cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of continuous low-dose antibiotic prophylaxis on growth in children with vesicoureteral reflux.

Summary Background Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) is a mainstay of treatment for children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). There has been an increasing focus on the effect of antibiotics on gut microbiota and subsequent repercussions on growth. Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis is generally considered safe; however, its impact on growth in children with VUR remains unknown. Objective This objective of this study was to determine whether CAP altered height, weight, or body mass index (BMI) in children with VUR. Study design Children diagnosed with primary VUR were identified. Demographics including weight and height percentiles, BMI and BMI percentiles, age, gender, antibiotic class, prior antibiotic use, urinary tract infection history, and breakthrough infections were tested in univariate and multivariate analyses. Primary outcome was change in BMI as well as weight, height, and BMI percentiles. Results One hundred eighty patients (146 girls, 34 boys) were prescribed CAP at mean age of 29.2 ± 26.2 months. Mean follow-up on CAP was 4.1 ± 3.3 years, with median follow-up of 3.08 years. Mean increase in weight percentile was 1.49 (2.02 males, 1.37 females; P = 0.46). Mean decrease in height percentile was −4.44 (−2.18 males, −4.95 females; P = 0.51). Age at diagnosis (P = 0.004) and history of prior treatment courses of antibiotics (P = 0.007) were associated with a significant BMI increase ( Fig. 1 ). Body mass index percentile increased from 58.4 to 66.5; however, this increase was only significant in children aged above 1 year (P Discussion The use of antibiotics has been associated with alterations in pediatric growth parameters in both animal models and clinical studies. However, little information exists on the impact of prophylactic-dosed antibiotics on growth. While this study is limited by the retrospective analysis and small sample size, it was found that the use of CAP did impact growth parameters, with a stronger effect seen in children who had received prior treatment courses of antibiotics before the infection leading to the initiation of CAP. Conclusion Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis was correlated with significant increase in BMI in children with prior antibiotic usage and a significant increase in BMI percentile in children aged above 1 year. Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis was also associated with decreased height percentiles, particularly in patients aged less than 1 year, though it did not reach statistical significance. Further analysis is needed to investigate whether these effects on weight, height, and BMI are persistent and clinically significant. Download : Download high-res image (154KB) Download : Download full-size image Fig. 1 . Prior antibiotic use and younger age at start of daily antibiotics are associated with increasing BMI. BMI, body mass index.
A test of the institutionally-induced equilibrium hypothesis: on the limited fiscal impact of two celebrity governors

The governorships of Jesse Ventura of Minnesota and Arnold Schwarzenegger of California provide two natural experiments for testing the institutionally induced stability hypothesis. Both men rose to their governorships through unique career and electoral paths that would reduce the stabilizing effects of partisan commitments and electoral competition, which would tend to increase their impact on public policy. Nonetheless, our evidence suggests that despite their unique backgrounds and paths to office neither governor had a statistically significant impact on their state’s expenditures or deficits.
Propagation Models: Large Scale and Site-Specific

In this paper, we investigate the differences between publicly available propagation models, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)-R P.452-15 and Irregular Terrain Model, that are utilized for large scale planning against a site-specific model, the Aerospace Radio Frequency Propagation Tool (ARPT). ARPT was developed under the Air Force Spectrum Transition Planl. The advantages and disadvantages of each propagation model and its methodology are discussed in greater detail.
A patient's decision aid for vascular access placement in the emergency department.

Background:Vascular access device placement is one of the most routinely performed procedures in the emergency department. Despite its high usage, most patients have limited knowledge about vascula...
Spatial convergence of distant cortical regions during folding explains why arteries do not cross the sylvian fissure.

OBJECTIVE Cortical folding places regions that are separated by a large distance along the cortical surface in close proximity. This process is not homogeneous; regions such as the insular opercula have a much higher cortical surface distance (CSD) to euclidean distance (ED) than others. Here the authors explore the hypothesis that in the folded brain the CSD, and not the ED, determines regions of common irrigation, because this measure corresponds more closely with the distance along the prefolded brain, where the subarachnoid arterial vascular network starts forming. METHODS The authors defined a convergence index that compared the ED to the CSD and applied it to the cortical surface reconstruction of an average brain. They then compared cortical convergence to the irrigation patterns of major sulci and fissures of the brain, by assessing whether these structures were crossed or not crossed by arterial vessels in 20 fixed hemispheres. RESULTS The regions of highest convergence (top 1%) were clustered around the sylvian fissure, which is the only brain depression with high convergence values along its edges. Arterial crossings were commonly observed in every major sulcus of the brain, with the exception of the sylvian fissure, constituting a highly significant difference (p < 10-4). CONCLUSIONS Arteries do not cross regions of high convergence. In the adult brain the CSD, rather than the ED, predicts the regional irrigation pattern. The distant origin of the frontal and temporal lobes creates a region of high cortical convergence, which explains why arteries do not cross the sylvian fissure.
Parent-LGBTQ child communication about disclosure to their social networks

This study explores communication between parents and LGBTQ children as they jointly negotiate whether to disclose the child’s LGBTQ identity to members of their social networks, e.g., extended fam...
Non-genetic inheritance restraint of cell-to-cell variation.

