cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moist Convective Scaling: Some Inferences from Three-Dimensional Cloud Ensemble Simulations

Abstract Numerical simulations of the tropical atmosphere were performed using a three-dimensional, convection-resolving, nonhydrostatic cloud model, in order to characterize the sensitivity of mesoscale tropical convection to radiative forcing. The system is run into a state of statistical equilibrium for a range of imposed tropospheric radiative cooling rates. The heat budget implies that there should be a larger cloud mass flux for increasing radiative cooling; it does not exclude the possibility of more intense updrafts, but does not require it. In the numerical simulations, it is found that the increase of cloud areal coverage accounts for all the increase of the cloud mass flux required to balance an increase of the radiative cooling rate. At equilibrium, the mean updraft velocity in the clouds is independent of the magnitude of the radiative forcing.
Novel alcohol dehydrogenase activity in a mutant of Salmonella able to use ethanol as sole carbon source

We selected a mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium that is capable of growing in air on ethanol as sole carbon and energy source. This adhI mutant expressed high levels of a novel alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhI) that uses ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol as substrates. The fermentative AdhE alcohol dehydrogenase was not expressed aerobically in the adhI mutant. Anaerobically, both the novel AdhI enzyme and the AdhE were expressed simultaneously in the adhI mutant. However, the adhI mutant showed no alteration in the composition of the fermentation products. In addition we found that both the parental Salmonella and its alcohol using adhI mutant expressed substantial levels of a dye-linked aldehyde dehydrogenase that is presumably responsible for conversion of acetaldehyde to acetate. This contrasts with the situation in Escherichia coli where mutants able to grow on ethanol express high aerobic levels of the AdhE enzyme, which performs both the alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase reactions.
Initiating the Formalization of Theories of Cognitive Aging

Although the relevant knowledge base is still impoverished, the time may be appropriate to attempt to develop and investigate formal models of cognitive aging that incorporate explicit mechanisms to account for age differences frequently observed in measures of cognitive functioning. An initial model based on an associative network metaphor is described, in which age declines in fluid or process aspects of cognition are attributed to a reduction in either the number of simultaneously active nodes, the maximum allowable activation, or the rate of propagating activation between nodes. Results from a computer simulation are consistent at a first level of approximation with many cognitive aging phenomena, and the model is shown to provide a plausible account of age differences in an area that has previously resisted explanation. Although this particular model is only one of many that could be formulated at the present time, it is argued that more rapid progress in theoretical understanding of cognitive aging phenomena will be achieved by attempting to specify one's assumptions and hypotheses in a formal and explicit manner. The field of cognitive aging is, currently, nearly devoid of explicit theories about the causes of age-related differences in cognitive functioning that are applicable to more than a few narrowly defined phenomena. This is a potentially serious problem because scientific progress in a given field seems to require theoretical frameworks not only to organize and integrate the relevant research literature, but also to establish priorities of importance for future research. Broad generalizations are sometimes treated as explanations, but their vagueness makes it difficult to determine exactly what they can and cannot explain. For example, because there are apparently no explicit definitions of constructs such as effort, attentional capacity, or processing resources, it is not clear whether explanations invoking these or analogous concepts are either necessary or sufficient to account for age differences in cognitive functioning. In fact, it is quite possible that interpretations relying on such nebulous constructs are only masquerading ignorance in what is actually vacuous terminology. It is for reasons such as those stated above that a scientific theory is often considered useful or valuable in proportion to the rigor and explicitness with which it is expressed. A major goal of the present article is to encourage the initiation of efforts to develop and investigate formal or computational models that incorporate testable hypotheses about the nature of cognitive aging. The article is organized in the following manner: First, some of the major phenomena that seem to require theoretical expla
Inter-comparison of unrelated fiber evidence

The foreign textile fibers recovered from one item of evidence from each of 20 unrelated crimes in three categories (bank robbery, kidnapping, and homicide) were cross-compared. The items of evidence were scraped to remove the trace evidence and a sample of the collected fibers was examined using a standard scheme of analysis. The fibers were examined with light microscopy (including polarized light microscopy), fluorescence microscopy, and microspectrophotometry. The fibers were divided into natural and manufactured groups and then categorized by color and generic (polymer) class. Cross-comparing all 2083 fibers resulted in 2,168,403 comparisons, after removing duplicate (same fiber) comparisons. Colorless and denim fibers were excluded from this study. No two fibers were found to exhibit the same microscopic characteristics and analytical properties. Therefore, it is rare to find two unrelated items that have foreign fibers that are analytically indistinguishable. These results corroborate other population studies conducted in Europe and target fiber studies conducted both in the US and in Europe.
Estimation of image statistics using generalized self-similar tilings

The use of generalized self-similar tilings and nonseparable Haar wavelets for characterization of image statistics over irregularly shaped regions is detailed. Requirements for uniqueness of the image representation are presented and richness of the class of tiles is explored. New results include the uniqueness of the representation on the toroidal integer lattice. The resulting classification of a scalar valued image using the estimated statistics is presented over an irregular tiling.
A non-desmoglein component of bovine epidermis reactive with pemphigus foliaceus sera.

