cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Particle deposition in human and canine tracheobronchial casts: A determinant of radon dose to the critical cells of the respiratory tract

The radiation dose to the sensitive cells of the bronchial epithelium from inhaled short-lived radon progeny depends critically on the efficiency with which the particles are deposited on the airway surfaces. Measurements of deposition for particles 50, 100, 180, and 400 nm in diameter have been carried out along three single pathways in full hollow airway casts of the human and canine tracheobronchial trees. The pathways are a major branch path, a minor branch path, and one which consists of alternating major and minor branches. The casts, prepared from whole lungs obtained at autopsy, extend to airways with diameters less than 1 mm. Monodisperse test aerosols were nebulized from either a 99mTc-ferric oxide or 99mTc-NaCl solution and size classified with an electrostatic classifier or formed by condensation of triphenyl phosphate onto 99mTc-salt nuclei. Measured deposition fractions (etaFs) form a family of curves with etaF being highest for the 50 nm particles and lowest for 400 nm. This agrees with expectations for this particle size range where diffusion is the dominant deposition mechanism. The etaF pattern is strongly influenced by the morphometry and resulting airflow distribution. Results of the experiments obtained in the human cast are compared with two predictive deposition models. The model, that is more explicit with respect to flow and geometric parameters, appears to be a marginally better predictor of the data.
The effects of prolonged exposure to cold on visual cells of the goldfish.

Abstract Adult goldfish were maintained at 6±1°C (cold stress) for up to two months. Changes in their visual cells were then studied by microscopy and autoradiography. Under normal conditions the length of visual-cell outer segments remains relatively stable because the addition of new membrane components balances the disposal of used membranes. During prolonged exposure to cold, however, outer-segment length decreases significantly. The length of cone outer segments averaged 68% of normal after one month, and 44% of normal after two months at 6°C. The cone outer segments recovered their normal dimensions within two weeks after water temperature was raised to 24±2°C, following one month at 6°C. The length of rod outer segments decreased less than that of cones, averaging 89% of normal after one month, and 72% of normal after two months at 6°C. Cytoplasmic vesicles, probably autophagic vacuoles, increased in number and size during cold stress, and returned to normal within two weeks of recovery at 24°C. Evidently, the shortening of visual-cell outer segments during cold stress reflected an imbalance between the rate of disc formation and the rate of disc elimination by shedding. Upon warming to room temperature, formation of new membrane exceeded loss by membrane shedding, resulting in growth until normal length was attained. Thereafter, length was maintained by a balance between formation and shedding of membrane.
The Simulation of Three Machines Which Read Rows of Handwritten Arabic Numbers

Three machines have been simulated using an optical scanner and the IBM 704 computer. Each of these simulated machines has read documents containing rows of handwritten Arabic numbers. Sample numbers were produced by at least 20 people for each simulation study. The three machines simulated differ in the control required of the writer during document preparation and in the complexity of the machines. Writing controls were required for the preparation of the first two types of documents. A section of this paper concerns experiments with and a mathematical model of controlled writing. The third simulated machine was applied both to numbers written within preprinted boxes and to numbers written without any guide marks. About one per cent of 2180 of these numbers were misread as the wrong character. This error rate is based on a sequential experiment in which the recognition logic is constructed from all characters not recognized and thus rejected prior to each input character. Numbers, when rejected, cause the programn to identify them from a table. Their structure is then entered into the recognition logic. The rejection rate decreased throughout the experiment. The last rejection rate was about 10 per cent.
Small-scale and automatable high-throughput compositional analysis of biomass

Conventional wet chemistry methods to determine biomass composition are labor- and time-intensive and require larger amounts of biomass (300 mg) than is often available. To overcome these limitations and to support a high-throughput pretreatment and hydrolysis (HTPH) screening system, this article reports on the development of a downscaled biomass compositional analysis that is based on conventional wet chemistry techniques but is scaled down by a factor of 100 to use significantly less material. The procedure is performed in readily available high-performance liquid chromatography vials and can be automated to reduce operator input and increase throughput. Comparison of the compositional analyses of three biomasses determined by the downscaled approach to those obtained by conventional methods showed that the downscaled method measured statistically identical carbohydrate compositions as standard procedures and also can provide reasonable estimates of lignin and ash contents. These results demonstrate the validity of the downscaled procedure for measuring biomass composition to enable the calculation of sugar yields and determination of trends in sugar release behavior in HTPH screening studies.
Patient teenagers? A comparison of the sexual behavior of virginity pledgers and matched nonpledgers.

