cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuropsychological Performance in Older Patients With Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis of Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Studies

Objective: Cognitive deficits are among the most reliable predictors of functional impairment in schizophrenia and a particular concern for older individuals with schizophrenia. Previous reviews have focused on the nature and course of cognitive impairments in younger cohorts, but a quantitative meta-analysis in older patients is pending. Method: A previously used search strategy identified studies assessing performance on tests of global cognition and specific neuropsychological domains in older patients with schizophrenia and age-matched comparison groups. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were included. Potential methodological, demographic, and clinical moderators were analyzed. Results: Twenty-nine cross-sectional (2110 patients, 1738 comparison subjects) and 14 longitudinal (954 patients) studies met inclusion criteria. Patients were approximately 65 years old, with 11 years of education, 53% male and 79% Caucasian. Longitudinal analysis (range 1–6 years) revealed homogeneity with small effect sizes (d = −0.097) being observed. Cross-sectional analyses revealed large and heterogeneous deficits in global cognition (d = −1.19) and on specific neuropsychological tests (d = −0.7 to −1.14). Moderator analysis revealed a significant role for demographic (age, sex, education, race) and clinical factors (diagnosis, inpatient status, age of onset, duration of illness, positive and negative symptomology). Medication status (medicated vs nonmedicated) and chlorpromazine equivalents were inconsequential, albeit underrepresented. Conclusions: Large and generalized cognitive deficits in older individuals with schizophrenia represent a robust finding paralleling impairments across the life span, but these deficits do not decline over a 1–6 year period. The importance of considering demographic and clinical moderators in cross-sectional analyses is highlighted.
Obesity and Oxidative Stress A Direct Link to CVD

In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Keaney and colleagues1 report that smoking, diabetes, and obesity are independently associated with increased oxidative stress in men and women in a large community-based cohort. While a number of investigators have examined the association between risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and markers of oxidative stress in small clinical samples, Keaney and colleagues1 used the Framingham Offspring Cohort to assess CVD risk and urinary concentrations of the F2-isoprostane 8-epiPGF2α in more than 2800 men and women between 33 and 88 years of age. Although smoking and diabetes have been associated with increased oxidative stress in a number of studies, the finding that obesity, as measured by body mass index (BMI), is independently associated with oxidative stress is relatively new and confirms recent data from much smaller samples.2,3⇓ See pages 368 and 434 F2-Isoprostanes are prostaglandin-like products of the free radical-catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid. They are formed in situ esterified to phospholipids and are released into plasma by phospholipases.4 Plasma and urinary F2-isoprostanes are established biomarkers of lipid peroxidation in vivo.5 In humans, F2-isoprostanes are elevated in the presence of diabetes,6 hypercholesterolemia,7 end stage renal disease and hemodialysis,8 hyperhomocysteinemia,9 and cigarette smoking.2 Elevated concentrations of F2-isoprostanes have also been found in human atherosclerotic lesions.10 In addition to serving as biomarkers of oxidative stress, F2-isoprostanes, including 8-epiPGF2α, exert (patho)physiological effects …
Towards the selective modification of soft-templated mesoporous carbon materials by elemental fluorine for energy storage devices

Graphite fluoride is classified into (CF)n and (C2F)n types based on its structure and composition. The former (CF)n has been widely prepared and commercially utilized as electrodes in primary lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Porous electrodes, i.e. templated mesoporous carbons, can greatly improve first Coulombic efficiencies. For achieving the highest discharge potentials and rate capabilities, the extent of fluorination reactions and the retention of a conductive carbon backbone are required. Hence, the choice of the starting carbon nanomaterial and of the fluorination conditions is detrimental to the design of future energy storage and conversion devices, namely LIBs and pseudosupercapacitors.
Effects of Learning-Style-Based Homework Prescriptions on the Achievement and Attitudes of Middle School Students

This research was designed to examine the effects of the use of individualized, learning-style based homework prescriptions on the achievement and attitudes of middle level students. Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students from an urban, parochial school in New York City were provided either learning-style-based homework prescriptions or guidelines for traditional study strategies. Each group demonstrated increased levels of achievement in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies and higher attitude-test scores after treatment. However, the students in the experimental group who used individualized learning-style-based homework prescriptions clearly showed larger gains.
Photo-Reactivity of Natural Dissolved Organic Matter from Fresh to Marine Waters in the Florida Everglades, USA

Natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the major absorber of sunlight in most natural waters and a critical component of carbon cycling in aquatic systems. The combined effect of light absorbance properties and related photo-production of reactive species are essential in determining the reactivity of DOM. Optical properties and in particular excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) have been used increasingly to track sources and fate of DOM. Here we describe studies conducted in water from two estuarine systems in the Florida Everglades, with a salinity gradient of 2 to 37 and dissolved organic carbon concentrations from 19.3 to 5.74 mg C L−1, aimed at assessing how the quantity and quality of DOM is coupled to the formation rates and steady-state concentrations of reactive species including singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, and the triplet excited state of DOM. These species were related to optical properties and PARAFAC components of the DOM. The formation rate and steady-state concentration of the carbonate radical was calculated in all samples. The data suggests that formation rates, particularly for singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals, are strongly coupled to the abundance of terrestrial humic-like substances. A decrease in singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radical, and carbonate radical formation rates and steady-state concentration along the estuarine salinity gradient was observed as the relative concentration of terrestrial humic-like DOM decreased due to mixing with microbial humic-like and protein-like DOM components, while the formation rate of triplet excited-state DOM did not change. Fluorescent DOM was also found to be more tightly coupled to reactive species generation than chromophoric DOM.
Nitrogen trifluoride in the global atmosphere

