cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pubic hair in boys due to adrenarche rather than true puberty

Pubic hair sometimes develops in boys before testicular enlargement. We have tested the possibility that this situation can be due to adrenarche rather than true puberty. Eight cases between 5.5 and 12.8 years of age were observed to have stage III pubic hair and prepubertal-size testes. All were healthy; 5 were obese. Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) levels were 94-228 μg/dl, above the 95% limits for age. Plasma testosterone at 0800-1300 hr was 11-28 ng/dl. Bone age was normal or only slightly advanced. Diurnal blood sampling and ACTH testing were carried out in an 8.6 year old case. Daytime and nighttime testosterone were similar (16-30 ng/dl), ruling out early true sexual precocity. His baseline pattern and response of steroid intermediaries to ACTH was typical of premature adrenarche, ruling out adrenogenital syndrome. In two other cases the pattern of plasma steroid intermediates was normal and DHAS was shown to be normally dexamethasone-suppressible. These studies show that isolated onset of pubic hair in boys without testicular enlargement does not necessarily indicate true puberty or virilization, but is often due to adrenarche as a variation of normal. Furthermore, these results suggest an association between premature adrenarche and obesity.
STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF FEVER X. THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN ENZYME INHIBITORS ON THE PRODUCTION AND ACTIVITY OF LEUCOCYTIC PYROGEN

The production of endogenous pyrogen by intact granulocytes obtained from acute peritoneal exudates is blocked by arsenite, iodoacetate, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and N-ethylmaleimide in concentrations of 2 x 10(-4)M. When the concentration of these sulfhydryl-reactive enzyme inhibitors is increased to 2 x 10(-2)M, only the iodoacetate inactivates the pyrogen molecule, whereas the arsenite, the p-chloromercuribenzoate, and the N-ethylmaleimide have no gross effect upon its thermogenic activity. Both diisopropyl fluorophosphate and dinitrofluorobenzene are even more potent inactivators of the pyrogen molecule than iodoacetate, although the action of the DFP cannot be blocked or reversed by known antagonists such as 2-pyridine aldoxime methiodide and hydroxylamine. Proteolytic enzymes, potentially capable of degrading leucocytic pyrogen, are released from polymorphonuclear leucocytes, along with the pyrogen, when the cells are incubated in normal salt solution. These enzymes are readily activated by a sufficient concentration of glutathione (2 x 10(-2)M). They are not present in preparations of partially purified leucocytic pyrogen from which much of the non-pyrogenic protein has been removed. Glutathione by itself, even at concentrations as high as 2 x 10(-1)M, does not affect in the gross the thermogenic activity of the purified pyrogen. The implications of these findings in relation to both the production and the chemical characteristics of leucocytic pyrogen are discussed.
On the Unique Solvability of a Nonlinear Reaction-Diffusion Model with Convection☆

Nonnegative solutions of a general reaction-diffusion model with convection are known to be unique if the reaction, convection, and diffusion terms are all Lipschitz continuous with respect to their dependence on the solution variable. However, it is also known that such a Lipschitz condition is not necessary for the unique solvability of the model if either convection or reaction is not present. We introduce monotonicity conditions which, when imposed on the reaction and convection, are sufficient for the uniqueness of all nonnegative solutions of the general model. Consideration of the model where reaction, diffusion, and convection are governed by power laws also reveals the extent to which these conditions are necessary.
Political Institutions, Coercive Diplomacy, and the Duration of Economic Sanctions

A theory of sanction duration that focuses on differences between democratic and nondemocratic states in the structure of leaders’ support coalitions is tested, using a hazard model to analyze a data set of 47 sanction events with 272 observations. Results show that leadership change strongly affects the duration of sanctions only in the case of nondemocratic states. Leadership change in democratic states is unrelated to the duration of sanctions; however, leadership change in nondemocratic sender and nondemocratic target states is strongly related to the ending of economic sanctions.
Improving the SOA Switching Speed of Wavelength-Striped Optical Packets Using Multipulse Current Injection

A reduced semiconductor optical amplifier switching speed is demonstrated for 8x10-Gb/s wavelength-striped optical packets using multipulse pre-emphasis current injection. The scheme yields a 20% improvement in switching speed; the power penalty performance is also characterized.
Early carcinoma of the mouth

Abstract The subject of carly oral carcinoma has been reviewed. The histopathologic wastebasket term leukoplakia has been redefined. The clinical and histologic findings of dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, and carly invasive carcinoma of the oral mucosa have been described and defined.
Intersections of Lagrangian submanifolds and the Mel’nikov 1-form

Abstract We make explicit the geometric content of Mel’nikov’s method for detecting heteroclinic points between transversally hyperbolic periodic orbits. After developing the general theory of intersections for pairs of families of Lagrangian submanifolds N e ± , with N 0 + = N 0 − and constrained to live in an auxiliary family of submanifolds, we explain how the heteroclinic orbits of a given Hamiltonian system are detected by the zeros of the Mel’nikov 1-form. This 1-form admits an integral expression which is non-convergent in general. We discuss different solutions to this convergence problem.
Ultrahigh Dimensional Variable Selection: beyond the linear model

