cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Poor sleep quality is associated with preterm birth.

Study objectives Preterm birth (PTB) is a major public health priority and the most common adverse pregnancy outcome. Several risk factors have been identified, but a gap in the understanding of the underlying etiology of PTB persists. Poor sleep quality is a correlate of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, we evaluated whether sleep quality during pregnancy was a clinically relevant risk factor for PTB. Design Observational. Measurements and results Participants included 166 pregnant women (mean age = 28.6 ± 5.5 years). Self-report questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), were administered at 14-16, 24-26, and 30-32 weeks gestation. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether sleep quality was associated with preterm delivery. Poor sleep quality was a predictor of preterm birth, with the largest effects in early pregnancy (14-16 weeks) (OR: 1.25 95% CI [1.04-1.50], P = 0.02) and more modest effects in later pregnancy (30-32 weeks) (OR: 1.18 95% CI [0.98-1.42], P = 0.07). With every one-point increase on the PSQI, the odds of preterm birth increase 25% in early pregnancy and 18% in later pregnancy. Conclusions Poor sleep quality, in both early and late pregnancy, is associated with an increased risk of delivering preterm. Currently the specific pathway(s) through which disturbed sleep contributes to PTB are unknown. We suggest that poor sleep may contribute to increased risk for PTB both independently, as well as in conjunction with other established risk factors, such as stress.
Treisman workshops and student performance in CS

Active learning techniques, including collaborative programming and problem solving environments, have been widely adopted by many computer science educators. A related approach is the Treisman model, which was originally designed for the first-year calculus course and involves intensive workshops where students collaborate in small groups to solve problems. We have adapted the model for both the data structures and algorithms courses at our institution. Regression analysis indicates that students who participate in the workshops for the algorithms course perform better (0.561 grade points on a 4-point scale) than those who do not, even after accounting for prior academic performance. However, the workshops appear to have less of an effect on student grades in the data structures course. This study provides evidence that the workshop model can be an effective learning environment for students in courses primarily involving analysis, but that for courses that involve large amounts of programming, further adaptations to the model might be needed.
A Tri-mode Horn Feed for Gravitationally Balanced Back-to-Back Reflector Antennas

The concept of tri-mode feeds was used to lower the cross-polarization level in far-field pattern of offset parabolic reflector antennas. First, the complex mode coefficients of a tri-mode horn are optimized by using particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. Using optimized complex mode coefficients, the performance of the reflector is simulated to verify the effectiveness of the method. The horn is then designed to provide the calculated optimum mode coefficients. The performance of the reflector is then simulated when it is fed by the designed horn and the results are compared with PSO optimized horn case. In addition, a simulation was performed to evaluate the bandwidth in which the horn can lower the level of cross polarization for at least 10 dB. The acceptable level of cross polarization verifies the possibility of utilizing these gravitationally balanced back-to-back reflectors fed by matched feed horns for narrowband applications in future spaceborne antenna missions requiring spinning platforms
Radiofrequency Ablation versus Electrocautery in Tonsillectomy

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare the safety, difficulty of removal, and postoperative pain profile of radiofrequency ablation versus standard electrocautery removal of tonsils. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective, blinded study was designed to remove 1 tonsil with each of the 2 methods. Time of operation, estimated blood loss, difficulty of operation, postoperative pain, rate of postoperative hemorrhage, and the patient's preferred technique were evaluated. RESULTS: The operating time was significantly longer (P < 0.007) and the patients reported significantly less pain (P < 0.001) with radiofrequency ablation. There were no differences in blood loss, difficulty of operation, or postoperative hemorrhage rates. The patients preferred the radiofrequency ablation technique (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation is a viable method to remove tonsillar tissue. Operating time for this procedure will likely decrease with experience. There was significantly less pain reported with radiofrequency ablation compared with standard electrocautery.
A Finite Particle Number Approach to Physics

Starting from a discrete, self-generating and self-organizing, recursive model and self-consistent interpretive rules we construct: the scale constants of physics (3, 10, 137, 1.7x1038); 3+1 Minkowski space with a discrete metric and the algebraic bound ΔeΔτ ≥ 1; the Einstein-deBroglie relation; algebraic “double slit” interference; a single time momentum space scattering theory connected to laboratory experience; an approximation to “wave functions;” “local” phase severence and hence both distant correlations and separability; baryon number, lepton number, charge and helicity; mp/me; a cosmology not in disagreement with current observations.
All You Need to Know as an Authorized User

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the training requirements for practicing nuclear radiology, the scope of licensing, how to start a new practice, and the key concepts an authoriz...
Air-sea heat exchange along the northern sea surface temperature front in the eastern tropical Pacific

