cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical Recording of Voltage Changes in Nerve Terminals and in Fine Neuronal Processes

Optical techniques for the measurement and analysis of transmembrane elec­ trical events have found a wide range of applications over the past decade and a half because, while they usually provide less detailed information than the voltage clamp, they offer certain advantagef; over the voltage clamp and other conventional measurement techniques. Because the membranes of interest are not mechanically violated, optical methods are comparatively noninvasive. Spatial resolution is limited only by microscope optics and noise con­ siderations. Already changes in membrane potential from regions of an isolated cell with linear dimensions of approximately one micron can be measured. Also, optical sectioning, with near elimination of scattering by means of confocal imaging, may soon permit optical recording from compar­ ably small regions of cells in intact ganglia or brains. Temporal resolution is limited by the physical response of the probes « 2 JLs; B. M. Salzberg, A. L. Obaid, & F. Bezanilla, unpublished observations) and by the bandwidth imposed upon the measurement, again usually by noise considerations; re­ sponse times faster than typical membrane time constants are readily achieved. Because mechanical access is not required, unusual latitude is possible in the choice of preparation, and voltage changes may be monitored in membranes that are otherwise inaccessible. Also, since no recording electrodes are employed and the measurements are made at a distance from
Recuentos de dos ciudades: Guayaquil en 1899 y Quito en 1906

Estudio preliminar del desarrollo demografico de Guayaquil y Quito a fines el siglo XIX e inicios del siglo XX, basado en los censos proto-estadisticos realizados en ambas ciudades en 1899 y 1906, respectivamente. Se estudian las condiciones en las que se realizaron ambos censos, la informacion cuantitativa que ofrecen y los vacios que la historia demografica aun mantiene. El articulo enfatiza en una perspectiva de analisis comparativo entre las dos principales ciudades del Ecuador. Se examina la composicion poblacional en terminos de grupos de edad, sexo, ocupacion, matrimonio, natalidad, mortalidad y educacion.
Differential relations and recurrence formulas for representations of Lie groups

General recurrence formulas for matrix elements of representations of Lie groups on enveloping algebras are given. In particular, we show the connection with the exponential of the adjoint representation which is an important feature of the construction. The methods are applicable for groups of arbitrary dimension and have been implemented using MAPLE. A three-step nilpotent group and SU(3) provide examples of the theory.
Analysis of Arch Frames

The analysis of arch frames is presented by means of an extension of the moment-distribution method which automatically accounts for sidesway. In the fixed-end stage, the frame undergoes translation without rotation of the joints in such a manner that the fixed-end moments and the corresponding axial and shear forces are in equilibrium with the applied loads. In the distribution stage, the unbalanced moments at the joints are relaxed by a distribution procedure in which the joints are rotated, one at a time, while all other joints are restrained against rotation. Simultaneously, the frame is again allowed to translate; thus, the equilibrium established in the fixed-end stage is preserved. Because of the translation, moments are carried over not only to the far ends of the members under consideration, but also to the ends of other members. Final end moments result directly after completion of the distribution. This procedure has an advantage over the conventional moment-distribution method, in that no restraining forces are required during the distribution stage, and the final end moments are obtained directly in a single distribution operation.
DISPERSAL AND POPULATION-GENETIC STRUCTURE OF THE COOPERATIVE SPIDER, AGELENA CONSOCIATA, IN WEST AFRICAN RAINFOREST

Dispersal experiments and gel electrophoresis of allozyme polymorphisms were used to investigate the selective mode underlying cooperative behavior in the rainforest spider, Agelena consociata. Previous work has indicated that individual selection alone does not explain the cooperative and even altruistic behavior noted for this African species, which exists in groups of up to hundreds of adults. We found no evidence for active dispersal by reproductives or any age class of this spider. Nest fragmentation by falling tree limbs and storms is indicated as the cause of new nest formation within local areas, while passive dispersal by vertebrate carriers that either have some association with the nests (bats) or move through them is indicated as the probable mode of longer-distance dispersal. The population-genetic structure observed for A. consociata supports the data obtained on dispersal. Wright's FST statistic and G tests for genetic heterogeneity indicate that the populations are subdivided into genetically heterogeneous colonies. Comparisons utilizing Nei's genetic distance show colonies separated by as few as 30 m to be as genetically distinct as are colonies separated by many kilometers. There is also a marked scarcity of heterozygotes, and individuals within nests and associated colonies are genetically related about as much as are full siblings. The results of these analyses indicate that kin selection or some type of family-group selection may have been important in the evolution of cooperative behavior in the species.
Role of gastric acid in aspirin-induced erosive gastritis.

