cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Next Generation Sequencing as a Tool to Track Low-dose Effects Linked to Transformation

4/2011 to 3/2012. A program was designed which cross-referenced the frequency of a given Rx within the test period compared to the reference control period. RT Rx were flagged if a dose and fractionation scheme had never been prescribed for that site or was infrequent for that site (i.e., <1% or <5%). Results: There were 4 recurring Rx (3.7%) found to be infrequent at the <1% cutoff level. There were 24 Rx (22%) found to be infrequent at the <5% cutoff level. Interestingly, there were 26 unique Rx which had not been prescribed previously during the reference control time period. Investigation into these unique Rx identified multiple etiologies including: new technique (15/26), unique palliative dosing (7/26), incorrect/multiple ICD9 specifications (3/26), and undeliverable Rx (1/26). Conclusion: Our analysis demonstrates that it is feasible to cross-reference RT Rx to ICD9 linked diagnoses to identify dose-fractionation schemes that are infrequent for a given diagnosis and require further investigation by the RT team. Implementation of a cross-referencing system during order entry of RT Rx could also alert the physician to infrequently used Rx for a given diagnosis thereby providing an additional level of consistency of care across patients and by physicians working in one practice. Author Disclosure: A. Sharabi: None. T. McNutt: None. T. DeWeese: None.
Process development and characterization of spraying carbon nanofibers over fabrics for reinforcing polymer composites

Process development and characterization of spraying carbon nanofibers (CNF) over carbon fiber fabrics for reinforcing polymer composites are presented in this study. The molded composite structure consists of a high-temperature polymer reinforced with carbon fiber fabrics sprayed with different dosages of carbon nanofibers. The materials were molded using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process. Tensile testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the molded materials. The results show that the tensile strength and modulus were both improved over the molded materials without CNF. Spraying CNF with a dosage of an 8 mg/mm 2 of the used fabrics helped to increase the tensile strength by 12%. The tensile modulus increased by 28% with a CNF dosage of 16 mg/mm 2 . Uniform distribution of CNF was observed under SEM in the molded composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 00:000–000, 2013. V C 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
A 16-b D/A converter with increased spurious free dynamic range

A novel approach to D/A switch design has resulted in improved frequency domain performance for direct digital synthesis for clock rates up to 40 MSPS. Use of the new switch in a BiCMOS 16-b DAC has achieved a spurious free dynamic range of greater than 80 dB. >
Inequalities in Children's Environment The Case of Britain

This article uses data from the British Household Panel Survey to examine inequalities in children's environment. In particular, it examines the relationship between income and deprivation. Results show that although income is a major determinant of deprivation, the two concepts do not overlap entirely. For example, more than 40 percent of the most deprived children are not found in the poorest income category. Furthermore, about 15 percent of the poorest children fare better than average on the deprivation index. Multivariate analysis reveals that household structure accounts partly for the relatively weak relationship between income and deprivation. Children growing up with never-married lone mothers appear especially disadvantaged, even after controlling for income.
Relative importance of burrow sediment and porewater to the accumulation of trace metals in the clam Amiantis umbonella.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the infaunal, facultative deposit-feeding clam Amiantis umbonella as a bioindicator of trace-metal contamination and the relative importance of clam burrow sediment and porewater to total accumulation in an urban/industrial coastal environment. Concentrations of eight trace metals (cadmium [Cd], chromium, copper, mercury [Hg], nickel, lead [Pb], vanadium, and zinc) were measured in the soft tissues of clams and in sediment and porewater from clam burrows along a 5-km transect from desalination/power plant discharges in inner Kuwait Bay. All metals had significantly greater concentrations in clams collected near the desalination/power plant discharges than from the reference site and exhibited decreasing trends with distance from the point source in clam soft tissues and burrow sediment and porewater. Concentrations of Hg (1–9 ppm [dry weight]) and the highest concentrations of Pb (3 ppm) and Cd (7 ppm) in clams from contaminated sites in Kuwait Bay were greater than human consumption limits. Metal concentrations in clams were correlated with those in burrow sediment and porewater across all sites and at sites closest to the point source but not within the reference site. The concentrations of all metals, except Pb, in clams from the contaminated sites were more highly correlated with those in clam burrow sediment than porewater. Concentrations of Pb in clam soft tissues were more strongly correlated with those in burrow porewater than sediment. These results indicate that A. umbonella is an excellent bioindicator of trace metal contamination and that sediment is an important source of contaminant metals to this infaunal clam; however, the source of each metal must be evaluated separately.
Pituitary leptin-A paracrine regulator of gonadotropes: A review

