cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Compact Battery-Powered rTMS Prototype

This paper describes the design and testing of a compact, battery-powered repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) prototype. This device generates a 10 Hz magnetic pulse train with peak flux density of 100 mT at 2 cm distance. Circuit component design, including the inductor, switched LC resonator, and boost converter, are discussed in the context of weight and size reduction, and performance optimization. The experimental approach and rationale together with acquired results validating the rTMS prototype design are presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive feasibility demonstration of an inexpensive, lightweight, and portable rTMS device able to generate therapeutic levels of current, pulse rise time, and number of pulses. The generated magnetic field was kept to 0.1 Tesla for safety and testing considerations, but nevertheless was very close to therapeutic intensity, with driving circuitry scalable to support much stronger fields.Clinical Relevance— This feasibility study of a compact, battery-powered rTMS prototype test platform aims to enable broader and more convenient rTMS treatment at home, in a small clinic, vessel, or field hospital, and potentially, on an ambulatory basis.
Scanning two-photon continuous flow lithography for the fabrication of multi-functional microparticles

In this work, we demonstrate the high-throughput fabrication of 3D microparticles using a scanning two-photon continuous flow lithography (STP-CFL) technique in which microparticles are shaped by scanning the laser beam at the interface of laminar co-flows. The results demonstrate the ability of STP-CFL to manufacture high-resolution complex geometries of cell carriers that possess distinct regions with different functionalities. A new approach is presented for printing out-of-plane features on the microparticles. The approach eliminates the use of axial scanning stages, which are not favorable since they induce fluctuations in the flowing polymer media and their scanning speed is slower than the speed of galvanometer mirror scanners.
CityFlow-NL: Tracking and Retrieval of Vehicles at City Scale by Natural Language Descriptions.

Natural Language (NL) descriptions can be one of the most convenient or the only way to interact with systems built to understand and detect city scale traffic patterns and vehicle-related events. In this paper, we extend the widely adopted CityFlow Benchmark with NL descriptions for vehicle targets and introduce the CityFlow-NL Benchmark. The CityFlow-NL contains more than 5,000 unique and precise NL descriptions of vehicle targets, making it the first multi-target multi-camera tracking with NL descriptions dataset to our knowledge. Moreover, the dataset facilitates research at the intersection of multi-object tracking, retrieval by NL descriptions, and temporal localization of events. In this paper, we focus on two foundational tasks: the Vehicle Retrieval by NL task and the Vehicle Tracking by NL task, which take advantage of the proposed CityFlow-NL benchmark and provide a strong basis for future research on the multi-target multi-camera tracking by NL description task.
Infusing Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills into Supervision to Address Challenges and Enhance Performance

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based, widely used approach to treat various mental health issues, including, but not limited to borderline personality disorder, eating disorders,...
Energy-Storage Fed Smart Inverters for Mitigation of Voltage Fluctuations in Islanded Microgrids

The continuous integration of intermittent low-carbon energy resources makes islanded microgrids vulnerable to voltage fluctuations. Besides, different dynamic response of synchronous-based and inverter-based distributed generation (DG) units can result in an instantaneous power imbalance between supply and demand during transients. As a result, the ac-bus voltage of microgrid starts oscillating which might have severe consequences such as blackouts. This paper modifies the conventional control scheme of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) to participate in improving the dynamic behavior of islanded microgrids by mitigating the voltage fluctuations. A piecewise linear-elliptic (PLE) droop is proposed and employed in BESS to achieve an enhanced voltage profile by injecting/absorbing reactive power during transients. In this way, the conventional inverter implemented in BESS turns into a smart inverter to cope with fast transients. Using the proposed approach in this paper, any linear droop curve with a specified coefficient can be replaced by a PLE droop curve. Compared with linear droop, an enhanced dynamic response is achieved by utilizing the proposed PLE droop. Case study results are presented using PSCAD/EMTDC to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach in improving the dynamic behavior of islanded microgrids.
Large Extracellular Vesicle Characterization and Association with Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer

