cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weight status in childhood as a predictor of becoming overweight or hypertensive in early adulthood.

Objective: To assess the extent to which weight status in childhood or adolescence predicts becoming overweight or hypertensive by young adulthood. Research Methods and Procedures: We conducted a prospective study of 314 children, who were 8 to 15 years old at baseline, and were followed up 8 to 12 years later. Weight, height, and blood pressure were measured by trained research staff. Incident overweight was defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 among participants who had not been overweight as children. Results: More male subjects (48.3%) than female subjects (23.5%) became overweight or obese between their first childhood visit and the young adult follow-up (p < 0.001). Being in the upper one half of the normal weight range (i.e., BMI between the 50th and 84th percentiles for age and gender in childhood) was a good predictor of becoming overweight as a young adult. Compared with children with a BMI <50th percentile, girls and boys between the 50th and 74th percentiles of BMI were ∼5 times more likely [boys, odds ratio (OR) = 5.3, p = 0.002; girls, OR = 4.8, p = 0.07] and those with a BMI between the 75th and 84th percentiles were up to 20 times more likely (boys, OR = 4.3, p = 0.02; girls, OR = 20.2, p = 0.001) to become overweight. The incidence of high blood pressure was greater among the male subjects (12.3% vs. 1.9%). Compared with boys who had childhood BMI below the 75th percentile, boys between the 75th and 85th percentiles of BMI as children were four times more likely (OR = 3.6) and those at above the 85th percentile were five times more likely (OR = 5.1) to become hypertensive. Discussion: High normal weight status in childhood predicted becoming overweight or obese as an adult. Also, among the boys, elevated BMI in childhood predicted risk of hypertension in young adulthood.
Molecular modeling of sigma receptor ligands : a model of binding based on conformational and electrostatic considerations

We have performed molecular modeling studies on four representative sigma receptor specific ligands, (+)haloperidol, (+)3-PPP, (+)pentazocine and progesterone, to develop a model for sigma receptor-ligand binding. The modeling studies have investigated the conformational and electrostatic properties of the ligands. Based on the complementarity of the conformational and electrostatic properties of the ligands, a model of binding has been proposed which shows that the four ligands can fit a common receptor sit. Unlike the binding model for haloperidol that was previously proposed by Manallack and Andrews, our model binds haloperidol in the gauche conformation. The first site binds the fluorophenyl group and the second site the lone pair of the piperidine nitrogen. This pharmacophore can be presented by (+)3-PPP and (+)pentazocine, but for progesterone the binding model requires the ring junction of the cyclohexenyl ring A and ring B to fit the fluorophenyl region, while the lone pair of the acetylcarbonyl oxygen at ring D emulates the nitrogen lone pair of the piperidine ring. Calculations were performed using RCG5 for generating conformations, molecular mechanics for calculating steric energies, quantum mechanical methods for generating charges, and ARCHEM for calculating electrostatic potentials on the Van der Waals surface.
Incremental Weight Loss Improves Cardiometabolic Risk in Extremely Obese Adults

OBJECTIVE: Excessively obese adults often acquire many metabolic disorders that put them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. We investigated the hypothesis that cardiometabolic risk in a primary care cohort of 208 excessively obese adults (body mass index 40-60 kg/m 2 , 48 with type 2 diabetes mellitus) would deteriorate with additional weight gain and improve incrementally beginning with 5% weight reduction. METHODS: Further analysis of the Louisiana Obese Subjects Study of excessively obese patients enrolled and followed during 2005-2008 is reported. RESULTS: Weight loss correlated significantly with improvements in fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Most parameters deteriorated with weight gain and progressively improved with 5% or more weight loss. Except for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, all risk factors significantly improved with20% loss of body weight. Among patients who had not been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and had normoglycemia at baseline, median fasting plasma glucose increased significantly (13%) with stable or gained weight at 1 year, but did not change significantly with reduced weight. Although glucose levels did not change significantly in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who gained weight, a decline beginning after 5% weight reduction culminated in 25% glucose reduction with20% weight loss. Resting blood pressure declined independently of weight change. CONCLUSION: Very obese adults can improve their cardiometabolic risk under primary care weight management. Incremental success may help motivate further therapeutic weight reduction.
Ultra Fast X-Ray Streak Camera

A unique ultrafast x—ray sensitive streak camera with a time resolution of 50 psec has been built and operated. A 100 A thick gold photocathode on a beryllium vacuum window is used in a modified commercial image converter tube. The x—ray streak camera has been used in experiments to observe time resolved emission from laser—produced plasmas.
Rietveld quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis of NIST fly ash standard reference materials

