cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo modification of sugar transport and translocation in celery by phytohormones

Abstract In an attempt to address the controversy in the literature as to whether phytohormones have any direct effect on phloem loading of sucrose, we investigated the effect of gibberellic acid (GA3) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) on sugar transport and translocation in celery (Apium graveolens L. cv. Utah 5270). Both hormones enhanced sucrose uptake into isolated vascular bundles and phloem tissue of celery and enhanced the export of 14C assimilates from leaves of intact plants in vivo. The hormone-induced increase of uptake into isolated vascular bundles or phloem was specific for sucrose and mannitol which are translocated in phloem. Furthermore, the hormone-induced increase in translocation was not due to an increase in sink demand, since neither glucose nor sucrose uptake rates were affected in the storage parenchyma tissue discs (sink region) in the presence of GA3 or IAA. The evidence suggests that phytohormones may have a direct effect on phloem loading of sucrose. The possibility of short-term GA3 and IAA effects on processes resulting in membrane transport of sugars in celery is discussed.
Performance of filters for noise reduction in maxillary alveolar bone imaging

Film-grain noise degrades image detail, hinders detection of subtle radiographic bone changes, and could thwart attempts to use dental radiographs of alveolar bone to detect osteoporosis. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify and compare the performance of various 1- and 2-D spatial and frequency domain filters in suppressing this noise. Estimates of noise-free bone profiles (scan lines) from each of five maxillary interdental areas were made by superimposing and averaging 16 identically exposed and digitized radiographs. The average mean absolute error and mean-squared error between the 80 initially noisy images and their respective noise-free profiles were calculated to provide an estimate of initial noise. Filter performance was measured as the change in these values after filtering the noisy images. Frequency domain analysis revealed that bone signal power spectra dominated at frequencies less than 23 cycles/mm and that some form of low-pass filtering would be applicable. The 2-D Butterworth lowpass filter provided the best performance, removing 57% of the film-grain noise when measured by mean absolute error, and over 80% when measured by mean-squared error. Surprisingly, the Lee, L/sub p/ mean, geometric mean, binomial, median, and simple neighborhood averaging filters offered comparable levels of performance. >
Thyristor-controlled switch capacitor placement in large-scale power systems via mixed integer linear programming and Taylor series expansion

Allocation of flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) devices to an electric power transmission network may be formulated as a nonlinear mathematical program. Solving such a nonlinear program for a large transmission network is computationally very expensive, and obtaining the optimal solution may be impossible. We present a Taylor series expansion approximation of the nonlinearities of the problem and propose a mixed integer linear program (MILP) for finding the optimum location and proper settings of a Thyristor-Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) in an electric power network. The objective of this problem is to minimize total generation cost based on the DC load flow model. The proposed method is implemented for the 118-bus IEEE test case and the results are discussed.
LUNGFISH BURROWS FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS MAEVARANO FORMATION, MAHAJANGA BASIN, NORTHWESTERN MADAGASCAR

ABSTRACT An assemblage of large-diameter vertical burrows interpreted as lungfish estivation burrows is documented from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Maevarano Formation of northwestern Madagascar. These burrows suggest that lungfish were present in the Maevarano Formation paleofauna, and they are the first lungfish estivation burrows described from the rock record of Gondwana. Over 100 large-diameter burrows penetrate a pervasively cross-stratified fluvial sandstone body intercalated near the top of the Masorobe Member. The surface of this sandstone body was mapped and 74 burrows were documented in an area spanning ∼110 m2. Burrows cut through and deform surrounding foreset laminae, and in some cases impact surrounding strata up to 8 cm from the edges of individual burrows. In map view, the burrows exhibit three distinctive morphologies: circular, elliptical, and figure-eight shaped. These three map view cross sections are very similar to the modern burrow morphology of the African lungfish Protop...
UGT1A1 sequence variants and bilirubin levels in early postnatal life: a quantitative approach

Fundamental to definitively identifying neonates at risk of developing significant hyperbilirubinemia is a better understanding of the genetic factors associated with early bilirubin rise. Previous genetic studies have focused on the UGT1A1 gene, associating common variation in the coding or promoter regions with qualitative assessments of bilirubin (i.e. significantly elevated or not). These studies have had conflicting results and limited success. We chose to approach the problem by focusing on the quantitative (absolute) change in bilirubin levels early in post-natal life. We apply this approach to the UGT1A1 gene - exploring the contribution of both rare and common variants to early bilirubin changes. We sequenced the exons, PBREM, 5'-, and 3'- regions of the UGT1A1 gene in 80 otherwise healthy term neonates who had repeat bilirubin levels measured within the first five days of life. Three novel coding variants were observed, but there was no clear relationship between rare coding variants and bilirubin rise. Adjusted linear regression models fit to evaluate the relationship between changing bilirubin levels and common UGT1A1variants found that among 39 neonates whose bilirubin was resampled within 33 hours, individuals homozygous for the mutant allele of a 3'UTR SNP had significantly smaller changes in bilirubin (P = 0.003) than individuals carrying the wild-type allele. Collectively, rare UGT1A1 coding variants do not appear to play a prominent role in determining early bilirubin levels; however common variants in the 3' UTR of UGT1A1 may modulate the early bilirubin rise. A quantitative approach to evaluating early bilirubin kinetics provides a more robust framework in which to better understand the genetics of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
Curvature-based computation of antipodal grasps

