cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary validity study of the pain disability index.

The Pain Disability Index was designed to measure the extent to which chronic pain interferes with a person's ability to engage in various life activities (Pollard, 1981). For each of seven categories of life activity (Family/Home Responsibility, Recreation, Social Activity, Occupation, Sexual Behavior, Selfcare, and Life Support Activity), patients are asked to rate their level of disability on a graphic rating scale ranging from 0 (-no disability) to 10 (total disability). An over-all disability score is determined by summing the numerical ratings of the seven categories of life activity (range = 0 to 70). The present investigation assessed whether scores on the index could discriminate between two groups of patients with chronic ( 6 mo. or longer) low back pain designated on the basis of external criteria as either highly or minimally disabled. Nine post-surgical patients with low back pain completed the index within 1 wk. after discharge from the hospital; they were designated as the group with high disability. Their scores were compared with those of nine patients classified as low disability; people who reported chronic low back pain but had been working full-time for a minimum of one year and had not sought professional treatment for chronic pain for at least six months. Three women and five men were in each group. The groups were matched by age (range = 22 to 70 yr.). The mean number of years of education was 14.33 (range = 10 to 20 yr.) in the high-disability group and 14.67 (range = 13 to 17 yr.) in the low-disability group. Mean scores on the index for the groups of high and low disability were 48.89 (SD = 14.1; range = 22 to 66) and 16.78 (SD = 10.29; range = 3 to 34), respectively. The obtained 32-point difference between the means of the two groups was statistically significant ( t = 5.52, p < .001) and provides preliminary support for the validity of the index. However, the generalizability of the results of this pilot study cannot be determined until additional research with larger numbers of subjects has been conducted. In addition, further assessment of the ability of this index in making finer distinctions between groups of patients at various levels of disability is needed.
Commercial Policy Towards Multinational Corporations Under Imperfect Information

This paper examines host country government (HCG) commercial policy towards imports resulting from intrafirm trade conducted by a multinational corporation (MNC). the effectiveness of the HCG's commercial policy is impaired by its limited information about the MNC's cost of production. the commercial policy consists of restrictions on intrafirm transactions. We construct and characterize the optimal commercial policy under imperfect information and find that under imperfect information the optimal policy entails a distorted transfer price and a lower level of intrafirm trade relative to the full information case. Welfare implications of commercial policy under imperfect information are also examined.
Strange Reciprocity: Mainstreaming Women's Work in Tepoztlán in the “Decade of the New Economy”, by Sidney S. Perutz

Strange Reciprocity: Mainstreaming Women's Work in Tepoztlan in the “Decade of the New Economy”, by Sidney S. Perutz. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008. 263 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-73-911628-9 (hbk.). U...
Decreased levels of alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA in dermal fibroblasts grown on fibrin gels and in response to fibrinopeptide B.

We have investigated human neonatal fibroblast synthetic activity in response to fibrin substrates and components of fibrin formation and degradation. Greater than threefold downregulation of procollagen mRNA levels was seen 24 hours after fibroblasts were grown on fibrin gels as compared to tissue culture plastic. This downregulation occurred in both reptilase-generated fibrin (retention of fibrinopeptide B) and thrombin-generated fibrin (loss of both fibrinopeptide A and B). However, fibroblasts grown on fibrin retained their capacity to respond to the stimulatory action of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1. Fibroblasts seeded on reptilase-generated fibrin displayed an abnormal morphology manifested by dendritic appearance and cell rounding, while fibroblast attachment was enhanced by 30% on thrombin-generated fibrin substrate (P < 0.02). Fibrinopeptides A and B, which are generated during fibrin formation, increased and decreased procollagen mRNA levels, respectively. Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) increased procollagen mRNA and TGF-beta 1 levels as early as 6 hours after cells were grown on tissue culture plastic, but this stimulation did not occur in cells cultured on a fibrin substrate. We conclude that alpha 1(I) procollagen mRNA levels in cultures of human dermal fibroblasts are consistently down-regulated by a fibrin substrate and are directly and profoundly influenced by complex interactions between components involved in the formation and removal of fibrin. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Submilliampere threshold current InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs lasers and laser arrays grown on nonplanar substrates

High performance buried heterostructure InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers and laser arrays with tight spatial confinement of the electrical current and the optical fields have been fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The lasers ace fabricated in a single growth step, using nonplanar substrates as a template for the active region definition. CW room temperature threshold currents, as low as 0.5 mA and 0.6 mA, are obtained for as-cleaved double and single quantum-well lasers, respectively. External quantum efficiencies exceeding 80% are obtained in the same devices. High-reflectivity facet-coated lasers have room temperature CW threshold currents as low as 0.145 mA with 10% external quantum efficiency. Lasers made by this technique have high yield and uniformity, and are suitable for low threshold array applications. >
Renal plasticity in response to feeding in the Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus.