SummaryThe purpose of this study was to determine whether preexisting atrophic gastritis and high intragastric pH render the gastric mucosa more or less susceptible to the ulcerogenic effects of parenteral aspirin. Radiation-induced gastric atrophy was used to produce achlorhydria in rats. Properly shielded rats received 1750 rads to the eviscerated stomach. Paired controls were subjected to a sham procedure. By comparison with the paired controls, all the irradiated rats became achlorhydric. When challenged with aspirin given parenterally (600 mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses over 2 consecutive days), the average number of gastric erosions in the sham irradiated control animals was 10, while the average number of erosions in the irradiated animals was 0.25. The data suggest that gastric HCl plays an important role in the phenomenon of gastric mucosal injury by parenterally administered aspirin.
Polaron Delocalization in Conjugated Polymer Films

A theory describing the spatial coherence length of polarons in disordered conjugated polymer films is presented, revealing a simple relationship between oscillator strength of the mid-IR absorption band and the polaron coherence function. Applications are made to positively charged polarons or holes in poly(3-hexylthiophene) π-stacks where polaron delocalization occurs in essentially two dimensions: along the polymer axis (x-axis) and along the interchain stacking axis (y-axis). Based on a lattice model consisting of a 2D array of thiophene units linked electronically along the polymer axis (tintra) and between adjacent chains (tinter), a disordered 2D Holstein-style Hamiltonian is developed. The Hamiltonian includes vibronic coupling involving the polaron-forming vibrational mode responsible for aromatic/quinoidal oscillations. The hole absorption spectrum for light polarized along each axis is calculated along with the corresponding hole coherence function, CP(r). For diagonal disorder arising from a r...
Ogg1-Dependent DNA Repair Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome and Prevents Atherosclerosis

Rationale: Activation of NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain containing 3) inflammasome-mediating interleukin (IL)-1β secretion has emerged as an important component of inflammatory processes in atherosclerosis. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage is detrimental in atherosclerosis, and mitochondria are central regulators of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome. Human atherosclerotic plaques express increased mtDNA damage. The major DNA glycosylase, 8-oxoguanine glycosylase (OGG1), is responsible for removing the most abundant form of oxidative DNA damage. Objective: To test the role of OGG1 in the development of atherosclerosis in mouse. Methods and Results: We observed that Ogg1 expression decreases over time in atherosclerotic lesion macrophages of low-density lipoprotein receptor ( Ldlr ) knockout mice fed a Western diet. Ogg1 −/− Ldlr −/− mice fed a Western diet resulted in an increase in plaque size and lipid content. We found increased oxidized mtDNA, inflammasome activation, and apoptosis in atherosclerotic lesions and also higher serum IL-1β and IL-18 in Ogg1 −/− Ldlr −/− mice than in Ldlr −/−. Transplantation with Ogg1 −/− bone marrow into Ldlr −/− mice led to larger atherosclerotic lesions and increased IL-1β production. However, transplantation of Ogg1 −/− Nlrp3 −/− bone marrow reversed the Ogg1 −/− phenotype of increased plaque size. Ogg1 −/− macrophages showed increased oxidized mtDNA and had greater amounts of cytosolic mtDNA and cytochrome c , increased apoptosis, and more IL-1β secretion. Finally, we found that proatherogenic miR-33 can directly inhibit human OGG1 expression and indirectly suppress both mouse and human OGG1 via AMP-activated protein kinase. Conclusions: OGG1 plays a protective role in atherogenesis by preventing excessive inflammasome activation. Our study provides insight into a new target for therapeutic intervention based on a link between oxidative mtDNA damage, OGG1, and atherosclerosis via NLRP3 inflammasome. # Novelty and Significance {#article-title-86}
Inhibition of granulocyte erythrophagocytosis by HLA antisera

The ability of HLA antisera to inhibit granulocyte erythrophagocytosis (EP) of opsonized red blood cells (RBC) was evaluated. Human granulocytes (PMN) were separated from heparinized whole blood by the Ficoll-Isopaque technique and suspended in McCoy's medium. EP occurred when the PMN were incubated with opsonized RBC. For six HLA antibody specificities evaluated, prior incubation of PMN with HLA antisera resulted in significant inhibition of EP without cytolysis when the PMN donor was positive for the specific HLA antigen, but not when the donor was negative for the antigen. The inhibition was time- and dose- dependent. Prior absorption of HLA antisera with HLA-specific platelets reduced or abolished the inhibition. An example of anti-NB1 also inhibited EP in 4 individuals. These data suggest that HLA antibody may adversely affect granulocyte phagocytic function. Inhibition of EP might be useful in evaluating compatibility prior to granulocyte transfusion.
Phylogeographic analysis of invasive Asian earthworms (Amynthas) in the northeast United States

