cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Vibrations of Twisted Cantilevered Parallelepipeds

A large number of references dealing with the vibrations of twisted, cantilevered beams and plates exist in the literature. These works show considerable disagreement concerning the effect of twist angle upon frequencies. The present work is the first three-dimensional study of the problem. Displacement components are assumed in the form of algebraic polynomials which satisfy the fixed face conditions exactly, and which are mathematically complete. The Ritz method is then applied. Accurate frequencies are calculated for twisted thick plates and are compared with ones obtained recently by others using beam, shell, and finite element theory.
Hierarchical Organization of Scripts: Converging Evidence from fMRI and Frontotemporal Degeneration

The present study examined the organization of complex familiar activities, known as “scripts” (e.g., “going fishing”). We assessed whether events in a script are processed in a linear-sequential manner or clustered-hierarchical manner, and we evaluated the neural basis for this processing capacity. Converging evidence was obtained from functional neuroimaging in healthy young adults and from behavioral and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in patients with focal neurodegenerative disease. In both studies, participants judged the order of consecutive event pairs taken from a script. Event pairs either were clustered together within a script or were from different clusters within the script. Controls judged events more accurately and quickly if taken from the same cluster within a script compared with different clusters, even though all event pairs were consecutive, consistent with the hierarchical organization of a script. Functional magnetic resonance imaging associated this with bilateral inferior frontal activation. Patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia or behavior-variant frontotemporal dementia did not distinguish between event pairs from the same cluster or from different clusters within a script. Structural MRI associated this deficit with significant frontal cortical atrophy. Our findings suggest that frontal cortex contributes to clustering events during script comprehension, underlining the role of frontal cortex in the hierarchical organization of a script.
Psychophysiological prodromal signs of schizophrenic relapse: A pilot study

Do physiological changes occur shortly prior to psychotic relapse in schizophrenia outpatients? We addressed this question in a group of schizophrenia outpatients by measuring changes in symptoms and changes in activation of the sympathetic nervous system, as indexed by changes in skin conductance level (SCL), on a biweekly basis for between one and two years. All six outpatients exhibited heightened SCL within two weeks prior to relapse or exacerbation, compared to SCL proceeding continued remission. These results shed light on the psychotic relapse process and are consistent with neural diathesis-stress models of schizophrenia.
Chain‐Shattering Polymeric Therapeutics with On‐Demand Drug‐Release Capability

Design of smart polymeric therapeutics We designed and synthesized trigger-responsive chain-shattering polymeric therapeutics (CSPTs) via condensation polymerization of a UV-or hydrogen peroxide-responsive domain and a bisfunctional drug as co-monomers. CSPTs have precisely controlled molecular composition and unique chain-shattering type of drug release mechanism. Drug release kinetics can be precisely controlled by means of the trigger treatment. Chemotherapeutic-containing CSPTs showed trigger-responsive in vitro and in vivo antitumor efficacy.
Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma encasing the left brachiocephalic vein

Epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas are rare vascular tumors, often arising from medium to large veins in the extremities. Symptoms of these tumors vary depending upon location. Rarely, tumors may arise in chest and involve large vessels in the mediastinum. We present a case of a 17-year-old male presenting with compressive symptoms of the left upper extremity who was found to have a large epithelioid hemangioendothelioma encasing the left brachiocephalic vein.
From AHPL to VHDL: a course in hardware description languages

As the size and complexity of digital systems increase, more CAD tools are introduced in the hardware design process; a recent addition to this process is the use of hardware description languages (HDLs). Historically, HDL-based design courses have been taught mostly at the graduate level. Undergraduate courses have mainly emphasized the principles of digital systems design, at both the logic and architectural levels. The laboratory component of these courses often introduces the students to graphical design capture tools and their associated simulators. However, within the past few years industry has been moving away from graphical design captures and is more openly adopting HDL-based design methodologies. Based on these industry shifts, one can easily conclude that HDLs are becoming an integral part of the design automation environments; this in turn requires the updating of the curricula, either by incorporating new courses or by updating existing ones. Specifically, courses that introduce undergraduates to HDLs in general and a standard language such as VHDL or Verilog are becoming essential in preparing future engineers. This paper discusses an HDL-based design course offered at Northern Arizona University (NAU). The course is used as a vehicle to introduce NAU students to the underlying concepts behind modeling, simulating, and verifying-digital systems design using hardware description languages.
Fine particulate matter exposure and initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition in cystic fibrosis.

