cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A randomized trial of transdermal and oral estrogen therapy in adolescent girls with hypogonadism.

Background: Adolescent females with ovarian failure require estrogen therapy for induction of puberty and other important physiologic effects. Currently, health care providers have varying practices without evidence-based standards, thus investigating potential differences between oral and transdermal preparations is essential. The purpose of this study was to compare the differential effects of treatment with oral conjugated equine estrogen (OCEE), oral 17β estradiol (OBE), or transdermal 17β estradiol (TBE) on biochemical profiles and feminization in girls with ovarian failure. Study design: 20 prepubertal adolescent females with ovarian failure, ages 12–18 years, were randomized to OCEE (n = 8), OBE (n = 7), or TBE (n = 5) for 24 months. Estrogen replacement was initiated at a low dose (0.15 mg OCEE, 0.25 mg OBE, or 0.0125 mg TBE) and doubled every 6 months to a maximum dose of 0.625 mg/d OCEE, 1 mg/d OBE, or 0.05 mg/d TBE. At 18 months, micronized progesterone was added to induce menstrual cycles. Biochemical markers including sex hormones, inflammatory markers, liver enzymes, coagulation factors, and lipids were obtained at baseline and 6 month intervals. Differences in levels of treatment parameters between the groups were evaluated with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The effect of progesterone on biochemical markers was evaluated with the paired t-test. Results: Mean (±SE) estradiol levels at maximum estrogen dose (18 months) were higher in the TBE group (53 ± 19 pg/mL) compared to OCEE (14 ± 5 pg/mL) and OBE (12 ± 5 pg/mL) (p ≤ 0.01). The TBE and OBE groups had more effective feminization (100% Tanner 3 breast stage at 18 months). There were no statistical differences in other biochemical markers between treatment groups at 18 months or after the introduction of progesterone. Conclusions: Treatment with transdermal 17β estradiol resulted in higher estradiol levels and more effective feminization compared to oral conjugated equine estrogen but did not result in an otherwise different biochemical profile in this limited number of heterogeneous patients. OBE and TBE provide safe and effective alternatives to OCEE to induce puberty in girls, but larger prospective randomized trials are required.
Identification and quantitation of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (NaGHB) by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The most common means of identification of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (NaGHB) involves using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of a suitable derivative. However, these methods may be complicated by possible shifts in chemical equilibrium between gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), GHB salts and the precursor lactone, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). This paper addresses the technique of proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H and 1 3 C NMR) for the direct and accurate identification of GHB and GBL. The application of 1 H NMR for GHB quantitation is also discussed.
Discursive ethics in ecosystems valuation and environmental policy

Abstract Discursive ethics has its origin in the Frankfurt School of critical theory. As an applied ethic it is also associated with practical philosophy. In this paper discursive ethics is discussed as a conceptual and practical framework for ecosystems valuation and environmental policy. The discussion focuses on three main strengths of discursive ethics: (1) it offers an integrated process for ecosystems valuation; (2) it offers a decision-making framework for responding to uncertainty and risk and the reality of action-in-indeterminacy; (3) it offers a process for deconstructing common valuation concepts and identifying conditions for their critical reconstruction. The theoretical discussion is followed by a case study example which illustrates the usefulness of discursive ethics in identifying valuation biases hidden behind disciplinary assumptions and conceptual norms. These include cultural norms of rationality, information biases which consider “hard facts” over “soft values”, and disciplinary valuation biases which distinguish between “hard” and “soft” expert contributions. As the case study illustrates, a successful application of discursive ethics in ecosystems valuation and environmental policy demands sensitivity to such underlying biases. Beyond its policy relevance discursive ethics may also offer a framework for an extended peer discourse through which new foci in research and education can be identified.
Green's Function Method for an Axisymmetric Void Between Parallel Walls

The Green's function for potential theory is developed for an axisymmetric void of arbitrary shape located between two parallel walls. Numerical results are given to demonstrate the accuracy in the Green's function formulation by comparison with numerical solutions obtained using a commercial finite element code. The present formulation is attractive since numerical implementation only involves unknowns on the surface of the void.
Exploiting Communities for Enhancing Lookup Performance in Structured P2P Systems

Large Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems for file transfer exhibit the presence of communities based on semantic, geographic, or organizational interests of users. Generally, resources commonly shared within individual communities are relatively unpopular and inconspicuous in the system-wide behavior. These communities are unable to benefit significantly from performance enhancement schemes such as caching that focus only on the most dominant queries. We propose a generic caching framework that enhances lookup performance of individual communities while providing even better performance to the dominant communities. The caching framework can be used with any structured P2P system that provides alternative paths to a given destination. Furthermore, the solution is adaptive to changing popularity and user interests, works with any skewed distribution of queries, needs small caches, utilizes local statistics, and introduces minimal modifications and overhead to the overlay network. Simulations based on Chord overlay show 40% reduction in average path length with individual communities indicating three times improvement in performance over system-wide caching.
Benthic Macrofaunal Community Structure along a Well-Defined Salinity Gradient in the Mullica River–Great Bay Estuary**