All the different forms of life on our planet – including animals, plants, fungi and bacteria – tend to grow, multiply and expand. This happens through a process called cell division, where one cell becomes two; two cells become four; four cells become eight; and so on. Each dividing cell passes on the same set of genetic instructions to its two daughter cells in the form of DNA. Its remaining contents, made up of a mixture of proteins, RNA and other chemicals, also get divided up equally between the two new cells. This division of cellular assets establishes a form of 'cellular memory', where daughter cells retain very similar properties to their ancestors, which helps them remain stable over time. Yet this memory can fade, and small changes in how a cell looks or acts can appear over many generations of cell division. This happens even when the exact same set of DNA-based genetic instructions have been passed down to daughter cells, confirming that other factors aside from DNA do influence cellular properties and can act to maintain them or introduce variation over time. Here, Vashistha, Kohram and Salman set out to understand how long cellular memory could be maintained in dividing E. coli bacteria. To do this, they created a technique to track cellular memory as it passed down from a single mother cell to two daughter cells over dozens of generations. Using this technique, Vashistha, Kohram and Salman found that some inherited elements, including cell size and the time cells took to divide, were maintained between mother and daughter cells for almost 10 generations. Other elements, such as the density of proteins inside each cell, started changing almost immediately after daughter cells were formed, and only remained similar for about two generations. These findings suggest that cellular memory may be long, but is not infinite, and that inheritance of non-genetic elements can help maintain cellular memory and reduce variation among new-born cells for considerable number of generations. Building on this research to achieve a better understanding of cellular memory may allow researchers to harness these insights to direct the evolution of different cellular properties over time. This could have a wide range of potential applications, such as designing new infection control measures for viruses or bacteria; enhancing our ability to grow working organs for tissue transplant; or improving the texture and consistency of cultured, lab-grown meat.
Adapting group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-G) for treating depression among military spouses at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP): Formative qualitative phase

Introduction: Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in Iraq have resulted in the deployment of nearly 2,000,000 troops, of which nearly 60% were married,...
3DI: A novel ion composition and three-dimensional velocity analyzer for the topside ionosphere

A new ion composition and three-dimensional velocity analyzer, 3-Dimensional ion velocity and mass Imager (3DI), measures 3D velocity distribution functions (VDFs) for each major ion species in Earth’s topside ionosphere. The 3DI instrument is composed of a miniaturized electrostatic analyzer (ESA) and a deflector, backed by a static, magnet-based, mass spectrometer. We have developed a micro-pixel read-out anode technique that significantly saves power in the particle detection system, and integrated it into an imaging microchannel plate (MCP). We tested the ESA and deflector, magnet-based mass spectrometer, and anode in the laboratory to demonstrate the 3DI prototype’s performance. We have applied numerical calculations to evaluate and discuss 3DI’s performance and dynamic range. Due to complexities associated with imaging 3D distribution functions during fast spacecraft motion, we also discuss the operation strategy for 3DI to capture and resolve the VDF within the field of view. Once applied to flight investigations, the 3DI observations will be extremely useful in identifying ionosphere composition, mass-dependent ion transport such as upflows, and mass-dependent ion heating. Furthermore, the precise measurement of non-thermal plasma VDFs provides information to improve ionospheric environment modeling and ground-based radar observations.
A systematic approach to creating terrain-capable hybrid soft/hard myriapod robots

Multi-legged animals (myriapods) such as centipedes move effectively in diverse terrain; flexible bodies and limbs allow them to morphologically adapt to the environment. To examine how the variation in body/limb forms of myriapods affect the mechanics and performance of terrestrial locomotion, we built a low-cost multi-legged hybrid (containing soft and hard components) robot which has 8 segments, each with two limbs driven out of phase. The back elements and limb pairs are driven by servo motors. Building on new theoretical results from geometric mechanics applied to myriapods, we systematically tested gait patterns with different leg contacts and body undulation on various laboratory and natural environments including flat and uneven rigid ground, stairs, and unstructured natural terrain (leaf litter, grass). On flat ground, the robot with rigid components moved in the same way as the theoretically predicted gaits. As the complexity of the environment increased, the robot’s performance suffered (and theoretical predictions became unavailable) due to deleterious interactions like jamming of limbs. However, adding flexibility into the robot’s body parts (legs, body joints etc.) improved the open-loop locomotion performance (often to levels of that on flat ground) by either reducing the effects of environmental disturbances or increasing stability. Our findings show that in order to produce an agile, robust locomotive device, we need to understand the importance of body morphology and complex, dynamic interactions between an organism and its environment through systematic experiments in both the laboratory and natural environment.
Objective Measures of Retinal Image Degradation Due to Refractive Corrections.

