cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unraveling the effect of offender citizenship status on federal sentencing outcomes

Abstract A large body of social science literature has focused on the factors that influence sentencing outcomes within the federal court system. A neglected variable in this line of research is the citizenship status of the offender. Using the United States Sentencing Commission’s Monitoring of Federal Criminal Sentences data from 2006, the present study examines the effect of citizenship status on the likelihood of incarceration and the length of the prison sentence. This study extends previous research in three ways: first, by examining citizenship status using post-Booker data; second, exploring the differences between citizens, legal aliens, and illegal aliens rather than comparing all non-citizens to US citizens; and third, examining all offenses rather than only drug offenses. Most importantly, this study partitions the data by citizenship status to determine if the effects of race/ethnicity and other variables (e.g., type of offense and level of education) vary by citizenship status. The results demonstrate that both legal and illegal aliens have a higher probability of incarceration than similarly-situated US citizens, but that the sentences imposed on illegal aliens are shorter than those imposed on citizens. However, different results emerged when the data were partitioned by citizenship status. Judges imposed shorter prison sentences on Latino citizens, but longer prison sentences on Latino illegal aliens. These results are discussed in relation to theoretical explanations and policy implications.
CD‐n.m.r. study of the solution conformation of bradykinin analogs containing α‐aminoisobutyric acid

The conformation in aqueous solution of several alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB)-containing analogs of bradykinin (BK) has been probed by complementary CD and 1H n.m.r. measurements. The conclusion reached is that substitution of AIB for Pro2 and/or Pro3 in BK stabilizes a degree of beta-turn conformation in the N-terminal tetrapeptide moiety of the resulting analogs. Changing the solvent from water to DMSO or TFE further enhances the contribution of particular hydrogen bonded structures to the time-averaged conformation of these peptides. Bradykinin and [AIB7]-BK adopt similar hydrogen bonded conformations in TFE, apparently with a contribution from a beta-turn involving their common Arg1-Pro2-Pro3-Gly4 moiety. The contrasting biological activities of BK and its AIB-analogs are considered in terms of the conformational analogy between the AIB-residue and cis' Pro and the propensity for a beta-turn at the N-terminus of the peptide.
D-optimal designs with interaction coverage

Abstract Covering arrays detect interactions among factors by ensuring that each combination of levels for at most t factors is tested in at least one run (the strength t is the maximum number of interacting factors examined). D-optimal designs ensure orthogonality rather than just coverage. Hence D-optimal designs lend themselves to measurement of interactions, while covering arrays may alias some of the interactions of strength at most t. This loss of estimation capability leads to a substantial difference in the number of runs, with D-optimal designs for strength t requiring far more runs that does a covering array of strength t. Despite their differences, both D-optimal designs and covering arrays attempt to disperse experimental test points throughout the design space as widely as possible, but use different criteria to do so. When a D-optimal design for a main effect, two-factor interaction, and three-factor interaction (ME+2FI+3FI) model has too many runs for practical experimentation, a D-optimal ...
Studies with hydroxyurea. VI. Effects of hydroxyurea on the metabolism of sensitive and resistant strains of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The effects of hydroxyurea on the metabolism of a sensitive and resistant strain of Escherichia coli were investigated. In sensitive bacteria the drug inhibits DNA synthesis and especially the incorporation of adenosine, deoxyadenosine and cytidine into DNA. Resistant bacteria are much less sensitive to the lethal action of hydroxyurea, however, the drug does exert a bacteriostatic effect. Such cells are also capable of incorporating thymidine into DNA in the presence of the drug. The evidence indicates that nucleotide reductase(s) is not the enzyme affected by hydroxyurea in E. coli C600. Bacteria resistant to hydroxyurea are as sensitive to the related compound hydroxyurethane as the parent strain from which they were derived.
Manganese-based nanoscale metal-organic frameworks for magnetic resonance imaging.

Manganese-containing nanoscale metal−organic frameworks (NMOFs) with controllable morphologies were synthesized using reverse-phase microemulsion techniques at room temperature and a surfactant-assisted procedure at 120 °C with microwave heating. The nanoparticles were characterized using a variety of methods including SEM, TEM, TGA, PXRD, and ICP−MS. Although the nanoparticles gave a modest longitudinal relaxivity (r1) on a per Mn basis, they provided an efficient vehicle for the delivery of large doses of Mn2+ ions which exhibited very high in vitro and in vivo r1 values and afforded excellent MR contrast enhancement. The particle surface was also modified with a silica shell to allow covalent attachment of a cyclic RGD peptide and an organic fluorophore. The cell-targeting molecules on the Mn NMOFs enhanced their delivery to cancer cells to allow for target-specific MR imaging in vitro. The MR contrast enhancement was also demonstrated in vivo using a mouse model. Such core−shell hybrid nanostructures ...
Compositional Processes from an Ecological Perspective

