cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastic-plastic stress analysis of large axisymmetrically deflected shallow thin shells of revolution: A semiexperimental method of determining elastic-plastic stresses in an axisymmetrically deflected shallow thin shell of revolution is presented that uses experimentally determined deflection contours as input

The elastic-plastic stress analysis of a large axisymmetrically deflected shallow thin shell of revolution uses equilibrium, strain-displacement and constitutive relationships. A shell with complex deflection constraints and boundary conditions can be analyzed by experimentally determining the strain history along the axis of revolution, the contour along the generatrix of the shell surface, and the elastic-plastic constitutive relationship. The stress history at the axis of revolution is easily derived from the strain history and takes the place of the boundary conditions in the solution of the equation set. The descriptive relationships reduce to three equations and one inequality in terms of location coordinates, radial and normal displacements, radial and tangential stresses, a functional of the second deviatoric-stress invariant, and constitutive constants.
Indole-3-acetic Acid Oxidase in a Nicotiana Hybrid and its Parental Types

The metabolism of IAA is correlated with tumor formation in the Nicotiana hybrid, N. glauca x langsdorffii. Higher IAA-oxidase activity was found in leaves of hybrid plants than in leaves of parental types. Furthermore, topographical distribution study revealed that young expanding leaves contained more IAA-oxidase activity than older leaves. In hybrid plants, there is a close correlation between IAA-oxidase activity and the ability of a leaf to produce tumors. Leaves which yield the greatest number of injury-induced tumors also yield the highest IAA-oxidase activity. IAA incites callus-like outgrowths in hybrid plants which do not differentiate into a multitude of apices as is the case with spontaneous tumors. The results are interpreted on the basis of a concept that the IAA-oxidase system in plants may function as part of an IAA activating mechanism rather than in the basis of an IAA destroying system.
Positional tolerance analysis and error correction of micro-UAV swarm based antenna arrays

As the technology and applications of antenna array systems continue to evolve, positional tolerance errors become a more significant factor in the performance of their design. The recent development of micro-UAV swarm-based antenna systems has created new remote sensing and intelligence gathering opportunities. However, the performance of these arrays has proven to be sensitive to turbulence in the air around the aircraft. In addition, new high frequency and IR communication standards has allowed for the wireless transfer of greater amounts of information. However, fabrication errors have more of an impact in these systems because of the small size of the wavelength. The goal of this paper is to better understand the impact that positional tolerance errors has on an antenna array system. This paper also works to develop a methodology that can be used to reduce the impact this positional noise has on the performance of this antenna system. The noise models introduced in this paper show that sparse arrays are no more susceptible to noise than standard arrays as long as the tolerances are electrically similar. In addition, the paper shows that arrays with more elements are more robust to positional errors than smaller sized arrays.
Quick and correct diagnosis of patients with chest pain by means of a computerized system in the emergency department

Statistical data have shown the clinical, economical and organizational need for a correct and quick evaluation of chest pain. Software has been developed to link information about thoracic pain, electrocardiogram abnormalities, and standardized estimation of coronary risk, to assist in the differentiation between cardiac, gastro-esophageal or skeletomuscular source of chest pain. The software is intended for use in the emergency room, at home and in an ambulance. With a window interface the system user can follow in real time the evolution of the diagnostic procedure. A graph of the changes of the main probabilities during diagnosis can help the user to create his or her own experience interactively, so that the user can reach the correct decision when faced with analogous cases and make correct rational diagnostic hypotheses. >
Immunization with an acellular vaccine consisting of the outer membrane complex of Chlamydia trachomatis induces protection against a genital challenge.

