacerraf, B., Rothstein, L. and Rock, K. L. (1987) J. lmmunol. 139, 3918-3923 28 Rosamond, S., Brown. L., Gomez, C., Braciale, T. J. and Schwartz, B. D. (1987) J. lrnmunol. I39, 1946-1951 29 Elliott, W. L., Stille, C. J., Thomas, L. J. and Humphreys, R. E. (1987) J. Immunol. 138, 2949-2952
Synthesis of cytochrome c oxidase models bearing a Tyr244 mimic.

A close structural analogue of the metal-free cytochrome c oxidase active site has been synthesized. This model has a proximal imidazole tail and three distal imidazole pickets attached to a porphyrin. One distal imidazole is cross-linked to a phenol, mimicking Tyr244. The strategy behind the successful synthesis of this regioisomerically pure model involved discovering the best sequence to introduce the phenol-substituted imidazole and employing a fluorinated substituent.
Pediatric Minimal-Access Surgery: Update 2006

Pediatric patients continue to benefit from the advances made in minimal-access surgery. Improvements in techniques and tools have made minimal-access procedures increasingly available to children. Growing popularity of laparoscopy and thoracoscopy has resulted in greater numbers of patients available for outcomes analysis. Randomized, controlled studies have been difficult to perform because of parent, patient, and physician selection bias.
Electron transfer rate modulation in a compact Re(I) donor–acceptor complex

Formation of the charge transfer state with the rate constant of (10 ps)−1 has recently been reported for the complex fac-[ReI(CO)3(DCEB)(3DMABN)] (ReEBA); where 3DMABN is 3-dimethylaminobenzonitrile, serving as an electron donor, and DCEB is 4,4′-(dicarboxyethyl)-2,2-bipyridine, serving as an electron acceptor (Y. Yue et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 118, 10407). 3-Pulse UV-pump – IR-pump – IR-probe spectroscopy is used in this work to study how the charge separation reaction in ReEBA to form a ligand to ligand charge transfer state (LLCT) can be modulated by vibrational excitation of various modes of the complex. While no significant rate modulation was found when the cyano group stretching mode of the 3DMABN donor was excited, a sizable effect was found when the ring stretching mode of the DCEB acceptor was excited. The accumulation of the charge separated state (LLCT state) in the 3-pulse experiment was observed as a sharp excited-state vibrational peak of the symmetric stretch of the three facial carbonyl groups, νSS(CO). Modeling indicates that the rate of charge separation is increased by ca. 28% when vibrational excitation is present. The vibronic coupling signal of the bpy ring mode and νSS(CO) as well as the energy transport dynamics from bpy to carbonyl contributed to the 3-pulse signal and was studied as well using the 3-pulse method. Energy transport between the same modes in the ground electronic state was measured by relaxation-assisted two-dimensional infrared (RA 2DIR) spectroscopy. The energy transport times of 4 ± 0.7 and 5 ± 1.5 ps were found for the ground and excited electronic states.
Design of observers for large scale singular systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of designing minimal-order observers for reconstructing the state of large-scale singular systems. Based on the generalization of block Hessenberg form, a block decomposition technique is presented to construct a minimal order observer for such systems. It is shown that the system in this design coordinate along with certain assumed block forms for the observer matrices enable the generalized observer constraint equation to be decomposed and solved effectively. A distinct point of the proposed algorithm is that the solution procedure can be tailored to parallel implementation and is therefore fast.
The Association of Optimism and Perceived Discrimination With Health Care Utilization in Adults With Sickle Cell Disease

Objective We evaluated the effect of perceived discrimination, optimism, and their interaction on health care utilization among African American adults with sickle cell disease(SCD). Methods Measures of optimism and perceived discrimination were obtained in 49 African American SCD patients. Multiple regression analyses controlling for sex and age tested effects of optimism and perceived discrimination on the number of emergency department visits (ED) and number and duration of hospitalizations over the past year. Results A perceived discrimination-optimism interaction was associated with number of emergency departments visits (b = .29, p = .052), number of hospitalizations (b = .36, p = .019), and duration of hospitalizations (b = .30, p = .045) such that those with high perceived discrimination/high optimism had the greatest health care utilization. Conclusions African American SCD patients with high perceived discrimination/high optimism had greater health care utilization than patients who reported either low perceived discrimination or low optimism. This study suggests that patient personality and coping styles should be considered when evaluating the effects of stress on SCD-related outcomes.
Long-term Analysis of Surgical Correction of the Senile Upper Lip

