cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Characterization of a Binuclear Copper(II) Naphthoisoamethyrin Complex Displaying Weak Antiferromagnetic Coupling

The reaction between a naphthylbipyrrole-containing hexaphyrin-type expanded porphyrin and copper acetate affords a bench-stable dicopper(II) complex. UV–vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis measurements provide support for the conclusion that this complex displays aromatic features. A weak antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the binuclear copper(II) ions is evidenced by variable-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance and by fitting of the bulk magnetic susceptibility to a dimer model, yielding J = −5.1 cm–1.
Pediatric thyroid cancer patients referred to high-volume facilities have improved short-term outcomes

Abstract Background Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy in children, albeit still rare. This study sought to measure the association between outcomes and case volume of the treatment facility for pediatric patients with thyroid cancer. Methods The National Cancer Data Base (1998–2011) was queried for all pediatric patients (age ≤ 18 years) with thyroid cancer. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic features were evaluated for all patients. Case volume of the treating facility was defined as the number of pediatric thyroid cancer patients at that facility during the study period. Restricted cubic spline modeling was used to determine a volume threshold associated with decreased risk of 30-day readmission. Patients were assigned to volume groups based on this threshold. Logistic regression was utilized to estimate the effect of volume on 30-day readmission. Results In total, 4,466 patients met inclusion criteria. The majority were girls (79.1%), white (86.1%), and underwent total thyroidectomy (86.9%). Compared with patients treated at the low-volume facilities, those treated at the high-volume facilities were more likely to have medullary thyroid cancer (10.7% versus 3.7%) and undergo total thyroidectomy (90.8% versus 86.3%) (all P Conclusion Pediatric patients with thyroid cancer treated at low-volume facilities are more likely to be readmitted after thyroid surgery than patients treated at high-volume facilities. Providers should consider the case volume status at the treating facility when referring these children for thyroid surgery.
Macromolecular ‘size’ and ‘hardness’ drives structure in solvent-swollen blends of linear, cyclic, and star polymers

In this paper, we apply molecular simulation and liquid state theory to uncover the structure and thermodynamics of homopolymer blends of the same chemistry and varying chain architecture in the presence of explicit solvent species. We use hybrid Monte Carlo (MC)/molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the Gibbs ensemble to study the swelling of ∼12 000 g mol−1 linear, cyclic, and 4-arm star polystyrene chains in toluene. Our simulations show that the macroscopic swelling response is indistinguishable between the various architectures and matches published experimental data for the solvent annealing of linear polystyrene by toluene vapor. We then use standard MD simulations in the NPT ensemble along with polymer reference interaction site model (PRISM) theory to calculate effective polymer–solvent and polymer–polymer Flory–Huggins interaction parameters (χeff) in these systems. As seen in the macroscopic swelling results, there are no significant differences in the polymer–solvent and polymer–polymer χeff between the various architectures. Despite similar macroscopic swelling and effective interaction parameters between various architectures, the pair correlation function between chain centers-of-mass indicates stronger correlations between cyclic or star chains in the linear–cyclic blends and linear–star blends, compared to linear chain–linear chain correlations. Furthermore, we note striking similarities in the chain-level correlations and the radius of gyration of cyclic and 4-arm star architectures of identical molecular weight. Our results indicate that the cyclic and star chains are ‘smaller’ and ‘harder’ than their linear counterparts, and through comparison with MD simulations of blends of soft spheres with varying hardness and size we suggest that these macromolecular characteristics are the source of the stronger cyclic–cyclic and star–star correlations.
Drinking to cope mediates the relationship between depression and alcohol risk: Different pathways for college and non-college young adults

Abstract Background It is well-established that drinking to cope with negative affective states mediates the relationship between depressed mood and alcohol risk outcomes among college students. Whether non-college emerging adults exhibit a similar pathway remains unknown. In the current study, we compared the mediating role of coping motives in the relationship between depressive symptoms and drinking risk outcomes (heavy episodic drinking and alcohol problems) in college and non-college emerging adult subgroups. Methods Participants were three hundred forty-one community-recruited 18–25 year olds reporting past month alcohol use. We used a structural equation modeling (SEM) for our primary mediation analysis and bias-corrected bootstrap resampling for testing the statistical significance of mediation. Results Participants averaged 20.8 (± 1.97) years of age, 49% were female, 67.7% were White, 34.6% were college students, and 65.4% were non-college emerging adults. College and non-college emerging adults reported similar levels of drinking, alcohol problems, and drinking to cope with negative affect, and drinking to cope was associated with alcohol-related problems in both samples. However, while drinking to cope mediated the relationship between depressed mood and alcohol problems among students, it did not mediate the pathway among non-college emerging adults. Conclusions These findings caution against extending college-based findings to non-college populations and underscore the need to better understand the role of coping motives and other intervening factors in pathways linking depressed mood and alcohol-related risk in non-college emerging adults.
Sleepless nights in hotels? Understanding factors that influence hotel sleep quality

