cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Children’s environmental chemical exposures in the USA, NHANES 2003–2012

Children are vulnerable to environmental chemical exposures, but little is known about the extent of multiple chemical exposures among children. We analyzed biomonitoring data from five cycles (2003–2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to describe multiple chemical exposures in US children, examine levels of chemical concentrations present over time, and examine differences in chemical exposures by selected demographic groups. We analyzed data for 36 chemical analytes across five chemical classes in a sample of 4299 children aged 6–18. Classes included metals, pesticides, phthalates, phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We calculated the number and percent of chemicals detected and tested for secular trends over time in chemical concentrations. We compared log concentrations among groups defined by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and poverty using multiple linear regression models and report adjusted geometric means. Among a smaller subgroup of 733 children with data across chemical classes, we calculated the linear correlations within and between classes and conducted a principal component analysis. The percentage of children with detectable concentrations of an individual chemical ranged from 26 to 100%; the average was 93%, and 29 of 36 were detected in more than 90% of children. Concentrations of most tested chemicals were either unchanged or declined from earlier to more recent years. Many differences in concentrations were present by age, sex, poverty, and race/ethnicity categories. Within and between class correlations were all significant and positive, and the principal component analysis suggested a one factor solution, indicating that children exposed to higher levels of one chemical were exposed to higher levels of other chemicals. In conclusion, children in the USA are exposed to multiple simultaneous chemicals at uneven risk across socioeconomic and demographic groups. Further efforts to understand the effects of multiple exposures on child health and development are warranted.
Mapping of complex atrial tachycardia circuits by 3-dimensional body surface mapping: the first step in the dawn of a new era.

The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) has been the gold standard for diagnosis and localization of atrial arrhythmias ([1][1]). Since the initial description of the string galvanometer by Willem Einthoven more than a century ago, there has been little modification to the basic electrode location and
Rich Representations of Visual Content for Screen Reader Users

Alt text (short for "alternative text") is descriptive text associated with an image in HTML and other document formats. Screen reader technologies speak the alt text aloud to people who are visually impaired. Introduced with HTML 2.0 in 1995, the alt attribute has not evolved despite significant changes in technology over the past two decades. In light of the expanding volume, purpose, and importance of digital imagery, we reflect on how alt text could be supplemented to offer a richer experience of visual content to screen reader users. Our contributions include articulating the design space of representations of visual content for screen reader users, prototypes illustrating several points within this design space, and evaluations of several of these new image representations with people who are blind. We close by discussing the implications of our taxonomy, prototypes, and user study findings.
Social Incompetence of FASD Offenders: Risk-Awareness as a Factor in Criminal Culpability

People with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have a greater incidence of criminal justice contact, most often for petty offenses but sometimes for serious crimes. There is a growing consensus, as reflected in criminal statutes and bar association recommendations that FASD may decrease culpability for guilt and may be a mitigating factor in sentencing. The rationale usually noted is that the brain damage associated with FASD affects judgment, reasoning and self-control. Such a rationale, while undoubtedly true, would be more understandable and convincing if it could be embedded within a theory of social behavior and potentially impaired capacity and incompetence. In this paper, we describe a model of both static and dynamic social comptence and apply it to concrete criminal offenses engaged in by individuals with FASD or related neuro-developmental disorders.
Teaching at its Best: A Life-Long Inspiration

L'auteur livre ici des idees sur sa conception de l'education, du rapport entre le professeur et son eleve et sur la quete intemporelle du savoir.
Relations between sleep stage, posture and effective nasal CPAP levels in OSA

A retrospective analysis of positional data from 100 male patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was conducted to determine whether or not 1) the degree of positional dependency was similar in rapid eye movement (REM) compared to non-REM (NREM) sleep, 2) positional dependency correlated with effective levels of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and 3) patients with positional OSA preferentially avoided sleeping in the supine position. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was scored separately for sleep state (NREM and REM) and for posture [off back (AHI-O) and on back (AHI-B)]. The ratio of AHI-O/AHI-B was used to define positional OSA as AHI-O/AHI-B less than or equal to 0.50 (P group) and nonpositional OSA as 0.50 less than AHI-O/AHI-B (NP group). A group of 31 patients who had sufficient sleep time in NREM and REM sleep in both sleep postures was selected. In this group 9 out of 22 subjects who showed positional dependency during NREM sleep became nonpositional during REM sleep (0.05 less than p less than 0.10). The mean effective nasal CPAP level was slightly, but significantly, lower in the P group than in the NP group (8.0 versus 9.1 cm H2O; p less than 0.05). In addition, a correlation between AHI and effective nasal CPAP levels was found (r = 0.491; p = 0.0001). The P group had less supine sleep time (SST) than the NP group (32% versus 45% of total sleep; p less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Electronic Health Records Systems and Continuity of Care