Objective A quantitative comparison of immediate and long-term results of surgical correction of the senile upper lip using lip advancement and lip lift. Methods Retrospective review of 30 patients who underwent senile upper lip repair, including lip advancement or lip lift. Digital image analysis was used to standardize each patient's preoperative and postoperative photographs for accurate, objective comparison. Results Lip lift and lip advancement achieve significant improvement in the appearance of the senile upper lip (P Conclusion Lip advancement and lip lift can restore the senile upper lip to a more youthful and natural appearance with sustained long-term benefits.
Evaluation of Propylene Glycol as an Energy Source in Broiler Diets

Abstract WITHIN the past few years nutritionists have become interested in obtaining synthetic sources of nutrients such as protein from organisms grown on petroleum. Propylene glycol, a compound which results from the cracking of propane, may be a possible synthetic energy source in animal diets. Propylene glycol (1-2-dihydroxy propane) is unique among the glycols because its low toxicity permits it to be taken internally. Hanzlik et al. (1931) compared the intramuscular irritant properties of propylene glycol and found that it caused a temporary burning sensation when placed on the tongue of human subjects. However, there was no apparent injury to this organ or to the oral mucosa. The irritant action was fleeting, lasting 5 to 10 minutes, and there were no after effects locally or systemically. Seidenfeld and Hanzlik (1932) fed up to 10% solutions of propylene glycol in water to rats during about one-eighth of their normal span of life . . .
Blood product use in cardiac revascularization: comparison of on- and off-pump techniques

Abstract Background . Cardiac revascularization on a beating heart avoids the side effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (eg, neurologic injury, hemodilution, and coagulopathy). We examined perioperative bleeding and use of blood products during coronary artery bypass grafting using either on-pump or off-pump techniques. Method . The charts of 126 patients who had coronary artery bypass grafting were reviewed. Data from 66 patients revascularized off pump and 60 patients with cardiopulmonary bypass (on pump) were analyzed using unpaired Student's t test. Results . Average age was 62.5 years in either group. More patients received heparin preoperatively in the off-pump group that resulted in mild elevation of preoperative partial thromboplastin time and activated clotting time (40.4 ± 2.9 seconds and 150.1 ± 5.3 seconds, respectively). However, the off-pump group had less perioperative (intraoperative or postoperative) bleeding (2312 ± 212 mL versus 3251 ± 155 mL, p Conclusions . Avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass decreases perioperative bleeding and, consequently, reduces the use of blood products after coronary artery bypass grafting, which might result in fewer transfusion-related complications.
ReViveI/O: efficient handling of I/O in highly-available rollback-recovery servers

The increasing demand for reliable computers has led to proposals for hardware-assisted rollback of memory state. Such approach promises major reductions in mean time to repair (MTTR). The benefits are especially compelling for database servers, where existing recovery software typically leads to downtimes of tens of minutes. Unfortunately, adoption of such proposals is hindered by the lack of efficient mechanisms for I/O recovery. This paper presents and evaluates ReViveI/O, a scheme for I/O undo and redo that is compatible with mechanisms for hardware-assisted rollback of memory state. We have fully implemented a Linux-based prototype that shows that low-overhead, low-MTTR recovery of I/O is feasible. For 20-120 ms between checkpoints, a throughput-oriented workload such as TPC-C has negligible overhead. Moreover, for 50 ms or less between checkpoints, the response time of a latency-bound workload such as WebStone remains tolerable. In all cases, the recovery time of ReViveI/O is practically negligible. The result is a cost-effective highly-available server.
Father absence and early sexual debut: Understanding the influe nce of gender, risk, and protective factors

The objectives of the present study were to: (1) understand how a father’s absence can influence an adolescent’s early sexual debut differently for males and females; and (2) identify the individual and family risk and protective factors associated with rates of early sexual debut. This study used a sample of adolescents from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, Waves 1 (age 10-14 years) and Wave 3 (age 15-20 years) (n=928). Risk factors assessed included adolescent school problems as well as drug and alcohol use, while protective factors assessed included positive father-adolescent relationships, parental monitoring and adolescent academic achievement. To expand the current literature on both male and female sexual debut, duration of father absence was considered. Logistic regressions were conducted to test the impact of father absence on early sexual debut, despite individual and family risk and protective factors. Findings revealed that gender and delinquency (both school problems and drug and alcohol use) are predictors of early sexual debut. Furthermore, a significant interaction was found between adolescent gender and father absence. Specifically, the longer a father is absent (in years) from the household, the greater the odds of early sexual debut for girls; however, this effect was not statistically significant for boys. Implications regarding these findings are discussed to provide a better understanding regarding the risk and protective factors associated with early sexual debut
Effect of Fiber Orthotropy on Effective Composite Properties

Classical form analytical expressions are presented for four of the five effective elastic constants of a transversely isotropic composite material containing ortho-tropic fibers. Circumferentially and radially orthotropic fibers are considered. The properties of composites with orthotropic fibers are compared to those with isotropic and transversely isotropic fibers. It is shown that the morphology of the fiber can have a significant effect on composite properties. It is also shown that fiber morphology has a significant effect on the stress distributions in a composite cylinder.
Perception of parallelepipeds: Perkins's law.

