cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of cyanide on cochlear potentials.

Cochlear potentials were recorded before, during and after perfusion of the scala tympani or scala vestibuli with Ringer's solution containing 50 millimoles of sodium cyanide. Cochlear potentials, including endocochlear potential (EP), were promptly depressed by the action of cyanide and a negative potential was observed in the scala media. The intra-cellular resting potential within the organ of Corti was markedly decreased. Introduction of cyanide into the scala tympani was more effective than in the scala vestibuli. Spontaneous recovery of responses was observed in most of the cases. The application of anodal polarization to the cochlea enhanced cochlear microphonics (CM) which had been depressed by cyanide. These data indicate that the cochlear partition is permeable to cyanide and confirm the view that the negative potential in the anoxic scala media is essentially a depolarization potential of the hair cells in the organ of Corti.
Radar observations of basaltic lava flows, Craters of the Moon, Idaho

Radar images of Craters of the Moon, Idaho were used to study the backscatter characteristics of basaltic lava flows of predominantly pahoehoe textures and to determine the ability to detct fissure vents. Four images were obtained: X-band HH, X-band HV, L-band HH, and L-band HV. Hummocky pahoehoe flows were found to have strong backscatter in all four of these images. Aa lava flows showed the greatest variation in backscatter intensities, due to an increase in multiple scattering at the L-band scale. Eruptive fissures are detectable in the radar images by virtue of associated parallel spatter ramparts which have diagnostic, strong backscatter in the X-band images that are in contrast to the weak backscatter of the surrounding shelly pahoehoe lava. The importance of look direction in the use of radar images to characterize terrains is emphasized.
Ancient Greek ethnicities: towards a reassessment

This paper offers a response to Kostas Vlassopoulos’ ‘Ethnicity and Greek History: Re-examiningour Assumptions’, especially his comments about the unit of analysis that we should adopt in studying ancient ethnicity, the relationship between ethnicity and nationalism, and the limitations of testing evidence against definitional models. It also considers the role that religious ritual played in professions of ethnicity as well as the heuristic utility in distinguishing between ‘aggregative’ and ‘oppositional’ identities or between ‘ethnic’ or ‘cultural’ definitions of Hellenic identity. Finally, it questions prevailing opinions about the relationship between ethnicity and the ethnic group
Synthesis and Thermal Characterization of Precision Poly(p‐cyclohexylene alkylene)s via Acyclic Diene Metathesis Polycondensation

The synthesis and thermal characterization of poly(p-cyclohexylene alkylene)s (PPCs) is described. Polymers containing 1,4-cyclohexylene units on every 15th, 19th, and 21st chain carbon are prepared by the acyclic diene metathesis polycondensation of symmetric α,ω-dienes obtained from the α-alkylation of cyclohexane-1,4-dicarbonitrile. Exhaustive hydrogenation of the unsaturated polymers yields fully cycloaliphatic polymers with excellent resistance to thermal degradation. The thermal analysis of the unsaturated and saturated materials reveals a strong influence of the cis-alkene and cis-1,4-cyclohexylene on the final thermal properties of each material. PPC exhibits higher melting temperature and thermal stability than similar materials, in which the aliphatic ring is replaced by aromatic rings or short chain branches. The melting behavior is discussed in terms of the higher flexibility and enhanced intermolecular packing of the symmetrical 1,4-cyclohexylene units incorporated within the chain.
Does Sex Matter in the Clinical Presentation of Eating Disorders in Youth

Abstract Purpose Eating disorders (EDs) impact both males and females, but little is known about sex differences in ED psychopathology and overall clinical presentation. This study compared demographic and clinical characteristics of child and adolescent males and females who presented for ED treatment. Methods Participants included 619 youth (59 males and 560 females) ages 6–18 years who presented for treatment between 1999 and 2011. Results Males presented for ED treatment at a significantly younger age ( p p = .004), and were more likely to be nonwhite ( p = .023). Females showed more severe ED pathology across the Eating Disorder Examination subscales (weight concern: p p p = .001; and shape concern: p = .019) and global score ( p p = .002). Females presented with significantly higher rates of mood disorders ( p = .027) and had a lower average percent of expected body weight ( p = .020). Males and females did not differ in duration of illness, prior hospitalization or treatment, binging and purging episodes, anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders, or self-esteem. All analyses were controlled for age. Conclusions Results indicate that further exploration into why the sexes present differently may be warranted. Developing ED psychopathology assessments that better capture nuances particular to males and reevaluating criteria to better categorize male ED diagnoses may allow for more targeted treatment.
Cellular automata for dynamic S-boxes in cryptography.

