cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Characteristics of Vibrator Use by Men in the United States

ABSTRACT Introduction While vibrating products have been recommended by clinicians for the treatment of male sexual dysfunctions, knowledge is lacking with regard to the prevalence of vibrator use among men in the United States, the characteristics of men who use vibrators, and whether there are relations between vibrator use and sexual function among men. Aims To establish lifetime and recent prevalence rates for vibrator use by men in the United States, to document the characteristics of men who use vibrators and their reasons for using vibrators, and to explore relations between men's vibrator use and sexual function. Methods During April 2008, data were collected from a population-based cross-sectional survey of 1,047 men aged 18–60 years in the United States. Analyses were conducted using poststratification data weights. Main Outcome Measure Measures included sociodemographics, health status and health-related behaviors, sexual behaviors, vibrator use, and sexual function. Results For both solo and partnered sexual activities, the prevalence of men who had incorporated a vibrator into sexual activities during their lives was 44.8%, with 10.0% having done so in the past month, 14.2% in the past year, and 20.5% over 1 year ago. Men who had used vibrators, particularly those with more recent use, were more likely to report participation in sexual health promoting behaviors, such as testicular self-exam. Men who had used vibrators recently also scored higher on four of the five domains of the International Index of Erectile Function (erectile function, intercourse satisfaction, orgasmic function, and sexual desire). Conclusions Among men in the United States, vibrator use during solo and partnered sexual interactions is common and is associated with a wide array of positive sexual health characteristics. Future research should continue to explore ways in which men incorporate vibrators into solo sexual acts, partnered sexual play, and sexual intercourse. Reece M, Herbenick D, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Ghassemi A, and Fortenberry JD. Prevalence and characteristics of vibrator use by men in the United States. J Sex Med 2009;6:1867–1874.
Undermining Effects of the Foot‐in‐the‐Door Technique with Extrinsic Rewards

The self-perception explanation of the foot-in-the-door technique suggests that a person who complies with a small request infers that he or she is the kind of generous individual who is more likely to comply with a larger demand. It was hypothesized that individuals who are promised a monetary reward for their compliance with a small request are not more likely to comply with a larger demand because they cannot perceive themselves as generous persons. To test this hypothesis, subjects were presented with a small request (a 5-minute telephone interview) followed, 2 or 3 days later, by a larger demand (a 25-minute telephone interview). Some of the subjects were promised a monetary reward for their compliance with a small request (pay condition) while others were not promised a reward (no-pay condition). Results showed that rate of compliance in the no-pay conditon (64.3%) was significantly higher than rate of compliance in either a no-initial-request control condition (45.0%) or the pay condition (33.3%). The difference in rate of compliance between the control condition and the pay condition was not significant.
Creation and deployment of data mining-based intrusion detection systems in Oracle Database l0g

Network security technology has become crucial in protecting government and industry computing infrastructure. Modern intrusion detection applications face complex requirements - they need to be reliable, extensible, easy to manage, and have low maintenance cost. In recent years, data mining-based intrusion detection systems (IDSs) have demonstrated high accuracy, good generalization to novel types of intrusion, and robust behavior in a changing environment. Still, significant challenges exist in the design and implementation of production quality IDSs. Instrumenting components such as data transformations, model deployment, and cooperative distributed detection remain a labor intensive and complex engineering endeavor. This paper describes DAID, a database-centric architecture that leverages data mining within the Oracle RDBMS to address these challenges. DAID also offers numerous advantages in terms of scheduling capabilities, alert infrastructure, data analysis tools, security, scalability, and reliability. DAID is illustrated with an Intrusion Detection Center application prototype that leverages existing functionality in Oracle Database 10g.
Torque ripple reduction in interior permanent magnet synchronous machines with single-layer fractional slot concentrated windings

High power density and reliability associated with single-layer fractional slot concentrated winding interior permanent magnet synchronous machines make them appealing for automotive and aerospace applications; however, the associated magnetomotive force contains extra harmonic components that result in higher torque ripple. Mechanical vibrations, acoustic noise and bearing damage are often caused by torque ripple and can significantly reduce the life of the machine. In this paper, a priori estimation of torque ripple is used to decrease the torque ripple of a single-layer fractional slot concentrated winding design. Finite element and experimental results are presented demonstrating that the control technique is effective. The losses associated with this controller are also evaluated.
Cardiovascular Health of North Carolina Undergraduates.