[1] Background atmospheric abundances and trends of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), a potent anthropogenic greenhouse gas, have been measured for the first time. The mean global tropospheric concentration of NF3 has risen quasi-exponentially from about 0.02 ppt (parts-per-trillion, dry air mole fraction) at the beginning of our measured record in 1978, to a July 1, 2008 value of 0.454 ppt, with a rate of increase of 0.053 ppt yr−1, or about 11% per year, and an interhemispheric gradient that is consistent with these emissions occurring overwhelmingly in the Northern Hemisphere, as expected. This rise rate corresponds to about 620 metric tons of current NF3 emissions globally per year, or about 16% of the poorly-constrained global NF3 production estimate of 4,000 metric tons yr−1. This is a significantly higher percentage than has been estimated by industry, and thus strengthens the case for inventorying NF3 production and for regulating its emissions.
Cellular and Molecular Regulation of Luteal Formation, Function, and Regression: An Introduction

Abstract EDITOR'S PREFACE: The first three papers in this issue of Biology of Reproduction address the cellular and molecular biology of the corpus luteum in terms of its formation, function, and regression. Two of the papers, “Models of Luteinization,” by Bruce D. Murphy and “Phosphorylation of Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) Protein Is Associated with Bovine Luteal Oxytocin Exocytosis,” by Ugur Salli, Sara Supancic, and Fredrick Stormshak, are minireviews. They were derived from talks delivered as part of a minisymposium at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, from 31 July 1999 to 3 August 1999 in Pullman, WA. The minsymposium, Cellular and Molecular Regulation of Luteal Formation, Function, and Regression, was organized by Dr. E. Keith Inskeep. The third paper, “Increased Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-1 During Induced Regression of Bovine Corpora Lutea,” by B.L. Sayre, R. Taft, E.K. Inskeep, and J. Killefer, is an origin...
Effects of Long-Term Exposure of the Red Swamp Crawfish Procambarus clarkii to a Mixture of Two Herbicides, 2,4-Dichloro-phenoxyacetic Acid and Monosodium Methanearsonate, and Associated Human Health Risks

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and monosodium methanearsonate are often sold in commercial mixtures. Bioconcentration studies have been performed for each of these herbicides individually, but little information exists concerning long-term exposure to a mixture of these herbicides. The following study examined the uptake of arsenic in crawfish after long-term exposure to this mixture, and the health risks associated with consumption of these crawfish. Bioconcentration and depuration experiments using a 50:50 by concentration mixture of the two herbicides, with and without surfactant, were performed to quantify how much arsenic is concentrated in the edible tissue of the crawfish. Of the three tissues (muscle, gill, and hepatopancreas) sampled hepatopancreas bioconcentrated the highest amount of arsenic. Surfactant significantly reduced this uptake but did not affect bioconcentration of arsenic into other tissues. Surfactant had no effect on depuration of arsenic from any of the tissues. Cooking lowered hepatopancreatic arsenic content, possibly as a result of structural changes in the hepatopancreas. Assessment of the human health risk associated with consuming these crawfish showed an exposure dose at the high end of consumption that was approximately twice the reference dose for arsenic. Cancer risks were averaged at approximately 7 extra tumors in a population of 10,000 and 6 extra tumors in a population of 10,000 resulting from a lifetime consumption of crawfish exposed to the herbicide mixture without and with surfactant, respectively.
An efficient robot arm control under geometric path constraints

Conventionally, robot control algorithms are divided into two stages, namely, path planning and path tracking (or path control) This division has been adopted mainly as a means of alleviating difficulties in dealing with complex, coupled robot arm dynamics. Unfortunately, the simplicity obtained from the division comes at the expense of efficiency in utilizing robot's capabilities. To remove at least partially this inefficiency, this paper considers a solution to the problem of moving a robot arm in minimum time along a specified geometric path subject to input torque/force constraints. We first describe the robot arm dynamics using parametric functions which represent geometric path constraints to be honored for collision avoidance as well as task requirements. Secondly, constraints on input torques/forces are converted to those on the parameters. Finally, the minimum-time solution is deduced in an algorithm form using phase-plane techniques.
The tail, locomotion and balance in mice

The locomotor patterns of normal and tailless mice were studied. Two modes of locomotion were observed suggesting that when deprived of their tails, mice must alter their locomotor patterns to assure good balance.
Intelligent Combat Maneuvers for Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles

This paper presents the design of an intelligent combat maneuvering system capable of aiding operators of unmanned vehicles in critical situations to defend themselves from attack and destruction from either manned or unmanned air threats. The system consists of an intelligent associate system which monitors environmental constraints and interacts with the operator to maintain situational awareness. The architecture uses pre-computed maneuvers based upon the dynamics of the vehicle. The goal of the system design is to provide on-board reactive behaviors and variable levels of autonomy that allow the operator and the vehicle to collaborate in the execution of aggressive combat maneuvers.
Characteristics of prepared food sources in low-income neighborhoods of Baltimore City.