Variable selection in high-dimensional space characterizes many contemporary prob- lems in scientific discovery and decision making. Many frequently-used techniques are based on independence screening; examples include correlation ranking or feature selection using a two- sample t-test in high-dimensional classification. Within the context of the linear model, Fan and Lv (2008) showed that this simple correlation ranking possesses a sure independence screen- ing property under certain conditions and that its revision, called iteratively sure independent screening (ISIS), is needed when the features are marginally unrelated but jointly related to the response variable. In this paper, we extend ISIS, without explicit definition of residuals, to a general pseudo-likelihood framework, which includes generalized linear models as a special case. Even in the least-squares setting, the new method improves ISIS by allowing variable deletion in the iterative process. Our technique allows us to select important features in high-dimensional classification where the popularly used two-sample t-method fails. A new technique is introduced to reduce the false discovery rate in the feature screening stage. Several simulated and two real data examples are presented to illustrate the methodology. Refreshments will be served at 3:30 PM in 0-112 Martin Hall.
Electroencephalographic Cordance Patterns Distinguish Exceptional Clinical Responders with Fibromyalgia to Individualized Homeopathic Medicines

Objectives: To characterize initial central nervous system responses to olfactory administration of homeopathic remedies as biomarkers for subsequently exceptional, simillimum-like clinical outcomes at a systemic level (i.e., both locally and globally). Design: Double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Setting: A private homeopathic clinic in Phoenix, AZ, and a university laboratory in Tucson, AZ. Patients: Sixty-two (62) persons with physician-confirmed fibromyalgia (FM) (mean age, 49 years; 94% women) enrolled; 53 completed the 3-month assessment visit. Exceptional responders (n = 6, 23% of active treatment group; none on placebo) were those with improvements in the top one-third for both tender point pain and global health ratings after 3 months. Intervention: Patients took daily oral doses of treatment solution in LM (1/50,000 dilution) potency (active group received individualized remedy; placebo group received plain solvent). Dependent measures: Baseline and 3-month difference s...
Larval Tunic and the Function of the Test Cells in Ascidians

Abstract In normal ascidian development, cuticular fins begin to form at the late tailbud stage and are fully formed at hatching. When one or several neurulae were manually demembranated (follicle cells, vitelline coat and test cells removed) and cultured in seawater they failed to form caudal fins. Fins were normal when the follicle cells alone were removed. The shape of the fins was normal when demembranation was delayed to the late tailbud stage. Does demembranation cause the loss of an essential factor produced by the embryos themselves or do the test cells provide a factor for fin morphogenesis? Demembranated neurulae of Ascidia callosa were cultured in groups ranging in size from 2 to 80 in 1 ml volumes of seawater. The mean lengths of the caudal fins increased with group size. In larger groups, some embryos developed fins that were normal in shape and as long as undemembranated controls. Results were similar with Corella inflata. These experiments suggest that a diffusible substance from the embryos facilitates fin morphogenesis and that test cells are not required. Test cells deposit ‘ornaments’ on the tunic in some species. In other species no ornaments are produced. Ten families are compared. It is proposed that the test cells make the tunic hydrophilic.
Breast cancer screening in regional Hispanic populations

Although Hispanics' use of breast cancer screening services has been investigated, to date there have been no published studies of distinct Hispanic populations in different areas of the country. Using the diverse populations and sites involved in the National Hispanic Leadership Initiative on Cancer 'En Accion', this study examines ethno-regional differences in breast cancer screening rates among these groups and explores the correlates of screening participation. Data collected through telephone surveys were analyzed for women 40 years of age and older (n = 2082). After controlling for demographic variables traditionally related to breast cancer screening rates, it was found that ethno-regional differences in breast cancer screening practices clearly persisted. In addition to traditional demographic factors, other variables evidently underlie differences in Hispanics' utilization of breast cancer screening services. These variables may be cultural and should be investigated in future research. Meanwhile, researchers should not refer to the 'Hispanic' population at large without identifying, addressing and clarifying the ethno-regional characteristics of their samples.
Exercise testing with special reference to children with diabetes mellitus.

. Thoren, C. (Department of Pediatrics, St. Goran's Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden). Exercise testing with special reference to children with diabetes mellitus. Acta Paediatr Sand, Suppl. 283: 29, 1980.—The purpose of exercise testing in diabetes mellitus is to examine physical fitness and to motivate the patient to perform physical activity as a valuable part of the treatment. Different types of tests and ergometry are presented. The step wise increase of workload at submaximal levels is recommended for diabetics as an annual test. Maximal exercise is of value in determining the maximal oxygen uptake (v˙o2 max)=the aerobic capacity, maximal heart rate and systolic blood pressure.
The contribution of adolescent growth to shorter adult statures among girls of Chinese ancestry.

