cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Naloxone on Hot Flashes and Gonadotropin Secretion in Postmenopausal Women

Hot flashes have a close temporal relationship with the initiation of LH pulses, suggesting that factors stimulating gonadotropin release are involved in the mechanism of this disturbance. It has been reported that the opiate antagonist naloxone acutely blocked subjective hot flashes, a seemingly paradoxical effect, since the use of this agent in premenopausal women increases the magnitude and frequency of LH pulses. We, therefore, studied the effects of naloxone in 16 postmenopausal women with frequent hot flashes using continuous recordings of finger temperature and skin resistance as objective indices of flushing and perspiration, respectively. After baseline recordings, the subjects were randomized into equal groups, and the recordings were repeated during 8-h infusion of either saline or naloxone (22 μg/min). Serum gonadotropin levels were measured at 15-min intervals before and during the last 4 h of the infusion. Naloxone did not change the rate of objectively measured hot flashes, mean serum LH or...
Fluctuating asymmetry in the otoliths of larval Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus (Latrobe) – a condition indicator?

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was described for otolith length, width and area for two groups of larval and juvenile Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus. The larvae and juveniles (age range: 20–120 days; standard length, LS, range: 14–35 mm) were separated into the two distinct groups a priori on the basis of their growth indices estimated from residuals of a LS-at-age model; slow growers had residuals 8%. Some indication supporting the fluctuating asymmetry methodology was found when unsigned normalized FA2 index was used for otolith area. That conclusion was not, however, supported by the other method used in this work, i.e. between-group ANCOVA analysis of individual unsigned and not normalized FA1 indices plotted against trait size. These inconsistent results are most probably a consequence of error introduced during FA index normalization (accounting for trait size effect on absolute FA). Although it is concluded here that FA analysis of sagittal otoliths was not effective in describing differences in the natural variability of growth and condition of larval Atlantic menhaden, the possible species- and otolith type-related differences should be considered in the future research on FA.
Proestrous gonadotropin levels in thyroparathyroidectomized female rats.

Intact and TPTx animals showed the expected afternoon increase in serum LH, FSH and prolactin levels. But the afternoon increase in serum LH levels in TPTx rats was less than that observed for intact animals (p<0.01). Neither serum prolactin nor FSH levels were altered by TPTx.
Collaboration: The Social Context of Theory Development:

Collaboration plays a critical role in scientific creativity. This article draws on research involving small groups and interpersonal relationships to analyze the social processes underlying scientific collaboration. 3 stages of activity in collaborative groups are discussed: formation, performance, and dissolution. In regard to group formation, we consider the characteristics of the people who join, the conditions under which they come together, and the socialization experiences they encounter. In regard to group performance, we discuss idea generation, selection, and implementation, with special emphasis on how group composition (diversity) and group processes affect creativity. In regard to group dissolution, we discuss factors that lead members of collaborative groups to stop working together, including a reduced market for the group's creative products and conflict among members regarding group goals and the ownership of ideas. We next consider the role that intergroup processes play in scientific collaboration, discussing, for example, how such processes contribute to ingroup identification and increase competitive motivation. Finally, we conclude with some brief reflections on our own collaboration of some 20 years.
An unusual scintigraphic pattern in sickle cell patients.

We reviewed the nuclear medicine files of all patients enrolled in the sickle cell disease clinic who had had scans performed within the previous 5 years. We specifically looked for patterns of tracer uptake in these scans that would correlate with the severe anemia and consequent bone marrow hyperactivity of sickle cell patients. Thirtythree patients were included (21 men and 12 women) with a mean age of 26.8 years (range 17–48 years). The appearance of each of these patients' most recent scans was examined in the areas of the distal femurs, the proximal tibias and the distal tibias; a distinct triangular shaped pattern of increased activity was identified in these areas in a majority of patients. Thirty-three patients without sickle cell disease served as age-matched controls. This pattern was seen in 65.1% (95 out of 146 images) of the sickle cell patients' delayed images and 80.4% (82 out of 102 images) of their blood pool images. In contrast, the control patients demonstrated the triangular pattern in none of their blood pool studies (0%) and only 10.9% of their delayed bone images (P<0.001). The mean age of sickle cell patients with this pattern is 25.6 years which was significantly lower than that of those without this pattern (mean=37.5 years, P<0.05). Given the high prevalence of this unique scintigraphic pattern in a group of patients with known accelerated bone marrow function, these findings may be scintigraphic evidence of bone marrow expansion. The patient's age appears to be an important factor in visualization of this pattern.
Evolution of melt-vapor surface tension in silicic volcanic systems: Experiments with hydrous melts