Phylogeographic studies are useful in reconstructing the history of species invasions, and in some instances can elucidate cryptic diversity of invading taxa. This can help in predicting or managing the spread of invasive species. Among terrestrial invasive species in North America, earthworms can have profound ecological effects. We are familiar with the centuries-old invasions of European earthworms (Lumbricidae) and their impacts on nutrient cycling in soils. More recent invasions by Asian earthworms of the family Megascolecidae are less fully understood. We used data for two mitochondrial gene fragments, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and 16S rRNA, to examine the relationships among populations of Asian earthworms in the megascolecid genus Amynthas in the northeast United States. Recent reports have indicated that one species in particular, Amynthas agrestis, is having detrimental effects in mixed forest ecosystems, and we were interested in understanding the invasion history for this species. We were surprised to discover three divergent mitochondrial lineages of Amynthas occurring sympatrically in upstate New York. Given the gap between intra- and inter-lineage sequence divergences, we propose that these three lineages represent cryptic species of Amynthas, one of which is A. agrestis. For each of the three lineages of Amynthas, we observed shared haplotypes across broad geographic distances. This may reflect common origins for populations in each lineage, either by direct routes from native ranges or through post-introduction spread by natural dispersal or human-mediated transport within North America. Management efforts focused on horticultural imports from Asia, commercial nurseries within the USA, and on prohibition of bait disposal may help to reduce the further invasion success of Amynthas.
American Sign Language and Academic English: Factors Influencing the Reading of Bilingual Secondary School Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

For many years, researchers have sought to understand the reading development of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Guided by prior research on DHH and hearing students, in this study we investigate the hypothesis that for secondary school DHH students enrolled in American Sign Language (ASL)/English bilingual schools for the deaf, academic English proficiency would be a significant predictor of reading comprehension alongside ASL proficiency. Using linear regression, we found statistically significant interaction effects between academic English knowledge and word reading fluency in predicting the reading comprehension scores of the participants. However, ASL remained the strongest and most consistent predictor of reading comprehension within the sample. Findings support a model in which socio-demographic factors, ASL proficiency, and word reading fluency are primary predictors of reading comprehension for secondary DHH students.
Glucocorticoid Receptor: Genetics and Epigenetics in Veterans With PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is conditional on exposure to trauma. Despite this, there is strong evidence from twin studies and widespread agreement that genetic factors also contribute to risk for PTSD. Large-scale genomic studies of PTSD are planned. DNA can be modified by epigenetic processes via environmental inputs, thereby influencing how genes are expressed, making this an equally important area of research for PTSD. Results from a succession of studies of PTSD suggested that the negative-feedback system of the HPA axis is overly sensitive, implicating the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the pathophysiology of PTSD. The GR gene and the related gene, FKBP5, have emerged as significant actors in epigenetic research of PTSD. DNA methylation of GR is associated with the PTSD diagnosis and also predicts treatment response to psychotherapy in veterans. FKBP5 methylation interacts with early adversity to confer risk for PTSD. Finally, FKBP5 methylation is associated with symptom change following psychotherapy in veterans with PTSD.
Clinical information available during emergency department imaging order entry and radiologist interpretation

The objective of this study was to evaluate the proportion of Emergency Department (ED) radiology examinations ordered or interpreted prior to a documented clinical assessment. We collected 600 retrospective consecutive ED cases consisting equally of patients whose first ED imaging examination was computed tomography (CT), radiography (XR), or ultrasonography (US). For each patient, the following times were documented: ED arrival, ED departure, ED length of stay (LOS), imaging order entry, image availability, radiology report availability, triage note, ED provider note, and laboratory results. Mean age was 44.2, 66.5% female, and mean ED LOS was 326.2 min. ED LOS was longer for patients who received CT versus XR (343.9 vs. 311.3; p = 0.029). In 25.5% of XR, 10% of CT, and 8% of US cases, the imaging exam was completed before the ED provider note was started. In 20.5% of XR, 6.5% of CT, and 6% of US cases, the radiologist did not have the ED provider note available prior to completing their diagnostic interpretation. In 33.4% of all cases and 57.5% of XR cases, incomplete clinical documentation (triage note, provider note, lab results) was available during radiology report creation. CT and US exams more frequently had clinical data available prior to radiologist interpretation than XR (p < 0.0001). Radiologist turn-around-time was unaffected by clinical information availability. Eight percent of ED CT and 10% of ED US examinations were ordered and completed before documented clinical assessment. Thirty-three percent had incomplete clinical assessment performed prior to image interpretation. Further investigation is needed to determine impact on interpretation accuracy.
Inverse Design of Bulk Morphologies in Multiblock Polymers Using Particle Swarm Optimization

Multiblock polymers are a fascinating class of soft materials owing to their spontaneous self-assembly into a variety of ordered mesophases at the nanoscale. However, controlling the ordering and hence the properties is difficult due to a vast number of design parameters including the choice of monomer species, block sequence, block molecular weights and dispersity, polymer architecture, and binary interaction parameters. Navigating through this design space in order to find an optimal formulation for a target property requires an approach that efficiently searches through the countless parameter combinations in an automated fashion. We report on an inverse design strategy to target bulk morphologies utilizing particle swarm optimization (PSO) as a global optimizer and self-consistent-field theory (SCFT) as a forward prediction engine. To avoid metastable states in the forward prediction, we utilize pseudospectral variable cell SCFT initiated from a library of defect-free seeds of known block copolymer mo...
Vaginal birth after two previous caesarean deliveries in a patient with uterus didelphys and an interuterine septal defect

