cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The antithrombin III content of cryoprecipitate prepared from blood collected with and without heparin.

. Antithrombin III (AT III) is a plasma protein which acts as the principal inhibitor of thrombin and is a major modulator of intravascular coagulation. Hereditary deficiency of AT III leads to recurrent episodes of thromboembolism. Acquired deficiency of AT III occurs in persons with a variety of conditions, including severe liver disease and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Replacement of AT III may be important in some deficient persons. To determine if cryoprecipitate is a useful source of AT III, we measured the AT III content of cryoprecipitate prepared from citrate phosphate dextrose blood using coagulation and fluorogenic assays and immunoassays. Using the fluorogenic assay, we also determined the effect of adding heparin to blood on the cryoprecipitation of AT III. Functional and antigenic AT III levels were similar to those of normal plasma in all citrate phosphate dextrose blood units tested, indicating that AT III is not concentrated in cryoprecipitate. Heparin had no effect on the cryoprecipitation of AT III.
Studies on the location of sulfhydryl groups in erythrocyte membranes with magnetic resonance spin probes.

Abstract Electron paramagnetic and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques which involve the spin label, N -(1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl) maleimide (MSL) and 35 Cl ion, respectively, are applied to study the bovine erythrocyte membrane. Evidence from sulfhydryl blocking experiments with mercuric ion, p -mercuribenzoate, N -ethylmaleimide, and iodoacetamide indicates that the modified maleimide molecule, which serves as the spin label, is covalently bound to the membrane sulfhydryl groups. The EPR spectrum of spin label bound to ghost erythrocyte membranes consists of at least two types of sulfhydryl sites differing in the motional mobility of the spin label. The same strongly immobilized site is observed on both the intact erythrocyte and the ghost cell. The concentration of binding sites for the spin label is 9.8 × 10 −18 mole per cell. Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of the 35 Cl line width in the presence of mercury give 9.1 × 10 −18 mole per cell for sulfhydryl content. The NMR measurements further indicate that chloride ion exchange with the mercury labelled sulfhydryl groups is blocked, suggesting that the SH groups are located within the lipoprotein matrix.
Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes calculations using solution-adapted grids

A three-dimensional solution-adaptive grid generation technique is presented. The adaptation technique redistributes grid points to improve the accuracy of a flow solution without increasing the number of grid points. It is applicable to structured grids with a multiblock topology. The method uses a numerical mapping and potential theory to modify the initial grid distribution based on the properties of the flow solution on the initial grid. The technique is demonstrated with two examples - a transonic finite wing and a supersonic blunt fin. The advantages are shown by comparing flow solutions on the adapted grids with those on the initial grids.
Idiotypic Characteristics of Rheumatoid Factors

We have used monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies and “sequence-dependent” heterologous anti-peptide antibodies of predefined specificities against either the complementarity determining or framework regions of the human immunoglobulin molecules to delineate the structural and genetic basis of human IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) para protein formation. Human IgM RF paraproteins were found to be most commonly reactive with anti-kappa III subgroup anti-sera (88%). These RFs could be subdivided into two major light chain cross reactive idiotype (CRI) groups with the monoclonal antibodies 17.109 and 6B6.6. The two CRI positive light chains are likely encoded by two distinct VK germline genes, designated respectively Humkv325 (VkRF) and Humkv328. These CRIs are also associated with specificities other than RFs. Heavy chain analysis of RFs revealed that the product of the Humkv325 gene frequently assemble with heavy chains of the VHI subgroup, but will assemble with the heavy chains of other subgroups less frequen...
Seven pillars of ecosystem management

Abstract Ecosystem management is widely proposed in the popular and professional literature as the modern and preferred way of managing natural resources and ecosystems. Advocates glowingly describe ecosystem management as an approach that will protect the environment, maintain healthy ecosystems, preserve biological diversity, and ensure sustainable development. Critics scoff at the concept as a new label for old ideas. The definitions of ecosystem management are vague and clarify little. Seven core principles, or pillars, of ecosystem management define and bound the concept and provide operational meaning: (1) ecosystem management reflects a stage in the continuing evolution of social values and priorities; it is neither a beginning nor an end; (2) ecosystem management is place-based and the boundaries of the place must be clearly and formally defined; (3) ecosystem management should maintain ecosystems in the appropriate condition to achieve desired social benefits; (4) ecosystem management should take advantage of the ability of ecosystems to respond to a variety of stressors, natural and man-made, but all ecosystems have limited ability to accommodate stressors and maintain a desired state; (5) ecosystem management may or may not result in emphasis on biological diversity; (6) the term sustainability , if used at all in ecosystem management, should be clearly defined—specifically, the time frame of concern, the benefits and costs of concern, and the relative priority of the benefits and costs; and (7) scientific information is important for effective ecosystem management, but is only one element in a decision-making process that is fundamentally one of public and private choice. A definition of ecosystem management based on the seven pillars is: `the application of ecological and social information, options, and constraints to achieve desired social benefits within a defined geographic area and over a specified period'. As with all management paradigms, there is no `right' decision but rather those decisions that appear to best respond to society's current and future needs as expressed through a decision-making process. There are, however, wrong management decisions, including the decision not to make a decision.
Characterization of muscarinic cholinergic receptors on intact rat anterior pituitary cells.

