cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploratory Study of Stress-Buffering Response Patterns from Interaction with a Therapy Dog

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study builds on existing research on the physiological stress response to human–animal interactions in a non-clinical sample of adult dog-owners interacting with their own or an unfamiliar therapy dog under similar conditions. Participants were therapy-dog owners (TDO group; n = 5) interacting with their own dogs and dog owners interacting with an unfamiliar therapy dog (AAA group; n = 5). Following a 30minute baseline period, participants completed a stress task followed by a 30-minute dog interaction and then watched a neutral video for 60 minutes. The outcome variable of interest was the bio-behavioral stress response, measured by systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and self-report. Trait anxiety and attitudes toward pets were assessed as moderating variables. Results revealed consistent physiological patterns, showing modest increases with the stressor and decreases from baseline following the interventi...
The Variability of Partisanship and Turnout Implications for Gerrymandering Analysis and Representation Theory

Research on the impact ot redistricting on the representational opportunity of political groups is frequently grounded on the assumption that a group's "fair representation" can be easily determined. In this article the author takes issue with this assumption and shows that because partisan behavior is quite sensitive to changes in the electoral environment, the partisan profile and, therefore, the fair representation of a given constituency is quite difficult to determine. As a result, theories of representation as well as the concept of its denial by gerrymander must be reconsidered.
The relationship between interaction levels and impression formation

In two experiments, we tested the hypothesis that increases in the level of interaction between a subject and an apparent stranger would result in a more positive impression of the stranger. The research was conducted in both actual (Experiment 1) and hypothetical (Experiment 2) settings. The pattern of results differed significantly between the two settings, with support for the hypothesis being shown only in the hypothetical condition. A discussion centers on gender differences in personal-space needs and the importance of reality in research.
Slowing and stopping photons using cascaded parametric conversion in QPM waveguides

A new tunable scheme for slowing down and stopping light using the parametric processes in the phase shifted quasi-phase matched waveguides is proposed and its performance is evaluated.
Diagnosis of coronary pseudoaneurysm by Optison

Abstract Intravenous contrast agents that traverse the pulmonary circulation have been used for endocardial border definition, myocardial perfusion, diagnosis of intracardiac thrombi, and in cardiovascular emergencies such as myocardial rupture. We report a patient who presented with a new inferior myocardial infarction and an extracardiac mass compressing the right atrium, in whom diagnosis of right coronary pseudoaneurysm was made on the basis of delayed appearance of Optison contrast into the pseudoaneurysm and was subsequently confirmed by angiography and surgery. Thus, we extend the diagnostic indication of myocardial contrast agents to patients with extracardiac masses. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2003;16:289-92.)
Piezoelectric films for MEMS applications

Piezoelectric thin films offer an attractive means of sensing and actuation in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Relative to other means of generating motion at the microscale, piezoelectricity scales well in terms of energy density as dimensions are reduced. As a result, there is considerable motivation for utilizing such materials in miniaturized motors, switches, valves, etc. Use of ferroelectric thin films in these applications offers the possibility of increasing the sensitivity or actuation capabilities of the devices relative to alternatives such as AlN or ZnO. However, this comes at the cost of the need to integrate more difficult materials, and the introduction of appreciable temperature dependence in the response. This paper describes some of the tradeoffs associated with the use of ferroelectrics in MEMS systems. Available piezoelectric coefficients range from e/sub 31,f/ /spl sim/ -1 to -20 C/m/sup 2/. Emphasis is placed on the composition, orientation, and grain size dependence of the piezoelectric properties in lead zirconate titanate films.
Expansion of the 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA mutation databases (16SMDB and 23SMDB)

The Ribosomal RNA Mutation Databases (16SMDB and 23SMDB) provide lists of mutated positions in 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA from Escherichia coli and the identity of each alteration. Information provided for each mutation includes: (i) a brief description of the phenotype(s) associated with each mutation; (ii) whether a mutant phenotype has been detected by in vivo or in vitro methods; and (iii) relevant literature citations. The databases are available via ftp and on the World Wide Web. Expansion of the databases to include information about mutations isolated in organisms other than E.coli is currently in progress.
Polychlorinated biphenyls and toxaphene in preferred prey fish of coastal southeastern U.S. bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Legacy organochlorine (OC) contaminants continue to pose a potential risk to ecological and human health in coastal aquatic ecosystems of the southeastern United States. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxaphene (TOX) were analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection and negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry in 77 composites of four inshore fish species commonly preyed upon by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from estuaries near Savannah, Georgia (SAV), Brunswick, Georgia (BRN), and Jacksonville, Florida (JAX), USA. Whereas seasonal and species-specific differences were minimal, differences among mean total PCB concentrations (SPCBs) by estuary (42.0 6 48.3, 1.59 6 1.24, and 0.281 6 0.075 mg/g lipid for BRN, JAX, and SAV, respectively) were highly significant. This estuary-specific trend also held true for mean total toxaphene concentrations (STOX): 49 6 100 (BRN), 1.2 6 0.52 (JAX), and 0.40 6 0.19 mg/g lipid (SAV). Congener profiles of PCBs also were found to be significantly different among estuaries, with BRN and (to a lesser extent) JAX samples enriched with highly chlorinated homologs associated with Aroclor 1268, a legacy OC linked to a historical point source in Brunswick. The observed spatial heterogeneity in OC concentrations and PCB congener profiles suggests that contaminated fish from Brunswick pose the greatest risk to ecological and human health via biomagnification and seafood consumption; highly chlorinated PCBs (and possibly toxaphene) are transported in a southerly, alongshore direction; and the uniqueness of Aroclor 1268 underscores its utility as a signature proxy in future regional ecotoxicological studies.
Whither Political Science? Reflections on Professor Sartori's claim that “American-type political science…is going nowhere. It is an ever growing giant with feet of clay”