Uterus didelphys is a congenital abnormality characterised by double uteri, double cervices and a double or single vagina that affects 0.3% to 11% of the general female population. A 23-year-old woman, gravida 3 para 3003, with uterus didelphys, acquired an iatrogenic interuterine septal defect during an otherwise routine primary caesarean delivery for fetal malpresentation. The defect was repaired but noted to have dehisced during her second pregnancy. A repeat caesarean section was performed due to fetal malpresentation after an unsuccessful external cephalic version. The dehisced defect was left unrepaired. During her third pregnancy, the placenta implanted in the right uterus, but the fetus migrated to the left uterus at approximately 28 weeks gestation. The umbilical cord traversed the interuterine septal defect. With the fetus in the vertex presentation at term gestation, the patient underwent a vaginal birth after two previous caesarean deliveries without any major perinatal complications.
Discovering Design Principles for Health Behavioral Change Support Systems: A Text Mining Approach

Behavioral Change Support Systems (BCSSs) aim to change users’ behavior and lifestyle. These systems have been gaining popularity with the proliferation of wearable devices and recent advances in mobile technologies. In this article, we extend the existing literature by discovering design principles for health BCSSs based on a systematic analysis of users’ feedback. Using mobile diabetes applications as an example of Health BCSSs, we use topic modeling to discover design principles from online user reviews. We demonstrate the importance of the design principles through analyzing their existence in users’ complaints. Overall, the results highlight the necessity of going beyond the techno-centric approach used in current practice and incorporating the social and organizational features into persuasive systems design, as well as integrating with medical devices and other systems in their usage context.
The modeling of simple analogic and inductive processes in a semantic memory system

In this paper w. present a general data structure for a semantic memory, and we give a definition of "analogy" between items of semantic information. We then construct an inductive process in which general laws are formulated and verified on the basis of observations of individual cases.
Distinct Interaction of Mercury and Silver with Isolated Na + /K + -ATPase

The Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA; EC 3.6.1.37) or sodium pump is a vital ubiquitous membrane system regulating the ionic balance across the cell membrane and carrying the receptor for cardioactive steroids; the binding of these compounds to the receptor results in the inhibition of all ATPase and ion pump activities (7). We have shown in our previous studies that mercury binds to NKA so tightly that the universal chelating agent for metals, for instance, EDTA could not prevent mercury inhibition (2). In the present work we show how silver inhibits isolated NKA and how this effect can be modulated by free cysteine. The possible mechanism of on-off mechanism of silver inhibition of NKA is discussed in view of a possibly significant role of metal binding sites of NKA.
Operational Energy Use of Plasmonic Imaging Lithography

Plasmonic imaging lithography (PIL) is a new direct-write lithograghy process based on disk drive technology. Using the benchmark of similarly scaled masked and maskless lithography processes, this paper evaluates the operational energy use of PIL, as a component of manufacturing and environmental impact analysis. This study serves two purposes: to inform the sustainable development of this emerging technology, and to identify PIL as most appropriate for prototyping or highly agile manufacturing of 11 or fewer wafers per design change.
Epilogue and Conclusions: Toward a Hierarchical Personnel Structure in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy

There is no way in which the growing mental health needs of our nation can be fulfilled by the existing numbers of clinical psychologists and psychotherapists using outdated and by now expensive 1on1, f2f, and tb approaches (Kazdin & Blase, 2010a, 2010b). It is inevitable in any human organization that there will be distance between the top movers, shakers, and followers. This evolutionary process in clinical psychology and psychotherapy is taking place in front of our very eyes every day through the internet. Even though the notion of hierarchy is not yet present in current clinical psychology and psychotherapy thinking, practices, and service delivery, the diminishing f2f, 1on1 approach (including participants or families) is still the major paradigm that makes it difficult to progress toward a hierarchical paradigm in the delivery of public clinical psychology and psychotherapy services.
The Grinch Who Stole Wisdom

Contemplative wisdom offers a different perspective on what personal wisdom is, how to develop it, and how to use it in the world than is presently contained in our popular culture, our sciences, or the field called wisdom studies. I illustrate this by showing parallels between the historical development of contemplative paths in Buddhism and the narrative development of the great Dr. Seuss children’s fable How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Both diverge markedly from our educational expectations for wisdom. The second part of the chapter outlines the difficulties of doing traditional scientific research on this kind of material; in particular, it presents a critique of the research that purports to study Buddhist derived mindfulness.
The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Used by Penetration Testers: Results of Interviews with Cybersecurity Professionals in Vulnerability Assessment and Management:

There is a growing need for cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) necessary for risk and vulnerability analysis of security incidents. Currently, little is kno...
Call for Revision of Weisman and Montgomery's Review of Functional Family Therapy.

