cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in disordered sleep and obesity

Racial/ethnic minorities experience a disproportionate risk of both suboptimal sleep and obesity, and the relationship between sleep and obesity may differ by race/ethnicity for modifiable and non-modifiable reasons. Because many people of color have historically lived and continue to largely live in disadvantaged, obesogenic physical and social environments, these greater adverse exposures likely negatively affect sleep, resulting in physiological dysregulation. Physiological dysregulation may, in turn, lead to increased obesity risk and subsequent health consequences, which are likely more influential than potential genetic differences in race, a social construct. The purpose of this article is to describe potential environmental, genetic, and epigenetic determinants of racial/ethnic differences in the sleep-obesity relationship and to review current epidemiological findings regarding either racial/ethnic minority specific estimates of the association or disparities in the relationship. Using the socioecological framework as a conceptual model, I describe sleep and obesity as socially patterned and embedded in modifiable physical and social contexts with common causes that are influenced by upstream social conditions. I also provide examples of sleep and obesity-related studies that correspond with the downstream, intermediate, and upstream factors that likely contribute to commonly observed racial/ethnic disparities in the sleep-obesity relationship. The review concludes with broad recommendations for (1) advancing research methodology for epidemiological studies of disparities in the link between sleep and obesity, (2) future research topics, as well as (3) several broad policies and structures needed to address racial/ethnic disparities in sleep health and obesity.
Gemcitabine resistance in cultured pancreatic tumor cells is associated with down regulation of PTEN and a mesenchymal phenotype

2460 The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer confers a grim prognosis that has changed little over the last 30 years. Although gemcitabine remains the cornerstone of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer, its efficacy remains limited by the rapid development of tumor cell resistance which may involve redundant chemoresistance mechanisms and/or mesenchymal phenotypes. Utilizing two gemcitabine resistant pancreatic cancer cell lines previously isolated in our lab, the purpose of this study was to: 1) characterize the molecular mechanisms of gemcitabine resistance; 2) determine if common phenotypes and gene expression patterns could predict resistance; and 3) determine if gemcitabine resistance confers global resistance to other chemotherapeutic agents. For these studies, two gemcitabine-sensitive pancreatic cancer cell lines, ASPC-1 and L3.6pl, were maintained in increasing levels of gemcitabine until they developed stable resistance to supratherapeutic concentrations. Common phenotypic features were examined, including markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stem cell marker expression, and sensitivity to oxaliplatin, dasatinib, and XL820 (c-Met inhibitor). As we reported previously, both resistant cell lines displayed hallmarks of EMT including fibroblast-like morphology, increased migration and invasion, increased vimentin, decreased E-cadherin expression, and increased nuclear expression of Twist. To validate these EMT findings, we examined EMT properties of naturally occurring sensitive and resistant lines, including Panc1, Miapaca2, BxPC3, MPANC96, CFPAC1, SU8686, HS766T, and HPDE. We demonstrated that in most cell lines, increased vimentin and decreased E cadherin (EMT characteristics) predicted resistance. We also sought to determine whether the more mesenchymal of our phenotypes conferred resistance to other chemotherapy agents. Both L3.6pl and L3.6plGR were equally sensitive to oxaliplatin. In addition, resistant L3.6pl cells demonstrated increased sensitivity to both dasatinib and XL820. As c-Met is activated in resistant cells, the latter finding suggests c-Met inhibition may sensitize cells to gemcitabine. Lastly, we examined PTEN, a gene product implicated in the self-renewal of cancer stem cells and, in turn, gemcitabine resistance. Relative to parental cells, both resistant lines exhibited decreased expression of PTEN and activation of the PI3K/Akt axis. These findings suggest a potential mechanism of gemcitabine resistance common to our phenotype. Thus, we conclude that PTEN expression and mediators of EMT may be important in the development and maintenance of gemcitabine phenotypes. Further, the sensitivity of the L3.6pl gemcitabine resistant phenotype to tyrosine kinase inhibitors may indicate reliance upon alternate survival elements in conjunction with the development of gemcitabine resistance.
Wait, Can You Move the Robot?: Examining Telepresence Robot Use in Collaborative Teams

