cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Web 2.0, UGC, and citizen journalism

The "Web 2.0" discourse has contributed to the dismissal of citizen journalism "amateur journalism."The hybrid model of OhmyNews shows the need for redefining "citizen journalism."South Korea's citizen journalism model was introduced in Japan, but it soon failed.Unlike in Japan, online anonymity has not existed in Korea due to its "real-name" policies.The study of citizen journalism must include social, cultural, and symbolic considerations. This study investigates the discourses of citizen journalism by critically evaluating the notion of Web 2.0. The utopian concept referring to the second generation of the Web nicely captures the new era when more information is generated by average people than by professionals. An uncritical application of the framework, however, has caused a serious misunderstanding of citizen journalism as "amateur journalism." Analyzing South Korea's unique experiment with OhmyNews, this paper argues that citizen journalism cannot be understood in terms of "user-generated content (UGC)" in general. It also suggests that finding a viable model of citizen journalism is one thing, and making it work is quite another. By comparing OhmyNews Japan with its original Korean counterpart, it sheds light on how the same model can yield completely different results. In doing so, it emphasizes the importance of social, cultural, and symbolic considerations.
AIDS Prevention among Gay and Lesbian Youth

A forgotten, largely invisible minority in twentieth-century society is the gay adolescent. This condition is changing fairly rapidly, primarily in urban and collegiate areas, as increasing numbers of youth are claiming a sexual identity other than the heterosexual one traditionally assumed and desired by society and its agents. These gay and lesbian adolescents must, however, confront a hostile audience which disbelieves that one can be homosexual during adolescence. The premise of this chapter is that the psychosocial stresses that result from this denial may have profound medical consequences in the current reality of the AIDS epidemic.
Effects of transient Phragmites australis removal on brackish marsh greenhouse gas fluxes

Abstract Phragmites australis is a common invasive reed of North American coastal marshes, and efforts to control or eradicate it often are included in coastal marsh restoration efforts. While much research has tested impacts of P. australis removal on plant and faunal communities, less is known about biogeochemical responses to P. australis removal. Since coastal marshes are valued for their robust carbon sequestration, understanding the effect of P. australis removal on marsh carbon cycling dynamics is important. Temporary P. australis aboveground biomass clearing conducted as part of a restoration effort provided an opportunity to evaluate changes in fluxes of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) during P. australis removal and recovery. In Experiment 1 (2014 growing season), GHG fluxes were compared between a P. australis stand cleared mechanically and recovered within months of initial removal and an uncleared stand in the same marsh system. CO2 uptake increased dramatically in the cleared stand as P. australis regrew, but CH4 emissions remained unchanged, demonstrating that P. australis did not directly contribute to CH4 emission. In Experiment 2 (2015 manipulations), to test mechanisms of P. australis’ impact on GHG fluxes, fluxes (light and dark) were compared between unimpacted P. australis plots, cut P. australis plots with litter, and cleared P. australis plots without litter. P. australis cutting (independent of litter removal) resulted in increased CO2 and CH4 emissions. Recovery of P. australis directly drove the rapid recovery of CO2 uptake, and did not increase (and possibly attenuated) CH4 emissions. Results of this study suggest that at this site, P. australis removal, in the absence of native vegetation recovery, may exacerbate GHG emission of coastal marshes in the short term, and that longer-term impacts warrant investigation.
Implementation of Preoperative Screening Criteria Lowers Infection and Complication Rates Following Elective Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Veteran Population.

Abstract Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are common procedures with a risk of complications. Attempting to minimize complications, our institution implemented preoperative screening criteria for patients undergoing elective total joint replacement. Our study aimed to determine if screening criteria lowered total complications and/or surgical site infections (SSI). Methods Two groups of consecutive patients undergoing TKA and THA at a single Veterans Affairs facility were evaluated prior to and after implementation of screening criteria, 520 and 475 respectively. Screening criteria included hemoglobin A1c ≤7, hemoglobin ≥11, body mass index ≤35, and albumin ≥3.5. Groups were analyzed for demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and postoperative complications. Rates of total complications and SSI were compared. Average follow-up was at least 2 years with minimum of 1 year. Results Demographics and comorbidities outside the screening criteria were similar. Total complication rate was reduced from 35.4% to 14.8% ( P P P P P = .01) and was statistically significant. For THA, SSI decreased from 3.8% to 1.2% ( P Conclusion Our institution saw a statistically significant decrease in both SSI and total complications following implementation of preoperative screening criteria for elective TKA and THA.
Relative Comparison of Complex Dynamic Modulus Predictive Models for Non-Conventional Asphalt Concrete Mixtures

