cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A national profile of Tourette syndrome, 2011-2012

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a tic disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics, usually emerging between 5–8 years of age, with tics persisting for at least one year.1 Prevalence estimates of TS among children vary widely, ranging from 0.4%–5.0% in community samples.2 The first prevalence estimate based on a large, nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized US children, the 2007 National Survey of Children s Health, reported that 0.3% of US children aged 6–17 years had ever been diagnosed with TS.3 TS is a chronic condition, with tic severity generally peaking between ages 10–12 years, and often diminishing by early adulthood.4, 5 Given the age of presentation, children with tics may first present to primary care physicians and are often co-managed with subspecialists, such as developmental and behavioral pediatricians, psychologists, neurologists and psychiatrists. TS often co-occurs with one or more other neurobehavioral conditions, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.1, 5, 6 Tics and symptoms of co-occurring conditions can both independently, and concurrently, impact family and peer relationships, education and health, including increased parent aggravation and health care needs, problems making friends or being teased, and problems in academic performance including with reading, speaking and concentration.5, 7–9 However, previous studies examining the impact of TS have been limited by small sample sizes, no control groups, or clinic or convenience samples with limited generalizability to larger populations. Given the chronicity of TS, the presence of co-occurring conditions, and its impact across a number of settings (school, health, peers, family), children with TS may benefit from coordinated care within a medical home.10 One study found that children with TS and a co-occurring mental disorder are less likely than children without TS to have a medical home.7 Our study provides a broad overview of TS among a nationally representative sample of US children by providing the recent estimates available for the prevalence of TS and co-occurring conditions, the association of TS with indicators of health, parenting aggravation and academic functioning, and the relationship between the presence of a co-occurring condition and TS severity with health and functioning among children with TS.
A Meditation on Cazabon's East Indian Group

Using concepts derived from the field of postcolonial studies, as well as insights gleaned from three decades of ethnographic fieldwork among the East Indians of Trinidad, the author, an anthropologist, analyzes East Indian Group, a watercolor by the 19th-century Trinidadian artist Michel Jean Cazabon. The painting is seen as a textual example of a reflexive and resistant representation of the colonial Other.
A parallel goal-oriented adaptive finite element method for 2.5-D electromagnetic modelling

SUMMARY We present a parallel goal-oriented adaptive finite element method that can be used to rapidly compute highly accurate solutions for 2.5-D controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) and 2-D magnetotelluric (MT) modelling problems. We employ unstructured triangular grids that permit efficient discretization of complex modelling domains such as those containing topography, dipping layers and multiple scale structures. Iterative mesh refinement is guided by a goal-oriented error estimator that considers the relative error in the strike aligned fields and their spatial gradients, resulting in a more efficient mesh refinement than possible with a previous approach based on the absolute errors. Reliable error estimation is accomplished by a dual weighted residual method that is carried out via hierarchical basis computations. Our algorithm is parallelized over frequencies, wavenumbers, transmitters and receivers, where adaptive refinement is performed in parallel on subsets of these parameters. Mesh sharing allows an adapted mesh generated for a particular frequency and wavenumber to be shared with nearby frequencies and wavenumbers, thereby efficiently reducing the parallel load of the adaptive refinement calculations. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithm on a large cluster computer through scaling tests for a complex model that includes strong seafloor topography variations and multiple thin stacked hydrocarbon reservoirs. In tests using up to 800 processors and a realistic suite of CSEM data parameters, our algorithm obtained run-times as short as a few seconds to tens of seconds.
Derivation of the Cuk PWM DC-DC converter circuit topology

The derivation of the transformerless Cuk PWM DC-DC converter circuit is presented. Boost and buck PWM DC-DC converter circuits are cascaded through a unity-gain inverting stage. Circuit theory and manipulations I are used to simplify the cascaded circuit into the Cuk PWM DC-DC converter topology.
Hyperspectral unmixing using macroscopic and microscopic mixture models

Macroscopic and microscopic mixture models and algorithms for hyperspectral unmixing are presented. Unmixing algorithms are derived from an objective function. The objective function incorporates the linear mixture model for macroscopic unmixing and a nonlinear mixture model for microscopic unmixing. The nonlinear mixture model is derived from a bidirectional reflectance distribution function for microscopic mixtures. The algorithm is designed to unmix hyperspectral images composed of macroscopic or microscopic mixtures. The mixture types and abundances at each pixel can be estimated directly from the data without prior knowledge of mixture types. Endmembers can also be estimated. Results are presented using synthetic data sets of macroscopic and microscopic mixtures and using well-known, well-characterized laboratory data sets. The unmixing accuracy of this new physics-based algorithm is compared to linear methods and to results published for other nonlinear models. The proposed method achieves the best unmixing accuracy.
Effect of Protein Kinase C delta (PKC-δ) Inhibition on the Transcriptome of Normal and Systemic Sclerosis Human Dermal Fibroblasts In Vitro

