cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear Echo Cancellation of Data Signals

This paper describes a new technique for implementing an echo canceller for full-duplex data transmission (such as in digital subscriber loops and volceband data sets). The canceller can operate in spite of time-invariant nonlinearities in the echo channel or in the implementation of the echo canceller itself (such as in the D/A converters). The basic structure of the linear echo canceller is not changed, but taps are simply added to account for the nonlinearity. The number of taps which must be added depends on the degree of nonlinearity which must be compensated. Numerical results based on computer simulation are given which show that typical nonlinearities encountered in MOS D/A converters can be compensated by a relatively small number of taps added to the linear echo canceller, and substantial improvement in the cancellation results.
Multisensor Data Fusion for High Quality Data Analysis and Processing in Measurement and Instrumentation

Multisensor data fusion (MDF) is an emerging technology to fuse data from multiple sensors in order to make a more accurate estimation of the environment through measurement and detection. Applications of MDF cross a wide spectrum in military and civilian areas. With the rapid evolution of computers and the proliferation of micro-mechanical/electrical systems sensors, the utilization of MDF is being popularized in research and applications. This paper focuses on application of MDF for high quality data analysis and processing in measurement and instrumentation. A practical, general data fusion scheme was established on the basis of feature extraction and merge of data from multiple sensors. This scheme integrates artificial neural networks for high performance pattern recognition. A number of successful applications in areas of NDI (Non-Destructive Inspection) corrosion detection, food quality and safety characterization, and precision agriculture are described and discussed in order to motivate new applications in these or other areas. This paper gives an overall picture of using the MDF method to increase the accuracy of data analysis and processing in measurement and instrumentation in different areas of applications.
Physical Appearance and Control Beliefs in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

The authors investigated whether general and domain-specific control beliefs were related to stigmatizing physical appearance qualities in young, middle-aged, and older adults. Being babyfaced, unattractive, or short was associated with diminished control beliefs in young and middle adulthood, whereas being overweight was not. Those who were less attractive, more babyfaced, shorter, or heavier sometimes perceived more rather than less control than their more favored peers, suggesting that individuals whose appearance creates social barriers may compensate with greater efforts to control their social environment. One notable age difference was that high babyfaceness was associated with diminished control beliefs at younger ages but with higher control beliefs in older adulthood.
Effect of model formulation on flow-regime predictions for bubble columns

It is well known that bubble-column flow-regime predictions of the Eulerian two-fluid model depend strongly on the model formulation. However, there is no general consensus on what force models must be included to match experiments for even the simplest flows. The flow simulated in this work corresponds to the bubble-column experiments of Harteveld with the additional assumptions of: (i) uniform-size (non-coalescing) bubbles, (ii) spatially uniform bubble injection, and (iii) non-deforming (spherical) bubbles. As in Monahan et al.'s 2005 article, the complete set of interphase force models includes drag, added-mass, lift, rotation, and strain. The simulation results are presented in the form of flow maps parameterized by the bubble Reynolds number and the average void fraction. As expected, the flow maps show a strong dependence on the model parameters; however, qualitatively only two types of flow maps are observed: (1) flows that transition from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous regime at relatively low average void fractions and (2) flows that transition at relatively high average void fractions (0.4–0.6) as are observed in the experiments. Remarkably, type-2 flow maps are only observed for two-fluid models that include the complete set of forces. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 53, 2007
Sex, but not repeated maternal separation during the first postnatal week, influences novel object exploration and amphetamine sensitivity

Sensation seeking and early life stress are both risk factors for developing substance use disorders. Neural adaptations resulting from early life stress may mediate individual differences in novelty responsiveness, and, in turn, contribute to drug abuse vulnerability. Animal models also demonstrate associations between novelty responsiveness or early life stress and increased sensitivity to psychostimulants. We investigated whether repeated maternal separation affects responses to novelty during adolescence and to amphetamine during adulthood, and whether maternal separation alters the relationship between these behavioral variables. Rat pups underwent separation (180 min/day) or control procedures (15 min/day) on postnatal days (PND) 2-8. Novel object exploration and amphetamine response were tested at PND 38 and 60, respectively. Adolescent males were less active in a novel environment and approached novel objects more frequently than females, but adult females showed greater amphetamine-induced locomotion. Maternal separation did not affect novelty responsiveness or amphetamine sensitivity. Locomotor activity in an inescapable, novel environment during adolescence predicted amphetamine-induced locomotor activity during adulthood in maternally separated rats, but not in controls. The results of this study suggest that adolescent responses to novelty may be particularly predictive of future substance abuse among survivors of early life trauma. Furthermore, sex differences in novelty and amphetamine responsiveness may complicate the relationship between these behavioral variables.
Intentional and Unintentional Nonadherence to Antihypertensive Medication