Abstract Sleep quality heavily shapes the tourism experience because tourists spend a large amount of their travel time sleeping. In this study, we propose a conceptual framework of factors influencing sleep quality in hotels based on personal and hotel characteristics. Personal characteristics include demographic, biopsychosocial, and tripographic factors; hotel characteristics consist of hotel location, facilities, and the sleeping environment. By analyzing TripAdvisor hotel review data in Los Angeles, we estimate a mixed-effects ordered logit model to understand the factors that influence sleep quality as well as the hotel sleeping environment as indicated by sentiment analysis. The results validate our proposed conceptual model. Hotel sleep quality is found to vary by age, gender, traveler type, and review experience. In addition, hotel star rating, nearby restaurant density, number of hotel floors, and the hotel sleeping environment also influence hotel sleep quality. Implications of this study are provided in closing.
Mechanism-based design of precursors for focused electron beam-induced deposition

Focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID) is capable of producing metal-containing nanostructures with lateral resolution on the sub-nanometer scale. Practical application of this nanofabrication technique has been hindered by ligand-derived contamination from precursors developed for thermal deposition methods. Mechanistic insight into FEBID through surface science studies and gas-phase electron-molecule interactions has begun to enable the design of custom FEBID precursors. These studies have shown that precursors designed to decompose under electron irradiation can produce high-purity FEBID deposits. Herein, we highlight the progress in FEBID precursor development with several examples that incorporate this mechanism-based design approach.
Die Moderne Logik

Es ist ein sehr bedeutsamer Zug der wissenschaftlichen Philosophie, das in ihrem Rahmen eine symbolische Logik erwachsen ist. Diese Logik, die ursprunglich die Geheimschrift einer kleinen Gruppe von Mathematikern war, hat in immer weitgehenderem Mase die Aufmerksamkeit der Philosophen auf sich gezogen und in die Entwicklung philosophischer Probleme eingegriffen. Der Leser, der keine Zeit zum speziellen Studium dieses neuen Gebietes der Philosophie hat, wird eine kurze Darstellung der geschichtlichen Entwicklung, die zur symbolischen Logik gefuhrt hat, wie ihrer Probleme und Losungen willkommen heisen.
Mitochondrial Excitation-Energy Coupling in Airway Smooth Muscle

Force generation and contraction of human airway smooth muscle (ASM) involves both an increase in intracellular Ca2 + and an increase in the demand for energy in the form of ATP. Excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) represents a cascade of events that connects the initiating signal, an elevation of cytosolic Ca2 +([Ca2 +]cyt), with the ensuing ATP-consuming mechanical work. Mitochondria play a vital role in this overall process by producing ATP. Moreover, mitochondria also possess the ability to sense [Ca2 +]cyt through a coupled increase in mitochondrial Ca2 +([Ca2 +]mito). In fact, an increase in [Ca2 +]mito leads to an increase in ATP production. Thus, the linkage between [Ca2 +]cyt and [Ca2 +]mito may reflect an “excitation-energy coupling” in ASM that mirrors the energy demand that results from excitation-contraction coupling. The result, in ASM, is the maintenance of an energy supply despite transient and/or sustained energetic demands – an energy homeostasis.
An operational coastal forecasting tool for performing ensemble modeling

Abstract An automated coastal estuarine modeling system, termed Multistage, is created in the ADCIRC hydrodynamic model. The software development was motivated by the need for reducing the simulation wall-clock time to increase the scalability of ADCIRC for ensemble modeling. Multistage makes use of a one-way nesting technique as an alternative to the continuous single-domain approach. Hydrodynamic predictions, such as storm surge and waves, are made for a targeted coastal region in a two-stage scheme consisting of a large-scale coarse mesh simulation and a small-scale fine mesh simulation. The nesting technique is adjusted for accurate and efficient coastal estuarine modeling with careful considerations. We propose and successfully test a method for the coarse mesh extending onshore rather than the common practice of extending the fine mesh offshore. Repetitive ensemble computations are allowed over both the coarse mesh and the fine mesh in an efficient time frame. Modeling preparations and processes are scripted to eliminate the additional efforts needed for applying this model nesting technique. The tool is tested on two coastal estuarine systems, and its performance is compared with the conventional single-domain method and observational data. By implementing Multistage, forecast runtimes are reduced by 50% to more than 80% using the same model parameters and computational resources as used in the conventional single-domain technique. Depending on the domain and model type, it is possible to perform 3-to-5 ensemble simulations on both coarse and fine meshes by applying the nesting technique and using the same amount of CPU-hours needed to complete one single-domain simulation. This research details the concept, preliminary results and offline applications of the tool. Future work is focused on enhancing the ease of use and on development and implementation of a real-time version.
Disruption of lignocellulosic biomass along the length of the screws with different screw elements in a twin-screw extruder.