Political science remains an emergent discipline; but research within it has congealed around a set of well-defined programs that has engaged an international community of scholars. Here I will identify three of these programs in order to show the continued intellectual vibrancy of the discipline. First, in normative theory, political scientists are working out the implications of John Rawls' A Theory of Justice in a program that has reinvigorated liberalism to make it speak to core political issues of our time. Second, in a program once embedded bureaucratically in “American Politics,” political scientists are working out the implications of Duncan Black's median voter theorem in an expanded set of democratic countries with different institutional details to address the core political issues of representation and accountability. Third, relying on extensive cross-sectional time-series data previously unavailable, on computer programs not imaginable a generation ago, and on theoretical developments in econometrics, political scientists are fulfilling a dream of the founders of the behavioral revolution (Stein Rokkan, S. M. Lipset, and Karl Deutsch) by addressing systematically the sources of democracy and political order. To be sure, there are other political science research programs, for example, in international relations, in comparative political economy, and in political psychology, that could well have been elucidated in this essay. My goal here, in addressing Professor Sartori's jeremiad, is not to show the scope of the field, but rather its quality, its internationalism, and its real-world relevance. This is best done with a few select examples.
Efficacy of the Ventral Abdominal Secretion of the Cockroach Eurycotis floridana (Blattaria: Blattidae) as a Defense Allomone

In assays investigating the abdominal sternal secretion of the cockroach Eurycotis floridana, it was determined that the secretion provides an effective deterrent against potential predators. Analysis of grooming patterns of Peromyscus leucopus mice revealed significant increases in mouth grooming and loss of coordination following exposure to E. floridana secretion. Mouse–cockroach interactions also changed following exposure of the mouse to the spray, as the mouse incited fewer interactions and more frequently struck with its forepaws than with its mouth. Monomorium sp. and Camponotus sp. ants also were repelled by the secretion, and Periplaneta americana were significantly irritated by the application of E. floridana secretion. The secretion is able to deter without physical contact, presumably via noxious volatiles. Eurycotis floridana is capable of accurately aiming the discharge as well as ejecting it several times the length of its body. It also was found that E. floridana exhibits autotoxic responses following contact with the secretion of conspecifics.
Physical temperature effects on trust behavior: the role of insula

Trust lies at the heart of person perception and interpersonal decision making. In two studies, we investigated physical temperature as one factor that can influence human trust behavior, and the insula as a possible neural substrate. Participants briefly touched either a cold or warm pack, and then played an economic trust game. Those primed with cold invested less with an anonymous partner, revealing lesser interpersonal trust, as compared to those who touched a warm pack. In Study 2, we examined neural activity during trust-related processes after a temperature manipulation using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The left-anterior insular region activated more strongly than baseline only when the trust decision was preceded by touching a cold pack, and not a warm pack. In addition, greater activation within bilateral insula was identified during the decision phase followed by a cold manipulation, contrasted to warm. These results suggest that the insula may be a key shared neural substrate that mediates the influence of temperature on trust processes.
Transcriptome response to infraorbital nerve transection in the gonadally intact male rat barrel cortex: RNA‐seq

The effects of infraorbital nerve (ION) transection on gene expression in the adult male rat barrel cortex were investigated using RNA sequencing. After a 24-hour survival duration, 98 genes were differentially regulated by ION transection. Differentially expressed genes suggest changes in neuronal activity, excitability, and morphology. The production of mRNA for neurotrophins, including brain-derived neurotrophin factor (BNDF), was decreased following ION transection. Several potassium channels showed decreased mRNA production, whereas a sodium channel (Na(V)β4) associated with burst firing showed increased mRNA production. The results may have important implications for phantom-limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome. Future experiments should determine the extent to which changes in RNA result in changes in protein expression, in addition to utilizing laser capture microdissection techniques to differentiate between neuronal and glial cells.
A Highly Sensitive Europium Nanoparticle-Based Immunoassay for Detection of Influenza A/B Virus Antigen in Clinical Specimens