Researchers have hypothesized that shorter mean statures at onset of the adolescent spurt and more rapid skeletal maturation during adolescence among East Asian populations contribute significantly to their shorter mean adult statures compared to European populations. The goal of this study is to use longitudinal height growth data modeled with the Preece-Baines Model 1 (PB1) function to examine the relative importance of adolescent growth to population differences in adult stature. Biological variables for 303 Chinese females from the Da-an District in Taipei, Taiwan, are compared with those for 23 British and 69 Euro-American females. Results indicate that 96% of the difference in adult statures (4.37 cm) between the British and urban Chinese may be attributed to the greater amount of time available to the British for preadolescent growth. Growth during adolescence between these two groups is not significantly different. When comparisons are made with the Euro-American sample from Berkeley, California, only about 26% of the difference in adult stature (6.96 cm) may be attributed to the later age at take-off. Much (53.2%) of the difference has already accrued by take-off among the Chinese. Small, but statistically significant differences in adolescent growth also exist. When considered within the context of other longitudinal studies of European and American females, this study gives only modest support to the hypothesis that more rapid skeletal maturation leads to reduced amounts of adolescent growth among East Asian populations. Interestingly, though, population differences do appear to exist in the relationship between the relative timing of an individual's growth spurt and spurt intensity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:735-746, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Events, agents, and settling whether and how one intervenes

Event-causal libertarians maintain that an agent’s settling of whether certain states-of-affairs obtain on a particular occasion can be reduced to the causing of events (e.g., bodily motions, coming to a resolution) by certain mental events or states, such as certain desires, beliefs and/or intentions. Agent-causal libertarians disagree. A common critique against event-causal libertarian accounts is that the agent’s role of settling matters is left unfilled and the agent “disappears” from such accounts—a problem known as the disappearing agent problem. Recently, Franklin (Philos Stud 170:413–432, 2014) has argued that an “enriched” event-causal account can overcome this problem. Franklin, however, doesn’t consider whether, as Pereboom (J Philos 99:499–531, 2015) argues, the agent as decider of “torn decisions” disappears from even enriched accounts. As I show here, Franklin’s enriched account takes some modifying if it is to overcome Pereboom’s torn decision problem—a special case of the disappearing agent problem. However, as I also show, there is a more fundamental problem facing event-causal libertarian accounts. It is implausible that an agent qua event or state simultaneously settles whether and how she intervenes. The upshot is that events and/or states lack an ability essential to completely fulfilling an agent’s role qua settler. This isn’t a problem for agent-causal accounts like the one offered by Steward (A metaphysics for freedom. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012) because in as much as an agent qua substance settles whether her body moves in certain ways on certain occasions she simultaneously settles whether and how she intervenes. As a consequence, event-causal libertarians face a dilemma, or rather several, that agent-causal libertarians do not. This may ultimately be explained by the irreducibility of causation by agents to causation by events.
A Statistical Approach to Remote Physical Device Fingerprinting

The dynamic nature of the Internet allows concealment of network identity in the course of network attacks. Linear regression, applied to the problem of determining relative time drift or clock skew of a machine, is proposed to fingerprint unique machine instances. Previous work used convex hull techniques to determine clock skew; while accurate, the linear regression technique is as accurate and provides beneficial statistical byproducts that can be used to estimate population behavior, required sample size, and sample granularity. Statistical techniques are presented that were validated through several data collection experiments by using a network of nearly identical machines. A formula for determining the required sample size given initial error characteristics and desired accuracy was derived. Additionally, artificial delay was introduced to validate the performance of linear regression classification across wide area networks.
State Agendas, Local Sentiments: Vietnamese Wedding Practices amidst Socialist Transformations

This article examines how Vietnamese citizens responded to state exhortations to devalue and simplify maritial exchanges. Such exhortations reflected Engels'belief that the success of revolutionary socialism was contingent upon a transformation of marital institutions. Vietnam, a weak state with an otherwise home-grown socialist revolution, announced decrees to this end in the North after national partition in 1954 and in the South following political reunification in 1975. This article employs data from the author's 1993 field survey in a Northern and Southern province to track temporal changes in a variety of Vietnamese wedding practices. The results suggest that the socialist marriage pattern took hold in the Northern province only. Findings are linked to historical events, modernization, state-society bargaining processes, as well as the more general successes and failures of revolutionary socialism in Vietnam
David Hume and Necessary Connections

