cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Gate Dielectric Last Approach to Integrate Organic Based Devices on Plastic Substrates

In this work we demonstrate a photo-lithographic based process to integrate organic-based devices including rectifiers, ring oscillators, current mirrors, inverters, diodes and capacitors on flexible substrates for RFID and flexible display applications. Our integration method includes a seven mask photolithography process that incorporates several discrete devices built with pentacene as the semiconductor and parylene as the gate dielectric and inter-level dielectric (ILD). The maximum temperature for all processes is 120degC.
Toward a visual interface for brain connectivity analysis

In this paper, we report on the needs for, the design of, and feedback about a web-based platform that supports flexible exploration of existing brain connectivity knowledge. We analyze the needs in brain connectivity research for an integrated visual knowledge base and discuss the design of the platform and the design rationales. Preliminary user feedback suggests diverse analytical patterns and additional needs in brain connectivity analysis, which distinguish it from generic network analysis. Finally, we describe open issues motivated by preliminary feedback and observation in designing more advanced features to support additional needs and characterizing user analysis patterns.
77 ADDITION OF CHOLESTEROL IN FRESH GOAT SPERM IMPROVES CRYOSURVIVAL RATES

Cryopreservation causes irreversible damage to goat sperm membranes, measured by a loss of motile and functional normal cells, compared with fresh sperm. The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) to goat semen improved sperm cryosurvival. The CLC was prepared as described by Purdy and Graham (2004 Cryobiology 48, 36–45) with some modifications: 200 mg of cholesterol were dissolved in 1 mL of chloroform and 1 g of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin was dissolved in 2 mL of methanol. A 0.45-mL aliquot of the cholesterol solution was added to the cyclodextrin solution, after which the mixture was poured into a glass Petri dish and the solvents allowed to evaporate on a warm plate for 24 h. The resulting crystals were removed from the dish and stored at 22°C. A working solution of the CLC was prepared by adding 50 mg of CLC to 1 mL TALP at 37°C. Thirty ejaculates from 5 bucks were collected, diluted 1 : 1 in Tris diluent, divided into 7 equal aliquots, and centrifuged at 800g for 10 min. The sperm pellets were resuspended in Tris diluent, to which 0, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, or 7.5 mg of CLC/120 million sperm were added. All treatments were incubated for 15 min at room temperature and then cooled to 4°C over 2 h. The samples were then diluted with Tris-egg-yolk diluent containing 2% glycerol, and the sperm were packaged into 0.5-mL straws, frozen in static liquid-nitrogen vapour for 20 min, and plunged into liquid nitrogen. Straws were thawed in 37°C water for 30 s, extended in Tris, and analyzed using optic microscopy. To test thermal resistance, after thawing, 0.5 mL of semen from each treatment were placed in 1.5-mL Eppendorf tubes in a water bath at 37°C for 3 h. At 0, 60, 120, and 180 min, subsamples were evaluated for sperm progressive motility. A hyposmotic test was also conducted by adding 10 µL of sperm to 2 mL of each solution and incubating them for 1 h/37°C. Sequentially, 20 µL of sperm was diluted in hypoosmotic solution (150 mOsm), and the samples were evaluated using phase-contrast microscopy. A total of 100 spermatozoa were counted in at least 5 different fields, and sperm tails were classified as either noncoiled or coiled. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, and treatment means were separated, using the SNK test at 5% probability. The sperm motility (50.4, 33.8, and 22.5%) was significantly higher for sperm treated with 0.75 mg of cholesterol after 0, 60, and 120 min of incubation after thawing, when compared with other treatments. No treatment differences in the hypoosmotic swelling test were observed. The addition of 0.75 mg of cholesterol to fresh goat semen improved sperm motility after cryopreservation for up to 3 h. Supported by FACEPE and CAPES.
Remission of Overt Diabetes Mellitus After Removal of an Oral Epidermoid Carcinoma

This report describes a patient with an invasive epidermoid carcinoma of the tongue who presented with insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus. Fasting blood glucose was 379 mg/dl and 295 mg/dl on two successive days. The patient required 35 to 40 units of insulin per day for control. After removal of the carcinoma the insulin requirements decreased, and ultimately the insulin was stopped. One year after removal of the carcinoma, glucose and insulin levels were completely normal during an oral glucose tolerance test, demonstrating complete remission of overt diabetes mellitus.
In ovo methods for utilizing the modified live Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccine against enteric septicemia in channel catfish