Rietveld quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis of the fly ash Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technologies was performed. A rutile (TiO2) internal standard was used to enable quantitation of the glass content, which ranged from 65% to 78% by weight. The GSAS Rietveld code was employed. Precision was obtained by performing six replicates of an analysis, and accuracy was estimated using mixtures of fly ash crystalline phases and an amorphous phase. The three low-calcium (ASTM Class F) fly ashes (SRM 1633b, 2689 and 2690) contained four crystalline phases: quartz, mullite, hematite, and magnetite. SRM 1633b also contained a detectable level of gypsum, which is not common for this type of fly ash. The high-calcium (ASTM Class C) fly ash, SRM 2691, had eleven crystalline phases and presented a challenge for the version of GSAS employed, which permits refinement of only nine crystalline phases. A method of analyzing different groups of nine phases and averaging the results was developed, and tested satisfactorily with an eleven-phase simulated fly ash. The results were compared to reference intensity ratio method semiquantitative analyses reported for most of these SRMs a decade ago.
Extracellular release of carbon by marine phytoplankton; a physiological approach1

The production of soluble, ‘%-labeled organic material from H “C0,by cultures and natural populations of marine phytoplankton has been examined with particular attention to cxperimcntal technique. Extracellular release is a normal f;mction of healthy cells, is closely related to photosynthetic rate, and is a minor component (up to 5 pg C-liter-‘ah-‘) of total primary productivity in coastal waters. Time-course studies and chemical cell-fractionations indicate that newly synthesized organic “‘C is distributed among various cell polymers and the extracellular medium from a rapidly labeled, soluble intracellular pool of small molecules. The rate of supply of carbon to this pool may determine the relative rate of release. Extracellular “C appearing during transient light shock may preferentially arise from rapidly moIjilized polysaccharide and is not simply the result of cell lysis.
A comparative study of mass and energy exchange rates over a closed C3 (wheat) and an open C4 (corn) crop: II. CO2 exchange and water use efficiency

Abstract Major differences exist between the photosynthetic and transpiration rates of C3 and C4 leaves as a result of biochemical and physiological factors. Whether or not differences between CO2 and water vapor exchange rates of C3 and C4 species scale from leaf to field dimensions is poorly known. The aim of this work is to improve our understanding on how environmental, architectural and physiological variables affect the flux densities of CO2 and water vapor over C3 and C4 crop stands during day and night periods. Experimental data were obtained over a closed wheat and an open corn stand using the eddy correlation method. Interpretation of the field measurements is aided by the use of a canopy photosynthesis/evaporation model. The flux density of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (Qa) had a disproportionate influence on CO2 flux densities measured over a closed C3 and an open C4 crop. Variations in Qa explained over 88% of the variance in daytime CO2 flux densities, Fc. At night, canopy radiative temperature was the main environmental factor controlling the respiratory CO2 efflux by the two crops. Leaf area index and growth stage were the plant variables that affected Fc most. Incremental increases in leaf area index enhanced the corn crop's ability to absorb incident solar radiation and enlarged the corn's sink strength for CO2. Heading by the wheat caused rates of daytime CO2 gains to decrease and rates of night-time CO2 losses to increase. Water use efficiency of the wheat crop improved as the absolute humidity deficit of the atmosphere decreased. Water use efficiency of the corn, on the other hand, was relatively insensitive to humidity deficits. With regard to canopy CO2 exchange and water use efficiency, differences in canopy structure between the wheat and corn overwhelmed physiological differences. The closed C3 wheat crop assimilated CO2 at a higher rate than the sparse C4 corn canopy, even though corn uses a more efficient photosynthetic pathway. Consequently, water use efficiency of the corn was not greater than values measured over the wheat. Instead, water use efficiencies of the two crops were similar. The corn crop assimilated CO2 at a lower rate than wheat because the corn's canopy quantum yield was lower and because its sparse canopy absorbed less photosynthetically active radiation than the closed wheat stand.
Relative Effects of Calorie Restriction and Weight Loss in Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus*

In obese patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), reducing calorie intake improves glycemic control, often more rapidly than weight loss. Conversely, after weight loss has been achieved, metabolic control can deteriorate once calorie intake is increased, even if there is no regaining of weight. The current study, therefore, tested the hypothesis that restricting calorie consumption has an important role, independent of weight loss, in metabolic regulation of NIDDM patients. Isotopic determinations of hepatic glucose production (HGP), post-absorptively and after ingestion of 75 g glucose (dual glucose isotope method), were made in conjunction with measurement of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in seven obese NIDDM volunteers after four periods of controlled calorie intake: 1) 7 days of a baseline weight maintenance diet, 2) followed immediately by 7 days of calorie restriction (800 Cal/day); 3) followed by a weight loss program that consisted of 2 months of a very low calorie...
Nanometer metrology using ultrafast optoacoustics

We present a method for accessing nanoscale dimensions in semiconductor wafer metrology, using ultrafast optoacoustic ranging. One illustrative example is the measurement of dimensions and profile of nanometer scale deep trenches in silicon-wafer based structures.
Methyl Ketone Production in Milk-Fat-Coated Microcapsules. 2. Methyl Ketones from Controlled Concentrations of Free Fatty Acids