Because of the widespread use of additives, a revised dynamic modulus (FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE) predictive approach is needed for the mechanistic–empirical analysis of asphalt pavement designs. The importance of predicting FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE relates to its use as a sensitive input in the AASHTO Pavement ME Design software. The objective of this study is to evaluate two FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE predictive models currently used for asphalt mixtures that include non-conventional additives, and to provide recommendations for enhancing prediction capability of the models when these types of materials are used. The focus of the paper is on finding ways to efficiently and accurately generate FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE inputs for the software when actual pavement response is not measured. Impacts of mixture type, temperature, and binder grade on FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE predictions are explored. The current software uses three levels of inputs, two of which require key material characteristics to predict FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE values rather than employing laboratory-measured FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE. This study shows that for non-conventional mixtures, 53 % of FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE values predicted by the 2006 Witczak predictive equation (WPE) are greater than values predicted by the 1999 WPE. This trend of over-prediction is observed at both low and high test temperatures. However, the opposite effect exists between the two WPEs at intermediate test temperatures. This research shows that adjusting the original binder type of non-conventional mixtures provides a significant improvement in predictive accuracy for FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE. The findings of this study provide suggestions for alterations to binders, to adjust the WPE model’s terms for better predictive accuracy, and supplies recommendations to practitioners who use the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software; however, it is still evident that the laboratory measurement of FOOPIPEE*FOOPIPE values is still the preferred approach for generating inputs for the software.
Leydig cell genes change their expression and association with polysomes in a stage-specific manner in the adult mouse testis,

Spermatogenesis in mammals occurs in a very highly organized manner within the seminiferous epithelium regulated by different cell types in the testis. Testosterone produced by Leydig cells regulates blood-testis barrier formation, meiosis, spermiogenesis, and spermiation. However, it is unknown whether Leydig cell function changes with the different stages of the seminiferous epithelium. This study utilized the WIN 18,446 and retinoic acid (RA) treatment regime combined with the RiboTag mouse methodology to synchronize male germ cell development and allow for the in vivo mapping of the Leydig cell translatome across the different stages of one cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. Using microarrays analysis, we identified 11 Leydig cell-enriched genes that were expressed in stage-specific manner such as the glucocorticoid synthesis and transport genes, Cyp21a1 and Serpina6. In addition, there were nine Leydig cell transcripts that change their association with polysomes in correlation with the different stages of the spermatogenic cycle including Egr1. Interestingly, the signal intensity of EGR1 and CYP21 varied among Leydig cells in the adult asynchronous testis. However, testosterone levels across the different stages of germ cell development did not cycle. These data show, for the first time, that Leydig cell gene expression changes in a stage-specific manner during the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium and indicate that a heterogeneous Leydig cell population exists in the adult mouse testis.
Robotics across the curriculum with dLife: demonstration

dLife is a Java library designed to support teaching and research in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Life, Robotics and Computer Vision. A central design principle for the creation of dLife was that it be appropriate for beginning students while also being powerful enough for use in upper level courses and research projects. This demonstration will illustrate this flexibility by highlighting uses of dLife from across the curriculum.
Fibromuscular Hyperplasia of the Seminal Vesicle

AbstractExamination of tissue removed during seminal vesiculectomy typically reveals few pathological abnormalities, although some tumors and cysts have been described. We report a case of seminal vesicle enlargement and pain due to fibromuscular hyperplasia. Complete pain relief ensued after seminal vesiculectomy.
5.09 – Itch

Itch is defined as an unpleasant sensation associated with the desire to scratch. This vignette will describe some of the recent advances in our understanding of itch mechanisms. An overview of the neural basis for itch versus pain is provided first, followed by consideration of animal itch models and, finally, possible itch mediators and mechanisms based on human and animal research.
Integrating Engine Start, Soak, Evaporative, and Truck Hoteling Emissions into MOVES-Matrix:

The MOVES (MOtor Vehicle Emissions Simulator) model was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to estimate emissions from mobile sources and is required to be used for region...
Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 into Formate with Glassy Carbon Modified by [Fe4N(CO)11(PPh2Ph-linker)]−

Immobilization of molecular electrocatalysts with retention of catalytic activity is necessary if they will be incorporated into functional photoelectrochemical devices. Most often, immobilization diminishes catalytic performance. Glassy-carbon electrodes covalently modified with [Fe4N(CO)12]− are active for electrocatalytic formate production from CO2 at −1.2 V vs SCE in aqueous solutions buffered at pH 5–9. The modified electrodes are stable for at least 4 days, as demonstrated using cyclic voltammetry experiments. Electrode modification was performed via cycloaddition of alkyne-functionalized [Fe4N(CO)12]− with azide-modified glassy-carbon electrodes.
Solar Wind Implantation Into the Lunar Regolith: Monte Carlo Simulations of H Retention in a Surface With Defects and the H2 Exosphere