Two experiments were carried out to study the perception of parallelepipeds. In the first, the subjects were shown images of parallelepipeds and were asked to judge the 3-D orientations of the faces of the parallelepipeds, as well as the shapes of the faces. These two types of judgments were found to be inconsistent. Specifically, the parallelepipeds reconstructed from judgments of 3-D orientations of the faces were systematically different from the parallelepipeds reconstructed from judgments of the shape of the faces. In the second experiment, the subjects were asked to choose which reconstruction was closer to their percept. In most trials the subjects chose the 3-D parallelepiped reconstructed from judgments of the shapes of the faces. These results suggest that the percept of the shape of a 3-D object is not based on the judgments of the 3-D orientations of the object's surfaces. Instead, the 3-D shape percept is based on simplicity constraints. A new computational model is presented, which generaliz...
Age dependence of viral expression: comparative pathogenesis of two rodent-adapted strains of measles virus in mice.

Abstract The pathogenesis of two rodent-adapted strains of measles virus was studied in 1- to 2-day-old suckling and 4-week-old weanling BALB/c mice. Both the mouse-adapted Edmonston (MAEd) strain and the hamster-neurotropic (HNT) strain caused necrotizing giant-cell encephalitis with a 90 to 100% mortality after intracerebral inoculation into suckling mice. After intracerebral inoculation into weanling mice, MAEd virus caused fatal disease in 20% of the mice; HNT virus caused fatal disease in 30%, but an additional 35% of these mice developed disease and then recovered. Even when mice were moribund there was little histological evidence of disease in weanling mice inoculated intracerebrally with either strain of virus. Fluorescent-antibody staining showed extensive measles virus antigen in the suckling mouse brain and focal areas of measles virus antigen in the weanling mouse brain. Infectious virus was recovered easily from the brains of suckling mice by plaquing on Vero cells, but no infectious virus could be recovered similarly from weanling mice. However, virus could be recovered by intracerebral inoculation of weanling mouse tissue homogenates into suckling animals. The immune response appeared to play no role in the recovery from infection or in these age-related differences in disease. It appears that maturation of the cells of the mouse central nervous system converted the production of measles virus from the infectious form in the suckling mouse to a primarily defective infection in the weanling mouse.
An upper bound on turbo code free distance

An upper bound on the free distance of turbo codes is developed by treating the codes as linear block codes and exploiting properties of the resulting generator matrix. The free distance upper bound is then used to lower bound the performance of turbo codes.
A multi-level transmission line network approach for multi-giga hertz clock distribution

In high performance systems, process variations and fluctuations of operating environments have significant impact on the clock skew. Recently, hybrid structures of H-tree and mesh were proposed to distribute the clock signal with a balanced H-tree and lock the skew using the shunt effect of the mesh. However, in multi-giga hertz regime, the RC model (Orshansky et al., 2002) of the mesh is no longer valid. The inductance effect of the mesh can even make the skew worse. In this paper, we investigate the use of a novel architecture which incorporates multiple level transmission line shunts to distribute global clock signal. We derive the analytical expression of the skew reduction contributed by the shunt of a transmission line with the length of an integral multiple of clock wavelength. Based on the analytical skew expression, we adopt convex programming techniques to optimize the wire widths of the multi-level transmission line network. Simulation results show that the multilevel network achieves below 4ps skew for 10GHz clock rate.
Developing industrial heritage tourism: A case study of the proposed jeep museum in Toledo, Ohio

Abstract There are a growing number of industrial cities in which promoting tourism maybe a helpful tool for urban restructuring and economic development. This paper identifies six key attributes of developing industry heritage tourism from the previous literature. These attributes have been used to evaluate a proposal for the National Historic Jeep Museum by the city of Toledo, Ohio. The investigation revealed that although the potentials for conserving and interpreting the museum are valued highly, there exist conflicting views by various stakeholders. Problems are attributed to poor community perceptions, a lack of strong support from the Jeep industry, the controversial reuse of existing facilities, ill-informed economic benefits and the issue of authenticity. The implications of the study provide suggestions for future improvements in the development of industry heritage tourism.
Role of the 340B Drug Discount Program in Recent Cancer Care Trends

