cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Israeli COVID-19 Outbreak Drivers and Forecasting Using a Versatile Web App

Background: No versatile web app exists that allows epidemiologists and managers around the world to fully analyze the impacts of COVID-19 mitigation. The NMB-DASA web app presented here fills this gap. Methods: Our web app uses a model that explicitly identifies a contact class of individuals, symptomatic and asymptomatic classes and a parallel set of response class, subject to lower contact pathogen contact rates. The user inputs a CSV file containing incidence and mortality time series. A default set of parameters is available that can be overwritten through input or online entry, and a subset of these can be fitted to the model using an MLE algorithm. The end of model-fitting and forecasting intervals are specifiable and changes to parameters allows counterfactual and forecasted scenarios to be explored. Findings: We illustrate the app in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak in Israel, which can be divided into four distinct phases: an initial outbreak; a social distancing, a social relaxation, and a second wave mitigation phase. Our projections beyond the relaxation phase indicate that an 85% drop in social relaxation rates are needed just to stabilize the current incidence rate and that at least a 95% drop is needed to quell the outbreak. Interpretation: Our analysis uses only incidence and mortality rates. In the hands of policy makers and health officers, we believe our web app provides an invaluable tool for evaluating the impacts of different outbreak mitigation policies and measures. Funding Statement: This research was funded by NSF Grant 2032264. Declaration of Interests: Wayne M. Getz and Richard Salter are two of three owners of Numerus Inc., which is responsible for developing and maintaining the Numerus Model Builder software platform. All others have none other to declare.
Vapor phase nitration of butane in a molten salt reactor: process and economic optimization

A molten salt: reactor for continuously nitrating butane with nitric acid in the vapor phase was designed, constructed, and successfully operated. The reactor was designed to use the exothermic heat of reaction to vaporize liquid nitric acid thereby providing excellent temperature control in the reac­ tion zone and reducing the possibility of explosions. Molten salt temperature was varied from 38^°C to 455"mole ratio of hydrocarbon to nitric acid from 3 to 7> and reactant flow rate from O.ij.33 gram moles/min, to 1,235 gram moles/min, A central composite statistical design in three orthogonal blocks was used to reduce the number of experimental points required to adequately cover the range of variables, to supply an estimate of experimental error, and to prevent the presence of a linear time trend from affecting comparisons between different levels of each variable, However, no measurable time trend existed. Gas chromatography techniques were developed which pro­ vide on-line quantitative analysis of the reactor products, Mtroparaffin yields based on hydrocarbon consumed ranged from 33.5 per cent to 67.3 per cent while conversions based on hydrocarbon fed ranged from I.I46 per cent to ij..71 per cent. Y i e l d s b a s e d o n n i t r i c a c i d r a n g e d f r o m 2 0 . 8 p e r c e n t t o 3 4 * 7 per cent, The mole per cent distribution of the nitroparaffins pro­ duced ranged as follows: nitromethane, 9,26 16.18;
Dendrimer–tesaglitazar conjugate induces a phenotype shift of microglia and enhances β-amyloid phagocytosis

Switching microglia from a disease exacerbating, 'pro-inflammatory' state into a neuroprotective, 'anti-inflammatory' phenotype is a promising strategy for addressing multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Pro-inflammatory microglia contribute to disease progression by releasing neurotoxic substances and accelerating pathogenic protein accumulation. PPARα and PPARγ agonists have both been shown to shift microglia from a pro-inflammatory ('M1-like') to an alternatively activated ('M2-like') phenotype. Such strategies have been explored in clinical trials for neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, but have likely failed due to their poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Hydroxyl-terminated polyamidoamine dendrimers (without the attachment of any targeting ligands) have been shown to cross the impaired BBB at the site of neuroinflammation and accumulate in activated microglia. Therefore, dendrimer conjugation of a PPARα/γ dual agonist may enable targeted phenotype switching of activated microglia. Here we present the synthesis and characterization of a novel dendrimer-PPARα/γ dual agonist conjugate (D-tesaglitazar). In vitro, D-tesaglitazar induces an 'M1 to M2' phenotype shift, decreases secretion of reactive oxygen species, increases expression of genes for phagocytosis and enzymatic degradation of pathogenic proteins (e.g. β-amyloid, α-synuclein), and increases β-amyloid phagocytosis. These results support further development of D-tesaglitazar towards translation for multiple neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.
Association between Pulmonary Hypertension and Outcomes in Heart-Kidney Transplantation