Abstract Burmese pythons are sit-and-wait predators that are well adapted to go long periods without food, yet subsequently consume and digest single meals that can exceed their body weight. These large feeding events result in a dramatic alkaline tide that is compensated by a hypoventilatory response that normalizes plasma pH; however, little is known regarding how plasma HCO 3 − is lowered in the days post-feeding. The current study demonstrated that Burmese pythons contain the cellular machinery for renal acid–base compensation and actively remodel the kidney to limit HCO 3 − reabsorption in the post-feeding period. After being fed a 25% body weight meal plasma total CO 2 was elevated by 1.5-fold after 1 day, but returned to control concentrations by 4 days post-feeding (dpf). Gene expression analysis was used to verify the presence of carbonic anhydrase (CA) II, IV and XIII, Na + H + exchanger 3 (NHE3), the Na + HCO 3 − co-transporter (NBC) and V-type ATPase. CA IV expression was significantly down-regulated at 3 dpf versus fasted controls. This was supported by activity analysis that showed a significant decrease in the amount of GPI-linked CA activity in isolated kidney membranes at 3 dpf versus fasted controls. In addition, V-type ATPase activity was significantly up-regulated at 3 dpf; no change in gene expression was observed. Both CA II and NHE3 expression was up-regulated at 3 dpf, which may be related to post-prandial ion balance. These results suggest that Burmese pythons actively remodel their kidney after feeding, which would in part benefit renal HCO 3 − clearance.
Party On? Politicians and Party Switching in Mexico

The breakdown of Mexico's hegemonic party system raises questions about the nature of the new system and of the prospects of consolidating Mexican democracy. The concern addressed in this article is that, at the very same time that democratisation has made Mexicans' electoral choices more significant, frequently changing party allegiances among candidates and even elected officials renders these choices less meaningful. Since parties ‘matter’ in a democratic polity, party switching may prove an impediment to the development of a liberal and stable democracy. Partisan shifts within the state congress of Morelos illustrate this point.
The ChrA-ChrS and HrrA-HrrS Signal Transduction Systems Are Required for Activation of the hmuO Promoter and Repression of the hemA Promoter in Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Transcription of the Corynebacterium diphtheriae hmuO gene, which encodes a heme oxygenase involved in heme iron utilization, is activated in a heme- or hemoglobin-dependent manner in part by the two-component system ChrA-ChrS. Mutation of either the chrA or the chrS gene resulted in a marked reduction of hemoglobin-dependent activation at the hmuO promoter in C. diphtheriae; however, it was observed that significant levels of hemoglobin-dependent expression were maintained in the mutants, suggesting that an additional activator is involved in regulation. A BLAST search of the C. diphtheriae genome sequence revealed a second two-component system, encoded by DIP2268 and DIP2267, that shares similarity with ChrS and ChrA, respectively; we have designated these genes hrrS (DIP2268) and hrrA (DIP2267). Analysis of hmuO promoter expression demonstrated that hemoglobin-dependent activity was fully abolished in strains from which both the chrA-chrS and the hrrA-hrrS two-component systems were deleted. Similarly, deletion of the sensor kinase genes chrS and hrrS or the genes encoding both of the response regulators chrA and hrrA also eliminated hemoglobin-dependent activation at the hmuO promoter. We also show that the regulators ChrA-ChrS and HrrA-HrrS are involved in the hemoglobin-dependent repression of the promoter upstream of hemA, which encodes a heme biosynthesis enzyme. Evidence for cross talk between the ChrA-ChrS and HrrA-HrrS systems is presented. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that the ChrA-ChrS and HrrA-HrrS regulatory systems are critical for full hemoglobin-dependent activation at the hmuO promoter and also suggest that these two-component systems are involved in the complex mechanism of the regulation of heme homeostasis in C. diphtheriae.
High power and energy-efficient WDM Si/III–V hybrid external-cavity lasers

An efficient Si hybrid external cavity laser with a micro-ring reflector is fabricated on SOI platform. The laser output power reaches 20 mW and the highest wall-plug efficiency of 7.8% is measured in an un-cooled condition.
A digital conference like software tool for PDP programs

Digital Conference is a software package, which allows people at different locations to exchange information and simultaneously share a running program through a network. It motivates us to create a digital conference like software for parallel and distributed processing programs. The DC-like PDP allows a group to discuss and operate the same PDP model without having all members present at the same computer site. The software has potential to facilitate teaching and research in our institution. This paper presents a complete methodology to develop the DC-like PDP. Two solution models using client/server computing are presented. A decision table approach is proposed to facilitate system analysis and design. The table is ultimately encoded as macro rules in source programs. The approach improves program readability, reduces the size of source codes, and enforces consistent maintenance.
The Arms Trade in Russian–Chinese Relations: Identity, Domestic Politics, and Geopolitical Positioning