The electronic health record system (EMR or EHR) has become a foundation principle in every modern solution offered as a method for improving health care. Despite encouragement from the federal government (Bush, 2004a,b, 2005), few state departments of corrections have implemented electronic medical records systems. This parallels the free world where paper medical records continue to predominate (Moore, 2006; Oliner, 2002). It is not clear why medical systems have been slow to adopt electronic medical records. Cost remains a substantial impediment for most correctional facilities but it cannot be expense alone. Hospitals possess elaborate computerized financial departments and correctional facilities commonly employ computerized booking and commissary programs, thus there is no objection to the use of computerized records in these settings. Indeed, hospital and clinic managers would see as foolhardy any attempt to run a health care business without a computerized financial system. The loss of a misplaced paper billing record would be seen as catastrophic, but surprisingly scant attention is given to the deplorable state of most paper medical records. When a paper chart cannot be recovered, we simply create another one—a process common enough that it is considered normal. This practice would be unacceptable in any other area of the medical business enterprise. Most areas of technical service delivery have long since adopted electronic systems to contain errors and improve service—airline scheduling systems are electronic and there are no manual telephone switching systems in existence. Given the life and death scenario of medical services, it is unacceptable that error prone manual systems continue to be a major source of medical misadventure. On discharge from prison, inmates move through a series of unrelated health care providers accumulating diagnostic and medication errors as they move along. These errors are a substantial source of morbidity and medical expense. Were there a durable, portable electronic health record or some form of recoverable national medical record these errors could be reduced. There are no technical limitations to achieving these goals and they have been demonstrated in many local and European national projects. Chapter 28
Restorying the Purpose of Business: An Interpretation of the Agenda of the UN Global Compact

The article argues that there is a paradirm shift in our understanding of the role of business in society and that this move is best understood as a "restorying" of the purpose of business. The term "story" is used here to refer to a pattern of meaning. The organization leading this movement is the United Nations Global Compact with its ten principles and 17 Sustainable Development Goals designed to overcome global poverty. With over 9,000 companies in 165 countries "restorying" the purpose of business there is hope for a better life for all.
Intestinal basolateral lipid substrate transport is linked to chylomicron secretion and is regulated by apoC-III.

Chylomicron metabolism is critical for determining plasma levels of triacylglycerols (TAGs) and cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for CVD. The rates of chylomicron secretion and remnant clearance are controlled by intracellular and extracellular factors, including apoC-III. We have previously shown that human apoC-III overexpression in mice (apoC-IIITg mice) decreases the rate of chylomicron secretion into lymph, as well as the TAG composition in chylomicrons. We now find that this decrease in chylomicron secretion is not due to the intracellular effects of apoC-III, but instead that primary murine enteroids are capable of taking up TAG from TAG-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) on their basolateral surface; and via Seahorse analyses, we find that mitochondrial respiration is induced by basolateral TRLs. Furthermore, TAG uptake into the enterocyte is inhibited when excess apoC-III is present on TRLs. In vivo, we find that dietary TAG is diverted from the cytosolic lipid droplets and driven toward mitochondrial FA oxidation when plasma apoC-III is high (or when basolateral substrates are absent). We propose that this pathway of basolateral lipid substrate transport (BLST) plays a physiologically relevant role in the maintenance of dietary lipid absorption and chylomicron secretion. Further, when apoC-III is in excess, it inhibits BLST and chylomicron secretion.
We’re listening: Try a textbook listening tour to advance an OER initiative

It’s little surprise that academic librarians at institutions of every size and type are launching initiatives to encourage instructors to adopt Open Education Resources (OER). Whether these programs offer incentives to faculty or simply promote the benefits of OER and other textbook affordability options, they are a win for students who save money and gain a better learning experience. The textbook affordability movement in higher education also places academic librarians in a new leadership role as they manage campus-wide efforts to promote the benefits of OER. ACRL’s “2018 Top Trends in Academic Libraries” report identifies multiple challenges to faculty adoption, such as the lack of OER resources or perceived quality, but that these are also “opportunities for librarians to cultivate partnerships with faculty in the discovery, advocacy and preservation of OER.”
Quasimode, Eigenfunction and Spectral Projection Bounds for Schrödinger Operators on Manifolds with Critically Singular Potentials