Telepresence robots provide remote team members with embodied presence, but whether this improves remote teammate participation, remote users' perceptions of team collaboration, or collocated members' perceptions of remote teammates is an open question. We conducted an experiment in which teams of two collocated members and one telepresent (remote) member solved a word puzzle requiring a translation key. We varied who had access to the key to examine effects of resource accessibility in distributed groups: in the Robot Information condition, the remote pilot (RP) possessed the key; in the Shared Information condition, all team members possessed the key; in the Local Information condition, only collocated participants (CPs) possessed the key. Audio transcripts were analyzed for differences in the number of words spoken by each team member. RPs spoke significantly less than CPs, especially when they lacked the translation key. RPs perceived greater task difficulty and less ease of communication than CPs. CPs rated other CPs as more trustworthy than RPs. This suggests an imbalance between collocated and remote collaborators that can negatively affect collaboration. We discuss implications for the design and use of telepresence robots in the workplace.
Toll-Like Receptor–Mediated Intestinal Inflammatory Imbalance in the Pathogenesis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains the leading cause of death from gastrointestinal disease in premature infants and attacks the most fragile patients at a time when they appear to be the most stable. Despite significant advances in our overall care of the premature infant, NEC mortality remains stubbornly high. There is no specific treatment for NEC beyond broad-spectrum antibiotics and intestinal resection, and current efforts have focused on preventive strategies. Over the past decade, we have proposed a unifying hypothesis to explain the pathogenesis of NEC in premature infants that suggests that NEC develops in response to an imbalance between exaggerated proinflammatory signaling in the mucosa of the premature gut leading to mucosal injury, which is not countered effectively by endogenous repair processes, and in the setting of impaired mesenteric perfusion leads to intestinal ischemia and disease development. One of the most important pathways that mediates the balance between injury and repair in the premature intestine, and that plays a key role in NEC pathogenesis, is Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), which recognizes lipopolysaccharide on gram-negative bacteria. This review focuses on the role that the TLR4-mediated imbalance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory signaling in the premature intestinal epithelium leads to the development of NEC, and will explore how an understanding of the role of TLR4 in NEC pathogenesis has led to the identification of novel preventive or treatment approaches for this devastating disease.
The Lived Experience of Nursing Students Participating in High-Fidelity Simulation at a School Grounded in Caring

Abstract The lived experiences of senior students in a bachelor-of-science program in nursing participating in high-fidelity simulation at a school grounded in caring was investigated by conducting focus-group interviews at one university in the southeastern United States. Evidence from research studies supports students' ability to learn critical thinking, clinical decision making, and psychomotor skills, and to acquire the affective behavior of caring, during high-fidelity simulation-based learning experiences. A qualitative descriptive design, using a phenomenological methodology, was used to guide this research study. Findings from this study revealed that participants experienced caring during high-fidelity simulation-based learning experiences.
Authenticity and Corporate Governance

Although personal attributes have gained recognition as an important area of effective corporate governance, scholarship has largely overlooked the value and implications of individual virtue in governance practice. We explore how authenticity—a personal and morally significant virtue—affects the primary monitoring and strategy functions of the board of directors as well as core processes concerning director selection, cultivation, and enactment by the board. While the predominant focus in corporate governance research has been on structural factors that influence firm financial outcomes, this paper shifts attention to the role of authenticity and its relationship to individual board member qualities and collective board activities. We explore how authenticity has the potential to influence board dynamics and decision making and to enhance transparency and accountability.
Abstract 3251: Relationship Between tPA and Factor VIII Levels in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Factor VIII levels may be screened as part of a hypercoagulable work-up in patients with ischemic stroke. However, it is unknown how treatment with IV tPA may affect these levels during...
Yields of Dissolved Organic C, N, and P. from Three High-Elevation Catchments, Colorado Front Range, U.S.A.

Ecosystem dynamics in high-elevation watersheds are extremely sensitive to changes in chemical, energy, and water fluxes. Here we report information on yields of dissolved organic C, N, and P for the 1999 snowmelt runoff season from three high-elevation catchments in the Colorado Front Range, U.S.A.: Green Lake 4 (GL4) and Albion townsite (ALB) on North Boulder Creek and the Saddle Stream (SS), a tributary catchment dominated by alpine tundra. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in stream waters ranged from <1 to 10 mg C L-1, with the highest values occurring at the SS site. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations ranged from below detection limits to 0.28 mg N L-1 and were again highest at the tundra-dominatedsite. Dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) concentrations were at or near detection limits throughout the season in all three catchments indicating a strong terrestrial retention of P. OnlyDOC showed a significant relationship to discharge. Yields of DOC in the three catchments ranged from 10.6 to 11.8 kg C ha-1 while yields of DON and DOP ranged from 0.32 to 0.41 and 0.02 to 0.08 kg ha-1, respectively. The relatively highyield of organic N and P relative to C from the highest elevationsite (GL4) was somewhat surprising and points to either: (1) a source of dissolved organic material (DOM) in the upper reaches of the catchment that is enriched in these nutrients or (2) theselective uptake and processing of organic N and P downstream ofthe sampling site. Additionally, seasonal changes in the relativeimportance of DOM precursor materials appear to result in changesin the N content of DOM at both the GL4 and ALB sites.
Clinical CT Imaging of Carotid Arteries