The solar wind implants protons into the top 20–30 nm of lunar regolith grains, and the implanted hydrogen will diffuse out of the regolith but also interact with oxygen in the regolith oxides. We apply a statistical approach to estimate the diffusion of hydrogen in the regolith hindered by forming temporary bonds with regolith oxygen atoms. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to track the temporal evolution of bound OH surface content and the H2 exosphere. The model results are consistent with the interpretation of the Chandrayaan‐1 M3 observations of infrared absorption spectra by surface hydroxyls as discussed in Li and Milliken (2017, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1701471). The model reproduced the latitudinal concentration of OH by using a Gaussian energy distribution of f(U(sub 0) = 0.5 eV, U(sub W) = 0.078–0.1 eV) to characterize the activation energy barrier to the diffusion of hydrogen in space weathered regolith. In addition, the model results of the exospheric content of H2 are consistent with observations by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Therefore, we provide support for hydroxyl formation by chemically trapped solar wind protons.
Speech recognition using cepstral articulatory features

Abstract Though speech recognition has been widely investigated in the past decades, the role of articulation in recognition has received scant attention. Recognition accuracy increases when recognizers are trained with acoustic features in conjunction with articulatory ones. Traditionally, acoustic features are represented by mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) while articulatory features are represented by the locations or trajectories of the articulators. We propose the articulatory cepstral coefficients (ACCs) as features which are the cepstral coefficients of the time-location articulatory signal. We show that ACCs yield state-of-the-art results in phoneme classification and recognition on benchmark datasets over a wide range of experiments. The similarity of MFCCs and ACCs and their superior performance in isolation and conjunction indicate that common algorithms can be effectively used for acoustic and articulatory signals.
Enhancing algal biomass and lipid production through bacterial co-culture

Abstract Renewable energies, such as biofuels from algae, are a promising approach to deviate from fossil fuels. Mass algae cultivation requires better control over algae culture including taking advantage of co-cultivation with growth and lipid-promoting microorganisms. Integrating co-cultures into algal biotechnology can be beneficial in achieving enhanced yields and reduced expenditures. This work uses the co-cultivation of an alga with bacteria to simultaneously increase biomass and lipid productivities in algal cultures. Growth and lipid-promoting microbial cell-free filtrates were used to test for possible effects of bacterial extracellular compounds. Our results show that both the presence of bacterial cell as well as cell-free filtrate from one particular strain of bacteria, Pseudomonas composti, promoted the increase in biomass yield and lipid within freshwater Characium sp. 46-4. These results indicate that unidentified extracellular compounds released by bacteria can affect the growth rate and lipid metabolism of algae.
Media multitasking is associated with higher risk for obesity and increased responsiveness to rewarding food stimuli.

Obesity among children and adolescents has dramatically increased over the past two to three decades and is now a major public health issue. During this same period, youth exposure to media devices also became increasingly prevalent. Here, we present the novel hypothesis that media multitasking (MMT)—the simultaneous use of and switching between unrelated forms of digital media—is associated with an imbalance between regulatory processes and reward-related responses to appetitive food stimuli, resulting in a greater sensitivity to external food cues among high media multitaskers. This, in turn, may contribute to overeating and weight gain over time. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two studies examining research participants who grew up during the recent period of escalating multitasking and obesity—and among whom 37% are overweight or obese. In Study 1, participants’ propensity to engage in MMT behaviors was associated with a higher risk for obesity (as indicated by higher body mass index and body fat percentage). Next, in Study 2, a subset of participants from Study 1 were exposed to appetitive food cues while undergoing functional neuroimaging and then, using passive mobile sensing, the time participants spent in various food points-of-sale over an academic term was inferred from GPS coordinates of their mobile device. Study 2 revealed that MMT was associated with an altered pattern of brain activity in response to appetizing food cues, specifically an imbalance favoring reward-related activity in ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex—relative to recruitment of the frontoparietal control network. This relationship was further tested in a mediation model, whereby increased MMT, via a brain imbalance favoring reward over control, was associated with greater time spent in campus eateries. Taken together, findings from both studies suggest the possibility that media multitasking may be implicated in the recent obesity epidemic.
The effect of Method Variance on Relationships Between the Work Ethic and Individual Difference Variables

A great deal of research relating the work ethic to other individual difference variables has been conducted using questionnaires to measure all the variables. Many researchers believe that using a single method of measurement for multiple constructs results in artificially inflated correlations. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the work ethic, locus of control, and conscientiousness reveals that approximately 16% of the variance in measures of these constructs is a function of the method of measurement. This suggests that correlations in work ethic research based on only one method of measurement may be overstated.
Proving Yourself: How Top Executives Relate Their Leadership Experience:

We asked 30 top executives (CEOs, COOs, and Presidents) to describe their paths to and in office. Our purpose was to explore how executives practice leadership in the way they discuss their experie...
Use of Artificial Neural Network for Abnormality Detection in Medical Images