We obtain quasimode, eigenfunction and spectral projection bounds for Schrodinger operators, $$H_V=-\Delta _g+V(x)$$ , on compact Riemannian manifolds (M, g) of dimension $$n\ge 2$$ , which extend the results of the third author (Sogge 1988) corresponding to the case where $$V\equiv 0$$ . We are able to handle critically singular potentials and consequently assume that $$V\in L^{\tfrac{n}{2}}(M)$$ and/or $$V\in {{\mathcal {K}}}(M)$$ (the Kato class). Our techniques involve combining arguments for proving quasimode/resolvent estimates for the case where $$V\equiv 0$$ that go back to the third author (Sogge 1988) as well as ones which arose in the work of Kenig et al. (1987) in the study of “uniform Sobolev estimates” in $${{\mathbb {R}}}^n$$ . We also use techniques from more recent developments of several authors concerning variations on the latter theme in the setting of compact manifolds. Using the spectral projection bounds we can prove a number of natural $$L^p\rightarrow L^p$$ spectral multiplier theorems under the assumption that $$V\in L^{\frac{n}{2}}(M)\cap {{\mathcal {K}}}(M)$$ . Moreover, we can also obtain natural analogs of the original Strichartz estimates (1977) for solutions of $$(\partial _t^2-\Delta +V)u=0$$ . We also are able to obtain analogous results in $${{\mathbb {R}}}^n$$ and state some global problems that seem related to works on absence of embedded eigenvalues for Schrodinger operators in $${{\mathbb {R}}}^n$$ (e.g., Ionescu and Jerison 2003; Jerison and Kenig 1985; Kenig and Nadirashvili 2000; Koch and Tataru 2002; Rodnianski and Schlag 2004).
Implementation of a health-literate patient decision aid for chest pain in the emergency department.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of a new health-literacy-tested patient decision aid for chest pain in Emergency Department (ED) patients. Outcomes included disposition, knowledge, decisional conflict and satisfaction prior to discharge. Patient health literacy was explored as a factor that may explain disparities in sub-group analysis of all outcomes. Methods A health-literacy adapted tool was deployed using a pre/post intervention design. Patients enrolled during the intervention period were given the adapted chest pain decision aid that was used in conversation with their emergency medicine physician to decide on their course of action prior to being discharged. Results A total of 169 participants were surveyed and used in the final analysis. Patients in the usual care group were 2.6 times more likely to be admitted for chest pain than patients in the intervention group. Knowledge scores were higher in the intervention group, while no significant differences were observed in decisional conflict and patient satisfaction, or by patient health literacy level. Conclusion and practice implications Using the adapted chest pain decision tool in emergency medicine may improve knowledge and reduce admissions, while addressing known barriers to understanding related to patient health literacy.
Clinical application of minimal invasive closure of atrial septal defect without cardiopulmonary bypass

Objective To apply a surgical approach of minimal invasive closure to atrial septal defect(ASD)without cardiopulmonary bypass.Methods Between Sept.2004 and Apr.2007,46 cases(male 22,female 24)of atrial septal defeet(ASD)were treated by minimal invasive closure without cardiopulmonary bypass.Their age ranged from 8mon tO 16yr(mean 4.7±3.9 yr)and weight ranged from 8.5 to 35 kg.(mean 1 5.2±6.5 kg).The incision was through the right 4th intercostals space after general anesthesia,and the character and size of ASD were confirmed via the transesophageal eehocardiography(TEE).The occluder device suitable to the ASD was placed through the right atrium and released after making sure it's firmly in place of the defect.Results Among them.45 cases of ostium secundum ASD were closed successfully and 1 failure.The size of ASD was from 8 mm to 25 mm,and the shortest distance of the rim of ASD was 7mm to the mitral valve,8 mm to the top of left atrium,6 mm to superior vena cava and 6 mm to inferior vena cava.There were no residual shunts and operative complications.Conclusions The advantages of minimally invasive closure of ASD without cardiopulmonary bypass are less traumas,no radiation,easy and security of manipulation.It is valuable for clinical application. Key words: Hcart septal defects,atrial; Heart diseases,congenital
Delineation of criteria for admission to step down in the mild traumatic brain injury patient

Patients that suffer a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) with intracranial hemorrhage are commonly admitted to an intensive care unit with repeat imaging in 12 to 24 hours. This is costly to the health-care system. This study aimed to evaluate this practice and to identify criteria to triage patients to lower levels of monitored care. A retrospective review was performed at a university-based Level I trauma center. Patients with mild TBI were included. Data were collected on demographics, neurological status at 6, 12, and 24 hours, CT scan results, and medical or surgical interventions were required. A total of 389 patients were evaluated, 53 had a documented neurological decline while being admitted. Factors found to be associated with a neurological decline included Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15 (P = 0.002), age greater than 55 (P < 0.001), and warfarin use (P = 0.039). Aspirin and Plavix were not associated with neurological decline. No patient age <55 with a GCS of 15 had a documented decline. Several risk factors were found to be associated with neurological decline after mild TBI. These include age, GCS < 15, and warfarin use. Patients aged <55 with GCS 15, posed minimal risk for deterioration. Patients aged <55 and with a GCS of 15 can be admitted to a monitored step-down bed with less frequent neurological checks.
High Resolution Pulse Propagation Driven Trojan Detection in Digital Systems