Abstract The atmospheric response to the oceanic forcing in the eastern Pacific along the northern equatorial sea surface temperature (SST) front is investigated in terms of sensible and latent heat flux during the 6-month period from 28 July 1999 to 27 January 2000 and the 7-month period from 28 June 2000 to 27 January 2001. Of particular interest is the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) response to oceanic tropical instability waves (TIWs) that distort the SST front during May–January in normal years. In previous studies, time series of surface heat fluxes clearly show the influence of TIWs, but the relationship to spatial patterns of SST and wind speed has been inferred only from sparse in situ data. In this study, satellite observations are used as a basis for compositing in situ data from moorings to compensate for the lack of a spatially dense mooring array. The variability in the position of the SST front caused by westward-propagating TIWs enables fixed mooring locations to measure the ABL response...
Aircraft reports of cirriform clouds on certain high latitude routes and California to Honolulu.

Abstract Special high-level cloud observations from two commercial jet air lines are used to estimate the vertical distribution of cirriform clouds. One year's data are summarized graphically for certain high-latitude routes and the California-Honolulu sector. Tropopauses in very high latitudes are occasionally exceeded in height by cirrus. Tropical tropopause levels are consistently 5 km. or more above the cirrus tops reported between Honolulu and the California coast.
Heat and mass transfer in the vadose zone with plant roots.

Abstract The vadose zone is the intermediate medium between the atmosphere and groundwater. The modeling of the processes taking place in the vadose zone needs different approaches to those needed for groundwater transport problems because of the marked changes in environmental conditions affecting the vadose zone. A mathematical model to simulate the water flow, and the fate and transport of recalcitrant contaminants was developed, which could be applied to various bioremediation methods such as phytoremediation and natural attenuation in the vadose zone. Two-phase flow equations and heat flux models were used to develop the model. Surface energy balance equations were used to estimate soil surface temperature, and root growth and root distribution models were incorporated to represent the special contribution of plant roots in the vegetated soils. Interactions between the roots and environmental conditions such as temperature and water content were treated by incorporating a feedback mechanism that made allowance for the effects of water and temperature stresses on root distribution and water uptake by roots. In conducting the modeling study, Johnson grass and unplanted soil were simulated to compare the effect of root water uptake on soil water content. After the numerical experiments were conducted to investigate model behavior, the proposed model was applied to estimate actual water flow and heat flow in field lysimeter experiments over a 1-year period. Root growth and distribution for Johnson grass and rye grass were simulated to compare the warm season grass to the cold season grass. A significant agreement was observed between the simulations and measured data.
Adenosine receptor-mediated cardioprotection: are all 4 subtypes required or redundant?

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside, which is produced primarily through the metabolism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), therefore its levels increase during stressful situations when ATP utilization increases. Adenosine exerts potent cardioprotective effects on the ischemic/reperfused heart, reducing reversible and irreversible myocardial injury. Adenosine receptors (ARs) are G-protein-coupled receptors, and 4 subtypes exist—A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, all of which have been shown to be cardioprotective. Adenosine receptors are expressed on multiple cardiac cells, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and myocytes. Activation of both A1 and A3 receptors prior to ischemia has been shown in multiple experimental models to reduce ischemia/reperfusion-induced cardiac injury. Additionally, activation of the A2A receptor at the onset of reperfusion has been shown to reduce injury. Most recently, there is evidence that the A2B receptor has cardioprotective effects upon its activation. However, c...
Measurement of otoacoustic emissions for hearing assessment

The present report describes the development of hardware and software for the clinical application of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). This development is driven by the need to quickly, inexpensively, and reliably detect and measure the properties of these small acoustic signals, across a range of audio frequencies, in background noise that is often greater than the evoked sound. However, before exploring the techniques used to measure OAEs, the authors briefly explain the nature of these responses and their clinical significance, which forms the motivation for the development of biomedical instrumentation for their measurement. >
Effects of Tocolytic Indomethacin on Neonatal Renal Function

To test the hypothesis that tocolytic indomethacin administered within 4 days prior to delivery would result in neonatal renal dysfunction, we conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate renal function in neonates exposed to tocolytic indomethacin. Data from 29 patients were analyzed: 14 were exposed to short-term tocolytic indomethacin, and 15 patients not exposed to tocolytic indomethacin were enrolled in a comparison group. Renal function measurements on postnatal days 1,3, and 7 after birth were examined. There were transient effects (on days 1 and/or 3) in urine output, creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, and fractional excretion of sodium. Urine output was significantly lower on postnatal day 1 in the exposed group when compared to the comparison group. Creatinine clearance was significantly lower on both postnatal days 1 and 3 and serum creatinine was significantly higher on postnatal day 3 in the exposed group. In addition, fractional excretion of sodium was elevated on postnatal day 1 in...
Pseudo-random testing and signature analysis for mixed-signal circuits