Purpose The prevalence and severity of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in heart-kidney (HK) transplant candidates are not well-characterized. Additional hemodynamic risk factors (i.e. arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis access, intermittent volume reduction) are present in HK patients. The current study describes PH severity in this patient population to understand its impact on post-transplant outcomes when compared to isolated heart transplant (HT) patients. Methods We searched the UNOS database to identify adult HK and HT recipients who underwent de novo transplantation between 2010-2020. Propensity score matching was used to identify a balanced cohort of HK and HT recipients. Baseline characteristics and invasive hemodynamics were compared between HT and HK. Logistic regression models were constructed to quantify the association of PH with 1-year post-transplant mortality. PH was defined as a mean PA pressure >20 mmHg using the updated hemodynamic classification. Results We identified 1392 HK recipients and propensity-matched them with 1392 HT recipients. Clinical covariates except for wait-list time and creatinine were well-balanced (Table 1A). PH was more frequent in HK recipients than HT although both groups had mean PVR Conclusion HK recipients have greater PH severity and post-transplant mortality risk when compared with matched HT recipients. Further studies are warranted to better understand PH mechanisms and outcomes in the dual-organ populations.
Comparing Simultaneous Electrocochleography and Auditory Brainstem Response Measurements Using Three Different Extratympanic Electrodes.

Background Various extratympanic recording electrodes have been used to make electrocochleography (ECochG) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements in clinics, translational research, and basic science laboratories. However, differences may exist in ECochG and ABR measurements depending on the different types of extratympanic electrodes that are used. Purpose The purpose of this research is to compare simultaneously recorded ECochG and ABR responses using three different extratympanic electrodes. This research helps clinicians and researchers to understand how electrode types and recording sites influence EcochG and ABR results. In addition, our findings could provide more normative data to the ECochG and ABR literature as well as give perspective on a preferred electrode approach when performing simultaneous ECochG and ABR testing. Research Design Ours was a repeated-measures study with measurements being made from individual participants on two separate sessions. Study Sample Twenty young adult females with normal hearing. Procedure A three-channel recording system was used to simultaneously record ECochG and ABR measurements in response to alternating polarity click stimuli. In each session, measurements were simultaneously recorded with a TipTrode electrode and one of the tympanic membrane (TM) electrodes. Data Collection and Analysis Suprathreshold summating potential (SP) and action potential (AP) of the ECochG and waves I, III, and V of the ABR, and threshold responses (AP and wave V) were identified. Results Compared with the ear canal TipTrode electrode, TM electrodes yielded suprathreshold amplitudes that were larger than those from the ear canal electrode, smaller SP–AP ratios, lower AP thresholds, and less variability. These findings can help guide choices made by clinicians, translational investigators, and basic science researchers on which type of extra-tympanic electrode to use for their intended purpose.
T-cell biology, tolerance, and regulation

Abstract The critical role of T lymphocytes (T cells) in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has long been recognized. Direct evidence of the role of T cells in SLE includes the finding that depletion of T cells in lupus-prone mice blocks disease development (Wofsy and Seaman, 1987) and that athymic mice do not develop SLE (Mihara et al., 1988). The key role of T cells in the pathogenesis of SLE has been attributed to the broad immune activities of these cells, which include but are not limited to the provision of help to B cells for the production of (auto)antibodies and the release of many cytokines that can modulate the differentiation, number, and function of other immune cells. Since multiple T-cell functional activities appear to be altered or display abnormalities in SLE, it follows that aberrations of cell activation and responsiveness to antigenic stimulation can have deleterious consequences, particularly when involving self-reactive T cells. Hyperactive T cells in SLE also infiltrate organs and contribute to tissue inflammation and damage because of their dysregulated control, abnormal cell interactions, and local production of proinflammatory cytokines.
Is tech-enhanced bikeshare a substitute or complement for public transit?

Abstract Technology-enhanced bikeshare features a dockless system with GPS-tracked electric bikes and a mobile app. As an additional transportation mode, it offers users greater accessibility and more flexibility compared to traditional bikeshare. This paper examines the causal impact of a tech-enhanced bikeshare program on public transit ridership, using evidence from a mid-sized metropolitan area in the Midwest of the United States. We use a difference-in-differences identification, exploring the exogenous hourly variation in precipitation and the fact that bicycle usage is limited when precipitation occurs. We find that the initial pedal bicycle fleet with a dockless system increased bus ridership by 1% and the subsequent upgrades to electric bikes further increased bus ridership by an additional 1.1%. The increased bus ridership occurred where and when the travel demand arose, providing suggestive evidence of bikeshare trips solving the first-/last-mile problem. The increased bus ridership occurred mostly in block groups with a lower median household income, a younger population, lower vehicle ownership rate, and lower homeownership rate.
SOME ASPECTS OF THE INVERSION PROBLEM IN REMOTE SENSING

Several commonly used methods for inversion--constrained linear inversion, synthesis (Backus-Gilbert) methods and nonlinear iterative techniques for the Chahine type--are discussed. It is demonstrated that a very close connection exists between Backus-Gilbert solutions and those given by constrained linear inversion. A number of examples of the application of such methods are presented, showing that resolution is not greatly different for quite different algorithms, a result quite in accord with general theoretical considerations: more resolution can be achieved at the expense of introducing greater a priori bias in the procedure.
Purification of ovalbumin messenger ribonucleic acid by specific immunoadsorption of ovalbumin-synthesizing polysomes and millipore partition of ribonucleic acid.

