cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DOES DEMOCRACY CAUSE PEACE

The idea that democratic states have not fought and are not likely to fight interstate wars against each other runs counter to the realist and neorealist theoretical traditions that have dominated the field of international politics. Since the mid-1970s, the generation of new data and the development of superior analytical techniques have enabled evaluators of the idea to generate impressive empirical evidence in favor of the democratic peace proposition, which is reinforced by substantial theoretical elaboration. Some critics argue that common interests during the Cold War have been primarily responsible for peace among democracies, but both statistical evidence and intuitive arguments cast doubt on that contention. It has also been argued that transitions to democracy can make states war-prone, but that criticism too has been responded to persuasively. The diverse empirical evidence and developing theoretical bases that support the democratic peace proposition warrant confidence in its validity.
A 1.1V, 667MHz random cycle, asymmetric 2T gain cell embedded DRAM with a 99.9 percentile retention time of 110µsec

A logic compatible embedded DRAM test macro fabricated in a 65nm LP CMOS process has a 512 cells-per-BL array architecture and achieves a random access frequency and latency of 667MHz and 1.65nsec, respectively at 1.1V, 85°C. The refresh period for a 99.9% bit yield was 110µsec. Key features include an asymmetric 2T gain cell, a pseudo-PMOS diode based current sensing scheme, a half swing write BL driver, and a stepped write WL technique.
A free energy model for curved surfaces and curved thin films in emulsions

ABSTRACT The formulation of surface thermodynamics for flat surfaces has been done so as to be free of the Gibbs surface construction. The advantage of these formulations is that it allows the choice of thermodynamic field variables that is more general than the traditional construction. However, a generalization to curved surfaces including thin films that exist in emulsion structures has not been published. The Hansen-Cahn construction is developed in a setting that allows curvature terms to be added to the free energy expression. The Laplace equation extended to include bending elasticity and spontaneous bending elasticity is derived by computing functional derivatives of the free energy. Results for both single interfaces and double interfaces are reported. Stability conditions for profile fluctuations are developed to include these additional properties.
Rheology and dynamic mechanical analysis of bisphenol E cyanate ester/alumina nanocomposites

Alumina nanoparticles were functionalized with 3-glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane for compatibility with a low viscosity bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy) resin. The functionalized alumina nanoparticles were characterized with Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analysis. The alumina nanoparticles, which increase the viscosity of the BECy/alumina suspension, show a concurrent catalytic effect on the cure of the BECy resin, as indicated by reduced gelation times under isothermal cure conditions. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs reveal that most of the alumina nanoparticles are well dispersed in the BECy matrix, but a small fraction of particles formed agglomerates. The thermal-mechanical properties of cured BECy composites reinforced with either bare alumina or functionalized alumina are evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis. The storage modulus increases with both bare and functionalized alumina loading. Although the glass transition temperatures (Tg) of bare and functionalized alumina/BECy nanocomposites decrease with increasing filler content, the reduction in Tg is less severe when the alumina nanoparticles are first functionalized. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
The Nature of Rousseau

HISTORIANS FIND IT CONVENIENT to think of history in units or chunks: so much of the past is ancient, another part is medieval, and in or about the seventeenth century, give or take a century, modern man first makes his appearance. We have in the process labelled ourselves modern, only to create a considerable problem of nomenclature for those who will follow us several centuries hence. John Dalberg Lord Acton has outlined Modern History as follows: "Renaissance and the Epoch of Discovery, Reformation and Wars of Religion, Turkish Crusade and Western Colonization, European Absolutism, Dutch, English, American French Revolution and its derivatives, the constitutional, democratic, national, Social, Liberal, Federal, movement of the world. . .. To this catalogue other historians have added other events, and in time the list will grow to mammoth proportions as each century leaves its legacy. My own preference here is to emphasize different modes of activity at the expense of particular events, to call attention to problems (as Lord Acton did in his better moments) at the expense of chronology. Neither economic history nor the history of science really permits us to complete Lord Acton's list of modern characteristics, although, properly used, they do permit us to know more about modes of activity than the history of politics formerly did. In brief, I should add to Lord Acton's list, at the very top, two phenomena that would seem to distinguish our age: (1) technology, combined with mass production, (2) the emergence of a professional, or nearly professional, literary class, combined with the "mass production" of books and ideas. As a historian of ideas, I am naturally more concerned with the second of these modes. I am especially interested in two types of thought, and even of temperament as William James used that word in his personal reconstruction of the history of thought, which seem to be necessarily linked, in the historical sense, with the emergence of a distinct literary class that has at its disposal media of
The relationship between depressive symptoms and Voice Handicap Index scores in laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To determine if a relationship exists between depression and Voice Handicap Index (VHI) scores in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) disease. Study Design: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Methods: One hundred nineteen patients were prospectively evaluated with the VHI questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory Fast Screen (BDI-FS) survey. Patients with a pre-existing diagnosis of depression were excluded. Results: Complete data was available for 36 patients with LPR and 53 controls. No significant differences existed between groups with respect to age, race, or gender. Mild depressive symptoms were identified in 9% of controls and 3% of LPR patients by BDI-FS screening (P = .4); no patients had moderate or severe depression symptoms. Compared to controls, patients with LPR had significantly higher mean scores for total VHI (16.2 vs. 6.6, P = .002), functional VHI (5.8 vs. 2.4, P = .02), and physical VHI (6.9 vs. 2.5, P = .008) domains. Mean scores for the VHI emotional domain (3.5 vs. 1.7, P = .2) and BDI-FS (0.2 vs. 0.8, P = .3) did not differ between patients with LPR and controls. For all participants, a positive correlation was found between BDI-FS score and VHI emotional domain score (r = 0.3, P = .008). Conclusions: Patients with LPR report poorer VHI functional and physical scores compared to controls; however, LPR symptoms do not result in significantly worse VHI emotional domain scores or depressive symptoms. There is a correlation between VHI emotional domain scores and BDI-FS scores. These data suggest that LPR patients with poor VHI emotional domain scores might benefit from screening for depressive symptoms. Laryngoscope, 2010
A model for the influence of mentoring relationships on youth development

