cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dieldrin-induced alterations in biogenic amine content of rat brain.

Dieldrin-Induced Alterations in Biogenic Amine Content of Rat Brain. Wagner, S. R. and Greene, F. E. (1978). Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 43, 45–55. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed acutely and chronically to dieldrin. The effects of the cyclodiene insecticide on central biogenic amines were determined. Severe neurotoxic signs occurred in males after a single oral dose of dieldrin (50 mg/kg); females were less affected. Overt neurotoxicity was accompanied by decreased concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) in whole brains at 2 and 5 hr after dosing, but the decrease was statistically significant only in males. Reductions in whole brain NE were of limited duration; no decrease occurred after 48 hr, although neurotoxic signs were evident throughout this period. The serotonin concentrations decreased in both sexes at 2 hr, at which time hypothermia was greatest. Dopamine concentrations were unchanged by acute dieldrin exposure. Rats maintained on a diet containing 50 ppm of dieldrin for up to 8 weeks were also examined for effects on central biogenic amine content. In whole brain, this level of dietary exposure caused small, inconsistent decreases in biogenic amine concentrations. However, when brain regions were analyzed, NE concentrations in the medulla oblongata+pons, striatum, and hippocampus decreased during the initial weeks of the study. With continued dieldrin feeding, NE values returned to or exceeded control values, suggesting adaptations to the depleting effects of dieldrin. No consistent differences between sexes occurred during chronic exposure to dieldrin with regard to whole brain or regional amine concentrations, or to overt neurotoxicity.
Endoscopic removal of an entrapped foreign body from the sigmoid colon using a needle knife

Ingested foreign bodies usually pass through the digestive system uneventfully. Occasionally, objects become entrapped within the gut lumen or, rarely, become embedded within the gut wall. The latter may be resistant to traditional endoscopic removal techniques and require surgery. We report the first use of a needle knife in the endoscopic removal of a sharp-pointed object entrapped in the sigmoid colon, thus averting the need for surgical intervention.
Mineralization and metabolic response in serially passaged adult rat bone cells

Cell populations derived from adult rat bone were grown in cell culture and characterized with respect to their morphology and response to hormones. The cells were isolated from adult rat calvaria by mechanical rather than enzymatic methods. Cultures were initiated in modified BGJb medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum. These cultures and several cloned populations derived from them retained the ability to mineralize in vitro even after extended serial passage.
The Effects of Piracetam Upon Visual Event‐Related Potentials in Dyslexic Children

Twenty-nine dyslexic children (mean age 10 yrs) were randomly assigned to piracetam (3.3 gr/d) or matching placebo in a 36-week double-Mind study. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were obtained at the end of treatment from a vigilance paradigm which required a response to letter-matches or form-matches. The drug group showed a significant advantage in letter-bits compared with placebo, and a reduced variance in reaction time. The drug increased the amplitude of three factors from a principal components analysis of ERPs, and was interpreted as increasing a processing negativity when stimuli were letters. Effects upon the prestimulus baseline for letter-hits were interpreted as faster termination of a CNV under drug for letter-pairs. Latency of early N100 components were faster under drug, suggesting improved feature analysis. It is concluded that piracetam enhances feature analysis and increases attentional resources among dyslexics when the stimuli are recognized as having linguistic significance.
Cell biology - Clathrin's Achilles' ankle

The protein clathrin forms lattice-like coats on transport vesicles that bud from cell membranes. High-resolution models of the lattice reveal interactions involved in its disassembly once the vesicles have formed.
Comparative Amperometric Study of Uptake Hydrogenase and Hydrogen Photoproduction Activities between Heterocystous Cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica B629 and Nonheterocystous Cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. Strain Miami BG7.

Heterocystous filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica B629 and nonheterocystous filamentous cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. strain Miami BG7 were cultured in media with N2 as the sole nitrogen source; and activities of oxygen-dependent hydrogen uptake, photohydrogen production, photooxygen evolution, and respiration were compared amperometrically under the same or similar experimental conditions for both strains. Distinct differences in these activities were observed in both strains. The rates of hydrogen photoproduction and hydrogen accumulation were significantly higher in Oscillatoria sp. strain BG7 than in A. cylindrica B629 at every light intensity tested. The major reason for the difference was attributable to the fact that the heterocystous cyanobacterium had a high rate of oxygen-dependent hydrogen consumption activity and the nonheterocystous cyanobacterium did not. The activity of oxygen photoevolution and respiration also contributed to the difference. Oscillatoria sp. strain BG7 had lower O2 evolution and higher respiration than did A. cylindrica B629. Thus, the effect of O2 on hydrogen photoproduction was minimized in Oscillatoria sp. strain BG7.
The Social Performance and Distributional Consequences of Contract Farming: An Equilibrium Analysis of the Arachide de Bouche Program in Senegal