Weisman and Montgomery completed an overview of reviews to evaluate the status of research concerning functional family therapy (FFT). Despite reporting modest effects on delinquency, substance use...
Endoscopic clip placement for the prevention of perforation after colonic endoscopic mucosal resection

Abstract Endoscopically placed clips have gained a prominent role in the management of bleeding or perforation during endoscopic mucosal resection of large colonic polyps. Clips may be used to treat intraprocedural complications, but may also be placed prophylactically when patients are at an increased risk for post-procedural bleeding or delayed perforation. Polyp size, location, resection technique, and appearance of the resection defect can all influence the decision on whether to place prophylactic clips. Not all post-polypectomy defects require clip placement. The downsides of clip placement include increased cost and the possibility of “clip artifact” mimicking residual polyp on surveillance examinations. When clipping, attention to proper technique can ensure secure closure of the defect and efficient placement of additional clips. Over-the-scope clips and endoscopic suturing are other strategies which can be used for treatment of bleeding or perforation, though each requires attachment to the scope and training for use.
HeartID-based authentication for autonomous vehicles using deep learning and random number generators

HeartID biometric authentication technology is integrated into the multi-faceted steering wheel and car seat, allowing only authorized personnel to operate the vehicle, with access to the vehicle's connected devices and computers. The application of this HearID will be used for law enforcement and ride-sharing services where the person can access the car using keyless entry technology. In this study, we investigate the possibility of incorporating human heart signal called ECG into autonomous cars. Our platform can facilitate a secure authentication for end users using their heart signal to enable entry to the car. In this paper, we have presented the ECG-based biometric authentication for connecting autonomous vehicle that can act as an interface between humans and sensors for authentication purposes. In this study, we turn the ECG noise into the good feature where the noise is used for random number generators with high entropy. For evaluation of HeartID, NIST test suit is applied to evaluate the randomness of TRNG.
Postabortion and Postpartum Intrauterine Device Provision for Adolescents and Young Adults

Adolescents are at high risk for unintended pregnancy and rapid repeat pregnancy, both of which can be associated with negative health and social outcomes. Intrauterine device (IUD) use has been shown to decrease unintended pregnancy and rapid repeat pregnancy. Evidence supports IUD insertion postabortion and postpartum as safe and practical for nearly all women, including adolescent and young adult women. Providers of adolescent gynecology can play an important role in decreasing repeat and unintended pregnancy among adolescents by increasing access to IUDs, reducing barriers to care, and providing IUDs immediately postabortion and postpartum.
Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Incidental Vertebral Marrow Signal Abnormality in Thoracolumbar Spine MRI.

Study design A cross-sectional study. Objective This study investigates the prevalence of incidental vertebral marrow signal abnormality (VMSA) in thoracolumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ordered for the evaluation of back and/or leg pain and assess the clinical work-up for VMSAs. Summary of background data Patients presenting with back pain are often referred for spine MRI for diagnostic evaluation. VMSA is most frequently found in the lumbar spine and is of clinical concern because it can represent malignancy. Standardized procedures for reporting and managing VMSAs do not exist. Methods The radiology database at the Oregon Health & Science University health system was queried to identify patients with thoracolumbar spine MRI scans performed between January 2014 and June 2016. Patients 16 years or older with MRIs ordered by providers at a multidisciplinary spine specialty clinic for the diagnostic evaluation of back and/or leg pain were included. Radiology reports were searched for keywords pertaining to VMSAs, such as "malignancy." Medical records of these patients were further reviewed for the clinical work-up and final diagnoses pertaining to the VMSA. Results The study sample included 1503 individual patients, of whom 65 (4%) had MRI radiology reports that described a VMSA. Thirty-one (48%) of the 65 patients with VMSAs had further evaluation recommended by radiology. Ten (32%) of these 31 patients were followed clinically without further diagnostic testing for the VMSA. Of the 65 patients with VMSAs, only one was diagnosed with malignancy (multiple myeloma). Conclusion While VMSAs are not frequently found on thoracolumbar MRIs ordered to evaluate back and/or leg pain, there is a large amount of heterogeneity in how these abnormalities are documented and managed. This may indicate the need for clinical guidelines for the reporting and management of VMSAs detected on spine MRI and for improvement in communication between radiologists and ordering providers. Level of evidence 3.
Patterns of Scientific Productivity and Social Change: A Discussion of Lotka's Law and Bibliometric Symmetry

