cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lifestyle behaviors among adults recommended for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring according to the 2017 ACC/AHA blood pressure guideline.

Background The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure (BP) guideline recommends ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) to exclude white coat hypertension (WCH) among adults with office systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) of 130-159/80-99 mmHg, and masked hypertension (MHT) among adults with office SBP/DBP of 120-129/75-79 mmHg after a 3-month trial of lifestyle modification. We estimated the proportion of individuals with ideal lifestyle factors among those who meet these office BP criteria for being recommended ABPM. Methods We analyzed data from participants not taking antihypertensive medication in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) and Jackson Heart Study (JHS) who met the office BP criteria for screening for WCH (CARDIA n=490, JHS n=873) and MHT (CARDIA n=486, JHS n=614). We estimated the prevalence of lifestyle factors including ideal body mass index (BMI), physical activity, diet and alcohol use among participants who met office BP criteria for WCH screening and for MHT screening. Results Among participants who met office BP criteria for WCH screening, 15.5% in CARDIA and 3.6% in JHS had 3 or more ideal lifestyle factors. Among participants who met office BP criteria for MHT screening, 22.6% in CARDIA and 4.7% in JHS had 3 or more ideal lifestyle factors. Ideal BMI, diet, and physical activity was present in less than half of participants in each sample who met office BP criteria for WCH or MHT screening. Conclusions Few participants who met office BP criteria for the screening of WCH or MHT had ideal lifestyle factors.
Towards real-world generalizability of a circuit for action-stopping.

Two decades of cross-species neuroscience research on rapid action-stopping in the laboratory has provided motivation for an underlying prefrontal–basal ganglia circuit. Here we provide an update of key studies from the past few years. We conclude that this basic neural circuit is on increasingly firm ground, and we move on to consider whether the action-stopping function implemented by this circuit applies beyond the simple laboratory stop signal task. We advance through a series of studies of increasing ‘real-worldness’, starting with laboratory tests of stopping of speech, gait and bodily functions, and then going beyond the laboratory to consider neural recordings and stimulation during moments of control presumably required in everyday activities such as walking and driving. We end by asking whether stopping research has clinical relevance, focusing on movement disorders such as stuttering, tics and freezing of gait. Overall, we conclude there are hints that the prefrontal–basal ganglia action-stopping circuit that is engaged by the basic stop signal task is recruited in myriad scenarios; however, truly proving this for real-world scenarios requires a new generation of studies that will need to overcome substantial technical and inferential challenges. Many studies implicate a prefrontal–basal ganglia circuit in the control of action-stopping. Here, Ricci Hannah and Adam Aron provide an update of studies of this circuit, discuss its clinical relevance, and consider whether its action-stopping function applies in real-world scenarios, beyond the laboratory.
New Photoelectron-Valence Electron Interactions Evident in the Photoelectron Spectrum of Gd2O.

Evidence of strong photoelectron-valence electron (PEVE) interactions has been observed in the anion photoelectron (PE) spectra of several lanthanide suboxide clusters, which are exceptionally complex from an electronic structure standpoint and are strongly correlated systems. The PE spectrum of Gd2O-, which should have relatively simple electronic structure because of its half-filled 4f subshell, exhibits numerous electronic transitions. The electron affinity determined from the spectrum is 0.26 eV. The intensities of transitions to excited states increase relative to the lower-energy states with lower photon energy, which is consistent with shakeup transitions driven by time-dependent electron-neutral interactions. A group of intense spectral features that lie between electron binding energies of 0.7 and 2.3 eV are assigned to transitions involving detachment of an electron from outer-valence σu and σg orbitals that have large Gd 6s contributions. The spectra show parallel transition manifolds in general, which is consistent with detachment from these orbitals. However, several distinct perpendicular transitions are observed adjacent to several of the vertical transitions. A possible explanation invoking interaction between the ejected electron and the high-spin neutral is proposed. Specifically, the angular momentum of electrons ejected from σu or σg orbitals, which is l = 1, can switch to l = 0, 2 with an associated change in the Ms of the remnant neutral, which is spin-orbit coupling between a free electron and the spin of a neutral.
Natural Selection In Utero Contributes to the Male Longevity Deficit in Contemporary Human Populations

Much literature invokes natural selection to explain the pervasive deficit in the average lifespan of men compared to women.^1^ The explanation assumes that mothers, not fathers, provisioned children over much of human existence, and that women who lived long enough to help their children and grand children survive to reproductive age had more grandchildren and great-grandchildren than did shorter-lived women.^2^ Although this argument implies that natural selection would conserve mutations that conferred longevity on mothers but not fathers,^3,4^ it offers no explanation of the considerable changes over historic time in the male longevity deficit thereby implying that these arise solely from culture.^5^ I show, however, that natural selection in utero empirically predicts variability over time in the deficit. This mechanism spontaneously aborts less fit fetuses during stressful times and reportedly selects more against males than females. My finding suggests that natural selection interacts with culture to predictably affect both the life span and sex ratio of contemporary human populations.
The Value of Artificial Feeding Techniques in Aphid-Host-Plant Studies

