cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal smoking during pregnancy, polymorphic CYP1A1 and GSTM1, and lung-function measures in urban family children.

Abstract Purpose Understanding the interplay between genes and in-utero tobacco exposure in affecting child lung development is of great significance. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that tobacco-related lung-function reduction in children differs by maternal polymorphic genes Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and Glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1). Materials and methods Data were collected among 370 children (6–10 years old, 81.6% African-Americans) and their biological mothers visiting a large children’s hospital. Study hypotheses were tested using multiple regression method. Results Among the study sample, 143 mothers smoked throughout pregnancy and 72 smoked on a daily basis. Spirometric measures (mean±SD) included were: forced vital capacity (FVC)=1635±431 mL, forced expiratory volume in the first 1 s (FEV1)=1440 ±360 mL, percent FEV1/FVC ratio=89±12, and forced expiratory flow between the 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25–75)=1745±603 mL. In addition to a tobacco effect on FVC (−131 mL, 95% CI: −245, −17) and FEV1/FVC ratio (42, 95% CI: 1, 83), regression analysis controlling for covariates indicated that for the subsample of children whose mothers were CYP1A1⁎2A homozygous, maternal daily smoking was associated with −734 mL (95% CI: −1206, −262) reductions in FEV1 and −825 mL (95% CI: −909, −795) reductions in FVC; reduced smoking was still associated with −590 mL (95% CI: −629, −551) reductions in FVC. For children of mothers with GSTM1 deletion, persistent daily smoking was associated with −176 mL (95% CI: −305, −47) reductions in FVC. Discussion and conclusions Maternal smoking during pregnancy was significantly associated with lung-function reduction in children, particularly for those whose mothers possessed the polymorphic CYP1A1*2A and GSTM1 deletion.
A study into the possible homoaromatic nature of some related carbene and cationic intermediates with the potential for transannular interaction.

A comparison of the aromatic nature of the cations and carbenes centered at the 8-position of tricyclo[3.2.1.02,4]octane, the 9-position of pentacyclo[4.3.0.02,4.03,8.05,7]nonane, the 6-position of tricyclo[3.1.1.02,4]heptane, and the 4-position of tetracyclo[3.3.0.02,8.03,6]octane has been undertaken. Hybrid density functional theory calculations have been used to examine the geometric, energetic, and magnetic characteristics of each cation, singlet carbene, and triplet carbene. The results shed light on the flexibility of the polycycles to achieve stable intermediates and on the breadth of homoaromaticity.
Psychosocial factors associated with depression in urban adolescent females: Implications for assessment

The major goals of this research were (1) to determine the incidence of depression in a nonclinical sample of urban adolescent females and (2) to identify demographic, sociocultural, and behavioral factors related to depression in this group. A racially and socioeconomically heterogeneous sample of 116 adolescent girls was recruited from public high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Measures used were the Beck Depression Inventory, the Mooney Problem Check-List, and a brief demographic questionnaire. Depression was found to be significantly related to parental occupation, geographical mobility, and number of self-reported problems. Implications for assessment are discussed.
A novel patch assembly domain in Num1 mediates dynein anchoring at the cortex during spindle positioning.

During mitosis in budding yeast, cortically anchored dynein generates pulling forces on astral microtubules to position the mitotic spindle across the mother–bud neck. The attachment molecule Num1 is required for dynein anchoring at the cell membrane, but how Num1 assembles into stationary cortical patches and interacts with dynein is unknown. We show that an N-terminal Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR)–like domain in Num1 mediates the assembly of morphologically distinct patches and its interaction with dynein for spindle translocation into the bud. We name this domain patch assembly domain (PA; residues 1–303), as it was both necessary and sufficient for the formation of functional dynein-anchoring patches when it was attached to a pleckstrin homology domain or a CAAX motif. Distinct point mutations targeting the predicted BAR-like PA domain differentially disrupted patch assembly, dynein anchoring, and mitochondrial attachment functions of Num1. We also show that the PA domain is an elongated dimer and discuss the mechanism by which it drives patch assembly.
The exchange rate's impact on overseas profits of U.S. multinationals

Abstract This paper argues that a dollar depreciation may raise U.S. overseas profits through three effects: 1) the translation effect: a lower dollar will translate a given level of foreign currency profits to a higher level of dollar profits; 2) the cost/volume effect: a lower dollar may increase an overseas affiliate's foreign currency profits by lowering its production costs, or raising its sales volume; 3) the relative price/volume effect: a lower dollar may lower an affiliate's foreign currency profits by making its output less price competitive. The empirical results suggest that a 1% dollar depreciation leads to about 0.94% increase in overseas profits. Given the theoretical one-to-one translation effect, this finding suggests that the exchange rate's net volume effect on overseas profits of U.S. multinationals is negligible.
The role of complement in the lysis of leucocytes by tuberculo-protein.

