cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life Using the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition in Adolescents With Chronic Kidney Disease Due to Underlying Urological Disorders

Purpose: We examined health related quality of life in adolescents with congenital urological disease causing kidney disease using a generic health related quality of life instrument. We then compared the results to those in adolescents with medical kidney disease and to population based norms.Materials and Methods: The Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition was administered to 113 patients 10 to 18 years old with chronic kidney disease. Mean domain and subdomain scores for adolescents with urological disease were compared to those of adolescents with medical kidney disease and to population based norms.Results: The cohort included adolescents with an underlying diagnosis of congenital urological anomaly (37 patients) or other causes of kidney disease (76). Compared to adolescents with kidney disease caused by other factors, those with congenital urological disease scored statistically significantly better in the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition subdomain of Limitations of ...
Polyamines contribute to ethanol withdrawal-induced neurotoxicity in rat hippocampal slice cultures through interactions with the NMDA receptor.

BACKGROUND: Several reports demonstrate that withdrawal from long-term ethanol exposure is associated with significant central nervous system neurotoxicity, produced at least in part by increased activity of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Recent evidence suggests that elevations in the synthesis and release of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, which are known modulators of NMDARs, contribute to the increased activity of the receptor during ethanol withdrawal. Therefore, the goal of this investigation was to examine what role, if any, spermidine and spermine have in the generation of ethanol withdrawal-induced neurotoxicity. METHODS: Neurotoxicity (measured as fluorescence of the cell death indicator propidium iodide, PI), glutamate release (measured by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis), and polyamine concentrations (by high-performance liquid chromatography) were measured in rat hippocampal slice cultures undergoing withdrawal from chronic (10 day) ethanol exposure (100 mM). In addition, the effects of the polyamine synthesis inhibitor di-fluoro-methyl-ornithine (DFMO, 0.1-100 nM) and NMDAR polyamine-site antagonists ifenprodil, arcaine, and agmatine (1 nM-100 microM) on ethanol withdrawal- and NMDA-induced neurotoxicity were measured. RESULTS: Ethanol withdrawal significantly increased glutamate release (peaking at 18 hr with a 53% increase), increased concentrations of putrescine and spermidine (136% and 139% increases, respectively, at 18 hr), and produced significant cytotoxicity in the CA1 hippocampal region (56% increase in PI staining relative to controls) of the cultures. The cell death produced by ethanol withdrawal was significantly inhibited by ifenprodil (IC(50) = 14.9 nM), arcaine (IC(50) = 37.9 nM), agmatine (IC(50) = 41.5 nM), and DFMO (IC(50) = 0.6 nM). NMDA (5 microM) significantly increased PI staining in the CA1 region of the hippocampal cultures (365% relative to controls), but ifenprodil, arcaine, agmatine, and DFMO all failed to significantly affect this type of toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: These data implicate a role for polyamines in ethanol withdrawal-induced neurotoxicity and suggest that inhibiting the actions of polyamines on NMDARs may be neuroprotective under these conditions.
Clinical assessment of asthma progression in children and adults

Asthma is a heterogeneous disorder with a variable course, characterized by episodes of cough, wheezing and shortness of breath, reversible airflow limitation, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. It begins early in life in many subjects with intermittent symptoms occurring with viral respiratory tract infections. Over time, and in genetically susceptible children (those with an atopic predisposition), the disease becomes more persistent with symptoms occurring in the absence of respiratory tract infections. Children with persistent wheezing are eventually diagnosed with asthma, with those at greatest risk having developed allergic sensitization early in life. Among children with asthma, some will have lifelong asthma with active symptoms and progressive loss of lung function over time, whereas other children will undergo asthma remission in adolescence. Once in remission, the disease may remain quiescent, or it may relapse in midadult life. This review focuses on studies that have enhanced our understanding of the progression of asthma from infancy to adulthood. Studies evaluating progressive loss of lung function, the best-studied measure of asthma progression, are also reviewed, followed by a brief discussion of whether asthma progression can be modified by inhaled glucocorticoid therapy.
Ethnic and Racial Differences in the Smoking-Related Risk of Lung Cancer

Background There is remarkable variation in the incidence of lung cancer among ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Methods We investigated differences in the risk of lung cancer associated with cigarette smoking among 183,813 African-American, Japanese-American, Latino, Native Hawaiian, and white men and women in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. Our analysis included 1979 cases of incident lung cancer identified prospectively over an eight-year period, between baseline (1993 through 1996) and 2001. Results The risk of lung cancer among ethnic and racial groups was modified by the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Among participants who smoked no more than 30 cigarettes per day, African Americans and Native Hawaiians had significantly greater risks of lung cancer than did the other groups. Among those who smoked no more than 10 and those who smoked 11 to 20 cigarettes per day, relative risks ranged from 0.21 to 0.39 (P<0.001) among Japanese Americans and Latinos and from 0.45 to 0.57 (P<0.001) among whites, as compared with African Americans. However, at levels exceeding 30 cigarettes per day, these differences were not significant. Differences in risk associated with smoking were observed among both men and women and for all histologic types of lung cancer. Conclusions Among cigarette smokers, African Americans and Native Hawaiians are more susceptible to lung cancer than whites, Japanese Americans, and Latinos.
VPS41, a protein involved in lysosomal trafficking, is protective in Caenorhabditis elegans and mammalian cellular models of Parkinson's disease.