Rationale: Increasing evidence suggests that exposure to ambient air pollution contributes to the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) respiratory disease in school-age children and adults; however, the effects of air pollution on young children with CF are poorly understood.Objectives: To investigate the association of exposure to fine particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) and initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition in young children with CF.Methods: Retrospective analysis of initial Pseudomonas acquisition in children 6 years of age or younger, using Cystic Fibrosis Foundation National Patient Registry data from 2003 to 2009. PM2.5 exposure was estimated by inverse distance weighting methods based on air pollution monitors within 30 miles of place of residence, for the year before the patient’s birth. Multivariable Weibull regression with interval-censored outcomes was done to evaluate the association of time to initial Pseudomonas acquisition and PM2.5 concentrations.Measur...
Dose requirements, assay procedures and tissue specificity for PCB inductation of P‐450 dependent mono‐oxygenase activity in the rat: Implications for design of studies measuring in vivo induction of human placental monooxygenases

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley and Fisher 344 rats were treated on day 15 of gestation with Aroclor 1254 in a single dose ranging from 0 to 500 mg kg-1 body weight and killed on day 18 of gestation. In the small groups of animals used for this study, no effect was observed on mean maternal liver or placental weight, or the number of fetal resorptions at any of the doses tested. Measurement of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (7ECD) activity in tissue homogenates, however, showed that administration of Aroclor 1254 (15 mg kg-1 body weight or greater) induced mono-oxygenase activity in fetal liver. Both the AHH and 7ECD assay detected effects of PCBs with similar sensitivity, and the findings were comparable when homogenates were assayed instead of microsomes. These data were used to suggest technical approaches to the detection of mono-oxygenase induction in placental tissue human populations exposed to PCBs.
Measurement and analysis of atmospheric ammonia emissions from anaerobic lagoons

Abstract Ammonia-nitrogen flux (NH3-N=(14/17)NH3) was determined from six anaerobic swine waste storage and treatment lagoons (primary, secondary, and tertiary) using the dynamic chamber system. Measurements occurred during the fall of 1998 through the early spring of 1999, and each lagoon was examined for approximately one week. Analysis of flux variation was made with respect to lagoon surface water temperature (∼15 cm below the surface), lagoon water pH, total aqueous phase NHx(=NH3+NH4+) concentration, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). Average lagoon temperatures (across all six lagoons) ranged from approximately 10.3 to 23.3°C. The pH ranged in value from 6.8 to 8.1. Aqueous NHx concentration ranged from 37 to 909 mg N l−1, and TKN varied from 87 to 950 mg N l−1. Fluxes were the largest at the primary lagoon in Kenansville, NC (March 1999) with an average value of 120.3 μg N m−2 min−1, and smallest at the tertiary lagoon in Rocky Mount, NC (November 1998) at 40.7 μg N m−2 min−1. Emission rates were found to be correlated with both surface lagoon water temperature and aqueous NHx concentration. The NH3-N flux may be modeled as ln(NH3-N flux)=1.0788+0.0406TL+0.0015([NHx]) (R2=0.74), where NH3-N flux is the ammonia flux from the lagoon surface in μg N m−2 min−1, TL is the lagoon surface water temperature in °C, and [NHx] is the total ammonia-nitrogen concentration in mg N l−1.
Prothymosin alpha selectively enhances estrogen receptor transcriptional activity by interacting with a repressor of estrogen receptor activity.

Nuclear hormone receptors encompass the steroid/thyroid/retinoid receptor superfamily and are ligand-inducible transcription factors. These receptors modulate the transcription of specific genes by interacting with hormone response elements located near the target gene promoter (17, 21, 35). The estrogen receptor (ER), a member of the steroid receptor family, mediates the stimulatory effects of estrogens and the inhibitory effects of antiestrogens in breast cancer and other estrogen target cells. ER-regulated genes are involved in many biological processes, including cell growth and differentiation, morphogenesis, and programmed cell death (15, 16). The gene transcriptional activity by nuclear hormone receptors is enhanced or repressed by their interaction with regulatory factors which function positively (coactivator) or negatively (corepressor) as intermediates between the receptor and the RNA polymerase II transcription complex (2, 25, 33, 44). Recently, coregulators have been shown to have different modes of action in mediating their transcriptional effects. These proteins exist as a part of large, multicomponent complexes that can be recruited by nuclear hormone receptors and function, in part, as chromatin-remodeling factors (2, 29, 44). We recently reported on an ER-selective coregulator, denoted REA for repressor of estrogen receptor activity, that interacts only with ER among the nuclear hormone receptors and represses the activity of the estrogen-occupied ER and potentiates the inhibitory activity of antiestrogens (27). To understand better the mechanism by which REA works, we used REA as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen with a cDNA library from MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. In this way, as we show in this paper, we identified the nuclear protein prothymosin alpha (PTα) as the 12.5-kDa protein with which REA interacts. This protein is widely distributed in human tissues and is known to be a chromatin-remodeling protein associated with cell proliferation (1, 6, 10, 14, 22, 38, 43). Intriguingly, we find that PTα selectively enhances the transcriptional activity of the ER but not that of other nuclear hormone receptors. We present data supporting a model to explain the receptor-selective transcription-enhancing ability of PTα, in which PTα recruits the repressive protein REA away from ER, thereby allowing coactivator binding and enhanced transcriptional activity by the ER.
Large area molded silicon nitride micro mirrors

