cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of supplemental oxygen on blood plasma organic acids within embryos from selected lines of turkeys

Abstract The hypothesis was tested that increased oxygen tensions during the plateau stage of oxygen consumption (25 and 26 d of incubation) would cause different metabolic responses from embryos selected for increased egg production or growth. Embryos were exposed to 171 or 152 mm Hg partial pressure of oxygen from 25 to 28 d of incubation, a time when the oxygen conductance properties of the eggshell are exceeded by the embryonic tissue demands for oxygen. Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were observed by measuring plasma organic acids in embryos from selected lines and randombred controls. (E was selected for increased egg production; RBC1 is the randombred line from which it was selected. F was selected for increased BW; RBC2 is the randombred line from which it was selected.) During the plateau stage in oxygen consumption, RBC2 embryos responded to added oxygen by utilizing fat rather than carbohydrate, whereas F embryos responded by using less fat as well as less carbohydrate from the liver and kidney. The response of F embryos to added oxygen is the opposite that might be expected for aerobic metabolism. The reason that selection for growth has resulted in such a metabolism is unknown. The E embryos displayed depressed lactate and beta-hydroxybutyrate levels, but plasma urates were elevated compared with RBC1, suggesting that the selection for egg production has also resulted in a unique metabolism. The embryonic processes described in the current study suggest that selected embryos are unable to respond to elevated partial pressure of oxygen by adjusting energy metabolism, which may result in increased embryonic mortality during this stage.
The Influence of a Motivational Climate Intervention on Participants’ Salivary Cortisol and Psychological Responses

Research in achievement goal perspective theory suggests that the creation of a caring/task-involving (C/TI) climate results in more advantageous psychological and behavioral responses relative to an ego-involving (EI) climate; however, research has not yet examined the physiological consequences associated with psychological stress in relation to climate. Given the possible health and fitness implications of certain physiological stress responses, it is critical to understand this association. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine whether an EI climate procures increases in the stress-responsive hormone cortisol, as well as negative psychological changes, following the learning of a new skill, compared with a C/TI climate. Participants (n = 107) were randomized to a C/TI or an EI climate in which they learned how to juggle for 30 min over the course of 2 hr. Seven salivary cortisol samples were collected during this period. Results indicated that EI participants experienced greater cortisol resp...
A regional point descriptor for global topological localization in flooded subterranean environments

A regional point descriptor for global localization using natural landmarks in flooded subterranean environments is presented. Global localization in underwater environments is complicated by a lack of sensors that land robots depend on for position estimation such as GPS, LADAR, and wheel odometry. This descriptor, the slide image, is designed to take advantage of orientation references available in subterranean voids while tolerating expected pose estimation errors in the horizontal plane. It serves as the basis of a robust topological navigation system for Minefish, an untethered, borehole deployable AUV designed to map flooded mines. Results are presented from tests on sonar data collected in the Wakulla springs tunnel system in Florida.
Clostridium botulinum and sudden infant death syndrome: A 10 year prospective study

It has been proposed that sudden and unexpected death in infants due to intestinal infection with Clostridium botulinum may mimic the clinicopathological features of sudden infant death syndrome. Between 3.3 and 3.8% of infants in some series have had this neurotoxin-producing bacterium isolated on faecal culture. Prospective screening of 248 infants presenting with the sudden infant death syndrome to the Adelaide Children's Hospital over a 10 year period from 1981 to 1990 was conducted. Faecal samples were obtained from both small and large intestines and cultured specifically for C. botulinum. No samples were positive. The results of this study suggest that routine post-mortem culture of faeces for C. botulinum has been of limited use within the South Australian infant population over the last decade, and that occult botulism has not been a significant factor in the causation of sudden death.
A new variable step-size fractional lower-order moment algorithm for non-Gaussian interference environments

A new variable step-size fractional lower-order moment (FLOM) algorithm is proposed for non-Gaussian interference suppression. The Normalized FLOM algorithm is a generalization of the normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm with a lower order p ≤ 2 and p = 2 corresponding to the NLMS algorithm. With a fixed step size, the smaller the order p, the faster the convergence of the NFLOM algorithm, but the higher the excess mean square errors (MSE) after convergence. The proposed VSS-FLOM provides a compromise solution to the two conflicting goals of low excess MSE and fast convergence. Simulation results for a system identification application in Gaussian and compound K interference environments show that the proposed VSS-FLOM algorithm outperforms the fixed step-size NFLOM and VSS-LMS algorithms in non-Gaussian interference environments.
A novel method to enhance the sensitivity of marker detection using a refined hierarchical prior of tissue similarities