Abstract This paper is an empirical analysis of the impact of a contract-farming program in Senegal. We examine the access of poorer community members to contracts and the effect of the program on the income of participants. The program performs very well on both counts: participants and nonparticipants are indistinguishable by wealth measures and farmers increase their income substantially by participating in the program. We attribute the former to the program's mobilization of local information through its use of village intermediaries, permitting the substitution of social collateral for physical collateral and making the program more accessible to the poor.
Sex differences in GABAergic gene expression occur in the anterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia.

article GABAergic dysfunction has been strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this study, we analyzed the expression levels of several GABAergic genes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of postmortem subjects with schizophrenia (n = 21) and a comparison group of individuals without a history of psychiatric ill- ness (n = 18). Our analyses revealed a significant sex by diagnosis effect, along with significant differences in GABAergic gene expression based on medication status. Analyses revealed that in male groups, the expression of GABAergic genes was generally lower in schizophrenia cases compared to the controls, with significantly lower expression levels of GABA-Aα5, GABA-Aβ1, and GABA-Ae. In females, the expression of GABAergic genes was higher in the schizophrenia cases, with significantly higher expression of the GABA-Aβ1 and GAD67 genes. Analysis of the effect of medication in the schizophrenia subjects revealed significantly higher expression ofGABA-Aα1-3,GABA-Aβ2,GABA-Aγ2,andGAD67inthemedicatedgroupcomparedtotheunmedicatedgroup. These data show that sex differences in the expression of GABAergic genes occur in the ACC in schizophrenia. Therefore, our data support previous findings of GABAergic dysfunction in schizophrenia and emphasize the importance of considering sex in analyses of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Sex differences in the GABAergic regulation of ACC function may contribute to the differences observed in the symptoms of male and female patients with schizophrenia. In addition, our findings indicate that antipsychotic medications may alter GABAergic signaling in the ACC, supporting the potential of GABAergic targets for the development of novel antipsychotic medication.
Tribological Applications of Shape Memory and Superelastic Effects

We provide an overview of our recent studies on novel tribological applications of shape memory and superelastic effects: (i) the use of shape memory NiTi alloys as self-healing surfaces, and (ii) the use of the superelastic NiTi as an interlayer between a hard coating and a soft substrate to improve interfacial adhesion, decrease friction coefficient, and improve wear resistance.
Use of a Coupled Land Surface General Circulation Model to Examine the Impacts of Doubled Stomatal Resistance on the Water Resources of the American Southwest

Tiny openings on the surfaces of leaves, stomata, control the flux of CO 2, water vapor, and other gases between the atmosphere and the earth’s vegetated surface. An increase in atmospheric CO 2 could have an effect on stomatal openings, causing indirect changes in many surface hydroclimatogical variables that could be comparable in magnitude to the direct radiative effects. Increased atmospheric CO 2 is expected to increase water use efficiency in many plant types because of the closure of the stomatal openings on the leaf surface. The present study assesses this stomatal effect by doubling the stomatal resistance in two land surface schemes, the Biosphere‐ Atmosphere Transfer Scheme and the Land Surface Model, which are coupled to the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s Community Climate Model version 3 atmospheric general circulation model, and by evaluating the resulting hydrometeorological responses, particularly for the western United States. Because the simulated reduction of stomatal openings restricts evapotranspiration, latent heat fluxes are reduced, causing global average annual and seasonal decreases in precipitation as well as increases in sensible heat flux, surface temperatures, runoff, and root-zone soil water. Global seasonal decreases in latent heat flux of up to 7% occur, corresponding to surface temperature increases of up to 0.58C and precipitation decreases of up to 3%. Regional responses vary. A focus of this study was to examine how these changes affect runoff and stream flow in the southwestern United States. Contrary to a previous empirical study of this effect, which showed an 87% mean increase in Arizona basin stream flow, this coupled land surface‐atmospheric model shows no significant changes in any of the variables examined for this region.
Comparing Survival Times for Treatments with Those for a Control Under Proportional Hazards