Why would a declining power help arm a neighboring and once-hostile rising power? Current international relations literature cannot explain relationships in which one powerful country contributes directly to its long-term relative decline in order to make smaller, short-term gains. This study focuses on one example, the Treaty on Good Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, signed in Moscow on July 16, 2001. Presenting evidence that this alliance embodies a relationship that is based primarily on sales of arms from Russia to China, the authors argue that this association cannot be explained by current theory. Three variables appear most important to understanding the arms sales element of this case: declining relative position discloses the structural factors behind Russia's actions; domestic policy explains its willingness to make what had appeared as rash sacrifices; and identity issues explain the core motivations and interests of each actor.
High-injection noise in transistors

Abstract Van der Ziel's one-dimensional transmission line model for transistor noise is extended to the case of very high injection. In addition the effect of carrier injection from the base into the emitter is taken into account. Since the contribution of carrier recombination in the base to the base current is usually negligible, it is systematically neglected. The transmission line model reduces the mathematical manipulations substantially and allows the direct transformation from the low-injection to the high-injection approach; this transformation is independent of geometry. The results agree reasonably well with those obtained by Min and van Vliet and by Wade and van der Ziel and extend these results in some respects.
THE TALE OF TWO OKLAHOMAS: How, When, and Why Eastern Oklahoma Went Red

While Oklahoma has safely rested in the Republican camp in presidential elections since 1968, Eastern Oklahoma has often been an area of Democratic strength. However, recent Democratic contenders have often found this part of the state to be less supportive than in the past. What factors in Eastern Oklahoma led to this delayed realignment? Does it continue to differ from the rest of the state? To answer these questions, we collected presidential election data on all Oklahoma counties from 2000, 2008, and 2012, as well as demographic information for each county (including the percentage of African Americans and Native Americans, population density, percentage of Evangelicals, and income). There is a significant decline in Democratic support leading up to the 2008 election. This decay is independent of the demographic controls and leads us to question whether Eastern Oklahoma is still a distinct region in terms of partisanship.
Reflections on Foreign Field-Based Experiential Learning: Taking the Classroom to the Culture

The paper discusses the authors' experiences with a field-based course which required students to travel to a foreign culture as part of their coursework. The paper discusses the difficulties and benefits of such an instructional methodology. A model for successful experiences is provided.
Implementing effective monitoring sites for emerging contaminants from the assessment of their critical areas: comparative studies of multiple watersheds in the United States.

AbstractEmerging contaminants traditionally have not been measured in the environment, but they recently have been detected in various water systems as a result of advancements in analytical methods. These contaminants pose potential threats to ecosystems and public health, but are generally not regulated, nor are they required to be routinely monitored. This paper presents the implementation of watershed-scale monitoring-site selection as an effective monitoring design for emerging contaminants. The study aimed to identify critical areas of emerging contaminants for both point and nonpoint sources in five selected watersheds in the United States with different land-use compositions and climate conditions. Spatial association analysis using the Getis-Ord’s Gi* statistic was employed to identify clusters of point and nonpoint emerging contaminants considering the impact of neighboring subwatersheds. This analysis identified subbasins containing major wastewater treatment systems as point-source hotspots an...
Spatial Cluster Detection in Spatial Flow Data

As a typical form of geographical phenomena, spatial flow events have been widely studied in contexts like migration, daily commuting, and information exchange through telecommunication. Studying the spatial pattern of spatial flow data serves to reveal essential information about the underlying process generating the phenomena. Most methods of global clustering pattern detection and local clusters detection analysis are focused on single-location spatial events or fail to preserve the integrity of spatial flow events. In this research a new spatial statistical approach of detecting clustering (clusters) of flow data that extends the classical local K-function, while maintaining the integrity of flow data was introduced. Through the appropriate measurement of spatial proximity relationships between entire flows, the new method successfully upgraded the classical hot spot detection method to the stage of “hot flow” detection. Spatial proximity of flows was measured by a four-dimensional distance. Several specific aspects of the method were discussed to provide evidence of its robustness and expandability, such as the multiscale issue, relative importance control and adaptive scale detection, using a real dataset of vehicle theft and recovery location pairs in Charlotte, NC.
Application of PCR in bacterial detection of large amount and low detecting rate

Objective: To establish a detecting Salmonella method,and increase positive rate and reduce work toilworn degree.Methods:PCR and germiculture were used to detect Salmonella.Results:PCR was positive in 14.63% samples were detected among the 46140 specimens.Positive rate of Salmonella was 1.63‰.It was more than 2003(P0.01).Results:Of PCR and conventional method were the same.Assay was dispend 57 day for PCR and assay was dispend 220 day for conventional method.Conclusion:PCR can be used to detect Salmonella a amass of samples among status of staff in the food trade and public place.
254 VASCULAR DENDRITIC CELLS IN GIANT CELL ARTERITIS: TRIGGERING OF VASCULAR INFLAMMATION BY TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR LIGANDS.

