cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Work-related Covid-19 transmission

Importance: Our study helps fill the knowledge gap related to work-related transmission in the emerging coronaviral pandemic. Objective: To demonstrate high-risk occupations for early coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) local transmission. Methods: In this observational study, we extracted confirmed Covid-19 cases from governmental investigation reports in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We followed each country/area for 40 days after its first locally transmitted case, and excluded all imported cases. We defined a possible work-related case as a worker with evidence of close contact with another confirmed case due to work, or an unknown contact history but likely to be infected in the working environment (e.g. an airport taxi driver). We calculated the case number for each occupation, and illustrated the temporal distribution of all possible work-related cases and healthcare worker (HCW) cases. The temporal distribution was further defined as early outbreak (the earliest 10 days of the following period) and late outbreak (11th to 40th days of the following period). Results: We identified 103 possible work-related cases (14.9%) among a total of 690 local transmissions. The five occupation groups with the most cases were healthcare workers (HCWs) (22%), drivers and transport workers (18%), services and sales workers (18%), cleaning and domestic workers (9%) and public safety workers (7%). Possible work-related transmission played a substantial role in early outbreak (47.7% of early cases). Occupations at risk varied from early outbreak (predominantly services and sales workers, drivers, construction laborers, and religious professionals) to late outbreak (predominantly HCWs, drivers, cleaning and domestic workers, police officers, and religious professionals). Conclusions: Work-related transmission is considerable in early Covid-19 outbreaks, and the elevated risk of infection was not limited to HCW. Implementing preventive/surveillance strategies for high-risk working populations is warranted.
What the pregnancy test is testing

Is the test result positive or negative? Tests that occur in labs and doctors' offices pose specific questions to try to obtain specific information. But what happens in the social world when these tests never see the inside of a lab or doctor's office, and instead they are used in a house, in a Walmart bathroom, or in a dormitory bathroom stall? Putting the diagnosis aside, what does the presence of these tests do to social life? This paper examines one such test, the home pregnancy test, and specifically, its use in contemporary intimate life of people who do not want to be pregnant. Pregnancy tests test for pregnancy. But what else is the pregnancy test putting to the test? To investigate this, I spent 8 years studying American pregnancy tests using a qualitative mixed methods approach. This paper draws on some of my research materials, specifically, 85 life history interviews. Each participant was asked to recall, in full, all of their experiences with home pregnancy tests throughout their lives, resulting in well over 300 narratives of home pregnancy test usage which I qualitatively analyzed. I find that more than just a test for a pregnancy, the use of the home pregnancy test is a test of roles, relationships, and responsibilities in social life. These findings suggest implications for social life as more biomedical tests move out of the purview of the medical establishment.
Chapter 5 – Environmental Hazards

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses several environmental factors that may affect the health and well-being of captive primates. Environmental factors encompass all the circumstances and conditions that act on an individual or group of animals to determine its form and survival. These environmental factors include the hazards associated with cage design or condition, cold-related injuries, heat-related injuries, and exposure to other toxins. Environmental enrichment devices may present unforeseen hazards. Decisions concerning material selection and design should consider the species of primate, age of individuals, and observed behavior. Fragments of materials such as polypropylene rope may become gastrointestinal foreign bodies if unbraided and ingested. Tires chewed to expose fine wires can produce gastrointestinal perforation and peritonitis if ingested. Cold-related injuries discussed in the chapter include hypothermia and frostbite. Accidental hypothermia describes an unintentional decline in the core body temperature following an environmental exposure as heat dissipation exceeds heat production.
Information Infrastructure to Support Public Health

To monitor and protect communities, societies create public health infrastructures. A capable, prepared public health infrastructure consists of robust information and communications technologies (ICT), a skilled public health workforce, and effective organizations. Yet there are numerous challenges facing public health agencies that seek to update and evolve the public health infrastructure, including rapidly changing ICT, increased demands on public health workers, and budget constraints. To meet the challenges facing public health, organizations must implement an information architecture that enables integration across information silos in public health. Organizations must also redesign work processes and system interfaces to support changing work patterns in public health. Finally, public health informaticians must emerge as leaders who can implement and support the evolving public health infrastructure. This chapter defines the public health infrastructure, the challenges facing its implementation, and the core components that will help drive public health organizations to meet current and future information needs.
The Nucleon Structure in the Resonance Region

Recent results on inclusive and exclusive electroproduction experiments at Jefferson Lab are discussed. They include measurements of the spin responses for protons and neutrons in and above the resonance region, exclusive single and double pion production to measure resonance transition multipoles, and searches for predicted yet unobserved quark model states. A brief outlook into the new domain of generalized parton distribution is given as well.
\(\mathsf {QFlip}\): An Adaptive Reinforcement Learning Strategy for the \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\) Security Game