A better understanding of the role of carotid plaque components in predicting ischemic stroke will be important in designing future treatment trials for carotid artery stenosis. A decade ago, studies demonstrated a clear advantage in certain populations of endarterectomy compared with medical therapy. However, these studies were conducted before the widespread use of medical treatments that have been demonstrated to reduce stroke risk in patients with vascular disease, such as clopidogrel; extended-release dipyridamole; and aspirin, statins, and more aggressive blood pressure control. With the development of both improved medical therapy and less invasive percutaneous stenting approaches over the last few years, some of the same questions must be addressed again. Should our hypotheses prove correct, these results will provide a relevant, standardized, and validated method of interpreting the carotid artery wall findings using a routine imaging technique that could be used in future trials to monitor the carotid wall composition, both to select patients for treatment and to determine whether drug treatments are effective in altering the size and composition of the atheroma.
Estimating optimal expenditures on family planning in developing economies

This paper develops an analytical model of the effect of family planning expendit- ures on per capita income. The perspective is that of constrained optimization: a predetermined level of overall development resources is to be allocated to family planning programs and alternative uses in the form of expansion of the generalized capital stock (plant and machinery, education and training, and social infrastructure). The principal functions of the model are power forms, so that an explicit solution may be obtained for the optimal ratio of family planning expenditures to overall development resources. Important insights into the nature of this policy question are derived from consideration of the formula. In addition, tentative numerical estimates of the optimal ratio are presented for several developing economies. These estimates suggest that quite a substantial proportion of overall development resources should be allocated to family planning programs in most developing nations. The paper is concluded with a brief evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of the optimization approach to population policy issues.
Zusammenfassender Überblick über die Deutsche Einwanderung im Neunzehnten Jahrhundert, Ihre Geographische und Numerische Verbreitung und Ihren Allgemeinen Charakter

Die Ansiedlung des deutschen Elements im Gebiet der Vereinigten Staaten ist in den vorangehenden Kapiteln der Zeitfolge nach im Umris dargestellt worden. Es hat sich feststellen lassen, das sich die auf 225 0001 zu schatzenden Deutschen, die schon vor dem Unabhangigkeitskriege im Lande waren, hauptsachlich an der Grenzlinie niedergelassen hatten, die sich vom Mohawk in New-York bis zur sudlichst gelegenen Kolonie, Georgien, hinunterzog. Sie hatten zwei grose physiographische Gebiete besetzt: die Piedmontsche Hochebene, die sich im Osten der Appalachen an diesen entlang von New-York nach Georgien erstreckt und das Grose Tal, das sich, zwischen den Blauen Bergen und den Alleghanies, von Pennsylvanien aus uber ganz Maryland und weiter sudwestlich durch Virginien hinzieht. „Mit ihren schottisch-irischen Nachbarn gemeinsam bildeten sie den ausersten Rand jener Flut von Pionieren, die bereit war, sich durch die Bergpasse in das Innere des Kontinents zu ergiesen.“2 In den vorhergehenden Kapiteln ist gezeigt worden, wie die Deutschen unter den Ersten waren, die, von den Carolinas und von Virginien aus, Kentucky und Tennessee betraten.3 Auch im Ohio-Tale waren sie die ersten Ansiedler.
Deep and Dark

Europa is on everyone’s short list of destinations for finding life in the Solar System beyond Earth. This is because water is found there in abundance, almost surely in liquid form, protected from the harshness of space by a thick layer of ice. But the ice is restless, cracking continually and moving about in rafts and slabs that reflect the push and pull of gravity from Europa’s huge parent, Jupiter, and its larger nearby siblings, the moons of Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. And gravitational flexing is only the start of the story. There’s a tenuous atmosphere of oxygen, fed by the sputtering impact of Jupiter’s powerful stream of radiation that splits the water molecules at the surface into their constituent hydrogen and oxygen atoms. A slight distortion of Jupiter’s electromagnetic field at Europa suggests the presence there of either a metallic core, or a salty ocean beneath the ice, or both, that rotate at different rates (asynchronously) from the planetoid’s surface. This could mean either a source of internal heating from radioactive decay in the core, or strong global currents of water, or both. Combine that with the possibility that thermal vents at the bottom of Europa’s deep ocean and emissions of compounds like hydrogen sulfide and organic molecules like methane from the mantle could provide more energy options as well as the building blocks for polymeric chemistry, and all the requisites for life are at hand.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of XenI- clusters (n ≤ 13)

Abstract Xe n I − clusters ( n ⩽13) have been studied by anion photoelectron (PE) spectroscopy at a photon energy of 4.661 eV and an electron energy resolution of 10 meV. Electron affinities (EA's) as a function of cluster size are extracted and compared to previous PE and tunable laser photodetachment spectra of these species. The EA's found in this study lie between those of the two earlier experiments. These discrepancies are attributed to calibration issues in the earlier PE spectra and the influence of charge-transfer-to-solvent states in the tunable laser experiments.
Taking into consideration explanations of perception-action interactions that may be “less dramatic, but more reflective of what happens in the real world”