Abstract The effects of controlled availability of substrate on the production of methyl ketones in milk-fat-coated microcapsules were studied to determine the suitability of the microcapsules for the accelerated ripening of cheese types that would derive flavor benefits from added methyl ketones. In a 2 × 2 factorial experiment, microcapsules were made containing Penicillium roqueforti spores, phosphate buffer, and one of two levels of a low melting fraction of milk fat in water emulsion. The emulsion had been incubated with pancreatic lipase for 4 or 8h. Production of methyl ketones (2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, and 2-nonanone) and FFA (hexanoic, octanoic, and decanoic acids) during the 30-d incubation at 10°C were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Methyl ketone concentrations increased initially but then rapidly decreased in the first 200h of incubation and eventually declined to near zero. Free fatty acid concentrations were initially high, but they rapidly decreased in the first 50h of incubation and stabilized near 250μg/g capsules. 2-Nonanone was the most abundant methyl ketone, but its precursor, decanoic acid, was generally no more abundant than hexanoic acid, the precursor of 2-pentanone. Because the highest concentrations of methyl ketones produced in these capsules were much lower than the levels produced in microcapsules with lipase (18), this method seems promising for controlling levels of methyl ketones produced by this microcapsule system.
Automated quantification of renal fibrosis with Sirius Red and polarization contrast microscopy

Interstitial fibrosis is commonly measured by histology. The Masson trichrome stain is widely used, with semiquantitative scores subjectively assigned by trained operators. We have developed an objective technique combining Sirius Red staining, polarization contrast microscopy, and automated analysis. Repeated analysis of the same sections by the same operator (r = 0.99) or by different operators (r = 0.98) was highly consistent for Sirius Red, while Masson trichrome performed less consistently (r = 0.61 and 0.72, respectively). These techniques performed equally well when comparing sections from the left and right kidneys of mice. Poor correlation between Sirius Red and Masson trichrome may reflect different specificities, as enhanced birefringence with Sirius Red staining is specific for collagen type I and III fibrils. Combining whole-section imaging and automated image analysis with Sirius Red/polarization contrast is a rapid, reproducible, and precise technique that is complementary to Masson trichrome. It also prevents biased selection of fields as fibrosis is measured on the entire kidney section. This new tool shall enhance our search for novel therapeutics and noninvasive biomarkers for fibrosis.
Myasthenia gravis and scleroderma: Two cases and a review of the literature

Myasthenia gravis is uncommon in patients with scleroderma, and when diagnosed is usually associated with previous use of d-penicillamine. Clinically, both myasthenia and scleroderma may present with fatigue, weakness and bulbar symptoms, so one of diagnoses may be delayed. We report two new cases and review clinical features of 12 other reported cases of co-existing scleroderma and myasthenia gravis, unrelated to previous d-penicillamine therapy. Co-occurrence of myasthenia and scleroderma was reported almost exclusively (13/14) in women with a mean latency of 7.03 years. Most patients (10/11) had seropositive generalized myasthenia, and there were no cases with exclusively ocular symptoms. Three patients with pre-existing myasthenia were safely treated with d-penicillamine. Myasthenia and scleroderma occur in the context of an underlying autoimmune diathesis, but their co-occurrence could be underreported as the recognition of either disorder may be delayed by overlapping clinical symptoms. Our findings also suggest that d-penicillamine may be cautiously used in selected patients with pre-existing scleroderma and myasthenia, when potential benefits outweigh the risk of possible myasthenia exacerbation.
Evolutionary Theory in Archaeological Explanation

In spite of the the fact that archaeology embodies the study of change, it is only within the last few years that neo-Darwinian theory has begun to have an impact on archaeological explanation. This lack of acceptance of neo-Darwinian theory in archaeology is in part the result of a long history of archaeologists misunderstanding the processes and expectations of evolutionary theory. This volume attempts to illustrate the applicability of neo-Darwinian theory in archaeology by compiling studies that use this theoretical basis to resolve archaeological problems at varying degrees of temporal depth, at varying scales of social complexity, and employing varying metholodologies. Although a broad range of topics are covered in this volume, a number of issues remain to be addressed, including: links between evolutionary units and archaeological explanation; processes involved with the origin of behavioral variability; processes involved with the transmission of behavior; evaluating behavioral fitness; and the role of ‘non-Darwinian’ processes in behavioral change.
Spin lifetime in small ensembles of electron spins measured by magnetic resonance force microscopy

