cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical analysis of stagnation point flows with massive blowing

boundary layer for arbitrary pressure gradient parameter ]8, is inapplicable because they found it convenient to carry out their analysis with the stream function as the independent variable. From the point of view cited previously it appears clearly advantageous to follow the asymptotic analysis, which is due to Kassoy, 5 which is employed by Libby and Kassoy3 to study a three-dimensio nal boundary layer with massive blowing, and which deals directly with the boundarylayer equations in the similarity variable 77. Although we concern ourselves here only with the case of dominant practical interest, namely the case of an axisymmetric stagnation point, the present analysis can be extended to cases for which ft ^ J; the only complication which arises therein is that the solution for the velocity profile in the inner layer is given by a nonelementary function.
Irradiation-induced Textural Change in Fruits and Its Relation to Pectin Metabolisma

SUMMARY Textural changes of pears and peaches exposed to gamma radiation of 300, 600, and 900 Krads were found to correspond to a decrease in proto-pectin content and an increase in pectin and pectate fractions of the fruits. Characterizations of the 700% alcohol-insoluble solids prepared from these fruits revealed only minor differences in respect to their anhydrouronide and acetyl content and degree of esterification. To account for the marked effects of radiation, activities of pectic enzymes extracted from irradiated fruits were investigated. Pectin methylesterase showed an increased activity immediately after doses of 300 and 600 Krads, and enzymes extracted from fruit four days after irradiation had a reduced activity. Pears, peaches, and nectarines irradiated under nitrogen atmosphere softened much less than fruits irradiated under air. While this may be attributed to the reduced formation of free radicals under anoxic conditions, a further experiment with pectin solutions exposed to gamma radiation under similar atmospheric conditions did not support this suggestion. The changes in 1% pectin solutions were related to radiation dose, but were remarkably similar regardless of the presence or absence of oxygen during exposure.
Seasonal variation in enzyme activities and temperature sensitivities in Arctic tundra soils

Arctic soils contain large amounts of organic matter due to very slow rates of detritus decomposition. The first step in decomposition results from the activity of extracellular enzymes produced by soil microbes. We hypothesized that potential enzyme activities are low relative to the large stocks of organic matter in Arctic tundra soils, and that enzyme activity is low at in situ temperatures. We measured the potential activity of six hydrolytic enzymes at 4 and 20 °C on four sampling dates in tussock, intertussock, shrub organic, and shrub mineral soils at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Potential activities of N-acetyl glucosaminidase, β-glucosidase, and peptidase tended to be greatest at the end of winter, suggesting that microbes produced enzymes while soils were frozen. In general, enzyme activities did not increase during the Arctic summer, suggesting that enzyme production is N-limited during the period when temperatures would otherwise drive higher enzyme activity in situ. We also detected seasonal variations in the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil enzymes. In general, soil enzyme pools were more sensitive to temperature at the end of the winter than during the summer. We modeled potential in situβ-glucosidase activities for tussock and shrub organic soils based on measured enzyme activities, temperature sensitivities, and daily soil temperature data. Modeled in situ enzyme activity in tussock soils increased briefly during the spring, then declined through the summer. In shrub soils, modeled enzyme activities increased through the spring thaw into early August, and then declined through the late summer and into winter. Overall, temperature is the strongest factor driving low in situ enzyme activities in the Arctic. However, enzyme activity was low during the summer, possibly due to N-limitation of enzyme production, which would constrain enzyme activity during the brief period when temperatures would otherwise drive higher rates of decomposition.
Prognosis time: Towards a geopolitics of affect, debility and capacity

This article brings into conversation theories of affect, particularly those emerging from technoscience criticism that foreground bodily capacities for affecting or being affected, for change, evolution, transformation, and movement, and studies of disability and debility which complicate these notions of capacity, even while privileging identity-based rights and representational politics that might reinscribe other forms of normativity. I argue for a deconstruction of what ability and capacity mean, affective and otherwise, and to push for a broader politics of debility that puts duress on the seamless production of abled-bodies in relation to disability. Central to my discussion will be formulations of risk, calculation, prognosis, statistical probability, and population construction, whereby identity is understood not as essence, but as risk coding. Affect is therefore a site of bodily creative discombobulation and resistance but one that is also offered up for increasing monitoring and modulation.
Closed‐form Blending of Local Symmetries

We present a closed-form solution for the symmetrization problem, solving for the optimal deformation that reconciles a set of local bilateral symmetries. Given as input a set of point-pairs which should be symmetric, we first compute for each local neighborhood a transformation which would produce an approximate bilateral symmetry. We then solve for a single global symmetry which includes all of these local symmetries, while minimizing the deformation within each local neighborhood. Our main motivation is the symmetrization of digitized fossils, which are often deformed by a combination of compression and bending. In addition, we use the technique to symmetrize articulated models.
Newer developments in the diagnosis and staging of breast cancer

