cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactant-Based Definitions of Intercultural Interaction at a Multicultural University

Through 80 in-depth interviews with university students of varied backgrounds, this study investigates how racially/ethnically different students define, make sense of, and evaluate intercultural interaction at the multicultural university. The findings reveal that student interviewees define and interpret intercultural interactions based on their specific perceptions of the nationality, race, or ethnicity of their interactants. Such a differential interactant-based definition of intercultural interaction yields great insight for the complexity of how intercultural interaction is understood and experienced in culturally heterogeneous settings.
Modeling topographic influences on fuel moisture and fire danger in complex terrain to improve wildland fire management decision support

Abstract Fire danger rating systems commonly ignore fine scale, topographically-induced weather variations. These variations will likely create heterogeneous, landscape-scale fire danger conditions that have never been examined in detail. We modeled the evolution of fuel moistures and the Energy Release Component (ERC) from the US National Fire Danger Rating System across the 2009 fire season using very high resolution (30 m) surface air temperature, humidity and snow ablation date models developed from a network of inexpensive weather sensors. Snow ablation date occurred as much as 28 days later on North-facing slopes than on South-facing slopes at upper elevations. South-facing slopes were hotter and drier than North-facing slopes but slope position, in addition to aspect, was also important because nocturnal air temperatures were coolest and humidity was highest in valley bottoms. These factors created heterogeneous fuel moistures and fire danger across the study area. In the late season (August and September), nocturnal cold air drainage and high relative humidity fostered fuel moisture recovery in valley bottoms, where fuel moistures and ERC values were 30% and 45% higher and lower, respectively at peak fire danger (September 29th). Dry fuel moistures and relatively high ERC values persisted on low elevation, South-facing slopes. The driest conditions were observed 100–200 m above the valley floor where mid-slope thermal belts frequently developed above areas of cold air pooling. We suggest that a complete understanding of these variations may help improve fire management decision making.
Understanding and Remembering: Children's Knowledge about the Differential Effects of Strategy and Task Variables on Comprehension and Memorization

Developmental changes in knowledge about the differences between the mental processes of comprehension and memory were investigated in 3 studies using first graders, third graders, and undergraduates as subjects. 2 types of knowledge were assessed: (a) knowledge about the types of strategies appropriate to achieving the goals of comprehension, memorization, or a combination of the 2; (b) knowledge about how different task variables differentially affect comprehension and memorization tasks. With respect to the former, only the 2 older groups showed some understanding of the differential effectiveness of rehearsal and word familiarity for memory versus comprehension and thus showed some understanding of the comprehension-memory distinction with respect to strategy knowledge. As for the latter, only undergraduates correctly differentiated between the 2 mental processes with respect to the task variables of list length, item familiarity, and the categorical organization of the items.
Plate assay for chemical- and radiation-induced mutagenesis of CAN1 in yeast as a function of post-treatment DNA replication: the effect of rad6-1

Abstract An agar post-treatment method was used to monitor levels of ultraviolte light-and hydrazine-induced mutagenesis at CAN 1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a function of post-treatment cell division prior to selection for canavanine-resistant mutants with a top-agar overlay containing canavanine. The advantage of this method is that its permits reliable measurements of mutation induction during the early period before, during, and after the first round of post-treatment DNA replication. In strains that are wild-type for DNA repair, ultraviolet light mutagenesis appears to be a pre-replicative phenomenon, while mutation by hydrazine involves a replicative or post-replicative mechanism. Most chemical mutagenesis in yeast requires a functional RAD 6 gene. Hydrazine mutability is also reduced by rad 6-1, suggesting a possible misrepair mechanism.
2-pyridylcarbinol N-oxide complexes from transition metal (II) nitrates

Abstract Complexes using 6:1, 4:1 and 2:1 mole ratios of 2-pyridylcarbinol N-oxide to metal (II) nitrate have been isolated. Characterization of the derived solids was accomplished using partial elemental analysis, molar conductivities, IR and electronic spectra. The title ligand was found to function as a nonbonding, monodentate and bidentate ligand and many of the derived compounds possessed coordinated nitrate groups.
Enhanced penetration of nitrosonornicotine across oral mucosa in the presence of ethanol

There is evidence for synergy between tobacco and alcohol in the etiology of oral cancer but the reason for such an effect is unclear. One possible explanation is that alcohol enhances the penetration of carcinogens through the oral lining. We measured the permeability in vitro of three regions of porcine oral mucosa to the tobacco associated carcinogen, nitrosonornicotine (NNN) alone and in the presence of 5% or 50% ethanol. 50% ethanol did not significantly alter the permeability of oral mucosa to NNN except for buccal mucosa, where it was reduced. However, there was a significant increase in the permeability of gingiva and floor of mouth mucosa (but not buccal mucosa) in the presence of 5% ethanol; this increase occurred after far shorter exposures for floor of mouth than for gingiva. These results accord well with studies showing that the floor of mouth is a "high risk area" for oral carcinoma and that there is an increased relative risk of oral cancer for heavy smokers and drinkers and, in particular, for those individuals who consume beverages with a low alcohol content.
Enterovirus-Associated Encephalitis in the California Encephalitis Project, 1998–2005