Leptin, a potent anorexigenic hormone secreted primarily by adipocytes, is known to be expressed in the anterior pituitary. Studies in our laboratory found leptin proteins and mRNA predominantly in somatotropes in normal male and cycling female rats. In contrast, leptin expression predominated in gonadotropes during pregnancy and lactation. Leptin expression varied with the cycle and was enhanced, in vitro by gonadotropin releasing hormone and Neuropeptide Y. In contrast, ghrelin inhibited pituitary leptin expression. Pituitary leptin in somatotropes or gonadotropes was reduced by nutritional deprivation for 24 h. However, growth hormone (GH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and pituitary leptin recovered if fasted animals were given glucose water. The glucose-mediated recovery suggests that the system is sensitive to changes in serum glucose. Somatotropes and gonadotropes also recovered if pituitary cells from fasted rats were stimulated in vitro with 1-100 pg/ml leptin. This in vitro leptin-mediated recovery suggests that leptin is important in the maintenance of somaotropes and gonadotropes. Collectively, the data suggest that pituitary leptin might serve as a "glucostat", sensing levels of serum glucose and reporting this nutritional state to somaotropes and gonadotropes in a paracrine manner. A decrease in pituitary leptin might signal nutritional deprivation to somatotropes and gonadotropes, lowering LH and GH production and allowing for conservation of resources. Lower GH would help conserve fat stores and lower LH would promote survival over reproduction.
Methods to achieve zero human error in semiconductors manufacturing

The word of automation has been realized in semiconductors industry since assembly machine become automatic since mid 80's. The major enabler was implementation of pattern recognition system (PRS) in order to replace eyes oriented operation such as bonding location targeting. Over the last two decades, many machine manufacturers have managed to achieve fast, accurate, and repeatable bonding without much manual assistance. However, all the assembly machine manufacturers have not achieved one point process window, meaning major parameters still need to be in a specific optimum range. In many machines, password control has been known as the most often used method to control risks of human errors. Even that, several major risks of human errors could not be contained or controlled at some operation steps. One of those steps was requirement to perform recipe download, which was necessary to run various devices and packages in production. Meanwhile, recipe editing could not be avoided especially due to almost impossible opportunity in obtaining one hundred percent of PRS lighting robustness over time. Despite that, some of the non-closed loop machine parameters such as actual bond force, temperature and ultrasonic power would still require manual recording in checklist. On the other hand, most of the material handling such as bonding wire, and leadframe also require operator assistance and judgment. In order to resolve these potential human errors, a new advanced automated method was created base on the concept of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). With commercial communication protocols, machines work interactively with host computer at various operation steps. The new CIM system has enabled various human dependant steps either automated or effectively controlled. The first few steps governed possible errors in production lot, machine ID, operator ID, and material handling. This information would be verified against multiple system databases, including planning, bill of material, machine maintenance record, operator skill certification, etc. After that, all major machine parameters would be obtained and sent to host computer with predetermined frequency, performed without human assistance. Upon receiving these data, they would be compared against process window, and any violation will trigger machine shut down. In the final stage, the correct recipe will be downloaded into machine and start allowing material flow in production. The whole system was designed and incorporated into Web-base access, convenient to extract any information at anytime and anywhere. One of the significant differences in comparing to an in-line automated system, this CIM system development and deployment do not require high cost, and hence it applies to a wide range of machines. This CIM system has proven to be a cost effective method to achieve zero human error in semiconductors manufacturing
Competitive algorithms for the dynamic selection of component implementations

As component-based development matures, more and more applications are built by integrating multiple distributed components. We suggest providing components with multiple implementations, each optimized for a particular workload, and augmenting the component run-time environment with a mechanism for switching between implementations. This mechanism monitors the types of requests the component is receiving, and adaptively switches implementations for optimal application performance. Achieving this optimal performance depends on making good choices as to when and how to switch implementations, a problem we refer to as the adaptive component problem. We first formalize the generic problem and then provide an algorithm, named Delta, for switching implementations in the special case when the component has exactly two implementations. We show that this algorithm is (3 + )-competitive with respect to the optimal algorithm, where is a small fraction. We establish a 3-competitive lower bound for the problem, which implies that Delta is close to optimal. We describe the application of these results to the distributed pub/sub problem, and the data structure selection problem.
The Categorization of Ethnic Stereotypes by University Counselors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of cognitive organizational factors on stereotyping. Using a free-sort task, it was found that university counselors tend to form constellations of stereotypes that correspond to specific ethnic groups. Although there was a tendency not to differentiate Anglo and Asian American stereotypes, Chicano stereotypes were well differentiated from the other two groups. Implications for research and the provision of mental health services are discussed.
The Interstellar Depletion Mystery, or where have all those Atoms Gone?