Bruce Bridgeman and colleagues reported the first experiments providing evidence of two functionally distinct visual-processing systems. We summarize that work and subsequent research that resulted in modifications of this view. Then, we describe studies of stimulus-response correspondence effects that provide evidence for distinct representations of responses. More recently, Bridgeman and colleagues examined whether "action affects perception", concluding that the phenomena can be more accurately construed as "information affects memory". Although unconvinced about claims of action-affects-perception and embodied cognition, Bridgeman and colleagues concluded that processing of visual information in hand-space is facilitated and cited a phenomenon as supporting evidence. We discuss findings indicating that this phenomenon is due to general spatial coding principles. We think that all researchers should proceed in the manner of Bridgeman of developing novel explanations, devising critical tests between them and alternative possible explanations, and accepting the explanation that best conforms to the results, even if that explanation is a "less dramatic" option.
Carbohydrate Ligands on Magnetic Nanoparticles for Centrifuge-Free Extraction of Pathogenic Contaminants in Pasteurized Milk

ABSTRACT Rapid detection of bacterial contamination in the food supply chain is critically important for food safety monitoring. Reliable extraction and concentration of bacteria from complex matrices is required to achieve high detection sensitivity, especially in situations of low contamination and infective dose. Carbohydrate ligands that attach to microbial cell–surface epitopes are promising economical and biocompatible substitutes for cell-targeting ligands and antibodies. Two different carbohydrate ligands immobilized onto magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were easily suspended in liquid food (milk) and allowed expedient extraction of microbes within minutes, without the need for centrifugation or loss in capture capacity. In this pilot study, 25-mL samples of undiluted milk were spiked with 5 mg of MNPs and artificially contaminated with bacteria at 3 to 5 log CFU/mL. MNPs and bacteria formed MNP-cell complexes, which were rapidly separated from the milk matrix with a simple magnet to allow supernatan...
Mechanical homogenization of antimony, iron oxide, and carbon black composites for use in lithium ion batteries

Abstract Composites of antimony metal, iron oxide, and carbon black are attractive for use as lithium ion battery anodes when high rate charging is required. The large capacity of such a composite, together with a voltage that is intermediate between lithium titanate and graphite, makes it possible to address the typical trade-off between high energy density and safe operation in high power conditions. In this work, a variety of mechanical homogenization processes are investigated. A minimum threshold of energy input per unit mass during milling is required to produce a sufficiently homogeneous microstructure, which is required for stable electrochemical performance. The surface area of the processed material is found to be a useful method for quantifying the degree of homogeneity in the composite and is well correlated to the electrochemical performance. This understanding enables simplified scaling on larger volume manufacturing assets.
The Use of Partial Stability in the Analysis of Interconnected Systems

In this paper, we develop sufficient conditions for uniform asymptotic stability of interconnected dynamical systems that are not in cascade form. We show that the stability analysis of a two-subsystem interconnection can be reduced to ensuring the stability of the first non-isolated subsystem with respect to its own state vector (partial stability) and the stability of the isolated second subsystem. In addition, based on the above results, we provide a control design framework for nonlinear systems where the control objective reduces to stabilization of only a part of the system state while guaranteeing the stability for the entire state of the system.
Barriers and Facilitators to De-Implementation of the Choosing Wisely® Guidelines for Low-Value Breast Cancer Surgery.

To address overuse of unnecessary practices, several surgical organizations have participated in the Choosing Wisely® campaign and identified four breast cancer surgical procedures as unnecessary. Despite evidence demonstrating no survival benefit for all four, evidence suggests only two have been substantially de-implemented. Our objective was to understand why surgeons stop performing certain unnecessary cancer operations but not others and how best to de-implement entrenched and emerging unnecessary procedures. We sampled surgeons who treat breast cancer in a variety of practice types and geographic regions in the United States. Using a semi-structured guide, we conducted telephone interviews (n = 18) to elicit attitudes and understand practices relating to the four identified breast cancer procedures in the Choosing Wisely® campaign. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and anonymized. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. For the two procedures successfully de-implemented, surgeons described a high level of confidence in the data supporting the recommendations. In contrast, surgeons frequently described a lack of familiarity or skepticism toward the recommendation to avoid sentinel-node biopsy in women ≥ 70 years of age and the influence of other collaborating oncology providers as justification for continued use. Regarding contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, surgeons consistently agreed with the recommendation that this was unnecessary, yet reported continued utilization due to the value placed on patient autonomy and preference. With a growing focus on the elimination of ineffective, unproven or low value practices, it is imperative that the behavioral determinants are understood and targeted with specific interventions to decrease utilization rapidly.
Consumer Acculturation as a Process: A Propensity to Acculturate Index and an Adapted Acculturation Scale: An Abstract

For service firms to achieve and maintain competitive advantages, they must understand and appropriately serve their consumers. The United States is becoming increasingly multi-cultural and there are various new immigrant consumer groups that businesses try to reach through ethnic-based segmentation and targeting. Often, businesses offer accommodation strategies to their ethnic consumer groups through language or other cultural accommodation tactics. There are inconsistencies in the literature for the efficacy of ethnic-based targeting and accommodation strategies: often these do not have the desired results and there is evidence that ethnic identification may be fading over time for many immigrant groups. Service firms need another way to understand, segment, target, and serve their various cultural groups.
Ensemble Kalman Inversion for Sparse Learning of Dynamical Systems from Time-Averaged Data