The author discusses the conceptual basis of an ecological approach to music composition, considering the epistemological and compositional concepts involved. The author's text-and-tape piece, touch'n'go/toco y me voy, is presented as an example of an ecologically based musical work, in which the sound event functions as the basic unit of multilevel musical structures. Digital resynthesis techniques are integrated in the compositional process by means of environmental sound models. Ecological models establish formal relationships without obscuring the recognizability of everyday sounds. Materials, techniques, perceptual constraints and references to social issues are integrated in a consistent compositional method.
New Treatment Options for Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is one of the most difficult epilepsy syndromes to treat, and many children are refractory to standard treatment regimens. Valproic acid, topiramate, and lamotrigine are considered first-line therapies. Newer agents, including clobazam and rufinamide, are promising additions to the current treatment options. The ketogenic diet and vagus nerve stimulation are important adjuncts, with increasing evidence to support their use. Corpus callosotomy should be considered in refractory cases. Finally, focal resective surgery should be considered in patients with lesional disease, although for most patients with LGS this is unlikely to be the case.
Implementing GigaPan Technology into an Airport's Foreign Object Debris Management Program

This paper presents a technology that can easily be implemented at airports by airport operators to conduct inspections for daily foreign object debris (FOD). The process includes developing gigapixel panoramas of an airport runway that can be reviewed close to live time by trained staff. The approach promotes an inexpensive means for FOD detection without conducting daily runway drive-through tours. In addition to FOD inspection, the technology might be used as a tool for the pavement management system and for detecting wildlife. GigaPan technology is used to develop high-resolution panoramas from multiple grid images. The technology incorporates a robotic camera mount and corresponding software to develop a composite image from multiple images. The high-resolution gigapixel panorama enables a viewer to zoom in on objects within the panorama, similar in approach to Google Earth. Consequently, panorama viewing becomes interactive. This paper reviews GigaPan technology and how it can be incorporated into F...
Line intensities of CO2 at different temperatures

Mesure des intensites de raies absolues de la bande 201-000 de CO 2 a differentes temperatures. Calcul des coefficients de Hermann-Wallis et des moments de transition
Viscoelastic flow simulation using cubic stress finite elements

Abstract The 4:1 axisymmetric contraction problems for Maxwell and Oldroyd-B fluids are solved using cubic finite-element interpolation for the stress field. Comparisons are made of results obtained using the explicitly elliptic momentum equation (EEME) and the inconsistent Petrov-Galerkin streamline upwinding method (SU) on unstructured triangular meshes and on structured quadrilateral meshes. Most solutions are confirmed by calculation on finer meshes, and the critical Deborah number may increase (for triangular meshes) or decrease slightly (for quadrilateral meshes) as the element size decreases.
Studies on ultra-clean carbon surfaces—IV. Decomposition of carbon-oxygen surface complexes

Abstract Graphon was first activated by preoxidation to 16.6 per cent weight loss at 625°C to introduce a desired amount of active surface area. Varying amounts of oxygen were then chemisorbed on this sample at 100°C by exposure to 0.10 Torr O2. Following each chemisorption, the sample temperature was increased at a constant rate of 2°C/min to 950°C. Oxygen was released as CO and CO2; these gases were allowed to remain in contact with the sample. The cumulative recovery of CO increases with increasing temperature. Recovery of CO2, meanwhile, goes through a maximum because of its reaction at elevated temperatures with nascent carbon sites, produced primarily by the decomposition of the CO-producing complex. The plot of cumulative recovery of CO + CO2 against temperature shows distinct linear regions, the amount recovered in each linear region showing close agreement with the amount of oxygen previously chemisorbed at different site configurations on the Graphon surface.
The ν1 + ν2 and ν1 + ν2 − ν2 bands of 14NH3 and 15NH3

Abstract The ν 1 + ν 2 and ν 1 + ν 2 − ν 2 bands of 14 NH 3 and 15 NH 3 have been assigned in the Fourier transform spectra measured with a resolution of 0.02 cm −1 . The effective molecular parameters describing inversion-rotation energy levels of the ν 1 + ν 2 vibrational state have been obtained, including off-diagonal Δ k = ±3 vibration-rotation interactions. In the case of 15 NH 3 , the analysis of these bands has been performed for the first time.
MD studies of high energy cascades in Cu

Abstract We have performed molecular dynamics computer simulation studies of 25 keV displacement cascades in Cu at low temperature. At this energy we observe the initial splitting of a cascade into subcascades and show that at low temperatures in metals displacement cascades can lead to the formation of both vacancy and interstitial dislocations loops. We discuss a new mechanism of defect production based on the observation of interstitial prismatic dislocation loop punching from cascades at 10 K. We also show that below the subcascade threshold, atomic mixing in the cascade is recoil-energy dependent. We obtain a mixing efficiency that is proportional to the square root of the recoil energy.
Rapid Fuel Quality Surveillance Through Chemometric Modeling of Near-Infrared Spectra