In today's world of private information and mass communication, there is an ever increasing need for new methods of maintaining and protecting privacy and integrity of information. This thesis attempts to combine the chaotic world of cellular automata and the paranoid world of cryptography to enhance the S-box of many Substitution Permutation Network (SPN) ciphers, specifically Rijndael/AES. The success of this enhancement is measured in terms of security and performance. The results show that it is possible to use Cellular Automata (CA) to enhance the security of an 8-bit S-box by further randomizing the structure. This secure use of CA to scramble the S-box, removes the "9-term algebraic expression" [20] [21] that typical Galois generated S-boxes share. This cryptosystem securely uses a Margolis class, partitioned block, uniform gas, cellular automata to create unique S-boxes for each block of data to be processed. The system improves the base Rijndael algorithm in the following ways. First, it utilizes a new S-box for each block of data. This effectively limits the amount of data that can be gathered for statistical analysis to the blocksize being used. Secondly, the S-boxes are not stored in the compiled binary, which protects against an "S-box Blanking" [22] attack. Thirdly, the algebraic expression hidden within each galois generated S-box is destroyed after one CA generation, which also modifies key expansion results. Finally, the thesis succeeds in combining Cellular Automata and Cryptography securely, though it is not the most efficient solution to dynamic S-boxes.
Abstract 791: Targeting small domains of p53 to mitochondrial Bcl-XL for cancer therapy.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The tumor suppressor p53 is involved in transcriptional induction or repression of various genes resulting in cell cycle arrest, senescence, DNA repair and apoptosis. While most of these functions can be linked to its role as a transcription factor in the nucleus, p53 also triggers apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. In response to cellular stress, p53 translocates to the mitochondria and directly interacts with Bcl-2 protein family members including anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 and pro-apoptotic Bak and Bax. Anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL forms inhibitory complexes with pro-apoptotic Bak and Bax preventing their homo-oligomerization. Upon translocation to the mitochondria p53 binds to Bcl-XL, releases Bak and Bax from the inhibitory complex and enhances their homo-oligomerization. Bak and Bax homo-tetramer formation disrupts the mitochondrial outer membrane, releases anti-apoptotic factors such as cytochrome c and triggers a rapid apoptotic response mediated by caspase induction. There are conflicting reports suggesting that the MDM2 binding domain (MBD), the proline-rich domain (PRD) and/or DNA binding domain (DBD) of p53 are the domains for interacting to Bcl-XL. The purpose of this work is to determine which subdomain of p53 binds optimally to Bcl-XL while maintaining the full apoptotic activity of full length p53. Different domains of p53 (MBD, PRD, DBD) were fused to the mitochondrial targeting signal from Bcl-XL to ensure Bcl-XL specific targeting. The designed constructs were tested for apoptotic activity (TUNEL, Annexin-V, and 7-AAD) in 3 different breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), in a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), and in human leukemic cells (K562). Our results indicate that DBD-XL (p53 DBD fused to the Bcl-XL MTS) shows the same (in T47D and, K562 cells) or higher (in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and HeLa cells) apoptotic activity compared to p53-XL. Additionally, over-expression of Bcl-XL in T47D cells confirmed that DBD directly binds and inhibits Bcl-XL. Further, binding affinity of designed constructs to Bcl-XL will be explored via co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and mammalian two-hybrid assay. Taken together, our data highlights that DBD can be used instead of full length p53 for achieving apoptosis at the mitochondria. The benefit of decreasing the overall size of p53 while maintaining full apoptotic activity allows for better drug delivery options. Furthermore, DBD-XL-mediated apoptosis of multiple cell lines including such as breast cancer cells, cervical carcinoma cells, and leukemia cells highlighting the role of p53 as the ultimate target for cancer therapy. Citation Format: Karina J. Matissek, Mohanad Mossalam, Abood Okal, Carol S. Lim. Targeting small domains of p53 to mitochondrial Bcl-XL for cancer therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 791. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-791
Review Article: Rearing and Colonization of Black Flies (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Black flies are serious pests and important disease vectors in many parts of the world. Efforts to control simuliids and their associated diseases have been hampered by research limitations related to our previous inability to establish permanent colonies of any species or to even successfully rear large numbers of healthy adults from field-collected eggs. Major difficulties have involved providing in the laboratory suitable lotic waters for larval growth and development, and adult environments that promote survival, mating, blood feeding, and egg laying. Recently much progress has been made in developing methods for mass rearing and colonizing black flies. In just the past 3 years, 8 different species, including important vectors of human onchocerciasis, have been successfully maintained for multiple generations in the laboratory. In this review, we discuss the recent methodologies that have been employed in these efforts, provide useful hints for rearing, and point out potential advantages, disadvantages, and problems associated with the various techniques currently used in culturing black flies.
Addressing Early Adversity Through Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood Settings

The science of early childhood adversity has advanced in recent years, documenting long-term consequences of exposure to traumatic events and toxic stress for health and development. Sequelae of toxic stress exposure can be mitigated by the buffering effect of a caregiver who can help young children manage their reactivity to these early stressors. Interventions are needed to build the capacity for caregivers (including the early childhood workforce) to build resilience in young children exposed to early adversity. This article shares best practices from the field of early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) as a strategy to help reduce the impact of stressors on young children. ECMHC embedded with child care, focused on children in foster care, and lessons learned from early work on ECMHC in home visiting are highlighted as examples of interventions to build the buffering capacities of important adults in children's lives. Policy recommendations are offered for integrating mental health services into early childhood settings to build resilience in high-risk children and families.
The design, construction, and tests of a concept aeroelastic wind tunnel model of a high-lift variable camber continuous trailing edge flap (HL-VCCTEF) wing configuration