The observed depletion of intermediate-weight elements O, C, and N from the interstellar medium is shown to be significantly greater than can be accounted for by accretion on interstellar dust. A number of possible explanations are presented, ranging from the existence in interstellar space of many 'snowballs' intermediate in size between dust grains and comets to the existence of many far more complicated interstellar molecules than have been detected.
Interfacial structure and chemistry in a ceramic/polymer composite material

The microstructure and microchemistry of ceramic/polymer interfaces in a calcium aluminate/polyvinyl alcohol composite material have been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution electron microscopy (HREM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Interfaces consisted of an amorphous interphase layer, inside of which were dispersed metastably retained CaAl2O5 · 8H2O crystallites. The amorphous phase was a mixture of the hydration products of calcium aluminate and aluminum–crosslinked, polyvinyl alcohol. The crystalline hydration product CaAl2O5 · 8H2O was metastably retained due to polymer poisoning of nucleation sites and significant reduction of conversion kinetics.
Detection of significant demographic differences between subpopulations of prehispanic Maya from Copan, Honduras, by survival analysis.

Heterogeneity and small sample size are problems that affect many paleodemographic studies. The former can cause the overall distribution of age at death to be an amalgam that does not accurately reflect the distributions of any of the groups composing the heterogeneous population. The latter can make it difficult to separate significant from nonsignificant demographic differences between groups. Survival analysis, a methodology that involves the survival distribution function and various regression models, can be applied to distributions of age at death in order to reveal statistically significant demographic differences and to control for heterogeneity. Survival analysis was used on demographic data from a heterogeneous sample of skeletons of low status Maya who lived in and around Copan, Honduras, between A.D. 400 and 1200. Results contribute to understanding the collapse of Classic Maya civilization.
Interleukin-1β expression in the pineal gland of the rat

Increasing evidence of the neuroimmunomodulatory role of the pineal gland prompted the present study of pineal gland expression of the immunoregulatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-1beta. IL-1beta was constitutively expressed in the adult gland, with mRNA levels higher in glands collected during the photophase than in those collected during the scotophase of the light:dark cycle. IL-1beta was up-regulated in pineal cultures, after treatment with either norepinephrine (NE) or interferon (IFN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Although both astrocytes and microglia expressed IL-1beta, important differences were found in the cellular expression of this cytokine under in vivo and in vitro conditions. Increased IL-1beta expression by NE ex vivo and the decline in IL-1 expression at night, when NE levels are elevated, can be explained by immunocytochemical data showing that astrocytes are the predominant cell type expressing this cytokine in vivo, whereas IL-1beta-positive cells are predominantly microglia in pineal explants and dispersed cell cultures. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that cytokines secreted by pineal glia (astrocytes and microglia) may have an important regulatory role in the pineal gland.
Inferring Character From Faces: A Developmental Study

Human adults attribute character traits to faces readily and with high consensus. In two experiments investigating the development of face-to-trait inference, adults and children ages 3 through 10 attributed trustworthiness, dominance, and competence to pairs of faces. In Experiment 1, the attributions of 3- to 4-year-olds converged with those of adults, and 5- to 6-year-olds' attributions were at adult levels of consistency. Children ages 3 and above consistently attributed the basic mean/nice evaluation not only to faces varying in trustworthiness (Experiment 1) but also to faces varying in dominance and competence (Experiment 2). This research suggests that the predisposition to judge others using scant facial information appears in adultlike forms early in childhood and does not require prolonged social experience.
No time to countdown: migrating backoff to the frequency domain

Conventional WiFi networks perform channel contention in time domain. This is known to be wasteful because the channel is forced to remain idle while all contending nodes are backing off for multiple time slots. This paper proposes to break away from convention and recreate the backing off operation in the frequency domain. Our basic idea leverages the observation that OFDM subcarriers can be treated as integer numbers. Thus, instead of picking a random backoff duration in time, a contending node can signal on a randomly chosen subcarrier. By employing a second antenna to listen to all the subcarriers, each node can determine whether its chosen integer (or subcarrier) is the smallest among all others. In fact, each node can even determine the rank of its chosen subcarrier, enabling the feasibility of scheduled transmissions after every round of contention. We develop these ideas into a Back2F protocol that migrates WiFi backoff to the frequency domain. Experiments on a prototype of 10 USRPs confirm feasibility, along with consistent throughput gains over 802.11. at high bit rates. Trace based simulations affirm scalability to larger, real-world network topologies.
Measures of Repression: Converging on the Same Construct?

Research on individual differences in repression, defined as the tendency not to experience negative thoughts and feelings, has led to the development of numerous measures. This article compares six common measures of repression: 1) the Byrne Repression-Sensitization scale, 2) Weinberger's Repressive Coping Scale, 3) the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory, 4) Miller's Monitoring and Blunting Scale, 5) Sackeim and Gur's Self-Deception Questionnaire, and 6) Paulus's Self-Deception Questionnaire. The measures were highly intercorrelated. A maximum likelihood factor analysis revealed that all but the Monitoring and Blunting Scale loaded on a single factor. Moreover, most of the measures correlated significantly with anxiety and social desirability. The instruments were then compared to assess their relative practical utility. Although all but the Monitoring and Blunting scale appear to measure the same construct, the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory appears to be the most psychometrically sound measure of disposi...
Effect of cryptorchidism and orchidopexy on 3B hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in rat testicle.