Cancer is one of the diseases the human race has been battling against. Several researches and technologies are being updated and implemented for the detection and cure of this obliterating disease. The cure of this disease is significantly dependent on its early detection when the tumor is in the early stage and is detectable. Thus, relative classification criteria would benefit the radiologist in determining the malignancy at an early stage. With this view, this current chapter will help the radiologist as well as oncological physician to quickly identify and determine the stage of cancer as well as whether the tumor is being either malignant or benign. The texture feature estimation and morphological analysis have been done with lot of chest X-ray images such as pulmonary nodule (PN), non-pulmonary nodule (NPN) and unclassified (tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.) images retrieved from the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology (JSRT), public biomedical database. This feature is then applied to expert classification analysis system such as artificial neural network (ANN). This chapter implements classification analysis procedures to improvise the image classification of X-ray images, which will enhance the detection probability at a very early stage. Thirty percent of radiologist fails to detect the malignancy in the beginning stage. There are also possibilities of reducing false-positive results. These false-positive (FP) results can be due to inter-observatory analysis errors resulting from different faults in rib vessel and its structuring. Thus, the reduction in false-positive (FP) images and the increased true-positive (TP) images is important for an accurate analysis of the X-ray.
Desplazamientos entretejidos: imaginarios transicionales y diasporización de la memoria en los Tejidos de Mampuján

This essay studies the Mampujan Quilts as an aesthetic intervention in the transitional justice imaginary that has emerged in Colombia since the approval of the 2005 Justice and Peace Law. By examining scenes of enslavement and maroon resistance that are interwoven with images of the recent displacement of Mampujan, I introduce diasporization of memory as a framework for tracing the aesthetic links between contemporary violence and the African Diaspora. I argue that the quilts’ narrative progression through the longue duree of diasporic displacement problematizes the epistemological limitations of transitional justice.
Mitochondrial genome of the silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis from the British Indian Ocean Territory Marine Protected Area.

We present the first mitochondrial genome of Carcharhinus falciformis from the Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Marine Protected Area (MPA). The mitochondrial genome ...
The Media Coverage of the 2020 US Presidential Election Candidates through the Lens of Google's Top Stories

Choosing the political party nominees, who will appear on the ballot for the US presidency, is a long process that starts two years before the general election. The news media plays a particular role in this process by continuously covering the state of the race. How can this news coverage be characterized? Given that there are thousands of news organizations, but each of us is exposed to only a few of them, we might be missing most of it. Online news aggregators, which aggregate news stories from a multitude of news sources and perspectives, could provide an important lens for the analysis. One such aggregator is Google's Top stories, a recent addition to Google's search result page. For the duration of 2019, we have collected the news headlines that Google Top stories has displayed for 30 candidates of both US political parties. Our dataset contains 79,903 news story URLs published by 2,168 unique news sources. Our analysis indicates that despite this large number of news sources, there is a very skewed distribution of where the Top stories are originating, with a very small number of sources contributing the majority of stories. We are sharing our dataset1 so that other researchers can answer questions related to algorithmic curation of news as well as media agenda setting in the context of political elections.
The SVT-AV1 encoder: overview, features and speed-quality tradeoffs

The Scalable Video Technology AV1 (SVT-AV1) encoder is an open-source software AV1 encoder that is architected to yield excellent quality-speed-latency tradeoffs on CPU platforms for a wide range of video coding applications. The SVTAV1 encoder is based on the SVT architecture, which supports multi-dimensional parallelism, multi-pass partitioning decision, multi-stage/multi-class mode decision, and multi-level spatiotemporal prediction and residual coding algorithms. Given a latency constraint, the SVT-AV1 encoder maximizes the CPU utilization on multicore CPUs, through picturebased parallelism for high-latency video applications, and through segment-based parallelism for low-latency video applications. The picture-level/segment-level parallelism allows the SVT-AV1 encoder to produce identical bit streams, irrespective of whether single- or multi-threaded encoding is performed. In mode decision, the SVT-AV1 encoder yields many speed-quality tradeoffs with high granularity, mainly through multi-pass processing of each superblock and multistage/ multi-class processing of each block, and through the different levels of the prediction/coding features. The resulting speed-quality tradeoffs of SVT-AV1 are compared, in Video-On-Demand (VOD) use-cases, to those of libaom (another open-source AV1 encoder), and to those of the latest x264 (AVC), x265 (HEVC) and libvpx (VP9) open source encoders.
Creating an Outpatient-Specific Antibiogram to Guide Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections

Background: Outpatients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often treated empirically without culture, whereas urine cultures are typically collected from patients with complicated UTI. Susceptibilities for fosfomycin (a first-line agent) are not routinely performed or reported in the antibiogram. Understanding the prevalence of antibiotic resistance for UTI is critical for empiric treatment and antibiotic stewardship in primary care. Methods: We developed a UTI-focused antibiogram from a prospective sample of outpatients (women and men) with UTIs from 2 public family medicine clinics in an urban area with a diverse, international population (November 2018 to present). During the study period, providers ordered a urine culture for any adult patient presenting with UTI symptoms, including uncomplicated and complicated infections. We estimated the prevalence of resistance to UTI-relevant antibiotics in the overall study population and compared it between patients born in the United States and other countries. Results: We collected 678 urine cultures from 644 unique patients (79% female). Of these cultures, 158 (23.3%) had no growth, 330 (48.7%) grew mixed urogenital flora, and 190 (28.0%) were positive (>10,000 CFU/mL). Patients with positive cultures were mostly female (88.2%), and their mean age was 46.6 ± 14.8 years. Among patients with positive cultures, 42.7% were born in the United States and 57.3% were born Mexico or Central America. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated organism (Fig. 1). Susceptibility results for E. coli and all gram-negative organisms combined are presented in Fig. 2. Susceptibility of uropathogens to TMP-SMX was significantly higher in patients born in the United States compared to patients from Mexico or Central America (82% vs 61%; P = .03). Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was similar in patients born in the United States and other countries (79% vs 72%; P = .50). Of 77 E. coli isolates, 11 (14%) were positive for extended-spectrum β-lactamase production, including 8 isolates from patients whose country of origin was Mexico or a Central American country. Conclusions: More than 20% of outpatients presenting with UTI symptoms had a negative urine culture. Among outpatients with uncomplicated and complicated UTI, uropathogens had a high prevalence of resistance to ciprofloxacin and TMP-SMX, but susceptibility to fosfomycin (restricted in our system) was 100%. Resistance rates for TMP-SMX were higher in patients from Mexico and Central America. Our findings question whether TMP-SMX should remain a first-line agent in US primary-care settings. Funding: This project was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UM1AI104681. Disclosures: None
Asymmetric correlations of equity portfolios

Abstract Correlations between U.S. stocks and the aggregate U.S. market are much greater for downside moves, especially for extreme downside moves, than for upside moves. We develop a new statistic for measuring, comparing, and testing asymmetries in conditional correlations. Conditional on the downside, correlations in the data differ from the conditional correlations implied by a normal distribution by 11.6%. We find that conditional asymmetric correlations are fundamentally different from other measures of asymmetries, such as skewness and co-skewness. We find that small stocks, value stocks, and past loser stocks have more asymmetric movements. Controlling for size, we find that stocks with lower betas exhibit greater correlation asymmetries, and we find no relationship between leverage and correlation asymmetries. Correlation asymmetries in the data reject the null hypothesis of multivariate normal distributions at daily, weekly, and monthly frequencies. However, several empirical models with greater flexibility, particularly regime-switching models, perform better at capturing correlation asymmetries.
Disparities in Bicycle Commuting: Could Bike Lane Investment Widen the Gap?:

This article examines how bicycle commuting is associated with bike lane access and sociodemographic advantage at the block group level in twenty-two U.S. cities. Using regression models with inter...
Linking Sovereignty, Local Environments, and Climate Justice Through Pipeline Pedagogy

Native nations are on the frontlines of resisting pipelines and at the forefront of creating the kinds of relationships required for living well in a just future. Drawing on our experiences working with Native nations in Minnesota as well as teaching, learning, and organizing around North American pipelines, we argue for a pipeline pedagogy that centers sovereignty by supporting Native leaders. Community partnerships, activism, and college courses are three methods for advancing this pipeline pedagogy, which connects environmental and climate justice, social movements, and Native nation sovereignty. We reflect on our experiences in these three domains: developing partnerships between a tribal school and our institutions, teaching and learning in environmental studies courses at a liberal arts college, and organizing with community activists against the Line 3 tar sands pipeline. We offer suggestions for approaches and activities that advance a pedagogy with the power to protect people, prevent pipelines, and promote justice.
Career Path: From Researcher to Entrepreneur and Beyond [Industry Activities]

In this issue of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, we are privileged to have an interesting contribution to our column from Dr. C.J. Reddy, who provides details of his professional journey from India, to Canada, and then to the United States. He discusses aspects of being a researcher and entrepreneur as well as now being with a multinational company. Dr. Reddy also talks about his philanthropic activity to establish the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) C.J. Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students with the help of the IEEE Foundation and AP-S.
Storage of breath samples for H2 analyses

Breath hydrogen tests are limited by leak of gases from breath samples from standard glass or plastic syringes. These losses may be substantial when these samples are stored for long periods of time. We describe a simple manipulation involving the use of a mineral oil or water seal at the end of the syringe barrel that markedly reduces the leakage of H2 and other gases to negligible levels.
Entangled Edens: Visions of the Amazon