The ability to induce protection against a genital challenge was studied in BALB/c female mice with three Chlamydia trachomatis mouse pneumonitis (MoPn) major outer membrane protein (MOMP) preparations as well as an acellular vaccine consisting of the chlamydial outer membrane complex (COMC). The MOMP preparations were extracted with three different types of detergents, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (OGP), and Zwittergent 3-14 (Z3-14). A positive immunization control consisted of mice inoculated intranasally with 10(4) C. trachomatis MoPn inclusion-forming units (IFU). Mice inoculated with ovalbumin served as a negative control. Furthermore, a sham-immunized, nonchallenged group was included as a fertility control. Two weeks after the last immunization, the mice were challenged in the left ovarian bursa with 10(5) C. trachomatis MoPn IFU. Vaginal swabs were collected for culture, vaginal and serum samples were assayed for chlamydial-specific antibodies, and splenocytes were collected to determine the lymphoproliferative response. At 42 days after the challenge, the mice were mated with proven male breeder mice. Animals that were considered to be pregnant (as determined by weight) were killed, and the embryos were counted. A significant humoral and cell-mediated immune response was observed in all the groups of mice inoculated with chlamydial antigens. Antibodies to variable domain (VD)1 of the MOMP were detected in serum samples from all the immunized groups. However, antibodies to VD3 and VD4 were detected only in the groups immunized with the Z3-14-MOMP and the COMC. Mice immunized with COMC developed significant immunoglobulin A chlamydia-specific antibodies in the vagina, while mice immunized with the detergent-extracted MOMPs had low antibody titers. Following the intrabursal challenge, a significant decrease in the intensity and duration of vaginal shedding was noted in the mice immunized with COMC and a moderate decrease was noted in the group immunized with OGP-MOMP. No protection against the infection was noted in the groups of animals immunized with SDS- and Z3-14-MOMP. Furthermore, of the mice immunized with the COMC preparation, only 25% (4 of 20) shed C. trachomatis, as determined by vaginal culture, while 83% (40 of 48) of the control mice inoculated with ovalbumin were culture positive (P 0.05]), and there were no significant differences between the average number of embryos per mouse in the two groups (5.1 versus 5.9, respectively [P > 0.05]). In contrast, mice immunized with the purified MOMP preparations were not protected against infertility. In summary, a preparation of the COMC protected mice against infection and infertility, supporting the feasibility of the development of an acellular vaccine against C. trachomatis infections.
Comparisons of Peak Diurnal Expiratory Flow Variation, Postbronchodilator FEV1 Responses, and Methacholine Inhalation Challenges in the Evaluation of Suspected Asthma

Study objectives The validity of peak expiratory flow variation (PEFvar) as defined by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines as a diagnostic tool for suspected asthma or its comparative value to methacholine inhalation challenge (MIC) or postbronchodilator (BD) FEV 1 responses has not been formally assessed. We prospectively analyzed the correlation of 28 different PEFvar indexes (including 4 NHLBI-compatible indexes) with MIC and pre-BD and post-BD FEV 1 responses in suspected asthmatic subjects with normal findings on lung examination, chest radiography, and baseline spirometry. Design Participants were asked to record peak expiratory flow four times daily for 2 to 3 weeks, followed by an MIC. During a minimum 6-month follow-up period, a clinical diagnosis of asthma was made or ruled out based on testing results and response to antiasthma therapy. Setting Medical school-affiliated subspecialty private practice of allergy, asthma, and immunology. Participants One hundred twenty-one suspected asthmatic patients with normal findings on lung examination, chest radiography, and baseline spirometry. Measurements and results Fifty-seven subjects completed both the peak flow diary and the MIC and were accepted for statistical analysis. There were no statistically significant correlations between any peak expiratory flow index and MIC. Among the three diagnostic tools evaluated, MIC had the highest sensitivity (85.71%). All the PEFvar indexes and post-BD responses had low sensitivity and high false-negative rates. Conclusions PEFvar and post-BD FEV 1 responses are poor substitutes for MIC in the assessment of patients with suspected asthma with normal findings on lung examination, chest radiography, and spirometry. Our findings warrant a reconsideration of the NHLBI guidelines recommendation of the utility of PEFvar as a diagnostic tool for asthma in clinical practice.
Performance evaluation of a threshold policy for scheduling readers and writers

An analysis of a threshold policy for scheduling readers and writers in a multiserver system and a comparison of its performance with the first-come, first-served (FCFS) policy are presented. The threshold fastest emptying (FTE) policy is analyzed in a system with writer arrivals and an infinite backlog of readers using a Markovian model as well as a vacationing server model to yield closed-form expressions for the mean writer response time and the reader throughput. The maximum throughput achieved by the TFE policy is shown to be an increasing function of K, the threshold on the number of writers in the system, which even at K=1 exceeds the maximum throughput achieved by FCFS. In a system with reader and writer arrivals (nonsaturated system), simulation is used to study and compare the mean response time for the FCFS and the TFE policies. >
Performance of social safety net programs in Uttar Pradesh

This paper assesses the effectiveness of core social protection programs in Uttar Pradesh using the following criteria: i) coverage, ii) targeting efficiency; and iii) adequacy and potential impact on household welfare. The study is largely a quantitative assessment. Five main findings emerge from the study. First, many of the social safety net programs implemented in Uttar Pradesh have very low coverage rates, which in turn imply that exclusion errors are very large. Second, although the beneficiaries are disproportionately from poor households, non-poor households are benefiting from the program -- hence, inclusion errors are also a problem. Third, across caste groupings, program beneficiaries from SC/ST households exceed beneficiaries from other caste groups. Fourth, there is considerable geographic variation in program coverage, implying heterogeneity in the effectiveness of service delivery. Fifth, many of the programs have a very small impact on household welfare, even for poor households.
Brain Natriuretic Peptide Is Produced in Cardiac Fibroblasts and Induces Matrix Metalloproteinases

Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) produce extracellular matrix proteins and participate in the remodeling of the heart. It is unknown if brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is synthesized by CFs and if BNP participates in the regulation of extracellular matrix turnover. In this study, we examined the production of BNP in adult canine CFs and the role of BNP and its signaling system on collagen synthesis and on the activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). BNP mRNA was detected in CFs, and a specific radioimmunoassay demonstrated that BNP1-32 was secreted into the media at a rate of 11.2±1.0 pg/105 cells per 48 hours (mean±SEM). The amount of BNP secretion was significantly (P<0.01) augmented by 10−7 mol/L tumor necrosis factor-α in a time-dependent manner. BNP significantly (P<0.01) inhibited de novo collagen synthesis as assessed by [3H]proline incorporation, whereas zymographic MMP-2 (gelatinase) abundance was significantly (P<0.05) stimulated by BNP between 10−7 and 10−6 mol/L. In addition, protein expressio...
Binocular interactions in the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, II: Effects on dominant-eye spatial-frequency and contrast processing

The present study tested the hypothesis that nondominant-eye influences on lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) neurons affect the processing of spatial and contrast information from the dominant eye. To do this, we determined the effects of stimulating the nondominant eye at its optimal spatial frequency on the responses of LGN cells to sine-wave gratings of different spatial frequency and contrast presented to the dominant eye. Detailed testing was carried out on 49 cells that had statistically significant responses to stimulation of the nondominant eye alone.Spatial-frequency response functions to nondominant-eye stimulation indicated that the responses were spatially tuned, as reported previously (Guido et al., 1989). Optimal spatial frequencies through the nondominant eye were significantly correlated with the optimal spatial frequencies through the dominant eye (r = 0.54; P < 0.0001), and the optimal spatial frequencies were fairly similar for the two eyes.Nondominant-eye stimulation changed the maximal amplitude of the fundamental (Fl) response to dominant-eye stimulation for only about 45% (22 of 49) of the cells that responded to nondominant-eye stimulation alone. The response vs. contrast function through the dominant eye was altered for 73% of the cells (51% independent of spatial frequency). Three types of effects were observed: a change in the initial slope of the response vs. contrast function (contrast gain), a change in the response amplitude at which saturation occurred, or an overall change in response at all contrasts. The incidence of these changes was similar for X and Y cells in LGN layers A, Al, and C (only four W cells were tested).Nondominant-eye stimulation had little or no effect on the sizes or sensitivities of the receptive-field centers or surrounds for the dominant eye. In addition, nondominant-eye stimulation had little or no effect on optimal spatial frequency, spatial resolution, or the bandwidth of spatial-frequency contrast sensitivity curves for the dominant eye.Possible functions of binocular interactions in the LGN are considered. The present results suggest a role in interocular contrast-gain control. Interocular contrast differences can occur before the acquisition of binocular fusion, when the two eyes are viewing different aspects of a visual stimulus. Psychophysical and physiological studies suggest that an interocular mechanism exists to maintain relatively constant binocular interactions despite differences in interocular contrast. The present results suggest that at least part of this mechanism occurs in the LGN.
Atrial Natriuretic Peptide and Cyclic Nucleotides Affect Glucose-Induced Ca2+ Responses in Single Pancreatic Islet β-Cells Correlation With (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase Activity

Glucose stimulation of pancreatic islets is characterized by an initial decline in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) (phase 0), followed by an increase in peak [Ca 2+ ] i (phase 1). The effect of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and cyclic nucleotides on the glucose-induced phase 0 [Ca 2+ ] i was investigated by Fura-2 fluorescent imaging in single β-cells from isolated islets of rats maintained at 1.67 mmol/l glucose. ANP (1 nmol/1 to 1 μmol/l) inhibited the glucose (8.2 mmol/l)-induced phase 0 [Ca 2+ ] i in a concentration-dependent manner. Forskolin, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (8BrcAMP), and 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (8BrcGMP) also inhibited the glucose-induced phase 0 [Ca 2+ ] i . The Ca 2+ channel blocker, D 600, prevented the response to 8BrcAMP but not to ANP or 8BrcGMP on phase 0 [Ca 2+ ] i . Thapsigargin (TG) also inhibited phase 0 [Ca 2+ ] i by 90%. ANP, 8BrcGMP, and TG also reduced the time required for glucose to initiate the phase 1 increase in [Ca 2+ ] i and each of these agents potentiated the effect of glucose on peak [Ca 2+ ] i . Furthermore, sarco(endo)-plasmic reticulum (Ca 2+ + Mg 2+ )-ATPase (SERCA) activity in RINm5F insulinoma cells was inhibited by 8BrcGMP and TG, but not 8BrcAMP. Thus, ANP and cGMP modulate [Ca 2+ ] i regulation in pancreatic β-cells perhaps through mechanisms involving changes in SERCA activity and Ca 2+ influx.
Using state space reduction methods for deadlock analysis in Ada tasking

Over the past few years, a number of research investigations have been initiated for static analysis of concurrent and distributed software. In this paper we report on experiments with various optimization techniques for reachability-based deadlock detection in Ada programs using Petri net models. Our experimental results show that various optimization techniques are mutually beneficial with respect to the effectiveness of the analysis.
Age-related differences in dual task walking: a cross sectional study.

