cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contrasting X-Linked and Autosomal Diversity across 14 Human Populations

Contrasting the genetic diversity of the human X chromosome (X) and autosomes has facilitated understanding historical differences between males and females and the influence of natural selection. Previous studies based on smaller data sets have left questions regarding how empirical patterns extend to additional populations and which forces can explain them. Here, we address these questions by analyzing the ratio of X-to-autosomal (X/A) nucleotide diversity with the complete genomes of 569 females from 14 populations. Results show that X/A diversity is similar within each continental group but notably lower in European (EUR) and East Asian (ASN) populations than in African (AFR) populations. X/A diversity increases in all populations with increasing distance from genes, highlighting the stronger impact of diversity-reducing selection on X than on the autosomes. However, relative X/A diversity (between two populations) is invariant with distance from genes, suggesting that selection does not drive the relative reduction in X/A diversity in non-Africans (0.842 ± 0.012 for EUR-to-AFR and 0.820 ± 0.032 for ASN-to-AFR comparisons). Finally, an array of models with varying population bottlenecks, expansions, and migration from the latest studies of human demographic history account for about half of the observed reduction in relative X/A diversity from the expected value of 1. They predict values between 0.91 and 0.94 for EUR-to-AFR comparisons and between 0.91 and 0.92 for ASN-to-AFR comparisons. Further reductions can be predicted by more extreme demographic events in excess of those captured by the latest studies but, in the absence of these, also by historical sex-biased demographic events or other processes.
Ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, and clefting syndrome.

Case 1—An 18-year-old white woman was first seen in 1969, on referral to the Eye Clinic, Univer­ sity Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle. She was the seventh child of eight pregnancies. Two pregnancies terminated in miscarriage at 6 2 months and four months, respectively. The abor­ tuses had no obvious developmental abnormalities. Two brothers of the patient had a history of epi­ lepsy. Two maternal great-uncles and two paternal great-aunts had diabetes. There was no consanguin­ ity and no other affected family members. The pregnancy was uncomplicated with no known expo­ sure to drugs, illnesses, or irradiation. At birth, the patient was noted to have bilateral cleft lip and pal­ ate and lobster-claw deformity of hands and feet (ectrodactyly). An intravenous pyelogram demon­ strated only one kidney. Surgical repairs of the cleft lip and palate were performed at age 1 year. Growth and development were normal as was her IQ. There was no history of sweating difficulty or Iryperthermia of unexplained origin. Xerostomia was not evident.
Effect of Age and Sex on the Biophysical Properties of Fresh Beef Muscle from Bullocks and Steers

Longissimus (LD) muscle samples/steaks were obtained from 32 intact and 32 castrate male crossbred beef animals slaughtered at 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-months of age. Most of the LD biophysical traits evaluated were significantly affected by age and sex condition. Marbling and texture estimates favored the steers but no sex differences were observed for color and firmness estimates. Objective color, firmness and tenderness measurements generally favored the steers although bullocks showed higher expressible juice values. Steer muscle had a greater cooking rate and less cooking loss than that of bullocks. Little sex differences in cooking time were noted. Age effects on biophysical attributes were most pronounced at 12 and/or 16 months of age. There appears to be little or no improvement in the important biophysical properties of beef longissimus muscle obtained from intact males or from animals older than 16 months.
Revisiting parallel and serial processing in the somatosensory system

The issue of whether information is processed in parallel or in series in the somatosensory system is complicated by a number of factors. Included among these is the failure on the part of the scientific community to reach a consensus as to what actually constitutes the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) in higher primates. A second, related issue is the marked difference in the organization of the cortical areas subserving somatosensation across species.
A meta-analysis of studies on the association of the platelet PlA polymorphism of glycoprotein IIIa and risk of coronary heart disease.

The PlA2 polymorphism of the glycoprotein IIIa subunit of the fibrinogen receptor (GPIIb-IIIa) has been reported by some studies to be associated with an increased risk of coronary thrombosis. Following the first paper on the subject in 1996, a large number of studies have investigated the relationship between this polymorphism and coronary thrombosis, either at the epidemiological or at the cellular and molecular levels. The cellular and molecular studies have shown in a consistent manner that this polymorphism increases platelet responsiveness. In contrast, epidemiological studies have generated inconsistent results regarding the clinical impact of PlA2. We consider 12 epidemiological studies that investigate the link between presence/absence of this polymorphism and presence/absence of coronary heart disease. Each is a case-control study that reports an odds ratio. The studies are not directly comparable because they differ greatly in their patient pools and also in the way the data are analysed. We present several meta-analyses of these 12 studies. The simplest one is based on a standard frequentist random effects model with a normal distribution for the study effects (the per-study population log-odds ratios). We also consider a Bayesian version of this model, with a diffuse prior for the mean and variance of the normal distribution of the study effects. The conclusions from both of these analyses is about the same, and is that there is evidence that the PlA2 polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. A look at the reported log-odds ratios across studies suggests that the study effects do not come from a symmetric distribution. For this reason, we also consider semi-parametric priors for the distribution of the study effects. These priors are specifically designed for this kind of meta-analysis, and are based on a certain class of mixtures of Dirichlet priors. They can be designed to concentrate most of their mass around the family of normal distributions, but still allow for any other distribution. The semi-parametric Bayesian model continues to give evidence of an association between the PlA2 polymorphism and the risk of coronary heart disease. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
C/EBPδ: friend or foe? a novel role for C/EBPδ in metastasis.