The 340B program, a drug discount program created by the US Congress, allows safety-net providers to access discounted drug pricing that helps low-income and vulnerable patients. This program has recently been the subject of significant discussions as to its potential implications. Herein we review the role of the 340B drug discount program and its relevance to recent trends in cancer care and to the access of safety-net providers and vulnerable patients to much-needed drug support.
Workplace Support, Child Care, and Turnover Intentions among Employed Mothers of Infants

This article looks at the determinants of job turnover among mothers of infants, using intentions to change jobs or exit the labor force assessed at 1 year postpartum among a sample of 246 employed mothers. Hypotheses were that exit intentions should be more influenced by household factors determining labor supply and other personal characteristics indicating job attachment. Additionally, whereas both types of turnover intentions should decrease as workplace supports for mothers increase, child care satisfaction should affect exit intentions more than intentions to change jobs. Results showed support for the notion that labor force exits are more strongly influenced by child care problems and measures of job attachment than are job changes, though models correcting for selectivity reveal that the child care problems are not directly influencing exit intentions. Supervisor and co-worker support impede intentions to both exit the labor force and change jobs. However, other dimensions of workplace support af...
Cerebrovascular disease with antiphospholipid antibodies: Immune mechanisms, significance, and therapeutic options

There has been a recent, dramatic surge in interest in antiphospholipid antibodies and associated clinical disorders, especially focal ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a heterogeneous group of antibodies with varying specificities. Coagulation assays will detect lupus anticoagulants while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays detect anticardiolipin antibodies. There are numerous potential links between antiphospholipid antibodies and coagulation disorders, including interaction of antiphospholipid antibodies and a cofactor, beta 2-glycoprotein I, which itself is involved in coagulation mechanisms. While the specific mechanism of antiphospholipid antibody-related coagulopathy is unknown, it is clear that antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with an immune-mediated prothrombotic state. Patients with the highest titers of IgG antiphospholipid antibodies have a relatively high risk of recurrent thrombotic events, especially stroke, deep venous thrombosis, and spontaneous abortion. Because of limited controlled, prospective data, current therapy remains empiric and directed at coagulation mechanisms, immune mechanisms, or both.
On-target and Off-target-based Toxicologic Effects

Adverse toxicologic effects are categorized as chemical-based, on-target, or off-target effects. Chemical-based toxicity is defined as toxicity that is related to the physicochemical characteristics of a compound and its effects on cellular organelles, membranes, and/or metabolic pathways. On-target refers to exaggerated and adverse pharmacologic effects at the target of interest in the test system. Off-target refers to adverse effects as a result of modulation of other targets; these may be related biologically or totally unrelated to the target of interest. Both the risk assessment and development strategies used for xenobiotics are influenced by the understanding of the mechanism of toxicity. It is imperative that the toxicologic pathologist use the toxicologic and biologic data at hand and literature information on the target to form testable hypotheses related to whether a toxicity is chemical-based, on-target, or off-target. The objective of this session at the 2012 Society of Toxicologic Pathologists Symposium in Boston, Massachusetts, was to discuss chemical-based, on-target, and off-target-based effects and the scientific approaches used to aid in their human risk assessment.
Gough's Cave 1 (Somerset, England): an assessment of body size and shape

Stature, body mass, and body proportions are evaluated for the Cheddar Man (Gough's Cave 1) skeleton. Like many of his Mesolithic contemporaries, Gough's Cave 1 evinces relatively short estimated stature (ca. 166.2 cm [5′ 5′]) and low body mass (ca. 66 kg [146 lbs]). In body shape, he is similar to recent Europeans for most proportional indices. He differs, however, from most recent Europeans in his high crural index and tibial length/trunk height indices. Thus, while Gough's Cave 1 is characterized by a total morphological pattern considered ‘cold-adapted’, these latter two traits may be interpreted as evidence of a large African role in the origins of anatomically modern Europeans.
DOULION: counting triangles in massive graphs with a coin

Counting the number of triangles in a graph is a beautiful algorithmic problem which has gained importance over the last years due to its significant role in complex network analysis. Metrics frequently computed such as the clustering coefficient and the transitivity ratio involve the execution of a triangle counting algorithm. Furthermore, several interesting graph mining applications rely on computing the number of triangles in the graph of interest.In this paper, we focus on the problem of counting triangles in a graph. We propose a practical method, out of which all triangle counting algorithms can potentially benefit. Using a straightforward triangle counting algorithm as a black box, we performed 166 experiments on real-world networks and on synthetic datasets as well, where we show that our method works with high accuracy, typically more than 99% and gives significant speedups, resulting in even ≈ 130 times faster performance.
Survival rates with uveal melanoma in the United States: 1973-1997.