Liquid biopsies hold potential as minimally invasive sources of tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, therapy prediction or disease monitoring. We present an approach for parallel single-object identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor-derived large extracellular vesicles (LEVs) based on automated high-resolution immunofluorescence followed by downstream multiplexed protein profiling. Identification of LEVs >6 µm in size and CTC enumeration was highly correlated, with LEVs being 1.9 times as frequent as CTCs, and additional LEVs were identified in 73% of CTC-negative liquid biopsy samples from metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer. Imaging mass cytometry (IMC) revealed that 49% of cytokeratin (CK)-positive LEVs and CTCs were EpCAM-negative, while frequently carrying prostate cancer tumor markers including AR, PSA, and PSMA. HSPD1 was shown to be a specific biomarker for tumor derived circulating cells and LEVs. CTCs and LEVs could be discriminated based on size, morphology, DNA load and protein score but not by protein signatures. Protein profiles were overall heterogeneous, and clusters could be identified across object classes. Parallel analysis of CTCs and LEVs confers increased sensitivity for liquid biopsies and expanded specificity with downstream characterization. Combined, it raises the possibility of a more comprehensive assessment of the disease state for precise diagnosis and monitoring.
Host Factors That Control Mosquito-Borne Viral Infections in Humans and Their Vector

Mosquito-borne viral infections are responsible for a significant degree of morbidity and mortality across the globe due to the severe diseases these infections cause, and they continue to increase each year. These viruses are dependent on the mosquito vector as the primary means of transmission to new vertebrate hosts including avian, livestock, and human populations. Due to the dynamic host environments that mosquito-borne viruses pass through as they are transmitted between vector and vertebrate hosts, there are various host factors that control the response to infection over the course of the pathogen’s life cycle. In this review, we discuss these host factors that are present in either vector or vertebrate models during infection, how they vary or are conserved between hosts, and their implications in future research pertaining to disease prevention and treatment.
Genome Characterization of Yellow Fever Virus Wild-Type Strain Asibi, Parent to Live-Attenuated 17D Vaccine, from Three Different Sources

The yellow fever virus vaccine, 17D, was derived through the serial passage of the wild-type (WT) strain Asibi virus in mouse and chicken tissue. Since its derivation, the mechanism of attenuation of 17D virus has been investigated using three 17D substrains and WT Asibi virus. Although all three substrains of 17D have been sequenced, only one isolate of Asibi has been examined genetically and all interpretation of attenuation is based on this one isolate. Here, we sequenced the genome of Asibi virus from three different laboratories and show that the WT strain is genetically homogenous at the amino acids that distinguish Asibi from 17D vaccine virus.
Techno-economic and life-cycle assessment of fuel production from mixotrophic Galdieria sulphuraria microalgae on hydrolysate

Abstract Outdoor photoautotrophic algal growth is limited by light attenuation and attendant respiratory CO2 losses during dark periods, limiting its productivity potential and carbon use efficiency. Developing a system that leverages mixotrophic growth (combining the benefits of both heterotrophic and photoautotrophic growth) has the potential to dramatically improve the total productivity and economics of the system. However, it is unknown if the productivity gains offset the added costs of outdoor mixotrophic cultivation using cellulosic hydrolysate as the feedstock. In this study, corn stover-derived cellulosic sugars were evaluated as the mixotrophic organic carbon source for the cultivation of Galdieria sulphuraria, which can metabolize both glucose and xylose from corn stover hydrolysate. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) and a life-cycle assessment (LCA) were conducted based on a detailed engineering process model for both glass helical photobioreactor and covered pond cultivation platforms, coupled with downstream conversion and upgrading to renewable diesel through hydrothermal liquefaction. Results show the minimum biomass selling price for cultivation in the photobioreactor design assuming a productivity of 1.575 kg m−3 day−1 and a substrate yield of 0.57 g g−1 is $2869 per dry metric ton. The costs are dramatically reduced in the covered pond design which assumes a productivity of 0.8 kg m−3 day−1 and a substrate yield of 0.7 g g−1, $921 per dry metric ton. Expanding the system boundary to include downstream processing results in a minimum fuel selling price of $8.24 and $3.32 dm3GE−1 for the photobioreactor and covered pond systems, respectively. Finally, life-cycle results demonstrate a global warming potential of 339 and 9.1 gCO2-eq. MJ−1 on a well-to-wheels basis and a net energy ratio of 2.21 and 0.25 MJ MJ−1 for the photobioreactor and covered pond systems, respectively. Discussion focuses on a required co-product selling price as a function of biomass diversion to meet economic parity with conventional fuels.
Elevated Thalamic GABA Levels in Parkinson disease, measured by 3 Tesla MR spectroscopy, correlate with disease severity (P6.076)