SummaryThe essential role of complement in the in vitro cytolysis of human white blood cells by tuberculin has been demonstrated, using two different systems of complement removal. In this way, the mechanism of in vitro tuberculin hypersensitivity has been further elucidated.
Affinity Purification of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Large Subunit ϵN-Methyltransferase

Abstract Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit ϵ N -methyltransferase (Protein methylase III, Rubisco LSMT, EC 2.1.1.43) catalyzes methylation of the ϵ-amino group of Lys-14 in the large subunit of Rubisco. In this paper, an affinity purification procedure for pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv Laxton′s Progress No. 9) Rubisco LSMT is described and characterized. Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L. cv Melody) Rubisco, a substrate for pea Rubisco LSMT, was immobilized to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) transfer membranes (Immobilon-P) and used as a ligand for the affinity purification of Rubisco LSMT from pea leaf extracts and chloroplast lysates. Pea Rubisco LSMT specifically bound to PVDF-immobilized spinach Rubisco but not to control PVDF membranes which contained immobilized BSA or pea Rubisco. Rubisco LSMT was not eluted by 1 M KCl but was specifically released by S -adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) or spinach Rubisco. Elution of Rubisco LSMT by AdoMet was a result of catalytic methylation of the PVDF-immobilized spinach Rubisco, and was therefore more efficient than elution by the competitive Ligand spinach Rubisco, An increase in the specific activity of Rubisco LSMT of approximately 7000-fold was achieved in one step with this affinity purification technique. Rubisco LSMT is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of ∼60 kDa.
"Bringing Light to our Land… When She was Dark as Night": Northerners, Freedpeople, and Education during Military Occupation in North Carolina, 1862-1865

When Union armies arrived in eastern North Carolina in 1862, they encountered escaped slaves eager to acquire education. Soon after the armies occupied the region, missionaries and teachers arrived seeking to educate and uplift these former slaves. They brought their own preconceptions of helpless blacks, and a blind confidence in a New England system of education. But they also brought very different ideas of how the educational mission should be accomplished. Disagreements led to conflicts within the benevolent societies, replete with nasty bickering, reprisals for insults, and much uncivil behavior. During wartime occupation, freedpeople utilized their northern benefactors to gain autonomy over their lives and institutions. However, given the often combative nature of the northerners’ relationships with each other, it is remarkable that the freedpeople were able to acquire the educational skills and degree of autonomy that they did.
The Uptake and Fractional Distribution of Differentially Labeled Indoleacetic Acid in Light Grown Stems

The uptake of exogenously applied indoleacetic acid (IAA) by light grown stems of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Red kidney) and pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) was examined. The IAA was labeled in the 1 and 2 side chain positions with 14C and the 5 ring position with 3H. The distribution of label in the sections was analyzed by recording the elution into water, ethanol and 1.0 N NaOH, and the amount in the insoluble residue also recorded. Total uptake consisted of a rapid uptake for about 1 h followed by continued uptake at a slower rate for 24 h to give a radioactive concentration in the tissues four to five times, that of the external solution. Most of the radioactivity was initially extractable by water, later by ethanol. With IAA-2-14C there was a slow increase in radioactivity in NaOH and residue fractions but with IAA-1-14C most of the radioactivity was present in insoluble residue at times longer than 3 h. From the different residue patterns estimates of the extent of decarboxylation of the IAA were made. The radioactivity in the tissues was largely IAA after 1 h and the content increased until 6 h but there after there was little further increase. The water fraction initially contained the most IAA but by 24 h most IAA was found in the NaOH fraction in bean and the ethanol fraction in pea. The NaOH fraction was the only fraction in which the IAA content continually increased.
What Every Manager Should Know: Does Personality Help Drive Employee Motivation?

The article reports on research pertaining to personality and employee motivation. Researchers focused on specific personality traits including neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Neuroticism was negatively related to each of the three performance motivations, including lower employee motivation. Conscientiousness was positively related to higher performance motivation. The implications of the study are that managers can be confident that certain personality traits help drive employee motivation.
Factors Determining Yield Stress and Overrun of Whey Protein Foams

ABSTRACT: Foams were formed by whipping whey protein solutions (15% w/v protein) containing NaCl, CaCl2, lactose, or glycine. Foam overrun and yield stress were determined. Foams made from whey protein ingredients have greater overrun and yield stress if the concentration of β-lactoglobulin is high relative to a-lactalbumin. The presence of 0.4 M CaCl2 in the foaming solution increases overrun and yield stress for β-lactoglobulin and a-lactalbumin. The high yield stress of β-lactoglobulin and a-lactalbumin foams made from solutions containing CaCl2 suggests that CaCl2 is altering rheological properties of the interfacial protein film and/or contributing to protein aggregation or network formation in the lamellae.
Automated Optimal Dispatching of Service Requests

