cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influences of Feeding on Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains one of the leading complications of prematurity with an incidence of 5% to 13% and a mortality of up to 30%. Its occurrence is inversely related to gestational age, with the most premature neonates being at highest risk. Despite numerous studies assessing risk factors, the most commonly observed associations remain prematurity and enteral feeding. Furthermore, studies have pointed to receipt of breast milk as a protective factor in decreasing the risk of NEC and formula feeding as potentially increasing the risk. Other potential risk factors and associations in the premature infant include lack of antenatal steroids, receipt of prolonged courses of postnatal antibiotics, presence of anemia, receipt of packed red blood cell transfusions, and presence of a patent ductus arteriosus. Despite the recognition that NEC remains a serious complication of prematurity, there is still no specific prescription for its prevention. Given that enteral feeding is one of the most commonly observed risk factors for the development of NEC, wide variation exists in the enteral feeding recommendations and practices for premature infants. Feeding practices that may contribute to NEC, which remain variable in practice, include feeding strategies used in the presence of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus and feeding during packed red blood cell transfusions. Use of breast milk (mother’s own milk or donor milk) is recognized as one of the mainstays of NEC prevention. This article explores multiple influences of feeding on the development of NEC.
Alginate encapsulation for bupivacaine delivery and mesenchymal stromal cell immunomodulatory cotherapy

Purpose Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are used to treat various inflammatory conditions. In parallel, to mitigate pain associated with inflammation, analgesics or opioids are prescribed, often with significant side effects. Local anesthetics (LAs) offer a promising alternative to these medications. However, their short duration and negative effects on anti-inflammatory MSCs have limited their therapeutic effectiveness. To mitigate these negative effects and to move toward developing a cotherapy, we engineered a sustained release bupivacaine alginate-liposomal construct that enables up to 4 days of LA release. By encapsulating MSC in alginate (eMSC), we demonstrate that we can further increase drug concentration to clinically relevant levels, without compromising eMSC viability or anti-inflammatory function. Materials and methods MSCs were freely cultured or encapsulated in alginate microspheres ± TNFα/IFN-γ and were left untreated or dosed with bolus, liposomal, or construct bupivacaine. After 24, 48, and 96 hours, the profiles were assessed to quantify secretory function associated with LA-MSC interactions. To approximate LA exposure over time, a MATLAB model was generated. Results eMSCs secrete similar levels of IL-6 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) regardless of LA modality, whereas free MSCs secrete larger amounts of IL-6 and lower amounts of anti-inflammatory PGE2. Modeling the system indicated that higher doses of LA can be used in conjunction with eMSC while retaining eMSC viability and function. In general, eMSC treated with higher doses of LA secreted similar or higher levels of immunomodulatory cytokines. Conclusion eMSCs, but not free MSC, are protected from LA, regardless of LA modality. Increasing the LA concentration may promote longer and stronger pain mitigation while the protected eMSCs secrete similar, if not higher, immunomodulatory cytokine levels. Therefore, we have developed an approach, using eMSC and the LA construct that can potentially be used to reduce pain as well as improve MSC anti-inflammatory function.
College Selectivity, Subjective Social Status, and Mental Health in Young Adulthood:

Research on education and mental health has focused primarily on the benefits of higher levels of educational attainment. Other aspects of education, such as college selectivity, may also be associ...
Burnout and Other Types of Emotional Distress Among Medical Students

The medical literature reports that many medical trainees experience burnout. The primary goal of this study was to determine how the prevalence of burnout and other forms of emotional distress among the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSM) medical students compared to the previously published data. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 379 medical students. Between July and September 2018, we surveyed 872 KUSM medical students on the three campuses (Kansas City, Salina, and Wichita) of KUSM. The survey included items on demographic information, burnout, symptoms of depression, fatigue, quality of life, and self-reported general health. The authors used standard descriptive summary statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test/one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, correlation, and multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the data. The overall response rate was 43.5% with 48% of the students reporting manifestations of burnout. Burnout, depression, and fatigue were lowest during the first year of training and increased as year in training progressed. In multivariate models, only year in training was associated with increased odds of burnout, symptoms of depression, and fatigue. Nearly 46% of the students screened positive for depression, and 44.6% reported high levels of fatigue in the past week. Even though KUSM students have a lower prevalence of burnout than the national rate (48% vs. 55.9%), this prevalence is high enough to warrant new interventions. Because burnout and other emotional distress increase over the course of medical school no matter what campus the students attend, interventions should be both longitudinal and global across all campuses.
Random Allocation Seed-DSSS Broadcast Communication Against Jamming Attacks

Spread spectrum techniques including Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) are used widely as a countermeasure against jamming attacks. In recent years, the DSSS based system has been used to achieve the anti-jamming systems without a pre-shared secret key. Delayed Seed-Disclosure DSSS (DSD-DSSS) is one of these systems that uses a random seed to generate multiple spreading codes to spread an original message. However, it discloses the information of a random seed in a way that it is vulnerable to the attacker. In this paper. we propose a new system that mainly focuses on concealing a random seed from the attacker by inserting it at a random position of a spreading message. We develop a new technique to identify the location of a random seed at a receiver by aligning between multiple received messages. Our evaluation and simulation results show that a receiver can obtain the position of a random seed, and then he can recover both a random seed then regenerating the spreading codes used to spread an original message.
A microfluidic electrochemical flow cell capable of rapid on-chip dilution for fast-scan cyclic voltammetry electrode calibration.