Abstract [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), a specific muscarinic antagonist, was utilized to identify muscarinic cholinergic receptors on dispersed anterior pituitary cells. Scatchard analysis of [3H] QNB binding to receptors departs from linearity with upward concavity. A high affinity binding site having a dissociation constant (Kd) of 1.5 nM was observed when the [3H] QNB concentration was varied from 0.15 to 20 nM. A low affinity binding site (Kd 20 nM) was observed when [3H] QNB concentration was above 20 nM. Using 10 nM [3H] QNB for binding, the second order association rate constant (k1) of 0.064 nM−1 min−1 and first order dissociation rate constant (k2) of 0.078 min−1 ( T 1 2 8 min ) were observed. k2/k1 = Kd of 1.22 nM is in good agreement with Kd = 1.5 nM from equilibrium data. Muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonists, atropine and scopolamine, and agonist oxtoremorine potently competed with [3H] QNB binding. A nicotinic cholinergic receptor agonist was 50 times less potent as a competitor of [3H] QNB binding than the muscarinic agonist.
Problem solving behavior of teachers as a function of conceptual structure

A report of a laboratory experiment and an interview study to examine problem solving behavior in relation to ideas about conceptual structure in teachers—based on a paper which the author read at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in Chicago, February, 1964-Research supported by the National Science Foundation.
Shepherding model for Neptune's arc ring

A model to explain the confinement of the recently discovered incomplete arc ring around Neptune is developed. The ring may be azimuthally confined near a triangular (Trojan) point of an undiscovered satellite of Neptune. Radial diffusion of the ring particles can be prevented by shepherding torques of another moon. Two satellites with diameters of 100-200 km would be sufficient to confine the ring; such moons would be too small to have been photographed from earth.
Study of a magneto-rheological grease (MRG) clutch

In this study the performance of various magneto-rheological (MR) greases in a clutch is examined. An experimental study is conducted to determine the torque transfer capacity of a double-plate clutch for operating speeds up to 1,200 rpm. Six different MR greases with various particle loadings and particle sizes are evaluated in the clutch. The rheological properties of MR grease with 90% particle loading in weight are compared with a commercially available MR fluid. The torque performance of the MR grease clutch is also compared with that of the clutch using MR fluid . It is demonstrated that, the off-state (no applied magnetic field) torque output of the MR grease clutch is constant regardless of the operating speed. In contrast, the torque capacity of the clutch with MR fluid shows a great dependence on the operating speed. Moreover, it is shown that the iron particle size of the MR grease does not affect the torque output. The MR greases demonstrated up to 75% increase in the torque capacity compared to the commercial MR fluid.
Examination of Ulva bloom species richness and relative abundance reveals two cryptically co-occurring bloom species in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Abstract Blooms caused by the green macroalga Ulva pose a serious threat to coastal ecosystems around the world. Despite numerous studies of the causes and consequences of these blooms, we still have a limited understanding of Ulva bloom species richness and abundance due to difficulties in identifying Ulva species using morphological features. Along the northeastern U.S. coastline, all blooms of distromatic Ulva blades were previously identified as Ulva lactuca. Recent molecular sequencing, however, discovered the presence of additional distromatic Ulva species. Therefore, in order to determine the relative abundance of Ulva species within blooms, we conducted monthly surveys at four Narragansett Bay, RI, sites representing a gradient of bloom severity. We found that the biomass of Ulva within blooms was a mix of Ulva compressa and Ulva rigida, not U. lactuca as previously reported. In contrast, sites not impacted by blooms that were located near the mouth of Narragansett Bay were dominated by U. lactuca. We also observed spatial and temporal differences in Ulva and total macroalgal diversity between bloom-impacted sites, indicating that Ulva bloom composition can be radically different between similar sites within close proximity. We discuss our results in the context of Ulva blooms worldwide, highlighting the need to definitively determine bloom species composition in order to fully understand bloom dynamics.
Progression of tau pathology in cholinergic Basal forebrain neurons in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that forms neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the selective vulnerable long projection neurons of the cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although CBF neurodegeneration correlates with cognitive decline during AD progression, little is known about the temporal changes of tau accumulation in this region. We investigated tau posttranslational modifications during NFT evolution within the CBF neurons of the nucleus basalis (NB) using tissue from subjects with no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and AD. The pS422 antibody was used as an early tau pathology marker that labels tau phosphorylated at Ser422; the TauC3 antibody was used to detect later stage tau pathology. Stereologic evaluation of NB tissue immunostained for pS422 and TauC3 revealed an increase in neurons expressing these tau epitopes during disease progression. We also investigated the occurrence of pretangle tau events within cholinergic NB neurons by dual staining for the cholinergic cell marker, p75NTR, which displays a phenotypic down-regulation within CBF perikarya in AD. As pS422+ neurons increased in number, p75NTR+ neurons decreased, and these changes correlated with both AD neuropathology and cognitive decline. Also, NFTs developed slower in the CBF compared with previously examined cortical regions. Taken together, these results suggest that changes in cognition are associated with pretangle events within NB cholinergic neurons before frank NFT deposition.
Measurement of the residual stress in a Pt-aluminide bond coat