It is well known that antipodal grasps can be achieved on curved objects in the presence of friction. This paper presents an efficient algorithm that finds, up to numerical resolution, all pairs of antipodal points on a closed, simple, and twice continuously differentiable plane curve. Dissecting the curve into segments everywhere convex or everywhere concave, the algorithm marches simultaneously on a pair of such segments with provable convergence and interleaves marching with numerical bisection. It makes use of new insights into the differential geometry at two antipodal points. We have avoided resorting to traditional nonlinear programming which would neither be quite as efficient nor guarantee to find all antipodal points. Dissection and the coupling of marching with bisection introduced in this paper are potentially applicable to many optimization problems involving curves and curved shapes.
Prostaglandins, platelets, and atherosclerosis.

(1980). Prostaglandins, Platelets, And Atherosclerosi. Critical Reviews in Biochemistry: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 291-338.
Delayed Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Aorto-caval Fistula with Correction of Physiologic and Metabolic Abnormalities: A Disease Process Review.

Reports regarding the management of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with aorto-caval fistula (ACF) outline various treatment options and high mortality rates associated with this condition. This case illustrates a patient with a large ACF secondary to a prior rupture into the inferior vena cava with a delayed presentation. Because of preexisting conditions and severe metabolic sequelae of the ACF, palliative care was considered by the medical team. Minimally invasive endovascular techniques and prompt treatment resulted in a successful outcome with complete resolution of physiologic and metabolic abnormalities.
Outcomes and Costs of Abciximab Versus Eptifibatide for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND:Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement are often prescribed glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. However, drug selection is often based on clinicians' preference and cost because few studies have directly compared abciximab and eptifibatide.Objective:To compare clinical outcomes and total hospital costs of abciximab and eptifibatide in patients undergoing stent placement during PCI in a real-world setting.METHODS:A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of 960 patients administered abciximab or eptifibatide for intracoronary stent placement between 1999 and 2001 at a tertiary care hospital. The primary outcome was bleeding, defined as major, moderate, or minor according to published criteria. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital death, myocardial infarction, revascularization, and the triple composite endpoint of those outcomes, thrombocytopenia, length-of-stay, and total hospital costs. Pearson's χ2 analysis, Fisher's exact test, and ANOVA were u...
Exposure to Violence and Associated Health-Risk Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls

Objective To examine the relationship between exposure to violence and health-risk behaviors. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting University-based outpatient family planning clinic. Patients Sexually active adolescent girls younger than 18 years (N = 517) who presented for contraceptive care. Main Outcome Measures Prevalence of witnessing or experiencing violence and the associations with health-risk behaviors, including high-risk sexual behaviors, substance use, and self-injury. Results Compared with adolescents who had not been exposed to violence, those who had only witnessed violence were 2 to 3 times more likely to report using tobacco and marijuana, drinking alcohol or using drugs before sex, and having intercourse with a partner who had multiple partners. Those who had experienced, but not witnessed violence were at increased risk of these same behaviors and were 2 to 4 times more likely than those who had neither witnessed nor experienced violence to report early initiation of intercourse, intercourse with strangers, multiple partners, or partners with multiple partners, tobacco, alcohol and drug use, or to have positive test results for a sexually transmitted disease. Individuals who had both witnessed and experienced violence demonstrated the greatest risk of adverse health behaviors. These adolescents demonstrated 3 to 6 times greater risk of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-4.0) or suicide attempts (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.2-9.4), self-injury (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.6-12.9), and use of drugs before intercourse (OR, 6.2; 95% CI, 3.0-12.9) than those who had neither witnessed nor experienced violence. Conclusions Adolescents exposed to violence are at increased risk of multiple adverse health behaviors. Programs designed to improve health outcomes should target this high-risk group.
Libsequence: a C++ class library for evolutionary genetic analysis.

