cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous determination of five elements in biological samples by ICP-MS

Objective To develop a method for simultaneous determination of Pb,Cd,Cr,As and Hg in blood and urine by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry( ICP-MS),so as to provide detection means for the research on the effects of metal pollution on human health. Methods Samples were digested with nitric acid,Bi,In,Sc and Y were used as internal standards,and then Pb,Cd,As,Cr and Hg were analyzed by ICP-MS. Standards materials for whole blood and whole urine were used as quality control. Results The linear correlation coefficients for all elements were above 0. 999. The limits of detection were 0. 003 8 μg / L,0. 005 6 μg / L,0. 025 μg / L,0. 047 μg / L,0. 006 2 μg / L for Pb,Cd,Cr,As and Hg,respectively. The determination results of standard substances were in the range of certificated value. The relative standard deviations were less than 10% with the recoveries of 82%-115% in the re-detection on the same sample. Conclusion The method was simple,sensitive and specific for the simultaneous determination of the 5 elements in biological samples.
Decreased life span and membrane damage of carbamylated erythrocytes in vitro.

Red blood cells exposed to cyanate (CNO) in vitro have a concentration- dependent decreased cell survival time associated with an inhibition of the ability of the cell membrane to synthesize lipids. The t1/2 of rabbit erythrocytes exposed to 30 mM or 50 mM cyanate for 1 hr at 37 degrees C is reduced from the normal 24 days to 15 and 9 days, respectively. The cyanate-induced defect in membrane lipid metabolism is irreversible. Carbamylation of membrane proteins and damage to metabolism are minimized by limiting exposure in vitro to 15 mM cyanate at 4 degrees C for 30 min. Cells carbamylated under these conditions do not have a shortened life span. Levels of globin carbamylation of 0.5 moles CNO/mole hemoglobin, shown to be clinically effective in prolonging the life span of sickle erythrocytes, are obtained under these conditions and reach maximal levels after only 30 min of incubation. Carbamylation of blood in CPD anticoagulant is inferior to either ACD or heparin. The findings indicate that adequate carbamylation of sickle erythrocytes with minimal red cell membrane damage can be achieved without significant modification of the standard plasmapheresis procedure utilized by the working blood bank.
REMOTELY-SENSED URBAN WET-LANDSCAPES: AN INDICATOR OF COUPLED EFFECTS OF HUMAN IMPACT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract. This study proposes the concept of urban wet-landscapes (loosely-defined wetlands) as against dry-landscapes (mainly impervious surfaces). The study is to examine whether the dynamics of urban wet-landscapes is a sensitive indicator of the coupled effects of the two major driving forces of urban landscape change – human built-up impact and climate (precipitation) variation. Using a series of satellite images, the study was conducted in the Kansas City metropolitan area of the United States. A rule-based classification algorithm was developed to identify fine-scale, hidden wetlands that could not be appropriately detected based on their spectral differentiability by a traditional image classification. The spatial analyses of wetland changes were implemented at the scales of metropolitan, watershed, and sub-watershed as well as based on the size of surface water bodies in order to reveal urban wetland change trends in relation to the driving forces. The study identified that wet-landscape dynamics varied in trend and magnitude from the metropolitan, watersheds, to sub-watersheds. The study also found that increased precipitation in the region in the past decades swelled larger wetlands in particular while smaller wetlands decreased mainly due to human development activities. These findings suggest that wet-landscapes, as against the dry-landscapes, can be a more effective indicator of the coupled effects of human impact and climate change.
Issues or Identity? Cognitive Foundations of Voter Choice

Voter choice is one of the most important problems in political science. The most common models assume that voting is a rational choice based on policy positions (e.g., key issues) and nonpolicy information (e.g., social identity, personality). Though such models explain macroscopic features of elections, they also reveal important anomalies that have been resistant to explanation. We argue for a new approach that builds upon recent research in cognitive science and neuroscience; specifically, we contend that policy positions and social identities do not combine in merely an additive manner, but compete to determine voter preferences. This model not only explains several key anomalies in voter choice, but also suggests new directions for research in both political science and cognitive science.
Quantifying Fall-Related Hazards in the Homes of Persons with Glaucoma