Magnetic resonance force microscopy can enable nanoscale imaging of spin lifetime. We report temperature dependent measurements of the spin correlation time τ_m of the statistical fluctuations of the spin polarization--the spin noise--of ensembles containing ~100 electron spins by this technique. Magneto-mechanical relaxation due to spin-cantilever coupling was controlled and spurious mechanisms that can affect the spin correlation time of the microscopic signal were characterized. These measurements have ramifications for optimizing spin sensitivity, understanding local spin dynamics and for nanoscale imaging.
Conductive Fabric Garment for a Cable-Free Body Area Network

Theoretical analysis and experimentation show that a prototype body area network composed of 20 electrically conductive fabric sheets can transmit both signals and DC power sufficient for implementing a cable-free network in a garment. This wearable system has broad applications. The applications presented represent just two areas where our garment technology can be useful in the health-monitoring domain. As wearable computing matures, alternative electronic systems like ours can play a larger role in applications. Meanwhile, the DC-PLC system we've developed presents a workable model for the design of CF garments
Impact of preoperative radiation on survival of patients with T3N0 >7-cm non-small cell lung cancers treated with anatomic resection using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.

Abstract Background Very large non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) remain a therapeutic challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgery in the presence and absence of neoadjuvant radiation (NRT) on survival of patients with T3N0 >7-cm NSCLCs. Materials and methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to identify patients undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy for T3N0 NSCLC tumors >7 cm from 1999–2008. Patients were categorized into groups based on type of surgery performed and whether NRT was used. Five-year overall (OS) and lung cancer–specific survival (LCSS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and comparisons made using log-rank tests and Cox regression models. Results There were 1301 patients evaluated, including 1232 undergoing primary surgical therapy (PST) and 69 receiving NRT. NRT was not associated with improvements in 5-y OS (48% versus 41%, P = 0.062) or LCSS (59% versus 52%, P = 0.116) compared with PST. Lobectomies were associated with better 5-y OS (43% versus 33%; P = 0.006) and LCSS (54% versus 43%, P = 0.005) compared with pneumonectomies. On multivariate analysis, NRT did not produce any significant advantage in OS ( P = 0.242) and LCSS ( P = 0.208). Pneumonectomies were associated with significantly worse OS (hazard ratio, 1.32; P = 0.007) and LCSS (hazard ratio, 1.38; P = 0.005) when compared with lobectomies. Conclusions NRT, which most likely was a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, was not associated with improvements in OS or LCSS in patients with T3N0 >7-cm NSCLC compared with PST. When feasible, lobectomy appears more beneficial than pneumonectomy in terms of long-term survival for very large tumors.
The influence of aggregation on the redox chemistry of humic substances

Environmental context. The ability of humic substances (decaying plant and animal matter) to partake in redox reactions in the environment depends on the extent to which the various humic polymers aggregate in solution to form larger particles. This aggregation, in turn, is predicated on the solution conditions, especially ionic strength, the pH, and the types of cations present. Abstract. Aggregation and conformation play an important role in the aqueous redox chemistry of humic substances (HS). The reduction potentials of dissolved humic and fulvic acids vary with pH, ionic strength, and type of humate used, and depending on the solution conditions, they can abiotically reduce various species. Changes in HS reduction potential ranged from 60 to 140 mV on addition of divalent cations, whereas no significant changes were observed with equivalent additions of monovalent cations. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed that this behaviour paralleled the size changes obtained with humic aggregates under the same conditions. The effect was more pronounced at higher pH, where divalent cations caused a significant decrease in the average hydrodynamic radius, whereas monovalent cations did not. At pH 4, neither mono- nor divalent cations substantially affected aggregate sizes. Quinoid moieties, which are known to play an important role in the redox chemistry of HS, displayed fluorescence excitation–emission matrices with features related to changes in the reduction potential of HS. An increase in the reduction potential (Eh) induced by the addition of Ca2+, for instance, caused a red shift in the excitation–emission matrix maximum.
Inverted pneumatic retinopexy: a method of treating retinal detachments associated with inferior retinal breaks.

Abstract Purpose To introduce the new approach of inverted pneumatic retinopexy for the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks. Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants Eleven patients presenting with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with causative inferior retinal breaks. Intervention Sterile gas/air injection, cryopexy/laser retinopexy, with inverted positioning. Main outcome measures Postoperative primary and final anatomical outcome, visual acuity, and complications. Results Patients were followed for a minimum of 3 months (mean, 5.1 months). Primary retinal reattachment was obtained in 10 of 11(91%) patients. One patient sustained a redetachment secondary to proliferative vitreoretinopathy, resulting in a single operation reattachment rate of 82%. Final reattachment was obtained in 11 of 11 (100%) patients. Mean visual acuity improved about 3 lines from 20/60 to 20/30, with 11 of 11 patients experiencing improvement in their visual acuity. Two patients required an additional surgical procedure to achieve final anatomic success. No new breaks were identified in the postoperative period, and no complications resulted from the pneumatical procedure. Conclusions Inverted pneumatic retinopexy can successfully repair retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks under appropriate conditions.
The Effect of Bank Activity Restriction on Life Insurers’ Efficiency: Evidence from European Markets