Abstract Proper screw design is crucial for effectively pre-treating wood fibers, to assist in the downstream enzymatic conversion of the cellulose into fermentable sugars. Initially, the impact of extruder barrel temperature (50, 100, and 150 °C) and screw speed (25, 50, and 75 rpm) were studied to arrive at the optimum conditions for sugar yield. Lower temperatures and screw speeds resulted in increased sugar yields. To examine the influence of shear imparted by the screws, the residuals samples were recovered from different zones along the screws and evaluated. Sugar yield, crystallinity index, and the particle size distribution of the material collected at different zones were determined. Glucose yield and xylose/mannose yields of the material along the screws, ranged from 23.25 to 42.88% and from 11.95 to 20.54%, respectively. The importance of the screw design was highlighted.
Drosophila Homologs of Vertebrate Sodium Channel Genes

We have screened D. melanogaster genomic libraries for sequences similar to vertebrate sodium channel genes. We describe two transcription units that are strikingly homologous to a rat sodium channel cDNA and are conserved in a phylogenetically distant species of Drosophila, D. virilis. They appear to encode the major subunits of two distinct sodium channel proteins. A partial sequence for one of these has been previously reported (Salkoff et al., 1987a). The other transcription unit maps to position 14C/D, close to the paralyzed (para) gene. Mutations in para have previously been shown to affect excitability in the central and peripheral nervous systems of Drosophila (Ganetzky and Wu, 1986; Burg and Wu, 1986). Sequence comparisons suggest that both genes might have arisen before the divergence of vertebrate and invertebrate species. This finding has implications for the diversity of sodium channels in invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems.
Migration, Remittances and Brexit: European Labor Market Integration and Its Effects on Inequality and Convergence

The increase in migration from Eastern to Western Europe after their accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004 resulted in a large increase in remittances to New Member States (NMS) and were comparable in size to FDI or EU funds. This paper adds to the literature by analyzing the impact of remittances and migration jointly, rather than separately, on the integration of EU economies and their implications for welfare and inequality. Labor market integration affects labor supply directly through migration, and labor demand indirectly through remittances increasing capital stock. We develop an incomplete asset markets model with migration and portfolio choice, where agents may choose to save in assets related to their citizenship or global bond. We find that including the remittance channel on top of migration boosts economic convergence between EU countries, driven primarily by growth in NMS without impacting the average citizen in wealthier EU members. Nevertheless, wealth inequality in original EU countries rises as rich local households benefit disproportionately from increased labor supply. Therefore when evaluating Brexit outcomes in terms of welfare, NMS should be concerned despite the weak trade ties.
Computational Justice: Simulating Structural Bias and Interventions

Abstract Gender inequality has been documented across a variety of high-prestige professions. Both structural bias (e.g., lack of proportionate representation) and interpersonal bias (e.g., sexism, discrimination) generate costs to underrepresented minorities. How can we estimate these costs and what interventions are most effective for reducing them? We used agent-based simulations, removing gender differences in interpersonal bias to isolate and quantify the impact and costs of structural bias (unequal gender ratios) on individuals and institutions. We compared the long-term impact of bias-confrontation strategies. Unequal gender ratios led to higher costs for female agents and institutions and increased sexism among male agents. Confronting interpersonal bias by targets and allies attenuated the impact of structural bias. However, bias persisted even after a structural intervention to suddenly make previously unequal institutions equal (50% women) unless the probability of interpersonal bias-confrontation was further increased among targets and allies. This computational approach allows for comparison of various policies to attenuate structural equality, and informs the design of new experiments to estimate parameters for more accurate predictions.
A systematic review of guidelines for lymphedema and the need for contemporary intersocietal guidelines for the management of lymphedema.