Anecdotal reports of the protective qualities of mentoring relationships for youth are corroborated by a growing body of research. What is missing, however, is research on the processes by which mentors influence developmental outcomes. In this article, we present a conceptual model of the mentoring process along with a delineation of some of the current research on what makes for more effective mentoring relationships. A set of recommendations for future research is offered. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ground State Destabilization

Ground state destabilization is a thermodynamic concept suggesting that there is an increase in energy in going from one state to another. This concept helps to explain the efficiency of enzyme-catalysed reactions, as when the substrate binds to the active site of the enzyme there is a destabilization of the substrate. The effect of this destabilization is to reduce the activation energy of a reaction, and so make the catalysis more efficient. Keywords: destabilization; polarization; conformation; distortion; electrostatics
On convergence and limit cycles in digital filters in integer number systems

Abstract State space digital filters with rounding and with numbers calculated modulo an integer are investigated. For n-order systems, convergence and the existence of limit cycles are of concern. Some general properties of these systems are established. Examples illustrating the results are given.
What traits promote male parallel dispersal in primates

Summary Parallel dispersal occurs when individuals emigrate together with peers or close kin, or immigrate into groups containing familiar or closely related individuals. To understand the evolution of parallel dispersal in male primates, we explore if parallel dispersal co-occurs with male coalitions, or with other traits that may facilitate coalition formation. We conducted a meta-analysis using phylogenetic comparative methods to test for an association between male parallel dispersal and male coalition formation, multi-male social groups, male-biased dispersal, high paternity concentration, and breeding seasonality. These traits were predicted to be correlated with parallel dispersal because they increase the availability of potential dispersal partners, increase individual competitive ability, or provide inclusive fitness benefits for cooperating relatives. Pairwise comparisons revealed that coalitions in general were significantly associated with male parallel dispersal. However, neither intergroup nor intragroup coalitions were associated with parallel dispersal when examined separately, though there was a trend towards significance for intergroup coalitions. Male-biased dispersal was equivocally associated with parallel dispersal, while multi-male social groups, paternity concentration, and breeding seasonality were not. These results suggest that the evolution of male parallel dispersal may be linked with the propensity of males to form coalitions and the need to retain coalition partners.
Effect of payload length variation and retransmissions on multimedia in 802.11a WLANs

Multimedia transmission over wireless local area networks is challenging due to the varying nature of the wireless channel as well as the inherent difference between multimedia and data traffic. In the MAC layer, a single bit error in the packet can lead to the entire packet being discarded. This results in a higher packet error rate for larger payload sizes. Retransmission due to packet errors causes the contention window to double, and this leads to a decrease in throughput if the wireless channel does not improve for the retransmitted packets. Hence, throughput is a function of packet payload length as well as the maximum number of allowable retransmissions. In this paper, we investigate the effect of payload length adaptation and retransmissions on the throughput and capacity of multimedia users. Numerical results and simulations reveal that careful payload adaptation significantly improves the throughput performance at low signal to noise ratios (SNRs). It is also observed that excessive retransmissions reduce the effective throughput, thereby decreasing the capacity of multimedia users in the presence of data users. Since multimedia traffic is more latency constrained and less error constrained, by carefully selecting the payload length and maximum number of allowable retransmissions based on the channel conditions, a greater number of multimedia users can be supported.
Issues, Models and Solutions for Triac Modulated Phase Dimming of LED Lamps

This paper discusses the difficulties in dimming Edison socket LED lamps directly from residential phase modulated dimmer switches. In order to explain these difficulties PSpice models for the dimmers are proposed that necessarily include diac characteristics to improve accuracy. A method to dim the LEDs from the residential dimmers is discussed.
Changes in Faculty Members' Instructional Beliefs While Implementing Model-Eliciting Activities.