What can we learn about the association between aphids and their host plants by studying the behaviour, growth, and reproduction of these insects on artificial diets? This is a question that has frequently been asked. I will try to answer it from a variety of points of view, and try to show the applicability and value of this approach to our understanding of aphid—host-plant interactions.
What drives participation in the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

Farmland preservation works to protect working, productive farmland. The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a federal program that provides matching funds to state, local, non-profit, and private entities that purchase agricultural conservation easements. This research uses a combination of in-depth qualitative interviews and spatial analysis with ArcGIS software to determine what factors influenced participation in FRPP prior to the 2014 Farm Bill. Interviews were conducted with program administrators, nonprofit partner entities, and experts in federal agricultural policy. Spatial analysis used six federally-mandated criteria to determine what types of parcels score highest on federal ranking criteria if they were to be applied to Iowa; Story County and Bremer County were chosen as case study counties to be analyzed at the parcel level. Results demonstrate that the availability of matching funds, partner entity capacity, and partner entity focus all play a role in program participation. Results also showed that negative public perceptions about permanent easements and tensions among program partners can affect FRPP participation and implementation. Results of the spatial analysis indicated that federally-mandated ranking criteria do not significantly limit where an FRPP easement can be placed as long as the site has enough prime farmland and agricultural land to qualify for the program.
A CMOS 4-channel MIMO baseband receiver with 65dB harmonic rejection over 48MHz and 50dB spatial signal separation over 3MHz at 1.3mW

A CMOS integrated 4-channel capacitive harmonic rejection baseband receiver and 4×4 MIMO analog core spatial filter demonstrate >65dB harmonic folding rejection over 48MHz, and >48.5dB signal separation across 3MHz baseband. The 65nm CMOS IC occupies 3.27mm2 active area and consumes 0.67mW–1.28mW.
Shaping an Obama Doctrine of Preemptive Force

The election of President Obama presents an opportunity to assess, and, if necessary, adjust U.S. military policies on when war may be waged. President Bush asserted the Bush Doctrine of using preemptive force against putative enemies before they have the capability to attack the United States. After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the time is ripe to evaluate whether the United States should continue the Bush Doctrine. Through statistical regressions of all attacks by or on the United States over sixty years, as well as field interviews of the Taliban, Islamic leaders, and foreign officials in Pakistan and Iran, this article demonstrates that U.S. military action does not observably reduce aggregate attacks against the United States, and is likely to increase hostility against it. When the U.S. military responds to an actual attack, these considerations are secondary to preventing certain and immediate death and destruction that would occur if the United States did not act. Where there is clear evidence that a putative enemy will launch a devastating attack against the United States should the United States fail to preempt the attack with force, these considerations are also secondary. However, absent such clear and convincing evidence, the indeterminate effects of U.S. military action on aggregate national security and the risk of stoking global animus should tilt the balance against military preemption. The article recommends that before President Obama - or any future U.S. President - authorizes preemptive military force, he or she should require U.S. policy makers to meet a high burden of proof that a putative enemy will with attack and injury the United States if the United States does not strike first. As an alternative to preemptive attacks, this Article recommends five strategies that might better promote U.S. security.
New On-Board Power Generation Technologies for Automotive Auxiliary Power Units

Improving fuel economy, emissions, passenger comfort and convenience, safety, and vehicle performance in the automobile is resulting in the growth of electrical loads. In order to meet these electrical load demands and tomeet the requirement of power generation when the engine is off, several technologies are on the horizon for on-board power generation in the vehicles. In this paper, new on-board power generation technologies based on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) system, and diamond or carbon nanostructures are compared in terms power density, cost, and long term feasibility for automotive applications.
The Le Fort colpocleisis; an analysis of 43 operations.

Abstract 1. 1. The principles underlying the surgical treatment of uterovaginal prolapse are briefly enumerated. 2. 2. The indications for the LeFort colpocleisis, as one of the forms of surgical treatment, are stated, and the history of the operation reviewed. 3. 3. The results attained in 43 patients subjected to the LeFort operation are analyzed, noting an anatomic failure in one patient and a functional failure in another. 4. 4. The authors' technique of colpocleisis, including a circular amputation of the cervix as part of the operation when indicated, is described. 5. 5. A singular disadvantage of the operation is the later inaccessibility of the uterus in the event of subsequent metrorrhagia, as evidenced by the histories of three patients in the group of 43 reported. The importance of avoiding estrogen administration for fear of inducing diagnostically disturbing, uterine bleeding in women who have had a LeFort operation is emphasized.
A tree-structured model of visual appearance applied to gaze tracking