Background. Encephalitis is a relatively rare presentation of enterovirus (EV) infections. Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of EV encephalitis (EVE) have not been well characterized. Methods. Patients with encephalitis enrolled in the California Encephalitis Project from 1998 to 2005 were tested for a range of pathogens, including EV, using a standardized diagnostic algorithm. EVE was categorized as “confirmed” (EV detected in cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] or brain tissue) or “possible” (EV found in respiratory or fecal specimens or serum EV immunoglobulin [Ig] M detected). We compared clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of EVE with those of other infectious encephalitis cases. Results. EVE was diagnosed in 73 (4.6%) of 1571 patients (45 confirmed cases, 28 possible cases); 11.1% of cases had other infectious causes. Patients with confirmed EVE were younger, although 27% were adults, who presented with significantly less severe symptoms. Serotypes identified in EVE cases correlated with the predominant serotype for the given year reported to the National Enterovirus Surveillance System at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two of 4 fatal EVE cases were associated with EV71. Conclusion. EVs are an important cause of encephalitis cases requiring hospitalization, in both children and adults. Our data suggest that EVE severity varies by serotype, confirm the importance of CSF/brain tissue polymerase chain reaction, and demonstrate that serum IgM findings are of little value in diagnosing EVE. In the United States, encephalitis causes an estimated 19,000 hospitalizations and up to 1400 deaths each year
Quantum mechanically derived AMBER-compatible heme parameters for various states of the cytochrome P450 catalytic cycle

Molecular mechanics (MM) methods are computationally affordable tools for screening chemical libraries of novel compounds for sites of P450 metabolism. One challenge for MM methods has been the absence of a consistent and transferable set of parameters for the heme within the P450 active site. Experimental data indicate that mammalian P450 enzymes vary greatly in the size, architecture, and plasticity of their active sites. Thus, obtaining X-ray-based geometries for the development of accurate MM parameters for the major classes of hepatic P450 remains a daunting task. Our previous work with preliminary gas-phase quantum mechanics (QM)-derived atomic partial charges greatly improved the accuracy of docking studies of raloxifene to CYP3A4. We have therefore developed and tested a consistent set of transferable MM parameters based on gas-phase QM calculations of two model systems of the heme—a truncated (T-HM) and a full (F-HM) for four states of the P450 catalytic cycle. Our results indicate that the use of the atomic partial charges from the F-HM further improves the accuracy of docked predictions for raloxifene to CYP3A4. Different patterns for substrate docking are also observed depending on the choice of heme model and state. Newly parameterized heme models are tested in implicit and explicitly solvated MD simulations in the absence and presence of enzyme structures, for CYP3A4, and appear to be stable on the nanosecond simulation timescale. The new force field for the various heme states may aid the community for simulations of P450 enzymes and other heme-containing enzymes. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011
Variational principles for semiconductor device modeling with finite elements

Variational principles related to the three areas of semiconductor device modeling by the finite element method are presented. Some subtle points which are crucial to the successful application of the method are explored. It is suggested that the validity of the selected variational formulations must be carefully ensured, and that the physics disciplines provide the best guidance for the right selections.
Public Sector Debt Dynamics: The Persistence and Sources of Shocks to Debt in 10 EU Countries

This paper characterises the time series properties of debt:GDP ratios in ten EU countries over the period 1982-2009. It establishes that shocks to debt ratios persist and measures the size and source of the permanent effects of shocks as they evolve over time. The analysis shows that debt dynamics in the EU10 are complicated, involving important inter-country interactions and protracted adjustment periods of the order of ten years. We find evidence of asymmetries in the effects of different forms of ‘fiscal consolidation’, with unanticipated reductions in government spending having a more permanent effect than unanticipated increases in government revenue. Unanticipated business cycle fluctuations also have important long-term effects on the ratio.
Pre-transplant angiotensin receptor II type 1 antibodies and risk of post-transplant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis recurrence