Large area molded torsional micromirrors have been fabricated from thin films of low-pressure chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride. Optical surfaces as large as 400 /spl mu/m in diameter with surface deviations less than 0.33 /spl mu/m have been fabricated from 1.5-/spl mu/m-thick layers of silicon nitride. Surface flatness was achieved by molding latticed silicon nitride fins to the backside of the mirrors. Fins as deep as 28 /spl mu/m were constructed by deep reactive ion etching bulk silicon to produce molds for the fins prior to silicon nitride deposition. Mirrors with fins were shown to be insensitive to temperature effects within the range of 50-120 /spl deg/C. An optical switch with insertion loss less than 2 dB was constructed with the mirrors, demonstrating their potential as switch elements in optical systems.
Multiple chronic conditions among outpatient pediatric patients, southeastern Michigan, 2008-2013.

Studies investigating the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) and their associated health care cost and use among pediatric populations have been limited. Among 14,404 pediatric patients receiving outpatient care in southeastern Michigan from 2008 through 2013, 82.1% had 0 chronic conditions, 16.2% had 1 chronic condition, and 1.6% had 2 or more chronic conditions. Greater numbers of chronic conditions significantly predicted outpatient cost (β = 581.7, P < .001), visit frequency (β = 9.1, P < .001), and days between appointments (β = −33.9, P < .001). Further study of MCCs among pediatric patients is needed given their increasing prevalence and their associated health care cost and use.
An update on Stein-Leventhal syndrome.

This article reviews the current literature related to the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of Stein‐Leventhal syndrome. Research and theory are explored in an attempt to present a clear, concise picture of what is presently known about the symptomatology and its relation to physical and psychological factors.
OXYGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF BIOGENIC PHOSPHATE AND THE TEMPERATURE OF EARLY ORDOVICIAN SEAWATER

Abstract Stable isotopic values were measured on micrite, sparry calcite, dolomite, inarticulated brachiopods, and conodonts from the Lange Ranch section (central Texas) of the Lower Ordovician Tanyard Formation. The section spans the upper Cordylodus angulatus Zone through the lower Rossodus manitouensis Zone. An ∼2‰ negative δ13C shift from >0‰ to <−1.5‰VPDB through the section suggests the lower third of the Rossodus manitouensis Zone was sampled. Consistent with previous studies, the δ18O values of carbonates are low, ranging from −3.3‰ to −8.1‰VPDB. Phosphate δ18O values range from 15.4‰ to 17.1‰VSMOW. Paleotemperature estimates calculated from micrite δ18O values assuming an ice-free seawater δ18O value of −1‰VSMOW indicate Early Ordovician tropical seawater temperatures averaged 42°C, whereas δ18O values of co-occurring biogenic phosphate assuming the same seawater value yield paleotemperature estimates averaging 37°C. The phosphate values are interpreted as less affected by diagenesis than carbona...
SOIL GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSES AT THE PRECLASSIC SITE OF XTOBO, YUCATAN, MEXICO

The geochemical analysis of soil samples collected in association with archaeological remains has proven to be an effective tool in the identification of past human behaviors. These methodologies are here applied to the study of notable features from the site of Xtobo, Yucatan, Mexico. Xtobo is a Preclassic Maya regional center in northwest Yucatan exhibiting a complex settlement pattern, including a well-defined plaza, multiple raised causeways, and a ballcourt. In addition, the site includes a large defined open area, which was initially thought to be a potential marketplace. The results of the geochemical soil analyses identified several areas of food production and consumption throughout the site, along with potential craft production zones. The results in association with the potential marketplace were intriguing, but inconclusive.
Effectiveness of Low-Dose Methadone Maintenance for the Treatment of Inner City Heroin Addicts

Addicts were maintained on a daily average methadone dose of 30 mg. Clients remaining in treatment for 6 and 12 months were compared to clients dropping out of treatment within the first 30 days and followed up 1 year later. Results showed that clients remaining in treatment showed significant reductions in heroin usage and arrests, and large increases in full-time employment. One year later, the dropouts were doing as poorly as they had 1 year earlier. Methadone maintenance averaging 30 mg/day achieved similar “success' rates as other studies using larger daily doses, but did so at the expense of retaining fewer clients in treatment. It was recommended that treatment strategies be designed to impact at the first 30 days of treatment to retain them in treatment in view of the beneficial effects awaiting them if they stay.
DYNAMICS OF REDOXIMORPHIC FEATURE FORMATION UNDER CONTROLLED PONDING IN A CREATED RIVERINE WETLAND

Abstract Hydric soils are identified on-site using morphological features called “field indicators”. It is not known how long it takes for these indicators to form, nor whether they occur in created wetlands inundated for approximately 5% of the growing season, which is the minimum duration needed to meet wetland hydrology requirements. This study evaluated formation of redoximorphic features and hydric soil field indicators under field conditions following controlled, short-term floods that produced ponding events. A flood plain was constructed along an artificial stream channel (100-m long) where flooding was controlled by dams at each end of the channel. Floodwaters inundated soils on the flood plain nine times over a 3-year period. Ponded water was kept on the soils for periods ranging from 4 to 44 days. During ponding events, Fe2+ concentrations were approximately 1 to 4 mg/L, which indicated that the soils were anaerobic and undergoing Fe reduction. Redox depletions formed in A horizons following a ...
Flower Residential Properties: A Real Estate Investment Trust Case Study