SIGNIFICANCE There is a need for a measure, as simple and yet as informative as possible, to describe objectively the retinal image quality when a patient views targets at various distances through spectacle, contact, or intraocular corrections with optics more elaborate than single vision. PURPOSE The purposes of this study are to examine the current status of quantitative descriptions of retinal image blur and find optimal characterization of image degradation. METHODS A variety of indexes of image degradation are computed for a typical eye and polychromatic light, in and out of focus, and as exemplars of sophisticated wave shaping, when the pupil transmission has been modified to a truncated Bessel amplitude function and to a "fractal" phase function. RESULTS Figures are shown for the optical transfer, point- and edge-spread functions, and Koenig bar and optotype letter blur for the various imaging and defocus conditions, and the relative values of several blur indexes are compared graphically and in a correlation table. CONCLUSIONS No single index captures the many ways in which the image can deviate from the diffraction-limited ideal. Among the incomplete descriptors of image degradation, the light distribution at a sharp edge stands out as optimally informative and economical, and, when condensed to just two values, one representing central image sharpness and the other outlying light spread, allows for a quick survey of the imaging deficit.
Operating Half-Duplex Diamond Networks with Two Interfering Relays

This paper considers a diamond network with two interfering relays, where the source communicates with the destination via a layer of 2 half-duplex relays that can communicate with each other. The main focus is on characterizing the 3 relay receive/transmit configuration states (out of the 4 possible ones) that suffice to achieve the approximate capacity of the network. Towards this end, the binary linear deterministic approximation of the Gaussian noise channel is analyzed, and explicit scheduling and relaying schemes are presented. These schemes quantify the amount of information that each relay is responsible for sending to the destination, as well as the fraction of time each relay should receive and transmit.
Foundations of 3D Computer Graphics

Computer graphics technology is an amazing success story. Today, all of our PCs are capable of producing high-quality computer-generated images, mostly in the form of video games and virtual-life environments; every summer blockbuster movie includes jaw-dropping computer generated special effects. This book explains the fundamental concepts of 3D computer graphics. It introduces the basic algorithmic technology needed to produce 3D computer graphics, and covers such topics as understanding and manipulating 3D geometric transformations, camera transformations, the image-rendering process, and materials and texture mapping. It also touches on advanced topics including color representations, light simulation, dealing with geometric representations, and producing animated computer graphics. The book takes special care to develop an original exposition that is accessible and concise but also offers a clear explanation of the more difficult and subtle mathematical issues. The topics are organized around a modern shader-based version of OpenGL, a widely used computer graphics application programming interface that provides a real-time "rasterization-based" rendering environment. Each chapter concludes with exercises. The book is suitable for a rigorous one-semester introductory course in computer graphics for upper-level undergraduates or as a professional reference. Readers should be moderately competent programmers and have had some experience with linear algebra. After mastering the material presented, they will be on the path to expertise in an exciting and challenging field.
Observations on the Genus Vaucheria (Xanthophyceae, Vaucheriales) from the Gulf of Mexico

Investigations of algal mats from several locations along the Gulf of Mexico from Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to Manatee County, Florida, were conducted from February 1979 to February 1980. Habitat preference, distribution, and morphology are reported herein for nine species and one variety of Vuucheria de Candolle. Five taxa-V. arcassionensis, V. aversa, V . coronuta, V. prolifera var. reticulospora, and V. pseudogeminata-are first reports for the Gulf of Mexico coastal region. Vaucheria velutina ( = V . thuretii), the most abundant taxon identified in the region, is common in diverse habitats. Vuucheriu prolifera var. reticulospora is reported for the first time in North America from coastal Mississippi.
Rates of visual field progression in distinct optic disc phenotypes.

Background: To determine if optic disc phenotype is correlated with the rate of glaucomatous visual field progression. Design: Retrospective cohort. Participants or Samples: Treated glaucoma patients. Methods: The optic disc stereophotographs of glaucoma patients were reviewed by two investigators masked to all clinical and perimetric data. Each disc was classified as focal ischaemic, myopic, senile sclerotic and generalized enlargement. Visual field progression (defined as at least two adjacent test points in the same hemifield progressing by more than 1.0 dB/year at P < 0.01) was evaluated using automated pointwise linear regression. Main Outcome Measures: Association between optic disc phenotypes and other clinical variables and rates of visual field progression. Results: 264 optic disc stereophotographs (127 generalized enlargement, 41 focal ischaemic, 54 myopic and 42 senile sclerotic) were evaluated. In the univariate analyses, it was found that patients with senile sclerotic discs were older (p = 0.002) and those with generalized enlargement had better baseline visual field mean deviation (p < 0.001) and higher intraocular pressure (p = 0.006) compared with the other groups. More disc haemorrhages were detected in the focal ischaemic and senile sclerotic groups (p = 0.010). After adjusting for other risk factors (intraocular pressure, age, central corneal thickness, disc haemorrhage), there were no differences among groups regarding the risk (p = 0.58) and velocity (p = 0.21) of visual field progression. Conclusions: Visual field progression was similar among the four optic disc phenotypes in treated glaucoma after adjusting for other known risk factors. The division of disc appearance into clinical phenotypes does not appear to provide independent information regarding the risk of progression in clinical practice.
Object-Oriented Distributed Computing with C++ and OSF DCE