Summary: AC ++ class library is available to facilitate the implementation of software for genomics and sequence polymorphism analysis. The library implements methods for data manipulation and the calculation of several statistics commonly used to analyze SNP data.The object-oriented design of the library is intended to be extensible, allowing users to design custom classes for their own needs. In addition, routines are provided to process samples generated by a widely used coalescent simulation. Availability: The source code (in C++) is available from http://www.molpopgen.org
Sticky-tape method to measure cultivar effect on wheat curl mite (Acari: Eriophyidae) populations in wheat spikes

Differences in numbers of wheat curl mites (WCM), Eriophyes tulipae Keifer, infesting wheat cultivars in the field were determined using a new sticky-tape technique. Excised, milk-stage wheat spikes were placed on strips of transparent tape and numbers of mites that crawled out of the drying heads and became stuck on the tape were estimated. ‘TAM 107‘ and ‘KS85H22,’ both carrying resistance to WCM derived from rye, had significantly lower mite populations in spikes and lower incidence of wheat streak mosaic than other cultivars. Smaller differences in mite numbers in spikes were identified among susceptible cultivars. The sticky-tape procedure provided a simple means of assessing mite numbers in wheat spikes.
Plant Proteins That Interact with VirB2, the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Pilin Protein, Mediate Plant Transformation

Agrobacterium tumefaciens uses a type IV secretion system (T4SS) to transfer T-DNA and virulence proteins to plants. The T4SS is composed of two major structural components: the T-pilus and a membrane-associated complex that is responsible for translocating substrates across both bacterial membranes. VirB2 protein is the major component of the T-pilus. We used the C-terminal–processed portion of VirB2 protein as a bait to screen an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA library for proteins that interact with VirB2 in yeast. We identified three related plant proteins, VirB2-interacting protein (BTI) 1 (BTI1), BTI2, and BTI3 with unknown functions, and a membrane-associated GTPase, AtRAB8. The three BTI proteins also interacted with VirB2 in vitro. Preincubation of Agrobacterium with GST-BTI1 protein decreased the transformation efficiency of Arabidopsis suspension cells by Agrobacterium. Transgenic BTI and AtRAB8 antisense and RNA interference Arabidopsis plants are less susceptible to transformation by Agrobacterium than are wild-type plants. The level of BTI1 protein is transiently increased immediately after Agrobacterium infection. In addition, overexpression of BTI1 protein in transgenic Arabidopsis results in plants that are hypersusceptible to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Confocal microscopic data indicate that GFP-BTI proteins preferentially localize to the periphery of root cells in transgenic Arabidopsis plants, suggesting that BTI proteins may contact the Agrobacterium T-pilus. We propose that the three BTI proteins and AtRAB8 are involved in the initial interaction of Agrobacterium with plant cells.
Development and Validation of a Video-Animated Tool for Assessing Mobility

THE onset of difficulty with mobility marks a serious decline in quality of life (1), is central to sustaining independence with aging (2,3), and confers an increased risk of institutionalization and death (4,5). Its importance as a topic in geriatric medicine cannot be overstated. The most common measures of mobility in the research literature have been the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (6) and walking tasks, such as the 400-m walk test (5). However, because performance-based tests are not always possible, and in fact convey somewhat different information than people’s perceptions of their capacities, self-report measures have been developed, including measures such as the physical functioning subscale of the Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36) (7) and the Pepper Assessment Tool for Disability (PAT-D) (8). Common limitations of existing self-report measures are that respondents are required to make complex judgments about the meaning of specific tasks, and contextual factors are ignored that are important in making task-related judgments. For example, when asked about difficulty or limitations in walking a block, how far is a block and what speed is expected? Does walking a block include hills or involve uneven terrain? The lack of specificity in item content creates error in measurement and fails to adequately capture the demands of many tasks. The objectives of this initial phase of our research are to describe the process that was used in the selection of items for a short form (sf) Mobility Assessment Tool—the MAT-sf—that employed animated video clips to provide standardized representation of task performance along dimensions of speed, the slope of inclines, and other environmental challenges. State-of-the-art methods from item response theory (IRT) were employed to achieve this task. We then examine the reliability and validity of the MAT-sf, establishing concurrent validity, and demonstrating that the measure outperforms the PAT-D in predicting physical performance scores for the SPPB and 400-walk test. The value of the PAT-D in comparison with a measure such as the SF-36 is that there are subscales for mobility, basic activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrument activities of daily living (IADLs); the measure also has item content that mirrors other major self-report measures of mobility because this strategy served as the basis for the development of the PAT-D.
Mealtime Behaviors of Preschool Children: Comparison of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Typical Development

This study identified mealtime behaviors of young children (3-6 years old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compared these behaviors to children with typical development matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. The parents of children with ASD (n = 24) and children with typical development (n = 24) completed a mealtime survey to assess early mealtime history, mealtime location and behaviors, food preferences and behaviors, and eating problems. Parental concerns increased significantly after age 1 year in the children with ASD. Matched analysis results showed significant differences between the pairs of children in specific mealtime behaviors. More children with ASD were picky eaters, mouthed nonfood items, resisted new foods, limited foods based on textures, had problems with gagging, had difficulty eating at regular restaurants or at school, resisted sitting at the table, and threw or dumped food. Knowledge of these early differences can help pediatric therapists to assess feeding issues and plan interventions.
Physicochemical foundations and structural design of hydrogels in medicine and biology.