Inferences for survival curves based on right censored data are studied for situations in which it is believed that the treatments have survival times at least as large as the control or at least as small as the control. Testing homogeneity with the appropriate order restricted alternative and testing the order restriction as the null hypothesis are considered. Under a proportional hazards model, the ordering on the survival curves corresponds to an ordering on the regression coefficients. Approximate likelihood methods, which are obtained by applying order restricted procedures to the estimates of the regression coefficients, and ordered analogues to the log rank test, which are based on the score statistics, are considered. Mau's (1988) test, which does not require proportional hazards, is extended to this ordering on the survival curves. Using Monte Carlo techniques, the type I error rates are found to be close to the nominal level and the powers of these tests are compared. Other order restrictions on the survival curves are discussed briefly.
Mechanical Behavior of Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials for aerospace applications are dominated by nanostructured polymer matrix composites that are designed to improve on the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of polymers and polymeric matrices in laminate and woven composites. The design, manufacturing, and evaluation of nanocomposites are currently in progress, and this chapter provides a discussion on the state-of-the-art mechanical improvements provided by this class of nanostructured materials. The effects of nanoparticle aspect ratio, size, and weight fraction on the elastic stiffness, mechanical strength, and fracture toughness are discussed in the perspective of existing knowledge on the mechanics of microscale particle reinforced polymers. Keywords: nanocomposites; polymers; inhomogeneity; nanoparticles; nanotubes; fracture; toughness; strength
Liquid Water Removal from a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

Liquid water transport and removal from the gas diffusion layer GDL and gas channel of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell PEFC are studied experimentally and theoretically. In situ observations of the liquid water distribution on the GDL surface and inside the gas channel were made in an operating transparent PEFC. Liquid droplet formation and emergence from the GDL surface are characterized and two modes of liquid water removal from the GDL surface identified: one through droplet detachment by the shear force of the core gas flow followed by a mist flow in the gas channel, and the other by capillary wicking onto the more hydrophilic channel walls followed by the annular film flow and/or liquid slug flow in the channel. In the former regime, typical of high gas flow rates, the droplet detachment diameter is correlated well with the mean gas velocity in the channel. In the latter regime characteristic of low gas flow rates, liquid spreading over hydrophilic channel surfaces and drainage via corner flow were observed and analyzed. A theory is developed to determine what operating parameters and channel surface contact angles lead to sufficient liquid drainage from the fuel cell via corner flow. Under these conditions, the fuel cell could operate stably under a low flow rate or stoichiometry with only a minimum pressure drop required to drive the oxidizer flow. However, when the corner flow is insufficient to remove liquid water from the gas channel, it was observed that the annular film flow occurs, often followed by film instability and channel clogging. Channel clogging shuts down an entire channel and hence reduces the cell’s active area and overall performance.
Distributed Leadership in Schools: The Case of Elementary Schools Adopting Comprehensive School Reform Models:

This is a study of distributed leadership in the context of elementary schools' adoption of comprehensive school reforms (CSR). Most CSRs are designed to configure school leadership by defining formal roles, and we hypothesized that such programs activate those roles by defining expectations for and socializing (e.g., through professional development) role incumbents. Configuration and activation were further hypothesized to influence the performance of leadership functions in schools. Using data from a study of three of the most widely adopted CSR models, support was found for the configuration and activation hypotheses. Leadership configuration in CSR schools differed from that of nonCSR schools in part because of the addition of model-specific roles. Model participation was also related to the performance of leadership functions as principals in CSR schools and CSR-related role incumbents were found to provide significant amounts of instructional leadership. Further support for the activation hypothesi...
Neural Control of Heart Rate: A Conciliation of Models

Two published models for the interaction of sympathetic and parasympathetic effects on heart rate are examined. The models appear to support contradictory conclusions: one was interpreted to imply no interaction, while the other one was said to indicate significant interaction between the two types of autonomic controls. It is shown that the two models are essentially equivalent, and that the different conclusions are due to different interpretations of the concept of interaction.
Solvent controlled ion association in structured copolymers: Molecular dynamics simulations in dilute solutions

Tailoring the nature of individual segments within ion containing block co-polymers is one critical design tool to achieve desired properties. The local structure including the size and distribution of the ionic blocks, as well as the long range correlations, are crucial for their transport ability. Here, we present molecular dynamics simulations on the effects of varying the concentrations of the ionizable groups on the conformations of pentablock ionomer that consist of a center block of ionic sulfonated styrene tethered to polyethylene and terminated by a bulky substituted styrene in dilute solutions. Sulfonation fractions f (0 ≤ f ≤ 0.55), spanning the range from ionomer to polyelectrolytes, were studied. Results for the equilibrium conformation of the chains in water and a 1:1 mixture of cyclohexane and heptane are compared to that in implicit poor solvents with dielectric constants e = 1.0 and 77.73. In water, the pentablock collapses with the sulfonated groups on the outer surface. As f increases, the ionic, center block increasingly segregates from the hydrophobic regions. In the 1:1 mixture of cyclohexane and heptane, the flexible blocks swell, while the center ionic block collapses for f > 0. For f = 0, all blocks swell. In both implicit poor solvents, the pentablock collapses into a nearly spherical shape for all f. The sodium counterions disperse widely throughout the simulation cell for both water and e = 77.73, whereas for e = 1.0 and mixture of cyclohexane and heptane, the counterions largely condense onto the collapsed pentablock.
Enhancing-effect of gold nanoparticles on DNA strand displacement amplifications and their application to an isothermal telomerase assay