In some computer vision applications, we may need to analyze large numbers of similar frames depicting various aspects of an event. In this situation, the appearance may change significantly within the sequence, hampering efforts to track particular features. Active shape models [1] offer one approach to this problem, by ”learning” the relationship between appearance and world-state from a small set of hand-labeled training examples. In this paper we propose a method for partitioning the input image set which addresses two problems: first, it provides an automatic method for selecting a set of training images for hand-labeling; second, it results in a partitioning of the image space into regions suitable for local model adaptation. Repeated application of the partitioning procedure results in a tree-structured representation of the image space. The resulting structure can be used to define corresponding neighborhoods in the shape model parameter space; a new image may be processed efficiently by first inserting it into the tree, and then solving for model parameters within the corresponding restricted domain. The ideas are illustrated with examples from an outdoor gaze-tracking application.
An Analysis of the Political and Legal Debates concerning Medicaid Expansion in Virginia

* Rick Mayes is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the Health Care & Society Program at the University of Richmond, as well as an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. Benamin Paul is an M.P.P candidate in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. AN ANALYSIS OF THE POLITICAL AND LEGAL DEBATES CONCERNING MEDICAID EXPANSION IN VIRGINIA
Accelerating conversations for fault-tolerant concurrent software

Concurrency adds an additional dimension to the problem of developing fault-tolerant software. One of the fundamental approaches for this purpose is the 'conversation'. However, the need for synchronization at the exit from a conversation has a negative effect on performance. The scheme proposed in this paper accelerates conversations by using a special process-a recovery metaprogram (RMP)-which is executed on a separate layer of abstraction-the recovery layer. The RMP, by having access to the history of all interprocess communications, can allow a process that passes its acceptance test to proceed conditionally. If the conditional or any of the other processes does not pass its acceptance test, the conversation must recover and any interactions of the conditional process must be erased. Also, processes which have not reached their acceptance tests can trigger recovery immediately, without waiting for the other processes to get to their individual acceptance tests. This paper presents an architecture and a set of algorithms to implement these ideas. >
Neural Network-Based Finite-Horizon Optimal Control of Uncertain Affine Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems

In this paper, the finite-horizon optimal control design for nonlinear discrete-time systems in affine form is presented. In contrast with the traditional approximate dynamic programming methodology, which requires at least partial knowledge of the system dynamics, in this paper, the complete system dynamics are relaxed utilizing a neural network (NN)-based identifier to learn the control coefficient matrix. The identifier is then used together with the actor-critic-based scheme to learn the time-varying solution, referred to as the value function, of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation in an online and forward-in-time manner. Since the solution of HJB is time-varying, NNs with constant weights and time-varying activation functions are considered. To properly satisfy the terminal constraint, an additional error term is incorporated in the novel update law such that the terminal constraint error is also minimized over time. Policy and/or value iterations are not needed and the NN weights are updated once a sampling instant. The uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system is verified by standard Lyapunov stability theory under nonautonomous analysis. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Mammalian phylogenomics comes of age

The relatively new field of phylogenomics is beginning to reveal the potential of genomic data for evolutionary studies. As the cost of whole genome sequencing falls, anticipation of complete genome sequences from divergent species, reflecting the major lineages of modern mammals, is no longer a distant dream. In this article, we describe how comparative genomic data from mammals is progressing to resolve long-standing phylogenetic controversies, to refine dogma on how chromosomes evolve and to guide annotation of human and other vertebrate genomes.
Vocal tract resonances in oscine bird sound production: evidence from birdsongs in a helium atmosphere.

The complexity and dependence on learning of many bird sounds have suggested parallels between birdsong and human speech1–4, but the mechanisms by which each is produced have been supposed to differ markedly. In human speech, resonances of the vocal tract are thought to modulate in complex ways the sound produced by vibration of the vocal folds5–7. The current theory of birdsong production holds that all variation in sound quality arises from the primary sound-producing organ, the syrinx, and that resonances of the vocal tract play no part8,9. Here I present evidence, obtained from acoustic analyses of birdsongs recorded in a helium atmosphere, which contradicts this hypothesis. Not only does the songbird's vocal tract act as an acoustic filter, but its filter characteristics are actively coordinated with the output of the syrinx. Songbird and human phonation are thus more analogous than previously thought, in that both require coordination of an array of diverse motor systems.
Interferon Response in Cats

markedly elevated in specific-pathogen-free cats within 6 hr after iv stimulation by NDV, as determined by protection against the CPE of vesicular stomatitis virus in cultures of Crandell feline kidney cells. Interferon in feline serum has characteristics similar to interferon produced by other species of animals. The interferon response of cats to poly I:C was irregular. The titers of interferon in serum were lower than those produced by NDV except when toxic doses of poly I:C were used. Poly I:C toxicity developed within a few hours after injection, with initial signs of mucoid diarrhea, weakness, and trembling followed by death or by gradual recovery requiring several days.
Analysis of survival data with nonproportional hazard functions