Post-kidney transplant recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a major problem. AT1R is expressed on podocyte; its expression is elevated in the proteinuric state. Using an ELISA, we tested pre-transplant sera of 28 patients with history of idiopathic FSGS for anti-AT1R levels and serum soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) as a biomarker for risk of recurrence of FSGS. Sera from 11 patients with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) were used as controls. Twelve patients had biopsy proven post-transplant FSGS recurrence at 1.5 months. No difference was found in the pre-transplant suPAR levels of FSGS patients (5993 ± 2292 pg/mL) vs. PKD (7334 ± 4538 pg/mL) (p = 0.23). Serum suPAR levels in patients with FSGS recurrence (5786 ± 1899 pg/mL) vs. no FSGS recurrence (6149 ± 2598 pg/mL) (p = 0.69) were not different. Anti-AT1R levels in patients with FSGS were 12.66 ± 11.85 U/mL vs. 8.69 ± 6.52 U/mL in PKD (p = 0.32); however, a difference was found in patients with and without FSGS recurrence 20.41 ± 14.36 U/mL 6.84 ± 4.181 U/mL, respectively (p < 0.01). Area under curve for suPAR and anti-AT1R to predict post-transplant FSGS recurrence was 0.51 and 0.84, respectively. Pre-transplant anti-AT1R levels appear to be a helpful biomarker in identifying patients at high risk of post-transplant FSGS recurrence.
Correction for bias introduced by truncation in pharmacokinetic studies of environmental contaminants

Pharmacokinetic studies of biomarkers for environmental contaminants in humans are generally restricted to a few measurements per subject taken after the initial exposure. Subjects are selected for inclusion in the study if their measured body burden is above a threshold determined by the distribution of the biomarker in a control population. Such selection procedures introduce bias in the ordinary weighted least squares estimate of the decay rate caused by the truncation. We show that if the data are conditioned to lie above a line with slope-λ on the log scale then the weighted least squares estimate of λ is unbiased. We give an iterative estimation algorithm that produces this unbiased estimate with commercially available software for fitting a repeated measures linear model. The estimate and its efficiency are discussed in the context of a pharmacokinetic study of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Unbiasedness and efficiency are demonstrated with a simulation.
The snowball Earth hypothesis: testing the limits of global change

The gradual discovery that late Neoproterozoic ice sheets extended to sea level near the equator poses a palaeoenvironmental conundrum. Was the Earth’s orbital obliquity > 60� (making the tropics colder than the poles) for 4.0 billion years following the lunar-forming impact, or did climate cool globally for some reason to the point at which runaway ice-albedo feedback created a ‘snowball’ Earth? The high-obliquity hypothesis does not account for major features of the Neoproterozoic glacial record such as the abrupt onsets and terminations of discrete glacial events, their close association with large (> 10&) negative d 13 C shifts in seawater proxies, the deposition of strange carbonate layers (‘cap carbonates’) globally during post-glacial sea-level rise, and the return of large sedimentary iron formations, after a 1.1 billion year hiatus, exclusively during glacial events. A snowball event, on the other hand, should begin and end abruptly, particularly at lower latitudes. It should last for millions of years, because outgassing must amass an intense greenhouse in order to overcome the ice albedo. A largely ice-covered ocean should become anoxic and reduced iron should be widely transported in solution and precipitated as iron formation wherever oxygenic photosynthesis occurred, or upon deglaciation. The intense greenhouse ensures a transient post-glacial regime of enhanced carbonate and silicate weathering, which should drive a flux of alkalinity that could quantitatively account for the world-wide occurrence of cap carbonates. The resulting high rates of carbonate sedimentation, coupled with the kinetic isotope effect of transferring the CO2 burden to the ocean, should drive down the d 13 C of seawater, as is observed. If cap carbonates are the ‘smoke’ of a snowball Earth, what was the ‘gun’? In proposing the original Neoproterozoic snowball Earth hypothesis, Joe Kirschvink postulated that an unusual preponderance of land masses in the middle and low latitudes, consistent with palaeomagnetic evidence, set the stage for snowball events by raising the planetary albedo. Others had pointed out that silicate weathering would most likely be enhanced if many continents were in the tropics, resulting in lower atmospheric CO2 and a colder climate. Negative d 13 C shifts of 10–20& precede glaciation in many regions, giving rise to speculation that the climate was destabilized by a growing dependency on greenhouse methane, stemming ultimately from the same unusual continental distribution. Given the existing palaeomagnetic, geochemical and geological evidence for late Neoproterozoic climatic shocks without parallel in the Phanerozoic, it seems inevitable that the history of life was impacted, perhaps profoundly so.
The Impact of the Second Seasonal Spawn on the Nantucket Population of the Northern Bay Scallop

AbstractNantucket, Massachusetts, has one of the last remaining commercial fisheries of the bay scallop Argopecten irradians, which is based largely on natural recruitment. Though previously thought to spawn only once in early summer at age 1, individuals of the northern subspecies often spawn again in late summer or fall, and recruits from this second spawning can survive to reproduce again in their second summer. We formulated an age-based Leslie matrix model and estimated population growth rate with and without a second spawn based on data from 5 years of life history research. Elasticity analysis revealed that the population growth rate was most sensitive to juvenile survival, the major factor in recruitment rate, and year-1 adult fertility was a close second. We varied those two rates randomly in a stochastic matrix model, which represented the effect of environmental fluctuations on population growth. A life history modeled with a second spawn had a negligible effect on the deterministic population ...
Effects of Temperature and Microstructure on the Elastic Properties of Selected Eu2O3‐HfO2 Compositions