The exciting applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in bio-diagnostics are not limited to use as signal transduction probes; the fascinating effect of AuNPs on enhancing the reactions of nucleic acids has also been increasingly recognized. Herein, we explored the power of AuNPs and their enhancing effect on isothermal amplification reactions. The EXPIATR assay, based on a programmed path of isothermal strand displacement amplifications, has been proven to be a sensitive assay for telomerase activity. However, the assay is not applicable to the complex, protein-rich samples which more closely resemble real clinical specimens, since the abundant cellular proteins in the complex samples can impair the specificity of the amplification reactions. In the presence of AuNPs, the sensitivity of the detection of telomerase activity in complex samples is improved five-fold compared with the traditional assay, providing an efficient way to enhance the reliability of the EXPIATR assay to a new level. In addition to the situation of low-specificity caused by the external interference of cell lysates, it was further demonstrated that AuNPs showed a similar effect on improving the low-specificity caused by the polymerase, which implies that AuNPs affect the amplification reactions in a very fundamental way, presumably by enhancing the activity and stability of the amplification enzymes. By revealing and demonstrating the beneficial role of AuNPs in nucleic-acid reactions, this study provides a new avenue to promote the clinical applications of isothermal nucleic acid amplification.
Characteristics of the Shock Induced Transformation in BaF2

Two of the several structure types commonly displayed by the solids with the formula AB2, in which B is fluorine at room temperature and one atmospheric pressure, are quasi-six-coordinated rutile and eight-coordinated fluorite. The rutile structure is tetragonal and the fluorite structure is cubic. In situ high pressure x-ray diffraction studies and related post mortem analyses of quenched materials of the AB2 compounds have revealed a large number of polymorphic transitions in these compounds at high pressures.1 Most of these studies have been carried out at room temperature and the transition pressures have been only roughly established. The situation is further complicated by varying rates of transformation in the different AB2 compounds, which has made the study of these compounds by static high pressure methods difficult. Since the shock compression method had been successful in determining the pressure of transition in various materials,2 it prompted us to use this technique to establish transition pressures in these compounds.
Calibrating SeaWinds and QuikSCAT scatterometers using natural land targets

The SeaWinds-on-QuikSCAT (QuikSCAT) and SeaWinds-on-ADEOS-2 (SeaWinds) scatterometers measure the normalized radar backscatter (/spl sigma//sup o/) of the earth's surface. These identical radar sensors are on different spaceborne platforms in similar orbits. QuikSCAT and SeaWinds data are used to infer near-surface wind vectors, polar sea-ice extent, polar-ice melt events, etc. In order to verify the relative calibration of these sensors, a simple cross calibration based on land backscatter measurements is performed. A first-order polynomial model is used to remove the incidence angle dependence of /spl sigma//sup o/ for selected regions of the Amazon rainforest and the Sahara Desert. It is shown that the two sensors are well-calibrated to each other and require no bias corrections. Additionally, evidence of a diurnal cycle in the Amazon rainforest backscatter is given.
The Cooperating Teacher: An Ambivalent Participant in Student Teaching

Although the cooperating teacher is vital to student teaching, little has appeared in the professional literature about being a cooperating teacher. Journals of eight experienced elementary teacher...
Optically sensing the state of a single molecule

Optical spectroscopy of single molecules senses the state of the molecule through its orientation, lifetime, spectrum, and photon emission statistics. A new class of single-molecule fluorophores may extend the state variables into additional regimes.
Detection of coronary vasospasm by posthyperventilation technetium-99m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography imaging in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract Forced hyperventilation is simple, safe to perform, and can be used as a provocative test for coronary vasospasm. This study assesses whether a vasospastic component of angina might be detected in patients with angiographically “nonobstructive” coronary artery disease by posthyperventilation technetium-99m (Tc-99m) sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) cardiac imaging. Eleven patients with angiographically nonobstructive coronary artery disease underwent Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT imaging at rest and after forced hyperventilation. Vessel diameters were measured by quantitative angiography before and after forced hyperventilation, and posthyperventilation SPECT images were compared with dipyridamole Tc-99m sestamibi stress images. Forced hyperventilation resulted in a 15% reduction in coronary artery diameter in stenotic segments (p
Correlation Angles and Inner Products: Application to a Problem from Physics