Background Engineering Faculty members should adopt effective pedagogical approaches in order to maximize student learning. The beliefs of faculty members about instructional practice are an important construct in determining what and how they teach. Purpose This study investigates the effect of faculty members’ involvement in model-eliciting activities on their beliefs about classroom instruction. This study is guided by the following research question: How do faculty members’ beliefs about teaching, learning, and assessment change through the use of model-eliciting activities (MEAs)? Design/Method Using a multicase study design, four engineering faculty members from across the United States were studied while they developed, implemented, and assessed MEAs. Data were collected from sources including semistructured interviews about teaching beliefs and practices, a demographics and academic background survey, and biweekly surveys on MEA implementation and beliefs. Yearly interviews were coded using a rubric that classifies beliefs on a scale from instructor-centered to student-centered. Results Over the course of the three-year study, the beliefs of all four faculty members shifted towards a more student-centered view of teaching. The faculty members indicated that they were able to emphasize teamwork, real-world practice, problem-solving skills, timely feedback, constructed knowledge, communication, active learning, formative assessment, and the discipline of engineering through the use of MEAs. Conclusions This study provides evidence that developing and implementing MEAs can help both experienced and beginning faculty members change their beliefs toward a student-centered view of instruction.
Excisional Plication of the Ileocecal Valve: A Useful Adjunct for the Construction of Continent Urinary Diversions

AbstractPurpose: A variety of techniques exist to reinforce the ileocecal valve for use as a nonrefluxing mechanism in continent urinary diversion. We report short-term and long-term followup for a new technique of excisional plication of the valve.Materials and Methods: Since 1988 we performed 16 procedures in 15 patients. The technique was used for repair of an incompetent ileocecal valve to restore continence in 2 patients in whom continent cutaneous diversion failed, and to correct a massively refluxing ileocecal valve following previous augmentation with an ileocecal segment in 1. The remaining patients underwent the procedure in conjunction with continent cutaneous ileocecal diversion with a modified Indiana pouch.Results: To date no patient undergoing continent cutaneous diversion required reoperation to correct incontinence. Two patients wear a protective pad during the day, while the remainder have been completely dry during followup.Conclusions: Excisional plication is a versatile and simple pro...
Associations of adiponectin with individual European ancestry in African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study.

Background: Compared with European Americans, African Americans (AA) exhibit lower levels of the cardio-metabolically protective adiponectin even after accounting for adiposity measures. Because few studies have examined in AA the association between adiponectin and genetic admixture, a dense panel of ancestry informative markers (AIMs) was used to estimate the individual proportions of European ancestry (PEA) for the African Americans enrolled in a large community-based cohort, the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). We tested the hypothesis that plasma adiponectin and PEA are directly associated and assessed the interaction with a series of cardio-metabolic risk factors.Methods: Plasma specimens from 1,439 JHS participants were analyzed by ELISA for adiponectin levels. Using pseudo-ancestral population genotype data from the HapMap Consortium, PEA was estimated with a panel of up to 1,447 genome-wide preselected AIMs by a maximum likelihood approach. Interaction assessment, stepwise linear and cubic multivariable-adjusted regression models were used to analyze the cross-sectional association between adiponectin and PEA.Results: Among the study participants (62% women; mean age 48 ± 12 years), the median (interquartile range) of PEA was 15.8 (9.3)%. Body mass index (p = 0.04) and insulin resistance (p = 0.0001) modified the association between adiponectin and PEA. Adiponectin was directly and linearly associated with PEA (β = 0.62 ± 0.28, p = 0.03) among non-obese (n = 673) and insulin sensitive participants (n = 1,141; β = 0.74 ± 0.23, p = 0.001), but not among those obese or with insulin resistance. No threshold effect was detected for non-obese participants.Conclusions: In a large African American population, the individual proportion of European ancestry was linearly and directly associated with plasma adiponectin among non-obese and non insulin-resistant participants, pointing to the interaction of genetic and metabolic factors influencing adiponectin levels.
Influence of visual acuity on anxiety, panic and depression disorders among young and middle age adults in the United States