In the services domain, the customers raise issues and service requests in the form of tickets. There is a pool of personnel who work on these tickets and resolve them. The problem at hand is to dispatch these tickets to the most appropriate personnel. Optimality is applied to metrics like the mean service time taken to resolve a ticket, the fair sharing of workload among the personnel, and the size and configuration of the pool. The current state of the art involves a human dispatcher for assigning incoming service requests. Though intelligent, a human dispatcher can be suboptimal with respect to the above mentioned objectives due to the large space of parameter values to be considered. Further, there exists an opportunity to achieve high-level goals such as on-the-job training, eliminating overproduction, and workload balancing among personnel through smarter dispatch decisions. For example, target skill levels of personnel can be achieved by assigning them tickets requiring those skills increasingly. Also, overproduction can be controlled by dispatching only those tickets that otherwise would be in the danger of missing deadline (SLO) constraints. Our work involves the design and implementation of an automated dispatcher which would take various characteristics of the tickets and the pool state as input and recommend an intelligent dispatching decision for the tickets, based on the above-mentioned goals and constraints.
Broadening Our Understanding of Survival After Myocardial Infarction The Association of Neighborhood With Outcomes

As clinicians and scientists, it is common to presume that clinical outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI) are most profoundly influenced by the pathogenesis of the disease itself, including genetics, cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory state, disease severity (eg, the number and severity of obstructed coronary arteries), and the treatments that we offer. Consequently, our efforts to optimize the outcomes of our patients are aimed at following clinical guidelines in care for individual patients.1–3 When our profession seeks to influence systems of care and public policy, our focus has been on increasing access to lifesaving therapies.4 Because they appear outside of physicians’ locus of control, risk factors related to patients’ socioeconomic status are often not considered targets for intervention. Article see p 375 Although numerous studies have defined an adverse association between lower socioeconomic status and post-MI treatment5 and outcomes,6–8 little work has been done to develop interventions to overcome these disparities. We also have not sought to systematically understand mediating factors that may influence the prognostic associations of socioeconomic risk factors with outcomes. The reasons there have been such little progress in overcoming socioeconomic status barriers, despite the national priorities to create equity in health care,9–11 are multifactorial and include both the difficulties in measuring socioeconomic status and the challenges in overcoming them. In a critical review of the science linking socioeconomic status to health outcomes, Braveman and colleagues12 demonstrated that different measures of socioeconomic status are not interchangeable, …
High-precision determination of iron oxidation state in silicate glasses using XANES

Abstract Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and Mossbauer spectra were collected on natural basaltic glasses equilibrated over a range of oxygen fugacity (QFM − 3.5 to QFM + 4.5). The basalt compositions and fO2 conditions were chosen to bracket the natural range of redox conditions expected for basalts from mid-ocean ridge, ocean island, back-arc basin, and arc settings, in order to develop a high-precision calibration for the determination of Fe3+/∑Fe in natural basalts. The pre-edge centroid energy, corresponding to the 1s → 3d transition, was determined to be the most robust proxy for Fe oxidation state, affording significant advantages compared to the use of other spectral features. A second-order polynomial models the correlation between the centroid and Fe3+/∑Fe, yielding a precision of ± 0.0045 in Fe3+/∑Fe for glasses with Fe3+/∑Fe > 8%, which is comparable to the precision of wet chemistry. This high precision relies on a Si (311) monochromator to better define the Fe2+ and Fe3+ transitions, accurate and robust modeling of the pre-edge feature, dense fO2-coverage and compositional appropriateness of reference glasses, and application of a non-linear drift correction. Through re-analysis of the reference glasses across three synchrotron beam sessions, we show that the quoted precision can be achieved (i.e., analyses are reproducible) across multiple synchrotron beam sessions, even when spectral collection conditions (detector parameters or sample geometry) change. Rhyolitic glasses were also analyzed and yield a higher centroid energy at a given Fe3+/∑Fe than basalts, implying that major variations in melt structure affect the relationship between centroid position and Fe3+/∑Fe, and that separate calibrations are needed for the determination of oxidation state in basalts and rhyolites.
A group-oriented contingency to increase leisure activities of adults with traumatic brain injury

An interdependent group-oriented contingency and graphic feedback were used to increase the activity levels of residents of a group home for persons with traumatic brain injury. Results showed that the intervention was effective for 4 of the 6 subjects. Individual performances must be examined when implementing group contingencies because all subjects may not respond.
State capitalism and the urban fiscal crisis in the United States1

A quoi peut-on attribuer la crise fiscale qui engouffre une grande partie du cœur urbain americain? Est-ce que cette crise et l'intensification de la lutte politique presagent des changements fondamentaux dans la structure de l'economie politique des Etats-Unis? Cet essai est une reponse tentative a ces questions. L'exposition de la crise fiscale urbaine aux Etats-Unis demande une analyse generale de la relation entre accumulation du capital, urbanisation, et expansion de l'etat. Cette analyse doit ětre le fondement d'une exploration des origines particulieres du financement urbain qui confronte beaucoup de villes centrales, ainsi que de la relation entre crise fiscale et lutte politique. Il est suggere en derniere partie que la menace posee par la crise fiscale urbaine et la lutte politique envers la stabilite et la legitimite des institutions capitalistes americaines est la cause d'une reponse parmi les sections les plus eclairees de la classe capitaliste, qui tend vers un accroissement de leurs efforts a developper la Cite Capitaliste d'etat en tant que noyau d'un complex socio-industriel grandissant.
Identification of alcohol by smell among preschoolers: evidence for early socialization about drugs occurring in the home.