[1] We evaluate the melt-vapor surface tension (σ) of natural, water-saturated dacite melt at 200 MPa, 950–1055°C, and 4.8–5.7 wt % H2O. We experimentally determine the critical supersaturation pressure for bubble nucleation as a function of dissolved water and then solve for σ at those conditions using classical nucleation theory. The solutions obtained give dacite melt-vapor surface tensions that vary inversely with dissolved water from 0.042 (±0.003) J m−2 at 5.7 wt % H2O to 0.060 (±0.007) J m−2 at 5.2 wt % H2O to 0.073 (±0.003) J m−2 at 4.8 wt % H2O. Combining our dacite results with data from published hydrous haplogranite and high-silica rhyolite experiments reveals that melt-vapor surface tension also varies inversely with the concentration of mafic melt components (e.g., CaO, FeOtotal, MgO). We develop a thermodynamic context for these observations in which melt-vapor surface tension is represented by a balance of work terms controlled by melt structure. Overall, our results suggest that cooling, crystallization, and vapor exsolution cause systematic changes in σ that should be considered in dynamic modeling of magmatic processes.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN AHRQ QUALITY INDICATOR BASED ON RISK ADJUSTMENT FOR CONGENITAL HEART SURGERY (RACHS-1)

In 2008 the National Quality Forum approved a risk-adjustment method developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to facilitate benchmarking of congenital heart surgical programs. The method uses AHRQ's Statewide Inpatient Database (SID) to provide a reference population for
Fine-structure intervals and polarizabilities of highly excited p and d states of sodium

Selective field ionization of the $|{m}_{j}|$ fine-structure levels of highly excited $p$ and $d$ states of Na has been used to measure the fine-structure (fs) intervals and tensor polarizabilities of the $p$ states from $n=16 \mathrm{to} 19$ and $d$ states from $n=15 \mathrm{to} 17$ by rf spectroscopy. Using a two-step photo-excitation scheme we selectively excite one fs state of a $p$ or $d$ level and set the ionizing field so that it will field ionize the other fs state but not the one pumped by the lasers. Consequently, as the rf frequency is swept through the fs resonance, a substantial increase in the ionization current is observed. Our measurements show that the $p$ fs intervals follow an (${{n}^{*}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$) rather than an ${n}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ scaling law (${n}^{*}$ is the effective principal quantum number). The polarizabilities of both $p$ and $d$ states are in good agreement with calculations using a Coulomb approximation. The measurements of the $d$-state polarizabilities now cover a wide enough range of $n$ to confirm the theoretical prediction of an ${n}^{7}$ scaling law.
Variable Inductors in CMOS for Millimeter-Wave Applications

Transformer-based variable inductors usable up to ~77 GHz are demonstrated. Measured inductance of two variable inductors can be tuned from 56.5 to 67 pH and from 55.7 to 61.9 pH at 77 GHz. The bandwidth Q is greater than ten at 77 GHz. This is higher than that of typical Q of ~4 for MOS varactors which is an alternate tunable element. This indicates that variable inductors with useful tuning range and sufficiently high Q can be realized in CMOS for use in millimeter-wave circuits.
Compression anastomosis: history and clinical considerations.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that the concept of compression anastomosis has been investigated for nearly 2 centuries, it has not yet achieved widespread acceptance. The aim of the current report is to review the literature regarding compression anastomoses. DATA SOURCES: A multi-database search was conducted using PubMed, Ovid, and the Cochrane Databases (all until June 2007), in addition to electronic links to related articles and references of selected articles. The following terms were used for the search in various combinations: anastomosis, anastomoses, sutureless, compression, nickel-titanium; Nitinol; CAC; CAR; AKA-2, Valtrac biofragmentable anastomotic ring, BAR. Language restrictions were not applied. CONCLUSIONS: The various methods of compression anastomosis have been shown to be at least comparable to the standard techniques of suturing and stapling. The measurement of outcomes, including cost, safety, and efficacy of treatment, indicated that compression anastomosis can save time, is cost-effective, and offers an acceptable cost/benefit ratio compared to both stapled and sutured anastomoses. However, compression anastomosis did not gain worldwide popularity.
Financial Structure and Financial Crisis

For many years the economies of South East Asia were regarded as models for economic development. The four tigers, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, grew from low levels of income per head to among the highest in the world in a few decades. The newly industrializing economies of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand had also started to grow at an extremely rapid rate. The Philippines had performed better in recent years. The success of these economies was documented in a 1993 World Bank report entitled The East Asian Miracle. Unfortunately, in the latter half of 1997, with the exception of Taiwan, financial crises struck these economies. Asset prices and exchange rates tumbled and the banking sectors were put under severe strain. The financial crises spilled over into the real economies and severe recessions occurred. This experience raises two obvious questions.
A Comparison of Visual versus Auditory Imagery in Predicting Word Recall