BACKGROUNDHypertension is poorly controlled in the US due to medication nonadherence. Recent evidence suggests that nonadherence can be classified as intentional or unintentional and different patient characteristics, such as the experience of adverse effects, may be associated with each.OBJECTIVETo examine associations between patient characteristics, including reported adverse effects, and both intentional and unintentional nonadherence among 588 hypertensive patients.METHODSBaseline data from a clinical trial, the Veterans' Study To Improve the Control of Hypertension, were examined. Intentional and unintentional nonadherence were assessed using a self-report measure. Participants were presented with a list of adverse effects commonly associated with antihypertensive medication and asked to indicate which symptoms they had experienced. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine adjusted associations between patient characteristics and type of nonadherence.RESULTSApproximately 31% of patients rep...
Pseudopotentials and the radius of the atomic core

Abstract Previously, we have defined the radius of the atomic core as the distance from the nucleus to the position where the outer-most node in the wave function of an s valence electron occurs. The theoretical considerations which lead to this definition are discussed in the present paper. This core radius is simply related to a number of physical parameters; the value of the wave vector at which the form factor of the model potential first reaches zero, the radius of the atom in the solid, the interelectron spacing of the conduction electrons, the De Bye temperature, and the temperature of jellium. The “apparent atomic radius” of various solutes in alloys of aluminum, magnesium and silver, is calculated using our parameter and an empty core Thomas Fermi pseudopotential.
Large space ultraviolet observatory ST2010: initial plans for a new UV/O mission

I summarize the ST-2010 mission concept: a large-aperture (4 - 8 m) ultraviolet/optical successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, which is scheduled for de-orbit in the year 2010. A complete scientific and technological study is given in the report of the Ultraviolet-Optical Working Group (UVOWG), commissioned by NASA to study the scientific rationale for new missions in ultraviolet/optical space astronomy. ST-2010 will provide a major facility for many key projects: (1) Mapping dark baryons and large-scale structure; (2) detecting unseen matter through weak gravitational lensing; (3) Studying feedback from star formation; (4) Determining the origin of star, planets, and the elements. With an emphasis on high- throughput UV spectroscopy and wide-field imaging, ST-2010 will require significant advances in technology: UV detectors, gratings, mirrors, spectrographs and imagers. To achieve our science goals, the ST-2010 spectrographs will need to deliver 10 - 100-fold increases in throughput and multiplex efficiency over Hubble. The ST-2010 imagers should achieve similar gains in field of view (10' X 10') and efficiency.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of acute and chronic exercise on vasoconstrictor responsiveness of rat abdominal aorta

Reductions in blood pressure that are associated with exercise training have been hypothesized to be the result of a sustained postexertional vascular alteration following single bouts of exercise....
Propylene Glycol–Related Delirium After Esmolol Infusion

Objective: Excipients used in oral or intravenous preparations may cause serious adverse events. Case Summary: We present the case of a 15-year-old boy with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In the pediatric intensive care unit, he received high doses of continuous intravenous esmolol (range = 20-400 µg/kg/min) for cardiac rhythm control. After a few days he developed a delirium not responding to high doses of antipsychotics or discontinuation of benzodiazepines. We eventually realized that the IV esmolol formulation contained high doses of propylene glycol and ethanol, which may accumulate after prolonged infusion and cause intoxication. Intoxication with propylene glycolcan cause neuropsychiatric symptoms. The boy’s propylene glycol plasma concentration was approximately 4 g/L, whereas clinical symptoms arise at concentrations above 1 to 1.44 g/L. Application of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale suggested a probable relationship (score 6) between the propylene glycol infusion and the deliri...
Capital's Metropolis: Chicago and the Transformation of American Housing Policy

The US economic recovery of the 1990s accelerated amidst privatization, selective devolution and the reinvention of the public sector itself. Simultaneously, mortgage finance and assisted housing policy were recast in terms of market processes, individual responsibility and private home-ownership, even as gentrification enjoyed a dramatic resurgence. The intersection of these seemingly unrelated processes signifies an important transformation of the American inner city. Nowhere are these connections more explicit than in Chicago, where newly devolved and flexible policy infrastructures are built on the ashes of prominent experiments of previous generations. In this paper we use Chicago as a context to explore the linkages between reinvestment, housing finance and the reinvention of assisted housing. We analyse local and federal developments in assisted housing policy and develop a multivariate analysis of mortgage loans in Chicago's neighbourhoods during the 1990s expansion. New constructions of scale in assisted housing, exemplifed by Chicago's Lake Parc Place and the federal HOPE VI programme, constitute a centripetal devolution mediated by the relationship between public policy and local private market forces. National changes in housing finance have altered historical processes of redlining, disinvestment, and gentrification. Mortgage capital, traditionally responsible for the creation or exacerbation of rent gaps, now lubricates the flow of capital into the gentrifying frontier of the inner city. The intensified market discipline of housing policy, based partly on theories incubated in Chicago, suggests a new regime of neighbourhood change in the American inner city.
Introducing empirical investigation in undergraduate operating systems