Identification of biochemical processes that drive the transformation of a totipotent cell into various cell types is essential to our understanding of living systems. This complex machinery determines how tissues differ in terms of their anatomy, physiology, morphology, and, more importantly, how various cellular control mechanisms contribute to the observed similarities/ differences. Tissue-selective genes orchestrate various aspects of cellular machinery in different tissues, and are known to be implicated in a number of tissue-specific pathologies. We propose a novel statistical approach that identifies and removes the effect of universally expressed genes in groups of tissues. This allows us to better characterize tissue similarities, as well as to identify tissue-selective genes. We use our method to construct a reliable hierarchy of tissue similarities. The groupings of tissues in this hierarchy are used to specify successively refined priors for identifying tissue-selective functions and their corresponding genes in the reduced subspace. We show that our refinement process enhances the signal-to-noise ratio in the identification of markers. Using case studies of immune cells and brain tissues, we show that our approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods, both in terms of coverage and reliability of the predicted tissue-selective genes. Our statistical approach provides a general framework for enhancing the sensitivity of marker detection methods, which can be used in conjunction with other techniques. Even in cases where the number of available expression datasets is limited, we show that our marker detection method outperforms existing techniques. We present detailed validation on immune cells and brain tissues in this paper. Our approach can be applied to construct similar datasets of other human tissues as well, for identifying tissue-specific genes. We demonstrate how these tissue-selective genes enhance our understanding of differentiating biochemical features of brain tissues, shed light on how tissue-selective pathologies progress, and help us identify specific biomarkers and targets for future interventions.
Adaptive social and maternal induction of antipredator dorsal patterns in a lizard with alternative social strategies

Maternal effects facilitate adaptation to changing environments because they alter individual offspring traits to match current conditions. We show that maternal effects can also resolve context-dependent, correlational selection on multiple offspring traits, promoting adaptation to more complex environments. In side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana), two alternative pathways of dorsal pattern induction involve maternal oestradiol and alleles for throat colouration ( approximately social strategy). In one pathway, females increased yolk oestradiol when mated to yellow-throated sires; oestradiol induced dorsal barring in yellow-throated progeny of both sexes. In another pathway, females elevated yolk oestradiol in response to a high frequency of orange alleles in experimental social neighbourhoods. When the sire lacked yellow alleles, this secondary pathway resulted in striped, orange sons and striped, non-orange daughters. All maternally induced types had high fitness in the wild. These results illustrate a (previously undescribed) mechanism for females to simultaneously resolve differing correlational selection pressures on different progeny.
Subjects great and small: Maxwell on Saturn's rings and kinetic theory.

Since 1890, James Clerk Maxwell’s reputation has rested upon his theory of electromagnetism. However, during his lifetime he was recognized ‘as the leading molecular scientist’ of his generation. We will explore the foundation of his significance before 1890 using his work on the stability of Saturn’s rings and the development of his kinetic theory of gases, and then briefly discuss the grounds for the change of his reputation.
A novel cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain: expression of DHC1b in mammalian ciliated epithelial cells

Organisms that have cilia or flagella express over a dozen dynein heavy chain genes. Of these heavy chain genes, most appear to encode axonemal dyneins, one encodes conventional cytoplasmic dynein (MAP1C or DHC1a), and one, here referred to as DHC1b, encodes an unclassified heavy chain. Previous analysis of sea urchin DHC1b (Gibbons et al. (1994) Mol. Biol. Cell 5, 57–70) indicated that this isoform is either an axonemal dynein with an unusual protein sequence or a cytoplasmic dynein whose expression increases during ciliogenesis. In the present study, we examined the expression of DHC1b in rat tissues. The DHC1b gene is expressed in all tissues examined, including unciliated liver and heart cells. In contrast, rat axonemal dyneins are only expressed in tissues that produce cilia or flagella. In cultured rat tracheal epithelial (RTE) cells, DHC1b is expressed in undifferentiated cells and increases in expression during ciliogenesis. In contrast, the expression of conventional cytoplasmic dynein, DHC1a, does not change during RTE differentiation and axonemal dynein is not expressed until after differentiation commences. In order to examine the expression of DHC1b protein, we produced an isoform-specific antibody to a synthetic peptide derived from the rat DHC1b sequence. The antibody demonstrated that DHC1b is a relatively minor component of partially purified cytoplasmic dynein. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that DHC1b is not detected in cilia and remains in the cytoplasm of ciliated RTE cells, often accumulating at the apical ends of the cells. These results suggest that DHC1b is a cytoplasmic dynein that may participate in intracellular trafficking in polarized cells.
Design and fabrication of a miniaturized, integrated, high-frequency acoustical lens?transducer system

