cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening for fetal abnormalities in multiple pregnancies.

Multiple gestations account for 1–2% of all pregnancies but contribute disproportionately to the incidence of both perinatal loss and fetal structural abnormalities. Ultrasound examination provides essential information about screening for, and the management of, such defects, including accurate determination of chorionicity, assessment of risk, invasive testing and selective termination if appropriate.
On rectangular systems of differential equations and their application to circuit theory

Abstract A system of differential equations A( d/d t) x = Bx+f, along with the initial condition x( 0 ) = k, is considered where A and B are m x n matrices. Generalized inverses of the matrix A are used to derive algebraic conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a solution. An example is presented to illustrate application of the results to circuit theory.
Ultrastructure of an identified array of growth cones and possible substrates for guidance in the embryonic medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis

The oblique muscle organizer (Comb- or C-cell) in the embryonic medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, provides an amenable situation to examine growth cone navigation in vivo. Each of the segmentally iterated C-cells extends an array of growth cones through the body wall along oblique trajectories. C-cell growth cones undergo an early, relatively slow period of extension followed by later, protracted and rapid directed outgrowth. During such transitions in extension, guidance might be mediated by a number of factors, including intrinsic constraints on polarity, spatially and temporally regulated cell and matrix interactions, physical constraints imposed by the environment, or guidance along particular cells in advance of the growth cones. Growth cones and their environment were examined by transmission electron microscopy to define those factors that might play a significant role in migration and guidance in this system. The ultrastructural examination has made the possibility very unlikely that simple, physical constraints play a prominent role in guiding C-cell growth cones. No anatomically defined paths or obliquely aligned channels were found in advance of these growth cones, and there were no identifiable physical boundaries, which might constrain young growth cones to a particular location in the body wall before rapid extension. There were diverse associations with many matrices and basement membranes located above, below, and within the layer in which growth cones appear to extend at the light level. Additionally, a preliminary examination of myocyte assembly upon processes proximal to the growth cones further implicates a role for matrix-associated interactions in muscle histogenesis as well as process outgrowth during embryonic development.
Determination of nucleotides and sugar nucleotides involved in protein glycosylation by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography: sugar nucleotide contents in cultured insect cells and mammalian cells.

We have developed a simple and highly sensitive HPLC method for determination of cellular levels of sugar nucleotides and related nucleotides in cultured cells. Separation of 9 sugar nucleotides (CMP-Neu5Ac, CMP-Neu5Gc, CMP-KDN, UDP-Gal, UDP-Glc, UDP-GalNAc, UDP-GlcNAc, GDP-Fuc, GDP-Man) and 12 nucleotides (AMP, ADP, ATP, CMP, CDP, CTP, GMP, GDP, GTP, UMP, UDP, and UTP) was examined by reversed-phase HPLC and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC). Although the reversed-phase HPLC, using an ion-pairing reagent, gave a good separation of the 12 nucleotides, it did not separate sufficiently the sugar nucleotides for quantification. On the other hand, the HPAEC method gave an excellent and reproducible separation of all nucleotides and sugar nucleotides with high sensitivity and reproducibility. We applied the HPAEC method to determine the intracellular sugar nucleotide levels of cultured Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) and Trichoplusia ni (High Five, BTN-TN-5B1-4) insect cells, and compared them with those in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Sf9 and High Five cells showed concentrations of UDP-GlcNAc, UDP-Gal, UDP-Glc, GDP-Fuc, and GDP-Man equal to or higher than those in CHO cells. CMP-Neu5Ac was detected in CHO cells, but it was not detected in Sf9 and High Five cells. In conclusion, the newly developed HPAEC method could provide valuable information necessary for generating sialylated complex-type N-glycans in insect or other cells, either native or genetically manipulated.
Adjusting to multiple sclerosis: An exploratory study

Abstract This study researches a relatively large sample ( N = 174) of multiple sclerosis patients. Demographic, health related, and adjustment variables are examined. Most importantly, a self-concept instrument is used as a key indicator of the adjustment process. The vast majority of patients manifest positive self-concepts (they do not differ significantly from a small non-multiple sclerosis control group) in the face of physical adversity. The “successful adjustment” to the disease is of greatest interest, and an adjustment model is presented.
Online Active Learning with Imbalanced Classes