Enforcing sparse structure within learning has led to significant advances in the field of data-driven discovery of dynamical systems. However, such methods require access not only to time-series of the state of the dynamical system, but also to the time derivative. In many applications, the data are available only in the form of time-averages such as moments and autocorrelation functions. We propose a sparse learning methodology to discover the vector fields defining a (possibly stochastic or partial) differential equation, using only time-averaged statistics. Such a formulation of sparse learning naturally leads to a nonlinear inverse problem to which we apply the methodology of ensemble Kalman inversion (EKI). EKI is chosen because it may be formulated in terms of the iterative solution of quadratic optimization problems; sparsity is then easily imposed. We then apply the EKI-based sparse learning methodology to various examples governed by stochastic differential equations (a noisy Lorenz 63 system), ordinary differential equations (Lorenz 96 system and coalescence equations), and a partial differential equation (the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation). The results demonstrate that time-averaged statistics can be used for data-driven discovery of differential equations using sparse EKI. The proposed sparse learning methodology extends the scope of data-driven discovery of differential equations to previously challenging applications and data-acquisition scenarios.
Utilization of a Dermal Substitute (Hyalomatrix) in Pediatric Upper Extremity Procedures

Introduction Hyalomatrix is a skin graft substitute that may be able to be utilized as an alternative to partial or full thickness skin grafts in a variety of procedures involving the pediatric upper extremity. Composed of an esterified Hyaluronic Acid layer and a silicone layer, Hyalomatrix provides a matrix for dermal induction while protecting the wound from the external environment. The use of this skin graft substitute can potentially decrease the overall …
The Diversity and Similarity of Transmembrane Trimerization of TNF Receptors

Receptors in the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) regulate proliferation of immune cells or induce programmed cell death, and many of them are candidates for antibody-based immunotherapy. Previous studies on several death receptors in the TNFRSF including Fas, p75NTR, and DR5 showed that the transmembrane helix (TMH) of these receptors can specifically oligomerize and their oligomeric states have direct consequences on receptor activation, suggesting a much more active role of TMH in receptor signaling than previously appreciated. Here, we report the structure of the TMH of TNFR1, another well studied member of the TNFRSF, in neutral bicelles that mimic a lipid bilayer. We find that TNFR1 TMH forms a defined trimeric complex in bicelles, and no evidences of higher-order clustering of trimers have been detected. Unexpectedly, a conserved proline, which is critical for Fas TMH trimerization, does not appear to play an important role in TNFR1 TMH trimerization, which is instead mediated by a glycine near the middle of the TMH. Further, TNFR1 TMH trimer shows a larger hydrophobic core than that of Fas or DR5, with four layers of hydrophobic interaction along the threefold axis. Comparison of the TNFR1 TMH structure with that of Fas and DR5 reveals reassuring similarities that have functional implications but also significant structural diversity that warrants systematic investigation of TMH oligomerization property for other members of the TNFRSF.
Effect of healthcare system on prostate cancer-specific mortality in African American and non-Hispanic white men.

23Background: Disparities in prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) between African American and non-Hispanic White (White) patients have been attributed to biological differences; however, rece...
Meditation as panacea: A longitudinal semantic network analysis of meditation coverage in campus newspapers from 1997-2018.

Media framing of health issues reflects public opinion and impacts readers’ perceptions and behavior. This study examines how meditation — a recommended stress coping strategy for college students ...
Continuous sliding frequency shifts produce an illusory tempo drift

An acceleration or deceleration in the rate of music is described as a tempo drift. This study investigated tempo drift and how tempo drift might be influenced by a sliding frequency shift. Drifts of 10% or greater in tempo tended to be accurately detected; however, those judgments were somewhat affected by the type of music. Continuous sliding frequency shifts that paralleled the tempo drift improved the accuracy of tempo drift judgments. When frequency shifts were independent from a tempo drift, they produced an illusory experience of the tempo change. Findings are reported with their implications for music and time perception.
Are all bovine herpesvirus-1 reproductive disease events vaccine-induced?

Modified-live virus (MLV) bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) vaccines have been a major part of the program to the prevention of reproductive disease in cattle. However, their use (or misuse) continues to result in major abortion storms. The results of 20 additional cases with reproductive losses are described where the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was done to identify the source.
Partial differential equations and finite-difference methods in image processing, part 1: Image representation

Stochastic representation of discrete images by partial differential equation operators is considered. It is shown that these representations can fit random images, with nonseparable, isotropic covariance functions, better than other common covariance models. Application of these models in image restoration, data compression, edge detection, image synthesis, etc., is possible. Different representations based on classification of partial differential equations are considered. Examples on different images show the advantages of using these representations. The previously introduced notion of fast Karhunen-Loeve transform is extended to images with nonseparable or nearly isotropic covariance functions, or both.
After Books, What?