The food environment is associated with obesity risk and diet-related chronic diseases. Despite extensive research conducted on retail food stores, little is known about prepared food sources (PFSs). We conducted an observational assessment of all PFSs (N = 92) in low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore. The most common PFSs were carry-outs, which had the lowest availability of healthy food choices. Only a small proportion of these carry-outs offered healthy sides, whole wheat bread, or entree salads (21.4%, 7.1%, and 33.9%, respectively). These findings suggest that carry-out-specific interventions are necessary to increase healthy food availability in low-income urban neighborhoods.
A capping-independent function of MePCE in stabilizing 7SK snRNA and facilitating the assembly of 7SK snRNP

The 7SK snRNP represents a major reservoir of activity where P-TEFb, a general transcription factor key for RNA polymerase II elongation, can be withdrawn to promote gene expression, cell growth and development. Within this complex, 7SK snRNA is a central scaffold that coordinates key protein–protein interactions and maintains P-TEFb in an inactive state. Although the stability of 7SK directly affects the amount of active P-TEFb in vivo, relatively little is known about how it is maintained and how the 7SK methylphosphate capping enzyme MePCE and LARP7, a La-related protein associated with the 3′-poly(U) of 7SK, contribute to this process. Here, we show that 7SK is capped by the LARP7-free MePCE and in probably a co-transcriptional manner prior to its sequestration into 7SK snRNP. However, upon interacting with LARP7 within 7SK snRNP, MePCE loses its capping activity, probably due to the occlusion of its catalytic center by LARP7. Despite its lack of capping activity in 7SK snRNP, MePCE displays a capping-independent function to promote the LARP7–7SK interaction, which in turn stabilizes 7SK and facilitates the assembly of a stable MePCE–LARP7–7SK subcomplex. Our data indicate that MePCE and LARP7 act cooperatively to stabilize 7SK and maintain the integrity of 7SK snRNP.
The Octadecyloxyethyl Ester of (S)-9-[3-Hydroxy-2-(Phosphonomethoxy) Propyl]Adenine Is a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Hepatitis C Virus Replication in Genotype 1A, 1B, and 2A Replicons

The octadecyloxyethyl (ODE) and hexadecyloxypropyl (HDP) esters of (S)-9-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (HPMPA) are potent inhibitors of orthopoxvirus, herpesvirus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and hepatitis B virus replication in vitro. HDP and ODE esters of (S)-HPMPA and (R)-HPMPA were evaluated for their activity in hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon assays using luciferase (1B and 2A replicons) or RNA (1B) quantification. The ODE ester of (S)-HPMPA [ODE-(S)-HPMPA] was the most active compound, with 50% effective concentrations (EC(50)s) in the 0.69 to 1.31 microM range. HDP and ODE esters of (R)-HPMPA were severalfold less active, while (S)-HPMPA and (R)-HPMPA were inactive. In genotype 1A and 1B replicons analyzed by HCV RNA analysis, ODE-(S)-HPMPA was the most active compound, with EC(50)s of 1.8 and 2.1 microM, respectively.
Stability of cisplatin and etoposide in intravenous admixtures.

The stability of various concentrations of etoposide and cisplatin in intravenous admixtures under various storage conditions was studied. Admixtures containing etoposide (200 and 400 micrograms/mL) with cisplatin (200 micrograms/mL) were prepared in 0.9% sodium chloride injection and in 5% dextrose and 0.45% sodium chloride injection. The admixtures were stored in either polyvinyl chloride bags or glass bottles. Mannitol and potassium chloride were added to selected admixtures. Half of the admixtures were protected from light, while the other half were exposed to fluorescent light. All admixtures were stored at room temperature. Samples were visually inspected and assayed for etoposide and cisplatin content by high-performance liquid chromatography within 15 minutes after admixture preparation and after 8, 24, and 48 hours of storage. Etoposide and cisplatin concentrations decreased less than 10% from the initial concentration after eight hours of storage. At 24 hours, the admixtures containing etoposide 400 micrograms/mL and cisplatin 200 micrograms/mL (with additives) in 0.9% sodium chloride injection precipitated. The decrease in etoposide concentrations during the first 24 hours in the rest of the admixtures was less than 10% of the initial concentration. The change in etoposide concentration was related to the type of i.v. solution and the presence of additives. After 24 hours, the change in cisplatin concentrations was less than 10% of the initial concentration, except in the admixtures that precipitated. For cisplatin, the presence of light was related to an increased loss of cisplatin concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Intensified Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) Dosing Is Safe from the Standpoint of Engraftment and Reduces Severe Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease (aGVHD) after Double-Unit Cord Blood Transplantation (DCBT): An Analysis of 173 Patients