The undergraduate operating systems course can provide students with a valuable introduction to empirical testing and experimentation. This paper announces the availability of a process scheduling simulator designed to develop student empirical skills while they are learning part of the standard operating systems curriculum. The simulator is written in Java and available for direct experimentation via the World Wide Web. By accessing the remote URL through an appletviewer, students can permanently save input test data and simulator results generated in HTML format. Students are asked to test specified hypotheses about process scheduling and to develop their own hypotheses about the influence of different parameters on behavior. In order to devise experiments that make sense, students must understand how factors such as burst time and variability influence behavior. Interested faculty are invited to try the simulator and support materials in their operating systems classes.
TARP gamma-8 controls hippocampal AMPA receptor number, distribution and synaptic plasticity.

Synaptic plasticity involves activity-dependent trafficking of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Numerous cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins are postulated to control AMPA receptor trafficking, but the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that the transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein (TARP) γ-8, which is preferentially expressed in the mouse hippocampus, is important for AMPA receptor protein levels and extrasynaptic surface expression. By controlling the number of AMPA receptors, γ-8 is also important in long-term potentiation, but not long-term depression. This study establishes γ-8 as a critical protein for basal AMPA receptor expression and localization at extrasynaptic sites in the hippocampus and raises the possibility that TARP-dependent control of AMPA receptors during synapse development and plasticity may be widespread.
MeshWorks: an efficient framework for planning, synthesis and optimization of clock mesh networks

A leaf-level clock mesh is known to be very tolerant to variations (Restle et al., 2001). However, its use is limited to a few high-end designs because of the high power/resource requirements and lack of automatic mesh synthesis tools. Most existing works on clock mesh (Restle et al., 2001) either deal with semi-custom design or perform optimizations on a given clock mesh. However, the problem of obtaining a good initial clock mesh has not been addressed. Similarly, the problem of achieving a smooth tradeoff between skew and power/resources has not been addressed adequately. In this work, we present MeshWorks, the first comprehensive automated framework for planning, synthesis and optimization of clock mesh networks with the objective of addressing the above issues. Experimental results suggest that our algorithms can achieve an additional reduction of 26% in buffer area, 19% in wirelength and 18% in power, compared to the recent work of Venkataraman et al., (2006) with similar worst case maximum frequency under variation.
Acylation of the Lipooligosaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae and Colonization: an htrB Mutation Diminishes the Colonization of Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Haemophilus influenzae is a commensal and opportunistic pathogen of the human airways. A number of surface molecules contribute to colonization of the airways by H. influenzae, such as adhesins, including structures found in the lipooligosaccharide (LOS). A human bronchiolar xenograft model was employed to investigate the host-bacterial interactions involved in the colonization of the airway by H. influenzae. Differential display was used to identify H. influenzae mRNA that reflect genes which were preferentially expressed in the xenograft compared to growth. Eleven mRNA fragments had consistent increased expression when the bacteria grew in xenografts. On sequencing these fragments, eight open reading frames were identified. Three of these had no match in the NCBI or the TIGR database, while an additional three were homologous to genes involved in heme or iron acquisition and utilization: two of the mRNAs encoded proteins homologous to enzymes involved in LOS biosynthesis: a heptosyl transferase (rfaF) involved in the synthesis of the LOS core and a ketodeoxyoctonate phosphate-dependent acyltransferase (htrB) that performs one of the late acylation reactions in lipid A synthesis. Inoculation of human bronchiolar xenografts revealed a significant reduction in colonization capacity by htrB mutants. In vitro, htrB mutants elicited lesser degrees of cytoskeletal rearrangement and less stimulation of host cell signaling with 16HBE14o cells and decreased intracellular survival. These results implicate acylation of H. influenzae lipid A as playing a key role in the organisms’ colonization of the normal airway.
The TRACH Score: Clinical and Radiological Predictors of Tracheostomy in Supratentorial Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) continues to have high morbidity and mortality. Patients with sICH and poor mental status are at high risk of airway compromise and frequently require intubation. The traditional ventilatory weaning parameters are not reliable in patients with brain pathology. The objective of this study is to identify clinical and radiological predictors for tracheostomy in mechanically ventilated patients with sICH and to develop a scale that will accurately predict the need for tracheostomy in these patients. Only patients with supratentorial sICH intubated on the field or on admission who survived the first 3 days were included. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of clinical and radiological variables was performed, and independent predictors were identified. A risk stratification scale (TRACH Score) was developed using these independent predictors. Several independent factors were associated with early tracheostomy. The signficant clinical predictor was Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (P < 0.003). Radiological predictors were presence of hydrocephalus (OR: 12.5; P < 0.002), septum pellucidum shift (OR: 9; P < 0.025), and location of sICH in the thalamus (OR: 9; P < 0.025). The TRACH score was defined by two variables radiological scale (RScale) and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). TRACH score = 3 + (1 × RScale) − (0.5× GCS). The RScale (L + H + S) was obtained by adding individual points assigned according presence of: sICH location in the thalamus (L) 2 points, hydrocephalus (H) 1.5 points, septum pellucidum shift (S) 3 points. The scale was very predictive of tracheostomy needs (OR: 2.57, P < 0.0001) with an ROC = 0.92, sensitivity of 94%, positive predictive value of 83%, and negative predictive value of 95%. The TRACH Score is a practical clinical grading scale that will allow physicians to identify patients who will be needing tracheostomy. Application of this scale could have significant impact on length of stay and cost of hospitalization.
Stability of K-Means Clustering