Purpose Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a granulomatous vasculitis that preferentially targets medium-sized arteries, such as temporal arteries (TA), and causes blindness and aortic arch syndrome. Vessel wall injury is mediated by activated CD4 T cells and macrophages, with CD83 + dendritic cells (DCs) functioning as antigen-presenting cells. DCs are resident cells of the arterial wall. We have examined whether activation of vascular DCs is an early event in vasculitis and whether ligands for Toll-like receptors (TLR) induce vessel wall inflammation. Methods Normal human TAs were kept in organ culture and stimulated with ligands specific for TLR4 and TLR5. Also, human TAs were implanted into SCID mice followed by TLR ligand injection and adoptive transfer of human CD4 T cells. The DC activation markers CD83 and CCL19 were assessed by real-time PCR and immunohistology. T-cell activation was quantified through CD40L and IFN-g transcripts. Proliferation of T cells isolated from the arteries was measured. Results In the organ culture the TLR4 ligand LPS rapidly induced CD83 and CCL19 transcripts; immunohistochemistry revealed that CCL19 was produced by vascular DCs. Triggering of TLR5 by flagellin caused a different outcome; whereas CD83 was up-regulated to a similar extent, CCL19 production increased significantly more (p = .012). The biologic relevance of this difference for the induction of vascular inflammation was tested in the chimera model. LPS injection resulted in activation of vascular DCs and recruitment of adoptively transferred CD4 + T cells into the artery graft. T cells were activated, acquired a tissue-invasive phenotype and infiltrated the medial layer. Flagellin potently activated vascular DCs in vivo, inducing a CD83 + phenotype and the production of CCL19. Adoptively transferred T cells accumulated around differentiated DCs in the arterial adventitia. However, although T cells produced IFN-g they remained stationary and failed to invade the media. Conclusions Temporal arteries possess a population of DCs that express TLR4 and TLR5 and respond to blood-born ligands of these receptors. Exposure to LPS results in retention of T cells, which differentiate into tissue-invasive effector cells typically seen in GCA. The bacterial product flagellin outperforms LPS in inducing T-cell recruitment to the vessel wall, yet such T cells are retained in the adventitia and do not imitate inflammatory infiltrates characteristic for GCA.
Reliability of bone marrow acid phosphatase as a parameter of metastatic prostatic cancer.

AbstractThe reliability of bone marrow acid phosphatase determination by a spectrophotometric assay and 2 immunochemical methods was evaluated in 40 patients: 20 men with known prostatic carcinoma and 20 men of comparable age without clinical evidence of prostatic cancer. The large percentage of falsely positive results obtained by the colorimetric assay invalidates this method as the sole parameter of metastatic prostatic carcinoma.
Experience of single-incision laparoscopy in children

Context: Laparoscopic surgery is commonly used for the treatment of many pediatric surgical diseases at our department. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is well-known for its cosmetic benefit. We, hereby, present our experience of SILS and evaluate its efficacy.Materials and Methods: From July 2012 to June 2014, 78 patients aged less than 18 years who underwent SILS were retrospectively evaluated. There were 44 males and 34 females, with a mean age of 10.3 years. The procedures included appendectomy (n = 64), reduction of intussusception (n = 8), removal of an intestinal foreign body (n = 3), and Meckel's diverticulectomy (n = 3). We compared the patients who underwent SILS with those who underwent conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS), regarding these procedures. The parameters for analysis included the patient's demographic data, surgical indication, complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay. Conclusion: SILS is comparable to CLS regarding two major procedures, namely, appendectomy and reduction of intussusception. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the patients' demographic data, complications, and length of hospital stay. According to our experience of SILS, it could be a feasible and safe procedure for the treatment of various pediatric surgical diseases. However, large prospective randomized studies are needed to identify the differences between SIL and CLS.
Visual function in children with developmental disabilities.

