cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of brain contusion mechanism and threshold by combining finite element analysis with in vivo histology data

A previously validated, highly detailed three-dimensional finite element (FE) rat brain model was used to correlate FE model-predicted intracranial responses with experimentally measured brain contusions. In the published in vivo experimental study, the animals were injured via a controlled cortical impact device at two different severities and the location and volume of contusion measured at 24 h post injury. Brain internal responses, including the maximum principal strain (MPS), maximum shear strain (MSS), shear strain (SS) in the coronal plane, strain energy density (SED), and intracranial pressure (ICP), were investigated through FE simulations. Distributions of MPS, MSS, and SED were comparable with the shapes of contusion observed experimentally. However, the regions with high positive ICP were not found to correlate with the regions of brain contusion. Locations of high SS were in the vicinity of the experimental contusion region, but the shallow shape of the SS distribution differed greatly from contusion observed experimentally. This study suggests that MPS, MSS, and SED are candidate injury mechanisms for brain contusion, and the corresponding threshold for predicting the contusion volume measured at 24 h post injury is 0.265 MPS, 0.281 MSS, or 1.72E −5 (J/mm3) SED based on the current FE model. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post cardiac surgery phrenic nerve palsy: value of plication and potential for recovery.

Objectives: Evaluation of an aggressive policy for the treatment of phrenic nerve palsy (PNP), following cardiac operations, with emphasis on early diaphragmatic plication. Attention was given to the incidence and predisposing factors for PNP and the potential for recovery following plication. Methods: From 1 June 1991 to 1 January 1996 we prospectively screened patients for PNP following cardiac surgery. The diagnosis was suspected if difficulty was experienced in weaning the child from the ventilator. If abnormal elevation of the hemidiaphragm was present diaphragmatic plication was performed. Echocardiography was used to assess subsequent return of diaphragmatic function. Results: Seventeen children (nine boys, eight girls), out of 867 (1.9%) children younger than 16 years of age, undergoing cardiac operations were found to have PNP. The mean age was 66 days (range 1‐17 months) with 16 patients below 1 year out of a total of 285 patients (incidence 5.6%) and one patient 17 months old. The incidence following open procedures was 11/190, following closed procedures 2/95 and following reoperation 4/83. PNP was diagnosed from 2 to 44 days (mean 14 days) following surgery. It was present on the right side in seven cases, the left in nine and was bilateral in one patient. Two patients were extubated at the time of diagnosis, one patient could be extubated shortly thereafter. Fourteen children underwent diaphragmatic plication, at a median 5 days post diagnosis. Extubation was possible 1‐60 days (mean 4 days) after plication. Mean follow-up was 19 ∠ 5 months. Subsequent recovery of diaphragmatic movement was documented in seven (41%) children. Time to recovery following plication was 16 months, without plication 38 months. Conclusion: Prospective screening for PNP revealed an incidence in children younger than 1 year of 6%. Early plication substantially reduces the duration of ventilation, with its associated reduced morbidity and ICU stay. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Robust reduced-order modelling of distributed linear networks

Foster's canonical form provides a causal bridge between the transfer function representation of the characteristics of a distributed structure and both time-domain and frequency-domain non-linear circuit simulation. It is particularly advantageous in modelling bandpass-like characteristics. In the modelling procedure, a transfer function having Foster's canonical form is fitted to measured or simulated data which may not have an inherent pole-zero description. Even if there is a good transfer function representation, the number of poles required for a reasonable fit is not known a priori which can lead to poor models that may cause convergence problems during either fitting or simulation. In this study, an extension of Foster's model is developed and a robust procedure for fitting the transfer function to data without a priori knowledge of the number of poles is presented. A robust stamp for implementation of the model in a transient circuit simulator is developed.
SPREAD OF PLANT DISEASE ON A CONTINENTAL SCALE: ROLE OF AERIAL DISPERSAL OF PATHOGENS

Successful transmission of plant diseases over long distances through the atmosphere depends on the reproductive rate of the pathogens, on the carrying capacity of the source locality, on atmospheric turbulence, stability, and wind speed, and on the survival of spores during exposure to inhospitable temperature and humidity and to UVB radiation from the sun. These interacting factors were incorporated into a model to estimate the rate and extent of seasonal incursions of disease from southern into northern areas of the United States. The model indicates a practical limit for long-distance dispersal (LDD) of a plant pathogen, which depends strongly on its fecundity and on its ability to survive in the atmosphere. Two classic plant diseases, stem rust of wheat and tobacco blue mold, are used to illustrate the model. Both diseases appear to spread northward on average at about the same rate as the seasonal advance of the “green wave” of available susceptible host tissue. The near concordance of the disease w...
Analysis of somatic cell count data by a peak evaluation algorithm to determine inflammation events.