We phrase K-means clustering as an empirical risk minimization procedure over a class ℋK and explicitly calculate the covering number for this class. Next, we show that stability of K-means clustering is characterized by the geometry of ℋK with respect to the underlying distribution. We prove that in the case of a unique global minimizer, the clustering solution is stable with respect to complete changes of the data, while for the case of multiple minimizers, the change of Ω(n1/2) samples defines the transition between stability and instability. While for a finite number of minimizers this result follows from multinomial distribution estimates, the case of infinite minimizers requires more refined tools. We conclude by proving that stability of the functions in ℋK implies stability of the actual centers of the clusters. Since stability is often used for selecting the number of clusters in practice, we hope that our analysis serves as a starting point for finding theoretically grounded recipes for the choice of K.
Nipple-sparing mastectomy: technique and results of 54 procedures.

Hypothesis The rationale for removal of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) during total mastectomy centers on long-standing concerns about possible neoplastic involvement of the NAC and its postoperative viability. Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) combines a skin-sparing mastectomy with preservation of the NAC, intraoperative pathological assessment of the nipple tissue core, and immediate reconstruction, thereby permitting better cosmesis for patients undergoing total mastectomy. Neoplastic involvement of the NAC can be predicted before surgery and assessed during the operation, and sustained postoperative viability of the NAC is likely with appropriate surgical technique. Results Fifty-four NSMs with immediate reconstruction were attempted among 44 patients. Six NAC core specimens revealed neoplastic involvement on frozen section analysis, resulting in conversion to total mastectomies. Forty-five of the 48 completed NSMs maintained postoperative viability of the NAC; 3 NACs had partial loss. Conclusion Nipple-sparing mastectomy is a reasonable option for carefully screened patients.
Quaternary aminostratigraphy of the Bonneville Basin, western United States

The deposits of at least four distinct deep-lake cycles of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville are recognized on the basis of isoleucine epimerization in fossil gastropod shells. Deposits of the earliest recognized cycle predate the Lava Creek ash (600,000 yr B.P.). Three younger cycles of Lake Bonneville are represented by lacustrine deposits of the Pokes Point Alloformation (∼200,000 yr B.P.), the Little Valley Alloformation (∼140,000 yr B.P.), and the Bonneville Alloformation (∼30,000 to 11,000 yr B.P.). Analyses of fossil shells from the Main Canyon Formation in the Gentile Valley of southern Idaho support the contention that those deposits span an interval of time from before 2 m.y. B.P. to sometime between the last two cycles of Lake Bonneville, perhaps as recent as 30,000 yr B.P. It is concluded that isoleucine epimerization in non-marine gastropods can provide a useful stratigraphic tool for the study of Quaternary lacustrine deposits.
GeSn optical gain media towards monolithic 3D photonic integration

We present pseudo-single-crystal, direct band gap GeSn gain media fabricated at <450 °C on dielectric layers towards monolithic 3D photonic integration. A high transient optical gain ∼5000 cm−1 has been at λ=2100–2200 nm at 300K.
An Undescribed Heterosporium on Petunia

Prominent buff-brown target spots (Fig. 1) were found on overwintering necrotic leaves of Petunia hybrida Hort, growing in a sheltered, sunny area near East Wenatchee, Douglas Co., Wash. on Feb. 25, 1958 by Mary Willis Sprague. The lesions were observed from time to time during the remainder of the winter and early spring. The winter of 1957-58 was exceptionally mild. The coldest temperature recorded during December 1957, was 26? F at the Tree Fruit Experi? ment Station, Wenatchee and the coldest night of the winter was January 1, 1958 when 18? F was recorded. Most of the winter was frost-free. A dense bed of balcony type petunia plants growing against a wall with a southern exposure survived the winter with abundant living foliage. The diseased leaves, scattered in the mass of foliage, were somewhat necrotic but were still attached to living stems and gave definite evidence of having been subjected to parasitic activity. Examination of the lesions disclosed a considerable number of
Precision of Several Sampling Techniques for Foraging Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Workers in Cotton Fields