Tremendous changes have occurred in the diagnosis and staging of breast cancer. There are more sophisticated diagnostic techniques available and new developments in prognostic indicators that have altered decisions regarding adjuvant treatment. In the near future, progress in quantity and quality of survival may be linked to early diagnosis and precise staging of the disease.
Probabilistic models for topic learning from images and captions in online biomedical literatures

Biomedical images and captions are one of the major sources of information in online biomedical publications. They often contain the most important results to be reported, and provide rich information about the main themes in published papers. In the data mining and information retrieval community, there has been much effort on using text mining and language modeling algorithms to extract knowledge from the text content of online biomedical publications; however, the problem of knowledge extraction from biomedical images and captions has not been fully studied yet. In this paper, a hierarchical probabilistic topic model with background distribution (HPB) is introduced to uncover the latent semantic topics from the co-occurrence patterns of caption words, visual words and biomedical concepts. With downloaded biomedical figures, restricted captions are extracted with regard to each individual image panel. During the indexing stage, the 'bag-of-words' representation of captions is supplemented by an ontology-based concept indexing to alleviate the synonym and polysemy problems. As the visual counterpart of text words, the visual words are extracted and indexed from corresponding image panels. The model is estimated via collapsed Gibbs sampling algorithm. We compare the performance of our model with the extension of the Correspondence LDA (Corr-LDA) model under the same biomedical image annotation scenario using cross-validation. Experimental results demonstrate that our model is able to accurately extract latent patterns from complicated biomedical image-caption pairs and facilitate knowledge organization and understanding in online biomedical literatures.
Global And Partial Shape Discrimination For Computer Vision

The use of Fourier descriptors for rapid recognition of complete shapes is discussed. A Fourier-Mellin correlation procedure for recognition of partial shapes is also presented. Some example recognition experiments, including industrial parts inspection and aircraft recognition, are shown.
Measuring cholinesterase activity in human saliva.

To assess the potential for using saliva in pesticide biomonitoring, the consistency of cholinesterase activity in human saliva collected over time was examined. In this pilot study, saliva was collected from 20 healthy adults once per week for 5 consecutive weeks using 2 different collection methods: a disposable plastic pipette, and a cotton-wool roll. A brief questionnaire was conducted each week to document changes in exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors for the duration of the sampling. To measure cholinesterase activity, an existing radiometric method was modified to make it suitable for human saliva. Using this method, cholinesterase activity was measurable in saliva, and duplicate samples showed reliable repeatability. Activity in both collection methods ranged from 3 to 265 nmol/h/ml saliva (mean = 52 ± 37 [SD] nmol/h/ml saliva). For some individuals, enzyme activity was consistent over the five sampling weeks; for others, activity was highly variable. Coefficients of variation (CVs) were calcul...
The hot-electron microbolometer as an ultrasensitive detector for millimeter wavelengths

The hot-electron microbolometer is a novel low-temperature thermal detector which has potential for very low-noise power measurements at millimeter wavelengths. We are investigating issues in the practical implementation of this detector for low-background applications. We present results from tests of an efficient scheme to couple the detector to waveguide, as well as the expected noise performance of a microbolometer optimized for balloon-borne measurements. The expected NEP of microbolometer in such a measurement is 7/spl times/10/sup 18/ W//spl radic/(Hz) which is nearly a factor of two better than bolometers currently in use. >
Nonparametric Analysis of the Optimizing Behavior of Midwestern Cooperatives

The behavioral objective of farmer-owned supply and marketing cooperatives has been debated for many years. Cooperative enterprises are nonprofit institutions guided by the principle of service at cost for the benefit of the patrons. Thus, the usual concept of an investor-orientated firm that maximizes profit may not be appropriate for modeling the aggregate behavior of farmer-owned cooperatives. Sexton presented a review of economic theory relating to cooperatives. He suggested that theory-of-the-firm analysts have derived three behavioral objectives. Enke developed a welfare-maximizing solution, which has also been termed the profit-maximizing solution. Clark developed a price-minimizing (or maximizing, depending on the type of cooperative) solution, the cornerstone of which is breakeven pricing. Helmberger and Hoos further characterized the economic behavior of a cooperative stating that it is a situation where member demand intersects average cost. The differences among the three objectives are illustrated in Figure 1, which assumes that the firm is a perfect competitor in its selling markets. Point A represents Enke's solution in which marginal revenue (MR) and average revenue (AR) equal marginal cost (MC), the profit-maximizing solution. Point B represents Clark's solution in that the firm is minimizing average cost (AC). Point C represents the Helmberger and Hoos solution in which a member's demand intersects average cost.
Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Isolates from Retail Meat in the United States between 2002 and 2007