Europium sesquioxide is of interest as a control material for reactors because it has several large-cross-section isotopes which are formed successively on neutron capture. Elastic properties of Eu/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and selected Eu/sub 2/O/sub 3/-rich Eu/sub 2/O/sub 3/--HfO/sub 2/ compositions were investigated by the sonic technique from room temperature to 1500/sup 0/C. Sintered monoclinic Eu/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was found to have anomalously low room temperature moduli and to exhibit hystersis on thermal cycling. Fine-grained hot-pressed Eu/sub 2/O/sub 3/, as well as sintered specimens that contained at least 6 mol percent HfO/sub 2/, did not exhibit these anomalous characteristics.
Dibutyryl cAMP Reduces Nonparenchymal Cell Damage during Cold Preservation of Rat Livers

Sinusoidal lining cells are the main target for cold preservation injury and are further damaged with reperfusion. Different agents known to increase intracellular cAMP levels have been shown beneficial. This study was designed to assess the possible protective effect of a cAMP analogue on nonparenchymal cells of rat livers, during cold storage and during reperfusion. Parameters reflecting the status of the liver microvasculature were analyzed. The initial effluent collected after preservation reflects release during the cold storage period ; therefore we measured interleukin-1 (IL- 1) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in these samples in order to detect and quantitate the degree of activation and/or disruption of Kupffer and sinusoidal endothelial lining cells. Rat livers were harvested after in situ flush with Ringer's lactate with or without 2 mM dibutyryl cAMP, excised, and stored in the same solution at 4°C. After 6 hr, livers were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer for 90 min. Physiological parameters were monitored throughout the perfusion. Perfusate samples were collected every 30 min for RIA measurements of IL-1 and ET-1. Treatment resulted in a significant decrease in release of ET-1 and IL- 1 during storage. Likewise, livers treated with cAMP had a significantly improved bile output and decreased portal vein resistance during reperfusion. The beneficial effect granted by the analogue during cold storage and reperfusion was evident on parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells. Levels of ET-1 and IL-1 in the caval effluent confirm and quantitate preservation damage. © 1995 Academic Press, Inc.
The Mott transition as a cause of anomalies on spacecraft

In the Mott transition, an insulator with a critically high donor density undergoes a sudden transition to become a conductor. On the other hand, it is known that sufficiently high electric fields applied to dielectrics at ordinary charge densities can cause breakdown. The author conjectures that the critical donor density can be lowered by applying high electric fields to the insulators. Using a simple model encompassing the concepts of Debye, Poole, and Frenkel, the author has obtained a continuous curve connecting the two critical points, viz., critical density and critical field. The motivation of this work is spacecraft anomalies. They briefly review the circumstances of the most notable spacecraft failures in recent years. Although the true causes of the failures are probably system design specific and will probably never be known, it is likely that the failures were due to breakdowns or discharges in semiconductors or dielectrics. Irradiated dielectrics and semiconductors have defects and dangling bonds playing the role of donors. High electric fields are built by electrons deposited inside the dielectrics. With the use of the curve obtained, it is concluded that the insulator-conductor transition can occur at lower donor densities and lower electric fields than previously thought.
OPEN DISTAL CLAVICLE RESECTION

Abstract Since 1941, resection of the distal clavicle has been a proven treatment for symptomatic acromioclavicular (AC) joint pathology. Although arthroscopic techniques have been well developed, open distal clavicle resection remains the gold standard and in certain patients is the preferred technique for removal of the distal clavicle. A thorough understanding of the historical presentation, physical examination, and radiographic and MRI findings, as well as an appreciation for possible concomitant pathology, is necessary to properly select patients who will benefit from distal clavicle resection. Open distal clavicle resection may be performed expeditiously and at low cost through a cosmetically acceptable small saber-type incision, often in less time than it takes to set up arthroscopic equipment. Results of open distal clavicle resection demonstrate excellent symptomatic relief with low morbidity in properly selected patients. Attention to detail and knowledge of the anatomy of the AC joint is necessary to assure adequate but not excessive bone removal (usually 1 cm), and meticulous preservation of the superior capsule and deltotrapezial fascia allows for an anatomic closure of these stabilizing structures.
Subcarrier Allocation in Multiuser OFDM Systems: Complexity and Approximability

We consider a number of related problem formulations pertaining to adaptive subcarrier allocation in multiuser Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems, and prove that they are NP-hard. Thus there exist no known algorithms that can provide optimal solutions for all instances of these problems in polynomial time. We further prove that these problems are hard to approximate in polynomial time. Finally, we discuss qualitatively the settings under which worst case performance is likely to be observed.
Partitioning Subsets of Stable Models