Abstract A component from bovine epidermis has been purified and found to react with sera from patients with pemphigus foliaceus (PF). This component appears to have molecular weight characteristics similar to those of a previously reported component of human and bovine epidermis which was reactive with PF sera, but detectable by radiolabeling. It is composed of an 80 kD and a 45 kD polypeptide which are thought to be covalenty linked. By chromatographic data, the native form appears to be non-covalently joined dimer of the 80 and 45 kD polypeptides. Amino acid analysis and sequence data indicate that the 80 kD component is not desmoglein (DG) nor any other known protein whose sequence is entered in data banks. Previous studies by Stanley indicate that DG is the major target of autoantibodies in PF sera. Our finding of another epidermal component reactive with PF antibodies raises some questions. It is not yet known if PF anti-DG antibodies cross-react with this new epidermal antigen or if these antibodies constitute separate and non-cross-reacting sets. Both possibilities and their ramifications are discussed.
Mean stress effects on flow localization and failure in a bulk metallic glass

Abstract The effect of stress state on strain localization and subsequent failure of a bulk metallic glass alloy is examined. It is shown that failure is associated with a critical tensile mean stress of 0.95 GPa. This is in contrast with previous work utilizing superimposed compressive mean stresses, which found that failure resulted at a critical effective stress. Interestingly, the critical tensile mean stress measured in this study causes the same dilatation as a 274 K temperature increase, nearly to the glass transition temperature. The effect of mean stress on elastic variation of the average free volume is added to a strain localization model. This model describes the compressive mean stress behavior very well, and predicts a strong sensitivity to tensile mean stresses.
A HYPOCHLORITE-FAST METACHROMATIC QUICK STAIN FOR HUMAN MEGAKARYOCYTES

Megakaryocytes in aspirates of normal and abnormal human bone marrow displayed rose-pink metachromasla when stained with a violet polymethine dye. The color of the megakaryocytes persisted when the stained sample was exposed to a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite. Under the same conditions, other hematopoietic cells became colorless. This stain may be useful for demonstrating megakaryocyte from both healthy and diseased bone marrow specimens.
In vitro assessment of optical properties of blood by applying the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle to time-domain optical coherence tomography signal at 1300nm

A direct method for the measurement of the optical attenuation coefficient and the scattering anisotropy parameter based on applying the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle to optical coherence tomography images of blood is demonstrated. The images are acquired with a low-power probing beam at the wavelength of 1300 nm. Values of 12.15mm-1 and 0.95 are found for the total attenuation coefficient and the scattering anisotropy factor, respectively. Also, as a preliminary step, the optical refraction index is determined with a precision of two decimal numbers directly from optical coherence images. The total attenuation coefficient and the scattering anisotropy factor are determined with precisions within experimental errormargins of 5% and 2%, respectively. Readable OCT signal is obtained for a maximum propagation of light into blood of 0.25 mm. At the maximum probed depth, the measured signal is almost 103 smaller than its initial intensity when entering the sample.
Chiral-symmetry breaking in the disordered QCD vacuum.

The spectrum of quark eigenvalues {nu}({Lambda}) is found for an ensemble of vacuum fields, consisting of statistically independent pieces ( elementary fields''). The spectrum {nu}({Lambda}) is the Wigner semicircle curve, centered around poles of the elementary'' {ital S} matrix. Spontaneous chiral-symmetry breaking occurs when overlap integrals of different pieces are larger than the displacement of these elementary'' poles from the zero point. For the instanton-gas model the corresponding spectrum density is exactly reproduced, and a discussion of numerical studies of the instanton liquid is given. A general mechanism of chiral-symmetry restoration is briefly outlined.
Novel Stable Isotope Analyses Demonstrate Significant Rates of Glucose Cycling In Mouse Pancreatic Islets