In this paper, we address the problem of functional testing of mixed-signal circuits using pseudo-random patterns. By embedding the linear, time-invariant (LTI) analog circuit between a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), we can model the analog and converter circuitry as a digital LTI system and test it using the pseudo-random vectors. We give mathematical analysis and formulate the pseudo-random testing process as the linear transformation of a random process by the analog LTI device under test (DUT). We choose the first and the second moments of the transformed random process, which are closely related to the functionality of the DUT, as the signatures for fault detection. We show that such signatures can be estimated by proper arithmetic operations on the output responses of the DUT to the vectors generated by LFSRs. We illustrate and compare the effectiveness of several possible choices of signatures, through analysis and experimental results of several circuits, in terms of their fault detection capabilities and the testing hardware requirements.
Location, Location, Location: How Does a Spermatogonium Know It Is a Spermatogonial Stem Cell (SSC)?

In this issue of Biology of Reproduction, de Rooij and van Beek describe a computer model simulating the population dynamics and interactions of SSCs and their descendants in and around the spermatogonial niche.
Learning OOP with weakly typed web programming languages: adding concrete strategies to a PHP strategy design pattern

While strongly typed languages such as C++ and Java are taught using OOP principles and design patterns; weakly typed Web programming languages like PHP and JavaScript often are not because of weak typing. As the weakly typed languages themselves incorporate more OOP structures, such as type hinting in PHP 5.1, educators need to consider ways to include OOP practices in courses where weakly typed languages are taught. This paper suggests one way to introduce OOP principles is through design patterns. Using design patterns educators can introduce both design pattern structures and OOP principles while revealing the practicality of both.
Dual Roles of Immune Cells and Their Factors in Cancer Development and Progression

Traditional wisdom holds that intact immune responses, such as immune surveillance or immunoediting, are required for preventing and inhibiting tumor development; but recent evidence has also indicated that unresolved immune responses, such as chronic inflammation, can promote the growth and progression of cancer. Within the immune system, cytotoxic CD8(+) and CD4(+) Th1 T cells, along with their characteristically produced cytokine IFN-γ, function as the major anti-tumor immune effector cells, whereas tumor associated macrophages (TAM) or myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSC) and their derived cytokines IL-6, TNF, IL-1β and IL-23 are generally recognized as dominant tumor-promoting forces. However, the roles played by Th17 cells, CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T lymphocytes and immunoregulatory cytokines such as TGF-β in tumor development and survival remain elusive. These immune cells and the cellular factors produced from them, including both immunosuppressive and inflammatory cytokines, play dual roles in promoting or discouraging cancer development, and their ultimate role in cancer progression may rely heavily on the tumor microenvironment and the events leading to initial propagation of carcinogenesis.
Pressure ulcers: Decreasing the risk for older adults

Pressure ulcers are common among the frail elderly. Reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers requires vigilance on the part of an entire interdisciplinary team; however, gerontology nurses in particular must know how to intervene and assist in maintaining tissue integrity for older adults who are at risk. This article discusses various factors that place individuals at risk for pressure ulceration. Ways to address factors that place patients at particularly high risk for pressure damage are also suggested.
Non-invasive Genotyping of Primates

Using DNA amplified from shed or plucked hair follicles it is now possible to genotype individual primates at many nuclear and mitochondrial gene loci. Sequence specific primers and the polymerase chain reaction permit the rapid production of sufficient DNA from a single hair for numerous analyses. The direct sequencing of relatively conservative mtDNA sequences like cytochromeb is proving useful in establishing species and subspecies-level relationships. More variable sequences (e.g. the mtDNA control region or D-loop) are useful at the population and social community levels. Paternity exclusion, pedigree relationships, and community structure can be determined using simple sequence length polymorphisms (SSLPs) of multiple hypervariable nuclear microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci. Studies involving captive and free-ranging chimpanzees, gibbons, and macaques illustrate the resolving power of these new non-invasive molecular genetic genotyping techniques.
Gender-dependent reduction of spontaneous motor activity and growth in rats subjected to portacaval shunt