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter spp. has been a growing public health concern globally. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and genetic relatedness of Campylobacter spp. recovered by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) retail meat program. Retail meat samples (n = 24,566) from 10 U.S. states collected between 2002 and 2007, consisting of 6,138 chicken breast, 6,109 ground turkey, 6,171 ground beef, and 6,148 pork chop samples, were analyzed. A total of 2,258 Campylobacter jejuni, 925 Campylobacter coli, and 7 Campylobacter lari isolates were identified. Chicken breast samples showed the highest contamination rate (49.9%), followed by ground turkey (1.6%), whereas both pork chops and ground beef had <0.5% contamination. The most common resistance was to doxycycline/tetracycline (46.6%), followed by nalidixic acid (18.5%), ciprofloxacin (17.4%), azithromycin and erythromycin (2.8%), telithromycin (2.4%), clindamycin (2.2%), and gentamicin (<0.1%). In a subset of isolates tested, no resistance to meropenem and florfenicol was seen. C. coli isolates showed higher resistance rates to antimicrobials, with the exception of doxycycline/tetracycline, than those seen for C. jejuni. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) fingerprinting resulted in 1,226 PFGE profiles among the 2,318 isolates, with many clones being widely dispersed throughout the 6-year sampling period.
Angiotensin II mediates glutathione depletion, transforming growth factor-β1 expression, and epithelial barrier dysfunction in the alcoholic rat lung

Alcohol abuse markedly increases the risk of sepsis-mediated acute lung injury. In a rat model, ethanol ingestion alone (in the absence of any other stress) causes pulmonary glutathione depletion, ...
Differences in the effectiveness of frontal air bags by body size among adults involved in motor vehicle crashes.

Objective. There is concern that small stature occupants (particularly women) involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) may be at risk of injury or death from frontal air bags, though evidence to substantiate this concern is lacking. We sought to assess how occupant body size (measured through height and weight) affects air bag effectiveness in mitigating the risk of serious injury, after adjusting for important crash factors. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study using a national population-based cohort of adult front-seat occupants involved in MVCs as included in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System database (NASS CDS) from 1995 to 2006. Drivers and front-seat passengers 15 years and older involved in MVCs involving passenger vehicles and light trucks were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was serious injury, defined as an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score ≥3 in any body region. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test interaction t...
Psychology of Supplementation in Sport and Exercise: Motivational Antecedents and Biobehavioral Outcomes

Research concerning the physiological and biobehavioral effects of supplements commonly used in sport or exercise settings has multiplied rapidly over the last decade. However, less attention has been directed to understanding the motivational pathways leading to sport and exercise supplement use. This chapter summarizes known usage rates for sport/fitness supplements and describes motivational theories and constructs that may be of use for understanding individuals’ use of these substances. In this respect, we contend that researchers should consider behavioral approaches, the theory of planned behavior, balance theory, achievement goal theory, social physique anxiety, and muscle dysmorphia as useful for developing an understanding of the psychological influences on supplement use. For some of the latter theories/constructs, research has already shown support for their explanatory abilities, whereas research is scant and the utility for understanding sport/exercise supplement use is yet to be determined for many of the theories. In addition to describing the motivation behind supplement use, this chapter summarizes the biobehavioral effects of a select group of supplements commonly used to improve performance, fitness, or health. Specifically, we consider psychobiological effects of caffeine, creatine, Ginkgo biloba, and St. John’s wort related to enhanced arousal, improved memory and cognition, enhanced brain function and protection, and reduced depression. There is promising initial evidence for the efficacy of these compounds in producing favorable psychological outcomes, although certain shortcomings of many studies on these compounds must be taken into account before reaching definitive conclusions.
How Müller glial cells in macaque fovea coat and isolate the synaptic terminals of cone photoreceptors

A cone synaptic terminal in macaque fovea releases quanta of glutamate from 20 active zones at a high rate in the dark. The transmitter reaches 500 receptor clusters on bipolar and horizontal cell processes by diffusion laterally along the terminal's 50 m 2 secretory face and 2 m inward. To understand what shapes transmitter flow, we investigated from electron photomicrographs of serial sections the relationship between Muller glial processes and cone terminals. We find that each Muller cell has one substantial trunk that ascends in the outer plexiform layer below the space between the "footprints" of the terminals. We find exactly equal numbers of Muller cell trunks and foveal cone terminals, which may make the fovea particularly vulnerable to Muller cell dysfunction. The processes that emerge from the single trunk do not ensheathe a single terminal. Instead, each Muller cell partially coats two to three terminals; in turn, each terminal is completely coated by two to three Muller cells. Therefore, the Muller cells that coat one terminal also partially coat the surrounding ( six) terminals, creating a common environment for the cones supplying the center/surround receptive field of foveal midget bipolar and ganglion cells. Upon reaching the terminals, the trunk divides into processes that coat the terminals' sides but not their secretory faces. This glial framework minimizes glutamate transporter (EAAT1) beneath a terminal's secretory face but maximizes EAAT1 between adjacent terminals, thus permitting glutamate to diffuse locally along the secretory face and inward toward inner receptor clusters but reducing its effective spillover to neighboring terminals. J. Comp. Neurol. 453:100 -111, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Indexing terms: cones (retina); fovea centralis; glia; neuroglia
Design of a Turbomachine Set for a Fluid Catalytic Cracking Plant and Its Shop-Testing Under Full-Load Conditions