We report the development of a novel europium nanoparticle-based immunoassay (ENIA) for rapid detection of influenza A and influenza B viruses. The ENIA demonstrated sensitivities of 90.7% (147/162) for influenza A viruses and 81.80% (9/11) for influenza B viruses compared to those for an in-house reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay in testing of influenza-positive clinical samples.
β-globin YAC transgenes exhibit uniform expression levels but position effect variegation in mice

Expression of a construct integrated at different genomic locations often varies because of position effects that have been subcategorized as stable (decreased level of expression) and variegating (decreased proportion of expressing cells). It is well established that locus control regions (LCRs) generally overcome position effects in transgenes. However, whether stable and variegated position effects are equally overcome by an intact LCR has not been determined. We report that single-copy yeast artificial chromosome transgenes containing an unmodified human beta -globin locus were not subject to detectable stable position effects but did undergo mild to severe variegating position effects at three of the four non-centromeric integration sites tested. We also find that, at a given integration site, the distance and the orientation of the LCR relative to the regulated gene contributes to the likelihood of variegating position effects, and can affect the magnitude of its transcriptional enhancement. DNase I hypersensitive site (HSS) formation varies with the proportion of expressing cells, not the level of gene expression, suggesting that silencing of the transgene is associated with a lack of HSS formation in the LCR region. We conclude that transcriptional enhancement and variegating position effects are caused by fundamentally different but inter-dependent mechanisms.
Calculation of hyperon axial couplings from lattice QCD

In this work, we report the first lattice calculation of the hyperon axial couplings, using the 2+1-flavor MILC configurations and domain-wall fermion valence quarks. Both the $$\Sigma$$ and $$\Xi$$ axial couplings are for the first time done in lattice QCD, and we find the numbers with greater precision than previous chiral perturbation theory and large-$N_c$ theory estimate: $$g_{\Sigma\Sigma} = 0.450(21)_{\rm stat}(22)_{\rm syst}$$ and $$g_{\Xi\Xi} = -0.277(15)_{\rm stat}(16)_{\rm syst}$$. As a side product, we also determine the low-energy chiral parameters $D$ and $F$ extracted from these coupling constants: $$D=0.715(6)_{\rm stat}(6)_{\rm syst}$$ and $$F=0.453(5)_{\rm stat}(5)_{\rm syst}$$.
EFFECTS OF A WIRE MESH ON DROPLET SIZE AND VELOCITY DISTRIBUTIONS OF CRYOGENIC SPRAYS

Cryogen spray cooling allows removing large amounts of heat in short periods of time. Previous investigations have shown that stainless steel wire meshes placed between spray nozzle and target surfaces effectively increase uniformity in lateral heat extraction while reducing cooling efficiency. In this study we used phase Doppler particle analysis to assess the effect of a wire mesh on the diameter and velocity radial distributions of cryogen droplets and, consequently, on the surface heat transfer. We measured at 40 mm downstream and various radial locations within steady state spray cones from two different nozzles without and with a mesh at two mesh-nozzle distances. Results show that with the mesh, droplets lose velocity and increase in size. The closer to the center of the spray cone the droplets are, the larger the loss in velocity. As a consequence, the radial velocity profile is more uniform relative to that without a mesh.
Null Subjects in Old French

Whereas our discussion of V2 in OFr in previous chapters required extensive comparison with the modern Germanic languages, the topic of the present chapter invites comparison primarily with the modern Romance languages. Just as German and Dutch were the first V2 languages to be studied in detail in the generative framework, Spanish and Italian were the first null subject languages to receive widespread attention from generativists (cf. e.g. Perlmutter (1971), Taraldsen (1978), Burzio (1981, 1986), Rizzi (1982)). In these languages, it appears that the presence of six distinct endings on the verb forms for the three singular and three plural persons substitutes entirely for the subject pronoun, much as in their parent language, Latin. If a pronoun appears, it receives a marked interpretation: it is usually stressed or emphatic in some way.
Arthritis as the presenting feature of childhood leukemia.