The log-rank test or the proportional hazard model is a valuable, widely accepted method for analyzing time-to-response data from comparative clinical trials. When the hazard ratio is constant in time, this procedure is optimal. Indiscriminate or unthinking use of this approach results in problems in the determination of treatment differences. For example, when the true survival curves intersect, the hazard ratio cannot be constant, i.e., the hazard functions are not proportional. It is shown that by considering time-by-treatment interactions we gain flexibility in describing the relationships among hazard functions. In this paper we demonstrate with the results of a clinical trial how available methodology can be used to permit tests for the appropriateness of the model and to enable informative analysis of such data.
An unobtrusive liquid sensor utilizing a micromilled RF spark gap transmitter and resonant cavity

This paper reports on a new dielectric liquid sensor that utilizes an RF sparkgap transmitter coupled with an aluminum microwave resonant cavity. The transmitter is a micromilled polymer transmitter housing with patterned copper electrodes that generate micro-arcs. This transmitter which operates outside the measured liquid generates a directed ultrawideband signal which is received by the aluminum waveguide. Absorption resonances in the microwave cavity, measured with a spectrum analyzer are a function of the liquids' dielectric constant at lower frequencies, as well as from molecular vibrations/rotations at higher frequencies. In many chemical manufacturing processes, liquids being manufactured are removed, tested in a lab, and then disposed of, or else they will contaminate the full batch. In beer brewing, for instance, samples are removed, density tested for alcohol content, then disposed of. Using this sensor, the chemical process could be continuously monitored by a computerized system without risk of contamination.
The Non-identity Fallacy: Harm, Probability and Another Look at Parfit's Depletion Example

The non-identity problem is really a collection of problems having distinct logical features. For that reason, non-identity problems can be typed. This article focuses on just one type of non-identity problem, the ‘can't-expect-better’ problem, which includes Derek Parfit's depletion example and many others. The can't-expect-better problem uses an assessment about the low probability of any particular person's coming into existence to reason that an earlier wrong act does not harm that person. This article argues that that line of reasoning is unusually treacherous in that it makes not just one hard-to-detect error in what is done with the relevant probability assessments but rather alternates between two. We sort out one fallacy only to fall, against all odds (as it were), into a second. By avoiding both errors, we become able to discern harm in cases in which the can't-expect-better problem argues there is none. We will then be in a position to set aside the can't-expect-better problem as an objection against the person-based intuition that acts that are ‘bad’ must be ‘bad for’ at least some existing or future person.
Domestic Labor and Marital Satisfaction: How Much or How Satisfied?

Using questionnaire data from 96 couples, we examined the relationship between respondents' domestic-labor performance, domestic-labor satisfaction, and marital satisfaction. We analytically separated the dimensions of domestic labor (i.e., household tasks, emotion work, and childcare) and ran separate analyses for men and women. We found that the amount of labor performed is associated with satisfaction with emotion work and childcare arrangements, but not the household task arrangement. Satisfaction with domestic-labor arrangements mediated the relationship between actual domestic-labor performance and marital satisfaction, and the central role of emotion work emerged in our analysis.
Probing Macromolecular Adsorbed Layer Structure and History Dependence via the Interfacial Cavity Function

Adsorbed layers of proteins and other macromolecules often relax structurally more slowly than they form, rendering layer growth an out-of-equilibrium process. We show here how the interfacial cavity function, Φ (the average Boltzmann factor for a single probe molecule), may be determined, using kinetic data available from optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy, and used as a continuous, in situ measure of history dependent adsorbed layer structure. The increase of Φ observed with residence time for fibronectin and lysozyme layers suggests post-adsorption clustering on a time scale longer than that predicted by a surface diffusion model.
Casablanca Redux: We Are Shocked That Public Reporting of Rates of Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections Are Inaccurate

Affiliation: 1. Duke Infection Control Outreach Network and the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Received April 13, 2012; accepted May 3, 2012; electronically published July 24, 2012. 2012 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. 0899-823X/2012/3309-0011$15.00. DOI: 10.1086/667383 Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart): How can you close me up? On what grounds? Captain Renault (Claude Rains): I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here! Annina (Joy Page): Monsieur Rick, what kind of man is Captain Renault? Rick: Oh, he’s just like any other man only more so.
Descriptive and prescriptive definitions of emotion.