Abstract The benthic macrofaunal community of the Mullica River–Great Bay estuary in the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve is characterized by both small-scale and large-scale distribution patterns that can be correlated to gradients in physicochemical parameters. Sediment composition is a major factor regulating the local distribution of benthic assemblages in the estuary, with the amount of silt-clay being particularly important. For example, one suite of benthic fauna (i.e., Ampelisca verrilli, Ensis directus, Haustorius arenarius, Pygospio elegans, and Oxyurostylis smithi) reported in the estuary has been found only in sediments with less than 20% silt-clay, whereas another (i.e., Acteocina canaliculata, Lumbrineris tenuis, Maldinopsis elongata, Tellina agilis, Turbonilla sp., and Unciola irrorata) has been observed only in sediments with more than 38% silt-clay. Other physicochemical factors (e.g., organic carbon content of the sediments, dissolved oxygen levels, bottom currents, a...
Effect of microbial inoculant on quality of alfalfa hay baled at high moisture and lamb performance.

The effectiveness of a microbial hay inoculant in high moisture alfalfa hay was evaluated. Alfalfa (third cutting) was baled at 72% DM without or with inoculant and at 82% DM without inoculant during yr 1. In yr 2, alfalfa (second cutting) was baled at 75% DM without or with inoculant and at 82% DM without inoculant. Application rate of inoculant was 3.8 L/.98 tonne each year. At this application rate, 90 billion cfu were applied per .98 tonne of forage. Hays were core sampled at 0, 14, 30, and 60 d after baling to determine chemical composition. By d 30, all hays had DM content of 89%. In yr 2, 12 wether lambs were assigned to three treatments in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square. Treatments were chopped, low moisture hay plus corn; chopped, inoculated high moisture hay plus corn; and chopped, high moisture hay plus corn. All diets contained 63% alfalfa hay, 35% ground corn, and 2% minerals and vitamins. In yr 1, inoculated and low moisture hays were not different in chemical composition but were higher in CP and lower in NDF than high moisture hay. Neither NDF nor CP were different among the three hays in yr 2. Average daily gain was not different on the three diets. The feed to gain ratio was lowest for the inoculated hay, intermediate for the low moisture hay, and highest for the high moisture hay diet. Daily gain and feed to gain ratio were not different for lambs fed the inoculated hay baled at 75% DM compared with lambs fed untreated hay baled at 82% DM.
Radiographically Negative, Asymptomatic, Sentinel Lymph Node Positive Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma in a 3-Year-Old Male: A Case Report

We present a case of a 3-year-old male originally diagnosed with a CD30+ anaplastic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with no evidence of systemic disease after CT scan, PET scan, and bone marrow aspiration. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was performed as an additional step in the workup and showed microscopic disease. Current management/recommendations for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma do not include SLNB. Medical and surgical management of cutaneous malignancies is dramatically different for local versus advanced disease. Therefore adequate evaluation is necessary to properly stage patients for specific treatment. Such distinction in extent of disease suggests more extensive therapy including locoregional radiation and systemic chemotherapy versus local excision only. Two international case reports have described SLNB in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with one demonstrating evidence of node positive microscopic disease despite a negative metastatic disease workup. This case is being presented as a novel case in a child with implications including lymphoscintigraphy and SLNB as a routine procedure for evaluation and staging of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma if the patient does not demonstrate evidence of metastatic disease on routine workup.
Programmable DNA-binding small molecules.

Abstract Aberrant gene expression is responsible for a myriad of human diseases from infectious diseases to cancer. Precise regulation of these genes via specific interactions with the DNA double helix could pave the way for novel therapeutics. Pyrrole–imidazole polyamides are small molecules capable of binding to pre-determined DNA sequences up to 16 base pairs with affinity and specificity comparable to natural transcription factors. In the three decades since their development, great strides have been made relating to synthetic accessibility and improved sequence specificity and binding affinity. This perspective presents a brief history of early seminal developments in the field and highlights recent reports of the utility of polyamides as both genetic modulators and molecular probes.
User evaluations of MIS success: what are we really measuring?

Many empirical studies in MIS literature ask users for their evaluations of systems as a measure of IS success. These user evaluations are variously called user attitudes, information satisfaction, MIS appreciation, information channel disposition, value, usefulness, etc. Do all these terms refer to the same underlying construct? If there are different constructs, what are they, and which instruments cover which constructs? There has been no clear discussion in the literature comparing these different measures, and no framework has been developed by which to compare them. MIS researchers are faced with some confusion about how to compare results across studies, and a lack of guidance in choosing an appropriate instrument for new empirical work. A theoretical framework is presented showing the critical constructs which lead in a causal fashion from systems and their characteristics to performance impacts at the individual level. This allows one to more clearly define and contrast the various user evaluation constructs, and to develop guidance for researchers contemplating employing them. >
Effects of noise frequency on performance and annoyance for women and men.