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 20 (2014) S257eS285 S280 Further investigation of intensified MMF dosing adjusted for body weight with trough level monitoring for the prevention of aGVHD in CBT recipients is strongly indicated.
Field observations on attractiveness of selected blooming plants to noctuid moths and electroantennogram responses of black cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) moths to flower volatiles

Electroantennogram responses of black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), moths were measured for volatiles from flowers of 11 species of spring-blooming plants and 14 species of summer-blooming plants. Electroantennogram responses to the flower volatiles ranged from 0.17 to 0.99 mV. Field observations indicated that flowers of some of the tested plants were highly attractive to both male and female black cutworm moths and to other noctuid adults. Flower volatiles from blooming plants observed to be attractive to black cutworm adults in field situations also elicited relatively higher electroantennogram responses.
Challenges and Advances in System Reliability-Based Optimization of Structural Topology

Recently, the authors have been making research efforts to overcome technical challenges in applying design/topology optimization techniques to large-scale structural systems with uncertainties. First, in order to evaluate the probability of a system failure event and its parameter sensitivities accurately and efficiently during reliability-based design optimization, a system reliability-based design optimization (SRBDO) approach using the matrix-based system reliability (MSR) method was developed. In this approach, the MSR method utilizes matrix calculations to evaluate the system failure probability and its parameter sensitivities. The SRBDO/MSR approach is applicable to general systems including series, parallel, cut-set and linkset systems consisting of statistically dependent component events. Second, the material distribution method used for topology optimization often requires a large number of design variables, especially in three-dimensional applications. A multiresolution topology optimization (MTOP) scheme is thus developed to obtain high resolution optimal topologies with relatively low computational cost. These technical advances enable system reliability-based optimization of large-scale structural topology with low computational cost. This paper presents the SRBDO/MSR approach and MTOP scheme, respectively, and demonstrates these technological advances through numerical examples of system reliability-based optimization of structural topology.
Leurolophus, a New Genus of the Family Psyllidae (Homoptera)

While undertaking a revision of the North American Psyllidae, which has been completed for the subfamilies Triozinae and Psyllinae , the author has encountered several new members of the family. One of the most distinctive of these novel forms is here described.
WEIS vs. COPDAB: Correspondence Problems

The problem of ‘empirical validity’ in events data research is addressed by comparing WEIS and COPDAB measures of conflict, on a year by year basis, between 1966 and 1978. Correlations between the two sets are moderate to high for all years except 1971, 1972 and 1975. In order to determine for which countries large scoring differences exist, the two data sets are standardized ( z -scores) and differences analyzed on a year by year basis. It appears there is about an 80% probability that if COPDAB under-reports relative to WEIS the country is a major power or is located in Europe or Asia while if WEIS under-reports relative to COPDAB the country is located in the Middle East, Africa or Latin America. These differences tend to persist over all years, even those years in which there is a strong correlation between the two data sets. In general, the differences seem to be a function of the multi-source basis of COPDAB and the single source basis of WEIS. Users are warned that there is a very low relationship between the data sets in 1972 and a weak relationship in 1971 and 1975 and that some empirical findings may be ‘set bound’, even in the years of high correlation. This latter point is established by comparing correlation results of the three best attribute predictors of conflict for the two sets. In addition, the sets show no agreement, other than chance results, when they are used to estimate the rise or decline of total conflict in the system when compared to previous years' totals. Thus, the case for ‘empirical validity’ in the years of high correlation is undercut by apparent regional biases in reporting, partially inconsistent correlation results and the disagreement between the sets in identifying increasing or decreasing conflict in the system.
Effect of esfenvalerate and disulfoton on the behavior of the blackmargined aphid, black pecan aphid, and yellow pecan aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Five concentrations (0.0, 0.06, 0.03, 0.003, and 0.0003 g [AI]/liter) of esfenvalerate (pyrethroid) and five concentrations (0.0, 0.50, 0.25, 0,025, and 0.0025 g [Al]/liter) of disulfoton (organophosphate) changed the behavior of the blackmargined aphid, Monellia caryella (Fitch), the black pecan aphid, Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis), and the yellow pecan aphid, Monelliopsis pecanis Bissell. Esfenvalerate increased aphid activity (walking and changing position) and decreased the time spent by aphids on insecticide-treated leaves. All concentrations increased the number of aphids leaving the leaves. Black pecan aphids and yellow pecan aphids left the leaves either by walking or dropping off, but blackmargined aphids left the leaves mainly by flying off. Disulfoton had less effect on aphid behavior than esfenvalerate. Only some concentrations of disulfoton increased aphid activity with more time spent walking, but the time of walking was much shorter than the time spent settling. The blackmargined aphid and the yellow pecan aphid were less susceptible to each insecticide than the black pecan aphid.
The economics of U.S. foreign aid