Izard (2010) did not seek a descriptive definition of emotion—one that describes the concept as it is used by ordinary folk. Instead, he surveyed scientists’ prescriptive definitions—ones that prescribe how the concept should be used in theories of emotion. That survey showed a lack of agreement today and thus raised doubts about emotion as a useful scientific concept.
Electrochemistry and spectroscopy of sulfate and thiosulfate complexes of iron porphyrins

Abstract The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of the complex formed by the addition of thiosulfate to ferric porphyrins were examined. The NMR spectrum of the thiosulfate–ferric porphyrin complex was consistent with a high-spin ferric complex, while the EPR spectrum at liquid nitrogen temperatures indicated that the complex under these conditions was low-spin. Such behavior has been previously observed for other ferric porphyrin complexes. The visible spectra were characterized by a shift in the Soret band to higher energies, with smaller changes in the longer wavelength region. The complex was reasonably stable in DMF, but slowly reduced over several hours to Fe II (TPP) and S 4 O 6 2− . The voltammetric behavior of the thiosulfate complex in DMF consists of two waves, the first of which was irreversible. The ferric/ferrous reduction in the presence of thiosulfate was shifted negatively about 400 mV, compared to the Fe(TPP)(Cl) reduction. The visible, NMR and EPR spectra were most consistent with a Fe–S bonded ferric porphyrin–thiosulfate complex, Fe(P)(SSO 3 ) − . The kinetics of the reduction of ferric porphyrin by thiosulfate in DMSO indicated an autocatalytic mechanism, where the first step is the formation of the catalyst. The identity of the catalyst could not be determined because it must be present at low concentrations, but it is formed from the reaction of the ferric complex with thiosulfate. Coordination of thiosulfate to the porphyrin was not necessary for the reduction to occur, and the reduction of Fe(TPP)(Cl) by thiosulfate was accelerated by the addition of sulfate. Under these conditions, sulfate had replaced thiosulfate as the axial ligand for the ferric porphyrin. In the presence of sulfate, the reduction occurred in a single kinetic pseudo-first order step.
Resonance Raman measurements utilizing a deep UV source

Raman scattering techniques have long been used as unique identifiers for spectral fingerprints of chemical and biological species. Raman lidar has been utilized on a routine basis to remotely measure several constituents in the atmosphere. While Raman scattering is very reliable in uniquely identifying molecules, it suffers from very small scattering cross sections that diminish its usefulness at increased ranges and decreased concentrations of the species of interest. By utilizing a resonance Raman technique, where the laser excitation is tuned near an electronic absorption band, it is possible to increase the Raman scattering cross section. An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with a UV tuning range of ~220 nm - 355 nm has been utilized to explore the wavelength dependence of Raman scattering for diamond, water, benzene, and toluene. Resonance enhancements of the Raman spectra have been studied.
Simple liquid chromatographic method for the determination of naltrexone in human plasma using amperometric detection

A simple liquid chromatographic method using amperometric detection was developed for the determination of naltrexone in human plasma. Prior to analysis, naltrexone and the internal standard (naloxone) were extracted from plasma samples using a 9:1 mixture of chloroform and isopropyl alcohol. The mobile phase comprised 0.1 M disodium hydrogen orthophosphate (pH 3.5) and acetonitrile (85.5:14.5, v/v). Analysis was run at a flow-rate of 0.8 ml/min with the detector operating under oxidative mode at an applied potential of +0.95 V. The method is specific and sensitive with a detection limit of approximately 1 ng/ml at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1. Mean recovery value of the extraction procedure was about 93%, while the within day and between day coefficient of variation and percent error values of the assay method were all less than 10%. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 1.5-100 ng/ml.
Skin graft vascularization involves precisely regulated regression and replacement of endothelial cells through both angiogenesis and vasculogenesis.

Background:Long-term survival of a skin graft is dependent on eventual revascularization. The authors’ aim in the present study was to determine whether skin graft vascularization occurs by (1) simple reconnection of vessels, (2) ingrowth of recipient vasculature, (3) outgrowth of donor-derived vess
Myth and Reality of Pension Reform: The Latin American Evidence

Abstract Starting in 1981 with Chile, to the end of 2000, 10 countries in Latin America implemented structural pension reforms, totally or partially “privatizing” their former public systems. The Latin American models have shaped similar reforms in Eastern Europe and influenced changes in Western Europe and the current debate in the United States. In 1999 the then Chief Economist of the World Bank, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, coauthored with Peter Orszag a provocative paper examining the myths of the narrowly interpreted reform model sponsored by the Bank, but without using crucial data from Latin America. This article contrasts 12 myths of structural pension reforms in that region with data collected from eight countries in the last seven to 20 years, confirming and expanding several of Orszag and Stiglitz's conclusions.
The relationship between the carbon monoxide intensity and the radio continuum emission in spiral galaxies