Abstract Eyed channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) eggs were vaccinated by immersion exposure (10 min) with either the modified live Edwardsiella ictaluri isolate RE-33 grown in brain heart infusion broth (trial 1) or the lyophilized AQUAVAC-ESC™ vaccine (trial 2). AQUAVAC-ESC™ is the modified live E. ictaluri isolate (RE-33) that was licensed, produced and marketed as a vaccine against enteric septicemia of catfish by Intervet. Trial 1 consisted of vaccinated (RE-33 E. ictaluri at 1×10 5 CFU/ml) and non-vaccinated (controls) treatments with the eyed eggs hatching into fry 4 days following treatment. No mortality was recorded in these fish for 33 days post vaccination. In trial 2, three treatments were used: single vaccinated, vaccinated and fry booster vaccinated 7 days following initial immunization; and non-vaccinated (controls). The vaccination in trial 2 was carried out according to the manufacturer's recommendation for use on channel catfish fry (i.e. AQUAVAC-ESC™ label). In trial 2, the eyed eggs hatched 24 h post vaccination and no control fish or single-vaccinated fish died following vaccination. Three fry died in the booster vaccinated treatment. No rifampicin-resistant E. ictaluri was isolated from these dead fish. Thirty-three (trial 1) and sixty days (trial 2) following vaccination, fish were challenged with E. ictaluri (isolate AL-93-75) at 1×10 7 CFU/ml. In trial 1, the relative percentage survival (RPS) of vaccinates was 87.9; however, data did not fit Amend's criteria of 60% mortality in the non-vaccinated treatment and no significant difference was seen between mortality of the vaccinates or control treatments in trial 1 [Dev. Biol. Stand. 49 (1981) 447]. In trial 2, mean percentage mortality in the non-vaccinated treatment (controls) (64.2±5.8) was significantly higher ( p =0.003) than mean percentage mortality in the single vaccinated treatment and booster vaccinated treatment (25.8±5.1 and 46.7±0.8, respectively). Relative percentage survival was 59.7 in the single vaccinated treatment and 27.3 in the booster vaccinates. Safety and efficacy of the modified live E. ictaluri vaccine (AQUAVAC-ESC™) was demonstrated in eyed channel catfish eggs following single vaccination. Booster vaccination did not enhance vaccine efficacy; however, timing of the booster may have been too soon following initial vaccination of eyed eggs.
Federal Frustration, State Satisfaction? Voters and Decentralized Governmental Power

An analysis using the 1996 American National Elections Study and measures of state government responsiveness and performance finds that feelings about one's state government are largely ideological in orientation and have little to do with any perceived failures on the part of the federal government or the actual performance or perceived responsiveness of the respondent's state government. National economic performance was the only non-ideological factor that consistently related to feelings about the federal government and state governments. Feelings about thefederal and state governments, and for the principle of big government in general, were powerfully linked to candidate vote choice in the 1996 presidential election, even after partisan and ideological factors were taken into account.
Separation of three exotoxic factors of Bacillus anthracis by sequential immunosorbent chromatography

Abstract —Protective antigen and lethal factor components were isolated directly from crude culture supernatant of Bacillus anthracis by sequential immunosorbent chromatography using immobilized monoclonal antibodies (MAB) against the respective toxins. The immunological activity of protective antigen, lethal factor and edema factor were purified by 1.2-, 6.3- and 2.3-fold, respectively, with recoveries of 63, 70 and 46%, respectively. All three components retained biological activity when combined to form lethal toxin or edema toxin, PA+LF and PA+EF, respectively, after the purification process, and were not contaminated with any of the other components. The order of immunosorbent columns during the purification process was found to be important. The best results were obtained when the protective antigen was removed initially from the crude culture supernatant.
Behavior of carbonate-associated sulfate during meteoric diagenesis and implications for the sulfur isotope paleoproxy

Abstract Although carbonate-associated sulfate (CAS) is used widely as a proxy for the sulfur isotope composition of ancient seawater, little is known about the effects of diagenesis on retention of primary δ34S signals. Our case study of the Key Largo Limestone, Pleistocene, Florida, is the first systematic assessment of the impact of meteoric diagenesis on CAS properties. Geochemical and petrographic data show that meteoric diagenesis has affected the exposed coralline facies to varying degrees, yielding differences now expressed as sharp reaction fronts between primary and secondary carbonate minerals within individual coral heads. Specifically, analyses across high-resolution transects in the Key Largo Limestone show that concentrations of strontium and sodium decrease across the recrystallization front from original aragonite to meteoric low-magnesium calcite by factors of roughly 5 and 10, respectively. Predictably, δ18O values decrease across these same fronts. The δ13C relationships are more complex, with the most depleted values observed in the latest-formed calcite. Such trends likely reflect carbon isotope buffering capacity that decreased as reaction progressed, as well as protracted development of soil profiles and the associated terrestrial biomass and thus depleted δ13C during sea-level lowstand. Conversely, δ34S values of CAS vary within a narrow ‘buffered’ range from 20.6 to 22.6‰ (compared to 20.8–22.0‰ of coeval Pleistocene seawater) across the same mineralogical transition, despite sulfate concentrations that drop in the diagenetic calcite by an average factor of 12. Collectively, these data point to robust preservation of primary δ34S for carbonates that have experienced intense meteoric diagenesis, which is encouraging news for those using the isotopic composition of CAS as a paleoceanographic proxy. At the same time, the vulnerability of CAS concentrations to diagenetic resetting is clear.
Imbalanced evolving self-organizing learning