Alterations in behavior are frequently described in rats subjected to portacaval shunt. Previous work has reported reduced spontaneous motor activity in various settings (nighttime, red light, decreased illumination) in this animal model. We investigated this phenomenon in rats of both genders subjected to portacaval shunt to determine whether our previously observed divergent growth patterns (males reduced, females unchanged) had any impact on the alterations in spontaneous motor activity in this model. Dietary intake, growth, motor activity and serum ammonia and amino acid concentrations were measured, in addition to final liver and spleen weights, in each animal after 3 to 4 wk of observation. Our results reconfirm the differential impact of portacaval shunt on growth in male (35% reduction p < 0.01) but not female rats (5% reduction, NS) compared with their respective-gender sham-operated controls. In addition, spontaneous motor activity was significantly reduced in male (congruent to 50%, p = 0.01) but not female rats subjected to portacaval shunt. The reduction of activity in male rats subjected to portacaval shunt did not correlate with any of the measured biochemical data or calculated nutritional/growth parameters. Thus we observed gender-dependent reduction in spontaneous motor activity after portacaval shunt in the rat. The mechanism for this phenomenon is unknown, but it is easily investigated with this reproducible model.
Engineering performance of water mist fire protection systems with antifreeze

The use of antifreeze in water mist fire suppression systems offers a potential alternative to the current applications of these systems in subfreezing environments. Design and development of these systems, however, requires quantitative data detailing the effect of antifreeze on factors, such as small droplet sizes and/or higher system pressures which is currently unavailable. This study investigates the use of antifreeze, of various chemical compositions and concentrations, in water mist systems by quantifying variables that affect spray characteristics, indicate the potential risk of system failure, and evaluate the interactions of the discharged agent with the fire. Extensive testing and analysis demonstrate that no tested antifreeze solution behaves ideally with respect to quantified variables. Some of the antifreezes tested should not be used above a certain concentration in high-pressure water mist systems due to solution flammability and the resulting contribution to the heat release rate of the fire. The impact of all other tested pressure and concentration combinations is less significant on the heat release rate of the fire. Therefore, solutions used at these respective pressures and concentrations are potentially suitable for use in water mist systems unless spray performance or the potential risk of system failure discourages their use. Ignitibility of the antifreeze discharge was proven to be a function of antifreeze solution concentration and droplet size. Future testing should determine the threshold droplet size for ignition of the antifreeze discharge and at what point changes in solution properties begin to significantly impact droplet size in subfreezing environments. Language: en
Lidocaine depresses splenocyte immune functions following trauma-hemorrhage in mice

Traumatic and/or surgical injury as well as hemorrhage induces profound suppression of cellular immunity. Although local anesthetics have been shown to impair immune responses, it remains unclear w...
Simulation of St. Louis, Missouri, Land Use Impacts on Thunderstorms

A storm-resolving version of the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System is executed over St. Louis, Missouri, on 8 June 1999, along with sophisticated boundary conditions, to simulate the urban atmosphere and its role in deep, moist convection. In particular, surface-driven low-level convergence mechanisms are investigated. Sensitivity experiments show that the urban heat island (UHI) plays the largest role in initiating deep, moist convection downwind of the city. Surface convergence is enhanced on the leeward side of the city. Increased momentum drag over the city induces convergence on the windward side of the city, but this convergence is not strong enough to initiate storms. The nonlinear interaction of urban momentum drag and the UHI causes downwind convection to erupt later, because momentum drag over the city regulates the strength of the UHI. In all simulations including a UHI, precipitation totals are enhanced downwind of St. Louis. Topography around St. Louis also affects storm development. There is a large sensitivity of simulated urban-enhanced convection to the details of the urban surface model.
Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Although fluorescence has been known for a number of years (see Chapter 1), the application of atomic fluorescence to chemical analysis had its start in 1964, when Winefordner and Vickers1 published a paper describing the principles involved in the method, and Winefordner and Staab2 published another describing use of atomic fluorescence for the determination of small amounts of zinc, cadmium, and mercury.
Researching Transnational Legal Orders

The concept of transnational legal orders (TLOs), and the framework erected around that concept, opens up many avenues for empirical research and theoretical development regarding law and legal orders. This concluding chapter teases from the empirical case studies themes that clarify and enrich our understanding of TLOs and their scope, settling, alignment, institutionalization, and impacts. The themes covered are not exhaustive, but they exemplify the dynamics of TLOs and their framing, rising and falling, generation and propagation, contestation and resistance, structuring and nesting, mapping and moralities. We proceed by extracting from the chapters categories, hypotheses, and questions about these dynamics in order to open up the landscape of future research. For convenience, we list the collected hypotheses in Appendix I.
From Miss World to World Leader: Beauty Queens, Paths to Power, and Political Representations

ABSTRACTThis article argues that participation in beauty pageants can serve as a path to power for women. This previously unidentified route to political office is unique to women, builds on representational elements of beauty pageants, and provides girls and women with skills necessary to political achievement. We analyze how this path to power is different from celebrity politicians, which has recently received much academic attention. We use examples from Venezuela, Jamaica, the United States, and France to illustrate this path to power and differentiate between two types of beauty queens turned politicians.
Extraction with Sulfur-Containing Organophosphorus Compounds