VPS41 is a protein identified as a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease (PD) as a result of a high-throughput RNAi screen in Caenorhabditis elegans. VPS41 has a plausible mechanistic link to the pathogenesis of PD, as in yeast it is known to participate in trafficking of proteins to the lysosomal system and several recent lines of evidence have pointed to the importance of lysosomal system dysfunction in the neurotoxicity of alpha-synuclein (α-syn). We found that expression of the human form of VPS41 (hVPS41) prevents dopamine (DA) neuron loss induced by α-syn overexpression and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) neurotoxicity in C. elegans. In SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell lines stably transfected with hVPS41, we determined that presence of this protein conferred protection against the neurotoxins 6-OHDA and rotenone. Overexpression of hVPS41 did not alter the mitochondrial membrane depolarization induced by these neurotoxins. hVPS41 did, however, block downstream events in the apoptotic cascade including activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and PARP cleavage. We also observed that hVPS41 reduced the accumulation of insoluble high-molecular weight forms of α-syn in SH-SY5Y cells after treatment with rotenone. These data show that hVPS41 is protective against both α-syn and neurotoxic-mediated injury in invertebrate and cellular models of PD. These protective functions may be related to enhanced clearance of misfolded or aggregated protein, including α-syn. Our studies indicate that hVPS41 may be a useful target for developing therapeutic strategies for human PD.
Maternal dietary restriction causes myelin and lipid deficits in the brain of offspring.

The relationship between brain myelination and nutritional insufficiencey in suckling rats whose dams had a restricted dietary intake was studied. The undernourished pups were characterized by body weight and brain weight that were 40-70% and 82-88% that6 of controls througthout the suckling period. Myelin concentrations, whether expressred as mg protein or as mg myelin dry weight per g wet brain, were 30-40% of normally fed controls. Myelin of undernourished rats contained total lipid, cholesterol, phospholipids, and sphingolipids, that were 42, 54, 39, and 48%, respectively of the control counterparts. There was no change in the mole ratio of cholesterol:phospholipids:sphingolipids (i.e., cerebroside + sulfatide) in myelin from undernoufished rats. Concentrations of individual phospholipids and sphingolipids were lowered by approximately the same percentage. Despite long-lasting, irreversible stunting of whole-body and brain growth, concentrations of myelin and myelin lipids returned to control levels after nutritional rehabilitation. Since the observed effects are different from those of more commonly used models, the present form of undernutrition may offer a useful system for studying the relationship between myelin lipids and brain development.
A GENERALIZED PORTMANTEAU TEST FOR INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN TWO STATIONARY TIME SERIES

We propose generalized portmanteau-type test statistics in the frequency domain to test independence between two stationary time series. The test statistics are formed analogous to the one in the paper by Chen and Deo (2004, Econometric Theory 20, 382–416), who extended the applicability of the portmanteau goodness-of-fit test to the long memory case. Under the null hypothesis of independence, the asymptotic standard normal distributions of the proposed statistics are derived under fairly mild conditions. In particular, each time series is allowed to possess short memory, long memory, or antipersistence. A simulation study shows that the tests have reasonable size and power properties.
A mass spectrometric method to simultaneously measure a biomarker and dilution marker in exhaled breath condensate

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection is a simple and non-invasive method to sample airway secretions, but analysis is limited by extensive and variable dilution of airway secretions within the condensate. To overcome this limitation, we developed a sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method to simultaneously detect adenyl purines as biomarkers of inflammation and urea as a dilution marker in EBC. Separation prior to mass spectrometry was achieved using a C18 column with methanol and formic acid as the mobile phase, and characteristic precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 268 to 136 (for adenosine), m/z 348 to 136 (for AMP), and m/z 61 to 44 (for urea) were monitored for quantification. To correct for matrix effects, isotopically labeled adenosine, AMP, and urea were used as internal standards. Using these methods, we detected urea and the adenyl purines adenosine and AMP in EBC from seven subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF) and seven healthy controls and found that the AMP/urea ratio was elevated in the CF samples. These results demonstrate that mass spectrometry can be used successfully in EBC analysis to simultaneously detect a biomarker for airway inflammation and control for variable dilution.
The validity of the geological interpretations of marine magnetic anomalies