Five cases of childhood leukemia are described in which major presentation was arthritis. Three patients had normal hematologic studies when initially examined. Both monoarticular and polyarticular arthritis were seen. Joint swelling was caused by an increase in synovial fluid, but in 1 patient there seemed to be synovial thickening. Presentations and clinical courses were extremely variable and point out the necessity to consider leukemia in the differential diagnosis of children with arthritis.
Peptidylarginine deiminase inhibition disrupts NET formation and protects against kidney, skin and vascular disease in lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice

Objectives An imbalance between neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation and degradation has been described in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), potentially contributing to autoantigen externalisation, type I interferon synthesis and endothelial damage. We have demonstrated that peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) inhibition reduces NET formation and protects against lupus-related vascular damage in the New Zealand Mixed model of lupus. However, another strategy for inhibiting NETs—knockout of NOX2 —accelerates lupus in a different murine model, MRL/ lpr . Here, we test the effects of PAD inhibition on MRL/ lpr mice in order to clarify whether some NET inhibitory pathways may be consistently therapeutic across models of SLE. Methods NET formation and autoantibodies to NETs were characterised in lupus-prone MRL/ lpr mice. MRL/ lpr mice were also treated with two different PAD inhibitors, Cl-amidine and the newly described BB-Cl-amidine. NET formation, endothelial function, interferon signature, nephritis and skin disease were examined in treated mice. Results Neutrophils from MRL/ lpr mice demonstrate accelerated NET formation compared with controls. MRL/ lpr mice also form autoantibodies to NETs and have evidence of endothelial dysfunction. PAD inhibition markedly improves endothelial function, while downregulating the expression of type I interferon-regulated genes. PAD inhibition also reduces proteinuria and immune complex deposition in the kidneys, while protecting against skin disease. Conclusions PAD inhibition reduces NET formation, while protecting against lupus-related damage to the vasculature, kidneys and skin in various lupus models. The strategy by which NETs are inhibited will have to be carefully considered if human studies are to be undertaken.
Taiwanese tourists' perceptions of service quality on outbound guided package tours: A qualitative examination of the SERVQUAL dimensions

Guided package tours are popular for certain market segments and represent a significant tourism market. However, research on service quality in guided package tours is rather limited. This researc...
Compensating for Word Posterior Estimation Bias in Confusion Networks

This paper looks at the problem of confidence estimation at the word network level, where multiple hypotheses from a recognizer are represented in a confusion network. Given features of the network, an SVM is used to estimate the probability that the correct word is missing from a candidate slot and then other word probabilities are normalized accordingly. The result is a reduction in overall bias of the estimated word posteriors and an improvement in the confidence estimate for the top word hypothesis in particular.
Physiology of Digestion and Absorption: The Functional Interdependence Between Food and the Gut

This chapter starts with a brief description of the orchestration of upper GI function that enables food to be eaten and digested efficiently and safely. It then goes on to describe the close interrelationship between food and digestive function, such that an adequate supply of nutrients, particularly amino acids, is needed for the synthesis of digestive enzymes and mucosal absorptive cells in order to digest ingested food. From this one can appreciate the fact that malnutrition can induce GI dysfunction, as well as GI dysfunction can produce malnutrition through malabsorption. Finally, we discuss the unique nutritional needs of the colon that are provided by the microbiota. Consequently, to keep the colon healthy we need to keep the microbiota healthy with food that contains adequate supplies of complex carbohydrate residues (e.g., fiber) that are resistant to digestion and absorption by the small intestine.
Diagnosis of Osteochondral Defects by Arthroscopy

Chondral lesions of the talus can be a potential cause of long-term debilitation. Although advanced studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) have been shown to be very sensitive and specifi c in identifying these defects, a negative study cannot defi nitively rule out osteochondral defects (OCDs) [ 13 , 25 ].
Autoreactive T cells in murine lupus

The conventional paradigm to explain systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is that disease results from tissue deposition of pathogenic autoantibodies and immune complexes, secondary to activation of autoreactive B cells in the context of help from αΒ T cells. Recent work in murine lupus has confirmed this notion and demonstrated that autoantigen-specific αΒ T cells are absolutely required for full penetrance of disease, with such autoreactive αΒ T cells, even in Fasintact mice, likely arising from defects in peripheral tolerance. These studies have also revealed a network of regulation that also involves nonclassical pathogenic and downregulatory αΒ and γδ T cells, suggesting that the lupus immune system involves more complex interactions than the conventional paradigm suggests.
School-based tobacco use prevention and cessation: where are we going?

OBJECTIVE To discuss the past, present, and future directions of school-based tobacco use prevention and cessation research. METHODS Discuss the origins of tobacco use prevention research; how prevention research advanced with empirical etiologic work; the genesis of comprehensive social influences programming and its contents; multiple modalities of programming beyond the school setting; and the rebirth of teen cessation programming and the issue of dissemination. RESULTS There are many avenues of teen tobacco use prevention and cessation research and practice that need continued exploration, particularly regarding effects mediation and teen cessation. CONCLUSIONS This discussion provides a background to assist health behavior researchers and practitioners to move forward in this arena.
Pilot studies of species-specific chemotherapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia using genotype and immunophenotype.