The use of liquid fuels necessitates methods to assess the quality and suitability of these fuels for their intended use. Traditionally, this is performed through a series of chemical and physical ...
Asthma Management Issues in Infancy and Childhood

The prevalence of asthma has been increasing worldwide over the past 2 decades, especially the prevalence of childhood asthma. Currently, the prevalence of childhood asthma is around 3–20% in different countries based on the report from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC). Asthma in childhood is predominantly an extrinsic asthma. In general, countries in the coastal, temperate, and subtropical zones have the highest prevalence of mite- and cockroach-sensitive asthma. Countries in the sub-arctic or semi-arid areas have a lower prevalence of childhood asthma, mostly associated with sensitization to pet dander, moulds, and pollens. Many genes have been linked to asthma in different ethnic populations. A global consensus for the management of asthma in adults and children >5 years of age has been made possible in the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, where a step-wise management program using inhaled medication with and without oral anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended. The management of asthma in children <5 years of age remains inconclusive. Recent studies suggest that inherited susceptibility associated with risk factors from the prenatal and postnatal environment is likely to promote allergic sensitization and development of asthma. Consequently, early prevention of prenatal sensitization in utero and environmental control of early life exposure to various allergens may decrease the incidence of childhood asthma. In the management of moderate persistent asthma in infants and young children <5 years of age, airway resistance tests (FEV1 or PEF) are not of significance, but assessment of respiratory rate and skin pulse oximeter measurements of arterial oxygen saturation are helpful. Moreover, recent advances in pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics may provide better individualized care for early pharmacological prevention of childhood asthma via selective modulation of airway remodeling.
Identification of solid-state forms of cucurbit[6]uril for carbon dioxide capture

Three novel crystalline forms of cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6], 1) have been identified by fine control of the mixing process of a hydrochloride solution of CB[6] with ethanol. The form that exists in nanoplate particles shows permanent porosity upon desolvation and the highest CO2 uptake (15 wt%) at 298 K and 1 bar among any known solid-state forms of CB[6].
Hydrodynamic vaccination with DNA encoding an immunologically privileged retinal antigen protects from autoimmunity through induction of regulatory T cells

The eye is an immunologically privileged organ whose Ags serve as targets for experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), a model for human uveitis. We used a hydrodynamic i.v. injection of naked DNA to express the uveitogenic retinal Ag interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) in the periphery, thus revoking its immune-privileged status. IRBP was expressed in the liver within hours of administration of as little as 10 μg of IRBP-DNA. Vaccinated mice were highly protected from EAU induced by immunization with IRBP for at least 10 wk after vaccination. Protection was partial in a reversal protocol. Mechanistic studies revealed specific hyporesponsiveness to IRBP without immune deviation, no evidence for apoptosis either by the Fas- or Bcl-2-regulated (mitochondrial) pathway and apparent lack of dependence on CD8 + cells, IL-10, or TGF-β. In contrast, depletion of CD25 + cells after vaccination and before challenge markedly abrogated protection. IRBP-specific CD4 + CD25 high T cells could be cultured from vaccinated mice and transferred protection to unvaccinated, EAU-challenged recipients. In vitro characterization of these cells revealed that they are Ag specific, anergic, express FoxP3, CTLA-4, and glucocorticoid-induced TNFR, and suppress by contact. Thus, expression of IRBP in the periphery by DNA vaccination results in tolerance that acts at least in part through induction of IRBP-specific, FoxP3 + CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells. DNA vaccination may offer a new approach to Ag-specific therapy of uveitis.
Software Quality Assurance for Maintenance

Maintenance plays a vital role in protecting quality as a system evolves. The results of this study pinpoit this study pinpoint how to make maintenance a part of SQA.
High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for systemic capillary leak syndrome (Clarkson disease).

Abstract Background Systemic capillary leak syndrome is a highly rare disorder of unknown cause. The disease is characterized by episodes of transient vascular collapse, which leads to hypotensive shock and anasarca. Previous treatment of this potentially devastating condition has been largely ineffective. We evaluated intravenous immunoglobulin prophylactic therapy in a cohort of 29 patients with systemic capillary leak syndrome in a longitudinal follow-up study. Methods All patients received treatments at the discretion of their primary providers and retrospectively via questionnaire-recorded symptoms beginning with their first documented episode of systemic capillary leak syndrome to May 31, 2014. Results A total of 22 of 29 patients responded to the questionnaire, and 18 of the 22 respondents received monthly prophylaxis with intravenous immunoglobulin during the study period for a median interval of 32 months. The median annual attack frequency was 2.6 per patient before intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and 0 per patient after initiation of intravenous immunoglobulin prophylaxis ( P = .0001). A total of 15 of 18 subjects with a history of 1 or more acute systemic capillary leak syndrome episodes experienced no further symptoms while taking intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Conclusions Intravenous immunoglobulin prophylaxis is associated with a dramatic reduction in the occurrence of systemic capillary leak syndrome attacks in most patients, with minimal side effects. A prospective, randomized trial may be necessary to fully assess the benefits of intravenous immunoglobulin for systemic capillary leak syndrome and to determine the optimal dosage and duration of therapy.
Earthquake engineering: Fifth Canadian Conference, Génie Sismique: Cinquime Conférence Canadienne