The activity of 3B hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3BHSD), an enzyme intimately involved in the biosynthesis of testosterone, was histochemically examined in cryptorchid testes of the rat and also after subsequent orchidopexy. Enzyme activity was severely depressed in testes held 15 days or longer in the abdominal cavity but promptly returned to normal in testes that were returned to the scrotum. This particular enzyme system was not permanently injured in the rat by the cryptorchid condition up to 40 days.
Diabetes Mellitus in Women Can be RUTHless Lessons From the Raloxifene Use for The Heart (RUTH) Trial

Since 1998, when Haffner et al1 reported that adults from Finland with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were at the same risk for future myocardial infarction as adults with previous myocardial infarction, guidelines have increasingly advocated that people with DM are cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk equivalents and should be treated as secondary prevention. However, since that time, mixed results have been obtained by evaluating other cohorts, with several results not being able to demonstrate that adults with DM achieve a 20% 10-year risk. This concept of cardiac risk equivalency with DM has come under scrutiny. Article see p 164 The investigators of the Raloxifene Use for the Heart (RUTH) trial2 thus evaluated a very large cohort of women and followed them up for CVD events and all-cause mortality to evaluate this premise. This trial demonstrated that women with DM without known coronary heart disease (CHD) had a lower risk of nonfatal CHD and CVD events compared with women without DM and with CHD, but their risk of CHD mortality, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality was similar to the risk of those with CHD and no DM. These results support the hypothesis that women with DM are at increased risk but do not achieve secondary prevention targets as …
Improved results of treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We designed a treatment program to improve the outcome for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Treatment included a remission- induction phase followed by intensive alternating cycles of non-cross- resistant chemotherapy and prolonged oral maintenance therapy. Eighty- one consecutive previously untreated patients were entered on this study. Ninety-four percent of patients entered complete remission. A Kaplan-Meier analysis predicts that 53% +/- 9% (SEM) of patients in remission will remain free of disease at 3 years. Neither age, sex, WBC count, nor immunophenotype had a significant effect on remission duration. This program of intensive cyclical chemotherapy has improved the disease-free survival of patients with adult ALL.
Dimensional terms for energy transport by radiation and for electromagnetic quantities: comments on the SI system

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the preparation of a quantitative description of energy transport by beams of light or particles when used specifically as energy carriers. It turned out that the dimensional units currently in use, the System International or SI system, are not very helpful. One of the important problems with dimensions is that people seem to have difficulty in, for instance, recognizing the proper concepts that must be applied in preceding case of energy transport by radiation or with the subject of magnetic fields. They are caused by the irrational system of units and dimensions that has been imposed thereon and not because these matters are difficult in themselves. The chapter proposes an approach to base for dimensional terms. The best approach appears to be to base dimensional terms on such quantities as nature has given greatest importance. Some are immediately obvious to senses, some recognized only after a century-long process of scientific clarification, as in the case of the energy concept. The advantages suggested in the chapter about the changes in the SI system would extend to a much broader field than the preceding starting point might suggest.
Depositional Models for the Carboniferous Flysch of the Eastern Rheinisches Schiefergebirge

This contribution is concerned with early synorogenic deposits of the Variscan basin, that is, those sediments which were deposited in the relatively rapidly evolving, tectonically active troughs during the terminal phase of the development of the orogenic basin. They are derived from and then incorporated into newly influential source terrains. They were deformed at shallow or superficial crustal levels and are primary record of the orogeny.
Using an Open-Source Computer Algebra System to Teach Economics

Computer Algebra Systems can be combined with conventional teaching methods to provide students a more "hands-on" understanding of economic concepts. Maxima and its interface wxMaxima are open source (and therefore zero-price) alternatives to expensive programs like Maple and Mathematica. This paper argues for the benefits of using wxMaxima, and presents several examples for instructors to use in classes. Many of these examples are from Hodgin (1999), but we provide additional examples, and enhance some of Hodgin’s examples by adding animation. We also provide several simple exercises for students to try, and explain why these exercises can deepen students' understanding.
AMYGDALOID ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN RESPONSE TO CONSPECIFIC CALLS IN SQUIRREL MONKEY (S. SCIUREUS): INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, CORTICAL INPUTS, AND RECORDING SITE

Experimental evidence from primates and other species, suggests that a major function of the amygdala is in the control of social/affective behavior (Kling, 1972). Behavioral and electrophysiological studies also indicate that responses of the amygdala to sensory stimulation are, themselves, governed by the ethological/social milieu in which the animal finds itself. The first aspect of the amygdala is demonstrated by the fact that electrical stimulation of various regions of the amygdala will induce distinct forms of somato-motor and autonomic responses, as well as aggressive and defensive behaviors (Kaada, 1972; Koikegami, 1963; MacLean and Delgado, 1953). In turn, stimulation of the various efferent targets of these amygdaloid nuclei will also induce the corresponding distinct behavioral and affective responses.
A New Class of Transition Metal Pincer Ligand: Tantalum Complexes that Feature a [CCC] X3-Donor Array Derived from a Terphenyl Ligand