Outsourcing of IC manufacturing has opened the possibility of intentionally modifying the operation of the IC in a subtle way so that it is extremely difficult to detect, in conventional functional testing. Security in computation is no longer a software only issue, the underlying computing hardware may also be compromised. As occurrence of Trojan activation is rare event, it needs to be detected without actually activating it. In digital systems Trojan payload takes input from low activity nodes of the original circuit. Even when the Trojan is not activated, these tapings of original circuit nodes exhibit extra capacitive load. This work is geared towards detecting these extra capacitances with unprecedented accuracy to uncover malicious Trojans in the circuit. We have shown that pulse propagation in logic circuit can be used to detect any extra stray capacitance at any circuit node with 20-25X better diagnostic resolution than that of any other delay and frequency measurement based techniques. We have developed a current sensor that monitors supply currents at predetermined low activity gates. If any one of these nodes are tapped for Trojan, then due to extra capacitive load the applied pulse gets killed and the difference maximum current (before and after pulse) indicate Trojan occurrence. While majority of the Trojan detection techniques loose diagnostic accuracy with the size of the circuit and amount of process variation, diagnostic capability of the proposed pulse based technique is independent of size of the circuit. The proposed scheme can be integrated into JTAG boundary scan to provide a complete solution for hardware Trojan detection in digital systems.
The Effects of COVID-19 on Young Children’s and Their Parents’ Activities at Home

The eight studies in this special section focus on different aspects of young children’s home learning environments during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and their families came from four different countries- – mainland China, Hong Kong, Israel, Spain, and the U.S. Of interest in all but one of the studies, was the nature of young children’s home learning environment, parents’ engagement with their children’s learning, and factors that improved what occurred at home. Parents’ stress levels and limited access to technology were negative predictors of children’s engagement in home learning activities. Parents’ education and income and teacher support were positive predictors as was children’s ease of use of technology. Parents also reported that they did not receive sufficient training to engage in virtual instruction and did not have sufficient time to do so. Other concerns were raised about whether virtual learning was appropriate for young children given their limited attention spans and the need for a better means of fostering social/emotional development. The special section concludes with an article demonstrating a successful means of virtual instruction the summer before children began formal schooling.
Measurement as a geometry of chance and experience

Abstract Contrary to widespread assumptions, probabilistic models in psychology and the social sciences are not incompatible with the linear geometry of interval measurement. Randomness is typically conceived in terms of sampling problems encountered in representing populations. Statistical approaches to sampling focuses on describing observations at the group level via centralized analytic methods. Probabilistic modelling usually focuses on normal distributions to secure the predictability afforded by the mean and standard deviation functioning as sufficient statistics. A measurement-oriented conception of randomness focuses on response processes exhibiting linear structural invariances constrained by uncertainty. Hypothetical expectations are tested against possibly meaningful observations at the level of individuals. The pattern of responses is taken to inform scores as minimally sufficient to the estimation of model parameters. Statistical models of population sampling distributions are paradigmatically distinct from scientific models of individual measurements admitting a linear geometry. An elementary introduction to the mathematics involved is provided.
Undo Undue Hardship: An Objective Approach to Discharging Federal Students Loans in Bankruptcy

A debtor seeking to discharge student loans in bankruptcy must prove that paying the debt would cause an undue hardship upon him and his dependents. Undue hardship, however, is an undefined concept, flummoxing debtors, creditors and judges alike. The result of this ambiguity is rampant inconsistency in the manners in which similarly-situated debtors (and creditors) are treated by the courts. This article argues that the undue hardship standard should be replaced by a framework that uses debt service thresholds to determine the propriety of federal student loan bankruptcy discharges. Eligibility for discharge would depend on outstanding loan amounts, debtor income history, federal poverty guidelines, and the type of academic program in which the loan was incurred. The goals of the framework would be two-fold: 1) to provide an impartial, economical, and uniform means of assessing the propriety of student loan discharges, and 2) to provide debtors facing crushing student loan debt and few prospects for repaying it with a simplified avenue of relief in bankruptcy.
Group sparsity based multi-target tracking in multi-static passive radar systems using Doppler-only measurements

In this paper, we consider the problem of multi-target tracking in a multi-static passive radar system using Doppler-only measurements. In a multi-static configuration, the observability and estimation accuracy of target states can be significantly improved by simultaneously exploiting all available measurements. Track-before-fuse and fuse-before-track are the two fusion paradigms proposed in the literature to utilize such multi-static measurements. The fuse-before-track approach involves a minimal information loss and thus achieves a better accuracy and robustness than the track-before-fuse counterpart. However, despite the obvious advantages in terms of estimation accuracy and robustness, the centralized measurement fusion approach is difficult due to the prohibitive computational cost. As such, the track-before-fuse approach has been commonly used in multi-static passive radar tracking systems using Doppler-only measurements. In this paper, we exploit a group-sparsity based algorithm to simultaneously utilize the Doppler shift measurements at all bistatic pairs to obtain the target state estimates directly in Cartesian coordinate system. The estimated target states at each sampling instant are then fed as the inputs to the linear Gaussian mixture probability hypothesis filter, which removes the false measurements and correctly associates the measurements to the respective targets. Simulation results are provided to validate the ability of the proposed method to successfully handle the multi-target tracking problem in a challenging environment characterized by missed detection and false measurements.
A research initiative to close the gap between undergraduate and graduate school in engineering