This issue of The EMBO Journal features opposing functions of the assumed tumour suppressor C/EBPδ shown here to promote tumour metastasis. Mechanistically, C/EBPδ amplifies HIF-1α signalling, thus integrating hypoxic inflammation with tumour metastasis.
Compact ring resonators using conventional waveguides, etched beam splitters and total internal reflection mirrors

Compact single ring resonator bandstop filters with 11.5 nm free spectral range and 12 dB extinction ratio are demonstrated in GaAs/AlGaAs using weakly guided waveguides, etched beam splitters and total internal reflection mirrors.
Mind-Body Practices in Cancer Care

Being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease such as cancer and undergoing treatment can cause unwanted distress and interferes with quality of life. Uncontrolled stress can have a negative effect on a number of biological systems and processes leading to negative health outcomes. While some distress is normal, it is not benign and must be addressed, as failure to do so may compromise health and QOL outcomes. We present the evidence for the role of stress in cancer biology and mechanisms demonstrating how distress is associated with worse clinical outcomes. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network states that all patients be screened with the single-item distress thermometer and to also indicate the source of distress and to get appropriate referral. In addition to the many conventional approaches for managing distress from the fields of psychology and psychiatry, many patients are seeking strategies to manage their distress that are outside conventional medicine such as mind-body techniques. Mind-body techniques such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong have been found to lower distress and lead to improvements in different aspects of quality of life. It is essential that the standard of care in oncology include distress screening and the delivery of different techniques to help patients manage the psychosocial challenges of diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Aureolic Acids: Similar Antibiotics with Different Biosynthetic Gene Clusters

In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Mendez and colleagues describe the sequence and organization of the chromomycin gene cluster [20]. Unexpectedly, the arrangement is starkly different from the mithramycin biosynthetic cluster, despite similarity in the individual genes and the near identical structures of the two antibiotic aureolic acids.
Family Involvement in Early Intervention: Accepting the Unchangeable, Changing the Changeable, and Knowing the Difference

This article provides a conceptual critique of the effort to define and judge early intervention in terms of the extent to which it is family centered. Transactional models of child development hav...
Mechanics of a thin, tensioned shell, wrapped helically around a turn-bar

Abstract The fluid–structure interactions between a flexible web and an externally pressurized air cushion are modeled allowing for the possibility of contact. The web is wrapped around a porous, cylindrical turn-bar at an oblique angle (helically). The turn-bar supplies pressurized air into the web/turn-bar clearance to float the web. The shell model, developed to represent the mechanics of the web, allows it to be wrapped around the cylinder in a helical fashion. The fluid mechanics of the air in the web/turn-bar clearance is a two-dimensional form of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations averaged in the clearance direction and augmented by nonlinear source terms. Contact between the web and the reverser, which is undesirable in a turn-bar application, is included in the model in order to enable the analysis of the limiting cases. The coupled equilibrium between fluid mechanics, shell deflections and contact is found numerically. This paper describes the theory. Case studies are conducted in order to understand the mechanics of the coupled system, and to make design recommendations. It is shown that the helix angle has a strong influence on the equilibrium configurations: increasing helix-angle results in increased web-reverser separation, while the air pressure settles to a lower value. This behavior is due to the reduced shell stiffness and belt-wrap pressure for the helically wrapped webs. Conditions that render a nearly uniform web/turn-bar clearance in the circumferential direction are identified. The supply pressure and airflow rates necessary to prevent web-scratches are calculated.
Geographically variable selection in Ambystoma tigrinum virus (Iridoviridae) throughout the western USA