Visual dysfunction is commonly found in children with developmental disabilities and includes amblyopia, strabismus, refraction errors, cataracts, and glaucoma. Because visual deficits can interfere with development, early and periodic assessment is extremely important. Pediatricians can screen for visual deficits, ocular alignment, and ocular abnormalities and can refer to ophthalmologists for more specific vision testing, refraction, and electrophysiologic studies. Ophthalmologic interventions range from prescription of glasses and patching to surgery.
China’s Inter-Regional Trade of Virtual Water — A Multi-Regional Input–Output Table Based Analysis

The success of China’s economic development has brought increasing pressures on its water resources, motivating it to better understand water use characteristics and how scarce water resources are transferred among regions. Virtual water is a term used to refer to the volume of freshwater consumed for producing traded goods and services. It reflects the actual human consumption of water resources and therefore is important for water resources management. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the current inter-regional virtual water trade (VWT) structure and to assess the implications of these trade patterns for water use and water conservation strategies in China. Based on the most recently available multi-regional input–output (MRIO) data, we have developed an extended inter-regional input–output (IRIO) model for eight economic regions in China to account for virtual water flows. The findings show that water use efficiency has increased over the years, but it is still unbalanced among the regions. The total amount of VWT has increased, and the major source of the trade is domestic inter-regional trade, especially intermediate products trade. Moreover, the main direction of virtual water transfer is from water-poor inland regions to water-rich regions, which is unfavorable for water resource allocation and efficiency. Therefore, in addition to enhancing water use efficiency and encouraging water-saving production alternatives, we suggest that China’s government should also adopt a market-based water pricing system.
Towards automatically generating descriptive names for unit tests

During maintenance, developers often need to understand the purpose of a test. One of the most potentially useful sources of information for understanding a test is its name. Ideally, test names are descriptive in that they accurately summarize both the scenario and the expected outcome of the test. Despite the benefits of being descriptive, test names often fall short of this goal. In this paper we present a new approach for automatically generating descriptive names for existing test bodies. Using a combination of natural-language program analysis and text generation, the technique creates names that summarize the test's scenario and the expected outcome. The results of our evaluation show that, (1) compared to alternative approaches, the names generated by our technique are significantly more similar to human-generated names and are nearly always preferred by developers, (2) the names generated by our technique are preferred over or are equivalent to the original test names in 83% of cases, and (3) our technique is several orders of magnitude faster than manually writing test names.
Optimal control of diamagnetically levitated milli robots using automated search patterns

This paper reports early results of optimal control using diamagnetically levitated robot (DLR) systems. Levitated robots, typically 1–4 mm in size, are driven locally by printed circuit boards (PCBs) with zero friction and near-zero hysteresis. As previously reported [1, 2], these properties give the levitated system excellent repeatability at the micron and submicron levels for both positioning and trajectories. Highly repeatable systems are generally good candidates for optimal control because variability in identifying and exploiting optimized control parameters are minimized. In the data reported here, levitated milli robots are characterized, and we present experiments showing a 5× reduction in oscillations using a debouncing routine that is manually optimized in time. Manual optimization is effective in some cases, but due to the multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) aspects of levitated robots, a more robust self-tuning method is desirable. Toward this goal, we describe experiments using automatic optimization of robot motion using a computerized search-and-test routine that varies PCB trace currents and selects optimal currents based on automatic measurement of motion error. The automatic optimization using this method has shown settling times to micron and submicron levels that are 20–40 times faster than simple bang-bang control of equilibrium currents. In one test reported here, 150-µm moves were demonstrated at 90-nm rms error with 15-ms move times.
A Fossil Legacy Connecticut in the Age of Dinosaurs

(1995). A Fossil Legacy Connecticut in the Age of Dinosaurs. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 70, No. 6, pp. 412-418.
Monolithic integration of perovskites on Ge(001) by atomic layer deposition: a case study with SrHfxTi1-xO3

This work reports the growth of crystalline SrHfxTi1-xO3 (SHTO) films on Ge (001) substrates by atomic layer deposition. Samples were prepared with different Hf content x to explore if strain, from tensile (x = 0) to compressive (x = 1), affected film crystallization temperature and how composition affected properties. Amorphous films grew at 225 °C and crystallized into epitaxial layers at annealing temperatures that varied monotonically with composition from -530 °C (x= 0) to -660 °C (x= 1). Transmission electron microscopy revealed abrupt interfaces. Electrical measurements revealed 0.1 A/cm2 leakage current at 1 MV/cm for x= 0.55.
The Problem of Expression

This book deals with a problem that has enormous significance for understanding behavior and is correspondingly broad in its scope. The problem is why at some times knowledge is readily available for adaptive application by an organism and yet at other times this same knowledge, whether in the form of learned relationships or the most elementary of species-specific motor patterns, is simply not expressed even though the individual’s welfare, or even its survival, might require it. To say this another way, what is known is not always represented faithfully by what is expressed. Or, given what we know, why do we not always do what we should do?
Factors associated with using opiates while under extended-release naltrexone blockade: A descriptive pilot study