This book is the proceedings of the Fifth Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering, held in Ottawa on July 6–8, 1987. This conference has been held every 4 years since 1971. The proceedings consist of the five keynote lectures and 88 papers that were presented. The majority of the authors are from the United States and Canada, but a significant body of work from Japan and the People's Republic of China is included. Since the proceedings of a conference cannot be subjected to a “book review” in the ordinary sense, I will describe the five keynote lectures and give an overview of the papers.
Concept development of a multi-vehicle system for an operationally responsive mission

Draper Laboratory has developed a framework that describes engineering problem solving for conceptual design. The framework serves as a guide for conducting the difficult and important early stages of design, and does so regardless of concept domain. Further, it provides the organizational structure for a catalog of methods that can be collaboratively used to find solutions to complex problems. This paper documents the efficacy of the framework and method catalog against an Operationally Responsive System (ORS) problem.
Developmental Treatment with Ethinyl Estradiol, but Not Bisphenol A, Causes Alterations in Sexually Dimorphic Behaviors in Male and Female Sprague Dawley Rats

The developing central nervous system may be particularly sensitive to bisphenol A (BPA)-induced alterations. Here, pregnant Sprague Dawley rats (n = 11-12/group) were gavaged daily with vehicle, 2.5 or 25.0 μg/kg BPA, or 5.0 or 10.0 μg/kg ethinyl estradiol (EE2) on gestational days 6-21. The BPA doses were selected to be below the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 5 mg/kg/day. On postnatal days 1-21, all offspring/litter were orally treated with the same dose. A naive control group was not gavaged. Body weight, pubertal age, estrous cyclicity, and adult serum hormone levels were measured. Adolescent play, running wheel activity, flavored solution intake, female sex behavior, and manually elicited lordosis were assessed. No significant differences existed between the vehicle and naive control groups. Vehicle controls exhibited significant sexual dimorphism for most behaviors, indicating these evaluations were sensitive to sex differences. However, only EE2 treatment caused significant effects. Relative to female controls, EE2-treated females were heavier, exhibited delayed vaginal opening, aberrant estrous cyclicity, increased play behavior, decreased running wheel activity, and increased aggression toward the stimulus male during sexual behavior assessments. Relative to male controls, EE2-treated males were older at testes descent and preputial separation and had lower testosterone levels. These results suggest EE2-induced masculinization/defeminization of females and are consistent with increased volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) at weaning in female siblings of these subjects (He, Z., Paule, M. G. and Ferguson, S. A. (2012) Low oral doses of bisphenol A increase volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area in male, but not female, rats at postnatal day 21. Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 34, 331-337). Although EE2 treatment caused pubertal delays and decreased testosterone levels in males, their behaviors were within the range of control males. Conversely, BPA treatment did not alter any measured endpoint. Similar to our previous reports (Ferguson, S. A., Law, C. D. Jr and Abshire, J. S. (2011) Developmental treatment with bisphenol A or ethinyl estradiol causes few alterations on early preweaning measures. Toxicol. Sci. 124, 149-160; Ferguson, S. A., Law, C. D. and Abshire, J. S. (2012) Developmental treatment with bisphenol A causes few alterations on measures of postweaning activity and learning. Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 34, 598-606), the BPA doses and design used here produced few alterations.
Effects of moisture and salt migration on cheese firmness in cheese-in-sausage products.

Moisture and salt migration are responsible for the softening of cheese, called cold melt, found in cheese-in-sausage products. By characterizing the rate of moisture and salt migration in model cheese-in-sausage systems, diffusion coefficients for water and salt in cheese were obtained. As expected, the rate of moisture migration was greater when the initial driving force (difference in water activities of cheese and sausage) were greatest. These conditions also led to most rapid softening of the cheese. An edible barrier was found to reduce but not completely inhibit moisture migration and softening, whereas formulation to match water and salt activity of sausage and cheese virtually eliminated moisture migration and softening.
Osmotic Pressure and pH Effects on Survival of Frozen Bovine Spermatozoa

Abstract Semen from ten bulls was extended in egg yolk extenders buffered with live concentrations of Tris adjusted to four pH levels, and containing two levels of glycerol, to study their interactions during semen freezing. Spermatozoa in these 40 media (5 × 4 × 2) were equilibrated for 1.5 and 6.0 hr, frozen at 0.8 and 3.0 C/minute in the critical range, and stored seven days at –196C. Duplicate estimates of the percentage of motile spermatozoa made immediately after thawing (6,400 observations) indicated that the freezing rate and equilibration time had little effect on survival. The percentages of motile spermatozoa for the 6.4 and 8.8% glycerol levels were 30 and 28, for the 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, and 0.35 m Tris-buffered yolk extenders 37, 40, 37, 28, and 5; and for the pH's of 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5, 25, 29, 31, and 31, respectively. These effects were statistically significant (P
Stable inversion for nonlinear nonminimum-phase time-varying systems