Variability in stride velocity during walking characterizes gait instability and predicts falling in older individuals. Walking while executing a cognitive task is also associated with increased risk of falling, particularly in older adults. Variability in stride velocity, particularly during dual task walking conditions, may differ between younger and older individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine whether gait velocity and variability in stride velocity differ between older community-dwelling women and younger women during dual task walking. Twenty-three older (80 ± 9 years) and 19 younger (23 ± 2 years) women walked under each of two conditions: (1) walking at a self-selected velocity and (2) walking at a self-selected velocity while incrementally counting backwards. Gait velocity and variability in stride velocity were measured with GAITRite® instrumentation. Gait velocity decreased and variability in stride variability increased, in both groups, during dual task walking. The relative reduction in gait velocity and the magnitude of variability in stride velocity were greater in the older subjects than younger subjects. The gait changes observed in dual task walking characterize reduced gait stability and indicate that cognitively demanding tasks during walking have a destabilizing effect on gait that may place older persons at greater risk of falls.
Design and Use of an In-Museum System for Artifact Capture

We describe the design and use of a 3D scanning system currently installed in Cairo's Egyptian Museum.The primary purpose of the system is to capture objects for display on a web site communicating Egyptian culture. The system is designed to capture both the geometry and photometry of the museum artifacts. We describe special features of the system and the calibration procedures designed for it. We also present resulting scans and examples of how they will be used on the web site.
Exploring the feasibility of a physical activity intervention for midlife African American men

Background. This study tested the initial efficacy of implementing a physical activity (PA) behavior change intervention for midlife African American (AA) men. Methods. Intervention components were based on information gathered during formative research preceding the intervention. Eligible participants were underactive AA men ages 45‐66 years. In a quasiexperimental pre‐post design, participants attended 90-min program sessions twice weekly for 8 weeks. Session topics specific to PA included overcoming barriers, gaining social support, setting goals, tracking progress and integrating into one’s lifestyle. Participants were assigned to teams to facilitate group discussion, problem solving, accountability and camaraderie. Results. 25 AA men (mean age 5 54.7 % 4.8 years) completed the intervention. After 8 weeks, significant (P < 0.05) positive changes were observed for moderate to vigorous-intensity PA (17.3 hour week 21 ) and overall PA (19.4 hour week 21 ), self-efficacy for PA (112%), social support for PA from family (128%) and friends (153%), self-regulation for planning (133%) and goal setting (148%) and each fitness component (1 9t o1144%). Based on a post-intervention satisfaction survey, participants rated the program very positively. Conclusion. These positive results attest to the feasibility of successfully engaging midlife AA men in a tailored PA behavior change program.
Geographic patterns of genetic variation in three genomes of North American diploid strawberries with special reference to Fragaria vesca subsp. bracteata

Geographic patterns of genetic variation in wild species reflect the interplay of ecological and evolutionary processes. We assessed genetic variation in three genomes across four North American di...
Active identification for discrete-time nonlinear control. II. Strict-feedback systems

The problem of controlling nonlinear systems with unknown parameters has received a great deal of attention in the continuous-time case. In contrast, its discrete-time counterpart remains largely unexplored, primarily due to the difficulties associated with utilizing Lyapunov design techniques in a discrete-time framework. Existing results impose restrictive growth conditions on the nonlinearities to yield global stability. In this paper, we propose a novel approach, which removes this obstacle and yields global stability and tracking for systems that can be transformed into an output-feedback canonical form, in which the nonlinearities depend only on the measured output, but are otherwise arbitrary. The main novelties of our design are: (i) the temporal and algorithmic separation of the parameter estimation task from the control task, and (ii) the development of an active identification procedure, which uses the control input to actively drive the system state to points in the state space that allow the orthogonalized projection estimator to acquire all the necessary information about the unknown parameters. We prove that our algorithm guarantees complete (for control purposes) identification in a finite time interval, whose maximum length we compute. Thus, the traditional structure of concurrent online estimation and control is replaced by a two-phase control strategy: first use active identification, and then utilize the acquired parameter information to implement any control strategy as if the parameters were known.
Measurement of secretogranin II release from individual adenohypophysial gonadotropes