Four sampling methods for estimating relative densities of Solenopsis invicta Buren in colton fields were compared in east Texas. The shake bucket technique was the only method tested that yielded consistent results independent of time of day, temperature, or phenology of the colton plant. The shake bucket provided a precise estimate of the absolute population density of fire ants in the colton field, i.e., repeated measurements of the same value were close. Based on precision, cost, ease of sampling, and time efficiency, the shake bucket was the method of choice for sampling S. invicta in the colton field to make pest management decisions.
Liquid-Phase sintering under microgravity conditions

Liquid-phase sintering routinely is used to form dense composite structures. The technique is generally restricted to high solid contents to ensure rigidity of the compact to achieve net shaping. Experimental conditions present during microgravity processing have allowed liquid-phase sintering over a wider range of liquid-solid ratios than possible on Earth. Early results from experiments performed on the space shuttle} Columbia during 1994 are used to show the novel behavior associated with microgravity conditions.
Modulation of high- and low-frequency components of the cortical local field potential via nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in anesthetized mice

Release of acetylcholine (ACh) in neocortex is important for learning, memory and attention tasks. The primary source of ACh in neocortex is axons ascending from the basal forebrain. Release of ACh from these axons evokes changes in the cortical local field potential (LFP), including a decline in low-frequency spectral power that is often referred to as desynchronization of the LFP and is thought to result from the activation of muscarinic ACh receptors. Using channelrhodopsin-2, we selectively stimulated the axons of only cholinergic basal forebrain neurons in primary somatosensory cortex of the urethane-anesthetized mouse while monitoring the LFP. Cholinergic stimulation caused desynchronization and two brief increases in higher-frequency power at stimulus onset and offset. Desynchronization (1–6 Hz) was localized, extending ≤ 1 mm from the edge of stimulation, and consisted of both nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-mediated components that were inhibited by mecamylamine and atropine, respectively. Hence we have identified a nicotinic receptor-mediated component to desynchronization. The increase in higher-frequency power (>10 Hz) at stimulus onset was also mediated by activation of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. However, the increase in higher-frequency power (10–20 Hz) at stimulus offset was evoked by activation of muscarinic receptors and inhibited by activation of nicotinic receptors. We conclude that the activation of nicotinic and muscarinic ACh receptors in neocortex exerts several effects that are reflected in distinct frequency bands of the cortical LFP in urethane-anesthetized mice.
Toxicity of New Insecticides to Corn Earworms on Sweet Corn1

Experiments to control the corn earworm ( Heliothis zea (Boddie)) were continued in southern California during the 3-year period, 1959-61. Forty-four different formulations were tested by the individual-ear, paintbrush dust method. Zectran ® (4-dimethylamino-3, 5-xylyl methylcarbamate), Sevin® (I-naphthyl N -methylcarbamate), Cynem® ( O, O -diethyl O-2 -pyrazinyl phosphorothioate) and malathion were equal to or slightly better than a 5% DDT standard treatment. Bayer 32651 (3-methyl-4-methylthiophenyl N -methylcarbamate), Bayer 41831 ( O, O -dimethyl O -4-nitro- m -tolyl phosphorothioate), Union Carbide 10854 ( m -isopropylphenyl methylcarbamate), Dylox® ( O, O -dimethyl 2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl phosphonate), and Bayer 30911 (methyl O -methyl O -2,4-dichlorophenyl phosphonothioate) were nearly as effective as the standard DDT, while all other treatments were poorer or ineffective. Between 1948 and 1961 many experiments were conducted for the control of the corn earworm, Heliothis zea
Social epidemiology and rheumatic disease

Social epidemiology, a subdiscipline of epidemiology, aims to identify socioenvironmental exposures that may be related to a broad range of health status outcomes. The strong association throughout the developed world between lower levels of individual socioeconomic status and poorer health outcomes from many diseases, including arthritis, is well established. Although not yet well studied in arthritis, recent data suggest that community social determinants, the socioeconomic environment of an individual's neighborhood, may be operant in this regard as well. It is of considerable interest that the association of community social determinants with health outcomes appears to be independent of an individual's socioeconomic status, at least in some clinical situations. Both Healthy People 2010 and the National Arthritis Action Plan place high priority on reducing disparities in health outcomes in the United States. Development of effective prevention strategies will require (1) precise recognition of individual and community variables that are associated with health outcomes and (2) evaluation of the putative mediating mechanisms.
Research on meridian differentiation and classification for whiplash injury based on meridian sinew theory

