cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of supercritical fluid extraction parameters in preparation of black chokeberry extracts on total phenolic content and cellular viability.

Black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa), deciduous shrubs of the Rosaceae family, are native to northeastern North America. Chokeberry fruits are cultivated to make jellies, juices, and wines. Black chokeberry pulp is rich in phenolics and other antioxidants and exhibits potential for health and food packaging benefits. Chokeberries' in vitro antioxidant activity is among the highest values of all berries, though chokeberry extraction techniques frequently employ environmentally unfavorable solvents or are time-inefficient. Batch extraction of antioxidants from chokeberry pomace using supercritical carbon dioxide with an ethanol modifier was used to examine the effects of plant loading, pressure, temperature, and percent ethanol by weight. Effects on total phenolic content (TPC) and the optimal conditions for extractions within these ranges are reported. Multivariate analyses reveal the following relationships of extraction conditions upon TPC: Temperature is directly proportional, percent ethanol by weight is inversely proportional, and chokeberry loads can be increased to enhance antioxidant activity, though not through a linear relationship. In studies involving 0.5 g plant load, the conditions 24.9MPa, 68°C, 90wt-% CO2, and 10wt-% ethanol generated the highest TPC value, 3.42 ± 0.20 mg gallic acid equivalents/gram chokeberry. Chokeberry extracts displayed antiproliferative effects on the SKBr3 breast cancer line and the 52KO MEF line, although TPC was not predictive of cellular responses. HPLC-MS data suggest cyanidin hexose and cyanidin pentose compounds as well as quercetin deoxyhexose-hexose as components of the more favorable extraction product that reflected a significant decrease in viability for the extract in comparison with ethanol control in the SKBr3 breast cancer line.
AUGMENTED REALITY IN THE SCIENCE MUSEUM: LESSONS LEARNED IN SCAFFOLDING FOR CONCEPTUAL AND COGNITIVE LEARNING

This research follows on previous studies that investigated how digitally augmented devices and knowledge scaffolds enhance learning in a science museum. We investigated what combination of scaffolds could be used in conjunction with the unique characteristics of informal participation to increase conceptual and cognitive outcomes. 307 students from nine middle schools participated in the study. Six scaffolds were used in varying combinations. The first was the digital augmentation. The next five were adaptations of knowledge-building scaffolds. Results demonstrated greater cognitive abilities in terms of theorizing can be obtained with particular combinations of scaffolds, however, there appears to be a trade-off in what students can learn conceptually in informal environments in which learning takes place in short episodes.
“The Arab Room”: Detention, disorientation, and displacement in Palestinian airport narratives

This article examines recent Palestinian airport narratives, with a specific emphasis on depictions of Ben Gurion/Lydda airport in Israel, a site where Palestinians often receive extra scrutiny and...
DeVLearn: A Deep Visual Learning Framework for Determining the Location of Temporary Faults in Power Systems

Frequently recurring transient faults in a transmission network may be indicative of impending permanent failures. Hence, determining their location is a critical task. Large scale deployment of Phasor Measurement Units (PMU) in modern power grids has given utilities access to precise measurements at a high temporal resolution that may be utilized for estimating fault location. This paper proposes a novel image embedding aided deep learning framework called DeVLearn for faulted line location using PMU measurements at generator buses. Inspired by breakthroughs in computer vision, DeVLearn represents measurements (one-dimensional time series data) as two-dimensional unthresholded Recurrent Plot (RP) images. These RP images preserve the temporal relationships present in the original time series and are used to train a deep Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE). The VAE learns the distribution of latent features in the images. Our results show that for faults on two distinct lines in the IEEE 68-bus network, DeVLearn is able to project PMU measurements into a two-dimensional space such that data for faults at different locations separate into well-defined clusters. This compressed representation may then be used with off-the-shelf classifiers for determining fault location. The efficacy of the proposed framework is demonstrated using local voltage magnitude measurements at two generator buses.
Emerging Drug Delivery Strategies for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a debilitating and fatal condition that causes severe scarring of the lungs. While the pathogenesis of IPF continues to be extensively studied and several factors have been considered, an exact cause has yet to be established. With inadequate treatment options and no cure available, overall disease prognosis is still poor. Existing oral therapies, pirfenidone and nintedanib, may attempt to improve the patients' quality of life by mitigating symptoms and slowing disease progression, however chronic doses and systemic deliveries of these drugs can lead to severe side effects. The lack of effective treatment options calls for further investigation of restorative as well as additional palliative therapies for IPF. Nanoparticle-based sustained drug delivery strategies can be utilized to ensure targeted delivery for site-specific treatment as well as long-acting therapy, improving overall patient compliance. This review provides an update on promising strategies for the delivery of anti-fibrotic agents, along with an overview of key therapeutic targets as well as relevant emerging therapies currently being evaluated for IPF treatment.
Custom Allogeneic Block Graft for Ridge Augmentation: Case Series.