A polymorphism located in the G6PC2 gene, which encodes an islet-specific glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit, is the most important common determinant of variations in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels in humans. Studies of G6pc2 knockout (KO) mice suggest that G6pc2 represents a negative regulator of basal glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) that acts by hydrolyzing glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), thereby reducing glycolytic flux. However, this conclusion conflicts with the very low estimates for the rate of glucose cycling in pancreatic islets, as assessed using radioisotopes. We have reassessed the rate of glucose cycling in pancreatic islets using a novel stable isotope method. The data show much higher levels of glucose cycling than previously reported. In 5 mmol/L glucose, islets from C57BL/6J chow-fed mice cycled ∼16% of net glucose uptake. The cycling rate was further increased at 11 mmol/L glucose. Similar cycling rates were observed using islets from high fat–fed mice. Importantly, glucose cycling was abolished in G6pc2 KO mouse islets, confirming that G6pc2 opposes the action of the glucose sensor glucokinase by hydrolyzing G6P. The demonstration of high rates of glucose cycling in pancreatic islets explains why G6pc2 deletion enhances GSIS and why variants in G6PC2 affect FBG in humans.
Ty5 gag Mutations Increase Retrotransposition and Suggest a Role for Hydrogen Bonding in the Function of the Nucleocapsid Zinc Finger

The Ty5 retrotransposon of Saccharomyces paradoxus transposes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae at frequencies 1,000-fold lower than do the native Ty1 elements. The low transposition activity of Ty5 could be due to differences in cellular environments between these yeast species or to naturally occurring mutations in Ty5. By screening of a Ty5 mutant library, two single mutants (D252N and Y68C) were each found to increase transposition approximately sixfold. When combined, transposition increased 36-fold, implying that the two mutations act independently. Neither mutation affected Ty5 protein synthesis, processing, cDNA recombination, or target site choice. However, cDNA levels in both single mutants and the double mutant were significantly higher than in the wild type. The D252N mutation resides in the zinc finger of nucleocapsid and increases the potential for hydrogen bonding with nucleic acids. We generated other mutations that increase the hydrogen bonding potential (i.e., D252R and D252K) and found that they similarly increased transposition. This suggests that hydrogen bonding within the zinc finger motif is important for cDNA production and builds upon previous studies implicating basic amino acids flanking the zinc finger as important for zinc finger function. Although NCp zinc fingers differ from the zinc finger motifs of cellular enzymes, the requirement for efficient hydrogen bonding is likely universal.
Performance evaluation of a Starlite-like architecture for ATM switching

ATM is a potential next generation technology for applications needing high speed local communications such as ground based military communications networks and intra-platform communications in such environments as in ships and planes. The authors examine a starlite-like switching architecture for ATM applications. The switching architecture consists primarily of a Batcher sorting network and a Banyan switching network. A performance evaluation of the architecture, based on both analysis and simulation is carried out. A discrete time queuing analysis is utilized due to the slotted nature of the system. Cells (packets) that are unable to make it through the system due to contention for resources are queued in a central buffer and then recirculated. Performance measures such as mean queue length and cell loss probability are presented. >
Commentary on irwin z. hoffman's discussion: “Toward a social‐constructivist view of the psychoanalytic situation”;

(1991). Commentary on irwin z. hoffman's discussion: “Toward a social‐constructivist view of the psychoanalytic situation”; Psychoanalytic Dialogues: Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 525-533.
Internalization and Axonal Transport of the HIV Glycoprotein gp120

The HIV glycoprotein gp120, a neurotoxic HIV glycoprotein that is overproduced and shed by HIV-infected macrophages, is associated with neurological complications of HIV such as distal sensory polyneuropathy, but interactions of gp120 in the peripheral nervous system remain to be characterized. Here, we demonstrate internalization of extracellular gp120 in a manner partially independent of binding to its coreceptor CXCR4 by F11 neuroblastoma cells and cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons. Immunocytochemical and pharmacological experiments indicate that gp120 does not undergo trafficking through the endolysosomal pathway. Instead, gp120 is mainly internalized through lipid rafts in a cholesterol-dependent manner, with a minor fraction being internalized by fluid phase pinocytosis. Experiments using compartmentalized microfluidic chambers further indicate that, after internalization, endocytosed gp120 selectively undergoes retrograde but not anterograde axonal transport from axons to neuronal cell bodies. Collectively, these studies illuminate mechanisms of gp120 internalization and axonal transport in peripheral nervous system neurons, providing a novel framework for mechanisms for gp120 neurotoxicity.
The dynamic breakdown of heart cell membranes exposed to ramp increases in transmembrane potential

The role of electroporation in high-energy shock of cardiac muscle was investigated. Membrane patches of single frog ventricular cells drawn into glass micropipettes were exposed to relatively large transmembrane potentials using a custom-built whole-cell patch clamp unit. The current through the pipette was measured during the application of voltage ramps, which enabled the observation of rapid changes in membrane impedance due to electrical breakdown. The results show that the dynamic electrical breakdown of heart cell membrane involves threshold levels of transmembrane potential above which there exist a period of reversible membrane instability and a rapid, irreversible increase in membrane permeability. The data suggest that the threshold voltages for the onset of these events are independent of the polarity of the applied voltage ramp. The data support the theory that membrane breakdown is a function of transmembrane potential, i.e. a process of electroporation. The advantage of using ramp waveforms for membrane breakdown studies is discussed. >
Estimation of the Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted from a Small Centrifuge Plant