The NASA / Boeing research and development effort focused on the Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge (VCCTEF) configuration concept aims at adding control degrees of freedom and control modes in the form of continuous deflections of wing control surfaces spanning a variety of shapes. Such continuous shaping of the wing can be tailored optimally to yield best lift / drag / moment characteristics as well as airframe noise characteristics at different flight conditions. While mathematical modeling and design methods and infrastructure are being developed by NASA and Boeing, a low-cost low-speed wind tunnel aeroelastic testing program has been underway at the University of Washington in Seattle. Its goals include generating an experimental data base for the validation of the mathematical modeling methods developed and gaining insights regarding the physical behavior and design challenges involved. This paper describes a Phase II VCCTEF wing aeroelastic tests carried out at the University of Washington’s Kirsten wind tunnel focusing on a high-lift aeroelastic model equipped with leading edge slats and a root trailing edge Fowler flap in addition to the outer wing VCCTEF. The design and construction of the model are described as well as results of test / analysis correlation studies based on NASTRAN aeroelastic simulations. While nonlinear aerodynamic / aeroelastic behavior is expected and does appear in the high-lift cases, the goal of the NASTRAN based test / simulation evaluation was to evaluate the accuracy of linear Finite Element / aerodynamic panel codes in such cases and identify their limits.
A Laboratory Study of Egg Parasitization Capabilities of Telenomus alsophilae

Although Telenomus alsophilae Viereck is important in the natural control of a hardwood defoliator, Alsophila pometaria (Harris), its parasitization capabilities and host range are largely unknown. Initially, eggs of a laboratory host, Abbotana clemataria (J. E. Smith), were exposed to mated females each day from deposition till eclosion. Although eggs during all stages of development were attacked, only unembryonated eggs were parasitized successfully. Infertile eggs of the same host also were parasitized but less effectively than comparable numbers of fertile eggs. Among 22 prospective hosts in 5 families of Lepidoptera, T. alsophilae parasitized 12 species of geometrids and 2 of noctuids. It was concluded that the broad host potential for this parasite offers some new opportunities for biological control work against forest pests that previously were not anticipated.
High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and incident coronary heart disease among asymptomatic older adults

Objective High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) is a novel biomarker of myocardial injury and ischaemia. Our objective was to ascertain correlates of hs-cTnI and its incremental prognostic utility for incident coronary heart disease (CHD) among older asymptomatic subjects. Methods We performed a cohort study among 1135 asymptomatic control participants in the ADVANCE ( A therosclerotic D isease, VA scular Functio N and Geneti C E pidemiology) study at Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Stanford University, with follow-up through 31 December 2014. Hs-cTnI was measured in stored baseline (2002–2004) serum samples. Results After a median follow-up of 11.3 years, 164 CHD events were documented. The most significant correlates of hs-cTnI were black race, body mass index, hypertension, LDL cholesterol and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (R 2 =0.16) After adjustment for race/ethnicity, education level, diabetes status, ATP-III Framingham risk score (FRS), C reactive protein and eGFR, each 1 SD increment of log-transformed Hs-cTnI was associated with 1.11 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.23, p=0.04) increased hazard of CHD. The c-statistic increased to 0.70 from 0.68 (p=0.16) and the category-based net reclassification index was 18% (95% CI 8% to 30%) after adding hs-cTnI to the model containing the ATP-III FRS. Conclusions Hs-cTnI conveys incremental prognostic information for incident CHD among asymptomatic older adults.
Statistical Hypothesis Testing: Problems and Alternatives

Scientists must make decisions based on experimental data and often use statistical hypothesis tests, either formally or via P values, as the basis for such decisions. However, these tests are designed for answering questions which are almost never of scientific relevance. This paper demonstrates this problem and discusses specific alternative methods.
Systemic and Renal Hemodynamic Responses to Vascular Blockade of Vasopressin in Conscious Dogs with Ascites

A role for arginine vasopressin has been implicated in the compensatory control of arterial blood pressure in several animal models with reported increases in plasma levels of arginine vasopressin. A threefold elevation in plasma vasopressin has been reported in conscious dogs following constriction of the inferior vena cava. In the present study, infusion of the arginine vasopressin antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid), 2-O-methyltyrosine] Arg8-vasopressin into conscious dogs with chronic caval constriction did not decrease mean arterial blood pressure. However, the dose of infused antagonist completely blocked the pressor response to 2 micrograms of exogenous vasopressin. Also the antagonist produced no effect on heart rate, plasma renin activity, or urinary volume and electrolyte excretions. A slight, transient increase (P less than or equal to 0.05) was observed in creatinine clearance and in PAH clearance following antagonist infusion, suggesting a possible decrease in renal vascular resistance. These data suggest that the direct vasoconstrictor actions of vasopressin contribute minimally, if at all, to blood pressure maintenance following chronic caval constriction. Alternatively, blockade of endogenous vasopressin receptors at the level of peripheral arterioles may have resulted in no depressor response due to a masking of this response by other compensatory hormonal and neural pressor systems.
Formate Metabolism in the American Cockroach, Periplaneta Americana (L.)