A strong relationship exits between a word's capacity to evoke imagery and the word's recallability. Researchers have attributed this finding to visual imagery, generally neglecting to study other forms of imagery. This study examined the relationship between word imagery and recallability for both visual and auditory imagery. Introductory psychology students imagined a future trip to a beach and rated the visual imagery or the auditory imagery of various objects. For example, they rated, “How easy is it to see [or hear] the waves?” Subsequently, students free recalled the objects. Results showed that visual imagery and word recallability were positively related. In contrast, auditory imagery and recallability were curvilinearly related; objects rated as easy to hear (audible) or difficult to hear (nonaudible) were recalled better than objects of intermediate audibility. We concluded that when students tried to imagine hearing nonaudible objects, the objects became distinctive and consequently memorable. ...
Collagenase studies in bones of guinea pigs.

. A specific collagenase has been demonstrated in culture fluids of guinea pig bones. Based on the acrylamide gel eleclrophoretic pattern, the mechanism of action of guinea pig bone collagenase appears similar to other known vertebrate collagenases. Two peaks of enzymatic activity were found upon assay of fractions from gel chromatography, corresponding to molecular weights in the range of 137,000 daltons and 29,000 daltons. The enzyme is inhibited by cysteine and EDTA. Alpha2-macroglobulin is a much stronger inhibitor of the collagenase than alpha1-antitrypsin. Activation studies suggested the presence of a proenzyme to guinea pig bone collagenase that was converted to an active enzyme by proteases present in the culture fluid.
A Fluid Dynamic Based Coordination of a Wireless Sensor Network of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: 3-D Simulation and Wireless Communication Characterization

A fluid dynamic algorithm based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is proposed for coordination of a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a wireless sensor network. SPH is a Lagrangian particle method typically used to model compressible and quasi-incompressible fluid flows. In this study, SPH is used to develop a decentralized controller for a swarm of fixed-wing UAVs, which move in 3-D space under constraints of airspeed and turning radius. Vector field path-following is used to guide the swarm towards the goal. We investigate circular, racetrack and counter-rotating loiter patterns for the UAVs in the goal region. This fluid dynamics coordination treatment allows UAVs to avoid collisions with obstacles and other flying UAVs. 3-D simulations are used to test the SPH-based control algorithm. Simulations were used to explore special cases, such as the modeling of obstacles with virtual SPH particles, and the use of a variable kernel to control the inter-vehicle separation. Finally, an aerial mobile sensor network is set up using SPH as the control mechanism, and an experimental characterization of air-to-air and air-to-ground communications is conducted. The experiments use two ground stations and three Delta-wing UAVs with a wingspan of 32 inches as nodes. Each node has a IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee radio operating in the 2.4 GHz band. The low computational costs involved in the distributed SPH-based control algorithm make it an attractive option for implementation on simple inexpensive microprocessors. The results of simulations and experiments demonstrate the viability of setting up a mobile sensor network of inexpensive UAVs based on SPH.
Antenna selection for unitary space-time modulation

This correspondence studies receive antenna selection (AS) for multiple-antenna systems that employ unitary space-time (ST) signals, where the channel state information (CSI) is known neither at the transmitter nor at the receiver. Without CSI at the receiver, we perform AS only at the receiver and the selection is based on a maximum-norm criterion, i.e., a subset of receive antennas that have the largest received signal power is chosen. Using a Chernoff bound approach, we present theoretical performance analysis based on the pairwise error probability (PEP) and quantify the asymptotic performance at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by giving the diversity and coding gain expressions. We prove that with no CSI at the receiver, the diversity gain with AS is preserved for unitary ST codes with full spatial diversity, the same as the case with known CSI. As a concrete example, for differential unitary ST modulation with M=2 transmit antennas and N=2 receive antennas, we have devised new excellent-performing parametric codes based on the derived PEP bound. The new codes, which are specifically designed for differential AS systems, outperform known differential codes when AS is employed. Corroborating simulations validate our analysis and code design.
Resonances of microstructured photonic waveguides and higher order homogenization expansion

Abstract We derive a homogenization expansion approach to obtaining the leaky modes, or scattering resonances, of photonic waveguides whose transverse structures are N -fold rotationally symmetric. Examples include microstructured, or “holey”, optical fibers with air holes arranged in one or more concentric rings. We numerically calculate the leading order correction to the complex effective indexes for the leaky modes of various microstructured photonic waveguides in the scalar approximation. We observe that in many instances this two-term truncation of the homogenization expansion gives very good agreement with full simulations, even for fairly small values of N .
Cross-Disciplinary Biomarkers Research: Lessons Learned by the CKD Biomarkers Consortium