Effects of noise frequencies on both performance on a complex psychomotor task and annoyance were investigated for men (n = 30) and women (n = 30). Each subject performed a complex psychomotor task for 50 min in the presence of low-frequency noise, high-frequency noise, or ambient noise. Women and men learned the task at different rates. Little effect of noise was shown. Annoyance ratings were subsequently obtained from each subject for noises of various frequencies by the method of magnitude estimation. High-frequency noises were more annoying than low-frequency noises regardless of sex and immediate prior exposure to noise. Sex differences in annoyance did not occur. No direct relationship between learning to perform a complex task while exposed to noise and annoyance by that noise was demonstrated.
Retreating from the Brink: Theorizing Mass Violence and the Dynamics of Restraint

The research problem driving this paper is the absence of a strong theory that accounts for variation among cases that have similar probabilities of escalating to genocide and similar forms of organized (usually state-led) mass violence against civilians. Much of the existing theory on genocide focuses on explaining under what conditions and by what processes regimes commit large-scale violence against civilians. I argue that a critical missing dimension to studies of genocide, but also more generally to the study of political violence, is a methodological recognition of negative cases and a theoretical recognition of the dynamics of restraint that helps to explain such negative cases. That is, in addition to asking what causes leaders to choose to escalate violence, I argue that scholars should emphasize conditions that prompt moderation, de-escalation, or non-escalation. I propose an alternative framework for how to conceptualize the process of political violence and review the literature to identify key restraint mechanisms at micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis. I further articulate a provisional theory of genocide using this new analytical framework. I illustrate my argument with an empirical analysis of mass violence cases in Sub-Saharan Africa since independence, and with a more in-depth analysis of comparable crises in Rwanda and Cote d’Ivoire, where the trajectories of violence differed significantly. While this paper draws on extensive empirical research, my primary purpose is not to advance a developed new theory or to test particular hypotheses, but rather to outline a research agenda that promises to draw from and contribute to recent work on the comparative politics of violence.
THEOLOGY AND SCIENCE: WHERE ARE WE?

. Revolutionary developments in both science and theology are moving the relation between the two far beyond the nineteenth-century “warfare” model. Both scientists and theologians are engaged in a common search for shared understanding. Eight models of interaction are outlined: scientism, scientific imperialism, ecclesiastical authoritarianism, scientific creationism, the two-language theory, hypothetical consonance, ethical overlap, and New Age spirituality. Developments in hypothetical consonance are explored in the work of various scholars, including Ian Barbour, Philip Clayton, Paul Davies, Willem Drees, Langdon Gilkey, Philip Hefner, Nancey Murphy, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Arthur Peacocke, John Polkinghorne, Robert John Russell, Thomas Torrence and Wenzel van Huyssteen.
Global Optimization of Statistical Functions with Simulated Annealing

Abstract Many statistical methods rely on numerical optimization to estimate a model's parameters. Unfortunately, conventional algorithms sometimes fail. Even when they do converge, there is no assurance that they have found the global, rather than a local, optimum. We test a new optimization algorithm, simulated annealing, on four econometric problems and compare it to three common conventional algorithms. Not only can simulated annealing find the global optimum, it is also less likely to fail on difficult functions because it is a very robust algorithm. The promise of simulated annealing is demonstrated on the four econometric problems.
Papua New Guinea MT: looking where seismic is blind1