Recent statistics indicate a declining population of undergraduate engineering students that continue toward advanced engineering degrees. This steady downturn in the number of graduate engineering students has fueled fears that the future of the nation's manufacturing and high technology industry is damaged by a severe shortage of skilled engineers unless urgent steps are taken to halt and reverse the decline. In response, The College of Engineering (CoE) at the University of South Florida implemented an internal research experience for undergraduates (REU) initiative designed to provide the student with a valuable research encounter. What has resulted is an important retention in the number of engineering undergraduate students enrolling in our graduate program following their REU experience and a systematic approach to integrate a large number of undergraduate students into the research efforts of the college. In this paper we describe our experience and provide guidance for other interested institutions to implement this initiative. Our initial results show that 64% of our graduates continued toward graduate engineering degrees as a direct result of their research experience.
A Comparative Study of Mating Strategies in Two Species of Philanthus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Our work on the reproductive biology of Philanthus pulcher and P. zebratus in Jackson Hole in 1980 was a continuation of a study which had three major objectives. The first was to determine the relationship between female and male activity patterns. As in other species with extensive female-contributed and no male-contributed parental investment, females are a resource necessary for reproductive success of males. Thus, the activity of females in time and space should be an important parameter affecting the evolution of male mating strategies. Our work in this area is being combined with data we have gathered elsewhere on other species of Philanthus (O'Neill and Evans, unpublished). The second objective was to determine what characteristic of males was important in determining reproductive success and the form of the mating strategy. Since our preliminary data on Philanthus indicated that body size may be the most important variable affecting male reproductive success, we concentrated on this aspect of male biology. This report will focus on our results in this area. The third objective was to determine the role of male-produced sex pheromones in the mating system. (* Erratum: pp. 56 and 57 should be 51 and 52 )
Problems in the Assessment of Mental Illness among the Homeless

Throughout most of the twentieth century, one image was sufficient to depict with reasonable accuracy the population of individuals with no fixed, stable abode at any given point in time. First there was the hobo, an itinerant worker who rode the rails while following the dictates of a lifestyle coherent and established enough to earn its own name—hobohemia—and to have its own newspaper—the Hobo News.1–3 Next came the victims of the Great Depression—residents of squatter towns dubbed Hoovervilles, and migrants, both single men and families, who traveled in the hope that elsewhere they might find the means to earn a living.4 Following the era of prosperity ushered in by World War II came the skid row alcoholic, an older white male whose ties to family and to the institutions of mainstream society had been overwhelmingly strained, if not completely severed.5–8
High fat diet induces aberrant COX-2 gene expression through demethylation of a transcriptional enhancer at a 5’ upstream region of the gene (800.7)

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) produces prostaglandins that participate in multiple physiological and pathological processes, including the activation of inflammatory responses. Induction of COX-2 gene expression has been reported to be correlated with DNA hypomethylation. This study characterized a novel enhancer located at an upstream region on the COX-2 gene and associated alterations of the DNA methylation patterns by high fat diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a high fat diet at different life stages, including maternal (HF/C), post-weaning (C/HF), and lifelong (HF/HF). Liver was collected for analysis at 12 wks of age. Results showed that the high fat diet induced the expression of COX-2 mRNA in all three high fat groups when compared to the control group (C/C). Genome-wide methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) showed that DNA hypomethylation occurred at an upstream region of distal promoter of COX-2 gene in all three high fat groups. Site-specific hypomethylation of CpG in this region was furth...
New Technologies for Miniaturized Spacecraft and Multi-point Cluster Missions

ABSTRACT The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory is currently preparing for its next generation of low Earth orbiting and deep space missions. Auroral Multi-Scale (AMS) is one of those missions. The mission uses four miniature (36 kg each) spacecraft to perform high resolution multi-point electric and magnetic field measurements of auroral phenomena at various altitudes and latitudes. AMS uses a single Pegasus launch vehicle to inject the cluster into its operational orbit. Once deployed, the cluster maintains a tight formation--using GPS for position determination, an imager star tracker for attitude determination, and by taking advantage of atmospheric drag for position control. To implement missions like AMS, new technologies are required that up until recently did not exist. APL has been recently developing a new spacecraft architecture that is extremely small and low power yet adaptable to a variety of different mission types. This architecture uses several new technologies: 1) a modular, miniature, low power, avionics architecture; 2) a flight qualified bare die packaging technique called “chip-on-board”; 3) a technique to mold the spacecraft structures, instead of machining them, that lends itself to mass production, and 4) aerodynamic-drag station keeping. This paper focuses on the implementation of the low cost, but highly capable, Auroral Multiscale multi-point mission, and the technology that enables this highly capable science mission.
Tremorgenic Toxin from Penicillium verruculosum

A new mycotoxin that produces severe tremors and acute toxicity when administered orally or intraperitoneally (ip) to mice and 1-day-old cockerels was obtained from a strain of Penicillium verruculosum Peyronel isolated from peanuts. The ip 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of this tremorgen was 2.4 mg/kg in mice and 15.2 mg/kg in chickens. Orally administered LD(50) values for the toxin were 126.7 mg/kg in mice and 365.5 mg/kg in chickens. The trivial name "verruculogen" is proposed for this tremorgenic mycotoxin. Physical and chemical characteristics of the mycotoxin are described.
A left anterior extrapleural approach to adjust right ventricle-pulmonary artery shunt flow using hemostatic clips after the Norwood operation.