Abstract Objective Lymphedema (LED) affects an estimated 35 million patients in the United States and a staggering 140,200 million people worldwide, yet LED is the forgotten vascular disease. Whereas the diagnosis and treatment of arterial and venous diseases have been strengthened by the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), few CPGs are available for LED. Moreover, for CPGs to have their greatest impact, they should be both of high quality and developed using the most rigorous evidence-based methods. We performed a systematic review of the available CPGs for LED, which were assessed for breadth of content and methodologic strength. Methods A literature search was conducted from National Guideline Clearinghouse ( www.guidelines.gov ), BMJ Clinical Evidence ( http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com ), and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( http://www.nice.org.uk ) as well as from MEDLINE and Google, which selected 245 documents. After a horizon scan that identified 13 potential CPGs, 4 satisfied the criteria for LED. These were analyzed for inclusion of key elements of diagnosis and treatment. Results A horizon scan (abstract review) of the 245 documents identified 10 potential CPGs. Of the 10 documents, 6 claimed to be CPGs, but 2 were limited in scope (rehabilitation or compression only), 2 were consensus statements, 1 was a position statement, and 1 was a systematic review. This process yielded four CPGs: Lymphedema Framework Best Practice for the Management of Lymphedema; Japanese Lymphedema Study Group—A Practice Guideline for the Management of Lymphedema; Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of Lymphedema; and Guidelines of the American Venous Forum. Only one of four CPGs was based on a contemporary systematic review (2016 end date of references), whereas the remainder had older systematic reviews (end dates of 2005, 2007, and 2007). Several areas of contemporary diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of LED were absent. Conclusions This systematic review of available LED CPGs demonstrates a limited number of guidelines. The four CPGs identified lack contemporary references while demonstrating low overall study quality. Therefore, it is imperative for our vascular societies to develop contemporary high-quality evidence-based CPGs for LED, as they have for other vascular diseases.
Cosmic Variance in Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies: From 1 degrees to COBE

Cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies that result from quantum fluctuations during inflation are explored and the impact of their cosmic variance on the ability to use existing data to probe inflationary models is studied. We calculate the rms temperature fluctuation, and its cosmic variance, for a number of experiments and for models with primordial power spectra which range from n=1/2 to 1. We find (1) cosmic variance obscures the information which can be extracted, so a comparison of the rms temperature fluctuation on small scales with the COBE result can fix n to only ≃±0.2 at best; (2) measurements of the rms fluctuation on 1° scales may not allow one to unambiguously infer the tensor contribution to the COBE anisotropy; and (3) comparison of this contribution with the predictions of inflation are ambiguous if the quadrupole anisotropy alone is utilized
Resting heart rate variability modulates the effects of concurrent working memory load on affective startle modification.

Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is thought to index top-down control processes in emotion regulation. According to the Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress (GUTS), resting vmHRV indexes top-down resources that are needed to inhibit subcortical threat circuits, which is important for context-appropriate affective responding. Although this notion has been supported by studies of affective startle (SR) modification, direct evidence that top-down resources are the linking mechanism between vmHRV and context-appropriate affective responding has been lacking. To investigate this possible mechanism, college-aged participants (n = 92) were recruited to complete a picture viewing task and a concurrent working memory (WM) task. Concurrent WM load was manipulated, and the auditory SR stimulus was delivered while viewing affective pictures. Electrocardiography and electromyography were recorded to assess vmHRV and SR eyeblink, respectively. Results showed that WM load attenuated affective SR modification. As expected, the attenuating effects of load on affective SR modification were stronger among low vmHRV relative to high vmHRV individuals, indicating that vmHRV is linked to context-appropriate affective responding through the mechanism of top-down resources. These results support the GUTS and suggest that atypical affective responding among low vmHRV individuals is attributed to the lack of WM resources. Our findings highlight the relation between vmHRV and top-down resources that have been implicated in emotion regulation and contribute to a better understanding of emotion dysregulation in psychopathology.
Rectourethral Fistula Repair Using Robotic Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) Approach.

Background Small nonirradiated rectourethral fistula (RUF) without tissue necrosis or peri-fistula abscess are often treated via a trans-sphincteric or transperineal approach. Attempts at transanal rectal advancement flap to reduce associated morbidity have been widely abandoned due to poor visualization, inability to close the urethral defect in a watertight fashion, and compromise of rectal flap vascularity. Robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery (R-TAMIS) has emerged as a useful tool to address distal rectal lesions as it provides enhanced visualization and surgical dexterity. Objective Here we describe a novel R-TAMIS approach to address simple rectourethral fistula. Methods The patient is placed in prone jackknife position. An Applied Medical GelPOINT Path Transanal Access Platform is placed in the intra-anal position which is secured to a Lone Star retractor system. Three robotic trocars are placed as well as an AirSeal System to ensure adequate insufflation with suctioning. The fistula is dissected, and the rectum and urethra are separated. Following excision of the fistula tract, the urethra and rectum are closed independently with absorbable suture. Results In this initial series, both patients were discharged by post-operative day two. The Foley catheter was removed at 4 weeks. The repair was evaluated and intact via endoscopy at 3 months at time of diverting loop ileostomy reversal. No fistula recurrence or major morbidity occurred at a minimum follow up of 15 months. Conclusion R-TAMIS provides an incisionless, minimally invasive reconstructive approach for well selected simple non-irradiated RUF. Additional data and long term follow up is needed before widespread application of this approach.
Changes in Regional Fat Distribution and Anthropometric Measures Across the Menopause Transition