A rise in Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) has introduced a need for robustness against long-running, stealthy attacks which circumvent existing cryptographic security guarantees. \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\) is a security game that models attacker-defender interactions in advanced scenarios such as APTs. Previous work analyzed extensively non-adaptive strategies in \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\), but adaptive strategies rise naturally in practical interactions as players receive feedback during the game. We model the \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\) game as a Markov Decision Process and introduce \(\mathsf {QFlip}\), an adaptive strategy for \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\) based on temporal difference reinforcement learning. We prove theoretical results on the convergence of our new strategy against an opponent playing with a Periodic strategy. We confirm our analysis experimentally by extensive evaluation of \(\mathsf {QFlip}\) against specific opponents. \(\mathsf {QFlip}\) converges to the optimal adaptive strategy for Periodic and Exponential opponents using associated state spaces. Finally, we introduce a generalized \(\mathsf {QFlip}\) strategy with composite state space that outperforms a Greedy strategy for several distributions including Periodic and Uniform, without prior knowledge of the opponent’s strategy. We also release an OpenAI Gym environment for \(\mathsf {FlipIt}\) to facilitate future research.
Prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse among US racial populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based screening studies

AIMS To determine the differences in pooled prevalence rates of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) across different US racial/ethnic groups using existing screening-based epidemiologic studies. METHODS A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Scopus was conducted to retrieve eligible studies. We included studies that identified POP by either physical exam or questionnaire, conducted in non-gynecologic care-seeking settings, and had a representative sample of US community-dwelling women from more than one racial/ethnic group with prevalence rates reported for each population. Meta-analysis was performed with the pooled estimates calculated, and χ 2 tests were performed to examine the associations between race and POP prevalence. RESULTS Of the 2604 studies reviewed, 5 were included. One study used physical exam findings while others used questionnaires to identify POP. All but one study demonstrated statistically significant differences in POP prevalence rates based on race/ethnicity. The overall pooled POP prevalence rates were determined for each racial/ethnic group-White women: 10.76% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.30%-11.22%); Hispanic women: 6.55% (95% CI, 5.83%-7.28%); Black women: 3.80% (95% CI, 3.22%-4.38%); and Asian American women: 3.40% (95% CI, 2.09%-4.71%). There was a significant difference in the pooled prevalence rates among these four racial/ethnic groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our study found that White women had the highest pooled POP prevalence rate overall, while Hispanic women had the highest pooled prevalence among minority women. Additionally, American Indians and Pacific Islanders were absent from the current prolapse epidemiologic literature.
A Case Series of Multiple Primary Malignancies Among Patients With Advanced Melanoma

Multiple primary malignancies (MPM) are described as two or more primary tumors within the same individual. The impact of MPM on the tumor microenvironment among patients with melanoma is poorly understood. Here, we describe this unique group of patients who have both advanced melanoma and at least one other primary malignancy and report their survival outcomes. In this study, patients with advanced melanoma and a second primary malignancy were identified. Medical records were reviewed for cancer treatment history. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to derive survival curves and estimate overall survival (OS), and log-rank tests were used to compare OS. Among 11 MPM patients, the most common non-melanoma cancers were breast (n = 3) and thyroid (n = 3). Median OS was 153.5 months for all patients. Median OS for synchronous MPM (sMPM) and metachronous MPM (mMPM) were 83.1 and 196.7 months, respectively (p= 0.10). Median OS was not reached when melanoma was diagnosed first, and 153.5 months when diagnosed second (p= 0.45). For six patients receiving immunotherapy for melanoma, there was a 100% complete response rate. In conclusion, patients with melanoma are at risk of secondary malignancies, including breast and thyroid cancer. The timing of secondary malignancies may impact prognosis. Further study of the impact of immunotherapy on MPM is warranted.
Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) Simulation Algorithm for Evaluation of Photovoltaic (PV) Generation Systems

Use of inverter-based resources facilitating renewable energy resources such as photovoltaic (PV) generation is increasing rapidly with decreasing costs and reduced emissions associated. To accommodate such rapid growth of inverter-based resources like PV systems, electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation models of both PV systems and grids are required to analyze the interaction of PVs in the grid (like the post-event analysis). In addition, the EMT simulation would help with the planning of future power grid with a large number of PVs as well as other inverter-based distributed generation systems. In this paper, the EMT simulation models of PV systems and grids are developed based on the differential algebraic equations (DAEs) representing their EMT dynamics. Furthermore, advanced simulation algorithms including numerical stiffness-based hybrid discretization, DAE clustering and aggregation, multi-order integration, and matrix splitting approaches are applied to accelerate the EMT simulation. The proposed algorithm was applied to 125 PV inverters within 52-bus medium-voltage (MV) distribution grid.
Actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex plays a critical role in the aquaporin-2 exocytotic pathway

Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) undergoes constitutive recycling between the cytoplasm and plasma membrane, with an intricate balance between endocytosis and exocytosis. By inhibiting the actin-related protein ...
A Theory of the State: Economic Rights, Legal Rights, and the Scope of the State

This book models the emergence of the state, and the forces that shape it. State creation is bound to protection needs. A specialized protector-ruler is efficient, but is also self-seeking. Individuals will install a ruler only after they create a mechanism to control him. Among the offshoots of the organized protection are legal system and decision-making procedures that include voting. The initial 'state of nature' may gradually evolve into a rule-of-law state. The state endows individuals with rights by delineating what it will protect. Enforcement, however, is never perfect. People use third parties such as firms to enforce agreements. As commodities become standardized, scale economies increase. In order to exploit the economies of within-state enforcement, the state will expand the contact enforcement territory by treaty or by conquest. The force may explain the creation of rule-of-law empires.
Global Newton Iteration over Archimedean and non-Archimedean Fields.

In this paper, we study iterative methods on the coefficients of the rational univariate representation (RUR) of a given algebraic set, called global Newton iteration. We compare two natural approaches to define locally quadratically convergent iterations: the first one involves Newton iteration applied to the approximate roots individually and then interpolation to find the RUR of these approximate roots; the second one considers the coefficients in the exact RUR as zeroes of a high dimensional map defined by polynomial reduction, and applies Newton iteration on this map. We prove that over fields with a p-adic valuation these two approaches give the same iteration function, but over fields equipped with the usual Archimedean absolute value, they are not equivalent. In the latter case, we give explicitly the iteration function for both approaches. Finally, we analyze the parallel complexity of the different versions of the global Newton iteration, compare them, and demonstrate that they can be efficiently computed. The motivation for this study comes from the certification of approximate roots of overdetermined and singular polynomial systems via the recovery of an exact RUR from approximate numerical data.
Cross-Layer Optimization for High Density Sensor Networks: Distributed Passive Routing Decisions

The resource limited nature of WSNs requires that protocols implemented on these networks be energy-efficient, scalable and distributed. This paper presents an analysis of a novel combined routing and MAC protocol. The protocol achieves energy-efficiency by minimizing signaling overhead through state-less routing decisions that are made at the receiver rather than at the sender. The protocol depends on a source node advertising its location and the packet destination to its neighbors, which then contend to become the receiver by measuring their local optimality for the packet and map this into a time-to-respond value. More optimal nodes have smaller time-to-respond values and so respond before less optimal nodes.
Adenosine Triphosphate Inhibition in Myosin Adenosine Triphosphate Systems

Abstract Factors affecting inhibition of myosin ATPase by ATP, such as concentration of the enzyme, of ATP, and of the divalent metals, calcium and magnesium, have been studied and the results are reported here. Experiments were carried out under conditions in which no known magnesium effects occurred, so that only the effect of calcium on the nucleoside triphosphatase activity of myosin A could be qualitatively characterized. Myosin A ATPase was inhibited by free ATP at 0.15 ionic strength in the presence of millimolar calcium and 0.006 m KCl. A reaction model is proposed in which Ca-ATP is the substrate for native myosin A and inhibition is brought about by 2 moles of ATP.
Adaptive defense mechanisms: function and transcendence.

This article reviews the high-adaptive (mature) defense mechanisms, along with case material illustrating each. These defenses are described in terms of not only the specific means by which they serve to ward off anxiety and manage conflict, but also how they often transcend their role as defenses by contributing to the creation of new "products" of value, such as new meanings, perspectives, modes of relating, and works of art or science. This report also discusses the implications of the use of adaptive defenses, especially humor, in the context of psychotherapy.
Commutators and Local Decay

A typical problem in mathematical scattering theory is, given a pair of differential equations involving space and time which are asymptotically the same at large values of the space variable, to show that pairs of solutions become asymptotically the same in the distant future or past. For this it is necessary to prove local decay: the solutions eventually leave the region where the difference between the equations is large. For quantum mechanical two-body problems with potentials approaching zero without too much oscillation at infinity, local decay can be proved by a method, to be explained below, whose essential element is closely related to the generator of the group of dilations of space. The results of Balslev and Combes [1] and Van Winter [2] have already made it clear that this group is a powerful tool in scattering theory.
Gas-Liquid Chromatography of Carbohydrate Derivatives

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the general methods and basic principles of gas–liquid chromatography. The development of the method as applied to the various classes of carbohydrate derivatives is surveyed, and this treatment is followed by a discussion of the mobilities of compounds in relation to their structure. Applications of the method to specific problems are described, and the liquid phases used in the gas–liquid chromatography of carbohydrate derivatives are summarized. An attempt is made to assess the relative merits of gas–liquid chromatography and other chromatographic methods as applied to carbohydrate derivatives. The greater resolving power and rapid separations are the distinct advantages of gas–liquid chromatography over other chromatographic techniques. Analysis by gas–liquid chromatography also avoids the errors inherent in paper chromatographic methods involving the elution of components from the paper and their estimation by chemical or colorimetric methods. The results of gas–liquid chromatography are presented as tabulated retention-times, relative to a standard, or by the reproduction of the recorder tracing.
REGULATION OF PROSTATE SECRETION IN THE RAT.