David Hume's claim that necessary connection is essential to causality was at the expense of a useful causal distinction we sometimes note with the words ‘necessity’ and ‘contingency’. And since, as J. L. Mackie has stated, Hume made ‘the most significant and influential single contribution to the theory of causation’, subsequent writers on causality, regardless of their support for, or opposition to, Hume, have joined him in trampling this distinction. The object of this paper is not so much to undermine one of Hume's conclusions as it is to describe a use of ‘necessary’ that, while surviving in popular usage, is ignored or obfuscated in the literature on causality.
Karst hydrology: recent developments and open questions

Karst aquifers are those that contain dissolution-generated conduits that permit the rapid transport of ground water, often in turbulent flow. The conduit system receives localized inputs from sinking surface streams and as storm runoff through sinkholes. The conduit system interconnects with the ground water stored in fractures and in the granular permeability of the bedrock. As a conceptual framework, the basic components of karstic aquifers seem to be generally accepted. Progress in the decade of the 1990s has focused mainly on quantifying the conceptual model. The equilibrium chemistry of the limestone and dolomite dissolution has been reliably established, and there are formal models for the kinetics of dissolution. Kinetic models have been used to calculate both fracture enlargement to protoconduits (0.01-m aperture) and the enlargement of protoconduits to the size of typical cave passages. Modeling of ground water flow in karstic aquifers has been less successful. Progress has been made in the use of water budgets, tracer studies, hydrograph analysis and chemograph analysis for the characterization of karstic aquifers. Topics on which progress is needed include (a) the construction of models that describe the complete aquifer including the interactions of all components, (b) models for clastic sediment transport within the aquifer, and (c) working out processes and mechanisms for contaminant transport in karst aquifers. An optimistic assessment at the end of the millennium is that a complete model for karstic aquifers is visible on the horizon.
Vanishing points estimation by self-similarity

This paper presents a novel self-similarity based approach for the problem of vanishing point estimation in man-made scenes. A vanishing point (VP) is the convergence point of a pencil (a concurrent line set), that is a perspective projection of a corresponding parallel line set in the scene. Unlike traditional VP detection that relies on extraction and grouping of individual straight lines, our approach detects entire pencils based on a property of 1D affine-similarity between parallel cross-sections of a pencil. Our approach is not limited to real pencils. Under some conditions (normally met in man-made scenes), our method can detect pencils made of virtual lines passing through similar image features, and hence can detect VPs from repeating patterns that do not contain straight edges. We demonstrate that detecting entire pencils rather than individual lines improves the detection robustness in that it improves VP detection in challenging conditions, such as very-low resolution or weak edges, and simultaneously reduces VP false-detection rate when only a small number of lines are detectable.
Instability of graphical strips and a positive answer to the Bernstein problem in the Heisenberg group H1

In the first Heisenberg group H 1 with its sub-Riemannian structure generated by the horizontal subbundle, we single out a class of C 2 non-characteristic entire intrinsic graphs which we call strict graphical strips. We prove that such strict graphical strips have vanishing horizontal mean curvature (i.e., they are H-minimal) and are unstable (i.e., there exist compactly supported deformations for which the second variation of the horizontal perimeter is strictly negative). We then show that, modulo left-translations and rotations about the center of the group, every C 2 entire Hminimal graph with empty characteristic locus and which is not a vertical plane contains a strict graphical strip. Combining these results we prove the conjecture that in H 1 the only stable C 2 Hminimal entire graphs, with empty characteristic locus, are the vertical planes.
Mg(2+) binding to open and closed states can activate BK channels provided that the voltage sensors are elevated.

BK channels are activated by intracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ as well as by depolarization. Such activation is possible because each of the four subunits has two high-affinity Ca2+ sites, one low-affinity Mg2+ site, and a voltage sensor. This study further investigates the mechanism of Mg2+ activation by using single-channel recording to determine separately the action of Mg2+ on the open and closed states of the channel. To limit Mg2+ action to the Mg2+ sites, the two high-affinity Ca2+ sites are disabled by mutation. When the voltage is stepped from negative holding potentials to +100 mV, we find that 10 mM Mg2+ decreases the mean closed latency to the first channel opening 2.1-fold, decreases the mean closed interval duration 8.7-fold, increases mean burst duration 10.1-fold, increases the number of openings per burst 4.4-fold, and increases mean open interval duration 2.3-fold. Hence, Mg2+ can bind to closed BK channels, increasing their opening rates, and to open BK channels, decreasing their closing rates. To explore the relationship between Mg2+ action and voltage sensor activation, we record single-channel activity in macropatches containing hundreds of channels. Open probability (Po) is dramatically increased by 10 mM Mg2+ when voltage sensors are activated with either depolarization or the mutation R210C. The increased Po arises from large decreases in mean closed interval durations and moderate increases in mean open interval durations. In contrast, 10 mM Mg2+ has no detectable effects on Po or interval durations when voltage sensors are deactivated with very negative potentials or the mutation R167E. These observations are consistent with a model in which Mg2+ can bind to and alter the gating of both closed and open states to increase Po, provided that one or more voltage sensors are activated.
Screening CT colonography: how I do it.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to detail an approach to CT colonographic screening that has evolved at one institution.CONCLUSION. CT colonography is a rapidly advancing technology that has great potential for addressing a deadly but preventable disease—colorectal carcinoma. CT colonography is ideally suited for widespread screening of asymptomatic adults and has become an integral component of the screening efforts at my institution since local third-party coverage was initiated.
Optimal Image-Based Euclidean Calibration of Structured Light Systems in General Scenes