Hydrocarbon exploration in the Papuan fold belt is made extremely difficult by mountainous terrain, equatorial jungle and thick karstified Miocene limestones at the surface. The high-velocity karstified limestones at or near the surface often render the seismic technique useless for imaging the subsurface. In such areas magnetotellurics (MT) provides a valuable capability for mapping subsurface structure. The main structural interface which can be mapped with MT, due to the large electrical contrast, is the contact between the resistive Darai limestone and the underlying conductive sediments of the Ieru Formation. In some areas the base of the Darai can be mapped with reasonable accuracy by fitting 1D models to the observed MT data. However, in many cases where 2D and 3D effects are severe, 1D interpretations can yield dramatically incorrect results. Numerical and field data examples are presented which demonstrate the severity of the 1D errors and the improvements in accuracy which can be achieved using a 2D inverse solution. Two MT lines over adjacent anticlines, both with well control and seismic data, are used to demonstrate the application of 1D and 2D inversions for structural models. In both cases the seismic data provide no aid in the interpretations. The example over the Hides anticline illustrates a situation where 1D inversion of either TE or TM mode provides essentially the same depth to base of Darai as 2D inversion of both TE and TM. Both models provide base Darai depth estimates which are within 10% of that measured in the well. The example over the Angore anticline illustrates the inadequacy of 1D inversion in structurally complex geology complicated by electrical statics. The TE mode fits a 1D Darai thickness of 800 metres while the TM mode fits a 1D Darai thickness of 3500 metres, bracketing the thickness of 2450 metres observed in the well. The final 2D inversion model provides a depth estimate of 2250 metres. Four MT lines along the Angore anticline have been interpreted using 2D inversion. A high degree of correlation exists between lineaments observed on an airborne radar image and zones of low resistivity within the high-resistivity material interpreted as Darai limestone. These low-resistivity zones are interpreted as fault zones. Three-dimensional modelling has been used to simulate 3D statics in an otherwise 2D earth. These data were used to test the Groom-Bailey (GB) decomposition for possible benefits in reducing static effects and estimating geoelectric strike in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) field data. It has been found that the GB decomposition can provide improved regional 2D strike estimates in 3D contaminated data. However, in situations such as PNG, where the regional 2D strike is well established and hence can be fixed, the GB decomposition provides apparent resistivities identical to those simply rotated to strike.
Gender-specific responses of Populus tremuloides to atmospheric CO2 enrichment

Summary • Dioecious species represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, but little is known about gender-specific responses to elevated atmospheric CO2. • In an open-top chamber experiment carried out in Michigan, USA, the physiological and growth responses were studied of male and female Populus tremuloides to elevated CO2 and soil nitrogen concentrations. • Male trees had a higher net photosynthetic rate than female trees, but the difference was greater at elevated (25%) than at ambient (13%) CO2. Leaf dark respiration, averaged across the growing season, tended to be higher in males than in females, and increased significantly in male and female trees with CO2 enrichment. Female trees had higher total biomass than male trees grown in low-nitrogen soil and at ambient CO2, but not in other treatments. Elevated CO2 increased the total biomass of males by 58–66% and of females by 22–70%. • Differing physiological and growth responses to CO2 enrichment by male and female trees should be taken into consideration when predicting the effects of global environmental changes on forest ecosystem structure and functioning.
Gone Too Far: Oregon's Measure 37 and the Perils of Over-Regulating Land Use

Planners and environmentalists have long lauded Oregon's unique system of regulating land use.1 For over thirty years, the system had two primary actors: the legislature, which passed regulations, and the courts, which enforced them. Legislators and judges worked together to establish laws that preserved the state's natural environment, promoted smart-growth principles, and improved urban centers. While many Oregonians were happy with the laws' results, they became disillusioned with the state's means of achieving them. In November 2004, Oregonians asserted themselves as a powerful third actor in the land use debate. During the election that month, the citizen-sponsored Measure 37 appeared on the Oregon ballot. The measure was officially titled: "Governments must pay owners, or forgo enforcement, when certain land-use restrictions reduce property value."2 It required that local governments either monetarily compensate landowners whose properties fall in value as a result of land use regulations or, under certain conditions, exempt those landowners from the regulations altogether.3 Going further than any other state law, Oregon's Measure 37 presented a radical remedy for landowners by preventing the state from engaging in "regulatory takings" without compensating landowners.4
Superior Estimation and Inference Avoiding Heteroscedasticity and Flawed Pivots: R-example of Inflation Unemployment Trade-off

We use a new solution to heteroscedastic regression problem while avoiding so-called incidental parameters (inconsistency) problem by using recently discovered maps from time domain to numerical values domain and back. This involves a parsimonious fit for sorted logs of squared fitted residuals. Dufour [9] showed that inference based on Fisher’s pivot (dividing by standard errors) can be fundamentally flawed for deep parameters of genuine interest to policy makers. Hence, we use Godambe’s [12] pivot, which is always a sum of T items and asympotically subject to the central limit thory. We provide R functions to implement the ideas using the Phillips curve trade-off between inflation and unemployment for illustration. An Appendix discusses numerical methods to correct for general ARMA errors with an illustration of ARMA(4,3).
Rwanda's Humanitarianism: Lessons from a Janus-Faced State

Though only 10 years removed from the turbulence of genocide and still heavily involved in the sub-regional conflict in the neighboring Congo, in 2004, Rwanda became the second major troop contributor to the African Mission in the Sudan. This study finds that their involvement in peacekeeping was driven not by humanitarian concerns, but by the Kagame regimes search for regime security. Like many African states, Rwanda relies heavily on funds from international actors rather than revenue generated domestically. This aid, however, is often tied to political or economic stipulations, which, in the case of Rwanda, took the form of demands to withdraw from the conflict in eastern Congo. The Kagame regime, however, viewed these demands as a direct threat to both its political and economic wellbeing. Rather than ending their war to the west, Rwanda attempted to placate Western actors by following a foreign policy aligned with global norms and interests. It was a strategy that proved successful for the Rwandan state, allowing them continued involvement in eastern Congo while increasing their access to military aid and training. Using peacekeeping instrumentally appears to be a new form of extraversion that many African countries are employing to avoid domestic political transformations.
Structures of Main Group Organometallic Compounds Containing Electron-Deficient Bridge Bonds