OBJECTIVE. The US government spends more than $200 million annually on abstinence-promotion programs, including virginity pledges. This study compares the sexual activity of adolescent virginity pledgers with matched nonpledgers by using more robust methods than past research. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. The subjects for this study were National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health respondents, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students who, when surveyed in 1995, had never had sex or taken a virginity pledge and who were >15 years of age (n = 3440). Adolescents who reported taking a virginity pledge on the 1996 survey (n = 289) were matched with nonpledgers (n = 645) by using exact and nearest-neighbor matching within propensity score calipers on factors including prepledge religiosity and attitudes toward sex and birth control. Pledgers and matched nonpledgers were compared 5 years after the pledge on self-reported sexual behaviors and positive test results for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis, and safe sex outside of marriage by use of birth control and condoms in the past year and at last sex. RESULTS. Five years after the pledge, 82% of pledgers denied having ever pledged. Pledgers and matched nonpledgers did not differ in premarital sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and anal and oral sex variables. Pledgers had 0.1 fewer past-year partners but did not differ in lifetime sexual partners and age of first sex. Fewer pledgers than matched nonpledgers used birth control and condoms in the past year and birth control at last sex. CONCLUSIONS. The sexual behavior of virginity pledgers does not differ from that of closely matched nonpledgers, and pledgers are less likely to protect themselves from pregnancy and disease before marriage. Virginity pledges may not affect sexual behavior but may decrease the likelihood of taking precautions during sex. Clinicians should provide birth control information to all adolescents, especially virginity pledgers.
An anti-Wnt-2 monoclonal antibody induces apoptosis in malignant melanoma cells and inhibits tumor growth.

Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been associated with human cancers. To test whether Wnt-2 signal is a survival factor in human melanoma cells and thus represents a potential therapeutic target, we investigated the effects of inhibition of Wnt-2 signaling in human melanoma cell lines. We have developed a novel monoclonal antibody against the NH2 terminus of the human Wnt-2 ligand that induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells overexpressing Wnt-2. Whereas incubation of this antibody with normal cells lacking Wnt-2 expression does not induce apoptosis, Wnt-2 signaling blockade by the ligand-binding antibody is confirmed by down-regulation of Dishevelled and β-catenin. Wnt-2 small interfering RNA treatment in these cells yielded similar apoptotic effects and downstream changes. Down-regulation of an inhibitor of apoptosis family protein, survivin, was observed in both the Wnt-2 antibody-treated and small interfering RNA-treated melanoma cell lines, suggesting that the antibody induces apoptosis by inactivating survivin. In an in vivo study, this monoclonal anti-Wnt-2 antibody suppresses tumor growth in a xenograft model. These findings suggest that the anti-Wnt-2 monoclonal antibody may be useful for the treatment of patients with malignant melanoma.
Evaluation and Management of Language and Speech Disorders in Preschool Children

1. Heidi M. Feldman, MD, PhD* 1. *Ronald L. and Patricia M. Professor of Child Development, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pa After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe key milestones in the development of language and speech. 2. List indications for further evaluation of language and speech delays. 3. Differentiate global delays, autism, and specific language impairment. 4. Generate a differential diagnosis for language and speech delay. 5. Evaluate management options for a child who has hearing loss. 6. Justify referral to early intervention for children who have global delays. 7. Discuss treatment of language impairments in autism. 8. Evaluate the effectiveness of language and speech therapy for language and speech disorders. Language is the expression of human communication through which ideas, information, emotions, and beliefs can be shared. Typically developing children master the fundamentals of language and speech in the toddler-preschool era. Language and speech skills serve a pivotal role in learning and social relationships. Delays in the early development of language and speech skills, which are prevalent in the population, may affect several domains of function. Management and treatment can improve language and speech skills substantially and reduce the functional impact of persistent disorders. Therefore, identifying children who have language and speech delays in the toddler-preschool period should be a priority for the pediatric clinician. This article reviews the normal process of language development up to school age, discusses the use of screening measures and parent report inventories to verify parental reports of delays, provides a differential diagnosis of language and speech delay, and suggests an approach to the child who has language or speech problems in the absence of history or physical findings suggestive of a specific medical condition associated with language and speech disorders. In addition, the review discusses general management of language and speech disorders and provides updates about management of some of the underlying causes of speech and language delay. Language is the use of systematic, arbitrary, and socially …
Cancer Symptom Clusters: Clinical and Research Methodology

Abstract Introduction: Patients with cancer experience multiple symptoms that frequently appear in groups or clusters. We conducted a comprehensive clinical review of cancer symptom cluster studies to identify common symptom clusters (SC), explore their clinical relevance, and examine their research importance. Methods: Published studies and review articles on cancer SC were obtained through a literature search. We identified 65 reports. These varied in assessment instruments, outcomes, design, population characteristics, and study methods. Results: Two main approaches to symptom cluster identification were found: clinical and statistical. Clinically determined SC were based upon observations of symptom co-occurrence, associations, or interrelations. These included fatigue-pain, fatigue-insomnia, fatigue-insomnia-pain, depression-fatigue, and depression-pain. They were analyzed by multivariate analysis. They had low to moderate statistical correlations. Disease- or treatment-related SC were influenced by ...
A constructive procedure for stabilization of large-scale systems by informationally decentralized controllers

