cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal diet patterns during early pregnancy in relation to neonatal outcomes

Background Research has established that maternal diet influences fetal growth and preterm birth, but most studies only evaluate single nutrients. Relations between dietary patterns and neonatal outcomes are understudied. Objective We evaluated associations of neonatal outcomes with maternal diet patterns derived using 3 a priori diet scores [Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), alternate Mediterranean diet score (aMed), and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)] as well as principal components analysis (PCA). Methods We studied 1948 women from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons, a racially diverse multisite cohort of pregnant women in the USA (2009-2013). Diet in the past 3 mo was assessed using a self-administered FFQ at 8-13 weeks of gestation. Birthweight was abstracted from medical records and neonatal anthropometry measured postdelivery using standardized protocols. Results All 3 a priori scores were significantly associated with increased birthweight, and aMed was also associated with reduced odds of low birthweight [quartile 4 versus 1: ORadj = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18, 1.00 (P-trend = 0.02)]. Greater aMed and DASH scores were significantly associated with increased length [aMed: quartile 4 versus 1: 0.54 cm; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.99 (P-trend = 0.006); DASH: quartile 4 versus 1: 0.62 cm; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.99 (P-trend = 0.006)] and upper arm length. Neither diet pattern derived from PCA was significantly associated with birthweight. Conclusion Among mostly low-risk pregnant women, pre- and early pregnancy healthful diet quality indices, particularly the aMed score, were associated with larger neonatal size across the entire birthweight distribution. In the absence of generally accepted pregnancy-specific diet quality scores, these results provide evidence for an association between maternal diet patterns and neonatal outcomes.
Even though our bodies cannot be in the same place, focussing on body process is helpful in video mediated psychotherapy

This article is concerned with embodied process and the need to attend to evoked emotion in order to support the transference relationship. I look briefly at Lakoff and Johnson’s work on linguistic...
Tempus Fugit - It's Been Thirty Years Since McMahon Was Decided

June 8, 2017 marked the 30th anniversary of SCOTUS deciding Shearson/American Express v. McMahon, where a somewhat divided Supreme Court decided, in a case dealing with a securities brokerage predispute arbitration agreement, to set a course that has elevated alternative dispute resolution to a position of prominence and visibility (and controversy) affecting interstate commerce generally and, most particularly, the employment and retail consumer sectors. This article offers look-backs at this ground-breaking decision, delving into the issues, the cast of characters, the decision, and the views of securities arbitration luminaries on the lasting impact of the case.
Separation of Learning and Control for Cyber-Physical Systems

Most cyber-physical systems (CPS) encounter a large volume of data with a dynamic nature which is added to the system gradually in real time and not altogether in advance. Therefore, neither traditional supervised (or unsupervised) learning nor typical model-based control approaches can effectively facilitate optimal solutions with performance guarantees. In this article, we provide a theoretical framework that yields optimal control strategies at the intersection of control theory and learning. In the proposed framework, we use the actual CPS, i.e., the "true" CPS that we seek to optimally control online, in parallel with a model of the CPS that we have available. We institute an information state which is the conditional joint probability distribution of the states of the model and the actual CPS given all data available up until each instant of time. We use this information state along with the CPS model to derive offline separated control strategies. Since the strategies are derived offline, the state of the actual CPS is not known, i.e., the model cannot capture the dynamics of the actual CPS due to the complexity of the system, and thus the optimal strategy of the model is parameterized with respect to the state of the actual CPS. However, the control strategy and the process of estimating the information state are separated. Therefore, we can learn the information state of the system online while we operate the model and the actual CPS. We show that after the information state becomes known online through learning, the separated control strategy of the model derived offline is optimal for the actual CPS. We illustrate the proposed framework in a dynamic system consisting of two subsystems with a delayed sharing information structure.
Premature thymic involution impairs let7 up-regulation in the transition from fetal to adult hematopoietic stem cells in the thymus (HEM4P.236)

The postnatal thymus is a highly efficient microenvironment for promoting T cell specification and differentiation. However, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) possess age-dependent differences in differentiation potential into T or B cells, with fetal-type HSCs having a higher potential for producing B cells. The switch between fetal- and adult-type HSCs occurs in the perinatal period, associated with a transition from Lin28b to Let7 expression. We found that in Foxn1lacZ/lacZ mutant mice, which undergo premature thymic involution beginning at 1-2 weeks postnatally, the ETP and DN1a/b subsets were immediately and progressively reduced, while thymic B cells showed a transient increase peaking at around 3-4 weeks. Heterochronic chimeras showed that the capacity to produce B cells in mutant thymus was dependent on the age of HSCs, rather than the age of thymus. We further demonstrate that in thymic progenitor B cells, while Lin28b down regulation occurred normally, Let7g up regulation was impaired, repressing differentiation and promoting proliferation of progenitor B cells in Foxn1lacZ/lacZ thymus. Changes in the thymic microenvironment included progressive down regulation of CCL25, accelerated reduction of DL4 and a transient increase in IL7. Taken together, these data show that the switch from fetal-type to adult-type HSCs within thymus is controlled by thymic microenvironment at multiple levels, including lymphoid progenitor entry, fate specification, and differentiation.
A Prehistory of Flow Control and Optimization