Adjusting right ventricle–pulmonary artery shunt flow with placement of hemostatic clips in the Norwood operation is a useful technique for precise control of pulmonary blood flow in the acute postoperative period. This report describes our technique for optimizing right ventricle–pulmonary artery shunt flow with metal clips through a left anterior extrapleural approach, which can be performed safely and minimally invasively without sternal reopening. This procedure may decrease morbidity and contribute to long-term clinical improvement in patients undergoing the Norwood operation. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12545 (J Card Surg 2015;30:532–534)
Socioeconomic Characteristics Are Major Contributors to Ethnic Differences in Health Status in Obstructive Lung Disease: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2010.

BACKGROUND Understanding ethnic differences in health status (HS) could help in designing culturally appropriate interventions. We hypothesized that racial and ethnic differences exist in HS between non-Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans with obstructive lung disease (OLD) and that these differences are mediated by socioeconomic factors. METHODS We analyzed 826 US adults aged ≥ 30 years self-identified as Mexican American or non-Hispanic white with spirometry-confirmed OLD (FEV 1 /FVC RESULTS Among Mexican Americans with OLD, worse (fair or poor) HS was more prevalent than among non-Hispanic whites (weighted percentage [SE], 46.6% [5.0] vs 15.2% [1.6]; P P CONCLUSIONS Mexican Americans with OLD report poorer overall HS than non-Hispanic whites, and education and access to health care are large contributors to the difference.
Cyclopentadiene Annulation via the Skattebøl Rearrangement: (1R)-9,9-Dimethyltricyclo-[6.1.1.02,6]Deca-2,5-Diene

Cyclopentadiene annulation via the Skattebol rearrangement: (1R)-9,9-dimethyltricyclo-[6.1.1.02,6]deca-2,5-diene intermediate: Dibromocarbene addition to (1R)-nopadiene. reactant: 29.6 g (0.20 mol) of (1R)-nopadiene intermediate: 200 g (0.624 mol) of (1R)-nopyl tosylate and 1000 mL of dimethyl sulfoxide product: (1R)-9,9-Dimethyltricyclo[6.1.1.02,6]deca-2,5-diene Keywords: addition, to CC; annulation, carbocyclic-[3]; annulation, carbocyclic-[5]; annulation, carbocyclic-[M,N]; cyclization, condensation; cyclization, free radical-carbenoid/nitrenoid; elimination, dehalogenation; elimination, dehydrohalogenation; ring expansion reactions; sulfonation, O-sulfonation; methyllithium, ethereal solution of
Postoperative imaging for detection of recurrent arteriovenous malformations in children

OBJECT The optimal method for detecting recurrent arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in children is unknown. An inherent preference exists for MR angiography (MRA) surveillance rather than arteriography. The validity of this strategy is uncertain. METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed on pediatric patients treated for cerebral AVMs at a single institution from 1998 to 2012. Patients with complete obliteration of the AVM nidus after treatment and more than 12 months of follow-up were included in the analysis. Data collection focused on recurrence rates, associated risk factors, and surveillance methods. RESULTS A total of 45 patients with a mean age of 11.7 years (range 0.5-18 years) were treated for AVMs via surgical, endovascular, radiosurgical, or combined approaches. Total AVM obliteration on posttreatment digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was confirmed in 27 patients, of whom the 20 with more than 12 months of follow-up were included in subsequent analysis. The mean follow-up duration in this cohort was 5.75 years (median 5.53 years, range 1.11-10.64 years). Recurrence occurred in 3 of 20 patients (15%). Two recurrences were detected by surveillance DSA and 1 at the time of rehemorrhage. No recurrences were detected by MRA. Median time to recurrence was 33.6 months (range 19-71 months). Two patients (10%) underwent follow-up DSA, 5 (25%) had DSA and MRI/MRA, 9 (45%) had MRI/MRA only, 1 (5%) had CT angiography only, and 3 (15%) had no imaging within the first 3 years of follow-up. After 5 years posttreatment, 2 patients (10%) were followed with MRI/MRA only, 2 (10%) with DSA only, and 10 (50%) with continued DSA and MRI/MRA. CONCLUSIONS AVM recurrence in children occurred at a median of 33.6 months, when MRA was more commonly used for surveillance, but failed to detect any recurrences. A recurrence rate of 15% may be an underestimate given the reliance on surveillance MRA over angiography. A new surveillance strategy is proposed, taking into account exposure to diagnostic radiation and the potential for catastrophic rehemorrhage.
Cumulative readings of every do not provide evidence for events and thematic roles

An argument by Kratzer (2000) based on Schein (1986, 1993) does not conclusively show that events and thematic roles are necessary ingredients of the logical representation of natural language sentences. The argument claims that cumulative readings of every can be represented only with these ingredients. But scope-splitting accounts make it possible to represent cumulative readings of every in an eventless framework. Such accounts are motivated by obligatory reconstruction effects of every and by crosslinguistic considerations. Kratzer proposes that agent but not theme occurs in the logical representation of sentences because this allows her to model subject-object asymmetries in the distribution of cumulative every. But the reason for these asymmetries seems to be that every must be c-commanded by another quantifier in order to cumulate with it, no matter what its thematic role is. So the distribution of cumulative every does not provide support for Kratzer's proposal.
7,11-epi-thyrsiferol: completion of its synthesis, evaluation of its antimitotic properties, and the further development of an SAR model.