Previous studies demonstrated that protein kinase C- δ (PKC-δ) inhibition with the selective inhibitor, rottlerin, resulted in potent downregulation of type I collagen expression and production in normal human dermal fibroblasts and abrogated the exaggerated type I collagen production and expression in fibroblasts cultured from affected skin from patients with the fibrosing disorder systemic sclerosis (SSc). To elucidate the mechanisms involved in the ability of PKC-δ to regulate collagen production in fibroblasts, we examined the effects of PKC-δ inhibition on the transcriptome of normal and SSc human dermal fibroblasts. Normal and SSc human dermal fibroblasts were incubated with rottlerin (5 µM), and their gene expression was analyzed by microarrays. Pathway analysis and gene ontology analysis of differentially expressed genes in each comparison were performed. Identification of significantly overrepresented transcriptional regulatory elements (TREs) was performed using the Promoter Analysis and Interaction Network Toolset (PAINT) program. PKC-δ activity was also inhibited using RNA interference (siRNA) and by treating fibroblasts with a specific PKC-δ inhibitory cell permeable peptide. Differential gene expression of 20 genes was confirmed using real time PCR. PKC-δ inhibition caused a profound change in the transcriptome of normal and SSc human dermal fibroblasts in vitro. Pathway and gene ontology analysis identified multiple cellular and organismal pathways affected by PKC-δ inhibition. Furthermore, both pathway and PAINT analyses indicated that the transcription factor NFκB played an important role in the transcriptome changes induced by PKC-δ inhibition. Multiple genes involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrix components were significantly reduced in SSc fibroblasts and their expression was increased by PKC-δ inhibition. These results indicate that isoform-specific inhibition of PKC-δ profibrotic effects may represent a novel therapeutic approach for SSc and other fibrotic diseases.
Effects of age on human muscle torque, velocity, and power in two muscle groups

The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that, under isovelocity conditions, older compared with young humans would 1). be slower to reach target velocity and 2). exhibit a downward shift in the torque-velocity and power-velocity relationships in the ankle dorsiflexor and knee extensor muscles. We studied 12 young (26 +/- 5 yr, 6 men/6 women) and 12 older (72 +/- 6 yr, 6 men/6 women) healthy adults during maximal voluntary concentric contractions at preset target velocities (dorsiflexion: 0-240 degrees /s; knee extension: 0-400 degrees /s) using an isokinetic dynamometer. The time to target velocity was longer in older subjects in the dorsiflexors and knee extensors (both P <or= 0.02). Averaged across all velocities, older subjects produced approximately 26% less concentric torque and power in the dorsiflexors (P < 0.01) and approximately 32% less in the knee extensors (P < 0.01). The downward shift in the torque-velocity relationship persisted even when torque was expressed relative to each subject's maximum. In the knee extensors only, the age-related decrement in power increased with increasing velocities, suggesting that this muscle group may be more susceptible to age-related losses of function than the dorsiflexor muscles are. In support of our hypotheses, these results demonstrate an age-related impairment in the dynamic performance of two functionally distinct muscle groups in healthy older adults. With age, the impairment of dynamic performance appears to exceed the loss of isometric performance, particularly in the knee extensor muscles.
Prognostic Implications of Elevated Creatine Kinase After Coronary Angioplasty

To the Editor. —Dr Kong and colleagues 1 reported that elevation of CK following elective coronary artery intervention is associated with increased late cardiac mortality. 1 Earlier reports of placebo-controlled animal studies with pretreatment with coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ 10 ) 2,3 found that the animals pretreated with CoQ 10 had less ischemia-reperfusion cardiac injury. They showed less myocardial tissue injury and lower CK and malondialdehyde release.
Effects of wind on convection in strongly and weakly baroclinic flows with application to the Labrador Sea

Large buoyancy loss driving deep convection is often associated with a large wind stress that is typically omitted in simulations of convection. Here it is shown that this omission is not justified when overturning occurs in a horizontally inhomogeneous ocean. In strongly baroclinic flows, convective mixing is influenced both by the background horizontal density gradient and by the across-front advection of buoyancy due to wind. The former process—known as slantwise convection—results in deeper convection, while the effect of wind depends on the relative orientation of wind with respect to the baroclinic front. For the case of the Labrador Sea, wintertime winds act to destabilize the baroclinic Labrador Current causing a buoyancy removal roughly one-third as large as the air‐sea buoyancy loss. Simulations using a nonhydrostatic numerical model, initialized and forced with observed fields from the Labrador Sea, show how the combination of wind and lateral gradients can result in significant convection within the current, in contrast with previous ideas. Though the advection of buoyancy due to wind in weakly baroclinic flows is negligible compared to the surface buoyancy removal typical of convective conditions, convective plumes are substantially deformed by wind. This deformation, and the associated across-front secondary circulation, are explained in terms of the vertical advection of wind-generated vorticity from the surface boundary layer to deeper depths. This mechanism generates vertical structure within the convective layer, contradicting the historical notion that properties become vertically homogenized during convection. For the interior Labrador Sea, this mechanism may be partly responsible for the vertical variability observed during convection, which modeling studies have until now failed to reproduce.
Angiogenic-induced enhancement of collateral blood flow to ischemic myocardium by vascular endothelial growth factor in dogs.

BACKGROUNDVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen that is angiogenic in vitro and in vivo. It has been hypothesized that VEGF plays a role in myocardial collateral formation; however, the effects of VEGF on collateral flow to ischemic myocardium are unknown.METHODS AND RESULTSWe studied the effect of VEGF on collateral blood flow in dogs subjected to gradual occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery (LCx). Beginning 10 days after placement of an LCx-constricting device, VEGF 45 micrograms (n = 9) or saline (n = 12) was administered daily via an indwelling catheter in the distal LCx, at a point just beyond the occlusion. Treatment was maintained for 28 days. Collateral blood flow was determined with microspheres 7 days before treatment, immediately before treatment (day 0), and 7, 14, 21, and 28 days into the treatment period. Collateral blood flow was quantified during chromonar-induced maximal vasodilation and expressed as a collateral zone/normal zone (CZ...
A model of site-specific nutrient management

A model is introduced to answer three questions pertaining to site-specific nutrient management in production of orchard crops: which input factors of crop production are limiting yield; what action should be taken to remove the limiting factors; and what is the potential gain in revenue from taking the action. Our model captures the essence of the law of the minimum in that yield and revenue increase only if the limiting nutrients are adjusted. An example of pear trees shows how to implement the method.
Separation of the valyl-leucyl- and valyl-glutamyl-polypeptide chains of horse globin by fractional precipitation and column chromatography.

Horse globin has been fractionated into two components by stepwise addition of acid acetone to an acidified globin solution and by gradient elution with urea from a carboxylic-type ion exchange resin at low pH.The components obtained by both methods are similar to those prepared earlier by electrophoresis. They have similar molecular weights (about 16,000) and appear to be present in nearly equal amounts. One has the N-terminal sequence valyl-leucyl- and the other valyl-glutamyl-. They differ electrokinetically and in other properties.
Designing a parallel-loaded resonant inverter for an electronic ballast using the fundamental approximation

The three basic types of resonant inverters, the series-loaded, parallel-loaded, and the series-parallel-loaded, are compared using fundamental approximation techniques for their applicability in electronic ballasts operating from a low voltage source. A parallel-loaded resonant inverter operating slightly above its resonant frequency is selected because of the high voltage gains possible. Operation above the resonant frequency allows zero-voltage turn on of the semiconductor devices. Zero-voltage turn off can be achieved with the addition of lossless snubber capacitors. Experimental results from a lab prototype are used to verify the design procedure. >
Settling larvae of a small coral-reef fish discriminate reef features at large, but not small, spatial scales

Larval settlement of a small coral-reef fish, the bridled goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum), to five entire reefs over 4 yr decreased with increasing cover of hard substrate (rock and coral). Experimentally increasing rock cover on these large reefs caused a reduction in settlement that lasted 3 yr, confirming that settling coral-reef fish discriminate among sites at the mesoscale (hundreds of meters to tens of kilometers). Counterintuitively, a small-scale manipulation of rock cover and an observational study both suggest that settlers show no response to rock cover at the microscale (few to tens of meters). Habitat selection at settlement can, thus, set initial benthic population size at much larger spatial scales than previously recognized, a finding consistent with the good swimming and sensory capabilities of late-stage larvae.
Systemic lupus erythematosus diagnostics in the ‘omics’ era

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems. Currently, diagnosis relies upon meeting at least four out of eleven criteria outlined by the ACR. The scientific community actively pursues discovery of novel diagnostics in the hope of better identifying susceptible individuals in early stages of disease. Comprehensive studies have been conducted at multiple biological levels including: DNA (or genomics), mRNA (or transcriptomics), protein (or proteomics) and metabolites (or metabolomics). The ‘omics’ platforms allow us to re-examine systemic lupus erythematosus at a greater degree of molecular resolution. More importantly, one is hopeful that these ‘omics’ platforms may yield newer biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus that can help clinicians track the disease course with greater sensitivity and specificity.
Sociological perspectives on self‐help groups: reflections on conceptualization and social processes