Background Cardiovascular disease is highly prevalent in Eastern North Carolina (ENC). In this study, we investigated cardiometabolic risk in young adults of ENC by sampling entrant undergraduates at East Carolina University (ECU). Methods From June to October of 2010, 525 undergraduates were screened for elevated body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipids, blood glucose, inactivity, smoking, history of diabetes or hypertension, and family history of coronary disease. Participants were classified as high-risk if they had 3 or more cardiovascular risk factors or as "MetS" if they satisfied the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Results Forty-four percent of those screened had 2 or more risk factors, 12.5% had 3 or more risk factors, and 1.3% met criteria for MetS. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (27.6%), overweight status (27.2%), and inactivity (27.1%) were leading risks. Females had an increased risk of inactivity compared to males (relative risk [RR] = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.3-2.52). Blacks had a 4-fold higher risk of metabolic syndrome (RR = 4.21; 95% Cl, 1.0-18.4), and black females had a high risk for obesity (RR = 5.7; 95% CI, 2.5-13) and systolic blood pressure elevation (RR = 4.8; 95% Cl, 1.5-15). Students recognized cardiovascular disease as a valid risk to their well-being. Conclusion ECU undergraduates have a high prevalence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors. High-risk and MetS students recognize cardiovascular disease as a significant health risk, but they mistakenly maintain the self-perception that they are healthy. Efforts to understand risk perception and personal strategies of risk application are needed for this population of young adults.
Bell's palsy treatment strategies No obligation to use antivirals

A 48-year-old woman presents to your office with upper and lower left-sided facial weakness she noticed while applying mascara that morning. Other than the peripheral pattern of left facial weakness and absent taste of the left tongue, her neurologic examination is normal. You see no signs to suggest Ramsay Hunt syndrome1 and your practice is not in a Lyme disease endemic area. You make a diagnosis of idiopathic Bell's palsy.
Evaluation of Processing Effects in Injection Molded Thermoplastics Using Excimer Laser

The ablation behavior of amorphous (polystyrene (PS), and polycarbonate (PC)) and crystalline (poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and glass filled poly(butylenes terephthalate) (PBT)) polymers by 248 nm KrF excimer laser irradiation were investigated for different injection molding conditions namely, injection flow rate, injection pressure, and mold temperature, as a possible method to evaluate the processing effects in the specimens. For this purpose, dumb-bell shaped samples were injection molded at different sets of processing conditions, and weight loss measurements were carried out for the different injection molding conditions. Some of the crystalline (PET) samples were annealed at different annealing time and temperature. For PET, weight loss decreased with increasing mold temperature and remained insensitive to injection flow rate. Annealing time and temperature significantly reduced weight loss in PET. For PBT, the weight loss due to laser ablation reduced with increase in material packing due to pressure, and also showed some sensitivity to flow rate variation. The major effect was seen with glass filled PBT samples. The weight loss decreased drastically with increasing glass fiber content. Laser ablation allowed observation of process induced fiber orientation by SEM in PBT samples. For PS and PC, the weight loss increased with increases in the injection flow rate and mold temperature, and decreased with increasing injection pressure. Position near the gate showed higher ablation than the position at the end for all the conditions. A decrease in the material orientation, with injection speed and mold temperature, led to increase in the weight loss, while increase in the injection pressure, and consequently orientation, led to lower weight loss for PS and PC. Higher residual stress samples showed higher weight loss.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Siam and the Commonwealth Defense of Malaya

From 1950 to 1954 the British developed a series of war plans for Malaya predicated on the assumption that following a Communist victory in Indochina, Siam would either succumb to Communist subversion or Chinese invasion. Because Commonwealth troops in Malaya were committed to Emergency operations, the British felt com- pelled to plan a defense based on the most manageable position available given their inadequate numbers. The Siam-Malaya border is over 200 miles long and consists of jungle-covered mountains well- suited to infiltration. Yet just 40 miles north of the border, the Kra Isthmus narrows to approximately 50 miles of mostly gently rolling plains. It was there, just to the north of the port city of Songkhla (aka Singora), that the British decided they would defend Malaya. The plans changed according to developments in Indochina and Siam, but also in relation to force allocations dictated by Allied global war plans.
Physiology-Invariant Meal Detection for Type 1 Diabetes.

Abstract Background: Fully automated artificial pancreas systems require meal detectors to supplement blood glucose level regulation, where false meal detections can cause unnecessary insulin delivery with potentially fatal consequences, and missed detections may cause the patient to experience extreme hyperglycemia. Most existing meal detectors monitor various measures of glucose rate-of-change to detect meals where varying physiology and meal content complicate balancing detector sensitivity versus specificity. Methods: We developed a novel meal detector based on a minimal glucose–insulin metabolism model and show that the detector is, by design, invariant to patient-specific physiological parameters in the minimal model. Our physiological parameter-invariant (PAIN) detector achieves a near-constant false alarm rate across all individuals and is evaluated against three other major existing meal detectors on a clinical type 1 diabetes data set. Results: In the clinical evaluation, the PAIN-based detector...
USE OF CULPAK-KITS TO TRANSPORT MILK SAMPLES FOR CULTURE