A new class of [CCC] X3-donor pincer ligand for transition metals has been constructed via cyclometalation of a 2,6-di-p-tolylphenyl ([ArTol2]) derivative. Specifically, addition of PMe3 to [ArTol2]TaMe3Cl induces elimination of methane and formation of the pincer complex, [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2MeCl (Tol′ = C6H3Me), which may also be obtained by treatment of Ta(PMe3)2Me3Cl2 with [ArTol2]Li. Solutions of [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2MeCl undergo ligand redistribution with the formation of [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2Me2and [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2Cl2, which may also be synthesized by the reactions of [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2MeCl with MeMgBr and ZnCl2, respectively. Reduction of [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2Cl2 with KC8 in benzene gives the benzene complex [κ3-ArTol′2]Ta(PMe3)2(η6-C6H6) that is better described as a 1,4-cyclohexadienediyl derivative. Deuterium labeling employing Ta(PMe3)2(CD3)3Cl2 demonstrates that the pincer ligand is created by a pair of Ar–H/Ta–Me sigma-bond metathesis transformations, rather than by a mechanism that...
Sex Pheromones of Lepidoptera: Examination of the Role of Male Scent Brushes in Courtship Behavior of Trichoplusia ni

Males of the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), possess a variety of scent-producing organs, some of which have been previously proposed as having a role in enhancing ♀ receptivity. Various surgical procedures were performed to remove the scent organs from the males and the antennae from females. In no case was any qualitative change in in ♂ or ♀ precopulatory behavior or copulatory success noted. Therefore, although it still remains possible that ♂ scent might in some unknown way facilitate certain aspects of courtship, under the conditions of these experiments the scent was found not to be an essential component of the courtship behavior that leads to mating.
Finite Element Modeling of Joint Contact Mechanics With Quadratic Tetrahedral Elements

Tetrahedral elements are one of the most popular finite element (FE) modeling primitives for complex, biological geometries, partially due to the availability of automatic meshing schemes for creating tetrahedral meshes. However, constant strain tetrahedral elements require a very fine mesh to obtain accurate solutions, and these elements can lock, yielding overly stiff results [1].© 2013 ASME
Adaptation in chemoreceptor cells. II. The effects of cross-adapting backgrounds depend on spectral tuning.

1. The cross-adapting effects of chemical backgrounds on the response of primary chemoreceptor cells to superimposed stimuli were studied using NH4 receptor cells, of known spectral tuning, from the lobster (Homarus americanus). 2. Spectrum experiments: The spectral tuning of NH4 receptor cells was investigated using NH4Cl and 7 other compounds selected as the most stimulatory non-best compounds for NH4 cells from a longer list of compounds tested in previous studies. Based on their responses to the compounds tested, 3 spectral subpopulations of NH4 cells were revealed: NH4-Glu cells which responded second-best to Glutamate (Glu); NH4- Bet cells which responded second-best to Betaine (Bet); and ‘pure’ NH4 cells, which responded to NH4C1 only (Fig. 1). 3. Cross-adaptation experiments: Overall, cross-adaptation with Glu and Bet backgrounds caused suppression of response of NH4 receptor cells to various concentrations of NH4Cl. However, the different subpopulations of NH4 cells were affected differently: (a) The stimulus-response functions of NH4-Glu cells were significantly suppressed by both a 3 μM (G3) and 300 μM (G300) Glu backgrounds, (b) The stimulus-response functions of NH4-Bet cells was not affected by a 3 μM (B3), but significantly suppressed by a 300μM (B300) Bet background. (c) The stimulus-response functions of pure NH4 cells were not affected by any of the Glu or Bet backgrounds (Figs. 3, 4). 4. The stimulus-response functions of 5 cells from all different subpopulations were enhanced by cross-adaptation with the G300 and B300 backgrounds (Fig. 4, Table 1). 5. Whereas self-adaptation caused parallel shifts in stimulus-response functions (Borroni and Atema 1988), cross-adaptation caused a decrease in slope of stimulus-response functions. Implications of the results from cross- and self-adaptation experiments on NH4 receptor cells, for a receptor cell model are discussed.
The validity of a portable accelerometer for estimating energy expenditure in bicycle riding.

