cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors regulated by interferon gamma and hypoxia-inducible factor 1A contribute to responses that protect mice from Coccidioides immitis infection

Coccidioidomycosis results from airborne infections caused by either Coccidioides immitis or C. posadasii. Both are pathogenic fungi that live in desert soil in the New World and can infect normal hosts, but most infections are self-limited. Disseminated infections occur in approximately 5% of cases and may prove fatal. Mouse models of the disease have identified strains that are resistant (e.g. DBA/2) or susceptible (e.g. C57BL/6) to these pathogens. However, the genetic and immunological basis for this difference has not been fully characterized. Microarray technology was used to identify genes that were differentially expressed in lung tissue between resistant DBA/2 and sensitive C57BL/6 mice after infection with C. immitis. Differentially expressed genes were mapped onto biological pathways, gene ontologies, and protein interaction networks, which revealed that innate immune responses mediated by Type II interferon (i.e., IFNG) and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) contribute to the resistant phenotype. In addition, upregulation of hypoxia inducible factor 1A (HIF1A), possibly as part of a larger inflammatory response mediated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFA), may also contribute to resistance. Microarray gene expression was confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR for a subset of 12 genes, which revealed that IFNG HIF1A and TNFA, among others, were significantly differentially expressed between the two strains at day 14 post-infection. These results confirm the finding that DBA/2 mice express more Type II interferon and interferon stimulated genes than genetically susceptible strains and suggest that differential expression of HIF1A may also play a role in protection.
Economic Welfare Effects of the FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products on Tobacco Growers

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 (FSPTCA) became federal law on June 22, 2009, authorizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the manufacturing and marketing of tobacco products in the country. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ￻ ￻ ￻ ￻ ￻ ￻ ,
Multi-band non-radiating electrically small spherical shell designs

This paper classifies the metamaterials based on their fundamental properties, i.e., by the signs of their permittivity and permeability. The double positive (DPS) metamaterials have both the permittivity and permeability positive, i.e., /spl epsi/ > 0, /spl mu/ > 0. The epsilon-negative (ENG) metamaterials have the permittivity less than zero, i.e., /spl epsi/ 0. The mu-negative (MNG) metamaterials have the permeability less than zero, i.e., /spl epsi/ > 0, /spl mu/ < 0. The double negative metamaterials have both the permittivity and permeability less than zero, i.e., /spl epsi/ < 0, /spl mu/ < 0. The target frequency of interest here is: f/sub 0/ = /spl omega//sub 0//2/spl pi/ = 300 MHz giving the free space wavelength /spl lambda//sub 0/ = 1.0 m. We define an electrically small antenna in free space by the constraint that kr/sub e/ /spl les/ 0.5 where r/sub e/ radius of the smallest sphere that surrounds the antenna system. This paper discusses the behavior of a non-radiating nested metamaterial spherical shell model with different sizes. The analytical analysis and produced results shows a different natural mode of the nested spherical shell system than previously published.
An Open Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The frequent co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in youth has spurred study of intervention practices for this population. As anxiety disorders in the absence of ASD are effectively treated using cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT) protocols, an initial step in evaluating treatments for comorbid youth has necessarily centered on adaptation of CBT. One primary limitation of this research, to date, is that interventions for adolescents with anxiety disorders and ASD have not been systematically tested. In this study, 20 adolescents (90% male) with ASD and a comorbid anxiety disorder, between ages 11 and 14 years (M = 12.2 years, SD = 1.11 years), participated in an open trial of modified CBT targeting anxiety with ASD. Findings demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety severity, as assessed by clinician and parent ratings, from baseline to post-treatment. In addition, reductions in parent-rated externalizing symptoms were observed. Gains were maintained at a 1-month follow-up.
Of boys and girls

In the past decade, much has been written about threats to boys’ and girls’ healthy participation in dance. This Viewpoints essay considers some of the causes and proposed remedies, which focus almost exclusively on the roles and responsibilities of dance educators and administrators. I suggest that what is missing from recent research, pedagogical applications and clinical intervention responses is the conversation between boys and girls themselves: peer‐to‐peer influences and interactions may be the single best way to combat harmful stereotypes, strengthen relations between male and female dancers, and build healthy dance communities.
Race Identification Agreement across Multiple Respondent Types

Medical and social sciences routinely include participant race as a demographic predictor or correlate of measured outcomes. For example, racial differences have been reported for access to health services (Boscarino et al. 2005), as well as a variety of health outcomes (Adams and Boscarino 2005). The validity of these findings rests on the reliable reporting of participant race. However, emerging research has suggested that racial designations were not always reliable. Moreover, reliability of race reporting appeared more salient for some racial categories than for others. This study used data from a national survey of children involved with the child welfare system to assess agreement on child’s race using child self-report, caregiver report, and administrative records, as represented by child welfare caseworker report. Level of agreement across three reporter types has never been examined. Our aim was to provide descriptive data on agreement among these three sources of child race information. The findings have implications for both survey methodology and social science research involving measurements of children’s race.
PSD-95 promotes the stabilization of young synaptic contacts.