Centrifuges used to enrich uranium utilize an electric motor to spin the rotors to high speeds. The current flowing in these motors emits electromagnetic radiation. This article presents a model that estimates the strength of the radiation as a function of distance from the centrifuge plant. It discusses the dependence of the radiative power on the size of the plant, the noise sources at the frequencies at which the motors operate, and means of detecting the signal from a centrifuge enrichment facility. According to the findings, a plant running 1,000 P-2 type centrifuges emits electromagnetic radiation that should be detectable in a 0.5–3 kilometer range in the absence of shielding.
Crime Victimization in Adults With Severe Mental Illness: Comparison With the National Crime Victimization Survey

Context Since deinstitutionalization, most persons with severe mental illness (SMI) now live in the community, where they are at great risk for crime victimization. Objectives To determine the prevalence and incidence of crime victimization among persons with SMI by sex, race/ethnicity, and age, and to compare rates with general population data (the National Crime Victimization Survey), controlling for income and demographic differences between the samples. Design Epidemiologic study of persons in treatment. Independent master’s-level clinical research interviewers administered the National Crime Victimization Survey to randomly selected patients sampled from 16 randomly selected mental health agencies. Setting Sixteen agencies providing outpatient, day, and residential treatment to persons with SMI in Chicago, Ill. Participants Randomly selected, stratified sample of 936 patients aged 18 or older (483 men, 453 women) who were African American (n = 329), non-Hispanic white (n = 321), Hispanic (n = 270), or other race/ethnicity (n = 22). The comparison group comprised 32 449 participants in the National Crime Victimization Survey. Main Outcome Measure National Crime Victimization Survey, developed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Results More than one quarter of persons with SMI had been victims of a violent crime in the past year, a rate more than 11 times higher than the general population rates even after controlling for demographic differences between the 2 samples ( P P Conclusions Crime victimization is a major public health problem among persons with SMI who are treated in the community. We recommend directions for future research, propose modifications in public policy, and suggest how the mental health system can respond to reduce victimization and its consequences.
Loss of heterozygosity preferentially occurs in early replicating regions in cancer genomes

Erroneous repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination (HR) leads to loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Analysing 22,392 and 74,415 LOH events in 363 glioblastoma and 513 ovarian cancer samples, respectively, and using three different metrics, we report that LOH selectively occurs in early replicating regions; this pattern differs from the trends for point mutations and somatic deletions, which are biased toward late replicating regions. Our results are independent of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status. The LOH events are significantly clustered near RNA polII-bound transcription start sites, consistent with the reports that slow replication near paused RNA polII might initiate HR-mediated repair. The frequency of LOH events is higher in the chromosomes with shorter inter-homolog distance inside the nucleus. We propose that during early replication, HR-mediated rescue of replication near paused RNA polII using homologous chromosomes as template leads to LOH. The difference in the preference for replication timing between different classes of genomic alterations in cancer genomes also provokes a testable hypothesis that replicating cells show changing preference between various DNA repair pathways, which have different levels of efficiency and fidelity, as the replication progresses.
Life events and post-traumatic stress: the development of a new measure for children and adolescents

Background. A new interview measure of life events and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been developed for children and adolescents aged 9 through 17, for use in both epidemiological and clinical studies. It includes ‘high magnitude’ events associated with PTSD as well as other ‘low magnitude’ events.Method. The interview is designed as a module of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment, an interviewer-based interview conducted with parent and child separately by trained lay interviewers. The module includes: (1) questions about a wide range of events; (2) a screen for key PTSD symptoms (painful recall, avoidance, hypervigilance); and (3) a detailed interview on all PTSD symptoms, including onset, duration, severity and co-morbidity. A test–retest reliability study was conducted with 58 parents and children, who were interviewed twice by different interviewers.Results. Intraclass correlations were 0·72 (child) and 0·83 (parent) for high magnitude events, and 0·62 (child) and 0·58 (parent) for low magnitude events. Kappa coefficients ranged from high for violence and sexual abuse to low for child reports of serious accidents and natural disasters. The reliability of the PTSD screen symptoms was fair to excellent (κ=0·40–0·79), and reliability of PTSD symptoms in those who passed the screen was excellent (ICC=0·94–0·99). Compared with a general population sample (N=1015), the clinic-referred subjects and their parents were twice as likely to report a traumatic event and, depending on the event, up to 25 times as likely to report symptoms of PTSD.Conclusions. The results support the reliability and discriminant validity of the measure.
Precision effects for solar image coordinates within the FITS world coordinate system