High-frequency ultrasound transducers have been developed for high-resolution imaging applications, such as nondestructive testing and medical diagnostics. Several of these devices employ miniaturized acoustical lenses to enhance the resolution of the system; however, research has been limited due to lens fabrication restrictions at or below the millimeter scale, which also increases the difficulty in creating lenses of identical geometric shape. Alignment and assembly problems on the micrometer scale have also necessitated the requirement for developing an in situ integrated transducer–lens system. Thus, the purpose of this study was to employ a new state-of-the-art micromachining technique to fabricate a high-precision, integrated, microacoustical lens–transducer system of identical geometric shape. Concave lenses (d = 1 mm) were fabricated from either PMMA R � or epoxy using an ultra-high-precision micromilling machine. The lenses were designed for three different focal lengths (3 mm, 4 mm or 5 mm) with a center thickness of (3/4)λ. After fabrication, each lens was evaluated for compliance with the design criteria using scanning electron microscopy and a roughness/step tester. A total of 28 lenses with identical geometry were successfully fabricated. The errors of the radii of curvatures for all PMMA R � and epoxy lenses were within 7.5 ± 5.8% and 6.0 ± 6.1%, respectively, of the designed values.
A relativisticO(a2) improved action for heavy quarks

The authors extend the Fermilab formalism for heavy quarks to develop an {Omicron}(a{sup 2}) improved relativistic action. They discuss their construction of the action, including the identification of redundant operators and the calculation of the improvement coefficients.
Monophyly and Phylogenetic Relationships of Neotropical Schefflera (Araliaceae) Based on Plastid and Nuclear Markers

Abstract The pantropical genus Schefflera is represented by ca. 300 species in the American tropics, but due to limited sampling of the Neotropical species in previous phylogenetic studies of the genus, the monophyly of this group has remained tentative. To test this, an existing family-wide dataset of ITS and trnL—trnF sequences was expanded, and relationships were explored further by assembling new ITS and ETS datasets using a representative sampling from most of the morphological and geographical diversity of the group. These results were also used to test an informal, morphology-based classification of Neotropical Schefflera. Results of the phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of Neotropical Schefflera, and its placement in the Asian Palmate clade of Araliaceae. Four clades were consistently recovered from all analyses, informally called the Calyptrate, Tremula, Jahnii, and Eastern South American clades, each of which corresponds closely to the previously recognized morphological groupings. The...
Model-based obstacle detection from image sequences

This paper proposes a method for detecting obstacles on a runway from monocular image sequences. The surface of the runway is modelled as a plane and the model flow field corresponding to the runway is described by 8 coefficients. The set of 8 coefficients describing the initial model flow field is given by the data from inertial navigation system (INS). The uncertainties of this initial model flow field are estimated and used to obtain the accurate model flow field. The residual flow field after warping images by the accurate model flow field is computed by solving overdetermined gradient-based optical flow equations using a singular value decomposition (SVD). This SVD gives us a new insight of the uncertainties inherent in the optical flow computation. Those pixels with large residual flow vectors are considered as obstacles. Experimental results for two real image sequences are presented.
Let's roll! Rolling out the NASA Systems Engineering Framework

In March 2007, NASA issued the new NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) for systems engineering — NPR 7123.1A NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements. Among other things, the NASA SE NPR describes the 3-axis NASA Systems Engineering Framework (SEF). The NASA SEF consists of three elements that make up NASA systems engineering capability: 1) common technical processes, 2) tools and methods, and 3) workforce, knowledge and skills. These three elements can be thought of as the three axes of the three dimensional SE framework.
A 64 channel programmable receiver chip for 3G wireless infrastructure

We present a CDMA wireless infrastructure chip that handles digital baseband receive functions for up to 64 voice channels, representing over 150 GOPS of computation, and dissipating 32mW/channel. Vector datapaths and two embedded ARM cores are employed for flexibility and high channel density. The chip is fabricated in a 130 nm 7 layer metal process and contains 75M transistors.
A dynamic method for catalyst diffusivities

It is shown that a pulse-response technique can be used with the Wicke-Kallenbach type of diffusion cell to determine effective diffusivities in catalyst pellets. The diffusivity is a function of the retention time of the pulse of diffusing gas in the pellet. Experimental values obtained with an alumina pellet agreed well with expected results for this type of material.
Uses of cardiomyocytes generated from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are naturally derived from early stage embryos and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are reprogrammed from somatic cells with overexpression of four reprogramming factors, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc. Both ES cells and iPS cells are pluripotent stem cells with capabilities of indefi nite self-renewal and can be diff erentiated into almost all cell types of the body, which make them valuable for studying early developmental biology, for modeling and as therapy for human diseases. Specifi cally, human iPS cells could be utilized to generate patient-specifi c lineages for a variety of translational research. In this review, we describe the cardiac diff erentiation from ES cells, iPS cells, and the current progress of using iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes for heart disease modeling and for the development of therapeutic strategies. In addition, we summarize the recent direct reprogramming of cardiomyocytes from ficells, which provides another method for potential heart disease therapy.
Gene Expression does not Change Significantly in C3H 10T½ Cells after Exposure to 847.74 CDMA or 835.62 FDMA Radiofrequency Radiation