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structures of main group organometallic compounds containing electron-deficient bridge bonds. Main group metals that form electron-deficient bridged molecules are those with low electronegativity and small size. The structures of substantial numbers of simple organoaluminum species have been reported during the past few years. The structures of several other symmetrical organoaluminum compounds––which have important implications with regard to electron-deficient bonding––have been determined from X-ray data. Cryoscopic and spectroscopic evidence has been used to show that trivinylgallium, unlike the alkylgallium derivatives, is dimeric in solution, thus lending credence to the suggestion. A second class of unsymmetrically bridged systems is represented by pentamethyl dialuminum in which the bridging atoms are different—one providing an electron-deficient bridge bond and the other a normal bridge with two electron bonds. For several mixed vinyl–hydride systems, on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral studies, the species are dimeric with one hydrogen and one vinyl bridge. Both trimethylgallium and -indium are monomeric in solution, and structural studies on the trimethylindium and triphenylindium and triphenylgallium show that these species are not bridged dimeric molecules in the solid state. There are a substantial number of systems in which electron-deficient bridge bonds have been reported to occur among dissimilar metals.
Effect of Antihypertensive Agents on Renal Function and on Sodium-Volume Status

The relationship between the state of sodium-volume balance and the genesis and maintenance of hypertension is very complex. One established notion is that any sustained rise of blood pressure is associated with an adaptation of the renal sodium excretion mechanisms, as mainfested by a rightward shift of the renal function curve (1). Thus, the kidney exerts a pivotal role in the genesis and/or maintenance of any forms of hypertension independent of its etiology. This implies that the ability of an antihypertensive agent to sustain a decrease in blood pressure depends in large part on its effects on renal function.
Heterologous and Rare Homologous Sarcomas of the Uterine Corpus: A Clinicopathologic Review

Pure sarcomas of the uterine corpus are uncommon, constituting less than 3% of all malignancies at this site, and most of them are leiomyosarcomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas. Rare histotypes of homologous sarcomas and heterologous sarcomas are occasionally encountered, and the absence of significant accumulated experience with these histotypes at this location may potentially raise diagnostic and patient management difficulties. In this article, the clinicopathologic attributes of all earlier reported sarcomas of the uterine corpus other than leiomyosarcomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas are summarized. Included are embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma, malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas), osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, liposarcomatous tumors, malignant extrarenal rhabdoid tumors, Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor, and other rare histotypes. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (20%), Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (17%), angiosarcoma (14%), and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma (13%) appeared to be more common than the others, although there was no single overwhelmingly prevalent histotype in the group. A subset, including embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma, and PEComas, peak in the premenopausal years, but most of the others were observed in postmenopausal women. Favorable outcomes have been reported for the patients diagnosed with alveolar soft part sarcoma, and the prognosis for their counterparts with PEComa remains a matter of debate. Multimodal therapeutic approaches to contemporary patients with embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas have resulted in significantly improved outcomes. Unfortunately, most of the other sarcomas have been associated with rapid tumor progression and unfavorable patient outcomes. The differential diagnosis for these sarcomas is often extensive and varies by histotype, but their accurate diagnosis fundamentally requires the careful exclusion of biphasic malignancies.
Method for Calculating Point Estimates and Standard Errors for Meta-Analysis from Reported Point Estimates, 95% Confidence Intervals, and P-Values

BackgroundThe quality of a meta-analysis depends on accurate estimates from original publications. Existing back-calculation methods for point estimates [e.g., odds ratios (ORs), log(ORs), or means...
Economic and Conservation Impacts of Stocking Wild Florida Bass into Large Florida Lakes

AbstractSupplemental stocking of fingerling or advanced fingerling Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides is a common management strategy for augmenting natural production in low-recruitment systems. Few studies, however, have evaluated the impact of stocking adult bass taken from donor lakes. Over a period of 6 years, University of Florida researchers stocked Florida Lakes Griffin and Dora with 24,781 wild Florida Bass M. s. floridanus collected by electrofishing from other Florida lakes. During stocking years, stocked fish made up to 10% of the population in Lake Griffin and 27% in Lake Dora from electrofishing samples. However, 1 year after all stocked fish had been released, the proportion of stocked bass had declined to less than 5%, and 3 years after it had declined to less than 1%. We did not detect an increase in recruitment (catch of age-1 bass) following stocking, so any benefit from stocking was likely short-lived. We also could not conclude that stocking was responsible for increasing fishing e...
Effect Factors Analysis of Wire Bonding Quality on Microwave Circuit