The purpose of the investigation was to determine the validity of a portable vertical accelerometer and a Large-Scale Integrated Motor Activity Monitor (LSI) for estimating energy expenditure in riding a bicycle at various velocities. Instrument placement was either at the knee or ankle. Energy consumption, i.e. oxygen consumption (VO2) was determined during bicycle rides after steady state metabolism was reached. Standard errors of estimate were used to express the accuracy of estimating VO2 from accelerometer or LSI recordings. The reliability of the vertical accelerometer was found to be satisfactory. The vertical accelerometer was also effective for estimating VO2 in bicycling (standard errors of estimate = 3.3 to 4.4 ml.kg-1.min-1). The accuracy of the LSI was not as good; the standard errors of estimate being = 5.9 to 8.5 ml.kg-1.min-1.
Children of Immigrants and Educational Expectations: The Roles of School Composition:

Background/Context: Many children of immigrants are not enrolled in high schools that sufficiently meet their needs, and subsequently, many are not making a successful transition to, and/or successfully completing, higher education. As immigration grows in the United States, educators and policy makers must understand how the educational processes for chil dren of immigrants differ from nonimmigrants. Because expectations for higher education are a necessary, though insufficient, step toward college attendance and degree attainment, and because students have these attitudes influenced by the schools they attend, I examine high school composition for its effects on educational expectations and how compositional effects differ between children of immigrants and nonimmigrants. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study intends to be another step on the path toward understanding the educational processes of children of immigrants specifically, and of all students more broadly, as the immigrant population grows in U.S. schools. Toward those ends, this study is based on two overarching research questions: (1) How do the immigrant compositions of U.S. secondary schools affect the educational expec tations of all students? (2) How do the compositions of U.S. secondary schools affect the edu cational expectations of children of immigrants differently than nonimmigrant students? Research Design: The research questions are addressed via secondary data analysis using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS:2002/2004), which were collected by the National Center for Education Statistics. I explore school composition effects on a binary dependent variable indicating whether a 12th-grade student expects to complete a graduate or professional degree. This study emphasizes a critical-quantitative approach by demon strating that common theories and assumptions about educational expectations may be inac curate for children of immigrants in today’s schools. Conclusions/Recommendations: Results show that children of immigrants are affected dif ferently by school composition than are nonimmigrants, and in ways that contradict
Basic Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

This chapter discusses the basic principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The Bloch equations are discussed and used as the main tool for analysis of the NMR phenomenon and associated effects important for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The basic physical effect at work in NMR is the interaction between nuclei with a nonzero magnetic moment and an external magnetic field. The NMR phenomenon is observed when a system of nuclei in a static magnetic field experiences a perturbation by an oscillating magnetic field. Although only quantum mechanics can completely describe the NMR phenomenon, some of its features can be explained by the classical theory of electromagnetism. The classical model of motion of a free magnetic moment, although useful for understanding of the NMR phenomenon, cannot explain many of its important features defined by the interactions between the nuclei. To overcome some of the limitations of the classical model, F. Bloch introduced the phenomenological equations describing the dynamics of nuclear magnetization that have become an extremely useful tool for theoretical analysis in NMR imaging and spectroscopy. Fast dephasing of nuclear spins due to magnetic field heterogeneity causes a significant loss of signal and thereby presents a serious problem for NMR imaging and spectroscopy. It is therefore extremely important that dephasing of spins is significantly reduced by using spin echo.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Risk of Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation (from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study).

The relation between inflammation and prothrombotic state in atrial fibrillation (AF) is well recognized. This suggests a potential role for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, in improving prediction of stroke in participants with AF. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to examine the risk of stroke in 25,841 participants (40% black and 55% women) with and without AF who were enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study from 2003 to 2007. Baseline AF (n = 2,132) was ascertained by electrocardiogram and self-reported history of previous physician diagnosis. Stroke events were identified and adjudicated during 8.3 years of follow-up. A total of 655 incident strokes occurred during follow-up. In a model adjusted for sociodemographics, traditional stroke risk factors, and use of aspirin and warfarin, higher levels of hs-CRP were associated with increased overall stroke risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10 to 1.54, and HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.12 for hs-CRP >3 mg/L and per 1-SD increase, respectively). Higher levels of hs-CRP continued to be associated with incident stroke in participants without AF (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.57, and HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.12 for hs-CRP >3 mg/L and per 1-SD increase, respectively) but not in those with AF (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.91, and HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.23 for hs-CRP >3 mg/L and per 1-SD increase, respectively). In conclusion, although hs-CRP was significantly associated with stroke risk in this population, it seems to be limited to those without AF. These findings suggest a limited value of hs-CRP in improving stroke risk stratification in subjects with AF.
Educating the Innate Immune System