Objective To characterize fall-related hazards in the homes of persons with suspected or diagnosed glaucoma, and to determine whether those with worse visual field (VF) damage have fewer home hazards. Design Cross-sectional study using baseline (2013–2015) data from the ongoing Falls in Glaucoma Study (FIGS). Participants One-hundred seventy-four of 245 (71.0%) FIGS participants agreeing to the home assessment. Methods Participants' homes were assessed using the Home Environment Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HEAVI). A single evaluator assessed up to 127 potential hazards in 8 home regions. In the clinic, binocular contrast sensitivity (CS) and better-eye visual acuity (VA) were evaluated, and 24-2 VFs were obtained to calculate average integrated VF (IVF) sensitivity. Main Outcome Measures Total number of home hazards. Results No significant visual or demographic differences were noted between participants who did and did not complete the home assessment ( P > 0.09 for all measures). Mean age among those completing the home assessment (n = 174) was 71.1 years, and IVF sensitivity ranged from 5.6 to 33.4 dB (mean = 27.2 dB, standard deviation [SD] = 4.0 dB). The mean number of items graded per home was 85.2 (SD = 13.2), and an average of 32.7 (38.3%) were identified as hazards. IVF sensitivity, CS, and VA were not associated with total home hazards or the number of hazards in any given room ( P > 0.06 for all visual measures and rooms). The bathroom contained the greatest number of hazards (mean = 7.9; 54.2% of graded items classified as hazardous), and the most common hazards identified in at least 1 room were ambient lighting P > 0.18 for all), but brighter room lighting was noted in the homes of participants with higher median income ( P Conclusions Multiple home fall hazards were identified in the study population, and hazard numbers were not lower for persons with worse VF damage, suggesting that individuals with more advanced glaucoma do not adapt their homes for safety. Further work should investigate whether addressing home hazards is an effective intervention for preventing falls in this high-risk group.
Kuramite Cu3SnS4 and Mohite Cu2SnS3 Nanoplatelet Synthesis Using Covellite CuS Templates with Sn(II) and Sn(IV) Sources

Colloidal synthesis of copper tin sulfide (CTS) nanocrystals has been of great interest due to their potential for use in solution-processed photovoltaics containing only earth-abundant, low-toxicity elements. Postsynthetic incorporation of Sn into copper sulfide is an effective means of producing CTS, and Sn content can be controlled to some extent by the amount of Sn precursor provided. However, the oxidation (valence) state of Sn before and after doping and the effectiveness of Sn(II) vs Sn(IV) precursors remain topics of significant debate. Here, we demonstrate a step-growth method for preparing monodisperse copper tin sulfide (CTS) nanoplatelets (NPls). We show that Sn2+ ions, but not Sn4+ ions, can convert covellite to Cu3SnxS4 NPls (x ≤ 1) without addition of any reducing or copper-extracting agent. In this case Sn2+ reduces the disulfide bond in covellite and the crystal structure evolves from covellite to kuramite. When dodecanethiol (DDT) is added prior to Sn, only Sn4+ ions, and not Sn2+ ions, ...
Obesity Overview: Causes, Epidemiology, Mortality, and Autopsy:

Obesity is now recognized as a major health epidemic in the United States and around the world, both in adults and children, and has coincided with the increase in the availability of high calorie/...
Structure-Function Relations in Layered Transition Metal Sulfide Catalysts

Abstract Chemical and physical studies of MoS 2 single crystals, microcrystals and powders were carried out with the goal of understanding the relation between the edge plane properties and catalytic properties. The bulk electronic structure of MoS 2 is directly related to the catalytically active surface states. The catalytic states, created by edge termination or probably sulfur vacancies, lie just above the dz 2 band near the Fermi level. Optical and electron spectroscopic measurements on geometrically well defined catalysts were used to obtain a “HDS edge site turnover frequency”, which does not suffer from an ambiguity in dispersion. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of unsupported molybdenum disulfide is related to the existence of two different sites and their relative concentration is directly dependent upon the morphology of the particle and is controlled by the stacking of the layers.
Human Platelet Vesicles Exhibit Distinct Size and Proteome

In the past 50 years, isolated blood platelets have had restricted use in wound healing, cancer therapy, and organ and tissue transplant, to name a few. The major obstacle for its unrestricted use has been, among others, the presence of ultrahigh concentrations of growth factors and the presence of both pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic proteins. To overcome this problem requires the isolation and separation of the membrane bound secretory vesicles containing the different factors. In the current study, high-resolution imaging of isolated secretory vesicles from human platelets using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and mass spectrometry enabled characterization of the remaining vesicles size and composition following their immunoseparation. The remaining vesicles obtained following osmotic lysis, when subjected to immunoseparation employing antibody to different vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs), demonstrate for the first time that VAMP-3-, VAMP-7-, and VAMP-8-specific vesicles each possesses di...
Simulating Charge, Spin, and Orbital Ordering: Application to Jahn–Teller Distortions in Layered Transition-Metal Oxides

The degrees of freedom associated with orbital, spin, and charge ordering can strongly affect the properties of many crystalline solids, including battery materials, high-temperature superconductors, and naturally occurring minerals. This work reports on the development of a computational framework to systematically explore the ordering of electronic degrees of freedom and presents results on orbital ordering associated with Jahn–Teller distortions in four layered oxides relevant for Li- and Na-ion batteries: LiNiO2, NaNiO2, LiMnO2, and NaMnO2. Our calculations reveal a criterion for the stability of orbital orderings in these layered materials: each oxygen atom must participate in two short and one long transition-metal/oxygen bond. The only orderings that satisfy this stability criterion are row orderings, such as the “zigzag” ordering. The near degeneracy of such row-orderings in LiNiO2 suggests that boundaries between domains with distinct but symmetrically equivalent Jahn–Teller distortions will be r...
Arnold Buffum Chace