Abstract Whitehead, T. D., Moros, E. G., Brownstein, B. H. and Roti Roti, J. L. Gene Expression does not Change Significantly in C3H 10T ½ Cells after Exposure to 847.74 CDMA or 835.62 FDMA Radiofrequency Radiation. Radiat. Res. 165, 626–635 (2006). In vitro experiments with C3H 10T½ mouse cells were performed to determine whether Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) modulated radiofrequency (RF) radiations induce changes in gene expression. After the cells were exposed to either modulation for 24 h at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 5 W/ kg, RNA was extracted from both exposed and sham-exposed cells for gene expression analysis. As a positive control, cells were exposed to 0.68 Gy of X rays and gene expression was evaluated 4 h after exposure. Gene expression was evaluated using the Affymetrix U74Av2 GeneChip® to detect changes in mRNA levels. Each exposure condition was repeated three times. The GeneChip® data were analyzed using a two-tailed t test, and ...
A stochastic approach for evaluating quality of service in wireless cellular networks

Recent increases in application and user data over cellular networks requires networks service providers to guarantee a well-defined quality of service for their customers. As such, network service providers must be able to evaluate and assess the quality of service in different types of applications over their networks. This paper presents a method for assessing quality of service in application-specific and user-centric data on cellular networks. To this end, it formulates the evaluation problem as a stochastic multi-attribute decision problem in which measurement parameters are used as probabilistic attributes of the problem collected in drive testing over three different cellular networks. Matrix relational analysis is applied on the decision matrix to solve the problem by reaching a final ranking of the networks based on the collected measured values of the problem parameters. A case study is used to show how this approach can be effective in evaluating quality of service in cellular networks.
Nonaccidental trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients at a regional level 1 pediatric trauma center

Abstract Background Traumatic injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The purpose of the present study was to determine the incidence of nonaccidental trauma (NAT) and to compare the outcomes of accidental trauma (AT) patients with NAT patients at a large pediatric trauma center. Methods A retrospective chart review of 6186 trauma patients younger than 18 years evaluated during the period of 1996 to 2004. Results During the period of study, NAT accounted for 7.3% (n = 453) of trauma evaluations (n = 6186). Compared to AT, the NAT patient was younger, 12 vs 76 months ( P P P P P P Conclusions The surgeon caring for children must appreciate the high incidence of NAT with its increased morbidity and mortality relative to AT patients. A surgical evaluation should be performed promptly in NAT patients because of their frequent need for emergent intervention.
Carbon Dynamics in Central US Rockies Lodgepole Pine Type After Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks

Mountain pine beetle-caused tree mortality has substantially changed live tree biomass in lodgepole pine ecosystems in western North America since 2000. We studied how beetle-caused mortality altered ecosystem carbon (C) stocks and productivity using a central US Rockies age sequence of ecosystem recovery after infestation, augmented with growth-and-yield model simulations. Field measurements showed that total C stocks were reduced by beetle outbreaks, although differences compared with undisturbed stands were not easily distinguished. Simulations with outbreaks showed long-term C losses of 1–30%. Field data indicated that aboveground C productivity was reduced among plots infested within 25 years of measurements, but productivity levels of plots with older infestations were indistinguishable from those of undisturbed plots. Simulations indicated that outbreaks reduced C productivity for 20 – 60 years, but rates recovered such that 100-year postoutbreak averages were similar among infested and undisturbed stands. Simulations also showed that C dynamics are affected by outbreak severity and that C productivity might be stimulated by outbreaks relative to that of undisturbed stands. Outbreaks redistributed C from live (sinks) to dead pools (sources), but slow decomposition of snags combined with recovered tree growth resulted in resilience of aboveground C stocks.
Adenosinergic modulation of the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine in rats.

Rationale. A1 and A2A adenosine receptors are co-localized with dopamine D1 and D2 receptors, respectively, and their stimulation attenuates dopaminergic functioning. Objective. To test whether adenosine antagonists with different selectivities for A1 and A2A receptors mimic the discriminative-stimulus effects of dopamine releaser methamphetamine. Methods. Effects of the A1 antagonist DPCPX, the preferential A2A antagonist DMPX and the non-selective adenosine antagonist caffeine were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate 1.0 mg/kg, IP, methamphetamine from saline under a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of food presentation. Results. The A1 antagonist DPCPX (1.0–10.0 mg/kg) failed to substitute for methamphetamine. However, 5.6 mg/kg DPCPX shifted the methamphetamine dose-response curve to the left. The A2A antagonist DMPX (1.8–18.0 mg/kg) produced about 70% methamphetamine-appropriate responding and the non-selective antagonist caffeine (3.0–56.0 mg/kg) about 50% methamphetamine-appropriate responding at the highest tested doses. Both DMPX (5.6 mg/kg) and caffeine (30.0 mg/kg) shifted the methamphetamine dose-response curve to the left. Methamphetamine-like effects of DMPX were blocked fully by the D2 antagonist spiperone (0.18 mg/kg) and partially by the D1 antagonist SCH-23390 (0.018 mg/kg). Conclusions. Antagonism at A2A adenosine receptors directly mimics the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine through the interaction with dopamine receptors. Antagonism at A1 adenosine receptors potentiates effects of lower methamphetamine doses and thus plays a rather indirect, modulatory role.
Medical student clerkship performance and career selection after a junior medical student surgical mentorship program