Objective: To use Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to determine whether basal ganglia gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels are abnormal in subjects with Parkinson disease (PD), and whether GABA levels are related to disease severity. Background: There is a critical need for non-invasive biomarkers in PD. Few studies have examined the use of GABA MRS in PD. Methods: Subjects were divided into two groups: PD patients (mild-to-moderate PD, n=18, age: 62.67±8.27 y) and controls (n=15, age: 59.67±8.62 y). Three PD subjects were medication-naive while the rest withheld medication for at least 12 hours before testing. Disease severity was measured using the motor section of the MDS-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). All subjects underwent MRS on a 3-T Siemens Trio MR scanner. J-edited GABA MRS data was acquired from 25 mm x30 mm x25 mm volumes of interest placed in the right thalamus and right striatum. GABA levels were quantified and expressed as ratios to creatine (Cr). Results: GABA/Cr was significantly higher (p=0.018) in the thalamus of the PD group (0.31±06) compared to the control group (0.26±05). No significant group differences were seen in striatal GABA levels. A significant positive correlation was found between thalamus GABA/Cr and UPDRS scores (p=0.029, Spearman’s rho =0.375). Conclusion: The increased inhibitory output from the internal pallidal segment in the indirect pathway is responsible for hypokinetic symptoms in PD and this is reflected as higher GABA values detected in the thalamus by MRS. The correlation of thalamic GABA measured by MRS with UPDRS scores indicates that GABA MRS holds potential to be a biomarker for assessing PD severity. Study supported by: NIH/NIEHS ONES R01 ES020529 Disclosure: Dr. Zauber has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dharmadhikari has nothing to disclose. Dr. Snyder has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dydak has nothing to disclose.
Ethics in neurofeedback practice

This chapter aims to provide information on the current status of some of the ethical, legal and professional issues associated with neurofeedback services. The intent is to help practitioners provide services that meet the expected practice standards (duty of care) that clients, other health care professionals, and third-party payers expect, while simultaneously helping practitioners avoid unnecessary risks. At the outset it must be stated that from an ethical, legal and professional viewpoint, neurofeedback is more similar to, than different from, other biofeedback applications . Many ethical issues encountered by neurofeedback practitioners are the same as those encountered by practitioners using other biofeedback modalities, for example client confidentiality, informed consent, need for clinical and research support, and fees and billing issues. In addition, conservative groups like state licensing boards are accepting more and more neurofeedback applications as being traditional interventions. As always, newer, non-traditional biofeedback procedures require practitioners to take extra precautions, e.g., during the informed consent process, to avoid unnecessary risks, and to maintain good working relationships with their clients, other practitioners, and third-party payers. The chapter discusses a variety of issues associated with practicing neurofeedback.
Trace-Based Methods for Solving Nonlinear Global Optimization and Satisfiability Problems

In this paper we present a method called NOVEL (Nonlinear Optimization via External Lead) for solving continuous and discrete global optimization problems. NOVEL addresses the balance between global search and local search, using a trace to aid in identifying promising regions before committing to local searches. We discuss NOVEL for solving continuous constrained optimization problems and show how it can be extended to solve constrained satisfaction and discrete satisfiability problems. We first transform the problem using Lagrange multipliers into an unconstrained version. Since a stable solution in a Lagrangian formulation only guarantees a local optimum satisfying the constraints, we propose a global search phase in which an aperiodic and bounded trace function is added to the search to first identify promising regions for local search. The trace generates an information-bearing trajectory from which good starting points are identified for further local searches. Taking only a small portion of the total search time, this elegant approach significantly reduces unnecessary local searches in regions leading to the same local optimum. We demonstrate the effectiveness of NOVEL on a collection of continuous optimization benchmark problems, finding the same or better solutions while satisfying the constraints. We extend NOVEL to discrete constraint satisfaction problems (CPSs) by showing an efficient transformation method for CSPs and the associated representation in finite- difference equations in NOVEL. We apply NOVEL to solve Boolean satisfiability instances in circuit fault detection and circuit synthesis applications, and show comparable performance when compared to the best existing method.
On the legality of cannabis; the responsibility of the expert witness

