cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Link between omentin‐1, obesity and insulin resistance in children: Findings from a longitudinal intervention study

OBJECTIVE The adipokine omentin-1 has been suggested to be inversely associated with obesity and insulin resistance in humans. We studied the relationships between omentin-1, parameters of fat mass, insulin resistance, lipids and blood pressure in children with obesity in a longitudinal study. METHODS We analysed omentin-1 concentrations in 23 normal-weight children and in 82 children with obesity participating in a one-year lifestyle intervention. In the children with obesity, omentin-1, bioactive and conventional leptin, thyroid hormones (thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine 4, free triiodothyronine), body mass index, waist circumference, body fat based on skin-fold measurements and bioimpedance analyses, lipids, insulin resistance as homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and blood pressure were determined at baseline and 1 year later. Furthermore, we measured omentin-1 concentrations 1 year after the end of the lifestyle intervention. RESULTS The omentin-1 concentrations were significantly (P = .008) lower in children with obesity compared to normal-weight children (296 ± 108 ng ml-1 vs. 232 ± 99 ng ml-1 ). Omentin-1 concentrations increased significantly (P < .001) in children with obesity and substantial weight loss (35 ± 55 ng ml-1 ), while omentin-1 concentrations did not change significantly (P = .750) in children with obesity without weight loss (-5 ± 108 ng ml-1 ) during the intervention. Substantial weight loss after the end of intervention led to a significant (P < .001) increase of omentin-1 concentrations (+64 ± 14 ng ml-1 ). Omentin-1 was significantly and negatively associated with HOMA-IR both in cross-sectional (r = -.27, P = .006) and longitudinal analyses (r = -.33, P = .001). Omentin-1 concentrations were not related to pubertal stage, sex or thyroid hormones. CONCLUSIONS Our data do support the hypothesis that omentin-1 is reversibly decreased in obesity and is a link between obesity and insulin resistance.
Trends in Unmet Need for Physician and Preventive Services in the United States, 1998-2017.

Importance Improvements in insurance coverage and access to care have resulted from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, a focus on short-term pre- to post-ACA changes may distract attention from longer-term trends in unmet health needs, and the problems that persist. Objective To identify changes from 1998 to 2017 in unmet need for physician services among insured and uninsured adults aged 18 to 64 years in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants Survey study using 20 years of data, from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2017, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to identify trends in unmet need for physician and preventive services. Main Outcomes and Measures The proportion of persons unable to see a physician when needed owing to cost (in the past year), having no routine checkup for those in whom a routine checkup was likely indicated (within 2 years), or failing to receive clinically indicated preventive services (in the recommended timeframe), overall and among subgroups defined by the presence of chronic illnesses and by self-reported health status. We estimated changes over time using logistic regression controlling for age, sex, race, Census region, employment status, and income. Results Among the adults aged 18 to 64 years in 1998 (n = 117 392) and in 2017 (n = 282 378) who responded to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (mean age was 39.2 [95% CI, 39.0-39.3]; 50.3% were female; 65.9% were white), uninsurance decreased by 2.1 (95% CI, 1.6-2.5) percentage points (from 16.9% to 14.8%). However, the adjusted proportion unable to see a physician owing to cost increased by 2.7 (95% CI, 2.2-3.8) percentage points overall (from 11.4% to 15.7%, unadjusted); by 5.9 (95% CI, 4.1-7.8) percentage points among the uninsured (32.9% to 39.6%, unadjusted) and 3.6 (95% CI, 3.2-4.0) percentage points among the insured (from 7.1% to 11.5%, unadjusted). The adjusted proportion of persons with chronic medical conditions who were unable to see a physician because of cost also increased for most conditions. For example, an increase in the inability to see a physician because of cost for patients with cardiovascular disease was 5.9% (95% CI, 1.7%-10.1%), for patients with elevated cholesterol was 3.5% (95% CI, 2.5%-4.5%), and for patients with binge drinking was 3.1% (95% CI, 2.3%-3.3%). The adjusted proportion of chronically ill adults receiving checkups did not change. While the adjusted share of people receiving guideline-recommended cholesterol tests (16.8% [95% CI, 16.1%-17.4%]) and flu shots (13.2% [95% CI, 12.7%-13.8%]) increased, the proportion of women receiving mammograms decreased (−6.7% [95% CI, −7.8 to −5.5]). Conclusions and Relevance Despite coverage gains since 1998, most measures of unmet need for physician services have shown no improvement, and financial access to physician services has decreased.
Innovations in packaging technologies for produce