Sociological perspectives on self-help groups: reflections on conceptualization and social processes Aim. The paper discusses two themes: first, professional involvement in self-help groups and secondly, sociological evidence on self-help groups in postmodern society. Background. Self-help groups are a growing phenomenon across national borders and social/political systems. They affect the individual participants’ activity level, strengthening of their self-perception and sense of belonging. Methods. The methodological approach chosen is cross-sectional analysis of empirical findings, which is used for concept evaluation. Selected sociological theory is brought into the discussion of the role and significance of self-help groups. Findings. New empirical sociological evidence shows that health care professionals – nurses, psychologists, social workers – have become an integrated part and thus essential actors in self-help groups within as well as outside the framework of the formal health care system. Involvement in self-help groups is a relatively new area of nursing practice and nursing research and serves an important function in that it sheds light on a rather unique form of social practice that is partly organized and managed by the participants themselves. By implementing modern sociological theory, which does in fact discuss social processes and relations as well as network formation, it is possible to investigate group processes unique to self-help groups and whether self-help groups potentially suppress or liberate at the individual as well as at the institutional level. Conclusions. The pronounced professional involvement leads us to question if it would not be time to re-conceptualize the self-help phenomenon, which on the one hand presupposes professional interaction and on the other hand introduces consultative services in connection with group processes. This indicates that it is necessary to introduce new aspects and themes for discussion in the health care debate and the work that goes beyond the predominantly individual orientated treatment and care function.
On RDBMS-Integrated Disk-Based Architecture for Managing Massive Dormant Data in a Compressed Format

Managing dormant data in very large databases (VLDB) is about striking a balance between cost and performance. While magnetic tapes have long been a standard answer, the downsides limit the applicability for all VLDB. This paper describes a class of engineering and scientific data management applications that need a cost-effective solution with better support for updating and lower granularity of data access. To meet the needs of such applications, it then introduces an architectural extension to RDBMS. In the architecture, data is compressed using custom compression techniques, stored outside an RDBMS, and made available through views using SQL Table functions. This architecture is applicable to many industrial RDBMS, and it offers both linear speed-up and scale-out. The paper then discusses preliminary findings from a prototype implementation on Oracle RDBMS.
Decomposition of Metrosideros polymorpha leaf litter along elevational gradients in Hawaii

Summary We examined interactions between temperature, soil development, and decomposition on three elevational gradients, the upper and lower ends of each being situated on a common lava flow or ash deposit. We used the reciprocal transplant technique to estimate decomposition rates of Metrosideros polymorpha leaf litter during a three-year period at warm and cool ends of each gradient. Litter quality was poorest early in soil development or where soils were most intensely leached and waterlogged. In situ litter decomposition was slowest on the young 1855 flow (k= 0.26 and 0.14 at low and high elevation, respectively). The more fertile Laupahoehoe gradient also supported more rapid in situ decay at the warmer low elevation site (k= 0.90) than at high elevation (k= 0.51). The gradient with the most advanced soil development showed no difference for in situ decay at low and high elevations (k= 0.88 and 0.99, respectively) probably due to low soil nutrient availability at low elevation, which counteracted the effect of warmer temperature. Comparisons of in situ, common litter, and common site experiments indicated that site factors influenced decomposition more than litter quality did. The effect of temperature, however, could be over-ridden by soil fertility or other site factors. Field gradient studies of this sort yield variable estimates of apparent Q10, even under the best conditions, due to interactions among temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, decomposer communities and litter quality. Such interactions may be as likely to occur with changing climate as they are along elevational gradients.
PRENATAL PROTEIN MALNUTRITION AND VISUAL DISCRIMINATION LEARNING IN THE SUGAR GLIDER, PETAURUS BREVICEPS

We studied the effects of prenatal protein malnutrition on visual discrimination learning in males of Petaurus breviceps using a Lashley box. Gliders were malnourished or adequately nourished during the prenatal period when their mothers received diets containing low (8%) or adequate (32%, controls) amounts of a protein (casein) throughout pregnancy. The mean weight of adequately nourished neonates was significantly higher (0.47 g ± 0.05 SE) than malnourished neonates (0.31 ± 0.02 g). Animals were first trained to discriminate between black or white stimulus cards affixed to 2 hinged doors. Second, cards containing horizontal or vertical stripes were presented. Finally, cards containing a circle or a square were presented. Gliders received food if they pushed through the door with the correct stimulus card and jumped onto a vertical platform. Malnourished (low-protein) subjects made significantly more errors on all tasks. Analyses of covariance indicated that differences in performance were not a function of body weight.
Eliminating minimal residual disease as a therapeutic end point: working toward cure for patients with CLL