Abstract Background and aim Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) blocks the effects of opioids for 4weeks, yet many patients continue to use them. To learn more about why this occurs, we collected self-reports on subjective effects and drug use factors from participants' most recent heroin/opiate use while under XR-NTX blockade. Methods Participants ( n =38) were unemployed, heroin-dependent adults enrolled in a randomized controlled trial evaluating employment-based incentives to promote adherence to XR-NTX. A subset of participants ( n =18) were asked to complete a survey about their most recent use of heroin/opiates when they provided an opiate-positive urine sample while under XR-NTX blockade. Surveys were administered weekly, and participants could complete multiple surveys throughout the trial. Participants reported how high they were (11-point scale; 0=not at all, 10=extremely), how much heroin/opiates they took (less, more, or about the same as usual before starting naltrexone), whether they used cocaine at the same time, and the routes of administration for heroin/opiates and cocaine (if used). All analyses were descriptive. Results Of the 107 surveys, 75.7% indicated being "not at all" high the last time heroin/opiates were used. 75.5% of surveys reported opiate amounts that were less than usual, and only 7.5% reported amounts larger than usual. Cocaine was used at the same time as heroin for 57.9% of surveys but typically through a different route (74.2%). Discussion Using heroin/opiates while under XR-NTX blockade is not strongly associated with self-reports of high, taking larger than normal amounts of opiates, or taking opiates and cocaine simultaneously via the same route. Future research should incorporate measures of naltrexone concentration and more comprehensive and frequent assessments using ecological momentary assessment.
Linear Predictive Coding and the Internet Protocol

In December 1974 the first realtime conversation on the ARPAnet took place between Culler- Harrison Incorporated in Goleta, California, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts. This was the first successful application of realtime digital speech communication over a packet network and an early milestone in the explosion of realtime signal processing of speech, audio, images, and video that we all take for granted today. It could be considered as the first voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), except that the Internet Protocol (IP) had not yet been established. In fact, the interest in realtime signal processing had an indirect, but major, impact on the development of IP. This is the story of the development of linear predictive coded (LPC) speech and how it came to be used in the first successful packet speech experiments. Several related stories are recounted as well. The history is preceded by a tutorial on linear prediction methods which incorporates a variety of views to provide context for the stories. This part is a technical survey of the fundamental ideas of linear prediction that are important for speech processing, but the development departs from traditional treatments and takes advantage of several shortcuts, simplifications, and unifications that come with years of hindsight. In particular, some of the key results are proved using short and simple techniques that are not as well known as they should be, and it also addresses some of the common assumptions made when modeling random signals. The reader interested only in the history and already familiar with or uninterested in the technical details of linear prediction and speech may skip Part I entirely.
A Novel DLL1-Anti-CD19 Chimeric Protein Effectively Targets Notch Activation to B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Induces Cell Death

Abstract Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most prevalent form of cancer in children, and those who relapse continue to have poor survival. Therefore, the development of improved and specifically targeted treatment options is vital. The Notch pathway has been shown to act as a tumor suppressor in B-ALL via cell type specific induction of growth-inhibiting and pro-apoptotic pathways. In this study, we aim to therapeutically activate Notch signaling in B-ALL via targeting the Notch ligand DLL1 to B cells using an anti-CD19 scFv chimeric protein. Methods: A soluble chimeric protein composed of the extracellular domain of the Notch ligand DLL1 linked to a validated anti-CD19 scFv was isolated from HEK-293 producer cells. Human B-ALL (SB, Nalm6) and T-ALL (Jurkat) lines were treated with DLL1-anti-CD19scFv chimeric protein, and expression of the Notch target gene HES1 and effects on cell growth and survival were measured. Results: Both B- and T-ALL lines express Notch1 and Notch2 receptors on the cell surface. Exposure of B-ALL cells to DLL1-anti-CD19scFv chimeric protein led to an increase of Notch signaling, measured via 3-14 fold increase in HES1 mRNA expression. As expected, surface expression of the Notch receptors decreased upon chimera exposure, as Notch receptors are cleaved and destroyed upon activation. Importantly, exposure of the B-ALL lines to the chimeric protein led to a maximum 60% decrease in cell counts over 3-4 days, in contrast to T-ALL, where exposure did not effect growth significantly. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Notch signaling can be feasibly activated in human B-ALL cells through a soluble DLL1-anti-CD19 scFv chimeric protein. Activation of Notch signaling via this method leads to growth inhibition and cell death in B-ALL, but not T-ALL cells. Based on our findings, we suggest that this soluble DLL1-anti-CD19 chimera may be a potential therapeutic approach for B-ALL, and further in vivo testing is warranted. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Improving Registration Robustness for Image-Guided Liver Surgery in a Novel Human-to-Phantom Data Framework