A constructive procedure for the design of an informationally decentralized stabilization scheme for large-scale interconnected systems is presented. The design procedure is based on a stability result that uses the notion of block-diagonal dominance in matrices and considerably improves on the existing results in either enlarging the class of interconnections for which the design of a stabilization scheme can be satisfactorily conducted or yielding lower values of controller gains for a given interconnection pattern. It is demonstrated how the controller gains can be tailored systematically to the existing interconnection pattern within the overall system. >
Vitamin Content of Broiler Meat as Affected by Age, Sex, Thawing and Cooking

Abstract THE importance of considering meat composition of different animals reared for meat purposes has long been noticed by food researchers. The composition of a food is an important criterion to measure the nutritive value of a food which needs to be investigated thoroughly. Since the modern broiler is a component of manufactured food products, a better understanding of the bird’s composition is essential. The results of several studies have been published concerning influence of diet and management on the vitamin composition of poultry meat (Stamberg et al., 1947; Pudelkewicz et al., 1963): frozen storage (Cook et al., 1949; Morgan et al., 1949; Millares and Fellers, 1949): freeze drying (Rowe et al, 1963); and cooking methods (Hodson, 1941; Dann and Handler, 1942; and Cheldelin et al., 1943). The vitamin content of dark meat and white meat have been reported by various authors (Michelson et al., 1939a, b; McIntire et al, 1941;…
Greater risk of incisional hernia with morbidly obese than steroid-dependent patients and low recurrence with prefascial polypropylene mesh

Background Incisional hernia is a serious complication of abdominal surgery. We compared incisional hernia frequency following gastric bypass (GBP) for morbid obesity versus total abdominal colectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis. A prefascial polypropylene mesh repair was also evaluated. Patients and methods All patients had midline incisions, xiphoid to umbilicus in GBP patients and midepigastrium to pubis in IPAA patients. Fascia were closed with running No. 2 polyglycolic acid suture. Ninety-eight patients underwent prefascial polypropylene mesh repair; 80 were GBP patients, 46 had 1 previous repair, and 17 had 2 to 9 previous repairs (6 with properitoneal mesh). Results Incisional hernia occurred in 20% (198/968) of GBP patients (19% without versus 41% with a previous hernia, P P 2 ). Additional risk factors for hernia in GBP patients included wound infection, diabetes, sleep apnea, and obesity hypoventilation. For the 98 patients who underwent prefascial polypropylene mesh repair, the mean follow-up was 20 ±2 months (range 6 to 104), and complications occurred in 35% of patients, including minor wound infection (12%), major wound infection (5%), seroma (5%), hematoma (3%), chronic pain (6%), and recurrent hernia (4%). Conclusions Severe obesity is a greater risk factor for incisional hernia and hernia recurrence than chronic steroid use in nonobese colitis patients. A prefascial polypropylene mesh repair minimizes recurrence.
Casebook Challenges: Individualizing Antiplatelet Therapy in the Emergency Department – Dialogue with the Experts

For the emergency department (ED) clinician, the choice of initial antiplatelet and other antithrombotic therapies for the patient presenting with high-risk acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can represent a challenge. Fundamental issues remain assessing patients' risk for ischemic events and balancing it with the inherent risk of bleeding, understanding the efficacy and safety of available therapies for thrombosis prevention in the context of individual patient factors, and understanding how the management strategy moving forward (eg, conservative vs invasive) affects initial antithrombotic therapy decisions. Beyond determining if a patient's symptoms are due to ACS, early risk stratification in the ED involves using validated tests and tools (eg, cardiac marker testing, risk scoring instruments) to determine a patient's likelihood of an adverse cardiac outcome. Once the need for antiplatelet therapy has been determined, numerous guidelines, including recently updated recommendations from the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American College of Chest Physicians, are available to help ED clinicians determine the optimal treatment approach. The previous standard of a combination of aspirin with clopidogrel or a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor has evolved with the introduction of the P2Y12 inhibitors prasugrel and, most recently, ticagrelor. Both agents differ from clopidogrel and each other in terms of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety, and recommendations for use based on individual patient factors. In addition to treatment guidelines, platelet function testing or genotyping also may be appropriate to help tailor therapy. In collaboration with their cardiology colleagues, emergency department clinicians need to develop strategies and protocols that address dosing, timing, interpatient variability, and bleeding and ischemia risks so they are empowered to make decisions regarding antithrombotic therapy in their ACS patients.
Computational design of quartz crystal nanobalance for uniform sensitivity distribution