This paper examines the application of symmetry principles to bibliometric laws, using Lotka's law for illustration. A general model describing scientific productivity is defined and modified to be consistent with a generalized form of Lotka's law; the model in this form is shown to be stable with regard to at least two forms of social change. Then the consequences of invariance under change of time span are investigated, and it is shown that the function occurring in Lotka's law, with an arbitrary exponent, is essentially the only one with desireable properties that is consistent with the symmetry constraint.
Chapter 113 – Growth, Individual

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses growth in insects. Growth can be measured as an increase in biomass or body size, although biomass can be more variable than body size owing to differences in food and water intake. The limited ability of the rigid exoskeleton of insects to expand imposes a considerable constraint on individual growth resulting in the necessity to shed the old exoskeleton, a process termed ecdysis, for growth to continue. Some insects exhibit indeterminate growth and continue to molt even after reaching the adult stage, although little if any increase in biomass occurs. In contrast, the majority of insects exhibit determinate growth in which both growth and molting cease upon reaching the reproductively mature last instar. The pattern of individual growth differs depending on whether growth is measured as an increase in biomass or as an increase in body size. When measured as an increase in biomass, individual growth occurs between molts and is more or less continuous in most insects, although decreases in biomass often occur at the time of molting. When measured as an increase in body size, however, individual growth is largely dependent on the amount of sclerotization of the insect or of a particular body part. Different body parts of insects may exhibit either isometric or allometric growth compared with the body as a whole. Isometric growth occurs when body parts grow at the same rate as the body as a whole, i.e., body length. Allometric growth occurs when body parts grow at rates different from that of the body.
Analysis of the surveillance results of drinking-water-born endemic fluorosis in Etuoke Banner of Inner Mongolia in 2015

Objective To understand the status of the disease in local population and the fluoride content in drinking water in the endemic areas of endemic fluorosis in Etuoke Banner of Inner Mongolia, and to provide a scientific basis for making strategies in prevention and control of the disease. Methods Totally 100 endemic fluorosis villages were selected as survey sites, to study the progress and effect of water-improving and defluoridation projects in Etuoke Banner in 2015. In monitoring villages with improved water, 1 water sample from the tap water was collected to determine the fluoride level, and in water unimproved villages, 1 water sample from each direction of the east, south, west, north and middle of the villages was collected, respectively, to determine fluoride level. Dental fluorosis of children aged 8 to 12 was examined in each village. Water fluoride was tested according to the "Standard Testing Methods for Drinking Water" (GB/T 5750.5-2006). Diagnosis of dental fluorosis was based on the "Diagnostic Criteria for Dental Fluorosis" (WS/T 208-2011). Results A total of 100 diseased villages were investigate, the water-improving rate was 39.00% (39/100). Among the 39 water-improving projects, normal operating rate was 66.67% (26/39), intermittent operating rate was 15.38% (6/39) and scrapped projects accounted for 17.95% (7/39); the qualified rate of water fluoride projects was 53.85% (21/39). A total of 268 tap water samples were collected, the mean of water fluoride was 1.39 mg/L, and the range was 0.22-5.57 mg/L. In the 61 water-unimproved villages, the water fluoride level > 1.2 mg/L in the drinking water accounted for 49.18% (30/61), covering a population of 5 231 people. The water fluoride level > 2.0-4.0 mg/L in the drinking water accounted for 18.03% (11/61), covering a population of 2 326 people; the number of village with water fluoride level > 4.0 mg/L was 1, accounted for 1.64% (1/61), covering a population of 162 people. A total of 1 040 children aged 8 to 12 in the survey villages were examined, the total rate of dental fluorosis was 9.71% (101/1 040), the index of dental fluorosis was 0.18, and the prevalence was negative. Conclusion The water-improving and defluoridation projects in Etuoke Banner, Inner Mongolia has a certain effect on children's dental fluorosis, but water fluoride content has exceeded the standard significantly, the water improvement measures should be further strengthened. Key words: Drinking; Fluorosis, dental; Endemic disease
Surgical treatment of children with Ebstein's anomaly in 31 cases

Objective To study the surgical treatment for Ebstein's anomaly in children.Methods From August 1992 to August 2010,there were 31 cases of Ebstein's anomaly in children underwent surgical repair,including thirteen males and eighteen females,aged from 6 months to fifteen years[mean(6.9±1.6) years] and the weight was from 5.5 to 53.5 kg[mean(19.6±4.7)kg].Eight patients underwent Danielson repair of tricuspid valve,among these 2 patients were added bidirectional Glenn operation;23 patients underwent Carpentier repair of tricuspid valve,among these 5 patients were added bidirectional Glenn operation.The results of 31 cases of Ebstein's anomaly in children were retrospectively analyzed.Results There was no postoperative death with Carpentier repair of tricuspid valve.All survivals were in New York Heart Association class Ⅰ.Postoperative tricuspid regurgitation was markedly improved,echocardiography showed disappearance of tricuspid incompetence in 9 patients,mild incompetence in 13 and moderate incompetence in 1.There was one postoperative death with Danielson repair of tricuspid valve,and main causes of death were tachyarrhythmia and continuance hypoxia.All survivals were in New York Heart Association class Ⅰ.Postoperative echocardiaography showed disappearance of tricuspid incompetence in 3 patients,mild competence in 3 and moderate mild competence in 2. No reoperation for residual or recurrent tricuspid incompetence was required in all survivals. Conclusions In spite of the variable degree of Ebstein's anomaly present,the majority of patients can undergo a surgical repair.Tricuspid reconstruction should be the first choice of surgical procedures whenever possible in children.Carpentier repair of tricuspid valve is the best procedure at present.The bidirectional Glenn could be adopted according to the function of tricuspid valve and right ventricle. Key words: Ebstein's anomaly; Cardiac surgical procedures
Hydrology: Problems, Challenges and Opportunities