Maintaining a population of stable synaptic connections is probably of critical importance for the preservation of memories and functional circuitry, but the molecular dynamics that underlie synapse stabilization is poorly understood. Here, we use simultaneous time-lapse imaging of post synaptic density-95 (PSD-95) and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) to investigate the dynamics of protein composition at axodendritic (AD) contacts. Our data reveal that this composition is highly dynamic, with both proteins moving into and out of the same synapse independently, so that synapses cycle rapidly between states in which they are enriched for none, one or both proteins. We assessed how PSD-95 and CaMKII interact at stable and transient AD sites and found that both phospho-CaMKII and PSD-95 are present more often at stable than labile contacts. Finally, we found that synaptic contacts are more stable in older neurons, and this process can be mimicked in younger neurons by overexpression of PSD-95. Taken together, these data show that synaptic protein composition is highly variable over a time-scale of hours, and that PSD-95 is probably a key synaptic protein that promotes synapse stability.
Fixation of intestinal tissue using a novel endoscopic device.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the utility and strength of a novel endoscopic fixation device, Brace-Bar, in the large intestine and compare the strength with other currently available techniques. The primary outcome was the strength of fixation using 3 endoscopic methods: BraceBar, suture, and commercially available tackers. The hypothesis is that the use of the BraceBar will result in fixation strength similar to the strength of the other methods. Materials and methods: An ex vivo porcine model was used to test 3 fixation methods: Group 1, BraceBar (Prototype); Group 2, ProTack (AutoSuture); and Group 3, TI-CRON suture (Syneture). Large-bowel segments were fixed to abdominal wall tissue at 20 cm from the distal end of the rectum. Primary endpoint was pull away strength. A total of 45 trials of each method were performed. Comparison between the groups was done using JMP 7.0. Results: There was no significant difference in strength between the BraceBar group and the suture group ( P...
Characterization and Compensation of High Speed Digitizers

Increasingly, ADC technology is being pressed into service for single-shot instrumentation applications that were for merely served by vacuum-tube based oscilloscopes and streak cameras. ADC technology, while convenient, suffers significant performance impairments. Thus, in these demanding applications, a quantitative and accurate representation of these impairments is critical to an understanding of measurement accuracy. We have developed a phase-plane behavioral model, implemented it in SIMULINK and applied it to interleaved, high-speed ADCs (up to 4 gigasamples/sec). We have also developed and demonstrated techniques to effectively compensate for these impairments based upon the model
Social capital as a policy resource

Existing studies of social capital have provided ample evidence of its pervasiveness and offered useful impressions of its political, economic, and social influence. That it can be also a resource for the implementation of public policies is less well understood. This paper considers how leaders use it to accomplish objectives that are exogenous to the purposes of those that originally contributed to it. Since social capital is usually a by-product of group behavior, its existence should be observed as a separate feature of a group's assets. It is most frequently observed indirectly through its influence on social systems and their policies, but it may also perform the reverse role by becoming an instrument of policy. This paper examines some of its uses in mobilizing public support through appeals to unrelated loyalties.
Towards optimal I/O scheduling for MEMS-based storage

MEMS-based storage devices are currently being developed to narrow the gap between processor and disk speeds. MEMS-based storage devices have a different architecture from disk devices, thus algorithms, such as I/O scheduling and data placement, designed for disks need to be revisited. In this paper we focus on developing an I/O scheduling algorithm for MEMS-based storage devices. Our theoretical analysis shows that this algorithm is guaranteed to perform within twice the optimal time for any workload.
LII. On systems of algebra involving more than one imaginary; and on equations of the fifth degree

(1849). LII. On systems of algebra involving more than one imaginary; and on equations of the fifth degree. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 35, No. 238, pp. 434-437.
Defining, computing, and visualizing molecular interfaces

A parallel, analytic approach for defining and computing the inter and intra molecular interfaces in three dimensions is described. The molecular interface surfaces are derived from approximations to the power diagrams over the participating molecular units. For a given molecular interface our approach can generate a family of interface surfaces parametrized by /spl alpha/ and /spl beta/, where /spl alpha/ is the radius of the solvent molecule (also known as the probe radius) and /spl beta/ is the interface radius that defines the size of the molecular interface. Molecular interface surfaces provide biochemists with a powerful tool to study surface complementarity and to efficiently characterize the interactions during a protein substrate docking. The complexity of our algorithm for molecular environments is O(nk log/sup 2/ k), where n is the number of atoms in the participating molecular units and k is the average number of neighboring atoms-a constant, given /spl alpha/ and /spl beta/.
CNT-Based MEMS/NEMS Gas Ionizers for Portable Mass Spectrometry Applications