Here, we developed a microfluidic electrochemical flow cell for fast-scan cyclic voltammetry which is capable of rapid on-chip dilution for efficient and cost-effective electrode calibration. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at carbon-fiber microelectrodes is a robust electroanalytical technique used to measure subsecond changes in neurotransmitter concentration over time. Traditional methods of electrode calibration for FSCV require several milliliters of a standard. Additionally, generating calibration curves can be time-consuming because separate solutions must be prepared for each concentration. Microfluidic electrochemical flow cells have been developed in the past; however, they often require incorporating the electrode in the device, making it difficult to remove for testing in biological tissues. Likewise, current microfluidic electrochemical flow cells are not capable of rapid on-chip dilution to eliminate the requirement of making multiple solutions. We designed a T-channel device, with microchannel dimensions of 100 μm × 50 μm, that delivered a standard to a 2-mm-diameter open electrode sampling well. A waste channel with the same dimensions was designed perpendicular to the well to flush and remove the standard. The dimensions of the T-microchannels and flow rates were chosen to facilitate complete mixing in the delivery channel prior to reaching the electrode. The degree of mixing was computationally modeled using COMSOL and was quantitatively assessed in the device using both colored dyes and electrochemical detection. On-chip electrode calibration for dopamine with FSCV was not significantly different than the traditional calibration method demonstrating its utility for FSCV calibration. Overall, this device improves the efficiency and ease of electrode calibration.
Shells in the Studio

Brilliant structural engineers such as Pier Luigi Nervi and Eduoardo Torroja have convincingly argued that an understanding of the flow of forces in structures from a mathematical point of view can lead to aesthetically elegant structures from a design perspective. In an interdisciplinary studio that combined architecture students and faculty with architectural engineering students and faculty, there was a tremendous opportunity for not only linking such left brain and right brain thinking, but to also to triangulate the creative process by adding craft of construction to the design problem.
Developing Local Innovation Capacity to Drive Global Health Improvements

In global health, innovation often comes from “outside-in”: industrialized countries develop new drugs, devices, or services, and export them to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Syed et al. in Global Health 9:36, 2013). Yet there is a growing recognition that there is real potential for “bi-directional flow of knowledge, ideas, skills and innovation” (Syed et al. 2013). To generate sustainable impact at scale, high-income countries should further encourage this local innovation capacity. One way to do so is to export more than just finished products to LMICs, but also the knowledge, processes, and cultural mindset that support repeated success in new product and service development.
Simulating cardiac Ca 2+ release units: effects of RyR cluster size and Ca 2+ buffers on diastolic Ca 2+ leak

Leak of Ca2+ out of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptors (RyRs) during diastole is vital to regulate SR Ca2+ levels. This leak can become deleterious when large spontaneous RyR-mediated Ca2+ release events evoke proarrhythmic Ca2+ waves that can lead to delayed after-depolarizations. Here, we model diastolic SR Ca2+ leak at individual SR Ca2+ release sites using computer simulations of RyR arrays like those in the dyadic cleft. The results show that RyR arrays size has a significant effect on SR Ca2+ leak, with bigger arrays producing larger and more frequent Ca2+ release events. Moreover, big RyR arrays are more susceptible to small changes in the levels of dyadic Ca2+ buffers. Such changes in buffering shift Ca2+ leak from small Ca2+ release events (involving few open RyRs) to larger events (with many open RyRs). Moreover, by analyzing a large parameter space of possible buffering and SR Ca2+ loads, we find further evidence for the hypothesis that SR Ca2+ leak by RyR arrays can undergo a sudden phase transition.
Daimler Taps the Chinese Panda Bond Market