Most of the world's poor are rural and have little political influence over their own economic situations. Indeed, U.S. foreign aid too often benefits the powerful rather than the powerless.
Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry of lead in blood

Objective:To explore a simple,rapid and accurate method for detection of lead in whole blood.Methods:With Triton X-100 diluted,twice pass oxygen ashing at 450℃ and 500℃ respectively.Then abominating at 1800℃ with 0.1% Pd and 0.06% magnesium nitrate added as matrix modifier for test by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.Results:One more time oxygen-pass coke ash can eliminate interference effectively.From 0 μg/L to 400 μg/L,test results demonstrated a good linearity and curve fitting(r=0.9992).RSD of the sample is from 3.0% to 6.34%.Detection limit is 4.06 μg/L.The recoveries of 95.67%～101.33%.The result by test standard blood sample(GBW09133) showed no significant difference from references.Conclusion:This method is simple,rapid,accurate and sensitive determination which can meet high-volume works for testing of blood samples.
Analysis on factors associated with the survival rate of the patients with sporadic renal carcinoma in Pudong new area

OBJECTIVE:To explore the risk factors of the survival of patients with renal cell carcinoma(RCC)for providing a reference for the prevention and predicting the patient's prognosis.METHODS:According to Cancer Reporting System in Pudong new area,subsets of 1 991RCC patients were used to screen the potential risk factors,such as cancer awareness,age,TNM stage,occupation,gender,residential areas and the level of therapeutic hospital.The patient's survival in different groups was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method,Log-rank test and Cox regression analysis.RESULTS:In the 1 991RCC patients,the average survival time was 47.64months and the median survival time was 154months.Comparing with the different group's median survival time,the survival time for patients without surgery were 13months which was lower than the 228months of those with surgery(χ2=661.330,P0.001).The patients withⅢ orⅣ stage were 20months,lower than the 227months of those with Ⅰ orⅡ stage(χ2=389.780,P0.001).The patients who were concealed the information of suffering cancer were 135months,lower than the 227 months of those with cancer awareness(χ2=24.834,P0.001),and the patients treated by the hospitals with low level were 56months,lower than the 312months of those treated in the high level hospitals(χ2=164.653,P0.001).There was no statistical significance in gender,occupation,residential areas(χ2 were 0.216,2.625and 1.450,respectively,all P0.05).Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that being concealed cancer information(RR=1.982,95%CI=1.373-2.863,P0.001),lower level of therapeutic hospital(RR=1.947,95%CI=1.356-2.797,P0.001),without surgical treatment(RR=2.447,95%CI=1.629-3.676,P0.001)and late-stage tumor(RR=7.662,95%CI=5.243-11.198,P0.001)were independent risk factors associated with cancer-related death.CONCLUSION:Detection of early cancer,respect for the patients right,and suitable surgical treatment are effective measures to improve survival in patients with RCC.
Economic Evaluation on the Power Quality in the Presence of Continuous Variation

The economic evaluation on the damage caused by index deviation of the power quality is helpful to adopt proper improving measures.The economic evaluation methods of the power quality indexes in the presence of continuous variation(such as voltage deviation,voltage fluctuation,unbalance,harmonic and flicker)are briefly discussed,calculation formulas and empirical parameters are introduced,which could help professionals to analyze the power quality so as to improve the economic performance,including efficiency,energy-saving and consumption-reducing.
Activity of new formulations of methoprene against midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in experimental ponds.

The IGR, methoprene, in 3 solid (Altosid Pellet, Altosid XR Briquet and a granular) and a liquid formulation (A.L.L.) was evaluated against chironomid midges in experimental ponds. The A.L.L. was applied at 0.293 liters/ha (0.015 kg AI/ha) and at 5.86 liters/ha (0.28 kg AI/ha). The granules, pellets and briquets were applied at 13 kg/ha (0.17 kg AI/ha), 5.6 kg/ha (0.22 kg AI/ha) and one briquet/8m2 (0.82 kg AI/ha), respectively. The low rate of A.L.L. was ineffective, but the high rate produced 84-100% control of Tanytarsini and 30-100% of Chironomini during 2 wk posttreatment. The granular formulation gave 61-87% control of total midges in 2 wk posttreatment. Altosid Pellets gave initial and prolonged good control of Tanytarsini (64-99% for 7 wk), Chironomini (79-94% for 5 wk) and total midges (64-98% for 7 wk). The briquets at almost 4x the rate of pellets, yielded 38-98% control of midges for 7 wk posttreatment. Altosid Pellets have an excellent potential for midge control.
Does a sliding hiatus hernia constitute a distinct clinical entity