Summary. In order to urlderstand the relative importance of the various phenomena which contribute to marine magnetic anomalies, an analysis was performed on magnetic profiles measured simultaneously at the sea surface and near the sea floor. The data come from three long geophysical surveys made over spreading centres in the eastern Pacific with the Deep Tow instrument package. At low spatial frequencies the two sets of observations agree very closely when related by the mathematical model of upward continuation from magnetic sources below, which are assumed to be perfectly heated, i.e. ‘two-dimensional’. However, spectral analysis reveals the presence of a discrepancy at high spatial frequencies. In all three surveys at wavelengths shorter than about 4km the observed surface field power exceeds the upward continued power by several orders of magnitude. Several causes for this discrepancy are examined, including deviations from twodimensionality , numerical problems, and the noise background of the ocean environment, and the most likely candidate is shown to be ionospheric activity. Spectra of magnetograms from the nearest land observatories intersect the upward continued spectra at about 4-km wavelength, and exhibit power at high spatial frequency which agrees with the extra power in the surface data in each survey. For the observed surface data, the regime of valid geological interpretation is limited by ionospheric noise to wavelengths longer than about 4km. The near-bottom data do not suffer from such a limitation primarily because they were obtained near the geological sources, not just because of the attenuation of the ionospheric noise by the conducting sea water above. The interpretation regime of the near-bottom data is much wider, extending to wavelengths of a few hundred metres where the observed power nears the quantization noise level and where the validity of the assumption of perfectly heated sources probably breaks down. The behaviour of the observed spectra suggests an analytical model which portrays how the bandwidth of the interpretation regime of the surface field depends on the towing speed, source depth and ionospheric activity level. It is shown that a faster towing speed reduces the effect of the ionospheric noise.
The reaction of OH with CO

NO2 was photolyzed with 2288A radiation at 300 and 423 K in the presence of H2O, CO, and in some cases excess He. The photolysis produces O(1D) atoms which react with H2O to give HO radicals or are deactivated by CO to O(3P) atoms. The ratio k sub 5/k sub 3 is temperature dependent, being 0.33 at 300 K and 0.60 at 423 K. From these two points the Arrhenius expression is estimated to be k sub 5/k sub 3 = 2.6 exp(-1200/RT) where R is in calories/mole - K. The OH radical is either removed by NO2 or reacts with CO.
Pleomorphic fibroma and dermal atypical lipomatous tumor: Are they related?

Pleomorphic fibromas represent dome-shaped or polypoid cutaneous lesions characterized by a paucicellular and densely fibrotic background punctuated by scattered atypical to pleomorphic spindle and multinucleated giant cells. Some of these tumors will have incorporated adipose tissue, although these adipocytic areas lack distinct cytologic atypia and may represent entrapped normal periadnexal or subcutaneous adipose tissue. Nonetheless, owing to the similarity of some of the morphologic features of pleomorphic fibroma with cutaneous atypical lipomatous tumor, diagnostic confusion can ensue. The potential diagnostic challenges are further highlighted by a recent report of a lesion with histopathologic features of both. In response, we studied the presence of 12q15/ MDM2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization and MDM2 expression by immunohistochemistry in a series of 15 pleomorphic fibromas to investigate whether these two entities share a common pathogenic origin. One case of cutaneous atypical lipomatous tumor was used as positive control for 12q15 amplification. All 15 cases were negative for MDM2 by immunohistochemistry with no demonstrable 12q15/MDM2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Therefore, these two entities are best regarded as pathogenetically distinct. MDM2 immunohistochemistry or fluorescence in situ hybridization studies can be used to differentiate between the two if needed.
The design space of data-parallel memory systems

Data-parallel memory systems must maintain a large number of outstanding memory references to fully use increasing DRAM bandwidth in the presence of rising latencies. Additionally, throughput is increasingly sensitive to the reference patterns due to the rising latency of issuing DRAM commands, switching between reads and writes, and precharging/activating internal DRAM banks. We study the design space of data-parallel memory systems in light of these trends of increasing concurrency, latency, and sensitivity to access patterns. We perform a detailed performance analysis of scientific and multimedia applications and micro-benchmarks, varying DRAM parameters and the memory-system configuration. We identify the interference between concurrent read and write memory-access threads, and bank conflicts, both within a single thread and across multiple threads, as the most critical factors affecting performance. We then develop hardware techniques to minimize throughput degradation. We advocate either relying on multiple concurrent accesses from a single memory-reference thread only, while sacrificing load-balance, or introducing new hardware to maintain both locality of reference and load-balance between multiple DRAM channels with multiple threads. We show that a low-cost configuration with only 16 channel-buffer entries achieves over 80% of peak throughput in most cases.
Production of recombinant adeno-associated vectors using two bioreactor configurations at different scales.