This paper discusses two combinatorial problems in stability theory. First we prove a partition result for subsets of stable models: for any A and B, we can partition A into |B | |B |, then we try to find A 0 A and B 0 B such that |A 0 | is as large as possible, |B 0 | is as small as possible, and A 0 | ^ B 0 B. We prove some positive results in this direction, and we then discuss the optimality of these results under ZFC + GCH.
The Driver's Reference Point as a Function of Vehicle Type, Direction and Radius of Turn:

A study was conducted to determine the location of the point on the long axis of an automobile which intersects the center line of a prescribed path when driven under a variety of conditions. The variables investigated were: (1) Vehicle type; a large full-size car, a compact car and a bus-type vehicle were employed. (2) Radius of turn; 50 and 25 ft to the center of a circular lane. (3) Direction of turn; right and left turns. Twenty-four subjects participated in the study, each driving all cars under all conditions. Significant differences in the location of the mean points of intersection relative to the front bumper within and between cars were associated with the various conditions. Location of the driver eye points relative to the points of intersection differed little, especially in the 25-ft radius condition.
Giant components in Kronecker graphs

Let \documentclass{article} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{amsmath, amssymb} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \begin{align*}n\in\mathbb{N}\end{align*} \end{document} **image** , 0 \documentclass{article} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{amsmath, amssymb} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \begin{align*}\mathbb{Z}_2^n\end{align*} \end{document} **image** , where the probability that u is adjacent to v is given by pu,v =α u⋅vγ(1-u)⋅(1-v)βn-u⋅v-(1-u)⋅(1-v). This model has been shown to obey several useful properties of real-world networks. We establish the asymptotic size of the giant component in the random Kronecker graph.© 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg.,2011 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shuffle Equations, Parallel Transition Systems and Equational Petri Nets

Consider how one might describe the sequences of atomic actions IF] performable by a s tandard deterministic flowchart scheme F . One can exhibit F as a finite directed graph whose vertices are labeled with letters in a ranked alphabet ~2 (if the vertex v has outdegree k, then the letter labeling v is in the set ~k ). Then we say that the set [F] is the set of all labels of paths in F from the 'begin vertex' to the exit. If one wants to refine this notion further, one can associate a labeled tree with F, the so called 'unfolding' of F , and define [F] as this tree. To describe the tree in great detail, one can show how to associate a tree of depth at most one with each node in the underlying graph of F . This association takes the form of a system of equations. For example, suppose that F is the flowchart scheme:
The N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Antagonist CNS 1102 Protects Cerebral Gray and White Matter From Ischemic Injury Following Temporary Focal Ischemia in Rats

Background and Purpose—Cerebral white matter is as sensitive as gray matter to ischemic injury and is probably amenable to pharmacological intervention. In this study we investigated whether an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, CNS 1102, protects not only cerebral gray matter but also white matter from ischemic injury. Methods—Ten rats underwent 15 minutes of temporary focal ischemia and were blindly assigned to CNS 1102 intravenous bolus injection (1.13 mg/kg) followed by intravenous infusion (0.33 mg/kg per hour) for 3.75 hours or to vehicle (n=5 per group) immediately after reperfusion. Seventy-two hours after ischemia, the animals were perfusion fixed for histology. The severity of neuronal necrosis in the cortex and striatum was semiquantitatively analyzed. The Luxol fast blue–periodic acid Schiff stain and Bielschowsky’s silver stain were used to measure optical densities (ODs) of myelin and axons, respectively, in the internal capsule of both hemispheres, and the OD ratio was calculated to re...
Interconnect Emulator for Aiding Performance Analysis of Distributed Memory Applications

Many modern large graph and Big Data processing applications operate on datasets that do not fit into DRAM of a single machine. This leads to a design of scale-out applications, where the application dataset is partitioned and processed by a cluster of machines. Distributed memory applications exhibit complex behavior: they tend to interleave computations and communications, use bursty transfers, and utilize global synchronization primitives. This makes it difficult to analyze the impact of communication layer on the application performance and answer the questions: how interconnect latency or bandwidth characteristics may change the application performance will the application performance scale when processed by a larger system? In this work, we introduce a novel emulation framework, called InterSense, which is implemented on top of existing high-speed interconnect, such as InfiniBand, and which provides two performance knobs for changing the (today's) interconnect bandwidth and latency. This approach offers an easy-to-use framework for a sensitivity analysis of complex distributed applications to communication layer performance instead of creating customized and time-consuming application models to answer the same questions. We evaluate the emulator accuracy with popular OSU MPI benchmark suite and two clusters with different generation InfiniBand interconnects (DDR and FDR): InterSense emulates the specified andwidth and latency values with less than 2% error between the expected and measured values. To demonstrate the InterSense's ease of use, we present a case study, where we apply InterSense for sensitivity analysis of four applications and benchmarks for getting non-trivial insights.
Commentary on: The Safe Labiaplasty: A Study of Nerve Density in Labia Minora and Its Implications