This paper examines the relation between bank entry restrictions into insurance operations and life insurers’ operating efficiency for a sample of 21 European countries over 1995-2003. Controlling for insurance market penetration, insurance risk retention, legal environment, and the economic development of the hosting country, we document that insurers operate more efficiently in markets with lower bank entry restrictions. Our results suggest that financial deregulation has positive spill-over effect, supporting the deregulation efforts in the global financial markets.
Writing Instruction in Kindergarten Examining an Emerging Area of Research for Children with Writing and Reading Difficulties

This review examines the literature on how to teach kindergarten children with reading and writing difficulties how to write. Specifically, research on handwriting instruction, spelling instruction, and composition writing is discussed. Due to the limited number of empirical studies on writing that included kindergarten students with diagnosed reading and writing difficulties, selected studies conducted with the full range of kindergarten children, as well as studies conducted in the early elementary grades, are presented to highlight future directions for research.
Where We Are Now and Future Possibilities

This article offers an overview of and commentary on the articles in the volume, ponders some of the issues they raise, and recommends further research possibilities.
Modeling the role of the cell cycle in regulating Proteus mirabilis swarm-colony development

Abstract We present models and computational results which indicate that the spatial and temporal regularity seen in Proteus mirabilis swarm-colony development is largely an expression of a specific, nearly precise age of dedifferentiation in the cell cycle from motile swarmer cells to immotile dividing cells. This contrasts strongly with reaction–diffusion models of Proteus behavior that ignore or average out the age structure of the cell population and instead use only density-dependent mechanisms. We argue the necessity of retaining this known biological feature using explicit age structure in the model, and suggest that certain experiments may validate this underlying mechanism empirically.
Confronting connectivity: feminist challenges to the metropolis

ABSTRACTGoogle suggests that connectivity is the new paradigm for politics in the digital age. I argue that the effect of connectivity is a shift in the operation of power from the centralized institutions of the state to the decentralized logistics of inclusion of the digital metropolis. Explaining this power's features, I elaborate a media theory of inclusive disjunction and a feminist theory of pornographic exposure. Locating cultural resistance to connectivity, I look to feminist artistic responses to the city, from which I explore the feminist imagining of connectivity through the metaphor of the storm to reclaim their bodies as sites of contestation.
A Comparative CFD Study on Flamelet Generated Manifold and Steady Laminar Flamelet Modeling for Turbulent Flames

Laminar Flamelet Model (LFM) [1–2] represents the turbulent flame brush using statistical averaging of laminar flamelets whose structure is not affected by turbulence. The chemical non-equilibrium effects considered in this model are due to local turbulent straining only. In contrast, Flamelet Generated Manifold (FGM) [3] model considers that the scalar evolution, the realized trajectories on the thermo-chemical manifold in a turbulent flame is approximated by the scalar evolution similar to that in a laminar flame. This model does not involve any assumption on flame structure. Therefore, it can be successfully used to model ignition, slow chemistry and quenching effects far away from the equilibrium. In FGM, 1D premixed flamelets are solved in reaction-progress space rather than physical space. This helps better solution convergence for the flamelets over the entire mixture fraction range, especially with large kinetic mechanisms at the flammability limits [4].In the present work, a systematic comparative study of FGM model with LFM for four different turbulent diffusion/premixed flames is presented. First flame considered in this work is methane-air flame with dilution air at the downstream. Second and third flame considered are jet flames in a coaxial flow of hot combustion products from a lean premixed flame called Cabra lifted H2 and CH4 flames [5–6] where the reacting flow associated with the central jet exhibits similar chemical kinetics, heat transfer and molecular transport as recirculation burners without the complex recirculating fluid mechanic. The fourth flame considered is Sandia flame D [7], a piloted methane-air jet flame. It is observed that the simulation results predicted by FGM model are more physical and accurate compared to LFM in all the flames presented in this work.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Diagnostic phylogenetics reveals a new Porcine circovirus 2 cluster

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) was prevalent in swine in the United States before PCV2-associated disease (PCVAD) appeared in 2006. Limited nucleotide sequencing of open reading frame 2 (ORF2) encoding capsid, the only structural protein, revealed the presence of two genotypes, PCV2a and PCV2b. Later, PCV2c and mutant PCV2b, or PCV2d, were also described. However, extensive PCV2 ORF2 sequence databases in veterinary diagnostic laboratories have not been analyzed systematically to determine the genetic diversity of field isolates. Here, we interrogated >1100 PCV2 ORF2 nucleotide sequences to assess population diversity and genetic variation. We detected a novel PCV2 genotype that is substantially different, primarily in ORF2, from all known PCV2. Notably, ORF2 contains a unique carboxyl terminal amino acid insertion resulting in a 238 amino acid ORF2. All other PCV2 ORF2 proteins are 233 or 234 aa in length. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that it is more ancient than other PCV2 genotypes. The findings demonstrate the value of analyzing routine diagnostic laboratory sequence databases in population genetic analyses of animal pathogens.
Stress and the State of Activation of the Neutral Proteinases of Rat Liver