This paper proposes an online algorithm for active learning that switches between different candidate instance selection strategies (ISS) for classification in imbalanced data sets. This is important for two reasons: 1) many real-world problems have imbalanced class distributions and 2) there is no ISS that always outperforms all the other techniques. We first empirically compare the performance of existing techniques on imbalanced data sets and show that different strategies work better on different data sets and some techniques even hurt compared to random selection. We then propose an unsupervised score to track and predict the performance of individual instance selection techniques, allowing us to select an effective technique without using a holdout set and wasting valuable labeled data. This score is used in a simple online learning approach that switches between different ISS at each iteration. The proposed approach performs better than the best individual strategy available to the online algorithm over data sets in this paper and provides a way to build practical and effective active learning system for imbalanced data sets.
Colonic stenosis in infant with connective tissue disorder

Abstract Congenital colonic stenosis is an exceptionally rare condition, with less than 15 cases in the literature. Although it has some similarities to small intestinal atresia and small intestinal stenosis, colonic atresia and colonic stenosis has been found in association with other anomalies such as Hirschsprung's disease, craniofacial abnormalities, and musculoskeletal anomalies. In this case report, we present a 6 month old male with suspected Loeys–Dietz syndrome (a connective tissue disorder), who presented with colonic stenosis.
Variation in GABA mini amplitude is the consequence of variation in transmitter concentration

Miniature postsynaptic currents (minis) in cultured retinal amacrine cells, as in other central neurons, show large variations in amplitude. To understand the origin of this variability, we have exploited a novel form of synapse in which pre- and postsynaptic receptors sample the same quantum of transmitter. At these synapses, mini amplitudes measured simultaneously in the 2 cells show a strong correlation, accounting for, on average, more than half of the variance in amplitude. Two pieces of evidence support the conclusion that variations in the amount of transmitter in different quanta underlie this correlation. First, diazepam, which enhances GABA binding, increases mini amplitude, implying therefore that transmitter concentration is not saturating. Second, we show that amplitude distributions from all cells, even those with a small number of release sites, have the same shape, implying that most or all variance is intrinsic to each release site.
Photoprotection for individuals sensitive to UVA/visible radiation.

Wollina and Knopf [3] stressed the importance of UVB, UVA and visible radiation in the pathogenesis of lupus erythematosus. Sensitivity to UVB is routinely treated with conventional topical sunscreens. Mixtures that also contain methoxydibenzoylmethane extend the range of photoprotection to longer wavelengths, but lose effectiveness above 360 nm [1]. The remaining window of vulnerability may be covered with a browning agent such as dihydroxyacetone (DHA) [2]. Since this agent is the active component of commercial "sunless tanning" preparations, it is readily available. Because the brown skin color that develops overnight resists soap-and-water washing, it is convenient to apply DHA in the evening. The patient may use a conventional sunscreen as needed the next day. Obviously, DHA will benefit all individuals whose spectrum of vulnerability extends above the protection range of presently available sunscreens.
Exploring metaphor's epistemic function: Uncertainty moderates metaphor-consistent priming effects on social perceptions

Abstract Consistent with conceptual metaphor theory's claim that metaphors operate at a conceptual, and not just linguistic, level, prior research shows that priming perceptions related to concrete concepts influences perceptions related to dissimilar, more abstract concepts in metaphor-consistent ways. However, the theory's claim that metaphors function to reduce uncertainty about abstract concepts has yet to be experimentally assessed. Two studies tested whether situational variation in uncertainty moderates metaphor-consistent priming effects. Study 1 focused on the metaphor life is a path and showed that priming path perceptions (vs. literal representations) increased perceived autobiographical continuity only if uncertainty about personal identity was salient. Study 2 focused on verticality metaphors and showed that vertical orientation primes influenced satisfaction with the decision to attend one's current university in both directions ( up is good , bad is down ) only if uncertainty about the value of the college experience was salient.
Optimizing the Supply Chain Configuration for New Products

We address how to configure the supply chain for a new product for which the design has already been decided. The central question is to determine what suppliers, parts, processes, and transportation modes to select at each stage in the supply chain. There might be multiple options to supply a raw material, to manufacture or assemble the product, and to transport the product to the customer. Each of these options is differentiated by its lead time and direct cost added. Given these various choices along the supply chain, the configuration problem is to select the options that minimize the total supply chain cost. We develop a dynamic program with two state variables to solve the supply chain configuration problem for supply chains that are modeled as spanning trees. We illustrate the problem and its solution with an industrial example. We use the example to show the benefit from optimization relative to heuristics and to form hypotheses concerning the structure of optimal supply chain configurations. We conduct a computational experiment to test these hypotheses.
Allometry indicates giant eyes of giant squid are not exceptional