▪ Abstract Hydrogels are cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that can imbibe water or biological fluids. Their biomedical and pharmaceutical applications include a very wide range of systems and processes that utilize several molecular design characteristics. This review discusses the molecular structure, dynamic behavior, and structural modifications of hydrogels as well as the various applications of these biohydrogels. Recent advances in the preparation of three-dimensional structures with exact chain conformations, as well as tethering of functional groups, allow for the preparation of promising new hydrogels. Meanwhile, intelligent biohydrogels with pH- or temperature-sensitivity continue to be important materials in medical applications.
Manuring and rotation effects on soil organic carbon concentration for different aggregate size fractions on two soils in northeastern Ohio, USA

Soil carbon (C) sequestration is important to the mitigation of increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2. This study was conducted to assess soil aggregation and C concentration under different management practices. The effects of crop rotation, manure application and tillage were investigated for 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths on two silt loam soils (fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aquic Fragiudalfs and fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Aeric Fragiadalf) in Geauga and Stark Counties, respectively, in northeastern Ohio, USA. Wet sieve analysis and gravity fractionation techniques were used to separate samples in aggregate and particle size groups, respectively. In the Stark County farms water stable aggregate (WSA) is higher in wooded (W) controls (WSA = 94.8%) than in cultivated soils with poultry manure (PM, 78.7%) and with chemical fertilizers (CF, 79.0%). Manure applications did not increase aggregation compared to unmanured soils. The C concentrations (%) within aggregates (Cagg) are higher in W than in cultivated soils (W = 5.82, PM = 2.11, CF = 1.96). Soil C (%) is enriched in the clay (W = 9.87, PM = 4.17, CF = 4.21) compared to silt (4.26, 1.04 and 0.98, respectively) and sand (0.93, 0.14 and 0.32, respectively) fractions. In the Geauga County farm, continuous corn (CC) with conventional tillage has lower WSA (83.1%) than soils with rotations (R) (93.9%), dairy manure (DM) application (93.2%) and no-till (NT) (91.1%). The C concentrations within macroaggregates (Cagg) were higher in W soils (4.84%) than in cultivated soils (ranging from 2.65 to 1.75%). The C (%) is enriched in clay (W = 8.56, CC = 4.18, R = 5.17, DM = 5.73, NT = 4.67) compared to silt (W = 2.35, CC = 0.90, R = 0.96, DM = 1.57, NT = 1.06) and sand (W = 0.44, CC = 0.33, R = 0.13, DM = 0.41, NT = 0.18). Cultivation decreased C concentration whereas reduced tillage, rotation and manure enhanced C concentration in soil. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Relationship Between Club Drug Use and Other Drug Use: A Survey of New York City Middle School Students

In order to explore the relationship between use of club drugs (crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine), and use of other drugs, survey data collected from 23,780 middle school students in New York City during 2002–2003 was examined. Results of HGLM analyses (a generalization of HLM to accomodate nonlinear outcomes), controlling for the effect of school, indicate that Black students are less likely than White students to use club drugs depending on the timeframe of use. The use of alcohol and/or marijuana predict club drug use regardless of the timeframe of use, and lifetime cigarette use predicts lifetime club drug use. Recommendations for future research and prevention efforts are discussed.
Intervening on risk factors for coronary heart disease: an application of the parametric g-formula

Estimating the population risk of disease under hypothetical interventions--such as the population risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) were everyone to quit smoking and start exercising or to start exercising if diagnosed with diabetes--may not be possible using standard analytic techniques. The parametric g-formula, which appropriately adjusts for time-varying confounders affected by prior exposures, is especially well suited to estimating effects when the intervention involves multiple factors (joint interventions) or when the intervention involves decisions that depend on the value of evolving time-dependent factors (dynamic interventions). We describe the parametric g-formula, and use it to estimate the effect of various hypothetical lifestyle interventions on the risk of CHD using data from the Nurses' Health Study. Over the period 1982-2002, the 20-year risk of CHD in this cohort was 3.50%. Under a joint intervention of no smoking, increased exercise, improved diet, moderate alcohol consumption and reduced body mass index, the estimated risk was 1.89% (95% confidence interval: 1.46-2.41). We discuss whether the assumptions required for the validity of the parametric g-formula hold in the Nurses' Health Study data. This work represents the first large-scale application of the parametric g-formula in an epidemiologic cohort study.
Design and characterization of IndyPET-II:A high-resolution, high-sensitivity dedicated research scanner