In open image-guided liver surgery (IGLS), a sparse representation of the intraoperative organ surface can be acquired to drive image-to-physical registration. We hypothesize that uncharacterized error induced by variation in the collection patterns of organ surface data limits the accuracy and robustness of an IGLS registration. Clinical validation of such registration methods is challenged due to the difficulty in obtaining data representative of the true state of organ deformation. We propose a novel human-to-phantom validation framework that transforms surface collection patterns from in vivo IGLS procedures (n = 13) onto a well-characterized hepatic deformation phantom for the purpose of validating surface-driven, volumetric nonrigid registration methods. An important feature of the approach is that it centers on combining workflow-realistic data acquisition and surgical deformations that are appropriate in behavior and magnitude. Using the approach, we investigate volumetric target registration error (TRE) with both current rigid IGLS and our improved nonrigid registration methods. Additionally, we introduce a spatial data resampling approach to mitigate the workflow-sensitive sampling problem. Using our human-to-phantom approach, TRE after routine rigid registration was 10.9 ± 0.6 mm with a signed closest point distance associated with residual surface fit in the range of ±10 mm, highly representative of open liver resections. After applying our novel resampling strategy and improved deformation correction method, TRE was reduced by 51%, i.e., a TRE of 5.3 ± 0.5 mm. This paper reported herein realizes a novel tractable approach for the validation of image-to-physical registration methods and demonstrates promising results for our correction method.
Pediatric acute kidney injury: prevalence, impact and management challenges

The incidence of pediatric acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasing globally, as are the associated morbidities and mortality. A recent standardization of the definition of AKI has allowed for a more accurate assessment of the epidemiology of pediatric AKI. Recent advances in leveraging electronic medical health record systems have allowed for real-time risk stratification and prevention of pediatric AKI in the hospital setting. Newly developed and validated clinical scores have improved our ability to predict AKI and provide a rational context for biomarker utilization in hospitalized children. Novel non-invasive diagnostic and predictive biomarkers have been launched globally to improve our ability to diagnose and predict AKI and its adverse outcomes as well as recovery. This review summarizes the most current literature, focusing on the epidemiology, management, and early diagnostic strategies in pediatric AKI.
Double Burden: Obesity Among Iron Deficiency Anemic Nursing Students

Background: The Fourth Thai National Health Examination Survey in 2008-9 reported that the prevalence of the overweight and obese employing the Body Mass Index (BMI) >25 kg/m2 for BMI cut-off points for Asian population was 20.6% among females aged 15-29 years and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) classifying by the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria with Hemoglobin (Hb) < 12 g/dL in women above 15 years of age was 25.3%. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 57 females aged 18 – 22 years out of 114 of 1st year nursing students. Hb concentration examination, BMI and self administrated questionnaires were completed on the day of their annual physical checkups. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity among IDA nursing students at St Theresa International College in Nakhon Nayok Province, Central, Thailand. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2 ) was 5.3% while the prevalence of IDA (Hb 27.5) were 28.1, 57.9, 10.5 and 3.4% respectively. Among this group, IDA was found in 12.5, 27.3, 33.3 and 100% in each BMI category respectively. When international classification was used it showed that underweight ( 30.0) was 28.1, 66.7, 3.5 and 1.8 % respectively and IDA was in 12.5, 23.2, 50 and 100% respectively. In this study, it was statistically significant difference between IDA and the non-IDA with the students’ body weight (Kruskal – Wallis test = 4.31, p< 0.05) and between the normal-weight and overweight with the students' duration of menstruation (Kruskal-Wallis H test = 6.54, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Both IDA and obesity are signs of malnutrition. IDA is a condition of undernutrition while obesity is over-nutrition. However it is known that they seem to be bound up with such as poor dietary iron intake, increased iron requirements, and impaired iron absorption in obese individually. Nutrition education should be considered and demonstrate the effectiveness of the program for more understanding of the problem.
Code-Switching in the Oral Life Narratives of African-American Women: Challenges to Linguistic Hegemony.

In an essay published posthumously in The Sanctified Church (1982)1 Zora Neale Hurston said that after sheer drama, the "second most notable characteristic of Negro expression is the will to adorn." She went on to say, "Perhaps his idea of ornament does not attempt to meet conventional standards, but it satisfies the soul of its creator" (Hurston, 1981, p. 50). This pronouncement, with its casual suggestion of indifference to received notions of correctness, anticipated the present-day scholarly interest in the cultural and political significance of the durability and vitality of lowprestige ethnically based dialects. I suspect my own interest in this propensity for adornment in Black English Vernacular began when I was a child and my father, a master storyteller from Mississippi, talked about "cullud boys makin they way through graveyards at dusk," and my great-grandfather, a runaway slave whom "no one heard tell of sence." About four years ago, in deciding upon a dissertation project in anthropological linguistics, I decided to formally investigate patterns and significance of code-switching and other contextualization cues in the oral life narratives of African-American women. This decision derived
Assessment of Mudrock Brittleness with Micro-scratch Testing