CONTEXT The relation between the menopause transition (MT) and changes in regional fat distribution is uncertain. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the MT is associated with the development of central adiposity. DESIGN Longitudinal analysis from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, spanning 1996-2013 (median follow-up 11.8 years). SETTING Community-based. PARTICIPANTS 380 women with regional body composition measures by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Mean baseline age was 45.7 years; racial/ethnic composition was 16% Black, 41% Japanese and 43% White. OUTCOMES Changes in android, gynoid and visceral fat and waist and hip circumferences. RESULTS Android fat increased by 1.21% per year (py) and 5.54% py during premenopause and the MT, respectively (each P < 0.05). Visceral and gynoid fat began increasing at the MT, annualized changes were 6.24% and 2.03%, respectively (each P < 0.05). Postmenopausal annual trajectories decelerated to 1.47% (visceral), 0.90% (android), and -0.87% (gynoid), (all non-zero, P < 0.05). Waist girth grew during premenopause (0.55% py), the MT (0.96% py), and postmenopause (0.55% py) (all non-zero, P < 0.05; not statistically different from each other). Hip girth grew during premenopause (0.20% py) and the MT (0.35% py) (each non-zero, P < 0.05; not statistically different from each other) and decelerated to zero slope in postmenopause. Results are for the White referent; there were statistically significant differences in some trajectories in Black and Japanese women. CONCLUSIONS The MT is associated with the development of central adiposity. Waist or hip circumferences are less sensitive to changes in fat distribution.
Haptic object recognition based on shape relates to visual object recognition ability

Visual object recognition depends in large part on a domain-general ability (Richler et al. Psychol Rev 126(2): 226–251, 2019). Given evidence pointing towards shared mechanisms for object perception across vision and touch, we ask whether individual differences in haptic and visual object recognition are related. We use existing validated visual tests to estimate visual object recognition ability and relate it to performance on two novel tests of haptic object recognition ability (n = 66). One test includes complex objects that participants chose to explore with a hand grasp. The other test uses a simpler stimulus set that participants chose to explore with just their fingertips. Only performance on the haptic test with complex stimuli correlated with visual object recognition ability, suggesting a shared source of variance across task structures, stimuli, and modalities. A follow-up study using a visual version of the haptic test with simple stimuli shows a correlation with the original visual tests, suggesting that the limited complexity of the stimuli did not limit correlation with visual object recognition ability. Instead, we propose that the manner of exploration may be a critical factor in whether a haptic test relates to visual object recognition ability. Our results suggest a perceptual ability that spans at least across vision and touch, however, it may not be recruited during just fingertip exploration.
Safety Impacts of Access Management Features near Roundabouts

Roundabouts can better facilitate U-turns and provide better safety, especially in reducing severe crashes, than can traditional intersections. Roundabouts, instead of traditional signalized intersections, increasingly are being installed on busy arterial streets. Even though roundabouts gradually are becoming integral to regional transportation networks, no literature addresses the safety impacts of access management features such as driveways and median openings along corridors with roundabouts. The existing access management guidelines for signalized intersections are not directly applicable to roundabouts because traffic operations are different at the two types of intersections. In this study the safety impact of access features near roundabouts was investigated. In particular, three potential safety concerns associated with roundabouts were studied in commercial areas in Florida: (a) the impact of driveway corner clearances on roundabout safety, (b) the safety impact of median openings near roundabo...
The Critical Granulosa Cell Complement: Lessons from the Cyclin D2 Knockout

Growth, ovulation, and luteinization of ovarian follicles is regulated by a number of distinct but interacting kinase cascades. Two of these kinase cascades are of paramount importance in regulating ovarian cell proliferation and differentiation. Cyclic AMP(cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) regulates growth and differentiation of ovarian cells by stimulating transcriptional activation of different genes, including those involved in the synthesis of mitogenic steroids (1–3). The myriad cell cycle-associated, cyclindependent protein kinases (cdks) control progression through the cell cycle (4–10). This chapter will summarize studies showing how these two cascades interact to regulate ovarian granulosa cell proliferation and ovulation (11, 12; Fig. 4.1).
Thermodynamics of modern epitaxial growth processes

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the basic thermodynamic concepts that lead to a better understanding of: (1) the epitaxial processes used for the growth of semiconductor materials and structures used for photonic and electronic devices, and (2) the properties of the materials produced by these techniques. All the epitaxial growth processes are driven by the free energy difference between the nutrient and solid phases. Thus, thermodynamics determines the maximum possible growth rate. It is used to describe the solid composition in terms of the independent growth parameters, for the near-equilibrium liquid phase epitaxial growth techniques as well as for the vapor phase techniques operating with a very large supersaturation, such as the organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Since thermodynamics controls the stoichiometry of the solids produced epitaxially, it also controls the densities of the native defects as well as the deep levels acting as non-radiative recombination centers. The solid composition in alloys is thermodynamically controlled, thus the parameters such as lattice constant and energy band gap are determined by the thermodynamic factors.
A hybrid cross-mapping neural network model for computational intelligent design