This paper presents a method to perform Euclidean calibration on camera and projector-based structured light systems, without assuming specific scene structure. The vast majority of the methods in the literature rely on prior knowledge of the 3D scene geometry in order to perform calibration, i.e., the nature of the occluding bodies in the scene needs to be known beforehand in order to calibrate structured light systems. Examples of prior knowledge used include using known stationary occluding bodies, precisely maneuvering known occluding bodies, knowing the exact world location of projected points or lines, or ensuring the entire scene obeys some other specific setup. By using multiple cameras, the method presented in this paper is able to calibrate camera and projector systems without requiring any of these constraints on occluding bodies in the scene. The method presented optimizes the calibration of the scene in terms of image-based reprojection error. Simulations are shown which characterize the effect noise has on the system, and experimental verification is performed on complex and cluttered scenes. The main contribution of this paper is the elimination of the requirement of using known occluding bodies in the scene for camera and projector-based structured light system calibration, which has not been extensively studied.
From communication to language in two modalities

This study explores the interplay between gestures and words in the early vocabularies of 12 normally developing Italian children at 16 and 20 months of age. Focusing on spontaneous production of verbal and gestural types and tokens, we assessed the diversity and semantic content of the verbal and gestural vocabularies. Results indicated that the gestural modality was utilized extensively by all subjects. Whereas only half the group had more gesture than word types in their repertoires at 16 months, eight of the 12 subjects exhibited a clear preference for communication in the gestural modality, employing a larger number of gestural than verbal tokens. By 20 months, almost all of the subjects had many more word types and used words more frequently than gestures. By providing some sensorimotor components of an object-referent, gestures may lessen the demand on developing symbolic skills and aid the child in the transition to highly abstract word-referent relationships.
Mechanism of Porosity Formation in Transfer Films in Electromagnetic Launchers

Melting occurs at the armature-rail interface during electromagnetic launch due to resistive heating. The liquid metal film at the interface is thought to decrease the friction and contact electrical resistance. The liquid metal is quenched at the rail surface, leaving a solid transfer film with surface properties that may affect the efficiency of subsequent launches. Notably, the transfer film contains pores which increase the overall rail electrical resistance. The reduction of atmospheric water vapor by liquid aluminum to produce hydrogen is thought to be the main source of porosity. To further examine the pore formation mechanism, we performed launch experiments using steel armatures and copper rails lubricated with two silver-bismuth alloys. Spherical pores similar to those observed in aluminum films are also present in silver-bismuth transfer films. Neither liquid silver nor bismuth is capable of reducing water vapor to hydrogen. This strongly suggests that the porosity is not due to hydrogen in these films. Air entrainment occurs in forced wetting when the three-phase contact line velocity exceeds a critical value. The critical wetting velocity is a function of surface tension and viscosity and is estimated to be 4-40 m/s for liquid bismuth at 600 K and a comparable value for liquid aluminum. Armature velocities exceed these values nearly instantaneously during launch. These results indicate that air entrainment is likely the source of porosity in transfer films.
False Memory in Aging Resulting From Self-Referential Processing

Objectives. Referencing the self is known to enhance accurate memory, but less is known about how the strategy affects false memory, particularly for highly self-relevant information. Because older adults are more prone to false memories, we tested whether self-referencing increased false memories with age. Method. In 2 studies, older and younger adults rated adjecti ves for self-descriptiveness and later completed a surprise recognition test comprised of words rated previously for self-descriptiveness and novel lure words. Lure words were subsequently rated for self-descriptiveness in order to assess the impact of self-relevance on false memory. Study 2 introduced commonness judgments as a control condition, such that participants completed a recognition test on adjectives rated for commonness in addition to adjectives in the self-descriptiveness condition.
A Big Blue Shift: Measuring an Asymmetrically Increasing Margin of Litigation