We report the fabrication and experimental characterization of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based MEMS/NEMS electron impact gas ionizer with an integrated extractor gate for portable mass spectrometry. The ionizer achieves low-voltage ionization using sparse forests of plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposited CNTs as field emitters and a proximal extractor grid with apertures aligned to the CNT forests to facilitate electron transmission. The extractor gate is integrated to the ionizer using a high-voltage MEMS packaging technology based on Si springs defined by deep reactive ion etching. The ionizer also includes a high-aspect-ratio silicon structure (?foam) that facilitates sparse CNT growth and also enables uniform current emission. The devices were tested as field emitters in high vacuum (10-8 torr) and as electron impact ionizers using argon at pressures of up to 21 mtorr. The experimental data show that the MEMS extractor gate transmits up to 66% of the emitted current and that the ionizers are able to produce up to 0.139 mA of ion current with up to 19% ionization efficiency while consuming 0.39 W.
Can social policy influence socioeconomic disparities? Korean War GI Bill eligibility and markers of depression.

Abstract Purpose The Korean War GI Bill provided socioeconomic benefits to veterans; however, its association with health is unclear; we hypothesize GI Bill eligibility is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and smaller disparities. Methods Data from 246 Korean War GI Bill eligible veterans and 240 nonveterans from the Health and Retirement Study were matched on birth year, southern birth, race, height, and childhood health using coarsened exact matching. Number of depressive symptoms in 2010 (average age = 78 years) was assessed using a modified, validated Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, dichotomized to reflect elevated depressive symptoms. Regression analyses were stratified into low (at least one parent Results Korean War GI Bill eligibility predicted fewer depressive symptoms among individuals from low cSES backgrounds [β = −0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (−1.18, −0.09), P = .022]. Socioeconomic disparities were smaller among veterans than nonveterans for number of depressive symptoms [β = −0.76, 95% CI = (−1.33, −0.18), P = .010] and elevated depressive symptoms [β = −11.7, 95% CI = (−8.2, −22.6), P = .035]. Conclusions Korean War GI Bill eligibility predicted smaller socioeconomic disparities in depression markers.
Human Cytomegalovirus pUL93 Is Required for Viral Genome Cleavage and Packaging

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pUL93 is essential for virus growth, but its precise function in the virus life cycle is unknown. Here, we characterize a UL93 stop mutant virus (UL93st-TB40/E-BAC) to demonstrate that the absence of this protein does not restrict viral gene expression; however, cleavage of viral DNA into unit-length genomes as well as genome packaging is abolished. Thus, pUL93 is required for viral genome cleavage and packaging.
Common Sense Beliefs about the Central Self, Moral Character, and the Brain

To assess lay beliefs about self and brain, we probed people’s opinions about the central self, in relation to morality, willful control, and brain relevance. In study 1, 172 participants compared the central self to the peripheral self. The central self, construed at this abstract level, was seen as more brain-based than the peripheral self, less changeable through willful control, and yet more indicative of moral character. In study 2, 210 participants described 18 specific personality traits on 6 dimensions: centrality to self, moral relevance, willful control, brain dependence, temporal stability, and desirability. Consistent with Study 1, centrality to the self, construed at this more concrete level, was positively correlated to brain dependence. Centrality to the self was also correlated to desirability and temporal stability, but not to morality or willful control. We discuss differences and similarities between abstract (Study 1) and concrete (Study 2) levels of construal of the central self, and conclude that in contemporary American society people readily embrace the brain as the underlying substrate of who they truly are.
The virtual reconstruction of an ancient musical instrument: The aulos of Selinus

In the summer of 2012, the IFA-NYU Selinunte Mission began to explore the interior of the cella of Temple R. This excavation showed that the Classical and Archaic layers had been sealed by a deep fill of the Hellenistic period and left untouched by earlier archaeological research at the site. Among the discoveries was a series of votive depositions against the walls, dating back to the sixth century BCE. One of the most striking finds among the votive depositions was the discovery of two parts of a bone aulos, which can be dated to 570 BCE. The virtual reconstruction of the aulos found in Temple R at Selinus aims to study the acoustic and morphological attributes of the ancient musical instrument, but also to increase and improve the scientific investigation by overcoming the limitations caused by the instrument's fragility. Digital technology allowed us to produce a 3D model of the aulos. This digital model has been translated into a three-dimensional artificial copy, using polymer as a material. Our goal is to reconstruct the aulos after analysing its organological characteristic and, if possible, discover its scale. We hope that this new study of the aulos will increase our knowledge of Ancient Greek music.
Turbulent Forced Convection