Secretogranin II (SG-II) is an acidic 86-kDa protein found in high abundance in the anterior pituitary gland. In the present studies, we investigated the secretion and the localization of SG-II using pituitary cells from female rats at all stages of the estrous cycle. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed that SG-II immunoreactivity was localized in low abundance in about half of all pituitary cells and in high abundance in all of the luteinizing hormone (LH)-immunoreactive cells (which represent approximately 5% of all pituitary cells). Using a reverse hemolytic plaque assay for measurement of SG-II release from individual pituitary cells in culture, we found that SG-II secretion was strongly stimulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone in a dose-related fashion, and the amount of SG-II secretion was also related to the stage of the estrous cycle: it was highest at proestrus and lowest at estrus. SG-II plaque assay followed by LH immunofluorescence staining further revealed that all the SG-II-secreting cells contained LH immunoreactivity. At proestrus all the LH-immunoreactive cells secreted SG-II, whereas another days of the estrous cycle only a fraction of them did so. Thus our findings demonstrate a striking resemblance between SG-II and LH with regard to cell localization and secretory regulation.
Federal Courts, Misdirection, and the Future of Same-Sex Marriage Litigation

Several federal courts addressed the constitutionality of section three of the Defense of Marriage Act before that section’s validity was addressed by the Windsor Court. Regrettably, several of these lower courts mischaracterized federal law in ways that Windsor was unlikely to and did not address, which may mean that these misstatements will be picked up by other courts in other contexts. This article discusses some of these errors and how they have the potential to create much mischief.
Discussion on “Credibility Estimation of Distribution Functions with Applications to Experience Rating in General Insurance,” by Xiaoqiang Cai, Limin Wen, Xianyi Wu, and Xian Zhou, Volume 19(4)

To start, we want to congratulate the authors of the paper for their very interesting contribution to the theory of credibility estimation. The proposed nonparametric generalization of Buhlmann's s...
Situational factors related to loneliness and loss over time among older pet owners

Loneliness occurs in people of all ages but can be particularly debilitating in older adults. In this population, there are many factors that enter into the loneliness-loss pathway. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelations of situational factors, coping, and pet attachment that affect loneliness in 191 older adults who experienced loss over time. Data showed that loneliness was lower among study participants who lived in 55 and over residences than private residences, those who experienced loneliness due to loss, those who reported lower coping, and those who reported higher pet attachment. The results of this study suggest that nurses working with this population need to evaluate loneliness by means of situational factors such as living arrangements. Nurses should also examine the effects of loss over time and discuss coping mechanisms, including the benefit of pet relationships in this vulnerable population. Implications for nursing are addressed.
Determining health-related quality of life and health state utility values of urinary incontinence in women.

OBJECTIVES: : Health-related quality-of-life estimates currently available for urinary incontinence have largely been derived from population-based studies without physician confirmation of diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the health state utility values for urinary incontinence in women derived from EQ-5D questionnaires and visual analog scale (VAS) with the economic gold standard method, the Standard Gamble (SG) interview. METHODS: : Subjects were approached for study participation after a diagnosis of stress or urge urinary incontinence was made by the attending urogynecologist. Twenty-eight patients completed the Sandvik Severity Index (SSI), EQ-5D, and VAS. They then participated in the SG conversation. RESULTS: : The median utility (interquartile range) for stress incontinence varied based on the methods: EQ-5D, 0.83 (0.23); VAS, 0.85 (0.15); and SG, 1.00 (0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between the SG assessment and the other 2 methods of assessing utility values, the EQ-5D and VAS in women with urodynamically demonstrated stress urinary incontinence (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). In the combined group of women with urodynamically proven stress, urge, and mixed urinary incontinence, there was also a statistically significant difference between the SG and the generic methods of assessing utility values, the EQ-5D and VAS (P < 0.0001). Mean SSI scores were similar in women with stress incontinence (6.6 [23.5]) and in the combined group (7.9 [3.8]). CONCLUSIONS: : Previous studies may have underestimated the health-related quality of life of urinary incontinence.
Problems for users of zonal polynomials

In this section we present a series of results that are useful to users of zonal polynomials. Inasmuch as many of these results are relatively easy applications of the preceding theory many of these results are presented as problems. Some are original to the author. Others are based on various articles by James (1960, 1961a, 1961b, 1964, 1968) and Constantine (1963). In the use of generating functions there is overlap with the recent papers by Saw (1977) and Takemura (1982).
Agomelatine for elderly patients with post-srtoke depression