INTRODUCTION Alveolar bone deficiency is a common postextraction sequela that adversely affects implant placement. Therefore, ridge augmentation is often required to obtain proper bone quantity and quality for restoratively driven implant placement. This case series describes the successful horizontal and vertical alveolar ridge augmentation using custom-fabricated allogeneic block bone grafts. CASE SERIES Two healthy partially edentulous patients presented to private practice seeking dental implant treatment. Initial clinical examination and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographic analysis showed moderate to large horizontal ridge defects. Treatment options were discussed for alveolar ridge augmentation and the patients elected to undergo the custom allogeneic block graft procedure to regenerate the atrophied alveolar ridges. The CBCT scan in conjunction with computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology was used to fabricate customized allogeneic block grafts based on alveolar ridge topography. The custom allogeneic block graft allowed less surgical time and decreased postoperative morbidity. The grafted area was allowed 6 months of healing time. Follow-up radiographs showed the stability of the graft followed by dental implant placement. The dental implants were functionally loaded, and successful implant esthetics and function achieved. CONCLUSION Custom allogeneic block grafts could provide a promising innovative method for optimal ridge augmentation.
Beliefs Don't Always Persevere: How Political Figures Are Punished When Positive Information about Them Is Discredited

Recent research has extended the belief-perseverance paradigm to the political realm, showing that negative information about political figures has a persistent effect on political opinions even after it has been discredited. However, little is known about the effects of false positive information about political figures. In three experiments, we find that discrediting positive information generates a “punishment effect” that is inconsistent with the previous literature on belief perseverance. We argue people attempt to adjust for the perceived influence of the false claim when the information is discredited. In this case, when trying to account for the effects of discredited positive information about a politician, people overestimate how much correction is needed and thus end up with a more negative opinion. (By contrast, people underestimate how much correction is needed to adjust for false negative information, leading to belief perseverance.) These results suggest that bogus credit claiming or other positive misinformation can have severe repercussions for politicians.
Achievable loss probabilities and buffer allocation policies in ATM nodes with correlated arrivals

The authors consider the synthesis problem of a traffic control scheme based on conservation laws. They derive a conservation law for cell loss probabilities, for an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) node with a finite buffer size and correlated arrival processes. Based on this law, they develop a buffer allocation (i.e., pushout) algorithm that meets a prespecified cell loss objective, if it can be satisfied, or treats the traffic classes "fairly", if it cannot. The algorithm is dynamic and requires no knowledge of arrival statistics. >
Axial illumination of fused-silica capillaries: Investigation of fluorescence and refractive index detection

Abstract The optical waveguide properties of fused-silica capillaries enable greater illuminated sample volume by axial illumination, as compared to cross capillary illumination. Several modes of light propagation inside these unique optical waveguides are described. A micro-LC flow cell featuring axial illumination with mobile phase elimination by nebulization has been developed and evaluated. This device was used in the construction and evaluation of laser-induced fluorescence and laser-based refractive index detectors. A summary of results from our studies and a survey of the various detection possibilities, theoretically compatible with axial illumination of capillary waveguides, are presented.
What You See And Do Is What You Get: A Human-Centric Design Approach to Human-Centric Process

Designing human-centric processes is complex. It involves the definition of interactions between humans and machines, interactions between machines and machines, information transfer, and scenarios based on decisions taken by both humans and machines. Traditionally, designing such processes is performed by design experts who define the processes in a way that mimics a bird’s eye view of it, usually expressed by a graph composed of nodes and arrows. In this work, we suggest a design approach based on the way that a process is perceived by the users who participate in it. We present a novel approach termed “What You See And Do Is What You Get” that enables defining an entire human-centric process with a lowered expertise entry bar for process designers. Further, we present a model-driven, web-based tool that realizes the presented design approach and enables fast development of applications that support human-centric processes.
Nightmare reduction in a Vietnam veteran using imagery rehearsal therapy.