Abstract The residual stress induced in a Pt–aluminide bond coat formed on a single-crystal superalloy due to cooling from the manufacturing temperature, has been measured with the “wafer” curvature method. This approach revealed that the bond coat is in residual tension (about 140 MPa), consistent with the thermal expansion misfit.
High-order incompressible large-eddy simulation of fully inhomogeneous turbulent flows

The subgrid-scale (SGS) eddy-viscosity model developed by Vreman [Phys. Fluids 16 (2004) 3670] and its dynamic version [Phys. Fluids 19 (2007) 065110] are tested in large-eddy simulations (LES) of the turbulent flow in an Re=12,000 lid-driven cubical cavity by comparison to the direct numerical simulation (DNS) data of Leriche and Gavrilakis [Phys. Fluids 12 (2000) 1363]. This appears to be the first test of this class of model to flows without any homogeneous flow directions, which is typical of flows in complex geometries. Additional LES predictions at Re=18,000 and Re=22,000 are compared to the DNS data of Leriche [J. Sci. Comp. 27 (2006)]. The new LES framework yielded excellent agreement for both the mean velocity and Reynolds stress profiles and matches DNS data better than the more traditional Smagorinsky-based SGS models.
Interactions between polymerized human albumin, hepatitis B surface antigen, and complement: I. binding of polyalbumin to Clq

There is considerable evidence that substances other than immunoglobulins can bind human Clq. Utilizing purified human Clq immobilized on polystyrene beads, we have demonstrated that polymerized human albumin (PHALB-125I) binds to human Clq in a direct binding assay. This interaction required a high degree of albumin polymerization as the precentage of binding was proportional to the polymer size and monomeric albumin was unreactive. Binding was species specific in that human Clq bound only human, and not xenogeneic, polyalbumins. Similarly, polymers of various other human plasma proteins were unreactive. To demonstrate that this interaction was not unique to immobilized Clq, soluble Clq was shown to inhibit PHALB-125I binding to solid phase Clq. Because aggregated IgG, poly(I):poly(C), dextran sulfate, polyglutamic acid, and polylysine have been previously shown to bind Clq, we used them in further blocking experiments and found them also to inhibit the interaction between Clq and PHALB. Anti-human Clq and, to a lesser extent, anti-PHALB antibodies inhibited the interaction. The Clq-PHALB binding was pH, ionic strength, and temperature dependent. In addition, human Clq was not observed to bind hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) directly; however, in the presence of sufficiently polymerized human albumin a Clq-PHALB-HBsAg complex was formed. These interactions may be implicated in hepatocyte-HBsAg receptor function as well as in the host defense mechanisms involved in hepatitis B virus infection.
Measurement of electron impact excitation cross sections for heliumlike titanium.

We have obtained the first measurement of electron impact excitation cross sections as a function of energy for a highly charged ion. Collisional excitation cross sections to four {ital n}=2 levels of He-like titanium were measured from threshold to 1.7 times threshold. The data conform well to established theory, especially for direct excitation; however, significant differences are found with predicted contributions from resonance excitation and in the treatment of radiative cascades. The latter changes plasma temperatures inferred from titanium {ital K}{alpha} line intensities by as much as a factor of 2.
AN AVIAN LEUCOSIS GROUP-SPECIFIC COMPLEMENT FIXATION REACTION. APPLICATION FOR THE DETECTION AND ASSAY OF NON-CYTOPATHOGENIC LEUCOSIS VIRUSES.