Abstract Background Previous research, albeit limited, has demonstrated an association of visual acuity with depression and anxiety. However, these studies are limited in that they have focused on older adults, used a convenient sample, and/or used a subjective assessment of visual function. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine the association of objectively-measured visual acuity with depression and anxiety (and panic disorder) among a national sample of young- and middle-age U.S. adults (20–39 years). Methods Using data from the 2003–2004 NHANES (n=602), the presence of anxiety, depression, and panic disorders was assessed from a diagnostic interview. Visual acuity was assessed from a vision exam using the Nidek Auto Lensmeter Model (LM-990A) and expressed as LogMAR units. Results After adjusting for age, gender, race-ethnicity, body mass index, mean arterial pressure, cotinine, diabetes, and physical activity, visual acuity was not associated with panic disorder (p=0.71) or depression disorder (p=0.20), but for every 0.1 LogMAR unit change in vision, participants had a 14% (OR=1.14; p=0.04) higher odds of having an anxiety disorder. Limitations The main limitation of this study was the cross-sectional design. Conclusion Young- and middle-age U.S. adults with worse visual function are at increased odds of having an anxiety disorder. Strategies to prevent and treat anxiety among those with worse visual function are needed.
Evidence for reinitiation of proliferative activity following alkylation or radiation

Abstract An experimental ascites tumor was studied as a model system exhibiting a well defined growth curve with lag, logarithmic and stationary phases. Earlier studies of macromolecular synthesis and tritiated thymfdine uptake had showed peaks of DNA content per cell and DNA labeling in early logarithmic phase. Administration of 5-Fluorouracil or Hydroxyurea showed marked changes in sensitivity with stage of growth, with the greatest tumor cell sensitivity noted during early and mid exponential (proliferative) phase and little sensitivity in the advanced tumor as determined by host survival time. The tumor was exposed to the alkylating agents nitrogen mustard or Bischloronitrosourea. There was a reappearance of chemosensitivity to the antimetabolites 5-Fluorouracil and Hydroxyurea after exposure similar to the above described proliferative phase sensitivity. Endogenous colony forming unit (CFU) sensitivity to the above antimetabolites was also studied with total body irradiation given before or after exposure of animals to antimetabolities and assayed for colony forming ability. These also showed greater sensitivity when the antimetabolites therapy was given after radiation as compared to before irradiation. This data is consistent with a recruitment of a resting cell population into active cycle.
Genetic, Morphometric, and Behavioral Factors Linked to the Midsagittal Area of the Corpus Callosum

TThe corpus callosum is the main commissure connecting left and right cerebral hemispheres, and varies widely in size. Differences in the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum (MSACC) have been associated with a number of cognitive and behavioral phenotypes, including obsessive-compulsive disorders, psychopathy, suicidal tendencies, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although there is evidence to suggest that MSACC is heritable in normal human populations, there is surprisingly little evidence concerning the genetic modulation of this variation. Mice provide a potentially ideal tool to dissect the genetic modulation of MSACC. Here, we use a large genetic reference panel—the BXD recombinant inbred (RI) line—to dissect the natural variation of the MSACC. We estimated the MSACC in over 300 individuals from nearly 80 strains. We found a 4-fold difference in MSACC between individual mice, and a 2.5 fold difference between strains. MSACC is a highly heritable trait (h2 = 0.60), and we mapped a suggestive QTL to the distal portion of Chr 14. Using sequence data and neocortical expression databases, we were able to identify eight positional and plausible biological candidate genes within this interval. Finally, we found that MSACC correlated with behavioral traits associated with anxiety and attention.
On perfect traitor tracing

We analyze the perfect security aspects of traitor tracing and show that perfect fairness (an innocent party is never accused) is impossible, except if the pirate key allows full decryptability or if nobody is ever accused. Similarly, perfect accusability (at least one traitor is always correctly accused) is impossible, except if the pirate key allows full decryptability or some innocent people will always be among the accused. We also show possibility results.
Characterization of mice lacking candidate N-acyl ethanolamine biosynthetic enzymes provides evidence for multiple pathways that contribute to endocannabinoid production in vivo

The biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and related N-acyl ethanolamine (NAE) lipids is complex and appears to involve multiple pathways, including: (1) direct release of NAEs from N-acyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (NAPE) precursors by the phosphodiesterase NAPE-PLD, and (2) double O-deacylation of NAPEs followed by phosphodiester bond hydrolysis of the resulting glycero-phospho (GP)-NAEs. We recently identified GDE1 as a GP-NAE phosphodiesterase that may be involved in the second pathway. Here, we report the generation and characterization of GDE1(−/−) mice, which are viable and overtly normal in their cage behavior. Brain homogenates from GDE1(−/−) mice exhibit a near-complete loss of detectable GP-NAE phosphodiesterase activity; however, bulk brain levels of AEA and other NAEs were unaltered in these animals. To address the possibility of compensatory pathways, we generated GDE1(−/−)/NAPE-PLD(−/−) mice. Conversion of NAPE to NAE was virtually undetectable in brain homogenates from these animals as measured under standard assay conditions, but again, bulk changes in brain NAEs were not observed. Interestingly, significant reductions in the accumulation of brain NAEs, including anandamide, were detected in GDE1(−/−)/NAPE-PLD(−/−) mice treated with a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor that blocks NAE degradation. Finally, we determined that primary neurons from GDE1(−/−)/NAPE-PLD(−/−) mice can convert NAPEs to NAEs by a pathway that is not preserved following cell homogenization. In summary, combined inactivation of GDE1 and NAPE-PLD results in partial disruption of NAE biosynthesis, while also pointing to the existence of an additional enzymatic pathway(s) that converts NAPEs to NAEs. Characterization of this pathway should provide clarity on the multifaceted nature of NAE biosynthesis.
Agreement with Satisfaction in Adolescent Body Size between Female Caregivers and Teens from a Low-income African-American Community