The relationship between the velocity-integrated CO emission and the nonthermal radio continuum brightness in the disks of normal spiral galaxies is examined on a variety of length scales. On a global scale, the total CO intensity correlates strongly with the total radio continuum flux density for a sample of 31 galaxies. On scales of about 2 kpc or more in the disk of individual galaxies, it is found that the ratio I(CO)/T(20) remains fairly constant over the entire disk as well as from galaxy to galaxy. For the eight spirals in the sample, the disk-averaged values of I(CO)/T(20) range from 0.6-2.4, with the average over all eight galaxies being 1.3 +/- 0.6. It is concluded that what these various length scales actually trace are differences in the primary heating mechanism of the gas in the beam. The observed relationship between CO and nonthermal radio continuum emission can be explained by assuming that molecular gas in galactic disks is heated primarily by cosmic rays. The observed relationship is used to show that the brightness of synchrotron emission is proportional to n(cr) exp 0.4 - 0.9 in galactic disks.
Extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck: Presentation in the facial bones

Abstract 1. 1. The most common site of ENL is the head and neck, with Waldeyer's ring and specifically, the tonsil, standing as the most frequent area of involvement. Most patients have intermediate or high-grade histologies. 2. 2. Patients present with identical signs and symptoms as squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, underscoring the importance of a thorough otolaryngological examination. 3. 3. Biopsy samples should be submitted as fresh and permanent samples specifically labeled for lymphoma evaluation. 4. 4. A thorough and timely staging work-up should be conducted once a positive biopsy diagnosis is obtained. 5. 5. Treatment consists of radiation and/or chemotherapy. Prognosis depends on histology, stage, and site of lesion. Newer treatment strategies may lead to improved survival for patients with head and neck NHL.
Candida: a causative agent of an emerging infection.

Incidences of infections due to Candida have increased over the last 15–20 y. This increase in the incidence and the high associated mortality rate despite therapy has focused the attention on this disease and prompted investigators to undertake research aimed at understanding the pathogenesis of this disease as well as methods to treat it. This paper discusses recent developments in the Candida field and the impact they have on patient management.
Activation of γ-Aminobutyric Acid B-Receptors Abolishes Naloxone-Stimulated Luteinizing Hormone Release

Recent evidence suggests that the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an important role in the control of gonadotropin secretion. The present study was conducted to identify the effect and site of action of different GABAergic drugs on LH secretion in vivo and to characterize the precise roles of different GABA receptors in these actions. Three different GABAergic drugs were used: muscimol and baclofen, which act at the level of the GABA A- and GABA B-receptors, respectively, and aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), which increases the GABA content in the brain. The effects of these drugs were investigated in situations of enhanced LH secretion due to administration of naloxone or LHRH. In an initial experiment, adult male rats were treated ip with AOAA, followed by naloxone. AOAA treatment decreased basal LH levels and prevented naloxone-stimulated LH release. PRL levels were decreased by either AOAA or naloxone; however, the combination of these two drugs did not induce an additional or synergistic effect on the decreased PRL levels. In subsequent experiments, freely moving rats bearing Silastic cannulae in the right jugular vein received AOAA, muscimol, or baclofen a few minutes before either naloxone or LHRH administration. Baclofen and AOAA completely suppressed the naloxone-stimulated LH increase. Muscimol did not prevent the effect of naloxone. None of the three GABAergic drugs affected LH release in rats receiving LHRH. The results of these in vivo experiments suggest that the GABAergic system exerts primarily an inhibitory effect on gonadotropin secretion which is mediated at a central level, since pituitary responsiveness to LHRH is not affected by GABAergic drug treatment. GABA B-receptors are responsible for the inhibitory action of GABA.
A CHEMICAL EXPLANATION OF THE VARIABILITY OF THE GROWTH RATE.

The general belief that uniform cells under uniform conditions will all multiply at the same moment implies that the smallest units of the chromosomes, i.e., either the genes or the molecules of which the genes are composed, all double at exactly the same moment in all cells. Since the doubling of chromosomes is a synthetic chemical process, it seems more probable that it would follow chemical laws. With the assumption that the corresponding molecules in a number of uniform cells obey the mass law in their process of doubling, a definite order in the multiplication of identical cells is established which can be formulated mathematically for the simplest case. This is the same assumption which the author has used to account for the differences in the order of death between bacteria and higher organisms. This theory demands a great variability of the growth rate of uniform cells, so great that it must be experimentally measurable even for cells with a million molecules to the chromosome. The theory demands further that the frequency curve of cell divisions plotted for successive time intervals, be skewed to the left, and that the relative range of variation become smaller as the number of genes or gene-type molecules increases. Experiments on the growth rate of Bacterium aerogenes and Saccharomyces ellipsoideus showed regularly a frequency curve skewed to the left. The yeast had a relatively narrower range of variability than the bacterium. Even with multicellular organisms, theoretical calculations show a range of variation of the growth rate from the egg cell which should still be measurable though it decreases relatively with the number of cells produced. An experiment on the size of bacteria colonies at different ages of development agreed with the theory.
Sonographic birth-weight prediction in obese patients using the gestation-adjusted prediction method