Flow control and optimization is an ancient practice of man. For example any dam, sluice, canal, levee, irrigation ditch, valve, duct, pipe, pump, hose, vane, etc., is an exercise in flow control or optimization, i.e., and attempt to control the mechanical state, e.g., the rate and direction of motion, and/or the thermodynamic state, e.g. the temperature, of a fluid in order to achieve a desired purpose.
Observation of backward effective third-harmonic generation by cascading completely quasi-phase-matched backward second-harmonic and sum-frequency generation in periodically-poled potassium titanyl phosphate waveguide

Summary form only given. Recently, we achieved backward second-harmonic generation (SHG) in periodically-poled bulk LiNbO/sub 3/ (PPLN). We have improved the conversion efficiency by about an order of magnitude by using long laser pulses. Here, we report our new results of backward SHG by using periodically-poled potassium titanyl phosphate (PPKTP) waveguide. More importantly, we report our results on first observation of backward third-harmonic generation (THG) due to completely quasi-phase-matched cascaded SHG and sum-frequency generation (SFG) in PPKTP waveguide. This is the first time to achieve backward effective THG where both of SHG and SFG are quasi-phase-matched. Previously, we observed backward THG in PPLN by cascading SHG and SFG. However, only one of these two constituent processes is quasi-phase-matched.
The “Dark Side” of Chromatin Remodeling: Repressive Effects on Transcription

In summary, chromatin remodeling complexes facilitate nucleosome assembly and mobilization by their ability to break and to reestablish histone–DNA contacts. In the future, it will be particularly interesting to elucidate the specific functions of each of these remodeling factors, which will participate in nucleosome assembly and/or mobilization during transcriptional activation or repression, DNA repair, DNA replication, recombination, or any other nuclear event that occurs in the context of nucleosomes. Even the dark side of chromatin remodeling appears to have a bright future.*To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail: jkadonaga@ucsd.edu).
Retinal degeneration produced by low-intensity colored light.

Abstract The high-energy wavelengths of visible light were primarily responsible for light-induced retinal degeneration in the albino rat. Light of wavelengths passing through a blue filter were most effective in damaging photoreceptors.
Sex Pheromones Produced by Male Boll Weevil: Isolation, Identification, and Synthesis

The response of female boll weevils to males, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, in laboratory bioassays can be reproduced by exposure to a mixture of compounds I, II, and either III or IV, all isolated from male weevils and their fecal material. The same response was elicited by mixtures of tile synthesized coimpounds. Compound I is (+)-cis-2-isopropenyl-l-methylcyclobtutaneethanol; II, cis-3,3-dimethiyl->(1,beta)cyclohexaneethanol; III, cis-3,3-dimethlyl->(1,alpha)-cyclohexaneacetaldehyde; and IV, trans-3,3-dimethyl->(1,alpha)-cyclohexanecetaldehyde.
Inhibition of peripheral adrenergic neurotransmission by lergotrile in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract Intraperitoneal injection of lergotrile (0.5 mg/kg) produced arterial hypotension and bradycardia for 120 and 90 minutes, respectively, in anesthesized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). During this time frame, lergotrile (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) greatly attenuated diastolic blood pressure and cardiac rate responses to electrical stimulation (0.062-4 Hz) of the sympathetic outflow in pithed SHR, but had no significant effect on comparable increments in pressure and rate produced by exogenous norepinephrine (0.01–10 μg/kg, i.v.). Pretreatment of SHR with haloperidol (2 mg/kg, i.p.) prevented lergotrile-induced hypotension and partially reversed its inhibitory effect on neurogenic vasoconstrictor responses. Haloperidol alone had no significant effect on baseline arterial blood pressure or responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation. Administration of hexamethonium (20 mg/kg, i.v.) to SHR antagonized the hypotensive response to lergotrile (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), although hydralazine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) still produced a marked reduction in pressure. These results suggest that lergotrile produces arterial hypotension and bradycardia primarily by inhibiting peripheral sympathetic nerve function through a dopaminergic mechanism. The probable site of action of lergotrile is at presynaptic (neuronal) dopamine receptors which are known to be inhibitory to neurogenic release of norepinephrine.
From “Cheers” to Fears