The IndyPET-II scanner has been developed as a high-resolution, high-sensitivity research PET scanner for use in small animal, intermediate sized animal, and small field of view human (brain, breast) imaging applications. The system consists of four, approximately plane detector banks mounted on a rotatable gantry. Overall these detectors cover a transaxial field of view (FOV) of 23 cm and an axial FOV of 15 cm. This configuration gives reduced parallax and approximately uniform resolution throughout the FOV. The two pairs of opposing detector banks are offset to give increased sampling density and increased resolution. Characterization measurements using the NEMA-2001 and NEMA-1994 standards are reported. In an axial plane, the averaged (radial and transverse) FWHM resolution is 2.5 mm at the center of the FOV and increases to less than 3.5 mm at the edge of the FOV. The NEMA-2001 sensitivity is 9030 cps/MBq at the center of the scanner and 4250 cps/MBq at r=10cm. The NEMA-1994 sensitivity is 23.0 cps/MBq/ml. Using the NEMA-2001 procedures, the peak true count rate is 95 kcps at an activity concentration of 10.4 kBq/ml and the peak NEC count rate is 31 kcps at an activity concentration of 5.4 kBq/ml. For the NEMA-1994 measurements, the peak true count rate is 130 kcps at a concentration of 18.6 kBq/ml. All measurements were performed using a 350-650 keV energy window.
Race/ethnicity and patient satisfaction. Using the appropriate method to test for perceived differences in care.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an established patient satisfaction scale commonly used in the primary care setting is sufficiently sensitive to identify racial/ethnic differences in satisfaction that may exist; to compare a composite indicator of overall patient satisfaction with a 4-item satisfaction scale that measures only the quality of the direct physician-patient interaction.
A Generalization Error for Q-Learning

Planning problems that involve learning a policy from a single training set of finite horizon trajectories arise in both social science and medical fields. We consider Q-learning with function approximation for this setting and derive an upper bound on the generalization error. This upper bound is in terms of quantities minimized by a Q-learning algorithm, the complexity of the approximation space and an approximation term due to the mismatch between Q-learning and the goal of learning a policy that maximizes the value function.
Managing Uncertain Expressions in Databases

Expressions are used in a range of applications like publish/subscribe, Website personalization, etc. Integrating support for expressions in a database management system (DBMS) provides an efficient and scalable platform for applications that use expressions. Additionally, in many cases these applications can benefit from support for uncertain data and expressions. Current DBMS lack such support. In this paper, we investigate how expressions with uncertainty can be integrated in a DBMS and processed like other data stored in the DBMS. We describe the underlying theory and implementation of UNXS (UNcertain expression System), a system that we have developed to handle uncertainty in expressions and data. We first develop a theoretical model to compare previous efforts in supporting uncertainty in DBMS and publish/subscribe systems. We propose new techniques for matching uncertain expressions to uncertain data. We then describe an implementation that integrates this support in the PostgreSQL DBMS.
From an Election Fable to Election Procedures

What could be easier than interpreting an election? Even nursery school children use voting to select their juice of choice before nap time. After all, it just involves counting where the candidate with the most votes wins. What is so difficult about something as elementary as that?
Solenoidal transport of low-voltage (≤ 20 kV) sheet beams

This paper investigates solenoidal transport and show that it is not only feasible but preferred for certain types of devices. In particular, interest in low-voltage (<20 kV), high-power (~10 kW) W-band amplifiers has led to design an extended interaction klystron (EIK) that employs a solenoidal (~9 kG) transport configuration using permanent magnets. The much stronger magnetic field that can be achieved with a solenoidal magnet configuration allows significantly higher perveance beams to be transported, and simulations show excellent beam stability with essentially no current loss over distances of several diocotron growth lengths (typically several cm for millimeter-wave (MMW) device parameters). Semi-empirical scaling laws have been developed that relate the critical beam parameters (voltage, current density, emittance, and aspect ratio) and projected amplifier performance (power and efficiency) to the magnetic focusing strength. The implications of these relationships for the design of compact, low-voltage MMW amplifiers will be presented, and a permanent magnet solenoidal field configuration suitable for a MMW EIK will be described.
Recovery of the Lamé parameter μ in biological tissues

By cross-correlating successive ultrasonic scans of the biological tissue that is excited by a transient source on the surface, recent experiments show that elastic wave displacement during the interval between the two scans can be measured everywhere in the tissue. Assuming that we know the displacement history, w(t,x), of a propagating shear wave everywhere, we identify the stiffness change inside the tissue in terms of the Lame coefficient, μ. So, the goal is: find μ from w. In the experiment, we consider that there is a dominant frequency, τ, called a central frequency. We then take the Fourier transform of w (in time) and evaluate this transform at τ. Using this transform of the data, our method starts with the asymptotic expansion of geometrical optics. By tracing the amplitude change of the displacement along the geometrical rays as they travel into the medium, we are able to recover μ without directly taking derivatives of the displacement data.
Fundamental Vibration Frequencies of Circular and Elliptical Composite Cylinders with Circumferentially Varying Fiber Orientation