Significant advances are needed to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of persons with CKD. Discovery of new biomarkers and improvements in currently available biomarkers for CKD hold great promise to achieve these necessary advances. Interest in identification and evaluation of biomarkers for CKD has increased substantially over the past decade. In 2009, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases established the CKD Biomarkers Consortium (http://www.ckdbiomarkersconsortium.org/), a multidisciplinary, collaborative study group located at over a dozen academic medical centers. The main objective of the consortium was to evaluate new biomarkers for purposes related to CKD in established prospective cohorts, including those enriched for CKD. During the first 5 years of the consortium, many insights into collaborative biomarker research were gained that may be useful to other investigators involved in biomarkers research. These lessons learned are outlined in this Special Feature and include a wide range of issues related to biospecimen collection, storage, and retrieval, and the internal and external quality assessment of laboratories that performed the assays. The authors propose that investigations involving biomarker discovery and validation are greatly enhanced by establishing and following explicit quality control metrics, including the use of blind replicate and proficiency samples, by carefully considering the conditions under which specimens are collected, handled, and stored, and by conducting pilot and feasibility studies when there are concerns about the condition of the specimens or the accuracy or reproducibility of the assays.
Superpressure Balloons and Communications Satellites - A New Approach for Tropical Meteorological Soundings

A new approach for measuring winds, temperature and humidity in the tropics has been developed which utilizes high-altitude superpressure balloons and a communications or data-collection satellite for data relay. A large balloon is used to carry a load dropsondes which are individually released upon command from a synchronous satellite. These sondes telemeter Omega navigation signals, temperature and humidity data to the mother balloon which also serves as a data relay terminal to a synchronous satellite. The satellite in turn transmits the data to a ground station. Upon reception the data are processed in a large computer to recover the meteorological measurements. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Race, Religious Organizations, and Integration

We review the bourgeoning literature on multiracial religious organizations. Although scholars have paid attention to racial integration in congregations since the 1940s, only recently has there been a concerted focus on this topic. This article—having reviewed the state of the field—argues that research on this topic must engage in three vital labors: explore more theory building or theory extension, interact with the broader field of sociology, and explicate how religious racial diversity contributes to or dismantles systems of social stratification. We discuss possible paths and approaches for future research on race, religion, and integration.
Scalable fast scheduling for optical flow switching using sampled entropy and mutual information broadcast

Optical flow switching is a promising architecture to service large transactions of end users with cost-effective and power-efficient direct access to all-optical networks. For dynamic sessions that are bursty, unscheduled, and only require short transmission times at the full rate of a single wavelength (approximately ones to tens of seconds), the network management and control effort can be substantial, even unimplementable if fast booking and initiation of flow service is needed. In this paper, we describe a fast scheduling algorithm that sets up end-to-end connections for users with urgent large transactions with a scheduling delay of slightly more than one round-trip time. This fast setup of connections is achieved by probing multiple lightpaths between the source and the destination. Probing multiple lightpaths is necessary for moderate to high network loads to achieve low blocking probability. However, the network burden of network-state updates and computational complexity of scheduling can be overwhelming and make the algorithm hard to scale to large networks. With the help of information about network regions periodically updated in the form of sampled entropy and mutual information of the network states, the required efforts can be substantially reduced. To minimize probing efforts and avoid unnecessarily tying up network resources, we use a modified Bellman — Ford Algorithm (Entropy — BF) to select the fewest lightpaths for probing that can satisfy a service-level-blocking probability agreement between the user and the network provider. By collapsing detailsof network states into scalar parameters for average entropy and mutual information, we can greatly reduce both the amount of network-state information collected and/or disseminated and the computation complexity of the lightpath selection process of the probing algorithm. The algorithm is also robust to variations of traffic statistics because it does not depend on detailed assumptions about the statistical model of the traffic, which is often unknown and highly variable in real networks. The throughput performance of this access protocol can be kept high while the network-state protocol burden and computation efforts are reduced by orders of magnitude.
Nonstandard A/D conversion based on symmetric neural networks

A technique for nonstandard A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion of signals subject to a fidelity criterion is described that is based on symmetric neural networks. Massively parallel analog arrays offer a natural means for efficient implementation of the proposed technique. Applications include PCM coding, oversampled A/D conversion, and digital image halftoning. A novel kind of parallel analog network (differential neural network) is introduced and shown to be appropriate for nonstandard quantization. These networks contain a nonmonotonic nonlinearity in lieu of the sigmoid function. >
Field-simulation-based strategy for designing microstrip filters

The insertion loss spectrum of a microstrip open-loop square ring band-pass filter is analyzed by using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) field simulations. Visualization of standing waves at resonant frequencies guides the placement of stepped impedance sections or capacitive loads at electric field maxima. Strategic load placement enables us to modify selected resonant modes, to monitor efficiently center and attenuation pole frequencies, to affect the shape and width of the pass-band, and to alter the input impedance. The presented approach is useful for miniaturizing various types of microstrip filters and antennas and optimizing their performance.
Safety of magnetic resonance imaging immediately following palmaz stent implant: A report of three cases