This paper provides a glimpse of major developments that have occurred in hydrology over the past century and a half. These developments have given birth to either new laws and theories or are based on the laws already developed in hydrology or other sciences. These laws and theories constitute what can be regarded as physics of hydrology. Further, developments in hydrology have also occurred, especially in recent decades, as a result of major advances occurring in data monitoring due to remote sensing technology and tracer technology, and spatial analysis due to geographical information systems, disciplinary cross-fertilization, access to worldwide databases, artificial intelligence systems, information systems, and a host of statistical and mathematical tools. These developments also allude to problems and challenges that warrant attention on the one hand and create opportunities for exciting developments on the other. Furthermore, the role of hydrology is being increasingly emphasized in addressing the grand challenges of the twenty-first century, such as water security, food security, energy security, health security, environmental security and socio-economic sustainability. The paper is concluded with a personal reflection on where we should be heading and what the future may hold for hydrology.
L’espace de la postmémoire dans "Alma" (2017) de J.M.G. Le Clézio

Peut-on veritablement se mettre dans la peau d’un autre, c’est-a-dire a la place d’un autre? Alma est un roman construit sur deux parcours opposes et deux voix entrecroisees, et curieusement sur une rencontre qui n’a pas vraiment eu lieu. Jeremie Felsen fait resonner le sanglot de l’homme blanc dans le texte : son sejour sur l’ile Maurice se transforme tres vite en une enquete sur l’histoire de sa famille, les plantations sucrieres d’antan et la question de l’esclavage. Doublant la voix de Jeremie s’eleve la voix sourde, incoherente mais incessante de Dodo, le clochard qui hante les cimetieres. Cette voix dit la misere, la solitude, le racisme, le traumatisme, l’errance et l’exclusion dans l’ile Maurice aujourd’hui, mais aussi en France. L’analyse detaillee des experiences de ces deux personnages nous permettra d’insister sur leur rencontre avec le reel – par-dela les cliches touristiques – mais aussi sur leur rencontre avec le ciel etoile d’ou le theme de l’extase chamanique. Dans notre conclusion, nous montrerons comment le realisme magique leclezien produit un recit indecidable. Is it really possible to put oneself in someone's shoes, in other words entirely in someone else's place? Alma is a novel constructed on two divergent paths and two interconnected voices, and rather oddly on a meeting which never actually took place. Jeremie Felsen makes the text resonate with the sobs of the white man: his stay on the island of Mauritius is quickly transformed into an investigation of his family history, the sugar plantations of the past and the issue of slavery. A hollow voice doubles Jeremie's: the incoherent yet incessant voice of Dodo, the vagrant who haunts the cemeteries. This voice expresses the misery, the solitude, the racism and the exclusion which exist not only on the island of Mauritius today, but also in France. The detailed analysis of the experiences of these two characters will highlight their encounter with the real world – beyond the tourist cliches – but also their encounter with the starry skies (i.e. the theme of shamanic ecstasy). In our conclusion, we will show how leclezian magic realism produces an ambiguous narrative.
Diversity and distribution of sediment bacteria across an ecological and trophic gradient

Abstract Can we cluster bacterial sediment communities based on lake size, depth, and trophic status? Or, are bacterial microbial communities an emergent property of their geography, integrating regional physical and climatic conditions? Lakes in Minnesota are uniquely situated to address these questions because of their wide geographic range and variability in size and basin land-use. In this study, we selected twenty lakes with varying morphological and chemical properties across four ecological regions of Minnesota. Our objectives were to (i)) evaluate the diversity and spatial variation of the bacterial community at the sediment-water interface and (ii) determine how lake location and watershed land-use impact aqueous chemistry and influence community structure. Our data indicate that sediment communities from similar depth intervals are more likely to cluster by ecological region rather than any individual lake properties (e.g., trophic status, TP concentration, lake depth). However, composition is tied to a given lake, wherein samples from the same core were more alike than samples at similar depths across lakes. Our results illustrate the diversity within lake sediment microbial communities and provide insight into relationships between taxonomy, physicochemical, and geographic properties of north temperate lakes.
Exercise-induced alterations in phospholipid hydrolysis, airway surfactant, and eicosanoids and their role in airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