The solvent-extraction properties of the sulfur analogs, both neutral and acid, of those organophosphorus compounds that have been used so extensively in solvent extraction have been investigated. ...
Temperature Effects on the Problem of Carrier Recombination and Net Thermionic Currents in Reduced Dimensionality Solar Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the recombination loss mechanisms in GaAs/A1GaAs solar cell devices and explains how these mechanisms affect the transport outcomes in the form of current densities along with temperature. Excess photo-generated carrier densities are studied via the diffusion equation, with recombination effects (Auger and radiation mechanisms) and general expressions of thermionically generated currents are given. Two main mechanisms of recombination are treated within the general frame of the diffusion equation, which is solved via the Green's function method. The solution of this second order nonhomogeneous differential equation is then utilized for an exact derivation of thermionic currents, which are shown to be strong functions of temperature, following a general thermionic-like result.
ON INTERTRIAL INTERVAL DISCRIMINATION IN CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

and Whaley (1961). The CS was a .5-sec. brighrness Increment in a 3-in. disk of from 3.8 to 190 mL. The UCS was a .05-sec. puff of nlrrogen sufficient to support a 150-mm. column of mercury, and was delivered to the right cornea .5 sec. after CS onset. Thirty male volunteers from introductory psychology courses were assigned randomly to one of two groups. Group 5-30 received randomly-ordered ITIs of 5 and 30 sec., and Group 5-50 received randomly-ordered ITIs of 5 and 50 sec. Both groups received 5 sessions of 71 trials each, with 35 long and 35 short ITIs per session. Response probability across the 5 sessions was obtained separately for long and short ITIs. In Group 5-30, 11 of 15 Ss responded more frequently following the 30-sec. ITI, whereas, in Group 5-50, 13 of 14 Ss (one tie) responded more frequently following the 5-sec. ITI. An analysis of this 2 X 2 frequency distribution of Ss resulted in a X%f 13.1 (P < .001), and is due primarily to the significant number of people in Group 5-50 responding more frequently to the short IT1 (binomial P = .002). This contrasts with the results of Prokasy and Whaley (in press) who found differences in the opposite direction. Furthermore, present differences occurred even though the over-all differences between Group 5-30 (relative massing) and Group 5-50 (relative spacing) were not significant. Thus, Ss do behave differentially depending upon the immediately preceding ITI, the differential performance apparently interacting with the degree of difference between the ITIs employed. It should be noted, finally, that the direction of the obtained result in Group 5-50 is directly opposite to that which would be predicted on the basis of the reactive inhibition construct.
Workshops Increase Students’ Proficiency at Identifying General and APA-Style Writing Errors*

To determine the effectiveness of 20- to 30-min workshops on recognition of errors in American Psychological Association-style writing, 58 introductory psychology students attended one of the three workshops (on grammar, mechanics, or references) and completed error recognition tests (pretest, initial posttest, and three follow-up tests). As a comparison condition for the workshops, an additional 47 students attended one discussion session about the reasons for style rules. Workshop participants improved from pretest to initial posttest for all topics (whereas comparison groups did not) and retained their proficiency in follow-up tests. Feedback and note taking enhanced improvement. By providing students with supplementary training in basic writing skills, workshops may conserve course time in methodology courses, allowing for greater conceptual emphasis.
The c-kit ligand potentiates the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction

The allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) is a complex in vitro assay of T-cell recognition and responsiveness in which interleukin-2 (IL-2) plays a central role. We have previously demonstrated that c-kit ligand (KL) can enhance IL-2-induced proliferation in a subset of human natural killer cells expressing the c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor. In the present study, we asked whether KL could enhance IL-2-mediated T-cell proliferation in the allogeneic MLR. We demonstrate that the vast majority of activated human T-cell clones express the c-kit mRNA transcript. Binding studies performed on activated T cells with radioiodinated KL were consistent with the expression of a single class of c-kit receptors. The addition of exogenous KL to the MLR led to an increase in tritiated thymidine (3[H]-TdR) incorporation in the absence of other exogenous cytokines, and did so in a dose-dependent fashion. A reproducible increase in 3[H]-TdR incorporation was noted at concentrations of KL, which approximate those normally found in vivo. Antibody blocking of KL binding to c-kit, T-cell depletion and sorting experiments suggest that the action of KL is mediated at least in part by a direct effect on both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. KL's enhancement of the MLR also requires the binding of IL-2 to its high-affinity IL-2 receptor. Given the abundance of KL normally found in human serum, these data suggest that this cytokine may have a role during T-cell activation in vivo.
Gastric remnant twist in the immediate post-operative period following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Twist of stomach remnant post sleeve gastrectomy is a rare entity and difficult to diagnose pre-operatively. We are reporting a case of gastric volvulus post laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which was managed conservatively. A 38-year-old lady with a body mass index of 54 underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Sleeve gastrectomy was performed over a 32 French bougie using Endo-GIA tri-stapler. On post-operative day 1, patient had nausea and non-bilious vomiting. An upper gastrointestinal gastrografin study on post-operative days 1 and 2 revealed collection of contrast in the fundic area of stomach with poor flow distally, and she vomited gastrograffin immediately post procedure. With the suspicion of a stricture in the mid stomach as the cause, the patient was taken back for a exploratory laparoscopy and intra-operative endoscopy. We found a twist in the gastric tube which was too tight for the endoscope to pass through. This was managed conservatively with a long stent to keep the gastric tube straight and patent. The stent was discontinued in 7 d and the patient did well. In laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy the stomach is converted into a tube and is devoid of its supports. If the staples fired are not aligned appropriately, it can predispose this stomach tube to undergo torsion along its long axis. Such a twist can be avoided by properly aligning the staples and by placing tacking sutures to the omentum and new stomach tube. This twist is a functional obstruction rather than a stricture; thus, it can be managed by endoscopy and stent placement.
A NEW MODEL TO PREDICT TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN A WELLBORE WHILE DRILLING

The temperature distribution in a wellbore has an important effect on the drilling operation while drilling. On the basis of the studies of previous researchers, this paper presents a new mathematical model, which is solved by finite volume method to predict the temperature distribution in a wellbore during circulation or shut-in in terms of the law of conservation of energy. The verification of the simulating results of the model prediction in comparison with the field data was presented. The model can be used to calculate the circulating and shut-in temperature in a wellbore, as well as the temperature distribution of formation around the wellbore.
A New Triple-Balloon, Four-Channel Vascular Catheter for Use in Renal Transplantation

AbstractWhile current surgical techniques of renal transplantation afford excellent results, some steps of the operation are associated with potential morbidity. Application of vascular clamps on an atherosclerotic recipient artery can cause plaque fracture or atheroembolism. Prolonged revascularization time may aggravate ischemic allograft damage. Based on the premise that arterial occlusion by an intraluminal balloon is less damaging to the vascular endothelium than an external vascular clamp, a new three-balloon, four-channel vascular catheter has been developed for use in renal transplantation. Catheters are inserted by the Seldinger technique, one catheter being positioned in each recipient external iliac artery and external iliac vein. Vascular control of the recipient vessels is obtained by inflation of the balloons. A pilot study in four dogs has confirmed the technical feasibility of using this catheter during renal transplantation. A description of the catheter, technique of surgical placement, ...
Wildlife Conservation and Private Protected Areas: The Discrepancy Between Land Trust Mission Statements and Their Perceptions

In 2010, land trusts in the U.S. had protected nearly 50 million acres of land, with much of it providing habitat for wildlife. However, the extent to which land trusts explicitly focus on wildlife conservation remains largely unknown. We used content analysis to assess land trust involvement in wildlife and habitat conservation, as reflected in their mission statements, and compared these findings with an organizational survey of land trusts. In our sample of 1358 mission statements, we found that only 17 % of land trusts mentioned "wildlife," "animal," or types of wildlife, and 35 % mentioned "habitat" or types. Mission statements contrasted sharply with results from a land trust survey, in which land trusts cited wildlife habitat as the most common and significant outcome of their protection efforts. Moreover, 77 % of land trusts reported that at least half of their acreage protected wildlife habitat, though these benefits are likely assumed. Importantly, mission statement content was not associated with the percentage of land reported to benefit wildlife. These inconsistencies suggest that benefits to wildlife habitat of protected land are recognized but may not be purposeful and strategic and, thus, potentially less useful in contributing toward regional wildlife conservation goals. We outline the implications of this disconnect, notably the potential omission of wildlife habitat in prioritization schema for land acquisition and potential missed opportunities to build community support for land trusts among wildlife enthusiasts and to develop partnerships with wildlife conservation organizations.
Abstract 4799: Variation in mutational landscape among small colonic polyps with differential growth rates