(1933). Arnold Buffum Chace. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 139-142.
Crisp Boundary Detection Using Pointwise Mutual Information

Detecting boundaries between semantically meaningful objects in visual scenes is an important component of many vision algorithms. In this paper, we propose a novel method for detecting such boundaries based on a simple underlying principle: pixels belonging to the same object exhibit higher statistical dependencies than pixels belonging to different objects. We show how to derive an affinity measure based on this principle using pointwise mutual information, and we show that this measure is indeed a good predictor of whether or not two pixels reside on the same object. Using this affinity with spectral clustering, we can find object boundaries in the image – achieving state-of-the-art results on the BSDS500 dataset. Our method produces pixel-level accurate boundaries while requiring minimal feature engineering.
Spatial Analysis of Disease

Cancer rate comparisons around the world suggest clear geographic differences that have only recently been appreciated and evaluated by statistical methods. The goal of this chapter is to briefly review the progression of the spatial analysis of disease from simple dot maps and crude rate comparisons to the complex hierarchical spatial models used today. After providing a historical background and necessary epidemiologic fundamentals, we summarize available methods for the exploration, hypothesis testing, and modeling of spatial data. Although the focus here is on methods appropriate for cancer research, other related methods will be mentioned.
Signal Separation for Cognitive Wireless Communications

In this chapter, fundamental concepts about interference and orthogonality issues in an n-dimensional electrospace are reviewed from a signal separation point of view for cognitive wireless communications. We study the cognitive receiver structure which can recover the desired signal in the presence of interference , which we call signal separation. A path for better signal separation capability for resource efficiency, in order to utilize the electrospace in all dimensions is researched.
Seasonally dependent responses of subtropical highs and tropical rainfall to anthropogenic warming

The subtropical highs are semi-permanent atmospheric features that strengthen during April–September, exerting a large influence on regional rainfall1–5. Previous studies have focused on the changes of subtropical highs during their peak season (June–August)6–8, but little is known about their changes in other seasons. Here, a suite of multi-model simulations are used to demonstrate the robust seasonally dependent responses of subtropical highs and tropical rainfall to anthropogenic warming. The zonal-mean subtropical highs in the Northern Hemisphere are shown to strengthen more during April–June than July–September, with opposite responses for the Southern Hemisphere counterparts. These responses are closely related to a southward shift of tropical rainfall in April–June relative to July–September, manifesting in a seasonal delay of tropical rainfall and monsoon onset in the Northern Hemisphere9,10. Such seasonality is found to occur in response to elevated latent energy demand in the hemisphere warming up seasonally, as dictated by the Clausius–Clapeyron relation. The interhemispheric energy contrast drives a southward shift of tropical rainfall that strengthens the Hadley cell and zonal-mean subtropical highs in the Northern Hemisphere in April–June relative to July–September. These changes scale linearly with warming, with increasing implications for projecting climate changes in the tropics and subtropics as warming continues. Multi-model simulations reveal subtropical highs exhibit a seasonal response to anthropogenic warming, strengthening more during April–June than July–September in the Northern Hemisphere, and resulting from a seasonal delay of monsoon rainfall.
Deferred agonistic behavior in a long-lived scincid lizard Eumeces laticeps : Field and laboratory data on the roles of body size and residence in agonistic strategy.

A laboratory experiment with the broad-headed skink (Eumeces laticeps) involving staged agonistic encounters demonstrates that larger males have an advantage over smaller ones in agonistic bouts. Field data on head wounds produced by intraspecific fighting during the breeding season show a much higher frequency of new wounds among males over 100 mm in snout-vent-length than in smaller males. The significant difference in new-wound frequency strongly suggests avoidance of fights by the small males, which is corroborated by laboratory and field observations. Access by males to reproductively active females depends on the ability to defeat other males in aggressive contests virtually always involving head biting if the males are of nearly equal size. Because the probability of winning agonistic encounters increases with size, young males avoid fights with older males. Aggressive contests with larger males and reproductive attempts other than courtship in the absence of larger males are deferred.Aggressive behavior in E. laticeps may be employed in direct defense of females, but might also be expressed in defense of specific sites and/or territories. In the laboratory, males in their home cages were significantly more likely to win encounters with males of similar size than were males fighting in the home cages of opponents. This suggests that encounter site could be important in determining encounter outcome and that field study of possible site defense or territoriality is needed.
The Self of the Mormon Sex Therapist: Strategies for Sex Therapists-in-Training

The purpose of this paper is to present strategies to assist LDS (Mormon) sex therapists-in-training as they work through the anxiety and value conflict of doing sex therapy. This paper outlines th...
Grid tie inverter energy stabilizing in smart distribution grid with energy storage