Turbulence occurs nearly everywhere in nature. It is characterized by the efficient dispersion and mixing of vorticity, heat, and contaminants. In flows over solid bodies, such as airplane wings or turbine blades, or in confined flows through ducts and pipelines, and is responsible for increased drag and heat transfer. Turbulence is therefore a subject of great engineering interest. In this chapter, we will look at the state of fluid motion, which is independent of heat transfer, and it is in this context where we speak of forced convection. Forced convection occurs when an external force, such as a pump, fan, or mixer, induces a fluid flow. On the other hand, natural convection is caused by buoyancy forces due to density differences caused by temperature variations in a fluid. Upon heating, the density change in the boundary layer will cause the fluid to rise and be replaced by cooler fluid, which will also heat and rise. These continuous phenomena are called free or natural convection.
Effects of Non-equilibrium Chemistry and Darcy-Forchheimer Flow of Pyrolysis Gas for a Charring Ablator

The Fully Implicit Ablation and Thermal Response code, FIAT, simulates pyrolysis and ablation of thermal protection materials and systems. The governing equations, which include energy conservation, a three-component decomposition model, and a surface energy balance, are solved with a moving grid. This work describes new modeling capabilities that are added to a special version of FIAT. These capabilities include a time-dependent pyrolysis gas flow momentum equation with Darcy-Forchheimer terms and pyrolysis gas species conservation equations with finite-rate homogeneous chemical reactions. The total energy conservation equation is also enhanced for consistency with these new additions. Parametric studies are performed using this enhanced version of FIAT. Two groups of analyses of Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) are presented. In the first group, an Orion flight environment for a proposed Lunar-return trajectory is considered. In the second group, various test conditions for arcjet models are examined. The central focus of these parametric studies is to understand the effect of pyrolysis gas momentum transfer on PICA material in-depth thermal responses with finite-rate, equilibrium, or frozen homogeneous gas chemistry. Results are presented, discussed, and compared with those predicted by the baseline PICA/FIAT ablation and thermal response model developed by the Orion Thermal Protection System Advanced Development Project. =
Supramolecular disassembly of facially amphiphilic dendrimer assemblies in response to physical, chemical, and biological stimuli.

ConspectusSupramolecular assemblies formed from spontaneous self-assembly of amphiphilic macromolecules are explored as biomimetic architectures and for applications in areas such as sensing, drug delivery, and diagnostics. Macromolecular assemblies are usually preferred, compared with their simpler small molecule counterparts, due to their low critical aggregate concentrations (CAC) and high thermodynamic stability. This Account focuses on the structural and functional aspects of assemblies formed from dendrimers, specifically facially amphiphilic dendrons that form micelle or inverse micelle type supramolecular assemblies depending on the nature of the solvent medium.The micelle type assemblies formed from facially amphiphilic dendrons sequester hydrophobic guest molecules in their interiors. The stability of these assemblies is dependent on the relative compatibility of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic functionalities with water, often referred to as hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB). Disruption of t...
Identification of linear stochastic systems from closed-loop data with known feedback dynamics

A method is presented for identifying a linear statespace model of an open-loop stochastic system from closed-loop excitation and output data with a known feedback controller. For unstable systems, feedback control is required for identification to ensure overall system stability. For stable systems, feedback control may also be used to enhance the damping and thus shorten the input/output data required for identification. If a known dynamic output feedback controller is used, the closed-loop system and Kalman filter Markov parameters (i.e. pulse response samples) are first obtained from closed-loop input/output data Then the open-loop system and Kalman filter Markov parameters can be calculated through a recursive formulation derived by using z-transform. If a known constant-gain full-state feedback controller is used, the identification procedure is simpler. The closed-loop system matrices are identified and then used to compute the open-loop system matrices after removing the control gain. An experimental example is provided to demonstrate the proposed closed-loop system identification method.
Isolating the Determinants of Innovativeness: A Split-Population Tobit (SPOT) Duration Model of Timing and Volume of First and Repeat Purchase:

The authors present the Split-Population Tobit (SPOT) duration model to incorporate two conceptually distinct dimensions of innovativeness in a single framework, namely, the timing and volume of adoption. Rather than utilizing a diffusion model specification based on word-of-mouth and social contagion effects, the present approach uses a growth model specification and delineates a general function of time to describe the distribution of adoption timing. Estimation and several validation exercises performed on a data set describing the diffusion of personal computers across a sample of over 3000 U.S. firms provide strong support for the superiority of the SPOT model over models derived from restricted conceptualizations of innovativeness. The empirical work, albeit modest, tests the impact of covariates, such as firm-size and decision-centralization, on the dimensions of innovativeness and sheds light on some inconsistent findings in the innovation adoption literature. The authors subsequently derive the e...
Relationships of nativity and length of residence in the U.S. with favorable cardiovascular health among Hispanics/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Individuals with favorable levels of all readily measured major CVD risk factors (low CV risk) during middle age incur lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, lower all-cause mortality, and lower Medicare costs at older ages compared to adults with one or more unfavorable CVD risk factors. Studies on predictors of low CV risk in Hispanics/Latinos have focused solely on Mexican-Americans. The objective of this study was to use data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL; enrolled 2008 to 2011) to assess relationships of nativity and length of residence in the US, a commonly used proxy for acculturation, with low CV risk (not currently smoking; no diabetes; untreated total cholesterol 1 heritage. We also tested whether associations varied by Hispanic/Latino background. Women living in the US<10years were 1.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 2.80) times more likely to be low CV risk than US-born women after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, and self-reported experiences of ethnic discrimination. Findings varied in men by Hispanic/Latino background, but length of residence was largely unrelated to low CV risk. These findings highlight the role acculturative processes play in shaping cardiovascular health in Hispanics/Latinos.
The therapeutic potential of brown adipose tissue.

The increased prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing dramatically in the United States and worldwide, resulting in health organizations and researchers to consider diabetes as an epidemic (1). The increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes have increased the importance of elucidating the molecular basis for obesity, as well as potential therapeutic treatments for this condition.
Research on an adaptive droop control used in DC micro-grid

Compared with AC collection system, DC collection system can reduce line losses and improve the efficiency of new energy. In order to facilitate distributed renewable access to DC-Bus, a variable coefficient droop control strategy is presented in this paper. Compared with conventional droop control strategy, variable coefficient droop control strategy can change the ratio of energy storage unit power on line, reduce the DC bus voltage fluctuations and improve system stability. Variable coefficient droop control strategy also takes state of charge (SOC) into account in droop coefficient optimization process. In this way, the life and economic efficiency of energy storage units can be improved. Finally, the experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of the control algorithm.
Myeloid Neoplasms with t(5;12) and ETV6-ACSL6 Gene Fusion, Potential Mimickers of Myeloid Neoplasm with PDGFRB Rearrangement: Case Report with Imatinib Therapy and Review of the Literature

We report the second case of ETV6-ACSL6 associated myeloproliferative neoplasm that has received a full course of imatinib therapy. The patient was a 51-year-old previously healthy man who presented with three months of worsening dyspnea and was found to have a white count of 216,000/cmm, of which 84% were eosinophil lineage. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a t(5;12)(q31~33;p13). FISH was negative for PDGFRB rearrangement but additional FISH testing demonstrated an ACSL6 rearrangement. ETV6-ACSL6 gene fusion is a rare abnormality that most often presents as a myeloproliferative-type disorder with prominent eosinophilia or basophilia. Review of the literature yielded a total of 11 previous cases. This gene fusion results in a t(5;12)(q31~33;p13) that mimics the t(5;12) found in ETV6-PDGFRB neoplasms. Identification of the fusion genes involved in t(5;12) in eosinophilia-associated myeloproliferative disorders is crucial to direct an effective treatment plan. In particular, while tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy is effective in patients with PDGFRB rearrangement, there is little information on imatinib efficacy in patients with ETV6-ACSL6 gene fusion. Our patient was found to be nonresponsive to imatinib therapy.
Splenic Sympathetic Response to Endotoxin Is Blunted in the Fetal Alcohol-Exposed Rat: Role of Nitric Oxide

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) mediates the blunted splenic sympathetic response to lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) that occurs in young rats exposed to alcohol in utero (FAE). The subjects, 26-29-day-old rats, were progeny of pregnant dams fed an alcohol diet (35% of the calories were derived from ethanol) or their control and pair-fed (PFC) cohorts. We examined the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) on splenic norepinephrine (NE) turnover, an index of sympathetic neural activity, splenic inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein immunoreactivity, and NO metabolites nitrite/nitrate concentrations in plasma. In response to LPS, splenic NE turnover was increased by more than twofold in the PFC groups, but the increase did not occur in their FAE cohorts. The blockade of NOS with L-NAME (30 mg/kg, i.p.) reversed this difference. In both the PFC and FAE rats, basal levels of splenic iNOS protein immunoreactivity were equally barely detected and plasma NO metabolite levels were relatively low (25 microM in both groups). In response to LPS, however, iNOS protein displayed a marked increase in the PFC group and an even greater increase (by close to threefold) in the FAE rats. LPS also substantially increased plasma NO metabolite levels by close to eightfold in the control groups, but by 15-fold in their FAE cohorts compared to the basal levels. These findings support the hypothesis that in the FAE rat, an augmented NO formation accounts for the blunted sympathetic response to endotoxin.
Is College for Everyone

Are You Smart Enough?: How Colleges' Obsession with Smartness Shortchanges Students, by Alexander W. Astin. Sterling, Virginia. Stylus Publishing, L.L.C., 2016. 128 pages. Paper, $22.50, E-Book, $1...
High prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries.