In this paper, a hybrid learning model of imbalanced evolving self-organizing maps (IESOMs) is proposed to address the imbalanced learning problems. In our approach, we propose to modify the classic SOM learning rule to search the winner neuron based on energy function by minimally reducing local error in the competitive learning phase. The advantage of IESOM is that it can improve the classification performance through obtaining useful knowledge from the limited and underrepresented minority class data. The positive and negative SOMs are employed to train the minority and majority class, respectively. Based on the original minority class, the positive SOM evolves into a new stage that might discover novel knowledge. The purpose of convergent evolution is to recurrently search the fitness value via minimal mean quantization error in the feature space, which can motivate the offspring individuals to move toward the center of positive SOM so as to form more explicit boundary. The iterative learning procedure is used to adaptively update the incremental feature maps and create more minority instances to facilitate learning from imbalanced data. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is compared with several existing methods under various assessment metrics.
α-Tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone levels in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer

Abstract Objective α-Tocopherol is a potent antioxidant that protects cell membranes against oxidative damage. Red blood cell α-tocopherol levels reflect membrane α-tocopherol concentrations, and altered levels may suggest membrane damage. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of α-tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone, the oxidized product of α-tocopherol, in plasma and red blood cells that were obtained from control subjects and patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. Study design In this cross-sectional study, 72 women, (32 African American and 40 Hispanic) were recruited. Among these subjects, 37 women had cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; 14 women had cervical cancer, and 21 women were considered control subjects, who had normal Papanicolaou test results. α-Tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone levels were determined in red blood cell and plasma by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Results Plasma levels of α-tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone were decreased significantly ( P =.012 and=.005, respectively, by Kruskal-Wallis test) in study groups compared with the control group; red blood cell levels of α-tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone were not altered significantly. Conclusion The lower α-tocopherol level that was observed in this study is consistent with our previous reports of decreased antioxidant concentrations and increased oxidative stress in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Unaltered red blood cell α-tocopherol and α-tocopheryl quinone levels suggest undamaged cell membrane. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential role of oxidative stress in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
QSPR Flash Point Prediction of Solvents Using Topological Indices for Application in Computer Aided Molecular Design

Incorporating consideration for safety issues while selecting solvents for processes has become crucial in light of the chemical process accidents involving solvents that have taken place in recent years. Computer aided molecular design (CAMD) is a methodology that has been researched recently for designing compounds with required target properties and can be applied for selection of safer solvents as well. An important aspect of this methodology concerns the prediction of properties given the structure of the molecule. This paper utilizes one such emerging method for prediction of a hazardous property, flash point, which is indicative of the flammability of solvents. Quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) and topological indices have been used in this paper to predict flash point properties of different classes of solvents. Multiple linear regression and back-propagation neural network analysis were used to model the flash point. The neural network model showed higher accuracy (training set,...
Multiple-length division revisited: a tour of the minefield

SUMMARY Long division of natural numbers plays a crucial role in Cobol arithmetic, cryptog­ raphy, and primality testing. Only a handful of textbooks discuss the theory and practice of long division, and none of them do it satisfactorily. This tutorial attempts to fill this surprising gap in the literature on computer algorithms. We illustrate the subtleties of long division by examples, define the problem concisely, summarize the theory, and develop a complete Pascal algorithm using a consistent terminology.
Amplification of ultrashort laser pulses by a resonant Raman scheme in a gas-jet plasma

Raman amplification of subpicosecond laser pulses up to 95 times is demonstrated at corresponding frequencies in a gas-jet plasma. The larger amplification is accompanied by a broader bandwidth and shorter pulse duration. Theoretical simulations show a qualitative agreement with the measurements, and the effects of the plasma conditions and laser intensities are discussed.
Spectral Imaging Analysis of Interfacial Reactions and Microstructures in Brazing of Alumina by a Hf‐Ag‐Cu Alloy

A 59Ag.40Cu.1Hf (at.%) alloy that was heated on 99.6% alumina for 30 min at 1000°C in gettered Ar melted, spread, and adhered when cooled to room temperature. Conventional scanning electron microscopic analysis with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDXS) did not detect any reaction products at the interface. Automated X-ray spectral image analysis of the interface region revealed small pockets of a phase containing Hf and O with a stoichiometry equivalent to HfO 2 . Samples for transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis were cut to include specific HfO 2 particles using focused ion beam (FIB) milling. TEM images showed that the particles were 10 to 100 nm in diameter and embedded in the alumina grains at the interface with the alloy. Based on the measured stoichiometry, electron diffraction analysis in the transmission electron microscope, and a standard Gibbs energy of reaction of ΔG° = -203.3 kJ at 1300 K for the reaction 3Hf + 2Al 2 O 3 → 3HfO 2 + 4Al, the particles are judged to be HfO 2 that formed from simple redox reaction between Hf and Al 2 O 3 .
Pitfalls of distal pancreatectomy for relief of pain in chronic pancreatitis