Abstract Purpose To determine variations in 5-year relative survival rates with primary uveal melanoma in the United States over a 25-year period from 1973 to 1997. Design Systematic review of existing databases. Participants Two thousand four hundred ninety-three patients with primary uveal melanoma, International Classification of Oncology [ICDO-2] codes C69.3 [choroid melanoma] and C69.4 [ciliary body and iris]) derived from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program database in the United States from 1973 to 1997. Methods The patients were stratified according to the treatment (surgery or radiotherapy). The relative 5-year survival was calculated for 2054 patients diagnosed between 1973 and 1993 by the life table method using US life expectancy tables. Main outcome measures The relative 5-year survival rate. Results Surgical treatment was performed in 1476 (72%) cases, and radiotherapy was given in 300 (15%) cases. The proportion of cases treated by radiotherapy increased progressively from 2% to 28% in 20 years. Relative 5-year survival rates ranged from 77% to 84% without a statistically significant variation. Conclusions Advances made in the local methods of treatment of primary uveal melanoma have not led to an improvement in survival. Systemic approaches to management of uveal melanoma are warranted.
VALIDITY OF THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS FOR EXERCISE SCALE IN CONTINUING-CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

Objective: The current study examined the psychometric properties and validity of the Multidimensional Outcome Expectations for Exercise Scale (MOEES) in a sample of older adults with physical and functional comorbidities. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the hypothesized 3-factor model in 108 older adults (M age 85 yr) residing in continuing-care retirement communities. Results: Analyses supported the 3-factor structure of the MOEES reflecting physical, social, and self-evaluative outcome expectations, with a 12-item model providing the best fit. Theorized bivariate associations between outcome expectations and physical activity, self-efficacy, and functional performance were all supported. Conclusions: The 12-item version of the MOEES appears to be a reliable and valid measure of outcome expectations for exercise in this sample of older adults with physical and functional comorbidities. Further examination of the factor structure and the longitudinal properties of this measure i...
A high-order numerical study of reactive dissolution in an upwelling heterogeneous mantle—I. Channelization, channel lithology and channel geometry

SUMMARY High-porosity channels are important pathways for melt migration in the mantle. To better understand the lithology and geometry of high-porosity melt channels, we conduct high-order accurate numerical simulations of reactive dissolution along a solubility gradient in an upwelling and viscously deformable porous column. In contrast to earlier studies, we assume the dissolution reaction to be at equilibrium, consider a finite soluble mineral abundance, and employ a high-order accurate numerical scheme. Using sustained perturbations in porosity and soluble mineral abundance at the inflow boundary, we explore the structure of steady-state high-porosity melt channels and their associated lithologies over a range of parameters, including soluble mineral abundance, solubility gradient, amplitude and lateral variation in inflow melt flux, melt fraction and upwelling rate. In general, high-porosity dunite channels are transient and shallow parts of pathways for melt migration in the mantle. The lower parts of a high-porosity channel are orthopyroxene-bearing dunite, harzburgite and possibly lherzolite. A wide orthopyroxene-free dunite channel may contain two or three high-porosity melt channels. The depth of dunite channel initiation depends on the solubility gradient, soluble mineral abundance, inflow melt flux, melt suction rate and upwelling rate. The amplitude and length scale of lateral variation in porosity and orthopyroxene abundance at the base of the upwelling column are important in determining the size and dimension of dunite channels, the strength of melt focusing and the melt suction rate, the presence of compacting boundary layer, as well as the number of high-porosity melt branches within a dunite channel. The spatial relations among the high-porosity melt channels, dunite and harzburgite channels documented in our numerical simulations may shed new light on a number of field, petrological and geochemical observations related to melt migration in the mantle.
Globally Divergent but Locally Convergent X- and Y-Chromosome Influences on Cortical Development

Owing to their unique evolutionary history, modern mammalian X- and Y-chromosomes have highly divergent gene contents counterbalanced by regulatory features, which preferentially restrict expression of X- and Y-specific genes. These 2 characteristics make opposing predictions regarding the expected dissimilarity of X- vs. Y-chromosome influences on biological structure and function. Here, we quantify this dissimilarity using in vivo neuroimaging within a rare cohort of humans with diverse sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs). We show that X- and Y-chromosomes have opposing effects on overall brain size but exert highly convergent influences on local brain anatomy, which manifest across biologically distinct dimensions of the cerebral cortex. Large-scale online meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging data indicates that convergent sex chromosome dosage effects preferentially impact centers for social perception, communication, and decision-making. Thus, despite an almost complete lack of sequence homology, and opposing effects on overall brain size, X- and Y-chromosomes exert congruent effects on the proportional size of cortical systems involved in adaptive social functioning. These convergent X–Y effects (i) track the dosage of those few genes that are still shared by X- and Y-chromosomes, and (ii) may provide a biological substrate for the link between SCA and increased rates of psychopathology.
Refrigerated display case lighting with LEDs