In fluid catalytic cracking plants, heavy hydrocarbons are converted into low-boiling point products. Starting from a concise description of the energy recovery system, this paper details the design features of a turbo machine set for an FCC plant, with the emphasis on the design of the four-stage 12,000 kW process gas expander. 6 refs.
How patients and nurses experience the acute care psychiatric environment

How patients and nurses experience the acute care psychiatric environment The concept of the therapeutic milieu was developed when patients' hospitalizations were long, medications were few, and one- to-one nurse-patient interactions were the norm. However, it is not clear how the notion of 'therapeutic milieu' is experienced in American acute psychiatric environments today. This phenomenological study explored the experience of patients and nurses in an acute care psychiatric unit in the USA, by asking them, 'What stands out to you about this psychiatric hospital environment?' Three figural themes emerged, contextualized by time, which was a source of stress to both groups: for patients there was boredom, and for nurses, pressure and chaos. Although they shared some themes, nurses and patients experienced them differently. For instance, nurses felt caged-in by the Plexiglas-enclosed nursing station, and patients felt caged-in by the locked doors of the unit. The findings from this US study do not support the existence of the therapeutic milieu as described in the literature. Furthermore, although the nurse-patient relationship was yearned for by nurses, it was nearly absent from patients' descriptions. The caring experienced by patients was mainly derived from interactions with other patients.
Toward an Optimum EMC Receiver

Opinions of what a universal EMC receiver should do, and differences on how such a receiver should be constructed are quite diverse. These ideas depend on users, operators, designers, and engineers and their training and knowledge. When considering the input requirements, decisions must be made on frequency coverage, bandwidths, input levels, amplification, and antennas. Detection schemes, calibration signal provisions, scanning speed, and the requirement for multiple active heads must be studied. An optimum IF, or more than one IF, may be required as well as BFO's, box-car pulse stretchers, pulse duration timers, prr counters, and DF circuits. Received information can be best processed by computer methods. Direct association with a small general purpose computer may protect from obsolesence and increase reliability. The major intended use determines the outputs. These may vary from go, no-go lights through meters to sophisticated oscilloscopes and XY plotters. The more complex instruments may have memories of a suitable type, or they may use the memory of an associated signal processor. Many functions must be automated; human engineering, total circuit complexity, and reliability enter here. To obtain many of the wanted features, modular construction is suggested. For extremely weak energy detection, remote sensing is applicable; results can be telemetered to the receiver. In the future it is probable that the complete receiver will be built inside the antenna. Extremely wide bands will have to be measured; circuitry capable of resolving and analyzing extremely complex phase and "noise" modulation techniques will have to be designed.
A complex band-pass filter for low-IF conversion DAB/T-DMB tuner with I/Q mismatch calibration

This paper provides a complex band-pass filter (BPF) for low-IF conversion digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and terrestrial-digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) tuner with I/Q gain and phase mismatch calibration. This calibration can be implemented in the first stage of complex BPF using feed-through resistor calibration scheme. The automatic tuning circuit with programmable clock is also presented. The measurement results show 1.536 MHz bandwidth with 2.048 MHz IF center frequency and 50 dB stop band attenuation at 0.7 MHz frequency offset. The in-band and out-band 3rd order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) are 55 and 60 dBc, respectively. After I/Q mismatch calibrating, 20 dB image rejection ratio (IRR) improvement is obtained from 38 dB to 58 dB in this work. The automatic tuning circuit guarantees less than +/- 4 % cut-off frequency variation covering the several clock requirements from demodulator ICs. The complex BPF is fabricated in 0.13 mum RF CMOS technology and consumes 9 mA with 1.2 V power supply.
Functional Analysis of nsP3 Phosphoprotein Mutants of Sindbis Virus