Purpose To examine whether preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and pancreatograms can: (1) identify patients with chronic pancreatitis localized to the tail of the pancreas; and (2) select those patients who can obtain pain relief from a distal pancreatectomy. Patients and methods Twenty patients were identified on whom the authors had performed distal pancreatectomy for relief of pain between January 1, 1991 and August 1, 1994. The results of surgery were classified as good, fair, or poor based on return to work and need for narcotics or rehospitalization. Results Eleven patients had good, 3 fair, and 6 poor results. All 7 patients with pseudocysts of the tail of the pancreas had good results, while 9 of 13 patients without pseudocysts had poor results. No other finding on CT scan, pancreatography, or laparotomy predicted successful pain relief by distal pancreatectomy. Furthermore, 3 patients had unexpected carcinoma found at the time of surgery. Conclusions Even when anatomic evidence suggests that chronic pancreatitis primarily Involves the tail of the pancreas and there, is a stricture of the midpancreatic duct that is believed to cause the symptoms, distal pancreatectomy seldom provides sustained pain relief. Unsuspected carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas occurs frequently in this subset of patients with chronic pancreatitis.
Practical method for routine analysis of the valley parameters between E- and F-region of the ionosphere

Abstract Measurement of the virtual height and the frequency of the minimum of the F-region extraordinary trace in digital and analog ionograms can provide a world-wide survey of the main parameters for the valley between E- and F-region ionization. The two added quantities establish also the starting point for the true height analysis of the F-region ionization.
Spectroscopic examination of chain conformation and bonding in poly(phenylene oxide)–polystyrene blends

Ultraviolet and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy are used to characterize the chain conformation of 2,6-dimethyl poly(phenylene oxide) (2MPPO) in compatible 2MPPO-polystyrene (PS) blends. Blending with PS increases the intramolecular energy of the 2MPPO. Atactic PS induces a greater distortion from the minimum energy conformation of 2MPPO than isotactic PS. The dispersion interaction between the phenyl ring of PS and the phenylene ring of 2MPPO is found to be quite strong. These large intermolecular forces are thought to supercede the increase in 2MPPO conformational energy and to be responsible for the blend compatibility.
Anxiolytic-like effects of DAIZAC, a selective high-affinity 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in the mouse elevated plus-maze

Behavioral effects of desamino-3-iodozacopride (DAIZAC) [(S)-5-chloro-3-iodo-2-methoxy-N-(1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl)benzamide], a selective high-affinity 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist (K(D) 0.14 nM), were evaluated in the mouse elevated plus-maze using the anxiolytic benzodiazepine, diazepam, as a positive control. DAIZAC treatment produced a significant dose-related increase in the time spent in the open arm. The increased total time in the open arm resulted from a significant dose-dependent increase in the number of entries into that arm. The minimum dose of DAIZAC associated with a statistically significant increase in entries and time spent in the open arm was 0.05 mg/kg ip, consistent with its high affinity for the 5-HT(3) receptor. DAIZAC did not affect the amount of time spent in the open arm after each entry. Thus, DAIZAC reduced apparent avoidance of the open arm when the animal was in the central compartment, without affecting active avoidance of that arm when the animal was in the exposed condition. The increase in the open-arm entries was accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the number of entries into the closed arm with a consequent reduction in the time spent in the closed arm. The time spent in the closed arm after each entry was not altered by DAIZAC administration. As such, the sole apparent effect of DAIZAC was to alter the choice of arm to enter when the animal was in the central compartment. Diazepam also significantly increased total time in the open arm; however, the increase was not attributable to a single behavioral factor. The anxiolytic-like effects of DAIZAC reached maximum by 20-30 min and returned to baseline levels by 90 min. Ex vivo binding studies found that levels of DAIZAC-like activity assayed in brains of mice 25 min after DAIZAC injection were significantly correlated with the behavioral parameters associated with anxiolysis. These results indicate that DAIZAC produces dose-dependent anxiolytic-like behavioral changes in the mouse elevated plus-maze that are correlated with brain DAIZAC-like activity.
Roles of design knowledge in knowledge-based systems

Abstract Recent research suggests that the abilities of a knowledge-based system (KBS) depend in part on the amount of explicit knowledge it has about the way it is designed. This knowledge is often called design knowledge because it reflects design decisions that a KBS developer makes regarding what ontologies to embody in the system, what solution strategies to apply, what system architecture to use, etc. This paper examines one type of design knowledge pertaining to the structure underlying the solutions a KBS produces. (For example, in medical diagnosis, the output might be just a disease name, but the solution is actually a causal argument that the system implicitly constructs to find out how the disease came about.) We define this type of design knowledge, show how it can be represented, and explain how it can be used in problem solving to make the structure underlying solutions explicit. Subsequently, we also present and illustrate new avenues that the availability and use of the design knowledge discussed open with respect to the ability to build KBSs that possess strong explanation capabilities, are easier to maintain, support knowledge reuse, and offer more robustness in problem solving.
Toward a Better Understanding of the Use of Psychodynamically-Informed Treatment with Latinos: Findings from Clinician Experience