The controversy concerning the taxonomic status of the genus Cannabis has now advanced to a stage where the forensic scientist has limitations to his testimony in identification of "marihuana" plant material in jurisdictions where the law defines "marihuana" as Cannabis sativa L. Whether the genus Cannabis is monotypic or polytypic is as yet uncertain, but recent taxonomic reviews weigh heavily toward the existence of three or more species within the genus. The taxonomists or forensic scientists cannot, therefore, positively state for fact that C. sativa is the only species existing within the genus Cannabis. The popular concept of "marihuana" is actually based on the chemical characteristics of the plant Cannabis, rather than on the taxonomic classification. This is evident in its inclusion as a drug or hallucinogenic substance under Federal and local statutes. It is therefore proposed that "marihuana" be redefined legally to include all members belonging to the genus, in jurisdictions where legal definition warrants such an act, or that these jurisdictions follow the format set forth by Federal rulings.
Implementation of neural networks in foundation fieldbus environment using standard function blocks

This paper presents an implementation approach of artificial neural networks in industrial network environment, through the use of function blocks standardized by field-bus foundation (FF). This enables the implementation of a wide range of applications that involve this mathematical tool, such as intelligent control, failure detection, etc in standard FF system. For validation propose, some examples are presented from of real experiments
The Bayesian Approach to Sample Survey Inference

This chapter outlines the Bayesian approach to statistical inference for finite population surveys (Ericson, 1969, 1988; Basu, 1971; Scott, 1977b; Binder, 1982; Rubin, 1983, 1987; Ghosh and Meeden, 1997). Chapter 18 in this volume applies this perspective to the analysis of survey data subject to unit and item nonresponse. In the context of this conference honoring the retirement of Fred Smith, it is a pleasure to note his many important contributions to the model-based approach to survey inference over the years. His landmark paper with Scott was the first to describe random effects models for the analysis of clustered data (Scott and Smith, 1969). His paper with Holt (Holt and Smith, 1979) revealed the difficulties with the randomization-based approach to post-stratification, and his early assessment of the historical development of survey inference favored a model-based approach (Smith, 1976). The difficulties of formulating realistic models for human populations, and more recent work by Smith and his colleagues on effects of model misspecification (for example, see Holt, Smith and Winter, 1980; Pfeffermann and Holmes, 1985), have led Smith to a pragmatic approach that recognizes the strengths of the randomization approach for problems of descriptive inference while favoring models for analytic survey inference (Smith, 1994). My own view is that careful model specification, sensitive to the survey design, can address the concerns with model misspecification, and that Bayesian statistics provide a coherent and unified treatment of descriptive and analytic survey inference. Three main approaches to finite population inference can be distinguished (Little and Rubin, 1983):
North American water and energy cycles

[1] Closure of the water and energy cycles for North America has been improved by combining several new data sets to provide an integrated view from 1979 to 2010. We use new global atmospheric reanalyses, top-of-atmosphere radiation, surface fluxes including evaporation E and precipitation P, streamflow and river discharge, and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment estimates of water storage and its tendency. The atmospheric moisture budget provides more reliable estimates and reproducible time series of E-P than separate estimates of E and P. The excess of P over E is greatest in winter largely because of changing evapotranspiration, whereas precipitation is largest in summer. The annual mean loss of energy to space of 33 W m-2 is compensated for nearly equally by transports of dry static energy and latent energy onto land. The annual cycle (amplitude of ~20 W m-2) of implied downward surface flux corresponds to changes in surface and soil temperatures and seasonal snowmelt.
A systolic array architecture for image coding using vector quantization

The high-speed architectures for VQ reported thus far in the literature only implement image encoding but not codebook generation. In the proposed architecture, the encoding and codebook generation operations are overlapped in the same structure. A basic systolic cell is designed with two modes (forward and reverse) of operation. In the forward mode, the cell executes the basic operation in a VQ encoder, namely, distortion computation. In the reverse mode, the cell executes the new codeword computation operation. An array of L*N cells is connected in parallel and pipeline in the directions of vector dimension, L, and codeword dimension, N, respectively. The two modes of operation take place simultaneously with a delay buffer used to synchronize the operations. The regular and iterable structure makes possible the VLSI implementation of the architecture. >
Metaphor Therapy: Using Client Generated Metaphors In Psychotherapy