The paper analysed the symptom characteristics of different meridian sinews diseases in neck through studying Lingshu·Jingjin and later comments and biomechanics of whiplash injury.The author thought that the mechanism of lower cervical syndrome of whiplash injury was closely related to abnormal sprain of meridian sinews.According to the interpretations of MA Shi and ZHANG Jie-bin,who were scholars of the Ming Dynasty,and modern anatomy,the paper summarized 4 meridian syndromes of whiplash injury,including syndrome of Taiyang meridian-widespread spasm and tenderness in the neck with difficulty in extension and flexion;syndrome of Yangming meridian-problems of head rotation,pain and spasm in the neck and debility of shoulder;syndrome of Shaoyang-discomfort,spasm of head and neck with difficulty in lateral extension;syndrome of Shaoyin-pain in deep cervical area with difficulty in backward extension and dizziness.The whiplash injury is differentiated,classified and treated by applying the meridian sinews theory in Lingshu,and a better curative effect will be obtained.
Is the prevalence of adult asthma increasing

Many studies from all over the world suggest that the prevalence of asthma, especially atopic asthma, is increasing. While this was already confirmed concerning childhood asthma, evidence of an increase in the prevalence of adult asthma is now accumulating. This phenomenon is probably related to urbanization, such as air pollution, air-tightness of dwellings and buildings, favorable environment for the propagation of mites and molds, habits of keeping furry and feathered pets, and so on. Changes in the infection patterns, including M. tuberculosis infection, especially in early childhood, might be involved in the recent prevalence of asthma. There is possibility that human population with low Th1 cell function (with relatively up-regulated Th2 function), which may be related to atopic pre-disposition, are increasing in the recent world.
Intimate partner violence among women veterans by sexual orientation

ABSTRACTNational estimates suggest intimate partner violence (IPV) rates are equal or higher among lesbian, bisexual, or questioning (LBQ)-identified women than heterosexual-identified women. Women veterans are a population at high risk for IPV, yet the occurrence of lifetime and past-year IPV experiences by sexual orientation have not been examined in this population. Lifetime and past-year IPV experiences and current IPV-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed with validated screening measures as part of a 2014 web-based national survey of women veterans. Among 403 respondents, 9.7% (n = 39) identified as LBQ, and 90.3% (n = 364) identified as heterosexual. When controlling for age, LBQ-identified women veterans were significantly more likely to report lifetime sexual and physical IPV and lifetime intimate partner stalking. In the past year, LBQ-identified veterans were twice as likely to endorse emotional mistreatment and physical IPV, and three times more likely to endorse ...
Buddhism, Rebirth and the Human Person

Buddhist literature follows in the Vedic tradition of avowing belief in life after death. What is not so clear is the sense in which this belief is to be understood. Even contemporary Buddhist authors give widely differing views. For example, on the one hand immortality is likened to the vital energy which, flowing from time immemorial, is passed on from one organism to the next—from the fruit tree to its seed, on to another tree.1 On the other hand, all kinds of evidences from parapsychology are adduced to justify the belief that the person survives as a discarnate, non-substantial spirit and returns to human existence.2 Between these two views there lies an enormous difference; whereas the first substitutes a non-individual, continuing vitality for any persistence of the person, the second presupposes such persistence.
Oxidative and Inflammatory Properties of Aluminum: Possible Relevance in Alzheimer’s Disease

Both inflammation and the production of reactive oxygen species may be beneficial short-term response to extracellular stressors, and kill pathogens that have accessed nervous tissue. These factors, however, when active over an extended period following an ineffectual response to a persistent stimulus, can become harmful. Colloidal Al could constitute such irresolvable foci that cannot be cleared by activated microglia. This can lead to chronic inflammatory responses that eventually overwhelm neurons and impair their function.
Abstract # 1709 Higher depressive symptoms relate to different inflammatory response patterns (ex vivo) among men and women

Increasing evidence suggests that depression is linked with immune dysregulation. In this study, we examined the links between depressive symptoms and both basal and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated (ex vivo) levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in blood. Subjects were recruited from the Bronx NY and were socio-economically and racially diverse (ages 25–65). Exclusion criteria included inflammation-related illness and use of immunosuppressive drugs, resulting in 148 participants (97 women). On average the sample reported mild depressive symptoms (assessed using the PROMIS depression short-form scale). Regression analyses controlled for age, BMI, income, education, race/ethnicity, use of anti-inflammatory agents and antidepressants. No relationships between basal inflammatory levels and depressive symptoms were observed. However, in stimulated blood, a significant interaction of depressive symptoms by gender was observed, such that in women higher depressive scores were associated with lower production of TNF-alpha (p .80). Overall, higher depressive symptoms related to lower, possibly blunted, responses to endotoxin challenge in women, and higher, possibly exaggerated, responses in men. These findings provide evidence for gender differences in patterns of inflammatory dysregulation in individuals with greater depressive symptoms. Studying stimulated inflammatory biomarkers in gender stratified groups may clarify the links between inflammation and depression.
PCR-multiplexes for a genome-wide framework of simple sequence repeat marker loci in cultivated sunflower