The population explosion has evoked public interest and concern on the part of demographers. Consideration has been given to a variety of measures designed to curb the growth of population. The book explosion, also menacing, does not seem to have evoked analogous anxiety, and bibliographers, in contrast to demographers, prefer to adapt to the multiplication of books rather than to try to curb it. The intent of this paper is to explore the bibliographic analogies to several of the more popular devices designed to curb population increase. It is concluded that an effective restraint upon the writing and publishing of ever increasing numbers of books has yet to be discovered.
Curio: A Platform for Supporting Mixed-Expertise Crowdsourcing

Curio is a platform that enables researchers in the sciences and humanities, who are domain experts but not necessarily technically savvy, to create, monitor and control complex crowdsourcing projects with minimal effort. With Curio, we aim to contribute to the practice of citizen science and to make fundamental contributions to the study of human computation by developing new interfaces and algorithms for supporting mixed-expertise crowdsourcing, task decomposition, incentive design and quality control.
Mechanism of action of gonadotropin. II. Control of ovarian nuclear ribonucleic acid polymerase activity and chromatin template capacity.

Abstract The role of RNA synthesis was investigated in the action of chorionic gonadotropin on ovaries of immature rats. Chorionic gonadotropin accelerates the ovarian incorporation of [3H]uridine in vivo into rapidly labeled nuclear RNA within 10 min after hormone injection. Analysis of the RNA base composition, expressed as base ratio (A + U):(G + C), shows that hormonal stimulation of the rate of [3H]uridine incorporation is accompanied by a relative increase of the A + U content of the rapidly labeled nuclear RNA. Hormonal stimulation of nuclear RNA synthesis in vivo is found to be specific for chorionic gonadotropin and is inhibited by actinomycin D. The extent of ovarian chromatin template available for transcription in the presence of added Escherichia coli RNA polymerase is increased 1 hour to 5 days after injection of a single dose of chorionic gonadotropin. No modification of the ovarian template capacity is observed 10 to 30 min after hormone administration. The effect of chorionic gonadotropin on RNA polymerase (EC2.7.7.6) activity in intact nuclei from ovaries of immature rats was studied in the presence of Mg++ ions at low ionic strength, or in the presence of Mn++ ions and 0.4 m ammonium sulfate. Administration of 200 i.u. of chorionic gonadotropin to rats is followed by a 400 to 500% increase over control values of the Mn++-dependent RNA polymerase activity 2, 3, and 18 hours following hormone injection, but it has no effect when studied during shorter time intervals. Under similar conditions of hormone treatment, the Mg++-dependent RNA polymerase activity in isolated rat ovary nuclei is significantly increased over controls 10 and 15 min and 3 hours following gonadotropin injection. It is concluded that an early stimulation of the Mg++-dependent RNA polymerase activity in ovarian nuclei is an essential feature of the early action of chorionic gonadotropin in the ovary of the immature rat.
Observing a volume rendered fetus within a pregnant patient

Augmented reality systems with see-through headmounted displays have been used primarily for applications that are possible with today's computational capabilities. We explore possibilities for a particular application-in-place, real-time 3D ultrasound visualization-without concern for such limitations. The question is not "How well could we currently visualize the fetus in real time," but "How well could we see the fetus if we had sufficient compute power?" Our video sequence shows a 3D fetus within a pregnant woman's abdomen-the way this would look to a HMD user. Technical problems in making the sequence are discussed. This experience exposed limitations of current augmented reality systems; it may help define the capabilities of future systems needed for applications as demanding as real-time medical visualization. >
Admission Control and Resource Allocation with Improved Effective Bandwidth/Buffer Calculation Method

Connection Admission Control(CAC) and network resource allocation are important problems in the design and control of high-speed communication networks. The problems become very complex when combined with Quality of Service(QoS) guarantee for traffic with different characteristics. CAC and network resource allocation are real-time traffic control procedures. Processing load should be minimized to reduce delay. At the same time, network resources should be utilized efficiently to accommodate more users. However, reducing processing load and obtaining high network resource efficiency has been considered to be contradictory matter. In addition, a research on CAC and resource allocation scheme, which considers multiple QoS criteria – loss and delay – simultaneously has not been adequately done. We propose an improved effective bandwidth/buffer calculation method based on a new channel/buffer separation analysis scheme. We show that our method based on effective bandwidth and effective buffer can achieve high network resource efficiency with reduced processing load. Moreover, we show that our scheme allows for simultaneous consideration of multiple QoS criteria, loss and delay.
Metabolic Pathways in Tetrahymena II. COMPARTMENTALIZATION OF ACETYL COENZYME A AND STRUCTURE OF THE GLYCOLYTIC AND GLUCONEOGENIC PATHWAYS