Latinos in the United States constitute a significant and sizable population that mental health professionals must serve appropriately. Therefore, the question of what types of mental health treatment approaches are useful in working with this population is of increasing concern. A strong sentiment against the use of psychodynamic treatment with Latinos persists in the literature in the absence of rigorous data that would support such a stance. Thus, it is important to examine systematically the use of psychodynamically-informed treatment with Latinos in order to address the question of its potential relevance and utility with this population. This article presents the results of a qualitative study of Latino therapists who employ psychodynamic approaches with Latino clients. Findings suggest that the clinicians interviewed have expanded the psychodynamic framework to include a flexible focus on the relationship, consideration of each client as an individual, and an acknowledgment and understanding of external reality and its impact on the client. Modifications these clinicians have made in technique, such as increased self-disclosure, support and maximize this expansion of the frame. Simultaneously, such modifications enhance the cultural sensitivity of these clinicians' work and are congruent with contemporary psychodynamically-informed relational theories.
Prehepatic Insulin Production in Man: Kinetic Analysis Using Peripheral Connecting Peptide Behavior*

The prehepatic production of insulin in normal man was evaluated by kinetic analysis of connecting peptide (C-peptide) behavior in the plasma in men and women. Studies were performed during suppression of endogenous insulin secretion (induced by both fasting and exogenous insulin injection) as well as during stimulation of secretion (induced by oral glucose ingestion) and iv glucose injection. Least squares spline fitting of the C-peptide data by interactive computer analysis permitted evaluation of the precursor production of insulin using a two-compartment model for C-peptide removal. Basal prehepatic insulin production averaged 15-4 mU/70 kg.min in 20 subjects and was reduced to 0.9 +/- 2.2 mU/70 kg.min after 84 h of fasting. The injection of exogenous iv insulin resulted in suppression of endogenous production to 0 +/- 2.5 mU/70 kg.min. Maximum prehepatic insulin production induced by a 100-g oral glucose tolerance test was 91 +/- 1.2 mU/70 kg.min, with a cumulative hormone secretion of 11.4 +/- 2.0 U over the 5 h of observation. After the acute iv injection of 25 g glucose, production rose to 465 +/- 108 mU/70 kg.min at 2 min post injection and rapidly returned toward basal. Levels of insulin in the portal vein calculated from this analysis were markedly elevated relative to simultaneous peripheral venous levels. These results quantitate prehepatic insulin production and portal venous insulin concentration from an analysis of the behavior of C-peptide within the plasma in both the steady state and the nonsteady state in man.
Protein engineering with bacterial display

Recent improvements in bacterial surface display systems coupled with efficient selection and screening strategies are propelling bacterial display systems to the forefront of peptide and protein engineering. The ability to analyze and screen very large protein libraries using cell-sorting instrumentation coupled with the ease of manipulating bacteria provides new capabilities for the protein engineering toolbox.
Enhanced tissue responsiveness in colonic ion transport of cow's milk-sensitized guinea pigs.

The effects of leukotriene D4 (LTD4) on ion transport were investigated in submucosa/mucosa colonic segments from guinea pigs sensitized to cow's milk and in age-matched, non-immune animals. Mediators released from mast cells in immune animals challenged with β-lactoglobulin evoked an increase in short-circuit current that was reduced by SK&F 102922, a peptidoleukotriene antagonist. Serosal addition of LTD4 (0.15–1 μM) evoked a concentration-dependent, bumetanide-sensitive increase in short-circuit current which was greater in immune than non-immune controls. In the absence of ongoing neural activity, 1 μM LTD4 evoked an 8–20 μA/cm2 increase in short-circuit current which was increased 8–13-fold when ongoing neural activity was present. In tissues with ongoing activity, the response to 0.15 μM LTD4 was reduced by SK&F 102922, tetrodotoxin and atropine. LTD4 enhanced the responsiveness of the tissue to carbachol by a factor of two, but did not affect responses of T84 colonic epithelial cell monolayers to this agent. These results show enhanced secretory function for LTD4 in animals with allergy to cow's milk. They suggest that the level of ongoing neural activity in the enteric neural microc ircuits is one of the major determinants of colonic secretory capacity.
Short Interpregnancy Interval and Gastroschisis Risk in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study