This paper calculates the change in the vote count from initial returns to final certification in presidential elections from 1960 through 2012, for all fifty states. An analysis of these numbers shows a significant development since 2000: Democratic candidates are more likely to make major gains during the canvass (than either Republicans now or either party’s candidates earlier). One striking statistic: since 2004 the Republican candidate has gained during the canvass only twice in a state that the candidate lost, whereas in the same three years the Democratic candidate gained during the canvass 23 times in a state the candidate lost. In previous years, by contrast, Republicans and Democrats were more evenly matched in their ability to reduce their opponent's lead during the canvass.Focusing on swing states, the data also show that since 2004 it is increasingly likely that a Democratic candidate could come from behind during the canvass to overtake a Republican lead at the end of Election Night. More analysis is necessary to identify a cause of this "Big Blue Shift": the rise in provisional voting since HAVA? an increase in absentee voting? a combination of these and/or other factors? But whatever the cause, it is ironic that since 2000 the nation is now more -- not less -- at risk of a presidential election going into "overtime" after Election Night (due to the potential of the lead changing in a swing state during the canvass). Moreover, the fact that this increased risk is asymmetrical, apparently making the canvass more favorable to Democrats now whereas that was not true historically, may introduce a disequilibrium in the strategic considerations of the two parties as they consider how to prepare for the “margin of litigation” in future elections. The paper, published in the Journal of Law & Politics, is available at the journal’s website.
Direct and indirect modulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase by nitric oxide: feedback mechanisms in inflammation

Cytokines are peptide hormones with a vast array of effects on growth, development, immunity, and disease that are regulated in complex ways at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels. Cytokine activities interact with one another, regulate each other’s expression and activity, and baffle investigators with their often-overlapping spectra of action [1]. Cytokines are required to mediate many cellular functions and thereby affect physiology and pathology. One target of many cytokines is regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen oxide species (RNOS). In turn, ROS such as Superoxide and RNOS such as nitric oxide (NO) and its reaction products can modulate the expression and function of numerous cytokines. Nitric oxide is of particular biological interest because its rapid and wide-ranging effects on physiological responses pose a central problem to determine how the system is ramped up quickly, and furthermore, due to its toxicity, what controls are in place to modulate its activity.
Drafting a Cyberbullying Policy for Iowa Schools

Explanation of the need for a specific cyberbullying policy in Iowa and all schools around the nation. Followed by a model "best method" cyberbullying policy for Iowa schools to use along with explanations for the need and use of each part of the policy. Schools are advised to put real thought into their cyberbullying policy and can and should personalize their policies to their school's specific needs. However, this paper lays out what should be in a cyberbullying policy at a minimum and how to implement and enforce said policy.
Exploration and mining of web repositories

With the proliferation of very large data repositories hidden behind web interfaces, e.g., keyword search, form-like search and hierarchical/graph-based browsing interfaces for Amazon.com, eBay.com, etc., efficient ways of searching, exploring and/or mining such web data are of increasing importance. There are two key challenges facing these tasks: how to properly understand web interfaces, and how to bypass the interface restrictions. In this tutorial, we start with a general overview of web search and data mining, including various exciting applications enabled by the effective search, exploration, and mining of web repositories. Then, we focus on the fundamental developments in the field, including web interface understanding, sampling, and data analytics over web repositories with various types of interfaces. We also discuss the potential changes required for query processing, data mining and machine learning algorithms to be applied to web data. Our goal is two-fold: one is to promote the awareness of existing web data search/exploration/mining techniques among all web researchers who are interested in leveraging web data, and the other is to encourage researchers, especially those who have not previously worked in web search and mining before, to initiate their own research in these exciting areas.
H. pylori acutely inhibits gastric secretion by activating CGRP sensory neurons coupled to stimulation of somatostatin and inhibition of histamine secretion.

Acute Helicobacter pylori infection produces hypochlorhydria. The decrease in acid facilitates survival of the bacterium and its colonization of the stomach. The present study was designed to ident...
Growth and Electronic Properties in Hot Wire Deposited Nanocrystalline Si Solar Cells

We report on the growth and properties of nanocrystalline Si:H grown using a remote hot wire deposition system. Unlike previous results, the temperature of the substrate is not significantly affected by the hot filament in our system. The crystallinity of the growing film and the type of grain structure was systematically varied by changing the filament temperature and the degree of hydrogen dilution. It was found that high hydrogen dilution gave rise to random nucleation and grain growth, whereas lower hydrogen dilution led to preferable growth of grains. Similarly, a high filament temperature gave rise to preferential growth compared to lower filament temperature. The electronic properties such as defect density and minority carrier diffusion length were studied as a function of the degree of crystallinity. It was found that the lowest defect density was obtained for a material which had an intermediate range of crystallnity, as determined from the Raman spectrum. Both highly amorphous and highly crystalline materials gave higher defect densities. The diffusion lengths were measured using a quantum efficiency technique, and were found to be the highest for the mid-range crystalline material. The results suggest that having an amorphous tissue surrounding the crystalline grain helps in passivating the grain boundaries.
Crystal Chemistry and Phase Equilibrium Studies of the Bao(baco3)‐r2o3‐cuo Systems. V. Melting Relations in ba2(y,nd,eu)cu3o6+x

The influence of the ionic size of the lanthanides R on melting relations of Ba2RCu3O6+x, where R=Y, Eu and Nd, was studied and compared with that of a high Tc superconductor mixed‐lanthanide phase Ba2(Y.75Eu.125Nd 125)Cu3O6+xThese materials have been characterized by a variety of methods including differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X‐ray powder diffraction. Single phase samples of Ba2(Y.75Eu.125Nd.125)Cu3O6+x were annealed at 1004, 1040, 1052, 1060, 1078, 1107 and 1160°C and quenched into a helium gas container cooled by liquid nitrogen. The SEM micrographs of these samples showed the progressive chnages in features of the microstructures from sintering and grain growth through melting and then recrystallization from the melt. The addition of the SEM technique in conjunction with X‐ray diffraction has been helpful in the study of phase equilibria in this system.
When to Intervene: Toward a Markov Decision Process Dialogue Policy for Computer Science Tutoring.