SummaryEmploying rats cannulated to permit measurement of retro- and antegrade prostatic secretion, an attempt was made to determine the nature of secretory control (stimulation). A steady, tonically-stimulated retrograde flow was noted which could be blocked by atropine and the antiadrenergic drugs, dibenzyline and reserpine. Prolonged antegrade secretion, evoked by either epinephrine or norepinephrine, was suppressed by dibenzyline and potentiated by pretreatment with reserpine or bretylium. A definite but transient, atropine-sensitive antegrade response to pilocarpine was followed by a prolonged refractory period to the parasympathomimetic agent. During this time the gland was readily stimulated by catecholamines. It was found that dibenzyline, reserpine, and, to a limited extent at the doses employed, bretylium suppressed the action of pilocarpine. These findingss are interpreted as evidence that catecholamines mediate the pilocarpine effect on prostatic secretion.
Glycines: role in α-helical membrane protein structures and a potential indicator of native conformation.

Among the growing number of membrane protein structures in the Protein Data Bank, there are many transmembrane domains that appear to be native-like; at the same time, there are others that appear to have less than complete native-like character. Hence, there is an increasing need for validation tools that distinguish native-like from non-native-like structures. Membrane mimetics used in protein structural characterizations differ in numerous physicochemical properties from native membranes and provide many opportunities for introducing non-native-like features into membrane protein structures. One possible approach for validating membrane protein structures is based on the use of glycine residues in transmembrane domains. Here, we have reviewed the membrane protein structure database and identified a set of benchmark proteins that appear to be native-like. In these structures, conserved glycine residues rarely face the lipid interstices, and many of them participate in close helix–helix packing. Glycine-...
Industrial exploration and development

Research, today, is a complicated process, entailing the services of an entire series of specialists. Assuming that a given company can justify the cost of a research department, the author goes on to examine some of the shortcomings and possibilities of industrial research and development work.
Anesthetic issues associated with midline transfacial approaches

The anesthetic management of patients undergoing procedures using midline transfacial approaches requires a clear understanding of lesion anatomy and surgical plan. A thorough preoperative anesthetic evaluation is necessary for all patients. Patients with extensive tumors of epithelial origin are frequently older with comorbid medical conditions. The examination should include evaluation of overall physical, metabolic, and nutritional status in addition to cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurologic systems. Pulmonary function and anti-ischemic and antihypertension therapies should be optimized before surgery. Careful perioperative airway management is required. Awake fiberoptic intubation or elective, awake surgical securement of the airway may be required. Anesthetic technique should be tailored to the patient's physical status and specific intraoperative requirements, such as neurophysiological monitoring. Venous access must be sufficient to treat rapid and extensive blood loss. Invasive cardiovascular monitoring, such as central venous catheters, pulmonary artery catheters, or transesophageal echocardiography, may be necessary. Mild intraoperative hypothermia may be useful for brain protection, but its use should be weighed against possible deleterious effects on reconstructive soft tissue flaps. Postoperative care must include meticulous attention to airway, pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neurological status. These patients are at increased risk for delayed awakening, postoperative delirium, or both. Because of the potential for severe postoperative complications, most patients undergoing these procedures should remain in an intensive care setting for at least 24 hours postprocedure. Knowledge of the pathophysiology underlying these potential complications is necessary for formulating a rational anesthetic plan.
Basic aspects of contact lens biocompatibility

Abstract Practically all tissue interfaces that have to be kept moist in the body, such as the mucous membranes, are internal, with the exception of the part of the ocular globe delineated by the palpebral fissure, which is intermittently exposed to the atmosphere between consecutive blinks. This exposed surface, the conjunctival and corneal epithelia have to be coated with a thin fluid layer, the so-called tear film, in order to provide a high optical quality refractive surface and to preserve the well-being of the underlying tissues. An elaborate system exists in the body which ensures the formation and the maintenance of a continuous tear film over the exposed ocular surface. When a contact lens is placed on the eye, two conditions have to be fulfilled to ensure the biocompatibility of the lens. First, the lens should be coated at all times by a continuous tear film complete with the superficial lipid layer. Second, there should be a continuous aqueous tear layer underneath the lens. The oxygen permeability of the lens, a much-stressed requirement, is actually of secondary importance. The thickness of the tear film and that of the pre-lens and the post-lens tear layers fall between 1–10 μm. Thus, the thickness is large as compared to molecular forces, so that the direct interaction between the boundary interfaces can probably be neglected. On the other hand, the film is not thick enough to maintain continuity when the tear—solid interfacial tension is appreciable, so that the tear-film-free energy becomes larger than the surface-free energy of the solid. Under lipid-laden ocular conditions, it is difficult to maintain a low interfacial tension even in the absence of a contact lens. It is thought that the low interfacial tension is maintained in the eye by the presence of a loosely-bound hydrophilic macromolecular layer that can mask lipid contaminants and can be readily removed once it becomes non-functional. The understanding of natural processes which maintain tear film stability over the ocular surface between blinks may enable us to develop better contact-lens materials and contact-lens-wetting solutions that will be more compatible with the ocular environment and will assist rather than hinder the natural processes in maintaining the stability of the pre-lens and post-lens aqueous tear layers and thus improve contact lens biocompatibility.
Use of Carbon Monoxide for Extending Shelf-life of Prepackaged Fresh Beef