The familiar call of “another round!” is a common self-medication for stress, but a vicious circle of alcoholism and anxiety develops when the bar never seems to close. Ethanol is both a short-term cure and a long-term cause of anxiety disorders, but the mechanism by which the brain becomes sensitized to such disorders is poorly understood. Recently, Holmes and colleagues used a model of chronic ethanol exposure to show changes in the prefrontal cortex of mice that correlate with behaviors related to posttraumatic stress disorder. The investigators studied fear extinction, the process by which the brain inhibits trauma-related fear responses. As might be expected, an inability to extinguish such responses could contribute to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Holmes et al . found that chronic intermittent exposure to vaporized ethanol was associated with a decrease in the learned behavior of fear extinction compared with the behavior of control mice exposed to air. This impairment was correlated with an increased length of dendrites, the projections that receive neural signals, in a specific population of neurons. Impaired fear extinction was also correlated with a reduction of currents mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are the receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Further experiments suggested a causal role for decreased NMDA receptor function in decreased fear extinction, because blocking the receptor with an antagonist yielded the same result. As always, data derived from animal models require careful interpretation, especially because inhibited fear extinction is not equivalent to the symptom complex of posttraumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, no strict causality was determined—further studies of chronic ethanol exposure that include concomitant modulation of the NMDA receptor will support a mechanistic role. Despite these limitations, the data have translational importance because studies in humans have identified a relationship between alcohol dependence and abnormalities of NMDA-mediated signal cascades. The development of treatments stimulating prefrontal NMDA receptors may therefore attenuate changes that impair the brain’s ability to extinguish trauma-related reactions. Of note, some studies in humans have suggested that there is a generally enhanced function of NMDA receptors associated with alcoholism. Although this may be true in a broad sense, the current experimental findings suggest that there may be regional differences in NMDA function after chronic alcohol exposure. Last, neuroimaging techniques designed to assess receptor function in humans may help screen for individuals at a particularly high risk of alcohol-related anxiety conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder. A. Holmes et al ., Chronic alcohol remodels prefrontal neurons and disrupts NMDAR-mediated fear extinction encoding. Nat. Neurosci. 15 , 1359–1363 (2012). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v15/n10/abs/nn.3204.html
Adsorption and Reaction of Dimethyl Disulfide on the Ni(111) Surface

The adsorption and reactions of dimethyl disulfide, CH3S−SCH3, have been analyzed on the Ni(111) surface using high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS), X-ray photoelectron spectr...
A direct algorithm for restricted rotation distance

In this paper we present a concise O(n) implementation of Cleary's algorithm for generating a sequence of restricted rotations between any two binary trees. The algorithm is described directly in terms of the binary trees, without using any intermediate representation.
Preliminary Results of a Phase II Trial of Proton Radiotherapy for Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma

Purpose This prospective phase II study was designed to assess disease control and to describe acute and late adverse effects of treatment with proton radiotherapy in children with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Patients and Methods Fifty-seven patients with localized RMS (age 21 years or younger) or metastatic embryonal RMS (age 2 to 10 years) were enrolled between February 2005 and August 2012. All patients were treated with chemotherapy based on either vincristine, actinomycin, and cyclophosphamide or vincristine, actinomycin, and ifosfamide–based chemotherapy and proton radiation. Surgical resection was based on tumor site and accessibility. Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Version 3.0, was used to assess and grade adverse effects of treatment. Concurrent enrollment onto Children's Oncology Group or European Pediatric Sarcoma Study Group protocols was allowed. All pathology and imaging were reviewed at the treating institution. Results Median follow-up was 47 months (range, 14 to 102 months) f...
PDE-based robust robotic navigation

In robotic navigation, path planning is aimed at getting the optimum collision-free path between a starting and target locations. The optimality criterion depends on the surrounding environment and the running conditions. In this paper, we propose a general, robust, and fast path planning framework for robotic navigation using level set methods. A level set speed function is proposed such that the minimum cost path between the starting and target locations in the environment, is the optimum planned path. The speed function is controlled by one parameter, which takes one of three possible values to generate either the safest, the shortest, or the hybrid planned path. The hybrid path is much safer than the shortest path, but less shorter than the safest one. The main idea of the proposed technique is to propagate a monotonic wave front with a particular speed function from a starting location until the target is reached and then extracts the optimum planned path between them by solving an ordinary differential equation (ODE) using an efficient numerical scheme. The framework supports both local and global planning for both 2D and 3D environments. The robustness of the proposed framework is demonstrated by correctly extracting planned paths of complex maps.
The solar and dynamically induced oscillations in the stratosphere

The temporal and spatial features of stratospheric fluctuations are analyzed using 2.5 years of ozone and temperature data from the Nimbus 7 solar backscattered ultraviolet and the SAMS experiments. It is observed that the oscillations are dynamically induced perturbations in the winter hemisphere and the 27-day modulation of the solar UV radiation. The fluctuations in the ozone and temperature are compared with solar activity. The effects of solar and temperature perturbations on stratospheric ozone are examined; it is shown that the dynamically induced oscillations are global and independent of solar activity. The seasonal, latitudinal, and altitudinal variations of the regression factors and their influence on the ozone are studied. Multiple regression and cross-spectral analyses of ozone, temperature, and solar flux data reveal that the ozone mixing ratio is more sensitive to changes in temperature than changes in solar activity.
Dopamine and renal blood flow in radiocontrast-induced nephropathy in humans