Abstract The conventional methods for producing recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) rely on transient transfection of adherent mammalian cells. To gain acceptance and achieve current good manufacturing process (cGMP) compliance, clinical grade rAAV production process should have the following qualities: simplicity, consistency, cost effectiveness, and scalability. Currently, the only viable method for producing rAAV in large-scale, e.g. ≥10 16 particles per production run, utilizes baculovirus expression vectors (BEVs) and insect cells suspension cultures. The previously described rAAV production in 40 L culture using a stirred tank bioreactor requires special conditions for implementation and operation not available in all laboratories. Alternatives to producing rAAV in stirred tank bioreactors are single-use, disposable bioreactors, e.g. Wave™. The disposable bags are purchased pre-sterilized thereby eliminating the need for end-user sterilization and also avoiding cleaning steps between production runs thus facilitating the production process. In this study, rAAV production in stirred tank and Wave™ bioreactors was compared. The working volumes were 10 L and 40 L for the stirred tank bioreactors and 5 L and 20 L for the Wave™ bioreactors. Comparable yields of rAAV, ∼2E+13 particles per liter of cell culture were obtained in all volumes and configurations. These results demonstrate that producing rAAV in large scale using BEVs is reproducible, scalable, and independent of the bioreactor configuration.
The skeleton flight apparatus of North American bluebirds (Sialia): Phylogenetic thrushes or functional flycatchers?

To better understand ecological traits of organisms, one can study them from two, not necessarily mutually exclusive perspectives: how the traits evolved, and their current adaptive utility. In birds, foraging behavior and associated morphological traits generally are explained by a combination of adaptive and phylogenetic predictors. The avian skeleton and more specifically, the skeletal flight apparatus is under well-known functional and phylogenetic constraints. This is an interesting area to partition the relative contributions of adaptive correlated evolution and phylogenetic constraint to species clustering in morphological space. A prediction of convergent evolution is that nonphylogenetic morphological clustering is a characteristic of ecological similarity. We tested this using representatives of North American birds from two clades, one with a mixture of foraging modes (Turdid thrushes, solitaires, and bluebirds) and one with more canalized foraging behaviors (Tyrannid flycatchers). Nine characters on the skeletal flight apparatus from 19 species were used to characterize the morphological space and test for ecomorphological clustering. When body size and phylogeny are considered, the three bluebird species and Townsend's solitaire cluster with the ecologically similar flycatchers rather than with their phylogenetic close relatives. Furthermore, sit-and-wait foragers tend to exhibit relatively long distal elements and a long keel while active ground foragers have deeper keels and a longer humerus. Distal elements, expected to be relatively shorter and more bowed in the flycatchers and bluebirds, were actually longer and narrower. A reduction of distal element mass may be more important for facilitating maneuverability than surface area for insertion of wing-rotational musculature. J. Morphol. 274:909–917, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptive back-pressure congestion control based on local information

The problem of distributed congestion control as it arises in communication networks as well as in manufacturing systems is studied in this paper. In particular, a multistage queueing system that models virtual circuit and datagram communication networks and a class of manufacturing systems are considered. The topology may be arbitrary, there are multiple traffic classes, and the routing can be class dependent, with routes that may form direct or indirect loops. The model incorporates the functions of transmission scheduling, flow control, and routing, through which congestion control is performed in the network. A policy is given that performs these functions jointly. According to the policy, heavily loaded queues are given higher priority in service. A congested node may reduce the how from upstream nodes through a flow control mechanism. Whenever routing is required, it is performed in such a manner that the lightly loaded queues receive most of the traffic. For arrival processes with bounded burstiness, the policy guarantees bounded backlogs in the network, as long as the load of each server is less than one. The actions of each server are based on the state of its own queues and of the queues one hop away. Therefore, they are implementable in a distributed fashion. An adaptive version of the policy is also provided which makes it independent of the arrival rates. >
Conformational variability of the N-terminal helix in the structure of ribosomal protein S15

Background: Ribosomal protein S15 is a primary RNA-binding protein that binds to the central domain of 16S rRNA. S15 also regulates its own synthesis by binding to its own mRNA. The binding sites for S15 on both mRNA and rRNA have been narrowed down to less than a hundred nucleotides each, making the protein an attractive candidate for the study of protein–RNA interactions. Results: The crystal structure of S15 from Bacillus stearothermophilus has been solved to 2.1 a resolution. The structure consists of four α helices. Three of these helices form the core of the protein, while the N-terminal helix protrudes out from the body of the molecule to make contacts with a neighboring molecule in the crystal lattice. S15 contains a large conserved patch of basic residues which could provide a site for binding 16S rRNA. Conclusions: The conformation of the N-terminal α helix is quite different from that reported in a recent NMR structure of S15 from Thermus thermophilus. The intermolecular contacts that this α helix makes with a neighboring molecule in the crystal, however, closely resemble the intramolecular contacts that occur in the NMR structure. This conformational variability of the N-terminal helix has implications for the range of possible S15–RNA interactions. A large, conserved basic patch at one end of S15 and a cluster of conserved but exposed aromatic residues at the other end provide two possible RNA-binding sites on S15.
An efficient and robust method for predicting helicopter high-speed impulsive noise