We (a) describe the completion of a total synthesis of 7,11-epi-thyrsiferol (4), (b) compare the antimitotic activities of thyrsiferol (2), Δ15,28-dehydrothyrsiferol (3), and 7,11-epi-thyrsiferol (4), (c) evaluate the synergistic behavior of the title compound and colchicine to inhibit cell proliferation, and (d) describe the results of conformational searches that provide additional insight concerning the SAR profile of the thyrsiferol family of natural products.
Using agents to reach an ontology consensus

We address the problem of agents collaboratively creating a common ontology through consensus methods using human user-created diverse ontologies as their starting point. We evaluate various voting algorithms used by the agents in IDOCS (Intelligent Distributed Ontology Consensus System) for the iterative agreement phase of the consensus process. Iterative agreement enables the agents to reach a consensus on a common ontology. We demonstrated this approach with proof of concept experiments in the genetics research phenotyping domain.
Fabrication and electrical properties of polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) thin films for high-temperature heat flux sensors

Abstract In this paper, we describe the fabrication of ceramic thin films for high-temperature heat flux sensors. The polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) thin films are prepared by using soft lithography on pre-ceramic polymer precursors followed by pyrolysis and heat treatment. Processing routes have been developed which lead to thin film resistance-thermal detectors (RTD) that have sufficient mechanical strength for handling and for use in thermal sensing. The effect of annealing temperatures on the electric resistivity of the PDC sensors was investigated. The electrical resistivity of the sensors was measured at different temperatures.
Microtexture and microstructure evolution during processing of pure aluminum by repetitive ECAP

Abstract Microtexture and microstructure evolution during repetitive equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) of pure aluminum through a 90° die was evaluated by orientation imaging microscopy (OIM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Billet distortion appears to conform to the idealized ECAP model. After the initial pass, the textures were inhomogeneous but one or more shear-texture components and long-range lattice rotations were apparent. Following repetitive ECAP, the textures became more homogeneous but still included either two or three distinct shear-texture orientations. The OIM and TEM data revealed meso-scale deformation bands that were inclined at about 26° to the axis of the as-pressed samples and that involved alternation of lattice orientations between distinct shear-texture orientations. The band interfaces were of high disorientation (40–62.8°) and were distinct boundaries in TEM. The evolution of the band structures during repetitive ECAP accounts for an increasing population of high-angle boundaries in repetitively processed materials.
Mineral Influence on Microbial Survival During Carbon Sequestration

Geologic carbon sequestration involves the injection of supercritical carbon dioxide into deep saline aquifers. Some of the CO2 dissolves into the brines, perturbing water chemistry and water-rock interactions, and impacting microbial habitat and survival. In this study 3 model organisms were tested for their ability to survive high pressures of CO2 exposure in batch cultures: the gram-negative Shewanella oneidensis (SO) strain MR-1, the gram-positive Geobacillus stearothermophilus (GS), and the methanogenic archaeon Methanothermobacter thermoautitrophicus (MT). Results indicate that GS can survive the highest pressures of CO2 for the longest periods of time while SO is the most sensitive to CO2 toxicity. Survival was then evaluated for SO with various minerals and rocks representative of deep saline aquifers to determine if minerals enhanced survival. Cultures were exposed to 25 bar of CO2 for 2 to 8 h and were plated for viable cell counts. Results show that biofilm formation on the mineral surface is i...
Regulation of estrogen-stimulated lordosis behavior and hypothalamic progestin receptor induction by antiestrogens in female rats.

Abstract Two estrogen antagonists, CI-628 (CI) and tamoxifen (TX), were used to examine the relationship between estrogen priming of lordosis behavior and progestin receptor induction in the hypothalamus-preoptic area (HPOA) of ovariectomized female rats. Lordosis behavior was assessed by measuring lordosis quotients (LQ) in response to injection of 2 μg of estradiol benzoate (EB) followed 48 hr later by 500 μg of progesterone (P). Behavior testing began 4 hr after P injection. The effects of antiestrogens were assessed by injecting CI and TX (1–2 mg) from 0 to 48 hr prior to EB. Levels of cytosol progestin receptor in the HPOA were determined by quantifying the specific binding of 0.5 nM [3H]R5020 to cytosols from animals receiving the same EB and antiestrogen treatments used in behavioral testing. TX given concurrently with or CI given 2 hr before EB abolished both lordosis behavior and induction of HPOA progestin receptors. In contrast, CI given 12 hr prior to EB abolished lordosis but permitted a 95% elevation in the concentration of progestin binding sites in the HPOA. TX or CI given 48 hr before EB resulted in moderate levels of lordosis (mean LQs from 56 to 69) and induction of HPOA progestin receptors from 85 to 130% above noninjected controls. However, CI given 24 hr prior to EB produced less than a 40% increase in brain R5020 binding even though lordosis behavior was equivalent to that seen in the 48-hr animals (mean LQ = 53). These data indicate that the effects of antiestrogens on female sexual behavior and on the synthesis of brain progestin receptors depend on which antiestrogen is used and the time interval between administration of estrogen and antiestrogen. They also demonstrate that under some conditions estrogen induction of cytosol progestin receptors in the HPOA can be dissociated from estrogen priming of lordosis behavior in rats.
Bit-Oriented Control Procedures for Computer-to-Computer Communications Systems