In order to assist the designer in the design process, it is necessary to develop a new intelligent computational methodology that involves the integration of design, analysis and evaluation, and optimisation. In this paper, a hybrid cross-mapping neural network model (HCMNN) is proposed to support design, analysis and evaluation, and optimisation in the design process, which integrates a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and a Hopfield neural network (HNN). The BPNN is used for representing design patterns, training classification boundaries, and outputting the net weight values to the HNN, and then the HNN uses the calculated weight values to evaluate and modify or redesign the design patterns. The developed system provides a unified computational intelligent design framework. The system has self-modifying or self-learning functions. Within the system, only one network is needed to train for accomplishing design analysis and evaluation, rectification/modification and optimisation tasks in the design process. Finally, two case studies are provided to verify the proposed model.
High resolution longitudinal analysis to evaluate the timing, duration and dynamics of exclusive breastfeeding in the Peruvian Amazon (119.3)

The duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is often defined by the time from birth to the first non-breast milk food/liquid fed (non-EBF), or it is estimated by calculating the proportion of wom...
Understanding Regulatory Capture: An Academic Perspective from the United States

Although it sometimes seems that financial regulatory agencies have been entirely captured by the larger players in the industry they regulate, a closer examination reveals that a variety of factors contribute to policy outcomes in this arena. Agencies have different agendas and stakeholders, and banks often perform quasi-governmental roles that blur the line between the captors and the captured. The real danger is that public policy can be distorted as a result of excessive influence by one set of interests at the expense of others. This danger is best thwarted or at least mitigated through the application of a range of institutions and processes, ranging from external checks on agency action to a strengthening of institutions designed to represent interests that the regulated industry itself is unlikely to promote. Internal checks that might provide incentives for more public-oriented actions on the part of industry participants are also relevant.
Evaluation of nine-frame enhanced multiband photography San Andreas fault zone, Carrizo Plain, California

Nine-frame multiband aerial photography of a sample area 4500 feet on a side was processed to enhance spectral contrasts. The area concerned is in the Carrizo Plain, 45 miles west of Bakersfield, California, in sec. 29, T 31 S., R. 21 E., as shown on the Panorama Hills quadrangle topographic map published by the U. S. Geological Survey. The accompany illustrations include an index map showing the location of the Carrizo Plain area; a geologic map of the area based on field studies and examination of black and white aerial photographs; an enhanced multiband aerial photograph; an Aero Ektachrome photograph; black and white aerial photographs; and infrared image in the 8-13 micron band.
Profound molecular changes following hippocampal slice preparation: loss of AMPA receptor subunits and uncoupled mRNA/protein expression.

The acute hippocampal slice preparation is a convenient, in vitro model widely used to study the biological basis of synaptic plasticity. Although slices may preserve their electrophysiological properties for several hours, profound molecular changes in response to the injury caused by the slicing procedure are likely to occur. To determine the magnitude and duration of these changes we examined the post-slicing expression kinetics of three classes of genes known to be implicated in long-term synaptic plasticity: glutamate AMPA receptors (GluR), transcription factors and neurotrophins. Slicing resulted in a striking loss of GluR1 and GluR3, but not of GluR2 proteins suggesting that rapid changes in the composition of major neurotransmitter receptors may occur. Slicing caused a significant induction of the transcription factors c-fos, zif268, CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) β and δ mRNAs and of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurothophic factor (BDNF) mRNA. In contrast, there was no augmentation, and sometimes a decline, in the levels of the corresponding proteins. These data reveal that significant discrepancies exist between the slice preparation and the intact hippocampus in terms of the metabolism of molecular components known to be involved in synaptic plasticity.
A scalable and distributed model for self-organization and self-healing