Abstract Sera of hamsters bearing large primary or transplanted subcutaneous fibrosarcomas induced by the Schmidt-Ruppin (S-R) strain of Rous sarcoma virus contain complement-fixing (CF) antibodies reactive not only with the homologous virus, but also with antigens of other avian leucosis viruses. Using this group-specific reaction, a complement fixation test (the COFAL test) was developed for the specific detection and assay of viruses of the avian leucosis group; the test appears to be at least as sensitive and useful as the resistance-inducing factor (RIF) interference procedure. Virus was assayed by inoculating decimal dilutions of virus into chicken embryo fibroblast cultures grown in petri dishes or in roller tubes and testing the inoculated cultures for the development of CF viral antigens. End points for virus assays were obtained in petri dish cultures after one or two cell transfers and also in roller tube cultures without cell transfers. In both systems, virus diluted 10−4 to 10−5 was detected within 10 days of virus inoculation and final titration end points were often reached within 2 weeks. Rous-associated virus (RAV) was readily demonstrated in the Bryan strain but not in the S-R strain of Rous sarcoma virus. The test was effective in demonstrating naturally occurring avian lymphomatosis virus.
Error analysis of a stochastic immersed boundary method incorporating thermal fluctuations

A stochastic numerical scheme for an extended immersed boundary method which incorporates thermal fluctuations for the simulation of microscopic biological systems consisting of fluid and immersed elastica was introduced in reference [2]. The numerical scheme uses techniques from stochastic calculus to overcome stability and accuracy issues associated with standard finite difference methods. The numerical scheme handles a range of time steps in a unified manner, including time steps which are greater than the smallest time scales of the system. The time step regimes we shall investigate can be classified as small, intermediate, or large relative to the time scales of the fluid dynamics of the system. Small time steps resolve in a computationally explicit manner the dynamics of all the degrees of freedom of the system. Large time steps resolve in a computationally explicit manner only the degrees of freedom of the immersed elastica, with the contributions of the dynamics of the fluid degrees of freedom accounted for in only a statistical manner over a time step. Intermediate time steps resolve in a computationally explicit manner only some degrees of freedom of the fluid with the remaining degrees of freedom accounted for statistically over a time step. In this paper, uniform bounds are established for the strong error of the stochastic numerical method for each of the time step regimes. The scaling of the numerical errors with respect to the parameters of the method is then discussed.
Effects of calcium antagonists on phencyclidine behaviors.

Abstract The calcium antagonists nifedipine and verapamil were evaluated for their potentil behavioral interactions with phencyclidine induced changes in mouse rotarod performance and motor activity. Nifedipine (2 and 10 mg/kg) and verapamil (2 mg/kg) significantly potentiated impairment of rotarod performance produced by phencyclidine. These doses of nifedipine and verapamil did not by themselves affect rotarod performance. This action does not appear to be dependent on the hypotensive properties of these drugs, since hypotensive doses of prazosin did not alter the effect of phencyclidine on rotarod performance. Nifedipine, 4.0 mg/kg, antagonized increases in ambulatory motor activity, and potentiated decreases in vertical motor activity (rearing) induced by phencyclidine. The effects of calcium antagonists to alter the behavioral actions of phencyclidine in mice may occur through an interaction with the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist binding site present in the central nervous system.
Grandparent Involvement and Parenting Stress among Nonmarried Mothers of Young Children

This study examines associations between grandparent involvement and change in parenting stress among nonmarried mothers with young children. It employs longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Grandparent involvement is assessed by a mother’s reports of intergenerational coresidence and contact between her parents and her 1-year-old child. Self-reported parenting stress is assessed at the same time and, again, 2 years later. Findings from lagged-dependent regression models indicate that intergenerational coresidence is associated with decreasing parenting stress among Latina mothers but with increasing parenting stress among black mothers. Among mothers in nonintergenerational households, intergenerational contact is associated with decreasing parenting stress among black mothers but with increasing parenting stress among Latina mothers. No associations are found among white mothers. Findings suggest that sociocultural contexts pattern ways in which grandparent involvement p...
Impact of DTI smoothing on the study of brain aging

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI), a method for measuring the integrity of axon fiber tracts in the brain, plays an important role in clarifying brain changes that accompany aging and aging-associated neurodegenerative disease. While DTI smoothing methods theoretically have the potential to enhance such studies by reducing noise, it is unclear whether DTI smoothing has any practical impact on computed associations between fiber tract integrity and scientific variables of interest. Therefore we smoothed DTI images from 154 older adults using three kernel smoothing methods hypothesized to have differing strengths (the affine and log-Euclidean smoothers were hypothesized to enhance highly organized tracts better than the Euclidean smoother). Smoothing increased the strengths of expected associations between DTI and age, cognitive function, and the diagnosis of dementia. However, no particular smoothing method was uniformly superior in strengthening these associations. This data suggests that DTI smoothing enhances the sensitivity of studies of brain aging, but further research is needed to determine which smoothing technique is optimal.
Decision making in the management of research and advanced development activities