This paper suggests a method for developing object-oriented distributed applications using the C++ and DCE technologies. It presents the benefits provided by the use of object-oriented design and development techniques when writing distributed applications. It describes a model to map DCE onto C++, a structure for distributed C++ applications and it presents a set of challenges we encountered while integrating C++ with DCE, along with the solutions we chose for them. Through this approach we saw a significant decrease in application code size as well as an increase in developer productivity.
Biosynthesis of bioactive marine natural products

Abstract This chapter describes recent advances in the field of marine biosynthesis. The literature from 1991 - 1997 has been reviewed and organized phylogenetically. In addition to presenting the results of studies directed at elucidating the biosynthetic origin of marine natural products, recent experiments directed at identifying the organism responsible for an observed biosynthetic transformation in host-symbiont associations are also discussed. Further, the utility of cultured marine bacteria and enzyme preparations of macroorganisms as a tool to conduct precursor-directed biosynthesis is emerging and is discussed herein. The techniques used for the administration of labeled precursors varies widely between phyla and individual methods employed for each group of organisms is presented.
Excess Dietary Vitamin B-6 Alters Startle Behavior of Rats

Excessive intakes of vitamin B-6 can produce peripheral nervous system abnormalities, but few reports of central nervous system effects exist. We measured startle response, a central nervous system reflex, in rats fed excess pyridoxine to determine if subtle effects on central nervous system function could be detected. Female Long-Evans rats (218 g; n = 12) were fed either 1, 10, 100, 200 or 300 times the requirement of pyridoxine HCl (7 mg/kg) for 7 wk. Startle behavior was assessed weekly in chambers that allowed quantification of movement in response to stimuli. Food intake and body weights did not differ among groups (P > 0.1), and urinary vitamin B-6 excretion reflected intake (P < 0.001). Overt toxicity was not observed. There was a marginally significant effect of pyridoxine intake over time (P = 0.053) on the amplitude of response to a startling acoustic stimulus (117 dB, 40 ms) administered alone; the response appeared attenuated at the three highest pyridoxine concentrations. When the same stimulus was preceded by either a 70- or 75-dB prepulse (40 ms), responses of groups fed the two highest pyridoxine concentrations were significantly reduced relative to those fed the two lowest concentrations (P < 0.05). No effect of diet was seen with a startling tactile stimulus. Changes in central nervous system function were detected in rats fed excess vitamin B-6 using techniques of startle behavior measurement.
Participation in pediatric oncology research protocols: Racial/ethnic, language and age-based disparities.

Background Survival rates in pediatric oncology have improved dramatically, in part due to high patient participation in clinical trials. Although racial/ethnic inequalities in clinical trial participation have been reported in adults, pediatric data and studies comparing participation rates by socio-demographic characteristics are scarce. The goal of this study was to assess differences in research protocol participation for childhood cancer by age, sex, race/ethnicity, parental language, cancer type, and insurance status. Procedure Data on enrollment in any protocol, biospecimen, or therapeutic protocols were collected and analyzed for newly diagnosed pediatric patients with cancer from 2008–2012 at Rady Children's Hospital. Results Among the 353 patients included in the analysis, 304 (86.1%) were enrolled in any protocol. Enrollment in biospecimen and therapeutic protocols was 84.2% (261/310) and 81.1% (206/254), respectively. Logistic regression analyzes revealed significant enrollment underrepresentation in any protocol for Hispanics compared to Non-Hispanic whites (81% vs. 91%; Odds Ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.21–0.90; P = 0.021) and among children of Spanish-speaking vs. English-speaking parents (78% vs. 89%; OR, 0.45; 95%CI, 0.23–0.87; P = 0.016). Compared to patients aged 0–4 years, significant underrepresentation was also found among patients 15–21 years old (92% vs.72%; OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.09–0.48; P < 0.001). Similar trends were observed when analyzing enrollment in biospecimen and therapeutic protocols separately. Conclusions There was significant underrepresentation in protocol participation for Hispanics, children of Spanish-speaking parents, and patients ages 15–21. Research is needed to understand barriers to research participation among these groups underrepresented in pediatric oncology clinical trials. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:1337–1344. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PASSIVE TRANSFER OF ANTIBODY TO EHRLICHIA RISTICII PROTECTS MICE FROM EHRLICHIOSIS