OBJECTIVE: To describe body size satisfaction and agreement among low-income, urban, African-American adolescents, and female caregivers. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen adolescent-caregiver pairs completed measures of demographics, anthropometrics, and body size satisfaction. RESULTS: Adolescent-caregiver agreement on body size satisfaction varied by body mass index (BMI) category. Among normal weight adolescents, 61% of adolescent-caregivers agreed that current body size was ideal. Among adolescents at risk for overweight, 38% of adolescent-caregivers agreed that current body size was ideal, and 38% were discordant with adolescents wanting to be thinner and caregivers satisfied with current body size. Among overweight adolescents, adolescent-caregiver agreement was 67%; 52% agreed the adolescent should be thinner and 15% agreed current body size was ideal. CONCLUSIONS: Body size satisfaction is related to BMI category for adolescents and caregivers, but adolescents have a lower threshold. Encouraging caregivers to elicit their adolescents' views on body size satisfaction may enable caregivers to support their adolescents in addressing weight-related issues. Language: en
Stanniocalcin-1 regulates endothelial gene expression and modulates transendothelial migration of leukocytes

The mammalian counterpart of the fish calcium-regulating hormone stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) inhibits monocyte chemotactic protein-1- and stromal-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α)-mediated chemotaxis and dimin...
Do some antidepressants work faster than others

The clinical utility of antidepressant drugs is impaired by the delay in onset of their therapeutic action. It is becoming increasingly clear that differences exist between antidepressants with respect to this property, both within and between pharmacologic classes. Post hoc analyses of comparisons between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and dual-action antidepressants such as mirtazapine and venlafaxine indicate that the dual-action drugs may have a faster onset of action. At least in the case of mirtazapine, the earlier onset appears to be via a specific antidepressant effect and not an effect on sleep or other accessory symptoms. Studies that compare mirtazapine and venlafaxine are relatively rare and lack sufficient statistical power to determine a difference in the onset of action. Although these differences have been shown in clinical efficacy studies not specifically designed to detect differences in onset of action, a definitive demonstration of early onset of action awaits the results of appropriately designed and powered clinical studies currently planned or in progress.
Current suicidal ideation in gamblers calling a helpline

Pathological gamblers are at an increased risk for suicide compared to the general population. As suicide usually begins with suicidal ideations (SI), it is important to identify suicidality early to prevent this undesirable outcome. Demographic and clinical variables along with recent SI (i.e., past 7 days) were examined in a sample of 2867 callers to the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia between 2000 and 2007. Most participants were pathological gamblers (85%) and 11% of the sample endorsed recent SIs. Univariate results indicated that gamblers with recent SIs were more likely to have a comorbid psychopathology, a family history of alcohol problems, and lower educational attainment. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found only education significantly predicted recent SI. These findings could aid in the intervention and prevention of suicide in gamblers by informing providers of the risks associated with SI in this population.
Ectopic glandular breast tissue in a lactating young woman.

Abstract Background Ectopic breast tissue is a rare occurrence in pregnant women and should not be confused with ab s cess or other causes. Ectopic breast tissue is present at birth but often only diagnosed after puberty, pregnancy, or lactation. Objective Misdiagnosis is of concern due to the fact that ectopic breast tissue may undergo pathological changes with increased risk of malignancy. Therefore, it is vital for emergency physicians to be able to recognize this process and ensure proper follow-up care. Case Report We present a case of ectopic breast tissue in a 19-year-old primigravida. Conclusion Surgical removal for the purpose of prophylaxis of malignant changes is not currently recommended. Definitive diagnosis is established by fine-needle aspiration and excisional biopsy.
Distribution of the sum of clutter and thermal noise

The results of an approximate method for calculating the probability density function of the amplitude of the sum of Weibull-distributed radar clutter and thermal noise are compared with the exact distributions and found to be inaccurate except in one special case. It is shown how the assumption that the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components of clutter have a joint circular-symmetric density function can be used to compute the density functions of the I- and Q-components themselves from the hypothesized distribution of the amplitude.
Practices Regarding Rape-related Pregnancy in U.S. Abortion Care Settings