The mass sensitivity (> 1 micrograms) of current commercial analytical instruments, such as thermal gravimetric analyzers, severely limits their utility for measurement of valuable but poorly soluble materials such as synthetic proteins or DNA fragments. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), based on a transverse shear mode piezoelectric crystal operating at high frequencies, is gaining popularity in chemical and bio-sensing applications due to higher mass sensitivities as compared to the traditional analyzers and lesser sensitivity to vibrations. However, these devices suffer from non-uniformity of sensitivity distribution along the sensor surface thereby limiting their use for the determination of mass. Overcoming this limitation would lead to the development of a robust sensor with improved mass sensitivities and reduced sensitivity to vibrations, as compared to the currently available microbalances. The sensitivity profile can be influenced by a number of factors the electrode design and surface properties of the crystal. In the current work, we develop a finite element (FE) model of the QCM to investigate the mass sensitivity and its radial distribution on the sensor surface for various electrode designs. Such a model will aid in the development of versatile nano-balances with a uniform sensitivity distribution.
Studies on the effect of feeding cupric sulfate pentahydrate to laying hens on egg cholesterol content

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that pharmacological levels of dietary Cu could reduce egg cholesterol content. White Leghorn hens 30 to 39 wk of age were fed corn and soybean meal diets with 0, 125, or 250 mg supplemental Cu/kg diet from cupric sulfate pentahydrate (basal diet = 6.74 mg Cu/kg). Body weight, feed consumption, egg weights, egg specific gravity, and Haugh Units were not consistently affected during the 8-wk feeding trials. Egg production was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the second 4-wk period by supplemental Cu in both experiments. Egg yolk cholesterol concentrations were decreased by feeding 125 mg Cu/kg diet (11.7 vs 8.6 mg/g, average of two experiments); feeding 250 mg Cu/kg resulted in further declines in egg cholesterol but the differences were not significant (7.9 mg/g). Changes in plasma cholesterol concentrations were similar to those of yolk cholesterol. Small but significant amounts of Cu accumulated in the yolks and shells of eggs from Cu-supplemented hens; however, most of the Cu fed was found in the excreta.
Galileo constraints on the secular variation of the Jovian magnetic field

[1] The variations of the terrestrial magnetic field place important constraints on the behavior of the fluid in the Earth's magnetic dynamo. Jupiter is currently the only other planet for which magnetic measurements exist over a sufficiently long baseline to enable a study of the secular variation of the field to be undertaken. The average magnetic moment during the Galileo epoch was 4.334 ± 0.010 Gauss RJ3 or 1.584 ± 0.004 × 1020 Tm3. The tilt angle of the dipole was 9.71° ± 0.05°. We examine both the change in the magnetic field during the period in which Galileo operated in Jovian orbit and the change in the field between the initial observations with Pioneer 11 and the Galileo epoch. Neither approach definitively identifies secular change in the Jovian field but rather puts a limit on that rate of change. The only significant change is associated with the current imprecision of the International Astronomical Union-defined System III period.
The Anisotropy of the Mesophyll and CO2 Capture Sites in Vicia faba L. Leaves at Low Light Intensities

Experiments are reported on the spatial distributions of isotopic carbon within the mesophyll of detached leaves of the C3 plant Viciafaba L. fed I4CO2 at different light intensities. Each leaf was isolated in a cuvette and ten artificial stomata provided spatial continuity between the ambient atmosphere (0-03-0-05% v/v CO2) and the mesophyll from the abaxial leaf side. Paradermal leaf layers exhibited spatial profiles of radioactivity which varied with the intensity of incident light in 2 min exposures. At low light, when biochemical kinetics should limit CO2 uptake, sections through palisade cells contained most radioactivity. As the light intensity was increased to approximately 20% of full sunlight, peak radioactivity was observed in the spongy cells near the geometric mid-plane of the mesophyll. The results indicate that diffusion of carbon dioxide within the mesophyll regulated the relative photosynthetic activity of the palisade and spongy cells at incident photosynthetically active light intensities as little as 110 /iE m~2 s~' when CO2 entered only through the lower leaf surface.
Metabolism of progesterone by preimplantation mouse blastocysts in culture.

This study examined the question whether or not preimplantation mouse blastocysts can metabolize progesterone (P). When young (Day 4) and implanting (Day 5) blastocysts were cultured in supplemented Eagle’s minimum essential medium containing 0.4 pM [3H]P, metabolism of P and formation of metabolites were noticed at JO h of culture. The metabolites accumulated in medium as the culture continued to 118 h. Three of the four metabolite fractions were identified, by crystallization to constant sp. act., to be 5a-pregnane-3,20dione and 313-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one (or allopregnanolone), accounting for 22 and 57% of radioactivity, respectively, and a small amount (1 ‘� 10%) of 3a-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one. This suggests that both �-5areductase and 3a- and 3�3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase are active. Day 5 blasto cysts were much more active than Day 4 blastocysts in P metabolism. It is suggested that the ability of blastocysts to metabolize P could produce the following effects in the adjacent endometrium: 1) a lessening of P effects; and consequently 2) a change in P-estrogen interaction; and 3) possible effects from the metabolites. These local effects of embryos on the endometrium may be important for embryonic development and implantation.
Regeneration response and seedling bank dynamics on a Dendroctonus rufipennis-killed Picea engelmannii landscape