Increases in SCC are an expression of inflammation events in the udder. Inflammation events are sporadic, of variable amplitude and duration, and can be analyzed by computer programs designed to evaluate pulses of hormone secretion. Baseline values for SCC, which take into account long-term trends, were calculated using the PULSAR peak evaluation algorithm. An inflammation event was defined as an increase of log2(SCC) of at least 1 unit from the preceding data point if the observed value exceeded the baseline value by a threshold value. Incidence rate, duration, and amplitude of inflammation events were calculated. Weekly composite milk SCC from individual cows from two Florida dairy farms were recorded. Data were analyzed for effects of season (summer and fall) and bST in two separate data sets. Incidence rate of inflammation events was higher in summer than in fall (4.31 and 2.91 events per cow x year). In one of two data sets only, duration of inflammation events was longer in cows treated with bST (2.4 +/- .2 vs. 1.6 +/- .2 wk). In contrast, least squares analysis of variance of log2(SCC) did not detect differences due to season or bST. The use of the peak evaluation algorithm led to the detection of seasonal and bST effects on inflammation events in cows.
Two‐dimensional dispersion analyses of finite element approximations to the shallow water equations

SUMMARY Dispersion analysis of discrete solutions to the shallow water equations has been extensively used as a tool to dene the relationships between frequency and wave number and to determine if an algorithm leads to a dual wave number response and near 2� x oscillations. In this paper, we explore the application of two-dimensional dispersion analysis to cluster based and Galerkinnite element-based discretizations of the primitive shallow water equations and the generalized wave continuity equation (GWCE) reformulation of the harmonic shallow water equations on a number of grid congurations. It is demonstrated that for various algorithms and grid congurations, contradictions exist between the results of one-dimensional and two-dimensional dispersion analysis as a result of subtle changes in the mass matrix. Numerical experiments indicate that the two-dimensional dispersion analysis correctly predicts the existence and onset of near 2� x noise in the solution. Copyright ? 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regional differences in microtubule dynamics in the axon

We have used an indirect method to compare the dynamic properties of microtubules (MTs) in the main shaft and distal regions of the axon. Individual MTs are staggered along the length of the axon and consist of a labile domain situated at the plus end of a stable domain (Baas and Black, 1990). As a result of this organization and the plus-end-distal orientation of axonal MTs, the most distal region of the axon consists entirely of labile domains, while the main shaft consists of a mixture of labile and stable domains. In this study, we wished to determine whether the labile domains extending into the distal axon differ in their dynamic properties from the labile domains terminating in the main shaft. To address this issue, we used immunoelectron microscopy to compare the tyrosination state of the labile domains terminating in these 2 axon regions. Because detyrosination is a polymerspecific modification of ar-tubulin that accumulates with time, the levels of tyrosinated cx-tubulin will be a reflection of the age, and hence dynamic properties, of the polymer. To maximize our chances of visualizing potential differences, we varied the concentration of the primary antibody in these experiments. Our studies indicate that the stable domains are generally deficient in tyrosinated a-tubulin, while the labile domains contain clearly detectable levels. Within the labile domain, the subsection closer to the plus end of the MT contains relatively higher levels of tyrosinated a-tubulin than does the subsection farther from the plus end, suggesting that the levels of tyrosinated cr-tubulin in the labile domain may gradually increase as one moves away from the stable domain toward the plus end of the MT. Although these observations apply to the labile domains in both regions of the axon, the labile domains extending into the distal region contain comparatively higher levels of tyrosinated ar-tubulin than do the labile domains terminating in the main shaft. These results are consistent with the view that highly dynamic MT polymer is present throughout the axon, but that the polymer nearest the advancing growth cone is particularly dynamic.
Simplified Procedure for Prediction of Asphalt Pavement Subsurface Temperatures Based on Heat Transfer Theories

Surface deflection measurements and backcalculation of layer moduli in flexible pavements are significantly affected by the temperature of the asphalt concrete (AC) layer. Correction of deflections or backcalculated moduli to a reference temperature requires determination of an effective temperature of the AC layer. For routine deflection testing and analysis in state highway agencies, it is preferable, from a practical point of view, to use a nondestructive prediction method for determining the effective AC layer temperature instead of measuring the temperature directly from a small hole drilled into the AC layer. A simplified procedure to predict asphalt pavement subsurface temperatures is presented. The procedure is based on fundamental principles of heat transfer and uses the surface temperature history since yesterday morning to predict the AC layer mid-depth temperature at the time of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing today. The surface temperature history is determined using yesterday's maximum air temperature and cloud condition, the minimum air temperature of today's morning, and surface temperatures measured during FWD tests. FWD tests and temperature measurements have been conducted on seven pavement sections with varying structural designs located in three different climatic regions of North Carolina. The field temperature records from these pavements have provided values of pavement thermal parameters and coefficients in temperature functions that are needed in the prediction procedure. A set of verification results are presented using examples with different climatic regions, changing AC layer thicknesses, and varying weather patterns in different seasons.
Inventing the future: scenarios, imagination, mastery and control