Wire bonding is a traditional method and the most mature technology of the three interconnection methods in the microelectronic assemblies.Its two types of main welding technology are ball bond and wedge bond,and the latter for hybrid microwave circuit assembly due to the smaller spot.From the technology point of view is suitable,the bonding surface and interface problems for wire bonding are believed that have greatly influence on the quality,except the settings of bonding parameters(ultrasonic frequency and power,temperature,pressure,time and so on).The choice of bonding materials,the surfaces of the bonding,the selection of bonding tools and so on are discussed.Then the reason for the common bonding problems are analysed in the actual work and the assessment methods for the quality of wire bonding are presented.
Narrative hermeneutic circle: improving character role identification from natural language text via feedback loops

While most natural language understanding systems rely on a pipeline-based architecture, certain human text interpretation methods are based on a cyclic process between the whole text and its parts: the hermeneutic circle. In the task of automatically identifying characters and their narrative roles, we propose a feedback-loop-based approach where the output of later modules of the pipeline is fed back to earlier ones. We analyze this approach using a corpus of 21 Russian folktales. Initial results show that feeding back high-level narrative information improves the performance of some NLP tasks.
The dispute over wild rice: an investigation of treaty agreements and Ojibwe food sovereignty

The treaties established between the United States federal government and American Indian nations imply U.S. recognition of Native political sovereignty. Political sovereignty encompasses not only the ability to govern oneself but also self-determination regarding resource use, including food. This paper addresses The White Pine Treaty of 1837, which acknowledges the Ojibwe people’s right to hunt, fish, and harvest wild rice in their traditional landscape. This acknowledgement by extension recognizes the Ojibwe’s right to food sovereignty. From the perspective of the Ojibwe, continuing these activities requires not simply controlling access to important food resources but also protecting their rights to maintain traditional relationships with the plants and animals that provide food and to manage the landscapes that provision them. Therefore, true food sovereignty necessitates protecting a people’s relationships with the landscape. Appropriation of wild rice over the past century, however, has threatened food sovereignty among the Ojibwe because it has compromised their ability to maintain their traditional relationship with a staple food resource that is also central to their identity. In light of the White Pine Treaty, this threat to the Ojibwe’s food sovereignty is effectively a threat to their political sovereignty and, we argue, a violation of the treaty agreement.
Hereditary Hemochromatosis Predisposes Mice to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Infection Even in the Absence of the Type III Secretion System

The iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) predisposes humans to serious disseminated infection with pathogenic Yersinia as well as several other pathogens. Recently, we showed that the iron-sulfur cluster coordinating transcription factor IscR is required for type III secretion in Y. pseudotuberculosis by direct control of the T3SS master regulator LcrF. In E. coli and Yersinia, IscR levels are predicted to be regulated by iron bioavailability, oxygen tension, and oxidative stress, such that iron depletion should lead to increased IscR levels. To investigate how host iron overload influences Y. pseudotuberculosis virulence and the requirement for the Ysc type III secretion system (T3SS), we utilized two distinct murine models of HH: hemojuvelin knockout mice that mimic severe, early-onset HH as well as mice with the Hfe (C282Y∕C282Y) mutation carried by 10% of people of Northern European descent, associated with adult-onset HH. Hjv (-∕-) and Hfe (C282Y∕C282Y) transgenic mice displayed enhanced colonization of deep tissues by Y. pseudotuberculosis following oral inoculation, recapitulating enhanced susceptibility of humans with HH to disseminated infection with enteropathogenic Yersinia. Importantly, HH mice orally infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis lacking the T3SS-encoding virulence plasmid, pYV, displayed increased deep tissue colonization relative to wildtype mice. Consistent with previous reports using monocytes from HH vs. healthy donors, macrophages isolated from Hfe (C282Y∕C282Y) mice were defective in Yersinia uptake compared to wildtype macrophages, indicating that the anti-phagocytic property of the Yersinia T3SS plays a less important role in HH animals. These data suggest that Yersinia may rely on distinct virulence factors to cause disease in healthy vs. HH hosts.
Leukocyte Labeling With 51Chromium. III. The Kinetics of Normal Lymphocytes

The kinetics of radiochromate-labeled autologous blood lymphocytes were studied in normal subjects. The labeled cells equilibrated within hours with a recirculating lymphocyte pool (RLP) distributed between the blood, the spleen, and the bone marrow. The RLP was found to be about twice the size of the blood lymphocyte pool contained within it and turned over through the blood about 12 times daily. The labeled cells had an average half life in the RLP of 18 days.
The Dielectric Polarizability of Fluid Parahydrogen