BACKGROUND The micronutrient depletion hypothesis proposes that consecutive pregnancies spaced too closely may leave insufficient time for maternal micronutrient replenishment. Short interpregnancy intervals (IPI) have been associated with an increased risk for several adverse pregnancy outcomes, but an association with gastroschisis risk has not been previously explored. METHODS Within a population-based, case-control study, we evaluated the association between IPI length and gastroschisis risk using multivariable logistic regression models to estimate gastroschisis odds ratios for IPI <12 months and 12 to 17 months relative to those 18 to 23 months. We further evaluated the association between IPI and gastroschisis risk stratified by maternal age, periconceptional multivitamin use, preceding pregnancy outcome, study center region, and season of conception to explore whether observed associations were compatible with the hypothesis of maternal micronutrient depletion. RESULTS For women with IPI <12 months, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–2.5). The magnitude of the observed effect did not differ among strata of maternal age or periconceptional multivitamin use. However, the association was more pronounced after a miscarriage or termination (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.1–5.6) and among women who resided in northern study areas (aOR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.3–5.9). The higher risk observed with short IPI among women in northern study areas was attenuated for spring/summer conceptions. CONCLUSION Short IPI was associated with an increased risk for gastroschisis, particularly among women whose preceding pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage or termination and among those who resided in northern study areas with winter/fall conception. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 94:714–720, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimizing Prenatal Weight Gain Through Group Prenatal Care

Childbearing Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy have an increased risk of macrosomia, gestational diabetes, hypertension, prolonged labor, instrumental birth, shoulder dystocia, cesarean birth, lactation complications, and giving birth to infants prone to developing childhood obesity. Weight gain within the Institute of Medicine’s Prenatal Weight Gain guidelines lowers risk of complications and postpartum weight retention. Typical prenatal care provides limited opportunity and time to offer the counseling and support many require to encourage the behavioral changes needed to optimize prenatal weight gain.
Modality-specific interference with verbal and nonverbal stimulus information

Subjects recalled both letters and the locations of letters in 2 by 3 and 1 by 6 matrices after either no interfering activity or visual, auditory, or kinesthetic interfering activity. Results for each type of matrix indicated the presence of selective auditory (verbal) interference with the recall of letter identity and selective visual and kinesthetic interference with the recall of letter location. Supplementary correlational analyses indicated that the presence of such a dual encoding strategy was most consistent across subjects for the 2 by 3 matrix. Although the results indicated that use of different modes of representation was related to the verbal-nonverbal nature of the information, it was shown that the structure of the stimulus array also affected the nature of the representation.
Blowin’ in the wind: reciprocal airborne carbon fluxes between lakes and land This paper is based on the J.C. Stevenson Memorial Lecture presented at the Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research (CCFFR) in Ottawa, Ontario, 9–11 January 2009.

Ecologists are increasingly interested in how disjunct habitats are connected through the cross-habitat movement of matter, prey, nutrients, and detritus and the implications for recipient systems....
The annual cycle of Wyoming ground squirrels in Colorado

Annual activity patterns and changes in mass of Wyoming ground squirrels ( Sper-mophilus elegans elegans ) were studied in Colorado from 1978 to spring 1981. Dates of emergence differed among years and among sex and age cohorts, and were dependent both on endogenous rhythms and on exogenous factors such as temperatures and snow cover. Adult males emerged during March, 16–18 days before females. Females were bred within 1–4 days after emergence. Both yearling males and females bred during 1979 and 1981, but yearling females did not wean litters during 1980 when ground squirrels emerged late and at low body mass because of low temperatures and deep snow cover. Parturition occurred in late April or early May, and juveniles appeared aboveground in late May or early June. In contrast to most other ground squirrel species, adult females immerged 1–1.5 weeks before adult males (late July and early August, respectively). Juvenile females immerged before juvenile males. An endogenous rhythm of consumption interacted with high body-fat levels to induce immergence in adults, and with low temperatures and low food availability to induce immergence in juveniles. Mean masses for males were significantly greater than for females upon emergence and through the breeding season. Breeding males lost mass after emergence, gained mass at a rapid rate from May through mid-July, then gained little extra mass until immergence. Breeding females gained mass after emergence, lost mass for 1 month after parturition, then gained mass again before immergence. Loss of mass during hibernation averaged 42% for adult and yearling males, 41% for adult and yearling females, 38% for juvenile males, and 37% for juvenile females. Because adults are aboveground for a short period, the amount of temporal contact between adults and juveniles is small and this species is classified as one of the least social ground squirrels.
Bleaching of reef coelenterates in the San Blas Islands, Panama

Starting in June 1983, 25 species of hermatypic corals, gorgonians, hydrocorals, anemones and zoanthids in the San Blas Islands, Panama, began showing signs of a loss of colour leading in some cases to a white “bleached” appearance. Histologic examination of six coral species indicated that bleaching was associated with drastic reductions in the density of zooxanthellae and with the atrophy and necrosis of the animal tissue. The severity of the bleaching varied among species and many species were unaffected. The species most extensively affected were: Agaricia spp., which became completely bleached and frequently died; Montastraea annularis which bleached and continued to survive; and Millepora spp. which bleached white but quickly regained their colouration. Shallow reefs dominated by Agaricia spp. suffered the most extensive bleaching. At one site, Pico Feo, 99% of the Agaricia (32% of the living cover) was bleached. On fore reers, which were dominated by Agaricia spp. and M. annularis, the proportion of M. annularis bleached ranged from 18 to 100% and that of Agaricia spp. from 30 to 53%. Transects at Sail Rock and House Reef were surveyed in August 1983 and January 1984. At those sites, 53% of the Agaricia cover died between August and January. The remaining living cover of Agaricia and of all other species exhibited normal colouration in January. Salinity and temperature were monitored every second day at 4 m depth between May 10 and August 28, 1983 at one of the localities. Bleaching was first observed within two weeks of a 2 °C rise in temperature which occurred in late May 1983. Temperatures remained at or above 31.5 °C for the following 3 weeks and were at or above 30 °C for an additional 4 weeks. The bleaching of corals in the San Blas was most likely due to those elevanted temperatures.
A robust receiver for multi-user uplink DS-CDMA