Ovalbumin-synthesizing polysomes were isolated from total oviduct polysomes by reaction with anti-ovalbumin antibody and adsorption to a matrix of glutaraldehyde-linked ovalbumin. The RNA from immunoadsorbed ovalbumin polysomes was then deproteinized and selectively adsorbed to Millipore filters. Several types of experiments indicated the resulting RNA fraction is highly enriched for ovalbumin mRNA.
Sexting: Youth Practices and Legal Implications

This document addresses legal and practical issues related to the practice colloquially known as sexting. It was created by Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic, based at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, for the Berkman Center’s Youth and Media Policy Working Group Initiative. The Initiative is exploring policy issues that fall within three substantive clusters emerging from youth’s information and communications technology practices: Risky Behaviors and Online Safety; Privacy, Publicity and Reputation;and Youth Created Content and Information Quality. The Initiative is funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and is co‐directed by danah boyd, Urs Gasser, and John Palfrey. This document was created for the Risky Behaviors and Online Safety cluster, which is focused on four core issues: (1) sexual solicitation and problematic sexual encounters; (2) internet‐related bullying and harassment; (3) access to problematic content, including pornography and self‐harm content; and (4) youth‐generated problematic content, including sexting. The Initiative’s goal is to bring the best research on youth and media into the policy‐making debate and to propose practical interventions based upon that research. This document is intended to provide background for the discussion of interventions related to sexting. It begins with a definition of sexting, and continues with overviews of research and media stories related to sexting. It then discusses the statutory and constitutional framework for child pornography and obscenity. It concludes with a description of current and pending legislation meant to address sexting.
The Reconnecting Magnetosphere

For present purposes the terms closed and open magnetosphere are defined as follows: In the former, the net magnetic flux crossing any substantial portion of the magneto-pause is too small to generate any magnetospheric dynamo effect of consequence. In the latter the net crossing flux is sufficient to account directly for such observed effects. Open models require field reconnection, closed ones do not. In ideal closed models no flux whatsoever crosses the magnetopause. In ideal open ones the crossing magnetic flux points consistently outward in one magnetopause region, inward in another. In reality, substantial deviations from these ideal conditions are expected.
Effects of UV exposure on the attenuation of silica optical fibers

The influence of fiber processing parameters on the ultraviolet (UV)-visible properties of optical fibers and hence their suitability for applications in this wavelength region was investigated. The effect of fiber draw conditions, which include fiber diameter, fiber speed, and in-line UV radiation exposure, were determined for depressed-index glass-clad synthetic-silica-core optical fibers. Core materials containing 1000 p.p.m. and 5.0 p.p.m. (OH) were evaluated for attenuation in the 200-nm to 900-nm wavelength region. Three predominant absorption bands centered at approximately 255 nm, 325 nm, and 630 nm were evident in these materials and dictate their use in the encompassing spectral region. The UV radiation dose applied to the fibers during manufacture was found to interact directly with the bands at 255 nm and 630 nm. >
Dynamic regulation of LFA-1 and Mac-1 during neutrophil extravasation in live mice (CAM1P.232)

LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) and Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) are key integrins that regulate leukocyte adhesion and migration in inflamed tissues. Despite considerable advances in our understanding of leukocyte migration, real-time regulation of leukocyte integrins in vivo is not well characterized. To this end, we generated knock-in mice in which CD11a, CD11b, and CD18 were fused with mYFP and mCFP, respectively, to generate the CD11a-mYFP, CD11b-mYFP, and CD18-mCFP mice. We then crossed these mice to generate LFA-1 FRET (CD11a-mYFP/CD18-mCFP) and Mac-1 FRET (CD11b-mYFP/CD18-mCFP) mice. Using FRET assay with multiphoton intravital microscopy (MP-IVM), we now can directly measure LFA-1 and Mac-1 activation during neutrophil extravasation in inflamed tissues. Neutrophils showed distinct patterns of distribution of active integrins and their clustering at different steps in the multistep extravasation cascade. Experiments with blocking antibodies and knock-out mice confirmed that LFA-1 and Mac-1 are regulated by distinct activation kinetics in vivo. Our data suggest that these knock-in mice will be useful to visualize the subcellular distribution and activation of LFA-1 and Mac-1 in real-time during leukocyte migration in intact tissues.
Platinum resistance after neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to primary surgery in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Abstract Objective Primary debulking surgery (PDS) has historically been the standard treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. Recent data appear to support a paradigm shift toward neoadjuvant chemotherapy with interval debulking surgery (NACT-IDS) for a subset of women with advanced ovarian cancer. It remains unresolved whether NACT-IDS increases the risk of platinum resistance. We compared response to chemotherapy in patients that received NACT-IDS vs. PDS. Methods From our Cancer Registry database we identified patients with stages IIIC and IV epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent treatment from January, 2005 to December, 2010. Standard univariate analyses were performed, as were multivariable analysis with logistic regression. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to generate survival data. Results The study population consisted of 425 patients, 95 (22.3%) underwent NACT-IDS and 330 (77.6%) PDS. After the initial platinum-based chemotherapy, 42 (44.2%) women in the NACT-IDS group were considered to have platinum resistant disease, compared to 103 (31.2%) in the PDS group ( P =0.01). When multivariate logistic regression was used to control for factors independently associated with platinum resistance, NACT-IDS was no longer associated with an initial increased risk. However, in women that had a recurrence and were retreated with platinum-based chemotherapy, 32 (88.8%) in the NACT-IDS group had developed a recurrence within six months and were considered platinum resistant, compared to 62 (55.3%) in the PDS ( P Conclusion In women with EOC that have a recurrence and are treated again with platinum-based chemotherapy, NACT-IDS appears to increase the risk of platinum resistance.
Stern-gerlach study of multidecker lanthanide-cyclooctatetraene sandwich clusters