Degradation of the labeled glycogen from cells grown overnight in labeled acetate, pyruvate, and lactate confirmed the idea based on enzymatic data that Tetrahymena uses only the glyoxylate cycle in vivo for production of oxaloacetate in the gluconeogenic pathway. Comparison of the incorporation into CO2 and lipid of label from [1-14C] acetate and [2-14C]pyruvate, and [2-14C]acetate and [1-14C]glucose indicated that two pools of acetyl coenzyme A exist in Tetrahymena. One of these, derived most directly from acetate, is associated with lipid synthesis, whereas the other, derived from pyruvate and presumably mitochondrial, is more closely associated with oxidation to CO2. The incorporation of label from [1-14C]glucose and [6-14C]glucose into CO2 and the glycerol and fatty acyl moieties of the lipids was also measured. The ratio of 14C from [1-14C]glucose to that from [6-14C]glucose was about 0.5 for each of these products. The enrichment of label from [6-14C]glucose relative to that from [1-14C]glucose in these products indicates that transaldolase plays a role in carbon flow in the glycolytic and glyconeogenic pathways of Tetrahymena.
Incidence of esophageal and gastric carcinomas among American Asians/Pacific Islanders, whites, and blacks: subsite and histology differences.

BACKGROUND The authors examined subsite-specific and histology-specific esophageal and gastric carcinoma incidence patterns among the Asians/Pacific Islander (API) population in the United States and compared them with those among whites and blacks. METHODS Data on newly diagnosed esophageal and gastric carcinomas during 1996–2000 were obtained from 24 population-based central cancer registries, representing approximately 80% of the API population in the United States. Age-adjusted rates, using the 2000 United States standard population, and age-specific rates were computed by anatomic subsite, histology, race, and gender. The difference in the age-adjusted rates between APIs and other races were examined using the two-tailed z statistic. RESULTS Greater than 75% of esophageal carcinomas among APIs, both males and females, were squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma accounted for < 20% of all esophageal carcinomas. This pattern was similar to that among blacks but was completely opposite to that among whites. The rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was 81% higher among API males compared with white males, but it was 64% less compared with black males. The rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma were significantly lower among APIs than among both whites and blacks both males and females. The majority of gastric carcinomas among APIs were noncardia adenocarcinoma, whereas cardia adenocarcinoma accounted for only 11% of gastric carcinomas among API males and 6% of gastric carcinomas among API females. The age-adjusted incidence rate of cardia adenocarcinoma was 23% lower among API males compared with white males, but it was 26% higher compared with black males. In contrast, the rates of noncardia adenocarcinoma among APIs were approximately 3.7 times the rate among whites for both males and females and 33% higher than the rate among blacks. CONCLUSIONS Subsite-specific and histology-specific incidence patterns of esophagogastric carcinoma among APIs differ from those among whites and blacks. The reasons for significantly higher rates of noncardia adenocarcinoma among APIs compared with whites and blacks need further investigation. Cancer 2006. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Parallel Edge-Region-Based Segmentation Algorithm Targeted at Reconfigurable MultiRing Network

In this paper, we present the parallel edge-region-based segmentation algorithm targeted at reconfigurable MultiRing network. The algorithm is based on detection of edges in the image. The 3-D image is sliced to create equidepth contours (EDCs). Three types of critical points, corresponding to three types of edges: fold edges, semistep edges, and boundary edges, are extracted in parallel from various EDCs. A subset of edge pixels is extracted first using these critical points. The edges are grown in parallel from these pixels through application of edge masks. The parallel algorithm is targeted on the MultiRing network. Various broadcasting mechanisms for utilizing the MultiRing for various stages of the algorithm are discussed. The paper also discusses how the segmentation algorithm is mapped on the MultiRing topology.
Scalable HDTV coding with motion-compensated subband and transform coding

We propose a scalable multiresolution coding scheme for HDTV using hybrid motion compensated subband and transform coding. The scheme exploits advantages of discrete wavelet transforms, hierarchical multiresolution motion compensation, and transform coding. Three resolutions for applications of HDTV, conventional TV, and videophone, are aimed. Optimal bit allocation is performed for each resolution, where the constrained bitrate is required. An MPEG-like coding method with the DCT or lapped orthorgonal transform (LOT) is applied to the lowest subband. A motion-compensated PCM scheme and an efficient but low complexity VWL coding are applied to the medium and full resolutions. The performance of DCT and LOT in these applications is compared. Simulation results show that very good subjective and objective quality can be achieved for all the three resolutions.
A compensation-based optimization methodology for gain-boosted opamp

A gain-boosted opamp design methodology is presented. The methodology provides a systematic way of gain-boosted opamp optimization in terms of AC response and settling performance. The evolution of the major poles and zeros of the gain-boosted opamp is studied, which reveals the rationale behind our optimization effort. A sample opamp was implemented in 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. It achieves a DC gain of 88 dB, a bandwidth of 725 MHz with 49/spl deg/ phase margin and a 0.1% settling time of 4.5 ns. The sample/hold front-end of a 12-bit 50 MSample/s ADC was implemented with this opamp. It achieves an SNR of 78 dB for an 8.1 MHz input signal.
Observations on the clotting of menstrual blood and clot formation.