Previous studies suggest a role for renal vasoconstriction in the pathogenesis of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy (RCIN). A renal vasodilator such as dopamine may be protective. However, the effect of dopamine on renal blood flow (RBF) in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) is controversial. Patients with CRF of diabetic (DM) or nondiabetic (NDM) origin were hydrated with 0.45% NaCl intravenously at 100 mL/h for 12 h and then randomized to either 0.45% NaCl IV at 100 mL/h (Group 1) or dopamine IV at 2 micrograms/kg/min in 0.45% NaCl at 100 mL/h for 2 h during and after cardiac catheterization. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO), and RBF were measured at baseline (t = 0), after 5 min of vehicle (Group 1) or dopamine (Group 2) but before ionic radiocontrast (t = 5 min), after ventriculogram (t = 15 min), and after coronary angiography (t = 65 min). Serum creatinine (SCr) was measured at baseline and 24 and 48 h after cardiac catheterization. RCIN was defined as a 25% increase of SCr above baseline 48 h after cardiac catheterization. Baseline characteristics demonstrated the groups to be equivalent in age, SCr, creatinine clearance, CO, MAP, RBF, and radiocontrast dose administered. The incidence of RCIN was not different between Group 1 and Group 2 (Group 1, 6 of 15 patients; Group 2, 5 of 15 patients). Dopamine infusion was associated with a significant increase in RBF at 5 min (Group 1, 110 +/- 13%; Group 2, 193 +/- 40% at t = 5, p < .05). RBF remained elevated throughout the catheterization in Group 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Redox effect on the partitioning of nickel in olivine

Abstract The fractionation of nickel by olivine in the Lower Zone of the Kiglapait Intrusion, in company with the olivine compositions compared to estimated liquid compositions, places stringent limits on the value of the olivine/liquid partition coefficient for Ni, estimated at 4.0± 0.8 at the base of the Lower Zone. Data from a strong Ni-MgO correlation in Mauna Loa picrites also require a low value of D, estimated at 5.8 ± 0.4. These values are much lower than usually considered normal for mafic magmas, and the effect is ascribed to the low oxygen fugacity of the magmas, estimated independently for the Kiglapait case to be near the wustite-magnetite buffer. At this redox state, a significant amount (in this case about half) of the Ni in the melt is dissolved as Ni 0 , which inflates the liquid concentration without entering the olivine. Because the analyzed values reflect only total Ni rather than the species, the partition coefficient decreases with reduction, as shown by recent experimental studies. The Mauna Loa data imply a reduced condition for that magma as well. Knowledge of the redox regime governing the partition coefficient is vitally important in modelling fractional crystallization and in discussing early planetary history. Conversely, knowledge of the Ni fractionation in a magma series can specify the redox regime of the magma, as at Mauna Loa.
Susceptibility of Ampicillin-Resistant Haemophilus influenzae to Seven Penicillins

Sixty-seven clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae from various sections of the United States, England, and Germany were tested for susceptibility to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, epicillin, carbenicillin, ticarcillin, and methicillin. Fifty-three of the strains had previously been judged to be ampicillin resistant and 14 had been determined to be ampicillin susceptible. Fifty-two of the 53 resistant strains produced beta-lactamase, but none of the susceptible strains produced it. On the basis of minimal inhibitory concentrations, the most active compounds were ticarcillin and carbenicillin. Whether this greater activity is useful clinically has not been established.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Combined Main-Chain/Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polymer Exhibiting Both Thermotropic and Lyotropic Characteristics and Its Lyotropic Phase Behavior

A combined main-chain/side-chain liquid-crystalline polymer (PSHQ4−7CNCOOH), which is composed of poly[(phenylsulfonyl-p-phenylenene 1,4-tetramethylene bis(oxybenzoate)] (PSHQ4) as the main-chain backbone and 8-[(4-cyano-4‘-phenyl)oxy]octanoic acid (7CNCOOH) as the side-chain mesogenic groups, has been synthesized. It has been found that 7CNCOOH has a clearing temperature of 150 °C and exhibits nematic mesophase, and PSHQ4−7CNCOOH exhibits both thermotropic and lyotropic characteristics. The thermotropic characteristics of PSHQ4−7CNCOOH have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fiber and powder patterns of wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and polarized optical microscopy (POM). It has been found that in the thermotropic state PSHQ4−7CNCOOH has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 85 °C and a nematic-to-isotropic (N−I) transition temperature (TNI) of 172 °C, and it is a glassy polymer. Interestingly, PSHQ4−7CNCOOH is found to exhibit lyotropic characteristics, undergoing i...
Effects of Cassia obtusifolia (sicklepod) extracts and anthraquinones on muscle mitochondrial function