The complexity of mixed social, behavioral, and natural systems—such as those encountered while analyzing, understanding, and trying to manage aspects of climate change and sustainability, requires more common theoretical frameworks and technical tools than either can bear. How does human activity relate to greenhouse gas emissions, changes in the atmosphere, climate variability, and multiple impacts, outcomes, and effects? Some of the connections can be observed and measured, many cannot. Uncertainties of every conceivable sort can occur. As the time frame into the future extends, uncertainties essentially dominate conventional theories, tools, experiences, habits, processes, and so forth. The scientific consensus linking human activity to climate change is now all but settled according to The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The consensus says little, however, about who should be doing what and for what reasons under this singular, even unique circumstance. There are no data about the future on which to rely. We are challenged to imagine many different and possible “futures” as humankind seeks to exert its mastery and control. This essay considers and then weaves together several basic issues, ideas, and topics: complexity, the concept of human intentionality, several means used to exert control in organizations and social systems, and different methods being used to imagine, invent, and communicate the future.
Program Realization of Rough Set Attributes Reduction

Rough set theory is a new mathematical tool to deal with imprecise, incomplete and inconsistent data. First, the basic constitute of data analysis system based on rough set method is briefly described. Discretization method of continuous attributes is considered and continuous attributes are changed into discrete attributes. Two important concepts of indiscernibility relation and relatively positive regions are mainly focused on. By using the dependant degree of knowledge, the algorithm of rough set data analysis system is submitted. By being compared the numbers of reduced attributes, the result of minimal attributes reduction is gotten. Program realization of many algorithms of solving relative core, upper approximation, lower approximation, equivalence relation, relatively significant degree, relatively attributes reduction, relatively value reduction, minimal decision rules is obtained, respectively. The Matlab programs of above fields are given. At last, running results of factual engineering system are promoted. Simulation results for pattern recognizing show that the method improves the rate of distinguish. It is a factual significant in promoting application of rough set theory
Degradation kinetics applied to lifetime predictions of polymers

The prediction of the lifetime of a polymer by extrapolation from weight-loss data requires a thorough analysis of degradation kinetics over a wide temperature range. Techniques are described in which entire kinetic spectra are compared among experiments performed at heating rates from 6 deg/min to 9 deg/day. These comparisons permit diagnosing shifts in reaction mechanism, uncoupling of competing processes and more reliably predicting the rate-limiting process at service conditions. These techniques and a method for obtaining initial X kinetic parameters are illustrated for several polymers.
Network structure and properties of polyurethanes from soybean oil

Vegetable oils are very heterogeneous materials with a wide distribution of triacylglycerol structures and double-bond contents. The hydrogenation of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) produces polyols having a functionality distribution related to that of soybean oil. Therefore, these polyols are convenient substances for studying the impact of structural heterogeneity on network formation and properties. Polyols of hydroxyl numbers ranging from 225 to 82 mg KOH/g and weight-average functionalities ranging from 4.4 to 2.7 were obtained by the variation of the time of hydrogenation of ESO. An analysis of the functionality distribution in polyols shows that gel points with diisocyanates vary from 54 to 76% conversion. The molecular weights of the network chains of polyurethanes prepared from these polyols and diphenyl methane diisocyanate varied from 688 to 1993. Polyols with hydroxyl numbers above 200 mg KOH/g gave glassy polymers, whereas those below that value gave rubbers. The heterogeneity of polyols had a negative effect on the elastic properties only at low crosslinking densities. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Hepatic response to a very-low-energy diet and refeeding in rats

Hepatic effects of very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) and refeeding were studied in dietary obese rats. Rats weighing 490-530 g (ages 72-119 d) were randomly assigned to control (C) and VLED groups. Control animals consumed a complete diet ad libitum whereas VLED animals consumed 20% of the energy intake of C animals for 7, 14, or 21 d, and some VLED animals were refed the C diet for 7 d. Hepatic weights, lipid, DNA, and total protein decreased in VLED animals. Observed hepatocytic lipid was high in C and progressively decreased in VLED rats. Hepatocytes from VLED rats lost cytoplasmic organelles, contained myelin figures, and became smaller. Decreased protein-DNA ratios and lipids in these same animals is consistent with atrophy. Other biochemical findings included reductions in blood urea nitrogen, albumin, triglycerides, total protein, and glucose, all of which are synthesized or metabolized by the liver. These observations suggest that attenuation of hepatic function is likely.
Variability in Pathobiology of South Korean H5N1 High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus Infection for 5 Species of Migratory Waterfowl