With the growing deployment of smart distribution grid, it has become urgent to investigate the smart distribution grid behavior during transient faults and improve the system stability. The feasibility of segmenting large power grids and multiple smart distribution grids interconnections using energy storage technology for improving the system dynamic stability was studied. The segmentation validity of the large power grids and smart distribution grid inverter output interconnections power system using energy storage technology was proved in terms of theoretical analysis. Then, the influences of the energy storage device location and capacity on the proposed method were discussed in detail. The conclusion is obtained that the ESD optimal locations are allocated at the tie line terminal buses in the interconnected grid, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified by simulations in an actual power system.
Kinematics of Redundantly Actuated Closed Kinematic Chains

The instantaneous kinematics of a hybrid manipulation system, which combines the traditional serial chain geometry with parallelism in actuation, and the problem of coordination, is discussed. Such a system is characterized by closed chains in the structure and redundancy in actuation. This redundancy is shown to be dual to the kinematic redundancy in serial chain robot manipulators. The presence of redundancy in the system allows the specification of force set-points that will ensure an optimal load distribution for force control or hybrid control schemes. In addition, the singularities in the inverse kinematics and statics equations, which are typical of robotic systems with closed chains, are analyzed. Coordination algorithms for the computation of optimal force distribution that minimize joint torques while avoiding singularities are the main focus of this paper. In particular, a planar dual arm manipulation system is used as an example and is analyzed in some detail. A simulation of a quasi-static model of this system is used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed schemes.
Invited Paper: Semantic IoT Data Description and Discovery in the IoT-Edge-Fog-Cloud Infrastructure

Many IoT systems are data intensive, where a large volume of data steadily get generated from a large number of sensors in the system. These data are continuous, thus, how to store and manage them is an important issue. Existing time series databases (TSDBs) offer some good strategies for storing continuous IoT data streams, but they lack a good semantic model for describing the IoT data streams to support effective data discovery. This shortcoming becomes critical when we consider the need for data sharing in many application domains; and it becomes significant when we consider the super huge scale of the IoT-Edge-Fog-Cloud infrastructure and the dynamic data flows in the infrastructure. In this paper, we develop the solutions for IoT data management in the IoT-Edge-Fog-Cloud infrastructure. We focus on the issues of data storage, specification and discovery. First, we build a semantic model for better specification of the IoT data streams (time series data), the DS-ontology. We have applied DS-ontology to TSDBs and developed the SE-TSDB tool suite, which runs on top of existing TSDBs to help establish semantic specifications for data streams and enable semantic-based data retrievals. We have also developed the IoT data discovery techniques based on SE-TSDB to facilitate semantic based data retrieval in the IoT-Edge-Fog-Cloud infrastructure. With our techniques, IoT data streams can be more effectively tracked and flexibly retrieved to help with integrated data analytics and improved knowledge discovery.
The Analysis of Effects of Control Measures on the Development of Epidemics

The raison d’etre for the study of plant pathology is to reduce crop loss due to disease (Carlson and Main 1979). To achieve these lower crop losses, plant diseases are controlled with chemicals applied before or during the epidemic, with plant resistance to disease, and with sanitation and other crop management practices. To determine the superior treatment among the many choices that may be available for the control of disease, or to predict the disease progress after the application of a control measure, is frequently not an easy task. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide suggestions, methods, and experimental techniques to aid in the interpretation of the disease progress associated with control procedures. Hopefully, the improved interpretation of disease progress will enable the researcher to make the choice of the best control measure, to predict future disease with or without the application of the control measure, and to correlate disease progress to spore numbers, weather, and plant growth which should lead to better advice to growers on the control of diseases.
Charcoal Rot of Strawberries Caused by Macrophomina phaseolina

Charcoal rot is caused by Macrophomina phaseolina and has become more prevalent in Florida strawberry fields since methyl bromide was phased out. This 4-page publication describes the symptoms, development, and control of charcoal rot in strawberry fields. Written by N. A. Peres, J. S. Baggio, and J. C. Mertely and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Plant Pathology, February 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp161
Suppression of breast cancer metastasis by p16’s dual effect on anti-angiogenesis and anti-proliferation