Alphavirus nsP3 phosphoprotein is essential for virus replication and functions initially within polyprotein P123 or P23 components of the short-lived minus-strand replicase, and upon polyprotein cleavage, mature nsP3 likely functions also in plus-strand synthesis. We report the identification of a second nsP3 mutant from among the A complementation group of Sindbis virus (SIN) heat-resistant strain, ts RNA-negative mutants. The ts138 mutant possessed a change of G4303 to C, predicting an Ala68-to-Gly alteration that altered a conserved His-Ala-Val tripeptide in the ancient (pre-eukaryotic), "X" or histone 2A phosphoesterase-like macrodomain that in SIN encompasses nsP3 residues 1 to 161 and whose role is unknown. We undertook comparative analysis of three nsP3 N-terminal region mutants and observed (i) that nsP3 and nsP2 functioned initially as a single unit as deduced from complementation analysis and in agreement with our previous studies, (ii) that the degree of phosphorylation varied among the nsP3 mutants, and (iii) that reduced phosphorylation of nsP3 correlated with reduced minus-strand synthesis. The most striking phenotype was exhibited by ts4 (Ala268 to Val), which after shift to 40 degrees C made significantly underphosphorylated P23/nsP3 and lost selectively the ability to make minus strands. After shift to 40 degrees C, mutant ts7 (Phe312 to Ser) made phosphorylated P23/nsP3 and minus strands but failed to increase plus-strand synthesis. Macrodomain mutant ts138 was intermediate, making at 40 degrees C partially phosphorylated P23/nsP3 and reduced amounts of minus strands. The mutants were able to assemble their nsPs at 40 degrees C into complexes that were membrane associated. Our analyses argue that P23/P123 phosphorylation is affected by macrodomain and Ala268 region sequences and in turn affects the efficient transcription of the alphavirus genome.
Polyunsaturated phospholipids promote the oxidation and fragmentation of γ-hydroxyalkenals: formation and reactions of oxidatively truncated ether phospholipids

Low density lipoprotein contains traces of biologically active platelet-activating factor (PAF)-like ether phosphatidylcholines (PCs). These oxidatively truncated alkylacylphosphatidylcholines (OxPAFs) are presumably formed through the oxidative truncation of 1-alkyl-2-polyunsaturated fatty acyl PCs. We now report that a diverse structural variety of OxPAFs are generated in small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) upon myeloperoxidase (MPO)-promoted autoxidation of ether PCs that incorporate linoleoyl, arachidonyl, or docosahexaenoyl groups at the sn-2 position. Total syntheses are reported that confirm the identities of the new OxPAFs and will facilitate the evaluation of their biologically important chemistry and activities. Especially noteworthy is the formation of OxPAFs containing gamma-hydroxyalkenal functionality. Analogous oxidatively truncated diacylphosphatidylcholines are biologically important because they and their more oxidized derivatives are strong ligands for the scavenger receptor CD36. Furthermore, their covalent adduction with proteins can interfere with protein function or generate biologically active carboxyalkylpyrrole derivatives. We now find a profound influence of membrane composition on the stability of OxPAFs. In the presence of a polyunsaturated diacyl PC, the linoleic acid ester of 2-lysophosphatidylcholine, MPO induces the oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids and the further oxidative truncation of gamma-hydroxyalkenals. Remarkably, these reactions do not occur readily with MPO in SUVs composed entirely of saturated diacyl-PCs. A mechanistic rationale is presented that can account for this dichotomy.
Crystallization and Densification of Nano‐Size Amorphous Cordierite Powder Prepared by a PVA Solution‐Polymerization Route

A homogeneous and stable amorphous-type cordierite (2MgO2Al2O35SiO2) powder was prepared by a solution-polymerization route employing a Pechini resin or a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solution as the polymeric carrier. After calcination at 800°C for 1 h under atmospheric conditions, the bulky precursor changed into a very soft and porous powder. A 30 nm size, amorphous-type cordierite powder was prepared by attrition milling the calcined powder, which was made using a PVA precursor solution. The nano-size powder, which had a high specific surface area of 181 m2/g, was obtained after milling for <1 h. The sintered cordierite grains did not show the presence of any amorphous SiO2 phase and had a dense microstructure with a relative density of 99% and a thermal expansion coefficient of 2.1 10-6/°C.
Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) Risk Score in Young Adults Predicts Coronary Artery and Abdominal Aorta Calcium in Middle Age: The CARDIA Study

Background—We explored whether, the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) coronary and abdominal risk scores measured at 18 to 30 years of age and changes in these scores would more strongly predict coronary artery calcium (CAC) and abdominal aortic calcium (AAC) assessed 25 years later, than scores measured 25 years later. Methods and Results—In the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, 3008 participants had measurements of risk score components at 5-year intervals beginning at 18 to 30 years of age. CAC and AAC were assessed at 43 to 55 years of age. Odds ratios (ORs) for the presence and extent of CAC/AAC per/point higher score and c-statistics for predicting CAC/AAC were calculated. The prevalence of CAC was 28% and AAC was 53%. For each 1 point higher PDAY score, the odds of CAC were higher using baseline scores than year 25 scores (OR, 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25–1.33 versus OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.11–1.14). For AAC, ORs at years 0 and 25...
Seek Knowledge Even If It Takes You to China (Via Washington)Saudi Arabia and China in the Twenty-First Century

For much of the last twenty years, China’s ties with Saudi Arabia have been understood in commercial terms, with most scholars arguing that the relationship has little cultural or historical depth. Drawing on multiple trips to China between 2011 and 2015 along with a ten-month period living continuously in Saudi Arabia in 2013 and 2014, this paper argues that there are factors other than economics that should be considered: namely, historical ties dating back to the seventh century, Saudi cultural and geo-strategic linkages to the United States, and the new economic and political geography of Eurasia. While cultural and strategic factors have limited the growth of Saudi-Sino ties since the start of the Arab Spring, they are likely to be the factors that allow for the two sides to realize the potential of their bilateral relationship in the future—even while retaining their close current alliances with other great powers.
Assessment of Groin Application of Junctional Tourniquets in a Manikin Model.