Following exposure to traumatic events, approximately 19% of combat veterans develop posttraumatic stress disorder. One of the main symptoms of this mental illness is reexperiencing the trauma, which is commonly expressed in the form of chronic trauma-related nightmares. In these patients, nightmares can fragment sleep, decrease sleep quality, and even cause fear about going to sleep. One promising psychological treatment for chronic nightmares is imagery rehearsal therapy. Imagery rehearsal therapy presumes that nightmares are a learned behavior and that activating the visual imagery system may facilitate emotional processing of the trauma. This treatment involves deliberately rewriting a nightmare and mentally rehearsing images from the newly rescripted scenario while awake. Imagery rehearsal therapy has been found to reduce nightmares and associated distress. We present a case study demonstrating the use of imagery rehearsal therapy in a Vietnam-era veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic nightmares. Nightmares were considerably reduced and the quality of sleep greatly improved after treatment. Citation: Berlin KL; Means MK; Edinger JD. Nightmare reduction in a Vietnam veteran using imagery rehearsal therapy. J Clin Sleep Med 2010;6(5):487-488.
Turbulent Jets with Controlled Initial Conditions

Using carefully controlled initial conditions of varying intensity and spectral energy distribution, the sensitivity and nature of instabilities in the near region of axisymmetric free jets was examined. Simultaneous velocity and near-field pressure measurements revealed that the jet is initially unstable to axisymmetric (m = o) and helical (m = ±1) modes. The occurence of these modes is independent of initial conditions but the initial disturbance characteristics determine the relative occurence of the helical mode. A strong near-field pressure is found to be associated with each of these modes as well as their interactive modes and is found to be highly coherent with the velocity fluctuations in the jet.
Rapid Detection of West Nile Virus from Human Clinical Specimens, Field-Collected Mosquitoes, and Avian Samples by a TaqMan Reverse Transcriptase-PCR Assay

The authors report on the development and application of a rapid TaqMan assay for the detection of West Nile (WN) virus in a variety of human clinical specimens and field-collected specimens. Oligonucleotide primers and FAM- and TAMRA-labeled WN virus-specific probes were designed by using the nucleotide sequence of the New York 1999 WN virus isolate. The TaqMan assay was compared to a traditional reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR assay and to virus isolation in Vero cells with a large number ( approximately 500) of specimens obtained from humans (serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue), field-collected mosquitoes, and avian tissue samples. The TaqMan assay was specific for WN virus and demonstrated a greater sensitivity than the traditional RT-PCR method and correctly identified WN virus in 100% of the culture-positive mosquito pools and 98% of the culture-positive avian tissue samples. The assay should be of utility in the diagnostic laboratory to complement existing human diagnostic testing and as a tool to conduct WN virus surveillance in the United States.
Clinical utility of direct mutation testing for congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in families.

Objective. To ascertain the clinical scenarios in which genetic testing for congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) by direct detection of mutations might prove valuable, and to assess the use of automated sequencing for testing. Methods. We reviewed NDI cases referred to our research laboratory for enrollment in our study of mutations in the AVPR2 gene that is disrupted in the X-linked form of the disease. We selected 5 cases that illustrate the value of genetic testing in different clinical situations. Clinical information was obtained from the patient9s personal physicians and the patients9 families. Direct automated fluorescent DNA sequencing of AVPR2 gene amplification product was used to identify disease-associated mutations in patients. The presence or absence of mutations in family members was then established by using automated sequencing, restriction enzyme analysis, or both. Results. In 2 of the 5 selected cases, the diagnosis of a genetic form of NDI was confirmed by mutation analysis in a sporadic case of an affected boy. In 2 cases, a suspected diagnosis of X-linked NDI was confirmed in an affected girl. In 4 of the cases, 1 or more unaffected female relatives were determined to carry or not to carry the disease-associated gene. In 2 cases, testing of the newborn child of a known or suspected carrier confirmed the clinical suspicion of affected status and justified proactive therapy. In 4 of the 5 cases, the mode of inheritance was not clear from the family history and was established as X-linked by the testing. Assay for restriction sites changed by disease-associated mutations agreed with the automated sequencing results. Conclusions. We conclude that direct mutation analysis in patients suspected of NDI and in selected family members is indicated. The results of testing can confirm a clinical diagnosis of disease, which may otherwise be difficult to make in girls. It can further establish the mode of inheritance, unambiguously distinguish carriers from noncarriers, and justify special observation or treatment of newborns at risk, thereby averting dehydration and the attendant complications. We also conclude that, with proper controls, automated sequencing is the preferred method of testing, because it is sufficiently robust, sensitive, and adaptable for this short gene with a large variety of causative mutations.
Cost-benefit analysis of interactive systems

Abstract This paper assess the state-of-the-art in cost-benefit analyses of interactive systems and suggests an approach for developing improved methodology. Cost-benefit analyses are distinguished from analyses of system performance in that the latter are directed at optimizing system performance at a given level of investment, while the former are directed at justifying the investment itself. Methods of analyzing the performance and costs of computer systems in general and interactive systems in particular are discussed. With this information it is shown how cost-effectiveness analyses may be performed. The next crucial step is to conduct benefit analysis, an ill-defined art. The results of benefit analysis must be combined with cost-effectiveness analysis in order to perform the desired cost-benefit analysis. An experimental methodology is suggested for better performing benefit analyses of interactive systems. A more rigorous formulation of the cost-benefit procedure is then outlined. Two examples of the application this concept are reported.
Visual and infrared observations of wind streaks on Mars