Abstract Objective We aimed to explore current practices regarding screening for rape and response to disclosure of rape-related pregnancy in the abortion care setting. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, nonprobability survey of U.S. abortion providers. Individuals were recruited in person and via emailed invitations to professional organization member lists. Questions in this web-based survey pertained to providers' practice setting, how they identify rape-related pregnancy, the availability of support services, and their experiences with law enforcement. Providers were asked their perceptions of barriers to care for women who report rape-related pregnancy. Results Surveys were completed by 279 providers (21% response rate). Most respondents were female (93.1%), and the majority were physicians in a clinical role (69.4%). One-half (49.8%) reported their practice screens for pregnancy resulting from rape, although fewer (34.8%) reported that screening is the method through which most patients with this history are identified. Most (80.6%) refer women with rape-related pregnancy to support services such as rape crisis centers. Relatively few (19.7%) have a specific protocol for care of women who report rape-related pregnancy. Clinics that screen were 79% more likely to have a protocol for care than centers that do not screen. Although the majority (67.4%) reported barriers to identification of women with rape-related pregnancy, fewer (33.3%) reported barriers to connecting them to support services. Conclusion Practices for identifying and providing care to women with rape-related pregnancy in the abortion care setting are variable. Further research should address barriers to care provision, as well as identifying protocols for care.
PKC regulation of cardiac CFTR Cl- channel function in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in regulating the protein kinase A (PKA)-activated Cl− current conducted by the cardiac isoform of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cCFTR)...
Innovative use of the integrative review to evaluate evidence of technology transformation in healthcare

Display Omitted Describe an integrative review methodology to assess transformation in healthcare.Identify inhibitors to change within the complex healthcare market.The healthcare system inhibits direct consumer involvement and engagement.We propose policies that will encourage healthcare transformation. Healthcare is in a period significant transformational activity through the accelerated adoption of healthcare technologies, new reimbursement systems that emphasize shared savings and care coordination, and the common place use of mobile technologies by patients, providers, and others. The complexity of healthcare creates barriers to transformational activity and has the potential to inhibit the desired paths toward change envisioned by policymakers. Methods for understanding how change is occurring within this complex environment are important to the evaluation of delivery system reform and the role of technology in healthcare transformation. This study examines the use on an integrative review methodology to evaluate the healthcare literature for evidence of technology transformation in healthcare. The methodology integrates the evaluation of a broad set of literature with an established evaluative framework to develop a more complete understanding of a particular topic. We applied this methodology and the framework of punctuated equilibrium (PEq) to the analysis of the healthcare literature from 2004 to 2012 for evidence of technology transformation, a time during which technology was at the forefront of healthcare policy. The analysis demonstrated that the established PEq framework applied to the literature showed considerable potential for evaluating the progress of policies that encourage healthcare transformation. Significant inhibitors to change were identified through the integrative review and categorized into ten themes that describe the resistant structure of healthcare delivery: variations in the environment; market complexity; regulations; flawed risks and rewards; change theories; barriers; ethical considerations; competition and sustainability; environmental elements, and internal elements. We hypothesize that the resistant nature of the healthcare system described by this study creates barriers to the direct consumer involvement and engagement necessary for transformational change. Future policies should be directed at removing these barriers by demanding and emphasizing open technologies and unrestricted access to data versus as currently prescribed by technology vendors, practitioners, and policies that perpetuate market equilibrium.
Kinetics of gas phase formic acid decomposition on platinum single crystal and polycrystalline surfaces

Abstract Formic acid dehydrogenation turnover rates (TORs) were measured on Pt(111), Pt(100), and polycrystalline Pt foil surfaces at a total pressure of 800 Torr between 413 and 513 K in a batch reactor connected to an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system. The TORs, apparent activation energies, and reaction orders are not sensitive to the structure of the Pt surface, within the precision of the measurements. CO introduced into the batch reactor depressed the formic acid dehydrogenation TOR and increased the reaction's apparent activation energies on Pt(111) and Pt(100), consistent with behavior predicted by the Temkin equation. Two reaction mechanisms were explored which explain the formic acid decomposition mechanism on Pt, both of which include dissociative adsorption of formic acid, rate limiting formate decomposition, and quasi-equilibrated hydrogen recombination and CO adsorption. No evidence was found that catalytic supports used in previous studies altered the reaction kinetics or mechanism.
Atg7 cooperates with Pten loss to drive prostate cancer tumor growth

Understanding new therapeutic paradigms for both castrate-sensitive and more aggressive castrate-resistant prostate cancer is essential to improve clinical outcomes. As a critically important cellular process, autophagy promotes stress tolerance by recycling intracellular components to sustain metabolism important for tumor survival. To assess the importance of autophagy in prostate cancer, we generated a new autochthonous genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) with inducible prostate-specific deficiency in the Pten tumor suppressor and autophagy-related-7 (Atg7) genes. Atg7 deficiency produced an autophagy-deficient phenotype and delayed Pten-deficient prostate tumor progression in both castrate-naive and castrate-resistant cancers. Atg7-deficient tumors display evidence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, suggesting that autophagy may promote prostate tumorigenesis through management of protein homeostasis. Taken together, these data support the importance of autophagy for both castrate-naive and castrate-resistant growth in a newly developed GEMM, suggesting a new paradigm and model to study approaches to inhibit autophagy in combination with known and new therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
Resistance of corn populations to larvae of the corn earworm (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae)