A new formulation for the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings quadrupole source is presented for helicopter-rotor noise prediction. The formulation is a far-field approximation which is exact for a far-field in-plane observer. The approximation is new and unique in that no further approximation of the quadrupole source strength is made and integrands with 1/r2and 1/r3dependence are retained. This paper focuses on the development of a retarded-time formulation in which time derivatives are analytically taken inside the integrals to avoid unnecessary computational work when the observer is in motion (e.g., the wind tunnel case). The new quadrupole formulation is similar to Farassat's thickness and loading formulation 1A. Because it is a retarded-time formulation, the current implementation is intentionally limited to subsonic source motion to avoid singular integrals. Quadrupole noise prediction is carried out in two parts: a preprocessing stage in which the previously computed flow field is integrated in the direction normal to the rotor disk, and a noise computation stage in which quadrupole surface integrals are evaluated for a particular observer position. Preliminary predictions for hover and forward flight agree well with experimental data. The method is robust and requires computer resources comparable to thickness and loading noise prediction.
Guarantee of service expectation level and fairness by precise queue weight allocation in AF PHB

Assured forwarding per-hop behavior (AF PHB) is a forwarding scheme for providing QoS in DiffServ networks. It defines four classes and three drop precedence, where buffer space and bandwidth are defined as forwarding resources for each AF class (J. Heinanen et al., 1999). RIO (D.D. Clark and W. Fang, 1998) could be used as drop policy in a DiffServ router. AF PHB could be implemented by WRR, WFQ, CBQ, etc. When network managers provide AF PHB using the scheduling mechanisms, they want to guarantee accurate achievement of service expectation level, which results from precise queue weight allocation to each AF class with respect to forwarding resources, i.e., buffer space and bandwidth. In order to provide a guideline for the precise queue weight allocation, this paper proposes a simple analytical model for AF PHB designed on RIO and M/M/1 queue, and uses this model to obtain queue weight equation (QWE), which performs fine calculation of queue weight for AF classes. Average buffer space and bandwidth allocated for each AF class are used in derivation of QWE. The model verification is performed by simulation in which we use WRR for simplicity. Simulation results show that the QWE supports an accurate allocation of the forwarding resources, and, as a result, makes four AF classes achieve fairness as well as service expectation levels
The Potential Use of Intrauterine Insemination as a Basic Option for Infertility: A Review for Technology-Limited Medical Settings

Objective. There is an asymmetric allocation of technology and other resources for infertility services. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a process of placing washed spermatozoa transcervically into the uterine cavity for treatment of infertility. This is a review of literature for the potential use of IUI as a basic infertility treatment in technology-limited settings. Study design. Review of articles on treatment of infertility using IUI. Results. Aspects regarding the use of IUI are reviewed, including ovarian stimulation, semen parameters associated with good outcomes, methods of sperm preparation, timing of IUI, and number of inseminations. Implications of the finding in light of the needs of low-technology medical settings are summarized. Conclusion. The reviewed evidence suggests that IUI is less expensive, less invasive, and comparably effective for selected patients as a first-line treatment for couples with unexplained or male factor infertility. Those couples may be offered three to six IUI cycles in technology-limited settings.
Affective startle modulation in anticipation and perception

Startle modulation was investigated as participants first anticipated and then viewed affective pictures in order to determine whether affective modulation of the startle reflex is similar in these different task contexts. During a 6-s anticipation period, a neutral light cue signaled whether the upcoming picture would portray snakes, erotica, or household objects; at the end of the anticipatory period, a picture in the signaled category was viewed for 6 s. Male participants highly fearful of snakes were recruited to maximize emotional arousal during anticipation and perception. Results indicated that the startle reflex was potentiated when anticipating either unpleasant (phobic) or pleasant (erotic) pictures, compared to neutral stimuli, whereas during perception, reflexes were potentiated when viewing unpleasant stimuli, and reduced when viewing pleasant pictures. The startle reflex is modulated by hedonic valence in picture perception, and by emotional arousal in a task context involving picture anticipation.
A microstrip patch phased array antenna with parasitic elements and reactance-tuned coupling

A new approach to parasitic phased array antennas is presented. A symmetric two-layer, single input inexpensive three-element array at 1 GHz employing varactors as tuning mechanisms is designed, fabricated and measured. The driven element is mutually coupled to two parasitic elements in the H-plane, and the mutual coupling is tuned by open-circuited microstrip stubs on the feed layer. The varactors are used to break the symmetry of the structure, resulting in beam scanning, and to maintain resonance at 1 GHz. A symmetric scanning range of −20 to +20° is measured with maintained impedance matching and radiation pattern integrity. The low cost of this array is advantageous to applications in point-to-point communication systems, weather and target tracking radar systems.
Joint transmitter and receiver design with adaptive beamforming in MIMO SC-FDMA systems