Abstract Pathomorphologic and biochemical data on clots at menstruation reveal that these clots are not composed of fibrin. They are not related to coagulation but are red cell aggregations to mucoid substances, mucoproteins, and/or glycogen. Present evidence indicates that they form in the vagina. Coagulation factors are decreased in menstrual discharge, and fibrinogen is absent. Menstrual discharge contains, besides plasminogen activator, decreased amounts of plasminogen and plasmin inhibitor. Alpha-1-trypsin inhibitor and alpha-2-macroglobulin levels, determined by immunoassays, are ⅔ of that found in peripheral blood. Fibrinolysis breakdown products demonstrated in menstrual discharge had the biochemical characteristics of fibrinogen breakdown products rather than those from fibrin. The functional consequences of these observations are evaluated. A striking difference between the amounts of plasminogen and plasmin inhibitor sampled from the cavity of the uterus and the vagina provide evidence for cervical mucus as an active proteolytic system.
American Physicists, Nuclear Weapons in World War II, and Social Responsibility

Social responsibility in science has a centuries-long history, but it was such a minor thread that most scientists were unaware of the concept. Even toward the conclusion of the Manhattan Project, which produced the first nuclear weapons, only a handful of its participants had some reservations about use of a weapon of mass destruction. But the explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki not only made society more aware of the importance of science, they made scientists more aware of their responsibility to society. I describe the development of the concept of social responsibility and its appearance among American scientists both before and after the end of World War II.
Was Helmholtz a Bayesian

Modern developments in machine vision and object recognition have generated renewed interest in the proposal for drawing inferences put forward by the Rev. Thomas Bayes (1701-1759). In this connection the epistemological studies by Hermann Helmholtz (1821-1894) are often cited as laying the foundation of the currently popular move to regard perception as Bayesian inference. Helmholtz in his mature writings tried to reconcile the German idealist notions of reality-as-hypothesis with scientists' quests for the laws of nature, and espoused the view that we "attain knowledge of the lawful order in the realm of the real, but only in so far as it is represented in the tokens within the system of sensory impressions". His propositions of inferring objects from internal sensory signals by what he called 'unconscious inferences' have made Helmholtz be regarded as a proto-Bayesian. But juxtaposing Bayes's original writings, the modern formulation of Bayesian inference, and Helmholtz's views of perception reveals only a tenuous relationship.
High energy x-ray satellites of L 2,3 emission bands of Na, Mg, Al, and Si

The x-ray satellites found on the high energy sides of theL 2,3 emission bands of Na, Mg, Al, and Si have previously been attributed to the radiative decay of double ionization states. However, in some recent papers it has been proposed that the satellites in Al and Si may arise from the simultaneous radiative decay of a core ionization state and a volume plasmon. A detailed investigation of the high energy satellites of theL 2,3 x-ray emission bands of Na, Mg, Al, and Si have been made for incident electron energies from 500 eV to 5 keV and the results compared with the double ionization theory. Plasmon involvement is also considered. The present results lend additional support to the first interpretation; namely, that the satellites arise from the radiative decay of atoms with a double vacancy in theL 2,3 (2p) shell and not from the plasma phenomenon.
PHASE-SPACE FILLING AND STIMULATED SCATTERING OF COMPOSITE BOSONS

We show that the final-state stimulation of a scattering process involving composite bosons is fundamentally limited by the Pauli exclusion of the constituent fermions. Even though we concentrate on the saturation and Pauli blocking of the statistical enhancement factor for exciton-phonon scattering into a many-body electron-hole pair state, our basic result is valid for a large class of composite bosons and for arbitrary dimensionality. The expression that we obtain explicitly shows that the stimulation is a direct result of the many-body coherence in the final state. For a two-dimensional magnetoexciton gas, we analytically demonstrate the transition from stimulated scattering in the low-density bosonic limit to Pauli blocking of scattering in the high-density limit.
Effect of Composition on Mullitization Behavior of α-Alumina/Silica Microcomposite Powders

The effect of composition on mullite formation was investigated using submicrometer composite particles that consisted of α-alumina cores and amorphous silica coatings. Powders with varying alumina/silica ratios were prepared by varying the thickness of the silica coating. The mullitization behavior was monitored using differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy. The results were consistent with previous studies that indicated that mullite forms initially by nucleation and growth within the siliceous phase, but also that chemical interdiffusion within the mullite grains is required to complete the reaction. The reaction rate in both stages was affected by the alumina/silica ratio. Available evidence has indicated that the first stage of the reaction is controlled by the dissolution of alumina in the siliceous phase. Results for the second stage suggested that alumina diffuses more rapidly through mullite than silica.