This study tested preschoolers ability to provide accurate verbal associations to alcoholic beverage odors and whether this ability was related to parental drinking patterns and motivations. Older preschoolers performed better than younger preschoolers; photographic cues improved performance; children who correctly identified a substance by smell had socially appropriate knowledge of the culturally appropriate users of the substance; children reported liking substances that are used mainly by children and adults, and generally reported disliking substances whose use is legally limited to adults only; children were better at identifying substances they commonly use, but success at recognition of alcoholic beverages was related to heavier parental drinking and use of alcohol for escape reasons. Findings have implications for theories of socialization to drug use and for models of prevention.
Anesthesia for the parturient with cardiovascular disease

Extracted from text ... REVIEW ARTICLE Southern African Journal of Anaesthesia & Analgesia - May 2003 18 Anesthesia for the parturient with cardiovascular disease by the marked fluctuations in cardiac output observed during labor. Pain and apprehension may precipitate an increase in cardiac output to as much as 45-50% over those levels seen in the late second stage of labor.6 Further, each uterine contraction serves, in effect, as an autotransfusion to the central blood volume, resulting in an increase in cardiac output of 10-25%.7 The Valsalva maneuver results in wide swings in both venous and arterial pressures, which have been asso-ciated with acute ..
The OptIPuter and its applications

The NSF-funded OptIPuter project [see www.optiputer.net and special issue of Future Generation Computer Systems (FGCS), Volume 25, Issue 2, February 2009] has been exploring for the last six years how user-controlled 10Gbps dedicated lightpaths (lambdas) can provide direct access to global data repositories, scientific instruments, and computational resources from the researchers' Linux clusters in their campus laboratories. These clusters are reconfigured as “OptIPortals,” providing the end users with local scalable visualization, computing, and storage. Using the 10Gbps lightpaths available over the National Lambda Rail (NLR) and the Global Lambda Integrated Facility (GLIF), this new distributed architecture creates an end-to-end “OptIPlatform” for data-intensive research (Figure 1).
Factors governing the expression of a bacterial gene in mammalian cells.

Abstract Cultured monkey kidney cells transfected with simian virus 40 (SV40)-pBR322-derived deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vectors containing the Escherichia coli gene (Ecogpt, or gpt) coding for the enzyme xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (XGPRT) synthesize the bacterial enzyme. This paper describes the structure of the messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNA's) formed during the expression of gpt and an unexpected feature of the nucleotide sequence in the gpt DNA segment. Analyses of the gpt-specific mRNA's produced during infection of CV1 cells indicate that in addition to the mRNA's expected on the basis of known simian virus 40 RNA splicing patterns, there is a novel SV40-gpt hybrid mRNA. The novel mRNA contains an SV40 leader segment spliced to RNA sequences transcribed from the bacterial DNA segment. The sequence of the 5'-proximal 345 nucleotides of the gpt DNA segment indicates that the only open translation phase begins with an AUG about 200 nucleotides from the end of the gpt DNA. Two additional AUGs as well as translation terminator codons in all three phases precede the XGPRT initiator codon. Deletion of the two that are upstream of the putative start codon increases the level of XGPRT production in transfected cells; deletion of sequences that contain the proposed XGPRT initiator AUG abolishes enzyme production. Based on the location of the XGPRT coding sequence in the recombinants and the structure of the mRNA's, we infer that the bacterial enzyme can be translated from an initiator AUG that is 400 to 800 nucleotides from the 5' terminus of the mRNA and preceded by two to six AUG triplets.
Age-Related Changes in the Social, Psychological, and Temporal Influences on Food Intake in Free-Living, Healthy, Adult Humans

Background. Elderly humans often have a reduction in intake that can produce malnutrition and impaired health. As a result, there is a need to investigate age-related changes in the eating behaviors of free-living humans. Methods. To address this issue, 7-day diet diary records that had been collected from 762 paid participants were reanalyzed, separating the participants into four age groups: 20‐34 years, 35‐49 years, 50‐64 years, and 65 years and older. Results. The elderly ate with fewer other people present and earlier in the day than younger people. The elderly were found to be as responsive as younger groups to social facilitation of intake, palatability, cognitive restraint, time of day, day of week, and location, but showed blunted responses to self-reported hunger. Conclusions. There does not appear to be a decline with age in the ability of nonphysiological factors to influence the nutrient intakes of the elderly, but they may not have as great an influence due to lower absolute levels. This suggests that the deficient intakes in the elderly might be corrected or ameliorated by manipulation of nonphysiological factors, such as the number of other people present at meals, the palatability of meals, and the time of day and location of meals.
Computational study of FOX-7 synthesis in a solvated reaction system