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide important information on patients with congenital heart defects. There is some reluctance to perform MRI acutely following intravascular stent implant, due to concerns of distortion or movement of the stent in the magnetic field. We report on three patients who underwent MRI evaluation less than 14 days following Palmaz stent implant in the pulmonary arteries and superior vena cava, with no acute adverse outcome or long-term problems.
A novel optical modulator system with enhanced linearization properties

The authors propose a novel optical modulator system that has the properties of having a null third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD); a spurious signal free dynamic range in excess of 100 dB as determined by the second-, fourth-, and fifth-order IMD; and a linear dynamic range of 2.46 radians. It is shown that a combination of a tandem of two directional couplers has the property of eliminating completely third-order IMD term, gives a large spurious signal free dynamic range, and provides a simple and practical solution to the problem of linearization of optical modulators. >
The “Hunger in America”; controversy

The concept of freedom of the press as applied to television journalism (especially documentaries) has been strongly argued both ways in a series of recent government‐network confrontations. This study of the 1968 uproar over “Hunger in America”; concentrates on the important role of the FCC, and a critical decision taken by that agency to which it has essentially adhered since. Dr. Martin was granted the Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 1911 and is now assistant professor of speech/telecommunicative arts at Iowa State University at Ames.
Oxidation Fundamentals and Its Application to Turbine Oil Testing

The current turbine oil oxidation bench tests have been in place for many years. Recently, however, the basestocks used to formulate these lubricants have changed significantly. Traditional basestocks, containing high levels of aromatics and sulfur, have been substantially displaced by more highly refined basestocks, which have very low levels of aromatics and almost no sulfur. Over time it has become clear that the oxidation performance of the different basestock classes is quite different. One key question, however, remains unanswered. “What modifications are required in current bench tests to adequately mimic oxidation processes in modern turbine lubricants?” In order to adequately address this critical question, the fundamentals of lubricant oxidation and stabilization will be discussed. Data will be presented on the oxidation of different basestocks under varying conditions of temperature, metal catalysts and antioxidant type, using model bulk oil oxidation tests. The data highlights the fundamental oxidation mechanisms that can occur in turbine oil systems and new test methods are proposed.
Gyro peniotron forward wave oscillators

The pulse spreading of the forward propagating absolute instability in gyro-peniotron interaction can be utilized to provide the feedback mechanism for establishing forward wave oscillators. By properly choosing the interaction length and beam current, high efficiency stable output at high harmonic operation can be attained. This is demonstrated by performing computer simulations which also reveal that the peniotron interaction is able to suppress the gyrotron interaction and reaches the maximum efficiency despite the influence of the gyrotron mode. >
Φ(2) perturbations of the WZW model

We study the su(2)k WZW model perturbed by a multiplet of primary fields. The theory has a rich variety of particles. The presence of non-trivial decay processes is a peculiarity of the model. We prove its integrability by an explicit construction of quantum conserved currents. The scattering theory is briefly discussed.
Chemopreventive and Anticancer Efficacy of Silibinin Against Colorectal Cancer

The risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) as well as the incidence of CRC-associated mortality is increasing globally. It is thus imperative that we look at alternative nontoxic natural measures which can be used by all, either as a prevention measure or as a safe intervention strategy at any time during the course of the clinical treatment of this deadly malignancy. The focus of the present review is to encompass the efficacy and mechanisms of silibinin (a flavonolignan isolated from the seeds of milk thistle, Silybum marianum) against CRC. Over the years, preclinical studies have shown that silibinin has strong preventive and therapeutic efficacy against various epithelial cancers, including CRC. Given its high bioavailability in colonic tissues of CRC patients, and the fact that silibinin consumption is exceptionally safe, these studies advocate the efficacy evaluation of silibinin in clinical trials, both as a CRC preventive agent and as an “adjunct therapy” for uses in clinical cases where current treatment approaches fail to cause absolute suppression of CRC.
Preface to National Lawyer's Guild Review, 65-4

Introduces: 1. Class Identity and the Future of the National Lawyer's Guild by David Gespass; 2. Empathy and Guerrilla Lawyering: What Happens to a Dream Deferred? by Lauri R. Tanner; 3. On White Scholars Teaching Federal Indian Law by Nathan Goetting; 4. The Marshall Trilogy and the Constitutional Dehumanization of American Indians by Nathan Goetting; 5. The Status of Restrictions on the Right to Travel from the U.S. To Cuba by Arthur Heitzer; 6. Challenging the "Political": U.S. Asylum Law and Central American Gang Warfare by Alexandra M. Goncalves-Pena; 7. Human Rights According to Marxism by Eric Engle.
Development and Survivorship of the Citrus Blackfly Aleurocanthus woglumi on Six Citrus Hosts