Abstract Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been used to extend produce marketability for the last decades. However, the still-to-overcome challenges associated to MAP (e.g., maintenance of optimal O2 and CO2 levels during handling and transportation due to temperature fluctuations) have led to the creation of alternative packaging technologies like active packaging, in-package cold plasma, coatings, and so on. In addition, other innovative packaging technologies like intelligent packaging have been conceived to fulfill new market requirements for produce due to changes in retail and distribution practices associated to globalization, new consumers’ preferences and demands, emerging shopping channels (e.g., internet), and so on. This chapter provides an overview of the aforementioned innovations in packaging technologies for produce with a focus on active packaging. Scope and current and some relevant past studies done by academia and examples of commercially available packages are presented. Finally, conclusions and future trends for these innovative types of packaging are discussed.
Twisted Bar Construction

This is an expository paper about a $\mathcal{C}_2$-equivariant analog of the bar construction. We will explain its construction and prove how it acts as a $\sigma$-fold delooping machine on twisted monoids, where $\sigma$ denotes the sign representation.
Navigating sexual health in cancer survivorship: a dyadic perspective

This qualitative study examined how young adult breast cancer survivors (YABCS) and their partners appraised and managed their sexual health and intimate relationships after cancer. We conducted concurrent, individual telephone interviews with 25 YABCS and their male partners. We utilized a thematic, inductive analysis to examine individual interviews, followed by analysis within and across couples to identify dyadic themes. We explored how themes mapped on to the Theory of Dyadic Illness Management to build a conceptual model specific to the sexual health challenges of young adult couples living with cancer. Our analysis revealed five interconnected themes: (1) shared understanding of physical and psychological challenges of sexual health after cancer, (2) navigating role shifts and changes to sexual relationship, (3) getting through it as a team, (4) maintaining open communication, and (5) need for services and support for partners/caregivers and couples. Both survivors and their partners articulated physical (e.g., painful sex, decreased libido) and psychological (e.g., guilt, self-consciousness) challenges to their sexual health in survivorship. Our dyadic focus revealed a spectrum of ways that couples managed the changes to their relationships and sexual health, highlighting “open communication” and strategies for “working as a team” as critical. There is no “one size fits all” solution, as individuals and couples cope with and manage these challenges in different ways. Study results can inform couple-focused intervention strategies, such as creating shared understanding of sexual health after cancer and improving communication skills.
Urethane attenuates early neuropathology of diisopropylfluorophosphate-induced status epilepticus in rats.

Abstract Seizures can be evident within minutes of exposure to an organophosphorus (OP) agent and often progress to status epilepticus (SE) resulting in a high mortality if left untreated. Effective medical countermeasures are necessary to sustain patients suffering from OP poisoning and to mitigate the ensuing brain injury. Here, the hypothesis was tested that a single subanesthetic dose of urethane prevents neuropathology measured 24 h following diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP)-induced SE. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with DFP to induce SE. During SE rats displayed increased neuronal activity in the hippocampus and an upregulation of immediate early genes as well as pro-inflammatory mediators. In additional experiments rats were administered diazepam (10 mg/kg, ip) or urethane (0.8 g/kg, sc) 1 h after DFP-induced SE and compared to rats that experienced uninterrupted SE. Cortical electroencephalography (EEG) and power analysis strengthen the conclusion that urethane effectively terminates SE and prevents the overnight return of seizure activity. Neurodegeneration in limbic brain regions and the seizure-induced upregulation of key inflammatory mediators present 24 h after DFP-induced SE were strongly attenuated by administration of urethane. A trivial explanation for these beneficial effects, that urethane simply reactivates acetylcholinesterase, has been ruled out. These findings indicate that, by contrast to rats administered diazepam or rats that experience uninterrupted SE, the early neuropathology after SE is prevented by subanesthetic urethane, which terminates rather than interrupts, SE.
Parallel implementation of the p ‐version of the finite element method for elliptic equations on a shared‐memory architecture

An implementation of the p‐version of the finite element method for solving two‐dimensional linear elliptic problems on a shared‐memory parallel computer is analyzed. The idea is to partition the problem among the available processors and perform computations corresponding to different elements in parallel. The parallelization is based on a domain decomposition technique using the Lagrange multipliers. The numerical experiments carried out on the Sequent system indicate very high performance of the mixed finite element algorithm in terms of attained speedups.
Highly selective and vertical etch of silicon dioxide using ruthenium films as an etch mask