Covariance is used as an inner product on a formal vector space built on 𝑛 random variables to define measures of correlation 𝑀𝑑 across a set of vectors in a 𝑑-dimensional space. For 𝑑=1, one has the diameter; for 𝑑=2, one has an area. These concepts are directly applied to correlation studies in climate science.
Reverse Genetics in Zebrafish: Mutants, Morphants, and Moving Forward

Gene editing in zebrafish has begun to reveal discordance between mutant phenotypes and those associated with knockdown via morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs). These studies suggest that MOs should not be used as a standalone tool and underscore the need for guidelines that require defined mutants to assess gene function in zebrafish.
Evaluating the effectiveness of e-learning in teacher preparation

Teacher education struggles with the challenge of preparing and retaining high-quality teachers who can work effectively with all students. While educator preparation is a strong correlate of student achievement, traditional university-based programmes are not available to all potential teachers. This manuscript describes CalStateTEACH, an online teaching credential programme operated by the California State University system, and reports data on its efficacy as compared to traditional, campus-based programmes. The independent variable was the pathway used by each teacher, and the dependent variables were the ratings of preparation by programme graduates at the end of their first year of professional teaching and those of their employment supervisors. Mean ratings by CalStateTEACH graduates were significantly higher on 16 of the 17 scales. There were differences in supervisor ratings but none was significant. Results add to the knowledge base of effective e-learning in higher education and suggestions for...
Cataract extraction with multifocal intraocular lens implantation: A multinational clinical trial evaluating clinical, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes

Abstract Objective Two million cataract extractions are performed annually in the United States. The procedure is nearly always accompanied by implantation of a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), which corrects the patient's distance vision. The authors' objective was to measure visual function and quality-of-life outcomes associated with bilateral implantation of a multifocal IOL, which corrects distance and near vision, and to compare the outcomes with those of the standard therapy. Design A prospective, randomized, double-masked, clinical trial was conducted at eight sites in the United States, seven sites in Germany, and one site in Austria. Participants Participants included 245 cataract patients, 127 of whom received the multifocal IOL bilaterally and 118 of whom received a monofocal IOL of nearly identical construction bilaterally. Methods Clinical data included visual acuity (VA), complications, and adverse events. Quality-of-life data were collected using a previously validated survey instrument at baseline, after first eye surgery, and after second eye surgery. Results At 3 months after surgery, patients who had received multifocal IOLs had significantly better uncorrected and distance corrected binocular near VA compared with patients who had received monofocal IOLs (mean uncorrected VA, 20/26 multifocal vs. 20/40 monofocal; mean distance corrected VA, 20/28 multifocal vs. 20/45 monofocal; P and J3 (Jaeger) or better uncorrected, binocular distance and near visual acuities ( P P P P ≤ 0.002) and demonstrated better visual function for near tasks and social activities. Conclusions Cataract patients who received multifocal IOLs at time of surgery obtained better uncorrected and distance corrected near VA and reported better overall vision, less limitation in visual function, less spectacle dependency, and more glare or halo than those who received traditional monofocal IOLs.
EFFECTS OF THE INTRAMUSCULAR ADMINISTRATION OF BAL (2,3 DIMERCAPTOPROPANOL) IN A SUBJECT WITH THE SICKLE CELL TRAIT: CASE REPORT

The effects of the intramuscular administration of BAL in a Negro harboring the sickle cell trait have been presented. It was observed that the rate of sickling was accelerated and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was retarded in the presence of BAL both in vitro and apparently in vivo. However, the administration of BAL produced none of the pathologic sequelae characteristic of sickle cell disease.
Renal lesions in chronic hypertension induced by unilateral nephrectomy in the rat.

SummaryThe incidence of hypertension following unilateral nephrectomy is recorded in 100 rats. The development of hypertension was shown to be dependent on the status of the kidneys at the time of removal of the first kidney. If lesions are present, hypertension develops; if absent or minimal, the animals remain normotensive. The bearing of these observations on current theories as to the pathogenesis of experimental hypertension are discussed.The effects of unilateral nephrectomy on the weight of the heart and remaining kidney and the influence of various types of diet on the survival period following removal of the remaining kidney were also determined. Enlargement of the heart as a result of hypertrophy, as well as of the remaining kidney, may be correlated with the degree of hypertension induced by unilateral nephrectomy. Removal of potassium from the diet markedly prolongs the survival period following bilateral nephrectomy.
Photoconducting Properties of Ultraviolet Detectors Based on GaN and Al1−xGaxN Films Grown by ECR-MBE