Mechanical properties are essential for understanding natural and induced deformational behavior of geological formations. Brittleness characterizes energy dissipation rate and strain localization at failure. Brittleness has been investigated in hydrocarbon-bearing mudrocks in order to quantify the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the creation of complex fracture networks and surface area for reservoir drainage. Typical well logging correlations associate brittleness with carbonate content or dynamic elastic properties. However, an index of rock brittleness should involve actual rock failure and have a consistent method to quantify it. Here, we present a systematic method to quantify mudrock brittleness based on micro-mechanical measurements from the scratch test. Brittleness is formulated as the ratio of energy associated with brittle failure to the total energy required to perform a scratch. Soda lime glass and polycarbonate are used for comparison to identify failure in brittle and ductile mode and validate the developed method. Scratch testing results on mudrocks indicate that it is possible to use the recorded transverse force to estimate brittleness. Results show that tested samples rank as follows in increasing degree of brittleness: Woodford, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Mancos, and Vaca Muerta. Eagle Ford samples show mixed ductile/brittle failure characteristics. There appears to be no definite correlation between micro-scratch brittleness and quartz or total carbonate content. Dolomite content shows a stronger correlation with brittleness than any other major mineral group. The scratch brittleness index correlates positively with increasing Young’s modulus and decreasing Poisson’s ratio, but shows deviations in rocks with distinct porosity and with stress-sensitive brittle/ductile behavior (Eagle Ford). The results of our study demonstrate that the micro-scratch test method can be used to investigate mudrock brittleness. The method is particularly useful for reservoir characterization methods that take advantage of drill cuttings or whenever large samples for triaxial testing or fracture mechanics testing cannot be recovered.
Rehabilitation Services in Turkey

The Republic of Turkey has five million citizens with disabilities. The European Union adaptation process has improved the disability legislation, but there is still a long way to go to improve the lives of those with disabilities. Many governmental agencies are involved with educational and vocational rehabilitation services and the employment of people with disabilities. Those having disabilities living in rural areas are more disadvantaged, and other intersecting identities may intervene. Turkey needs to take significant action in order to improve the effectiveness of current services and expand the capacity and scope of services for both rural and urban residents with disabilities. In order to close the gap between rural and urban locations, services and policies should be planned according to the specific needs, challenges, and strengths of rural regions and residents living in those areas.
“Keeping It Fresh”: How Young Black Women Negotiate Self‐Representation and Controlling Images in Urban Space

Few scholars have explored the collective experiences of young African American women and their creative strategies for negotiating daily life in distressed neighborhoods. This study draws on nearl...
Coagulopathies and Hypercoagulable States

Coagulopathy management in the surgical ICU (SICU) requires early recognition and rapid treatment of the underlying hemostatic disturbance. The degree of prothrombotic and/or antithrombotic tendency can be assessed by conventional coagulation testing (PT/PTT/INR), but recent literature suggests that point-of-care viscoelastic testing (TEG/ROTEM) may allow for more rapid, accurate, and timely diagnosis and treatment. While acquired states of coagulopathy due to traumatic bleeding or postoperative hemorrhage are more common in the SICU, the surgical intensivist must be able to identify and treat the commonly inherited coagulopathies in the ICU: heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), von Willebrand disease (VWD), hemophilia, and clotting factor deficiencies.
A comparative analysis of male and female police officers feloniously killed

AbstractAlthough women entered policing more than thirty years ago, little is known about the frequency in which they encounter violence while performing their duties, particularly in comparison to male officers. Varying viewpoints would predict different and opposing outcomes. This research sought to answer one question, are women police officers subjected to greater, lesser, or equal amounts of lethal violence when compared to male officers. 35-years of data were extracted from Crime in the United States and Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted and utilized in creating comparable male and female victimization rates. Findings were conclusive that female officers encounter less lethal violence than male police officers, but there remain several plausible and competing explanations for this difference.
Molecular Markers of Therapy-Resistant Glioblastoma and Potential Strategy to Combat Resistance

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system. With its overall dismal prognosis (the median survival is 14 months), GBMs demonstrate a resounding resilience against all current treatment modalities. The absence of a major progress in the treatment of GBM maybe a result of our poor understanding of both GBM tumor biology and the mechanisms underlying the acquirement of treatment resistance in recurrent GBMs. A comprehensive understanding of these markers is mandatory for the development of treatments against therapy-resistant GBMs. This review also provides an overview of a novel marker called acid ceramidase and its implication in the development of radioresistant GBMs. Multiple signaling pathways were found altered in radioresistant GBMs. Given these global alterations of multiple signaling pathways found in radioresistant GBMs, an effective treatment for radioresistant GBMs may require a cocktail containing multiple agents targeting multiple cancer-inducing pathways in order to have a chance to make a substantial impact on improving the overall GBM survival.