Global correlations of the regions in which three Martian wind streak types (bright, dark, splotch-related) vary according to latitude, elevation, albedo, color, and predawn residual temperature provide constraints on models of streak formation and modification. Bright streaks are relatively stable and occur over a wide range of geographical surfaces. They are elevation-independent, suggesting that their formation is due to atmospheric dust fallout. Dark streaks appear variable from 20 to 40 deg S and at elevations between 3 and 7 km. They are associated with dark surfaces, having high thermal inertias. Splotch-related streaks occur at elevations between 0 and 6 km and at areas of either low or high thermal inertias, which is the cause of its modifying surface winds. Data are graphically presented, and the methods of data collection are fully explained. Regional studies of various types of streaks in Syrtis Major, Syria Planum, Oxia Palus, Mesogea and Pettit Craters, and Noachis confirm that the correlations found at the global level also occur at regional scales.
Antigen Binding to Cells: Determination by Enzymic Fluorogenic Group Hydrolysis

A sensitive method for detecting cells containing antibody to β-galactosidase has been devised. The enzyme attached to the cells containing antibody can hydrolyze a fluorogenic substrate and yield fluorescent products which are measured microphotofluorometrically. This method of detecting a few molecules of antibody is applicable to other enzyme antigen systems.
Quantification and characterization of anthocyanins in Balaton Tart cherries

The anthocyanin contents of Balaton and Montmorency cherries were compared. The results indicate that both cherries contain identical anthocyanins. However, Balaton contains approximately six times more anthocyanins than does Montmorency. Also, hydrolysis of the total anthocyanins and subsequent gas chromatographic (GC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments with the resulting products indicated that both varieties contain only one aglycon cyanidin. This observation contrasts with existing reports of the presence of peonidin glycosides in Montmorency cherry. Results of the present study suggest that the anthocyanins in Balaton and Montmorency cherries are anthocyanin 1 [3-cyanidin 2‘‘-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-6‘‘-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranoside], anthocyanin 2 [3-cyanidin 6‘‘-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranoside], and anthocyanin 3 [3-cyanidin O-β-d-glucopyranoside]. Keywords: Prunus cerasus; fruit; Balaton; Montmorency; anthocyanin; cyanidin; cyanidin glucoside; quantification and ch...
An empirical investigation of the effectiveness of software documentation delivery systems

Abstract Two types of documentation delivery systems were examined. On-line and printed software documentation systems for a commercial data base management system were explored. In a controlled lab experiment, two groups of novice subjects using one or the other type of documentation were tested and the results compared. Printed-documentations users had better test scores and completed the test faster. On-linedocumentation users were frustrated by inadequate instructions and examples. Overall, printed documentation was favored by the subjects in the study.
Monodisperse porous silicon spheres as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

Highly monodisperse porous silicon nanospheres (MPSSs) are synthesized via a simple and scalable hydrolysis process with subsequent surface-protected magnesiothermic reduction. The spherical nature of the MPSSs allows for a homogenous stress-strain distribution within the structure during lithiation and delithiation, which dramatically improves the electrochemical stability. To fully extract the real performance of the MPSSs, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added to enhance the electronic conductivity within the composite electrode structure, which has been verified to be an effective way to improve the rate and cycling performance of anodes based on nano-Si. The Li-ion battery (LIB) anodes based on MPSSs demonstrate a high reversible capacity of 3105 mAh g−1. In particular, reversible Li storage capacities above 1500 mAh g−1 were maintained after 500 cycles at a high rate of C/2. We believe this innovative approach for synthesizing porous Si-based LIB anode materials by using surface-protected magnesiothermic reduction can be readily applied to other types of SiOx nano/microstructures.
Calculated and experimental geometries and infrared spectra of metal tris-acetylacetonates: vibrational spectroscopy as a probe of molecular structure for ionic complexes. Part II.

The geometries and infrared spectra of the trivalent metal trisacetylacetonate complexes (M[O2C5H7]3) (M = Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Al) have been calculated using nonlocal hybrid density functional theory (DFT) with a split-valence plus polarization basis for the ligand and valence triple-ζ for the metal. These molecules are uncharged, which facilitates the calculations, but at the same time are fairly ionic, resembling biologically important metal complexes with “hard” ligands (O, N). DFT has been widely used to model such complexes, but very few rigorous comparisons have been performed for experimentally well-characterized model compounds. Vibrational spectra are very sensitive to molecular structure and thus constitute an adequate test of the theory. After a mild scaling correction, the calculated frequencies are in excellent agreement with the experimental fundamentals, and the predicted infrared intensities are qualitatively correct. The results allow an unambiguous assignment of the observed infra...
Simulation as an Aid To Understanding Cognitive Processes