(2007). Flower Residential Properties: A Real Estate Investment Trust Case Study. Journal of Real Estate Practice and Education: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 187-207.
What is it like to be like that? The progress of law and literature's “other” project

A central interest of the modern law and literature movement has been how literature can show lawyers what it is like to be different from what they are – in a word, “other.” This essay examines the course of that “other” project through three critical phases: the taxonomic, which purported to give lawyers an external account of others, the better to serve their own clients; the empathetic, which has tried to give lawyers an internal account of others, the better to enable lawyers to improve the lot of those others; and the exemplary, which holds up models of how lawyers themselves might be more firmly and effectively committed to the commonweal, particularly the good of others less well-off. It argues that the law and literature movement should embrace this third phase of the “other” project. Although analytically last, this phase is chronologically first, anticipated in Plato's Republic. This essay concludes by placing the exemplary phase of the “other” project at the center of the law and literature movement's mission, with the Republic at the core of the movement's canon.
Rejoinder to Critics of Laissez-Faire Capitalism 1

In Block and Barnett (2005), we make the case that the best way to promote peace and prosperity, to protect the environment and fight poverty is to rein in government to the greatest extent possible. Each of our critics (Batten and Szilagyi 2005; Higgins 2005; Jonker 2005) challenges this thesis, and we consider them in the order they appear in the journal issue.
Development of an in-situ total phosphorus analyzer

A low cost autonomous, in-situ analyzer for orthophosphate and total phosphorus was developed and tested for near real time monitoring in aquatic and marine environments. The system applies the colorimetric stannous chloride-molybdenum blue method following oxidative digestion with acidic peroxodisulfate. A (fluorinated ethylene propylene) FEB tubing reactor coil is wrapped around a germicidal UV (254nm) light to accelerate the digestion reaction. A Nickel chromium wire (NiCr) wound between reactor coil wraps provides controlled heating for digestion. Reactor temperature is monitored continuously with a small temperature probe and controlled with a PID. A sequential injection analysis (SIA) method was chosen where the analyzer operates as a sequential batch reactor. Water sample and reagents are delivered through the microfluidics using syringe pump driven by linear actuators that are controlled with a Teensy microprocessor. To equalize pressures, reagent storage and waste are contained in collapsible reagent bags maintained at hydrostatic pressure outside the submersible housing. Following digestion and colorimetric reactions the sample is transferred to flow cell (5 cm path length) where a photodiode measures sample absorbance at 600 nm. For orthophosphate phosphorus measurements, the sample is not treated with digestion reagents, heat, or UV. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were used to assess analyzer performance for measuring orthophosphate and total phosphorus, respectively. The prototype analyzer produced a linear response during bench testing to total phosphorus with a precision of ±4.3% over a detection range concentration range of 30–200µg P/L. To evaluate the performance with natural waters, dilutions of algal culture with known phosphorus concentration were measured and found to be within 90% of nominal phosphorus concentrations. A preliminary cost analysis indicates that the operating components of the system (minus submersible housing) can be purchased for under $3000 compared to $30,000 for commercially available systems. At this low cost of construction, this sensor design may be a viable option for use in nutrient monitoring programs. Considering that system components have been designed to withstand internal pressures equivalent to a water depth of 100 m with a designed duty capacity of 2 weeks suggest the possibility of applications in coastal waters and relatively deep lakes.
Research Falsification in Accounting Literature: A Survey of the Most Prolific Researchers' Actions and Beliefs

Incidents of research misconduct, especially falsification, in the hard sciences and medicine have been widely reported. Motives for misconduct include professional advancement and personal recognition. Accounting academics are under the same tenure, promotion, and recognition pressures as other academics; and, without the life-and-death issues of medical research, rationalizing misconduct in accounting research seems much easier. It is reasonable to assume that dishonesty has occurred, even if little evidence exists about its prevalence. Further, accounting research can influence tax policy and market conditions, affecting people’s lives. This study is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to survey accounting researchers directly as to their ethical practices; it uses the randomized response technique of addressing sensitive questions. To maximize its relevance to the most respected accounting research, this questionnaire was sent only to the most prolific researchers at US colleges and universities who have published in the “top 30” accounting journals. The results indicate that serious misconduct has occurred among these established accounting researchers. The estimated percentage of seriously tainted articles in the top 30 accounting journals, based on self-reporting, is about 4 percent, while the respondents on average believe that about 21 percent of the literature is tainted. Faculty who were tenured more recently provide higher estimates of the falsification rate, and attribute more of the cause to external factors like tenure pressure. The paper concludes by discussing implications and offering policy recommendations.
The Pandora Effect The Power and Peril of Curiosity