We extend stable inversion to nonlinear time-varying systems and study computational issues-the technique is applicable to minimum-phase as well as nonminimum-phase systems. The inversion technique is new, even in the linear time-varying case, and relies on partitioning (the dichotomic split of) the linearized system dynamics into time-varying, stable, and unstable, submanifolds. This dichotomic split is used to build time-varying filters which are, in turn, the basis of a contraction used to find a bounded inverse input-state trajectory. Finding the inverse input-state trajectory allows the development of exact-output tracking controllers. The method is local to the time-varying trajectory and requires that the internal dynamics vary slowly; however, the method represents a significant advance relative to presently available tracking controllers. Present techniques are restricted to time-invariant nonlinear systems and, in the general case, track only asymptotically.
An efficient bit allocation algorithm in dependent coding framework and one-way video applications

We describe an efficient bit allocation algorithm using 2D interpolation of the rate-distortion (R-D) characteristics in a dependent coding environment for applications of one-way video. To solve the dependent coding problem, it is necessary to measure R-D data for all possible combination of quantization settings in the reference frame and the predictive frame. 2D interpolation of rate-distortion characteristics is performed with only a few R-D control points to reduce complexity without significant loss of performance. We also explain a pruning algorithm to further reduce the computational complexity in obtaining R-D characteristics. The cost function for each quantization pair is obtained using 2D R-D characteristics. The complexity is reduced by the 2D-interpolation and pruning algorithm without significant loss of optimality. Experiments with MPEG-2 show that the proposed algorithm provides improvement of PSNR by 0.9/spl sim/1.8 dB over the MPEG-2 TM5 algorithm.
Synthesis of a waveguide phased array element

A synthesis of a simple matching structure for a waveguide phased array element is presented. The matching is in the form of a double-tuned response. Short dielectric discs in combination with a below cutoff section of waveguide approximately realizes the lumped circuit parameters of the ideal double-tuned circuit. The departure from the ideal realization is explained in terms of the dispersive character of the structure and the interdependence of the resonator circuits. Design examples of linearly polarized and wide-scan ( 75\deg cone) polarization diverse arrays are carried out for bandwidths greater than 10 percent. The completed designs are evaluated considering the multimode nature of the aperture discontinuity.
Simple forest canopy thermal-exitance model

The authors describe a simple model to calculate brightness temperature and surface-energy balance for a forest-canopy system. The root mean-square (RMS) error in brightness temperature was 2.5/spl deg/C. The corresponding RMS errors for net radiation, latent, and sensible heat were 38.9, 30.7, and 41.1 W m/sup -2/ respectively.
Analysis of Chimeric Chemoreceptors in Bacillus subtilis Reveals a Role for CheD in the Function of the McpC HAMP Domain

Motile prokaryotes use a sensory circuit for control of the motility apparatus in which ligand-responsive chemoreceptors regulate phosphoryl flux through a modified two-component signal transduction system. The chemoreceptors exhibit a modular architecture, comprising an N-terminal sensory module, a C-terminal output module, and a HAMP domain that connects the N- and C-terminal modules and transmits sensory information between them via an unknown mechanism. The sensory circuits mediated by two chemoreceptors of Bacillus subtilis have been studied in detail. McpB is known to regulate chemotaxis towards the attractant asparagine in a CheD-independent manner, whereas McpC requires CheD to regulate chemotaxis towards the attractant proline. Although CheD is a phylogenetically widespread chemotaxis protein, there exists only a limited understanding of its function. We have constructed chimeras between McpB and McpC to probe the role of CheD in facilitating sensory transduction by McpC. We found that McpC can be converted to a CheD-independent receptor by the replacement of one-half of its HAMP domain with the corresponding sequence from McpB, suggesting that McpC HAMP domain function is complex and may require intermolecular interactions with the CheD protein. When considered in combination with the previous observation that CheD catalyzes covalent modification of the C-terminal modules of B. subtilis receptors, these results suggest that CheD may interact with chemoreceptors at multiple, functionally distinct sites.
Multiple Transitional Regions Observed in Several Free-Radical Polymerized Polymethacrylates by Thermal, Ultrasonic and Optical Techniques

Thermal expansion, specific heat, and ultrasonic sound velocity measurements made on a series of free-radical polymerized poly- methyl, ethyl, and n-butyl methacrylates (PMMA, PEMA, PBMA) as a function of temperature, exhibit variations in the glass transitional temperature, Tg, values from those postulated for conventional polymers. Several secondary transitions were also observed. Variations in Tg were at first attributed to the polymerization and subsequent annealing of the original polymers, however, further thermal treatments suggested the possibility of specific isotatic and syndiotactic molecular orientations. Anomalous structural features were also detected by infrared spectroscopy. Thermodynamic and mechanical data such as the linear coefficient of thermal expansion, the ultrasonic longitudinal sound velocity,and the specific heat were affected by the postulated transitions.
Thermal provocation to evaluate microvascular reactivity in human skin