We measured developmental time and survivorship of Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby on grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi Macf.), lemon ( C. limon Burm. f.), lime ( C. aurantifolia Swingle), orange C. sinesis Osbeck), tangelo ( C . x. Tangelo) and tangerine ( C. reticulata Blanco). No significant differences were observed in the developmental times among the plants tested. Survivorship of A. woglumi was significantly ( P <0.01) greater on lemon (K=0.19) and significantly ( P <0.01) lower on grapefruit (K=0.50) than that on the other plants tested (K=0.35). K-values for orange, lime, tangerine, and tangelo did not significantly differ from the overall value or each other. Grapefruit appears to be a less desirable host for A. woglumi development and therefore less suitable for use in research work.
Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection in Adolescents

Genital HPV infections are much more prevalent than previously believed. The most common clinical manifestation of HPV--the subclinical papillomavirus infection, or SPI--is missed on routine examination. No single diagnostic test is adequate in the assessment of HPV infections, and the more recent studies involving newer nucleic acid technologies have brought about a better understanding of the behavior of HPV. There are different oncogenic potentials regarding specific HPV DNA types. Other possible cofactors include age at diagnosis, method of contraception, and use of tobacco.
Equilibrium constant for the reaction ClO + ClO ↔ ClOOCl between 250 and 206 K.

The chlorine peroxide molecule, ClOOCl, is an important participant in the chlorine-catalyzed destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. Very few laboratory measurements have been made for the partitioning between monomer ClO and dimer ClOOCl at temperatures lower than 250 K. This paper reports absorption spectra for both ClO and ClOOCl when they are in equilibrium at 1 atm and temperatures down to 206 K. The very low ClO concentrations involved requires measuring and calibrating a differential cross section, ΔσClO, for the 10-0 band of ClO. A third law fit of the new results gives Keq = [(2.01 ± 0.17) 10–27 cm3 molecule–1] e(8554∓21)K/T, where the error limits reflect the uncertainty in the entropy change. The resulting equilibrium constants are slightly lower than currently recommended. The slope of the van’t Hoff plot yields a value for the enthalpy of formation of ClOOCl at 298 K, ΔHfo, of 129.8 ± 0.6 kJ mol–1. Uncertainties in the absolute ultraviolet cross sections of ClOOCl and ClO appear to be the ...
Adaptation and reliability and validity evaluation of Chinese version of the child self-report scale of quality of life for children with epilepsy

Objective: To translate and adapt the child self-report scale of quality of life for children with epilepsy; To evaluate the reliability and validity of this scale,and then develop the Chinese version of the child self-report scale of quality of life for children with epilepsy. Method: ①In the process of adaptation of the scale,such procedure was abided by translation, back-translation, cross-cultural adaptation and pretest. ②Thirty-two children with epilepsy were examined by the Chinese version of the scale, and their data were used to evaluate reliability and validity of this scale. Result: ①Chinese version of the scale was developed through translation, back-translation,cross-cultural adaptation and pretest. ②The evaluation of reliability of this scale showed the test-retest correlation coefficients of total scale and 4 factors were above 0.7, the Cronbach′s α of total scale and 4 factors were above 0.7.③The evaluation of validity of this scale showed the content validity was good as well as internal validity.Conclusion: ①The Chinese version of the child self-report scale of quality of life for children with epilepsy has been developed successfully.②The reliability and validity of this scale are good enough for meeting psychometric standard.
MCM structure and mechanics: what we have learned from archaeal MCM.

Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complexes have been identified as the primary replicative helicases responsible for unwinding DNA for genome replication. The focus of this chapter is to discuss the current structural and functional understanding of MCMs and their role at origins of replication, which are based mostly on the studies of MCM proteins and MCM complexes from archaea.
SPF 5: From the Top

The hotel industry is not technically in SPF 5, rating a KM value of 1.05 and a CI value of 1, but it is clearly very close. And the presence of a single firm, with a higher KM value, actually pushes the entire industry above the 1.00 cutoff—the rest of the firms fall well within the SPF 5 values. Given a dearth of interesting examples from SPF 5, since knowledge often is not worth fighting over or writing about, this “close enough” industry can help illustrate some of the circumstances found in SPF 5.
The Democratic Horizon Hyperpluralism and the renewal of political liberalism