The pathobiology of H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection in wild waterfowl is poorly understood. This study examined the pathobiology of A/chicken/Korea/IS/06 (H5N1) HPAI in 5 migratory waterfowl species--mute swans (Cygnus olor), greylag geese (Anser anser), ruddy shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea), mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata), and mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)--following intranasal inoculation or contact exposure, from which all birds became infected. In mute swans, this virus had strong vascular endothelial cell tropism, producing acute severe disease and 100% mortality; the virus was detected in various parenchymal cells; and necrotic and inflammatory changes were noted in a range of organs, including pancreas, brain, spleen, heart, oral cavity, adrenal gland, lung, and liver. The ruddy shelducks had 100% mortality, but time to death was delayed, and the lesions were primarily restricted to the brain, heart, pancreas, and spleen. The mandarin ducks had only a single mortality, with lesions similar to those in ruddy shelducks. The greylag geese became infected, developed neurological signs, and had residual meningoencephalitis when examined at termination but lacked mortality. The mallards had asymptomatic infection. These results indicate variation in the pathobiology of H5N1 virus infections in different species of wild waterfowl, ranging from severe, acute systemic disease with 100% mortality to asymptomatic infection of respiratory and gastrointestinal systems.
Introduction to peroxidation and antioxidation mechanisms.

The propagation and maintenance of life requires substantial energy. The evolution of life on Earth led to utilization of oxygen as the major mediator of energy release from organic molecules, which are the source of energy for most organisms. The participation of oxygen in energy release is not essential, as demonstrated in anaerobic and sulfur bacteria that function without it. Why is oxygen-mediated energy release favored by most organisms? The major reasons for the evolutionary selection of oxygen are (1) its ready availability, (2) the high energy yield from oxidation, (3) the reversibility of the process (oxygen is consumed by energy-releasing processes such as cellular respiration and evolved in energy-trapping processes such as photosynthesis), and (4) the easy distribution of oxygen due to its gaseous state and its solubility in biocomponents under normal conditions.
Blepharospasm in a multiplex African-American pedigree

Abstract Background Isolated blepharospasm (BSP) is a late-onset focal dystonia characterized by involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi muscles. Genetic studies of BSP have been limited by the paucity of large multiplex pedigrees. Although sequence variants (SVs) in THAP1 have been reported in rare cases of BSP, the genetic causes of this focal dystonia remain largely unknown. Moreover, in the absence of family history and strong in silico or in vitro evidence of deleteriousness, the pathogenicity of novel SVs in THAP1 and other dystonia-associated genes can be indeterminate. Methods A large African-American pedigree with BSP was phenotypically characterized and screened for mutations in THAP1, TOR1A and GNAL with Sanger sequencing. Whole-exome sequencing of the proband was used to examine other dystonia-associated genes for potentially pathogenic SVs. In silico and co-segregation analyses were performed for a novel THAP1 SV identified in the proband. Results Seven family members exhibited increased blinking and/or stereotyped bilateral and synchronous orbicularis oculi spasms with age of onset ranging from early childhood to late adult life (7 to 54 years). The proband was found to harbor a novel THAP1 SV (c.314T > C, p.L105S). However, the p.L105S SV did not co-segregate with blepharospasm in the pedigree. Moreover, in silico analyses suggest that p.L105S is benign. No pathogenic or likely pathogenic SVs in other dystonia-associated genes were identified with whole-exome sequencing. Conclusions Blepharospasm can be familial and may be hereditary in African-Americans. A comprehensive array of in silico tools, and, if possible, co-segregation analysis should be used to classify SVs in dystonia-associated genes.
Evidence for Strain-Specific Exometabolomic Responses of the Coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi to Grazing by the Dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina

The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi forms massive blooms and plays a critical role in global elemental cycles, sequestering significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide on geological time scales via production of calcium carbonate coccoliths and emitting dimethyl sulfoniopropionate (DMSP) which has the potential for increasing atmospheric albedo. Because grazing in pelagic systems is a major top-down force structuring microbial communities, the influence of grazers on E. huxleyi populations has been of interest to researchers. Roles of DMSP (and related metabolites) in interactions between E. huxleyi and protist grazers have been investigated, however, little is known about the release of other metabolites that may influence, or be influenced by, such grazing interactions. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry in an untargeted approach to survey the suite of low molecular weight compounds released by four different E. huxleyi strains in response to grazing by the dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina. Overall, a strikingly small number of metabolites were detected from E. huxleyi and O. marina cells, but these were distinctly informative to construct metabolic footprints. At most, E. huxleyi strains shared 25% of released metabolites. Furthermore, there appeared to be no unified metabolic response in E. huxleyi strains to grazing; rather these responses were strain specific. Concentrations of several metabolites also positively correlated with grazer activities, including grazing, ingestion, and growth rates; however, no single metabolite responded uniformly across all strains of E. huxleyi tested. Regardless, grazing clearly transformed the constituents of dissolved organic matter produced by these marine microbes. This study addresses several technical challenges, and presents a platform to further study the influence of chemical cues in aquatic systems and demonstrates the impact of strain diversity and grazing on the complexity of dissolved organic matter in marine systems.
Stochastic hybrid systems: A modeling and stability theory tutorial