Multilayer lanthanide−cyclooctatetraene organometallic clusters, Lnn(C8H8)m (Ln = Eu, Tb, Ho, Tm; n = 1−7; m = n − 1, n, n + 1) were produced by a laser vaporization synthesis method. The magnetic deflections of these organometallic sandwich clusters were measured by a molecular beam magnetic deflection technique. Most of the sandwich species displayed one-sided deflection, while some of smaller Ln−C8H8 clusters showed symmetric broadening without or with only very small (or absent) net high-field deflection. In general, the total magnetic moments, calculated from the magnitude of the beams deflections, increase with the number of lanthanide atoms (i.e., with increasing sandwich layers); however for Tb−, Ho−, and Tm−C8H8 clusters with n > 3, the suppression of the magnetic moments was observed, possibly through antiferromagnetic interactions. For Eu−C8H8 clusters, we observe a linear increase of the magnetic moments with the number of Eu atoms up to n = 7, with average magnetic moment per Eu atom around 7...
P04.65. Development and validation of an instrument for measuring decision making about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients

Purpose Despite cancer patients’ extensive use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), validated instruments to measure decision making factors related to CAM use are lacking. We sought to develop and validate an instrument, Decision Making in CAM (DMCAM), to measure individual cancer patients’ perceived benefit, barriers, and social norms related to CAM use. Methods The 17-item instrument was developed using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. Literature review, qualitative interviews, expert content review, and cognitive interviews were used to develop the instrument which was then administered to 317 outpatient oncology patients. Reliability and validity of DMCAM scores were examined including factor structure, internal consistency, content, and construct validity. Results The DMCAM had a 3-factor structure: expected benefits, perceived barriers, and subjective norms related to decision making about CAM use by cancer patients. These three domains had Eigen values of 4.79, 2.37, and 1.43, and together explained over 57.2% of the variance. The 4-item expected benefits, 7-item perceived barriers, and 4-item subjective norms domain scores each had an acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) of 0.91, 0.76, and 0.75 respectively. As expected, CAM users had higher expected benefits (65.2 vs. 52.1, p<0.001), lower perceived barriers (43.9 vs. 50.7, p<0.001), and more positive subjective norms (52.3 vs. 45.2, p<0.001) than those who did not use CAM. Conclusion
The role of OXA-1 β-lactamase Asp66 in the stabilization of the active-site carbamate group and in substrate turnover

The OXA-1 beta-lactamase is one of the few class D enzymes that has an aspartate residue at position 66, a position that is proximal to the active-site residue Ser(67). In class A beta-lactamases, such as TEM-1 and SHV-1, residues adjacent to the active-site serine residue play a crucial role in inhibitor resistance and substrate selectivity. To probe the role of Asp(66) in substrate affinity and catalysis, we performed site-saturation mutagenesis at this position. Ampicillin MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) values for the full set of Asp(66) mutants expressed in Escherichia coli DH10B ranged from or =256 microg/ml for asparagine, leucine and the wild-type aspartate. Replacement of aspartic acid by asparagine at position 66 also led to a moderate enhancement of extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance. OXA-1 shares with other class D enzymes a carboxylated residue, Lys(70), that acts as a general base in the catalytic mechanism. The addition of 25 mM bicarbonate to Luria-Bertani-broth agar resulted in a > or =16-fold increase in MICs for most OXA-1 variants with amino acid replacements at position 66 when expressed in E. coli. Because Asp(66) forms hydrogen bonds with several other residues in the OXA-1 active site, we propose that this residue plays a role in stabilizing the CO2 bound to Lys(70) and thereby profoundly affects substrate turnover.
IL-2 mRNA levels and degradation rates change with mode of stimulation and phorbol ester treatment of lymphocytes