Culpak-kits were examined for their usefulness in mailing milk samples to diagnostic laboratories for recovery of mastitis pathogens. Certain mastitis pathogens survived on Culpakkits stored at room temperature for 7 days. Culpak-kits proved to be efficient for transporting aseptically collected quarter milk samples, but inefficient for use with milk samples which contained contaminants, such as found in bulk milk samples.
Ultrastructure, cytochemistry, and organization of myofilaments in vertebrate smooth muscle cells

This familiar quotation from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was used to describe man’s present poor knowledge of spiritual things in contrast to some future time when all truth will be revealed. It could also be used to describe our present poor understanding of the organization of the myofilaments within vertebrate smooth muscle cells. The quotation seems particularly descriptive to an author who has spent hours in a dimly lit room peering through heavily leaded glass at the faintly glowing fluorescent screen of an electron microscope, hoping to see an image which would reveal how the myofilaments of smooth muscle cells are organized to produce force and/or shortening appropriate to their function. But the glass within these microscopes is far clearer than another “glass” through which we peer just as hopefully. This “glass” is the paradigm that influences us to see only what we expect to see.
Attenuation of the in vitro neurotoxicity of 316L SS by graphene oxide surface coating

A persistent theme in biomaterials research comprises of surface engineering and modification of bare metallic substrates for improved cellular response and biocompatibility. Graphene Oxide (GO), a derivative of graphene, has outstanding chemical and mechanical properties; its large surface to volume ratio, ease of surface modification and processing make GO an attractive coating material. GO-coatings have been extensively studied as biosensors. Further owing to its surface nano-architecture, GO-coated surfaces promote cell adhesion and growth, making it suitable for tissue engineering applications. The need to improve the long-term durability and therapeutic effectiveness of commercially available bare 316L stainless steel (SS) surfaces led us to adopt a polymer-free approach which is cost-effective and scalable. GO was immobilized on to 316L SS utilizing amide linkage, to generate a strongly adherent uniform coating with surface roughness. GO-coated 316L SS surfaces showed increased hydrophilicity and biocompatibility with SHSY-5Y neuronal cells, which proliferated well and showed decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression. In contrast, cells did not adhere to bare uncoated 316L SS meshes nor maintain viability when cultured in the vicinity of bare meshes. Therefore the combination of the improved surface properties and biocompatibility implies that GO-coating can be utilized to overcome pertinent limitations of bare metallic 316L SS implant surfaces, especially SS neural electrodes. Also, the procedure for making GO-based protective coatings can be applied to numerous other implants where the development of such protective films is necessary.
Islet Coordinately Regulates Motor Axon Guidance and Dendrite Targeting through the Frazzled/DCC Receptor

Motor neuron axon targeting in the periphery is correlated with the positions of motor neuron inputs in the CNS, but how these processes are coordinated to form a myotopic map remains poorly understood. We show that the LIM homeodomain factor Islet (Isl) controls targeting of both axons and dendrites in Drosophila motor neurons through regulation of the Frazzled (Fra)/DCC receptor. Isl is required for fra expression in ventrally projecting motor neurons, and isl and fra mutants have similar axon guidance defects. Single-cell labeling indicates that isl and fra are also required for dendrite targeting in a subset of motor neurons. Finally, overexpression of Fra rescues axon and dendrite targeting defects in isl mutants. These results indicate that Fra acts downstream of Isl in both the periphery and the CNS, demonstrating how a single regulatory relationship is used in multiple cellular compartments to coordinate neural circuit wiring.
Role of endotoxin in grain dust-induced lung inflammation in mice.

To investigate the role of endotoxin in grain dust-induced airway inflammation, we reduced the endotoxin activity from extracts of corn dust (CDE), using three distinct methods, and determined the effect of endotoxin activity on the in vitro and in vivo inflammatory response to CDE. Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide solution (LPS) and CDE solution were separated into > 100-kDa and 100-kDa fractions of the LPS and CDE solutions. Charged-membrane filtration of the > 100-kDa fractions of LPS and CDE resulted in the reduction of endotoxin activity by 99.9 and 80%, respectively. Treatment of the > 100-kDa fractions of LPS and CDE with polymyxin B-coated beads reduced the endotoxin activity by 96 and 89%, respectively. The untreated > 100-kDa fractions of LPS and CDE caused significantly greater (P 100-kDa fractions. Similarly, mice exposed to either of the untreated > 100-kDa fractions of LPS or CDE by inhalation developed significantly greater (P 100-kDa fractions. These results indicate that endotoxin is primarily responsible for the in vitro and in vivo inflammatory response to CDE.
Aitken’s Δ2 method extended