The microbiome regulates the development of innate immunity G. Scott Worthen, Junjie Mei, Yuhong Liu, Ning Dai, Hitesh Deshmukh Circulating granulocytes are maintained within a fairly narrow window for each individual during homeostasis. This regulatory system is nonetheless capable of dramatic shifts during stress. The mechanisms that govern control over granulocyte number remain incompletely understood. Recent information, however, provides clues to the feedback control systems that regulate homeostatic and emergency granulopoiesis. The first clues have come from adult mice with abnormalities in granulocyte function. Defects in Leukocyte Integrins or chemokine receptors result in marked increases in circulating (?2 integrin) or bone marrow (Cxcr2) neutrophils, associated with increased circulating IL-17 and G-CSF. This result appears to be due to a functional inability to arrive at sentinel site(s) whence they are attracted by (among others) Cxcl5. Strikingly, a single infusion of normal WT neutrophils resets this feedback loop. One signal for expression of IL-17 and G-CSF appears to be the gut microbiome. Antibiotic treatment also resets the system, reducing neutrophil numbers and cytokine expression. Thus, at sentinel site(s), the supply of functional neutrophils is balanced against perceived threat from the microbiome. In neonates, exposure to commensal organisms is an immediate result of birth from a sterile environment into a dirty one. We have described postnatal granulopoiesis in murine neonates, a dramatic increase in circulating and bone marrow neutrophils, that lasts for 5-7 days. Human infants similarly have been shown to demonstrate a postnatal increase in circulating neutrophils for 72 hrs after birth. Antibiotic-exposed mouse pups fail to develop postnatal granulopoiesis, as do mice deficient in IL17ra, MyD88, TLR4, or G-CSF even if not exposed to antibiotics, indicating a pathway that requires exposure to LPS that induces IL17 and G-CSF, as in adults. In contrast to adults, however, commensal bacteria are required for host defense. Antibiotic-exposed pups are exquisitely sensitive to E. coli sepsis, which can be partially reversed by transfer of cecal contents or exogenous G-CSF. Furthermore, small quantities of LPS, fed by gavage, can also partially protect. Thus, neonates use exposure to commensal bacteria and their products to trigger the rapid expansion and functional maturation of granulocyte development, and in so doing, prepare the neonate for potential exposure to pathogens. Adults maintain this system, where it is at least partially responsible for maintenance of granulocyte homeostasis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Compensating for ear-canal acoustics when measuring otoacoustic emissions.

Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) provide an acoustic fingerprint of the inner ear, and changes in this fingerprint may indicate changes in cochlear function arising from efferent modulation, aging, noise trauma, and/or exposure to harmful agents. However, the reproducibility and diagnostic power of OAE measurements is compromised by the variable acoustics of the ear canal, in particular, by multiple reflections and the emergence of standing waves at relevant frequencies. Even when stimulus levels are controlled using methods that circumvent standing-wave problems (e.g., forward-pressure-level calibration), distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) levels vary with probe location by 10–15 dB near half-wave resonant frequencies. The method presented here estimates the initial outgoing OAE pressure wave at the eardrum from measurements of the conventional OAE, allowing one to separate the emitted OAE from the many reflections trapped in the ear canal. The emitted pressure level (EPL) represents the OAE level that would be recorded were the ear canal replaced by an infinite tube with no reflections. When DPOAEs are expressed using EPL, their variation with probe location decreases to the test–retest repeatability of measurements obtained at similar probe positions. EPL provides a powerful way to reduce the variability of OAE measurements and improve their ability to detect cochlear changes.
The Demise of Hope: On Losing Positive Thinking

Publisher Summary The chapter provides an insight on those stages of life where one tends to lose hope in life. Such a stage is encountered by almost everybody and this mental apathy can last for only a few hours or as long as a lifetime. The chapter explores why this prolonged apathy happen only to some people and not to others, and why some people feel temporarily hopeless only to bounce back full of energy and creative ideas, ready to find other avenues for achieving their goals, while others seem to give up immediately. The chapter begins by exploring differing behaviors of low- and high-hope individuals as well as the stages or events that cause an individual slowly to lose hope. It also considers how goal-directed thinking in children develops and thereafter explores how such hope is undermined by particular childhood events or processes. Finally, it discusses the psychological consequences of hopeless thinking throughout adulthood, along with environmental forces associated with the death of hope.
Nanostructured Materials in Tissue Engineering

Over the past thirty years, interest in how mammalian cells interact with materials has exploded, with applications ranging from diagnostic in vitro testing, to bioprocess engineering with microcarriers, and to tissue engineering. This interest has paralleled a revolution in material processing methods which allow scientists and engineers to create an enormous variety of micro- and nanotopological features. By studying aspects of cell behavior such as gene expression, viability, motility, and fate when cells are presented with simple architectural elements, biomedical engineers hope to build a toolbox of topological features that can be deployed to solve specific tissue engineering problems. In this chapter, we first discuss fundamental molecular biology-based mechanisms behind cell–material interactions and then focus specifically on mammalian cell interactions with nanofibers, nanofibrous microspheres, nanogrooves, nanopits, nanotubes, and nanopillars, along with their applications in tissue engineering.
From William’s Doll to Jacob’s New Dress: The Depiction of Gender Non-Conforming Boys in Children’s Picture Books From 1972 to 2014