Abstract Background The impact of early medical school mentorship in students' clerkships performance and career selection is unknown. Methods We administered Introduction to Surgery, a resident-directed, semester-long, preclinical elective to junior medical students who answered a Likert-type survey after residency application. Elective participants (EPs) were compared with nonparticipant applicants (EAs), medical school class (MS), and national match outcomes (USA). Results All 18 EPs (7 M1's, 11 M2's) completed the elective and survey. EP reported more confidence and improved surgical skills, especially attributed to resident mentorship (F(13,237) = 2.3, P = 8*10 −3 ). EP "honored" the clerkship more than MS ( P = .05); 55.6% of EP, 37.5% of EA, and 27.7% of MS chose surgical fields, yielding a relative risk of 2.0 for EP vs MS (95% confidence interval: 1.3 to 3.2, P = 4*10 −3 ). EP "strongly agree" with future mentorship programs (4.6/5), and 1 EP reported the course to be the "main reason" for applying to general surgery. Conclusions Introduction to Surgery provides a model for a multifaceted junior medical student mentorship program, which has the potential to retain interested students for surgical career selection.
Identification of the Post-translational Modifications Present in Centromeric Chromatin

The centromere is the locus on the chromosome that acts as the essential connection point between the chromosome and the mitotic spindle. A histone H3 variant, CENP-A, defines the location of the centromere, but centromeric chromatin consists of a mixture of both CENP-A-containing and H3-containing nucleosomes. We report a surprisingly uniform pattern of primarily monomethylation on lysine 20 of histone H4 present in short polynucleosomes mixtures of CENP-A and H3 nucleosomes isolated from functional centromeres. Canonical H3 is not a component of CENP-A-containing nucleosomes at centromeres, so the H3 we copurify from these preparations comes exclusively from adjacent nucleosomes. We find that CENP-A-proximal H3 nucleosomes are not uniformly modified but contain a complex set of PTMs. Dually modified K9me2-K27me2 H3 nucleosomes are observed at the centromere. Side-chain acetylation of both histone H3 and histone H4 is low at the centromere. Prior to assembly at centromeres, newly expressed CENP-A is sequestered for a large portion of the cell cycle (late S-phase, G2, and most of mitosis) in a complex that contains its partner, H4, and its chaperone, HJURP. In contrast to chromatin associated centromeric histone H4, we show that prenucleosomal CENP-A-associated histone H4 lacks K20 methylation and contains side-chain and α-amino acetylation. We show HJURP displays a complex set of serine phosphorylation that may potentially regulate the deposition of CENP-A. Taken together, our findings provide key information regarding some of the key components of functional centromeric chromatin.
On disentangling initial mass function degeneracies in integrated light

The study of extragalactic integrated light can yield partial information on stellar population ages, abundances, and the initial mass function (IMF). The power-law slope of the IMF has been studied in recent investigations with gravity-sensitive spectral indicators that hopefully measure the ratio between KM dwarfs and giants. We explore two additional effects that might mimic the effects of the IMF slope in integrated light, the low mass cutoff (LMCO) and a variable contribution of light from the asymptotic giant branch (AGB). We show that the spectral effects of these three (IMF slope, LMCO, AGB strength) are subtle compared to age-abundance effects. We illustrate parameter degeneracies and covariances and conclude that the three effects can be disentangled, but only in the regime of very accurate observations, with enhanced effectiveness if high-precision photometry is combined with spectroscopy.
Distal Biceps Tendon Ruptures: An Epidemiological Analysis Using a Large Population Database

Background:The incidence of distal biceps tendon ruptures was studied more than 10 years ago in a small patient cohort. Recent diagnostic advancements have improved the ability to detect this rare injury.Hypothesis:The incidence of distal biceps tendon ruptures will be significantly greater than previously reported.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiologic study.Methods:A query of the PearlDiver Technologies national database containing public and private insurance patients was used to estimate the national incidence of distal biceps tendon ruptures in the United States. A retrospective chart review of our local population identified demographic groups and risk factors that increased likelihood of injury.Results:The estimated national incidence of distal biceps tendon rupture was 2.55 per 100,000 patient-years. The local incidence was 5.35 per 100,000 patient-years. The mean and median ages of patients in our regional cohort were 46.3 and 46 years, respectively. Males composed the majority of the injured pop...
Control of an underwater vehicle in irregular waves

In an effort to account for wave forcing in underwater vehicle dynamics, a model derived from Lagrangian mechanics is implemented. The model is first specialized to the case of an underwater vehicle operating in plane progressive waves. A comparison is made between the model in plane progressive waves and an exact solution derived from potential flow theory, revealing that the model accurately captures Froude-Krylov excitation forces. Plane progressive waves are then used to approximate the Pierson-Moskowitz wave energy spectrum as a means to simulate a natural seaway. A proportional derivative (PD) controller is devised to simultaneously maintain a desired depth and heading angle for an underactuated, underwater vehicle to demonstrate the capability of the proposed model.
Professional role perceptions among Iraqi Kurdish journalists from a ‘state within a state’:

Twenty years after a foreign intervention in Iraqi Kurdistan during Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian rule, this study found that Kurdish journalists’ professional role perceptions appear, to an exten...
Accident prevention and the general practitioner.