Highly selective and vertical profile etching of thermally grown SiO2 films using thin metallic Ru mask films was investigated in a commercial inductively coupled plasma etcher. The effects of varying chamber pressure, substrate bias, and gas composition on etch performance were all investigated. Selectivities (measured as the SiO2 etch rate divided by the Ru etch rate) ranging from 50 to as high as 370 were measured under various process conditions without compromising the etch profile quality. It was found that fluorocarbon gas mixtures (CF4/CHF3 and CF4/C4F8) gave the best results. The addition of SF6 to the gas mixture dramatically reduced selectivity, resulting in significant Ru mask faceting and necking in the etched pillars and is not recommended for use in a standard Ru/SiO2 etch process.
Functional MRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more sensitive than computed tomography (CT) in detecting structural and functional abnormalities of the brain, providing superior structural resolution and tissue contrast. Modalities like positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) inform us about functional aspects of the brain related to brain metabolism, receptor binding, cerebral blood flow, certain pathological molecular accumulations, and certain molecular changes. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an MRI method to delineate axonal tracts, utilizing a particular type of diffusion-weighted sequence that measures microstructural water diffusion properties within the brain.
Deriving Regionally Specific Biomarkers of Emphysema and Small Airways Disease Using Variable Threshold Parametric Response Mapping on Volumetric Lung CT Images.

Purpose This study aims to develop and validate a parametric response mapping (PRM) methodology to accurately identify diseased regions of the lung by using variable thresholds to account for alterations in regional lung function between the gravitationally-independent (anterior) and gravitationally-dependent (posterior) lung in CT images acquired in the supine position. Methods 34 male Sprague-Dawley rats (260-540 g) were imaged, 4 of which received elastase injection (100 units/kg) as a model for emphysema (EMPH). Gated volumetric CT was performed at end-inspiration (EI) and end-expiration (EE) on separate groups of free-breathing (n = 20) and ventilated (n = 10) rats in the supine position. To derive variable thresholds for the new PRM methodology, voxels were first grouped into 100 bins based on the fractional distance along the anterior-to-posterior direction. Lower limits of normal (LLN) for x-ray attenuation in each bin were set by determining the smallest region that enclosed 98% of voxels from healthy, ventilated animals. Results When utilizing fixed thresholds in the conventional PRM methodology, a distinct posterior-anterior gradient was seen, in which nearly the entire posterior region of the lung was identified as HEALTHY, while the anterior lung was labeled as significantly less so (t(29) = -3.27, p = 0.003). In both cohorts, %SAD progressively increased from posterior to anterior, while %HEALTHY lung decreased in the same direction. After applying our PRM methodology with variable thresholds to the same rat images, the posterior-anterior trend in %SAD quantification was removed from all rats and the significant increase of diseased lung in the anterior was removed. Conclusions The PRM methodology using variable thresholds provides regionally specific markers of %SAD and %EMPH by correcting for alterations in regional lung function associated with the naturally occurring vertical gradient of dependent vs. non-dependent lung density and compliance.
Interactive Computing for Accelerated Learning in Computation and Data Science

This article describes the motivation and design for introductory coursework in computation aimed at midcareer professionals who desire to work in data science and analytics but who have little or ...
The Dialectics of Democracy

Two great divisions ... have always existed in free communities. The deeper we penetrate into the inmost thought of [political] parties the more do we perceive that the object of the one is to limit, and that of the other to extend, the authority of the people.... Aristocratic or democratic passions may easily be detected at the bottom of all parties.... —Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America
Electronics and the Blind

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the role of electronics in development of technological aids for the blind. Guidance devices may be conveniently classified according to their mode of operation. Most of the early devices were of the echo type. A beam of sound or electromagnetic energy is transmitted, and its echo from an obstacle is received and modified to provide information to the user. Specular reflection constitutes an important and sometimes insurmountable impasse to proper functioning. Along with error-free detection of obstacles it is equally important that the false-alarm rate of the instrument be kept as low as possible. The development of the curb detector led to the proposal that the user should receive the signal indicating a down-step, up-step, or hole at least one step in advance to enable him to alter course in time. In the pulse system the variable pulse repetition rate is adjustable by the user. Sufficient time is allowed between pulses for echoes to be detected without ambiguity. The received echo is heterodyned with an oscillator at a frequency lower by 4 kc to produce audible pulses. Some devices have been developed specifically as tactile stimulators for sensory-aid devices. The development of electronic devices to aid the blind in various industrial tasks is also elaborated.
Dry Scrubbing for Modern Pre-Bake Cells

The two fundamental “raw materials” for pot room gas treatment systems are alumina, and process off-gases. Modern dry scrubbing systems offer very efficient removal technology. However, increases in the kilograms per ton of fluoride evolution from reduction cells and increases in fume evacuation rates can challenge the abilities of existing dry scrubbers. This is especially so if the goal is to provide both state of the art removal efficiency and alumina at the pot that is low in fines content. In this paper the authors discuss trends in our industry and propose solutions that include more efficient utilization of alumina and process gas flow to meet emerging needs.
Interdisciplinary approach to assessing the health risk of air toxic chemicals: an overview.