The rapid development of high brightness light emitting diodes (LEDs) has triggered many applications, especially in the area of display lighting. This paper focuses on the application of white LEDs in refrigerated display cases. The fluorescent lighting presently used in commercial refrigerators is inefficient in the application and also it provides poor lighting for merchandising. A laboratory human factors experiment was conducted to assess the preference for the different lighting systems, namely, fluorescent and LED. Two refrigerated display cases, one with the traditional fluorescent lighting system and the other with a prototype LED lighting system, were placed side-by-side in a laboratory setting. Illuminance measurements made within the two display cases showed that the lighting was more uniform with the LED system compared to the traditional fluorescent system. Sixteen human subjects participated in this study and rated their preference for the two lighting systems. The results show that human subjects strongly preferred the display case with the LED lighting. The authors of this manuscript believe a field study would be greatly beneficial to further confirm these results and to understand the relationship between preference and sales. Considering the luminous efficacy of white LEDs presently available in the marketplace, it is possible to develop a LED based lighting system for commercial refrigerators that is competitive with fluorescent lighting system in terms of energy use. The LED based lighting would provide better lighting than traditional fluorescent lighting.
Estimating the configuration of a continuum dexterous manipulator with variable curvature bending using partial shape-sensing

Reliably estimating the shape of variable curvature continuum dexterous manipulators (CDMs) is necessary to use these devices in biomedical applications. Embedding shape-sensing elements have been shown to effectively measure the shape of constant curvature CDMs. This paper explores several methods for estimating the configuration of variable curvature CDMs. Experiments bent the CDM in varying configurations, applied an external load, and measured the configuration. Three methods are described that use the measurements from simulated shape-sensing elements. Analyses included varying the number and placement of the shape sensors. The results showed at least three shape-sensing elements are necessary to predict manipulator configuration, with one method demonstrating average error less than 0.35 mm for a CDM under an external load. The presented techniques offer promise for successfully predicting, tracking, and controlling CDM configuration during surgery.
Dietary folate intake, alcohol, and risk of breast cancer in a prospective study of postmenopausal women.

Low B-vitamin intake may increase risk of breast cancer through decreased DNA repair capacity. Alcohol intake increases risk for breast cancer, with evidence from prospective studies of an interaction between alcohol and folate. We explored dietary intake of folate and other B vitamins with risk of breast cancer in a cohort study of 34,387 postmenopausal women. To measure diet, we mailed a food frequency questionnaire; we estimated nutrient intakes and categorized them into four levels: 50th percentiles. Through 12 years of follow-up, we identified 1,586 cases of breast cancer in the cohort at risk. We estimated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) through Cox regression models adjusted for age, energy, and other risk factors. Women in the lowest 10th percentile of folate intake from diet alone were at modestly increased risk of breast cancer relative to those above the 50th percentile: RR = 1.21 (95% CI = 0.91--1.61). We examined the joint association of folate intake and alcohol use on risk of breast cancer, with the reference group defined as women with high folate (>50th percentile) and no alcohol use. The RRs of breast cancer associated with low dietary folate intake were 1.08 (95% CI = 0.78--1.49) among nondrinkers, 1.33 (95% CI = 0.86--2.05) among drinkers of 4 gm per day. These results suggest that the risks of postmenopausal breast cancer may be increased among women with low intakes of folate if they consume alcohol-containing beverages.
Development of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Strains from Louisiana and Puerto Rico

Development, longevity, and reproduction of fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), from Louisiana (LA) and Puerto Rico (PR) were studied on an artificial diet and on rice foliage. PR larvae developed more slowly than LA larvae and produced lighter adult females. This difference did not extend to adult longevity or reproductive parameters, but the next generation of first instars was smaller. Developmental parameters were not influenced by diet. The results suggest the possibility of a genetic difference between the two populations, indicating some degree of reproductive isolation.
Cost-effectiveness of School-Based Eye Examinations in Preschoolers Referred for Follow-up From Visual Screening.