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Candace Slater Year: 2002 Pages: 332 Publisher: University of California Press Prices: $19.95
A Double-Blind Study Comparing the Effectiveness of Cromolyn Sodium and Sustained-Release Theophylline in Childhood Asthma

The effectiveness of cromolyn sodium and theophylline on asthma in children was compared during a 3-month trial. Forty-six children (aged 5 to 15 years) with asthma were assigned at random to cromolyn or theophylline (Theo-Dur) treatment groups. Each subject received theophylline placebo or cromolyn placebo in addition to the active drugs. A methacholine challenge test was done at the start of the study to document asthma and was repeated during the third month. The theophylline dosage was regulated to obtain serum levels of 10 to 15 micrograms/mL by a physician not involved directly with patient care. Forty patients completed the study. Both theophylline and cromolyn treatment groups showed improvement from base-line status in terms of symptom scores, pulmonary function, and decreased use of inhaled albuterol. Patients treated with theophylline had more side effects and required more frequent office visits than those treated with cromolyn. Both groups had decreased sensitivity to methacholine, and for one statistical test patients treated with cromolyn improved significantly. These results indicate that cromolyn is as effective as theophylline in treating mild to moderate asthma in children; additional benefits were fewer side effects and a possible decrease in bronchial hyperactivity.
Model Reference Adaptive Control with Inexact Model Matching Part I

A new scheme for designing model reference adaptive control systems using only input and output measurements is presented. With the proposed scheme, the requirement on the commonly assumed a priori knowledge of (i) the relative degree n* of the plant and (ii) sign of the high frequency gain, can be eliminated. Besides the elimination of requirement of the two restrictive assumptions, the proposed algorithm has the advantage of using fewer adaptive gains and of improving the speed of convergence. The same method has also been employed to address the important problem of using a reduced order model.
Chemical Sensing in Humans and Machines

Author(s): Cometto-Muniz, J. Enrique | Abstract: Chemosensory detection of airborne chemicals by humans is accomplished principally through olfaction and mucosal chemesthesis. Odors are perceived via stimulation of the olfactory nerve (CN I) whereas nasal chemesthetic sensations (i.e., prickling, irritation, stinging, burning, freshness, piquancy, etc), grouped under the term nasal pungency, are mediated by the trigeminal nerve (CN V). Airborne compounds elicit odor sensations at concentrations orders of magnitude below those producing pungency but the physicochemical basis for odor and pungency potency of chemicals, either singly or in mixtures, is far from being understood. The sensitivity of the sense of smell often outperforms that of the most sophisticated chemicoanalytical methods like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Still, the combined used of these techniques with human odor detection (i.e., olfactometry) has proved an invaluable tool to understand the chemosensory properties of complex mixtures such as foods, flavors, and fragrances.
Fate of radioactive exocrine pancreatic proteins injected into the blood circulation of the rat. Tissue uptake and transepithelial excretion.

[35S]methionine or [35S]methionine-labeled exocrine pancreatic proteins were injected into the bloodstream of conscious rats. Samples of blood, urine, bile, and pancreatic juice were collected at varying intervals through 7 h. Injection of [35S]methionine resulted in the appearance of trichloroacetic acid-soluble radioactivity ([35S]methionine) in bile and urine within 4 min and trichloroacetic acidinsoluble radioactivity in blood, bile, and pancreatic juice after 20 min. Analysis of these body fluids by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and fluorography indicated that rat serum, biliary, and pancreatic proteins were labeled, respectively. After the injection of [35S]methionine-labeled pancreatic proteins, half of the trichloroacetic acid-insoluble radioactivity disappeared from the serum in 10–15 min. Radioactive proteins appeared after 5 min in urine and bile, and, over the course of the experiment, accounted for 1%–2% and 0.3%–0.5% of the injected radioactivity, respectively. Analysis of individual radioactive proteins excreted into bile by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis indicated preferential transhepatic transport of negatively charged pancreatic proteins. The majority of pancreatic proteins (~97%) were taken up by a variety of body tissues, particularly kidney, liver, spleen, and lung. Trichloroacetic acid-soluble radioactivity, largely representing [35S]methionine, appeared sequentially in serum, urine, and bile within 2–12 min. At later experimental time points (>60–90 min), radioactive rat serum, biliary, and pancreatic proteins appeared in blood, bile, and pancreatic juice, respectively. After the injection of 35S-labeled guinea pig pancreatic proteins into the blood circulation of the rat, trichloroacetic acid-insoluble radioactivity, observed in pancreatic juice after 60–90 min, exclusively represented rat exocrine pancreatic proteins as judged by the two-dimensional gel procedure. These studies indicate that pancreatic proteins are removed from the blood circulation by at least three separate pathways: (a) uptake and degradation by a variety of tissues in the body (−97% of injected radioactivity), (b) excretion of intact proteins into urine (1%–2%), and (c) transport of intact proteins into bile (0.3%–0.5%). Transport of exocrine pancreatic proteins from the blood circulation to pancreatic juice could not be demonstrated.
Body condition score at parturition and postpartum supplemental fat effects on cow and calf performance.