Therapist-generated metaphoric interventions have been used for many years to enhance psychodynamic, Ericksonian, and family systems approaches to therapy.
CARBON, ORGANIC MATTER, AND BULK DENSITY RELATIONSHIPS IN A FORESTED SPODOSOL

Forest soil on a 23-ha watershed in New Hampshire was sampled quantitatively by excavating 60 0.5-m2 pits by horizon in the forest floor and depth strata in the mineral soil. Carbon (C), organic matter (OM), and bulk density (BD) were measured to determine relationships among these properties by soi
Identification of Residues Important for Agonist Recognition and Activation in GPR40

GPR40 was formerly an orphan G protein-coupled receptor whose endogenous ligands have recently been identified as free fatty acids (FFAs). The receptor, now named FFA receptor 1, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and is a drug target because of its role in FFA-mediated enhancement of glucose-stimulated insulin release. Guided by molecular modeling, we investigated the molecular determinants contributing to binding of linoleic acid, a C18 polyunsaturated FFA, and GW9508, a synthetic small molecule agonist. Twelve residues within the putative GPR40-binding pocket including hydrophilic/positively charged, aromatic, and hydrophobic residues were identified and were subjected to site-directed mutagenesis. Our results suggest that linoleic acid and GW9508 are anchored on their carboxylate groups by Arg183, Asn244, and Arg258. Moreover, His86, Tyr91, and His137 may contribute to aromatic and/or hydrophobic interactions with GW9508 that are not present, or relatively weak, with linoleic acid. The anchor residues, as well as the residues Tyr12, Tyr91, His137, and Leu186, appear to be important for receptor activation also. Interestingly, His137 and particularly His86 may interact with GW9508 in a manner dependent on its protonation status. The greater number of putative interactions between GPR40 and GW9508 compared with linoleic acid may explain the higher potency of GW9508.
Development of Antistaphylococcal Vaccines.

Staphylococcus aureus is frequently isolated from both hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance among clinical isolates has made treatment of staphylococcal infections difficult. This scenario has sparked renewed interest in the development of a vaccine for individuals at high risk for staphylococcal infections. As part of the effort to develop a multicomponent vaccine against S. aureus, several vaccine candidates are currently being evaluated in animal models of staphylococcal infection or in human clinical trials. The most promising candidates to date include adhesins (fibronectinbinding protein, collagen-binding protein, and fibrinogenbinding protein [clumping factor]), a nontoxic alpha toxin mutant, and capsular polysaccharides type 5 and 8.
Methotrexate-associated hepatotoxicity: retrospective analysis of 210 patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Purpose: Beginning in the 1980s, methotrexate has been used successfully to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The magnitude and severity of short- and long-term methotrexate toxicity, however, have not been adequately investigated. Our study was performed to determine the prevalence of hepatotoxicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving long-term methotrexate therapy. Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective, computer-assisted review of all Duke University Medical Center patients undergoing liver biopsy for methotrexate monitoring from January 1979 to January 1988. A total of 538 biopsies were performed in 399 patients, 259 of whom had inflammatory arthritis (210 with rheumatoid arthritis, 47 with psoriatic arthritis, and two with seronegative spondyloarthropathy). Results: No evidence of cirrhosis was defined in the cohort with rheumatoid arthritis; however, six patients with rheumatoid arthritis had histologic changes of fibrotic liver disease (prevalence of 2.9 percent in the group with rheumatoid arthritis) while taking methotrexate. Five of the six patients were obese and three had glucose intolerance or overt diabetes mellitus, and one person admitted to alcohol usage. Only one patient with fibrotic liver disease had elevated liver function test results, and no person showed a declining serum albumin level at the time of biopsy. Sixty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis underwent multiple samplings (44 with two, 13 with three, and four with four biopsies). Fourteen of these patients showed progressive hepatic disease, whereas four patients improved. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of methotrexate hepatotoxicity in this large cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was low, a small but definite risk of hepatic fibrosis, not predictable by laboratory screening, still exists.
Cholesterol domains enhance transfection.