The eyes of giant and colossal squid are among the largest eyes in the history of life. It was recently proposed that sperm whale predation is the main driver of eye size evolution in giant squid, on the basis of an optical model that suggested optimal performance in detecting large luminous visual targets such as whales in the deep sea. However, it is poorly understood how the eye size of giant and colossal squid compares to that of other aquatic organisms when scaling effects are considered. We performed a large-scale comparative study that included 87 squid species and 237 species of acanthomorph fish. While squid have larger eyes than most acanthomorphs, a comparison of relative eye size among squid suggests that giant and colossal squid do not have unusually large eyes. After revising constants used in a previous model we found that large eyes perform equally well in detecting point targets and large luminous targets in the deep sea. The eyes of giant and colossal squid do not appear exceptionally large when allometric effects are considered. It is probable that the giant eyes of giant squid result from a phylogenetically conserved developmental pattern manifested in very large animals. Whatever the cause of large eyes, they appear to have several advantages for vision in the reduced light of the deep mesopelagic zone.
Professionalization without guarantees Changes of the Chinese press in post-1989 years

Intended to stimulate interest in probing the interrelationship between the press and social change in China, this paper investigates some salient aspects of the changes of the Chinese press in post-1989 years and their implications for journalistic professionalization. It is argued that under the hybrid system of economic freedom and political repression, journalism as a profession, while benefiting from the changing information environment, suffers from persistence in the Maoist press theory and the nation-wide commercialization. It is further argued that press professionalization can hardly be guaranteed unless a more democratic and freer political climate emerges in China.
The Application of Population Ecology Models to the Study of Organizations

Recent literature attempting to explain organization dynamics through ecological processes raises some important questions. An evaluation of the empirical work using population ecology models to explain selection processes operating on organizations reveals three issues suggesting pitfalls in applying the models: the role of structural inertia in constraining adaptation, the classification of organizational species, and the importance of the environment in determining organizational survival.
Effect of structure and morphology on thermal and electrical properties of polycarbonate film capacitors

Research is reported to identify polycarbonate (PC) film characteristics and fabrication procedures which extend the reliable performance range of PC capacitors to 125 degrees C without derating, and establish quality control techniques and transfer technology to US PC film manufacturers. The approach chosen to solve these problems was to develop techniques for fabricating biaxially oriented (BX) 2 mu m or thinner PC film with a low dissipation factor up to 140 degrees C; isotropic dimensional stability; high crystallinity; and high voltage breakdown strength. The PC film structure and morphology was then correlated to thermal and electrical capacitor behavior. Analytical techniques were developed to monitor film quality during capacitor fabrication, and as a result, excellent performance was demonstrated during initial capacitor testing. >
Guided Control of Cu2O Nanodot Self-Assembly on SrTiO3 (100)

A method has been developed for specifying the growth location of Cu₂O nanodots on SrTiO₃ (100) substrates. Growth location has been specified by using a focused ion beam (FIB) to modify microscopic and nanoscopic regions of the SrTiO₃ substrate prior to Cu₂O deposition. Deposition onto the modified regions under carefully selected process conditions has generated nanodot growth at the edge of microscopic FIB-induced features and on top of nanoscopic FIB-induced features. For this work, an array of evenly spaced FIB implants was first patterned into several regions of each substrate. Within each region, the FIB implants were identical in Ga⁺ energy and dosage and implant diameter and spacing. After FIB surface modification and subsequent in-situ substrate cleaning, Cu₂O nanodots were synthesized on the patterned SrTiO₃ substrates using oxygen plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The substrates and nanodots were characterized using atomic force microscopy at various stages of the process; in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that the final phase of the nanodots was Cu₂O. Quantitative methods have been employed to confirm the relationship between FIB implant region and Cu₂O nanodot growth location. The technological implications of these research results appear to be significant. For instance, themore » photocatalytic decomposition of water on Cu₂O under visible light irradiation has been reported in the literature. Such breakdown could be an efficient, clean means of producing hydrogen for fuel cells. If the Cu₂O is located in the form of islands on a carefully selected substrate, e.g. SrTiO₃, then the efficiency of the photochemical process can be greatly enhanced. Furthermore, if the Cu₂O islands can be arranged on the SrTiO₃ substrate in a dense, patterned array, the efficiency of the engineered device can be increased even further. FIB directed self-assembly of metal oxide island structures provides an opportunity for creating such a dense array. Additionally, the ability to define metal oxide nanodot growth location has broad implications for incorporating such nanostructures into next generation nanoelectronic and spintronic devices.« less
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis on in vitro fertilization clinic websites: presentations of risks, benefits and other information.