Previous work has shown that injected formate C14 is incorporated into carbons 2 and 8 of uric acid by the American roach (McEnroe and Forgash, 1957). The overall reaction is known, from studies on other organisms, to be one of a general type in which a single carbon unit at the oxidation level of formate is incorporated via tetrahydrofolic acid (Kisliuk and Sakami, 1955) into the following compounds: the ureide carbons of purines (Buchanan, 1951); the methyl group of methionine (Sakami and Welch, 1950); the amidine carbon in the ring of histidine (Levy and Coon, 1951); and the β carbon of serine (Sakami, 1948).
UNCONDITIONAL CONVERGENCE IN THE STRONG OPERATOR TOPOLOGY AND ℓ

In this paper we study non-complemented spaces of operators and the embeddability of l ∞ in the spaces of operators L ( X , Y ), K ( X , Y ) and K w * ( X *, Y ). Results of Bator and Lewis [ 2 , 3 ] ( Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci. Math. 50 (4) (2002), 413–416; Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci. Math. 549 (1) (2006), 63–73), Emmanuele [ 8–10 ] ( J. Funct. Anal. 99 (1991), 125–130; Math. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 111 (1992), 331–335; Atti. Sem. Mat. Fis. Univ. Modena 42 (1) (1994), 123–133), Feder [ 11 ] ( Canad. Math. Bull. 25 (1982), 78–81) and Kalton [ 16 ] ( Math. Ann. 208 (1974), 267–278), are generalised. A vector measure result is used to study the complementation of the spaces W ( X , Y ) and K ( X , Y ) in the space L ( X , Y ), as well as the complementation of K ( X , Y ) in W ( X , Y ). A fundamental result of Drewnowski [ 7 ] ( Math. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 108 (1990), 523–526) is used to establish a result for operator-valued measures, from which we obtain as corollaries the Vitali–Hahn–Saks–Nikodym theorem, the Nikodym Boundedness theorem and a Banach space version of the Phillips Lemma.
Prohormone and proneuropeptide processing. Recent progress and future challenges.

Our knowledge of prohormone and proneuropeptide processing and its relationship to the secretory pathway has advanced significantly in the last five years. The recent discovery of the prohormone convertase family of proteolytic enzymes has provided new candidates for the prohormone and proneuropeptide convertases. The increasing appreciation of the role of proteolysis in diverse cellular processes has also brought the prohormone processing field closer to the fields of growth factor processing, the role of host proteases in viral and bacterial pathogenesis and toxicity, control of the cell cycle, inflammation, and apoptosis. The last five years have been very productive, but the most interesting questions are still unanswered. Which enzymes are actually responsible for prohormone cleavages in specific tissues? What structural features of the prohormones determine where it will be processed or how it is recognized as secretory material by the sorting machinery? How is tissue-specific processing determined and regulated? The availability of protease knockout mice and a more detailed understanding of the complex biosynthetic activation of these enzymes will provide at least some of the answers.
What's Harmonic about the Harmonic Series?

The arithmetic mean of a and b, A = ^, should be familiar to all mathematics stu? dents, and the geometric mean, G = \/ab, is almost as well known. The harmonic mean, however, has been called "the neglected mean" [4], [8] because it appears so infrequently in core mathematics courses. The harmonic mean of two numbers a and b is defined by the formula H = ~| or, equivalently, jj = \ + \. It follows that, for
Treating a Dysregulated JAK/STAT Pathway in Cancer Cells

The JAK/STAT pathway is induced by the binding of a cytokine to its cognate receptor. The receptor’s engagement with the cytokine recruits a JAK protein, which activates itself via auto/trans-phosphorylation. In turn, the activated JAKs recruit and phosphorylate STAT proteins. The phosphorylated STAT proteins form a dimer, translocate to the cell nucleus and acts as a transcription factor to induce gene expression. In this way, the JAK/STAT pathway can mediate a cell’s response to extracellular signals. The proteins ultimately induced by the JAK/STAT pathway contribute to processes such as inflammatory response, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. When the JAK/STAT pathway becomes dysregulated, proto-oncogenes and/or tumor-suppressor genes are often inappropriately expressed, commonly resulting in oncogenesis. This review discusses how SOCS, PIAS, and PTPS proteins modulate the JAK/STAT pathway ensuring that it remains cyclic and transient. The use of jakibins, STAT inhibitors, decoy oligonucleotides, RNA interference and genome editing to synthetically regulate a dysregulated JAK/STAT pathway in cancer cells are also considered.
RESEARCH ON TRANSMISSION CAPABILITY OF TIAN-GUANG AC AND DC HYBRID SYSTEM