This paper presents the joint transmitter and receiver design with adaptive beamforming for multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) single carrier-frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems. Overall signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of estimated symbols is maximized by selecting appropriate transmit power, transmit and receive beamforming weights and frequency domain-linear equalization (FD-LE) weight. Closed-form solutions unveil a symmetric design of the transmitter and receiver. In addition, two suboptimal system designs with closed form solutions are investigated.
Perchlorate on Mars: a chemical hazard and a resource for humans

Perchlorate (ClO4−) is widespread in Martian soils at concentrations between 0.5 and 1%. At such concentrations, perchlorate could be an important source of oxygen, but it could also become a critical chemical hazard to astronauts. In this paper, we review the dual implications of ClO4− on Mars, and propose a biochemical approach for removal of perchlorate from Martian soil that would be energetically cheap, environmentally friendly and could be used to obtain oxygen both for human consumption and to fuel surface operations.
Designing in the social context: using the social contextual model of health behavior change to develop a tobacco control intervention for teachers in India

This article provides a theory-based, step-by-step approach to intervention development and illustrates its application in India to design an intervention to promote tobacco-use cessation among school personnel in Bihar. We employed a five-step approach to develop the intervention using the Social Contextual Model of Health Behavior Change (SCM) in Bihar, which involved conducting formative research, classifying factors in the social environment as mediating mechanisms and modifying conditions, developing a creative brief, designing an intervention and refining the intervention based on pilot test results. The intervention engages users and non-users of tobacco, involves teachers in implementing and monitoring school tobacco control policies and maximizes teachers’ role as change agents in schools and communities. Intervention components include health educator visits, discussions led by lead teachers, cessation assistance, posters and other educational materials and is implemented over the entire academic year. The intervention is being tested in Bihar government schools as part of a randomized-controlled trial. SCM was a useful framework for developing a tobacco control intervention that responded to teachers’ lives in Bihar.
Running for Your Grade: A Six-Week Senatorial Campaign Simulation

As political science faculty at East Central University, a small teaching-oriented state school located in rural Oklahoma, we are constantly challenged to provide our students with novel approaches to learning. Oklahoma's traditionalistic political culture is demonstrated to us daily as our students seem to envision themselves as subjects of an inscrutable system rather than potent democratic actors. To enhance understanding of issues related to campaigns and elections, we developed a six-week simulation in which upper-level political science students participated as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, as a member of a campaign team, or as a member of the media. Approximately 200 of our Introduction to American Government students were called upon to be the voters in our simulation, a role for which many of our students cast the first ballots of their lives.
Judges and the Politics of Death: Deciding between the Bill of Rights and the Next Election in Capital Cases

The thunderous voice of the present-day "higher authority" that Justice Stevens described is heard today with unmistakable clarity in the courts throughout the United States. Those judges who do not listen and bend to political pressures may lose their positions on the bench. Decisions in capital cases have increasingly become campaign fodder in both judicial and nonjudicial elections. The focus in these campaigns has been almost entirely on the gruesome facts of particular murders, not the reason for the judicial decisions. Judges have come under attack and have been removed from the bench for their decisions in capital cases­ with perhaps the most notable examples in states with some of the largest death rows and where the death penalty has been a dominant political issue. Recent challenges to state court judges in both direct and retention elections have made it clear that unpopular decisions in capital cases, even when clearly compelled by law, may cost a judge her seat on the bench, or promotion to a higher court. This raises serious questions about the independence and integrity of the judiciary and the ability of judges to enforce the Bill of Rights and otherwise be fair and impartial in capital cases.
Correlation of Vertical and Horizontal Flight Activity of Mansonia Perturbans with Reference to Marked Changes in Light Intensity (Diptera, Culicidae)

In 1952, a series of observations were made on the diel activity of adult biting Diptera in bottomland forest at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee (Snow, 1955). Among the mosquitoes encountered was Mansonia perturbans, a species considered to have strong flight habits and known to feed avidly on man, especially in the hour after sundown (Howard, Dyar and Knab, 1915; Young, 1948). At Reelfoot Lake, female M. perturbans were found to make appreciable movements into forest canopy at dusk and downward movements at dawn. Along with these vertical diel movements some evidence was also obtained of horizontal diel migrations from forest to grassland at dusk and return at daybreak and shortly thereafter. During June 1956, additional observations on the horizontal flight of M. perturbans were undertaken at Beaverdam Swamp near Greenbrier, Alabama. It is the purpose of this paper to present these observations on marked vertical and horizontal movements of M. perturbans in the eo-crepuscular phases of the diel.
Does the Angle of a Fingerprint Scanner Affect User Performance