Objective To compare the clinical effect and adverse reactions of agomelatine and duloxetine for poststroke depression in elderly patients.Methods A total of 90 patients with elderly post-stroke depression were randomly divided into 2 groups.The treatment group were treated with agomelatine,while the control group were treated with duloxetine.The course of treatment was 12 weeks.The changes of HAMD,CSS,SDRS and TESS in the 2 groups were compared to determine the efficacy,neurological function and adverse reactions.Results The HAMD,CSS,and SDRS between the treatment group and the control group were not significantly different(P 0.05).The total efficiency was 73.3% and 71.1%; TESS of the treatment group was better than that of the control group with statistically significant difference(P 0.05).Conclusion Agomelatine has the efficacy of improving post-stroke depression symptoms,accelerating neurological functional rehabilitation,promoting activities of daily living it is a safe and effective medicine and have very few adverse reactions for the treatment of post-stroke depression in elderly patients.
Basic Identification for the Total Heat Exchange Factor

The total heat exchange factor method is used as core model for L2 control system of reheating furnace. Total heat exchange factor is not only a function of structure parameters,but also a function of operating parameters,thus the identification for it is hard. Based on the drag thermocouple experiment of No. 3 reheating furnace in 2050 hot rolling mill in BaoSteel,basic identification w as researched. The experiment data w ere arranged. Meanw hile,CFw as identified by surface temperature gradient method. Finally,complete expression of the identification system w as derived,and the result of basic recognition w as analyzed. In the process of identification w ith a large number of sampling points,the surface heat flux curves appeared oscillating. It w as caused by the mismatching betw een sampling period and system resolution. The CFcurves show that the values of CFat the same site are different w hen the slab is still. So the compensation for CFis necessary.
Hypercholesterolemia in School Children: A Preliminary Report

Six to seven per cent of school children 6 to 14 years of age may have serum cholesterol concentrations above 220 mg. per 100 ml. by the Huang method. This is especially characteristic of children 9, 10, and 11 years old, and is less frequent in children who are younger or older. The serum cholesterol does not differ according to sex; it is not correlated with serum protein-bound iodine, body surface area, beta or pre-beta lipoprotein percentages, or triglyceride values. There is a low but significant correlation of the serum cholesterol values of the parents with those of their children. Using the Harlan nomogram, the hypercholesterolemic children may be classified as Frederickson Types II or III.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Peptide–Macromolecule Interactions

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the types of experiments that can be performed, the systems that can be studied, and the results that can be obtained in applying nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to the study of peptide-macromolecule interaction. The NMR of peptide–macromolecule interactions usually involves experiments of a different type than those used to study free peptides. The investigation of peptide–macromolecule interaction has the potential of giving information that is more useful for understanding peptide action than that obtained from studies of free peptides. Improvements in NMR instrumentation and in isolation and purification of important receptor molecules should greatly increase the scope and significance of NMR studies of peptide–macromolecule interactions undertaken in the coming years. This will be one of the most important areas of NMR research and will also lead to an enhanced understanding of peptide action.
An Anatomy of the Universe

Ficino’s vision is of a universe held together by love. Love is the energy or circuitus spiritualis that binds everything together and connects it to God. This love is a combination of Christian love (agape and caritas) and Platonic love (eros). It comes from God and is reflected back to Him by what He has created. God is also the Form that moulds matter, but He does not completely transform all of the material at hand. He is a point of singularity (Unity or the One). From that single point, he extends out as through a series of mirrors or emanations that reflect and multiply Him. By the time God’s reflection reaches out as far as our world, the effect has been partially distorted and diffused by the journey into matter. We have moved from singularity to the world of the multiple, from the perfection of unity to the complexity and distortions of ambiguity. But if we can only look up, then God’s love will reach down, and what is scattered and imperfect can be gathered back to Him.
COMPLEXITY, CATASTROPHE AND PHYSICS

There is growing recognition that progress in many scientific disciplines depends on an understanding of complexity Complex systems play an important role in molecular biology neurobiology and ecology as well as geology engineering and economics. These systems consist of a large number of mutually interacting parts, often open to their environment, and the self-organization of these parts gives rise to novel macroscopic, or "emergent", properties. Put another way, in a complex system the whole turns out to be much more than the sum of its parts.
Timing and magnitude of lumbar spine contribution to trunk forward bending and backward return in patients with acute low back pain