Background: The formation of cholesterol domains in lipoplexes has been associated with enhanced serum stability and transfection rates both in cell culture and in vivo. Results: This study utilizes the ability of saturated phosphatidylcholines to promote the formation of cholesterol domains at much lower cholesterol contents than have been utilized in previous work. The results demonstrate that lipoplexes with identical cholesterol and cationic lipid contents exhibit significantly improved transfection efficiencies when a domain is present, consistent with previous work. In addition, studies assessing transfection rates in the absence of serum demonstrate that the ability of domains to enhance transfection is not dependent on interactions with serum proteins. Consistent with this hypothesis, characterization of the adsorbed proteins composing the corona of these lipoplex formulations did not reveal a correlation between transfection and the adsorption of a specific protein. Conclusion: We have demonstrat...
Flow and fracture of FeAl

Abstract Mechanical testing and post-testing examination of specimens of near-stoichiometric and iron-rich FeAl have established the following. The yield strength of FeAl is approximately independent of temperature at low temperatures but decreases rapidly at higher temperatures (above 500 K for the near-stoichiometric alloy and above 800 K for the iron-rich alloy); it decreases with increasing deviation from stoichiometry at low temperatures but increases with increasing deviation from stoichiometry at high temperatures. A brittle-to-ductile transition was observed around 700 K with decreasing grain size, similar to that previously reported for NiAl (E. M. Schulson and D. R. Barker, Scr. Metall., 17 (1983) 519). Ductility increases with increasing temperature, but at 1000 K a ductility minimum occurs which is apparently due to the onset of grain boundary cavitation. It was confirmed that a change in slip vector from 〈111〉 to 〈100〉 occurs with increasing temperature and that the temperature of this transition increases with increasing deviation from stoichiometry (M. G. Mendiratta, H.-M. Min and H. A. Lipsitt, Metall. Trans. A, 15 (1984) 395).
Associations of Weight, Weight Change, and Body Mass with Breast Cancer Risk in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Women

Abstract PURPOSE: A wealth of studies have examined the effects of weight, weight gain, and obesity on breast cancer risk; however, few have examined this relationship in Hispanic white women, a population with the highest rate of obesity in the U.S. METHODS: A population-based case-control study was conducted in New Mexico of Hispanic ( n = 694) and non-Hispanic ( n = 813) white women with incident breast cancer during the period of January 1, 1992 through December 31, 1994. Conditional logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the relative risk of breast cancer for levels of weight, weight change, and body mass index (BMI) and to assess differences in the effects by ethnicity, menopausal status, early life BMI, and estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) expression in tumors. RESULTS: Weight change from age 18 to usual adult weight was associated with increased risk of breast cancer among Hispanics [4th quartile vs. baseline, odds ratio (OR): 2.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45–4.03] with no substantial variation by menopausal status. In non-Hispanic white women, weight change was a risk factor for those in the post-menopausal group (4th quartile vs. baseline, OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.09–4.73). The effect of usual BMI (test for interaction p = 0.04) and weight change (test for interaction p = 0.03) differed by ethnicity. Increased risk from weight gain was largely restricted to women who were lean at age 18 and those with ER + /PR + tumors. Height, weight at age 18, and BMI at age 18 were not associated with risk in either ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS: Weight change and obesity are risk factors for breast cancer in both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women. However, the risk for Hispanic women is evident independent of menopausal status, while the risk for non-Hispanics is apparent in post-menopausal women. Due to the increasing prevalence of adult obesity, particularly among Hispanic women, adult weight gain may be an important modifiable risk factor for the primary prevention of breast cancer among Hispanic populations.
Determination of light absorption, scattering and anisotropy factor of a highly scattering medium using backscattered circularly polarized light

The absorption coefficient, the scattering coefficient and the anisotropy factor of a highly scattering medium are determined using the diffuse reflectance of an obliquely incident beam of circularly polarized light. This approach determines both the anisotropy factor and the cutoff size parameter for the fractal continuous scattering medium such as biological tissue and tissue phantoms from depolarization of the backscattered light.
Mechanisms of reaction of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide with DNA in aqueous solutions