Genotype and immunophenotype can be used to define biological species of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The purpose of these two pilot studies, conducted between 1986 and 1994, was to explore the feasibility and acceptability of classifying ALL in this manner for selection of treatment rather than using conventional risk for failure factors such as age and initial white blood cell count. The possibility that conventional risk factors would be overcome and survival improved by this approach was also considered. Flow cytometry and chromosome analysis were used to classify the ALL of 150 children into one of five biologic categories as defined by cell surface antigens, DNA index and chromosome number and arrangement. Chemotherapy regimens depended on the assigned category. There was no provision for cranial irradiation and use of alkylating agents, anthracyclines and epipodophyllotoxins was restricted in order to reduce risk of late adverse sequelae. All patients are included in the analysis regardless of presenting condition or adherence to protocol. The majority of patients were Mexican–American or African–American. Eight-year event-free survival (EFS) is 60.7% (±4%) and 8-year overall survival (OAS) 72.6% (±3.7%). EFS and OAS varied significantly among the biologic categories despite differences in chemotherapy regimens. When the patients with B-precursor ALL were retrospectively classified by current Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) criteria, 8-year EFS was 82% (±7.3%) for the good risk group, 68.9% (±5.9%) for the standard risk and 48.8% (±7.6%) for the poor risk, all significant differences. However, when retrospectively classified according to the Rome/NCI prognostic criteria the 8-year EFS for standard risk patients was 69.1% (±5.1%) and for high risk 58.8% (±6.9%), not a statistically significant difference. Numbers of T cell and B cell patients are too few for comparison. Gender and ethnicity influenced survival as in treatment based on prognostic factors. Initial central nervous system (CNS) relapse occurred in five patients (3%) and combined CNS and hematological relapse in six (3%). Factors significantly associated with CNS and combined relapse were leukemic pleocytosis in the initial CSF sample, pro-B immunophenotype and DNA index <1.16, but not initial white blood cell count. Only three survivors appear to have serious late adverse sequelae, the only neurologic the result of asparaginase-induced cortical vein thrombosis. The results suggest that use of biologic species as defined by immunophenotype and genotype to select therapy of all is feasible and acceptable but under the conditions of these studies offered no apparent therapeutic advantage over conventional risk grouping. However, the introduction of molecular genotyping and novel gene targeted therapeutic agents justify further exploration of this approach.
A Critical Review of a Spirituality Intervention

Although there is a growing interest in the topic of spirituality, there are few reports of spiritual interventions and limited empirical data to support their effectiveness. As health care practices become increasingly evidence based, the reliance on empirical data is critical. This article describes the spiritual intervention developed by the author and documents the testing of its effectiveness with clinical and nonclinical populations. The findings from a series of studies have been mixed. Preliminary studies reported that the intervention positively influenced patients' outcomes, including overall quality of life and reduced selected stress responses. Significant positive trends were found that supported the potential effectiveness of the intervention for a variety of populations and clinical settings. However, subsequent testing in clinical trials indicated limited effect of the intervention although there were several noteworthy findings. The author discusses the implications of these findings for future investigations.
Computational and Experimental Investigation of Fan Flow Deflection for S upersonic Turbofan Engines

We present a combined experimental and co mputational study of the dual -stream exhaust of a supersonic turbofan engine with noise -suppressing deflectors installed in the fan stream. The focus is on validating the computational code, extracting turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) trends, and connecting those trends to the measured noise reduction. We consider two operating conditions, a “cold” condition at which mean flow surveys were conducted and against which the code was validated; and a “hot” condition that corresponds to the takeoff engine cycle an d at which acoustic measurements were conducted. A three dimensional Reynolds -Averaged Navier Stokes code is used to simulate the flow for a number of nozzle configurations using vane type flow deflectors to create asymmetric jet plumes, which have demonst rated experimentally the potential for significant noise reduction. The code successfully replicates the mean velocity, radial velocity gradient and inflectional layer fields of the experimental flows. Comparison of “cold” and “hot” condition shows a reaso nable collapse of the velocity profiles when the axial distance is normalized by the potential core length. For both conditions, the vane deflectors reduce the TKE on the underside of the jet and increase it on the topside of the jet. There is a significan t correlation between the decrease of the TKE near the end of the potential core and the reduction in overall sound pressure level in the direction of peak emission. This study will provide a basis for the further use of CFD in the investigation of noise r eduction and performance of fan flow deflected supersonic turbofan engines.
Rebirth of granulocyte transfusions: should it involve pediatric oncology and transplant patients?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of children with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) treated with alternative donor bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Twelve consecutive patients with JMML confirmed by in vitro clonogenic assays underwent alternative donor BMT. Ten patients received pretransplant chemotherapy for one to seven cycles (cytosine arabinoside regimens). Eight underwent splenectomy before the transplant. Donors were unrelated for nine patients and partially matched related for three. Conditioning included total body irradiation for all but one patient. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis included in vitro partial T-lymphocyte depletion for five patients with cyclosporine arabinoside, and cyclosporine arabinoside and methotrexate for seven. Acute GVHD developed in all patients, and chronic GVHD developed in 7 of 11 evaluable patients. Relapses occurred in two patients, and two died of transplant-related causes. Eight patients remain in remission with a median follow-up of 31 months after the BMT. The event-free survival rate for this series is 64% (95% confidence interval, 27%-85%). The roles of pretransplant chemotherapy and splenectomy for leukemic reduction to prevent relapse, and the use of conditioning regimens with total body irradiation require study in a larger series of patients. GVHD may be beneficial in preventing relapses, which has been the major cause of treatment failure for these patients.
Accidental Symmetry and Kahler Potentials for Moduli of ZN Orbifolds