In the case of nonpolar substances such as hydrogen, the macroscopic polariz-ability (induced dipole moment per unit mass per unit electric field) P is related to the dielectric constant e and the density ρ through the Clausius-Mossotti equation: $$P = \frac{{\varepsilon - 1}}{{\varepsilon + 2}} \cdot \frac{1}{\rho }$$ (1) Elementary theory predicts that the righthand side of equation (1), often called the Clausius-Mossotti function, should be a constant independent of density. Detailed verification of this requires accurate measurements of both e and ρ over as wide a range of conditions as possible. Sufficiently accurate measurements of ρ have previously been available for normal hydrogen, but a really meaningful investigation of the constancy of P for fluid parahydrogen over a wide range of density in both the gaseous and liquid states has been made possible only recently by the high-precision density measurements in this laboratory by Goodwin and his co-workers.1 Their values of ρ are estimated to have an absolute precision of better than 0.1%. They are internally consistent to 0.02%. For corresponding precision in the calculated values of P, the dielectric constant must be determined to considerably higher accuracy.
Use and perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine in a community cancer center.

e19646 Background: Studies over the past 10 years in the general population showed use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to no more than 42% with the largest study reporting only 28% ...
Mercury and water level fluctuations in lakes of northern Minnesota

Large lake ecosystems support a variety of ecosystem services in surrounding communities, including recreational and commercial fishing. However, many northern temperate fisheries are contaminated by mercury. Annual variation in mercury accumulation in fish has previously been linked to water level (WL) fluctuations, opening the possibility of regulating water levels in a manner that minimizes or reduces mercury contamination in fisheries. Here, we compiled a long-term dataset (1997-2015) of mercury content in young-of-year Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) from six lakes on the border between the U.S. and Canada and examined whether mercury content appeared to be related to several metrics of WL fluctuation (e.g., spring WL rise, annual maximum WL, and year-to-year change in maximum WL). Using simple correlation analysis, several WL metrics appear to be strongly correlated to Yellow Perch mercury content, although the strength of these correlations varies by lake. We also used many WL metrics, water quality measurements, temperature and annual deposition data to build predictive models using partial least squared regression (PLSR) analysis for each lake. These PLSR models showed some variation among lakes, but also supported strong associations between WL fluctuations and annual variation in Yellow Perch mercury content. The study lakes underwent a modest change in WL management in 2000, when winter WL minimums were increased by about 1 m in five of the six study lakes. Using the PLSR models, we estimated how this change in WL management would have affected Yellow Perch mercury content. For four of the study lakes, the change in WL management that occurred in 2000 likely reduced Yellow Perch mercury content, relative to the previous WL management regime.
UNDAMPED OSCILLATIONS OCCURRING IN CONTINUOUS CULTURES OF BACTERIA

Publisher Summary The chemostat is a technique for producing a steady-state in a growing culture of microorganisms under controlled conditions. The growth-rate of the organism is fixed by the feed rate of the medium, containing a simple limiting nutrient and, usually, the pH, temperature and oxygen supply are kept constant. Under these conditions, the organism and substrate concentration should arrive at a stable level unique for the particular growth conditions involved. A mathematical model was proposed to define this steady-state. Under the ideal conditions of the Monod model, with a well-controlled environment, continuing oscillations in population, substrate, and respiration rate would not be expected although damped oscillations might occur. There have been several reports of damped oscillations in continuous cultures. Continuing undamped oscillations in well-regulated chemostat cultures are indicative of a more complex system and might occur through feedback interaction between cell metabolism and the environment or by the synchronization of oscillations based on wholly intracellular feed-back mechanisms.
A Rear View Camera Based Tailgate Warning System

On-vehicle rear view cameras have been widely in the market. Main purpose of rear view camera is to provide the driver with a good view to rear scenes, especially the blind spot areas. Rear view camera is automatically turned on when reverse gear is engaged and turned off when vehicle moves forward. In general, a rear view camera is only used in back-over and parking manoeuvres. In most of driving scenarios, a vehicle moves forward and the rear view camera stays idle and not used. In this paper, rear-end pre-crash safety system utilizing on-vehicle rear view camera is presented. The system detects vehicles approaching from behind and calculate TTC (time to collision) of approaching vehicle to host vehicle. Based on the calculated TTC, if the system judges that there is high possibility of collision, the system can give a warning to approaching vehicle by flashing hazard light. In addition, the system can also issue a warning to the driver of host vehicle and automatically take some actions to minimize injury caused by collision. For example, pre-tensing seat belt, move headrests forward etc.
Dynamic Remodeling of Pericytes In Vivo Maintains Capillary Coverage in the Adult Mouse Brain