We investigated spatially variable selection in Ambystoma tigrinum virus (ATV) which causes frequent and geographically widespread epizootics of the tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum. To test for evidence of selection, we sequenced several coding and noncoding regions from virus strains isolated from epizootics throughout western North America. Three of the sequenced regions contained homologues for genes putatively involved in host immune evasion and virulence: eIF-2a, caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) and b-OH-steroid oxidoreductase. Selection analysis showed evidence of very strong purifying selection on eIF-2a, purifying selection within certain viral clades on CARD and positive selection on b-OH-steroid oxidoreductase within certain clades. Analysis using MULTIDIVTIME and Tajima’s relative rate tests indicate accelerated rates of evolution within clades associated with anthropogenic movement. These clades also demonstrate greater spatial variability in selection, suggesting a lack of local adaptation (i.e. locally adapted populations should exhibit little to no selection because of absent or reduced variation in fitness once a fitness optimum is reached). Increased transfer of non-native viral strains to nao¨ve salamander populations, in conjunction with local maladaptation as a result of local selection pressures, may explain the spread and emergence of ATV epizootics in A. tigrinum in western North America.
RecG interacts directly with SSB: implications for stalled replication fork regression

RecG and RuvAB are proposed to act at stalled DNA replication forks to facilitate replication restart. To define the roles of these proteins in fork regression, we used a combination of assays to determine whether RecG, RuvAB or both are capable of acting at a stalled fork. The results show that RecG binds to the C-terminus of single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) forming a stoichiometric complex of 2 RecG monomers per SSB tetramer. This binding occurs in solution and to SSB protein bound to single stranded DNA (ssDNA). The result of this binding is stabilization of the interaction of RecG with ssDNA. In contrast, RuvAB does not bind to SSB. Side-by-side analysis of the catalytic efficiency of the ATPase activity of each enzyme revealed that (-)scDNA and ssDNA are potent stimulators of the ATPase activity of RecG but not for RuvAB, whereas relaxed circular DNA is a poor cofactor for RecG but an excellent one for RuvAB. Collectively, these data suggest that the timing of repair protein access to the DNA at stalled forks is determined by the nature of the DNA available at the fork. We propose that RecG acts first, with RuvAB acting either after RecG or in a separate pathway following protein-independent fork regression.
Information Security Management: A System Dynamics Approach

Managing security for information assets presents a challenging task. The need for effective information security management assumes greater importance with growing reliance on distributed systems and Internet-accessible systems. Many factors play a role in determining the vulnerability of information assets to security threats. Using a system dynamics approach, this study evaluates information security management strategies from a financial and asset loss perspective, with a view to providing managers guidance for information security decisions.
Virtual Services in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has aroused wide research interests and has been accepted by industry. Services are playing the essential role in cloud computing as cloud computing refers to “both the applications delivered as services over the Internet and the hardware and systems software in the datacenters that provide those services”. Therefore, service-oriented architecture should play an important role in cloud computing. In addition, one of the characteristics of cloud computing is to make services available on demand. Given a group of services, different demands may involve different set of services and in different order. This is related to services reuse and composition. However, existing methods only solve service composition in a binary manner: Either a solution exists or no solutions at all. In this paper, we propose the concept of virtual services, which physically do not exist, but are conceptually treated in the same way as physical services. Virtual services are useful when traditional service compositions fail. Virtual services can connect the existing physical services and enable the composition process to succeed. The specifications of virtual services will provide valuable information about how to develop real services to meet the requirements of the given demand. In this paper, we present algorithms that can help identify the virtual services in the case of composition failure and provide the specification of virtual services for further analysis and development.
Development and the Environment: The Implications of Agricultural Electricity Subsidies in India

In India, the government provides agricultural electricity subsidies amounting to 85% of the average cost of supply to encourage agricultural production and economic growth, especially among the ru...
Strategies for Network Research in Organizations

This paper describes three sets of strategies for the analysis of transactional networks, with an emphasis on their application to both intraorganizational and interorganizational research. Three strategies are contrasted. Their strengths and weaknesses are discussed, and suggestions are made as to how organizational research might benefit from an application of these network strategies.
POTENTIOSTATIC STUDY OF IRON METEORITE CORROSION

A potentiostat was used to study the electrolytic corrosion of iron meteorites in a neutral solution. Low current densities were chosen so that the observed potentials would more closely approximate the theoretical Nernst values. Iron, nickel, and cobalt ions, the products of corrosion, were soluble in the electrolyte solution, and were determined after each electrolysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Kamacite and taenite dissolved as individual phases, with kamacite dissolving preferentially. Cobalt dissolved along with iron and nickel from each phase. There is a direct relationship between nickel content and the potential at which a meteorite first starts to dissolve; the higher the nickel content, the more resistant the meteorite is to corrosion. None of the six meteorites observed started to dissolve at a lower potential than pure iron, nor at a higher potential than pure nickel
Matching family problems with specific family preservation services: a study of service effectiveness