Deep remission and prolonged disease-free survival can be achieved with first-line chemoimmunotherapy (CIT), such as combined fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab, in the majority of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). More modest results are reported with less intense regimens like obinutuzumab plus chlorambucil. Clinical assessment has limited sensitivity in detecting residual disease responsible for subsequent relapse, even including morphologic bone marrow (BM) evaluation. Multicolor flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods can detect minimal residual disease (MRD) to a sensitivity of ≥1:10,000 (10(-4)). Achieving BM MRD-negative complete remission (CR) is associated with superior progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival; MRD status is the single best posttreatment predictor of long-term outcomes after CIT. Newer oral B-cell receptor signaling pathway inhibitors are highly effective at controlling disease, but best monotherapy responses are typically partial remission, and patients must remain on treatment to maintain disease control. Therapeutic progress is still needed for CLL. We propose that targeting MRD provides opportunity to realize this progress. Achieving BM MRD-negative CR is a prerequisite for long-term unmaintained disease-free survival and potential for cure. We review available methodologies for detecting MRD and correlations with posttreatment outcomes. We discuss the potential utility of MRD to direct individualized therapy. Finally, we discuss the importance of MRD-negative status as a surrogate marker for longer PFS in clinical studies to allow more rapid determination of clinical benefit.
Adolescent Sexuality and Sexual Behavior

This chapter presents a theoretical framework that incorporates eight significant factors that have been associated with adolescent sexuality and sexual behaviors. Specifically, we discuss genetics, antenatal experiences, gender, parents, siblings, peers, partners, and neighborhood and cultural influences. Next, we provide an overview of the developmental trajectory of sexual behavior during adolescence. We also highlight the role of media in influencing adolescent sexual behavior. We then review psychosexual development and four dimensions of adolescent sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual self-esteem, sexual openness, sexual ambivalence, sexual anxiety). Finally, our chapter concludes with a discussion of adolescent sexual health and the limits of our current sexual health curriculum.
Cross-section and polarization in the photodisintegration of the deuteron with arbitrary number of electromagnetic multipoles

By employing the expressions for the electric- and magnetic-multipole interaction energy between the radiation field and nucleons as derived in the paper by Breit and Rustgi, and adopting the general precedure of a previous paper by Rustgi, Zernik, Breit and Andrews, simple expressions for the transition amplitudes of the reaction2H(γ, n)1H have been derived for all electromagnetic multipoles in the nonretarded approximation. The final-state interaction of the outgoing neutron and proton is taken into account.
Dyspnoea in a cancer patient

A 32-year-old woman with a history of adenocarcinoma presents with progressive dyspnoea evoked by activities of daily living, lower extremity oedema, and abdominal bloating and distention. An echocardiogram is performed with M-mode and Doppler images shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 (A) M-mode at the mid-ventricular level. (B) Pulsed wave Doppler of mitral inflow. (C) Tissue Doppler of the medial mitral annulus. (D) Tissue Doppler of the lateral mitral annulus. What finding would you expect to find on physical examination? …
Electron Transport and Recombination in Photoanode of Electrospun TiO2 Nanotubes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

The technique of coaxial electrospinning has been adopted to prepare the TiO2 nanotubes with average inner diameter of ∼275 nm and wall thickness of ∼115 nm. The electrospun TiO2 nanotubes possess the anatase type of crystalline structure, well-defined tubular morphology, and large aspect ratio. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on the TiO2 nanotubes alone has an efficiency of 3.33% with open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 800 mV, short-circuit current (Jsc) of 6.01 mA cm–2, and fill factor (FF) of 68.5%. Intriguingly, the addition of 20 wt % TiO2 nanoparticles in the TiO2 nanotubes improves the DSSC efficiency significantly. The charge transport and recombination in the fabricated DSSCs are characterized by the dark current, photovoltage as a function of light intensity, and transient photovoltage and photocurrent measurements. The results indicate that electrospun TiO2 nanotubes have large diffusion coefficient and slow recombination compared to the mesoporous film of TiO2 nanoparticles. The enhanced...
Nationalism and Class Conflict in Mexico, 1910-1920*

During the Mexican Revolution, nationalism and class conflict became two of the most pervasive aspects of the social upheaval that swept Mexico. Class conflict became so intense that workers did not respond to the bourgeois leader Francisco Madero after he assumed power in 1911. Emiliano Zapata and Francisco Villa also failed to attract urban workers or unite the nation. Venustiano Carranza eventually articulated a version of nationalism that responded to class conflict by promising to alleviate the grim features of Mexican society that required reform. In Mexico as well as many other countries after the nineteenth century, nationalism prevailed over class conflict during periods of crisis.
Evaluation of the Timed-Walk Method of Estimating Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Egg Mass Densities

Timed walks are widely used by pest managers for estimating gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), egg mass densities. According to this method, an individual(s) walks through a woodlot for a fixed length of time (typically 5 min) and counts all egg masses observed. These counts are then used in one of several previously developed linear regression equations to estimate egg masses per unit area. In this study, we evaluated the statistical properties of these estimates. At several 25-ha woodlots, we estimated true egg mass densities by counting egg masses in multiple fixed-radius plots. Two observers then made four 5-min walks through each woodlot. These counts were more highly correlated with estimated density when expressed as numbers per walk than as number per distance walked. Analysis of variance indicated that timed counts varied significantly among observers. For individual observers, counts of egg masses per walk were used to develop linear regressions for predicting egg mass densities. These regressions were characterized to determine the confidence intervals associated with density estimates obtained from a given number of samples. Results indicate that even if separate regression equations were developed for each observer, the timed-walk method provides imprecise estimates. Lack of precision and observer effects indicate that fixed-time and fixed-distance methods of estimating gypsy moth egg mass densities should be discontinued. Analyses indicated that even one O.OI-ha fixed-radius plot per woodlot will usually provide a more precise estimate of density than four or more 5-min walks.
Analysis on the epidemiology of Rotavirus in Xining in 2010