This paper presents a robust receiver for uplink direct sequence code-division multiple access (DS-CDMA) systems. The receiver uses low order auto-regressive models to approximate the multi-path fading channel taps, and a post correlation-based uncertain model for estimation purposes.
Malignant astrocytomas of the spinal cord

The authors review their experience with the operative management of 19 consecutive cases of malignant astrocytoma of the spinal cord. There was a male to female ratio of 1.1:1, and the median age of the population was 14 years (range 1 to 32 years). The median duration of symptoms prior to definitive diagnosis was 7 weeks. Radical excision was carried out in all cases, with 18 patients (95%) receiving radiotherapy and 10 patients (53%) receiving chemotherapy as well. To date, 15 (79%) of the 19 patients in this series have died, with a median survival period of 6 months following surgery. No patient improved after operation. Hydrocephalus was present in 11 patients (58%), seven of whom underwent ventricular shunting procedures. Dissemination of disease was found in 11 patients (58%). Extraneural metastases did not occur in the absence of a ventricular shunt. The authors conclude that malignant astrocytomas of the spinal cord are heralded by a short history followed by rapid neurological deterioration and usually death. The rationale for operation is discussed, and an aggressive approach utilizing adjuvant therapy directed at the entire neuraxis is suggested.
Functional Outcomes of Anemia in Older Adults

Observational studies have consistently documented independent, strong associations of anemia—even if not severe—with major adverse functional outcomes in older adults. In this chapter, recent epidemiologic evidence linking mild anemia with decline in physical and cognitive function, frailty, and disability in community-dwelling older adults is reviewed. Altogether, these biologically plausible associations provide empirical, though not conclusive, support for the notion of mild anemia as a cause of adverse functional outcomes in older adults. Randomized clinical trial data assessing the impact of anemia correction on functional outcomes are lacking at this time.
Fast and accurate behavioral simulation of fractional-N frequency synthesizers and other PLL/DLL circuits

Techniques for fast and accurate simulation of fractional-N synthesizers at a detailed behavioral level are presented. The techniques allow a uniform time step to be used for the simulator, and can be applied to a variety of phase locked loop (PLL) and delay locked loop (DLL) circuits beyond fractional-N synthesizers, as well as to a variety of simulation frameworks such as Verilog and Matlab. Simulated results from a custom C++ simulator are shown to compare well to measured results from a prototype fractional-N synthesizer using a /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulator to dither its divide value.
A multi‐scale analysis of fragmentation effects on remnant plant species richness in Phoenix, Arizona

Aim Understanding complex ecological phenomena, such as the determinants of species richness, is best achieved by investigating their properties at different spatial scales. Factors significantly affecting the number of species occurring at one scale may not impact on richness at other scales. While this scale dependence has become increasingly recognized, there still remains a need to elucidate exactly how richness is structured across scales, and which mechanisms are influential for determining this important community property. This study explores how woody plant species richness varies in a fragmented system at multiple scales, and which factors are primarily responsible for these patterns. Location The study area is located in the Sonoran Desert within the bounds of metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, which is the locus of the Central Arizona–Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP-LTER) site. Methods Estimates of local and fragment plant species richness were generated from field data collected from 22 sites. Independent variables describing fragment sites were also calculated, including area, habitat heterogeneity, density of individuals, mean elevation, and extent of isolation. Structural equation modelling, multiple regression, and analysis of covariance were used to assess the contribution of independent variables to richness at the fragment and local scales. Results Fragment species richness was significantly influenced by area, though not isolation, habitat heterogeneity, mean elevation, or density of individuals. Local richness was not significantly related to fragment area, but was positively related to fragment richness, plant density, and elevation. Main conclusions The fragment species–area effect resulted from larger remnants supporting higher numbers of individuals at comparable densities, increasing richness through either passive sampling of progressively less common species and/or lower extinction rates among larger populations. Without using multi-temporal data it is not possible to disentangle these mechanisms. We found that patterns evident at one scale are not necessarily apparent at other scales, as elevation and density of individuals significantly affected richness at the local scale but not at the fragment scale. These results lend support to the concept that mechanisms influencing the species richness of natural communities may be operable only within certain domains and that relevant scales should be specified.
Mixing Enhancement via Flow Optimization