The physical and chemical reaction pathways of the metabolite model compound benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) in aqueous (double-stranded) DNA solutions was investigated as a function of temperature (0-30 degrees C), pH (7.0-9.5), sodium chloride concentration (0-1.5M) and DNA concentration in order to clarify the relationships between the multiple reaction mechanisms of this diol epoxide in the presence of nucleic acids. The reaction pathways are (1) noncovalent intercalative complex formation with DNA, characterized by the equilibrium constant K, and Xb the fraction of molecules physically bound; (2) accelerated hydrolysis of BPDE bound to DNA; (3) covalent binding to DNA; and (4) hydrolysis of free BPDE(kh). The DNA-induced hydrolysis of BPDE to tetraols and the covalent binding to DNA are parallel pseudo-first-order reactions. Following the rapid (millisecond time scale) noncovalent complex formation between BPDE and DNA, a much slower (approximately minutes) H+-dependent (either specific or general acid catalysis) formation of a DNA-bound triol carbonium ion (rate constant k3) occurs. At pH 7.0 the activation energy of k3 is 8.7 +/- 0.9 kcal/mol, which is lower than the activation energy of hydrolysis of free BPDE in buffer solution (14.2 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol), and which thus partially accounts for the acceleration of hydrolysis of BPDE upon complexation with DNA. The formation of the triol carbonium ion is followed by a rapid reaction with either water to form tetraols (rate constant kT), or covalent binding to DNA (kc). The fraction of BPDE molecules which undergo covalent binding is fcov approximately equal to kc/(kc + kT) = 0.10 and is independent of the overall BPDE reaction rate constant k = kh(1 - Xb) + k3Xb if Xb----1.0, or is independent of Xb as long as k3Xb much greater than kh(1 - Xb). Thus, at Xb = 0.9, fcov is independent of pH (7.0-9.5) even though k exhibits a 70-fold variation in this pH range and k----kh above pH 9 (k3 = kh). Similarly, fcov is independent of temperature (0-30 degrees C), while k varies by a factor of approx. 3. In the range of 0-1.5 M NaCl, fcov decreases from 0.10 to 0.04. These variations are attributed to a combination of salt-induced variations in the factors k3, Xb and the ratio kc/kT.
A visual traceability modeling language

Software traceability is effort intensive and must be applied strategically in order to maximize its benefits and justify its costs. Unfortunately, development tools provide only limited support for traceability, and as a result users often construct trace queries using generic query languages which require intensive knowledge of the data-structures in which artifacts are stored. In this paper, we propose a usage-centered traceability process that utilizes UML class diagrams to define traceability strategies for a project and then visually represents trace queries as constraints upon subsets of the model. The Visual Trace Modeling Language (VTML) allows users to model queries while hiding the underlying technical details and data structures. The approach has been demonstrated through a prototype system and and evaluated through a preliminary experiment to evaluate the expressiveness and readability of VTML in comparison to generic SQL queries.
A practical approach to the quantification of valvular regurgitation

This article reviews the methods of determining the severity of mitral and aortic regurgitation, primarily the quantitation using Doppler echocardiography. The Doppler methods, including spatial mapping, proximal flow convergence, vena contracta, continuous-wave Doppler density, and upstream or downstream effects are explained. Various practical pitfalls and performance issues that impact the reliability of these techniques are discussed.
Effect of chronic estrogen treatment of Syrian hamsters on microsomal enzymes mediating formation of catecholestrogens and their redox cycling: implications for carcinogenesis.

Estrogens have previously been shown to induce DNA damage in Syrian hamster kidney, a target organ of estrogen-induced cancer. The biochemical mechanism of DNA adduction has been postulated to involve free radicals generated by redox cycling of estrogens. As part of an examination of this postulate, we measured the effect of chronic estrogen treatment of hamsters on renal microsomal enzymes mediating catechol estrogen formation and free radical generation by redox cycling of catechol estrogens. In addition, the activities of the same enzymes were assayed in liver in which tumors do not develop under these conditions. At saturating substrate concentration, 2- and 4-hydroxyestradiol were formed in approximately equal amounts (26 and 28 pmol/mg protein/min, respectively), which is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than reported previously. Estradiol treatment for 2 months decreased 2-hydroxylase activity per mg protein by 75% and 4-hydroxylase activity by 25%. Hepatic 2- and 4-hydroxylase activities were 1256 and 250 pmol/mg protein/min, respectively. Estrogen treatment decreased both activities by 40–60%. Basal peroxidatic activity of cytochrome P-450, the enzyme which oxidizes estrogen hydroquinones to quinones in the redox cycle, was 2.5-fold higher in liver than in kidney and did not change with estrogen treatment. However, when normalized for specific content of cytochrome P-450 the enzyme activity in kidney was 2.5-fold higher than in liver and increased further by 2–3-fold with chronic estrogen treatment. The activity of cytochrome P-450 reductase, which reduces quinones to hydroquinones in the estrogen redox cycle, was 6-fold higher in liver than in kidney of both control and estrogen-treated animals. When normalized for cytochrome P-450, the activity of this enzyme was similar in liver and kidney, but over 4-fold higher in kidney than liver after estrogen treatment. Basal concentrations of Superoxide, a product of redox cycling, were 2-fold higher in liver than in kidney. Estrogen treatment did not affect this parameter in liver, but increased it in kidney by 40%. These data provide evidence for a preferential preservation of enzymes involved in estrogen activation.
Toward an understanding of false accusation: The pure case of deviant labeling