Three-year-old Angus x Gelbvieh beef cows nutritionally managed to achieve a BCS of 4 +/- 0.07 (479.3 +/- 36.3 kg of BW) or 6 +/- 0.07 (579.6 +/- 53.1 kg of BW) at parturition were used in a 2-yr experiment (n = 36/yr) to determine the effects of prepartum energy balance and postpartum lipid supplementation on cow and calf performance. Beginning 3 d postpartum, cows within each BCS were assigned randomly to be fed hay and a low-fat control supplement or supplements with either high-linoleate cracked safflower seeds or high-oleate cracked safflower seeds until d 60 of lactation. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric, and safflower seed supplements were provided to achieve 5% of DMI as fat. Ultrasonic 12th rib fat and LM area were lower (P 4 before parturition to improve reproductive success.
Monthly lunar declination extremes' influence on tropospheric circulation patterns

[1] Short-term tidal variations occurring every 27.3 days from southern (negative) to northern (positive) maximum lunar declinations (MLDs), and back to southern declination of the moon have been overlooked in weather studies. These short-term MLD variations' significance is that when lunar declination is greatest, tidal forces operating on the high latitudes of both hemispheres are maximized. We find that such tidal forces deform the high latitude Rossby longwaves. Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data set, we identify that the 27.3 day MLD cycle's influence on circulation is greatest in the upper troposphere of both hemispheres' high latitudes. The effect is distinctly regional with high impact over central North America and the British Isles. Through this lunar variation, midlatitude weather forecasting for two-week forecast periods may be significantly improved.
Metrics for Assessing the Downstream Effects of Dams

[1] We evaluate three metrics representing the drivers of channel change downstream from dams. A balance between changes in sediment supply and transport capacity identifies conditions of sediment deficit or surplus. A Shields number represents the competence of postdam flows and the potential for incision under conditions of sediment deficit. A ratio of postdam to predam flood discharge provides a metric for the scale and rate of channel change, especially width. The metrics are calculated for more than 4000 km of some of the major rivers in the western United States. More than 60% of these rivers are in sediment deficit, and only a few reaches are in sediment surplus. The sediment balance can be used to assess the relative effort involved in reversing undesired conditions of deficit or surplus.
Kinetic and spectroscopic studies of haemoglobin and myoglobin from Urechis caupo. Distal residue effects.

Seven components of the tetrameric haemoglobin (Hbu) from Urechis caupo were separated by preparative isoelectric focusing and characterized by their absorption spectra and pI values. The helix content and Soret delta epsilon values are reported for several of the components. Temperature-jump O2-binding kinetics of the major components of Hbu show biphasic behaviour, with the majority species having kon = 1.57 x 10(9) mol-1.s-1 and koff = 3.32 x 10(4) s-1. The Fourier-transform i.r. spectrum of pooled Hbu(II)-CO displays a stretching frequency of 1942 cm-1. E.s.r. of Hbu(II)-NO demonstrates evidence of proximal strain similar to that encountered in T-state human haemoglobin. CO-driven reduction of U. caupo methaemoglobin, Hbu(III) and U. caupo metmyoglobin [Mbu(III)] shows much higher rates relative to haemoglobins and myoglobins known to possess a distal histidine residue. Nitrosyl auto-reduction kinetics of Hbu(III)-NO and Mbu(III)-NO are examined. The equilibrium binding constants of several ligands are reported for both Hbu and Mbu, and together with the above kinetic data suggest differences in haem pocket environments between Hbu and Mbu. Reaction of Hbu with 2-chloromercuri-4,6-dinitrophenol demonstrates the presence of one reactive thiol group per globin chain. lambda max. values and the respective molar absorption coefficients for selected ligand-bound states are reported for the major component of Hbu and for Mbu. The majority haem orientation in U. caupo haemoglobin is identical with that of human haemoglobin.
Nutrition Recommendations to Prevent Kidney Stones: Realistic Dietary Goals and Expectations!

Diet can influence whether or not a person forms kidney stones, either in concert with or apart from inherited or genetic factors. Factors in the diet can influence whether crystals form and how large they potentially grow. Sometimes there is no dietary cause for kidney stones. In this case, there may be little one can do with their diet to control stone formation, There is, however, usually some dietary influence that, if controlled, can reduce stone formation and recurrence.
Defect Chemistry and Electrical Properties of ( La0.8Ca0.2 ) 0.95FeO3 − δ

A–site deficient calcium doped lanthanum ferrite (LCF) powders are synthesized and tested to characterize their electrochemical properties for use as cathode materials in single–step co–fired solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Four–probe conductivity and oxygen permeability tests show superior performance compared to conventional SOFC cathode materials. A point–defect model is applied to interpret the experimental data yielding concentrations of the predominant defects as a function of pO2 and temperature.
Travel to Brazil: analysis of data from the Boston Area Travel Medicine Network (BATMN) and relevance to travelers attending world cup and olympics.