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) and other DNA sequence-tagged site markers can be genotyped more rapidly and cost efficiently by simultaneously amplifying multiple loci (multiplex PCR). The development of PCR-multiplexes for a nearly genome-wide framework of 78 SSR marker loci in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is described herein. The most outstanding single-locus SSR markers in the public collection (300 out of 1,089) were identified and screened for polymorphisms among 24 elite inbred lines, preparatory to selecting SSR markers for testing in multiplex PCRs. The selected SSR markers produced robust PCR products, amplified a single locus each, were polymorphic among elite inbred lines (minimum, mean and maximum heterozygosities were 0.08, 0.53 and 0.85, respectively), and supply a dense genome-wide framework of predominantly or completely codominant, single-locus DNA markers for molecular breeding and genomics research in sunflower. Thirteen six-locus multiplex PCRs were developed for 78 SSR marker loci strategically positioned throughout the sunflower genome (three to five per linkage group) by identifying compatible SSR primer combinations and optimizing multiplex PCR protocols. The multiplexed SSR markers, when coupled with 17 complementary SSR marker loci, create a 'standard genotyping' set ideal for first-pass scans of the genome, as are often needed when screening bulked-segregant DNA samples or mapping phenotypic trait loci. The minimum, mean and maximum heterozygosities of the multiplexed SSR markers were 0.38, 0.62 and 0.83, respectively. The PCR-multiplexes increase genotyping throughput, reduce reagent costs, and are ideal for repetitive genotyping applications where common sets of SSR marker loci are required or advantageous.
Obstetricians and gynecologists' opinions about the Affordable Care Act and their expectations about how it will impact their practice.

Abstract As the primary healthcare providers for women, obstetrician-gynecologists' (OB/GYNs) experiences with and opinions about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are important to understand. An online survey was sent to 1000 randomly selected OB/GYNs who were members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2014. Of those, 523 opened the email and 163 responded (31% participation rate). Data were collected August 2014-October 2014 and analyzed in 2015–2016. Support for the ACA was widely distributed, with the largest subset of the sample (about 21%) in the “very supportive” category. Opinions of the ACA were more supportive than they were in a previous study conducted in 2011. When given a list of possible positive and negative impacts of the ACA on their practice, roughly 1 in 5 reported that the ACA increased work-related stress (28%), decreased total profits (22%), and lowered career satisfaction (22%), whereas 8.6% reported that the ACA increased quality of care. Around half of the providers thought that their newly insured patients would have the same level of education (42%) and numeric ability (55%) as their current patients. Almost all respondents (87%) indicated that it is at least slightly important for patients to understand their numeric likelihood of risk (such as numeric risk information from medications, treatments, and other procedures you might prescribe) —31% think it is extremely important and 44% think it is moderately important.
Obesity and Energy Balance in GI Cancer

The prevalence of overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25 to 29.9 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) have increased dramatically in the United States. Because increasing BMI is associated with the development of multiple different cancer types, including most GI cancers, providers will frequently encounter patients with GI cancer who are overweight or obese. Mounting evidence associates overweight and/or obesity with worsened prognosis in multiple GI cancers, including esophageal, gastric, hepatocellular, pancreatic, and colorectal. However, these data are observational and may be subject to bias and/or confounding. Furthermore, in some cancer types, the associations between BMI and outcomes is not linear, where overweight and class I obese patients may have an improvement in outcome. This report provides a brief highlight of existing studies that have linked overweight and/or obesity to prognosis in GI cancer; provides recommendations on best management practices; and discusses limitations, controversies, and future directions in this rapidly evolving area. There are multiple areas of promise that warrant continued investigation: What are the comparative contributions of energy balance, including weight, dietary patterns, and physical activity on cancer prognosis? What are the specific physiologic pathways that mediate the relationship between energy balance and prognosis? What is the relationship between low muscle mass (sarcopenia) or sarcopenic obesity and cancer prognosis? Are there subsets of patients for whom purposefully altering energy balance would be deleterious to prognosis? This area is rich with opportunities to understand how states of energy (im)balance can be favorably altered to promote healthy survivorship.
Are Sugars Addictive? Perspectives for Practitioners

Based upon DSM-V criteria for substance use disorders, evidence for sugar addiction is lacking. Food addiction has been defined in humans using the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), which is based upon DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence. While the YFAS appears to identify a unique construct related to eating pathology, the majority of obese people do not meet the criteria, and a substantial portion of underweight and normal weight subjects do meet the criteria. Thus, food addiction, as defined by the YFAS, cannot account for the high rates of obesity in the United States. In contrast to obesity, many who engage in binge eating meet the criteria for food addiction using the YFAS. Although YFAS criteria for food addiction are often met by those who binge, the addictive substance has not been identified. Brain imaging studies do not support an addiction model. Much of the food-related pathology that is seen clinically can be explained and treated without invoking addiction as the explanation for the behavioral problems.
Entering the Minds of Serial Murderers: The Application of Forensic Leisure Science to Homicide Research