Aitken’s Δ2 method is used to accelerate convergence of sequences, e.g. sequences obtained from iterative methods. An explicit assumption in deriving Aitken’s Δ2 method and establishing acceleration (for linearly convergent sequences) is that consecutive error iterates (or their approximations) have the same sign or have an alternating sign pattern. We extend the standard Aitken’s Δ2 method to the cases in which consecutive pairs of error iterates in the sequence have alternating signs. Under suitable restrictions, acceleration of convergence is proved. Implementation of our extended method is described. Numerical examples demonstrate the process. An example is included relating our results to results obtained from Richard extrapolation.
Differences in Neural Correlates of Speech Perception in 3 Month Olds at High and Low Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this study, we investigated neural precursors of language acquisition as potential endophenotypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 3-month-old infants at high and low familial ASD risk. Infants were imaged using functional near-infrared spectroscopy while they listened to auditory stimuli containing syllable repetitions; their neural responses were analyzed over left and right temporal regions. While female low risk infants showed initial neural activation that decreased over exposure to repetition-based stimuli, potentially indicating a habituation response to repetition in speech, female high risk infants showed no changes in neural activity over exposure. This finding may indicate a potential neural endophenotype of language development or ASD specific to females at risk for the disorder.
RF Energy Harvesting Networks: Existing Techniques and Hardware Technology

Radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting is the process by which radiative electro-magnetic waves, typically from 3 kHz to 300 GHz, are captured, converted, stored and used to operate usually low-energy consumption devices ranging from wearable electronics to sensor networks. RF signals can be primarily generated from two sources: dedicated and ambient RF sources. The former can be deployed to provide energy when predictable supply is expected, usually from license-free frequency bands of radio spectrum. The latter refer to RF transmitters originally not intended for energy transfer, such as TV towers, radio towers, and Wi-Fi routers. Until recently, most implementations of networks powered by RF energy were demonstrated through experiments and prototype setups as proof-of-principles and to show potential practical applications. Now, with the ubiquitousness of Wi-Fi and the advance in CMOS technology and supercapacitors, RF-powered devices have found various applications and are now used or offered in commercial products. The aim of this book chapter is to provide a basic understanding of RF energy harvesting (RFEH) techniques, describe the underlying electronics hardware design, show the current state-of-the-art applications and commercially available products, and finally expand to future applications and challenges ahead.
Neuronal activity in human anterior cingulate cortex modulates with internal cognitive state during multi-source interference task

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is thought to be essential for normal adaptation of one's behavior to difficult decisions, errors, and reinforcement. Here we examine single neurons from the human dACC in the context of a statistical model, including a cognitive state that varies with changes in cognitive interference induced by a Stroop-like task. We then include this cognitive state in point process models of single unit activity and subject reaction time. These results suggest that consideration of a latent cognitive state can explain additional variance in neural and behavioral dynamics.
Recovering the Lived Body from Bodies of Evidence: Interrogation of Diagnostic Criteria and Parameters for Disease Ecology Reconstructed from Skeletons Within Anatomical and Medical Anatomical Collections

Anatomical and medical anatomical skeletal collections, which are generated by physicians, morgues, and medical institutions, are central to many aspects of osteological research. These include the production and refinement of diagnostic criteria for identifying the etiology of pathological skeletal lesions. These collections are often treated as neutral bodies of evidence, representative of their original living populations. However, scholars are increasingly attending to the life histories and biosocial lived conditions of these individuals, many of whom were of lower status to impoverished during their lives. This is especially important in light of increasing empirical evidence from immunology and biodemography on the embodied synergistic effects of chronic or repeated stress and malnutrition over the life course on immune function and consequent vulnerability to disease. Accordingly, I investigate here the contingencies and considerations that should potentially be incorporated into the use of these collections to generate empirical, standardized diagnostic criteria for pathological conditions. I focus on acquired syphilis, a chronic infectious condition, and survey several of the anatomical and medical anatomical collections on which the diagnostic criteria for syphilis are based. I interrogate the utility of diagnostic criteria generated from these bodies of evidence and discuss the application of these criteria to archaeological skeletal samples.
Evaluating a Media Strategy to Provide Health Messages to Medically Underserved Populations