The management of research-type activities is different from traditional management tasks because management direction is not essential to the conduct of the activity. For this reason, management often finds itself in a position where it cannot make significant contributions toward the usefulness of research-type activities. Decision-making as applied to management contributions toward the success of research and advanced development is discussed using a framework borrowed from statistical decision theory.
The role of immunomodulatory oligonucleotides in prevention of OVA-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction

Summary Objective To evaluate the potential role of immunomodulatory oligonucleotides (IMO) in the prevention of OVA-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) in a rat model. Methods Brown–Norway rats were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and randomized to receive pre-treatment with IMO or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). After systemic sensitization, subjects received a transtympanic OVA challenge followed by evaluation of the Eustachian tube's dynamic function. Results Pre-treatment of OVA sensitized animals with IMO normalized passive opening and closing Eustachian tube pressures, improved active clearance of negative pressure in the middle ear, and resulted in reduced mean mucociliary transit times compared to untreated OVA-sensitized animals (P Conclusion These data demonstrate that pre-treatment with IMO prevent OVA-induced ETD in the rat. IMO treatment in the future may offer considerable promise in the management of OME in children.
Value of computed tomography in the evaluation of craniosynostosis

Forty-seven patients with abnormal cranial shape and the clinical diagnosis of craniosynostosis were assessed by computed tomography (CT). In 13 patients the diagnosis of craniosynostosis was established on the basis of skull radiographs and radionuclide bone scans. Eight out of 13 patients had normal cerebral anatomy demonstrated by CT. In four of the 13 patients CT revealed abnormalities not amenable to surgical correction. The only patient in whom CT scanning influenced therapy presented with elevated intracranial pressure secondary to shunt failure.
Dual Psychological Processes Underlying Public Stigma and the Implications for Reducing Stigma

People with serious illness or disability are often burdened with social stigma that promotes a cycle of poverty via unemployment, inadequate housing and threats to mental health. Stigma may be conceptualized in terms of self-stigma (e.g., shame and lowered self-esteem) or public stigma (e.g., the general public's prejudice towards the stigmatized). This article examines two psychological processes that underlie public stigma: associative processes and rule-based processes. Associative processes are quick and relatively automatic whereas rule-based processes take longer to manifest themselves and involve deliberate thinking. Associative and rule-based thinking require different assessment instruments, follow a different time course and lead to different effects (e.g., stigma-by-association vs attributional processing that results in blame). Of greatest importance is the fact that each process may require a different stigma-prevention strategy.
How do plant virus nucleic acids move through intercellular connections

In addition to their function in transport of water, ions, small metabolites, and growth factors in normal plant tissue, the plasmodesmata presumably serve as routes for cell-to-cell movement of plant viruses in infected tissue. Virus cell-to-cell spread through plasmodesmata is an active process mediated by specialized virus encoded movement proteins; however, the mechanism by which these proteins operate is not clear. We incorporate recent information on the biochemical properties of plant virus movement proteins and their interaction with plasmodesmata in a model for transport of nucleic acids through plasmodesmatal channels. We propose that only single stranded (ss) nucleic acids can be transported efficiently through plasmodesmata, and that movement proteins function as molecular chaperones for ss nucleic acids to form unfolded movement protein-ss nucleic acid complexes. These complexes are targeted to plasmodesmata. Plasmodesmatal permeability is then increased following interaction with movement protein and the entire movement complex or its nucleic acid component is translocated across the plasmodesmatal channel.
City Size in Late Postclassic Mesoamerica

This article assembles archaeological and documentary evidence on the sizes of cities in Mesoamerica on the eve of Spanish conquest. Out of several hundred documented Late Postclassic urban centers, eighty-seven have reliable archaeological data on the area of the total city and/or the area of the central administrative zone (called the epicenter). The median urban area is 90 hectares (ha), and the median epicenter is 2.0 ha. These data are analyzed in terms of geographical zone, political type, population size and density, and rank-size distributions. The results suggest that political and administrative factors were the primary determinants of city size, with geographical zone having only a minor influence.
Associations between Parenting Style, Physical Discipline, and Adjustment in Adolescents' Reports:

Recollections of physical discipline as absent, age-delimited (ages 2-11), or present into adolescence were associated with youths' evaluations of their mothers' and fathers' parenting styles and their own adjustment. Data were from the Portraits of American Life Study-Youth (PALS-Y) a diverse, national sample of 13- to 18-year-olds (N = 158). The modal experience of youth with authoritative parents was age-delimited spanking; the modal experience of youth with permissive parents was no spanking; the modal experience of youth with authoritarian or disengaged parents was physical discipline into adolescence. The age-delimited group reported the best adjustment (less maladjustment than the adolescent group; greater competence than both other groups). The positive association between fathers' age-delimited spanking and youths' academic rank persisted even after accounting for parenting styles. The eschewing of spanking should not be listed as a distinguishing characteristic of authoritative parenting, which was more often associated with age-delimited spanking than with zero-usage.
Epidemiologic and economic burden of influenza in the outpatient setting: a prospective study in a subtropical area of China.