ABSTRACTYears ago, a small handful of leisure scholars suggested that serial murder may be a form of leisure. However, to date this possibility remains virtually unexplored. This article draws from recent research to share reflections and rich, new insights on how leisure science may provide important contributions to serial homicide researchers and law enforcement personnel. At the same time, exploring such intersections offers leisure scholars new ways of understanding familiar concepts and theories. Possibilities for future research are discussed.
Meta-Analysis Evaluating Efficacy of High-Dose Therapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation As Front-Line Consolidation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Results Do Not Justify This Treatment Approach

Background : High-dose therapy (HDT) followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) has been offered to patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), both as front-line consolidation and in the relapsed setting. Uncertainty remains in regards to the role of HDT in the front-line consolidation setting in CLL. Accordingly, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming at evaluating the totality of evidence pertaining to the efficacy (or lack thereof) of HDT and auto-HCT as front-line consolidation in subjects with CLL. Materials and methods : A total of 475 references were identified through a systematic search of PUBMED/MEDLINE and Cochrane through June 26, 2014. Only four randomized controlled trials which included a total of 600 subjects were eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis. Data was meta-analyzed for benefits: progression-free survival (PFS) (data from 2 studies (total n=178)), event-free survival (EFS) (data from 2 studies (total n=422)), PFS or EFS (data from 4 studies (total n=600)), and overall survival (OS) (data from 4 studies (total n=600)); and harms: treatment related mortality (TRM) (data from 2 studies (total n=276)), development of any secondary malignancy ((data from 4 studies (total n=581)), or development of secondary MDS/AML in particular (data from 4 studies (total n=581)). Results : These results are reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Four studies enrolled a total of 301 subjects in the HDT/auto-HCT arm and 299 subjects in the control arm. Offering front-line HDT/auto-HCT did not improve PFS [Hazard ratio (HR)=0.70 (95%CI= 0.32, 1.52), p =0.37] or OS [HR=0.91 (95%CI= 0.62, 1.33), p =0.64]. An advantage favoring HDT/auto-HCT was observed in terms of EFS (HR=0.46 (95%CI= 0.26, 0.83), p =0.01] or when analysis included PFS or EFS [HR=0.54 (95%CI= 0.35, 0.82), p =0.004]. Moreover, HDT/auto-HCT did not result in higher TRM (Risk ratio (RR)=1.32 (95%CI= 0.43, 4.06), p =0.63]. When analyzing development of any secondary malignancy, no difference was observed whether subjects were offered HDT/auto-HCT or not [RR=1.06 (95%CI=0.55, 2.05), p =0.86]. A two-fold higher incidence of secondary MDS/AML, albeit not statistically significant, was observed with the HDT/auto-HCT approach [RR=1.95 (95%CI=0.60, 6.34), p =0.27]. Conclusion : Offering HDT/auto-HCT as front-line consolidation in patients with CLL does not improve OS. At the present time, this approach should be offered only in the context of a clinical trial. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Regional medicine news

Recent news regarding Zika virus in Texas and Hanta virus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico.
The "decrepit concept" of confidentiality, 30 years later.

Instead of trying to reduce the number of people who have access to a patient's medical record by quarantining information, hospitals should explain the current meaning of confidentiality to patients as part of the informed consent process.
Nanograin Size Effects on the Strength of Biphase Nanolayered Composites

In this work, we employ atomic-scale simulations to uncover the interface-driven deformation mechanisms in biphase nanolayered composites. Two internal boundaries persist in these materials, the interlayer crystalline boundaries and intralayer biphase interfaces, and both have nanoscale dimensions. These internal surfaces are known to control the activation and motion of dislocations, and despite the fact that most of these materials bear both types of interfaces. From our calculations, we find that the first defect event, signifying yield, is controlled by the intralayer spacing (grain size, d), and not the intralayer biphase spacing (layer thickness, h). The interplay of two internal sizes leads to a very broad transition region from grain boundary sliding dominated flow, where the material is weak and insensitive to changes in h, to grain boundary dislocation emission and glide dominated flow, where the material is strong and sensitive to changes in h. Such a rich set of states and size effects are not seen in idealized materials with one of these internal surfaces removed. These findings provide some insight into how changes in h and d resulting from different synthesis processes can affect the strength of nanolayered materials.
All-Silicon Optical Technology for Contactless Testing of Integrated Circuits

The uniqueness of the “all-silicon optical testing methodology” lies in the fact that it is fully an optical technique utilizing visible light, and it is completely compatible with standard silicon IC processing. It uses optical signals transmitted to the circuit for “inputting” the stimulus data and also uses optical signals from the circuit for observation of the logic output. In addition, this approach is fully compatible with the simultaneous use of mechanical probes for power and other signals. The approach avoids many of the limitations of other contactless techniques.