Abstract Family preservation programs are comprised of a broad menu of clinical and concrete services. Although these programs have been the focus of numerous evaluations, there is relatively little research that specifically investigates the services that comprise this intervention. Moreover, there have been few attempts to understand the impact of services for subgroups within this client population. The purpose of the current study is to (1) identify a specific problem subgroup; (2) identify specific concrete and clinical services intended to address the problem of that subgroup; and (3) investigate the effects of these specific services on family functioning, child maltreatment, and substitute care placement. The data analyzed in this study are a subset from the Evaluation of Family Preservation and Reunification Programs (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). Two stage least squares regression is used to address the issues of selection bias. Hierarchical non-linear modeling is used to understand both the child and family level characteristics as predictors of child maltreatment and substitute care placement. The results indicate that few services are related to changes in family functioning. However, several problem specific services were related to a decreased risk of child maltreatment and substitute care placement.
Chapter 15: Public Health Policy and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Recent scientific advances are providing an opportunity to revisit strategies for cervical cancer prevention. How to invest health resources wisely, such that public health benefits are maximized-and opportunity costs are minimized-is a critical question in the setting of enhanced cytologic screening methods, human papillomavirus DNA testing, and vaccine development. Developing sound clinical guidelines and public health policy will require careful consideration of the incremental benefits, harms, and costs associated with new interventions compared with existing interventions, at both an individual and a population level. In addition to an intervention's effectiveness, public health decision making requires the consideration of its feasibility, sustainability, and affordability. No clinical trial or single cohort study will be able to simultaneously consider all of these components. Cost-effectiveness analysis and disease-simulation modeling, capitalizing on data from multiple sources, can serve as a valuable tool to extend the time horizon of clinical trials, to evaluate more strategies than possible in a single clinical trial, and to assess the relative costs and benefits of alternative policies to reduce mortality from cervical cancer.
On input-output parametric invariance in linear systems

The problem of the invariance of the input-output behavior of time-invariant linear systems under perturbations in the system matrices and initial conditions is examined. Previous results are unified and expanded upon, and new results for invariance in the presence of perturbations in the output matrix are given. Conditions for input-output invariance are related to the subspace of reachable states and its orthogonal complement, and to the subspace of unobservable states.
Efficient multi-target tracking with a two-tier hierarchical Wireless Sensor Network

Recently, a two-tier hierarchical wireless sensor network (WSN) was proposed to address the problem of multi-target tracking (MTT). The WSN estimated the multi-target states well, but kept no record of target identities. In this paper, the performance of the WSN is improved by activating certain sensors instead of all the sensors in the first level of the hierarchy at each time step. Furthermore, a track-to-estimate association scheme is also proposed to incorporate individual target identities and produce estimates of individual target tracks. The proposed tracking algorithm works well even when the target dynamics and/or measurement process is severely nonlinear. The efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated in the application of bearing and signal strength tracking.
In Vivo Evaluation of Glomerular Permselectivity in Normal and Nephrotic Man

Glomerular filtration is the first step in the process of urine formation. The rate at which ultrafiltrate is formed is governed by the Starling forces. In order to achieve the rapid rate of filtration required to regu­late the composition and volume of the body fluids, glomerular capillaries possess unique functional and structural characteristics. A striking example is an extraordinarily high hydraulic permeability. In comparison to capillaries from various other microvascular beds, it has been shown that glomerular capillaries are one to two orders of magnitude more permeable to water than are other capillaries.1
Thoracic Sympathectomy for Severe Refractory Multivessel Coronary Artery Spasm

Coronary artery spasm is a rare but potentially fatal disease. Herein, we report a case of recurrent ST-segment myocardial infarctions and ventricular fibrillation complicating severe multivessel coronary artery spasm successfully treated with bilateral thoracic surgical sympathectomy.
Marrow Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Activity in Adult Acute Leukemia

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), a unique DNA polymerase that does not require a template, is found in thymocytes and marrow T-lymphocytes normally [1,2]. Shortly after these discoveries, McCaffrey et al. [3] described the presence of this enzyme in the leukemic cells of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and Sarin et al. [4] discovered that some patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia in blast crisis have TdT activity in leukemic cells. Currently, the data from a number of laboratories indicates that most patients with ALL have TdT-positive blasts and most patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) have TdT-negative blasts [5,6].
Critical Intentions and "Care of the Self:" Reconsidering the Role of Agency in Preservice Teachers' Thinking.