4313 Blocking tumor angiogenesis may be an effective approach to suppress tumor metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in tumor angiogenesis. The degree of tumor malignancy correlates with the expression of VEGF and inversely with expression of tumor suppressor gene p16 in human breast specimens. To examine whether restoring of wild-type p16 in breast cancer cells decreases VEGF gene expression and inhibits breast cancer angiogenesis and metastasis, human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and mouse breast cancer cell line JygMC(A) were used as models for studies. To facilitate induction of p16 expression, a replication-defective recombinant adenovirus expressing human wild-type p16 (AdRSVp16) has been generated. Our study showed that adenoviral-mediated p16 expression downregulated VEGF expression and VEGF receptor activation in breast cancer cells. AdRSVp16 inhibited in vitro cell growth of MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and JygMC(A) at 50.4%, 58.3% and 38.5%, respectively, attenuated in vivo angiogenesis induced by MDA-MB-231 cells in Matrigel plug assay and in a dorsal air sac model. AdRSVp16 also significantly reduced tumor metastases of JygMC(A) cells in nude mice when compared to the control groups in a spontaneous metastasis assay. In addition, the effects of p16 on expression of proliferation marker PCNA, neovascularization marker CD31 and apoptosis inside the tumors were also analyzed. Moreover, the mechanism of p16-mediated downregulation of VEGF is also explored. These results demonstrate that p16 downregulates VEGF gene expression, inhibits angiogenesis, and suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer cells. With p16’s combinative effects on inhibition of primary tumor growth and suppression of secondary tumor formation (i.e., metastasis), p16 gene therapy should provide an effective therapy for breast cancer treatment, when used in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.
Drunkorexia: Normative behavior or gateway to alcohol and eating pathology?

Abstract Drunkorexia is characterized by a group of behaviors designed to minimize caloric intake while maximizing levels of alcohol intoxication. Individuals plan and modify their diet, via skipping meals, exercising, or purging, to save calories for a night of alcohol consumption. Minimal research has examined risk factors related to drunkorexia, and little is known regarding associated problems. We used structural equation modeling to test associations between coping and enhancement motives, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating (i.e., bulimia behaviors) and drinking among an at-risk college population (N = 364). Drive for thinness and alcohol coping motives were positively associated with drunkorexia. Notably, drunkorexia was associated with alcohol-related outcomes, but not bulimia. While common risk factors are shared with eating pathology, drunkorexia appears to be a unique construct apart from bulimia behaviors. Results indicate drunkorexia behaviors may extend past normative drinking and place individuals at increased risk of alcohol-related problems. The current study contributes to greater understanding of functional models and maladaptive outcomes related to drunkorexia behaviors.
Abstract P018: The Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor (AT 2 R) Is Involved In The Etiology Of Inverse Salt Sensitivity Of Blood Pressure

Renal proximal tubule (RPT) dopamine D1-like receptors (D1R) and angiotensin II type-2 receptor (AT2R) inhibit sodium reabsorption and counter regulate the renin angiotensin systems AT1R which stim...
Are All Capture Ratios Created Equal

This study aims to shed light on a freely published mutual fund screening tool—the capture ratio—and its ability to predict future fund performance (i.e., alpha). This analysis is of interest for both financial advisors and retail investors who deploy mutual fund screening tools. We find that capture ratios measured over shorter periods, such as one year, do not exhibit subsequent performance predictability. Conversely, we find that the three-year and five-year capture ratios are useful for investors in the full sample. However, analysis across cap and style-based fund subsamples shows that this return predictability is most consistent in predicting three- and five-year performance. TOPICS:Mutual funds/passive investing/indexing, performance measurement Key Findings ▪ Capture ratios measured over one year are unreliable in predicting mutual fund performance. ▪ Capture ratios measured over three and five years exhibit consistent performance predictability across cap and style fund subsamples. ▪ Mutual fund investors exhibit a real return-chasing behavior as it relates to capture ratios.
Automorphisms of Group Extensions

After a brief survey of the theory of group extensions and, in particular, of automorphisms of group extensions, we describe some recent reduction theorems for the inducibility problem for pairs of automorphisms.
Technical perspectiveHighly concurrent data structures

Writing lock-free algorithms, like writing device drivers and cosine routines, requires some care and expertise.
Matters of the Heart: A Program Supporting Medical Marriages for Residents at an Academic Medical Center

This article describes a specialized program facilitated by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), focused on the needs of married house staff (residents and fellows) within an academic medical center. This program was developed in conjunction with the Vanderbilt House Staff Alliance, facilitated by Work/Life Connections-EAP, the internal Employee Assistance Program, and Medical Staff Special Events at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The program is sponsored by the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and his wife, the driving force behind the project. Given the unique stressors faced by married couples during medical training, the Matters of the Heart series was developed to help house staff and their spouses manage the challenges that affect their relationships during this stressful time.
An M-pill framework in the electronic healthcare

This paper aims at developing a mobile pills framework in the electronic healthcare by using mobile information technologies. Specifically, an electronic based framework is developed to show how to mobile information technology and information system can be adopted in mobile pills. Then, a set of usability solution items are developed based on this framework. A prototype was created to show the real implementation of an m-pill system with these important features. The findings from this paper will be helpful to managers when making decisions on m-pills development.
Lactation and contraception.