Objective:To analyze the prevalence and gene characteristics of Rotavirus by monitoring Rotavirus in Xining in 2010.Methods:Nested PCR was used to detect infant diarrhea in Xining.Results:The Rotavirus positive sample was 25 within 236 samples,positive rate was 10.6%.G3 was 14 and G9 was 11 within positive samples,positive rate was 5.9% and 4.7%.Conclusion:Rotavirus is the one of main nosogenesis in infant diarrhea,patients are infant from 6 month to 4 years,most patients are male infant,the most serotype is G3 and G9.
Relationships of Teachers’ Language and Explicit Vocabulary Instruction to Students’ Vocabulary Growth in Kindergarten

This study evaluates the relationships between aspects of Chilean teachers’ explicit vocabulary instruction and students’ vocabulary development in kindergarten. Classroom videotapes of whole-class instruction gathered during a randomized experimental evaluation of a coaching-based professional development program were analyzed. The amount of conceptual information about words made available during these discussions was the only significant predictor of students’ end-of-kindergarten vocabulary, when controlling for the density and diversity of teachers’ language and time spent in explicit vocabulary support, as well as child and teacher demographics. Each additional standard deviation of conceptual information about words provided predicted a 0.11 standard deviation increase in students’ vocabulary outcomes. Practice and policy implications of these findings are discussed.
Scheduling irrigation using an approach based on the van Genuchten model

Abstract Crop irrigation which results in high water use efficiencies typically uses science-based irrigation scheduling tools to determine irrigation application timing and quantities. Although a large variety of sensors are available for measuring soil moisture status, there are a few easy-to-use irrigation scheduling tools which provide a yes/no irrigation decision or recommend how much water should be applied to return the soil profile to an optimal soil moisture condition. The work described here developed a method which uses soil water tension data from soil moisture sensors and the van Genuchten model to provide irrigation scheduling recommendations. The strength of the method is that it can use data readily available from USDA-NRCS soil surveys to predict soil water retention curves and calculate the volumetric water content and soil water tension of a soil at field capacity. Those parameters are then used to translate measured soil water tension into irrigation recommendations which are specific to the soil moisture status of the soil. The method was validated by comparing its results to other published methods and with continuous soil water tension data with multiple wetting and drying cycles from six fields in southern Georgia, USA. Finally, the model was incorporated into a web-based irrigation scheduling tool and used in conjunction with a wireless soil moisture sensing system to schedule irrigation in a large commercial field during 2015. By the van Genuchten model, we used about two thirds of the irrigation water and produced about the same yields as a commonly used yes/no irrigation decision tool. The presented method can be used to build resiliency to climate variability because it provides growers with data which they can use to make informed decisions about managing their water resources.
The success of the citizen suit: protecting consumers from inaccurate food labeling by amending the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ("FDCA"), amended in 1990 by the Nutrition Education and Labeling Act ("NLEA"), established a national framework for the administration and promulgation of uniform food labeling standards. Specifically, the NLEA created affirmative obligations for the food--requiring detailed disclosure of food content and strict adherence to regulations governing the use of health and nutritional claims on food packaging. To accomplish these goals, Congress tasked the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") with the sole responsibility of the enforcement of these new requirements. Under the statutory framework of the FDCA, the United States Supreme Court ("Court") has held that there is no private right of action, of which extended to the enforcement of NLEA standards. This interpretation has left individuals with no federal outlet for relief in the enforcement of federal food labeling standards. Adherence to this interpretation is especially concerning when the FDA currently faces exponential growth in administrative responsibilities while simultaneously experiencing employment reduction, a $206 million "Sequester," and a recent government-wide shutdown. As a result, the American people are left to depend on an Agency that is struggling with drastic resource reduction while being accountable for ever increasing enforcement responsibilities. To ensure consumer protection, this Article argues that Congress should amend the FDCA to include a citizen suit provision in order to provide individuals with a right of private action for the enforcement of NLEA standards. Borrowing from the successes realized under similar citizen suit provisions found in environmental legislation, this Article argues that a citizen suit provision is amendable to the FDCA and would relieve fiscal pressures, strengthen the current enforcement framework of the FDCA, encourage more robust enforcement by the FDA and states, and ensure uniform interpretation of NLEA standards.
Short Paper: Superhacks: Exploring and Preventing Vulnerabilities in Browser Binding Code