In a sliding hiatus hernia, the esophagogastric junction is above the diaphragm. It is called a sliding hernia because anatomically it resembles a sliding inguinal hernia and not because of an upward and downward motion through the esophageal hiatus. Symptoms may arise from the hernia because it becomes distended or bleeds; much more commonly the hernia is said to produce gastroesophageal reflux with its secondary complications. However, certain clinical and manometric data suggest that the hernia may be an associated and inconsequential finding so that reflux probably depends upon the lower esophageal sphincter efficiency rather than the presence of a hernia. The role of the phrenoesophageal ligament and its actual existence are still debated. A lower esophageal ring cannot be assumed to indicate that a hernia is present; more than likely the ring marks the upper limits of the lower esophageal sphincter. Although inadequate data are available concerning the natural history of the symptom complex attributed to a hernia, in a large proportion of such patients, symptoms become mild or may disappear on so-called medical therapy. Consequently, the results of surgical therapy need to be cautiously evaluated.
Core Characteristics Analysis

Most frequently economists have employed variants of five basic formal approaches to the analysis of product differentiation, and in the following chapters some important prototypes of these frameworks will be illustrated and adapted for use. The first and oldest of the techniques was referred to in Chapter 1 as drawing upon the notion of spatial extent both literally and analogically, with Hotelling’s seminal article a point of departure in both usages.1 One of the most important and most apparent differentiating characteristics of many products is the location of their producers, sellers or customers in geographic space. von Thunen (1929), Weber (1909, 1929), Predohl (1928), Palander (1935), Losch (1954), Isard (1956), and Beckmann and Puu (1985). produced landmark scholarship efforts on the path to modern spatial economic theory. There is now an extensive body of literature dealing with these literal spatial aspects of firms’ strategies and there is no need to deal with it in the narrow confines of the present book. Therefore efforts in this area are limited to those analyses (1) that are importantly concerned with spatial competition within an oligopolistic context or (2) that use the spatial model as a metaphor for placement in a product space. This approach is discussed in Chapter 4. and used in Chapter 11 to model firms’ decisions to relocate in a product space. Moreover, throughout our theory and modeling the notion of “cognitive distancing” of products in such a space is employed.
Herpesvirus Trans-Activation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1

In humans, HIV-1 infection is characterized by a period of latency followed by progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex in some cases (Blattner et al. 1985). Factors that influence HIV-1 latency are poorly understood. Several models have been proposed that might explain. how HIV-1, when persisting in the latent form, can be induced by physiochemical stimuli and expressed as infectious virus particles (Folks et al. 1986). These models include transcriptional repression of integrated proviral DNA by DNA-binding proteins, chromatin conformation, and DNA hypermethylation. To understand these processes, permanent cell lines were constructed that contained as a reporter gene the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene coding region fused to the HIV-1-LTR (pU3R-III-CAT) or human T leukemia virus (HTLV) type I (HTLV-I)-LTR (pU3R-I-CAT) promoter sequences. In these permanent cell lines HIV-1-LTR but not HTLV-I-LTR expression was suppressed when integrated into the host chromatin (Mosca et al. 1987a). We have provided evidence that the suppression of HIV-1-LTR expression is accompanied by methylation of LTR sequences (Bednarik et al. 1987). Using these permanent cell lines as a model system that appears to mimic the latent integrated HIV-1 provirus, we showed that reactivation of the reporter CAT gene initiated from the HIV-1-LTR can be induced by either treatment with a protein synthesis inhibitor (cycloheximide) or infection with herpesviruses (Mosca et al. 1987a). For herpes simplex virus I (HSV-1), we have identified the 5’ upstream sequence within the HIV-1-LTR that appears to contain a specific recognition site necessary for the activation by HSV-1 and by the HSV-1 encoded IE110 (ICPO) regulatory protein (Mosca et al. 1987b). However, for reactivation of the HIV-1-LTR by cytomegalovirus (CMV), no specific recognition sequence within the HIV-1-LTR could be found, indicating that different molecular mechanisms exist for HIV-1-LTR activation by HSV-1 and CMV.
In situ and in-transit analysis of cosmological simulations

Modern cosmological simulations have reached the trillion-element scale, rendering data storage and subsequent analysis formidable tasks. To address this circumstance, we present a new MPI-parallel approach for analysis of simulation data while the simulation runs, as an alternative to the traditional workflow consisting of periodically saving large data sets to disk for subsequent ‘offline’ analysis. We demonstrate this approach in the compressible gasdynamics/N-body code Nyx, a hybrid $\mbox{MPI}+\mbox{OpenMP}$ code based on the BoxLib framework, used for large-scale cosmological simulations. We have enabled on-the-fly workflows in two different ways: one is a straightforward approach consisting of all MPI processes periodically halting the main simulation and analyzing each component of data that they own (‘in situ’). The other consists of partitioning processes into disjoint MPI groups, with one performing the simulation and periodically sending data to the other ‘sidecar’ group, which post-processes it while the simulation continues (‘in-transit’). The two groups execute their tasks asynchronously, stopping only to synchronize when a new set of simulation data needs to be analyzed. For both the in situ and in-transit approaches, we experiment with two different analysis suites with distinct performance behavior: one which finds dark matter halos in the simulation using merge trees to calculate the mass contained within iso-density contours, and another which calculates probability distribution functions and power spectra of various fields in the simulation. Both are common analysis tasks for cosmology, and both result in summary statistics significantly smaller than the original data set. We study the behavior of each type of analysis in each workflow in order to determine the optimal configuration for the different data analysis algorithms.
The Myth of the Chinese Exclusion Case: The Fuller Court and the Origins of the Plenary Power Doctrine