Curiosity—the desire for information—underlies many human activities, from reading celebrity gossip to developing nuclear science. Curiosity is well recognized as a human blessing. Is it also a human curse? Tales about such things as Pandora’s box suggest that it is, but scientific evidence is lacking. In four controlled experiments, we demonstrated that curiosity could lead humans to expose themselves to aversive stimuli (even electric shocks) for no apparent benefits. The research suggests that humans possess an inherent desire, independent of consequentialist considerations, to resolve uncertainty; when facing something uncertain and feeling curious, they will act to resolve the uncertainty even if they expect negative consequences. This research reveals the potential perverse side of curiosity, and is particularly relevant to the current epoch, the epoch of information, and to the scientific community, a community with high curiosity.
Electron Microscopy Studies of Charge Density Wave (CDW) Transitions in Ti 58.7 Ni 37.5 Al 3.8 Alloy

Electron diffraction and microscopy and electrical resistancevs temperature measurements of a Ti58.7 Ni37.5Al3.8 alloy between room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature have been carried out. On cooling, the increase in electrical resistance and the appearance of 1/3(110)- and 1/3(111)-type superlattice reflections are interpreted to be due to the formation of three-dimensional CDW’s. The transformation behavior, structural and microstructural changes of the present alloy are similar to those of the “premartensitic” behavior of a Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy which undergoes “normal-to-incommensurate” and “incommensurate-to-commensurate” CDW transitions, as reported earlier. The substitution of Al for Ni in TiNi and the nonstoichiometry of the present alloy apparently cause the incommensurate phase to exist over a larger temperature range.
Microcirculatory Effects of Cortisol. Protective Action Against Na4EDTA Damage.

ConclusionsThe above experiments have led us to conclude that corticosteroids have a direct chemical action on the extracellular basement membrane or intercellular binding forces which are most probably responsible for the loss of vascular integrity in the adrenally-insufficient rat. It is suggested that a stabilizing action of Cortisol on the extracellular basement membrane and intercellular cement of capillaries and venules constitutes a hitherto unreported property of this hormone in relation to its anti-inflammatory action.
Grammatical complexification in Spanish in New York: 3sg pronoun expression and verbal ambiguity

This study provides evidence of grammatical complexification, operationalized as the emergence of a significant linguistic constraint on the use of a linguistic structure, in Spanish spoken in New York City. Analyses of 4276 third-person singular verbs produced in sociolinguistic interviews with first-generation Latin American immigrants and second-generation US-born Latinos demonstrate that third-person singular subject pronoun expression (ella canta ~ canta ‘she sings ~ sings’) is constrained by tense/mood/aspect in the second generation, but not the first. Further analysis shows that this effect reflects a strategy aimed at clear referent identification. I conclude by suggesting that the increase in attention to ambiguous verb morphology, that is, the complexification, is related to other, concomitant changes in pronoun expression patterns in Spanish in New York City.
Subtypes of HPV-Positive Head and Neck Cancers Are Associated with HPV Characteristics, Copy Number Alterations, PIK3CA Mutation, and Pathway Signatures.

Purpose:There is substantial heterogeneity within human papillomavirus (HPV) associated head and neck cancer (HNC) tumors that predispose them to different outcomes, however the molecular heterogeneity in this subgroup is poorly characterized due to various historical reasons. Experimental Design:We performed unsupervised gene expression clustering on deeply-annotated (transcriptome and genome) HPV(+) HNC samples from two cohorts (84 total primary tumors), including 18 HPV(-) HNC samples, to discover subtypes and characterize the differences between subgroups in terms of their HPV characteristics, pathway activity, whole-genome somatic copy number alterations and mutation frequencies. Results:We identified two distinct HPV(+) subtypes (namely HPV-KRT and HPV-IMU). HPV-KRT is characterized by elevated expression of genes in keratinocyte differentiation and oxidation-reduction process, whereas HPV-IMU has strong immune response and mesenchymal differentiation. The differences in expression are likely connected to the differences in HPV characteristics and genomic changes. HPV-KRT has more genic viral integration, lower E2/E4/E5 expression levels and higher ratio of spliced to full length HPV oncogene E6 than HPV-IMU; the subgroups also show differences in copy number alterations and mutations, in particular the loss of chr16q in HPV-IMU and gain of chr3q and PIK3CA mutation in HPV-KRT. Conclusions:Our characterization of two subtypes of HPV(+) HNC tumors provides valuable molecular level information that point to two main carcinogenic paths. Together, these results shed light on stratifications of the HPV(+) HNCs and will help to guide personalized care for HPV(+) HNC patients.
The Role of Resilience in the Clinical Management of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain affects more individuals than does cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined. Yet, our treatment options remain remarkably limited. Often, highly effective psychotherapeutic approaches are limited by many barriers such as access, reimbursement, and acceptability; however, resilience-based positive activity interventions could offer a promising alternative. These interventions are engaging, non-stigmatizing, and do not require a mental health professional for their provision. This article reviews the new, but limited, research exploring the use of positive activity interventions for the treatment of patients with chronic pain. The related psychological and biological mechanisms are addressed, as are suggestions for more systematically evaluating the potential for positive activity interventions to become an adjunct to or stand-alone intervention strategy for patients with chronic pain.
Consumer Use of the Internet for Health Management