Objective To examine information on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) presented on IVF clinic websites. Design We systematically sampled every third IVF clinic on the 2004 Centers for Disease Control provider list. Setting The Internet. Patient(s) None. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Benefits, risks, and other types of information mentioned regarding PGD. Result(s) Of 135 sites examined, 88.1% had websites, and 70% mentioned PGD, of which 27% were university- or hospital-based and 63% were private clinics. Sites mentioning PGD listed uses and benefits of PGD far more than the risks involved. Of these sites, 76% described testing for single-gene diseases, but fewer mentioned risks of missing target diagnoses (35%) or risks for loss of embryo (18%), and 14% described PGD as new or controversial. Private clinics were more likely than other programs to be on either the East or West Coast, list certain PGD risks (e.g., diagnostic error), note that PGD was new or controversial, reference source of PGD information, provide accuracy rates of genetic testing of embryos, and offer gender selection for social reasons. Conclusion(s) Most IVF clinics advertise PGD online, but the scope and quality of information about it varies widely, emphasizing benefits while minimizing risks. Clinics and patients may benefit from more thorough and consistent presentation of PGD, drawing on available evidence to best provide a realistic portrayal of PGD.
Computational Study of Wing-Wake Interactions between Ipsilateral Wings of Dragonfly in Flight

Bilateral and ipsilateral wing-wing interactions can be commonly observed in insect flights. As a representative example of ipsilateral wing-wing interaction, dragonflies in flight have been widely studied. It has been discovered that they utilize changes of phase between ipsilateral forewings and hindwings at different kinds of flying mode. In the current study, we present a direct numerical simulation of a modeled dragonfly in slow flight as reported in Azuma et al (1985). Realistic morphologies of wing, body, and kinematics are used for maximum including wing and body features of a dragonfly. This work aims to study the relations between waketopology and aerodynamic performance due to wing-wing and wing-wake interactions of dragonfly ipsilateral wings. Current high fidelity numerical results are also compared with lowerfidelity aerodynamic modeling method discussed in Azuma et al (1985).
The recall of prose as a function of importance following closed head injury

Closed head injury (CHI) results in significant memory dysfunction. Although the disabling aspects of memory impairment after CHI have been recognized, little attention has been focused on the theoretical nature of these memory problems. A means of examining semantic sensitivity to the importance of the ideas presented in the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Logical Memory subtest was developed. Subjects with CHI were sensitive to the semantic structure of the stories, but lost more important information at a faster rate than controls. Differences in recall, dependent on the passage, suggested that the two stories in the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised are not equivalent.
Baryon and Lepton Number as Local Gauge Symmetries

We investigate a simple theory where baryon number (B) and lepton number (L) are local gauge symmetries. In this theory B and L are on the same footing and the anomalies are canceled by adding a single new fermionic generation. There is an interesting realization of the seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses. Furthermore, there is a natural suppression of flavor violation in the quark and leptonic sectors since the gauge symmetries and particle content forbid tree level flavor changing neutral currents involving the quarks or charged leptons. Also one finds that the stability of a dark matter candidate is an automatic consequence of the gauge symmetry. Some constraints and signals at the Large Hadron Collider are briefly discussed.
Climate change and health - what's the problem?

The scientific consensus is that global warming is occurring and is largely the result of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity. This paper examines the health implications of global warming, the current socio-political attitudes towards action on climate change and highlight the health co-benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, policy development for climate change and health should embrace health systems strengthening, commencing by incorporating climate change targets into Millennium Development Goal 7.
Music used as anti-anxiety intervention for patients during outpatient procedures: A review of the literature

Numerous patients experience anxiety before minor medical procedures [1]. Because patients' experiences are highly individualized, their distress may range from mild to moderate. For a decade, music-based complementary therapy has received increased attention because of the therapeutic and healing environment it creates for patients undergoing invasive procedures [13]. The purpose of this structured literature review is to assess the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of music as an intervention that decreases anxiety for patients undergoing minor medical procedures in outpatient healthcare settings.
The importance of direct surgical attack upon lesions of the vertebral bodies, particularly in Pott's disease.

From a study of 407 patients admitted to The Johns Hopkins Hospital either with the diagnosis of tuberculosis of the spine or with some other diagnosis which was changed to tuberculosis of the spine during the years 1926 to 1951, it has been observed: 1. Proved diagnosis was obtained by non-operative means in an average of 30 percent of the entire series (407 cases). Direct vertebral biopsy has been responsible for an increase to 52 per cent of proved diagnosis in the eighty-seven cases which occurred during the past five years. 2. Erroneous diagnosis was found in 12 per cent of the 320 cases occurring during first twenty years. Direct vertebral biopsy has reversed the initial diagnosis in twenty-six out of eighty-seven cases occurring during the past five years. 3. The difficulty of making exact diagnosis of lesions of the vertebral bodies by clinical roentgenographic study alone is demonstrated by the sixty-eight cases in which therean initial diagnostic error. Fifty-two of the sixty-eight errors arose from failure to recognize tuberculous spondylitis; sixteen of the sixty-eight errors arose from making the diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis without laboratory or biopsy confirmation. 4. In twenty-four consecutive cases, direct operation into tuberculous lesions of the spine, combined with local and parenteral administration of streptomycin, has proved a safe and satisfactory diagnostic procedure. 5. Direct operative approach and evacuation of the paravertebral abscess appears to be the treatment of choice in tuberculous paraplegia.
Membrane Interactions, Ligand-Dependent Dynamics, and Stability of Cytochrome P4503A4 in Lipid Nanodiscs