Alterations in the lumbo-pelvic coordination denote changes in neuromuscular control of trunk motion as well as load sharing between passive and active tissues in the lower back. Differences in timing and magnitude aspects of lumbo-pelvic coordination between patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and asymptomatic individuals have been reported; yet, the literature on lumbo-pelvic coordination in patients with acute LBP is scant. A case-control study was conducted to explore the differences in timing and magnitude aspects of lumbo-pelvic coordination between females with (n=19) and without (n=19) acute LBP. Participants in each group completed one experimental session wherein they performed trunk forward bending and backward return at preferred and fast paces. The amount of lumbar contribution to trunk motion (as the magnitude aspect) as well as the mean absolute relative phase (MARP) and deviation phase (DP) between thoracic and pelvic rotations (as the timing aspect) of lumbo-pelvic coordination were calculated. The lumbar contribution to trunk motion in the 2nd and the 3rd quarters of both forward bending and backward return phases was significantly smaller in the patient than the control group. The MARP and the DP were smaller in the patient vs. the control group during entire motion. The reduced lumbar contribution to trunk motion as well as the more in-phase and less variable lumbo-pelvic coordination in patients with acute LBP compared to the asymptomatic controls is likely the result of a neuromuscular adaptation to reduce painful deformation and to protect injured lower back tissues.
Immunologic approaches for the treatment of multiple myeloma

The FDA approval of two monoclonal antibodies in 2015has heralded a new era of targeted immunotherapies for multiple myeloma (MM). In this review we discuss the recent approaches using different immunological components to treat MM. In particular, we review current monoclonal antibody based therapies, engineered T- and NK cell products, 'off-target' immunomodulation, and strategies utilizing allogeneic cell transplantation in MM. We discuss how an immunologic approach offers promise for the treatment of this genetically heterogeneous disease, and how patients with acquired drug resistance may particularly benefit from these therapies. We also describe some of the limitations of the current strategies and speculate on the future of personalized immunotherapies for MM.
Renal transplantation one week after conception

A successful 38-week pregnancy is reported following renal transplantation approximately 1 week after conception. The patient was treated with quadruple sequential induction therapy, maintenance immunosuppression, and routine posttransplantation care, including ganciclovir treatment for a symptomatic cytomegalovirus infection during the pregnancy and 3 months after delivery. No decline in renal function was noted. The mother and child remain healthy at 18 months. This case demonstrates the ability of renal transplant patients to maintain renal function throughout pregnancy and the lack of deleterious effects upon the child during gestation and at up to 18 months after birth, despite significant immunosuppression, including antithymocyte globulin induction therapy, and infectious complications of the mother's renal transplantation.
There Is No Place Like Home: Imitation and the Politics of Recognition in Bolivian Obstetric Care

This article examines how efforts to "culturally adapt" birthing spaces in a rural Bolivian hospital are generating debates among doctors about what constitutes proper obstetric care. Working at the intersection of national and transnational projects, NGOs in Bolivia have remade the birthing rooms of some public health institutions to look more like a home, with the goal of making indigenous women feel more comfortable and encouraging them to come to the clinic to give birth. Yet narratives of transformation also obscure ongoing conditions of racial and gendered inequality in health services. I demonstrate how doctors' use of culturally adapted technologies enacts shifting affective relations-warm, cold, gentle, harsh-that draws on preoccupations with indigenous culture as a threat to maternal and infant life. In tracing practices of care, I argue that culturally adapted birthing in many ways extends historically rooted practices of doing biomedical work on indigenous bodies.
Origins in the USA in the 1980s of the warning that smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to cigarettes: a historical, documents-based assessment with implications for comparative warnings on less harmful tobacco/nicotine products

Before the 1980s in the USA, smokeless tobacco carried no health warnings, was not judged to cause disease, and was a declining practice. In 1986, the federal government passed legislation requiring rotating warnings on “mouth cancer,” “gum disease and tooth loss,” and “This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.” This paper explores the history of the establishment of these warnings with emphasis on the ‘not a safe alternative’ warning and the bases for claiming that smokeless was ‘not safe’ (absolute harm) versus ‘not safer than cigarettes’ (relative harm). Results of searches of Truth Tobacco Industry Document archives and transcripts of legislative hearings were analyzed. Critical assessments were made of the evidence-base. New evidence of oral cancer causation emerged along with a much-publicized case of a teenager dying of oral cancer. Public health concerns also arose over a widespread, successful marketing campaign implying smokeless was a safe alternative to cigarettes. Industry wanted pre-emptive federal warnings, to prevent a diversity of pending state warnings. To avoid an addiction warning, the industry accepted a compromise ‘not a safe alternative’ warning, which had not been initially proposed and which the cigarette industry may have sought in order to constrain the smokeless tobacco industry. The evidence presented supported smokeless only as ‘not safe’ and not ‘as harmful as cigarette smoking.’ The comparative warning was a compromise to prevent an addiction warning and consistent with the preferences of cigarette companies. Prior surveys indicated that the public generally did not view smokeless tobacco as harmless, but they did generally report smokeless as less harmful than cigarettes despite expert interpretations to the contrary. As would not have been appreciated by public health supporters at the outset, subsequent research has shown that the ‘not a safe alternative’ message is misinterpreted by consumers to indicate that smokeless is ‘not safer’ than cigarettes—which was not established and has been disconfirmed by subsequent assessments of that question. Though many countries have banned smokeless tobacco (but not cigarettes), where smokeless is legally available accurate information on the nature of harms and differential harms needs to be developed.
Use of Health Insurance Among Clients Seeking Contraceptive Services at Title X-Funded Facilities in 2016.