Importance Many preschool visual screening programs incorporate school-based comprehensive examinations, but the follow-up rates and cost-effectiveness of this approach are not well studied. Objective To determine the follow-up rates and cost-effectiveness of referral to community-based eye care professionals vs to a mobile eye examination unit (mobile follow-up) among preschool children with failed visual screening results. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort cost-effectiveness study with decision analytic modeling and probabilistic sensitivity analysis included 3429 children in 37 public preschools in San Francisco, California, who underwent visual chart screening during the 2009-2012 academic years and 1524 children in the same schools who underwent autorefraction screening during the 2012-2013 academic year. One hundred seventy-five children who underwent visual chart screening were referred for community-based comprehensive eye examinations; 204 who underwent autorefractive screening were referred for preschool-based mobile follow-up. Data were collected from October 1, 2009, to May 29, 2013, and analyzed from June 30, 2013, to January 16, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Cost-effectiveness of community-based vs mobile follow-up standardized for referral method. Results Of the 175 children referred for community-based follow-up (91 boys [52.0%]; 84 girls [48.0%]; mean [SD] age, 3.8 [0.7] years), 104 attended (59.4%). Of 204 children referred for mobile follow-up (89 boys [43.6%]; 115 girls [56.4%]; mean [SD] age, 4.1 [0.6] years), 112 attended (54.9%). Costs per case detected were $664 and $776, respectively. In univariate analysis, mobile follow-up was equally cost-effective if it increased the follow-up rate to 73% or if its costs were reduced by at least 27%. In multivariate analysis with Monte Carlo simulation, community-based follow-up was more cost-effective than mobile follow-up in 88% of simulated cases and had typical savings of $112 (95% CI, −$77 to $368) per case detected. Conclusions and Relevance Community-based eye care professionals may provide more cost-effective care than a mobile eye examination unit visiting the preschool among children with failed preschool-based visual screening.
Doctors' Business; Lawyers' Ethics

If you were to ask a random sample of your friends and neighbors, chances are good that virtually all of them would tell you that medical ethics are superior to legal ethics. But at least in a few important regards, they would be seriously wrongHealth care has become a huge industry. Yet medical ethics do not seem to have kept pace with the changing environment, no doubt because they were developed to deal with medical issues and have not traditionally been concerned with more worldly matters, such as profit margins and potential conflicts of interest. Thus, doctors (and hospitals) are able to indulge the useful fiction of the selfless healer, devoted exclusively to each patient's well-being and therefore completely unaffected by monetary concerns. In that noble paradigm, increasingly inaccurate as it may be, there is little risk of conflicted interests, and consequently little need to adopt ethics rules that will prevent them.For all their many faults, lawyers have always been frank about their place in the world. Law practice is a business. Legal ethics, therefore, were developed largely to facilitate the commercial relationship between attorney and client. And because business requires autonomy, it turns out that clients may have substantially more rights than do patients, especially when it comes to setting the terms of the relationship itself.This essay is adapted from my forthcoming book, The Importance of Being Honest (NYU Press 2008).
Study of Complications On Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

OBJECTIVE The complications associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) can be classified into mechanical and patient-medical complications.Mechanical complications include oxygenator failure,tubing disruption,pump and heat exchanger malfunction.Patient-related medical problems are bleeding,neurological complications,organ failure and infection.The objective of this study was to investigate the complications of ECMO.METHODS The authors reviewed clinical records of the ECMO patients at Fuwai Hospital from 2004 to 2005.A total of 18 patients with the ECMO supported in our hospital were studied for the incidence of complications.RESULTS Among 18 patients with ECMO,10 patients were cured with the rate of 55.6%,and 8 patients were died with the mortality as 44.4%.They suffered the complications,such as bleeding,infection,renal failure,neurological complications and oxygenator failure with the incidence of 44.4%,27.8%,16.7%,11.1 % and 27.8%respectively.CONCLUSION Generally,the risk of complications increases with the duration of time on ECMO support.Bleeding is still the most important complication of ECMO.
Efficacy of 2. 5% imidacloprid bait against cockroach in a hospital

Objective To observe the efficacy of imidacloprid bait against cockroach in an inpatient department. Methods Sticky trap method was employed for density monitoring. Cockroaches were controlled by 2. 5% imidacloprid bait. Results Fourty six inpatient department rooms were investigated,and the infestation rate was 82. 6%. The average density of cockroaches was 7. 4 pieces per paper per night before pesticide application. All captured cockroaches were Blattella germanica. The density decreased by 91. 5%,98. 7%,99. 8%,100% and 99. 5% in the 1st, 3rd,5th,7th and 30th days after pesticide application. Conclusion The study shows that the cockroaches can be controlled well by 2. 5% imidacloprid bait,it can be the effective way to control the cockroaches for inpatient department.
Key Seed Production Techniques of New Fine Quality Hybrid Rice“Yiyoujia 7”

A new indica hybrid rice combination Yiyoujia 7 was developed from of the cross of a CMS line Yixiang 1A and a restorer line Jia 7. It was characterized by good quality, high and stable yield, and wide adaptability. It was released by Fujian Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2012. This paper introduced its parental characteristics and key high-yielding hybrid seed production techniques.
Clinical Applications of Radioimmunoscintigraphy with Prostate-Specific Antibodies for Prostate Cancer: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies may provide more precise localization of prostate cancer.