Membrane-bound cytochrome P4503A4 (CYP3A4) is the major source of enzymatic drug metabolism. Although several structural models of CYP3A4 in various ligand complexes are available, none includes a lipid bilayer. Details of the effects of the membrane on protein dynamics and solvation, and access channels for ligands, remain uncertain. H/D exchange mass spectrometry (H/DXMS) with ligand free CYP3A4 containing a deletion of residues 3–12, compared to that of the full length wild type, in lipid nanodiscs afforded 91% sequence coverage. Deuterium exchange was fast in the F- and G-helices, HI loop, and C-terminal loop. In contrast, there is very low exchange in the F′- and G′-helices. The results are consistent with the overall membrane orientation of CYP3A4 suggested by published MD simulations and spectroscopic results, and the solvent accessibility of the F/G loop suggests that it is not deeply membrane-embedded. Addition of ketoconazole results in only modest, but global, changes in solvent accessibility. ...
From the Sacred to the Profane: A Critical Analysis of the Changing Nature of Religious Imagery in Advertising

Advertisers frequently mine popular culture for creative inspiration, finding themes, characters, and visual references in movies, books, sports, fashion, and fads. This study explores the depiction of religion in secular advertising. The beguiling innocence of Xerox Corporation's 1976 Brother Dominic (“It's a miracle …”) appears to have given way to more daring approaches employing God, the devil, angels, exorcism, live births in nativity plays, and darker overtones hinting at violence and pedophilia. Both media and cultural trends appear to underlie this shift in tone. Some advertising pundits and researchers indicate that as the power of traditional advertising is waning, advertisers must increase the “volume” in order to break through and command attention. Secularization of religion might also be a factor in broader appropriation of religious symbolism. This study suggests that religion can sometimes provide advertisers with the fuel for shocking audiences, and its content analysis explores what sepa...
Frequency stabilization of laser diodes in an aggressive thermal environment

Mobile free-space laser communication systems must reconcile the requirements of low size, weight, and power with the ability to both survive and operate in harsh thermal and mechanical environments. In order to minimize the aperture size and amplifier power requirements of such systems, communication links must exhibit performance near theoretical limits. Such performance requires laser transmitters and receiver filters and interferometers to maintain frequency accuracy to within a couple hundred MHz of the design frequency. We demonstrate an approach to achieving high frequency stability over wide temperature ranges by using conventional DFB lasers, tuned with TEC and current settings, referenced to an HCN molecular frequency standard. A HCN cell absorption line is scanned across the TEC set-point to adjust the DFB laser frequency. Once the center of the line is determined, the TEC set-point is offset as required to obtain frequency agility. To obtain large frequency offsets from an HCN absorption line, as well as continuous laser source operation, a second laser is offset from the reference laser and the resulting beat tone is detected in a photoreceiver and set to the desired offset using a digital frequency-locked loop. Using this arrangement we have demonstrated frequency accuracy and stability of better than 8 MHz RMS over an operational temperature range of 0 o C to 50 o C, with operation within minutes following 8 hour soaks at -40 o C and 70 o C.
Controlled Oxide Removal and Surface Morphology on InSb(100) Using Gas Phase HF/H2O

The native oxide removal, surface termination, composition, and morphology of InSb(100) surfaces etched in gas phase HF/H2O mixtures at a total pressure of 100 Torr and 29 °C were investigated usin...
Base-Stacking Disorder and Excited-State Dynamics in Single-Stranded Adenine Homo-oligonucleotides