GaN and All-xGaxN films were grown by the method of ECR-MBE. Absorption constants as a function of wavelength were determined from transmission measurements. Photoconducting detectors were fabricated from these films and characterized in terms of their spectral response and photoconductive gain. Mobility-lifetime products were determined from the measurement of photoconductive gain. The resistivity and mobility-lifetime products of the films were varied from 10–109 ohm-cm and 10−3 -10−8 cm2/V respectively by changing the microwave power in the ECR discharge from 20–60 watts. The change in the mobility-lifetime product is attributed to change in the lifetimes of the photogenerated carriers. This assumption is supported by direct measurement of detector response times. Finally, we report for the first time, the detection of alpha particles using GaN detectors.
Gift and Death Taxes Which Apply to Farm Transfers

The person who transfers property of substantial value without attention to tax laws is inviting trouble. This is true whether the transfer is by inter vivos arrangement, by will or by operation of the laws of inheritance. This chapter attempts a very general description of how death and gift taxes apply to farm transfers, particularly those within the family. Tax laws are complicated and are subject to frequent change. Do not base any transfer plan on statements made in this chapter. They are far too summary and may soon be out of date. But I hope that the information here presented will give an overall picture of the taxes applicable to farm transfers within the family and how they work. This chapter should equip you to discuss the tough tax problems more intelligently with your family attorney.
On urban fire risk assessment method based on single target

This paper aims to introduce the author's research on the fire risk assessment method regardless of the effect of fire fighting power. The main purpose is to ascertain the important part a city should play. The suggested method can also be used to discriminate the unit under the fire risk through comparison to the real risk to a single target. Therefore the assessment results can be used to evaluate the ability of a city's fire-withstanding power and that of the fire-fighting departments' fire-stamping strength. Based on the above study and reference ideas in the field, the fire risk index system has been constructed by the Index Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process starting with the analysis of the fire-occurring factors and fire-rescue restriction of urban single targets. The complexity of the architectural construction in the urban areas has been taken into full consideration. The human and fire load index are the main factors that reflect the fire degree in the single target system, the construction form and water source also serve as the main factors restricting the strength of fire-attacking. Surrounding environment reflects the fire risk coupling each other, and so does the fire fighting device and administration of the fire prevention control reflect the ability of rescuing actions themselves. The fire risk faced by the single targets is also used to represent the risk vectors consisting of human risk and property risk. Thus it can be said that the fire risks to a different single target are quantitatively compared with each other and the total urban fire risks to the single target can easily be worked out. Based on the single target fire risk vectors and the linear weighted models, a new and efficient evaluation model with the tree-like structure has been established for calculating the urban fire risk levels. When the model was successfully applied to some experimental regions, the results indicate that it proves to be reasonable for the urban fire risk assessments.
Graph-Based Approach for Cross Domain Text Linking

Comprehensive analysis of multi-domain texts has generated an important effect on text mining. Although the objects described by these multi-domain texts belong to different fields, they sometimes are overlapped partially; and linking these texts fragments which are overlapped or complementary is a necessary step for many tasks, such as entity resolution, information retrieval and text clustering. Previous works for computing text similarity mainly focus on string-based, corpus-based and knowledge-based approaches. However cross-domain texts exhibit very special features compared to texts in the same domain: (1) entity ambiguity, texts from different domains may contain various references to the same entity; (2) content skewness, cross domain texts are overlapped partially. In this paper, we propose a novel fine-grained approach based on text graph for evaluating the semantic similarity of cross-domain texts to link the similar parts. The experiment results show that our approach gives an effective solution to discover the semantic relationship between cross domain text fragments.
Influence of dietary vitamin E on behavior of Listeria monocytogenes and color stability in ground turkey meat following electron beam irradiation

There is growing concern that the free radical scavenging effect of antioxidants added to meats might reduce the antimicrobial effectiveness of ionizing radiation. A study was conducted to determine the effect of vitamin E on the behavior (growth) of Listeria monocytogenes and color stability in turkey meat following electron beam irradiation. Raw ground turkey breast meat from birds fed diets containing 0 (control), 50, 100, and 200 IU/kg of vitamin E was inoculated with a five-strain mixture of L. monocytogenes to give approximately 107 CFU/g. Inoculated samples were irradiated at 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 kGy and stored aerobically (12 days) or under vacuum (42 days) at 4°C. L. monocytogenes survivors were determined by plating samples on modified Oxford medium and counting colonies on modified Oxford medium plates after 48 h at 35°C. Meat color was measured using a colorimeter. Irradiation at 2.0 kGy resulted in an approximately 3.5-log reduction of initial numbers of L. monocytogenes. There were no significan...
A Twenty-First-Century Perspective