As the ability to produce a large number of small, simple robotic agents improves, it becomes essential to control the behavior of these agents in such a way that the sum of their actions gives rise to the desired overall result. These agents are modeled as homogeneous, distributed robots, with only one simple short range sensor. Our simple agents are tasked to form and hold a desired swarm shape, independent of the total number of agents. If this shape is damaged by the removal of some of the agents, the remaining agents will recover the former shape, but on a smaller scale. These shapes can also have a pattern such as a picture or drawing displayed on them by controlling the individual robots color, symbolically representing the differentiation of agents within the swarm. This pattern will resize to fit the existing swarm. With the ability to synchronize in time, the swarm gains the ability to change the pattern displayed, resulting in a moving image.
IL-13Rα1 plays a role in CD4+ T cell stimulation by antigen presenting cells and affects CNS autoimmunity (BA14P.213)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), are immune-mediated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) triggered by activation of myelin-reactive Th1 and Th17 cells. Both IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines are regarded as anti-inflammatory cytokines against the disease but the mechanism by which these cytokines exercise modulatory function remains largely unknown. Since the heteroreceptor (HR) comprising IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) and IL-13Rα1 is shared by both cytokines, we envisioned that IL-4 and IL-13 utilize the HR to drive disease modulation. The findings indicate that mice, in which the heteroreceptor has been made non-functional by gene deletion exhibited earlier onset and more severe disease symptoms when induced for EAE with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) 35-55 peptide. In addition, MOG-specific T cell responses had increased IL-17 but reduced IFNγ production relative to heteroreceptor sufficient mice. Intriguingly, the HR-deficient mice had increased T regulatory cells relative to HR-sufficient animals. These findings suggest that the HR plays a role in the development of Tregs and regulate their function toward pathogenic cells in a subset specific manor.
Chapter 26 Neuropsychological characterization of mild cognitive impairment

Publisher Summary Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is proposed as a condition of intermediate symptomology between the cognitive changes of aging and fully developed symptoms of dementia such as those seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The rationale for the study of MCI is derived from the assumption that the sooner one intervenes in a degenerative process, the more likely the damage done to the central nervous system can be prevented. Hence, the construct is developed to represent a transitional stage between the cognitive changes of aging and very early dementia. Once the diagnosis of MCI is established, the next task is to identify the clinical subtype. Here, the clinician should first determine whether memory is impaired, since memory impairment strongly predisposes the individual towards AD. This can be determined by office memory tests, usually involving an instrument with a delayed recall component or by more detailed neuropsychological testing. The clinical characterization of the patient's symptoms is determined and thereafter the next step involves determining the etiology of the symptoms. As the focus of dementia research moves toward prevention, numerous clinical trials on MCI are being undertaken. Currently, there are no FDA approved treatments for MCI.
Identification of multivariate time series and multivariate input‐output models

The problem of linear model structure identification for multivariate time series or multiple input-output models is presented and solved. The identification is obtained using canonical correlations to determine model order. The equivalence between state-space model structure and multivariate autoregressive moving average with exogenous inputs (ARMAX) models is presented. The class of models open to analysis includes rainfall-runoff models, multivariate streamflow models, and time invariant state-space models used in Kaiman filtering. Examples include a rainfall-runoff model using three precipitation inputs, a four-site monthly streamflow model, and a four-season streamflow model.
Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease: two sides of the same coin

All Down’s syndrome individuals develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathology by the age of 40 years. To unite the two diseases under one hypothesis, we have suggested that classical AD, both of the genetic and late-onset sporadic forms, might be promoted by small numbers of trisomy 21 cells developing during the life of the affected individual. Recent evidence from several laboratories will be presented, which strongly supports the trisomy 21 hypothesis that defects in mitosis, and particularly in chromosome segregation, may be a part of the AD process. Specifically, genetic mutations that cause familial AD disrupt the cell cycle and lead to chromosome aneuploidy, including trisomy 21, in transgenic mice and transfected cells; cells from both familial and sporadic AD patients exhibit chromosome aneuploidy, including trisomy 21. The possibility that many cases of AD are mosaic for trisomy 21 suggests novel approaches to diagnosis and therapy.
L-Arginine independent macrophage tumor cytotoxicity

We have investigated the role of L-arginine in macrophage tumor cytotoxicity in coculture. L929, EMT-6, MCA-26, and P815 targets were all susceptible to cytolysis by activated macrophages when cocultured in medium containing L-arginine. When cocultured in arginine-free medium, these targets displayed comparable or even higher levels of lysis. L1210 targets were lytically resistant under either condition. However, 59Fe release from this target did reflect strong dependence on the presence of arginine. The structural analogue, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, was an effective inhibitor of iron-release from L1210 targets cocultured with activated macrophages, whereas it had minimal inhibitory effects on release of 51Cr from cocultured L929 cells. These results suggest that the L-arginine requiring cytotoxic pathway of activated macrophage is independent of major effector mechanisms involved in tumor cell lysis.
Corticosteroids in Experimental Fat Embolization

Abstract Adult mongrel dogs were given intravenous oleic acid in an experimental model of pulmonary fat embolism. The changes in PaO 2 , chest roentgenograms, and pulmonary tissues were less marked when high doses of corticosteroids were administered.
From pit to electronic trading: Impact on price volatility of U.S. Treasury futures