Single-stranded adenine homo-oligonucleotides were investigated in aqueous solution by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in order to study the effect of strand length on the nature and dynamics of excited states formed by UV absorption. Global fitting analysis of bleach recovery signals recorded at a probe wavelength of 250 nm and pH 7 reveals that the same lifetimes of 2.72 and 183 ps reproduce the pronounced biexponential decays observed in all (dA)n oligomers, containing between 2 and 18 residues. Although the lifetimes are invariant, the amplitudes of the short- and long-lived components depend sensitively on the number of residues. For example, the 183 ps component increases with strand length and is greater for DNA vs RNA single strands with the same number of adenines. Inhomogeneous kinetics arising from two classes of adenine bases in each oligomer best explains the observations. A subset of adenine residues produce short-lived excited states upon excitation, while absorption by the re...
Sexual Behavior and Diapause of the Cereal Leaf Beetle, Oulema melanopus

The female adult cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), required a period of diapause to reach sexual maturity. The adult male was always sexually mature and needed only to be with a receptive female to become active and disseminate viable sperm. Male activity appeared to be governed by the activity of the female.
Dielectric Characteristics of Donor Doped Nonlead Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3)O3 Perovskite Material Synthesized by Microwave-assisted Citrate-nitrate Sol-gel Route

Nonlead perovskite type, Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3−xWx)O3 (x = 0, 0.025), ferroelectric ceramic powders (BCN) were prepared by the microwave-assisted citrate-nitrate sol-gel technique. The gel was formed from a stable and homogeneous sol prepared by mixing stable solutions of barium- and copper-nitrate, tungsten citrate, and peroxo-citrato-niobium precursors. Microwave irradiation of the gel resulted in a dark, fluffy precursor material after auto-combustion. Calcination of the as-combusted samples produces a single phase with tetragonal splitting in X-Ray diffraction patterns. The crystallite size of the synthesized samples was found to be 41 nm. Particle morphology and the size of nanocrystalline powders were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy, respectively. Electrical and dielectric properties of sintered samples were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The isothermal ac measurements were performed from room temperature, up to 600 °C for W6+ doped and undoped BCN samples.
Hormonal Response in Sepsis

This article describes some of the alterations that occur in the neuroendocrine system during sepsis. With a goal of better management of the patient with sepsis, an overview of the endocrine system, its hormones, and its close relationship to the nervous system is presented. The importance of hormone target cell receptor coupling, specific mechanisms of action that result in physiological changes, and regulation of hormone secretion are detailed. The roles and effects of catecholamines, glucagon, cortisol, and growth hormone are explored. Sick euthyroid syndrome, alterations in ADH, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis, and PTH secretion are also examined.
Towards Emotional-Aware Truth Discovery in Social Sensing Applications

This paper develops a new principled framework to solve an emotional-aware truth discovery problem in social sensing applications. Social sensing has emerged as a new application paradigm of cyber-physical systems with humans-in-the-loop where a large crowd of social sensors (humans or devices on their behalf) are recruited to or spontaneously report observations about the physical environment at scale. A fundamental problem in social sensing applications lies in ascertaining the correctness of the reported observations (often called claims) and the reliability of data sources. We refer to this problem as truth discovery. While significant efforts have been made to address the truth discovery problem, an important aspect of the problem has not been fully explored in previous studies: how to deal with emotional claims. A common assumption made in the previous works is that all claims are assumed to be factual (i.e., either true or false). However, unlike physical sensors, humans are more likely to incorporate personal emotions and sentiments in the reported observations (e.g., tweets, blogs), which can easily confuse the current truth discovery solutions and lead to inaccurate results. In this paper, we develop a new emotional-aware truth discovery scheme that explicitly incorporates emotional information of human reported data into an analytical framework. The new truth discovery scheme solves a maximum likelihood estimation problem to determine both the claim correctness and the source reliability. We compare our emotional-aware scheme with the state-of-the-art baselines through three real world case studies using Twitter data feeds. The evaluation results showed that our new scheme outperforms all compared baselines and significantly improves the truth discovery accuracy in social sensing applications.
Dynamic Model of a Slagging Entrained-Flow Gasifier Including Models of Slag Transport, Deposition, and Slag Layer

Molten slag flows along the wall of slagging entrained-flow gasifiers. A lower operating temperature of these gasifiers can result in slag buildup that may eventually lead to shut down. Thus, the thickness of the slag layer is an important operating variable. However, it is difficult to monitor the thickness of the slag layer due to the extremely harsh environment inside these gasifiers. To investigate the impact of various operating conditions on the slag layer thickness, a dynamic model has been developed by including models of slag deposition, transport, and a flowing slag layer in a previously developed hybrid shrinking-core, shrinking-particle model of a gasifier. The enhanced model is used to study the effect of particle size distribution, switch in coal type, change in ash composition, and various operating conditions on the slag layer thickness. The model is used to identify important variables that significantly affect the slag layer thickness. The study shows that optimal operating conditions sh...
Genomic and Evolutionary Analysis of Two Salmonella enterica Serovar Kentucky Sequence Types Isolated from Bovine and Poultry Sources in North America