BIT-ORIENTED CONTROL PROCEDURES ARE A NEW GENERATION OF COMMUNICATION LINK CONTROL PROCEDURES WHICH HAVE EVOLVED DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THESE NEW PROCEDURES OFFER MANY ADVANTAGES OVER CHARACTER-ORIENTED OR BASIC MODE CONTROL PROCEDURES WHICH ARE COMMONLY USED TODAY. BECAUSE OF THIS, IT IS EXPECTED THAT BIT-ORIENTED CONTROL PROCEDURES WILL EVENTUALLY REPLACE CHARACTER-ORIENTED PROCEDURES FOR MOST SYNCHRONOUS DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS APPLICATIONS.
Low temperature oxidation of n-butylcyclohexane

Abstract n-Butylcyclohexane, a possible surrogate component for petroleum- and coal-derived jet fuels, was oxidized in a flow reactor through the low temperature region from 600 to 820 K while other inlet conditions were held constant (0.8 MPa pressure, 0.120 s residence time, and 0.38 equivalence ratio). CO, CO2, and O2 were measured over the entire range of temperatures and stable intermediate species were collected at five temperatures and analyzed using a gas chromatograph/flame ionization detector/mass spectrometer. The measured species indicated that the n-butyl chain and the cyclohexane ring interact at low temperatures and result in low temperature reactivity similar to linear alkanes. At similar inlet conditions (0.8 MPa pressure, 0.120 s residence time, and 0.30 equivalence ratio), methylcyclohexane and n-butylbenzene, each neat, were oxidized in the reactor from 600 to 800 K and no reactivity was observed. This indicated the importance of the alkyl chain in low temperature oxidation of alkylcyclohexanes. To confirm that current understanding of low temperature oxidation chemistry of alkanes applies for n-butylcyclohexane, a preliminary reaction set, composed of 80 reactions and 42 species, was developed and incorporated into an existing high temperature jet fuel surrogate model. The new reaction scheme required calculation of thermochemistry for several compounds. The combined model predicts the overall low temperature reactivity of n-butylcyclohexane oxidation at the experimental conditions.
CLINICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D (D) ON PREGNANT RABBITS AND THEIR OFFSPRING

Maternal and fetal D homeostasis has not been studied during ingestion of large amounts of D in pregnancy. Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were mated and divided equally into one of five D2 treatment groups receiving 105 u, 5×104 u, 104 u, 103 u or placebo IM during pregnancy. At term, all newborns were delivered by C-section. There were 2 maternal deaths (from 105 and 5×104 D group) and 18 abortions (6 of 105 D, 12 of 5×105 D). The rest of 5×104 D group failed to conceive. Increased maternal D was related to poor maternal weight gain (r=-.47, p<.05). At term, 104 D group had significantly higher total Ca, 17.2±0.2mg% (mean±SEM) vs 13.6±1.0 pre-study (paired t, p<.05); the 5×104 D and 104 D had higher Ca (16.4±.5 and 17±0.2) vs controls, 13.3±0.96 (t test, p<.05). The other 3 groups were not different. Increased maternal D was related to decreased maternal-fetal gradient of D (r=.58, p<.01). Newborns from 104 D group had higher ionized Ca (Orion SS-20), 6.21±.28mg% vs 5.23±0.06 in controls (p<.001). Newborn 25-OH D (modified Belsey's) was lower in 105 D and 103 D, 25±1ng/ml and 23±1 vs 30±3 in controls (p<.10). Newborn ascending aortas (modified step-sectioning technique) showed focal proliferative supravalvular intimal lesions in newborns of rabbits given D but not in controls. Thus, high D ingestion in rabbits during pregnancy adversely affects maternal weight gain, fetal death and fetal Ca, maternal-fetal gradient of D, newborn D levels, and produces histological changes in the newborn aorta.
SOCIAL CLASS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA.

This study examines the relationship between the incidence of schizophrenia and social class in two culturally contrasting subcommunities in Detroit. The study focused on (1) whether the incidence rates of schizophrenia vary inversely with the class structure and (2) the relationship of incidence to vertical mobility. Results indicate that, although there is a heavy concentration of schizophrenics in the lowest social class, there are no significant differences in its incidence among the other four classes.