The relationship between accidental worldsheet symmetries of the string generating functional and target space invariance groups is discussed. Accidental symmetries are used to derive the Kahler potentials for the moduli of N = 1 supersymmetric ZN orbifolds.
Bone disturbances in injuries to the spinal cord and cauda equina (paraplegia) their prevention by ambulation.

1. Bone atrophy occurring in paraplegia is of an osteoporotic nature. 2. There is close association of urinary calculi and soft-tissue ossifications with the excessive calcium mobilization from the bones. 3. If calcium could be held in bone, urinary calculi, soft-tissue ossifications, and pathological fractures could be prevented. 4. Pressure produces bone matrix, thus allowing the deposition of calcium. 5. The only logical therapeutic agent which applies pressure intermittently is ambulation.
Analysis of the ( p , t ) reaction on Dy 158

The level structure of $^{156}\mathrm{Dy}$ has been investigated with the ($p,t$) reaction at 29.9-MeV incident proton energy. Angular distributions were measured for transitions to 34 levels up to an excitation energy of 2.25 MeV in $^{156}\mathrm{Dy}$. The ground-state $Q$ value for this reaction was determined to be ${Q}_{0}=\ensuremath{-}7.535\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.015$ MeV. Optical-model parameters were obtained self-consistently in the coupled-channels approach, and reaction calculations using these parameters demonstrated a very large destructive interference between direct and indirect transfer to the ${2}^{+}$ member of the ground-state band. The anomalously strong transition to the ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={0}^{+}$ state at 674 keV is interpreted in the model of Van Rij and Kahana, leading to suggestions as to the structure of this state. The strong $L=2$ transition to the ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={2}^{+}$ state at 890 keV is also discussed. Further evidence is given on the structure of the ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={2}^{+}$ state at 1520 keV, and the ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={4}^{+}$ state at 1627.3 keV which has been suggested to belong to the "super" band in $^{156}\mathrm{Dy}$.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{158}\mathrm{Dy}$($p,t$), ${E}_{L}=29.9$ MeV, measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta})$, ${Q}_{0}$; CCBA and DWBA analysis; deduced ${E}_{x}$, $L$, ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ of $^{156}\mathrm{Dy}$ levels.NUCLEAR STRUCTURE Model of Van Rij and Kahana applied to anomalous ${0}^{+}$ state; evidence for $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ vibration built on these states, and on nature of "super" band.
denovo-db: a compendium of human de novo variants

Whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing have facilitated the large-scale discovery of de novo variants in human disease. To date, most de novo discovery through next-generation sequencing focused on congenital heart disease and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Currently, de novo variants are one of the most significant risk factors for NDDs with a substantial overlap of genes involved in more than one NDD. To facilitate better usage of published data, provide standardization of annotation, and improve accessibility, we created denovo-db (http://denovo-db.gs.washington.edu), a database for human de novo variants. As of July 2016, denovo-db contained 40 different studies and 32,991 de novo variants from 23,098 trios. Database features include basic variant information (chromosome location, change, type); detailed annotation at the transcript and protein levels; severity scores; frequency; validation status; and, most importantly, the phenotype of the individual with the variant. We included a feature on our browsable website to download any query result, including a downloadable file of the full database with additional variant details. denovo-db provides necessary information for researchers to compare their data to other individuals with the same phenotype and also to controls allowing for a better understanding of the biology of de novo variants and their contribution to disease.
Surface Catalyzed Reaction Efficiencies in Oxygen Plasmas from Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements

Recent advancements in laser techniques for plasma facility diagnostic applications have enabled measurements of temperature and species gradients in the reacting zone above a high-temperature material. The laser measurements, which are done with submillimeter spatial resolution, provide a direct, qualitative illustration of surface-catalyzed reaction efficiency when reactive species distributions are compared for different materials. Further analysis of the measured quantities balancing the diffusive reactant flux with the consumption of atoms by surface reactions yields quantitative values for surface-catalyzed reaction rates and catalytic efficiencies. In this work, measurements of oxygen atom distributions in O2–Ar plasmas are presented for reference materials of high and low catalytic efficiency. The laser measurements are then used to determine values for atomic oxygen recombination to molecular oxygen. Comparisons of the present values of the recombination efficiency (0.0317±0.0056 cold copper, 0.0...
A PDMS-based optical waveguide for transcutaneous powering of microelectrode arrays

Implantable microelectrode arrays (MEAs) usually have on-site electronics that need to be powered, both in neural recording and stimulation applications. Interconnecting wires between implanted electrodes and the outside world constitute a major source of complications. Our solution to this tethering problem is to design a light waveguide that can collect the optical power transcutaneously and transmit it to the microelectrode array where it is to be converted to an electric current. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based waveguide was fabricated and its attenuation was measured in vitro and found to be 0.36 dB/cm. The skin flap of the thenar web space in the hand was used to test the photon collection efficiency of the waveguide in diffuse light. The efficiency of the waveguide alone was 44±11% (mean±std), excluding the attenuation within the thenar skin, as measured in 13 subjects with different skin pigmentations. These preliminary results suggest that a PDMS waveguide may collect and deliver optical power with sufficient efficiencies to deep structures inside the body. Optical powering scheme can solve the tethering and breakage problems associated with metal wire connections.
Topology optimization of geometrically nonlinear trusses with spurious eigenmodes control

In this paper, topology optimization of geometrically nonlinear trusses with and without stability constraints is investigated. It is shown that if classical minimum compliance formulation is considered without any stability constraints, the optimized designs are unstable and convergence issues may be encountered in the nonlinear structural analyses. To address these issues, a minimum compliance formulation with critical load factor constraint is proposed together with a strategy based on spurious modal energy ratio to determine the true critical eigenmodes and the corresponding critical load factor. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, which show that the optimized truss topologies obtained using the proposed approach are stable. More importantly, the critical load constraint is able to guarantee that the first critical load of the optimized design is always above the applied load so that the proposed approach is free from convergence issues during the Newton Raphson solution process.
Abstract P94: Rural-Urban Utilization of Echocardiography: Analysis of Veterans Administration Data

BACKGROUND: Patients residing in rural areas may have reduced access to many medical services. This is a particular concern for highly regionalized delivery systems such as VA Healthcare System. We examine echocardiography (echo) utilization among veterans residing in urban and rural regions of the US. METHODS: We used VA administrative data to identify patients receiving care at the VA from 1999-2007. Patients were included during any year that they were engaged in care at the VA, defined by having at least 2 primary care visits during the year (“VA users”). For each year, we identified echos performed on VA users using CPT or ICD-9 codes. We classified each veteran as living in an urban, rural or highly rural region using the RUCA classification system. We compared demographics, comorbidity, and echo utilization rates per 1000 VA users among veterans living in each of the 3 regions using bivariate methods. We used logistic regression models to compare echo utilization for veterans residing in rural and highly rural areas with urban veterans serving as the reference while adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidity, and clustering of patients within 23 veteran integrated networks. RESULTS: Echo recipients residing in highly rural areas were older than residents in rural and urban areas (67.3 yrs vs. 66.7 yrs vs. 66.6 yrs), and more likely to be white, (76.5% vs. 73.6% vs. 59.4%). Unadjusted echo utilization was significantly higher for residents of urban areas compared to rural areas, but similar to highly rural areas (64.0 echos per 1000 per year for urban vs. 59.2 for rural vs. 63.7 for highly rural). In regression models however, we found that veterans living in rural and highly rural areas were slightly more likely to receive echos compared to veterans living in urban areas after adjusting for patient demographics and comorbidity (OR 1.03 95% CI 1.03-1.04 for rural and OR 1.13 95% CI 1.12-1.14 for isolated rural). CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that veterans residing in rural and highly rural regions of the U.S. had reduced utilization of echocardiography after adjusting for patient demographics and comorbidity. These findings suggest that the regionalization of the VA delivery system does not limit the performance of echocardiography for rural veterans.
Nutrigenomics: Implications for Breast and Colon Cancer Prevention