We consider the problem of mixing enhancement in a diffusive fluid mixture that consists of diffusive physical quantities and a fluid flow in which the physical quantities are immersed. We use the flow as a control variable and then use the physical quantity variance and the magnitude of the control to define a cost functional. By variational principles, we then derive optimality conditions for an optimal flow that minimizes the cost functional and then enhances the mixing. These optimality conditions are represented by a system of nonlinear partial differential equations. Using an iteration method and the finite element method, the system is solved and the numerical result shows that the numerical optimal flow obtained from solving the system gives the minimum of the cost functional and then enhances the mixing.
Partial Order Reductions for Security Protocol Verification

In this paper we explore partial order reduction that make the task of verifying cryptographic protocols more efficient. These reduction techniques have been implemented in our tool BRUTUS. A lthough we have implemented several reduction techniques in our tool BRUTUS, due to space restrictions in this paper we only focus on partial order reductions. Partial order reductions have proved very useful in the domain of model checking reactive systems. These reductions are not directly applicable in our context because of additional complications caused by tracking knowledge of various agents. We present partial order reductions in the context of verifying security protocols and prove their correctness. Experimental results showing the benefits of this reduction technique are also presented.
Re-engineering redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein for improved response rate.

Redox-sensitive variants of the green fluorescent protein (roGFPs) had previously been developed that allow “real-time” monitoring of the redox status of cellular compartments by fluorescence excitation ratiometry. However, the response time of these probes limits the study of certain rapid oxidative events, such as H2O2 bursts in cell signaling. The substitution of up to three positively charged amino acids adjacent to the introduced disulfide in roGFP1 (variants designated roGFP1-R1 through -R14) substantially improved the response rate. The pseudo first-order rate constants for oxidation by H2O2 and reduction by DTT and redox midpoint potentials were determined. The rate constants approximately doubled with each additional positively charged substitution, to nearly an order of magnitude total. The midpoint potentials are highly correlated with the rate increases, becoming more oxidizing with increasing numbers of positive substitutions. Crystal structures of two variants with opposite disulfide oxidation states have been determined: a 2.2 A resolution structure of oxidized “R7” containing two basic substitutions, and a 1.95 A resolution structure of reduced “R8” with one basic and one acidic substitution. Nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) calculations are shown to accurately predict the effects of the substitutions on the rate constants. The effects of the substitutions on dimer formation, relative oxidative midpoint potentials, and oxidation and reduction rates are discussed. roGFPs are demonstrated to constitute an excellent model system for quantitative analysis of factors influencing thiol transfer reactions. roGFP1-R12 is most suitable for use in live cells, due to significantly increased reaction rate and increased pI.
Export intensity and financial leverage of Indian firms

This paper looks at the financial structure for Indian firms and investigates plausible relationships between export status and leverage over the last decade. If product demand from abroad has a low correlation with domestic demand, we would expect export-intensive firms to have greater cashflow stability due to diversification; this implies that they would also be able to support higher financial leverage. On the other hand, exporting firms have been shown to incorporate intangible assets, which allow them to increase their profitability; this would suggest a lower debt ratio. The diversification and cashflow stability hypotheses are accepted.
Self-focusing in mode-locked neodymium:glass laser oscillators

Self-focusing and self-phase modulation limit the power and distort the output of mode-locked neodymium-glass lasers. Self-focusing alone, only one aspect of the complicated development of pulsed mode-locked oscillation, is considered. Theoretical calculations show that the fundamental transverse mode is not stable in high peak-power laser oscillators. Self-focusing distortion of the transverse intensity distribution limits peak-power density to a few times 108W/cm2. At high power the transverse field distribution changes drastically from one cavity transit to the next, and similar changes occur within individual mode-locked pulses.
Neutrophil Extracellular Trap–Associated Protein Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome Is Enhanced in Lupus Macrophages

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) represent an important defense mechanism against microorganisms. Clearance of NETs is impaired in a subset of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and NETosis is increased in neutrophils and, particularly, in low-density granulocytes derived from lupus patients. NETs are toxic to the endothelium, expose immunostimulatory molecules, activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and may participate in organ damage through incompletely characterized pathways. To better understand the role of NETs in fostering dysregulated inflammation, we examined inflammasome activation in response to NETs or to LL-37, an antibacterial protein externalized on NETs. Both NETs and LL-37 activate caspase-1, the central enzyme of the inflammasome, in both human and murine macrophages, resulting in release of active IL-1β and IL-18. LL-37 activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome utilizes P2X7 receptor-mediated potassium efflux. NET and LL-37-mediated activation of the inflammasome is enhanced in macrophages derived from lupus patients. In turn, IL-18 is able to stimulate NETosis in human neutrophils. These results suggest that enhanced formation of NETs in lupus patients can lead to increased inflammasome activation in adjacent macrophages. This leads to release of inflammatory cytokines that further stimulate NETosis, resulting in a feed-forward inflammatory loop that could potentially lead to disease flares and/or organ damage.