SummaryNeutral proteolytic activity in the liver exists in an active and an inactive form which can be reactivated by the addition of ATP. The acute stress elicited by complete body restraint produced a significant decrease in the active form of the proteinases conceivably reducing the rate of protein catabolism at neutral pH. Full levels of proteolytic activity could be restored by the addition of exogenous ATP to the homogenates. The fact that stress situations produce a large release of steroids able to increase the rate of protein synthesis in the liver has suggested that the decreased proteolytic activity could be due to a decreased availability of the proteinase activator, at this point believe to be the aspartyl adenylate.
A Machine-Learning Classification Approach to Automatic Detection of Workers' Actions for Behavior-Based Safety Analysis

About 80-90% of accidents are strongly associated with workers’ unsafe behavior. Despite the importance of worker behavior measurement, it has not been applied actively in practice due to its time-consuming and painstaking associated tasks. For measuring and analyzing worker behavior, vision-based motion capture has recently been proposed as an emerging technique that requires no additional time or cost. In line with motion tracking that extracts 3D skeleton motion models from videos, this paper proposes motion classification techniques for automatic detection of workers’ actions. The high-dimensional motion models (e.g., 78 variables in this study) that result from tracking are transformed into a 3D latent space to reduce the dimensions for recognition. To recognize motions in the 3D space, this paper applies supervised classification techniques for training the learning algorithms with training datasets where unsafe motions are labeled, and then classifying testing datasets based on the learning. As a case study, motions during ladder-climbing are tested. The results indicate that the proposed approach performs well at automatically recognizing particular motions in datasets. Thus the measured information has great potential to be used for enhancing safety by providing feedback and improving
The Oxidative Aging of a Compounded Natural Rubber Vulcanizate

Abstract For the type of natural rubber compound used in the impact absorbing bumper system, it has been shown that an apparent zero order reaction rate is valid for the degradation of tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength during oven aging. The zero order rate applies to aging times beyond an induction period and prior to the onset of hardening. Since the rates follow the Arrhenius equation for rate-temperature dependence, accelerated aging can be readily applied to the prediction of long term changes in properties (within the temperature range of 82–171°C). The magnitude of the activation energy determined from losses in mechanical properties indicates the dominance of oxidative degradation as the mechanism of the losses in properties.
On the Spans of Derivatives of Polynomials

(1964). On the Spans of Derivatives of Polynomials. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 71, No. 5, pp. 504-508.
The net benefits of human-ignited wildfire forecasting: the case of Tribal land units in the United States.

Research shows that some categories of human-ignited wildfires may be forecastable, owing to their temporal clustering, with the possibility that resources could be predeployed to help reduce the incidence of such wildfires. We estimated several kinds of incendiary and other human-ignited wildfire forecast models at the weekly time step for tribal land units in the United States, evaluating their forecast skill out of sample. Analyses show that an autoregressive conditional Poisson model of both incendiary and non-incendiary human-ignited wildfires is more accurate out of sample compared with alternatives, and the simplest of the autoregressive conditional Poisson models performed the best. Additionally, an ensemble of these and simpler, less analytically intensive approaches performed even better. Wildfire hotspot forecast models using all model types were evaluated in a simulation mode to assess the net benefits of forecasts in the context of law-enforcement resource reallocations. Our analyses show that such hotspot tools could yield large positive net benefits for the tribes in terms of suppression expenditures averted for incendiary wildfires but that the hotspot tools were less likely to be beneficial for addressing outbreaks of non-incendiary human-ignited wildfires.
Clustering, cosmology and a new era of black hole demographics– II. The conditional luminosity functions of Type 2 and Type 1 active galactic nuclei

The orientation-based unification model of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) posits that the principle difference between obscured (Type 2) and unobscured (Type 1) AGNs is the line-of-sight into the central engine. If this model is correct than there should be no difference in many of the properties of AGN host galaxies (e.g., the mass of the surrounding dark matter haloes). However, recent clustering analyses of Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs have provided some evidence for a difference in the halo mass, in conflict with the orientation-based unified model. In this work, a method to compute the Conditional Luminosity Function (CLF) of Type 2 and Type 1 AGNs is presented. The CLF allows many fundamental halo properties to be computed as a function of AGN luminosity, which we apply to the question of the host halo masses of Type 1 and 2 AGNs. By making use of the total AGN CLF, the Type 1 X-ray luminosity function, and the luminosity-dependent Type 2 AGN fraction, the CLFs of Type 1 and 2 AGNs are calculated at $z\approx 0$ and $0.9$. At both $z$, there is no statistically significant difference in the mean halo mass of Type 2 and 1 AGNs at any luminosity. There is marginal evidence that Type 1 AGNs may have larger halo masses than Type 2s, which would be consistent with an evolutionary picture where quasars are initially obscured and then subsequently reveal themselves as Type 1s. As the Type 1 lifetime is longer, the host halo will increase somewhat in mass during the Type 1 phase. The CLF technique will be a powerful way to study the properties of many AGNs subsets (e.g., radio-loud, Compton-thick) as future wide-area X-ray and optical surveys substantially increase our ability to place AGNs in their cosmological context.
Educating the Next Generation of Peer Reviewers