BackgroundThe presence of metastasis is the most important prognostic indicator in patients with prostate carcinoma and is the predominant determinant of therapeutic choices. Current tools for dete...
Fundamental observations on the production of compensatory polycythemia in a case of patent ductus arteriosus with reversed blood flow.

A proved case of patent ductus arteriosus occurring distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery with persistent reversal of flow through the shunt and compensatory polycythemia has been reported. Studies of cellular morphology and oxygen saturation of the bone marrow in the sternum and ilium were performed. The results indicated that the sternal marrow manifested the same marked degree of normoblastic hyperplasia as the iliac marrow, although the oxygen saturation of the iliac marrow was markedly decreased as compared to the normal saturation of the sternal marrow. This demonstrates that anoxia of the bone marrow could not have been the stimulus to the increased erythropoietic activity found in the sternal marrow. The study appears to support the belief that anoxemia of the blood stimulates the production or release of a humoral factor which in turn produces increased erythropoiesis.
Capsule-train stability

Highly confined capsules---most notably red blood cells---are observed to flow in a seemingly stable train. However, with less confinement this striking order is disrupted, and the train breaks apart into an apparently chaotic flow. Non-modal stability analysis of a model capsule train illuminates the mechanisms of the break-up.
Nitrated Proteins in the Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Proteomics Comparison of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease Brain

Oxidative stress and nitrosative stress have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, ischemia, etc. Reactive nitrogen species are highly reactive and unstable. One of the best ways to quantify the amount of nitrosative stress is to measure the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine level. In addition, by using proteomics selective targets of protein nitration can be identified. In this chapter we discuss the roles of proteomics-identified nitrated brain proteins to the pathology of both mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The identity of these nitrated proteins improves understanding of the role of nitrosative stress in the pathogenesis and progression of disease from MCI to AD. Such studies could also help in early detection and may provide therapeutic targets for early treatment that may slow disease progression.
The Disconnect Problem, Scientific Authority, and Climate Policy

The disconnect problem arises wherever there is ongoing and severe discordance between the scientific assessment of a politically relevant issue, and the politics and legislation of said issue. Here, we focus on the disconnect problem as it arises in the case of climate change, diagnosing a failure to respect the necessary tradeoff between authority and autonomy within a public institution like science. After assessing the problematic deployment of scientific authority in this arena, we offer suggestions for how to mitigate climate change’s particular disconnect problem, as well as more general proposals for reforming science advising.
Calcium, Bone, and Life

Calcium is a divalent mineral cation that functions as an intracellular messenger in virtually all life forms. In multicellular organisms it functions also as an integrator tying body systems together, and in land-living vertebrates it provides the principal mineral component of the endoskeleton (bone). Calcium cannot be synthesized and must be ingested, first to build an adult skeleton and then to maintain it. Because calcium was abundant in the terrestrial vertebrate diet, humans, like most mammals, did not develop mechanisms to absorb or retain calcium efficiently, and human physiology is optimized to defend against calcium excess rather than calcium deficiency. Unfortunately, modern diets have low calcium densities, and for that reason contemporary humans face the threat of calcium deficiency. Since calcium is regularly lost from the body through skin and excreta, it must be replaced with ingested calcium. If not, the body tears down units of bone in order to scavenge their calcium. This is the context in which calcium functions in bone health.
Differential Diagnosis and Workup of the Headache Patient: Should I Order a Scan?

The complaint of headache may be associated with a number of medical disorders but is most often a symptom of a primary headache disorder. An astute clinician must recognize red flags in the medical history and examination that will point to a more ominous and potential life-threatening secondary headache. Although most patients can be accurately diagnosed by history and physical alone, additional neuroimaging and laboratory testing may be appropriate in select patients. Once secondary headaches have been excluded, determining which primary headache to classify the patient will assist in choosing the appropriate therapy. The most common primary headache disorders seen in clinical practice include migraine, tension-type headache, and cluster headache.