Using Foucault’s conceptualization of “care of the self,” this article considers the ways in which social studiesmethods courses can better address preservice teachers’ agency. The author considers the intentionality of twopreservice teachers and uses the notion of “care of the self” to explore the preservice teachers’ thinking aboutindividual agency and the socialized structures of schooling and the teaching profession. Initially, the preserviceteachers engaged in ethical practices that constructed resistance and creative challenges to the perceived normalizingaspects of social studies curriculum; however, when confronted with the socializing aspects of the teachingprofession the preservice teachers were unable to synthesize their intentions and ethical practices with the constraintsof the schools. The preservice teachers’ inability to synthesize their purpose for teaching with the perceivedcurricular and professional norms in schools had implications for their agency. The author suggests preserviceteachers must reimagine their agency as individual ethical practice to be achieved in context, and not as a regulatedpossession.
Tensile Properties of Sintered Ni3Al Compacts by Powder Injection Molding

The sintered compacts of Ni3Al intermetallic compounds(Ni-25Al, Ni-24Al and Ni-23Al(at.%))with high density (more than 96%) could be obtained by powder injection molding(PIM)process, using Ni and NiAl(Ni-50Al)powders as the starting materials. The debound compacts were sintered at 1325 °C for 2 hours in vacuum(10-2Pa order). The structures were single phase of γ' in the Ni-25Al and Ni-24Al compacts, while that was two phases of γ' and a small amount of γ in the Ni-23Al compact. Tensile tests were performed in air at room temperature, 200°C, 400°C, 600°C and 800°C. The resuls of tensile tests were summarized as follows.(1) At room temperature, the yield stresses for all compacts were a little over 400MPa. On the other hand, both elongation to fracture and tensile strength increased with increasing Ni content. The most Ni-rich compact Ni-23Al showed the good tensile properties of 13% elongation and 850 MPa tensile strengh.(2) The yield stresses for all compacts increased with increasing temperature up to 400°C. However, the elongations of them decreased at over 400°C. They all fractured in elastic regions at 600°C.
A case of opiate-insensitive pain: malignant treatment of benign pain.

Objective We report the case of a woman with presumed cancer pain treated with escalating doses of opiates despite no evident improvement in her pain and several deleterious side effects. Patient A 62-year-old woman with cervical myelopathy and a diagnosis of a spinal cord tumor was referred to the University of Washington Medical Center complaining of chest tightness, multiple joint pains, nausea, constipation, seizures and a deteriorating memory. At the time of admission she was confined to her bed with a full-time attendant and was receiving 240 milligrams of intravenous morphine per hour for her pain. Intervention Diagnostic studies failed to find any evidence of neoplasm and revealed only an old hemorrhage within the cervical spinal cord. A program of increasing physical and occupational therapy and decreasing opiate intake was initiated. Results Within a month the patient's pain complaints decreased, as did the rest of her presenting complaints. Her activities of daily living greatly increased making attendant care no longer necessary. Conclusions This case report illustrates some of the hazards of opioid therapy in the management of patients with chronic pain. Our patient's opiate therapy was expensive, gave her undesirable side effects, and did not reduce her pain complaints or improve her function. In the treatment of chronic pain, of noncancerous or cancerous origin, a) systemic opioids may not be effective in reducing pain complaints in every patient, b) treatment efficacy evaluation should always include functional endpoints, and c) nonefficacious treatments should not be continued indefinitely.
Post-ICU Mechanical Ventilation: Extended Care Facility Residents Transferred from Intensive Care to Long-Term Acute Care

For more than three decades, patients who fail to wean in the intensive care unit (ICU), becoming dependent on mechanical ventilation, have been transferred to long-term care hospitals for continued attempts at weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). Barlow Respiratory Hospital (BRH) is a 105-bed long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital network that has functioned as a regional weaning center, accepting chronically critically ill (CCI) patients transferred from the ICUs of hospitals in Southern California. Specifically, outcomes of primarily vulnerable elders residing in extended care facilities (nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, subacute facilities) prior to ICU admission have not been reported. Herein we report patient characteristics, weaning outcomes, discharge status and disposition, and post-discharge survival of a cohort of patients with pre-morbid residence of an extended care facility (ECF). METHODS
SmartPhoto: A Resource-Aware Crowdsourcing Approach for Image Sensing with Smartphones

Photos obtained via crowdsourcing can be used in many critical applications. Due to the limitations of communication bandwidth, storage, and processing capability, it is a challenge to transfer the huge amount of crowdsourced photos. To address this problem, we propose a framework, called SmartPhoto , to quantify the quality (utility) of crowdsourced photos based on the accessible geographical and geometrical information (called metadata ) including the smartphone's orientation, position, and all related parameters of the built-in camera. From the metadata, we can infer where and how the photo is taken, and then only transmit the most useful photos. Four optimization problems regarding the tradeoffs between photo utility and resource constraints, namely Max-Utility, online Max-Utility, Min-Selection, and Min-Selection with $k$ -coverage, are studied. Efficient algorithms are proposed and their performance bounds are theoretically proved. We have implemented SmartPhoto in a testbed using Android based smartphones, and proposed techniques to improve the accuracy of the collected metadata by reducing sensor reading errors and solving object occlusion issues. Results based on real implementations and extensive simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Family, neighbourhood, and children’s health: Trends and racial/ethnic disparities between 2003 and 2007 in the U.S.