Introduction To aid in preparation of military medic trainers for a possible new curriculum in teaching junctional tourniquet use, the investigators studied the time to control hemorrhage and blood volume lost in order to provide evidence for ease of use. Hypothesis Models of junctional tourniquet could perform differentially by blood loss, time to hemostasis, and user preference. Methods In a laboratory experiment, 30 users controlled simulated hemorrhage from a manikin (Combat Ready Clamp [CRoC] Trainer) with three iterations each of three junctional tourniquets. There were 270 tests which included hemorrhage control (yes/no), time to hemostasis, and blood volume lost. Users also subjectively ranked tourniquet performance. Models included CRoC, Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool (JETT), and SAM Junctional Tourniquet (SJT). Time to hemostasis and total blood loss were log-transformed and analyzed using a mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the users represented as random effects and the tourniquet model used as the treatment effect. Preference scores were analyzed with ANOVA, and Tukey’s honest significant difference test was used for all post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results All tourniquet uses were 100% effective for hemorrhage control. For blood loss, CRoC and SJT performed best with least blood loss and were significantly better than JETT; in pairwise comparison, CRoC-JETT ( P P = .0085) were statistically significant in their mean difference, while CRoC-SJT ( P = .35) was not. For time to hemostasis in pairwise comparison, the CRoC had a significantly shorter time compared to JETT and SJT ( P P = .0087). In responding to the directive, “Rank the performance of the models from best to worst,” users did not prefer junctional tourniquet models differently ( P > .5, all models). Conclusion The CRoC and SJT performed best in having least blood loss, CRoC performed best in having least time to hemostasis, and users did not differ in preference of model. Models of junctional tourniquet performed differentially by blood loss and time to hemostasis. Kragh JF Jr , Lunati MP , Kharod CU , Cunningham CW , Bailey JA , Stockinger ZT , Cap AP , Chen J , Aden JK 3d , Cancio LC . Assessment of Groin Application of Junctional Tourniquets in a Manikin Model . Prehosp Disaster Med . 2016 ; 31 ( 4 ): 358 – 363 .
Syntheses and Structural Characterizations of Inorganic ansa-Metallocene Analogues: ansa-Ferratricarbadecaboranes

New linked cyclopentadienyl-tricarbadecaboranyl and bis-tricarbadecaboranyl dianions have been used to form the first examples of ansa-metallatricarbadecaboranyl complexes. The hybrid cyclopentadienyl-tricarbadecaboranyl dianion, Li2(+)[6-C5H4-(CH2)2-nido-5,6,9-C3B7H9](2-) (1), was produced by an initial carbon-insertion reaction of a nitrile-substituted cyclopentadiene with the arachno-4,6-C2B7H12(-) anion, followed by deprotonation to the dianion with LiH. The linked-cage bis-tricarbadecaboranyl dianion, Li2(+)[6,6'-(CH2)2-nido-(5,6,9-C3B7H9)2](2-) (2), was produced by a similar carbon-insertion route involving the reaction of two equivalents of arachno-4,6-C2B7H12(-) with succinonitrile. The reaction of 1 with an equivalent of FeCl2 produced the hybrid complex, ansa-(2-(CH2)2)-(1-η(5)-C5H4-closo-1,2,3,4-C3B7H9)Fe (3), with a crystallographic determination confirming the formation of a sandwich structure where the ring and cage are linked by the ansa -CH2CH2- group with attachment to the cage at the C2 carbon. The reaction of 2 with FeCl2 produced three isomeric ansa-(CH2)2-ferrabistricarbadecaboranyl sandwich complexes, ansa-(CH2)2-(closo-C3B7H9)2Fe (4, 5 and 6). Crystallographic determinations showed that in 4, the two tricarbadecaboranyl ligands are linked by the ansa-CH2CH2- group at the C2 and C2' cage carbons, whereas in 5 and 6 they are linked at their C2 and C4' carbons, with the structures of 5 and 6 differing in the relative positions of the C4' carbons in the two cages of each complex. The structural determinations also showed that, depending upon the linking position of the ansa-tether, constraints in cage-orientation, such as observed in 4, produce unfavorable intercage steric interactions. However, the cage fragments in these complexes can readily undergo a cage-carbon migration that moves one -carbon and its tether linkage to the more favorable 4-position. This isomerization reduces the cage steric interactions and produces configurations, such as those found for 5 and 6, where the iron cage bonding is enhanced as a result of the binding effect of the tether.
Bipartisanship and Idea Brokerage in Education Policy Networks