Abstract For nearly every category of chronic disease, blacks with African American ancestry (AAs) bear a disproportionate disease burden in comparison to their non-Hispanic white (NHW) counterparts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perceptions of a radio-based health communication strategy, geared towards AA adults and the medically underserved. The radio broadcast, titled “Closing the Gap in Healthcare, Inc. (CGHI),” is delivered by a well-known AA male physician in South Carolina. The mission of CGHI is to decrease health disparities in a four-county area of the South Carolina coastal region, defined as the “Lowcountry,” by providing evidence-based health information to a broad community audience via radio broadcast messaging. To evaluate the impact of the CGHI, investigators conducted 12 focus groups (FGs) with community members from the broadcast coverage area to evaluate responses to FG questions based on 11 attributes of effective health communication. Potential FG participants were identified/recruited via a South Carolina-based marketing firm. The FGs conducted in the Sea Islands were culturally and racially homogenous. The investigators developed a FG interview guide. Before each FG started, the informed consent process was administered to each participant. Each two-hour FG was digitally recorded.
Modeling cholera dynamics at multiple scales: environmental evolution, between-host transmission, and within-host interaction

Cholera is an acute intestinal illness caused by infection with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The dynamics of the disease transmission are governed by human-human, environment-human, and within-human sub-dynamics. A multi-scale model is presented to incorporate all three of these dynamical components. The model is divided into three subsystems where the dynamics are analyzed according to their respective time scales. For each subsystem, we conduct a careful equilibrium analysis, with a focus on the disease threshold characterized by the basic reproduction number. Finally, the three subsystems are combined to discuss the dynamical properties of the full system.
Xing Fan. Staging Revolution: Artistry and Aesthetics in Model Beijing Opera during the Cultural Revolution.

Staging Revolution describes in excellent detail the challenges faced by hybrid productions in which Chinese tradition was pressed into alignment with political objectives and global forms. These c...
Real-time diagnosis and visualization of tumor margins in excised breast specimens using fluorescence lifetime imaging and machine learning.

Tumor-free surgical margins are critical in breast-conserving surgery. In up to 38% of the cases, however, patients undergo a second surgery since malignant cells are found at the margins of the excised resection specimen. Thus, advanced imaging tools are needed to ensure clear margins at the time of surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate a random forest classifier that makes use of parameters derived from point-scanning label-free fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) measurements of breast specimens as a means to diagnose tumor at the resection margins and to enable an intuitive visualization of a probabilistic classifier on tissue specimen. FLIm data from fresh lumpectomy and mastectomy specimens from 18 patients were used in this study. The supervised training was based on a previously developed registration technique between autofluorescence imaging data and cross-sectional histology slides. A pathologist’s histology annotations provide the ground truth to distinguish between adipose, fibrous, and tumor tissue. Current results demonstrate the ability of this approach to classify the tumor with 89% sensitivity and 93% specificity and to rapidly (∼ 20 frames per second) overlay the probabilistic classifier overlaid on excised breast specimens using an intuitive color scheme. Furthermore, we show an iterative imaging refinement that allows surgeons to switch between rapid scans with a customized, low spatial resolution to quickly cover the specimen and slower scans with enhanced resolution (400 μm per point measurement) in suspicious regions where more details are required. In summary, this technique provides high diagnostic prediction accuracy, rapid acquisition, adaptive resolution, nondestructive probing, and facile interpretation of images, thus holding potential for clinical breast imaging based on label-free FLIm.
Cigarette Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and Risk of Hearing Loss in Women.

Abstract Background Previous studies demonstrated higher risk of hearing loss among cigarette smokers, but longitudinal data on whether the risk is influenced by smoking cessation are limited. We prospectively investigated relations between smoking, smoking cessation, and risk of self-reported moderate or worse hearing loss among 81,505 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-2013). Methods Information on smoking and hearing status was obtained from validated biennial questionnaires. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risks (MVRR, 95% confidence interval). Results During 1,533,214 person-years of follow-up, 2760 cases of hearing loss were reported. Smoking was associated with higher risk of hearing loss and the risk tended to be higher with greater number of pack-years smoked. Compared with never smokers, the MVRR (95% confidence interval) among past smokers with 20+ pack-years of smoking was 1.30 (1.09-1.55) and 1.21 (1.02-1.43) for current smokers. The magnitude of elevated risk diminished with greater time since smoking cessation. Compared with never smokers, the MVRR among smokers who quit Conclusions The higher risk of hearing loss associated with smoking may diminish over time after quitting.
ON SOLUTIONS TO THE STRING EQUATION

The set of solutions to the string equation [P,Q]=1, where P and Q are differential operators is described.
The Saguaro Cactus: A Natural History

David Yetman, Alberto Burquez, Kevin Hultine, and Michael Sanderson. 2020. The Saguaro Cactus: A Natural History. (ISBN-13: 978-0-81654004-4, pbk). The University of Arizona Press, 1510 E. University Blvd., P.O. Box 210055, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0055, U.S.A. (Orders: uapress.arizon.edu). $19.95 US, 208 pp., references, index, 5½" × 8½".
Stress management interventions among socioeconomically disadvantaged parents: A meta-analysis and moderation analysis.