The Democratic Horizon offers us the project for the renewal of political liberalism through a response to hyperpluralism in the context of an emerging democratic ethos worldwide. While the book reads as a ringing endorsement of Political Liberalism, authored by John Rawls, it goes beyond that project in significant ways. In my view The Democratic Horizon represents something of a tour de force; a truly original contribution for those who recognize the imperative significance of our worldwide confrontation with the fact of pluralism.
Least Squares Method for Closed-Loop Model Reduction

Abstract This paper explores related aspects of the weighted least squares method in the context of three different problems: the frequency-shaped model order reduction, closed-loop model order reduction, and discretization of bandlimited linear systems. These problems are first given an algebraic form by the means of the A-transform — a transformation based on the Chebyshev series expansion — and then solved through the least squares approach. The salient feature of the three problems is the implicit weighting due to both the A-transform method and the particular implementation of the least squares procedure.
ReliaCloud-NS: A scalable web-based simulation platform for evaluating the reliability of cloud computing systems

Summary This paper discusses the implementation, architecture, and use of a graphical web-based application called ReliaCloud-NS that allows users to (1) evaluate the reliability of a cloud computing system (CCS) and (2) design a CCS to a specified reliability level for both public and private clouds. The software was designed with a RESTful application programming interface for performing nonsequential Monte Carlo simulations to perform reliability evaluations of a CCS. Simulation results are stored and presented to the user in the form of interactive charts and graphs from within a web browser. The software contains multiple types of CCS components, simulations, and virtual machine allocation schemes. ReliaCloud-NS also contains a novel feature that evaluates CCS reliability across a range of varying virtual machine allocations and establishes and graphs a CCS reliability curve. This paper discusses the software architecture, the interactive web-based interface, and the different types of simulations available in ReliaCloud-NS and presents an overview of the results generated from a simulation.
Nabilone pharmacotherapy for cannabis dependence: A randomized, controlled pilot study.

Background and Objectives We assessed the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of nabilone, a cannabinoid agonist, to treat cannabis dependence. Methods Eighteen adults with DSM-IV cannabis dependence were randomized to receive either 2 mg/day of nabilone (n = 10) or placebo (n = 8) for 10 weeks in addition to medication management. Twelve participants, six in each group, completed treatment. The safety and tolerability of nabilone was assessed at each visit. Any side effects from nabilone or the placebo were documented. Cannabis use outcomes were assessed via self-report of days of use and twice-weekly urine cannabinoid tests; secondary outcomes included cannabis craving and anxiety. Results We assessed safety and tolerability at each study visit. A total of eight adverse events, all mild or moderate, were reported in two participants in the nabilone group, and six events were reported in four participants in the placebo group during study treatment. A total of eight adverse events were reported in two participants in the nabilone group and six events were reported in four participants in the placebo group during study treatment. All reported adverse events were rated mild-to-moderate. There were no side effects deemed serious enough to be classified as an FDA-defined serious adverse event. In general, participants in both groups reported reduced cannabis use according to self-report over the course of the study, although these reductions were not statistically discernible. Moreover, there was no difference in cannabis use between the nabilone group and the placebo group as measured by self-report. Discussion and Conclusions Nabilone pharmacotherapy was safe and well-tolerated in participants with cannabis dependence. Future studies might evaluate a higher dose of nabilone to determine its effects on cannabis use outcomes in participants with cannabis dependence. Scientific Significance There remains a clear need for additional pharmacotherapy trials for cannabis dependence, and nabilone remains a candidate for such trials. (Am J Addict 2017;26:795–801)
Neuroscience in the HBSE Sequence: Mandate and Methodology

Important findings from neuroscience research provide valuable knowledge for social work practice, and although these findings are already being incorporated into practice in many other disciplines...
Malignant Gallbladder Polyp

Gallbladder polyps may be benign, inflammatory, or malignant. PET/MR imaging provides excellent morphological characterization of these polyps with simultaneous determination of metabolic activity to accurately detect malignant versus benign polyps.
French and English Orientalisms and the Study of Slavery and Abolition in North Africa and the Middle East: What Are the Connections?

Robinson-Dunn’s chapter comes from her conference pleniere, or plenary lecture, given at the international, interdisciplinary colloquium on the topic of slavery in Africa and the Middle East and its representation in French and English art and literature from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries held at the University of Lyon in February of 2014. In it she discusses the need for contemporary scholars to consider Orientalist images alongside and in dialogue with other more traditional types of archival evidence used by historians when studying slavery and abolition in that part of the world. For while European depictions of the female slave of the harem may have been unrealistic and often fantastic, these distortions are important and revealing in and of themselves. Just as previous generations of scholars have discussed and analyzed the myriad ways that the “angel in the house” functioned in Victorian society, especially in relation to the politics of race, class, gender and religion, new generations must do the same with regard to the “white slave” of the Orientalist’s harem. For this idea had real meaning and political purchase in a transnational, imperial cultural system that brought together “Easterners” and “Westerners” and Muslims and non-Muslims, even as difference was defined through it.
A Leaf Recognition Approach to Plant Classification Using Machine Learning