To assist the regulatory branch of the Environmental Protection Agency in addressing the risk assessment of air toxics, the Health Effects Research Laboratory initiated a comprehensive inhalation t...
Goldberger-Treiman relation, g A , and g πNN at T≠0

The Goldberger-Treiman relation is shown to persist in the chiral limit at finite temperatures to [ital O]([ital T][sup 2]). The [ital T] dependence of [ital g][sub [ital A]] turns out to be the same as for [ital F][sub [pi]], [ital g][sub [ital A]]([ital T])=[ital g][sub [ital A]](0)(1[minus][ital T][sup 2]/12[ital F][sub [pi]][sup 2]), while [ital g][sub [pi][ital N][ital N]] is temperature independent to this order. The baryon octet [ital scrD] and [ital scrF] couplings also behave as [ital F][sub [pi]] if only pions are massless in the pseudoscalar meson octet.
Some Thoughts on the Next Generation of Programming Languages

This paper discusses some of the major influences on contemporary programming language design—namely, programming methodology, formal semantic definition techniques, program specification and verification. This discussion is first in general terms and then tries to illustrate how these issues have influenced the design of a specific language, A lphard , which has been under development at CMU for about two years.
Effect of hygrothermal fatigue on dynamic mechanical properties and morphology of neat and glass‐reinforced vinyl ester composites

A neat vinyl ester and a series of glass-reinforced vinyl-ester composites were prepared and investigated. All specimens were exposed to various syclic hygrothermal fatigue treatments, which differed from one another by the temperature and the duration of a cycle. Changes induced by the hygrothermal fatigue were studied by weight-gain measurements, dynamic-mechanical analysis, and electron microscopy. The Tg of fatigued composites were found to be determined by the amount of moisture absorbed within the resin network. The overall weight gain, however, also includes the moisture absorbed within the resin-reinnforcement interphase and is a function of the type of composite, the surface treatment of the reinforcement, and the temperature and duration of the fatigue cycle. A semiquantitative concept of the mechanism of water absorption in themoset-matrix composites has been advanced on the morphological level in order to interpret the experimental results.
HISTOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND CYTOLOGY OF THE PINEAL ORGAN IN BIRDS AND MAMMALS.

This chapter reviews the current state of knowledge of the microscopic structure and composition of the pineal, with emphasis on recent studies. The findings that are functionally suggestive and those that are important in the design and interpretation of experiments purporting to demonstrate pineal function or activity are discussed in the chapter. The mammalian pineal is a solid structure whose cellular constituents are numerically dominated by unique parenchymal cells having distinctive structural and cytochemical characteristics suggesting a primarily secretory and endocrine function. The avian pineal in many species retains a system of lumina lined by ependymal cells or their derivatives. However, some of the parenchymal cells of the avian pineal appear to be secretory and closely positioned anatomically to blood vessels within the organ. The diversity and complexity of pineal structure and composition and the recent advances in knowledge reaffirm the wisdom of avoiding inflexible and narrow concepts of pineal structure and function.
Re: Bias in the proportionate mortality ratio analysis of small study populations: A case on analyses of radiation and mesothelioma

Sir,Studies of mortality in occupational groups frequently use proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) analyses (Steenland et al.1990). In the simplest case, the PMR is the ratio of the proportion of d...
Right Without a Remedy? The ‘Butterfly Ballot’ Case and Court-Ordered Federal Election ‘Revotes’

The article examines a question raised by the “butterfly ballot” regarding the allegedly misleading ballot used in Palm Beach County, Florida during the 2000 presidential election controversy: can a court ever order a “revote,” in whole or in part, of a presidential election? After providing the factual and legal background of the case, the article examines statutory and case law authority to rebut the conventional wisdom that federal law establishing a uniform date for the presidential election bars any court-ordered revote. It also responds to arguments that a revote of the presidential election in Palm Beach County (or anywhere) would be unworkable and unfair, specifically addressing the special problems caused by “partial” revotes. By analogy, it concludes that as court-filed election challenges become more common, courts should consider seriously the advantages of “revote” remedies.
Optimal Reduced Isotonic Regression.