The fundamental frequencies of thin-walled elliptical composite cylinders wherein the fiber orientation in some or all of the layers varies linearly from the flattest region of the cross section to the most curved region of the cross section are discussed. The study is motivate by previous work which demostrated that such a variable fiber orientation scheme improved the axial buckling capacity of elliptical composite cylinders relative to a baseline quasi-isotropic elliptical cylinders. The improved axial buckling capacity approached the axial buckling capacity of the so-called equivalent quasi-isotopic circular cylinder, which decreases as the cross section is made elliptical. At issue is the degree to which the vibration behavior of composite elliptical cylinders is impacted by having the fiber orientation vary with circumferential location. However, the answer to this question is discussed in the context of two broader issues, namely, determining to what degree is the fundamental frequency of a circular cylinder is changed if the cross section is made elliptical, and investigating if there are any advantages as regards fundamental frequency vibration response to varying fiber angle, and therefore the wall stiffness characteristics, with circumferential location. For an elliptical cylinder the radius of curvarture varies with circumferential location, so varying wall stiffness with circumferential location might couple in a positive fashion. The results, which are based on finite element models of the elliptical and circular cylinders, indicate that even for what is considered a significant range of fiber orientations that vary linearly with circumferential location, the fundamental frequencies of both elliptical and circular cylinders are not significantly influenced. On the other hand, the circumferential wave number is influenced.
Mechanically Tough, Thermally Activated Shape Memory Hydrogels

The shape memory behavior of a series of strong, tough hybrid hydrogels prepared by covalently cross-linking quad-polymers of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA), 2-(N-ethylperfluoro-octanesulfonamido) et...
Functional Stability Limits during Reaching Tasks

There is a need for stability constraints to be incorporated into ergonomic job analyses. The purpose of this study was to define functional stability limits for persons performing various reaching...
Application research of steam cascade utilization in large steam network

Aiming at the subsistent problems of low energy utilization rate in large steam networks in iron steel corporations,a method of steam cascade utilization was put forward.Based on the thermodynamics theory,the exergy and energy analyses were employed to clear the energy quality loss in the process of reducing temperature and pressure and to know the energy loss of the emissioned steam and the condensed water in order to find the way to improve the energy utilization.The result is of practical significance for enhancing the thermal efficiency and economic performance of the pipe network in engineering applications.
Peptide tessellation yields micrometre-scale collagen triple helices

Sticky-ended DNA duplexes can associate spontaneously into long double helices; however, such self-assembly is much less developed with proteins. Collagen is the most prevalent component of the extracellular matrix and a common clinical biomaterial. As for natural DNA, the ~103-residue triple helices (~300 nm) of natural collagen are recalcitrant to chemical synthesis. Here we show how the self-assembly of short collagen-mimetic peptides (CMPs) can enable the fabrication of synthetic collagen triple helices that are nearly a micrometre in length. Inspired by the mathematics of tessellations, we derive rules for the design of single CMPs that self-assemble into long triple helices with perfect symmetry. Sticky ends thus created are uniform across the assembly and drive its growth. Enacting this design yields individual triple helices that, in length, match or exceed those in natural collagen and are remarkably thermostable, despite the absence of higher-order association. The symmetric assembly of CMPs provides an enabling platform for the development of advanced materials for medicine and nanotechnology. Natural collagen contains triple helices that are approximately 1,000 residues in length and cannot be formed by chemical synthesis. Now, short collagen-mimetic peptides that self-assemble into three-stranded helices have been designed. These peptides are inspired by the mathematics of tessellations, and the triple helices formed via this approach match or exceed the length of those found in natural collagen.
Application of the Laser Microprobe to Analytical Chemistry

The influence of lasers on chemistry in general has been revolutionary; the effect on analytical chemistry has been equally dramatic. Novel analytical methods have developed which were unheard of only a few years ago, yet today they are becoming commonplace, as for example the laser microprobe mass spectrometry.
Optical encoding and multiplexing of detector signals with dual threshold time-over-threshold

We have previously demonstrated a method of optical pulse processing for PET detectors in which position, timing, and energy data is encoded into a series of fast (∼100 ps) optical pulses at 1550 nm. This optical encoding method can potentially support a very high multiplexing ratio, allowing the majority of the readout electronics to be concentrated into a single high speed digitizer channel that records and decodes the event data from every detector, making it suitable for high resolution PET systems with many detectors. In our previous prototype, single threshold time-over-threshold (ToT) was used to encode energy and timing as it was relatively simple to implement with few components, minimizing added timing jitter. However, single threshold ToT has major drawbacks that degraded both timing and energy resolution, resulting in poor performance overall. In this work we replace single threshold ToT with a dual threshold ToT method using a custom circuit with only a few high speed, low jitter components, greatly improving timing and energy performance. With dual threshold ToT we can fully encode and multiplex position, timing, and energy information from two detector channels on just a single optical fiber with excellent timing resolution (160 ps FWHM with 3×3×5 mm3 LSO and Hamamatsu SiPMs), suitable for time-of-flight.
Is an electric field always a promoter of wetting? Electro-dewetting of metals by electrolytes probed by in situ X-ray nanotomography