Summary Direct contact and communication between pericytes and endothelial cells is critical for maintenance of cerebrovascular stability and blood-brain barrier function. Capillary pericytes have thin processes that reach hundreds of micrometers along the capillary bed. The processes of adjacent pericytes come in close proximity but do not overlap, yielding a cellular chain with discrete territories occupied by individual pericytes. Little is known about whether this pericyte chain is structurally dynamic in the adult brain. Using in vivo two-photon imaging in adult mouse cortex, we show that while pericyte somata were immobile, the tips of their processes underwent extensions and/or retractions over days. The selective ablation of single pericytes provoked exuberant extension of processes from neighboring pericytes to contact uncovered regions of the endothelium. Uncovered capillary regions had normal barrier function but were dilated until pericyte contact was regained. Pericyte structural plasticity may be critical for cerebrovascular health and warrants detailed investigation.
Molecular Pathogenesis of Tumors of Thyroid Follicular Cells

This chapter will consider current information on the pathogenesis of tumors of follicular thyroid cells. The genetic events associated with medullary thyroid cancers will be described separately, as they are derived from a different cell type and have distinct characteristics (please see Chapter 4). In 1997, an estimated 16,100 patients were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the U.S. Of the two major forms of differentiated cancer derived from thyroid follicular cells, papillary carcinomas are by far the most common. By contrast, follicular thyroid carcinomas are now quite rare (1). Iodide intake is a key environmental factor determining the relative incidence of follicular and papillary cancers. The association of follicular carcinomas with iodine deficiency suggests that this type of tumor often develops within glands subjected to a chronic proliferative drive. Many of them probably arise from pre-existing adenomas, and as such fit the paradigm of clonal evolution through a multistep process involving progressive transformation through somatic mutations of genes important in growth control. By contrast, papillary carcinomas do not have a readily identifiable benign precursor lesion. Although most cases of papillary carcinoma arise in patients with no known risk factor, a history of prior exposure to radiation as a child increases the relative risk for this disease, as discussed in Chapters 1 and 2.
Autobiography of an Activist: Sophonisba Breckinridge, “Champion of the Championless”

Over the course of her long lifetime, Sophonisba Breckinridge (1866–1948) promoted world peace and international human rights as well as advancing the welfare of women, children, African Americans, immigrants, workers, poor people, and individuals with disabilities. Near the end of her life, she attempted to write her memoirs. Although Breckinridge never completed her final writing project, the unfinished autobiography offers unique insights into how she thought about herself and how she wished to present herself to the world. Breckinridge chose to craft her memoirs as the autobiography of an activist, highlighting the family traditions, parental examples, and childhood experiences that she believed predisposed her toward a life of social activism. With the benefit of hindsight, Breckinridge anticipated her adult activism in her account of her early years. This essay explores the ways that Breckinridge’s lifelong commitment to social justice activism shaped her account of her life.
A Numerical Study on Sloshing Flows Coupled with Ship Motion—The Anti-Rolling Tank Problem

A computational study on the sloshing problem coupled with ship motion in waves is introduced. The ship motion excites the sloshing flow in the ship's liquid cargo, and the slosh-induced forces and moments affect the ship motion in return. This study applies a numerical method to solve the coupling problem of the ship motion and sloshing flow. In particular, it concentrates on the anti-rolling tank, which has the most significant coupling effects of two problems. The three-dimensional sloshing flow has been simulated using the finite-difference method, while the ship motion has been obtained using a time-domain panel method. At each time step, the instantaneous displacement, velocity and acceleration of ship motion have been applied to the excitation of liquid motion, and the corresponding slosh-induced forces and moments have been added to the wave-induced excitation. The computational model is a modified S175 hull, and the computational results have been compared with the experimental data of a supply vessel. Although the two hull forms are not identical, the numerical result for the modified S175 hull shows the same trend of the roll RAOs with experimental data when the anti-rolling tanks are considered. Therefore, the numerical method introduced in this study is expected to be very useful in observing the coupling effects of sloshing and ship motion problems.
Genomic variation of introduced Salvinia minima in southeastern United States

Abstract Common salvinia, Salvinia minima Baker (Salviniaceae), is a small, floating aquatic fern native to Central and South America that has invaded fresh water bodies in southeastern United States since the 1930s. We examined genetic variation across much of the introduced range of this species in the United States using codominant RAD-seq markers. Data from over 600 variable loci showed a reduction in heterozygosity from east to west in addition to a corresponding trend in assignment of samples to one of two genetic groups. Our data are consistent with previous published work and with the hypothesis that common salvinia had a single introduction on the east end of its current range in the United States. From there it migrated westward, losing genetic diversity during this spread. The data are also consistent with sexual reproduction, although we are unable to estimate the extent of this relative to asexual spreading. Future genetic work should include sampling from the native range to help determine the original sources of North American common salvinia.