As the deployment of biometric technologies such as slap fingerprint scanners has become more widespread in government applications there is an increased awareness of the human-computer interaction that such technologies involve. User behavior can impact operational system performance especially throughput and the quality of the collected biometric samples. This paper describes a study for the Department of Homeland Security that examined the impact on the time required to collect fingerprints and the quality of fingerprint images when fingerprint scanners are angled at tall counters to accommodate a broader range of visitors. Angling the fingerprint scanner had no impact on user performance.
Avian Pneumoencephalitis (Newcastle Disease) in the California Official Egg Laying Contest During the 1947-48 Test Year

Abstract The chicken population consisted of 38 entries of 26 pullets each, a total of 988; there were 2 entries from each of 6 farms, and 3 and 4 entries respectively from each of two farms. Twenty-six entries were of California origin; 12 came from breeders in 7 widely scattered states. The entries were confined separately in 38 pens, without yards, distributed equally in two houses (A & B). The pens were separated by a solid wood partition which prevented all direct contact between birds of different entries. The only access to any pen was by a door at the front. This was kept locked day and night and only caretakers were permitted to enter. Careful inspection of each entry on arrival at the Contest did not reveal evidence of the presence of any disease among them. On October 28, four weeks later, a sudden and marked drop in the egg . . .
The Semantic Revolution

Semantic technologies are in the process of revolutionizing the way we store, access, and communicate digital information. It is vital that information professionals be conversant in the foundational concepts upon which these technologies are based. This article uses two implementations of semantic technologies, the semantic web and the Semantic MEDLINE project, to introduce the key ideas of semantic technologies to readers.
Waking Up to the Forensic and Ethics Risks of Systematic Sleep Deprivation.

> Sleepiness befogs the reason undermines the will and the human being ceases to be himself, to be his own, I.—Alexander Solzhenitsyn[1][1] Despite President Obama's ban on torture when he took office, the United States has done an about-face in adopting Appendix M of the Armed Forces Manual (AFM
A comparative study of ICP-MS and spectrophotometry in determination of tin dioxide in workplace air

[Objective]To compare the advantages and disadvantages between inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) and quercetin spectrophotometry in determination of tin dioxide in workplace air.[Methods]Two methods were compared in the pretreatment method,linearity range,detection limit,precision,accuracy,determination of actual samples.[Results] For the spectrophotometry,the pretreatment time was 4-5 hours,the linearity range was 150-3 000 μg/L,the detection limit was 150 μg/L,the precision was 0.4%-1.1%,and the accuracy was 95%-97%.For ICP-MS method,the pretreatment time was 0.5 ～ 1.0 hour,the linearity range was 1-100 μg/L,the detection limit was 0.10 μg/L,the precision was 0.6%-1.4%,and the accuracy was 99%.Both two methods can effectively determine the concentration of tin dioxide in workplace air.[Conclusion] Compared with the quercetin spectrophotometry,ICP-MS method can greatly shorten the pretreatment time,has lower linearity range and detection limit,has the same precision and accuracy,and is suitable for low concentration samples,which can greatly improve the efficiency and quality of detection work.
Hereditary motor-sensory neuropathies. Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.

The Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) syndrome is also referred to as hereditary motor-sensory neuropathy (HMSN). It is not a single disease but has a multitude of genetic causes. The typical clinical characteristics are distal muscle weakness and atrophy, depressed tendon reflexes, often slow motor NCV, and the frequent finding of other similarly affected relatives. The most common variant of this syndrome is HMSN-I showing autosomal dominant inheritance, markedly slow motor NCV and nerve hypertrophy. One form of HMSN-I is linked to the Duffy locus on chromosome 1. There are numerous other varieties of HMSN including other autosomal dominant conditions such as HMSN-II (with nearly normal motor NCV) and several types of familial amyloid neuropathy (with specific amino acid substitutions in transthyretin); autosomal recessive conditions such as HMSN-III (Dejerine-Sottas hypertrophic neuropathy of childhood) and Refsum's disease (defect of phytanic acid metabolism); and conditions produced by mutations on the X chromosome such as X-linked HMSN, Fabry trihexoside storage disease, and adrenomyeloneuropathy. The known biochemical abnormalities, chromosomal locations, clinical findings and genetic counseling of these disorders are reviewed.
Enzyme Substrate Complex of the H200C Variant of Homoprotocatechuate 2,3-Dioxygenase: Mössbauer and Computational Studies.