Isotonic regression is a shape-constrained nonparametric regression in which the regression is an increasing step function. For $n$ data points, the number of steps in the isotonic regression may be as large as $n$. As a result, standard isotonic regression has been criticized as overfitting the data or making the representation too complicated. So-called "reduced" isotonic regression constrains the outcome to be a specified number of steps $b$, $b \leq n$. However, because the previous algorithms for finding the reduced $L_2$ regression took $\Theta(n+bm^2)$ time, where $m$ is the number of steps of the unconstrained isotonic regression, researchers felt that the algorithms were too slow and instead used approximations. Other researchers had results that were approximations because they used a greedy top-down approach. Here we give an algorithm to find an exact solution in $\Theta(n+bm)$ time, and a simpler algorithm taking $\Theta(n+b m \log m)$ time. These algorithms also determine optimal $k$-means clustering of weighted 1-dimensional data.
RCS probability distribution function modeling of a fluctuating target

A computer technique developed to analyze the probability distribution function (PDF) of a radar cross section (RCS) database and its uses in formulating detection probabilities of a fluctuating target are discussed. This technique for modeling the RCS amplitude distribution of a complex target requires an estimate of the stationary mean, correlation function, and PDF. The chi-squared and Kolmogorov-Smirnov nonparametric test provides a method to evaluate the null hypothesis that the data follow a particular theoretical distribution constructed from the estimated parameters of the sample data. Plots of both the PDF and cumulative plot distribution function (CDF) of the data against the assumed models may provide visual evidence of a good or best fit. With a knowledge of the theoretical RCS amplitude distribution model for a complex target, the radar engineer can use classical detection statistics to calculate the probability of detecting the particular target. >
Patterning Cell and Tissue Function

Highly organized structures are a defining feature of biological tissues, from vascular and neural networks to hexagonal liver lobules and striated muscle fibers. This spatial organization of cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential aspect to the development, maintenance, and function of tissues and organs. We discuss available strategies that have been developed for spatially arranging cells within ECM environments—by patterning cell–ECM and cell–cell adhesion, soluble cues, and substrate mechanical properties—and how such strategies can subsequently affect cell and tissue function. These approaches to recreate organized structures in vitro ultimately will play a key role in engineering the recapitulation of tissue function and thereby further efforts in regenerative medicine.
The Effects of Diphenylhydantoin Sodium, Glucose and β-Diethylaminoethyl Diphenylpropylacetate Hydrochloride on Cyclopropane-Epinephrine Arrhythmias in the Dog

Diphenylhydantoin sodium, glucose, and β-diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropylacetate hydrochloride were tested for their effects upon the cyclopropane-epinephrine arrhythmias. Diphenylhydantoin in a small dose enhanced the arrhythmias and in a larger dose controlled them when given by vein, but its action following oral administration was uncertain. Glucose increased both the duration and the severity of ventricular ectopic rhythms while β-diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropylacetate increased the dose of epinephrine which initiated them.
Skeletal site-specific characterization of orofacial and iliac crest human bone marrow stromal cells in same individuals

Autologous grafts from axial and appendicular bones commonly used to repair orofacial bone defects often result in unfavorable outcome. This clinical observation, along with the fact that many bone abnormalities are limited to craniofacial bones, suggests that there are significant differences in bone metabolism in orofacial, axial and appendicular bones. It is plausible that these differences are dictated by site-specificity of embryological progenitor cells and osteogenic properties of resident multipotent human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs). This study investigated skeletal site-specific phenotypic and functional differences between orofacial (maxilla and mandible) and axial (iliac crest) hBMSCs in vitro and in vivo. Primary cultures of maxilla, mandible and iliac crest hBMSCs were established with and without osteogenic inducers. Site-specific characterization included colony forming efficiency, cell proliferation, life span before senescence, relative presence of surface markers, adipogenesis, osteogenesis and transplantation in immunocompromised mice to compare bone regenerative capacity. Compared with iliac crest cells, orofacial hBMSCs (OF-MSCs) proliferated more rapidly with delayed senescence, expressed higher levels of alkaline phosphatase and demonstrated more calcium accumulation in vitro. Cells isolated from the three skeletal sites were variably positive for STRO 1, a marker of hBMSCs. OF-MSCs formed more bone in vivo, while iliac crest hBMSCs formed more compacted bone that included hematopoietic tissue and were more responsive in vitro and in vivo to osteogenic and adipogenic inductions. These data demonstrate that hBMSCs from the same individuals differ in vitro and in vivo in a skeletal site-specific fashion and identified orofacial marrow stromal cells as unique cell populations. Further understanding of site-specific properties of hBMSCs and their impact on site-specific bone diseases and regeneration are needed.
The Supreme Court and Policy Legitimation: Experimental Tests

This article examines the legitimacy-conferring potential of the U.S. Supreme Court. Legitimacy-conferring potential is conceptualized as the Court's ability, through mere endorsement of a particular policy, to elevate mass acceptance of that policy. The study reports the results of three experiments utilizing a split-ballot design where, in general, one group is given a version of an issue endorsed by the Supreme Court and a second group is given the same issue not endorsed by the Court. In two of the experiments a third attribution condition is used where an issue is endorsed by the Supreme Court as interpreter of the Constitution. Based on the analysis of 16 policy issues across three experiments, the Court does not appear to have the power to legitimate specific policies bearing its stamp of approval.
An eigen-mode method in kinematic shakedown analysis