The FITS world coordinate system (WCS) provides a number of tools for precisely specifying the spatial coordinates of an image. Many of the finer details that the WCS addresses have not historically been taken into account in solar image processing. This paper examines various effects which can affect the expression of coordinates in FITS headers, to determine under what conditions such effects need to be taken into account in data analysis, and under what conditions they can be safely ignored. Effects which are examined include perspective, parallax, spherical projection, optical axis determination, speed-of-light effects, stellar aberration, gravitational deflection, and scattering and refraction at radio wavelengths. Purely instrumental effects, such as misalignment or untreated optical aberrations, are not considered. Since the value of the solar radius is an experimental quantity, the effect of adopting a specific radius value is also examined. These effects are examined in the context of a previous paper outlining a WCS standard for encoding solar coordinates in FITS files. Aspects of that previous paper are clarified and extended in the present work.
Conservative Estimations of Reliability With Limited Sampling

The objective of this paper is to provide a method of safely estimating reliability based on small samples. First, it is shown that the commonly used estimators of the parameters of the normal distribution function are biased, and they tend to lead to unconservative estimates of reliability. Then, two ways of making this estimation conservative are proposed: (1) adding constraints when a distribution is fitted to the data to bias it to be conservative, and (2) using the bootstrap method to estimate the bias needed for a given level of conservativeness. The relationship between the accuracy and the conservativeness of the estimates is explored for a normal distribution. In particular, detailed results are presented for the case when the goal is 95% likelihood to be conservative. The bootstrap approach is found to be more accurate for this level of conservativeness. It is then applied to the reliability analysis of a composite panel under thermal loading. Finally, we explore the influence of sample sizes and target probability of failure on estimates quality, and show that for a constant level of conservativeness, small samples and low probabilities can lead to a high risk of large overestimation while this risk is limited to a very reasonable value for samples above.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Morphology of defense glands of the opilionids (daddy longlegs) Leiobunum vittatum and L. flavum (Arachnida: Opiliones: Palpatores: Phalangiidae).

Opilionid defense glands consist of 0.5 × 0.9-mm sacs attached to the underside of low tubercles located on the dorsal side of the cephalothorax, posterior to the first pair of legs. Each gland opens via an elongated slit, located in the posterior floor of a crater that is situated at the summit of the tubercle. The center of the sac, called the reservoir, is lined by a cuticle consisting of epicuticle and endocuticle which is continuous through the slit with the exoskeleton. The layers of cuticle vary in thickness with different locations in the gland. A hemocoelomic (basement) membrane, 0.5-1, μ thick, forms the boundary between glandular cells and hemocoel. The gland has a nonsecretory portion consisting only of cuticle-supporting cells and a secretory portion consisting of secretory and cuticle-supporting cells. The cuticle lining the reservoir in the secretory area is broached by many cuticle-lined ductules, each of which drains an isolated intercellular space called the intercalated cistern. This in turn drains microvilli-lined canaliculi located between and extending into secretory cells. The cisterns are devoid of microvilli. Secretory cell cytoplasm contains a Golgi apparatus, many free ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), two types of granules (speckled and dense), and mitochondria. Speckled granules are partially filled with fairly large particles and are found in association with the Golgi apparatus. They also surround canaliculi into which they empty. Dense granules are packed with very small particles, have a gray homogeneous appearance, and are scattered throughout the cytoplasm. Mitochondria containing matrix granules tend to scatter throughout the cytoplasm but are concentrated around canaliculi.
Quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon deposited by triode assisted reactive sputtering

Triode assisted reactive sputtering (TARS) has been used to deposit device quality a-Si : H. One strong advantage TARS has over the glow discharge (GD) technique for depositing a-Si : H is that TARS does not use any toxic gasses. Only argon and hydrogen are used, instead of silane. It is also advantageous over other sputtering techniques in that it uses only DC power. Finally, all the deposition parameters can be controlled independently. The films grown were intrinsic and were characterized using several test methods. All of these tests indicate that when the proper deposition parameters are chosen, device quality a-Si : H can be deposited using this TARS technique.
Promoting Healthy Sexuality among Older Adults: Educational Challenges for Health Professionals

Despite the vitality of most older adults and their interest in sexual intimacy, the failure of others to view sexuality as a significant dimension of their lives is pervasive and potentially damaging. In an effort to promote positive sexual health for seniors, health care professionals are challenged to 1) educate and sensitize the professional community, 2) dismantle age stereotypes, 3) empower elders with sexual knowledge and skills, 4) embrace diversity in sexual expression, and 5) create “sexuality-positive” environments for institution-bound elders.
The Role of Credit Agreements in Corporate Financial Policy: An Empirical Investigation