Preparing for a potential interview, an MBA graduate reads extensively about Daimler AG. She learns about company's longtime presence in China manufacturing luxury automobiles and its continued investment in manufacturing and R&D capacity in that country. She also learns that the company financed part of its operations and growth in China by issuing bonds in both China and Hong Kong and wonders whether the company would return to those bond markets. Excerpt UVA-C-2417 May 9, 2019 Daimler Taps the Chinese Panda Bond Market It was spring 2019, and Michelle Preston eagerly anticipated the possibility of interviewing for a position in the office of the CFO at Daimler AG (Daimler). She had invested much time and energy getting her master's of business administration (MBA) from a top European business school and wanted to work where she could combine her love of fine cars with her newly acquired business skills. Riding in a Fine Car Preston fondly recalled the many times she had sat in the back seat of her grandfather's Mercedes-Benz sedan as a child. That car offered such a comfortable and smooth ride that Preston always slept soundly during the eight-hour drive from her hometown to her grandparents' farm. Her grandfather owned an S-Class sedan and had driven nothing else since the model was introduced in the 1970s. Ever since, Preston had dreamed of owning a Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe. The coupe was a sportier version than the S-Class sedan, and Preston felt it would better suit her own needs. Its twin turbo V8 engine brought so much power that Preston was certain the car could go from 0 to 60 in less than five seconds. The car handled like no other she had ever driven, and the interior was nothing but comfort and class. Still Preston was nowhere near being able to afford the sticker price, which started at €110,000. The closest she had been able to get was in her role as a sales representative at a large Mercedes-Benz dealership, a job she took after graduating with her undergraduate degree. After two years in that job, Preston had started graduate school to study for her MBA. . . .
CORRELATION BETWEEN EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING IN GROUP OF EARLY INITIATION OF BREASTFEEDING ON THE DURATION OF LACTATIONAL AMENORRHEA

Introduction: Based on data from "Survei Demografi dan Kesehatan Indonesia" (SDKI) in 2012, about four percent of births occurred 18 months apart, and six percent were less than two years apart, about 75 percent occurred at least three years apart. WHO’s recommendation for birth spacing is at least 24 months. A gestation interval of fewer than six months can increase maternal mortality due to premature rupture of the amniotic sac, anemia, and puerperal endometritis. The Lactational Amenorrhea Method is a natural and easy method of contraception. The LAM method is one of the contraceptive methods with a success rate of 98 percent. One of the importance of contraception, such as LAM, is to adjust the optimal birth spacing. Purpose: This study aims to determine the correlation between exclusive breastfeeding in a group of early initiation of breastfeeding on the duration of lactational amenorrhea. Method: This study is an observational analytic study with a retrospective cohort study design. A simple random sampling technique is used for the sampling method. The collection of data on the history of breastfeeding and the duration of amenorrhea was collected from the main research results by doing interviews with respondents. Results: The results of statistical tests with Spearman correlation showed that the P-value obtained is 0.005. This value is less than p (0.05), which means a significant correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and the duration of lactational amenorrhea. Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between exclusive breastfeeding in the early initiation of the breastfeeding group and the duration of lactation amenorrhea.
‘To Unpack My Music’: Elizabeth Wurtzel’s Mixtape Aesthetics

Elizabeth Wurtzel’s early career as a music journalist not only gave her a foothold in publishing but also informed her work as a memoirist and cultural critic. Like past music writers, particularl...
Improved Wetland Soil Organic Carbon Stocks of the Conterminous U.S. Through Data Harmonization

Wetland soil stocks are important global repositories of carbon (C) but are difficult to quantify and model due to varying sampling protocols, and geomorphic/spatio-temporal discontinuity. Merging scales of soil-survey spatial extents with wetland-specific point-based data offers an explicit, empirical and updatable improvement for regional and continental scale soil C stock assessments. Agency-collected and community-contributed soil datasets were compared for representativeness and bias, with the goal of producing a harmonized national map of wetland soil C stocks with error quantification for wetland areas of the conterminous United States (CONUS) identified by the USGS National Landcover Change Dataset. This allowed an empirical predictive model of SOC density to be applied across the entire CONUS using relational %OC distribution alone. A broken-stick quantile-regression model identified %OC with its relatively high analytical confidence as a key predictor of SOC density in soil segments; soils less than 6% OC (hereafter, mineral wetland soils, 85% of the dataset) had a strong linear relationship of %OC to SOC density (RMSE = 0.0059, ~4% mean RMSE) and soils greater than 6% OC (organic wetland soils, 15% of the dataset) had virtually no predictive relationship of %OC to SOC density (RMSE = 0.0348 g C cm-3, ~56% mean RMSE). Disaggregation by vegetation type, or region did not alter the breakpoint significantly (6% OC) nor improve model accuracies for inland and tidal wetlands. Similarly, SOC stocks in tidal wetlands were related to %OC, but without a mappable product for disaggregation to improve accuracy by soil class, region or depth. Our layered, harmonized CONUS wetland soil maps revised wetland SOC stock estimates downward by 24% (9.5 vs. 12.5Pg C) with the overestimation being entirely an issue of inland, organic wetland soils, (35% lower than SSURGO-derived SOC stocks). Further, SSURGO underestimated soil carbon stocks at depth, as modeled wetland SOC stocks for organic-rich soils showed significant preservation downcore in the NWCA dataset (<3% loss between 0-30 cm and 30-100 cm depths) in contrast to mineral-rich soils (37% downcore stock loss). Future CONUS wetland soil C assessments will benefit from focused attention on improved organic wetland soil measurements, land history, and spatial representativeness.
Risk Stratifying Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules With Machine Learning.