Abstract The kinematic shakedown theorem is formulated for some deformation processes as a kinematic extremum problem based on a polyhedral load domain and a deformation mode domain. An eigen-mode method is used to construct the deformation mode domain. Every kinematically admissible strain field within some time interval can be derived from the deformation domain and used in the proposed shakedown formulation to determine the safety load factor. Several simple shakedown problems are examined by using this proposed methodology. These numerical results are discussed and compared with available analytical and other numerical results.
A note on binary matroid with no M(K3,3)-minor

We prove that if M is an internally 4-connected binary matroid with an M(K"5)-minor and with no M(K"3","3)-minor, then either M has rank 4, or M is isomorphic to one of the following matroids: T"1"2, T"1"2/e, T"1"[email protected]?, T"1"[email protected]?, and T"1"[email protected]?.
HSV delivery of a ligand-regulated endogenous ion channel gene to sensory neurons results in pain control following channel activation.

Persistent pain remains a tremendous health problem due to both its prevalence and dearth of effective therapeutic interventions. To maximize pain relief while minimizing side effects, current gene therapy–based approaches have mostly exploited the expression of pain inhibitory products or interfered with pronociceptive ion channels. These methods do not enable control over the timing or duration of analgesia, nor titration to analgesic efficacy. Here, we describe a gene therapy strategy that potentially overcomes these limitations by providing exquisite control over therapy with efficacy in clinically relevant models of inflammatory pain. We utilize a herpes simplex viral (HSV) vector (vHGlyRα1) to express a ligand-regulated chloride ion channel, the glycine receptor (GlyR) in targeted sensory afferents; the subsequent exogenous addition of glycine provides the means for temporal and spatial control of afferent activity, and therefore pain. Use of an endogenous inhibitory receptor not normally present on sensory neurons both minimizes immunogenicity and maximizes therapeutic selectivity.
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence across the Atlantic and Pacific

World research and developments in robotics and artificial intelligence have received significant attention in the past few years. While the United States has both an active and advanced program in robotics and artificial intelligence, other countries have been working and organizing their activities and are starting to produce some interesting results. This paper will present some highlights of foreign efforts in robotics and artificial intelligence research and development. It is not the purpose of this paper to be all inclusive of every foreign robotics program, but to give a sample of selective developments and briefly examine the international cooperation of many programs. Projects in Western Europe, Japan, and the Eastern Bloc countries will be discussed.
Design features of a photographic film optimized for the high-voltage electron microscope.

Calculations of beam spread for 1-MeV electrons within photographic emulsions based on a simplified model of multiple scattering are used to predict the performance of emulsions as a function of the silver-halide content and thickness of the emulsion layer. Experimental results are given for the sensitivity, resolution, figure of merit, and sensitivity per unit emulsion thickness for a range of photographic films exposed to 1-MeV electrons. Multiple scattering of 1-MeV electrons proves not to be the limiting factor that governs the resolution in the tested commercial films having conventional emulsion thicknesses and silver-halide contents. A new film design is proposed in order to mitigate the serious problem of the low sensitivity of the existing photographic films to 1-MeV electrons, which entails inordinate radiation damage to biological specimens during high-voltage micrography. This film would have an enhanced silver-halide content (as much as 65% AgBr by volume) and an increased emulsion thickness (up to 55 μm). As compared with a parent film having an emulsion 20% AgBr by volume and 25 μm thick, the proposed film should provide sensitivity enhanced sevenfold, with only about 17% loss in resolution. The new film should also show improved performance at conventional accelerating voltages (40–100 kV). Especial advantages are expected both in studying intrinsically radiation-sensitive objects and in studying those that require multiple exposures to the same specimen area, as in tilt series or time-lapse series.
Assessing Monthly Progress Toward Annual Fiscal Revenue Targets

A simple statistical methodology is developed to help evaluate monthly progress toward an annual fiscal revenue target, and the applicability of the methodology to both developing and industrial countries is demonstrated using data for Sri Lanka and the United States.
Water-based binder system for SOFC porous steel substrates

Abstract Porous stainless steel alloys are candidates for the support structure of thin-film solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at intermediate temperatures (873–1073 K). A difficulty is maintaining substrates at sufficient porosity during co-firing of the SOFC membranes. This problem depends significantly on the nature of the binder that is used to assist in initial processing. A water-based acrylic polymer suspension and polyethylene glycol (PEG) system was developed to obtain an appropriate mixture of acrylic/PEG/410L alloy suitable for co-firing with the electrode and electrolyte layers. The shrinkage and final density of samples decreased gradually with increasing acrylic or PEG content. Increasing the ratio of (acrylic + PEG)/metal alloy from 21 to 27 wt.% and decreasing the ratio of acrylic/(acrylic + PEG) from 19 to 10% decreased final alloy density drastically, from 77 to 50% for 410L powder with a particle size between 24 and 45 μm after firing at 1573 K for 4 h. The amount of acrylic binder had a stronger effect on shrinkage than PEG. As expected, smaller alloy particles increased the final density of the porous alloy substrate.
Frankenstein for President