OBJECTIVES To understand the incidence of outpatient influenza cases in a subtropical area of China and the associated economic burden on patients' families. METHODS A hospital-based prospective study was conducted in Zhuhai City during 2008-2009. All outpatient influenza-like illness (ILI) cases were identified in 28 sentinel hospitals. A representative sample of throat swabs from ILI cases were collected for virus isolation using Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. The incidence of outpatient influenza cases in Zhuhai was estimated on the basis of the number of influenza patients detected by the sentinel sites. A telephone survey on the direct costs associated with illness was conducted as a follow-up. RESULTS The incidence of influenza was estimated to be 4.1 per 1,000 population in 2008 and 19.2 per 1,000 population in 2009. Children aged <5 years were the most-affected population, suffering from influenza at the highest rates (34.3 per 1,000 population in 2008 and 95.3 per 1,000 population in 2009). A high incidence of 29.2-40.9 per 1000 population was also seen in young people aged 5-24 years in 2009. ILI activity and influenza virus isolations adopted a consistent seasonal pattern, with a summer peak in July 2008 and the longest epidemic period lasting from July-December 2009. The medical costs per episode of influenza among urban patients were higher than those for rural patients. A total of $1.1 million in direct economic losses were estimated to be associated with outpatient influenza during 2008-2009 in Zhuhai community. CONCLUSIONS Influenza attacks children aged <5 years in greater proportions than children in other age groups. Seasonal influenza 2008 and Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 had different epidemiological and etiological characteristics. Direct costs (mostly medical costs) impose an enormous burden on the patient family. Vaccination strategies for high-risk groups need to be further strengthened.
Neonatological and pulmonological management of bilateral pulmonary sequestration in a neonate

Bronchopulmonary sequestration is a lung malformation characterized by nonfunctioning lung tissue without primary communication with the tracheobronchial tree. Intrauterine complications such as mediastinal shift, pleural effusion or fetal hydrothorax can be present. We present the case of a newborn with bilateral intralobar pulmonary sequestration. Prenatal ultrasonography in a primigravida at 20 weeks of gestation revealed echogenic masses in the right fetal hemithorax with mediastinal shift towards the left side. Serial ultrasound confirmed persistence of the lesion with otherwise appropriate fetal development. Delivery was uneventful and physical examination revealed an isolated intermittent tachypnea. Chest CT scan and CT angiography showed a bilateral intrathoracic lesion with arterial supply from the aorta. Baby lung function testing suggested possible multiple functional compartments. Right and left thoracotomy was performed at the age of 7 months. A bilateral intralobar sequestration with vascularisation from the aorta was resected. Pathological and histological examination of the resected tissue confirmed the surgical diagnosis. At the age of 24 months, the child was doing well without pulmonary complications. Bilateral pulmonary sequestration requires intensive prenatal and postnatal surveillance. Though given the fact of a bilateral pulmonary sequestration, postnatal outcome showed similar favourable characteristics to an unilateral presentation. Baby lung function testing could provide additional information for optimal postnatal management and timing of surgical intervention.
Continuity and Change in Place Stratification: Spatial Inequality and Middle‐Range Territorial Units*

Sociologists have produced large, well-known literatures on inequality across geographic territory at two ends of the spatial scale continuum, within the city and across nation-states. In this paper, I discuss a different scale of focus, subnational stratification processes across middle-range spatial units, those between the city and nation-state. While characterizing much contemporary rural sociological research, this approach to spatial inequality does not tend to be seen as a coherent tradition that cross-cuts substantive areas. First, I discuss why attention to subnational inequality, rural regions, and middle-range spatial units are important to social science understanding of stratification processes. Second, I provide an overview of contemporary research traditions in rural sociology which, taken together, form a distinct and innovative approach to spatial inequality. Third, I draw from my own work to explain how factors affecting socioeconomic inequalities across middle-range territorial units may be conceptualized and provide two sets of empirical examples. Finally, I discuss what should be done in terms of furthering rural sociology's regional approach to spatial inequality.
Learning-based hand sign recognition using SHOSLIF-M