ABSTRACT Background Up to 30% of thyroid nodules are classified as indeterminate after fine needle aspiration biopsy. These indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITNs) require surgical pathology for definitive diagnosis. Molecular testing provides additional pre-operative cancer risk stratification but adds expense and invasive testing. The purpose of this study is to utilize a machine learning (ML) algorithm to predict malignancy of ITNs using data available from less invasive tests. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study using medical records from one academic and one community center. Thyroid nodules with an indeterminate diagnosis on fine needle aspiration biopsy and completed diagnostic pathology were included. Linear, non–linear, and non–linear-ensemble ML methods were tested for accuracy when predicting malignancy using 10-fold cross-validation. Classifiers were evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC). Results A total of 355 nodules met inclusion criteria. Of these, 171 (48.2%) were diagnosed with cancer. A Random Forest classifier performed the best, producing an accuracy of 79.1%, a sensitivity of 75.5%, specificity of 82.4%, positive predicative value of 80.3%, negative predictive value of 79.0%, and an AUROC of 0.859. Conclusions ML methods accurately risk stratify ITNs using data gathered from existing, non–invasive, and inexpensive diagnostic tests. Applying an ML model with existing data can become a cost-effective alternative to molecular testing. Future studies will prospectively evaluate the performance of this ML approach when combined with expert judgment.
Solvothermal synthesis of [Cr7S8(en)8Cl2]Cl3·2H2O with magnetically frustrated [Cr7S8]5+ double-cubes

A novel transition metal chalcohalide [Cr7S8(en)8Cl2]Cl3·2H2O, with [Cr7S8]5+ dicubane cationic clusters has been synthesized by a low temperature solvothermal method using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylenediamine (en) solvents. Ethylenediamine ligand exhibits bi- and monodentate coordination modes, in the latter case ethylenediamine coordinates to Cr atoms of adjacent clusters, giving rise to a 2D polymeric structure. Although magnetic susceptibility shows no magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K, highly negative Weiss constant, q = -224(2) K, obtained from Curie-Weiss fit of inverse susceptibility suggests strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions between S = 3/2 Cr(III) centers. Due to the complexity of the system with (2S + 1)7 = 16384 microstates from seven Cr3+ centers, a simplified model with only two exchange constants was used for simulations. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations yielded the two exchange constants to be J1 = -21.4 cm-1 and J2 = -30.2 cm-1, confirming competing AFM coupling between the shared Cr3+ center and the peripheral Cr3+ ions of the dicubane cluster. The best simulation of the experimental data was obtained with J1 = -20.0 cm-1 and J2 = -21.0 cm-1, in agreement with the slightly stronger AFM exchange within the triangles of the peripheral Cr3+ ions as compared to the AFM exchange between the central and peripheral Cr3+ ions. This compound can be used to explore the synthesis of magnetically frustrated systems of polymeric nature, containing dicubane transition meta-chalcogenide cations and charge balancing halide anions.
Achilles Tendon Ruptures in Middle-Aged Rats Heal Poorly Compared With Those in Young and Old Rats [Formula: see text].

BACKGROUND Achilles tendon ruptures are painful and debilitating injuries and are most common in middle-aged patients. There is a lack of understanding of the underlying causes for increased rupture rates in middle-aged patients and how healing outcomes after a rupture might be affected by patient age. Therefore, the objective of this study was to define age-specific Achilles tendon healing by assessing ankle functional outcomes and Achilles tendon mechanical and histological properties after a rupture using a rat model. HYPOTHESIS Rats representing the middle-aged patient population would demonstrate reduced healing capability after an Achilles tendon rupture, as demonstrated by a slower return to baseline ankle functional properties and inferior biomechanical and histological tendon properties. STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. METHODS Fischer 344 rats were categorized by age to represent young, middle-aged, and old patients, and Achilles tendon ruptures were induced in the right hindlimb. Animals were allowed to heal and were euthanized at 3 or 6 weeks after the injury. In vivo functional assays and ultrasound imaging were performed throughout the healing period, and ex vivo tendon mechanical and histological properties were assessed after euthanasia. RESULTS Rats representing middle-aged patients displayed reduced healing potential compared with the other age groups, as they demonstrated decreased recovery of in vivo functional and ultrasound assessment parameters and inferior mechanical and histological properties after an Achilles tendon rupture. CONCLUSION These findings may help explain the increased rupture rate observed clinically in middle-aged patients by suggesting that there may be altered tendon responses to daily trauma. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The results provide novel data on age-specific healing outcomes after an Achilles tendon rupture, which underscores the importance of considering a patient's age during treatment and expectations for outcomes.
Extension of NHWAVE to Couple LAMMPS for Modeling Wave Interactions with Arctic Ice Floes