Question: How does regeneration response to a hostspecific, high-severity, infrequent Dendroctonus rufipennis outbreak differ from our conceptualization of high-severity, infrequent/low-severity, frequent disturbance regimes in Picea engelmannii-Abies lasiocarpa communities? Location: Southern Utah, USA. Methods: One hundred and seven plots across a highelevation P. engelmannii forest were sampled to reconstruct pre-outbreak overstory and seedling bank densities, and calculate their associated metrics of diversity. Decade of establishment by seedling bank trees indicated ‘‘chronic’’ and ‘‘pulse’’ regenerators. Results: The post-outbreak overstory and seedling bank were dominated by A. lasiocarpa. Although Pinus flexilis, Pinus ponderosa, Picea pungens, and Psuedotsuga menziesii were present in the overstory, they were virtually absent in the seedling bank. Seedling bank recruitment of A. lasiocarpa and P. engelmannii has been occurring chronically for at least the last � 205 and � 152 years, respectively. A pulse response of seedling bank Populus tremuloides was apparent; however, results were complicated by intense ungulate browsing. Conclusions: Despite some similarities to the highseverity, infrequent/low-severity, frequent conceptualization of regeneration response to disturbance, the high-severity D. rufipennis outbreak is best described by explicitly considering host specificity and severity. Although, the outbreak simultaneously promoted both a pulse of P. tremuloides and a release of chronically regenerated A. lasiocarpa, the P. tremuloides response was generally masked by ungulate browsing, and the regeneration response came overwhelmingly from the A. lasiocarpa seedling bank. In this landscape, once dominated by P. engelmannii, the chronically regenerating seedling bank, typically thought to take advantage of canopy gaps associated with low-severity disturbances, is poised to dominate forest reorganization in response to the host-specific outbreak.
An Automata Model of Granular Materials

A new modeling technique (the Lattice Grain Model) is presented for the simulation of two-dimensional granular systems involving large numbers (lo4 to 10‘) of grains. These granular systems (e.g., rock slides, planetary rings, industrial powders, etc.) may include both high shear rate regions as well as static plugs of grains and cannot easily be handled within the framework of existing continuum theories such as soil mechanics. The Lattice Grain Model (LGrM) is similar to the Lattice Gas Model (LGM), which was introduced as a discrete model of fluids, in that the computation is carried out by means of cellular automata which evolve according to a simple set of rules based on local interactions. This allows large simulations to be programmed onto a hypercube concurrent processor in a straightforward manner. However, it differs from LGM in that it includes the inelastic collisions and volume-filling properties of macroscopic grains. Examples to be presented will include Couette flow, flow through an hourglass, and gravity-driven flows around obstacles.
Combining Tempo, Tuning, and Dynamics

After having introduced the three basic performance maps for onset, pitch, and loudness, we have to put these components together and ask for a better understanding of the combined situation. This means that we have to look for the simultaneous performance of all these parameters.
Semantic Segmentation of RGBD Images with Mutex Constraints

In this paper, we address the problem of semantic scene segmentation of RGB-D images of indoor scenes. We propose a novel image region labeling method which augments CRF formulation with hard mutual exclusion (mutex) constraints. This way our approach can make use of rich and accurate 3D geometric structure coming from Kinect in a principled manner. The final labeling result must satisfy all mutex constraints, which allows us to eliminate configurations that violate common sense physics laws like placing a floor above a night stand. Three classes of mutex constraints are proposed: global object co-occurrence constraint, relative height relationship constraint, and local support relationship constraint. We evaluate our approach on the NYU-Depth V2 dataset, which consists of 1449 cluttered indoor scenes, and also test generalization of our model trained on NYU-Depth V2 dataset directly on a recent SUN3D dataset without any new training. The experimental results show that we significantly outperform the state-of-the-art methods in scene labeling on both datasets.
Collab-ChiQat: A Collaborative Remaking of a Computer Science Intelligent Tutoring System

This paper focuses on the motivation, design, and initial prototype implementation of Collab-ChiQat. Collab-ChiQat is a collaborative reconceptualization of an existing intelligent tutoring system for Computer Science Education originally intended for one-to-one student-system tutoring. Collab-ChiQat allows students to work as pair programmers as they solve coding problems for linked lists, a foundational and difficult to grasp CS concept. The work is unique in it's comparison of how system structuring of collaboration affects both learning and actual collaboration. In one condition, students are left to themselves with no system feedback regarding their collaborative behavior. While in a second condition, the collaboration is semi-structured, meaning students received a visualization of their participation and other metrics.
TCDD residues in fish and shellfish from U.S. waterways.

TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) in the edible portion of fish and shellfish from various U.S. waterways has been monitored since 1979. Analytical results for the period 1979-1994 are reported. Extracts obtained after column chromatographic and liquid chromatographic cleanup were examined by electron capture detection-gas chromatography (GC), and final quantitation and confirmation were performed by GC/mass spectrometry with multiple ion detection. Analyses of 1623 test samples indicated that TCDD residues in fish and shellfish were not widespread but rather were localized in areas near waste sites, chlorophenol manufacturers, and pulp and paper mills. Analytical results indicated that levels in aquatic species from these sites have been declining steadily. No TCDD (limit of detection and confirmation, 1-2 ppt) has been found in recent years in aquatic species from most Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico sites and Great Lakes other than Lake Ontario and Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron).
Formulation of Asymptotic Finite Elements using the Method of Integral Multiple Scales

The Method of Integral Multiple Scales (MIMS) is introduced as a new method for solving some dynamic systems which can be represented in Lagrangian form. After presenting a short analytical beam-string example, this method is applied through a new finite element approach. By using a new set of parametric shape functions based on beam-strings developed in an appendix, the power of this method is revealed. The use of the asymptotic shape functions in the MIMS asymptotic finite element method results in extremely high precision and provides a methodology which could provide a more efficient analytical tool for the development of inflatable structures.
Spectral, Directional Emittance at Elevated Temperatures for Various Materials

Material samples of stainless steel and titanium with different surface roughness values were investigated to determine their spectral directional emissivity at elevated temperatures up to 1,200 K in the visible to near infrared wavelength range (VIS/NIR) and in the infrared (IR) around 4 m. This work supports experiments for the investigation of transition from laminar to turbulent flow and the resulting heat flux augmentation with particular respect to isolated and distributed surface roughness in the Ballistic Range Facility at NASA Ames Research Center. The measurements of spectral directional surface emissivity were accomplished by measuring the radiation from an appropriately designed test specimen in a furnace heating facility with optical access. The blackbody radiation, needed to determine the emissivity, was generated through a cavity in the specimen itself. During the time of measurement, the sample was shielded from the furnace radiation through a retractable cold radiation shield. The potential effect of sample emission reflected from this radiation shield was investigated in a separate setup using Joule heated samples. No significant influence of this irradiation on the measured sample emission was seen so far. In the VIS/NIR, a 500 mm focal length spectrometer was used for detection. The specimen surface was imaged on the spectrometer entrance slit enabling the simultaneous measurement of a sample normal to the viewing direction, the blackbody cavity, and a tilted sample. In the IR, a FLIR camera with a band pass filer transmitting between 3.8 and 4 m was used to image the tests specimen. In general, surface roughness was found to increase emissivity significantly in comparison to polished samples of the same material. The actual roughness values seem to have only a minor effect. The measured emissivities show only a weak variation with temperature.
Ovarian cancer screening in menopausal females with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer

Objective: To determine whether annual screening reduces ovarian cancer mortality in women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Methods: Data was obtained from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian cancer trial, a randomized multi-center trial conducted to determine if screening could reduce mortality in these cancers. The trial enrolled 78,216 women, randomized into either a screening arm with annual serum cancer antigen 125 and pelvic ultrasounds, or usual care arm. This study identified a subgroup that reported a first degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer. Analysis was performed to compare overall mortality and disease specific mortality in the screening versus usual care arm. In patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage distribution, and survival were analyzed as a secondary endpoint. Results: There was no significant difference in overall mortality or disease specific mortality between the two arms. Ovarian cancer was diagnosed in 48 patients in the screening arm and 44 patients in the usual care arm. Screened patients were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage than usual care patients. Patients in the screening arm diagnosed with ovarian cancer experienced a significantly improved survival compared to patients in the usual care arm; relative risk 0.66 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.93). Conclusion: Screening did not appear to decrease ovarian cancer mortality in participants with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Secondary endpoints, however, showed notable differences. Significantly fewer patients were diagnosed with advanced stage disease in the screening arm; and survival was significantly improved. Further investigation is warranted to assess screening efficacy in women at increased risk.
Reanalysis of Archived IMPROVE PM2.5 Samples Previously Analyzed over a 15-Year Period

The IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) network has collected airborne particulate matter (PM) samples at locations throughout the United States since 1988. These samples have been analyzed for elemental content using analytical methods that evolved over the years. Changes in analytical methods sometimes introduced shifts in reported concentrations that are evident in the historical record. We sought to illuminate the effects of methodological changes by reanalyzing archived samples with current methods. To test the feasibility of this approach, the 15-year archive of PM samples from Great Smoky Mountains National Park was selected for reanalysis as a single analytical batch using a common protocol and calibration. Comparisons of the reanalyses and original analyses indicate that concentrations of all but one measured element, Br, remained stable on the filters over years of storage. The agreement between the two analyses varied with element and original measurement method. For elements measured well above their contemporary detection limits - S, K, Ca, Fe, and Zn - the reanalysis established that method changes had limited impacts on reported concentrations, generally <10%. For elements originally measured near their detection limits, reanalysis confirmed the presence of discontinuities in the data record, many of which were previously recognized and documented as method-related.
Operation Status of SCR Denitrification System for Domestic Power Boilers

Field tests were carried out to main performance parameters of SCR denitrification system in typical domestic power plants,including the flue gas temperature field,velocity field,flue gas volume,denitrification efficiency and ammonia escape rate,etc.Results show that the distribution of both the outlet NO concentration and the inlet flow velocity is uneven;obvious positive correlation exists between the deviation of inlet velocity and that of outlet NO concentration;the non-uniformity of flow field distribution and the ageing of catalysts are the main factors affecting the performance of SCR denitrification system in domestic power plants.
40 Why the need for speed? – ATVS, speed and brain injuries

Statement of purpose Head trauma is the leading cause of death and serious injury from all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes. The study objective was to better understand the relationship between speed and ATV crash-related brain injuries. Methods/approach A retrospective chart review and analysis was performed of trauma registry patients with ATV-related injuries at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from 2002–2013. Results 560 cases were identified; 77% were male and 32% were children 20 mph were associated with higher Max Head Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scores than those ≤20 mph (p = 0.05). Crashes with speeds >30 mph had higher Max Head AIS scores than those ≤30 mph (p = 0.014). Higher speeds were also associated with a trend towards lower patient Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. Only about 20% of victims overall were wearing a helmet. Competitive racers, although helmeted, had more severe head injuries than all other victims. Competitive racers had lower GCS scores than their helmeted non-racing peers (p Conclusions Higher speed appears associated with greater head injury risk in ATV crashes. Although helmets are protective, there may be ATV crash speeds or mechanisms of brain injury at higher speeds that reduce helmet effectiveness. Significance and contributions This study suggests that the present maximum speed limitations for many youth size ATVs (30 mph) is not safe and puts the child at increased risk for head injury. All ATVs should have a code-protected, tamper-proof speed governor. This would particularly assist parents and employers in protecting youth and employees from the serious risks associated with high operating speeds.
Energy Dependence of the Optical Matrix Element for Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

The valence band and conduction band density of states of hydrogenated amorphous silicon are determined using x-ray photoemission and bremstrahlung isochromat spectroscopy, respectively. From these densities of states and measurements of the imaginary part of the dielectric function using ellipsometry, the energy dependence of the average transition matrix element squared has been determined. The matrix element exhibits a maximum near the direct edge of crystalline silicon (~3.35 eV) and is very similar to the energy dependence calculated for a complex crystalline form of silicon with short range disorder and long range order.
Structures, properties, and biogenesis of starch and cyanobacterial glycogen

Structures and properties of starches isolated from waxy wheat, amylosereduced wheat (Kanto 107), and normal hard red winter wheat (Centura and a commercial product) grains were examined. Apparent amylose contents of the four starches were <0.2, 21.5, 26.2, and 26.6%, respectively. Waxy wheat amylopectin (AP) had the largest molecular weight (M J and no detectable extra-long branchchains. The Mw of the AP displayed a negative correlation with the amylose (AM) content of the wheat starch, whereas the proportion of extra-long branch-chains of AP displayed a positive correlation with AM content. Relationships between the Mw and gyration radius (Rz) suggested that the structure of waxy AP was more compact than that of other wheat APs. Branch chain-length distributions of AP analyzed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) showed that the peak chain lengths of all the wheat starches were at DP12, and average chain-lengths varied between DP23.5 and 24.9. Centura AP had the highest proportion of long 1 Journal Paper No. J-19354 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economic Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project No. 3756, and supported by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds. a Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University; Ames, IA 50011. ' Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1-515-294-9892; Fax: + 1-515-294-8181; E-mail: jjane@iastate.edu
Starving cancer from the outside and inside: separate and combined effects of calorie restriction and autophagy inhibition on Ras-driven tumors.