“Vote for me!” say the candidates for President. But what combination of policies would win them most votes? Statistics and operations research come together in the hands of James J. Cochran and David J. Curry to create the optimal candidate for the US Presidency — and the optimal recipe for soup.
Privacy assurance in mobile sensing networks: Go beyond trusted servers

Mobile devices are becoming the largest sensor network around the world. They could be used to collect a large amount of data with little effort and cost which is leading to a promising future for participatory sensing networks or urban sensing. However, privacy concerns of the mobile users are the major inhibitors hindering massive participation. This paper proposes a solution to user privacy preserving problem in a participatory sensing network. Each user is considered as a node in a social network and users are connected through friendship links which are represented as edges on the network. Typically, each user contributes to the participatory system by uploading his/her acquired data to a server. Instead of uploading data to the server directly, we devised a Hot-Potato-Privacy-Protection Algorithm (HP3) in which data is sent to one of the friends of the user and the friend will choose another friend to deliver the data to the next hop. Hopping goes on until some user-defined threshold is reached, then the last user uploads the data to the server. Friend selection is random and the number of hops is also random and independent. HP3 ensures that the probability that the server can make a successful attack on the data owner is no better than where n is the number of mobile users in the system. Therefore, HP3 protects location privacy as well as data ownership privacy of mobile users. We simulate our approach on some large scale social networks and report some findings in the paper. Experiments show that our system achieves privacy protection for each user against the server with tolerable communication overhead.
Further Studies on Quinone Diels-Alder Reactions with 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-vinylcyclohexenes: Regioselective Synthesis of 12-Methyl-podocarpane Diterpenes and Isolation of a Hetero Diels-Alder Product from 1,4-Benzoquinone

Abstract Diels-Alder reactions of 2-[(E)-β-alkoxyvinyl]-1,3,3-trimethyl-cyclohexenes with 2-methoxy-3-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone regioselectively produce adducts possessing the 12-methyl-podocarpane ring skeleton. In addition, in the reaction with 1,4-benzoquinone an unusual hetero Diels-Alder product involving the C[dbnd]O group of the quinone is found in low yield.
Scanner identification with extension to forgery detection

Digital images can be obtained through a variety of sources including digital cameras and scanners. With rapidly increasing functionality and ease of use of image editing software, determining authenticity and identifying forged regions, if any, is becoming crucial for many applications. This paper presents methods for authenticating and identifying forged regions in images that have been acquired using flatbed scanners. The methods are based on using statistical features of imaging sensor pattern noise as a fingerprint for the scanner. An anisotropic local polynomial estimator is used for obtaining the noise patterns. A SVM classifier is trained for using statistical features of pattern noise for classifying smaller blocks of an image. This feature vector based approach is shown to identify the forged regions with high accuracy.
Determinants of short- and long-term mobility expectations for home owners and renters.

Confusion about the role of residential satisfaction vis-a-vis structural factors in the mobility process stems from the failure to examine the determinants of mobility over varying time frames and housing tenures. Using survey data for a random sample of 580 Phoenix-area households, we test models of short-term (l year) and long-term (5 years) mobility expectations for home owners and renters. The results show that residential satisfaction mediates the effects of structural variables on mobility expectations in the short term for home owners. In the long-term model for home owners and the short-term model for renters, the role of satisfaction as an intervening force declines in relative importance. Among renters, structural variables operate directly on long-term mobility expectations.
Inorganic nutrients, bacteria, and the microbial loop

The realization that natural assemblages of planktonic bacteria may acquire a significant fraction of their nitrogen and phosphorus via the uptake of dissolved inorganic nutrients has modified our traditional view of these microorganisms as nutrient remineralizers in plankton communities. Bacterial uptake of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus may place bacteria and phytoplankton in competition for growth-limiting nutrients, rather than in their traditional roles as the respective "source" and "sink" for these nutrients in the plankton. Bacterial nutrient uptake also implies that bacterivorous protozoa may play a pivotal role in the remineralization of these elements in the microbial loop. The overall contribution of bacterial utilization of inorganic nutrients to total nutrient uptake in the ocean is still poorly understood, but some generalizations are emerging with respect to the geographical areas and community physiological conditions that might elicit this behavior.
Computerized radiographic texture measures for characterizing bone strength: A simulated clinical setup using femoral neck specimens