Abstract : Developing and testing a tightly-coupled wave-ice model system, including a nonhydrostatic wave model (NHWAVE, Ma et al., 2012) and a discrete element model (LAMMPS; Plimpton, 1995), for simulating wave interactions with arctic ice floes. 2. Using the coupled NHWAVE and LAMMPS models to investigate the relative importance of key physical processes governing the attenuation of wave energy in the marginal ice zone (MIZ). 3. Conducting comparative simulations to evaluate MIZ dissipation parameterizations used by larger-scale ice-ocean models. The study is a collaborative effort with Mark Orzech, Jay Veeramony and Joe Calantoni of the Naval Research Laboratory (separate internal NRL project, funded for FY14-16). The objectives of this study are to 1. extend NHWAVE to incorporate wave interactions with moving obstacles. 2. collaborate with the NRL LAMMPS group to develop matching boundary conditions for both NHWAVE and LAMMPS in a two-way coupling system. 3. collaborate with the NRL LAMPPS group to conduct a numerical study on determining the relative importance of key physical processes governing the attenuation of wave energy in the MIZ.
Mind‐Body CAM Interventions: Current Status and Considerations for Integration Into Clinical Health Psychology

Objective Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used for treating myriad health conditions and for maintaining general health. The present article provides an overview of current CAM use with a specific focus on mind-body CAM and its efficacy in treating health conditions. Method Characteristics of CAM users are presented, and then evidence regarding the efficacy of mind-body treatments (biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, hypnosis, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong) is reviewed. Results Demographics associated with CAM use are fairly well-established, but less is known about their psychological characteristics. Although the efficacy of mind-body CAM modalities for health conditions is receiving a great deal of research attention, studies have thus far produced a weak base of evidence. Methodological limitations of current research are reviewed. Suggestions are made for future research that will provide more conclusive knowledge regarding efficacy and, ultimately, effectiveness of mind-body CAM. Considerations for clinical applications, including training and competence, ethics, treatment tailoring, prevention efforts, and diversity, conclude the article. Conclusions Integration of CAM modalities into clinical health psychology can be useful for researchers taking a broader perspective on stress and coping processes, illness behaviors, and culture; for practitioners seeking to incorporate CAM perspectives into their work; and for policy makers in directing healthcare resources wisely.
MODE OF ACTION OF AN INHIBITOR FROM AGAR ON GROWTH AND HEMAGGLUTINATION OF GROUP A ARBOVIRUSES

Colon, Julio I. (Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.), Jane B. Idoine, Orville M. Brand, and Richard D. Costlow. Mode of action of an inhibitor from agar on growth and hemagglutination of group A arboviruses. J. Bacteriol. 90:172–179. 1965.—A polysaccharide obtained from agar, and having properties similar to a previously described sulfated polysaccharide, was observed to inhibit growth and hemagglutination of some group A arboviruses. The evidence presented confirms that the inhibitory activity, in part, is the result of direct interaction between the agar polysaccharide (AP) and free virus particles. Additional evidence indicates that inhibition of viral growth also occurs as the result of interaction between AP and the chick-fibroblast cells used for propagation of the virus. The possibility was considered, therefore, that at least two different inhibitors could be present in AP—one that reacts directly with the virus particle and another that reacts with host cells. AP does not induce the production of interferon in the test system used.
Weighing the Evidence

The Nature of Scientific Evidence Statistical, Philosophical, and Empirical Considerations. Mark L. Taper and Subhash R. Lele, Eds. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2004. 585 pp. $85, £59.50. ISBN 0-226-78955-1. Paper, $30, £21. ISBN 0-226-78957-8. The contributors--ecologists, statisticians, and philosophers--explore the relations among hypotheses, models, data, and inference in science.
An electronic card production line loading program-an evolutionary algorithm implementation

An evolutionary algorithm implementation is discussed which is currently utilized as a line loading tool on an electronic card production line. The program partitions a weeks worth of jobs, awaiting assembly, into groups, with each group corresponding to a single day's production. The objective is to partition the groups such that every day's workload mix is basically identical. Operator effectiveness and program results are presented. >
California Law on Prorogation Clauses in International Contracts: Beirut Universal Bank v. Superior Court & The Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co.

A prorogation or forum-selection clause in a contract designates the jurisdiction in which any dispute between the parties is to be heard.' In the past, California has always refused to enforce such clauses. The last California case to consider a prorogation clause in an international contract, Beirut Universal Bank v. Superior Court,2 indicates that California courts will continue to ignore the forum expressly selected by the parties and determine the proper forum by independent analysis.3 This Commentary examines the tenability of the California position in light of The Bremen v. Zapata Off-Shore Co.,4 a recent United States Supreme Court decision giving effect to a prorogation clause in an international contract.
On blind compression of encrypted data approaching the source entropy rate

Traditional data transmission over an insecure noiseless channel consists of first compressing data for efficiency and then encrypting it for security. Reversing the order of these operations is considered in Johnson et al. [6]. The central realization is that while the raw and encrypted data are statistically independent, the encrypted data and key sequence are not. If distributed source coding techniques are used to compress and to jointly decode and decrypt the data, reversing the order need not lead to performance reductions in either communication efficiency or security. In this paper, we build on this work by considering systems that must operate without knowledge of the underlying source statistics. We present and analyze an incremental scheme based on exponentially increasing block lengths that is designed to balance the resolution rate of parameter estimation with the redundancy rate of communication. We show that the redundancy at best declines proportional to the inverse of the square root of the block length. We implement these ideas using low-density parity check (LDPC) codes. In practical tests to transmit a binary source of 100, 000 bits, ideally compressible to 17, 912 bits with perfect knowledge and an ideal code, required only 26, 787 bits. In comparison, to transmit this source with full knowledge of the source statistics required 21, 704 bits.
Delayed proton emission of N=81 odd-odd precursors: 148Ho, 150Tm, and 152Lu.