Computer simulation of cognitive processes requires con structing an explicit model of human thinking behavior in the form of a computer program. Such a program cannot avoid being explicit and unambiguous. Thus it serves as a hypothesis to be tested against the corresponding human behavior. Models that don't "work" suggest questions to ask.Recent work in simulating cognition suggests that the basic elements in cognitive processes are attention, conscious ness, and memory. In this paper, a hypothesis is presented describing probable interactions among these elements for a simple cognitive process. To facilitate simulation a paradigm is presented which characterizes experimenter subject interactions in such a way as to allow an investiga tor to more easily attempt a simulation. A sample simu lation of concept identification behavior is included to illustrate the use. of this paradigm.
The effect of hydrogen chemisorption on GaAs(100) and GaAs(1̄1̄1̄)

Abstract The interaction of hydrogen with the polar (100) and (111) surfaces of GaAs has been studied with LEED, angle-resolved photoemission and core level spectroscopy. It was found that the properties of the hydrogen-covered surface were independent of the composition of the initial surface. The core levels also showed an increase in the surface As concentration for initially Ga-rich surfaces. Angle-resolved photoemission results for GaAs(100) and GaAs(100):H are presented and the dispersion of a hydrogen-induced state is shown.
Phase modulation in high power optical systems caused by pulsed laser-driven particle ablation events

Surface modification of fused silica windows caused by the laser ablation of surface-bound microparticles is investigated. Using optical and electron microscopies between laser pulses, we detail the ablation, fragmentation and dispersal of 2-150 μm diameter particles of various materials. Following complete ablation and ejection of all debris material, surface pitting was found to be highly dependent on material type and particle size. Subsequent light propagation modeling based on pit morphology indicates up to ~4x intensification. Understanding this class of non-local, debris-generated damage is argued to be important for effective design of high-power optical windows and debris-mitigation strategies.
Financing higher education in Pakistan

A recent shift in the allocation of public expenditure towards higher education prompts several questions: Is this allocation economically justified? Are these resources well utilized? Is there significant cost recovery of these expenditures? If not, who benefits from the subsidy these expenditures represent? Are there alternative means of financing higher education? This paper attempts to provide answers to these questions, which can be briefly summarized as follows: Estimates of social rates of returns do not support the reallocation of public expenditures away from primary towards higher education; low retention rates and high failure rates suggest that the internal efficiency in the utilization of these expenditures is low; currently, almost all public expenditures on higher education represent a subsidy; given the tax burden and enrollment ratios by income group, the lower income groups seem to be gaining most from these subsidies; a start has been made at private sector higher education with the opening of two professional universities, but the prospects of general universities currently opening appears to be dim. Pakistan has a well designed loan program in operation although its quantitative impact is currently limited.
Bridge of size

The Gate: The True Story of the Design and Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. By John van der Zee. Simon & Schuster: 1987. Pp.380. £14.95, $19.95.
Is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's lack of reimbursement for postoperative urinary tract infections in elderly emergency surgery patients justified?

Background Urinary tract infections, a risk factor for readmission, have been deemed a potentially preventable problem and, therefore, not reimbursable by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since 2008. Defining the risk factors for development of urinary tract infection in the postoperative period will provide risk stratification for development of urinary tract infection in these challenging patients. Methods Pre-, intra-, and postoperative characteristics were collected for patients ≥65 years who underwent an emergency abdominal operation from the 2005 to 2012 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant User File, a database of 374 participating hospitals. In-hospital urinary tract infections occurring within 30 days of the operation were identified. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors of urinary tract infection. Results In total, 53,879 patients were included, 1,881 (3.5%) of whom were diagnosed with a postoperative urinary tract infection before discharge. In-hospital urinary tract infection was associated with a longer hospital stay (27 vs 13 days, P P = .003). The rate of urinary tract infection decreased from 4.5% before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decree to 3.2% thereafter ( P Conclusion Although postoperative rates of urinary tract infection decreased after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decree, the lack of reimbursement is not justified, as few modifiable risk factors to further improve postoperative urinary tract infection rates in elderly emergency surgical patients were identified. Although targeted interventions may be developed, this complication is not easily preventable and will continue to plague acute care surgeons taking care of this challenging patient population.
Active-Site Motions and Polarity Enhance Catalytic Turnover of Hydrated Subtilisin Dissolved in Organic Solvents