Designing dialogue systems that engage in rich tutorial dialogue has long been a goal of the intelligent tutoring systems community. A key challenge for these systems is determining when to intervene during student problem solving. Although intervention strategies have historically been hand-authored, utilizing machine learning to automatically acquire corpus-based intervention policies that maximize student learning holds great promise. To this end, this paper presents a Markov Decision Process (MDP) framework to learn when to intervene, capturing the most effective tutor turn-taking behaviors in a taskoriented learning environment with textual dialogue. This framework is developed as a part of the JavaTutor tutorial dialogue project and will contribute to data-driven development of a tutorial dialogue system for introductory computer science education.
Using genetic algorithms for adaptive function approximation and mesh generation

We have developed GA-based search procedures for continuous function approximations. We have designed algorithms that perform both adaptive mesh refinement and selection of interpolations functions, both of which are necessary to achieve highly accurate function approximations while keeping the number of mesh points at a minimum. We demonstrate the feasibility of the approach by testing it on a variety of functions.
Bioelectrochemical treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) from an abandoned coal mine under aerobic condition

In this study, a bioelectrochemical system (BES) was used to treat acid mine drainage (AMD) from an abandoned coal mine in the cathode chamber under aerobic condition. Activated sludge from a local wastewater treatment plant was used in the anode chamber of the BES to supply electrons to the treatment. After 7days, the pH of the cathode solution enhanced from 2.5 to 7.3. More than 99% of Al, Fe and Pb were removed, and removal rates of 93%, 91%, 89% and 69% were achieved for Cd, Zn, Mn and Co respectively with biocathode. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) study revealed the deposition of the various types of metals on the cathode surface, and some metals were detected in the precipitates of the cathode chamber. The bacteria for AMD treatment was identified to be Serratia spp. using 16s rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Scanning electron microscopy showed attached growth of the bacteria on the cathode. The bioelectrochemical treatment of the AMD was also compared with the biological treatment in a continuously stirred batch reactor (CSBR).
Associations between obesity, mood, inflammation, and tryptophan catabolism in pregnancy

The objective of this study was to evaluate relationships between obesity in pregnancy measured by body mass index (BMI), inflammatory markers, plasma levels of tryptophan and kynurenine, and depressed mood. Pregnant women (N = 374) were enrolled and measured at a mean gestation of 20 weeks in a cross sectional study. Plasma was analyzed for neopterin, nitrite, tryptophan (TRP), and kynurenine (KYN) levels. Women completed demographic and mood scales.There were statistically significant inverse correlation between BMI and tryptophan, and positive correlations between BMI and KYN, the kynurenine/tryptophan (KYN/TRP) ratio, neopterin and nitrite. There was a correlation between depressed mood and nitrite. When the sample was divided into pregnant women with or without obesity, TRP was lower and the KYN/TRP ratio and nitrite levels were significantly higher, and neopterin was marginally higher in women with obesity. The proinflammatory state of obesity in pregnancy may drive activation of indoleamine 2-3 dioxygenase (IDO-1), resulting in diversion of tryptophan away from serotonin production and towards kynurenine metabolites. The deleterious results may include decreased serotonin and increased production of excitotoxic neurotransmitters and production of a pro-inflammatory state in pregnancy. These effects along with excessive inflammation due to obesity contribute to less favorable pregnancy and fetal outcomes.
Association of Anemia with Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES Anemia is common in patients presenting with acute congestive heart failure (CHF); when hemoglobin (HGB) declines to low levels, it can result in worse outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine a level of HGB on admission or discharge that affects outcomes in patients with CHF and then to evaluate the effect of the low HGB levels on these outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 756 patients admitted with acute CHF during the period January 1, 2011-December 31, 2014. We used multivariable regression analysis to evaluate the relation among HGB levels and three major outcomes: 3-year mortality, 30-day readmission rate, and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS Compared with patients with HGB ≥10 g/dL, patients with HGB <10 g/dL on discharge from the hospital had higher mortality (3-year survival 46% vs 33%, P = 0.023) and 30-day readmission rates (23% vs 14%; P = 0.008) and increased LOS (4.8 vs 3.2 days, P < 0.001). Patients with admission HGB <10 g/dL had higher mortality rates (3-year survival 45% vs 32%, P = 0.019) and increased LOS (4.5 vs 3.4 days, P = 0.014). A lower admission HGB value was associated with higher 30-day readmission rates, but it was not statistically significant (P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS An HGB level <10 g/dL on admission or discharge in patients hospitalized with acute CHF is associated with a significantly worse outcome.
Is Obama the Conflict Reconciliation President