Beta-delayed proton decay was observed in $^{148}\mathrm{Ho}$, $^{150}\mathrm{Tm}$, and $^{152}\mathrm{Lu}$ for the first time. Contrary to neighboring even-Z N=81 isotones, the proton spectra appear structureless and statistical in nature. Proton branching ratios for the high-spin isomers in these isotopes, based on the intensity of \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray transitions in the intermediate nuclei, are (${8}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}^{+1}$)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$, (${1.2}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}0.4}^{+0.2}$)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$, and (1.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.7)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, respectively. The onset of proton emission in all three cases occurs at a proton to \ensuremath{\gamma} width ratio of about ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$. Protons were found to be in coincidence with x rays, \ensuremath{\gamma} rays, and positrons. Coincident K x rays served to identify the Z of the precursor, while the \ensuremath{\gamma} rays gave quantitative information about proton decay to excited states in the daughter nuclei. By comparing the final state branching ratios with statistical model calculations, it was concluded that $^{148}\mathrm{Ho}$ and $^{150}\mathrm{Tm}$ both have isomers with probable spin values of ${1}^{+}$ and ${6}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$. Statistical model calculations with ``standard'' prescriptions for level densities and \ensuremath{\gamma} widths, and with a reduced level density parameter are compared to experiment. To reproduce the shape of the proton spectrum it was necessary to assume Gaussian-shaped Gamow-Teller \ensuremath{\beta} strength functions centered near 8 MeV excitation energy. In the course of these experiments \ensuremath{\beta}-delayed proton emission in $^{148}\mathrm{Er}$ was also identified.
Diagnostic criteria for influenza B-associated Reye's syndrome: clinical vs. pathologic criteria.

Between December 15, 1973, and June 30, 1974, a total of 379 cases of Reye9s syndrome was reported to the Center for Disease Control. One hundred forty-seven (40%) were confirmed by either autopsy or biopsy, while 232 were diagnosed by clinical and laboratory parameters. Comparisons of the epidemiologic and demographic characteristics, the hospital course, the outcome, and the laboratory abnormalities of the clinically diagnosed and the pathologically confirmed cases revealed no significant differences. In the epidemiologic setting of influenza B outbreaks, children who have the acute onset of noninflammatory encephalopathy associated with elevated serum transaminase levels, hypoprothrombinemia, and elevated blood ammonia levels should be considered to have Reye9s syndrome. Further evaluation of diagnostic criteria is needed, however, for sporadically occurring, nonepidemic cases of noninflammatory encephalopathy associated with hepatic dysfunction.
The Materials Impact on Fusion Reactor Safety

AbstractSeven potential safety concerns for deuteriumtritium fusion reactors were examined and the influence of blanket material choice determined. This influence was quantified in terms of relative consequence indices (RCIs) according to prescribed consequence criteria.Selected combinations of structural material (Type 316 stainless steel, HT-9, vanadium alloy, or TZM), primary coolant (pressurized water, helium, lithium, or flibe), and tritium breeder (LiAlO2, lithium, or Li17Pb83) were examined. The analyses and indices were structured to focus on the specific material properties that influence the results, which allows for comparison of materials not included in the present study.The safety concerns that were found to be relatively insensitive (differing by less than an order of magnitude) to material choice are the rate of temperature increase from continued plasma heating following loss of coolant and electromagnetic effects of plasma disruptions. The range of the RCIs was about an order of magnitud...
Fractional moire fringe analysis by optimization

A new method (algorithm and computer implementation) has been developed to define the 3-D shape of a surface based on an analysis of the shadow moire patterns of the object. The approach is based on a phase-shifting technique enhanced by the solution of a set of overdetermined nonlinear equations involving the light intensities acquired by means of the shadow moire method. Such an approach allows the accuracy of the measurements to be improved by utilizing excess information. Because the method uses a conventional white-light source, it can be applied to measure the geometry of human faces and bodies as well as the out-of-plane surface deformation of a loaded structure. The theory of the algorithm is described, together with test results. The results obtained show that the described approach can resolve the shape of an object with an average error of less than 2%.
Neuronal control of energy homeostasis