Ethene and two kinds of nitrating reagents (HNO3 and N2O5) in a variety of solvents were included in respective molecular systems, and each underwent a two-stage electrophilic and free radical nitro-substitution reaction to obtain the corresponding nitroethene compounds. Subsequent halogenation (using Cl2 and Br2) and amination (using NH3) were then performed in solvents, also by electrophilic and radical substitution, to produce the desired 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) derivatives. The reaction energy barrier in the nitration stage for obtaining each kind of mononitro ethene exhibited a stepwise decreasing trend when the reaction was carried out in H2O-solvated and CH3OH-solvated systems, no matter what nitrating agent was used. Related energy barrier data showed that the nitration reaction is more feasible in an H2O-solvated than a CH3OH-solvated system. The modeling results suggested that N2O5 is the better agent for nitration to proceed in water, bromine is suitable for halogenation, and the bromine derivatives are convenient for further amination in an H2O-solvated system. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Danon disease as an underrecognized cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in children

Background— Some patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or left ventricular hypertrophy also present with skeletal myopathy and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome; mutations in the gene ...
Angiogenic factors in human proliferative sickle cell retinopathy

Background/aims—Preretinal neovascular formations called sea fans develop at the border of non-perfused peripheral retina in sickle cell retinopathy. Angiogenic factors which could contribute to their development, however, have not been examined previously. The objective of this study was to determine immunohistochemically if vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were associated with sea fan formations. Methods—Immunohistochemistry on cryosections was used to localise bFGF, VEGF, heparan sulphate proteoglycan, human serum albumin, collagens IV and II, and von Willebrand factor in tissue from five sickle cell and one control subject. Results—The greatest immunoreactivity for VEGF and bFGF was in the feeder and preretinal vessels of sea fans (p<0.01). The most prominent reaction product was localised to vascular endothelial cells. In retinal vessels, VEGF and bFGF immunoreactivities were greater in sickle cell subjects (both proliferative and nonproliferative) than in the control subject (p<0.01 and p<0.02 respectively). In the sickle cell retina, no angiogenic factor immunoreactivity was detected in nonperfused periphery and there was no significant diVerence in bFGF or VEGF immunoreactivity between perfused retina and the border of perfused and non-perfused areas. Conclusion—Our results demonstrate for the first time that VEGF and bFGF are associated with sea fan formations in sickle cell retinopathy. Both factors may function in an autocrine manner because immunoreactivity for these factors was greater within the neovascularisation than in adjacent retina. (Br J Ophthalmol 1999;83:838‐846)
Japan Banking Inc.: Problems, Solutions, And Implementation: An Economic And Cultural Perspective

The focus of this paper is to obtain a realistic estimate of real Japanese Bank Losses. The insights gained will include: Factors contributing to bad loans, method of disposal of bad loans, future prescriptions regarding the Early Warning System/Diversion Process will be put forth and conclusions for future economic methods to monitor guide turnaround.
Higgs Portal to Inflation and Fermionic Dark Matter

We investigate an inflationary model involving a gauge singlet scalar and fermionic dark matter. The mixing between the singlet scalar and the Higgs boson provides a portal to dark matter. The inflaton could either be the Higgs boson or the singlet scalar, and slow roll inflation is realized via its nonminimal coupling to gravity. In this setup, the effective scalar potential is stabilized by the mixing between two scalars and coupling with dark matter. We study constraints from collider searches, relic density and direct detection, and find that dark matter mass should be around half the mass of either the Higgs boson or singlet scalar. Using the renormalization group equation improved scalar potential and putting all the constraints together, we show that the inflationary observables ${n}_{s}\ensuremath{-}r$ are consistent with current Planck data.
Room at the Center

Once, many years ago, while driving my Harley up a rough mountain road in the wilderness of a Western state, I came to a bend in the road. As I turned up the bend I came upon a large, crudely lettered sign that said, “If you have come this far, you have gone too far.” Sure enough; a few hundred yards on, in the middle of the old road, I confronted a large, raunchily dressed man—no leathered-up, bechained biker, either—with a large rifle, pointed directly at me and a look on his face like a mangy red-bone hound. With a very dry mouth and my life passing before me, I explained that I had taken the wrong road and was just looking for a place to turn around. I found it, did it, and set a new record for downhill driving. I mention this story because I was put in mind of it while reflecting on where Alberti had taken me in the last chapter: if I had come that far, perhaps I had gone too far. Moreover, the new formulation of consciousness it entailed in the face of the Classical one made me feel once again the rude and potentially violent meeting of civilization and wilderness at the bend of an old logging road. However, rather than give in to the instinct to turn around and get back on the royal road of the Classical formulation of consciousness it is worth the risk of seeing how far we have come, and whether we may have come too far.
Comparative Growth of AIN on Singular and Off-Axis 6H and 4H-SiC by MOCVD