The Obama campaign focused on the future President's interest in political reconciliation. Has he succeeded in manifesting his campaign identity as a governing peacemaker? This question is examined through selected acts that illustrate his efforts to extend the olive branch; a discussion of leadership style; the meaning of reconciliation; and an analysis of seven major speeches Obama delivered during his first two years in office to evaluate his conflict resolution/reconciliation focus using DICTION software, a content analysis program. The net assessment is that he has not been able to transfer his campaign image into presidential operations. Reconciliation means overcoming polarization and bridging deep differences across opposing parties - Obama has tried to do this in domestic and foreign policy but without success. His rhetoric has, however, opened the terrain of new ideas - bipartisanship on the domestic front; attempted altered relations with the Muslim world in a major shift from Bush administration policies; and he sustains a very high level of optimism, a key to effective leadership. In subtle ways, the rhetoric advances the conflict reconciliation theme by broadening debate in the articulation of policy and imagining social agreement.
Vulnerability of long-term care facility residents to Clostridium difficile infection due to microbiome disruptions

Aging presents a significant risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). A disproportionate number of CDIs affect individuals in long-term care facilities compared with the general population, likely due to the vulnerable nature of the residents and shared environment. Review of the literature cites a number of underlying medical conditions such as the use of antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, chemotherapy, renal disease and feeding tubes as risk factors. These conditions alter the intestinal environment through direct bacterial killing, changes to pH that influence bacterial stabilities or growth, or influence nutrient availability that direct population profiles. In this review, we examine some of the contributing risk factors for elderly associated CDI and the toll they take on the microbiome.
Should a Prison Salt Trial Be Federally Funded

Determining whether restricted salt intake improves key health outcomes would require a randomized trial. The authors discuss the ethics of whether such a trial should be done with prisoners.
Aesthetics of disaster as decolonial aesthetics: making sense of the effects of Hurricane María through Puerto Rican contemporary art

On 20 September 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico causing unprecedented disaster. From that day onwards, the Puerto Rican multi-layered colonial, social and political context was f...
Coupling of Nuclear Morphometry to Cell Geometry. Its Role in the Control of Normal and Abnormal Cell Growth

Recent work has related nuclear DNA morphometry to cell function during the cycle of synchronized mammalian cells (1) (see also chapter by Nicolini and Belmont) during the G0–G1 transition of confluent human diploid fibroblasts stimulated to proliferate (2), as well as during virus transformation (3) and aging (4). However, those studies did not yet establish a causal relation. It is still unclear whether a change in the functional state in the cell results in altered nuclear morphology or whether an altered nuclear morphometry results in an altered functional state (and it is a requirement for the initiation of this altered functional state). At the same time cell geometry appears causally correlated with cell proliferation in normal cells but not in transformed cells (5). We have therefore recently explored the nuclear DNA morphometry changes with respect to cell geometry during various functional states to establish the role of their coupling (or uncoupling) in this control of normal and abnormal cell growth.
Neck Pain and Extremity Weakness Following Trauma

A 25-year-old man was snowboarding down a slope and attempted to perform a trick off a ramp. He miscalculated the jump and landed directly on his head, without a helmet. He denied any loss of consciousness but immediately had difficulty moving his arms and legs. The ambulance crew placed him supine on a board with a hard cervical collar and blocks. In the emergency department, he is alert and oriented to person, place, and time, but he complains of severe neck pain. His heart rate is 80/min, blood pressure is 130/85 mmHg, respiratory rate is 13/min, and temperature is 37.4 °C. He has 2/5 strength in his upper and lower extremities. He reports decreased sensation to pinprick and cold packs in all extremities but has preserved sensation to deep touch and pressure throughout the body. He has nonsustained clonus and brisk reflexes in his biceps, brachioradialis, triceps, patellar tendons, and Achilles tendons. His big toe points upward with all other toes fanning out when the sole of his foot is stimulated with a blunt instrument. Rectal examination reveals preserved anal tone. His imaging is shown below (Fig. 28.1).
Conclusion: The Legacy of the Incest Motif

We conclude this work with some modern uses of the incest motif in a variety of genres, including films, novels, memoirs, and popular and sensational media accounts. As a narrative motif and metaphor used to discuss social changes, class conflict, and culture wars, the incest theme has a place in modern reflections on broad social problems. Additionally, advanced reproductive technologies of the twenty-first century have renewed anxiety about inadvertent incest.