Charlotte Zolotow's 1972 storybook William's Doll introduced us to a young boy who wanted nothing more than a baby doll of his own to hug, cuddle, and love. Since that time other children's picture books featuring gender non-conforming boys have been published, telling stories about boys who dance, cook, and prefer to wear dresses. This qualitative research examines 20 of these books, published between 1972 and 2014. We analyze the themes and messages found in these books, paying particular attention to how the portrayals have changed over time. Research findings focus on historical shifts in the ways that gender non-conformity is depicted, the role that parents and peers play in these books, and how the books frame gender non-conformity as a problem that needs to be resolved.
Size-dependent adsorption and its application in determining the number of surfactant molecule adsorbed on multimodal SiO2 particles by 2D-DCS

Quantitative analysis using surfactant-particles interaction is the basis for many applications. In situ measurements of surfactant adsorption on nanoparticles are important to understanding adsorption kinetics. However, it is quite difficult to determine the individual numbers for each monomodal particles in a multimodal mixture system by current technologies. To cope with this problem, a new method, i.e. 2D differential centrifugal sedimentation (2D-DCS), has been developed and applied in situ to measure the number of CTAB molecules adsorbed on the surface of silica particles, assuming that the adlayer is composed of a compact CTAB monolayer. Results show that 2D-DCS can measure the adsorption amount for particles not only with single size distribution but also with multiple size distributions. The number of adsorbed CTAB per nm2 on silica particles determined by 2D-DCS are 1.4 and 3.9 for the monomodal particles of 210 and 1000 nm, respectively, which is similar to that measured by ζ-potential, DLS and UV-vis spectrometry, and 1.4, 2.3 and 2.5 for 210, 430 and 700 nm particles, respectively, for a trimodal particle system, where the size-dependent adsorption is difficult to be simultaneously measured by other technologies.
Teachers’ language policy engagement: European perspectives and challenges

AbstractThe articles in this issue of Language and Education highlight three important areas of research that inspire empirical investigation and theoretical debate in the field of language policy ...
What Is User Experience

Over the past few years, the prominence of the term "User Experience" has grown significantly. The term, coined by Don Norman, was not created to simply focus on digital products, but to encompass the entire experience that an individual has, through any and all mediums, around a product or a service.
O-007 Crossing the clot with a micro-catheter during a mechanical thrombectomy: in vitro evaluation of its impact on the distal emboli burden

Introduction Despite high recanalization rates achieved with endovascular treatment of acute ischemic strokes,1 2 more than 50% of eligible patients will not present a good outcome (mRS 0–2).3 Parameters that may determine the patient outcomes include: time from puncture to recanalization,4 the collateral status,5 the anesthesia regimen,6 7 blood pressure management,8 9 and the distal emboli burden.10Characterization of distal emboli generated during mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has been performed in our previous studies.11 12 We herein further investigated the risk of distal embolization associated with microcatheter navigation through the clot. Materials and methods A contrast-enhanced clot analog was used in an in vitro model system that mimicked a middle cerebral artery occlusion within a complete circle of Willis vascular replica as previously reported.13 14 The clot was crossed with one of the following microcatheters: Pro18, XT27 or 3 Max. The emboli generated during the procedure of a size >500 µm were collected and measured with a caliper. The Coulter principle was used to characterize emboli with a size Results The use of Pro18 and XT27 resulted in a significant reduction of visible particles (size >500 µm) as compared with the 3 Max catheter (p 0.05). When compared with previously published data,14 it was found that the clot crossing maneuver accounts approximately for 12% of the total number of small emboli induced during a stent retriever-mediated MT procedure via a balloon guide catheter. Conclusions Clot crossing maneuver has a significant impact over the total amount of small particles induced during MT. Smaller microcatheter sizes should be favored when possible. References Saver, et al. N Engl J Med 2015. Dargazanli, et al. American Journal of Neuroradiology 2017. Goyal, et al. Lancet 2016. Saver, et al. JAMA 2016. Nave, et al. Stroke 2018. van den Berg, et al. Stroke 2015. Brinjikji, et al. American Journal of Neuroradiology 2015. Mistry, et al. J Am Heart Assoc 2017. Goyal, et al. Neurology 2017. Gratz et al. American Journal of Neuroradiology 2015. Chueh et al. Stroke 2013. Chueh et al. Intervent Neurol 2017. Chueh et al. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 2017. Chueh et al. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery 2016. Disclosures J. Caroff: 1; C; Educational scholarships from Medtronic Neurovascular and Microvention/Terumo. R. King: None. R. Arslanian: None. M. Marosfői: None. E. Langan: None. M. Gounis: None. J. Chueh: None.
Multiferroic vertically aligned nanocomposite with CoFe2O4 nanocones embedded in layered Bi2WO6 matrix

ABSTRACTBi2WO6:CoFe2O4 (BWO:CFO) vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) in epitaxial thin film form has been demonstrated on single-crystal LaAlO3 (LAO) (001) substrates via pulsed laser deposition...