This paper1 is reassuring that the nerve supply to the labia minora is preserved in most mainstream conservative labiaplasty techniques. However, it does not state whether labia minora presence is a significant aspect of female sexual gratification, and I do not know of any study that clarifies labial sensory significance. Female sexual gratification is almost certainly due to many factors including stimulation of the clitoris, clitoral frenula, and internally to the vagina and G-spot. In addition, patient confidence and comfort in appearance psychologically affects sexuality. Since the authors state that “the cutaneous nerve bundles originate from superior to inferior and tend to course more readily along the most outer edge of labia minora,” I would theorize that the wedge techniques are probably more reliable in maintaining labial sensation as they preserve a large amount of the labial outer edge. I have performed thousands of central wedge labiaplasties, often combined with clitoral repositioning, clitoral hood reduction, clitoral reductions, and labia majora reductions. I have not had patients complaining of loss of sensation or sexual satisfaction.2 If so, …
Estimating Exposures and Health Risks for Alternative Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently reviewing the ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) to determine if the existing standard “protects public health with an adequate margin of safety.” In providing an adequate margin of safety, the Administrator is regulating not only to prevent pollution levels that have been demonstrated to be harmful, but also to prevent pollutant levels for which the risks of harm are considered unacceptable. In order to weigh these risks for margin of safety purposes, EPA assesses such factors as the nature and severity of the health effects associated with pollutant exposure, the degree of total human exposures (i.e., indoor and outdoor), and the risks (probabilities) of occurrences and expected number of specified adverse health effects being experienced when alternative ozone NAAQS are just met.
Analysis on the Distribution of Serotypes and Drug Resistance with SalmonellaStrains,Fujian Province,2006-2011

Objective To understand the distribution of serotypes and drug resistance with Salmonellastrains from clinical patients in Fujian province during 2006-2011. Methods According to the protocol of Salmonella surveillance,the work was carried out in the selected five monitoring sites. Results A total of 449 Salmonella strains were isolated, which were all subspecies enterica of Salmonella enterica I and IIIb,ascribing to ten serogroups(eleven subgroups)and thirty-nine serotypes.The serogroups of " A to F" accounted for 98.89% in these serotypes.S.Typhimurium and S.Enteritidis were the most common serotypes with the highest detection rates.The serogroup of " P" and ten new serotypes(variety)were found in the province for the first time,and S.Typhimurium was still a serotype with acutely drug resistance.More or less,most strains of Salmonella were resistant to some antibiotic,such as Nalidixic acid,Streptomycin, Sulfamethoxazole,Trimethoprim,Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,Tetracycline,Ampicillin,while they were sensitive to cephalosporin,ciprofloxacin,amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Conclusion S.Typhimurium and S.Enteritidis are the major serotypes in Fujian province.More or less,most strains are resistant to the drugs,such as Nalidixic acid,Streptomycin,Sulfamethoxazole,Tetracycline and Ampicillin
THRESHOLD OF FATIGUE CRACK INITIATION OF 13SiMnNiCrMoV STRUCTURAL STEEL NOTCHED SPECIMEN

Stress intensity factor for a sharp crack is used to reflect the crack initiation froma three point bend notched specimen.Structural steel 13SiMnNiCrMoV is studied in this paper.With R=0.1,f=100Hz and the specimen size B×W×L=12.5×25×117mm,the nominalstress range at the threshold of crack initiation from the notch,or the equivalent ΔK_(th),isfound to be dependent on the notch radius ρ.An empirical relationship among the number ofcycles N_i required to initiate a crack,the nominal stress range Δσ(Δσ_(th))and the notch ra-dius ρ is obtained.The previous result that(ΔK_1/ρ~(1/2))_(th) was independent on ρ is discussed in thispaper.
City Design: Modernist, Traditional, Green and Systems Perspectives

City Design describes the history and current practice of the four most widely accepted approaches to city design: the Modernist city of towers and highways that, beginning in the 1920s, has come to dominate urban development worldwide but is criticized as mechanical and soul-less; the Traditional organization of cities as streets and public places, scorned by the modernists, but being revived today for its human scale; Green city design, whose history can be traced back thousands of years in Asia, but is becoming increasingly important everywhere as sustainability and the preservation of the planet are recognized as basic issues, and finally Systems city design, which includes infrastructure and development regulation but also includes computer aided techniques which give designers new tools for managing the complexity of cities. This new, revised edition of City Design includes a larger format and improved interior design allowing for better image quality. The author has also included wider global coverage and context with more international examples throughout, as well as new coverage on designing for informal settlements and new research conclusions about the immediacy of sea level rise and other climate change issues that affect cities, which sharpen the need for design measures discussed in the book. Authoritative yet accessible, City Design covers complicated issues of theory and practice, and its approach is objective and inclusive. This is a comprehensive text on city design ideal for planners, landscape architects, urban designers and those who want to understand how to improve cities.
Light Initiated Protein Relaxation