For general practitioners, in whose practice is included a major proportion of the medical management of infants and children, and for the specializing pediatrician as well, Postgraduate Medicine presents this special regular department devoted to brief discussions by recognized authorities on their preferred methods of the treatment and management of diseases and problems of infancy and childhood.
Epidemic characteristics of 7503 hand-foot-mouth disease cases in Jiulongpo District of Chongqing

Objective To grasp epidemic characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD)in Jiulongpo district of Chongqing. Methods The data of 7 503 HFMD cases in Jiulongpo district were collected and analyzed comprehensively with descriptive epidemiology method. Results There were 7 503 HFMD cases from 2007 to 2012,including three severe cases and two deaths. The annual average incidence rate of HFMD was 137.8/100 000,the average mortality rate was 0.04/100 000,and the average fatality rate was 0.23%;There were two high incidence peaks one occurred between April and June,the other between October and December. The incidence rate was higher in urban area than those in rural area(χ2=9.79,P0.01); 95.51% of cases occurred in children younger than 5 years old,the highest incidence occurred mainly in age group of one to three years made up 72.11%;The gender ratio of male and femal was 1.53:1 and the incidence rate of male was higher than female(χ2=307.87,P0.01). Antibodies of CoxA16 and EV71 were the main pathogens. Among the six years,420 cases were involved in 32 outbreaks and the attack rate was 4.77%,all outbreaks were happened in kindergarten and nursery. Conclusions Incidence of HFMD in Jiulongpo district showed an increasing trend,therefore,epidemic surveillance of nursery,communities and densely populated regions and children under 5 years should be strengthened to prevent and control the epidemic of HFMD in t his distrct.
Study into Launch Zone of the Guided Bomb

According to differential dynamic equations and guidance law,6-DOF flight trajectory and launch zone of the air-surface guided bomb,and target track,flight simulation models of a minor guided no-power bomb are calculated largely and compared with by simulation software such as C++ and Matlab considering different conditions of target movement under certain launching conditions.The paper provides a set of methods for an air-surface guided bomb to exactly get targets,and improves its tactical performance.
Gene discovery by chemical mutagenesis and whole-genome sequencing in Dictyostelium

Whole-genome sequencing is a useful approach for identification of chemical-induced lesions, but previous applications involved tedious genetic mapping to pinpoint the causative mutations. We propose that saturation mutagenesis under low mutagenic loads, followed by whole-genome sequencing, should allow direct implication of genes by identifying multiple independent alleles of each relevant gene. We tested the hypothesis by performing three genetic screens with chemical mutagenesis in the social soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum Through genome sequencing, we successfully identified mutant genes with multiple alleles in near-saturation screens, including resistance to intense illumination and strong suppressors of defects in an allorecognition pathway. We tested the causality of the mutations by comparison to published data and by direct complementation tests, finding both dominant and recessive causative mutations. Therefore, our strategy provides a cost- and time-efficient approach to gene discovery by integrating chemical mutagenesis and whole-genome sequencing. The method should be applicable to many microbial systems, and it is expected to revolutionize the field of functional genomics in Dictyostelium by greatly expanding the mutation spectrum relative to other common mutagenesis methods.
International Trade Based on the Ability to Adjust

The recent volatility of international trade and mounting pressures for protection have stimulated new interest in the role of adjustment in trade theory. An excellent cross-section of current research is provided by an NBER volume on import competition and adjustment (Bhagwati, 1982). These essays show that adjustment may be, or may appear to be, costly for several reasons. First, real resources may be required to switch factors of production from one activity to another, as in retraining or retooling.1 Second, adjustment may induce unemployment because of imperfections in factor markets.2 Third, adjustment may be made costly by policy; for example, subsidies to declining industries may raise costs above competitive levels for expanding industries.3
Acute and long-term adverse effects of antipsychotics.