Transient expression of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in activated T lymphocytes may be due to transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. As incubation of lymphocytes with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) prior to mitogenic stimulation results in decreased levels of IL-2 mRNA, we asked if IL-2 mRNA stability was affected. We found that in TPA-treated cells, IL-2 mRNA was degraded more rapidly than in untreated ones whether the mitogenic stimulus was Concanavalin A (Con A), Con A plus TPA, or TPA plus ionomycin. The degradation was blocked if the TPA pre-incubation included cycloheximide. In contrast, when TPA was included as a co-mitogen, i.e. added at the same time as the mitogen, the IL-2 mRNA levels and stability significantly increased. Compared to the levels found in Con A stimulated cells, TPA plus Con A increased IL-2 mRNA levels by as much as 20-fold and the half-life by 5-fold. TPA plus ionomycin increased the message levels at least 100-fold and half-life by nearly 10-fold. These effects on IL-2 mRNA were not general because IL-2 receptor mRNA stability was not changed even though it also is transiently expressed during the course of lymphocyte activation.
Economic Well-Being among Older-Adult Households: Variation by Veteran and Disability Status

This analysis uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine whether veteran and disability statuses are jointly associated with poverty and material hardship among households that include an older adult. Compared to households that do not include a person with a disability or veteran, disabled nonveteran households are more likely to be in poverty and to experience home hardship, medical hardship, and bill-paying hardship. Disabled veteran households are not significantly different in terms of poverty, but exhibit the highest odds of home hardship, medical hardship, bill-paying hardship, and food insufficiency. The implications for social work practice are discussed.
Intrahypothalamic 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine facilitates feminine sexual behavior and decreases [3H]imipramine binding and 5-HT uptake

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) injected into the hypothalamus facilitated feminine sexual behavior in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated female rats beginning 9 days post-lesion. 5,7-DHT treatment was associated with decreased [3H]5-HT but not [3H]NE uptake in the whole hypothalamus and with decreased [3H]-imipramine binding in some hypothalamic nuclei. These data provide the first demonstration using chemical lesions that 5-HT neurons may exert tonic inhibition on hormone-mediated feminine sexual behavior.
Stalinism and Russian Nationalism: A Reconceptualization

A sologist analyzes the idea of Russian nationalism as it evolved under Lenin and Stalin. Based on a reconsideration of Soviet history and of Stalin's and others' published statements, the article reexamines the relationship between Soviet and Russian identity and nationalism. The article concludes with discussion of the implications of this historical legacy for Putin's Russia.
Intuitive simulation, querying, and visualization for river basin policy and management

Sustainable use of the freshwater resources of the world is an urgent challenge. The World Health Organization recently estimated that 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, a problem the United Nations highlights in its Millennium Development Goals. To address the scale and urgency of this challenge, IBM, The Nature Conservancy, and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are collaborating to develop innovative, technology-based decision-support tools for improved management of water resources worldwide. The Water for Tomorrow modeling framework and decision support system (DSS) is designed to help policy makers and a variety of stakeholders to assess, come to consensus, and act on land-use decisions that balance human use, ecosystem preservation, and ecosystem restoration. Such stakeholders include farmers, fish and wildlife managers, foodprocessing plant managers, and hydropower operators. Initially focused on the Paraguay-Parana Basin of Brazil, in partnership with local academic and public-sector collaborators, the DSS integrates data and models from a wide variety of environmental sectors, including water balance, water quality, carbon balance, crop production, and proxies for biodiversity. Intuitive interfaces and complex query support allow users to reach a rich understanding of the effect of changes in management on freshwater ecosystems.
Trends and correlates of HIV testing during pregnancy in racially/ethnically diverse insured population, 1997-2006.

Objectives To describe the trends in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing during pregnancy from 1997 through 2006, and the demographic, clinical, and health system correlates of being tested in a diverse insured population. Methods Health plan members who had one or more births at ≥20 weeks gestation from January 1, 1997 through December 31, 2006 in Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals were included in this retrospective analysis. Data were obtained from the infants’ birth certificate, and administrative and laboratory databases. Multiple log binomial regression analyses were used to generate adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each characteristic. Results Of the 240,575 women with 302,246 pregnancies, the proportion tested for HIV during pregnancy increased from 77.6% in 1997 to 91.0% in 2006 (P trend < 0.0001). Compared with Hispanic women, of which 90% were tested, non-Hispanic white women were least likely to be tested (81.7%: PR: 0.965; 95% CI: 0.957–0.973). Demographic characteristics negatively associated with HIV testing were maternal age ≥30, having more than a high school education, and residing in census blocks with the highest income tertile. Additionally, women were less likely to be tested after their first birth, if enrolling in prenatal care in the third trimester, or if they had a gap in insurance during their pregnancy. Of the 53,566 women with two sequential pregnancies, 78.5% were tested during both pregnancies. Conclusion In an insured racially/ethnically patient population, the testing rate exceeded 90% in 2006. Achieving and sustaining these high testing levels has public health implications.
Experimental investigation of Poisson's ratio as a damage parameter for bone fatigue