Although tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, smoking rates continue to increase in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (1,2). The study by Xi et al. shows that among 173,144 adolescents aged 12–15 years in the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) and 155,117 adolescents aged 13–15 years in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), 13.6% were current tobacco users (3), which is consistent with previous studies (4,5). Thus, this study highlights the need to prevent smoking in young people through measures such as ban on sale of tobacco to minors.
Fine-Tuning Strain and Electronic Activation of Strain-Promoted 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions with Endocyclic Sulfamates in SNO-OCTs

The ability to achieve predictable control over the polarization of strained cycloalkynes can influence their behavior in subsequent reactions, providing opportunities to increase both rate and chemoselectivity. A series of new heterocyclic strained cyclooctynes containing a sulfamate backbone (SNO-OCTs) were prepared under mild conditions by employing ring expansions of silylated methyleneaziridines. SNO-OCT derivative 8 outpaced even a difluorinated cyclooctyne in a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with benzylazide. The various orbital interactions of the propargylic and homopropargylic heteroatoms in SNO-OCT were explored both experimentally and computationally. The inclusion of these heteroatoms had a positive impact on stability and reactivity, where electronic effects could be utilized to relieve ring strain. The choice of the heteroatom combinations in various SNO-OCTs significantly affected the alkyne geometries, thus illustrating a new strategy for modulating strain via remote substituents. Additionally...
Drinking and problem drinking in US women. Patterns and recent trends.

General population surveys suggest that the percentage of US women who drink declined slightly during the 1980s. Comparisons of 1981 and 1991 national surveys using the same drinking measures show that fewer women drank heavily in 1991, and women drinkers drank less frequently and had fewer episodes of heavy drinking, although younger drinkers reported more frequent intoxication. Longitudinal analyses of 5-year changes in drinking behavior indicate that movement both into and out of problem drinking is greatest among women aged 21 to 34.
High-Efficiency and High-Throughput On-Chip Exchange of the Continuous Phase in Droplet Microfluidic Systems.

This article describes an integrated platform for the on-chip exchange of the continuous phase in droplet microfluidic systems. The drops used in this work are stabilized by amphiphilic nanoparticl...
Culture out of attitudes: Relationality, population heterogeneity and attitudes toward science and religion in the U.S.

Abstract Attitude data can reveal culture’s secrets, but only if analysts acknowledge and transcend two problematic forms of heterogeneity. The first, relational heterogeneity, reflects the fact that the meaning of a response to a survey attitude question emerges from its relation to other attitudes: considered singly, the same response may mean different things to different respondents, depending upon the meanings with which they associate it. The second, population heterogeneity, a common problem in survey analysis, reflects the fact that attitudes may be related to one another in systematically different ways for different respondent subsamples. To overcome these challenges, we must use analytic methods that (a) focus on relations among attitude responses rather than on single responses and (b) partition survey samples into subsets based on patterns emergent from those relations. We use two such approaches, Latent Class Analysis and Relational Class Analysis, to examine Americans’ attitudes toward science and religion in the late 20th century, at the onset of a period of acute cultural contention between religious conservatives and secular liberals. Employing an unusually rich data set that enables us to take into account spiritualism (supernatural experience not sanctioned by formal religious institutions), as well as science and religion, we find that both LCA and RCA identify large subsets of respondents for whom science and religion are allied, rather than opposed. Moreover, RCA enables us to examine how the determinants of attitudes toward science, religion, and spiritualism are conditioned upon respondents’ construals of the relationships among them. This diversity of opinion among religious Americans and the presence of a previously overlooked religious constituency of science supporters, has important implications for science policy and science advocacy.
Intrinsic Laryngeal Muscle Response to a Public Speech Preparation Stressor

Purpose Research suggests that abnormal levels of intrinsic laryngeal muscle (ILM) contraction is a potential causal factor in stress-induced voice disorders. This study seeks to characterize the I...
Elevated ST2 levels are associated with antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients.

Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a novel biomarker of inflammation and fibrosis. Elevated sST2 levels (≥35 ng/mL) are associated with worse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). There are sparse data regarding the significance of sST2 levels after heart transplantation (HTx). The study aims were to evaluate trends in soluble ST2 levels after the resolution of HF status with HTx and association between post-HTx sST2 levels and outcomes. Plasma sST2 levels were measured at baseline (median [IQR] of 118 days pre-HTx) and 12 months post-HTx in 62 subjects who were stratified into two groups by post-HTx sST2 levels < or ≥35 ng/mL: "Group 1" or "Group 2," respectively. Plasma sST2 levels were elevated in 58% of patients pre-HTx and in 50% of patients post-HTx. There was no association between elevated sST2 levels before and after HTx, and no significant differences in baseline characteristics between Group 1 and Group 2 patients. Group 2 as compared to Group 1 HTx recipients had significantly higher incidence of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) for the entire post-transplant follow-up period (32% vs 4%, P = 0.006). There was no association between post-HTx sST2 level status and other post-HTx outcomes including survival. In conclusion, elevated plasma sST2 levels after HTx are associated with increased risk for AMR.
Development of the blood vascular system in Sabellaria cementarium (Annelida, Polychaeta)

The development of the blood vascular system (BVS) in larvae of the polychaete (Sabellaria cementarium was studied by light and electron microscopy. BVS formation begins in the metatrochophore, concomitant with onset of segmentation, and all major vessels and sinuses of the BVS have formed by the nectochaeta stage. Blood vessels form de novo by a separation of apposing basal extracellular matrices (ECM) of adjacent myoepithelial peritoneal cell layers, and blood sinuses also form de novo by a separation of the basal ECM of peritoneal cells from the basal ECM of the gut epithelium. Blood vessels and sinuses are lined only by the ECM of overlying cell layers. Podocytes are present overlying lateral esophageal and ventro-lateral trunk blood vessels. The results support the blastocoel theory of Lang (1904) and the “segmentation hypothesis” and structural model of Ruppert and Carle (1983) which presents the BVS of triploblastic Metazoa as a developmental and evolutionary modification of the basal ECM of overlying cell layers and argues that the adaptive significance of the BVS is to bypass septal partitions with a fluid transport system.
Objectively Scoring Divergent Thinking Tests for Originality: A Re-Analysis and Extension

Divergent thinking (DT) tests, so often used in the research on creativity, when administered and scored correctly, are reliable estimates of creative potential. They do provide reliable scores abo...
Preconception Health: Changing the Paradigm on Well-woman Health

An investment in assuring the health of women, before pregnancy, can reap improved health for women, children, and their families. A paradigm shift of health must occur if perinatal outcomes are to improve, moving beyond reactive care to preventive or preconception care. Preconception health is centered on an assumption a woman is planning on becoming pregnant. But for many women, pregnancy is unplanned and medical conditions may have a negative impact on the trajectory of pregnancy and health. A new paradigm focusing on prevention and wellness can prepare women for lifelong health and healthy perinatal outcomes.
Yield stress and rheology of a self-associating chitosan solution

We report that aqueous solutions of high molecular weight chitosan display a regime of shear thinning at low shear rates that is consistent with the existence of an apparent yield stress. The concentration-dependent scaling of the apparent yield stress, σ0(c)~c2.8±0.2 in the concentration range c = 7.50–65.0 mg/mL, is consistent with a solution microstructure of fractal clusters. Dynamic light scattering measurements at high concentration indicate extremely slow microdynamics, consistent with the presence of a structured network or glassy fluid. At shear rates above yielding, a constant viscosity plateau was observed with concentration-dependent scaling below the gel point consistent with existing models of entangled and associating polymers. The addition of urea, a hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction disrupter, did not change the reported concentration-dependent scaling of the apparent yield stress or the plateau viscosity but did weaken the apparent yield stress magnitude by ~ 30% on average.
Robust sparse functional regression model

The presence of outliers, in general, affects the performance of the conventional statistical methods which require the homogeneity of observations. In this study, we consider variable selection pr...
Vision Paper: Grand Challenges in Resilience: Autonomous System Resilience through Design and Runtime Measures

In this article, we put forward the substantial challenges in cyber resilience in the domain of autonomous systems and outline foundational solutions to address these challenges. These solutions fall into two broad themes: resilience-by-design and resilience-by-reaction . We use several application drivers from autonomous systems to motivate the challenges in cyber resilience and to demonstrate the benefit of the solutions. We focus on some autonomous systems in the near horizon (autonomous ground and aerial vehicles) and also a little more distant (autonomous rescue and relief). For resilience-by-design , we focus on design methods in software that are needed for our cyber systems to be resilient. In contrast, for resilience-by-reaction , we discuss how to make systems resilient by responding, reconfiguring, or recovering at runtime when failures happen. We also discuss the notion of adaptive execution to improve resilience, execution transparently and adaptively among available execution platforms (mobile/embedded, edge, and cloud). For each of the two themes, we survey the current state, and the desired state and ways to get there. We conclude the paper by looking at the research challenges we will have to solve in the short and the mid-term to make the vision of resilient autonomous systems a reality. This article came out of discussions that started at the NSF-sponsored Grand Challenges in Resilience Workshop held at Purdue in 2019 with the co-authors contributing to going into the depth of the issues and then this article.
Interpretable molecular models for molybdenum disulfide and insight into selective peptide recognition