Mice that recovered from Ehrlichia risticii infection were immune to a challenge dose of 100 50% lethal doses. Immune or normal mouse serum was passively transferred to mice challenged with E. risticii. Clinical signs of ehrlichiosis were completely prevented in 22 of 24 recipients of immune serum, and the onset of signs of illness was delayed in the remaining two mice compared with the onset of illness in 24 of 24 recipients of nonimmune serum. Purified immunoglobulin G (IgG) was used to passively protect mice from infection with E. risticii. All 15 mice that received IgG from normal serum but none of the 15 mice that received IgG from immune serum developed clinical signs of illness. Antibodies in immune mouse serum immunoprecipitated [35S]methionine metabolically labeled E. risticii proteins with apparent molecular masses ranging from 14 to 90 kDa. The major antigens recognized by dilute immune serum in immunoblot analysis had molecular masses of 62, 53, 40, 33, 27, and 25 kDa, and the 62- and 27-kDa antigens were prominent in immunoprecipitations with dilute antibody. Antigens with molecular masses of 62, 53, 40, 33, and 27 kDa are likely surface exposed, as determined by immunoprecipitation of 125I-labeled organisms with immune mouse serum.
Rapid Visco Analysis of Food Protein Pastes

Whey protein isolate (WPI) powders are used in many formulations to boost nutrients. To predict the pasting behavior of proteins, WPI was tested under varying temperatures, using the Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA), under pasting temperatures from 65 to 75C, RVA speeds from 100 to 500 rpm and protein concentrations from 2.5 to 40%. The optimal pasting profiles for WPI were obtained at 75C, 300 rpm and 30% protein concentration. The concentrations of the other food proteins evaluated were calcium caseinate (CC) 20%, egg albumin (EA) 20%, soy protein isolate (SPI) 10% and extrusion-texturized whey protein isolates (tWPI) 30%. Multiple (12) RVA pasting runs of WPI resulted in a superimposed profile with peak paste value of 1.50 ± 0.3 Pa·s and a standard error of ± 0.43 Pa·s. The RVA pasting peaks (Pa·s) were: CC (6.2), EA (4.6), SPI (0.6) and tWPI (1.7). Protein concentration needed for RVA pasting profile ranged from 5 to 30%. Practical Applications The rate of change in protein viscosity with respect to temperature can be measured using the RVA. Understanding how the pasting viscoelastic behavior of food proteins change with heating can help predict the type of networks formed during food manufacturing. Rapid assays of protein pastes will help avoid flow problems that may result from protein coagulation during food processing.
591 EARLY NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT: EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT FOR OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

25/261 children were identified as overweight or obese within the first two years of life during well-child care (provided to them from birth to four years.) Their mothers were enrolled during pregnancy in a longitudinal study to determine the effects of maternal nutrition and environmental factors on the infants' subsequent growth and development. At every routine visit growth assessment and nutritional guidance were provided. When growth was inappropriate, intervention occurred with increased emphasis on appropriate growth rate & specific dietary recommendations. Data indicate 1)considered alone, dietary intake, anthropometric assessment, growth velocity, or physical exam will not identify inappropriate growth rate as early as when all are considered together; 2) the earlier identification occurs, the greater possibility of problem resolution. Of the 25 identified with obese status, 9 have resolved, 13 are resolving; 3 have not. The pediatric literature indicates a success rate of between 25-50% for obesity intervention, compared to our rate of 88% with a minimum of six months follow-up. Characteristics of children and families influencing inappropriate growth included: excess parental weight status, poor eating patterns, excess maternal weight gain in pregnancy, presence of extended family or babysitter care. The investigation emphasizes the need for comprehensive nutritional assessment regularly throughout the first several years of life and the value of early intervention.
Analysis of Fractal Cluster Morphology Parameters: Structural Coefficient and Density Autocorrelation Function Cutoff

Electron micrograph images of fractal soot clusters obtained from a premixed CH4/O2 flame are analyzed for two, somewhat neglected, morphological parameters: the structural coefficient k0 in N = k0 (Rg/a)Dr and the perimeter cutoff function h(x) of the cluster density autocorrelation function. We find for our fractal aggregates that k0 = 1.23 ± 0.07 and h(x) is well described by a Gaussian or overlapping spheres model.
Mr R: A Case Study of Withdrawal

This case study describes a patient with a long-time history of polysubstance abuse and dependence who was admitted to the hospital for detoxification from, and treatment for, his addictions. Despite physiological dependence upon the long-acting narcotic methadone, the patient did not show evidence of withdrawal from this agent until weeks after it was discontinued. This case emphasizes the psychological component of narcotic withdrawal.
Accuracy and effort of decision making strategies with incomplete information