Background: Benign adenomatous colonic polyps are transformed into cancers through the stepwise accumulation of mutations. However, not all polyps will progress. A significant number remain static in size, regress, or resolve completely. The mechanisms underlying these differential fates are unknown, and currently there are no biological characteristics that can reliably predict which polyps will grow or progress into invasive cancer. A multiancestral origin contributes to tumor heterogeneity and might provide additional growth promoting signals via increased genetic diversity. Methods: Utilizing a unique cohort of patients with small ( Results: The mutational landscape of small polyps is highly heterogeneous. Polyps carried 0 - 5 pathogenic mutations, with the most commonly altered gene being APC, which is considered the gatekeeper of the intestine. Interestingly, the percentage of cells harboring mutations in APC within a single polyp ranged from 2.0% to 70.6% with an average of 22.1%. In contrast, the frequency of a common APC single nucleotide polymorphism was 0% for non-carriers (n = 3), 55.9% for heterozygotes (n = 6), and 97.9% for homozygotes (n = 10). In the presence of an APC mutation, the average frequency of a second pathogenic mutation within a sample was 6.2% (n = 10). Conclusions: These data indicate that early intratumoral heterogeneity arising as a consequence of multiancestral origin affects tumor formation and growth. By determining the relative fitness advantage of heterogeneous polyps, we can begin to better predict which polyps may be more likely to progress into adenocarcinomas and which patients are predisposed to developing advanced disease. Citation Format: Chelsie K. Sievers, Perry J. Pickhardt, Kristina Matkowskyj, Dawn Albrecht, Luli Zou, David Kim, Meghan Lubner, Mark Reichelderfer, Richard Halberg. Variation in mutational landscape among small colonic polyps with differential growth rates. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4799. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4799
Slack, Innovation, and Export Intensity: Implications for Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Enterprises

Despite the acknowledged importance of resources to small– and medium–sized enterprise (SME) internationalization, scholars have largely focused on the absolute level of resources rather than exces...
Performance Evaluation of NWChem Ab-Initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD) Simulations on the Intel® Xeon Phi™ Processor

Ab-initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD) methods are an important class of algorithms, as they enable scientists to understand the chemistry and dynamics of molecular and condensed phase systems while retaining a first-principles-based description of their interactions. Many-core architectures such as the Intel® Xeon Phi™ processor are an interesting and promising target for these algorithms, as they can provide the computational power that is needed to solve interesting problems in chemistry. In this paper, we describe the efforts of refactoring the existing AIMD plane-wave method of NWChem from an MPI-only implementation to a scalable, hybrid code that employs MPI and OpenMP to exploit the capabilities of current and future many-core architectures. We describe the optimizations required to get close to optimal performance for the multiplication of the tall-and-skinny matrices that form the core of the computational algorithm. We present strong scaling results on the complete AIMD simulation for a test case that simulates 256 water molecules and that strong-scales well on a cluster of 1024 nodes of Intel Xeon Phi processors. We compare the performance obtained with a cluster of dual-socket Intel® Xeon® E5–2698v3 processors.
Take a Left at the Valley of the Shadow of Death: Exploring the Queer Crossroads of Art, Religion, and Education Through Big Gay Church

Mindi Rhoades, Kimberly Cosier, James H. Sanders III, Courtnie Wolfgang, and Melanie Davenport—a collective of art educators—engage the intersections of art, religion, and education as an occasion for queer thinking and performance. Within academic contexts, these educators use queer theory and critical performance pedagogies (Denzin; Garoian and Gaudelius) to research, critique, and re-present the intersections of conservative protestant religion, education, the arts, and LGBTQ identities in the USA. In addition, for eight years, Big Gay Church (BGC) has presented as a formal session at the National Art Education Association’s annual convention, serving as a playful yet substantive forum for collaboratively pursuing and performing serious academic arts-based educational research around specific issues of identity, equity, power, and social justice in education.
Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Big Data: A Literature Review

With the accelerated advances in information technology that affected every aspect of the modern, quick-paced life, and the huge influx of data being stored about almost everything we do; we are struggling to catch up and make sense of what is going on around us. Big data offers a viable way to understand the modern world and to transform this influx of data into usable information and insights that allow for better decision making, and in the case of businesses, to achieve competitive advantage over competitors; as big data promises to provide the means for making the right decision at the right time based on faster, more accurate, more efficient, and more effective aggregation and analysis of internal and external sources of data, in ways that are unparalleled in human history. This paper reviews literature to find out in what ways can big data add value to firms, what are the challenges in implementing big data, and why big data projects tends to fail. Finally, based on the literature review findings, the paper discusses whether big data can really generate competitive advantage against competitors, by analyzing the findings under the resource-based-view of the firm theory.
Reversible Coordination of H2 by a Distannyne.