Stochastic hybrid systems are driven by random processes and have states that can both flow continuously and jump instantaneously. Many classes of stochastic hybrid systems, with different modeling strengths, have been considered in the literature. In this tutorial paper we first consider perhaps the simplest class of stochastic hybrid systems: those that admit unique solutions and that do not permit state conditions that force jumps. Several examples are given to illustrate the utility of this simple modeling class and Lyapunov-based sufficient conditions for various stability properties are given. The second half of the tutorial addresses a recent, more general stochastic hybrid systems modeling framework that permits state conditions to trigger jumps and that allows for non-unique solutions, via stochastic differential and difference inclusions and possibly overlapping flow and jump sets. Examples are provided to show the relevance of models that admit non-unique solutions and forced jumps. Lyapunov-based sufficient conditions for various stability properties for this class of stochastic hybrid systems are also provided.
Failure to suppress low-frequency neuronal oscillatory activity underlies the reduced effectiveness of random patterns of deep brain stimulation

Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the mechanisms of action of DBS are unknown. Random temporal patterns of DBS are less effective than regular DBS, but the neuronal basis for this dependence on temporal pattern of stimulation is unclear. Using a rat model of PD, we quantified the changes in behavior and single-unit activity in globus pallidus externa and substantia nigra pars reticulata during high-frequency STN DBS with different degrees of irregularity. Although all stimulus trains had the same average rate, 130-Hz regular DBS more effectively reversed motor symptoms, including circling and akinesia, than 130-Hz irregular DBS. A mixture of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal responses was present during all stimulation patterns, and mean firing rate did not change during DBS. Low-frequency (7-10 Hz) oscillations of single-unit firing times present in hemiparkinsonian rats were suppressed by regular DBS, and neuronal firing patterns were entrained to 130 Hz. Irregular patterns of DBS less effectively suppressed 7- to 10-Hz oscillations and did not regularize firing patterns. Random DBS resulted in a larger proportion of neuron pairs with increased coherence at 7-10 Hz compared with regular 130-Hz DBS, which suggested that long pauses (interpulse interval >50 ms) during random DBS facilitated abnormal low-frequency oscillations in the basal ganglia. These results suggest that the efficacy of high-frequency DBS stems from its ability to regularize patterns of neuronal firing and thereby suppress abnormal oscillatory neural activity within the basal ganglia.
The Art Documentary in the Postwar Period

In the wake of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, the exploration of human creativity became central to reestablish the humanity of humankind. By closely following the art documentary, French film critic Andre Bazin focused on this genre in relation to painting, because the latter was the most elitist of all media. In the case of Alain Resnais’s Van Gogh (1948), Bazin used the encounter of cinema and painting as an example of symbiosis between the objects of still life and the objectifying impact of the camera lens. The critic’s writings on the art documentary also underlined the anti anthropocentric and cosmological vocation of the cinema. By turning the pictorial frame into the screen of cinema, Resnais’s Van Gogh de-centers the viewer into an introspective world of landscapes and rooms, where the painter himself is an absent participant or an anonymous figure rather than a protagonist in control. While self-portraiture in Van Gogh is elusive and Bazin’s scientific metaphors are vitalistic, the depth of human psychology remains as mysterious as the creativity of nature on this earth and the origin of life in the cosmos.
Melioidosis and glanders modulation of the innate immune system: barriers to current and future vaccine approaches.

ABSTRACTBurkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are pathogenic bacteria causing fatal infections in animals and humans. Both organisms are classified as Tier 1 Select Agents owing to their highly fatal nature, potential/prior use as bioweapons, severity of disease via respiratory exposure, intrinsic resistance to antibiotics, and lack of a current vaccine. Disease manifestations range from acute septicemia to chronic infection, wherein the facultative intracellular lifestyle of these organisms promotes persistence within a broad range of hosts. This ability to thrive intracellularly is thought to be related to exploitation of host immune response signaling pathways. There are currently considerable gaps in our understanding of the molecular strategies employed by these pathogens to modulate these pathways and evade intracellular killing. A better understanding of the specific molecular basis for dysregulation of host immune responses by these organisms will provide a stronger platform to identif...
Abstract 4253: Genome-wide blood leukocyte DNA methylation in relation to visceral, subcutaneous, and hepatic adiposity in postmenopausal women.