Abstract Storage of prepackaged fresh beef at 0-10°C in an atmosphere containing carbon monoxide substantially increased shelf-life based on either color (color shelf-liffe) or odor (odor shelf-life) deterioration. Tests were made with If lb slices of lean beef uniformly inoculated with about 104 cells/sq em of a mixture of psychrotrophic strains of Pseudomonas and the Moraxella-Acinetobacter group. Concentrations of CO above 0.5% gave remarkable increases in both color and odor shelf-life at all temperatures tested. For example, at 5°C, 1% CO extended the color shelflife by oyer 25 days (from 5 days without CO to more than 30 days with CO) and the odor shelf-life by over 17 days (from 7 days without CO to 24 days with CO). A short initial treatment with 99% CO followed by storage in air did not increase the normal color shelf-life (5 days) or odor shelf-life (7 days) under the conditions tested (temperature, °C; exposure time to CO, up to 16 hr; and inoculation level, about 104cells/sq em). CO treatment could have application in a central prepackaging operation, for extending the shelf-life of consumer cuts during transport and storage.
Stochastic theories for the irregularity of ENSO.

The El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is the dominant climatic fluctuation on interannual time scales. It is an irregular oscillation with a distinctive broadband spectrum. In this article, we discuss recent theories that seek to explain this irregularity. Particular attention is paid to explanations that involve the stochastic forcing of the slow ocean modes by fast atmospheric transients. We present a theoretical framework for analysing this picture of the irregularity and also discuss the results from a number of coupled ocean-atmosphere models. Finally, we briefly review the implications of the various explanations of ENSO irregularity to attempts to predict this economically significant phenomenon.
Body mass index and risk of colorectal cancer in women (United States).

Objective: Epidemiologic data relating obesity to risk of colorectal cancer in women have been inconclusive. Two recent studies have suggested that the association may be modified by estrogen status; BMI was positively associated with colorectal cancer risk among women with high estrogen exposures [premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women who currently received postmenopausal hormone therapy (PMH)]. We prospectively investigated the role of BMI in colorectal cancer risk along with the modifying effects of estrogen in a large cohort from the Women's Health Study. Methods: Among 39,876 apparently healthy women aged ≥45 years at baseline (54% of them were postmenopausal), 37,671 were eligible for the present study. During an average of 8.7 years of follow-up, 202 women had a confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Baseline BMI was calculated by dividing self-reported weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Results: The multivariate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of colorectal cancer were 1.72 (1.12–2.66) for 27–29.9 kg/m2, and 1.67 (1.08–2.59) for ≥30 kg/m2, as compared with BMI < 23 kg/m2(p for trend = 0.02). This positive association was seen primarily in the proximal colon (p for trend = 0.004). When the association was further examined according to PMH use among postmenopausal women, we found that both current and never users with higher BMI were at a greater risk of colorectal cancer (p for interaction between BMI and PMH use = 0.33). As compared with BMI <23 kg/m2, the multivariate RRs and 95% CI for 27–29.9 and ≥30 kg/m2 were 1.98 (0.98–3.99) and 1.41 (0.65–3.06) among current users, and 1.05 (0.42–2.65) and 2.91 (1.40–6.06) among never users. Conclusions: These data suggest that higher BMI was associated with an elevated risk of colorectal cancer, and the positive relationship was not altered by estrogen exposure among postmenopausal women.
The critical-region equation of state of ethene and the effect of small impurities

Abstract Accurate measurements are reported of the equation of state of ethene on 16 isochores within ± 40 per cent of the critical density and at temperatures from 220 to 303 K. Two samples, one of 99.993 and one of 99.999 moles per cent C 2 H 4 , have been used. The principal source of experimental error is found to be impurity. A model for predicting the effect of knwwn small impurities is developed and used to explain qualitatively the observed differences between the results for our two samples as well as those between our own and other recently-reported accurate measurements. A scaled fundamental equation, incorporating Ising-like asymptotic behavior, revisions of and corrections to scaling, has been fitted to the results for the 99.993 moles per cent pure sample. The equation, with nine adjustable parameters, represents the measured values to within an estimated uncertainty of 5 × 10 −4 K in temperature, 5 × 10 −5 MPa in pressure, and 0.003 mol dm −3 in amount-of-substance density. The criticalpoint parameters resulting from the fit are presented. Comparisons are made with two other sets of measurements recently published. The agreement is generally satisfactory.
Spatial and temporal characterization of sea-ice deformation