Decision makers are often required to make decisions with incomplete information. In order to design decision support systems (DSSs) to assist decision makers in these situations, it is essential to understand why and how decision makers select their strategies. This paper presents a simulation which examines the impact of incomplete information on the effort and accuracy of decision strategies. The current study evaluates two strategies: a normative-rational strategy (multi-attribute utility theory, MAUT) and a psychological heuristic (take-the-best, TTB). Under conditions of full (i.e., complete) information, the simulation is able to replicate previous studies showing that psychological heuristics perform as well as normative-rational methods with lower effort requirements. Under conditions of incomplete information, the simulation showed that psychological heuristics retain their high accuracy with low effort whereas the normative-rational strategies decrease in accuracy and still require high effort. Since decision makers' strategy selection is known to be contingent upon many decision scenario contexts such as information availability, this simulation study provides direct links as to how decision making strategies are affected by different levels of information availability — supporting and expanding upon prior empirical and simulation studies.
COMMENTS ON : DELAY-INDEPENDENT STABILITY CRITERIA FOR DISCRETE UNCERTAIN LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS WITH TIMES DELAYS

Abstract Some errors of the paper “Delay-independent stability criteria for discrete uncertain large-scale systems with times delays” are pointed out and corrected.
P-N junction and Schottky barrier diode fabrication in laser recrystallized polysilicon on SiO 2

P-N junction and Schottky barrier diodes have been fabricated in laser recrystallized polycrystalline silicon on SiO 2 . A repetitively Q-switched Nd3+:YAG laser was used to anneal polysilicon deposited by LPCVD on oxide thermally grown on
A computational analysis of non-genomic plasma membrane progestin binding proteins: signaling through ion channel-linked cell surface receptors.

Abstract A number of plasma membrane progestin receptors linked to non-genomic events have been identified. These include: (1) α1-subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase (ATP1A1), (2) progestin binding PAQR proteins, (3) membrane progestin receptor alpha (mPRα), (4) progesterone receptor MAPR proteins and (5) the association of nuclear receptor (PRB) with the plasma membrane. This study compares: the pore-lining regions (ion channels), transmembrane (TM) helices, caveolin binding (CB) motifs and leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) of putative progesterone receptors. ATP1A1 contains 10 TM helices (TM-2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 are pores) and 4 CB motifs; whereas PAQR5, PAQR6, PAQR7, PAQRB8 and fish mPRα each contain 8 TM helices (TM-3 is a pore) and 2–4 CB motifs. MAPR proteins contain a single TM helix but lack pore-lining regions and CB motifs. PRB contains one or more TM helices in the steroid binding region, one of which is a pore. ATP1A1, PAQR5/7/8, mPRα, and MAPR-1 contain highly conserved leucine-rich repeats (LRR, common to plant membrane proteins) that are ligand binding sites for ouabain-like steroids associated with LRR kinases. LRR domains are within or overlap TM helices predicted to be ion channels (pore-lining regions), with the variable LRR sequence either at the C-terminus (PAQR and MAPR-1) or within an external loop (ATP1A1). Since ouabain-like steroids are produced by animal cells, our findings suggest that ATP1A1, PAQR5/7/8 and mPRα represent ion channel-linked receptors that respond physiologically to ouabain-like steroids (not progestin) similar to those known to regulate developmental and defense-related processes in plants.
Fine particle concentrators for inhalation exposures—effect of particle size and composition

This paper presents the development and evaluation of ambient fine particle concentrators for conducting animal and human exposure studies. These systems utilize the technology of virtual impactors to concentrate particles in the range 0.15--2.5 μm. Ambient particles are first drawn at 5000 1m -1 through a preselective inlet that removes particles above 2.5 μm. Subsequently, the remaining aerosol is drawn through a series of virtual impactors, which increase particle concentration by a factor of about 10 and 30, for human and animal exposures, respectively. Results from the experimental characterization of the concentrators showed that the concentration enrichment process occurs without any distortion in the size distribution and chemical composition of the sampled ambient aerosols. Furthermore, labile constituents of fine particles, such as volatile ammonium nitrate are preserved during this process.
Accumulation of Second Order Strain in Cyclic Loading of Viscous Bar

The accumulation of second-order strain in dissipative isotropic media subject to cyclic loads is theoretically illustrated by the analysis of a viscous bar subject to various combinations of sustained and cyclic loading. In view of the nonlinearity of the governing differential equations which permit only approximate solutions, the second order interactions are illustrated by comparison of the computed “times to failure” under these combinations of loading.
The Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus Internal Scaffold Domain Enables In Vitro Assembly of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag

The Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) Gag protein possesses the ability to assemble into an immature capsid when synthesized in a reticulocyte lysate translation system. In contrast, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Gag protein is incapable of assembly in parallel assays. To enable the assembly of HIV Gag, we have combined or inserted regions of M-PMV Gag into HIV Gag. By both biochemical and morphological criteria, several of these chimeric Gag molecules are capable of assembly into immature capsid-like structures in this in vitro system. Chimeric species containing large regions of M-PMV Gag fused to HIV Gag sequences failed to assemble, while species consisting of only the M-PMV p12 region, and its internal scaffold domain (ISD), fused to HIV Gag were capable of assembly, albeit at reduced kinetics compared to M-PMV Gag. The ability of the ISD to induce assembly of HIV Gag, which normally assembles at the plasma membrane, suggests a common requirement for a concentrating factor in retrovirus assembly. Despite the dramatic effect of the ISD on chimera assembly, the function of HIV Gag domains in that process was found to remain essential, since an assembly-defective mutant of HIV CA, M185A, abolished assembly when introduced into the chimera. This continued requirement for HIV Gag domain function in the assembly of chimeric molecules will allow this in vitro system to be used for the analysis of potential inhibitors of HIV immature particle assembly.
Subjective Well-Being among Adolescent Consumers: The Effects of Materialism, Compulsive Buying, and Time Affluence