Abstract This paper investigates the dynamics of price volatility and trading volume of 10-year U.S. Treasury note futures within the context of transition from pit to electronic trading. The analysis is conducted over four discernible phases of futures trading evolution: the pit-only phase, the leap to electronic trading, and the electronic trading dominant phase, which is divided further into two periods, the before and after the financial crisis of 2007/2009. Generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity with in-mean conditional variance and generalized error distribution parameterization (GARCH-M-GED) tests are conducted to examine the conditional volatility of total returns index as a function of trading volume. The empirical results show a consistently negative relationship between the trading volume and price volatility for all four analyzed phases. They also show decreasing leptokurtosis (except for the direct effects of the recent crisis), continuously high persistency in volatility, as well as a weakening impact of unexpected ARCH-type shocks during the most recent analyzed period. Overall, the shift to electronic trading entails a substantial increase in trading volume, but not in price volatility of Treasury futures.
Abnormal pressures in Azerbaijan: A brief critical review and recommendations

Abstract The authors exhaustively reviewed Soviet publications on abnormal pressures in Azerbaijan. According to these data, pore pressures in shales are determined in Azerbaijan by a calculation using well-logging data; pore pressures in shales, even in thin beds, significantly exceed pore pressure in sand reservoirs. On the basis of their review, the authors recommend the following additional research work to achieve a higher efficiency of drilling and production operations in Azerbaijan. 1. (1) Differentiate causes of heaving and sloughing of different shales, in addition to that of the pressure abnormality, and identify cases when special formulations of drilling mud can be used instead of increasing mud density. 2. (2) Thoroughly evaluate the precision of pressure calculation using well-logging data for different shales and environments. 3. (3) Distinguish cases where pressure abnormality is due to other causes than undercompaction. 4. (4) Check the validity of indirect pressure measurements in thin shale beds. 5. (5) Analyze local and regional hydrodynamics of formations for better prediction of the difference between pore pressures in shales and sand reservoirs.
Combustion synthesis of intermetallic compounds using titanium, nickel and copper wires

Abstract Intermetallic compounds containing titanium, nickel and copper were formed from elemental wires utilizing the heat liberated by the chemical reaction to generate a self-propagating combustion wave. The reaction was only weakly exothermic and required preheating to produce a stable reaction front. Upon solidification, the reaction product exhibited shape memory behavior typical of conventionally produced materials.
Genetic aspects of wheat gliadin proteins.

Inheritance of gliadin components unique to three different varieties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied in F1 and F2 seeds of intervarietal crosses using protein patterns obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in aluminum lactate buffer (pH 3.2). The patterns of F1 seeds of the crosses Cheyenne × Justin and INIA 66R × Justin evidenced all the bands present in the patterns of the parents; band intensities reflected gene dosage levels dependent on whether the contributing parent was maternal or paternal in accordance with the triploid nature of endosperm tissue. Most of the gliadin components examined segregated in accordance with control by a single dominant gene, but in two instances single bands in the one-dimensional electrophoretic patterns segregated in the F2 as expected if controlled by two genes. A method of two-dimensional electrophoresis was developed that resolved these apparently single bands into two components each, which could segregate independently. Linkage analysis provided evidence of codominant alleles and closely linked genes coding for gliadin protein components in both coupling and repulsion situations. The gliadin protein components seem to be coded for by clusters of genes located on chromosomes of homoeologous groups 1 and 6 in hexaploid wheats.
Quick Response in Manufacturer-Retailer Channels

Quick Response QR is a movement in the apparel industry to shorten lead time. Under QR, the retailer has the ability to adjust orders based on better demand information. We study how a manufacturer-retailer channel impacts choices of production and marketing variables under QR in the apparel industry. Specifically, we build formal models of the inventory decisions of manufacturers and retailers both before and after QR. Our models allow us to address who wins and who loses under QR, and suggest actions such as service level, wholesale price and volume commitments that can be used to make QR profitable for both members of the channel, i.e., Pareto improving. Detailed discussions with a major retailer, and information from industry sources provide supporting evidence for the structure and conclusions of the model.
Role of tau in the polymerization of peptides from β-amyloid precursor protein

Abstract The composition of paired helical filaments (PHFs), the intracellular amyloid fibrils that accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer patients, is not completely known. We investigated whether synthetic peptides from β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) can form PHF-like fibrils. Two peptides formed fibrils morphologically similar to PHFs. The presence of tau protein, a known PHF component, greatly enhanced the numbers of fibrils formed from one peptide, from the C-terminus of APP, and became associated with the fibrils. A τ fragment corresponding to the tubulin-binding region was sufficient to induce fibril formation. Tau did not alter fibril formation by the other peptide, which was from the β/A4 region of APP. These results raise the possibility that a C-terminal fragment of APP, along with tau, may be involved in PHF formation. Thus the proteolytic processing of APP may generate fragments that contribute to both amyloids and both histopathologic lesions of Alzheimer's disease.