In this paper, we analyze security vulnerabilities in the binding layer of browser code, and propose a research agenda to prevent these weaknesses with (1) static bug checkers and (2) new embedded domain specific languages (EDSLs). Browser vulnerabilities may leak browsing data and sometimes allow attackers to completely compromise users' systems. Some of these security holes result from programmers' difficulties with managing multiple tightly-coupled runtime systems-typically JavaScript and C++. In this paper, we survey the vulnerabilities in code that connects C++ and JavaScript, and explain how they result from differences in the two languages' type systems, memory models, and control flow constructs. With this data, we design a research plan for using static checkers to catch bugs in existing binding code and for designing EDSLs that make writing new, bug-free binding code easier.
Efficient implementation of Volterra systems using a multilinear SVD

A large class of nonlinear systems have been successfully modeled using Volterra series techniques. The problem with Volterra series is that the number of parameters grows very rapidly with the order of the nonlinearity and the memory in the system. Techniques exist to efficiently model and compensate for Volterra systems but are often not practical to implement. One approach is to factor the Volterra kernels into a sum of simple terms that are easy to implement. Approaches utilizing the eigen-decomposition have been published for second order nonlinearities. This work proposes using a multilinear extension of the SVD to factor third and higher order kernels into terms that are easily implemented.
Interactions in Entomology: Mid-Season Dimilin and Boron Treatment Impact on the Incidence of Arthropod Pests and Yield Enhancement of Soybeans

Twelve replicated soybean field trials were conducted in 1993–1997 to evaluate the effects of a foliar application of the insect growth regulator Dimilin® (0.07 or 0.035 kg Al/ha) and the plant nut...
Statistical Approaches to Longitudinal Data Analysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Huntington’s Disease as a Model

Understanding the overall progression of neurodegenerative diseases is critical to the timing of therapeutic interventions and design of effective clinical trials. Disease progression can be assessed with longitudinal study designs in which outcomes are measured repeatedly over time and are assessed with respect to risk factors, either measured repeatedly or at baseline. Longitudinal data allows researchers to assess temporal disease aspects, but the analysis is complicated by complex correlation structures, irregularly spaced visits, missing data, and mixtures of time-varying and static covariate effects. We review modern statistical methods designed for these challenges. Among all methods, the mixed effect model most flexibly accommodates the challenges and is preferred by the FDA for observational and clinical studies. Examples from Huntington’s disease studies are used for clarification, but the methods apply to neurodegenerative diseases in general, particularly as the identification of prodromal forms of neurodegenerative disease through sensitive biomarkers is increasing.
Depletion of the global carbon budget: a user cost approach

The Fifth IPCC Assessment Report estimates the world's ‘carbon budget’, which is the cumulative amount of anthropogenic CO2 emissions limiting global warming below 2°C. We model this carbon budget as a resource asset depleted by annual GHG emissions, and estimate the user cost associated with depletion. For constant emissions, social welfare increases US$2–2.5 trillion (4–5 per cent of world GDP), they are insufficient to prevent depletion of the 2°C global carbon budget by 2030.
Chevrel Phase HDS Catalysts: Structural and Compositional Relationships to Catalytic Activity

Abstract The catalytic activities of “reduced” molybdenum sulfides, known as Chevrel phases, have been evaluated for hydrodesulfurization of thiophene and benzothiophene and hydrogenation of 1-butene. These materials have been found to have hydrodesulfurization activities comparable to or greater than model unpromoted and cobalt-promoted MoS 2 catalysts; in contrast, Chevrel phases exhibit low activities for 1-butene hydrogenation. In this paper, a general discussion of the relationship between the solid state chemistry of Chevrel phases and their catalytic activity is presented. Structural properties appear to be an important factor: large cation Chevrel phases are the most active and stable materials. It is also likely that the most active phases resist surface oxidation which may occur if the ternary metal components undergo surface migration. “Reduced” molybdenum oxidation states are associated with the active sites, in direct analogy with conventional catalysts.
Case Report: An incidental finding of an adrenal metastases noted in a “collision tumor” from a large malignant nerve sheath tumor of the thigh

In cases of peripheral nerve sheath tumors, current guidelines do not recommend routine abdominal imaging to stage the disease, as extra-pulmonary metastasis is considered rare. We report a case of large peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a 40 year-old-female with neurofibromatosis type 1 who had isolated adrenal metastasis. She underwent primary and adrenal metastasis resection.
Three-phase short-circuit fault implementation in converter based transmission line emulator

A hardware test-bed (HTB) has been developed to realize power system emulation by mimicking the system components with universal three-phase voltage source converters (VSCs). The VSC-based transmission line emulator has also been successfully developed to flexibly represent interconnected ac lines under normal operating conditions. As the most serious short-circuit fault condition, the three-phase short-circuit fault emulation is essential for power system studies. This paper proposes a model to realize the three-phase short-circuit fault emulation within the emulated transmission line. At the same time, a combination method is proposed to eliminate the undesired transients caused by the current reference step changes while switching between the fault state and normal state.
Empirical time-dependent tortuosity relations for hydrating mortar mixtures based on modified Archie’s law