Abstract Background Socioeconomically disadvantaged parents experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Many interventions have been tested to reduce parental stress, but no meta-analysis has been conducted to quantitatively summarize the effects and explore the moderators of intervention effects among socioeconomically disadvantaged parents. Objective This meta-analysis aimed to (1) quantitatively examine the intervention effects of prior stress management interventions among socioeconomically disadvantaged parents on reducing stress, depression, and anxiety; and (2) explore the potential moderators of intervention effects. Methods Six databases, including CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, and Cochrane, were searched in February 2021. After a two-step literature screening by two independent reviewers, 45 eligible articles were retained. Two evaluators independently assessed each eligible study's quality using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement guided the report. Meta-analyses (random-effects model) and moderation analyses (mixed-effects model) were performed. Results Previous stress management interventions had a small effect of -0.24 in reducing parental stress (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.33, -0.15) with a 7.6-month follow-up effect of -0.12 (95% CI: -0.27, 0.04). The pooled effects on reducing depression were -0.15 (95% CI: -0.26, -0.04) with a 9-month follow-up effect of 0.02 (95% CI: -0.21, 0.26). Two studies measured anxiety, and the average effects were -0.03 (95% CI: -0.16, 0.11). Intervention effects on stress were significantly moderated by country (p = .005), study design (p 6 months). Intervention effects on reducing depression were significantly moderated by intervention component (p = .030). Cognitive behavioral therapy (g = -0.20) and mindfulness-based interventions (g = -0.16) resulted in greater effects in reducing depression than interventions focusing on parenting/life/self-care skills (g = 0.003). Conclusions Previous stress management interventions have short-term beneficial effects on reducing parental stress and depression, but long-term follow-up effects are limited. Short-duration (1–3 months) mindfulness-based interventions and cognitive behavioral therapy in clinical settings are recommended for socioeconomically disadvantaged parents to reduce stress and depression.
Improving Scalability of Silent-Error Resilience for Message-Passing Solvers via Local Recovery and Asynchrony

Benefits of local recovery (restarting only a failed process or task) have been previously demonstrated in parallel solvers. Local recovery has a reduced impact on application performance due to masking of failure delays (for message-passing codes) or dynamic load balancing (for asynchronous many-task codes). In this paper, we implement MPI-process-local checkpointing and recovery of data (as an extension of the Fenix library) in combination with an existing method for local detection of silent errors in partial-differential-equation solvers, to show a path for incorporating lightweight silent-error resilience. In addition, we demonstrate how asynchrony introduced by maximizing computation-communication overlap can halt the propagation of delays. For a prototype stencil solver (including an iterative-solver-like variant) with injected memory bit flips, results show greatly reduced overhead under weak scaling compared to global recovery, and high failure-masking efficiency. The approach is expected to be generalizable to other MPI-based solvers.
Economic Model for Reservoir Planning

The model's objective is to maximize net economic efficiency benefits subject to hydrologic system constraints. The model is designed to handle system increments which are unique and interdependent. Since firm water, the product of the system, is dependent on existing reservoir sizes, configurations, hydrologies, and operating policies, an operating scheme is incorporated in the optimization. A price-sensitive demand curve which changes according to a prescribed growth rate is used. Firm water demand is thus sensitive to changes in price and time as opposed to most fixed demand requirement approaches. Known reservoir cost relationships which are a function of project capacity determine costs. A forward dynamic programming algorithm is used for solution. The model is tested with an application to the Eel River Project in Northern California. The discount rate, growth rate, and demand elasticity are parameterized and tested over several values.
Sources of information about the fly: where to look it up.

Publisher Summary This chapter puts together the most relevant sources of information regarding Drosophila rnelanogaster and how to access them. Using D. mefanogaster in research requires an understanding of how to grow and maintain the organism and the knowledge of the genetic system. The chapter discusses several excellent resources that exist and that are readily available. The chapter discusses the theory and practice of Drosophila care and feeding, mutagenesis of various sorts, molecular biology, transformation, in situ hybridization, and embryo analysis. The chapter presents numerous detailed protocols directly suitable for use in the laboratory. Drosophila Information Service ( DIS ) is a periodical devoted to the technical aspects of Drosophila biology. The chapter also provides information about many volumes concerning the developmental biology, cell biology, and neurobiology of Drosophila that have been published. Biology of Drosophila , first published over 40 years ago remains an outstanding source of information about the basic development and anatomy of Drosophila .
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the Vibrio cholerae hemagglutinin/protease (HA/protease) gene and construction of an HA/protease-negative strain.