We developed a special electrochemical cell enabling quantitative analysis and in situ X-ray nanotomography of metal/electrolyte interfaces subject to corrosion. Using this cell and applying the nodoid model to describe menisci formed on tungsten wires during anodization, the evolution of the electrolyte surface tension, the concentration of reaction products, and the meniscus contact angle were studied. In contrast to the electrowetting effect, where the applied electric field decreases the contact angle of electrolytes, anodization of the tungsten wires increases the contact angle of the meniscus. Hence, an electric field favors dewetting rather than wetting of the newly formed surface. The discovered effect opens up new opportunities for the control of wetting phenomena and calls for the revision of existing theories of electrowetting.
An Extraordinary View of the Universe: The use of X-ray Vision in Space Science

X-ray emission from cosmic sources indicates that these sources are heated to temperatures exceeding a million degrees or that they contain highly energetic particles. Recent X-ray telescopes, such as the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton, observed thousands of cosmic X-ray sources. These observations greatly impacted our understanding of the physics governing the evolution of structures across the universe. Here, I review and highlight some of these important results.
Suggesting API Usage to Novice Programmers with the Example Guru

Programmers, especially novices, often have difficulty learning new APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Existing research has not fully addressed novice programmers' unawareness of all available API methods. To help novices discover new and appropriate uses for API methods, we designed a system called the Example Guru. The Example Guru suggests context-relevant API methods based on each programmer's code. The suggestions provide contrasting examples to demonstrate how to use the API methods. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Example Guru, we ran a study comparing novice programmers' use of the Example Guru and documentation-inspired API information. We found that twice as many participants accessed the Example Guru suggestions compared to documentation and that participants used more than twice as many new API methods after accessing suggestions than documentation.
Environmental covariation of metazoans and microbialites in the Lower Ordovician Boat Harbour Formation, Newfoundland

Abstract An antagonistic view of the relationship between microbialites and metazoans has long been inferred, in part because of the large scale anticorrelation of these two groups through geologic time. The nexus of this relationship occurs in the Early Paleozoic Era: stromatolites declined in abundance as complex animals and algae diversified, but thrombolites, a type of microbialite little known before the Proterozoic-Cambrian boundary, proliferated for the first time. Well-preserved parasequences in the basal portion of the Lower Ordovician Boat Harbour Formation, western Newfoundland, contain a succession of stromatolites and thrombolites that permit an investigation into the role metazoans played in shaping the nature and abundance of microbialites in Early Paleozoic carbonate seas. Sessile benthic animals colonized thrombolite surfaces, but are nearly absent from stromatolites. Bioturbation rarely co-occurred with microbialites, but is widespread in clastic carbonates that lack microbialites. Our results, thus, support the hypothesis of ecological antagonism between microbial communities and motile benthic animals, but also demonstrate biological facilitation between thrombolites and both sessile benthic animals and nekton.
Coming into Focus: An Introduction to the Collection

This chapter summarizes each of the 19 original chapters in this collection, entitled Religion and Human Enhancement: Death, Values, and Morality and appearing in the series Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and Its Successors. The chapter provides a brief and informal sketch of scholars—with regard to the challenge of incorporating diverse voices—who are working on the general topic of human enhancement. The chapters are surveyed inside the framework of the four sections of the volume: “‘Common Ground’ between Transhumanism and Religion,” “Desires and Values,” “Moral Bioenhancement,” and “Longing for Immortality: Meanings of Death.”
Impact of external debt shocks on economic growth in Nigeria: a SVAR analysis

This paper uses a structural vector autoregression generalized economic growth model augmented with a debt variable to characterize the dynamic impact of innovations to external public debt-to-GDP ratio on per capita GDP growth, investment, trade openness, exchange rate and inflation in Nigeria over the period 1970–2014. Using Blanchard and Perotti (Q J Econ 177:1329–1368, 2002) identification techniques to arrive at economically interpretable variance decompositions and impulse response functions, the results show that external debt shocks have long-lived negative impacts on economic growth and investment, as consistent with the debt overhang hypothesis. Moreover, innovations to external debt were found to have short-lived positive impacts on inflation, negative impacts on trade openness, but insignificant effects on the exchange rate. The implication is that attainment of sustainable levels of economic growth and external debt is guardedly sketchy at the moment and could remain elusive if aggressive measures are not undertaken at reducing the debt burden, encouraging domestic savings vis-a-vis domestic investment, and channeling borrowed funds towards the provision of basic infrastructure and goods that would not inflate the economy or hamper external competitiveness but, rather increase the level of economic activities and improve the well-being of citizens.
Neighborhood cohesion, neighborhood disorder, and cardiometabolic risk.