The present study examined the race/ethnicity-specific trend of parent-reported health among children aged 17 years and under in the U.S. between 2003 and 2007, and its relationship with family background, neighbourhood support and neighbourhood safety. Data from the 2003 and 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) were merged and analysed after taking into account the weighting and the complex sampling design of the data. Trends in children's health and racial/ethnic disparities were identified for this time period. Multivariate models were analysed to examine the association between children's health and their family background variables, neighbourhood support and safety, and other socio-demographic variables. Race/ethnicity-specific stratified models were also performed. Our findings indicated an adverse trend in the parent-reported health among children in the U.S. from 2003 to 2007, and little progress has been made towards reducing the health disparities by race/ethnicity. Racial/ethnic disparities also existed in children's family background and neighbourhood support and safety. Further, the health effects of family background and neighbourhood characteristics differed in magnitudes and directions by race/ethnicity. These findings suggest that different intervention/prevention strategies should be employed in improving childhood health for different racial/ethnic groups.
Flutamide-induced testicular undescent in the rat is associated with alterations in genitofemoral nerve morphology

Abstract Androgen regulation of testicular descent is an established fact. However, the mechanisms by which androgens assert their influence is unknown. One of the leading hypotheses regarding androgenic control of testicular descent is based upon the assumption that testosterone regulates the development of the sexually dimorphic genitofemoral nucleus and nerve (GFN). To investigate whether or not alterations in the genitofemoral nerve are indeed androgen dependent and associated with testicular undescent, we administered flutamide in a time-specific manner to pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats. The GFN of ten animals with unilateral intra-abdominal testicular undescent was compared with the contralateral GFN associated with the descended testicle. Digital microscopic evaluations found that the GFN associated with testicular undescent did express altered morphologic abnormalities. Specifically, the GFN associated with the cryptorchid testicle had significant reductions in the neural diameter (.0169 ± .0024 mm.2 versus .0275 ± .0079 mm.2; p
Tissue Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion of 3,3′-Dichloro-4′-sulfooxy-biphenyl in the Rat

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with less chlorine atoms exhibit a greater susceptibility to metabolism than their more-chlorinated counterparts. Following initial hydroxylation of these less-chlorinated PCBs, metabolic sulfation to form PCB sulfates is increasingly recognized as an important component of their toxicology. Because procedures for the quantitative analysis of PCB sulfates in tissue samples have not been previously available, we have now developed an efficient, LC-ESI-MS/MS-based protocol for the quantitative analysis of 4-PCB 11 sulfate in biological samples. This procedure was used to determine the distribution of 4-PCB 11 sulfate in liver, kidney, lung, and brain as well as its excretion profile following its intravenous administration to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Following initial uptake of 4-PCB 11 sulfate, its concentration in these tissues and serum declined within the first hour following injection. Although biliary secretion was detected, analysis of 24 h collections of urine and feces revealed recovery of less than 4% of the administered 4-PCB 11 sulfate. High-resolution LC-MS analysis of bile, urine, and feces showed metabolic products derived from 4-PCB 11 sulfate. Thus, 4-PCB 11 sulfate at this dose was not directly excreted in the urine but was instead redistributed to tissues and/or subjected to further metabolism.
Body Dissatisfaction and Its Correlates in 5- to 7-Year-Old Girls: A Social Learning Experiment.

There is limited research on cognitive risk factors for eating disorders among young girls despite accumulating evidence that body dissatisfaction and thin-ideal internalization can begin to occur between 3 and 5 years of age. To improve upon the existing literature and significantly contribute to the prevention and intervention literature, the current study examined body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, and self-objectification in girls between 5 and 7 years of age. The sample consisted of 151 mother–daughter dyads with 63 five-year-olds, 39 six-year-olds, and 49 seven-year-olds. Girls were interviewed about their body dissatisfaction, thin-ideal, and self-objectification. In addition, all mothers and daughters participated in an individual and joint mirror experiment. Levels of body dissatisfaction were consistent across 5- to 7-year-olds. Thin-ideal internalization was higher among 5-year-olds than 6- and 7-year-olds. In contrast, self-objectification was higher among 6- and 7-year-olds tha...
Transient-State Modelling of Deep Bed Filtration