Objectives Ultrasound birth-weight prediction may be more accurate if assessed at 34 to 36 + 6 weeks' gestation and extrapolated using the gestation-adjusted projection (GAP) method than if done at term. Because ultrasound is less accurate in women with elevated body mass index (BMI), we assessed the accuracy of GAP birth-weight prediction in obese as compared to non-obese women. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 1382 women with singleton pregnancies who had undergone fetal ultrasound examination at between 34 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks, subclassified by pre-pregnancy BMI. Analysis of variance was used to compare predicted and actual birth weight. Results 1025 controls and 357 obese women were included. The obese women were divided by BMI: 159 in Class I (BMI, 30–34.9 kg/m2); 105 in Class II (BMI, 35–40 kg/m2) and 93 in Class III (BMI > 40 kg/m2). Mean systematic (percent) birth-weight prediction error was within 4% for all groups, with a 95% error range between − 5% and + 5%. The GAP method was able to predict actual birth weight within 20% for all groups in over 90% of cases. For all groups, the GAP method correctly excluded the presence of macrosomia with ≥ 90% specificity. Negative likelihood ratios for the prediction of macrosomia were between 0.4 and 0.6 for all groups, regardless of obesity. Conclusions The GAP method of birth-weight prediction using ultrasound measurement at 34 to 36 + 6 weeks predicts birth weight within 20% error in over 90% of cases, and is able to exclude macrosomia with over 90% accuracy regardless of maternal BMI. Copyright © 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation studies of sorption in model cylindrical micropores

Abstract Simulations of the thermodynamic properties of simple gases in straight-walled cylindrical micropores are discussed. To begin, various models used for the gas atom/pore wall interaction energy are presented. These include the hard-wall cylinder, the interaction in a completely smooth but attractive/repulsive cylinder that is obtained by integrating over Lennard–Jones sitewise interactions, and those generated by summing over Lennard–Jones atoms in the solid surrounding the cylinder. Simulations of such systems are described, particularly those carried out using the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo algorithm since these yield sorption isotherms as well as energies. The isotherms generally show condensation/evaporation vertical steps and, for reasonable starting conditions, hysteresis loops. The variations in these characteristic parts of the isotherms with temperature, pore diameter and gas/pore wall interaction strength and heterogeneity will be discussed.
UFOM: Unified fuzzy ontology matching

Unified Fuzzy Ontology Matching (UFOM) is an ontology matching system designed to discover semantic links between large real-world ontologies populated with entities from heterogeneous sources. In such ontologies, several entities in different ontologies are expected to be related to each other but not necessarily with one of the typical well-defined correspondence relationships (equivalent-to, subsumed-by). In particular, we define a new kind of correspondence relation called Relevance that reflects the relation between entities when they share a certain amount of mutual information. UFOM uses fuzzy set theory as a general framework for fuzzy ontology alignment. The framework enables representation of multiple types of correspondence relations and characterization of the uncertainty in the correspondence discovery process. UFOM computes multiple measures of similarity among ontology entities — syntactic, semantic, and structural. These measures are composed in a principled manner for ontology alignment. The system is evaluated using publicly available ontologies provided by Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI). The performance of the proposed system is comparable to the top performing ontology matchers in OAEI. We also evaluate the UFOM system on a dataset from an enterprise application domain.
Level-to-level vibrational energy transfer studies: energy dependence and observation of product species for azulenes(S0, Evib) + CO2☆

V—V energy transfer from a large molecule excited to vibrational energies of chemical interest has been demonstrated by detection of ≈ 1.5% yield of CO2(001) due to energy transfer from azulene (Evib ≈ 30600 cm−1. Also, the average enery lost per collision by azulene was measured as a function of Evib, and the rate constant for CO2(001) deactivation by azulene was determined.
Linguistic group decision-making: opinion aggregation and measures of consensus

Group decision-making is a crucial activity, necessary in many aspects of our civilization. In many cases, due to inherent complexity, experts cannot express their opinion or preferences using exact numbers, thus resorting to a qualitative preference such as linguistic labels. Another complicating factor is the fact that very seldom all individuals in a group share the same opinion about the alternatives. This creates the need to aggregate all the differing individual opinions into a group opinion. Moreover, it is desirable to be able to assess the level of agreement among the experts; termed consensus. This paper presents a methodology for aggregating experts' judgements, presented as linguistic labels, into a group opinion with a measure of the group consensus. The aggregation model allows weighted experts to express a degree of optimism or upward bias in their opinions. Then the paper presents two models of calculating the consensus based on the individual expert opinions and the group aggregated opinion.
Trifluoroethanol-induced conformational changes in α- and β-neoendorphins monitored using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and circular dichroism spectroscopy