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kentucky is frequently isolated from healthy poultry and dairy cows and is occasionally isolated from people with clinical disease. A genomic analysis of 119 isolates collected in the United States from dairy cows, ground beef, poultry and poultry products, and human clinical cases was conducted. Results of the analysis demonstrated that the majority of poultry and bovine-associated S. Kentucky were sequence type (ST) 152. Several bovine-associated (n = 3) and food product isolates (n = 3) collected from the United States and the majority of human clinical isolates were ST198, a sequence type that is frequently isolated from poultry and occasionally from human clinical cases in Northern Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that both STs are more closely related to other Salmonella serovars than they are to each other. Additionally, there was strong evidence of an evolutionary divergence between the poultry-associated and bovine-associated ST152 isolates that was due to polymorphisms in four core genome genes. The ST198 isolates recovered from dairy farms in the United States were phylogenetically distinct from those collected from human clinical cases with 66 core genome SNPs differentiating the two groups, but more isolates are needed to determine the significance of this distinction. Identification of S. Kentucky ST198 from dairy animals in the United States suggests that the presence of this pathogen should be monitored in food-producing animals.
Biomarker analysis of American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) and grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) tadpoles following exposure to atrazine.

Abstract The objective of the current study was to use a biomarker-based approach to investigate the influence of atrazine exposure on American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) and grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) tadpoles. Atrazine is one of the most frequently detected herbicides in environmental matrices throughout the United States. In surface waters, it has been found at concentrations from 0.04–2859 μg/L and thus presents a likely exposure scenario for non-target species such as amphibians. Studies have examined the effect of atrazine on the metamorphic parameters of amphibians, however, the data are often contradictory. Gosner stage 22–24 tadpoles were exposed to 0 (control), 10, 50, 250 or 1250 μg/L of atrazine for 48 h. Endogenous polar metabolites were extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Statistical analyses of the acquired spectra with machine learning classification models demonstrated identifiable changes in the metabolomic profiles between exposed and control tadpoles. Support vector machine models with recursive feature elimination created a more efficient, non-parametric data analysis and increased interpretability of metabolomic profiles. Biochemical fluxes observed in the exposed groups of both A. americanus and H. versicolor displayed perturbations in a number of classes of biological macromolecules including fatty acids, amino acids, purine nucleosides, pyrimidines, and mono- and di-saccharides. Metabolomic pathway analyses are consistent with findings of other studies demonstrating disruption of amino acid and energy metabolism from atrazine exposure to non-target species.
What's in it for me? Perspectives from community participants in an interprofessional service learning program

Abstract Purpose Interprofessional education (IPE) is a promising endeavor for students to engage in team-oriented activities with other disciplines. Service-learning has emerged as a dynamic way in which students derive practical skills to address the needs of their community. Research has probed student perspectives but has seldom explored community feedback. This study assessed Interdisciplinary Family Health (IFH) Program participants perceived benefits associated with program participation at a southeastern university. Method Data from nineteen semi-structured telephone interviews, conducted between February 2015 and April 2015, were used to assess program participants perceived benefits. Semi-structured telephone interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Each interview was audio-recorded and transcribed before the coders established major themes. The emergence of themes was conceptualized through selective coding. Given an emergent SES-related response pattern, differences in perceived benefits were examined based on SES. Results All program participants reported positive wellness outcomes within a social support construct. Responses fell into four social support domains within a greater framework of bridging student-participant generations: informational support, emotional support, companionship support, and tangible support. Trends in social support domains observed were associated with participant SES. Participants with lower SES levels reported greater needs for health information and access, whereas participants' with higher SES levels desired building social relationships with students. Conclusions Tailoring IPE training to address specific social support domains and SES associations is an opportunity for enhanced participant experiences and perceived benefits. Educational planning can utilize social support domain-SES association findings as a guide for students to attune their efforts at improving the overall outcomes of their target population.
SIMPLICITY: A PERSPECTIVE ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE

ABSTRACT Two inadequate principles underlying the quality of life are critiqued. One principle emphasizes economic wealth and the other the acquisition of possessions. A third principle featuring simplicity highlights the role of the development, utilization, and maintenance of the inherited components of the human body and mind in increasing personal happiness, fulfillment, and development and in improving the quality of life.
Predictive factors of mortality after colectomy in ischemic colitis: an ACS-NSQIP database study