A review and comparison of five models for transient-state deep bed filtration including one which was recently developed by the present authors is presented. To facilitate the comparison, all the models are presented in a format which can be used to obtain the relationship between the increase of the filter coefficient with the extent of deposition. Comparisons between the models and between model predictions and experiments indicate the importance of the permeability of deposit layer and the deposit morphology in determining the effect of deposition.
Red raspberry decreases heart biomarkers of cardiac remodeling associated with oxidative and inflammatory stress in obese diabetic db/db mice

Early diagnosis of risks of heart disease can be critical to fight cardiovascular diseases (CVD) associated with obesity and diabetes and for the implementation of nutritional interventions. The objective of this study was to investigate the cardioprotective effects of red raspberry consumption in the obese diabetic (db/db) mice using proteomic analysis as a tool. Hearts harvested from db/db mice fed an isocaloric diet (AIN-93G, control group) or AIN-93G supplemented with freeze-dried raspberry (raspberry group) for eight weeks were analyzed for changes in protein expression. Bioinformatics and pathway analysis of proteomic data detected in >50% samples were scrutinized with Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Histologic analysis, adipokines and lipid quantification in heart tissues were assessed as end points for disease biomarkers. Results from proteomic data identified five proteins unique to the control group involved in cardiac remodeling and one involved in stress response. Twenty-five proteins expressed in both groups were differentially downregulated in the raspberry group (p < 0.05) within 0.25–0.7-fold of control. Out of these, seven were involved in cardiac remodeling (e.g. natriuretic peptide precursor type A, 0.25-fold of control), and five were involved in stress response (e.g. glutathione S-transferase A4, 0.49-fold of control). However, no significant differences between raspberry and control groups were detected in heart lipid composition, adipokines, and morphology within the study timeframe. In conclusion, raspberry consumption may be effective in decreasing the levels of oxidative and inflammatory stress that promote morphological changes in the heart at an older age, thus preventing or delaying heart diseases.
A study of Cable discharge events and other short time pulses of cabled MR sensors

Sensors used in the storage industry are primarily damaged once a cable has been bonded to the head. This paper focuses on short time pulses, such as, cable discharge events (CDEs) and square wave pulses (SWPs) for MR devices with and without diode protection. Pspice models of CDE events are performed and compared with data. Measurements and Pspice models of short time SW pulses are also done which include the effects of cables and fixture capacitance and inductance.
Cultural and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Romantic Love

A methodological background for cultural and interdisciplinary approaches to the concept of romantic love set the scene in this chapter, covering the topic from multiple angles. This chapter thoroughly discusses the conceptual and operational criteria for cross-cultural research of romantic love as well as various realities of societal and personal lives, in which romantic love functions. In light of modern methodology, it establishes the question whether romantic love is a universal or culturally specific concept. Additionally, this chapter hypothesizes the possible effects culture can have on romantic love ideas, mores, norms, and practices. An interdisciplinary approach to the study of love takes into account the valuable contributions of various disciplines—philosophy, literary studies, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and communication studies.
Unmyelinated and Myelinated Axons Exhibit Differential Injury and Treatment Responses Following Traumatic Injury

This chapter summarizes evidence that after traumatic brain injury (TBI) unmyelinated axons undergo functional and structural alterations which are distinct from those of myelinated axons. A theoretical framework is presented which predicts an elevated risk to TBI, in the unmyelinated fibers, due to a disproportionately high membrane-to-cytoplasm ratio and extensive axolemmal exposure to aberrant extracellular conditions prevailing after injury. Experimental results focus on time-dependent changes in axons, induced using a rodent model of fluid percussion TBI, which leads to ultrastructural, functional, and molecular alterations without extensive cell death or axonal degeneration. The fiber-type-specific pathological processes, observed here in surviving but compromised axons, are likely to also be present in more severe injuries, affecting some axons while others undergo the Wallerian-type degeneration seen in diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Axons which survive the primary injury phase form the substrate for subsequent functional recovery, and further experimental findings are presented indicating that remaining unmyelinated and myelinated axons differentially respond to neuroprotective compounds (immunophilin ligands and matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors). In view of recent stereological evidence showing that unmyelinated fibers comprise the numerical majority of forebrain axons, it is essential that theories of white matter damage assimilate injury responses unique to these fibers. Efficient development of novel neuroprotective strategies is likewise dependent on comprehensive models of axon injury and recovery.
Genetic analysis of cold tolerance during vegetative growth in tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill

The genetic basis of cold tolerance (CT) during vegetative growth in tomato was investigated by evaluating plants of a cold-tolerant primitive cultivar (PI120256) and a cold-sensitive breeding line (UCT5) and their reciprocal F1, F2, F3, BC1P1 and BC1P2 progeny under two temperature regimes of 15/10 °C (cold stress) and 25/15 °C (control). Plants were evaluated for shoot dry weight (DW) under cold stress and by a tolerance index (TI) measured as the ratio of DW under cold stress (DWs) to DW under control (DWc) conditions. Shoot DW was reduced in all genotypes in response to cold stress. However, PI120256 exhibited the highest CT (TI = 90.5%) and UCT5 the lowest (TI = 38.9%). The TIs of the filial and backcross progeny were intermediate to the parents. Across generations, there was a positive correlation (r = 0.76, p 0.05) between DWc and the TI and, in contrast, the presence of a significant correlation (r =0.92, p <0.01) between DWs and the TI suggest that plant vigor was not a determining factor in the expression of CT in PI120256 and its progeny. Generation means analyses of DWs and TI indicated that the variation among generations was genetically controlled, with additive effects accounting for most of the variation. There were no significant dominance effects, and epistatic effects were minor and involved only additive × additive interactions. The results suggest that the inherent CT of PI120256 should be useful for improving CT of commercial cultivars of tomato.
Function of the Conus Medullaris and Cauda Equina in the Early Period Following Spinal Cord Injury and the Relationship to Recovery of Detrusor Function

A total of 26 patients with an early suprasacral spinal cord injury underwent comprehensive neurourological evaluation to determine if there was any correlation between the return of detrusor function and neural function of the sacral cord. In addition, the incidence of a subclinical sacral neural dysfunction early after spinal cord injury was assessed. Lumbosacral evoked potentials to tibial nerve stimulation were used to assess the sensory root and cord gray matter of the L5 to S2 segments, while urodynamic evaluation was performed to assess detrusor function. Of those patients with normal lumbosacral evoked potentials 82% recovered detrusor contractility as opposed to 66% with abnormal evoked potentials. Four patients (23.5%) had persistent detrusor areflexia when studied 9 to 20 months following the acute injury. The potential problems attempting to correlate the neurophysiological and urodynamic studies are multiple and are extensively discussed. Despite these potential problems the return of detrusor function correlated well with associated normal lumbosacral evoked potentials suggesting that this test can be used in the early phase following spinal cord injury to predict return of bladder function, since it is independent of the level of spinal cord excitability. Of the patients studied 38% had coexistence of an occult lumbosacral dysfunction. This rate is higher than that found in the chronic stabilized spinal cord injury population (20.5%), since the cases in our study may represent a more severe lesion.
Sea quarks contribution to the nucleon magnetic moment and charge radius at the physical point

We report a comprehensive analysis of the light and strange disconnected-sea quarks contribution to the nucleon magnetic moment, charge radius, and the electric and magnetic form factors. The lattice QCD calculation includes ensembles across several lattice volumes and lattice spacings with one of the ensembles at the physical pion mass. We adopt a model-independent extrapolation of the nucleon magnetic moment and the charge radius. We have performed a simultaneous chiral, infinite volume, and continuum extrapolation in a global fit to calculate results in the continuum limit. We find that the combined light and strange disconnected-sea quarks contribution to the nucleon magnetic moment is ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{M}(\mathrm{DI})=\ensuremath{-}0.022(11)(09)\text{ }\text{ }{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$ and to the nucleon mean square charge radius is $⟨{r}^{2}{⟩}_{E}(\mathrm{DI})=\ensuremath{-}0.019(05)(05)\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fm}}^{2}$ which is about $1/3$ of the difference between the $⟨{r}_{p}^{2}{⟩}_{E}$ of electron-proton scattering and that of a muonic atom and so cannot be ignored in obtaining the proton charge radius in the lattice QCD calculation. The most important outcome of this lattice QCD calculation is that while the combined light-sea and strange quarks contribution to the nucleon magnetic moment is small at about 1%, a negative 2.5(9)% contribution to the proton mean square charge radius and a relatively larger positive 16.3(6.1)% contribution to the neutron mean square charge radius come from the sea quarks in the nucleon. For the first time, by performing global fits, we also give predictions of the light and strange disconnected-sea quarks contributions to the nucleon electric and magnetic form factors at the physical point and in the continuum and infinite volume limits in the momentum transfer range of $0\ensuremath{\le}{Q}^{2}\ensuremath{\le}0.5\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$.
Cognitive Behavior Modification—Who Needs it?

There is an abundance of evidence from everyday living that illustrates the control that has been acquired by intraorganismic variables, especially the control exercised over verbal behavior. Parents shape their children to say that they need to go to the bathroom when the bladder or bowels are filled. An increase in muscle action potential in the frontalis muscle is frequently an acquired source of control over the verbal behavior, “I have a headache.” An increase in autonomic nervous system activity may develop as a source of control over “I feel tense or anxious.” There are many other similar examples of the control acquired by other intraorganismic systems. The increasing volume of research in biofeedback may provide additional information about the acquisition and exercise of control over many different behaviors by intraorganismic systems.