We describe travelers who were evaluated pre-travel to Brazil from March 2008 through July 2010 in the Boston area. Of 599 Brazil travelers, 71%, 58%, and 50% received vaccines for yellow fever (YF), typhoid, and hepatitis A, respectively. Fewer received influenza and hepatitis B vaccines (14%, 11%). A total of 60% traveled during Brazil's peak influenza season, and one fourth visited during peak dengue transmission. The 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics include events throughout Brazil. Travelers should seek pre-travel assessment including YF and malaria risk; travelers should be vaccinated against influenza, be up to date on other routine vaccines, and be prepared to protect themselves against mosquitoes.
Current-voltage characteristics of semiconductor/ferromagnet junctions in the spin-blockade regime

It was recently predicted [Phys. Rev. B 75, 193301 (2007)] that spin blockade may develop at nonmagnetic semiconductor/perfect ferromagnet junctions when the electron flow is directed from the semiconductor into the ferromagnet. Here we consider current-voltage characteristics of such junctions. By taking into account the contact resistance, we demonstrate a current stabilization effect: by increasing the applied voltage, the current density through the junction saturates at a specific value. The transient behavior of the current density is also investigated. We show that an abrupt change in the applied voltage is accompanied by a spike in the current density. It is anticipated that this is a common dynamical behavior of the current density in structures with conductivity depending on the level of spin polarization.
A Cross-national Analysis of Global E-government

To explore the determinants of global e-government performance, this paper examines the aggregate data of 163 different countries by conducting multivariate statistical analysis. The results of multivariate regression analysis indicate that the performance of digital government is likely to be determined by economic wealth, education, urbanization, civil liberties, government effectiveness, and the interaction between Internet usage and economic wealth, while the extent of internet penetration alone does not determine e-government performance. More importantly, this study indicates that government effectiveness is much more important than any other factors in determining global e-government performance. The countries with high e-government performance are likely to be the wealthy, developed, and Western countries or the rapidly developing Asian countries.
Emotion recognition and social competence in chronic schizophrenia.

This study evaluated (a) whether chronic, medicated schizophrenia patients show deficits in emotion recognition compared to nonpatients, and (b) whether deficits in emotion recognition are related to poorer social competence. Two emotion recognition tests developed by S. L. Kerr and J. M. Neale ( 1993 ) and Benton's Test of Facial Recognition ( A. Benton, M. VanAllen, K. Hamsher, & H. Levin, 1978) were given to patients with chronic schizophrenia and nonpatient controls. Patients' social skills, social adjustment, and symptomatology were assessed. Like Kerr and Neale's unmedicated patients, these patients performed worse than controls on both emotion recognition tests and the control test. For patients, facial perception was related to the chronicity of illness and social competence. Chronicity of illness may contribute to face perception deficits in schizophrenia, which may affect social competence. Recent research has evaluated whether schizophrenia patients have impairments in emotion recognition. The findings have been inconsistent: some studies reported differences (Kerr & Neale, 1993), but others did not (Novic, Luchins, & Perline, 1984). Discrepant findings may be partly due to the variety of methods used to study emotion recognition, which has made it impossible to compare the results across different studies. Also, many measures have been developed for a single study, with little attention given to their psychometric properties and cross-validation. An exception to this problem is a set of instruments recently developed by Kerr and Neale (1993) for the assessment of emotion recognition in schizophrenia patients: The Face Emotion Identification Test, the Face Emotion Discrimination Test, the Voice Emotion Identification Test, and the Voice Emotion Discrimina
The system cerium-manganese in the range of 0–20 atomic per cent manganese☆

Abstract The cerium-rich part of the system cerium-manganese has been studied between 500° and 800°C by differential thermal analysis augmented by metallography and an X-ray identification of the phases. No compounds were detected. The eutectic was at 16.1 ± 0.5 at.% manganese and 622°C. The cerium side of the eutectic showed an invariant effect at 638°C at which temperature measurements indicated the following phases to coexist: liquid of 14 ± 1 at.% manganese, delta cerium containing 5 ± 1 at.% manganese, and gamma cerium containing 2 ± 1 at.% manganese. Cooling curves with compositions on the manganese side of the eutectic showed a separate thermal effect at 625°C, but the source of this effect was not clearly determined.
Isolation of allergens from timothy pollen.

Abstract Two highly purified allcrgens have been isolated from timothy pollen. They are low molecular weight proteins, very similar in their specificity and physicochemical properties. They are very strongly adsorbed to cellulose and glass. The adsorption to glass can be prevented by silicone coating.