The peer review process is fundamental to contemporary scholarship and academic success. Active participation in the peer review and editorial process is a general expectation and building block to an academic career. Although peer review is considered an essential skill in academic medicine, few
Detection of functional brain network reconfiguration during task-driven cognitive states.

Abstract Network science offers computational tools to elucidate the complex patterns of interactions evident in neuroimaging data. Recently, these tools have been used to detect dynamic changes in network connectivity that may occur at short time scales. The dynamics of fMRI connectivity, and how they differ across time scales, are far from understood. A simple way to interrogate dynamics at different time scales is to alter the size of the time window used to extract sequential (or rolling) measures of functional connectivity. Here, in n = 82 participants performing three distinct cognitive visual tasks in recognition memory and strategic attention, we subdivided regional BOLD time series into variable sized time windows and determined the impact of time window size on observed dynamics. Specifically, we applied a multilayer community detection algorithm to identify temporal communities and we calculated network flexibility to quantify changes in these communities over time. Within our frequency band of interest, large and small windows were associated with a narrow range of network flexibility values across the brain, while medium time windows were associated with a broad range of network flexibility values. Using medium time windows of size 75–100 s, we uncovered brain regions with low flexibility (considered core regions, and observed in visual and attention areas) and brain regions with high flexibility (considered periphery regions, and observed in subcortical and temporal lobe regions) via comparison to appropriate dynamic network null models. Generally, this work demonstrates the impact of time window length on observed network dynamics during task performance, offering pragmatic considerations in the choice of time window in dynamic network analysis. More broadly, this work reveals organizational principles of brain functional connectivity that are not accessible with static network approaches.
Long-term Outcomes of Operative and Nonoperative Treatment of Congenital Coxa Vara.

Congenital coxa vara (CCV) is a rare hip condition with few long-term studies. The purpose of this study was to assess clinical, radiographic, and functional outcomes after operative and nonoperative treatment of CCV, assess reliability of radiographic parameters, and investigate risk factors for recurrence after surgery. Retrospective review was performed of all CCV patients treated at 1 institution from 1980 to 2010. In addition, patients were recalled for additional follow-up x-rays, modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), and gait analysis. Radiographic measurements [neck-shaft angle (NSA), head-shaft angle (HSA), Hilgenreiner-epiphyseal angle (HEA), and femoral neck length (FNL)] were assessed for reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for recurrence after surgery. Forty-six hips in 32 patients were reviewed. Mean age at presentation was 5.4±4.9 years. Mean follow-up was 11.8±5.8 years. Valgus proximal femoral osteotomy was performed in 27 hips (20 patients). Initial deformity was greater in the operative group (NSA 90±17 degrees, HEA 68±19 degrees) versus nonoperative patients (NSA 122±19 degrees, HEA 34±14 degrees) (P<0.0001), but radiographic outcomes were similar at follow-up. Most nonoperative hips had normal FNL growth rates (80%), but resolution of varus NSA occurred in only 21%. In contrast, 56% of operative hips showed decreased FNL growth rates. Interobserver reliability was excellent for HEA (0.98), NSA (0.90), and FNL (0.89), and good for HSA (0.79). Repeat osteotomy was performed in 6 cases (22%). No significant predictors for recurrence were identified. At long-term follow-up for recalled patients, 72% had significantly abnormal gait, and 50% had fair-poor functional outcomes (mHHS<79). Valgus osteotomy corrects severe deformity in CCV with improved clinical and radiographic outcomes. HEA and NSA are the most reliable radiographic measurements of proximal femoral deformity in CCV. Recurrence is not uncommon, but no predictors were identified. Many patients have persistent gait abnormalities and functional impairment at long-term follow-up, regardless of prior treatment. Level III—retrospective cohort.
Experimental and theoretical studies of adsorption of CH3{radical dot} on α-Fe2O3 (0 0 0 1) surfaces

Abstract Experimental and theoretical studies of adsorption of methyl on hematite (0 0 0 1) were carried out using a novel source of the methyl radicals, TPD, AES, QMS, LEED and density functional theory. The crystal surface was not very well characterized experimentally, due to the possible co-existence of several phases and tendency to form magnetite overlayers. Thus observed weak methyl adsorption could be tentatively assigned to defect sites. DFT pseudopotential supercell band structure calculations on clean and adsorbed idealized surfaces predict that the partially oxidized “ferryl structure” has largest adsorption energy, and that regular sites could also adsorb methyl radicals. Embedded-cluster models were used to extract local bonding information and details of electronic structure.
Three Essays on Proportionality Doctrine