A comparison study of the growth of aluminum nitride (AIN) single crystal epitaxy on 6H-SiC and 4H-SiC substrates has been performed. The material has been characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reflective high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). AIN crystals were deposited on the following 6H-SiC substrates: singular with and without an initial SiC epilayer, and 3.5° off-axis with and without an initial SIC epilayer. AIN crystals were deposited on 8.0° off-axis 4H-SiC with and without initial SIC epilayers. AFM shows that the deposition of AIN on 6H-SiC and 4H-SIC with an initial SiC epilayer displays high quality quasi-two dimensional growth as atomically flat or step flow epitaxy.
Flexible Low-Voltage Organic Thin-Film Transistors Enabled by Low-Temperature, Ambient Solution-Processable Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Gate Dielectrics

We report here on the design, synthesis, processing, and dielectric properties of novel cross-linked inorganic/organic hybrid blend (CHB) dielectric films which enable low-voltage organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) operation. CHB thin films (20−43 nm thick) are readily fabricated by spin-coating a zirconium chloride precursor plus an α,ω-disilylalkane cross-linker solution in ambient conditions, followed by curing at low temperatures (∼150 °C). The very smooth CHB dielectrics exhibit excellent insulating properties (leakage current densities ∼10−7 A/cm2), tunable capacitance (95−365 nF/cm2), and high dielectric constants (5.0−10.2). OTFTs fabricated with pentacene as the organic semiconductor function well at low voltages (<−4.0 V). The morphologies and microstructures of representative semiconductor films grown on CHB dielectrics prepared with incrementally varied compositions and processing conditions are investigated and shown to correlate closely with the OTFT response.
On the Eccentric-Connectivity Index of Some 3-Fence Graphs and Their Line Graphs

Let G be a molecular graph. The distance between two vertices of G is the length of a shortest path between these vertices. The eccentricity of a vertex u in G is the largest distance between u and any other vertex of G. In this paper, we consider some infinite families of 3-fence graphs namely ladder, circular ladder and Mobius ladders. We compute the eccentricity based topological indices of these graphs and their line graphs. Also, we study the relation between the indices of these graphs with their line graphs. Furthermore, we construct a square grid from the ladder graph and study the eccentricity based topological indices for this grid graph and its line graph.
Social TV and the 2012 Election Exploring Political Outcomes of Multiscreen Media Usages

The 2012 presidential election cycle was marked by an increase in simultaneous media use, often known as “social TV,” particularly among young adults whose attention to TV has fragmented in the digital age. This study is one of the first to apply uses and gratifications theory to the simultaneous use of both social media and mass media. Although a low survey response rate hinders generalizability of this study, the considerable size of the sample (N = 2,727) makes this research useful for identifying motivations and political outcomes of using two screens. Findings show those who actively used social media while watching TV for sociocognitive motives were likely to have engaged with one of the 2012 presidential candidates by following them or sharing their content on Facebook or Twitter. Active social TV users also reported that they weighed the candidates’ social media presence when making voting decisions. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Estimation and control of a quadrotor vehicle using monocular vision and moire patterns

We present the vision-based estimation and control of a quadrotor vehicle using a single camera relative to a novel target that incorporates the use of moire patterns. The objective is to acquire the six degree of freedom estimation that is essential for the operation of vehicles in close proximity to other craft and landing platforms. A target contains markers to determine its relative orientation and locate two sets of orthogonal moire patterns at two difierent frequencies. A camera is mounted on the vehicle with the target in the fleld of view. An algorithm processes the images, extracting the attitude and position information of the camera relative to the target utilizing geometry and four single-point discrete Fourier transforms on the moire patterns. The position and yaw estimations with accompanying control techniques have been implemented on a remote-controlled quadrotor. The ∞ight tests conducted prove the system's feasibility as an option for precise relative navigation for indoor and outdoor operations.
Variability in Stiffness Assessment in a Thyroid Nodule Using Shear Wave Imaging.

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to assess intrareader and interreader variability in placing a region of interest in the elastography color map in the thyroid nodule. METHOD AND MATERIALS After institutional review board approval, elastograms were obtained by shear wave elastography from 38 individuals, with a total of 60 thyroid nodules. Two readers reviewed all images while blinded to the cytopathology or final histopathology results and to each other's measurements. For each image, readers first performed a qualitative assessment and recorded presence of stiff region(s) and number of stiff regions. Then, they placed a 3-mm circular region of interest on the stiffest region to quantify the mean and maximum stiffness in kilopascals. Intrareader and interreader agreement was summarized for categorical variables using Cohen κ and for continuous variables using the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and coefficient of variation. RESULTS There was good overall intrareader and interreader agreement for the presence of stiff regions and number of stiff regions after classifying them as 0, 1, and greater than 1 regions (κ = 0.78-0.81 and 0.74-0.79, respectively). There was also good overall agreement for the the following quantitative measurements: mean kPa (CCC = 0.97 and 0.93) and max kPa (CCC = 0.97 and 0.93). The intrareader and interreader coefficient of variation was 13% and 21% for mean kPa and 14% and 21% for max kPa. CONCLUSIONS There can be differences in measurement of stiffness by 2 different operators in softer nodules with shear wave imaging because of the lack of brighter areas on the color elastograms. A standardized technique is necessary to be able to compare results from 1 study to the next.
Recovering Coproduced Service Failures Antecedents, Consequences, and Moderators of Locus of Recovery