Abstract Trifluoroethanol (TFE)-induced conformational changes in two endogenous opioid peptides α-neoendorphin (α-NE; YGGFLRKYPK) and β-neoendorphin (β-NE; YGGFLRKYP) were studied using hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HX), coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). HX data revealed that both peptides predominantly exist in an unfolded conformation in water and assume a compact conformation with increasing concentrations of TFE. Through tandem mass spectrometry it was identified that, because the LRKY segment in α-NE and N-terminal YG and RKY regions in β-NE contain the unexchanged hydrogens, they participate in secondary structure formation. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the peptides acquired in water and in mixed solvents that are comprised of varied amounts of TFE in water showed the presence of both β-turn and helical type secondary structures in these peptides. With increasing concentrations of the helical-inducing solvent, TFE, the α-helical content increases and that of β-turn decreases.
Creep properties of vanadium-base alloys☆

Abstract Vanadium-base alloys are promising candidate materials for application in fusion reactor structural components because of several important advantages. V-4Cr-4Ti has been identified as one of the most promising candidate alloys and was selected for comprehensive tests and examination. In the present investigation, thermal creep rates and stress-rupture life of V-4Cr-4Ti and V-10Cr-5Ti alloys were determined at 600°C. The impurity composition and microstructural characteristics of creep-tested specimens were analyzed and correlated with the measured creep properties. The results of these tests show that V-4Cr-4Ti, which contains impurity compositions typical of a commercially fabricated vanadium-based alloy, exhibits creep strength substantially superior to that of V-20Ti, HT-9, or type 316 stainless steel. The V-10Cr-5Ti alloy exhibits creep strength somewhat higher than that of V-4Cr-4Ti.
Screening prevalence and incidence of colorectal cancer among American Indian/Alaskan natives in the Indian Health Service.

Background Studies on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and incidence among American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are few.
5′ UTR Control of Native ERG and of Tmprss2:ERG Variants Activity in Prostate Cancer

ERG, a member of the ETS transcription factor family, is frequently overexpressed in prostate cancer as a result of its fusion to the androgen-responsive Tmprss2 gene. Different genomic rearrangements and alternative splicing events around the junction region lead to multiple combination of Tmprss2:ERG fusion transcripts that correlate with different tumor aggressiveness, but their specific functions and biological activities are still unclear. The complexity of ERG expression pattern is compounded by the use of alternative promoters, splice sites, polyadenylation sites and translation initiation sites in both the native and fusion contexts. Our systematic characterization of native ERG and Tmprss2:ERG variants reveals that their different oncogenic potential is impacted by the status of the Ets domain and the configuration of the 5′ UTR region. In particular, expression and activity of functional ERG and Tmprss2:ERG variants are influenced both by translation initiation signals within the different isoforms and by inhibitory upstream Open Reading Frames (uORF) in their 5′ UTRs. Stable expression of ERG and Tmprss2:ERG variants promoted cell migration/invasion, induced a block of proliferation and induced a senescence-like state, suggesting a role for these variants in the prostate tumorigenesis process. In addition to Tmprss2:ERG fusion products, a group of related native ERG isoforms is also highly over-expressed in fusion-carrying prostate cancers, and share the same translation initiation site (in ERG exon 4) with the commonly observed Tmprss2 exon1 joined to ERG exon 4 (T1:E4) fusion-derived variant. Usage of this ATG can be preferentially down-regulated by directed antisense-based compounds, possibly representing the basis of a targeted approach that distinguishes between tumor–associated and normal ERG.
Operating as Experimenting: Synthesizing Engineering and Scientific Values in Nuclear Power Production

Four hundred seventy-six nuclear power plants are in operation or under construction around the world. Are concepts for designing and operating plants safely sufficient? Conventional approaches are...
A New Method in the Design of a Dynamic Pedorthosis for Children With Residual Clubfoot

Clubfoot is a common pediatric orthopaedic deformity. Despite the popularity of Ponseti’s method and night splints such as the Denis–Browne method, there is still an 11–47% rate of deformity relapse reported in the literature. The technique to make traditional orthotics is dependent on a nonweight-bearing casting or foot imprint. These splints outdate clinical treatment trends and only apply to patients who are of nonwalking age. This study shows that a new procedure utilizing computer aided design and the finite element method can be employed to develop a customized weight-bearing dynamic orthotic. In addition, the plantar pressure distribution and the trajectory of the center of this pressure distribution are used to design the orthotic. It is shown that the trajectory of the center of pressure, traditionally used in gait analysis, can be used not only to quantify the severity of the foot deformity but to design a custom orthotic as well. Also, the new procedure allows the custom orthotic to be designed and analyzed within a day. The new orthotic design is composed of soft foam interior layers and a polymer supportive exterior layer. It is proved that rapid prototyping technologies employing selective laser sintering can be used to construct these layers to produce a custom orthotic within a 24 h time frame.