The research on transmission capability of the first AC and DC hybrid system in China,I. E.,the Tian-Guang AC and DC hybrid system,shows that stability of South China Power System will be improved after Tian-Guang HVDC project is put into operation. The influence of modulation function of DC system on the parallel operation of AC and DC system will be more obvious than that on the separate operation of AC and DC system. Therefore,the transmission capability of parallel operation of AC and DC system will be higher. At the same time the change of operationcondition of power system will remarkably influence the security of Tian-Guan DC system. To increase thetransmission capability of Tian-Guan AC and DC hybrid system,it will be very important to enhance the dynamic support-ing ability of reactive power of the powersystem.
Development of gold immunochromatographic assay(GICA) for rapid detection of Salmonella typhimurium

Objective To develope a rapid and simple new method to detect Salmonella typhimurium.Methods Gold immunochromatographic assay(GICA) was established to detecting Salmonella typhimurium by combing colloidal gold technique with immunochromatographic assay.Besides its sensitivity,specificity and stability were studied.Results The optimum marked amount of IgG(rabbit anti mouse) of one-milliliter colloidal gold was 24μg,the optimum concentration of the coating Ab was 1mg·ml-1.The NC film with the best absorbing capability for protein was selected from Millipore company,which diameter was 0.45μm.The prescribed minimum of GICA test strip to detect Salmonella typhimurium was 105cfu·ml-1,which attained the techenical index.It took only 5~10 min from detecting to judging the result.GICA test strip could be stored at 4℃ and room temperature for half a year,which showed the same result.Conclusion GICA detecting Salmonella typhimurium is rapid,sensitive,specific and stable.It is particularly fit for routine test of country sanitary unit.
Epidemiological chasacteristics analysis and incidence trends prediction of syphilis and gonorrhea in Xuancheng during 2005 to 2012

Objective To understand the epidemic characteristics and predict the incidence trends of syphilis and gonorrhea in Xuancheng so as to provide scientific basis for prevention and control on sexually transmitted disease.Methods The epidemiological data from National Disease Surveillance System in Xuancheng during 2005 to 2012 was analyzed and the grey predict model was established to predict the incidence trends.Results Total of 4108 gonorrhea cases and 6408 syphilis cases were reported from 2005 to 2012.The reported incidence of gonorrhea increased about 45.78%,and syphilis increased about 327.86%.The reported cases were mainly focus on 20 to 49 years old age group(P0.001).Gender percentage of gonorrhea cases and syphilis cases were 6.83: 1(male: female,P0.001) and 1.06: 1(male: female,P=0.016),respectively.The model of the syphilis and incidence were X(k+1)=53.152494exp((0.238679×k))-40.232494 and X(k+1)=207.551735exp((0.073302×k))-193.461735,respectively.The predict analysis showed that the incidence in 2013 and 2014 will continue to rise.Conclusions The gonorrhea and syphilis incidence from 2005 to 2012 in Xuancheng during rising stage and the focal point of prevention and control work was still on the 20 to 49 years old age group population.The future incidence of gonorrhea and syphilis may still falling rise.
Screening for the detection of coronary artery disease by using the exercise tolerance test in a preventive medicine population.

We designed this study to identify patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), employing the exercise tolerance test, and to develop further criteria for ordering the exercise tolerance test in the preventive medicine population of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. During 1987-1988 1,930 patients not known to have CAD were referred from the Department of Preventive Medicine for exercise tolerance tests as part of their periodic physical exams. We hypothesized that age was a major risk factor and ordered most (86.4%) tests on this basis: at age 40 and every two years after age 50. Twenty-five cases of CAD (25/1,930 or 1.3%) were found. One of 297 women was found to have CAD (0.3%). Seventeen patients were treated surgically and eight medically. Using age as an indication for testing detected 23 of 25 cases (92%). We compared the group with normal or nondiagnostic exercise tolerance tests and presumed not to have CAD (1,905 patients, median age 48) with the group with CAD (25 patients, median age 59). Age greater than 40, a total cholesterol level over 240 mg/dL, triglyceride level over 250 mg/dL, a total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio greater than 4.5, and a history of chest pain of any type were all significantly related to the presence of CAD. Testing men older than forty with two or more CAD risk factors, as has been recommended, would have resulted in finding five of the 25 cases (20%). Testing only patients who complained of any type of chest discomfort would have resulted in detecting 14 of the 25 cases (56%). We have developed new criteria for suggesting screening exercise testing in our preventive medicine population.
Road sign recognition system on Raspberry Pi

Digital image processing, i.e. the use of computer systems to process pictures, has applications in many fields, including of medicine, space exploration, geology and oceanography and continues to increase in its applicability. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate the ability of image processing algorithms on a small computing platform. Specifically we created a road sign recognition system based on an embedded system that reads and recognizes speed signs. The paper describes the characteristics of speed signs, requirements and difficulties behind implementing a real-time base system with embedded system, and how to deal with numbers using image processing techniques based on shape and dimension analysis. The paper also shows the techniques used for classification and recognition. Color analysis also plays a specifically important role in many other different applications for road sign detection, this paper points to many problems regarding stability of color detection due to daylight conditions, so absence of color model can led a better solution. In this project lightweight techniques were mainly used due to limitation of real- time based application and Raspberry Pi capabilities. Raspberry Pi is the main target for the implementation, as it provides an interface between sensors, database, and image processing results, while also performing functions to manipulate peripheral units (usb dongle, keyboard etc.).
Optimization of Enzymatic Process Condition for Protein Enrichment, Sugar Recovery and Digestibility Improvement of Soy Flour