The contraceptive effect of breastfeeding has been quantified in population-based surveys and decreases in breastfeeding would require increases in contraceptive practice in order to keep total fertility in check. A consensus was recently achieved on the use of lactational amenorrhea for family planning. Lactational amenorrhea during nearly- full breastfeeding for the 1st 6 months postpartum can be considered an appropriate complement to contemporary family planning methods. It is especially useful when compliance and continuation with other contraceptive methods are poor. Physicians have often undervalued the contraceptive effectiveness of lactational amenorrhea yet obstetricians and gynecologists are ideally placed to promote both family planning and breastfeeding. They have the opportunity to influence both hospital practices and societal perceptions regarding breastfeeding. (authors) (summaries in ENG SPA)
Network Performance and Queueing Models

The sections in this article are 1 Role of Queueing Analysis in Network Design and Operation 2 An Introduction to Queueing Theory 3 Little's Result 4 Arrival and Service Distributions in Queueing 5 Basic Queueing Models 6 Priority Queueing 7 Networks of Queues 8 Discrete-Time Queues 9 Future Trends in Queueing Analysis and Network Performance
Critical Role of Histone Turnover in Neuronal Transcription and Plasticity.

Summary Turnover and exchange of nucleosomal histones and their variants, a process long believed to be static in post-replicative cells, remains largely unexplored in brain. Here, we describe a novel mechanistic role for HIRA (histone cell cycle regulator) and proteasomal degradation-associated histone dynamics in the regulation of activity-dependent transcription, synaptic connectivity, and behavior. We uncover a dramatic developmental profile of nucleosome occupancy across the lifespan of both rodents and humans, with the histone variant H3.3 accumulating to near-saturating levels throughout the neuronal genome by mid-adolescence. Despite such accumulation, H3.3-containing nucleosomes remain highly dynamic—in a modification-independent manner—to control neuronal- and glial-specific gene expression patterns throughout life. Manipulating H3.3 dynamics in both embryonic and adult neurons confirmed its essential role in neuronal plasticity and cognition. Our findings establish histone turnover as a critical and previously undocumented regulator of cell type-specific transcription and plasticity in mammalian brain.
Low current enhancement mode MMICs for portable communication applications

A successful application of GaAs enhancement mode MESFET technology has been demonstrated for a portable communication system. A description is given of a single-stage enhancement mode FET amplifier dissipating about 10 mW of power and achieving a gain of 10 dB with a return loss of 14 dB at 900 MHz. This completely monolithic amplifier was unconditionally stable inside and outside the frequency band. High- and low-temperature performance of the amplifier is also reported. The circuit was tested at 70 degrees C and at -20 degrees C to study the temperature dependence of the circuit. While no appreciable degradation was observed at 70 degrees C, a drop in gain of about 2 dB was noticed at -20 degrees C. >
Speech quality assessment using expert pattern recognition

A technique is described for processing objective parameters to obtain voice quality assessment. The method combines statistical pattern recognition (SPR) techniques with a knowledge-based expert system. The SPR module uses optimally selected voice parameters to form a purely statistical assessment of voice quality. Output includes a classification of the most likely opinion score, a prediction of mean opinion score, and the predicted opinion score frequencies. An expert system is being developed to combine these results with additional knowledge bases to account for factors, such as delay, that are not accounted for by the SPR system. >
Operation BRAVE families: A preventive approach to lessening the impact of war on military families through preclinical engagement.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Operation Building Resilience and Valuing Empowered Families (OBF) is a preventive, preclinical program that was developed by the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service to form a working partnership with families of wounded warrior parents from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The OBF staff helps to identify the families' needs and collaborates with many organizations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to provide assistance. This article describes OBF, offers a case description, reviews current preventive programs for children exposed to trauma and disaster, and compares and contrasts OBF to these programs. Methods: A literature review was performed, searching Ovid MEDLINE(R) for keywords, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, child and adolescent, family, prevention, and disaster. Results: There are an increasing number of preventive programs for children and adolescents throughout the country, especially over the past 10 ...
The Physical Consequences of Gynecologic Cancer Surgery and Their Impact on Sexual, Emotional, and Quality of Life Issues

ABSTRACT Introduction Surgical management of gynecologic cancer can cause short‐ and long‐term effects on sexuality, reproductive function, and overall quality of life (QOL) (e.g., sexual dysfunction, infertility, lymphedema). However, innovative approaches developed over the past several decades have improved oncologic outcomes and reduced treatment sequelae. Aim To provide an overview of the standards of care and major advancements in gynecologic cancer surgery, with a focus on their direct physical impact, as well as emotional, sexual, and QOL issues. This overview will aid researchers and clinicians in the conceptualization of future clinical care strategies and interventions to improve sexual/vaginal/reproductive health and QOL in gynecologic cancer patients. Main Outcome Measures Comprehensive overview of the literature on gynecologic oncology surgery. Methods Conceptual framework for this overview follows the current standards of care and recent surgical approaches to treat gynecologic cancer, with a brief overview describing primary management objectives and the physical, sexual, and emotional impact on patients. Extensive literature support is provided. Results The type and radicality of surgical treatment for gynecologic cancer can influence sexual function and play a significant role in QOL. Psychological, sexual, and QOL outcomes improve as surgical procedures continue to evolve. Procedures for fertility preservation, laparoscopy, sentinel lymph node mapping, and robotic and risk‐reducing surgery have advanced the field while reducing treatment sequelae. Nevertheless, interventions that address sexual and vaginal health issues are limited. Conclusions It is imperative to consider QOL and sexuality during the treatment decision‐making process. New advances in detection and treatment exist; however, psycho‐educational interventions and greater patient–physician communication to address sexual and vaginal health concerns are warranted. Large, prospective clinical trials including patient‐reported outcomes are needed in gynecologic oncology populations to identify subgroups at risk. Future study designs need clearly defined samples to gain insight about sexual morbidity and foster the development of targeted interventions. Carter J, Stabile C, Gunn A, and Sonoda Y. The physical consequences of gynecologic cancer surgery and their impact on sexual, emotional, and quality of life issues. J Sex Med 2013;10(suppl 1):21–34.
Use of Pediatric Health Information System database to study the trends in the incidence, management, etiology, and outcomes due to pediatric acute liver failure in the United States from 2008 to 2013