Abstract Effects of Cassia obtusifolia (sicklepod) extracts and anthraquinones on muscle mitochondrial function. Toxicon 27, 519–529, 1989.—Naturally occurring quinones and quinone-containing extracts of seeds of the toxic plant Cassia obtusifolia (sicklepod) affected muscle mitochondrial function. Aqueous suspensions and organic extracts of C . obtusifolia seeds slightly elevated plasma creatine kinase levels of Sprague-Dawley rats. These extracts were analyzed by fused silica capillary gas chromatography and found to contain nine anthraquinones and three anthrones. Urinary metabolites primarily consisted of β-glucuronide conjugates of the anthraquinones. The three anthrones or conjugate analogues were not present in the urine in detectable amounts. Emodin, doxorubicin and organic extracts of C . obtusifolia inhibited NADH:cytochrome c oxidoreductase activity of bovine heart mito-chondrial particles and NADH:CoQ oxidoreductase activity of porcine heart mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase, whereas juglone was stimulatory. Relative quinone metabolism correlated with semiquinone formation rate and with redox potential. A protective effect of coenzyme Q against enzyme inhibition by anthraquinones was also observed.
The Influence of Social Science Theories on the Conceptualization of Poverty in Social Welfare

Poverty has been a widely explored issue that has been debated across many social science academic disciplines. Due to its multi-dimensional nature, different interpretations of the causes of poverty have been put forth. This analysis examines the theories of poverty from five social science disciplines: psychology, anthropology, sociology, economics, and political science. While some of these ideas have evolved since they were originally conceived, these theories have significantly contributed to the conceptualization of poverty in social welfare. Since social welfare does not have a common theory of poverty, future directions should involve an attempt to develop a unifying theory of poverty for clarification on shared discussions because of its impact all areas in the field of social welfare and social work practice.
Lithium insertion reactions in tungsten and vanadium oxide bronzes

Abstract Thermodynamics and kinetics of the electrochemical insertion of lithium into cubic sodium tungsten bronzes and two different vanadium bronze structures have been studied. The cubic lithium sodium tungsten bronzes, Li y Na x WO 3 , exhibit simple thermodynamic behavior, characteristic of a wide single phase solid solution region. The vanadium bronzes show more complex behavior, probably determined by the availability of several different kinds of crystallographic sites in these tunnel and layer structures. The solid state diffusion kinetics of all these materials are very rapid. Interfacial kinetics of the insertion of lithium from organic solvent based electrolytes have been studied using ac impedance spectroscopy, and exchange current densities obtained.
Histidine 229 in protein L2 is apparently essential for 50S peptidyl transferase activity

It has recently been suggested that peptidyl transferase activity is primarily a property of ribosomal RNA and that ribosomal proteins may act only as scaffolding. On the other hand, evidence from both photoaffinity labeling studies and reconstitution studies suggest that protein L2 may be functionally important for peptidyl transferase. In the work reported here, we reconstitute 50S subunits in which the H229Q variant of L2 replaces L2, with all other ribosomal components remaining unchanged, and determine the catalytic and structural properties of the reconstituted subunits. We observe that mutation of the highly conserved His 229 to Gin results in a complete loss of peptidyl transferase activity in the reconstituted 50S subunit. This is strong evidence for the direct involvement of L2 in ribosomal peptidyl transferase activity. Control experiments show that, though lacking peptidyl transferase activity, 50S subunits reconstituted with H229Q-L2 appear to be identical with 50S subunits reconstituted with wild-type L2 with respect to protein composition and 70S formation in the presence of added 30S subunits. Furthermore, as shown by chemical footprinting analysis, H229Q-L2 appears to bind 23S RNA in the same manner as wild-type L2. Thus, the effect of H229 mutation appears to be confined to an effect on peptidyl transferase activity, providing the most direct evidence for protein involvement in this function to date.
Design Aspects and Simulations of a Modified Micro-Scale Electrophoretron

This paper presents theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of a modified micro-scale electrophoretron previously realized on the macro-scale by Choi et al. (2001)1 and adapted here for cycling reaction applications (e.g. PCR, LDR). A window of operation in the device's design parameter space is determined using simple analytical solutions for electrokinetic flow with induced pressure gradients. Numerical simulations, including the effect of bends, electrodes and surface property discontinuities as pertinent to a physical implementation of the device, verify the expected behavior in a rectangular channel loop. The numerical results are used to provide insights to flow phenomena influencing the operation of the device and the dispersion of charged species.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Interactive models as a system design tool: Applications to system project management

Abstract Frequent and significant cost and schedule overruns in large aerospace and defense projects are hypothesized to be attributed to limitations on designers’ perception of complex systems. New design methods and tools to improve perception could reduce design effort. This paper extends an existing model of system project management to incorporate new methods for collaborative modeling and rapid sensitivity analysis using web- and browser-based technologies. A JavaScript-based API and model implementation in the system dynamics formalism replicate previous model results. Performance benchmarks demonstrate model execution in around 100 milliseconds on consumer hardware. Data storage and remote model execution services compose and query model results across executions. Browser-based user interfaces and visualizations allow users to interact with model components and provide batch model execution, tradespace exploration, sensitivity analysis, and time series comparison.
Solvolysis of 5-brexyl brosylates: Relevance to carbene and carbocation chemistry

Abstract Buffered acetolysis of exo- and endo-5-brexyl p-bromobenzenesulfonate and equilibration of the acetates revealed ionic behavior uncharacteristic of norbornyl-type structures. The findings are pertinent to a controversy about carbene rearrangements in 5-brexylidene.
Quantum Theory of the Free-Electron Laser