The fatigue loading of bone results in the degradation of mechanical properties such as strength and stiffness. Even though several authors have investigated the relationship between the longitudinal modulus and loading cycles, the reduction in Poisson's ratio and its relationship to fatigue loading cycles have not previously been investigated. In this study, the reduction in the major Poisson's ratio and longitudinal modulus for cortical bone specimens as a result of tensile fatigue was experimentally investigated. We compared the results of the major Poisson's ratio reduction to the reduction in longitudinal modulus to determine if there was a relationship between the two. The results showed that the reduction in Poisson's ratio was about 8-22% higher than the reduction in longitudinal modulus, indicating that more microdamage accumulated transversely than longitudinally. Both the longitudinal modulus and major Poisson's ratio decreased in a logarithmic fashion with increasing loading cycles for the bone specimens tested.
Some Thoughts About the Early Academic Years

Peter McHugh has, as he would prefer to phrase it, left his life. Even though he did so unwillingly he would prefer to think of it as, in some way, pro-active. Of course, as long as there are concepts in the world that the world has not bothered to make true sense of, concepts that interested him, he would have preferred to stick around and analyze them. So now, in a way he has formulated successfully, he begins to circulate. He is certainly circulating in my consciousness. Unlike most friends and colleagues who have traveled in Peter's circle during his rich productive years of scholarship, I remember Peter best at that rare period during which I understood most of what he wrote and said. Those were the years when we were both at the University of Delaware (circa 1962-1965), in the sleepy Dupont supported college community in Newark, Delaware. It was there I read his Definition of the Situation and didn't need help understanding what he was trying to do and say. It was pretty much uphill after that. Nonetheless, we became good friends and remained so until his death, although there was a 20 year hiatus in our friendship occasioned by an egregious faux pas on my part. It took place in a restaurant in Venice, California a few years after I'd taken a position at UCLA. Probably around 1972. One thing I knew best about Peter by this time was that there was no more important thing that he could share with a person, particularly a friend, than his thoughts on a range of social phenomena. It was during one of these sharings, his theorizing on the counter-culture that we'd witnessed milling around the Venice neighborhood that day, that I switched my attention from Peter to the Venice characters seated around the room of the Nueva Mexicana restaurant. He left the restaurant furious at me and we didn't talk for the next 20 years.
Vesicle Size Distributions Measured by Flow Field-Flow Fractionation Coupled with Multiangle Light Scattering

Abstract The separation method, flow field-flow fractionation (flow FFF), is coupled on-line with multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS) for simultaneous measurement of the size and concentration of vesicles eluting continuously from the fractionator. These size and concentration data, gathered as a function of elution time, may be used to construct both number- and mass-weighted vesicle size distributions. Unlike most competing, noninvasive methods, this flow FFF/MALLS technique enables measurement of vesicle size distributions without a separate refractive index detector, calibration using particle size standards, or prior assumptions about the shape of the size distribution. Experimentally measured size distributions of vesicles formed by extrusion and detergent removal are non-Gaussian and are fit well by the Weibull distribution. Flow FFF/MALLS reveals that both the extrusion and detergent dialysis vesicle formation methods can yield nearly size monodisperse populations with standard deviations of ∼8% about the mean diameter. In contrast to the rather low resolution of dynamic light scattering in analyzing bimodal systems, flow FFF/MALLS is shown to resolve vesicle subpopulations that differ by much less than a factor of two in mean size.
Organomercurials. II. Substitution processes in the homolytic cleavage of dialkylmercury the formation of alkylmercury(II) derivatives

Abstract Alkylmercuric benzoate and chloride formed in the benzoyl peroxide-initiated reaction of dialkylmercury in carbon tetrachloride solutions arise by homolytic displacements. Kinetic isotope effects demonstrate that any alkylmercuri radicals formed in the concurrent reductive elimination to metallic mercury cannot be intermediates leading to alkylmercuric chloride. Benzoyl peroxide and butyryl peroxide show widely divergent behavior as initiators owing to differences in the stabilities of the acyloxy radicals formed on homolysis, the relatively long-lived benzoyloxy radical being effective in S H 2 displacements on dialkylmercury in contrast to propyl radicals derived from the highly unstable butyryloxy radicals. The reactivity of oxygen-centered, chlorine and alkyl radicals are compared in homolytic displacements. A unified mechanism is presented for reductive elimination and the various substitution processes observed concurrently in dialkylmercury compounds, in which the radical intermediates are shared in common.
Nonlinear Active Noise Control for Infant Incubators in Neo-Natal Intensive Care Units

Excessive noise in neo-natal care units and inside incubators can have a number of detrimental effects on an infant's health. This paper presents a novel, audio-integrated approach to achieving active noise control (ANC) for infant incubators. This paper also presents the implementation of the robust, nonlinear filtered-X least mean M-estimate algorithm, for reducing impulsive interference in incubators. The healthcare application is further enhanced by integrating the "womb effect", i.e., by using intrauterine and maternal heart sounds, proven to be beneficial to infant health, for masking the residual noise. A computer model for audio-integrated noise cancellation utilizing experimentally measured transfer functions is developed for simulations using real medical equipment noise.
High-throughput global peptide proteomic analysis by combining stable isotope amino acid labeling and data-dependent multiplexed-MS/MS.