In late March 2007 an array of GPS ice drifters was deployed in the Beaufort Sea as part of the Sea Ice Experiment: Dynamic Nature of the Arctic (SEDNA). the drifters were deployed in an array designed to resolve four, nested spatial scales of sea-ice deformation, from 10 to 140 km, with the arrays maintaining appropriate shape for strain-rate calculation until mid-June. In this paper, we test whether sea-ice deformation displays fractal properties in the vicinity of SEDNA. We identify that deformation time series have different spectral properties depending on the spatial scale. At the scales around 100 km, deformation is a red-noise process, indicating the importance of the ice-pack surface forcing in determining the deformation rate of sea ice at this scale. At smaller scales, the deformation becomes an increasingly whiter process (it has pink noise properties), which suggests an increasing role of dissipative processes at smaller scales. At spatial scales of 10–100 km, and sub-daily scales, there is no deformation coherence across scales; coherence only becomes apparent at longer scales greater than 100 km. the lack of coherence at small scales aids in understanding previous observations where correlation between 10km regions adjacent to each other varied widely, with correlation coefficients between –0.3 and 1. This suggests it is not appropriate to think of sea ice as having a decorrelation length scale for deformation. We find that lead scale observations of deformation are required when estimating ice growth in leads and ridging time series. For the two SEDNA arrays, we find coherence between 140 and 20 km scale deformation up to periods of 16 days. This suggests sea-ice deformation displays coherent deformation between 100 km scale and the scale of the Beaufort Sea (of order 1000 km), over synoptic time periods (daily to weekly timescales). Organization of leads at synoptic and larger scales is an emergent feature of the deformation field that is caused by the smooth variation of surface forcing (wind) on the ice pack.
Anthralin decreases keratinocyte TGF-alpha expression and EGF-receptor binding in vitro.

Anthralin is an effective topical treatment for active psoriasis; however, its mechanism of action is unknown. Both TGF-α and its receptor, the EGF receptor, are overexpressed in active psoriatic, plaques and might, therefore, play a role in psoriatic epidermal hyperplasia. In order to assess whether anthralin might act via alteration of this growth factor pathway, we examined the in vitro effects of pharmacologic concentrations of anthralin on cultured normal human keratinocytes. Keratinocyte proliferation was inhibited by 98% at an anthralin concentration of 10 ng/ml, In contrast, lymphocyte proliferation was inhibited by only 50% at an anthralin concentration of 10 μg/ml. Anthralin treatment did not induce cell-cycle-specific growth arrest as assessed by flow-cytometric analysis of acridine-orange-stained keratinocytes. Northern analysis, of anthralin-treated keratinocytes demonstrated a marked decrease in TGF-oz mRNA expression. Anthralin-treated keratinocytes showed decreased binding of 125 I-EGF and 125 I-IGF-I to their respective receptors, but EGF receptor binding was inhibited to a greater extent. Anthralin decreased ligand-binding affinity and cell-surface numbers of EGF receptors as assessed by Scatchard analysis of 125 I-EGF binding to anthralin-treated keratinocytes. These results indicate that anthralin alters components of the EGF receptor pathway in cultured keratinocytes and that these effects might contribute to the clinical efficacy of anthralin in the treatment of active psoriasis.
Optofluidic on-chip tomography

The first demonstration of optofluidic tomography is presented. Using partially coherent illumination, holograms of objects are recorded at multiple viewing angles, as they flow through a microfluidic channel placed directly on the top of an opto-electronic sensor array. These lensfree holograms are then digitally processed to compute pixel super-resolved tomograms of micro-objects to achieve sectional opto-fluidic imaging on a chip.
Localization of receptors controlling orientation to prey by the back swimmerNotonecta undulata

1. A behavioral analysis aided by video tape recordings was used to localize the vibration receptors important to the detection of prey by the surface dwelling bugNotonecta undulata. 2. One group of receptors necessary for the detection of prey is located in the pro- and mesothoracic legs. The critical receptors are probably located at or near the tibio-femoral joint (Pigs. 4 and 7). The receptors located at the tibio-tarsal joint are not required for prey localization (Fig. 3). 3. Another group of receptors important to the orientation behaviour is located at the tip of the abdomen. These consist of mechanoreceptive hairs located along the margins of the three most posterior segments and on the genitalia (Figs. 6 and 7).
Developing innovation-oriented strategies: lessons from Chinese mobile phone firms