The enzyme subtilisin Carlsberg was surfactant-solubilized into two organic solvents, isooctane and tetrahydrofuran, and hydrated through stepwise changes in the thermodynamic water activity, aw. The apparent turnover number kcatapp in these systems ranged from 0.2 to 80 s−1 and increased 11-fold in isooctane and up to 50-fold in tetrahydrofuran with increasing aw. 19F NMR relaxation experiments employing an active-site inhibitor were used to assess the dependence of active-site motions on aw. The rates of NMR-derived fast (k > 107 s−1) and slow (k < 104 s−1) active-site motions increased in both solvents upon hydration, but only the slow motions correlated with kcat. The 19F chemical shift was a sensitive probe of the local electronic environment and provided an empirical measure of the active-site dielectric constant eas, which increased with hydration to eas ≈ 13 in each solvent. In both solvents, the transition state free energy data and eas followed Kirkwood’s model for the continuum solvation of a d...
Abstract P2-11-01: Effects of chemotherapy on the ovary: What you didn't know

Background: It has long been known that chemotherapy can result in premature menopause, causing follicular senescence and estrogen depletion with associated hot flashes and mood alterations. What is less well appreciated is whether the stroma of the ovary is equally impacted after chemotherapy, resulting in androgen deprivation. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate whether androgen levels are adversely affected after chemotherapy and whether this is associated with unwanted symptoms. Methods: Women who were premenopausal, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, and about to undergo adjuvant chemotherapy were followed longitudinally. Women with adrenal insufficiencies, taking steroids, oral contraceptives, or had had previous chemotherapy were excluded. Self report questionnaires regarding sexual function, fatigue, mood, menstrual symptoms; menstrual diaries; and blood were collected at 4 points: before treatment, mid chemotherapy, post chemotherapy and 6 months later. Serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) (adrenal hormone), bioavailable testosterone (bioT), androstenedione (Adione) (stromal hormone), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) (follicular hormone), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were evaluated. Descriptive statistics, comparisons of means by two sided t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were computed. Six month post treatment data are reported. Results: 24 women were accrued and 21 provided serum and questionnaires through 6 months. All sex steroid hormones decreased during chemotherapy and did not return to baseline by 6 months for the group as a whole. At 6 months, 14 women were postmenopausal per FSH, E2 and menstrual diaries and 7 had resumed menses. There were no significant differences in hormone concentrations at baseline between women who ended up menopausal from those who resumed menses. However, at 6 months, postmenopausal women had significantly lower concentrations than premenopausal women of E2 (289 pg/ml pre- 9 pg/ml post), E1 (132 pg/ml pre- 22 pg/ml post), and Adione (102 ng/dL pre- 56 ng/dL post), but not DHEA-S or bioT (all p Conclusion: These data support the hypothesis that the post chemotherapy ovary suffers both follicular and stromal dysfunction, as noted by lower Adione, which is specific to the ovarian stroma. Adione concentrations in the postmenopausal group women are similar to published reports of women post oophorectomy. This is the first longitudinal study we are aware of to evaluate ovarian stromal function in women undergoing chemotherapy. This total hormone depletion may be why women experiencing chemotherapy induced menopause report severe and distressing menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes. Estrogen is often implicated, but androgen deprivation in this population should be taken into consideration when planning interventions to improve health related quality of life. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-11-01.
Aerial detection of a simulated CO2 leak from a geologic sequestration site using hyperspectral imagery

Abstract Airborne remote sensing has been proposed as a potential large-area monitoring tool for geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) sites. Elevated soil CO 2 levels from an underground CO 2 leak could induce a plant stress response that is spectrally discernible from the air. A controlled subsurface CO 2 release experiment was conducted during the growing season at the outdoor Zero Emissions Research and Technology (ZERT) center to simulate a CO 2 leak scenario. Simultaneously, aerial imagery was collected to obtain a time series used to identify and characterize the simulated CO 2 leak prior to, during, and after the three week CO 2 release. A theoretical framework was developed for analytical strategies that could be implemented to detect a CO 2 leak using aerial hyperspectral imagery with minimal a priori knowledge of when and where a surface leak is going to occur. Areas of inferred CO 2 stressed vegetation were identified using an unsupervised clustering algorithm. The spectral signatures of this vegetation informed the development of a red edge index (REI) used to quantify the CO 2 stress signal and chart vegetation health trajectories over the course of the CO 2 release experiment. REI was found to be significantly lower (Welch's p -value 2 stressed vegetation as compared to healthy vegetation. Furthermore, maximum differences in REI ( REI healthy vegetation − REI CO 2 stressed vegetation ) were observed at the height of the CO 2 release followed by a subsequent decrease in differences once CO 2 injection ceased. These results suggest that there was a cumulative vegetation stress response followed by a possible vegetation recovery and that aerial hyperspectral imaging may be a plausible method for detecting CO 2 leaks from GCS sites.
Malnutrition, outcome, and nutritional support: time to revisit the issues.