The following three essays deal with diverse aspects of the doctrine of proportionality. The first argues that rationality review in U.S. constitutional law, which deals with challenges to legislation on the ground that the legislation violates a general right to liberty rather than any specific enumerated right, could be improved by expressly incorporating several features of proportionality doctrine. The second addresses the often made claim that proportionality analysis leads to “rights inflation,” and offers a doctrinal account and a politico-cultural account of that phenomenon. The third, to appear in a collection co-edited by Vicki C. Jackson and Mark Tushnet, tentatively titled New Frontiers in Proportionality Analysis (Cambridge University Press, 2017), argues that some cases treated as “easy’ under proportionality doctrine, are actually more difficult, and that recognizing their difficulty supports, to some degree, the adoption of the kind of categorical analysis that proportionality doctrine is thought to reject.
Combined respiratory and rigid body motion compensation in cardiac perfusion SPECT using a visual tracking system

We report on the validation of our combined respiratory and rigid body motion compensation strategy through acquisitions of the Data Spectrum anthropomorphic phantom, and investigation of clinical efficacy and robustness in 25 cardiac perfusion patient studies, employing a visual tracking system (VTS). The heart and liver was filled with a 2∶1 concentration of Tc-99m and two sets of SPECT data were acquired. Each set of SPECT data consisted of a rest-perfusion baseline frame-mode emission acquisition, a Beacon (Philips, Cleveland, OH) transmission acquisition, and a list-mode emission acquisition. Respiratory motion was simulated during the list-mode acquisitions using the Quasar (Modus Medical Devices Inc. ON, Canada). Rigid-body motion was introduced in one of the two list-mode acquisitions by rotating the phantom around the x-axis and translating the phantom in x, y, and z. Patient volunteers with written consent were similarly acquired and asked to execute some predefined body motion during the list-mode acquisition. Motion tracking was performed using 6 near infrared Vicon cameras in combination with 7 retro-reflective markers, 5 placed on the chests of both patient volunteers and phantom, 2 placed on the abdomen of patient volunteers, and 2 placed on the vertical motion stage of the Quasar to simulate abdominal phantom motion. Processing steps included, down sampling VTS positional data to 10 Hz (100 ms) and synchronized with 100 ms SPECT frames, separating rigid body and respiratory motion and estimating 6 DOF rigid body motion, amplitude bin 100 ms frames into respiratory projection sets, reconstruct with rigid body motion compensation respiratory projection sets, estimated respiratory motion employing intensity based estimation, combine rigid body and respiratory motion, and reconstruct with combined compensation. We showed for both phantom and patient acquisitions that combined respiratory and rigid body motion compensation improve the visual appearance of slices.
Antecedents to Kenyan Coast Hotels' Purchases of Agricultural Products.

The paper investigated tourism and agriculture linkages by determining the local agricultural products purchased by hotels, purchase considerations and antecedents to purchase of agricultural products. The study was conducted in Coastal Kenya which is a major tourist destination. A census survey of the hotels was undertaken. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and logit model. The results indicate that the local agricultural products purchased by hotels were eggs, meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits and milk. The purchase considerations were price, quality and supply reliability. Age of the hotel, bed capacity and number of employees influenced the proportion of local agricultural products purchased by the hotels. The results have implications for enhancing tourism and agriculture linkages to improve rural livelihoods.
Chaos and Strange Attractors in Adaptive Control Systems

Abstract Recent interest in the area of adaptive control has concentrated on the stability and robustness issues. Strong results have been obtained using Lyapunov and small gain type stability criteria. The purpose of this paper is to attack the robustness and stability issues from a different point of view. Namely from the point of view of nonlinear analysis. It is shown that a simple model reference adaptive control systems undergoes a Hopf or period doubling bifurcation and a number of period doublings before it goes chaotic and eventually unstable. This region is quite wide and it is conjectured that robust (local) stability may follow if the transition through the first bifurcation point can be avoided.
Gastrointestinal cancer: Pancreas

Radiotherapy plays a significant role in the management of pancreatic cancer. In combination with surgical resection and chemotherapy, radiation provides local control and is utilized to reduce morbidity and mortality from local disease progression. Radiation can be utilized definitively in unresectable disease, but also in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting in conjunction with surgery and chemotherapy. While radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer has traditionally been administered using conventional dose regimens, hypofractionated radiation is an emerging treatment option. In this chapter we review the role of radiotherapy in the current management of pancreatic cancer, as well as the data and practical aspects of stereotactic body radiotherapy.