Chapter 1 illustrates parallels between the 1930s and 1940s, and the performing arts industry today that allows and requires actors to perform in theatre, film, television, new media, as well as voice-acting and motion-capture environments. Challenging the equation of Hollywood with crass commercialism, it reveals connections between stage and screen acting, and emphasizes that in the sound era, actors, often from theatre, were expected to arrive on set prepared to work without directors’ input before or even between takes. The chapter examines the career of Ronald Colman to illustrate actors’ use of Modern acting techniques, and a rising sense of professionalism, which led them to break with the producer-dominated Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to form their own guild in 1933.
Dynamic Analysis of Human Knee

Knee joint weakness and disorders are extremely common; with development of a new methodology for early detection of knee disorders in mind, various dynamics tests have been conducted. Subjects were requested to perform exercises of certain patterns including squats and marching at a constant rate for 70 (s). A force plate, acoustic sensor, and set of electromyographic (EMG) sensors were used to measure the ground reaction force and torque to the foot, the vibration from the knee cavity, and the electrical activity of muscles. The acquired signals were analyzed in the frequency domain to associate with certain biomechanical parameters. Preliminary studies indicated clear correlations between several features of the Fourier spectra and biomechanical parameters. The force and torque signals from a knee with a torn meniscus showed considerable broadening in the Fourier spectra around the peak of the exercise frequency (e.g. the 1 Hz peak of the torque associated with the knee extension from 1 Hz marching) and higher transfer function to other degrees of freedom, indicating instability of the injured knee. The acoustic sensor signal from an arthritic knee indicated significant attenuation due to the fluid in the knee cavity, leading to the extremely poorly defined spectral feature. The femoral efficiency, defined by the transfer function from the EMG signal to the force/torque of the dominant degree-of-freedom, showed clear correlation to fatigue in the amplitude and frequency.
Simultaneous bidirectional PAM-6 wired link with adaptive pre-emphasis and trellis coding

This work presents a novel design for a simultaneous bidirectional multilevel wireline transmission system with adaptive pre-emphasis and trellis coded modulation. The incorporation of a trellis encoder and a Viterbi decoder provides coding gain to offset the loss of SNR caused by the multilevel pulse amplitude modulation. Furthermore, the feedback loop inherent in a simultaneous bidirectional link provides a natural opportunity to use adaptive pre-emphasis to compensate for channel characteristics. Our simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
Religion, Congestive Heart Failure, and Chronic Pulmonary Disease

Objective: To examine the prevalence of religious beliefs and practices in hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic pulmonary disease (CPD), and determine relationships with physical and mental health. Methods: Subjects were a consecutive sample of 196 patients age 55 or over admitted to Duke University Medical Center with a diagnosis of CHF or CPD. Patients underwent a 60–90 minute interview and physical exam to assess physical health, social support, mental health, religious activities and attitudes (attendance, prayer and scripture study, intrinsic religiosity). Results: Religious practices were widespread; 98% had a religious affiliation; 48% reported attending religious services weekly or more; 70% reported praying or reading religious scriptures at least daily; and over 85% consistently indicated intrinsic religious beliefs and attitudes. Religious activities and attitudes were inversely related to measures of physical illness severity and functional disability, and were less common among patients with prior psychiatric problems, hospitalizations for depression, drinking problems, and those currently taking psychotropic drugs. Religious activities (especially religious attendance) were associated with greater social support, but were only weakly related to less depression. Conclusions: Religious beliefs and activities are common among patients with CHF and CPD, are associated with less severe illness and functional disability, fewer prior psychiatric problems, and less psychotropic drug use. Treatment implications are discussed.
Advances in the science of adolescent drug involvement: implications for assessment and diagnosis - experience from the United States.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by relatively high rates of substance use and substance use disorders. Precise assessment and classification of adolescent drug use behaviors are essential in gaining an accurate understanding of the nature and extent of adolescent drug use, and possible intervention or treatment needs. There has been a select group of recently published research reports and manuscripts that address critical and emerging issues pertaining to the classification and assessment of alcohol and other drug use behaviors among adolescents. An overview of these publications is provided and their clinical relevance is discussed. RECENT FINDINGS The paper will focus on recent research, most from the United States, that addresses four main issues. One is the application of the new DSM-5 criteria to adolescents, including the advantages and disadvantages of the new criteria for substance use disorders. The second issue pertains to advances in instrumentation that provide new tools for researchers and clinicians in assessing substance use in adolescents. A significant public health issue is addressed as the third theme in the paper - screening for alcohol abuse in college settings. Finally, the paper reviews how the emerging science of brain development can inform the assessment process. SUMMARY Recent advances in the adolescent drug abuse assessment field continue to inform clinical service and research. As a whole, these advances have strengthened the field, but continued research is needed to further refine assessment practices and standards and to better understand how to define a substance use disorder in youth.
Perspectives on Spatial Data Analysis