Soy protein is a valuable nutritional supplement for food and animal feed. While protein constitutes ~50 % of defatted soy flour (SF), it coexists with complex carbohydrates (30–35 %) which may have anti-nutritional effects. An enzymatic process can remove the carbohydrate and produce protein-enriched soy products. The hydrolysate with monomerized carbohydrates is valuable fermentation feedstock. In this study, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei enzymes were compared for use in the process. Effects of pH (3.2–6.4), temperature (40–60 °C), enzyme-to-SF ratio (0–2 ml/g) and SF loading (150–350 g/l) were evaluated for the enzymatic conversion of SF carbohydrate to reducing sugar (Y RS) and total soluble carbohydrate (Y TC) in the hydrolysate. Effects of these single factors and interactions between factors were investigated. Optimal pH and temperature were similar for both enzymes: pH 4.8 and 50–51 °C for Y TC, and pH 5.1–5.2 and 48–51 °C for Y RS. The two enzymes also gave similar protein contents in resultant soy protein concentrates, i.e., 74–75 % with 2 ml/g enzyme broth and 150 g/l SF, which were higher than the 64–68 % protein in commercial concentrates. A. niger enzyme was significantly more effective in carbohydrate conversion, achieving Y RS = 75 % and Y TC = 78 % with 2 ml/g enzyme and 150 g/l SF, higher than the Y RS (30 %) and Y TC (64 %) obtained with T. reesei enzyme. Monomerization was essentially complete in hydrolysate produced with A. niger enzyme.
Events and More Controls – Tips and Tricks for Programming

VB Quip The function of good software is to make the complex appear to be simple. – Grady Booch Good software does just that. It's easy to use, “intuitive” is the buzzword used in the industry. It does what it should and people actually like using it. Developers must keep two things in mind: getting the program to do what it should and making it useable – the two go hand-in-hand. A cool interface means nothing if the software doesn't perform. And, no matter how solid the code is, a clunky program is nearly worthless. Always think of both form and function. On the one hand, a developer must write code that works. On the other, a developer must always consider the end user. Never forget, you can't have one without the other! New Events You're familiar with several events such as Click, Load, and Scroll, but there are more, many more. In fact, there are far too many to cover in anything short of the dreaded user's manual. Every event can trigger code and every user action raises an event, that is, every time the user does something, from a click of the mouse to a peck of a key, a program can respond. How it responds and what it does are key to good software. KeyPress When a key is pressed, it generates a KeyPress event and also several other key events.
Cerebellum and Brainstem

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the relationship between structure and function in the cerebellum and brainstem. Ablation experiments continue to be a valuable tool in contemporary studies of cerebellar function in animal models. This approach has been used to demonstrate that acquisition, retention, and performance of the conditioned learning response is critically dependent upon the cerebellum. Motor learning deficits have been produced in the rat model using the cerebellar ablation paradigm. Reversible ablation paradigms are now possible using functional inactivation techniques. Physiological studies of the deep cerebellar nuclei show that each contains at least one more or less complete body map and controls different aspects of motor movement. The dentate controls synergist muscles in visually guided movements such as pinching and reaching; the interpositus controls agonist antagonist synergy and stretch reflexes at a single joint; and the fastigial nucleus controls synergists in upright stance and locomotion. These findings are consistent with the clinical observation that cerebellar lesions impair compound movements more than simple movements.
A Structural Constitutive Model for the Native Pulmonary Valve

Replacement of the native pulmonary valve (PV) with tissue engineered valves requires a thorough understanding of the function of the PV. We undertook the following study to quantify the biaxial mechanical behavior of the porcine PV and develop a structural constitutive model. To our knowledge, this is the first such model for the PV.
Exploration on Repair Technology of Shipborne Aircraft on Aircraft Carrier

In this paper, the possible repair technology problems about ship borne aircraft were analyzed. According to the present research progress, the surface damage repair, lever measurement, general repair technology, and preventive maintenance were reviewed and studied.
Effects of malnutrition on treatment-related morbidity and survival of children with cancer in Nicaragua