Theory suggests firms maintain credit agreements to lower contracting costs. I find evidence that suggests firms use credit agreements to lower the expected cost of borrowing. Contrary to theories which suggest firms with growth opportunities use credit agreements to provide financial slack and to mitigate adverse incentives, I find that firms with more growth opportunities maintain lower levels of unused credit agreements than do firms consisting mainly of assets-in-place.
Public Choice and Private Insurance: The Case of Small Group Market Reforms

This article is one of nine appearing in a forthcoming symposium focused on Richard Epstein's book "Mortal Peril." This article begins by questioning the legitimacy of the conclusions Epstein reaches about the proper role of government with respect to health care financing, observing that Epstein's utilitarian version of libertarian principles could lead to any number of alternative public policy positions than the ones that he advocates opposing virtually all forms of government intervention. The article then shifts focus to a particular set of government interventions, those intended to improve the functioning of the market for small employer health insurance. Accepting Epstein's challenge to establish the case for market regulation with empirical evidence, the article presents findings from an in-depth qualitative study of the impact of these reforms on the health insurance markets in a dozen states. These findings indicate that this set of regulations has been largely effective in keeping these markets functioning in a more socially and economically productive fashion, although these effects are subdued. The article agrees, however, with Epstein's prediction that similar reforms in the market for individual health insurance will be counterproductive or perhaps even destructive.
The Overlap of Molting and Breeding in Some Tropical Birds

Studies of temperate and tropical land birds reveal that the resource-demanding activities of the life cycle generally are mutually exclusive in an individual (Miller 1963, Farner 1964, Fogden 1972). Presumably food (calories, specific organic or inorganic nutrients, or the time to gather them) is limiting, and temporal spacing has evolved in response to the high requirements of each event. Thus an activity is timed to occur when environmental conditions are favorable and when interference from other activities is minimal.
Cerococcus citri (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Cerococcidae), a new species of scale insect from China

A new species of scale insect, Cerococcus citri , is described and illustrated. This species was discovered on Citrus spp. from China. Morphological comparisons are made with closely related species, and a modified key is provided to separate the new species from other cerococcids.
Risk assessment and control of deep gas development

In order to evaulate and control development risk,this paper analyzes influence factor of deep gas development,establishes risk assessment model of gas development using extension assessment method and gives example,puts forward control risk measures about geological risk,project risk,economic risk and managerial risk,aiming at providing a reliable basis for gas development decision-making.
Physically Based Animation

When realistic motion is the objective, generating motion can be based on computations that use basic physical laws, usually consisting of forces applied to masses that produce accelerations. This chapter starts by reviewing the basic forces that are important to computer animation: gravity, springs, dampers, friction, and force fields (e.g., wind). Once basic physics is reviewed, some of the main applications in which physics is used in computer animation are presented, such as spring meshes, particle systems, rigid body simulation, and cloth. The chapter concludes with a discussion of enforcing soft and hard constraints.
Molecular Models of Early Transition Metal Oxides: Polyoxoanions as Organic Functional Groups

Early transition metal oxides are known to be effective heterogeneous catalysts or catalyst precursors for numerous organic transformations, including methanol oxidation to give formaldehyde, methacrolein oxidation to give methacrylic acid, propylene oxidation to give acrolein, methane oxidation to give formaldehyde, and propylene metathesis to give ethylene and butene. Due to the difficulty of characterizing surface-bound intermediates, efforts have been made to synthesize and study the reaction chemistry of analogous polyoxoanion derivatives containing organic subunits. Several polyoxomolybdate derivatives have been structurally characterized during the past decade that incorporate simple organic moieties believed to be surface intermediates in these heterogeneous systems, including [(HCO2)2(Mo8O26)]6-, CH2Mo4O15H3-, [CH3C(CH2O)3]2(CH3CH2O)2Mo4O8, and [(CH3O)4(Mo8O)24]4-. More recently, two polyoxoanion systems have been investigated that illustrate solution pathways for incorporating organic groups into polyoxoanions and effecting organic oxidations and dehydrations. In the first, the niobotungstic acid esters Nb2W4019R3-, R = CH3, CH3CH2, (CH3)2CH, and (CH3)3C, have been prepared by reacting the appropriate alcohol with either the niobotungstic acid Nb2W4O19H3- or its anhydride (Nb2W4O18)2O6-. In the second system, molybdophosphoric acid esters such as (P3O9)MoO3CH2CH3 2- have been prepared from the appropriate alcohol and then degraded thermally or photochemically. The ethyl ester, for example, yields acetaldehyde plus ethanol thermally, and acetaldehyde, ethanol, plus ethylene photochemically.
Catalytic conversion of methane to methanol on Cu-SSZ-13 using N2O as oxidant