In this paper we consider the main reasons why a quantum theory of the free-electron laser is of interest, and summarize and compare a number of different approaches, and their main results. Recent results concerning the intrinsic linewidth and photon statistics of the free-electron laser are also presented.
Right Ventricle Foreign Body: A Case of a Migrating Iliac Stent Entrapped in the Tricuspid Valve

We report a 27-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation, pericarditis, and May-Thurner syndrome who underwent a venoplasty with two self-expandable stents in the left common iliac vein. One year later, he presented with tricuspid valve insufficiency and a dilated right atrium. His echocardiogram showed a foreign body in the right ventricle enmeshed in the tricuspid valve. This was identified as a migrating iliac stent confirmed by the absence of one of the peripheral stents on venogram. He failed a percutaneous approach to retrieve the stent and underwent subsequent surgical extraction with open sternotomy. There was significant damage to the tricuspid valve necessitating valvuloplasty and annuloplasty. We believe the migrated stent may have been relatively small for this patient’s vascular anatomy and this serious complication could have been avoided by proper stent size selection. Fortunately, our patient is now asymptomatic with no functional limitations. J Med Cases. 2014;5(12):636-638 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1991w
PARATHYROID GLANDS AND THE MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE NEOPLASIA SYNDROMES AND FAMILIAL HYPOCALCIURIC HYPERCALCEMIA

Hypercalcemia is a variable feature of inherited endocrine disorders. In the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, generalized hyperparathyroidism is a common feature. It occurs much more frequently in patients with MEN type 1 as compared to patients with MEN type 2A. Unlike the MEN syndromes, patients with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) have only hypercalcemia with no associated endocrinopathies. The hyperparathyroidism in patients with either of the MEN syndromes is managed by parathyroidectomy, whereas patients with FHH are managed nonoperatively. The specific genetic defects associated with MEN type 2 syndromes and FHH have been identified. They explain, in part, the clinical and pathophysiologic features of these diseases. The genetic defect causative of MEN type 1 will doubtless soon be found and thereby provide further insights into the molecular basis of calcium homeostasis. We will review the clinical presentation and the management of patients with these disorders. We will also review the recent molecular discoveries in MEN 2A, MEN 2B, and FHH, and define how they have altered the management of patients who have these syndromes.
The bilevel knapsack problem with stochastic right-hand sides

We introduce the bilevel knapsack problem with stochastic right-hand sides, and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an optimal solution. When the leader's decisions can take only integer values, we present an equivalent two-stage stochastic programming reformulation with binary recourse. We develop a branch-and-cut algorithm for solving this reformulation, and a branch-and-backtrack algorithm for solving the scenario subproblems. Computational experiments indicate that our approach can solve large instances in a reasonable amount of time.
Influence of interfacial magnons on spin transfer torque in magnetic tunnel junctions

The role of interfacial electron-magnon interaction in a noncollinear magnetic tunnel junction is investigated using the transfer Hamiltonian method. It is shown that the interfacial electron-magnon scattering modifies the bias dependence of both components of the spin-transfer torque. In particular, we find that at low temperature, the magnons emission adds a quadratic contribution and at finite temperature, both quadratic and linear terms appear. These contributions can explain recent experimental results on the bias dependence of spin-transfer torque.
Research highlights: microfluidic analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility

Antimicrobials remain an integral part of the treatment of patients with an infection. New microfluidic technologies are poised to help clinicians prescribe the right antimicrobials, sooner, reducing long hospital stays and improving outcomes. Given that current microbiologic diagnostic testing methods require a significant turnaround time (days), clinicians, in general, initially empirically determine a suitable therapy. After review of laboratory data, including information regarding the susceptibility of the microbial pathogen to specific anti-infectives, a clinician will then make alterations in therapy as appropriate, to direct therapy toward the pathogen involved in the illness. Important steps needed to quickly ascertain this information include the timely isolation of the microorganism, followed by direct antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) or determination of the presence within the microorganism of any resistance genes or proteins that will impair the activity of a potential therapy. Recent microfluidic technologies highlighted here that can intrinsically interface at the scale of the organisms are starting to address these challenges by improving the speed and accuracy of tests aimed at helping physicians to give the right antimicrobials sooner.
Large clothing size in children is associated with high body mass index and clustering of medical comorbidities.