For many commentators, Chae Chan Ping v. United States - commonly known as the Chinese Exclusion Case – occupies a prominent place in the rogues gallery of infamous Supreme Court decisions. In large measure, the reaction to the decision is simply a byproduct of the outcome of the case; in both Chae Chan Ping and its first cousin, Fong Yue Ting v. United States, the Court upheld measures that explicitly singled out Chinese immigrants for unfavorable treatment on the basis of their national origin. But Chae Chan Ping and Fong Yue Ting are also reviled because they are generally seen as the source of the hated "plenary power" doctrine - the view that, for constitutional purposes, congressional decisions on immigration and naturalization issues are qualitatively different from other federal legislation, and thus should generally not be subjected to judicial scrutiny. Scholars also contend that the creation of the plenary power doctrine was itself a byproduct of the justices’ racist distaste for Chinese immigrants and a felt desire to allow Congress the greatest possible latitude for restricting immigration from China.This article challenges the latter two contentions. First, the article argues that the Court did not base its decisions in Chae Chan Ping and Fong Yue Ting on the plenary power doctrine, but instead simply purported to be applying principles that were applied more generally to constitutional analysis in the late nineteenth century. Second, the article contends that the overall pattern of the Court’s decisions in the late nineteenth century belies any claim that anti-Chinese bias blinded the justices to the demands of normal principles of legal analysis. Finally, the article ascribes the origins of the plenary power doctrine to United States ex. rel. Turner v. Williams - a case decided more than a decade after Chae Chan Ping that was unrelated to the dispute over the rights of Chinese immigrants.
Asthma and subjective sleep disordered breathing in a large cohort of urban adolescents.

ABSTRACTObjective: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has not been well studied in urban adolescents with asthma in community settings. Nor has the association of SDB symptoms and asthma severity been studied. We characterized self-reported symptoms suggesting SDB and investigated the association of SDB symptoms, probable asthma, and asthma severity. Methods: 9,565 adolescents from 21 inner-city high schools were screened for an asthma intervention study. Students reported on symptoms suggesting SDB using questions from the 2007 NHANES, if they were ever diagnosed with asthma, and on asthma symptoms. Using generalized linear mixed models with logit link with school as a random intercept and adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity, we examined associations of SDB symptoms, and demographic characteristics, probable asthma, and asthma severity. Results: 12% reported SDB symptoms. Older and bi-racial participants (compared to Caucasian) had higher odds of symptoms suggesting SDB (p <.001). Compared to tho...
The effects of shellfish harvesting by aboriginal inhabitants of Southwest Florida (USA) on productivity of the eastern oyster: Implications for estuarine management and restoration

Abstract Oyster reefs in Southwest Florida (USA) have been integral to estuarine ecology throughout the Holocene. Though Crassostrea virginica has never been commercially harvested, aboriginal people used the oyster substantially, accumulating middens between 5000 BC and AD 1700. A conservation paleobiological/historical ecological study of oysters from middens and modern reefs within Estero Bay (EB) and Pine Island Sound (PIS) determined if oyster productivity changed due to aboriginal overharvesting. Archaeological samples came from sites including the Late Archaic (LA, 2000–500 BC) of PIS and the Caloosahatchee (Cal, 500 BC–AD 1500) of EB and PIS. These samples were compared with natural oyster death assemblages from neighboring modern reefs. Methods comprised measuring oyster convex valve lengths and sectioning shells to count ligament pit growth lines that served as proxy for growth rate. The biologic taphonomic grade was also compared after scoring the interior valve surface; biologic grade is near pristine for oysters collected live for consumption. Archaeological samples exhibit significantly better taphonomic grades when compared to modern assemblages, confirming the hypothesis that oysters were harvested for food. Valve length decreased significantly from LA to Cal time, whereas modern assemblages were indistinguishable from LA collections. Because the Cal samples span 4 climatic intervals, the results suggest that climate change was not responsible for shifts in productivity. Results support the hypothesis of overharvesting during Cal times. They also suggest that modern oysters retain the capacity for growth, and indicate that aboriginal activity did not result in a permanent microevolutionary shift. The results are also relevant for the ongoing discussion surrounding the creation of an Anthropocene Epoch; the shell middens built throughout history greatly influenced both estuarine ecology and landscapes through fishing and engineering practices.
Development of a Microfabricated Sensor System to Measure Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Lumbar spinal fusion surgery continues to experience major growth in the United States and worldwide. The surgery is performed by implanting spinal rods and screws within an incision on the lumbar region of the spine. This implanted hardware provides the initial mechanical stiffness until the morselized bone and bone growth factors generate new bone and can provide long term fixation. After surgery, development of the fusion is evaluated with radiographs, but determination of this fusion takes many months as the bone must first mineralize. The early stages are not visible on radiographs; however, this non-mineralized bone does provide substantial mechanical stiffness that could be measured with a sensor. As the spine moves and flexes, it creates a bending moment in the spinal rod, which could be measured as a strain. When initially implanted, this rod would experience its peak strain, but this would decrease as the bone shared some of the load. By periodically sampling the strain with a sensor, a curve could be generated that showed the overall progress of the fusion.To maximize the output signal, an interdigitated capacitor design was implemented as the most effective way to maximize the capacitance measurement. A design using 51 free-standing, interdigitated fingers resulted in 50 parallel plate capacitors. The interdigitated capacitor was connected to a Low-Z Amplifier circuit and attached to a spinal rod. The rod was then flexed to simulate spinal bending, and the capacitance changed as expected under physiological loads.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Determination of Most Preferred Mobile Phone Size Based on Hand Anthropometry and Mobile Handiness