In this work, we describe the application of a stable isotope amino acid (lysine) labeling in conjunction with data-dependent multiplexed tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to facilitate the characterization and identification of peptides from proteomic (global protein) digests. Lysine auxotrophic yeast was grown in the presence of 13C-labeled or unlabeled lysine and combined after harvesting in equal proportions. Endoproteinase LysC digestion of the cytosolic fraction produced a global proteomic sample, consisting of heavy/light labeled peptide pairs. Then data-dependent multiplexed-MS/MS was applied to simultaneously select and dissociate only labeled peptide ion pairs. The approach allows differentiation between N-terminal (e.g., b-type ions) and C-terminal fragment ions (e.g., y-type ions) in resulting tandem mass spectra, as well as the capability of differentiation between near-isobaric glutamine and lysine residues. We also describe the utility of peptide composition and fragment information to suppo...
Artificial conversations for customer service chatter bots

We describe limitations of the current generation of computer-based chatter-bots.We demonstrate structures and algorithms producing computer-based conversations.Our conversations combine semantic and pragmatic knowledge for customer service.Our computer-based dialogs are based on conversation theory and Grice's maxims.We demonstrate methods to evaluate conversations in the customer service domain. Chatter bots are software programs that engage in artificial conversations through a text-based input medium. They are extensively deployed in customer service applications. Existing approaches to artificial conversation generation emphasize grammatical and linguistic modeling techniques. They focus on generation of discrete sentence-level utterances. These approaches perform poorly in conversational situations requiring contextual continuity over a series of utterances. We present an approach that combines pragmatics with content semantics to generate artificial conversations in the customer service domain. A conversation is a process that adheres to well-defined semantic conventions and is contextually grounded in domain-specific knowledge. We model this using stochastic finite state machines, where the parameters of the model are learned from a corpus of human conversations. We present a specific set of criteria which we then use to evaluate the quality of artificial conversations in the customer service domain. We also compare chatter bot generated artificial conversations with human generated natural conversations in this domain.
Molecular Orbital Study of the First Excited State of the OLED Material Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum(III)

Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum(III), Alq3, is used in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as an electron transport material and emitting layer. The lowest singlet excited state (S1) of Alq3 has been studied by the singles configuration interaction (CIS) method and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) using a hybrid functional, B3-LYP, and the 3-21+G** basis set. For comparison and calibration, 8-hydroxyquinoline has also been examined with these methods using the 3-21+G** and larger basis sets. The lowest singlet electronic transition (S0 → S1) of Alq3 is primarily localized on one of the quinolate ligands. Comparison of the CIS optimized excited-state structure and the Hartree−Fock ground-state structure indicates that the geometric shift is mainly confined to the a-quinolate. Very similar changes are found for the S1 state of 8-hydroxyquinoline, and these changes can be easily understood in terms of the nodal patterns of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals. The...
Survey of earth orbital telescopes and their potential for exobiology

The opportunities that exist for observational exobiology (OE) are examined. The potential uses of free-flying spacecraft, the Space Shuttle, and the Space Station for OE are considered. Proposed experiments are summarized, including research on extrasolar planetary systems, the solar nebula and its analogs, the solar system, giant-planet atmospheres, Titan, comets and asteroids, and molecules in space. A table listing appropriate NASA and ESA telescopes is given.
Double-masked, randomized, parallel-group comparison of cefaclor AF and cefaclor in the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis

Abstract A multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of cefaclor AF (750 mg twice daily) and cefaclor (500 mg three times daily) in the treatment of 298 patients with acute bacterial sinusitis. Patients demonstrating a favorable clinical response 3 to 5 days posttherapy were reevaluated for relapse 10 to 14 days after therapy. At the posttherapy visit, there was a favorable clinical response (ie, cure/ improvement) in 91.8% of patients in the cefaclor AF group and in 92.9% of those in the cefaclor group. At the follow-up evaluation, only 1.8% of patients receiving cefaclor AF and 4.3% of those receiving cefaclor had relapsed. None of the between-group differences were statistically significant. The most common pathogens isolated were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae . In patients with infections caused by S pneumoniae , 90.9% of those treated with cefaclor AF and 95.4% of those treated with cefaclor had a favorable clinical response at the posttherapy visit. In patients with infections caused by H influenzae , 90.9% of those treated with cefaclor AF and 77.8% of those treated with cefaclor had a favorable clinical response at the posttherapy visit. All patients infected by these pathogens were clinically cured at the follow-up visit. Both treatments were also highly effective in treating infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis , and Streptococcus pogenes . Both treatments were well tolerated, and there were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups in the frequency of adverse events. The only adverse events considered to be treatment related were diarrhea and abdominal pain. The results of this study demonstrate that the efficacy and safety of cefaclor AF are comparable with that of cefaclor in the treatment of patients with acute bacterial sinusitis
Considerations for choosing and using force fields and interatomic potentials in materials science and engineering