We are investigating computerized methods to ultimately characterize bone trabecular pattern from clinical skeletal radiographs. In this paper, we present a “phantom” for potential use in the development and evaluation of computerized methods for characterizing radiographic trabecular patterns and ultimately bone strength. Femoral neck specimens were excised during total hip arthroplasties from subjects exhibiting a range of diseases. To mimic the femoral neck in vivo, a “simulated clinical” setup was implemented in which specimens were exposed under conditions that yielded radiographs similar in appearance to standard pelvis radiographs. Fourier-based and fractal-based texture measures were used in the computer analysis; including RMS variation, first moment of the power spectrum, angular-dependent forms of these measures, and fractal dimension. The texture measures obtained from the “simulated clinical” specimen films correlated modestly with those from direct exposure “verification” films of the specimens (r=0.59–0.69; p From our study, we conclude that the femoral neck specimen “phantoms” may be useful in the development and evaluation of computerized methods for analyzing bone trabecular patterns from skeletal radiographs. The use of a phantom that simulates the clinical radiographic examination allows for repeat exposures without the concern of excessive radiation exposure to a patient.
Comparative oxygen affinity of fish and mammalian myoglobins.

Myoglobins from rat, coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), buffalo sculpin (Enophrys bison) hearts, and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) red skeletal muscle were partially purified and their O2 binding affinities determined. Commercially prepared sperm whale myoglobin was employed as an internal standard. Tested at 20°C, myoglobins from salmon and sculpin bound O2 with lower affinity than myoglobins from the rat or sperm whale. Oxygen binding studies at 12°C and 37°C suggest that this difference is adaptive, permitting myoglobins from cold-adapted fish to function at physiologically relevant temperatures. Taken together, purification and O2 binding data obtained in this study reveal a previously unrecognized diversity of myoglobin structure and function.
Black Society in Spanish Florida

The first extensive study of the African American community under colonial Spanish rule, "Black Society in Spanish Florida" provides a vital counterweight to the better-known dynamics of the Anglo slave South. Jane Landers draws on a wealth of untapped primary sources, opening a new vista on the black experience in America and enriching our understanding of the powerful links between race relations and cultural custom. Blacks under Spanish rule in Florida lived not in cotton rows or tobacco patches but in a more complex and international world that linked the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and a powerful and diverse Indian hinterland. Here the Spanish Crown afforded sanctuary to runaway slaves, making the territory a prime destination for blacks fleeing Anglo plantations, while Castilian law (grounded in Roman law) provided many avenues out of slavery, which it deemed an unnatural condition. European-African unions were common and accepted in Florida, with families of African descent developing important community connections through marriage, concubinage, and godparent choices. Assisted by the corporate nature of Spanish society, Spain's medieval tradition of integration and assimilation, and the almost constant threat to Spanish sovereignty in Florida, multiple generations of Africans leveraged linguistic, military, diplomatic, and artisanal skills into citizenship and property rights. In this remote Spanish outpost, where they could become homesteaders, property owners, and entrepreneurs, blacks enjoyed more legal and social protection than they would again until almost two hundred years of Anglo history had passed.
The Communicative Repertoire of Captive Bonobos (Pan Paniscus), Compared To That of Chimpanzees

Ten bonobos (Pan paniscus), housed in three separate subgroups at the San Diego Zoological Garden, were observed for 288 hours over a four-month period. The colony included one adult male, two adult females, two adolescent males, four juveniles, and one infant. Data on 5,135 sequences of social behavior were collected either as spoken accounts or as video recordings. In addition, high-quality sound recordings were obtained for spectrographic analysis. The data were subjected to a quantitative analysis of probabilities of association between 44 communicative behavior patterns and 40 different context types. The paper treats each communicative behavior pattern separately, providing a) its frequency, b) the most common inter-individual directions of performance, c) characteristic contexts, d) a description, e) a commentary on its possible functions, and 1) a comparison with the behavior of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). The study shows that, while the behavioral repertoires of the two Pan species are fundamentally similar, interesting differences exist in their vocal repertoires, sexual behavior, and agonistic behavior. The bonobo's voice has a higher pitch, and many of its vocalizations are structurally different from homologous chimpanzee vocalizations. The greatest difference concerns the long-distance hooting calls of the two species. The bonobo's sexual behavior is much more elaborate than the chimpanzee's, including ventro-ventral copulation, and "GG-rubbing" between adult females. Sexual forms of contact seem to serve many of the reassurance and reconciliation functions fulfilled by nongenital contact forms in the chimpanzee. Finally, the bonobo's agonistic behavior is less elaborate and appears more controlled than the chimpanzee's.