Antipsychotics have become the cornerstone of management for many severe mental disorders. Primarily developed for the treatment of schizophrenia, several antipsychotics have been indicated for bipolar mania, bipolar depression, and irritability associated with autistic disorder. Antipsychotics are also used off label for psychotic or refractory depression; refractory anxiety disorders; and conditions associated with agitated or aggressive behaviors. Due to the severity and chronicity of severe mental disorders, the broad range of potential treatment targets, and the relative ease of use of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), which are associated with a lower risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and tardive dyskinesia (TD), prescribing rates have increased considerably over the last decade. With increased utilization of these medications comes a greater responsibility to appropriately recognize, monitor, and manage side-effect clusters that can adversely affect physical and mental outcomes.
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft versus allograft in skeletally mature patients aged 25 years or younger

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes and revision rates of skeletally mature patients aged 25 years or younger who have undergone either BPTB autograft or deep-frozen, non-irradiated BPTB allograft ACL reconstruction by a single surgeon. Two hundred and twenty-four patients aged 25 or younger at the time of surgery were identified as having a transtibial ACL reconstruction with either a BPTB autograft or deep-frozen, non-irradiated BPTB allograft by one senior surgeon (101 autografts vs. 123 allografts) over the study time period. Primary outcome measure included the need for ACL revision. One hundred and nineteen patients with at least 2-year clinical follow-up agreed to participate in secondary outcome measurement arm of the study and were administered the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation Form. The median Lysholm scores were 95 (40–100) and 95 (68–100) and the median IKDC scores were 95.4 (54.0–100) and 95.4 (72.4–100) in the allograft and autograft groups, respectively. The differences in the Lysholm scores and the IKDC scores were not statistically significant (P = n.s.). There were 13 patients requiring ACL revision, 12 allograft versus one autograft (P = 0.005). Although there is no significant difference in patient-rated outcome between ACL reconstructions using BPTB autografts versus BPTB allografts, a significantly higher rate of ACL revision was found in allograft patients. The results of our study support a growing body of literature that BPTB autograft reconstruction leads to lower retear rates in younger individuals, an important factor in the graft selection process for these patients. III.
No Justice, No Pill/Know (Reproductive) Justice, Know the Pill

This article is a commentary on Prior's (2016) article “Adolescents’ Use of Combined Hormonal Contraceptives for Menstrual Cycle–Related Problem Treatment and Contraception: Evidence of Potential Lifelong Negative Reproductive and Bone Effects.” In this article I comment on emotional side effects of the pill, environmental damage as a result of the widespread use of synthetic hormones, and current public discourse about whether or not health insurance (especially when provided by employers) should cover contraceptives. Reproductive justice requires both knowledge about the effects of various forms of contraceptives and access to the contraceptives of choice.
Fanconi Anemia: Emerging Therapeutic Opportunities

Abstract Abstract SCI-1 Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically heterogeneous inherited disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, birth defects, and cancer susceptibility. At the cellular level, FA features hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents, cell cycle abnormalities, and abnormal responses to cytokines. Therapy for the hematopoietic defects of FA has consisted of supportive care, stem cell transplantation, and administration of androgens such as oxymetholone. Unfortunately, even successfully transplanted FA patients have a very high risk of subsequent solid tumors, especially squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharyngeal and urogenital areas. The pharmacologic treatment of FA has been unchanged for several decades, and for this reason our group has embarked on a systematic search for small-molecule therapeutics that could benefit FA patients. This effort has been made possible by the cloning of 15 FA genes and biochemical insights into the function of FA proteins. Mouse models, zebra fish models, and FA patient cell lines, including induced pluripotent stem cells, are available for screening and validation. The specific goals of small-molecule interventions are to delay or prevent hematopoietic failure and also to delay or prevent carcinogenesis. To date, we have shown that the superoxide dismutase mimetic drug Tempol can significantly delay tumor formation in FA mice. Similarly, resveratrol clearly improved hematopoiesis in the same model. Medium-throughput screens have revealed numerous new molecules that ameliorate the FA phenotypes of cells, mice, and zebrafish. Using genetic approaches we also have identified the p53 pathway as a therapeutic target in FA. These therapeutic opportunities and progress in FA small-molecule screening will be discussed. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Survey of Coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus in Cheese Using Impedimetric and Plate Count Methods1

A total of 256 cheese samples were analyzed for coliform plate count using violet red bile agar and for an impedance count using BactometerR Coliform Medium with a correlation coefficient between methods of R=-.91. Fifty-four percent of the samples contained 102 to 107 colony forming units/gram (CFU/g). The highest counts were in cream and fresh cheese products. When 27 Cheddar cheese samples were inoculated with from 102 to 107 CFU of Escherichia coli /g a correlation of R=-.97 was found between methods. Two hundred of the cheese samples were analyzed for Staphylococcus aureus using Baird-Parker medium and impedance count using BactometerR S.aureus Medium. Five samples (2%) contained over 103 CFU/g. The strains isolated were coagulase-positive. When 34 samples of cheese were inoculated with 102 to 107 CFU of staphylococci/g, the correlation between the plate and impedance method was R=0.98.
Risk Factors, Protective Factors, and Current Recommendations to Reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Review.