Two remarkable articles appear in this issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery by Jagoe and colleagues [1, 2] that reinforce the well-known fact that preoperative nutritional status affects the outcome of patients undergoing curative lung cancer operation. This is remarkable because, as Jagoe and colleagues’ references indicate, surgeons and physicians worldwide from a variety of clinical disciplines together with their “statistical pundits” have grappled for several decades with the same two questions: (1) Does a patient’s preoperative nutritional status have an impact on surgical outcome? (2) What are the preoperative risk indicators? The evolution of the investigations relevant to these questions and their resultant data proceeded independently but in parallel over the past 120 years [3]. Emotionally, we understand that famine and malnutrition worldwide are causes of disease and death. Intellectually, we understand the deleterious biochemical effects of long-term fasting leading to significant clinical malnutrition, data generated in normal volunteer(s) by Benedict [4] in 1915 and Keys and colleagues [5] in 1950. On the human side, no doubt exists concerning the cause-effect relationship between malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality, based on the documentary evidence of Jewish doctors in the Warsaw ghetto during World War II [6]. However, a lingering doubt somehow still appears to exist concerning such a link in our surgical patients, even though every practicing surgeon intuitively knows that operating on a debilitated or malnourished patient can spell disaster and often becomes a rueful and costly experience.
R.f. magnetron deposition of calcium fluoride

Magnetron sputtering has been used to grow calcium fluoride films. The presence of calcium emission lines in the discharge and the absence of calcium fluoride lines indicate that deposition occurs largely atomically, rather than by molecules. Films grown without fluorine make-up are strongly fluorine deficient and contain 10 at.% O. Adding carbon tetrafluoride to the discharge results in F:Ca ratios near 2.0, reduced oxygen levels (less than 1 at.%), but some carbon contamination. The films are optically absorbing (α ≈ 104cm−1 near 500 nm), and poor electrical insulators (ϱ < 109 Ω cm).
A small ATPase protein of Arabidopsis, TGD3, involved in chloroplast lipid import

Polar lipid trafficking is essential in eukaryotic cells as membranes of lipid assembly are often distinct from final destination membranes. A striking example is the biogenesis of the photosynthetic membranes (thylakoids) in plastids of plants. Lipid biosynthetic enzymes at the endoplasmic reticulum and the inner and outer plastid envelope membranes are involved. This compartmentalization requires extensive lipid trafficking. Mutants of Arabidopsis are available that are disrupted in the incorporation of endoplasmic reticulum-derived lipid precursors into thylakoid lipids. Two proteins affected in two of these mutants, trigalactosyldiacylglycerol 1 (TGD1) and TGD2, encode the permease and substrate binding component, respectively, of a proposed lipid translocator at the inner chloroplast envelope membrane. Here we describe a third protein of Arabidopsis, TGD3, a small ATPase proposed to be part of this translocator. As in the tgd1 and tgd2 mutants, triacylglycerols and trigalactolipids accumulate in a tgd3 mutant carrying a T-DNA insertion just 5' of the TGD3 coding region. The TGD3 protein shows basal ATPase activity and is localized inside the chloroplast beyond the inner chloroplast envelope membrane. Proteins orthologous to TGD1, -2, and -3 are predicted to be present in Gram- bacteria, and the respective genes are organized in operons suggesting a common biochemical role for the gene products. Based on the current analysis, it is hypothesized that TGD3 is the missing ATPase component of a lipid transporter involving TGD1 and TGD2 required for the biosynthesis of ER-derived thylakoid lipids in Arabidopsis.
Wechsler Performance IQ Deficit in Depressed Children

The original analysis of data on 100 consecutive school age children referred for evaluation of school difficulties showed no differences in IQ among the children with depression and those without depression. Reanalysis of those data shows that a significant number of the depressed children (but not the nondepressed children) have a 15-IQ point Wechsler Performance IQ deficit. This supports the contention that a major subgroup of depressed individuals have right cerebral-hemisphere dysfunction.
Impact of music on pediatric oncology outpatients.

Music is widely used to enhance well-being. We wished to assess music's effect on pediatric oncology outpatients. Patients who had leukemia and were in maintenance or consolidation outpatient treatment served as their own control at two visits. At visit 1, children rested for 20 min; at visit 2, for 20 min they listened to music designed to increase vitality and improve heart rate variability (HRV). At both visits, parents completed before and after treatment visual analog scales (VAS) of their child's relaxation, well-being, vitality, anxiety, stress, and depression; patients' heart rates were monitored during treatments to calculate HRV. The 47 patients with complete VAS data and 34 patients with usable HRV data were similar. At baseline, VAS scores for negative states were low (average of 10). Relaxation improved more with music than rest (p < 0.01). The HRV parasympathetic parameter was significantly lower with music than rest. No other differences were significant. Further studies are needed to better delineate the relationship between subjective and objective measures of well-being among patients who are not in severe distress.
Agricultural Trade: A Glass Half Full