Abstract Atomistic simulations are increasingly important in scientific and engineering applications. However, the chosen force field affects the simulation results, sometimes significantly. In this paper, we give some examples of this dependence and outline a set of considerations in the use of force fields, also known as interatomic potentials. It is hoped that this will help users and the wider simulation community better judge the force fields themselves and results derived from their use.
Stiffness Analysis of 6-SPS Parallel Manipulator

This paper describes a stiffness analysis of a 6-RSS parallel manipulator by using matrix structural analysis. The stiffness analysis is based on standard concepts of static elastic deformations. The formulation has been implemented in order to obtain the stiffness matrix that can be numerically computed by defining a suitable model of the manipulator, which takes into account the stiffness properties of each element such as links and joints. The obtained stiffness matrix was used to map the end-effector compliant displacements when external forces and torques are applied on it. Finally experimental test were performed to verify the proposed methodology. Keywords: Parallel Manipulators, Stiffness Analysis, Matrix
International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) 2006 World Library and Information Congress Report and Emerald’s LibraryLink Program

Purpose – To share and report information about the 72nd General Conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) held in Seoul, Korea.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the conference.Findings – The general theme of this year’s conference was “Dynamic Engines for the Knowledge Society,” and generated 382 conference papers, 85 poster sessions and involved a total of 424 speakers and presenters.Originality/value – A report of interest to all information management professionals.
The Scientific and Philosophical Scope of Artificial Life

The new interdisciplinary science of ALife has had a connection with the arts from its inception. This paper provides an overview of ALife, reviews its key scientific challenges and discusses its philosophical implications. It ends with a few words about the implications of ALife for the arts.
A Method for Isolating β-Casein

A new method was developed for obtaining pure β-CN. Calcium caseinate (3%) was reconstituted, renneted to form a gel, cooled (4°C) to allow β-CN dissociation from the caseinate gel, and centrifuged. The supernatant was warmed to 30°C, precipitating pure β-CN from solution. Large quantities of β-CN were recovered by scaling-up this procedure, but these β-CN preparations were less pure than the β-CN that was prepared on a smaller scale. Chromatography (FPLC®) and urea-PAGE showed β-CN to be the main component in the precipitate. Chymosin, used to form the caseinate gel, did not extensively hydrolyze β-CN under the conditions of these experiments. Calcium concentration, cooling time, and caseinate concentration influenced the recovery of β-CN. Maximum recovery of β-CN, under the experimental conditions used, occurred at 10 mM calcium, 48 h of cooling, and 3% caseinate concentration.
Vanadium oxide-propylene carbonate composite as a host for the intercalation of polyvalent cations

Abstract A vanadium oxide/propylene carbonate nanocomposite has been synthesized by the sol–gel method using vanadium alkoxide as a precursor. The resulting bicontinuous structure consisted of mesopores filled with PC molecules and a network of hydrated vanadium oxide. The structure, engineered for the insertion of polyvalent cations, resulted in a specific capacity as high as 465 mAh per gram of vanadium oxide when Ca 2+ was the guest cation. This is close to 80% of the theoretical capacity for 2 e − per V. The critical role of the PC has been clearly demonstrated. The specific capacity of the nanocomposite when Ca 2+ was used as the guest cation was two to ten times better when the propylene carbonate or its decomposition products was present in the structure as opposed to when it was either not added or extracted. It has also been shown that the nanocomposite exhibited better electrochemical performances with Ca 2+ as the guest cation than with Li + .
Comparison of freezing tolerance in cultured plant cells and their respective protoplasts

Abstract The possibility that the plant cell wall influences the severity of freezing injury was examined by comparing the freeze stress response of intact cells and protoplasts from four different suspension cultures. In no case did the intact cells suffer more injury than the respective wall-less protoplasts, showing that mechanical strain imposed by the cell wall during freeze-thaw stress is not a major determinant of injury. For three of the four species studied, cells from which the wall was removed showed significantly greater freezing injury, indicating that the plant cell wall may have a protective role. Other researchers have suggested that cell wall rigidity may minimize freezing injury by slowing freeze-induced loss of cell water. We found that decreased enzyme digestibility (perhaps indicating greater rigidity) of cell walls accompanied cold acclimation in various tissues. These results provide impetus to research which will characterize low-temperature-induced cell wall modification in cold acclimating tissues.