Background Most children with cancer live in resource-limited countries where malnutrition is often prevalent. We identified the relationship between malnutrition and treatment-related morbidity (TRM), abandonment of therapy, and survival of children with cancer in Nicaragua to better inform targeted nutritional interventions. Procedure We conducted a retrospective review of patients aged 6 months to 18 years with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Wilms tumor, Hodgkin lymphoma, or Burkitt lymphoma (BL) who were treated between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2007 at Children's Hospital Manuel de Jesus Rivera in Managua, Nicaragua. Statistical analysis examined the relations among nutritional status and cancer type, risk category, TRM, and event-free survival (EFS). Results Sixty-seven percent of patients (189/282) were malnourished at diagnosis. Malnutrition was highest among patients with Wilms tumor (85.7%), BL (75%), and AML (74.3%). A total of 92.2% of patients (225/244) experienced morbidity during the first 90 days. Malnutrition was associated with severe infection (P = 0.033). Severely malnourished patients had ≥grade 3 TRM on more days (P = 0.023) and were more likely to experience severe TRM on >50% of days (P = 0.032; OR, 3.27 [95% CI, 1.05–10.16]). Malnourished patients had inferior median EFS (2.25 vs. 5.58 years; P = 0.049), and abandoned therapy more frequently (P = 0.015). Conclusions In Nicaragua, pediatric oncology patients with malnutrition at diagnosis experienced increased TRM, abandoned therapy more frequently, and had inferior EFS. Standardized nutritional evaluation of patients with newly diagnosed cancer and targeted provision of nutritional support are essential to decrease TRM and improve outcomes.
Golf Course Putting Green Organic Matter Recycling Study

Putting greens on golf courses are the highest maintenance turfgrass that exists. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) often is used for cool-season putting greens due to the ability of the turfgrass to tolerate a low mowing height, and provide a high density turf. Managing organic matter is necessary to maintain a high quality turfgrass at 0.125 in. height of cut and one that will drain quickly after a rain to resume play. Traditionally organic matter has been managed by a three-step process: hollow tine aerification, removal of the cores from the surface, and applications of new sand to the putting green. However, many superintendents can’t afford to buy new sand every year. Wiedenmann Turf Equipment Company offers a machine that will remove much of the organic matter from aerification cores by spinning them over screens and allowing the sand particles to fall back to the putting green surface, while collecting the organic matter in a basket for removal. The objective of this project was to compare if putting green surfaces subjected to core recycling would perform as well as traditional organic matter removal practices. This is the first year of a two-year study.
Rational Inference of Beliefs and Desires From Emotional Expressions

We investigated people's ability to infer others' mental states from their emotional reactions, manipulating whether agents wanted, expected, and caused an outcome. Participants recovered agents' desires throughout. When the agent observed, but did not cause the outcome, participants' ability to recover the agent's beliefs depended on the evidence they got (i.e., her reaction only to the actual outcome or to both the expected and actual outcomes; Experiments 1 and 2). When the agent caused the event, participants' judgments also depended on the probability of the action (Experiments 3 and 4); when actions were improbable given the mental states, people failed to recover the agent's beliefs even when they saw her react to both the anticipated and actual outcomes. A Bayesian model captured human performance throughout (rs ≥ .95), consistent with the proposal that people rationally integrate information about others' actions and emotional reactions to infer their unobservable mental states.
Skin Blood Flow and Vascular Endothelium Function in Uremia.

Prevalence of dermatological disorder in patients with end-stage kidney disease is estimated as 50% to 100% in various studies. Some of the skin lesions are specific for the diseases causing chronic kidney disease (CKD), some are associated with CKD, and still others are the dermatological manifestation of uremia. Microangiopathy was also found in both arterioles and venule in the skin biopsy of "normal looking" skin in patients with end-stage kidney disease. In a cross-sectional study in patients on dialysis, we measured skin blood flow (SBF) using laser Doppler device in a standardized way at various areas of lower extremities at 2 different local skin temperatures: 35°C and 44°C. Local heating increases skin perfusion by mechanisms dependent on nitric oxide (NO). SBF was impaired in CKD patients Stage 5 on HD, particularly in those with diabetes mellitus as a cause of CKD. The reduced response in the SBF to the heat in our patients may be due to decreased generation of NO in uremia. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in patients on dialysis and the response of the skin microcirculation to acetylcholine was diminished in hypertensive patients on dialysis. Similarly, patients with diabetes mellitus had decreased SBF during intradermal microdialysis with a NO synthase inhibitor. Multiple uremic toxins have been studied in vitro and show to cause various degree of endothelial cell dysfunction. Unfortunately, no clear benefit has been described in CKD patients to different intervention aimed to reduce uremic toxin effect on endothelium. There are no long-term data on the factors which can modify endothelium function in uremia, but non pharmacologic interventions, diet, and several pharmacologic approaches could be beneficial. Measurement of SBF can be useful in evaluation of vasculopathy in CKD population and can potentially be used for assessment of vascular response during specific clinical intervention.
Strange case of dimorphic skin rash in a patient with cirrhosis: atypical herpes simplex and sweet’s syndrome

A middle-aged man with decompensated cirrhosis and a dimorphic multisite skin rash is diagnosed with rare atypical herpes simplex infection, manifesting Sweet’s syndrome (SS) in the absence of other described associations. SS, an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, has three common forms—classical or idiopathic, malignancy associated and drug induced. Systemic autoimmune, connective tissue diseases and infections are also strong associations. The latter is commonly described in Gram-positive bacteria, salmonellosis and Yersinia. Herpes infections are a rare cause of SS, reported only thrice in literature, one with concomitant lupus, the second with associated mycobacterial infection and third, in metastatic breast disease in contrast to our patient. Atypical rash, especially if dimorphic, warrants histopathological evaluation to confirm underlying disease.
Life Cycle Assessment: Meta-analysis of Cumulative Energy Demand for Wind Energy Technologies