The burgeoning world-wide consumer culture brings with it certain baggage. Materialistic attitudes and compulsive buying have both been linked to lower levels of subjective well-being in consumers. Additionally, time is becoming an increasingly precious commodity as denizens of the consumer culture increase their work load and activities in an attempt to fully achieve the happiness promised by a lifestyle of consumption. The purpose of the present research is to investigate whether the negative impact of materialism and compulsive buying on well-being is moderated by a person’s perceived time affluence (the time one perceives he/she has available for life’s many activities). Using a large sample of adolescents (n = 1,329), the present study finds that (1) materialism and compulsive buying negatively impact subjective well-being, and that (2) time affluence moderates the relationship between materialism and compulsive buying and well-being. Specifically, perceptions of time affluence were found to negate the negative relationship between both materialism and SWB and compulsive buying and SWB. And (3), the present research appears to have uncovered a “sweet spot” when it comes to the influence of time affluence on the above relationships. Too little or too much time affluence was found to be associated with lower well-being. A simple slope analysis suggests that moderate levels of time affluence are most conducive to our well-being as consumers. In addition to discussing these findings, the authors also note certain limitations and offer directions for future research.
Ret-Y a measure of reticulocyte size: a sensitive indicator of iron deficiency anemia.

Summary In this study the size of reticulocytes was measured, reticulocyte-Y (Ret-Y), to distinguish iron deficiency anemia from the anemia of chronic disease using a Sysmex XE2100 cell counter. We evaluated this parameter prospectively in 100 patients seen for the evaluation of anemia. A clinical diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia or anemia of chronic disease was made on the basis of a complete blood count, examination of the peripheral smear, and serum ferritin along with a history and physical examination. We analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of the Ret-Y in relationship to the clinical diagnosis. We also measured serum transferrin receptor levels to use as the gold standard laboratory test for iron deficiency against which we compared the Ret-Y. In 40 normal individuals with normal serum ferritin and transferrin receptor levels the mean Ret-Y was 1874 ± 178 (1 SD). The mean Ret-Y in the anemia of chronic disease group (n = 62) was 1722 ± 162, not significantly different from normal. The mean Ret-Y value among iron-deficient patients (n = 38), was 1407 ± 136 (P < 0.01 vs. the anemia of chronic disease group's Ret-Y value). Receiver operator curves showed that Ret-Y correlated closely to the serum transferrin receptor and was superior to the mean corpuscular volume, and ferritin level, in differentiating the type of anemia. The Ret-Y parameter has the highest overall sensitivity and specificity of the panel of tests routinely used in differentiating iron deficiency anemia from anemia of chronic disease.
Collaborative growth management in metropolitan Denver: “Fig leaf or valiant effort?”

Metro Vision 2020 is a collaborative effort to manage growth in metropolitan Denver. Based on interviews, surveys and document analysis, an evaluation revealed that it was a well-managed process that raised awareness about growth problems. The efforts also resulted in an approved regional plan that initiated an innovative urban growth boundary policy. However, the lack of broad-based participation, limited understanding of policy effects, and inadequate implementation tools raised doubts about long-term effectiveness. The broader implications are that collaboration at the metropolitan scale needs to explore more participatory models, stronger implementation tools, and institutional structures that will support consensus.
Monodromy of boussinesq elliptic operators

Verdier's program for classifying elliptic operators with a nontrivial centralizer is outlined. Examples of Boussinesq operators are developed.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura after Mastectomy and Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

First described in 1916, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease resulting in the destruction of platelets. Here, we present a case of an 85-year-old patient diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast whose surgical treatment was complicated postoperatively by acute-onset thrombocytopenia with a resultant hematoma at the operative site. Diagnostic Workup revealed no clear etiology for the thrombocytopenia; therefore, a presumptive diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was made. Previous literature has associated the development of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura with breast cancer. However, to the authors’ knowledge, there are no reported cases of ITP presenting immediately following surgical intervention for breast cancer in the absence of other etiologic factors.
Finite Element Analysis of Thermoelastic Damping in Contour-Mode Vibrations of Micro- and Nanoscale Ring, Disk, and Elliptical Plate Resonators

Thermoelastic damping in contour-mode in-plane vibrations of rings, disks, and elliptical plates is investigated on various size scales, using a reduced finite element formulation. The Fourier scheme is applied to the axisymmetric geometries including circular rings and disks, and is found to be remarkably efficient in searching solutions. The numerical accuracy is further improved by the implementation of quadratic interpolation functions. The computational results are validated by comparing with the commercial software packages as well as the existing analytical solutions in literature. For resonators of elliptical shapes, the dominant frequency has a weak dependence on the geometric aspect ratio , whereas the effect of on the quality factor (Q value) is much stronger and the peak Q value of the leading mode consistently occurs in the vicinity of 1.42. DOI: 10.1115/1.4001506
Chemical analyses of thirty-eight iron meteorites.