Interaction with a smartphone occupies a large amount of time of day. Sometimes people are using mobile phone sizes which are either too large or too small. As per the different task is concern, users may find trouble with the mobile phones having extreme sizes. Hence, perceived handiness is very important factor which may be associated with satisfaction of mobile phone use. On the other side, hand anthropometry may be another determinant of mobile size preference. Hence, this study aims to relate hand anthropometry, smartphone handiness and mobile size preference and to determine the most preferred size of the mobile phone from a range of mobile phones. It was observed that there was a significant negative correlation exists between hand anthropometric dimensions and mobile handiness or size preference scores. This result indicated that users prefer a mobile phone which is comparatively bigger in size than the size of their hands. In addition, people perceived mobile phones as less handy those are either too small in size or too big in size. Smartphone with medium size (H: 138.0 mm, W: 70.0 mm, D: 8.0 mm, V: 77280.0 mm3) was most handy and preferred by the most users, among studied mobile phones.
Long‐Term Impact of Valid Case Criterion on Capturing Population‐Level Growth Under Item Response Theory Equating

Using simulated data, this study examined the impact of different levels of stringency of the valid case inclusion criterion on item response theory (IRT)-based true score equating over 5 years in the context of K–12 assessment when growth in student achievement is expected. Findings indicate that the use of the most stringent inclusion criterion generally yielded the most accurate results when overall root mean square error (RMSE) and bias were considered under both zero-growth and growth conditions, for both one-parameter logistic (1PL) and three-parameter logistic (3PL) IRT models, and for both fixed common item parameter (FCIP) and test characteristic curve (TCC) scaling methods. The positive impact of applying the most stringent valid case inclusion criterion was more salient with the 3PL model, under which greater classification accuracy was observed.
Are We Teaching International Media at Small Liberal Arts Colleges

Postsecondary education is big business in the United States. According to Ferrall (2011), “In 2007, 4352 accredited public and private degree-granting institutions enrolled 18.2 million students …The enrolled students represented 39 % of all 18–24-year-olds (and 46 % of those who had graduated from high school)” (p. 1). Ferrall claims these institutions totaled $410 billion in revenues in 2006. With all this choice, making the selection of which institution to attend becomes a complex process for students and their families.
Impact of natural organic matter and inorganic solutes on energy recovery from five real salinity gradients using reverse electrodialysis

Abstract “Blue energy” technologies such as reverse electrodialysis (RED) have received significant research attention over the last several years as a means of generating clean electricity from natural salinity gradients (e.g., seawater and river water). To date, however, knowledge of RED is largely based on synthetic sodium chloride solutions that simulate natural waters. Accordingly, in this work we measured the RED performance of five real water pairs, including seawater, river water, desalination brine, saline wastewater from a pickling plant, and treated wastewater. We compared the performance of each real water pair with that of synthetic control waters to investigate the individual impacts of inorganic constituents (e.g., multivalent ions) and natural organic matter (NOM). Our results indicate that the presence of NOM has a larger impact on power density than ionic composition. Specifically, NOM reduced power densities by up to 43%, while inorganic constituents reduced power densities by up to 8% compared to control waters. Furthermore, UV-absorbing NOM present in the dilute compartment of the RED stack was strongly associated with reduced membrane permselectivity and energy efficiency. Taken together, our findings highlight the important role of organic matter in determining the RED performance of real waters.
Characterization of Potentially Unsafe Ambulatory Antibiotic Use and Associated Outcomes in an Adult Kidney Transplant Population.

Background: Antibiotics are frequently prescribed to kidney transplant (KTX) recipients in the outpatient setting, but there are limited data assessing the safety and outcomes associated with this ...
Engineering: The Big Challenge

With the information they have gathered from the public media, most people who have heard of fusion consider fusion energy to be a pipedream. Their information is out of date. As we have shown in the last two chapters, great advances have been made in fusion physics, and our knowledge of plasma behavior in toroidal magnetic bottles is good enough for us to push on to the next step. This does not mean, however, that fusion is not a pipedream. There is a large chasm between the understanding of the physics and the engineering of a working reactor. There are problems in the technology of fusion so serious that we do not know if they can be solved. But the payoff is so great that we have to try.