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), is the most important pest of corn, Zea mays L., in the southeastern United States. This study was conducted to determine whether tolerance or antibiosis mechanisms (or both) of resistance function in 18 populations of corn that are being developed for resistance to ear and leaf damage in the field to the corn earworm and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). The populations and resistant and susceptible checks were evaluated in the field for corn earworm injury and husk tightness and in the laboratory for feeding responses of neonate corn earworm larvae on fresh silks or oven-dried silks mixed in a meridic diet. Several populations approached the resistance level of the resistant check, ‘Zapalote Chico’, to ear damage in the field, but none equaled ‘Zapalote Chico’ in husk tightness. In 1987, the growth reduction of corn earworm larvae that were fed silk-diets of five populations was similar to the growth reduction of larvae that were fed a silk diet of ‘Zapalote Chico’. In 1988, only one population showed a growth reduction similar to that of ‘Zapalote Chico’, However, none of the populations approached the level of resistance exhibited by ‘Zapalote Chico’ when other antibiotic measurements such as development time and weight of pupae were considered. Based on data from both the field and laboratory, the resistance of recently released populations, ‘DDSA(C5)’ and ‘DDSB(C5)’, is primarily tolerance. Tolerance to ear damage in the field is also present in the 18 populations evaluated, although a few populations also possess a minor level of antibiosis.
Measurement of blood protease kinetic parameters with self-assembled monolayer ligand binding assays and label-free MALDI-TOF MS.

We report novel ligand binding assay (LBA) surface modalities that permit plasma protease catalytic efficiency (kcat/km) determination by MALDI-TOF MS without the use of liquid chromatography or internal standards such as chemical or metalized labels. Two model LBAs were constructed on planar self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and used to evaluate the clinically relevant metalloprotease ADAMTS-13 kinetics in plasma. The SAM chemistries were designed to improve biosampling efficiency by minimization of nonspecific adsorption of abundant proteins present at ∼100 000× the concentration of the endogenous enzyme. In the first protocol, in-solution digestion of the ADAMTS-13 substrate (vWFh) was performed with immunoaffinity enrichment of the reaction substrate and product to SAM arrays. The second configuration examined protease kcat/km via a surface digestion modality where different substrates were covalently immobilized to the SAM at controlled surface density for optimized protease screens. The results show ...
Bubbling and foaming assisted clearing of mucin plugs in microfluidic Y-junctions

Microfluidic Y-junctions were used to study mechanical mechanisms involved in pig gastric mucin (PGM) plug removal from within one of two bifurcation branches with 2-phase air and liquid flow. Water control experiments showed moderate plug removal due to shear from vortex formation in the blockage branch and suggest a PGM yield stress of 35Pa, as determined by computational fluid dynamics. Addition of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant improved clearing effectiveness due to bubbling in 1mm diameter channels and foaming in 500μm diameter channels. Plug removal mechanisms have been identified as vortex shear, bubble scouring, and then foam scouring as air flow rate is increased with constant liquid flow. The onset of bubbling and foaming is attributed to a flow regime transition from slug to slug-annular. Flow rates explored for 1mm channels are typically experienced by bronchioles in generations 8 and 9 of lungs. Results have implications on treatment of cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases.
Clinical features of 28 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children

Objectives To investigate the clinical features of Guillain-Barre syndrome(GBS) in children from Shenzhen.Methods The clinical manifestations,results of electrophysiological tests and prognosis of 28 GBS patients from July 2002 to July 2012 were retrospectively analysed.Results Of 28 children,16(57.1%) had preceding acute upper respiratory infection for 3-14 days but no patient had acute gastroenteritis.One had received HBV vaccination in 2 weeks before the onset of GBS.The peak season for GBS is spring.According to the clinical presentations and the neurophysiological results 17 patients had demyelinating neuropathy,5 acute motor axonal neuropathy,2 acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy,3 Miller-fisher syndrome,and 1 polyneuritis cranialis.14(50.0%) patients suffered from pain in limbs which is the most notable symptom in the early stage.Intravenous immune globulin(IVIG) and steroids were given during the acute phases in the majority of the patients,and assisted ventilation was performed in 2 patients due to respiratory muscle paralysis.No difference was found in Hughes scores,average hospitalization durations,and the prognosis between patients with GBS variants patients and patients with classic GBS.Conclusions Children with GBS in Shenzhen area have different clinical features.
Spread of Environmental Pollution Associated with the Transfer of Industries and "Iceberg"Phenomenon of Health Events Due to Occupational Hazards

This paper analyzed environmental hazard issues in the current context of industrial transference. Environmental hazards and occupational hazards are transferring from urban areas to rural areas with the process of industrial transference from the eastern part to the central and western parts of China. Occupational hazards has a potential to further spread, especially in the central and western parts which are less developed and lack of strict supervision. This paper made some suggestions for the improvement and provided some strategies for China’s harmonious development from perspectives of the government, enterprises, and labor workers.
Scattering Dynamics, Survival, and Dispersal of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Interacting with the Surface of Multilayer Graphene.