With increased interest in predictive medicine, development of a relatively noninvasive technique that can improve prediction of major clinical outcomes has gained considerable attention. Current tests that are the target of critical evaluation, such as flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery and pulse-wave velocity, are specific to the larger conduit vessels. However, evidence is mounting that functional changes in the microcirculation may be an early sign of globalized microvascular dysfunction. Thus development of a test of microvascular reactivity that could be used to evaluate cardiovascular risk or response to treatment is an exciting area of innovation. This mini-review is focused on tests of microvascular reactivity to thermal stimuli in the cutaneous circulation. The skin may prove to be an ideal site for evaluation of microvascular dysfunction due to its ease of access and growing evidence that changes in skin vascular reactivity may precede overt clinical signs of disease. Evaluation of the skin blood flow response to locally applied heat has already demonstrated prognostic utility, and the response to local cooling holds promise in patients in whom cutaneous disorders are present. Whether either of these tests can be used to predict cardiovascular morbidity or mortality in a clinical setting requires further evaluation.
Flunitrazepam abuse and malicious use in Texas, 1998-2003

Flunitrazepam is a potent benzodiazepine that is subject to abuse and malicious use. This study describes the patterns of flunitrazepam abuse and malicious use calls received by Texas poison centers during 1998-2003. The distribution of calls by year of call, geographic location of caller, patient gender and age, exposure site, and medical outcome were determined. There was no clear annual trend for abuse calls, but there was a consistent decline in the number of malicious use calls. A significantly higher percentage of abuse calls originated in south and west Texas and of malicious use calls in west Texas. Most abuse patients were males (55%) and adolescents (76%), and most of the exposures occurred in patient's own residence (68%), followed by school (16%). Most of the malicious use patients were females (93%) and adults (74%), and the greatest proportion of the exposures occurred in public areas (47%), followed by the patient's own residence (26%). The highest percentage of both abuse (48%) and malicious use (55%) involved minor effects. However, malicious use calls were significantly less likely to involve no effect (2% vs. 21%) and more likely to involve moderate effects (36% vs. 23%). Reported flunitrazepam abuse and malicious use calls in Texas differed with respect to geographic location of the caller, patient gender and age, exposure site, and medical outcome. Poison centers and health care providers might want to consider these differences when targeting populations for education and prevention efforts.
Emerging considerations in the reversal of neuromuscular blockade and residual block

Incomplete recovery following reversal of neuromuscular blockade can present as a clinical problem in surgical patients. Emerging pharmacologic solutions may prevent such adverse outcomes in the future. We briefly review two methods of pharmacologic reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Both methods of reversal are effective. However the early studies of the new compound, sugammadex has been shown to achieve a more rapid, stable reversal of steroidal based neuromuscular blocking agents compared to neostigmine. Due to the novel mechanism of action of this agent, sugammadex has been demonstrated to be effective even when administered during profound neuromuscular block, without evidence of recurarization.
A New Load Balanced Survivable Routing Algorithm in Multi-domain WDM Optical Networks

In this paper, we propose a new algorithm called load balanced survivable routing (LBSR) to provide effective protection for link-failures in multi-domain optical networks. In LBSR, in order to obtain the efficient inter-domain survivable routes, we present the domain-by-domain routing (DDR) method which can find the intra-domain sub-working path and sub-backup path in each single-domain to form the inter-domain working path and backup path for each demand. In order to reduce the blocking probability, we present the load balanced routing method which can encourage the traffic to be uniformly distributed on the links with more free wavelengths. Simulation results show that, compared with conventional algorithm, LBSR has better performances.
Strain and age effects on egg composition from hens fed diets rich in n-3 fatty acids

A trial was conducted to study the effects of strain, age, and diet on egg production, egg composition, and yolk fatty acid incorporation. Three strains (six pens of eight hens per strain), [DeKalb Delta (D); Babcock B 300 (B); and Hy-Line W-36 (H)], were subjected to a 10% flax diet + oats from 30 to 50 wk of age. At 50 wk, hens were divided into two groups and one half were kept on flax + oats diets (three pens) or assigned to a second diet of flax - oats (three pens) to 60 wk of age. Eggs were collected at 36 and 58 wk of age for fatty acid and lipid analysis. Strain had an early effect (30 to 50 wk) on egg production with B (85.3) exceeding the other two strains D (81.0) and H (79.1). Strain D had greater feed consumption and egg weight than either B or H. Flax - oats increased percentage shell compared to flax + oats. Strain effect was significant for percentage albumin, which was greatest for D (61.2%) vs H (59.5%) and B (59.4%). Strain D had significantly lower total and percentage yolk lipids than the other two strains. Strain B eggs had more C16:0, but less C18:0 and C18:1 than D and H. No significant effect of strain on C18:2, C18:3, and C22:6 deposition was observed. Percentage C18:0 and C18:1 in the yolk was significantly affected by strain, diet, and strain x diet interaction. Dietary flax + oats increased C18:0 and C18:1 in all strains except H. A significant diet by strain interaction effect occurred such that C18:3 increased in D yolk but decreased in B yolk when flax + oats were fed. Deposition of C18:3 was greater at 58 wk (5.61%) than at 36 wk (2.52%) of age across all strains. Results from these trials indicate that strain, diet, and age can affect yolk lipids and composition.
Is USMLE Step 1 score a valid predictor of success in surgical residency