Direct catalytic methanol production from methane is achieved on Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite catalysts using N2O as the oxidant. The methanol production rate on Cu-SSZ-13 (on a per gram basis) was more than twice the rate on Cu-mordenite and more than four times the rate on Cu-ZSM-5.
Intranasal Fluticasone Associated with Delayed Tympanostomy Tube Placement in Children with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Abstract Objectives Pediatric patient caregivers may prefer to avoid a surgical intervention and request a medical management option for eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). However, there are limited published data evaluating the efficacy of intranasal fluticasone in the medical management of ETD as an alternative to tympanostomy tube placement. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine if intranasal fluticasone (INF) prevented tympanostomy tube placement in children with ETD, and 2) describe differences in patient response to INF related to cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) and Down syndrome. Methods Case series with planned chart review at a Tertiary academic hospital. We reviewed pediatric patients treated with INF for ETD. Inclusion criteria included ETD, no prior intranasal or oral steroid therapy, and no prior tympanostomy tube placement. Outcomes included time-to- tympanostomy tube placement with or without INF and therapy compliance. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses with log-rank tests and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine outcome variables. Results 676 fulfilled inclusion criteria. 393 (58.7%) were male, and 355 (52.5%) Caucasian with mean age of 27.1 months old. 92 (13.6%) had CLP and 46 (6.8%) had Down Syndrome. 266 (39.4%) received INF, and 202 (88.2%) were compliant at their next visit. 474 (70.1%) had tympanostomy tubes placed. Children treated with INF were less likely to have tympanostomy tubes placed than children not treated (52.6% vs. 81.5%; p Conclusion INF significantly reduces the number of children requiring tympanostomy tube placement for ETD. The CLP and Down Syndrome anatomical variants may attenuate INF efficacy. Further in vivo characterization of INF action on eustachian tube tissues will help further substantiate these observations.
Control-data separation in cloud RAN: The case of uplink HARQ

The performance of uplink HARQ in a Cloud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN) architecture is limited by the two-way latency on the fronthaul links connecting the Remote Radio Heads (RRHs) with the Baseband Unit (BBU) that performs decoding. In order to alleviate this problem, this work considers an alternative architecture based on the separation of control and data planes, in which the control plane is implemented at the edge, namely at the RRHs and at the User Equipments (UEs), while data decoding is still carried out remotely at the BBU as in a conventional C-RAN. More specifically, the RRHs perform local uplink channel estimation and feed back low-rate information to the UEs, which then make low-latency local retransmission decisions. Retransmission control is hence not subject to the fronthaul latency constraints. “Hard” and “soft” local feedback schemes are presented. The analysis, which is based on finite-blocklength bounds, allows the optimization of the considered schemes, as well as the investigation of the impact of system parameters such as blocklength and number of feedback bits on the performance of the proposed architecture.
Evaluating the Feasibility of a Play-Based Telehealth Intervention Program for Children with Prader–Willi Syndrome

Here we report the feasibility and acceptability of telehealth for direct intervention in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Children with PWS have social-cognitive challenges that are similar to children with ASD. However, developing behavioral interventions for individuals with PWS is faced with the significant challenge of enrolling enough participants for local studies where multiple visits per week are indicated for effective intervention. This study delivered a 6-week play-based intervention via telehealth directly to eight children with PWS (6-12 years). Participants completed the program with minimal behavioral or technological difficulty (#sessions M = 11.875/12). Behavioral Intervention Rating Scale results indicate good acceptability (M = 5.54/6.00). These findings support using telehealth in rare disorders and delivering intervention directly to children with developmental delays through this modality.
The Cholangiocyte Adenosine-IL-6 Axis Regulates Survival During Biliary Cirrhosis

Epithelial response to injury is critical to the pathogenesis of biliary cirrhosis, and IL-6 has been suggested as a mediator of this phenomenon. Several liver cell types can secrete IL-6 following activation by various signaling molecules including circulating adenosine. The aims of this study were to assess whether adenosine can induce IL-6 secretion by cholangiocytes via the A2b adenosine receptor (A2bAR) and to determine the effect of A2bAR-sensitive IL-6 release on injury response in biliary cirrhosis. Human normal cholangiocyte H69 cells were used for in vitro studies to determine the mechanism by which adenosine and the A2bAR induce release of IL-6. In vivo, control and A2bAR-deficient mice were used to determine the roles of A2bAR-sensitive IL-6 release in biliary cirrhosis induced by common bile duct ligation (BDL). Additionally, the response to exogenous IL-6 was assessed in C57BL/6 and A2bAR-deficient mice. Adenosine induced IL-6 mRNA expression and protein secretion via A2bAR activation. Although activation of A2bAR induced cAMP and intracellular Ca2+ signals, only the Ca2+ signals were linked to IL-6 upregulation. After BDL, A2bAR-deficient mice have impaired survival, which is further impaired by exogenous IL-6; however, decreased survival is not due to changes in fibrosis and no changes in inflammatory cells. Exogenous IL-6 is associated with the increased presence of bile infarcts. Extracellular adenosine induces cholangiocyte IL-6 release via the A2bAR. This signaling pathway is important in the pathogenesis of injury response in biliary cirrhosis but does not alter fibrosis. Adenosine upregulates IL-6 release by cholangiocytes via the A2bAR in a calcium-sensitive fashion. Mice deficient in A2bAR experience impaired survival after biliary cirrhosis induced by common bile duct ligation independent of changes in fibrosis.
The Geography of Opportunity 20 Years Later