Data were collected of children admitted with ALF to 16 US pediatric liver transplant centers from 2008 to 2013 using the PHIS for a retrospective analysis of PALF trends. Patient data linked to the principal diagnosis code for acute necrosis of the liver (570.00) were analyzed for the following: demographics, regional differences, changes over time, pharmaceutical trends, procedural trends, associated diagnoses, and patient outcomes. In 52.5% of 583 patients who met the selection criteria for PALF, the etiology remained undetermined. Acetaminophen toxicity (18.7%) was the most common identifiable etiology, and hepatic encephalopathy (38.6%) was the most common complication. Mortality was lower than previously reported; 95.4% survived and 73.2% survived without a liver transplant. Acute respiratory failure (OR = 3.4, p = 0.035), acute kidney injury (OR = 3.6, p = 0.003), and cerebral edema (OR = 3.6, p = 0.02) were independently associated with increased risk of mortality. The use of N-acetylcysteine in non-acetaminophen-related ALF, the use of intracranial pressure monitoring, and the proportion of sepsis decreased significantly during the study period. The PHIS database can be a useful tool to study the future trends of PALF patients.
Language intensity plus: A methodological approach to validate emotions in conflicts

This study examines the use of intense language in retrospective accounts of conflict interactions to determine if the intensity of the reconstruction is linked to qualities frequently associated with conflict interactions: resolution status, strategy selection, topic, and the relational status of the other. Results indicate that language intensity coding is a viable methodology for investigating the relationship between conflict features and emotionality. Results also reveal that intensely remembered thoughts are more likely to occur if the conflict was not resolved.
Fractures and refractures in intercollegiate athletes An eleven-year experience

This report on fractures and refractures in intercollegiate athletes covers an 11-year period from the early Fall of 1968 through the Spring of 1979. Two hundred thirty-one fractures occurred in 219 athletes. Of these athletes, 185 were male and 34 were female. Fractures occurred in 18 sports. Of these 18, football, basketball, wrestling, and soccer led in number for Men's (M) teams, and gymnastics, lacrosse, and volleyball led for Ladies' (L) teams. (Because of this institution's early involvement with Title IX, and the strong position taken by our administration, our teams are designated Gentlemen (Men for short), which constitute the LIONS, and Ladies, which make up the LADY LIONS.) No fractures were noted in the other 11 intercollegiate teams of cheerleading (M and L), bowling (M and L), golf (M and L), fencing (L), rifle (coed), tennis (M and L), and volleyball (M). Boxing, ice hockey, rugby, soccer, and synchronized swimming are club sports at the Pennsylvania State University and are not included in this study. The most common of the 17 fracture sites were the finger, hand, face, foot, nose, and leg, regardless of sport or gender. Fourteen of fifteen refractures occurred in collision/contact sports, and essentially the same mechanical forces caused both fractures. In football most fractures occurred during highly successful seasons.
Inhibition of cholesterol autoxidation by the nonsaponifiable fraction in rice bran in an aqueous model system

The inhibition of cholesterol autoxidation by nonsaponifiable fraction from rice bran oil (700, 1400, and 2100 ppm) was studied in an aqueous model system for 16 h at pH 5.5 and 80°C. Antioxidant effectiveness was investigated by following the loss of cholesterol and the formation of 7-keto-cholesterol. The changes in levels of vitamin E vitamers and γ-oryzanol in the system were determined during cholesterol autoxidation. The 2100 ppm treatment produced a 92% reduction of 7-ketocholesterol, 1400 ppm an 82% reductions and 700 ppm a 64% reduction after 16 h, whereas without the nonsaponifiable fraction, the samples showed almost complete degradation of cholesterol. Vitamin E vitamers decreased (P<0.05) in all treatments, but γ-oryzanol was not significantly (P<0.05) reduced in the 2100 ppm treatment.
Use of Superpave Gyratory Compaction Data for Rutting Prediction