Neuronal control of body energy homeostasis is the key mechanism by which animals and humans regulate their long-term energy balance. Various hypothalamic neuronal circuits (which include the hypothalamic melanocortin, midbrain dopamine reward and caudal brainstem autonomic feeding systems) control energy intake and expenditure to maintain body weight within a narrow range for long periods of a life span. Numerous peripheral metabolic hormones and nutrients target these structures providing feedback signals that modify the default “settings” of neuronal activity to accomplish this balance. A number of molecular genetic tools for manipulating individual components of brain energy homeostatic machineries, in combination with anatomical, electrophysiological, pharmacological and behavioral techniques, have been developed, which provide a means for elucidating the complex molecular and cellular mechanisms of feeding behavior and metabolism. This review will highlight some of these advancements and focus on the neuronal circuitries of energy homeostasis.
Behavioural Deception and Formal Models of Communication

AbstractHaving a satisfactory definition of behavioural deception is important for understanding several types of evolutionary questions. No definition offered in the literature so far is adequate ...
Cyclic motion encoding for enhanced MR visualization of slip interfaces.

Purpose To develop and test a magnetic resonance imaging-based method for assessing the mechanical shear connectivity across tissue interfaces with phantom experiments and in vivo feasibility studies. Materials and Methods External vibrations were applied to phantoms and tissue and the differential motion on either side of interfaces within the media was mapped onto the phase of the MR images using cyclic motion encoding gradients. The phase variations within the voxels of functional slip interfaces reduced the net magnitude signal in those regions, thus enhancing their visualization. A simple two-compartment model was developed to relate this signal loss to the intravoxel phase variations. In vivo studies of the abdomen and forearm were performed to visualize slip interfaces in healthy volunteers. Results The phantom experiments demonstrated that the proposed technique can assess the functionality of shear slip interfaces and they provided experimental validation for the theoretical model developed. Studies of the abdomen showed that the slip interface between the small bowel and the peritoneal wall can be visualized. In the forearm, this technique was able to depict the slip interfaces between the functional compartments of the extrinsic forearm muscles. Conclusion Functional shear slip interfaces can be visualized sensitively using cyclic motion encoding of externally applied tissue vibrations. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:855–863. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Measurements for noninvasive mechanical diagnostics of power circuit breakers

Abstract The authors have developed techniques for assessing the mechanical condition of deenergized power circuit breakers based on noninvasive acceleration measurements during trip and close operations. An important element of the research has been the selection and implementation of measurement techniques that are capable of providing vibration data that are repeatable and sufficiently rich in information content to be useful for diagnostic purposes. The most critical aspects of the measurement methods, transducer location and attachment, as well as circuit breaker vibrational response and signature repeatability are addressed in this paper.
Intergenerational Collisions and Leadership in the 21st Century

As the workplace becomes host to five generations, intergenerational relationships pose new challenges for both leaders and direct reports. This article describes the findings of a study that suggests emerging patterns of leadership among young leaders as they oversee direct reports much older than themselves. The researchers conducted a qualitative study with leaders under the age of 36 and direct reports at least 20 years older. Interviews with both generations demonstrate a paradigm shift in the way young people lead in an intergenerational setting. Younger leaders are emphasizing task accomplishment and multi-tasking to be of primary importance in the leader-direct report relationship, eschewing the emphasis on quality outcomes that has been an industry standard for several decades. This article provides both historical backgrounds on organizational leadership trends and information on this emerging pattern in leadership style. The intent of the study is to advance the field of knowledge regarding lea...
Seven Golden Rules for heuristic filtering of molecular formulas obtained by accurate mass spectrometry

Background Structure elucidation of unknown small molecules by mass spectrometry is a challenge despite advances in instrumentation. The first crucial step is to obtain correct elemental compositions. In order to automatically constrain the thousands of possible candidate structures, rules need to be developed to select the most likely and chemically correct molecular formulas.
Disorder-induced high-Q cavities in photonic crystal waveguides

We demonstrate experimentally that random departure from high-index-contrast periodicity in photonic crystal waveguides gives rise to spectral features that bear signatures of Anderson localization. Disorder-induced high-Q cavities are observed in a narrow frequency band close to the guided mode's cut-off where the light propagates with slow group velocity. Spectrally distinct quasi-states with Qs as high as ~250,000 are distributed at random locations along the waveguide and can find applications for example in optical sensing systems.
Characterization of an HLA-A3 restricted human kidney specific T cell clone.

Abstract Background . The tissue specificity of a cytolytic T lymphocyte is determined by the MHC class I bound peptide it recognizes. We have developed an allorestricted human CTL clone, DBS 1.5, that recognizes an epitope found on HLA-A3+ kidney epithelial cells but not on HLA identical B-lymphoblastoid cells. The peptide recognized by this clone has been isolated from HPLC separated, acid eluted peptides from purified HLA class I molecules from HLA-A3+ kidney tissue. This peptide shares no sequence homology with any known protein. Methods . To confirm the tissue specificity of the HLA-A3 restricted clone and the peptide it recognizes we have transfected the gene for HLA-A3 into a number of tumor cell lines both human and murine not expressing this antigen. The resulting transfected lines, confirmed by immunofluorescent staining, were used as targets to determine if expression of HLA-A3 alone was sufficient to allow recognition and lysis by the HLA-A3 restricted T cell clone. Results . The HLA-A3 restricted T cell clone recognized HLA-A3 when expressed on human kidney epithelial cells and to a lesser extent on human lung epithelium and human epidermal cells. Of the tumor lines transfected with HLA-A3 only the human kidney tumor cell line was lysed at a level equal to the original kidney epithelial cell used to develop the clone. Conclusion . These results confirm that this allorestricted human CTL clone is tissue specific recognizing a peptide found in human epithelial tissue that must be presented in the context of HLA-A3 for recognition.
PHOTON BUNCHING AND THE PHOTON-NOISE-LIMITED PERFORMANCE OF INFRARED DETECTORS