The development of China's mobile phone industry can be divided into three periods: initial birth, rapid growth and intense competition. Through analysing three generations of Chinese mobile phone producers and their distinct strategies for competition, this paper finds that domestic firms such as ZTE and Huawei have become new leaders through their innovation capability in key technologies. Innovation capability has built a solid foundation for them to implement strategic development such as directly supply to mobile phone operators, expansion into the international market and making sound technology choices (3G). On the other hand, lack of innovation capability has led to the development bottleneck of earlier leaders. This finding implies the significance of early development of innovation capability and capability in cutting-edge key technologies for domestic firms. Further, it indicates that though firms without innovation capability in key technologies may reach prosperity during the initial birth and rapid growth of the domestic industry, they are extremely vulnerable when the industry enters the intense competition period.
Hypnotizability and Unrelated Physical Symptoms

Thus far, I have dealt only with the therapeutic use of the trance in clinical situations associated with a marked response to hypnosis, where it could be reasonably assumed that the response was, in some way, causally related to the symptoms. The trance was used therapeutically to create the symptoms or a facsimile of them, thereby increasing the patient’s familiarity with the trance experience, on the assumption that the clinical picture was initiated by the occurrence of a spontaneous trance. In this way, a coping mechanism was added to the patient’s repertoire.
Glycogen content of tissue culture fibroblasts from patients with cystic fibrosis and other heritable disorders.

Skin fibroblasts from patients with cystic fibrosis, some patients with mucopolysaccharidoses, and normal subjects were cultured for various lengths of time. Cystic fibrosis fibroblasts showed a significantly higher glycogen content than the normal cell lines. Since in starvation experiments all cell lines lost their glycogen at comparably fast rates, and cystic fibrosis is not considered to be a glycogen storage disease, it is possible that in cultured cystic fibrosis fibroblasts an increased glucose uptake occurs.
Evidence for endogenous formation of the hepatocarcinogen N-nitrosodihydrouracil in rats treated with dihydrouracil and sodium nitrite: A potential source of human hepatic DNA carboxyethylation

Abstract An earlier study demonstrated that hydrolysates of all human liver DNA samples analyzed contain the DNA adduct 7-(2′-carboxyethyl)guanine (7-CEGua) with an average level of 74.6 adducts per 109 nucleotides. One possible source of this DNA adduct would be endogenous nitrosation of the normal pyrimidine metabolites dihydrouracil (DHU) and β-ureidopropionic acid (β-UPA), yielding the corresponding nitroso compounds N-nitrosodihydrouracil, a potent hepatocarcinogen, and N-nitroso-β-ureidopropionic acid. Another potential source would be reaction of endogenously formed acrylic acid with DNA. We tested these hypotheses in a study in which rats were treated with NaNO2 in the drinking water, alone, or in combination with dietary DHU or β-UPA, or with acrylic acid in the drinking water, for either 2 or 4 weeks. Hepatic DNA from these rats was analyzed for 7-CEGua, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-selected reaction monitoring with confirmation by high resolution mass spectrometry. The results demonstrated consistent statistically significant increases of 7-CEGua in hepatic DNA of the rats treated with the combination of NaNO2 and DHU compared to the corresponding controls, while the other treatments gave variable results. These results support the hypothesis that endogenous nitrosation of DHU could be a major source of 7-CEGua in human hepatic DNA. Development of methodology for analysis of 7-CEGua in human leukocyte DNA is also reported, which will allow testing of this hypothesis in epidemiologic and clinical studies.
Nondestructive characterization of the properties of thin diaphragms

The stress-strain curve and residual stresses in thin diaphragms used in microelectronic applications are determined by means of a nondestructive approach. The method is based on the measurement of the deflection of the diaphragm near its center when it is subjected to an externally applied normal pressure and inversion of the deflection data to determine the quantities of interest. The measurements are carried out by means of a Twyman-Green laser interferometer. The relationship between the applied pressure and the deformation profile of the diaphragm is derived based on membrane mechanics. It is shown that if the diaphragm deflection in the neighborhood of its center can be measured accurately, then the strain and stress in this region can be determined through data inversion based on this relationship. It follows that, given the deformation profiles of a diaphragm for a range of pressurer, the biaxial modulus and the residual stress in the diaphragm can be extracted. By utilizing this local bulge testing method, many complex diaphragm shapes can be analyzed, without resorting to complicated numerical modeling. The method is applied to a nitride membrane with initial tensile stress and also to a silicon composite membrane with initial compressive stress, with reasonable results.
The molecular structure of the neutral-soluble proteins of embryonic bovine enamel in the solid state.