This paper presents the estimation results of an improved nonlinear rutting progression model for asphalt concrete mixes. Rutting is modeled as a function of traffic, temperature, and mix characteristics, including voids filled with asphalt, asphalt content, in-place air voids, surface area, and the densification slope. Mixed effects, an advanced statistical technique that allows the consideration of several sources of randomness and autocorrelated disturbances, is used for the estimation of the model parameters. The estimation results with measurements from WesTrack indicate that the model is statistically significant. Further, the model correctly anticipates the dramatic failure of the WesTrack replacement sections (approximately 10–20 mm in a few days). Mixture rutting resistance is linked to the aggregate resistance to densification, as measured by the densification slope in the Superpave gyratory compactor. The model may provide a basis for identification of probable mix performance in the field with...
A note on a Lagrangian derivation of a general multi-propotional scaling algorithm

Abstract This note describes an efficient minimum information loss solution to the general multi-proportional updating problem. The method provides a robust algorithm which allows additional constraints on groups of elements on the interior of the matrix to be applied, and multi-regional economies to be adjusted simulteneously. A Lagrangian derivation of the scaling algorithm is presented, and the conditions for the existence, uniqueness and convergence of the iterative solutions are explained. The method overcomes restrictions on the bi-proportional method and its extensions.
Enzymic Coagulation of Milk Casein Micelles

Abstract Enzymic milk coagulation consists of several phases. Initial hydrolysis of κ -casein reduces colloidal stability of casein micelles, allowing aggregation by random diffusion. Aggregation rate is initially slow but can be observed well before visual coagulation occurs. Enzymic coagulation actually occurs when a critical aggregate volume is reached and the system changes from aggregating particles to an extended gel network.
Lot Sizing for Optimal Collection and Use of Remanufacturable Returns over a Finite Life‐Cycle

Reverse supply chains process used product returns to recover value by re-processing them via remanufacturing operations. When remanufacturing is feasible, the longer the return flows are delayed during the active (primary) market demand period of the product, the lower the value that can be recovered through these operations. In fact, in order to recover the highest value from remanufactured products, the collection rates, return timings, and reusability rates should be matched with the active market demand and supply. With these motivations, this paper is aimed at developing analytical models for the efficient use of returns in making production, inventory, and remanufacturing decisions during the active market. More specifically, we consider a stylistic setting where a collector collects used product returns and ships them to the manufacturer who, in turn, recovers value by remanufacturing and supplies products during the active market demand. Naturally, the manufacturer's production, inventory and remanufacturing decisions and costs are influenced by the timing and quantity of the collector's shipments of used product returns. Hence, we investigate the impact of the timing of returns on the profitability of the manufacturer-collector pair by developing system-wide cost optimization models. Analyzing the properties of the optimal shipment frequency, we observe that the fastest reverse supply chain may not always be the most efficient one.
Coriolis intensity perturbations in Π-Σ bands of CO2

Abstract Line intensities of the (21 1 0-000) I and (21 1 0-000) III bands of CO 2 have been measured at high resolution and fitted to F -factors of the form F ( m ) = (1 + ξm ) 2 to yield coriolis interaction coefficients, ξ, of 0.14 and 0.33, respectively. Explicit expressions are derived for these coefficients in terms of the molecular parameters and observed and calculated values are compared both for these bands and the previously measured (21 1 0-000) II , (11 1 0-000) I , and (11 1 0-000) II bands. A consistent choice of relative signs of the rotationless dipole moment matrix elements yields agreement within experimental error.
Increased responding to CS− in differential CER

Rats were given differential conditioning to a tone (signal for shock) and a light (signal for no shock) using the CER procedure. Response rate in the presence of the CS− (light) was compared to the unconditioned effects of the light upon the VI response rate in a no-shock control group. CER Ss showed enhanced response rates during the light, to an extent greater than that during the light presented to the control group.
Three Microsomal Omega-3 Fatty-acid Desaturase Genes Contribute to Soybean Linolenic Acid Levels

Three independent genetic loci have been shown to contribute to soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] seed linolenic add levels, including the well-characterized Fan locus. Linolenic acid is the product of omega-3 fatty-acid desaturase enzyme activity. The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the family of soybean omega-3 fatty-acid desaturase genes and link them to low seed linolenic add as a tool for the development of molecular markers for low linolenic acid soybean. Using database homology searches and gene cloning, we identified and characterized three soybean microsomal omega-3 fatty-acid desaturase genes that contribute to seed linolenic add levels. Relative expression was characterized by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction). One of the three genes was predominantly expressed in developing seeds. We determined that the low linolenic acid breeding line AS (fan fan) contains two of the genes, but is missing the third sequence. Therefore, the Fan locus can be definitively assigned to one of the three microsomal omega-3 fatty-acid desaturase genes present in the soybean genome. Molecular markers for defects in the three genes will enhance soybean programs breeding for low linolenic add.