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a layered material with outstanding electrical and optical properties. Numerous studies evaluate the performance in sensors, catalysts, batteries, and composites that can benefit from guidance by simulations in all-atom resolution. However, molecular simulations remain difficult due to lack of reliable models. We introduce an interpretable force field for MoS2 with record performance that reproduces structural, interfacial, and mechanical properties in 0.1% to 5% agreement with experiments. The model overcomes structural instability, deviations in interfacial and mechanical properties by several 100%, and empirical fitting protocols in earlier models. It is compatible with several force fields for molecular dynamics simulation, including the interface force field (IFF), CVFF, DREIDING, PCFF, COMPASS, CHARMM, AMBER, and OPLS-AA. The parameters capture polar covalent bonding, X-ray structure, cleavage energy, infrared spectra, bending stability, bulk modulus, Young's modulus, and contact angles with polar and nonpolar solvents. We utilized the models to uncover the binding mechanism of peptides to the MoS2 basal plane. The binding strength of several 7mer and 8mer peptides scales linearly with surface contact and replacement of surface-bound water molecules, and is tunable in a wide range from −86 to −6 kcal mol−1. The binding selectivity is multifactorial, including major contributions by van-der-Waals coordination and charge matching of certain side groups, orientation of hydrophilic side chains towards water, and conformation flexibility. We explain the relative attraction and role of the 20 amino acids using computational and experimental data. The force field can be used to screen and interpret the assembly of MoS2-based nanomaterials and electrolyte interfaces up to a billion atoms with high accuracy, including multiscale simulations from the quantum scale to the microscale.
Rotatable shear plate interferometer

A shear plate interferometer has been installed in a mount that allows the direction of shear to be rotated. With this instrument, the defocus and third-order aberrations in a laser beam can be measured very quickly, usually in about a minute including setup.
Development of human lower extremity kinematic and dynamic models for exoskeleton robot based physical therapy

The World Health Organization reports that approximately one billion people are disabled in the world. Exoskeleton robot-based physical therapy is an appealing solution for a large number of disabled people. Mechanical design, modelling, and control of exoskeleton robots require anthropometric data. A majority of anthropometrical data is not readily available from a single source. Furthermore, seven degrees of freedom human lower extremity kinematic and dynamic models are also not available. This paper presents dynamic modelling and simulation of the human lower extremity. The dynamic simulation utilises a computed torque controller (CTC). A sliding mode controller (SMC) is also developed for practical applications. Simulation results show the performance of the controller, joint torque, and power requirements for tracking a specified trajectory. Because of its performance in the presence of simulated disturbances and parameter variations, it is seen that the SMC is an effective choice for controlling a real robot.
The economic viability of pursuing a space power system concept

The development of a space power system requires no fundamental technological breakthroughs. There are, however, uncertainties regarding the degree to which necessary developments can be achieved or exceeded. An analysis is conducted concerning the implementation of a 5000 MW space-based solar power system based on photovoltaic conversion of solar energy to electrical energy. The solar array is about 13 km long and 5 km wide. Placed in geosynchronous orbit, it provides power to the earth for 30 years. Attention is given to the economic feasibility of a space power system, a risk analysis for space power systems, and the use of the presented methodology for comparing alternative technology development programs.
Healthcare employees’ social networks, burnout, and health.

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this article is to introduce how social networks can be utilized as an effective approach to health informatics and to provide evidence from a quantitative research study regarding the effects of interpersonal interactions at work on healthcare employees' burnout and health. METHODS Tests of moderation were calculated to explore whether interpersonal interactions at work changed the associations between job stress and burnout and health. The study used cross sectional data from a North Carolina convenience sample. Participants were 237 multidisciplinary employees from healthcare organizations who were at least 18 years of age. RESULTS The results from this study provided evidence that more frequent friendly work-related communication benefitted employees' health, while more frequent hostile or difficult communication was detrimental to employees' burnout and health. DISCUSSION In this article, an explanation for using social networks to collect quantitative, relational data to determine when interpersonal interactions at work are beneficial or detrimental to employees' health and burnout is provided. The article concludes with a discussion regarding how these results and methods can be used to advance the national movements aimed at addressing healthcare employees' health and burnout. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Adverse selection and M&A design: The roles of alliances and IPOs

Abstract This paper investigates strategic alliances and initial public offerings (IPOs) as factors that potentially mitigate the risk of adverse selection in acquisitions. It is hypothesized that prior alliances between acquirers and targets as well as IPOs undertaken by targets reduce adverse selection in M&A. Examining the consideration used in M&A transactions to reflect the allocation of overpayment risk, we find that targets’ prior alliances with acquirers and targets’ IPOs reduce the likelihood of using stock, or the amount of stock used, to finance acquisitions. We also present evidence that alliances and IPOs substitute for one another.