ABSTRACTAlthough health information search might be the most common motive that consumers have for using the Internet for healthcare, they also use the Internet for other purposes such as healthcare management. To date, most research on consumer use of the Internet for healthcare has focused on consumers’ search for health information, while focusing less on other activities of consumers on the Internet. The purpose of this study was to examine how Internet-related characteristics (Internet experience and trust in the Internet) and individual-related traits (confidence in self healthcare and general health status) were associated with consumers’ use of the Internet for different purposes, such as healthcare management. Using a subsample of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 4 Cycle 3 data, ordered probit regressions were conducted to test the hypotheses. The results of the study further suggest useful implications for public health policy makers, marketers, and healthcare businesses in ...
Laboratory study of concentrated tea of apocynum venetum leaf on reducing blood lipid in hyperlipemia model

Objective:To explore the effect of the concentrated tea of apocynum venetum leaf on reducing blood lipid in hyperlipemia model rats.Methods:The model of metabolic disturbance of lipid-preventive tested sample was adopted.After being given apocynum tea extract in dosages of 833.35,1666.7,3333.4 mg/kg BW respectively for 30 days,the contents of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels(HDL-C) in serum of rats were tested.Results:The contents of TC,TG and HDL-C in high dosage group were(1.94±0.31),(0.94±0.16)and(1.08±0.11)mmol/L respectively,were lower than the TC content(2.41±0.27) mmol/L and TG content(1.31±0.28) mmol/L and higher than HDL-C concentration of(0.87±0.17) mmol/L in high-fat control group,the differences were very significant(P0.01).Conclusion:The concentrated tea of apocynum venetum leaf can reduce the contents of serum total cholesterol,serum triglyceride and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.It suggests that the sample has a hypolipidemic effect.
Reproductive Endocrinology and Hormonal Control of the Estrous Cycle

Maximizing reproductive efficiency depends upon whether a heifer attains puberty before the start of the breeding season, conceives early in the breeding season, calves unassisted, raises the calf to the time it is marketed, and the heifer/cow must conceive to calve early during the subsequent calving seasons. Failure to do so constitutes reproductive loss, which is estimated to cost the US beef industry around $500 million annually. Estrous synchronization and artificial insemination are among the most powerful and applicable technologies for genetic improvement of beef herds. Development of new and improved methods of synchronizing estrus and ovulation depends on an understanding of the physiological and hormonal mechanisms controlling the estrous cycle and the initiation of estrous cyclicity in noncycling heifers and postpartum cows. It is imperative for veterinarians and producers to familiarize themselves with commercially available estrous synchronization products and the physiologic mechanisms by which these products synchronize estrus and (or) ovulation in cattle.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Tris-(1,10-Phenanthroline) Ruthenium (II) Chloride on Graphite, Copper and Gallium Arsenide

An inorganic complex, [Ru(1,10-phenanthroline)3]Cl2 (RP3), was applied to highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), copper and n-doped GaAs. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigations of the complex on three substrates yielded direct evidence of the molecular layer on Cu and GaAs, but not on HOPG. The results suggest that substrates can be chosen to “tune” observations of non-conductive ultrasmall moieties with STM.
Comparison of Loss in Silica and Chalcogenide Negative Curvature Fibers as the Wavelength Varies

We computationally study fiber loss in negative curvature fibers made with silica, As2S3 chalcogenide, and As2Se3 chalcogenide glasses with a fixed core-diameter-to-wavelength ratio of 30. We consider both simple and nested geometries as the transmission wavelength varies. At wavelengths shorter than 4.5 µm, silica negative curvature fibers have a loss that is around or below 0.1 dB/m and are preferable to chalcogenide fibers. At wavelengths longer than 4.5 µm, it is preferable to use As2S3 chalcogenide or As2Se3 chalcogenide negative curvature fibers since their loss is one or more orders of magnitude lower than the loss of silica negative curvature fibers. With nested negative curvature fibers, chalcogenide fibers have losses that are lower than those of silica fibers at wavelengths larger than 2 µm. However, it is still preferable to use silica nested negative curvature fibers at wavelengths less than 4.5 µm and with a loss around or lower than 0.1 dB/m due to the fabrication advantages of silica fibers.
Lung Carcinoma Predictive Biomarker Testing by Immunoperoxidase Stains in Cytology and Small Biopsy Specimens: Advantages and Limitations