Obesity has a broad spectrum of health consequences and is responsible for 15-20% of cancer deaths. Yet, little is known about systemic epigenetic alterations that may mediate the detrimental metabolic effects of excess adiposity. We investigated differences in genome-wide blood leukocyte methylation associated with amounts of visceral, liver and abdominal subcutaneous fat in healthy women. Participants were drawn from a feasibility study conducted in Honolulu, Hawaii, where 60 women, aged 60-65 years and of Japanese or European descent, underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry assessing total and regional fat (kg) and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging at L4-L5 assessing visceral and subcutaneous fat areas (cm2) and percent liver fat. Forty six women with MRI data were analyzed for the study. Over 480K loci were determined by the Illumina HumanMethylation450K BeadChip. Data were normalized using GenomeStudio and transferred to Partek Genomics Suite for analysis. We performed analysis of covariance adjusted for age and ethnicity to determine loci that were differentially methylated (DM) by levels of visceral fat (VF), liver fat (LF) and abdominal subcutaneous fat (SF) (dichotomization at the median). DM genes were examined for their biological pathway. We found that 70 loci were DM for high vs. low levels of VF at p Citation Format: Min-Ae Song, Unhee Lim, Thomas Ernst, Maarit Tiirikainen, Lynne R. Wilkens, Cheryl L. Albright, Rachel Novotny, Linda Chang, Laurence N. Kolonel, Loic Le Marchand. Genome-wide blood leukocyte DNA methylation in relation to visceral, subcutaneous, and hepatic adiposity in postmenopausal women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4253. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4253
Spectral analysis of over-expanded cold jets via 3-component point Doppler velocimetry

Supersonic jet noise is a major health concern in military aviation which may be alleviated with physicsbased control strategies. In order to understand the physics of sound generation from supersonic free jets, highly resolved experimental investigation of the dominant unsteady flow features is necessary. In this study we present a single point Doppler Velocimeter (pDV) based on the Doppler Global Velocimetry principle used for spectral analysis of an over-expanded supersonic cold jet. Using discrete laser beams and high speed photomultiplier tubes allow resolution of the finest scales in the flow. Acousto-optic beam multiplexing enables three component measurement, producing velocity vectors at 100kHz mean rates over extended time windows. This information is used to generate spectral correlations as well as three dimensional mean velocity and turbulence statistics in the core of the supersonic jet (Md = 1.65). Measurements at different nozzle pressure ratios (NPR = 2.2−4.7) and along the streamwise direction (NPR = 3.2) in a cold jet are presented.
High-pressure neutron scattering of the magnetoelastic Ni-Cr Prussian blue analog

This paper summarizes 0 GPa to 0.6 GPa neutron diffraction measurements of a nickel hexacyanochromate coordination polymer (NiCrPB) that has the face-centered cubic, Prussian blue structure. Deuterated powders of NiCrPB contain ~100 nm sided cubic particles. The application of a large magnetic field shows the ambient pressure, saturated magnetic structure. Pressures of less than 1 GPa have previously been shown to decrease the magnetic susceptibility by as much as half, and we find modifications to the nuclear crystal structure at these pressures that we quantify. Bridging cyanide molecules isomerize their coordination direction under pressure to change the local ligand field and introduce inhomogeneities in the local (magnetic) anisotropy that act as pinning sites for magnetic domains, thereby reducing the low field magnetic susceptibility.
The impact of quality report cards on choice of physicians, hospitals, and HMOs: a midcourse evaluation.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Increasing competition in health care markets and ongoing pressures to contain costs raise concerns about possible deterioration in the quality of medical care. Publicly disseminated quality report cards are designed to inform consumers' choice of providers and health plans, thus counteracting incentives to provide low-quality care and improving the functioning of health care markets. Methods This article reviews and evaluates the published evidence on the impact of quality report cards on patients' choice of health care providers and health plans. Results Studies found only minimal effect of quality report cards on patient referral choices. These findings can be explained by several study design issues and by the economic forces governing health care markets. They cannot be construed to imply that quality report cards are not effective. Discussion Whether report cards are effective or not is still an unanswered question. Further efforts to improve the information contained in report cards and to make them more understandable could increase their effectiveness.
Tears of wine: new insights on an old phenomenon

Anyone who has enjoyed a glass of wine has undoubtedly noticed the regular pattern of liquid beads that fall along the inside of the glass, or ‘tears of wine.’ The phenomenon is the result of a flow against gravity along the liquid film on the glass, which is induced by an interfacial tension gradient. It is generally accepted that the interfacial tension gradient is due to a composition gradient resulting from the evaporation of ethanol. We re-examine the tears of wine phenomenon and investigate the importance of thermal effects, which previously have been ignored. Using a novel experiment and simple model we find that evaporative cooling contributes significantly to the flow responsible for wine tears, and that this phenomenon occurs primarily because of the thermodynamic behavior of ethanol-water mixtures. Also, the regular pattern of tear formation is identified as a well-known hydrodynamic instability.
Drug metabolism in heavy consumers of ethyl alcohol