Abstract Background Many programs rely extensively on United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores for interviews/selection of surgical residents. However, their predictive ability remains controversial. We examined the association between USMLE scores and success in surgical residency. Methods We compared USMLE scores for 123 general surgical residents who trained in the past 20 years and their performance evaluation. Scores were normalized to the mean for the testing year and expressed as a ratio (1 = mean). Performances were evaluated by (1) rotation evaluations; (2) “dropouts;” (3) overall American Board of Surgery pass rate; (4) first-time American Board of Surgery pass rate; and (5) a retrospective comprehensive faculty evaluation. For the latter, 16 surgeons (average faculty tenure 22 years) rated residents on a 1 to 4 score (1 = fair; 4 = excellent). Results Rotation evaluations by faculty and “drop out” rates were not associated with USMLE score differences (dropouts had average above the mean). One hundred percent of general surgery practitioners achieved board certification regardless of USMLE score but trainees with an average above the mean had a higher first-time pass rate (P = .04). Data from the comprehensive faculty evaluations were conflicting: there was a moderate degree of correlation between board scores and faculty evaluations (r = .287, P = .001). However, a score above the mean was associated with a faculty ranking of 3 to 4 in only 51.7% of trainees. Conclusion Higher USMLE scores were associated with higher faculty evaluations and first-time board pass rates. However, their positive predictive value was only 50% for higher faculty evaluations and a high overall board pass rate can be achieved regardless of USMLE scores. USMLE Step 1 score is a valid tool for selecting residents but caution might be indicated in using it as a single selection factor.
Casein genes and genetic engineering of the caseins.

The caseins are the major proteins of milk providing needed amino acids to the suckling infant. The bovine caseins have been the most thor oughly studied and serve as the principal basis for the dairy industry. The bovine caseins are comprised of 4 major polypeptide families: αsl-, αs2-, s-, and κ-caseins (52). They are phosphorylated to varying degrees generally containing 8, 10–13, 5, and one seryl phosphate residues per monomer, respectively. The fact that some molecules of κ-casein are also glycosylated while others do not contain carbohydrate residues gives rise to electrophoretic heterogeneity.
Secondary contact and changes in coastal habitat availability influence the nonequilibrium population structure of a salmonid (Oncorhynchus keta).

Numerous empirical studies have reported lack of migration–drift equilibrium in wild populations. Determining the causes of nonequilibrium population structure is challenging because different evolutionary processes acting at a variety of spatiotemporal scales can produce similar patterns. Studies of contemporary populations in northern latitudes suggest that nonequilibrium population structure is probably caused by recent colonization of the region after the last Pleistocene ice age ended ~13 000 years ago. The chum salmon's (Oncorhynchus keta) range was fragmented by dramatic environmental changes during the Pleistocene. We investigated the population structure of chum salmon on the North Alaska Peninsula (NAP) and, using both empirical data and simulations, evaluated the effects of colonization timing and founder population heterogeneity on patterns of genetic differentiation. We screened 161 single nucleotide polymorphisms and found evidence of nonequilibrium population structure when the slope of the isolation-by-distance relationship was examined at incremental spatial scales. In addition, simulations suggested that this pattern closely matched models of recent colonization of the NAP by secondary contact. Our results agree with geological and archaeological data indicating that the NAP was a dynamic landscape that may have been more recently colonized than during the last deglaciation because of dramatic changes in coastal hydrology over the last several thousand years.
Design Curves and Information-Theoretic Limits for Perpendicular Recording Systems

To optimize a high-density magnetic recording system, one needs to know the tradeoffs between various components of the system including the read/write transducers, the magnetic medium, and the read channel. In this paper, we consider a channel model characterized by three parameters: the replay pulse width T50, the transition jitter noise standard deviation sigmaJ, and the signal-to-electronic-noise ratio SNRWG. We utilize information-theoretic tools to determine the acceptable region for the channel parameters T50 and sigmaJ when optimal detection and linear coding techniques are used. This paper is an extension of a similar analysis for a system that utilized a minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) equalizer, a Viterbi detector, and a Reed-Solomon (RS) code. Our main conclusion is that there is a considerable potential gain to be achieved by using improved detection and coding schemes as compared with the present system
Independent Component Analysis and Time-Frequency Method for Noisy EEG Signal Analysis