Context.— In the burgeoning era of molecular genomics, immunoperoxidase (IPOX) testing grows increasingly relevant as an efficient and effective molecular screening tool. Patients with lung carcinoma may especially benefit from the use of IPOX because most lung carcinomas are inoperable at diagnosis and only diagnosed by small tissue biopsy or fine-needle sampling. When such small specimens are at times inadequate for molecular testing, positive IPOX results still provide actionable information. Objective.— To describe the benefits and pitfalls of IPOX in the detection of biomarkers in lung carcinoma cytology specimens and small biopsies by summarizing the currently available commercial antibodies, preanalytic variables, and analytic considerations. Data Sources.— PubMed. Conclusions.— Commercial antibodies exist for IPOX detection of aberrant protein expression due to EGFR L858R mutation, EGFR E746_A750 deletion, ALK rearrangement, ROS1 rearrangement, and BRAF V600E mutation, as well as PD-L1 expression ...
Periventricular White Matter Is a Nexus for Network Connectivity in the Human Brain.

Abstract The edges of the structural connectome traverse the white matter to connect cortical and subcortical nodes, although the anatomic embedding of these edges is generally overlooked in the literature. Characterization of the geometry of the structural connectome could provide an improved understanding of the relative importance of various white matter regions to the network architecture of the human brain in normal development and aging, as well as in white matter diseases with regionally specific patterns of vulnerability. Edge density imaging (EDI) has previously been used to show that the posterior periventricular white matter contains a disproportionately large number of connectome edges. In this study, the regional distribution of connectome edges within cerebral white matter, including the importance of posterior periventricular white matter, is further investigated and demonstrated to be invariant to different gray matter parcellations and different diffusion MRI acquisition and postprocessin...
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the Elderly

Although there is a firm knowledge base emerging on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in groups of patients who have been scientifically identified and carefully followed by a cadre of investigators and clinicians dedicated to the field, few have been over age 65, and fewer still among the old-old—80 years of age or older. Regrettably, it is still true that negative attitudes are common, both among the public and among health professionals, concerning aging and older adults. Although negative attitudes about aging are common, based on personal fears of the losses commonly accompanying human aging, providers of health care have additional reasons for avoiding older patients. Expectations of long and rambling complex histories, prolonged visits, multiple complaints, difficulty establishing a diagnosis, unpredictable results of treatment and complicated funding and reimbursement mechanisms for care all tend to make providers avoid older patients. Accordingly, it is not surprising to find that the quality of care received by older persons is less good than that received by younger adults (1).
Baxter-On-Wheels (BOW): An Assistive Mobile Manipulator for Mobility Impaired Individuals

People with severe mobility impairment such as quadriplegia require help from human assistants to manage activities of daily living. Various assistive robotic devices have been proposed and some are commercially available, but they mostly have limited functionalities. We propose a cost-effective mobile robotic manipulator , BOW, or Baxter -on-Wheels, suitable for operations by mobility impaired but cognitively sound individuals. The BOW combines a human-friendly industrial robot (Baxter by Rethink Robotics) with a commercial electric wheelchair for an integrated and versatile, yet low cost, system. The human user can typically only command a small number of degrees of freedom due to the limitation of motion range or strength. To determine the complete robot motion, we propose a shared-control strategy blending the human command with autonomous redundancy resolution . The resolved velocity algorithm solves an on-line optimization matching the robot motion with the human commanded motion. Additional considerations such as collision prevention, singularity avoidance, satisfaction of joint limits , and exclusion of nonintuitive base motion, are incorporated as part of the optimization objective function or constraints. This constrained optimization problem is strictly convex and may be efficiently solved as a quadratic program. This approach allows multiple modes of operations, selectable by the user, including: end-effector position control, end-effector orientation control, combined position/orientation control, force control , and dual-arm control. We present the experimental results of two illustrative applications on the BOW: end-effector position control for a pick-and-place task and a board cleaning task involving both motion and force control. In both cases, the user only provides a 3-degree-of-freedom command, but can still effectively manipulate the motion and force of the robot end-effector, while the autonomous controller provides intuitive and safe internal motion.
Minimal Cells—Real and Imagined

A minimal cell is one whose genome only encodes the minimal set of genes necessary for the cell to survive. Scientific reductionism postulates the best way to learn the first principles of cellular biology would be to use a minimal cell in which the functions of all genes and components are understood. The genes in a minimal cell are, by definition, essential. In 2016, synthesis of a genome comprised of only the set of essential and quasi-essential genes encoded by the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides created a near-minimal bacterial cell. This organism performs the cellular functions common to all organisms. It replicates DNA, transcribes RNA, translates proteins, undergoes cell division, and little else. In this review, we examine this organism and contrast it with other bacteria that have been used as surrogates for a minimal cell.
Joint Forest Management in India — an Assessment

SUMMARY Joint forest management (JFM) in India has been instrumental in changing the socioeconomic lives of forest dependent communities (FDCs) from being forest-centered to one based on the money economy. JFM has resulted in the elite capture of forest resources, and enabled regeneration of degraded forests though the evidence on the quality of regeneration is mixed. The government records suggest that with the drying up of donor funds for the JFM program. FDCs are losing interest and many JFM committees are now defunct in many states. Finally, JFM related work compels forest officials to spend more resources on a disproportionately small swathe of forest land which may have implications for biodiversity conservation in the long run. The study advocates privatization of forests as a possible alternative option to address these concerns, and enable the transition of our traditional linear economy towards a circular economy.
PET/CT evaluation of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: Correlation with CT and FDG/PET findings