Absorption of light by solvatochromic dyes including tryptophan leads to formation of an excited state with a change in the magnitude and/or direction of its permanent electric dipole moment. The excited state can interact with surrounding atoms with formation of a relaxed state. The kinetics of this process can be measured by time/energy-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Time-dependent spectral shifts (time-resolved emission spectra) provide information about protein relaxation. Ground-state heterogeneity, two-state excited-state reactions, and dielectric relaxation all give rise to time-dependent spectral shifts. Ways to tell these processes apart are discussed. Examples are presented which illustrate how rates and extent of spectral shifts can differentiate between ordered and disordered parts of a protein molecule. Rates of spectral shifts can be related to nanosecond motions of specific protein residues.
Airbnb: Online targeted advertising, sense of power, and consumer decisions

Abstract Social media such as Facebook are a rich source of consumer information; however, how to effectively use such big data remains a question. To that end, marketers need to develop personalized messages to enhance click-through rates and online purchases. This study explores online advertising strategies for an emerging lodging concept—Airbnb. Airbnb distinguishes itself from traditional hotels by offering guests a “feeling at home” (e.g., belongingness) and an “atypical place to stay” (e.g., uniqueness). In this research, we examine the interaction effect of advertising appeal (belongingness vs. uniqueness) and an individual’s sense of power (low vs. high) on click-through intention and purchase intention. The findings suggest that powerless individuals respond more favorably to the belongingness appeal, whereas powerful individuals react more positively to the uniqueness appeal. Furthermore, results from a mediation analysis reveal that self-brand connection is the underlying mechanism that explains these effects. Managerial implications for hospitality marketers are discussed.
Random Number Generation in HIV Disease: Associations with Neuropsychological Functions and Activities of Daily Living

Author(s): Sheppard, David P; Woods, Steven Paul; Doyle, Katie L; Verduzco, Marizela; The HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program (HNRP) Group | Abstract: ObjectiveHIV is associated with frontostriatal dysregulation and executive dysfunction. This study evaluated whether HIV-infected individuals evidence deficits in random number generation (RNG), which is a strategic task requiring paced, rule-guided production of digits.MethodIn total, 74 HIV+ adults and 54 seronegative comparison participants completed a comprehensive research neuropsychological battery. Participants produced a random digit sequence by avoiding any order and using numbers 1 through 10 for 100 s at a pace of 1 digit/s. Outcomes included intrusions, repetitions, seriation (1-2-3-4), and cycling (median length of gaps between repeating digits).ResultsHIV disease was associated with higher levels of seriation and cycling (psnl .05) but not intrusions or repetitions (psng .10). Among HIV+ individuals, higher seriation was associated with neuropsychological performance including poorer auditory attention, verbal learning, and delayed memory, whereas higher cycling scores were associated with poorer delayed memory and verbal fluency (psnl .05). Higher seriation also was independently associated with self-reported declines in activities of daily living (ADLs) in the HIV+ group.ConclusionsIndividuals living with HIV disease evidence moderate difficulties in inhibiting statistically unlikely non-random sequences, which showed medium associations with higher order verbal abilities and may contribute to greater declines in everyday functioning outcomes. Future studies might examine RNG's role in health behaviors such as medical decision-making or medication adherence.
To treat or not to treat (to target) in gout

The editorialists discuss the American College of Physicians guidelines on the diagnosis and management of gout, as well as the limitations of the existing literature and the clinical issues that r...
Detecting spatial patterns of rivermouth processes using a geostatistical framework for near-real-time analysis

Abstract This paper proposes a geospatial analysis framework and software to interpret water-quality sampling data from towed undulating vehicles in near-real time. The framework includes data quality assurance and quality control processes, automated kriging interpolation along undulating paths, and local hotspot and cluster analyses. These methods are implemented in an interactive Web application developed using the Shiny package in the R programming environment to support near-real time analysis along with 2- and 3-D visualizations. The approach is demonstrated using historical sampling data from an undulating vehicle deployed at three rivermouth sites in Lake Michigan during 2011. The normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) of the interpolation averages approximately 10% in 3-fold cross validation. The results show that the framework can be used to track river plume dynamics and provide insights on mixing, which could be related to wind and seiche events.
Low Power Robust FinFET-Based SRAM Design in Scaled Technologies