Context As federal initiatives aim to fundamentally alter or dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA), evidence regarding the use of insurance among clients obtaining contraceptive care at Title X-funded facilities under ACA guidelines is essential to understanding what is at stake. Methods A nationally representative sample of 2,911 clients seeking contraceptive care at 43 Title X-funded sites in 2016 completed a survey assessing their characteristics and insurance coverage and use. Chi-square tests for independence with adjustments for the sampling design were conducted to determine differences in insurance coverage and use across demographic characteristics and facility types. Results Most clients (71%) had some form of public or private health insurance, and most of these (83%) planned to use it to pay for their services. Foreign-born clients were less likely than U.S.-born clients to have coverage (46% vs. 75%) and to use it (78% vs. 85%). Clients with private insurance were less likely than those with public insurance to plan to use their insurance (75% vs. 91%). More than one-quarter of clients not planning to use existing insurance for services indicated that the reason was that someone might find out. Conclusion Coverage gaps persist among individuals seeking contraceptive care within the Title X network, despite evidence indicating increases in health insurance coverage among this population since implementation of the ACA. Future research should explore the impact of altering or eliminating the ACA both on the Title X provider network and on the individuals who rely on it.
Military applications of soldier physiological monitoring.

Abstract Wearable physiological status monitoring is part of modern precision medicine that permits predictions about an individual’s health and performance from their real-time physiological status (RT-PSM) instead of relying on population-based predictions informed by estimated human, mission, and environmental/ambient conditions. RT-PSM systems have useful military applications if they are soldier-acceptable and provide important actionable information. Most commercially available systems do not address relevant military needs, typically lack the validated algorithms that make real time computed information useful, and are not open architected to be integrated with the soldier technological ecology. Military RT-PSM development requires committed investments in iterative efforts involving physiologists, biomedical engineers, and the soldier users. Military operational applications include: (1) technological enhancement of performance by providing individual status information to optimize self-regulation, workload distribution, and enhanced team sensing/situational awareness; (2) detection of impending soldier failure from stress load (physical, psychological, and environmental); (3) earliest possible detection of threat agent exposure that includes the “human sensor”; (4) casualty detection, triage, and early clinical management; (5) optimization of individual health and fitness readiness habits; and (6) long term health risk-associated exposure monitoring and dosimetry. This paper is focused on the performance-related applications and considers near term predictions such as thermal-work limits, alertness and fitness for duty status, musculoskeletal fatigue limits, neuropsychological status, and mission-specific physiological status. Each new measurement capability has provided insights into soldier physiology and advances the cycle of invention, lab and field testing, new discovery and redesign.
Deregulierung und die Wiedergeburt des Unternehmers

Schumpeters Vision der okonomischen Zukunft und vor allem der Rolle des Unternehmers fur die Gestaltung jener Zukunft war scharfsichtig und erhellend im guten wie im schlechten, aber nicht immer konsequent — zumindest fur Leser und Studenten, wenn nicht sogar fur Schumpeter selbst.
Big O, Small o, and the Unspecified c

One of the benefits of using large-sample techniques is that it allows us to separate important factors from those that have minor impact and to replace quantities by equivalents that are of simpler form. For example, recall Example 2 in the Preface.
A characterization ofLL(1) grammars

A new characterization ofLL(1) grammars that lends itself to testing for theLL(1) property is given. The characterization calls for the testing of intersections of FIRST sets for individual symbols rather than for right hand sides of productions.
The Adaptive Evolution of Polar Fishes: Lessons From the Function of Hemoproteins

The perciform suborder Notothenioidei, mostly confined within Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, dominates the modern Southern Ocean ichthyofauna. Notothenioids probably appeared in the early Tertiary and began to diversify on the Antarctic shelf in the middle Tertiary, adapting to progressive cooling (Eastman 1993). Notothenioids are morphologically and ecologically diverse, and account for 77% of the shelf fish diversity, 92% of abundance and 91% of biomass (Eastman 2005). They are monophyletic (Balushkin 2000; Chen et al. 2003; Near et al. 2004).
Economic Viability of a Natural Gas Refueling Infrastructure for Long-Haul Trucks

AbstractLow natural gas prices offer an opportunity to expand the use of this fuel in new sectors, such as powering long-haul trucks. The non-return-to-base nature of long-haul trucks requires a la...
Teledermatology Outcomes in the Providence Veterans Health Administration.

Abstract Background: As technology evolves, so does the integration of technology into health care delivery. Telemedicine, the use of information technology to provide remote health care, aims to i...