Background. Since most people are aware of their clothing size (CS), this prospective study explored the potential utility of CS as a proxy for body size and as a predictor of incident obesity-related health conditions in children. Methods. This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 725 children aged 6–18 yr. We collected clinical, anthropometric, and sartorial data on all study subjects. Parents reported their children’s usual CS. This was compared with US clothing chart for children. Based on this we determined whether a child’s CS was appropriate or large for age. Results. The prevalence of overweight/obese was 31.4%. Among the study subjects, 36% usually wore large CS. Children who wore large CS were more likely to be overweight/obese compared to those in the normal CS group (OR = 5.6; 95% CI = 4.0–8.0, ). Similarly, large CS was associated with higher rates of incident asthma (), obstructive sleep apnea (), habitual snoring (), and elevated preoperative blood pressure (). Conclusion. CS in children is associated with higher indices of adiposity and increased rates of obesity-related comorbidities.
Review of the estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Relationship to carcinogenicity

Human exposure to nonsteroidal estrogens in the environment has recently been proposed as a risk factor for endocrine disruption and the development of cancers of the breast and reproductive tract. Certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which closely resemble steroid hormones, are ubiquitous environmental contaminants whose carcinogenicity has been extensively studied. This review examines the available evidence regarding the actions of PAHs on estrogen receptor activity, estrogen metabolism and the hypothalamo-pituitary axis. In most studies, PAHs exhibited either weakly estrogenic or antiestrogenic responses. The possibility is raised that the endocrine toxicology of certain PAHs reflects both genotoxic and non-genotoxic components which may be interrelated, particularly with regard to carcinogenesis.
Interactive pattern analysis and classification utilizing prior knowledge

Abstract An approach to interactive pattern recognition is described which provides for using a priori problem knowledge. The a priori knowledge is either in the form of uncertain correlation information among features or new features which are nonlinear functions of original features. In effect a problem model is interactively constructed in the computer along with uncertain estimates of the parameters characterizing the model. Provision then exists for updating estimates using supervised or unsupervised training samples. The resulting interactive system is designed for waveforms, pictures, or vectors.
Indomethacin, salicyclates and prostaglandin binding

Abstract Aspirin, salicyclic acid and indomethacin reversibly inhibit prostaglandin binding to human serum proteins. This effect was demonstrated in the sera of normal subjects and of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with aspirin as well as by addition of these drugs to serum in vitro . The displacement of serum prostaglandins by salicylate is likely to affect the kinetics of prostaglandin transport and may facilitate the delivery of prostaglandins from serum to tissue receptors.
Isolated and combined effects of asymmetric stance and pushing movement on the anticipatory and compensatory postural control.

Abstract Objective To investigate effects of symmetric and asymmetric stance and pushing movement on anticipatory and compensatory postural adjustments (APAs and CPAs). Methods Ten healthy volunteers stood symmetrically (feet parallel) or asymmetrically (one foot forward and the other backward) and pushed a handle with both hands or right or left hand. Bilateral EMG activity of the trunk and leg muscles and center of pressure (COP) displacements in the anterior–posterior (AP) and medial–lateral (ML) directions were recorded and analyzed during the APAs and CPAs. Results Isolated asymmetry of stance was associated with larger muscle activity of the backward leg while isolated asymmetry of pushing movement induced larger trunk muscle activity on the contralateral side. A combined asymmetry of stance and pushing movement resulted in the increase or decrease of the thigh muscle activity and ML COP displacement depending on whether both asymmetries were induced on the same side of the body or on opposite sides. Conclusions Both isolated and combined asymmetries affect APAs and CPAs in pushing. Using combined asymmetry of stance and arm movement might be beneficial in performing pushing activity. Significance The outcome of the study provides a basis for studying postural control in individuals with unilateral impairment while performing daily tasks involving pushing.
The system of movement control of magnetically levitative vehicle on a base of synchronized microwave generators

Conception of construction of the informative-control navigation system of the high-speed ground vehicle on the basis of method of measuring of phase correlations between the mobile and immobile signals of the high-sensitive microwave generators is represented
Skill assessment of an integrated modeling system for shallow coastal and estuarine ecosystems

Abstract The predictive skills of an integrated physical–biogeochemical modeling system (CH3D-IMS) for shallow estuarine and coastal ecosystems are assessed using available field data in the Indian River Lagoon estuarine system, Florida during 1998–2000. The cornerstone of the modeling system is the circulation model CH3D (Curvilinear-grid Hydrodynamics in 3D), which is coupled to models of wave (SMB), sediment transport, water quality (nutrients: N, P, and Si, three phytoplankton species, zooplankton, and dissolved oxygen), light attenuation, and seagrass. To resolve the complex geometry and bathymetry of the estuarine system, the modeling system uses a boundary-fitted non-orthogonal curvilinear grid in the horizontal direction and a terrain-following sigma grid in the vertical direction. While water level and salinity data were collected continuously (at 15-min intervals) at 10 fixed stations, most water quality data were collected at much longer time scales (bi-weekly to quarterly) during ship surveys at more than 30 stations. Sediment-water quality data were collected at 24 stations once in 1998. Model skills for hydrodynamic and water quality simulations are assessed in terms of the absolute relative errors and the relative operating characteristic (ROC) scores. Both methods indicate that the modeling system has skills in simulating water level, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, and dissolved nutrients, with the ROC score between 0.6 and 0.862, indicating skills for most of the variables. Skills for simulating total suspended solids (TSS) and particulate nutrients are lacking, with ROC score and: between 0.5–0.6. Simulated diffuse attenuation coefficient, which depends on TSS, chlorophyll a, and dissolved organic matter, has an ROC of 0.55. Using high frequency time-varying field data collected during two episodic events in the study period, the skills of CH3D-IMS improved significantly for both TSS and particulate nutrients. Model skills for particulate nutrients are found to be very sensitive to nutrient concentrations in the sediment column which were sampled in 1998. Sensitivity tests were conducted to determine the sensitivity of model skill to bottom boundary condition, open boundary condition, and model parameters/coefficients. Results suggest that model skills can be improved with more detailed sediment-water quality data, addition of a coastal ocean domain, and improved knowledge of model parameters/coefficients. Parameter estimation method (e.g., modified Gauss–Newton method) can be used to reduce the effort required to select optimal model coefficients for the baseline simulation.
Death after acute withdrawal of intrathecal baclofen: Case report and literature review