Abstract The structural gene hap for the extracellular hemagglutinin/protease (HA/protease) of Vibrio cholerae was cloned and sequenced. The cloned DNA fragment contained a 1,827-bp open reading frame potentially encoding a 609-amino-acid polypeptide. The deduced protein contains a putative signal sequence followed by a large propeptide. The extracellular HA/protease consists of 414 amino acids with a computed molecular weight of 46,700. In the absence of protease inhibitors, this is processed to the 32-kDa form which is usually isolated. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature HA/protease showed 61.5% identity with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase. The cloned hap gene was inactivated and introduced into the chromosome of V. cholerae by recombination to construct the HA/protease-negative strain HAP-1. The cloned fragment containing the hap gene was then shown to complement the mutant strain.
tRNA-Derived Short Non-coding RNA as Interacting Partners of Argonaute Proteins

The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies has not only accelerated findings on various novel non-coding RNA (ncRNA) species but also led to the revision of the biological significance and versatility of fundamental RNA species with canonical function, such as transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Although tRNAs are best known as adapter components of translational machinery, recent studies suggest that tRNAs are not always end products but can further serve as a source for short ncRNAs. In many organisms, various tRNA-derived ncRNA species are produced from mature tRNAs or their precursor transcripts as functional molecules involved in various biological processes beyond translation. In this review, we focus on the tRNA-derived ncRNAs associated with Argonaute proteins and summarize recent studies on their conceivable biogenesis factors and on their emerging roles in gene expression regulation as regulatory RNAs.
Colon cancer in a low-risk population

Data are presented on colon mortality in Utah. For the years 1950 to 1969, the state population had 34% fewer deaths from colon cancer than the average United States population. Colon cancer incidence was also studied for the years 1966 to 1970, both for the state and for a large subgroup (Mormons) who abstain from tobacco and alcohol for religious reasons; the colon cancer incidence of Mormons was 37% below the United States average, and that of non-Mormons was 18% below the United States average. A preliminary dietary survey found little difference in meat, fat, and fiber consumption between the population of Utah and that of the United States as a whole.
Effect of hemoglobin concentration on critical cardiac output and oxygen transport.

We previously found limited tolerance to acute reduction in cardiac output in lambs at the nadir of their physiological anemia [Am. J. Physiol. 253 (Heart Cir. Physiol. 12): H100-H106, 1987]. To de...
In situ localization of murinec-Ki-ras-2 oncogene: Preliminary evidence for conservation of telomeric territory of oncogenes?

The use of a human cDNA probe and a Robertsonian translocation marker allowed us to localize the murinec-Ki-ras-2 oncogene to 6F-G at the telomere. Our finding provides support for the hypothesis that oncogenes have a preferred telomeric territory that is evolutionarily conserved. Given our physical mapping ofc-Ki-ras-2 to 6F-G, the role of this oncogene in the genesis and/or maintenance of granulocytic leukemias can now be explored by correlating the oncogenic site to that of the structural rearrangement of chromosome 6 seen in the tumors.
Construction of a nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae-specific ectopic delivery vector.

Abstract Complementation of chromosomal mutations in trans can introduce artifacts due to the number of episomal copies of the gene in question. One solution is to study the gene expressed at a single ectopic site in cis. We have designed and constructed a vector that allows homologous recombination into a gene encoding a frame-shifted IS1016-V6 protein in the Haemophilus influenzae Rd KW20 chromosome (HI1018). This site is the location of the ≥35 kilobase capsule locus in encapsulated type b and d strains. This locus is not present in the nontypeable Rd KW20 strain, thus allowing ectopic expression of genes homologously recombined into HI1018 without polar effects.
Measuring Sensitivity to Conflicts of Interest: A Preliminary Test of Method

This study presents and develops test methods for assessing sensitivity to conflict of interest (COIsen). We are aware of no study assessing COIsen, but note that some popular methods for assessing ethical sensitivity and related constructs (which include COIsen) are flawed in that their presentation of stimulus material to subjects actually guides subjects to attend to ethical (or related) issues. The method tested here was designed to avoid this flaw. Using adaptations of two existing cases, a quota sample of 12 students was interviewed. Our method used funnel-sequenced, open-ended interviews that were audiotaped and transcribed, then subjected to a form of cognitive mapping. These maps revealed the presence of “indicators” of COIsen. We found that COIsen can be measured and that the global COIsen score generated by our method is able to reveal much variation across subjects, making it a worthwhile candidate for further consideration.
Self-consistent binding force between quarks in one dimension

A relativistic theory of permanently bound quarks in one dimension is formulated and studied. The explicit solutions of the theory are used to verify that a long-range force between the quarks arises self-consistently.
Lagrangian and Eulerian biventricular strains from anatomical NURBS models using tagged MRI