Nutrigenomics refers to the interaction between one's diet and his/her genes. These interactions can markedly influence digestion, absorption, and the elimination of bioactive food components, as well as influence their site of actions/molecular targets. Nutrigenomics comprises nutrigenetics, epigenetics, and transcriptomics, coupled with other "omic," such as proteomics and metabolomics, that apparently account for the wide variability in cancer risk among individuals with similar dietary habits. Multiple food components including essential nutrients, phytochemical, zoochemicals, fungochemical, and bacterochemicals have been implicated in cancer risk and tumor behavior, admittedly with mixed results. Such findings suggest that not all individuals respond identically to a diet. This chapter highlights the influence of single-nucleotide polymorphism, copy number, epigenetic events, and transcriptomic homeostasis as factors influencing the response to food components and ultimately health, including cancer risk. Both breast and colorectal cancers are reviewed as examples about how nutrigenomics may influence the response to dietary intakes. As the concept that "one size fits all" comes to an end and personalized approaches surface, additional research data will be required to identify those who will benefit most from dietary change and any who might be placed at risk because of an adjustment.
The Emergence of Sociopolitical Complexity: Evidence from Contact-Era New Guinea

Leadership forms in New Guinea spanned a political spectrum from egalitarian forager bands through trans-egalitarian cultivators to petty chiefdom fisher-foragers. Drawing comparative data from 92 of these communities, this chapter finds that emergent political complexity in small-scale societies is primarily driven by male status competition. Although the forms this competition took varied, the most important were warfare and material display (the conspicuous distribution of material goods). Warfare was by far the more common and highly valued source of male status , a function of the chronic military threat to which New Guineans were exposed. At population densities above about 20–25 people/km2, however, material display––the political hallmark of the classic Big-man ––became increasingly prevalent and important as an avenue to status , a function of the unusual relationship between status and power in these societies. Material displays were a means of demonstrating in concrete form individual and collective power . and in competing to outdo one another’s material displays, Big-men and their groups were competing for status by demonstrating their power . This circumstance explains why the emergence of material display as a channel of status competition depended on rising population density. In small-scale communities, the ability to amass power depends heavily on density. At low densities, this ability is constrained, limiting the importance of material distribution as a mode of status competition. As densities rise, however, these constraints erode until, at a threshold of around 50–55 people/km2, power –– manifest in material displays––becomes the main channel of status competition.
Fr\'echet Analysis Of Variance For Random Objects

Frechet mean and variance provide a way of obtaining mean and variance for general metric space valued random variables and can be used for statistical analysis of data objects that lie in abstract spaces devoid of algebraic structure and operations. Examples of such spaces include covariance matrices, graph Laplacians of networks and univariate probability distribution functions. We derive a central limit theorem for Frechet variance under mild regularity conditions, utilizing empirical process theory, and also provide a consistent estimator of the asymptotic variance. These results lead to a test to compare k populations based on Frechet variance for general metric space valued data objects, with emphasis on comparing means and variances. We examine the finite sample performance of this inference procedure through simulation studies for several special cases that include probability distributions and graph Laplacians, which leads to tests to compare populations of networks. The proposed methodology has good finite sample performance in simulations for different kinds of random objects. We illustrate the proposed methods with data on mortality profiles of various countries and resting state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data.
Off-axis performance of Lyot filters in multi-access quantum communication receivers

Advanced data links (ADL) can be implemented using free-space optical channels with quantum encryption. The security features of these links are based on quantum communication protocols that rely upon the inherent properties of laser light and offer physical-layer encryption without the mathematical complexity of conventional cryptography. Traditionally, these links are organized using the point-to-point topology, but it is highly desirable to extend this approach to multi-access communication systems to service an array of ADLs connected into a hub-and-spokes network. To facilitate connectivity, the "hub" can use a single aperture to establish connections to several target platforms within its field-of-view. Multi-access high-capacity wavelength division multiplexing can be used as an enabling technology for establishing communication between hub and spatially separated spokes. The associated problem of discriminating between multiple signals arriving simultaneously from distinct spatial locations is addressed by optical circuits capable of processing non-classical features of quantum states, such as entangled photon. One of the key elements of this receiving systems is the Lyot filter that offers high selectivity while directing the signals along different optical path lengths while propagating through the quantum circuit components, which may affect their processing capabilities. In this paper, we present analysis and preliminary experimental results that demonstrate the effects of off-axis arrival on performance of the Lyot filter and the resulting limitations of this technology.
Simulation of double-pass stimulated Raman backscattering

Experiments on Stimulated Raman Backscattering (SRBS) in plasma have demonstrated significantly higher energy conversion in a double-pass amplifier where the laser pulses go through the plasma twice compared with a single-pass amplifier with double the plasma length of a single pass. In this paper, the improvement in understanding recent experimental results is presented by considering quite in detail the effects of plasma heating on the modeling of SRBS. Our simulation results show that the low efficiency of single-pass amplifiers can be attributed to Landau damping and the frequency shift of Langmuir waves. In double-pass amplifiers, these issues can be avoided, to some degree, because pump-induced heating could be reduced, while the plasma cools down between the passes. Therefore, double-pass amplifiers yield considerably enhanced energy transfer from the pump to the seed, hence the output pulse intensity.