This article focuses on the locus of recovery (LOR) when failures occur in coproduced services. LOR refers to who contributes to the recovery. Based on the LOR effort, recovery can be classified into three types: firm recovery, joint recovery, and customer recovery. The authors develop a conceptual framework to examine the antecedents, consequences, and moderators of LOR and test the framework using three experiments. They find that the positive effect of customers’ self-efficacy on their expectancy to participate in recovery is stronger when they blame themselves for the failure than when they blame the service provider. Joint recovery is most effective in generating favorable service outcomes of satisfaction with recovery and intention for future coproduction. Furthermore, recovery urgency strengthens the effect of LOR; however, when a customer’s preferred recovery strategy is offered, such matching offsets the impact of recovery urgency. Our findings suggest several managerial implications for devising...
Baiyang's Celestial Being and Qingteng's Dhyana ——Also on the Mainstream and Changes of Scholar's Painting

Chen Chun and Xu Wei is the founder of flower and bird drawing in water painting. Their flower and bird painting is a milestone in the history of scholar's painting. The phsyche study and dhyana study popular among the academic elites in the late Ming Dynasty are mature Zeitgeist after long-term development, which forms on the basis of varied social factors emerging form the changing process from Chinese agricultural society to industrial and commercial society. The inheritance, consistency, and difference of the Zeitgeist from Baiyang to Qingteng result from the social environment in history, in which such subjective factors as individuality, temperament, and personal experience play an important intrinsic role. The paper first probes into the life story of Chen Chun and Xu Wei, and some related problems in their thoughts. Then the fact how their life story, thoughts, and individuality influence the formation of their art style is explored. Based on that, the interaction of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in scholar's painting is analyzed, and the historical contributions of Chen Chun and Xu Wei's art to painting's development into that of the later scholars since Dong Qichang with as its ultimate pursuit are demonstrated.
Introduction to smart card technology and initial medical application.

Smart card technology is the name applied to the use of a plastic card with an embedded computer chip. Recent development of smart card software has allowed storage and retrieval of medical information, affording the opportunity to provide a standardized, portable, accessible medical record for use in prehospital and emergency department patient encounters. We describe the smart card concept and its initial deployment in a section of a large Midwestern urban area.
Tissue engineered microsphere-based matrices for bone repair: design and evaluation.

Abstract The need for synthetic alternatives to conventional bone grafts is due to the limitations of current grafting materials. Our approach has been to design polymer-based graft substitutes using microsphere technology. The gel microsphere matrix and the sintered microsphere matrix were designed using the random packing of poly(lactide- co -glycolide) microspheres to create a three-dimensional porous structure. The evaluation of these methods dealt with analysis of effects of matrix composition and processing. Matrices were evaluated structurally by scanning electron microscopy and porosimetry, and biomechanically by compression testing. The evaluation revealed the high modulus of the gel microsphere matrix and the versatility of the sintered microsphere matrix. The gel microsphere matrix incorporated hydroxyapatite particles and had a Young's modulus of 1651 MPa, but structural analysis through SEM revealed a pore system less optimal for bone in-growth. The sintered microsphere matrices were fabricated without hydroxyapatite particles by thermally fusing polymeric microspheres into a three-dimensional array, possessing interconnectivity and a modulus range of 241 (±82)–349 (±89) MPa. The sintered microsphere matrix demonstrated a connected pore system and mechanical properties in the mid-range of cancellous bone. Porosimetry data indicated that matrix pore diameter varied directly with microsphere diameter, while pore volume was independent of microsphere diameter in the range of diameters examined. The microsphere-based matrices show promise as polymeric substitutes for bone repair.
Successfully Writing about Quantitative Research (or Anything)

To successfully play ball, you need to know the rules of the game, how to think like a champion, and have heart. Notice I did not mention natural, inborn talent. Clearly, talent helps; but it is not sufficient for success.
Gender Hurts. A Feminist Analysis of the Politics of Transgenderism, by Sheila Jeffreys

Identity politics has entered a period of fragmentation, tension and profound mistrust. With the book Gender Hurts. A Feminist Analysis of the Politics of Transgenderism, Sheila Jeffreys seeks to c...
Short-Term Passive Integrated Transponder Tag Retention in Wild Populations of Bluehead and Flannelmouth Suckers