We present current research in which both left and right ventricular deformation is estimated from tagged cardiac magnetic resonance imaging using volumetric deformable models constructed from nonuniform rational B-splines (NURBS). The four model types considered include Cartesian-based NURBS models with both a cylindrical and prolate-spheroidal parameterization, prolate spheroidal-based NURBS models with a prolate-spheroidal parameterization, and cylindrical-based NURBS models with a cylindrical parameterization. For each frame subsequent to end-diastole, a NURBS model is constructed by fitting two surfaces with the same parameterization to the corresponding set of epicardial and endocardial contours from which a volumetric model is created. Using normal displacements of the three sets of orthogonal tag planes as well as displacements of contour/tag line intersection points and tag plane intersection points, one can solve for the optimal homogeneous coordinates, in a weighted least squares sense, of the control points of the deformed NURBS model at end-diastole using quadratic programming. This allows for subsequent forward displacement fitting from end-diastole to all later time frames. After fitting to all time points of data, lofting the NURBS model at each time point creates a comprehensive 4-D NURBS model. From this model, we can extract 3-D myocardial deformation fields and corresponding strain maps which are local measures of non-rigid deformation. The results show that, in the case of simulated data, the quadratic Cartesian-based NURBS model outperformed its counterparts in predicting normal strain. This model was used to then calculate normal Lagrangian and Eulerian strains in canine data.
Factors affecting students' decision to choose a traditional or role-play simulation based course format

Researchers conducted interviews on students in a leadership course and performed a survey to identify what factors drive students choices between traditional and a role-play simulation course based course. The use of virtual teams in the course suggested some potential drivers of the choice. Significant factors identified include the clarity of goals and roles and the presence of engagement and cooperation. Suggestions for future research and further enhancements of role-play based courses are provided.
Second Generation of Active Structural Control in Civil Engineering

: Research and development in active control of civil engineering structures in the United States has approximately a 20-year history. Under the leadership of the U.S. National Science Foundation in forming the U.S. Panel on Structural Control Research and in launching a program initiative in the area of structural control, there has been a surge of interest in this research field. Recent progress in active control research in the United States is first summarized in this paper. In the second part, an attempt is made to identify areas of research needs and to recommend future directions for the next generation of active control activities in civil engineering.
Procedures for controlling reference frame effects in the measurement of multidimensional processes

A wide array of perceptual mapping techniques have been developed which make it possible to describe the dissimilarities relations among datapoints as spatial arrays. While most of these present advantages and disadvantages for representing any single dataset, special difficulties arise when time-ordered data are available. These difficulties arise from the fact that the directional orientation of such techniques are (necessarily) arbitrary. When multiple datasets are scaled, therefore, the arbitrary orientations of each of the maps representing each of the time points render the description of motion and change difficult or impossible.
Multilevel codes for OFDM-like modulation over underspread fading channels

We study the problem of modulation and coding for doubly dispersive, that is, time and frequency selective, fading channels. Using the recent result that underspread linear systems are approximately diagonalized by biorthogonal Weyl-Heisenberg bases, we arrive at a canonical formulation of modulation and code design. For coherent reception with maximum-likelihood decoding, we derive the code design criteria as a function of the channel's scattering function. We use ideas from generalized concatenation to design multilevel codes for this canonical channel model. These codes are based on partitioning a constellation carved out from the integer lattice. Utilizing the block fading interpretation of the doubly dispersive channel, we adapt these partitioning techniques to the richness of the channel. We derive an algebraic framework which enables us to partition in arbitrarily large dimensions.
The Drosophila RNA-binding protein Lark is required for localization of Dmoesin to the oocyte cortex during oogenesis

The RNA-binding protein Lark has an essential maternal role during Drosophila oogenesis. Elimination of maternal expression results in defects in cytoplasmic dumping and actin cytoskeletal organization in nurse cells. The function of this protein is dependent on the activity of one or more N-terminal RNA-binding domains. Here, we report the identification of Dmoesin (Dmoe) as a candidate RNA target of Lark during oogenesis. In addition to actin defects in the nurse cells of lark mutant ovaries, we observed mislocalization of posteriorly localized mRNAs including oskar and germ cell less in the developing oocyte. Anteriorly and dorsally localized mRNAs were not affected. In addition, we observed displacement of the actin cytoskeleton from the oocyte plasma membrane. These phenotypes are reminiscent of mutations in Dmoe and suggested that this RNA maybe a potential target of Lark. We observed a significant decrease in Dmoe protein associated with the membrane of the developing oocyte with no changes in expression or localization within the nurse cells. Evidence for an association between Lark protein and moe RNA during oogenesis comes from results of a microarray-based Ribonomics approach to identify Lark RNA targets. Thus, our results provide evidence that Dmoe RNA is a target of Lark during oogenesis and that it likely regulates either the splicing or translation of this RNA.