EEG signal recorded by scalp electrode is a mixture of signals from different brain regions and with noisy signal. Independent component analysis (ICA) is essentially a method for extracting individual signals from mixtures of signals. Time-frequency analysis provides a powerful tool for the analysis of EEG signals. The original EEG signal is divided into independent components, and the noisy components were chosen by time-frequency analysis method. The results show that reconstructed the reserved components can obtain clean EEG signal
Determination of modulus and Poisson's ratio in two dimensions for evaluation of tendon equilibrium behavior

In this study uniaxial tensile testing of rabbit patellar tendon was used to determine whether constant strain rate ramp testing approximates equilibrium tendon behavior. Modulus and Poisson's ratio calculated from constant strain-rate ramp tests were compared with modulus and Poisson's ratio calculated from incremental stress-relaxation tests, which allow viscoelastic behaviors to dissipate. Samples were tested along the fiber direction and perpendicular to the fiber direction.
Chemoresistance-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of a Colorectal Cancer Cell Line

Transdifferentiation of epithelial cells to mesenchymal cells is called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is a normal process during embryogenesis, where epithelial cells lose their char...
Beyond Delegated Authority: The Counterpart Endangered Species Act Consultation Regulations

Wildlife agencies entrusted by Congress to administer the ESA have in two recent counterpart regulations revised interagency cooperation procedures in ways that appear to fall short of statutory requirements. Two federal district courts have now ruled in a contradictory manner on the validity of these regulations. Meanwhile the regulations held valid continue to be used to allow action agencies to aggrandize their role in determining whether their projects will be "not likely to adversely affect" protected species - thus receiving no further scrutiny. In this Article, Cynthia A. Drew questions the ultimate legality of the wildlife agencies effecting such intraagency delegations of statutorily required interagency cooperation. Through an analysis of both the challenged regulations and the results of judicial review after citizen plaintiffs sued to invalidate them, she argues that such intraagency delegation practices pass neither statutory nor constitutional muster.
Effects of Changes in Ventilatory Pattern during Altitude Acclimatization

The frequent occurrence of periodic breathing (PB) during sleep in sojourners to high altitude has been well documented1–6. PB is thought to be most pronounced during the first few nights at altitude and to diminish over time as the process of acclimatization takes its course4. However, in recent studies conducted at extreme altitudes3, 5, 6, it was found that PB and recurrent apneas persisted even after the subjects tested had been at the altitudes in question for more than 3 weeks. Weil et al.2 reported the common occurrence of “undulating respirations of varying amplitude but without true apnea” in long-term high-altitude residents. Thus, it is probably safe to conclude that there is a tendency for the regularization of breathing pattern with altitude acclimatization, although in some individuals PB is never completely eliminated.
Structure and Productivity of Grassland Small Mammal Communities Related to Grazing-Induced Changes in Vegetative Cover

Effect of grazing on the structure and productivity of small mammal communities in four types of North American grasslands is examined quantitatively using data collected during a 4-year period. Small mammal communities in tallgrass and montane grasslands appear more affected by grazing and the subsequent reduction in vegetative cover (=total above-ground standing crop of plants) than do small mammal communities in shortgrass and bunchgrass grasslands. This trend is evident when small mammals in grazed versus ungrazed habitats are compared with regard to mean community biomass, annual community respiration, production, and consumption, mean species diversity and evenness, proportional species and functional group composition, seasonal dynamics of community biomass, and temporal variation in proportional species composition. These results lend further support to the hypothesis that the general composition of grassland small mammal communities is determined primarily by structural attributes of the habitat.
Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria-Associated with Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, as Reported by California Hospitals From 2011 to 2014

• The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program oversees the prevention, surveillance, and reporting of HAIs in California acute care hospitals. • Approximately 400 California hospitals report HAI data to CDPH via the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). When reporting central lineassociated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), hospitals are required to indicate the associated pathogen(s) and specific antimicrobial susceptibility test results. • Pathogen antimicrobial susceptibility data from CLABSIs reported by California hospitals to NHSN during 2011-2014 were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens in California hospitals. Additionally, data were assessed for trends over time.
Study Progress in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD) remains the most common severe complication of preterm birth.The introduction of prenatal steroid use,pulmonary surfactant treatment and improved ventilator strategies have resulted in great changes from the old BPD,but the incidence of new BPD is increased than before.The new BPD is based on an impairment of lung maturation with prenatal and postnatal multi-hit insults and genetic susceptibility.The multi-hit initiates a cascade of pro-and anti-inflammatory mediators that affect the very immature lung and subsequently vascularization disorders with lung tissue repaired abnormally.There are no satisfied treatment strategy recently.New cure strategy such as adequate oxygenation,permissive hypercapnia,early use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation,INtubation SURfactant Extwbation(INSURE) approach,caffeine,corticosteroids and pulmonary surfactant are beneficial to BPD,and also need more research.