We explored the interaction of a molecular beam of dimethyl methylphosphonate with a multilayer graphene surface to better understand the fate of chemical warfare agents in the environment. The experiments were done at surface temperatures between 120 and 900 K and translational energies between 200 and 1500 meV. At the lowest temperatures, the dimethyl methylphosphonate is adsorbed, with the molecules next to the carbon surface held slightly more strongly than the bulk molecular film that grows with continued dosing. We measured the desorption energy for submonolayer coverage using modulated beam techniques and found a value of 290 meV (28 kJ/mol). At higher surface temperatures, where the residence times are very short, we measured the scattering of the dimethyl methylphosphonate as a function of angle and translational kinetic energy. For a surface temperature of 250 K, with translational kinetic energies between 200 and 1500 meV, much of the incident flux has nearly been accommodated by the surface te...
Cellular radio integration directions

In spite of the enormous increase in cellular handset complexity projected for the next few years, users will continue to demand small, sleek, light-weight, and low-cost handsets that offer similar battery life to simple voice-only phones. This challenge to include color displays, games, audio, video, cameras, Bluetooth, WLAN, and multi-mode cellular in the same form-factor and power of today's handsets can only be met through aggressive integration of the handset electronics. This paper investigates one aspect of the integration challenge; the potential for integration of the handset radio functions in advanced BiCMOS or CMOS technology. Radio performance requirements, radio architectures, performance limitations of wafer process technology, development time, cost, and yield are investigated. Radio architectures suitable for integration are motivated and practical limitations are discussed.
A new framework for loop-free on-demand routing using destination sequence numbers

A generalized framework for loop-free routing based entirely on destination sequence numbers is presented. The framework eliminates the counting-to-infinity problem found in AODV and other on-demand routing protocols based on destination sequence numbers. The sequence-number window routing (SWR) protocol is presented as an example of this framework. SWR is compared via simulations with DSR, AODV and OLSR using networks of 50 and 100 mobile nodes; the results indicate that SWR is as efficient as AODV without incurring counting to infinity.
A Comparison of Thermal Plasma Energy Versus Argon Beam Coagulator-Induced Intestinal Injury After Vaporization in a Porcine Model.

Objectives Complete cytoreduction of ovarian cancer often requires excision or ablation of bowel serosa implants. Both argon beam coagulator (ABC) and thermal plasma energy (TPE) (PlasmaJet; PlasmaSurgical, Roswell, Ga) have been used to ablate bowel serosa implants. Our objective was to identify comparable power settings as well as determine the rate of bowel perforation, depth of thermal injury, and extent of inflammatory response with ABC versus TPE in a porcine model. Materials and Methods Nine pigs underwent vaporization of small bowel and colon serosa according to assigned treatment group (TPE vs ABC) and settings (ABC: 30, 50, and 70 W; TPE: Cut 10U, 20U, and 30U and Coagulation 10U, 20U, and 30U). Animals underwent necropsy with blinded histomorphologic evaluation on days 0, 3, and 10 postprocedure to assess for presence of bowel perforation, depth of thermal injury, and extent of inflammatory response. Results At necropsy, bowel perforation was not identified in any animals. Depth of treatment with ABC in the porcine colon was variable and unrelated to power settings whereas TPE was associated with a consistent treatment depth of 1.0 mm regardless of location or power. Treatment with ABC resulted in greater tissue coagulation and desiccation as well as increased rates of mucosal necrosis, especially at higher settings (>50 W). Treatment with TPE primarily resulted in tissue ablation and minimal mucosal necrosis at low settings (Coag 10U–20U). The inflammatory response associated with TPE treatments was interpreted as biologically benign, and less than that observed with the ABC regardless of treatment settings. Conclusions Both ABC and TPE effectively ablate bowel serosa in a porcine model. The TPE seems to result in a more predictable tissue effect with less inflammatory response, especially when used at low power settings such as Coag 10U or 20U. These characteristics are appealing for ablation of bowel serosa implants during ovarian cancer surgery and warrant further investigation.
Mixed-Cation Organic-Inorganic Halide Perovskite Thin Film Surface-Emitting Laser Enabled by Excitonic Gain

Cesium incorporated mixed-cation perovskite thin films are demonstrated as source of excitonic optical gain media, embedded within monolithic vertical cavity exploiting sputtered dielectric HfO 2 /SiO 2 DBRs, realizing robust low threshold green lasing under optical pumping.