This volume is inspired by the many contributions of Arthur Getis to the field of spatial analysis. In 2004, Arthur Getis formally retired as the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation Chair of Geographical Studies in the Department of Geography at San Diego State University. That transition to emeritus status marked the end of a magnificent career spanning more than four decades. It started with undergraduate education in geography at Pennsylvania State University, followed by a PhD from the University of Washington in 1961. At Washington, he was part of the generation that initiated the “quantitative revolution” in geography under the tutelage of William Garrison. His graduate cohort included, among others, Brian Berry, Waldo Tobler, Duane Marble, John Nystuen, Richard Morrill and William Bunge. His academic appointments started with a position at Michigan State University, after which he moved to Rutgers University. He went on to become head of the Geography Department at the University of Illinois in 1977, and joined San Diego State University in 1989. In addition, he held many visiting scholar appointments at leading international institutions, including Cambridge University and the University of Bristol in the UK and the University of California, Santa Barbara and Harvard University in the USA. During his career, Arthur Getis was awarded several honors and distinctions, such as the 1995 Albert Johnson Research Lecture at San Diego State University (captured in Getis, 1995c), the Walter Isard Award from the North American Regional Science Council (1997), the Robinson Lecture at The Ohio State University (1999), and the 2002 Distinguished Scholarship Award from the Association of American Geographers (AAG). In 2005, he was elected Fellow of the Regional Science Association International. He served as president of the Western Regional Science Association (1999) and of the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science (2002).
OS09.5 Synergistic effect of reirradiation and PD-1 inhibitors in recurrent high-grade gliomas.

Abstract Background: To date, studies of single agent PD-1 or PDL-1 inhibitors in recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGG) have shown infrequent responses (< 10%) and limited efficacy. Reirradiation is considered one of the standard salvage regimens for selected patients with recurrent gliomas but tumor responses are also infrequent (< 5%). Radiotherapy counteracts the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by increasing MHC class I expression and enhancing tumor neoantigen presentation and has a significant synergistic effect with PD-1 inhibition in preclinical models of glioma. Methods: From December 2014 to June 2016, 20 patients (14 men, 6 women) with recurrent HGG were treated with the combination of reirradiation and PD-1 inhibitors. 18 patients had a glioblastoma, 1 anaplastic astrocytoma and 1 anaplastic oligodendroglioma. The median KPS at the start of this regimen was 70 (50 to 80). The median number of prior treatments for recurrent tumor was 2 (1–4), 100% had prior radaition, 95% prior temozolomide and 55% prior bevacizumab. 8 patients received pembrolizumab (2 mg/Kg every 3 weeks) and 12 patients received nivolumab (3 mg/Kg or 240 mg flat dose every 2 weeks). Median reirradiation dose was 35 Gy (12 Gy to 35 Gy). Results: There were 7 confirmed partial responses (35% objective response rate, ORR), 5 stable disease and 8 progressive disease. The median duration of response was 5 months (2.2 to 10+ months). Median PFS was 4 months and median OS was 10 months. Most common side effects were increased ALT (3 patients) and fatigue (2 patients). There was no obvious case of cerebral edema related to treatment. 5 patients required a mild increase of dexamethasone (2–4 mg) and all other 15 patients had decreased or stable dexamethasone dosage after the reirradiation. Conclusions: PD-1 inhibitors in combination with re-irradiation can be administered safely to patients with recurrent HGG. The ORR of 35% is an early signal of the potential synergist effect of the combination of PD-1 inhibitors with re-irradiation in HGG. This retrospective analysis of a heavily pre-treated population of recurrent HGG showed significantly higher ORR than either PD-1 inhibitors or re-irradiation alone. A clinical trial under development to test this hypothesis.
A data-driven analysis of lightning-initiated contingencies at a distribution grid with a PV farm using Micro-PMU data

In this paper, we conduct a data-driven experimental analysis of lightening-induced contingencies at a distribution grid in Riverside, CA, using data from three distribution level phasor measurement units, a.k.a, Micro-PMUs. The data was collected during four hours of a rainy day with several lightening strikes on October 24, 2016. Of particular interest was to analyze the impact and the response of a 7.5 MW PV farm. Due to the use of three Micro-PMUs, including one in an outlying area, we are able to distinguish system-wide events across the sub-transmission network against local events at the PV farm and its associated substation. Multiple interesting observations are made and the related causes are discussed. For example, based on the analysis of phase angle difference data, we observe that during at least one of the lightening events, there was a reverse power flow from the PV site to the substation due to a transient short-circuit caused by the surge arresters. This paper takes a first step in using Micro-PMU data to conduct a detailed analysis of how distributed energy resources (DERs) could be affected and and/or respond to the lightening-induced contingencies in distribution systems.