The extradiol, aromatic ring-cleaving enzyme homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase (HPCD) catalyzes a complex chain of reactions that involve second sphere residues of the active site. The importance of the second-sphere residue His200 was demonstrated in studies of HPCD variants, such as His200Cys (H200C), which revealed significant retardations of certain steps in the catalytic process as a result of the substitution, allowing novel reaction cycle intermediates to be trapped for spectroscopic characterization. As the H200C variant largely retains the wild-type active site structure and produces the correct ring-cleaved product, this variant presents a valuable target for mechanistic HPCD studies. Here, the high-spin FeII states of resting H200C and the H200C–homoprotocatechuate enzyme–substrate (ES) complex have been characterized with Mossbauer spectroscopy to assess the electronic structures of the active site in these states. The analysis reveals a high-spin FeII center in a low symmetry environment th...
Representing Designed Artifacts

We now turn to the representation of designed artifacts. By focusing first on objects, we risk introducing an artificial distinction into the scope and meaning of design knowledge . Clearly, design knowledge must incorporate information about design procedures, shortcuts, and so on, as well as about artifacts. Furthermore, there is some evidence that designers think about processes as they begin to represent the objects they are designing, especially when they begin to create sketches and drawings. And, of course, to fully represent objects and their attributes also means being able to fully represent concepts (e.g., design intentions, plans, behavior, and so on) that are perhaps not as easy to describe or represent as physical objects. However, because the end point of most engineering designs is a set of fabrication specifications for an object (and, occasionally, the object itself) and because engineers often think in terms of devices, we start our discussion of representation with physical objects as our focus. As a consequence, we may somewhat overlap our later discussion (cf. Chapter 6) of the representation of design knowledge and design processes. The Languages of Engineering Design To discuss different representations of designed objects or artifacts is to talk about the languages or symbols in which those representations are cast. That is, for us to describe an object, whether real or conceptual, in detail or abstractly, we must effectively choose a language with which to write our description. ♦
High Tc Superconducting Oxide Thin Films: Fabrication Application, and Characterization

Vapor-deposited thin films of the high Tc superconducting compound, YBa2Cu3Oy, have been fabricated using several thin film systems including e-beam deposition and sputtering. In the e-beam system three independent sources are used for the metals and oxygen is added to the system during the deposition at a pressure of about 8×10−4 Torr. Available film thicknesses range from less than a tenth μm to several μm and transition temperatures as high as 91 K have been observed. Important parameters for the fabrication of these films include choice of substrate and temperature during the deposition, oxygen incorporation during the deposition and the annealing conditions. While critical currents well in excess of 106 A/cm2 at 4 K have been measured, typically on epitaxial films, the polycrystalline films generally show much lower values. These results will also be discussed with particular reference to anisotropic effects in the superconducting films.
909 Protecting kids around liquid laundry packets: a national effort to educate communites

Background Exposure to liquid laundry detergent packets is an emerging risk for young children in the United States. In 2014, poison control centres in the U.S. received 11,711 calls about children 5 and younger having been exposed to laundry detergent packets. This is an 11% increase in calls from 2013, and an 85% increase from 2012. In a study of calls to U.S. poison control centres from 2012 and 2013, more than 700 children under six years were hospitalised and experienced serious effects as a result of exposure to laundry detergent packets. The number of exposures was greatest among 1- and 2-year-olds. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), children can experience loss of consciousness, difficulty breathing, excessive vomiting, severe eye burns, and temporary vision loss. Methods Safe Kids conducted a review of existing data and recommendations from the CPSC and the American Association of Poison Control Centres to inform the development of a national awareness campaign and educational materials for caregivers of young children. Results The campaign garnered a total of 489 million impressions from traditional media and digital activation. We provide 400 Safe Kids’ coalitions and more than 100 national public health and safety partners with access to bilingual educational materials and digital activation tools. We incorporated key safety messages into 180 local events reaching 125,000 people. Conclusions The statistics are alarming, and there are global concerns as well. Changes to product design and packaging, including the addition of warning labels, are underway in many countries. Educational and awareness efforts in several countries are raising mindfulness among caregivers of this emerging risk to younger children. Safe Kids is exploring opportunities to extend education and outreach efforts in the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Canada, Japan, Israel, Austria, France and Poland.
Adult attachment as a moderator of the association between childhood traumatic experiences and depression symptoms among young Black gay and bisexual men.

Objective The present study examined the moderating effect of adult attachment on the association between childhood traumatic experiences, (i.e., physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and being bullied), age of childhood traumatic experience, and young adult depression symptoms among young Black gay and bisexual men (YBGBM). Method Self-report measures of attachment, childhood traumatic experiences, and depression symptoms were collected from a community-based sample of YBGBM living in New York City (n = 228). Regression analyses were conducted to address the study goals. Results Findings indicated that YBGBM who were more anxious in their adult attachment style and experienced being bullied or physically abused by a non-family member during childhood experienced greater depression in young adulthood than YBGBM who were less anxious in their adult attachment style. In addition, we found that being bullied later in childhood was associated with greater depression symptoms than being bullied earlier. Lastly, we found that YBGBM who were more avoidant and bullied later in adolescence reported more depression symptoms in young adulthood than YBGBM who were less avoidant in their attachment style. Discussion The findings suggest that it may be important to utilize an attachment perspective that is sensitive to age of traumatic experience when creating mental health and trauma interventions for YBGBM. (PsycINFO Database Record