Cross- β X-ray diffraction patterns have been obtained from fibers prepared from the cold, neutral-soluble protein fraction of decalcified, bovine, embryonic enamel matrix. Similar cross- β patterns have previously been reported from the intact organic matrix (8). The structural implications of the unusually high proline content of these proteins are discussed.
Obesity and Blame: Elusive Goals for Personal Responsibility

One of six commentaries on “Obesity: Chasing an Elusive Epidemic,” by Daniel Callahan, from the January-February 2013 issue.
Dissociation of locomotor and conditioned place preference responses following manipulation of GABA-A and AMPA receptors in ventral pallidum

Abstract 1. 1. This study examined the roles of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in ventral pallidum (VP) in conditioned place preference and locomotor activity. 2. 2. Picrotoxin (0.1 μg), a GABA antagonist, and (±)α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA; 0.14μg), a non-NMDA glutamatergic agonist, were injected bilaterally into VP through implanted cannulae. 3. 3. Both drugs produced a robust increase in locomotion, but neither produced conditioned place preference. 4. 4. These results suggest a dissociation of locomotor activity and reward at the level of ventral pallidum. In addition, it was argued that the GABAergic projection from nucleus accumbens to ventral pallidum may not be involved in the processing of reward initiated from dopaminergic activation in nucleus accumbens.
Limit theorems for continuous time random walks with slowly varying waiting times

Continuous time random walks incorporate a random waiting time between random jumps. They are used in physics to model particle motion. When the time between particle jumps has a slowly varying probability tail, the resulting plume disperses at a slowly varying rate. The limiting stochastic process is useful for modeling ultraslow diffusion in physics.
Synthetic model complexes for studying light-driven electron transfer in photosynthesis

Abstract Mixed multimolecular layers of ethyl chlorophyllidea and lumiflavin were prepared and found to exhibit a difference absorption spectrum against multimolecular layers of pure ethyl chlorophyllidea, with a maximum at 698 nm and a minimum at 670 nm in the 520-800 nm range. Similarly, molecular complexes of chlorophyllica and lumiflavin dissolved in aqueous phosphate buffer containing poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone exhibited a difference absorption spectrum against the uncomplexed components, with a maximum near 695 nm and a minimum near 660 nm in the same wavelength range. The maxima in both difference spectra can be bleached reversibly by red light. The bleached samples recovered in the dark at room temperature with half-lives of 46 and 75 msec, respectively. The photobleaching was accompanied by the generation of electron spin resonance signals which are interpretable in terms of the oxidized chlorophyll radical and the lumiflavin radical. The photochemical properties of these model complexes are compared with those of P700, and their possible relevance to the primary energy conversion mechanism in photosynthesis is discussed.
Learning to Teach Graduate Students: A Self-Study by Students and a Faculty Member

This study examined our perceptions as a music education professor and three PhD students as we conducted a self-study of our individual and collective experiences teaching graduate students. We framed our work around the key question: How do PhD students describe experiences specifically in relation to perceived potential as teachers of graduate students in higher education? Findings concerning graduate teaching included (a) views of graduate teaching changed with increased experience, and (b) confidence increased with more experience teaching graduate classes and more time to process the content. The use of self-study as an approach to inquiry is discussed along with these findings.
117 Predictors of treatment for black and white men at least 67 years old with prostate cancer

Abstract PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to identify and quantify differences in treatment between Black and White men with prostate cancer. METHODS: We used data from the SEER program - Medicare linked file to identify a cohort of 2,490 black men and 2,587 White men at least 67 years old with incident prostate cancer diagnosed between 1993 and 1995. A comorbidity index was developed based on inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory diagnoses from Medicare claims for up to two years prior to prostate cancer diagnosis and up to 5 years after the diagnosis (1991 through 1998). Treatment categories included prostatectomy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. We compared the proportion of Black and White men who received each of the four treatments within 3 and 12 months, and estimated the odds for each of the four treatments using comorbidity burden (index) and age as time-varying covariates. RESULTS: Among patients with none of the 27 comorbidities studied, 26.6% of White men and 14.2% of Black men received prostatectomy, compared to much lower proportions of either White (13-17%) or Black (6-10%) men with at least one major comorbidity. After controlling for several community (urban versus rural; income; MDs, surgeons, and radiation oncologists per population) and individual (age, education, stage of disease) covariates, for each one unit change in the comorbidity index, White men had a 15% lower odds and Black men a 33% lower odds of receiving surgery. Black men also had a 5% increased odds of receiving hormonal therapy and a 4% increased odds of receiving chemotherapy for each one unit change in the comorbidity index. CONCLUSIONS: Black men received prostatectomy at lower rates than White men. Factors not studied here, including access to care, patient preferences, or both, may account for the racial differences reported here.
Analysis of microalloy precipitate reversion in steels

The influence of the ferrite to austenite allotropic transformation on the stability of MXn precipitates in an iron matrix is studied. In the MX phase, M is a group IVb or Vb transition metal, such as niobium, titanium, or vanadium. X is carbon or nitrogen and n is in the range of 0.75-1.0. The application of the present model to the case of vanadium carbide reversion in a microalloyed steel is discussed.