Data are presented on the rate of removal of tolbutamide from the blood from studies in heavy drinking, unemployed, male alcoholic subjects. In such subjects tolbutamide was removed faster than it was in normal subjects and faster than in patients with cirrhosis who are not drinking. This rapid removal rate persists for 4 to 9 wk after hospitalization and is reproduced with 400 gm of pure ethanol in 2 or 3 wk but cannot be reproduced with lesser amounts of beverage alcohol taken outside of the experimental study. Similar acceleration of the clearance rates was observed for warfarin and for phenytoin but could not be demonstrated for aminopyrine.
Consumer Financial Capability and Economic Wellbeing

Consumer financial capability is an important factor for consumer economic wellbeing. Financial capability is an ability of applying appropriate financial knowledge and performing desirable financial behaviors to achieve financial goals and enhance financial wellbeing. Empirical research finds that financial literacy in many countries is much lower than expected. Consumers have also engaged in less than desirable financial behaviors. The chapter first discusses concepts of consumer financial capability, financial literacy, and financial behavior. And then introduces two specific behavior theories; the theory of planned behavior that is to help understand consumer behavior and the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) that is to help change consumer behavior. The section also discusses how to apply these theories to help improve consumer financial knowledge, behaviors, and capabilities. Future research directions on how to improve consumer financial capability are then discussed in the following section.
Inpatient or Outpatient Status for Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Doctor, “You Gotta Let Me Know, Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

Doctor, “you gotta let me know. Should I stay or should I go?” This (modified) version of The Clash’s song is a fundamental question for physicians and patients after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In the current paradigm, third-party payers dictate that the vast majority of patients irrespective of risk should go. The driving force behind this is almost entirely financial. We think this care paradigm must evolve. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is the largest payer for PCI procedures in the United States. In recent years, CMS has made several modifications to reimbursement for PCI procedures.1,2 An important aspect of reimbursement is whether PCI is performed in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Although these are fairly intuitive terms, they are in fact not related to duration of hospitalization and historically have carried different implications for reimbursement purposes. Overall, there appeared to be a significant financial advantage to institutions for performing inpatient PCI: reimbursement under the more lucrative Diagnostic-Related Group system rather than the Ambulatory Payment Classification system, as also illustrated by Vora et al in this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions .3 What is interesting is that, in this construct, an outpatient PCI could in fact be in the hospital for several days after, whereas an inpatient PCI could be discharged the next day. See Article by Vora et al Recognizing that cardiovascular services, particularly inpatient procedures, contributed heavily to escalating healthcare costs, CMS pursued several measures to rein in costs and reduce overpayments. One of them was …
Early elective delivery and vaginal birth after cesarean in rural US maternity hospitals.

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to describe policies on early elective delivery (EED) and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in rural US maternity hospitals and to measure whether hospital policies differ by staffing, facilities, or birth volume. METHODS Data came from a telephone survey, conducted among all rural maternity hospitals in nine US states from November 2013 to March 2014, to report on EED and VBAC at the hospital level. The associations between EED and VBAC and hospital characteristics were analyzed using χ2 and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS Most rural maternal hospitals (70.1%) had a 'hard stop' EED policy, whereby elective delivery before 39 weeks gestation was prohibited. Less than half of the rural hospitals surveyed allowed VBACs (38.1%). Rural hospitals with a higher birth volume (p=0.001), with a dedicated obstetric operating room (p<0.001), and where obstetricians and certified nurse-midwives attended deliveries (p=0.010 and p=0.030, respectively) were more likely to allow VBAC deliveries. Hospitals where family physicians and general surgeons attended deliveries were less likely to allow VBAC deliveries (p=0.002 and p=0.040, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Most rural US maternity hospitals have a hard stop EED policy, consistent with evidence and guideline recommendations. Access to VBAC varies across rural settings, possibly owing to capacity limitations to provide this option. Further research is needed to determine whether and how best to safely implement national recommendations for EED and VBAC policies across a range of rural settings.
A longitudinal field study investigating the association between teat-end shape and two minute milk yield, milking unit-on time, and time in low flow rate