The contents of nickel, cobalt, phosphorus, and carbon are tabulated for 38 iron meteorites. The samples used in the analyses are splits taken from larger samples made by milling chips from the surface of each meteorite. Individual splits from these larger samples give excellent analytical reproducibility. Previously developed criteria (Moore, Lewis, and Nava, 1969) are used to evaluate the quality of old analyses. The results of the old analyses are also tabulated.
Dose and detectability for a cone-beam C-arm CT system revisited.

Purpose: The authors had previously published measurements of the detectability of disk-shaped contrast objects in images obtained from a C-arm CT system. A simple approach based on Rose's criterion was used to scale the date, assuming the threshold for the smallest diameter detected should be inversely proportional to(dose)1/2. A more detailed analysis based on recent theoretical modeling of C-arm CT images is presented in this work. Methods: The signal and noise propagations in a C-arm based CT system have been formulated by other authors using cascaded systems analysis. They established a relationship between detectability and the noise equivalent quanta. Based on this model, the authors obtained a relation between x-ray dose and the diameter of the smallest disks detected. A closed form solution was established by assuming no rebinning and no resampling of data, with low additive noise and using a ramp filter. For the case when no such assumptions were made, a numerically calculated solution using previously reported imaging and reconstruction parameters was obtained. The detection probabilities for a range of dose and kVp values had been measured previously. These probabilities were normalized to a single dose of 56.6 mGy using the Rose-criteria-based relation to obtain a universal curve. Normalizations based on the new numerically calculated relationship were compared to the measured results. Results: The theoretical and numerical calculations have similar results and predict the detected diameter size to be inversely proportional to(dose)1/3 and (dose)1/2.8, respectively. The normalized experimental curves and the associated universal plot using the new relation were not significantly different from those obtained using the Rose-criterion-based normalization. Conclusions: From numerical simulations, the authors found that the diameter of detected disks depends inversely on the cube root of the dose. For observer studies for disks larger than 4 mm, the cube root as well as square root relations appear to give similar results when used for normalization.
Real time optical positioning (RTOP) and a system-level concept merging optical positioning technology, commercial radar hardware, and software imaging techniques

This paper presents real time optical positioning technology developed by ENSCO, Inc. and a system-level concept for its application to wall penetration and wall interior imaging. The concept merges this positioning technology, commercial Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) systems, and software imaging techniques. We demonstrate existing real-time optical positioning hardware and present the concept for the next generation. This hardware integrates with a commercial GPR system, triggering it in real time. Software techniques, such as 3D migration, process the data and make them suitable for display and interpretation by inexperienced operators in near real time.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Centering perspectives on Black women, hair politics, and physical activity.

As researchers categorize issues facing Black women’s health, obesity and physical exercise continue to be significant topics of debate. General interventions targeted toward Black women to address obesity and increase physical exercise have been largely ineffective. In this article, I situate the current public health discourse on obesity and related interventions within a sociocultural context of body appearance, with a specific focus on hair. Why do some African American women feel such strong ties to their hair that they will avoid exercise? What can be done to understand this phenomenon and address alternatives that may make both hair maintenance and regular exercise feasible? I map a theoretical argument for why hair matters for some women, and discuss how physical activity intervention strategies might be improved by considering such complexities.
Genetically Engineered, Live Attenuated Vaccines Protect Nonhuman Primates Against Aerosol Challenge with a Virulent IE Strain of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus

Abstract Two live, attenuated strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE), IE1150K and V3526, were administered to macaques to determine if they could elicit protection against an aerosol challenge with virulent VEE virus of the IE variety (VEEV-IE). These viruses were rescued from full-length cDNA clones of 68U201 (VEEV-IE variety) and Trinidad donkey (VEEV-IA/B variety), respectively, and both have a furin cleavage site deletion mutation and a second-site resuscitating mutation. Both vaccines elicited neutralizing antibodies to viruses of the homologous variety but not to viruses of the heterologous variety. Eight weeks after vaccination, the macaques were challenged by aerosol exposure to virulent 68U201. Macaques vaccinated with V3526 were protected as well as macaques inoculated with IE1009, the wild-type infectious clone of 68U201. However, IE1150K failed to significantly protect macaques relative to controls. V3526 has now been shown to protect macaques against both IA/B [Pratt WD, Davis NL, Johnston RE, Smith JF. Genetically engineered, live attenuated vaccines for Venezuelan equine encephalitis: testing in animal models. Vaccine 2003;21(25–26):3854–62] and IE strains of VEE viruses.