The photon-noise-limited performance of a radiation detector exposed to a thermal background of temperature T is analyzed by calculating the resulting specific detectivity. Both ideal photon detectors of arbitrary quantum efficiency eta and ideal thermal detectors of arbitrary emissivity eta are considered; and the effects of both shot noise and excess noise are taken into account. The relative contributions of these two sources depend on the quantum efficiency or emissivity of the system. For frequencies nu such that hnu/kT is much less than eta, excess noise can make an appreciable contribution to the total system noise. For the case of the detection of the narrow-band radiation, the specific detectivity is independent of eta in the limit hnu/kT is much less than eta.
Advances in cereal protoplast research

Beginning in 1986, plants have been regenerated from protoplasts of all of the important cereal species, including wheat, rice, maize, and barley, and grasses such as sugarcane. In addition, somatic hybrids/cybrids as well as transgenic plants with introduced useful agronomic traits have been obtained in several instances. This rapid and impressive progress in the genetic manipulation of cereals has been made possible by two critical technical advances during the past decade: the establishment of embryogenic suspension cultures as a source of totipotent protoplasts and the direct delivery of DNA into protoplasts for genetic transformation
Effects of sulphonic and phosphonic acrylic monomers on the crosslinking of acrylic latexes with cycloaliphatic epoxide

Abstract Two model acrylic latexes were synthesized using methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) with methacrylic acid (MAA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The MAA or HEMA were incorporated to provide the latexes with carboxyl and hydroxyl functionality, respectively. A cycloaliphatic diepoxide (3, 4-epoxycyclohexyl methyl-3′, 4′-epoxycyclo-hexane carboxylate) was used as a crosslinker for both the latexes. The crosslinking of the latexes with the diepoxide was catalyzed using a copolymerizable or free sulphonic or phosphonic acids. The copolymerizable acids (2-sulfoethyl methacrylate (SEM) and acid phosphoxyethyl methacrylate (PEM)) were added during the latex synthesis. The free acids ( p -toluene sulphonic acid (TsOH) and phenylphosphonic acid (PPA)) were added into the latex emulsion shortly before crosslinking. The crosslinked coatings were evaluated in terms of water absorption, gel content, and pull-off adhesion. The crosslinking of the hydroxyl functional latex coatings with the cycloaliphatic epoxide required an acid catalyst, whereas the crosslinking of the carboxyl latex coatings did not need an acid catalyst. Sulphonic and phosphonic acrylic acid monomers not only functioned as catalysts for the crosslinking reactions, but also improved the adhesion and freeze–thaw stability of the latex coatings. In addition, neutralization of the acid catalysts led to reduction of the crosslinker hydrolysis, and consequently enhanced the overall coating properties.
Clutch morphology and the timing of exposure impact the susceptibility of aquatic insect eggs to esfenvalerate.

We investigated Baetis spp. (mayfly), Hesperoperla pacifica (stonefly), and Brachycentrus americanus (caddisfly) susceptibility at the egg stage to esfenvalerate, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. Eggs were obtained from the field or from field-collected gravid females at sites near Corvallis (OR, USA) and the Metolius River at Camp Sherman (OR, USA) for static exposures under controlled conditions for temperature and light. Eggs were exposed to esfenvalerate for 48 h at concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 4.0 μg/L. No effect on mortality or posthatch growth was detected in H. pacifica eggs exposed to esfenvalerate concentrations up to 1.0 μg/L. Exposure to 0.07 μg/L of esfenvalerate, however, caused a significant increase in Baetis spp. egg mortality, and exposure of near-eclosion eggs to lower concentrations (0.025 and 0.05 μg/L) resulted in behavioral effects and reduced survivorship in newly hatched Baetis nymphs. Early stage B. americanus eggs were 10-fold more sensitive to esfenvalerate when removed from the gelatinous clutch before exposure, an indication that the gelatin affords protection from toxicant exposure. Exposures of near-hatch B. americanus clutches to esfenvalerate concentrations ranging between 0.035 and 0.2 μg/L, however, resulted in significant clutch death within clutches resulting from behavioral aberrations of first-instar larvae. The results of the present study suggest that aquatic insect egg clutch morphology can be a strong influence on susceptibility of embryos to esfenvalerate exposure.