Abstract Perceptions of neighborhood disorder (trash, vandalism) and cohesion (neighbors trust one another) are related to residents’ health. Affective and behavioral factors have been identified, but often in studies using geographically select samples. We use a nationally representative sample (n = 9032) of United States older adults from the Health and Retirement Study to examine cardiometabolic risk in relation to perceptions of neighborhood cohesion and disorder. Lower cohesion is significantly related to greater cardiometabolic risk in 2006/2008 and predicts greater risk four years later (2010/2012). The longitudinal relation is partially accounted for by anxiety and physical activity.
Demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival of patients with Klatskin tumors.

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence, demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment, and survival of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Data on Klatskin tumors between 2004 and 2013 was extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Registry. The epidemiology of these tumors was then analyzed. Results A total of 254 patients with Klatskin tumors were identified. The overall age-adjusted incidence of Klatskin tumors between 2004 and 2013 was 0.38 per 1,000,000 per year. A gradual decline in the incidence was noted, with the highest (0.44) in 2005 and lowest (0.24) in 2010. Males had a higher incidence of Klatskin tumors compared to females (0.47 vs. 0.25 per 1,000,000 per year). These tumors were more common among Asian and Pacific islanders, who had an age-adjusted incidence rate of 0.48 per 1,000,000. Incidence increased with age, with the peak incidence between the ages of 80 and 84 years. The majority of the tumors were extrahepatic (67.3%). Approximately one-fourth (22.4%) of these patients had metastatic disease at presentation. Only 26.8% of patients had surgically resectable disease at presentation. One- and 5-year cause-specific survival for Klatskin tumors was 41% and 10.4%, respectively, with a median survival of 7 months. On Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, extrahepatic tumors (hazard ratio [HR] 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-0.80, P=0.02) and those treated surgically (HR 0.47, 95%CI 0.29-0.77, P=0.003) had significantly better outcomes. Conclusions Klatskin tumors are rare and have a very poor prognosis with low survival rate. Among these tumors, extrahepatic and surgically treated tumors tend to have better outcomes.
Localization of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

If a pheochromocytoma is clinically suspected or diagnosed, the goal of imaging is lesion localization, and there are anatomical and functional imaging modalities used for it. CT is the anatomical modality of choice to identify an adrenal lesion or the less common extra-adrenal paragangliomas, and MIBG is the most widely used functional modality. Paragangliomas are frequently intra-abdominal (Blake et al. 24:S87–99, 2004), located in the retroperitoneum near the level of the SMA origin or aortic bifurcation (organ of Zuckerkandl) (Mayo-Smith et al. 21:995–1012, 2001). However, they may be encountered anywhere from the base of the skull to the urinary bladder, as they develop in the chromaffin tissue of the sympathetic nervous system (Blake et al. 24:S87–99, 2004), and other common extra-adrenal locations include the bladder wall, other parts of the retroperitoneum, heart, mediastinum, carotid body, and glomus jugulare body. MR is an alternate anatomical imaging localization modality; however, due to the greater availability, better spatial resolution and lower cost, CT remains the preferred initial anatomical imaging modality. The functional imaging modalities include nuclear medicine exams with a variety of radiotracers, including more specific tracers being developed as the biochemical characteristics of the tumors are better understood. Functional imaging has higher specificity and has great value as a confirmatory exam, and also to evaluate the possibility of multifocal lesions in abdominal and extra-abdominal locations, as well as metastatic lesions.
Screening for Math in Early Grades: Is Reading Enough?:

Difficulties in reading and math are more likely to occur simultaneously than difficulties in either area alone; however, the research on that comorbidity is relatively sparse. The purpose of this ...
Making sense of subjectivity: Q Methodology in counseling research

Q Methodology is a research method that focuses on systematically exploring individuals' subjective viewpoints. Q Methodology contains both quantitative and qualitative components and involves the exploration of an individual's internal and subjective viewpoints, opinions, and attitudes, proving to be particularly relevant for counselors who are interested in human thoughts and behaviors. This article outlines the philosophical roots of Q Methodology, along with the practical steps of implementing a Q study. An overview of the potential uses of Q Methodology in counseling research and practice is provided.
Small Sharp Spikes Revisited: Further Data on this Controversial Pattern

This study investigated the question of whether small sharp spikes (SSS) are associated with seizures (sz) or represent a completely normal finding. From an EEG laboratory with many referrals with epilepsy, a 48% incidence of clinical sz in pts with SSS was significantly higher than the 15% in pts with normal EEGs, but lower than the 78% in pts with SSS and other paroxysms; the type of sz in the SSS pts was more often partial than the sz associated with normal EEGs. When abnormal records with other non-controversial paroxysms were followed for up to 32 yrs and changed to normal tracings, a decrease in sz was found significantly more often than when the paroxysms were replaced by SSS. In addition, if pts with only SSS lost this pattern in time, sz also tended to resolve, as opposed to sz remaining in the majority who continued to show the SSS pattern. A clear inverse relationship was found between the incidence of sz and age in pts with this waveform. Our evidence argues against the SSS as a completely normal finding, but instead suggests that it is a pattern with a moderate degree of epileptogenicity that is clearly age-dependent.