The identification of plants is a very important component of workflows in plant ecological research. This paper presents an automated leaf recognition method for plant identification. The proposed technique is simple and computationally efficient. It is based on a combination of two types of texture features, named Bag-of-features (BOF) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP). These features are utilized as inputs to a decision-making model that is based on a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. The introduced method is evaluated on a publicly available leaf image database. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method is the highly efficient technique for plant recognition.
Hot Carrier Reliability Improvement of Thicker Gate Oxide nFET Devices in Advanced FinFETs

Impact of process choices in terms of work function (WF) tuning and junction implant energy optimization for hot carrier (HCI) reliability in advanced FINFET technology is discussed here. The work focuses on understanding the nature and location of defects generated under different process conditions. Experimental observations are confirmed here with TCAD based simulations. For the first time, it is observed that maximum substrate current increases as stress progresses in contrast to traditional HCI mechanisms. To reduce HCI degradation, in addition to junction optimization, an additional knob is available in scaled FETs is the WF optimization, which can provide significant HCI reliability relief.
Concluding Agenda Discussion—Critical Issues

The conference was wide ranging and hopefully covered most of the considerations that enter into alloy design. At times the very definition of alloy design was the topic of lengthy debate . . . does alloy design include only the process of developing new alloys for new or more severe applications, or does it also include careful modification of existing alloys to extend their service into applications hitherto closed or unknown to them? Also, areas of needed work were suggested during the proceedings. The intent of the concluding discussion was to attempt to clarify these issues, to provide a summary of the conference, and to pinpoint areas requiring more attention in the future. Specifically, alloy design was discussed from four viewpoints: constraints imposed on the designers, properties needed by the designers, critical property limitations in the next decade, and possible advances in understanding fundamental properties.
What types of activities increase participation in community "salons"?

Abstract As part of their national long-term care prevention strategy, Japanese government has promoted “community salons” as a way to encourage social participation among community-dwelling seniors. Previous studies suggested that participation in salon activities can be an effective approach to prevent long-term disability. However, there is wide variation in the types of activities offered through salons. We sought to examine different types of salon-based activities and their relation to participation rates among older populations (age ≥65 years). The association between different types of salon activities (exercise-based, cognitive strengthening, dining, socializing, and hobby/recreational activities) and participation rate per population (cumulative number of participants per registered old population in municipalities) was assessed via Poisson regression model. Ecological data were abstracted from the Annual Report on Preventive Long-Term Care Service maintained by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Salon activities based on hobby/recreational activities were associated with the highest participation rates among the older population (IRR = 1.0029; p
Panel Data Hedonics: Rosen's First Stage as a "Sufficient Statistic"

Traditional cross-sectional estimates of hedonic price functions can recover marginal willingness to pay for characteristics, but face endogeneity problems for estimating non-marginal welfare measures. I show that when panel data on household demands are available, one can construct a second-order approximation to non-marginal welfare measures using only the first-stage marginal prices. With repeated cross sections of product prices, the measure can be set identified or, under a single-crossing restriction, point identified. Bounds also can be constructed when there are mobility costs. Finally, a variant remains valid when individual preferences shift over time.
Wavefront sensorless multimodal handheld adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope for in vivo imaging of human retinal cones

Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) has advanced the study of retinal structure and function by enabling in vivo imaging of individual photoreceptors. Most implementations of AOSLOs are large, complex tabletop systems, thereby preventing high quality photoreceptor imaging of patients who are unable to sit upright and/or fixate for an imaging session. We have previously addressed this limitation in the clinical translation of AOSLO by developing the first confocal handheld AOSLO (HAOSLO) capable of cone photoreceptor visualization in adults and infants. However, confocal AOSLO images suffer from imaging artifacts and the inability to detect remnant cone structure, leading to ambiguous or potentially misleading results. Recently, it has been shown that non-confocal split-detection (SD) AOSLO images, created by the collection of multiply backscattered light, enables more reliable studies of retinal photoreceptors by providing images of the cone inner segment. In this paper, we detail the extension of our HAOSLO probe to enable multi-channel light collection resulting in the first ever multimodal handheld AOSLO (M-HAOSLO). Imaging sessions were conducted on two dilated, healthy human adult volunteers, and M-HAOSLO images taken in handheld operation mode reveal the cone photoreceptor mosaic. Aside from being the first miniaturized and portable implementation of a SD AOSLO system, M-HAOSLO relies on sensorless optimization of the wavefront to correct aberrations. Thus, we also show the first ever SD images collected after correction of the eye’s estimated wavefront.