Calorie restriction (CR) prevents obesity and exerts anticancer effects in many preclinical models. CR is also increasingly being used in cancer patients as a sensitizing strategy prior to chemotherapy regimens. While the beneficial effects of CR are widely accepted, the mechanisms through which CR affects tumor growth are incompletely understood. In many cell types, CR and other nutrient stressors can induce autophagy, which provides energy and metabolic substrates critical for cancer cell survival. We hypothesized that limiting extracellular and intracellular substrate availability by combining CR with autophagy inhibition would reduce tumor growth more effectively than either treatment alone. A 30 % CR diet, relative to control diet, in nude mice resulted in significant decreases in body fat, blood glucose, and serum insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and leptin levels concurrent with increased adiponectin levels. In a xenograft model in nude mice involving H-RasG12V-transformed immortal baby mouse kidney epithelial cells with (Atg5 +/+ ) and without (Atg5 −/−) autophagic capacity, the CR diet (relative to control diet) genetically induced autophagy inhibition and their combination, each reduced tumor development and growth. Final tumor volume was greatest for Atg5 +/+ tumors in control-fed mice, intermediate for Atg5 +/+ tumors in CR-fed mice and Atg5 −/− tumors in control-fed mice, and lowest for Atg5 −/− tumors in CR mice. In Atg5 +/+ tumors, autophagic flux was increased in CR-fed relative to control-fed mice, suggesting that the prosurvival effects of autophagy induction may mitigate the tumor suppressive effects of CR. Metabolomic analyses of CR-fed, relative to control-fed, nude mice showed significant decreases in circulating glucose and amino acids and significant increases in ketones, indicating CR induced negative energy balance. Combining glucose deprivation with autophagy deficiency in Atg5 −/− cells resulted in significantly reduced in vitro colony formation relative to glucose deprivation or autophagy deficiency alone. Combined restriction of extracellular (via CR in vivo or glucose deprivation in vitro) and intracellular (via autophagy inhibition) sources of energy and nutrients suppresses Ras-driven tumor growth more effectively than either CR or autophagy deficiency alone. Interventions targeting both systemic energy balance and tumor-cell intrinsic autophagy may represent a novel and effective anticancer strategy.
Kernel PCA for quantization of analog vectors on a pyramid

A kernel PCA-based method is proposed for vector quantization that performs a partition of the input space with less distortion than conventional transform coding. The distortion improvement comes at a modest increase in computational complexity and increased entropy of the quantization index stream. The proposed system is especially attractive under severe hardware constraints for which the digital hardware for entropy coding is unavailable. Numerical results are presented to validate the proposed method and to demonstrate the trade-off between distortion and entropy provided by kernel PCA at the source coding level.
The Mindfulness Imperative: How the Pedagogical Principles of Mindfulness Provide the Foundation for Biofeedback

Mindfulness is everywhere, from the cover of TIME magazine to segments on every major news network. With such popularity in mainstream culture for mindfulness, it was only a matter of time before psychology embraced the approach by offering a burst of mindfulness-based therapies, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and mindfulness-based eating awareness therapy. These approaches claim mindfulness as a central theme, yet debate has grown over the role of mindfulness in psychotherapy and biofeedback, and there is growing concern about secularizing a philosophy originating in Asia over 2,000 years ago. This paper will define mindfulness from both traditional and modern perspectives, review the skills and practice of mindfulness, examine the connection of mindfulness and health, and show how, as a process, mindfulness is incorporated in virtually most forms of psychotherapy as well as biofeedback training.
Margaret Cavendish, Wife

Throughout her work, Margaret Cavendish made much of her status as a wife, particularly as the wife of a peer. Rather than seeing this assertion as one of gendered dependence on her husband, or as vainglory, this chapter argues that Cavendish understood her status as a form of political office holding, both literally, as a rights-holding political subject, and by analogy, as the consilium to the state’s imperium.
The roles of dermal white adipose tissue loss in scleroderma skin fibrosis.

Purpose of reviewDermal white adipose tissue (DWAT) is distinct from subcutaneous white adipose tissue and is lost in scleroderma skin fibrosis. The roles of DWAT loss in scleroderma skin fibrosis have not been well understood, and here we discuss recent findings that begin to provide insight into t
Memory-efficient 3D connected component labeling with parallel computing

Connected component labeling is a frequently used image processing task in many applications. Moreover, in recent years, the use of 3D image data has become widespread, for instance, in 3D X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. However, because ordinary labeling algorithms use a large amount of memory and 3D images are generally large, labeling 3D image data can cause memory shortages. Furthermore, labeling a large image is time-consuming. In this paper, we proposed new memory-efficient connected component labeling algorithm for 3D images with parallel computing. In this method, we accelerate the labeling process using parallel computing. In addition, we use a spans matrix and compressed label matrix to reduce memory usage. We also use an equivalence chain approach to speed up the calculation. Furthermore, the algorithm has two options for further processing performance or further memory savings. In the experiments on real examples, the proposed algorithm with the option for processing speed was faster and used less memory than the conventional label equivalence method. In contrast, with the proposed method using the memory-efficient option, we could further reduce memory from one-eighth to one-thirteenth that used by the label equivalence method while maintaining the same performance.