Abstract Data from electronic milk meters that measure milking characteristics have been used to monitor and improve parlor efficiency. However, the variability within them and associated cow characteristics such as teat-end shape have not been investigated by rigorous methods. Our primary objective was to investigate the association of teat-end shape (TES) and the milking characteristics: two minute milk yield (2MIN), milking unit-on time (DUR), and time in low flow rate (LOW). The secondary objective was to determine which of cow, day, and milking time (i.e., 1st, 2nd, and 3rd milking session of each day) contributes most of the variation in 2MIN, DUR, and LOW. In a longitudinal field study 284601 milking observations from 3312 cows were analyzed from a commercial dairy herd. Cows were milked thrice daily. Teat-end shape was classified into 3 categories: pointed, flat, and round. Udder level milking characteristics were gathered using on-farm milk meters. Three-level null models were generated to determine the variance components present at the different levels. Cow, day, and milking time attributed 84%, 2%, and 14%; 78%, 2%, and 20%; and 21%, 5%, and 74% to the variation in 2MIN, DUR, and LOW, respectively. A multivariable linear regression model showed differences in 2MIN [least squares means ± standard errors (LSM ± SE)] among cows with different TES: 6.4 ± 0.1; 7.3 ± 0.1; and 6.7 ± 0.1 kg in cows with pointed, flat, and round TES, respectively. There was an interaction between TES and milking mode such that DUR was shortest for cows with flat [LSM ± SE (229 ± 3 s)] TES when milked on automatic take-off compared with cows with pointed (248 ± 3 s) and round (243 ± 1 s) TES, but was not different when milking clusters were detached manually. Time in low flow rate was lowest in cows with flat [LSM, 95%CI (10.3, 9.9–10.7 s)] TES when milked on automatic take-off compared with cows with pointed (11.4, 11.1–11.7 s) and round (11.5, 11.4–11.6 s) TES, whereas LOW was highest in cows with flat (30.2, 27.5–33.2 s) TES compared with cows with pointed (19.0, 18.0–20.1 s) and round (19.7, 19.1–20.2 s) TES when milking clusters were detached manually. Different milking machine settings and milking routine such as limiting the employment of manual milking mode for cows with different TES might have the potential to increase parlor efficiency and decrease potentially harmful effects of machine milking on teat tissue condition.
NGSS, disposability, and the ambivalence of science in/under neoliberalism

This paper explores the ambivalence of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and its Framework towards neoliberal governance. The paper examines the ways that the NGSS serves as a mechanism within neoliberal governance: in its production of disposable populations through testing and through the infusion of engineering throughout the NGSS to resolve social problems through technical fixes. However, the NGSS, like earlier standards, is reactionary to forces diminishing the power of institutional science (e.g., the AAAS) including neoliberal prioritizing market value over evidence. The NGSS explicitly takes on neoliberal junk science such as the anti-global-warming Heartland Institute.
Generalized Differential-Common-Mode Decomposition for Modeling Conducted Emissions in Asymmetric Power Electronic Systems

This paper proposes a generalized approach to decompose mixed-mode (MM) conducted emissions in power electronic systems into their differential and common-mode components and modal couplings. Specifically, a pair of transformation matrices are defined that map a system of MM line-to-ground voltage equations to an equivalent decomposed differential-common-mode set. The result provides exact mathematical relationships for the modal couplings induced by asymmetries between the lines described by the voltage equations. As an example, the proposed transformation is applied to generate two different, but equally valid models for studying the effect of unbalanced parasitic capacitances in a multichip power module on the common-mode (CM) behavior of a half-bridge converter. The two models provide different perspectives on the mechanisms driving CM current through the system. It is found that one model is best suited to study leakage current through the module while the other provides greater insight into currents circulating internally and its impact on the larger system.
Kernel PCA for anomaly detection in hyperspectral images using spectral-spatial fusion

Kernel-based methods for anomaly detection have recently shown promising results - surpassing those of model-based statistical methods. This success is due in part to the distribution of the non-anomalous data failing to conform to the distribution model assumed by model-based statistical methods. Alternatively, the skeleton kernel principle component analysis anomaly detector (sKPCA-AD) assumes that a better background model can be learned by constructing a graph from a small, randomly sampled subset of the data (a skeleton). By definition, anomalies are rare and thus the sampling is assumed to be comprised chiefly of non-anomalous samples and correspondingly the learned graph models the background. Error magnitudes in the models' representation of data from the full data set are used as an anomaly measure. Additionally, the smaller skeleton sample makes kernel methods computationally feasible for hyperspectral images. The sKPCA-AD has proven successful using unordered spectral pixel data, however, anomalies are often larger objects composed of many neighboring pixels. In this paper we show that fusing spatial information derived from a panchromatic image with spectral information from a hyper/multispectral image can increase the accuracy of the sKPCA-AD. We accomplish this by creating several joint spectral-spatial kernels that are then used by the sKPCA-AD to learn the underlying background model. We take into account the variability introduced by the random subsampling by showing averaged results and variance over several skeletons. We test our methods on two representative datasets and our results show improved performance with one of the proposed joint kernel methods.