We show how Democrats and Republicans converged to support similar policies on a major educational issue: teacher effectiveness. Our study demonstrates the importance of idea brokers — actors that bridge structural gaps between members of different parties and promote shared policy ideas. Our study is based on analysis of testimony from 197 congressional hearings from 2000 to 2014. We use Discourse Network Analysis to examine network ties based on shared policy preferences expressed in hearings, which can be used to create networks linking policy actors and stated policy preferences. We use this network data to examine changes in the education policy subsystem during a policy window between the Bush administration and the Obama administration. We identify idea brokers based on network attributes, including: 1) actors that contributed to the policy debate, and 2) actors that bridged structural gaps between Democrats and Republicans. We then estimate QAP regression models to examine whether ties to idea brokers are associated with future policy preferences among political actors.
Secretaries of the USNC/TAM

For any organization, the position of secretary is critically important for maintaining contact with the members as well as securing and maintaining records for future generations. The secretaries who have served the USNC/TAM and their periods of service are:
Reply to Vangala et al.: Complete inhibition of the proteasome reduces new proteasome production by causing Nrf1 aggregation

Summary An important adaptation of cells to proteasome inhibition is the induction of new proteasomes via the transcription factor Nrf1 [1,2], which is produced as a precursor bound to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through its amino terminus. Nrf1 was reported to require proteolytic processing to enter the nucleus [3]. Increased proteasome production is induced by low concentrations of proteasome inhibitors that reduce proteolysis by et al. [5] present compelling evidence that conversion of the ER-bound Nrf1 to the shorter form, which they describe as 110 kDa, is independent of proteasomes and is not blocked by high concentrations of proteasome inhibitors. Therefore, we investigated the basis for these differing results. Here we report that we and Vangala et al. have studied the same processed form of Nrf1, the actual molecular weight of which appears to be 90–95 kDa. We confirm our earlier finding [2] that high concentrations of proteasome inhibitors suppress proteasome induction and accumulation of processed Nrf1 in soluble lysates. However, we now show that the inhibitors do so not by blocking Nrf1 processing, but instead by causing the processed Nrf1 to aggregate. Therefore, Nrf1 must be cleaved by a non-proteasomal endoprotease that we show requires ubiquitination. Finally, we provide evidence supporting the recent report that Ddi1/Ddi2 is the critical protease [6,7].
Variations in Information Processing Capacity

In this paper we advance an explanation of variation, or heterogeneity, in Open Source Software (OSS) development routines. Variation in routine heterogeneity manifests variation in the project’s i...
A prospective evaluation of short-term dysphagia after transoral robotic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.

BACKGROUND Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been associated with improved long-term dysphagia symptomatology compared with chemoradiation. Dysphagia in the perioperative period has been inadequately characterized. The objective of this study was to characterize short-term swallowing outcomes after TORS for OPSCC. METHODS Patients undergoing TORS for OPSCC were enrolled prospectively. The Eating Assessment Tool 10 (EAT-10) was used as a measure of swallowing dysfunction (score >2) and was administered on postoperative day (POD) 1, 7, and 30. Patient demographics, weight, pain level, and clinical outcomes were recorded prospectively and focused on time to oral diet, feeding tube placement, and dysphagia-related readmissions. RESULTS A total of 51 patients were included with pathologic T stages of T1 (n = 24), T2 (n = 20), T3 (n = 3), and Tx (n = 4). Self-reported preoperative dysphagia was unusual (13.7%). The mean EAT-10 score on POD 1 was lower than on POD 7 (21.5 vs 26.6; P = .005) but decreased by POD 30 (26.1 to 12.2; P < .001). Forty-seven (92.1%) patients were discharged on an oral diet, but 57.4% required compensatory strategies or modification of liquid consistency. Ninety-eight percent of patients were taking an oral diet by POD 30. There were no dysphagia-related readmissions. CONCLUSION This prospective study shows that most patients who undergo TORS experience dysphagia for at least the first month postoperatively, but nearly all can be started on an oral diet. The dysphagia-associated complication profile is acceptable after TORS with a minority of patients requiring temporary feeding tube placement. Aggressive evaluation and management of postoperative dysphagia in TORS patients may help prevent dysphagia-associated readmissions. Cancer 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Analytical description of inverse filter emulating the plasmon injection loss compensation scheme and implementation for ultrahigh-resolution hyperlens

An inverse filter full analytical description and implementation of a recently proposed plasmon injection scheme for improving the resolution of a hyperlens is presented. Different types of loss mechanisms existing in the hyperlens imaging system are identified and studied in detail. It is shown that the plasmon injection scheme and its inverse filter analog can compensate all the major loss mechanisms. As a result, an object with deep subwavelength features, otherwise unresolvable with a hyperlens alone, is fully reconstructed.
Generational cohort effects on trends in the drug overdose mortality epidemic in the United States