415 Objectives: FDG-PET has been reported to have a reduced sensitivity in detecting bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC). However, there are CT characteristics, which are suggestive of BAC, which potentially may be of use to refine diagnostic criteria so PET/CT can be more accurate in BAC diagnosis. We correlated tumor density obtained with (CT) and glucose metabolism obtained with FDG-PET in patients with Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma (BAC) and adenocarcinoma with BAC components (Adeno+BAC) to better determine the roles of both the anatomic and functional components of the PET/CT exam. Methods: PET/CT reports from 630 patients with lung cancer were reviewed retrospectively to identify pathology proven BAC in 14 patients (6 BAC, 8 Adeno+ BAC). The standardized uptake value (SUV) and average Hounsfield units (HU) were obtained for the tumors. The correlation between metabolic (SUV) and CT (HU) characteristic for the lesions were determined using the Pearson correlation coefficient. FDG uptake and HUV were compared with the tumor size. Results: Two distinct anatomic/metabolic phenotypes were observed: Pure BAC had significantly lower SUV (2.74 ± 0.87) and HUV (-79.54 ± 129.14) in comparison with Adeno+BAC which showed elevated SUV (8.93 ± 3.27) and generally higher HUV (3.66 ± 36.37). The lowest SUV max in the BAC group was 1.27. A significant difference in average tumor size was observed between BACs (1.61 ± 0.33) and Adeno+BAC (3.02 ± 1.53) (P = 0.016). A strong correlation between tumor size and HUV was observed in both groups; while the correlation between tumor size (non-partial tumor volume corrected) and SUV was only significant (P = 0.01) in the Adeno+BAC group. Positive correlation was suggested between the intensity of tumor FDG uptake and HUV, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Patients with pure BAC exhibit a smaller size tumor, lower FDG uptake and lower tumor density compared to those with Adeno+BAC. In both group there was a positive correlation between tumor density and metabolic activity. Tumors with relatively low SUV and low HU remain suspicious for pure BAC and warrant biopsy or close follow up.
Do Comparisons of Fictional Applicants Measure Discrimination When Search Externalities Are Present? Evidence from Existing Experiments

Researchers commonly measure discrimination by comparing responses to multiple fictional applicants sent to the same vacancy. I find evidence that these applications interact. Using data from several existing experiments, I find that applicants randomly assigned to compete against higher quality applicant pools receive more callbacks. In the presence of such spillovers, many experiments confound discrimination against an individual's characteristics with employers’ responses to the composition of the applicant pool. Under one reasonable set of assumptions, adjusting for applicant pool composition increases measured discrimination by 30% on average. Avoiding experimental designs that stratify treatment assignment by vacancy can eliminate such confounding.
Congenital Bronchial Stenosis Presenting as Neonatal Respiratory Distress: A Case Report.

Abstract Background Neonatal respiratory distress has a broad differential that includes cardiac, pulmonary, anatomic, and infectious etiologies. Congenital stenotic lesions of the trachea and bronchus are rare and can occur anywhere along the tracheobronchial tree. Patients with tracheobronchial stenosis typically present in the neonatal period with respiratory distress. Case Report We present a case of a 10-day-old term female who presented to the emergency department (ED) with tachypnea and increased work of breathing. She was found to have congenital bronchial stenosis of her right mainstem bronchus. She was stabilized in the ED and remained in the neonatal intensive care unit until successful slide tracheoplasty was performed. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Congenital bronchial stenosis is a rare etiology of respiratory distress in a neonate. Anatomic lower airway abnormalities are an important cause of neonatal tachypnea and must remain on the differential. In addition to respiratory stabilization with noninvasive or invasive support, evaluation should be directed at determining the location and anatomic characteristics of the area of stenosis.
The Future of Rational Choice Theory and its Relationships to Quantitative Macro-sociological Research

Job candidates with training in rational choice command a premium in American political science departments. True, the rational choice journal Rationality and Society is surviving, although its readership and contributors are multidisciplinary. And rational choice sociologists recently have managed to establish their own sections in the American and International Sociological Associations which afford scholars the opportunity to present relevant research at regularly scheduled meetings. Since the long-term prospects for rational choice theory in sociology depend on institutionalization, its present situation clearly represents an unstable equilibrium. The resulting skirmishes extend beyond the borders of the social sciences, raising questions about the nature of rationality and the scientific method. Hans-Peter Blossfeld and Gerald Prein seem to believe that rational choice theorists need quantitative macro-sociology more than vice versa. The chasm between the two research styles and—more to the point—communities discussed by Blossfeld and Prein as well as Goldthorpe is a very real one.