Abstract Using sensor-based electrical data, empirical time-dependent tortuosity ( τ ) formulas as functions of pore size distribution (PSD) parameters were developed for 12 hydrating mortar mixtures. The inverse of the formation factor (FF) was used to obtain Archie’s exponent (m), which is an indicator of tortuosity. PSD parameters were inferred from theoretical water vapor sorption isotherms. The results clarify the effects of curing time and mixture design on FF and tortuosity. Additionally, it is shown that m correlates with pore system refinement and increase in disparity of pore sizes, suggesting the usefulness of this parameter in describing pore system’s intricacy.
Refined nomogram incorporating standing cough test improves prediction of male transobturator sling success

Aims To develop a decision aid in predicting sling success, incorporating the Male Stress Incontinence Grading Scale (MSIGS) into existing treatment algorithms. Methods We reviewed men undergoing first-time transobturator sling for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) from 2007 to 2016 at our institution. Patient demographics, reported pads per day (PPD), and Standing Cough Test (SCT) results graded 0-4, according to MSIGS, were assessed. Treatment failure was defined as subsequent need for >1 PPD or further procedures. Parameters associated with failure were included in multivariable logistic models, compared by area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves. A nomogram was generated from the model with greatest AUC and internally validated. Results Overall 203 men (median age 67 years, IQR 63-72) were evaluated with median follow-up of 45 months (IQR 11-75 months). A total of 185 men (91%) were status-post radical prostatectomy and 29 (14%) had pelvic radiation history. Median PPD and SCT grade were both two. Eighty men (39%) failed treatment (use of ≥1 PPD or subsequent anti-incontinence procedures) at a median of 9 months. History of radiation (P = 0.03), increasing MSIGS (P 2 PPD alone (AUC 0.71, P = 0.0001). Conclusions MSIGS adds prognostic value to PPD in assessing success of transobturator sling for treatment of SUI.
QOI: Assessing Participation in Threat Information Sharing

We introduce the notion of Quality of Indicator (QoI) to assess the level of contribution by participants in threat intelligence sharing. We exemplify QoI by metrics of the correctness, relevance, utility, and uniqueness of indicators. We build a system that extrapolates the metrics using a machine learning process over a reference set of indicators. We compared these results against a model that only considers the volume of information as a metric for contribution, and unveiled various observations, including the ability to spot low-quality contributions that are synonymous to free-riding.
Higher Contributions Correlate with Higher Learning Gains.

Students interacted with an Intelligent Tutoring System called Operation ARIES!,which involves two agents interacting with the human in natural language trialogs. We investigated the conditions in which the length of the students’ contributions is correlated with learning. Word count and the proportional learning gains scores were correlated, especially in the later phases of the curriculum. The link between student contribution length and learning supports previous findings in human one-on-one tutoring.
Binomial Sampling Plans for Estimating Bemisia tabaci Populations in Cantaloupes

Early season infestations of the sweet potato whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), on cantaloupes,Cucumis melo L., were determined by counts of the number of adults per leaf in fields near Yuma, Arizona. We used these data to develop binomial sampling plans based on the relationship between mean densities of whiteflies per leaf,m, and proportion of leaves infested with more thanI whiteflies,P I, according to the empirical model lnm=a′+b′ ln[−ln(1−P I)]. The models were developed for the presence-absence approach (I=0) and for a cutoff value of three whiteflies per leaf (I=3). Four independent data sets were used to evaluate the models. Both methods yielded reliable predictions at low infestation levels, but some of the higherm values were overestimated. As the tentative economic threshold forB. tabaci is three adults per leaf, which corresponds to lowP I values, results of the binomial sampling were satisfactory for pest management purposes.
Patients with Small Renal Masses Undergoing Active Surveillance—Is Yearly Chest Imaging Necessary?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Active surveillance (AS) is recognized as a standard for the management of small renal masses (SRM). Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can metastasize to the lungs, so yearly chest imaging has been indicated for the follow-up of patients with SRM on AS. However, given the low rates of metastasis from SRM and the potentially increased rates of incidental non-RCC related findings, the necessity of this yearly chest imaging comes into question.METHODS:We performed a retrospective analysis of 268 patients with SRM enrolled in the AS arm of the Delayed Intervention and Surveillance for Small Renal Masses (DISSRM) registry at our institution. Chest imaging reports were examined to identify patients with abnormal findings, which were then determined to be actionable or non-actionable based on receipt of further clinical investigations/interventions.RESULTS:Of the 268 patients, 51 (19%) were found to have abnormal baseline chest images; of these 51 images, 22 (43%) were actionable or eventual...