Importance Sudden infant death syndrome remains the leading cause of death in infants aged 1 month to 1 year in the United States. Observations While its exact cause is unknown, sudden infant death syndrome is believed to be multifactorial, ie, occurs in infants with underlying biological vulnerability who experience an exogenous stressor, such as prone/side sleeping or soft bedding, during a critical developmental period. Much genetic and physiologic evidence points to impaired arousal responses to hypercarbia and hypoxia, which ultimately leads to asphyxia. Known risk factors for infants include prone and side sleeping, soft bedding, bed sharing, inappropriate sleep surfaces (including sofas), exposure to tobacco smoke, and prematurity; protective factors include breastfeeding, pacifier use, room sharing, and immunizations. Conclusions and Relevance Despite our improved understanding of the physiologic mechanisms that cause sudden infant death, the mainstay of risk reduction continues to be a safe sleep environment, as most infants who die suddenly and unexpectedly do so in unsafe sleep environments.
Hawai’i Girls Court: Juveniles, Gender, and Justice

At the Hawai’i Girls Court, everyone is female. The presiding judge is female, the probation officers are female, the program coordinators are female and, of course, the clientele is female. The Court, a diversionary program for juvenile females in Hawai’i, is just one gender-responsive program in the juvenile justice system—interest in and availability of such programming is increasing. But even though gender-responsive programs are promoted and funded by federal and local governments and the private sector, legal scholars have yet to undertake any searching examination of the programs’
Race/Ethnicity-Specific Outcomes Among Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Patients Listed for Liver Transplantation

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and need for liver transplantation (LT). It is unclear if HCV-related LT outcomes vary by race/ethnicity. We aim to evaluate ethnic disparities specifically among patients with chronic HCV in the USA. Using data from the United Network for Organ Sharing 2003–2013 LT registry, we evaluated race/ethnicity-specific disparities in LT waitlist survival and probability of receiving LT among chronic HCV patients listed for LT. Among 43,478 HCV patients listed for LT (70.0% non-Hispanic white, 10.8% black, 16.3% Hispanic, 2.9% Asian), HCV-related LT waitlist registrations increased by 21.5% from 2003 to 2013. During this period, the proportion of HCV patients with HCC increased by 237%, and in 2013, HCV patients with HCC accounted for 33.0% of HCV-related waitlist registrations. When stratified by race/ethnicity, Hispanics with HCV had significantly lower waitlist mortality (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.74–0.94; p < 0.01) compared to non-Hispanic whites, but no significant differences were seen among blacks and Asians. Furthermore, compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics were significantly less likely to receive LT (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.53–0.62; p < 0.001), but no differences were seen among blacks or Asians. Among patients with chronic HCV in the USA, the MELD score has reduced race/ethnicity-specific disparities in waitlist mortality. However, Hispanic HCV patients had significantly better waitlist survival and lower probability of receiving LT, possibly reflecting slower disease progression compared to non-Hispanic whites with chronic HCV.
Measuring and Examining General Self-Efficacy among Community College Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

ABSTRACTThis study examined a psychosocial mechanism of how general self-efficacy interacts with other key factors and influences degree aspiration for students enrolled in an urban diverse community college. Using general self-efficacy scales, the authors hypothesized the General Self-efficacy model for Community College students (the GSE-CC model). A Confirmatory factor analysis was used to establish a measurement model in which three general self-efficacies were confirmed along with other latent factors (e.g., social capital, transfer capital, etc.). The GSE-CC model was then tested and finalized via structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The results showed that general self-efficacy significantly impacted the degree aspiration both directly and indirectly. In addition, general self-efficacy may serve as a bridge between social capital and transfer capital for community college students. Based on the findings, community college practitioners can generate practical implications to promote positi...
Detection of chronic obstructive lung disease. An evaluation of the medical history and physical examination.

The value of a standard medical history and physical examination in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease was tested. Nine hundred and ninety-three male patients 40 years old and older were studied at the Mayo Clinic by the use of ventilatory tests and a retrospective review of the medical record for pulmonary symptoms and physical signs. Nearly 20% had abnormal results on at least one test, and about 28% were classified as clinically abnormal according to specified criteria. Ventilatory test results were abnormal in 10% of 714 patients in whom no symptoms, signs, or past history of pulmonary disease was noted. This represents the detection rate for ventilatory abnormality by the use of routine spirometry. Severe degrees of impairment of ventilation may be undetected by the history and physical examination.
Approximation of Complex Linear Systems

Abstract The increasing complexity of systems whose analysis is carried out on the computer suggests the development of techniques of approximate analysis. Existing techniques are often somewhat imprecise mathematically or else rather inefficient computationally. This paper presents an approach which, it is hoped, will be considered an improvement, actual or potential, in these respects. It is quite well founded conceptually. Yet, a complete and mathematically well defensible solution is derived for it. Part of the solution is not new but part seems to be novel. This is the determination of the global maximum of a rational function which can have many local maxima. Many other similar approaches are possible but are expected to lead to similar unconventional maximization problems. Computational efficiency seems to be at least competitive with other methods of comparable stages of development.