The terphenyl tin(II) hydride [AriPr4Sn(μ-H)]2 (1) (AriPr4 = C6H3-2,6(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2) was shown to form an equilibrium with the distannyne AriPr4SnSnAriPr4 (2) and H2 in toluene at 80 °C. The equilibrium constant and Gibbs free energy for the dissociation of H2 are 2.23 × 10–4 ± 4.9% and 5.89 kcal/mol ± 0.68%, respectively, by 1H NMR spectroscopy and 2.33 × 10–4 ± 6.2% and 5.86 kcal/mol ± 0.73%, respectively, by UV–vis spectroscopy, indicating that the hydride 1 is strongly favored. Further heating of 2 at ca. 100 °C afforded the known pentagonal-bipyramidal Sn7 cluster Sn5(SnAriPr4)2 (3). Mechanistic studies show that 3 is formed from distannyne 2, which is generated from 1. The order of the reaction for the conversion of 2 into 3 was found to be zero, and the rate constant is 1.77 × 10–5 M s–1 at 100 °C. Hydride 1 was further characterized by cyclic voltammetry, and its pKa was found to be 18.8(2) via titration with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene. The bond dissociation free energy was estimated to ...
Determining the Long-Term Effectiveness of a Group-Based Physical Activity Program.

Objective. In 2015, only half (48%) of older adults in the United States (≥60 years) reported engaging in any kind of physical activity. Few studies examine the impact of evidence-based programs wh...
Tamper-resistant pin-constrained digital microfluidic biochips

Digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs)---an emerging technology that implements bioassays through manipulation of discrete fluid droplets---are vulnerable to actuation tampering attacks, where a malicious adversary modifies control signals for the purposes of manipulating results or causing denial-of-service. Such attacks leverage the highly programmable nature of DMFBs. However, practical DMFBs often employ a technique called pin mapping to reduce control pin count while simultaneously reducing the degrees of freedom available for droplet manipulation. Attempts to control specific electrodes as part of an attack cannot be made without inadvertently actuating other electrodes on-chip, which makes the tampering evident. This paper explores this tamper-resistance property of pin mapping in detail. We derive relevant security metrics, evaluate the tamper-resistance of several existing pin mapping algorithms, and propose a new security-aware pin mapper with superior tamper-resistance as compared to prior work.
Facilitative Glucose Transporters: Regulation and Possible Role in NIDDM

Glucose transport by facilitated diffusion is mediated by a family of tissue specific membrane glycoproteins. Five members of this gene family have been identified by cDNA cloning, at least two of which (GLUT 1 and GLUT 4) are expressed in insulin-sensitive tissues. The GLUT 1 CHepG2-type) transporter is the more widely distributed of these two proteins. It provides many cells with their basal glucose requirement for ATP production and the biosynthesis of sugar-containing macromolecules. The GLUT 4 Cadipocyte/muscle) transporter is expressed predominately in tissues that are insulin-sensitive with respect to glucose uptake. This protein is an excellent candidate for a highly specific genetic defect predisposing to insulin resistance.
The relationship between racial identity, income, stress and C-reactive protein among parous women: implications for preterm birth disparity research

The persistent racial disparity in preterm birth (PTB) remains one of the most obvious yet poorly understood health disparities in the United States, and current evidence suggests that maternal stress, infection and inflammation may play an important role in the etiology of PTB. In this context, we assessed the complex relationships among racial identity; socioeconomic status (SES); psychosocial factors; and serum C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, among parous women in King County, WA. African-American women consistently reported a higher number of stressful life events than white American women (4.6 vs. 2.9, p
Coexpression of May-Hegglin anomaly and hereditary nephritis in a family

In three generations of a family investigation for coexpression of May-Hegglin anomaly and hereditary nephritis was done by routine studies, as well as electron microscopy of renal tissue and blood cells, platelet aggregation studies, audiograms, and ophthalmologic evaluations. The propositus had typical May-Hegglin anomaly and a mild form of hereditary nephritis. One son had May-Hegglin anomaly and possible hereditary nephritis, and one daughter had May-Hegglin anomaly and probable hereditary nephritis. A grandson had May-Hegglin anomaly but no evidence of hereditary nephritis at age 23. The mild form of hereditary nephritis described here was atypical for Alport's syndrome, but together with similar reports, suggests that a combination of May-Hegglin anomaly and mild hereditary nephritis may be a distinct disorder.
Operations with Fractions

This chapter discusses operations with fractions. A fraction is used to indicate a part of a whole. In any fraction N/D, D identifies the total number of equal parts and is called the denominator. N identifies the number of parts being considered and is called the numerator. A proper fraction contains a numerator that is smaller than the denominator. An improper fraction contains a numerator that is equal to or greater than the denominator. To raise a fraction to higher terms, the numerator and denominator are multiplied by the same nonzero number. To reduce a fraction to lowest terms, the numerator and denominator must be divided by all common divisors greater than 1. To add or subtract two fractions with like denominators, the numerators are added or subtracted, but the denominators are not changed. A prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that is only divisible by itself and 1.