FinFETs have emerged as alternatives to conventional bulk MOSFETs in scaled technologies due to superior gate control of the channel, lower short channel effects and higher scalability. However, width quantization in FinFETs constrains the design space of FinFET-based circuits, especially SRAMs in which transistor sizing is critical for the circuit robustness. The adverse effects of width quantization can be mitigated by appropriate device-circuit co-design of FinFET-based memories. This chapter describes some of such techniques with an emphasis on the device-circuit interactions associated with each methodology. The impact of different technology options in FinFETs like gate-underlap, fin orientation, fin height, gate workfunction and independent control of the gates on the stability, power and performance of 6 T SRAMs is discussed.
The conditional sojourn time distribution in the GI/M/1 processor-sharing queue in heavy traffic

We treat the GI/M/1 queue with a processor-sharing server, in the heavy traffic case. Using perturbation methods, we construct asymptotic expansions for the conditional sojourn time distribution of a tagged customer conditioned on the tagged customer's service time. The resulting approximation is simple in form and involves only the first three moments of the interarrival time distribution.
Biological Technology—Plea for a New Commitment

The 1940’s and the 50’s are said to be the age of nuclear physics; the 60’s the age of space. The 1970’s and 80’s and beyond may very well be the age of biochemistry and molecular biology. That is the age when medical scientists will overcome the last few deadly diseases such as cancer and heart failure. That is the age when biochemists will learn to manipulate genetic engineering to produce food bearing, fast growing plants and meat animals. That is the age when highly nutritious and tasty synthetic food will be made from extracts of leaves and wastes. That is the age when enzymes will be broadly used as catalysts for chemical synthesis that creates no pollutants and wastes no energy. That is the age when solar energy can be absorbed via biochemical conversion to produce hydrogen and liquid fuel. BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY comprises the skill and the know-how necessary for implementing the above-mentioned for increased productivity and well being of the people of this country.
IN VIVO AND IN VITRO EFFECTS OF ENDOTOXIN ON HEPATIC MEMBRANE TRANSPORT OF Na+ K+, AND Ca2+

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the in vivo and in vitro effects of endotoxin on hepatic membrane transport of Na+, K+, and Ca2+. The membrane transport of ions plays a key role in the regulation of osmotic, secretory, and metabolic functions in a variety of cells. Alterations in membrane ionic mechanisms could contribute to cellular metabolic injury occurring in circulatory shock. The chapter presents a study in which active K transport was estimated by determining total exchangeable cellular potassium and the permeability to potassium was assessed by quantitating rate coefficient of K efflux. Preincubation of control liver slices with endotoxin decreased the exchangeable cellular potassium without significantly affecting the rate coefficient of K efflux.
Immunopathology of Malignant Disease in Experimental Animals Virus-Induced Tumors

Consideration of the virus-induced solid tumors naturally raises the question as to why the immunopathology of these systems should be separately discussed, rather than lumped together with the spontaneous and other experimentally induced tumors. Separate consideration of the virus-induced tumors can be justified by the unique and well-defined properties of these systems which allow in-depth analysis of the relationship of the inducing agent, the neoplastic state, and the host response. The interaction of an oncogenic virus with a host cell sets in motion a set sequence of events which is completely reproducible and distinctive for each type of virus and cell involved. Although tissue culture conditions are not completely analogous to tumorigenesis in the intact organism, the ease with which many oncogenic viruses can cause cellular transformation, and the importance of early virus-cell interactions leading to the transformed state, has enabled the convenient use of tissue culture systems to gain valuable insight into these processes.
Angioscopy in the evaluation of interventional cardiovascular procedures

Newly developed, high-resolution fiberoptic angioscopes allow direct percutaneous examination of the endothelial surface of the coronary artery during acute interventional therapy. Our initial experience with these devices was achieved during peripheral and coronary bypass surgery (1). Our present research is aimed at translating our intraoperative experience to percutaneous procedures. Coronary artery stenosis is known to cause angina pectoris but the etiology of acute changes in symptoms is not well defined. Coronary spasm, progressive stenosis, ruptured endothelium, and coronary thrombosis have all been implicated as causes of unstable angina. These same mechanisms may also play a role in the acute interventional setting. Systematic angiographic studies have shown that coronary thrombosis is present in as few as 2% or as many as 52% of patients with unstable angina. However, in a recent study, 96% of patients dying within 6 h of an acute ischemic event were found to have coronary thrombi or ulcerated plaque at autopsy (2). The cause of acute failure in the interventional setting remains poorly defined. The goal of our research is to define the sequence of events which occurs during acute angioplasty failure and the causes of acute ischemic syndromes.
Effects of Depreciation and Appreciation of the Vietnamese Dong on Aggregate Output

Applying an extended IS-MP-AS model (Romer, 2000, 2006), this paper finds that real appreciation of the Vietnamese dong raised aggregate output during 2000-2012 whereas real depreciation of the Vietnamese dong increased aggregate output during 2013-2017. In addition, aggregate output is positively affected by the government debt-to-GDP ratio, the real stock price, and the real oil price and negatively influenced by the world real interest rate and the expected inflation rate. Therefore, real depreciation may affect aggregate output positively or negatively depending upon the stage of economic development.