We present a self-organizing framework called the SHOSLIF-M for learning and recognizing spatiotemporal events (or patterns) from intensity image sequences. The proposed framework consists of a multiclass, multivariate discriminant analysis to automatically select the most discriminating features (MDF), a space partition tree to achieve a logarithmic retrieval time complexity for a database of n items, and a general interpolation scheme to do view inference and generalization in the MDF space based on a small number of training samples. The system is tested to recognize 28 different hand signs. The experimental results show that the learned system can achieve a 96% recognition rate for test sequences that have not been used in the training phase. >
Recirculating Flow in Oscillatory U-Tubes

Wastewater treatment facilities often experience undesirable oscillations in water surface elevations due to the potential of unsteady outlet flow. Self-induced oscillations, particularly those generated by the geometry and flow conditions of treatment facilities with a U-tube component, are of particular interest. This study focuses on the U-tube component of an existing wastewater treatment facility where oscillations of constant amplitude and period were observed shortly after the facility was operational. It is assumed that an oscillating U-tube manometer represents this problem, and a numerical model was developed to predict the amplitude and period of the oscillations using Newton’s second law of motion and momentum analysis. A 1-to-4.88-scale physical model of the existing facility was constructed and tested. Numerical model results show good agreement with measured oscillatory characteristics of the existing facility and the physical model.
Performance of Deep Ultraviolet GaN Avalanche Photodiodes Grown by MOCVD

We report high-performance GaN ultraviolet (UV) p-i-n avalanche photodiodes (APDs) fabricated on bulk GaN substrates. The fabricated GaN p-i-n diodes demonstrated optical gains > 104 and low dark current densities operating at wavelengths from 280 to 360 nm. The result is among the highest III-N-based APD gains at the deep UV wavelength of 280 nm reported to date.
PRIVATE JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND CRIME REPORTING

The burgeoning need for private police to complement the activities of public police has added a new dimension to issues of reliability and validity of official statistics. For purposes of this study. shoplifting data generated by the private police sector were gathered from matched pairs of retail stores. The findings showed significant differences between stores by age and gender. Partitioning of contingency tables to localize the association to a particular category produced no systematic conclusions between the matched pairs of stores or among the full range of sampled stores. Differential law enforcement exercised by an untrained and unregulated private police force calls into question the concept of justice and the guarantees of due process.
A brief review of molecular information theory

The idea that we could build molecular communications systems can be advanced by investigating how actual molecules from living organisms function. Information theory provides tools for such an investigation. This review describes how we can compute the average information in the DNA binding sites of any genetic control protein and how this can be extended to analyze its individual sites. A formula equivalent to Claude Shannon’s channel capacity can be applied to molecular systems and used to compute the efficiency of protein binding. This efficiency is often 70% and a brief explanation for that is given. The results imply that biological systems have evolved to function at channel capacity, which means that we should be able to build molecular communications that are just as robust as our macroscopic ones.
How well do professional developers test with code coverage visualizations? An empirical study

Despite years of availability of testing tools, professional software developers still seem to need better support to determine the effectiveness of their tests. Without improvements in this area, inadequate testing of software seems likely to remain a major problem. To address this problem, industry and researchers have proposed systems that visualize "testedness" for end-user and professional developers. Empirical studies of such systems for end-user programmers have begun to show success at helping end users write more effective tests. Encouraged by this research, we examined the effect that code coverage visualizations have on the effectiveness of test cases that professional software developers write. This paper presents the results of an empirical study conducted using code coverage visualizations found in a commercially available programming environment. Our results reveal how this kind of code coverage visualization impacts test effectiveness, and provide insights into the strategies developers use to test code.
A statistical approach for estimating fish diet compositions from multiple data sources: Gulf of California case study

Trophic ecosystem models are one promising tool for providing ecosystem-based management advice. Diet and interaction rate parameters are critical in defining the behavior of these models, and will greatly influence any predictions made in response to management perturbations. However, most trophic ecosystem models must rely on a patchwork of data availability and must contend with knowledge gaps and poor quantification of uncertainty. Here we present a statistical method for combining diet information from field samples and literature to describe trophic relationships at the level of functional groups. In this example, original fieldwork in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, provides gut content data for targeted and untargeted fish species. The field data are pooled with diet composition information from FishBase, an online data repository. Diet information is averaged across stomachs to represent an average predator, and then the data are bootstrapped to generate likelihood profiles. These are fi...
A design flow for micromachined electromechanical systems

I present a design flow for integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), with particular focus on electromechanical devices. Several design examples of real-world devices are given.
Transient swallowing dysfunction in typically developing children following supraglottoplasty for laryngomalacia.