Food Fights over Free Trade: How International Institutions Promote Agricultural Trade Liberalization. By Christina L. Davis. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003. 416 pp., $39.50 (ISBN: 0-691-11505-2). Most scholars and practitioners who write about agricultural trade look at the slow pace of liberalization in this area and see a glass half empty. In the Tokyo Round of the 1970s, which saw great progress in reducing tariffs on manufactured goods, agriculture was treated as a side issue. Europe refused to modify its trade distorting Common Agricultural Policy, and Japan kept in place a large number of quotas on goods ranging from oranges and rice to canned pineapples. Similarly, the conclusion of the Uruguay Round of 1986–1994 was delayed for several years, largely due to difficulties convincing developed nations to accept limited market opening and subsidy cuts. Japan agreed to convert its agricultural trade barriers into tariffs. But when it finally got around to setting a tariff on rice, it set the tariff at a prohibitively high level of about 450 percent. The Europeans agreed to modest changes in the Common Agricultural Policy but continued to subsidize exports. The difficulties that plagued the Uruguay Round are again delaying progress in the latest Doha Round, with the most recent meeting in Cancun ending without progress largely because developing nations, seeking expanded export opportunities for their farmers, were frustrated by the unwillingness of the developed nations to offer concessions in this area. In Food Fights over Free Trade , Christina Davis surveys this record and, in contrast to most observers, sees a glass half full. Her focus is on the liberalization that has been achieved, despite powerful opposition from producer groups in Europe and Japan. The Japanese quotas, for example, were eventually eliminated, and Japan now imports so much beef that the interruption in supplies of US beef after the recent mad cow scare forced a large restaurant chain to …
PV energy extraction characteristic study under shading conditions for different converter configurations

A solar photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion system requires power converters for maximum power extraction and grid integration. At present, typical converter configurations used in a solar PV system include central, string and micro converter based PV systems. In order to develop efficient and reliable energy conversion technologies, this paper compares the energy extraction characteristics of a PV system for different converter configurations. The paper particularly focuses on how energy extraction characteristics of a PV array are affected by uneven shadings. The paper also proposes bypass diode arrangements for PV modules and arrays. A detailed comparison study is conducted to investigate what are enhancements and impacts by using different bypass diode schemes. It is found that compared to micro-converter based PV systems, the central converter scheme with effective bypass diode connections could be a simple and economic solution to significantly enhance PV system efficiency, reliability and performance.
Screening and therapy of pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis.

Purpose of review Systemic sclerosis is a major risk factor for the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Often this disease is far advanced by the time it is detected in the individual patient, severely impacting quality of life and survival. Recent findings Therapeutic options available for patients with scleroderma-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension have increased significantly over the last few years, fueling our desire to improve early detection of disease. Summary During the course of this manuscript I will review the literature examining approaches towards screening for scleroderma-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. I will then discuss the most recent studies examining therapeutic options for patients with this disease.
Boundary-Layer Approach to Shape Design Sensitivity Analysis

ABSTRACT In a domain approach to shape design sensitivity analysis, shape design sensitivity is calculated by summing contributions from the entire domain. For mechanical systems with general geometries, defining design velocity field over the entire domain can be very complicated. A design boundary-layer is introduced to minimize difficulties associated with the domain approach. The design boundary-layer is a pre-selected part of the domain, near the varying boundary. A nonzero design velocity field is defined over only the design boundary-layer. The boundary-layer approach is shown to be easier to apply and more efficient to use than conventional full domain methods.
The diagnosis and treatment of scabies and pubic lice

Abstract Scabies and pediculosis pubis (infestation with pubic lice) are examples of infections caused by human parasites. The most common mode of transmission for both infections is through sexual contact. Scabies may affect multiple sites of the body and usually presents with severe pruritus accompanied by dirty-appearing burrows beneath the skin. The diagnosis is confirmed by demonstrating the presence of the parasite or its by-products. Pediculosis pubis also presents with severe pruritus, but most commonly involves the pubic region. The diagnosis of pediculosis pubis is confirmed by the presence of nits or eggs attached to pubic hair. Several effective therapies are available for scabies and pediculosis pubis. A therapy useful for both infections is Lindane 1% (Kwell) applied to the affected region and removed after 12 hours.
Project Management, Critical Praxis, and Process-Oriented Approach to Teamwork.

To help alleviate issues of free-riding and conflicts in team projects, this study proposes the systematic incorporation of project management methods to introduce a process-oriented approach to and a critical praxis in team projects. We examined how the systematic use of project management methods influenced students' performance in team projects. The findings demonstrate that such an approach enables the documentation and evaluation of and reflection on both individual and team work. Our findings indicate that project management tools enhance team member accountability and help reduce free-riding.