Background Surgical intervention for ischemic colitis is associated with significant postoperative morbidity and mortality. Predictive factors of adverse outcomes have been reported in the literature, but are based on small sample populations. We sought to identify risk factors for mortality after emergent colectomy for ischemic colitis using a clinical outcomes database. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried from 2010 to 2015 to identify emergent colectomies performed for ischemic colitis using Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors associated with increased risk of mortality. Results A total of 4548 patients undergoing emergent colectomies for ischemic colitis were identified. Overall, 30-day postoperative mortality was 25.3%. On univariate analysis, preoperative risk factors associated with a higher rate of mortality include dyspnea, functional status, ventilator dependency, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ascites, congestive heart failure exacerbation, hypertension, dialysis dependency, cancer, open wounds, chronic steroids, weight loss >10%, transfusions within 72 hours before surgery, septic shock and duration from hospital admission to surgery. Factors that were significant for mortality on logistic regression analysis include elderly age, poor functional status, multiple comorbidities, septic shock, blood transfusion, acute renal failure and the duration of time from hospital admission to surgery. Conclusions Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates for ischemic colitis remain significantly high. Identification of risk factors may help patient selection for surgical interventions, and make informed decisions with patients and family members. Although it is certainly challenging, early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention for patients with ischemic colitis may improve outcomes. Study type and level of evidence Therapeutic/care management, level II
Reinforcement of natural fiber yarns by cellulose nanomaterials: A multi-scale study

Abstract Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were used to improve the mechanical properties of tapes and yarns produced from natural fibers as a new application of cellulose nanomaterials in textile-based composite products. Hemp and flax slivers were used as natural fibers for the production of yarns and tapes. CNC, unground CNF and two different ground CNF suspensions were used as the reinforcement agents. Fiber strands from each natural fiber were soaked in the cellulose nanomaterial suspension and then were processed into tapes or yarns. Individual hemp and flax fibers where also soaked in the same suspensions and dried. SEM microscopy of the surfaces and cross-sections of the yarns and tapes showed that cellulose nanomaterial suspensions affected the morphology of the natural fiber yarns and tapes by filling gaps and adhering the fibers together. Results of studies on tensile properties of single fibers showed improvement in initial modulus and strength of flax fibers after soaking in nanocellulose suspensions especially when CNF was used. Such consistent results were not however seen for hemp single fibers. Yarns and tapes produced by soaking fiber strands in different nanocellulose suspensions had considerably higher tensile properties in terms of strength and initial modulus than controls. Furthermore, it was shown that mixing cellulose nanomaterial suspensions with natural fibers improved the dewatering/drying process, a necessary step should cellulose nanomaterials be used in composite applications.
Mass transport modeling of natural organic matter (NOM) and salt during Nanofiltration of inorganic colloid-NOM mixtures

Abstract The behavior of mixtures of inorganic nanoparticles and natural organic matter (NOM) during nanofiltration (NF) was investigated in a lab-scale crossflow filtration system to identify how interactions between these foulants influenced deposition and membrane performance in terms of NOM and salt selectivity. NOM selectivity was reduced substantially when the colloid concentration was sufficient to produce a thick deposited colloidal cake, as a result of enhanced concentration polarization phenomena. This increased the concentration and hence the driving force for NOM. It also increased salt concentration, which screened NOM charge. In addition to reducing the double layer thickness, charge screening has also been shown to reduce NOM effective size, increasing the membrane permeation coefficient. On the other hand, the presence of NOM in the cake layer matrix substantially attenuated the enhancement of salt concentration polarization. A multilayer solute transport model was applied to describe these phenomena and simulate solute selectivity for both NOM and salt in colloid-NOM mixtures. Good agreement of model calculations with experimental data was observed. According to this model, the properties of the first deposited colloidal cake layer is critical in determining the quality of the permeate product in terms of NOM or salt retention.
Columbia-North Pacific Technical Staff, Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission. Recreation

(1972). Columbia-North Pacific Technical Staff, Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission. Recreation. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 230-231.
Marking Ownership on Ainu Objects: Three Museum Collections in the United States

Ainu ethnographic objects in U.S. museums exist in collections mediated by collectors during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Marks and modifications on these objects provide insight into Indigenous uses and meanings that were not always present in ethnographers' accounts. This is particularly important when considering trade items, because they encompass evidence of changes in meaning as they moved through differing cultural contexts. Trade items can be hard to find in collections that were made using the paradigm of salvage ethnography. However, Japanese historical records, Ainu poetry, and Ainu language all suggest that trade goods were an important part of Ainu religious practice. Using these sources, along with an examination of Ainu-inscribed marks of ownership, I compare collections made by Western collectors specifically for museums and reassemble their contents with a focus on Ainu understandings of the objects' meanings. [Ainu, Japan, collecting]