The mechanisms responsible for driving endogenous airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the form of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) are not fully understood. We examined alterations in air...
'A Protest against Protestantism': Hicksite Friends and the Bible in the Nineteenth Century

Differing views of the nature and authority of Scripture were at the heart of the Hicksite Separation of 1827-1828 among American Friends. Mter the separation, the Bible became a source of conflict among Hicksites. Some Hicksite leaders feared anything that tended to diminish the authority of the Bible; other Hicksites argued for a critical view. By 1870, the liberals had the upper hand, as virtually all Hicksite Quakers came to share views of the Bible, including a sympathy for critical scholarship, that mirrored the modernist movement
Selenium-Based Drug Design

The biochemistry, pharmacology and epidemiology of selenium and selenium-containing compounds continue to be subjects of considerable interest from the viewpoint of public health. Selenium has a long history of association with human health and disease, and we now recognize that this element is an essential nutrient that is critical to key cellular processes. We now know that the selenoproteins constituting the human selenoproteome are encoded by 25 genes in the human genome, and much progress is being made in our understanding of selenium metabolism and the health effects of selenium metabolites in normal and disease states. The idea that selenium-containing dietary supplements might be effective in preventing disease has gone through both optimistic and pessimistic phases in recent years, and the future prospects for such a nutritional approach are unclear at the present time. In contrast, a significant number of promising efforts are underway that are aimed at designing and developing pharmaceutical agents that are selenium-based or that target specific aspects of selenium metabolism. This chapter focuses on some of these efforts to develop new selenium-based anticancer, antioxidant, antihypertensive, antiviral, immunosuppressive, and antimicrobial agents. While most of the efforts that entail designed organoselenium compounds – as opposed to inorganic selenium metabolites – are still at the preclinical stage, evidence is emerging that selenium-based compounds can operate via several beneficial biochemical and pharmacological mechanisms. Since our understanding of the biology, biochemistry and pharmacology of selenium and selenoproteins is rapidly expanding, we can anticipate that the coming years will bring further development of new selenium-based pharmaceutical agents with therapeutic potential against human diseases.
Dynamic Element Retrieval in a Semi-structured Collection

This paper describes our methodology for the dynamic retrieval of XML elements, an overview of its implementation in a structured environment, and the challenges introduced by applying it to the INEX Wikipedia [4] collection, which can more aptly be described as semi-structured. Our system is based on the vector space model [9] and its basic functions are performed using the Smart experimental retrieval system [8]. A major change in the system this year is the incorporation of a method for the dynamic computation of query term weights [6] to be correlated with the dynamically generated and weighted element vectors. Dynamic element retrieval requires only a single indexing of the document collection at the level of the basic indexing node (in this case, the paragraph). It returns a rank-ordered list of elements equivalent to that produced by the same query against an all-element index of the collection. (A detailed description of this method appears in [1].) As we move from a well structured collection, such as the INEX IEEE documents, to Wikipedia, changes in the structure of the articles must be accommodated.
Acute Amiodarone Pulmonary Toxicity after Drug Holiday: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Amiodarone is reported to cause a wide continuum of serious clinical effects. It is often challenging to detect Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT). Typically, the diagnosis is made based on the clinical settings and may be supported by histopathology results, if available. We describe a 57-year-old patient who developed severe rapidly progressive respiratory failure secondary to AIPT with acute bilateral infiltrates and nodular opacities on chest imaging. Interestingly, Amiodarone was discontinued 3 weeks prior to his presentation. He had normal cardiac filling pressures confirmed by echocardiography. To our knowledge, this is the first case of isolated acute lung injury induced by Amiodarone, three weeks after therapy cessation, with adequate clinical improvement after supportive management and high dose steroid therapy.
Mineral resources appraisal and policy: Controversies, issues and the future ☆

Abstract Political-economic events of the 1970s brought mineral resource appraisal to the focus of national policy. Estimates of and methodologies for mineral resources appraisal were scrutinized, revealing deficiencies in method and data and fostering considerable debate about the credibility of estimates and about preferred methodology. Since credibility can be increased through the acquisition of additional geoscience information, questions regarding methodology have more than one formulation and therefore more than one correct solution, depending upon the expected value of additional information and the conditional losses of relevant policy options. When existing information is meagre and the expected value of information is high, the optimum decision may be to defer all policy options until after the acquisition and analysis of- additional information. Decision theory offers an analytical framework that is sufficiently generalized to provide answers for highly varied circumstances of geoscience and resource information and policy issues. Our ability to perform any such analysis is limited by inaccuracies in both geologists' estimates of undiscovered mineral resources, and in economists' calculations of conditional losses of policy options for each of the relevant states of mineral resources.