Abstract A 21-year-old man with C1 sensory-incomplete ventilator-dependent quadriplegia, treated with good results with an intrathecal baclofen pump for intractable spasticity since age 17, developed increasing spasticity and revers when his pump began to malfunction. He became unresponsive and developed hypotension, severe hyperthermia, and ventricular tachycardia that required chemical and electrical cardioversion. Although he was receiving oral baclofen when his pump failed, and he was given an intrathecal bolus of baclofen, he subsequently developed rhabdomyolysis, hepatic enzyme elevations, and a consumptive coagulopathy. Cerebral ischemia then occurred, causing brain death. The literature about intrathecal baclofen withdrawal is reviewed to illustrate that it can be a life-threatening event.
Propane ammoxidation over Mo–V–Te–Nb–O M1 phase: Density functional theory study of propane oxidative dehydrogenation steps

Abstract Propane ammoxidation to acrylonitrile catalyzed by the bulk Mo–V–Te–Nb oxides has received considerable attention because it is more environmentally benign than the current process of propylene ammoxidation and relies on a more abundant feedstock. This process is proposed to consist of a series of elementary steps including propane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH), ammonia and O2 activation, NHx insertion into C3 surface intermediates, etc. Density functional theory calculations were performed here to investigate the three sequential H abstraction steps that successively convert propane into isopropyl, propene, and π-allyl on cation sites in the proposed selective and active center present in the ab plane of the Mo–V–Te–Nb–O M1 phase. The initial H abstraction from propane was found to be the rate-limiting step of this process, consistent with both the proposed reaction mechanism for propane ammoxidation on the Mo–V–Te–Nb oxides and current understanding of V5+ as the active site for alkane activation on V-based oxides. Te=O was found to be significantly more active than V5+=O for the H abstraction from propane, which suggests that the surface and bulk Te species may be different. The role of Mo=O is most likely limited to being an H acceptor from isopropyl to form propene under ammoxidation conditions.
Nonadiabatic effects in the pseudorotational motion of triatomic molecules

Electron-nuclear-dynamics theory simulations have been performed with the aim to understand the dynamic aspects of triatomic molecules in pseudorotational motion. More specifically, the units ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Li}}_{3}^{+}$ are investigated close to the threshold of dissociation. For both species, the dynamic response of the electronic system to the nuclear motion is examined by the computation of electronic angular momentum expectation values. The respective results differ markedly for \ensuremath{\alpha}- and \ensuremath{\beta}- spin orientations, reflecting the emergence of rapid spin oscillations. This phenomenon is investigated by a detailed analysis of the electronic excitation content in both molecules. This is achieved by projection of the dynamic wave function on adiabatic electronic states that are evaluated along the nuclear trajectories. From an examination of the phase relations between expansion coefficients for electronic excitations with \ensuremath{\alpha}- and \ensuremath{\beta}-spin orientation, we conclude that the systems maximize the observed spin polarization effects.
Effects of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids on rice seedling growth and nutrition

Soils which are flooded for lowland rice culture shift from aerobic to anaerobic organic matter transformations. Anaerobic carbon transformations, involving chiefly rice crop residues, are characterized by the formation of various organic acids. These may accumulate after prolonged incubations in amounts sufficient to be toxic to developing rice seedlings. In these experiments the effects of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were studied at 1, 5, and 10 mN on the growth and nutrition of 14 day old (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar ‘Earlirose’ rice seedlings. Nutrient solutions were used in the experiments with pH controlled at 6.5 in one experiment and in another the acid concentrations were allowed to attain equilibrium pH with the nutrient solution (1 mN=4.6, 5 mN=3.9, and 10 mN=3.8).
Physical Attractiveness, Race, and Essay Evaluation

Three experiments examined the impact of race and facial attractiveness upon evaluations received by essay writers. From one perspective, distinct stereotypes for race and attractiveness each should be reflected in any evaluations. From a second perspective, when outgroup members possess a favorable attribute, such as attractiveness, ingroup members may (a) misperceive and alter its meaning or (b) alter their perception of other traits possessed by those outgroup members, and consequently rate those outgroup members less favorably than other outgroup members. Although data from a prior naturalistic study suggested that this latter perspective would be supported, it was not.