Abstract Objective To evaluate early postoperative swallowing function in otherwise typically-developing children following supraglottoplasty. Methods Retrospective chart review case series. Results Of 37 children identified as having undergone supraglottoplasty for severe laryngomalacia at our institution between January 2007 and October 2011, 24 were identified as otherwise typically developing with no indications/signs of swallowing problems pre-operatively and eligible for inclusion in this study. Twenty-two children underwent bilateral supraglottoplasty and 2 children underwent unilateral supraglottoplasty using the CO 2 laser or the laryngeal skimmer microdebrider in combination with cold steel technique, based on the discretion of four Pediatric Otolaryngologists. Seventeen children were seen post-operatively for a clinical swallow evaluation. Six children were found to have swallowing dysfunction. Four of the six children showed variable symptoms, signs, or findings concerning for aspiration with oral feeding. Three of six underwent video fluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). All 6 children responded to dietary modifications, positioning alterations, and anti-reflux medications. All showed improvement by their 4-week post-operative follow-up visit. The median age of the 24 patients at the time of surgery was 3 months, with a range from 2 weeks to 4 years. The median age of the patients found to have transient post-operative swallowing dysfunction was 1.5 months, with a range of 2 weeks to 4 months. There was no association between post-operative swallowing dysfunction and the surgical technique employed. Conclusions Supraglottoplasty in otherwise typically developing children carries a risk of transient swallowing dysfunction with a low risk of persistent dysfunction. Most patients can be assessed post-operatively via clinical swallow evaluation without requiring an instrumental swallow study.
Low-cost application image distribution on worldwide cloud front server

Cloud computing opens a new area of supplement, consumption, and delivery framework for IT services. Customers could be able to order Virtual Applications through the cloud. To reduce the latency time, the cloud service providers implement some strategies (e.g., cloudfront service [1]) to speed up the applications delivery. However, these strategies do not consider the profit of application providers. In this paper we address the problem which is to maximize the profit of application providers based on the Original-Front server network model. We studied two different scenarios and proposed two efficient heuristic algorithms. Our simulation results show that our heuristic algorithms can increase the profit of application providers significantly.
A General Decision-Making Method for the Rapid Manufacturing of Customized Parts

In this paper we propose a general method for making process parameter decisions in the development of a rapid manufacturing system. Given a level of demand, the designer can use our method to select the appropriate type of rapid prototyping machine, the number of machines, the batch size, and other process parameters (layer thickness, road width, etc.) in order to achieve an ideal cost, throughput, and quality. We illustrate our method through the application of Stratasys’ Fused Deposition Modeling technology to rapidly manufacture customized hearing aid shells. We close with a look ahead to a larger problem: the use of our method to select the proper rapid prototyping technology for use in rapid manufacturing.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Age-dependent differences in lateral balance recovery through protective stepping

Background. Aging appears to present particular problems for lateral balance stability related to falls. Protective stepping is a common strategy for maintaining balance that may be impaired with aging due to changes in neuromusculoskeletal factors. This study assessed the response patterns, kinematics, and single support hip abduction torque during lateral protective stepping for balance recovery in healthy young and elderly adults. Methods. Ten healthy elderly and 10 younger adults received stepper-motor driven waist-pulls of bipedal stance applied pseudorandomly to either side. Stepping response strategies were quantified with force platforms and motion analysis. Findings. The young responded primarily using a single lateral sidestep with the limb that was initially loaded passively by the waist-pull, while older subjects favored crossover stepping using multiple steps with more inter-limb collisions. When the elderly did use loaded side steps, the steps were longer, slower, and higher and included greater and prolonged lateral trunk motion than in the young. Overall, older subjects produced greater and less rapid stabilizing hip abduction torque during the single support phase. Interpretation. Age-associated differences in lateral balance control through stepping included using a riskier recovery strategy with increased collisions between the limbs, multiple steps, altered first step characteristics and lateral trunk motion during direct sidestepping, and a generally greater support hip torque. The difficulties with lateral balance control in aging may reflect factors such as impaired hip abduction torque-time capacity and lateral trunk mobility/control. Our findings contribute additional knowledge pertaining to the problem of balance dysfunction and falls among the elderly. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Kinetics of Cation Ordering in Magnesium Ferrite

Magnesium ferrite of composition Mg0.993Fe2.007O4 was quenched from 1000°, 1150°, and 1295°C. The rate of inversion at 450°C was followed by Curie temperature measurements in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer. The inversion process possessed the features of a nucleation and growth transformation. It is postulated that short range order within the octahedral sub-lattice plays an important role in cation ordering in Mg ferrite.