Background: Bayesian regularization can address over-parameterization of age-period-cohort (APC) mortality models, facilitated by a new methodology for comparing fits of Bayesian regularized models. Here Bayesian Lasso is used to shrink slope changes in linear spline fits of the parameters of the Lee-Carter plus cohorts APC model. This model allows trends over periods to vary by age. It is applied to overdose mortality rates from the 1999-2015 CDC WONDER data for white non-hispanic males ages 17-61. The APC identification problem is addressed by parameter constraints, not by regularization. Findings: For this group, observed overdose mortality rates increased most markedly for the youngest and oldest ages. Early in the period the highest rates were for ages in the mid-40s, but this had shifted to the mid-30s ages by the end. Including cohort effects increases the explanatory power of the model. The parameters as constrained attribute the increase for the younger ages to high trends in the period parameters for those ages. The older ages get lower period trend rates, with the increased mortality attributed largely to the baby boom cohorts maturing into those ages. The data show a slower increase rate for ages near 20 since 2007, and the model treats this as a cohort-effect parameter reduction for those born after 1990. Conclusion: Bayesian Lasso is an effective way to parameterize APC mortality trends. The inclusion of cohort effects provides an improved account of the trends in overdose mortality rates across this population, compared to a model with age and period effects only. Period trends themselves vary significantly across the age groups.
Poesía amorosa de una erudita del XVII: traducción y creación en El Pastor Fido de Isabel Correa

This article aims to insert the work of Isabel Correa, a Spanish erudite woman living in Amsterdam, into the humanistic tradition of the 17 th century. Although some of her original works are not extant anymore, we can approach her writing methods and attitudes through her translation of The Faithful Shepherd , the wellknown pastoral tragicomedy by Guarini. We have also included, for the first time, a complete version in modern Spanish of the original verses she appended to her translation. We posit that by using rhetorical amplification as a translation strategy, Isabel Correa legitimizes and justifies her own voice and finds a way to publish her own love poetry.
Molecular Genetics of Congenital Growth Hormone Deficiency

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in patients is diagnosed as an isolated finding or in combination with other pituitary hormone deficiencies and classified as combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). Although any type of neurological insult such as trauma, radiation, or surgery place the pituitary at risk for injury and potential destruction of somatotrophs, a subgroup of patients develop idiopathic GHD who do not have a clear etiology. Advancements in understanding cellular and organ development as well as the availability of sophisticated genetic techniques have provided a molecular basis for some cases of idiopathic GHD. Genetic screening for mutations in pituitary development factors has resulted in the identification of a series of abnormalities in patients with GHD, resulting in hormone deficiency. Unfortunately, the incidence of identified mutations in this group remains low, and quite often, there is a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, which makes correlations between genotypes and abnormal phenotypes difficult. Nevertheless, the characterization of patients with GHD and the ongoing research efforts to decipher the complexities of pituitary development provide insight into the molecular basis of hypopituitarism. This chapter reviews the genetic defects that have been characterized in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis resulting in a deficiency of GH. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of continuing research efforts, which will offer physicians the means of determining a genetic etiology for patients with GHD and researchers the tools to develop definitive therapeutic options.
IFN-λ 'guts' neutrophil-mediated inflammation.

Interferon-λ (IFN-λ) curbs neutrophil-mediated intestinal inflammation by diminishing the production of reactive oxygen species and subsequent oxidative stress. This regulatory process is unique to IFN-λ and is independent of interferon-induced transcription and translation programs.
A Systematic Look at Environmental Modulation and Its Impact in Brain Development

Several experimental procedures are currently used to investigate the impact of the environment on brain plasticity under physiological and pathological conditions. The available methodologies are aimed at obtaining global or specific reductions or intensifications of the stimuli, with initial standardization in animal models being paralleled by translational applications to humans. More procedures can be combined together or applied in series to obtain powerful experimental paradigms, and the choice of a given setting should take into account the specific genetic background, age, and phenotypic vulnerabilities of the target subjects. Sophisticated use of environmental manipulations can increase our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying experience-dependent plasticity, opening the way for new therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders, dysfunctions of plasticity, and brain aging.
Organometallic chemistry of graphene: Photochemical complexation of graphene with group 6 transition metals

Abstract We report the experimental realization of η6-complexes of group 6 transition metals with a single layer graphene using photo-activated reactions with organometallic compounds. The reaction progress was followed by in-situ measurements of the graphene conductivity. We observed that the chromium reagents exert the strongest effect on the electronic properties of graphene, leading to (η6-graphene)CrL [L = C6H6, (CO)3] complexes with enhanced conductivity. Thus, in the case of covalent functionalization of graphene with Cr(CO)6, the conductivity increased by a factor of 4, while the (η6- C6H6)Cr(CO)3 reagent doubled the conductivity producing the least enhancement. This mode of covalent bonding preserves the conjugation and the planarity of the graphene structure and offers a promising route for the preparation of a new class of graphitic materials functionalized with transition metals, which may find applications in optoelectronics, spintronics and magnetic nanodevices.