My career-long intellectual project has been to understand how our human-built environments—at the dwelling, neighborhood, and metropolitan scales—serve as crucibles for human development, achievem...
Florida residents’ perceived role in protecting water quantity and quality through landscape practices

Abstract As in many places in the world, the state of Florida in the United States (U.S.) faces important water scarcity and quality issues due to a changing climate and growing population. Many organizations work to encourage appropriate landscape fertilization and irrigation practices to address these issues but factors that influence residential landscape management behaviors are not fully understood. This study employed quantitative survey methodology to evaluate differences in the factors that influence engagement in good landscape practices: Floridians’ attitudes, perceived subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control towards good fertilization and irrigation practices. We found more positive attitudes, stronger social support, and greater perceived behavioral control surrounding water conservation compared to water quality protection. We also examined intent to engage in specific fertilization and irrigation practices, finding varied levels of intent exist. These results revealed an opportunity for landscape professionals to correct disconnects by helping residents understand their personal impact on water quality while providing support for the overall high attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control toward good irrigation and fertilization behaviors.
To Match or Not to Match? Statistical and Substantive Considerations in Audit Design and Analysis

In audits, as in all experiments, researchers are confronted with choices about whether to collect and analyze repeated measures on the unit of analysis. In typical social science practice, this decision often involves consideration of whether to send single or multiple auditors to test for discrimination at a site that represents the unit of analysis, such as employers, landlords, or schools. In this chapter, we provide tools for researchers considering the statistical and substantive implications of this decision. For the former, we show how sample size and statistical efficiency questions hinge in large part on the expected concordance of outcomes when testers are sent to the same unit or site. For the latter, we encourage researchers to think carefully about what is gained and lost via matched and non-matched designs, particularly regarding the finite nature of certain populations, resource constraints, and the likelihood of detection in the field. For both approaches, we make recommendations for the appropriate statistical analysis in light of the given design and direct readers to software and code that may be helpful in informing design choices.
Who, where, and why are patients lost to follow-up? A 20-year study of bladder exstrophy patients at a single institution.

Summary Introduction Individuals with bladder and cloacal exstrophy are at increased risk for kidney disease, renal failure, and bladder complications. Given the social implications and sensitive nature of the disease, these patients are also at risk for psychosocial problems. Lack of regular medical follow-up visits may pose serious risks to their long-term health status. The aim of this study is determine what factors place an affected individual at risk for limited long term follow up. Materials and methods We identified all patients with bladder or cloacal exstrophy seen by the pediatric urology department at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) between January 1996 and August 2016. Patient data included demographics, insurance coverage, distance from patient's home to the clinic, medical and surgical history, and the date of their last clinic visit. Two groups for comparison were (1) those that had been seen within the last 2 years, and (2) those that were counted as failing to maintain follow-up because 2 or more years had passed since their last clinic visit. These groups were compared using the Student t-test, the chi-square test, or the Fisher exact test and p Results and discussion Ninety-one patients with bladder or cloacal exstrophy were seen by the pediatric urology department between January 1996 and August 2016. Of the 91 patients, 24 left the clinic for known reasons thus leaving 67 patients that were considered for analyses: 51 had been seen within the last 2 years while 16 were counted as lost to follow-up. These two groups (active and lost to follow-up) did not differ significantly for age at last clinic visit, distance between family's home and clinic, history of bladder reconstruction, sex, or insurance status. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the medical complexity of their condition. The group active in urological care had more patients with cloacal exstrophy and additional anomalies than the group lost to follow-up. Conclusions Patients with bladder exstrophy and cloacal exstrophy are less likely to maintain annual follow-up visits with their urologist if they have a simpler diagnosis requiring fewer surgical interventions. For patients with exstrophy, regular clinic visits prioritizing education and psychosocial support may prevent hospitalizations, emergency interventions, and poor overall health outcomes. To maintain contact with the medical team and promote optimal health outcomes, a social worker or care coordinator/educator may play an integral part in addressing the unique needs of this population.
Depressive Symptoms, Rumination, and Emotion Reactivity Among Youth: Moderation by Gender.

The emotion context-insensitivity hypothesis (ECI; Rottenberg et al., 2005) posits that depressive symptoms are associated with blunted emotional reactivity and is supported by the results of a met...