Abstract Global installed capacity of renewable energy technologies and especially wind energy is growing rapidly. The ability of these technologies to enable a rapid transition to a low-carbon energy system is highly dependent on the energy that must be used over their life cycle; materials extraction and processing, component manufacture and installation, operation, and end-of-life. This chapter presents the results of a meta-analyses of life-cycle assessments (LCA) of energy use by wind turbines. The chapter presents these findings as energetic analogies with financial cost parameters for assessing energy technologies.
CKD and ESRD in US Hispanics

Hispanics are the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States, and they experience a substantial burden of kidney disease. Although the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is similar or slightly lower in Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites, the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rate of end-stage renal disease is almost 50% higher in Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic whites. This has been attributed in part to faster CKD progression among Hispanics. Furthermore, Hispanic ethnicity has been associated with a greater prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including obesity and diabetes, as well as CKD-related complications. Despite their less favorable socioeconomic status, which often leads to limited access to quality health care, and their high comorbid condition burden, the risk for mortality among Hispanics appears to be lower than for non-Hispanic whites. This survival paradox has been attributed to a complex interplay between sociocultural and psychosocial factors, as well as other factors. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impact of these factors on patient-centered and clinical outcomes. National policies are needed to improve access to and quality of health care among Hispanics with CKD.
Apical Prolapse: Is There a Best Approach?

Prolapse of the vaginal apex is a common condition and many surgical techniques exist to address its restoration. We present some of the latest literature to help guide surgeons in clinical decision-making with respect to approach and type of suspension procedure. More hysterectomies for prolapse are being done with special attention to the apex as this is now an endorsed quality measure by NQF. The OPTIMAL Trial showed no difference in outcomes for uterosacral ligament suspension and sacrospinous ligament fixation. Sacrocolpopexy with mesh remains the most durable repair available but represents a more invasive approach than vaginal procedures. Vaginal approaches continue to play a role in apical suspension especially for patients with uterovaginal prolapse at the time of hysterectomy and offer good long-term subjective and objective outcomes. Abdominal sacrocolpopexy is considered by many the “gold standard” in addressing apical prolapse, but laparoscopic and robotically assisted approaches offer less morbidity with similar short-term outcomes.
Assessing the validity of the stages of change readiness and treatment eagerness scale with treatment-seeking military service members

The purpose of this project was to assess the concurrent and predictive validity of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) for military service members undergoing substance abuse treatment. Concurrent validity was assessed by examining the correlation of SOCRATES subscales with subscales from the Addiction Treatment Attitude Questionnaire. Predictive validity was assessed by examining the ability of SOCRATES subscales to predict length of stay in treatment and successful completion of treatment. Scores on the SOCRATES were correlated in the expected direction with scores on the Addiction Treatment Attitude Questionnaire and predicted length of stay in treatment and successful completion of treatment. The findings provide support for the validity of the SOCRATES with substance abuse treatment-seeking military service members.
The effects of modafinil and cognitive behavior therapy on sleep continuity in patients with primary insomnia.

Background Daytime fatigue, if not frank sleepiness, is a common symptom among patients with insomnia, one that is exacerbated during acute treatment with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The present study was undertaken to assess whether modafinil could be used to reduce daytime fatigue, sleepiness, or both in patients with primary insomnia and whether the pharmacologic augmentation of wakefulness might produce improved sleep by itself or in combination with CBT. Methods 30 subjects with primary insomnia were enrolled in this study and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment conditions: (1) placebo plus CBT, (2) 100 mg modafinil plus CBT, or (3) 100 mg modafinil plus a contact control (monitor-only condition). Subjects were continuously monitored with sleep diaries from study intake until study end (10 weeks) and were evaluated on a weekly basis for changes in sleepiness. Results The mean age of the group was 41.3 years (SD, 13.4), and 70.4% of subjects were women. All 3 groups exhibited mean sleep latency and wake after sleep-onset times that were more than 30 minutes in duration. The mean pretreatment sleep profiles did not significantly differ. Modafinil, when administered alone, did not significantly affect the patients' sleep profiles. A trend, however, was evident for improved sleep latency. Modafinil, as an adjunct to CBT, tended to (1) reduce daytime sleepiness as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and (2) enhance compliance with CBT. With respect to the latter, subjects in the modafinil plus CBT group more reliably adhered to the prescribed phase delay in bedtime than did the placebo plus CBT group. Discussion These data suggest that modafinil may be used to diminish the negative side effects of CBT (increased daytime sleepiness) and may increase subject compliance with therapy. Whether enhanced daytime function mediates the change in adherence and whether reduced sleepiness and enhanced compliance translate to less patient attrition in the clinical setting remain to be evaluated.