AbstractPassive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, commonly used to individually identify fish, are assumed to not hinder survival or alter the behavior of the fish and to be retained throughout the duration of the study. While these assumptions have been verified for many species, other species have exhibited poor retention or survival, or altered behavior. In this study, we evaluated short-term PIT tag retention and recapturability of PIT-tagged fish in wild populations of migrating and spawning Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus and Flannelmouth Sucker C. latipinnis. We trapped fish as they entered a spawning tributary of the Gunnison River near Delta, Colorado, USA. We abdominally injected 12.5 × 2.1 mm PIT tags and externally marked 2,645 fish; another 2,660 fish were given an alternative external mark but were not PIT-tagged. When we recaptured fish as they exited the tributary, we found a PIT tag retention rate >99% and recaptured a greater proportion of PIT-tagged fish than of control fish for ...
The Auditory Quiz Board: An Orientation and Mobility Game for Visually Handicapped Elementary School Children:

□ The use of the AQB games has become an integral part of our program for teaching visually handicapped elementary school students cardinal directions and other basic environmental or geographical ...
Replicating Internship Stress-Induced Depression In China

Abstract Many twin and adoption studies have established that both genes and the environment are risk factors for major depression (MDD). Child maltreatment increases risk for depression later in life, and stressful life events or a period of severe chronic stress precede nearly all first episodes of depression. Although more common than most other psychiatric disorders, GWAS with similar samples have been less successful than for other psychiatric disorders, so we know still very little about genes involved in major depression. Hypothesizing that to identify MDD genes, it may be useful to control the environmental factor, in 2004, Srijan Sen et al. started the Intern health study, which uses internship, the first year of residency as a stressful period of life that can be considered an environmental risk factor, as interns often have long working hours, and feel ill prepared to make life or death decisions. Indeed, the average PHQ9 score goes from 2.4 to >6, and the proportion of interns who meet criteria for depression goes from 4% before internship to 26% during internship (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010). Residents largely don’t seek treatment, out of fear for retribution (Journal Grad Med Educ 2010). This study now recruits >3500 residents each year in 55 Universities, and the first GWAS results will be available end of 2016. In China, a formal residency did not exist until recently, but has now started in major cities. In 2015, we contacted several major Universities and spoke with residency directors and residents themselves. We found some similarities and differences. All residents agreed that the first year of residency in China is very stress, with long working hours and high responsibilities. Residents agreed that some colleagues may be depressed, but would not seek treatment. Unlike in the US, there is no internship year - residency is focused on specialty training immediately, and the break between the end of Medical School and start of residency is only a few weeks rather than 2-3 months. To pilot a residency health study in China, the 2015 entering cohort of Peking Union Medical College was contacted to fill out the same baseline surveys, all translated into Chinese, and the same shorter surveys about sleep, stress, errors, and the PHQ9 every 3 months, to which 76 responded, an acceptable 75% participation rate (compared to 69% in the US). Data demonstrate that the PHQ9 depression rates are similar as in the US both before (4.5%) and during (22%) the first year of residency. We hope to extend this study to additional Universities in China in 2016, as these pilot data suggest that a Chinese sample may complement our ongoing US study.
Watching Small Vessel Disease Grow

Cerebrovascular disease is a major contributor to loss of brain health, a leading medical, societal, and financial issue worldwide.1 Although ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are widely known end-organ effects, diseases of the cerebral circulation are important contributors to mild cognitive deficits, dementia, and an array of neurological and psychiatric disorders.2,3 Of the risk factors for large and small vessel disease (SVD), aging, and hypertension lead the way, with genetic, metabolic, and behavioral contributors and modifiers (Figure). This Viewpoint briefly highlights features of SVD, its impact on brain health, emerging evidence SVD contributes to diseases not thought to have a cerebrovascular basis, and some suggestions as the field moves forward. Figure. Schematic of risk factors and modifiers for small vessel disease (SVD), changes in the vasculature, along with consequences of SVD for the microcirculation, as well as brain health and function. The pie graph illustrates the normal distribution of vascular resistance in brain. CSF indicates cerebrospinal fluid; CVR, cerebrovascular resistance; and ISF, interstitial fluid. SVD is often defined based on clinical features (white matter abnormalities, microbleeds, etc). Here, SVD refers to changes in the microcirculation (small arteries, arterioles, capillaries, and venules), while highlighting select end-organ effects. The pial (brain surface) segment of the microcirculation has been studied widely and continues to provide insight into the biology and pathogenesis of SVD.4 Interest in SVD has intensified recently because of growing appreciation for its impact on brain health, substantial knowledge gaps, and emerging tools and models to support such efforts. Despite these trends, our understanding of small vessel biology, the pathogenesis, and full impact of SVD is still modest. There are currently no specific therapies for SVD. Mild SVD may be present (but undetected) in cognitively normal subjects. Silent strokes because of SVD are much more common than clinical …
An Introduction to Conducting Email Audit Studies

This chapter offers the first general introduction to conducting email audit studies. It provides an overview of the steps involved from experimental design to empirical analysis. It then offers detailed recommendations about email address collection, email delivery, and email analysis, which are usually the three most challenging points of an audit study. The focus here is on providing a set of primarily technical recommendations to researchers who might want to conduct an email audit study. The chapter concludes by suggesting several ways that email audit studies can be adapted to investigate a broader range of social phenomena.