The phenomenon of the “falsely accused deviant” was introduced by Becker almost two decades ago (Becker, 1963) and has become a tacit anchor point for subsequent labeling theory. It has, however, received limited systematic analytic explication. This paper first samples a broad range of research findings affirming the breadth and prevalence of false accusation. A classification scheme identifying four fundamental types of false accusations (pure, intentional, legitimatized, and victim based) is then introduced and illustrated. Finally, several propositions pertaining to the societal and organizational preconditions for the occurrence of false accusation are presented and documented. The roles that (1) perceived threat, (2) subcultural heterogeneity, (3) domain protectionism, (4) stereotype adoption, and (5) diagnostic oversimplification play in the emergence of false accusation are highlighted.
Phage-based label-free biomolecule detection in an opto-fluidic ring resonator

We have developed a sensitive and inexpensive opto-fluidic ring resonator (OFRR) biosensor using phage as a receptor for analyte detection. Phages have distinct advantages over antibodies as biosensor receptors. First, affinity selection from large libraries of random peptides displayed on phage provides a generic method of discovering receptors for detecting a wide range of analytes with high specificity and sensitivity. Second, phage production can be less complicated and less expensive than antibody production. Third, phages withstand harsh environments, reducing the environmental limitations and enabling regeneration of the biosensor surface. In this work, filamentous phage R5C2, displaying peptides that bind streptavidin specifically, was employed as a model receptor to demonstrate the feasibility of a phage-based OFRR biosensor. The experimental detection limit was approximately 100 pM streptavidin and the Kd(apparent) is 25 pM. Specificity was verified using the RAP 5 phage, which is not specific to streptavidin, as the negative control. Sensing surface regeneration results show that the phage maintained functionality after surface regeneration, which greatly improves the sensors’ reusability. The phage-based OFRR biosensor will become a promising platform for universal biomolecule detection with high sensitivity, low cost, and good reusability.
Effects of Torsional Stress on the Interaction of DNA with Radiation and Chemicals

Abstract The purpose of this work is to investigate a mechanism for synergistic interaction between exposures to radiation and chemicals. The mechanism that we propose is based on the torsional stress that DNA sequences in active genes experience as a consequence of gene expression. Our approach involves experiments on an in vitro plasmid DNA system in conjunction with computer modeling to aid in the interpretation of experimental findings. We have observed that the torsional stress from normal physiological levels of negative supercoiling increases the susceptibility of plasmid pIBI 30 to the induction of single-strand breaks by X rays. Calculations of the conformational equilibrium of pIBI 30 at various levels of torsional stress identified a region of the plasmid that was rich in adenine-thymine (A-T) base pairs and particularly sensitive to melting of the double helix. In this article we present experimental evidence that this region of pIBI 30 is hypersensitive to radiation-induced strand scission. S...
Cardiomyopathy: magnetic resonance imaging evaluation.

The term “cardiomyopathy” encompasses a broad and multi-etiologic spectrum of different entities, all of which are characterized by myocardial disease associated with cardiac dysfunction. The most commonly used classification system has been published in the 1995 World Health Organization/International Society and Federation of Cardiology task force report and classifies the cardiomyopathies according to the dominant functional impairment as follows 1 : ● Dilated cardiomyopathy ● Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ● Restrictive cardiomyopathy ● Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy ● Unclassified cardiomyopathies It is important to keep in mind that overlapping forms exist and that patients may present with features of more than one category. Cardiomyopathies may be idiopathic or associated with an underlying cardiac or systemic disorder, so-called “specific cardiomyopathies.” The term “specific cardiomyopathy” includes ischemic, valvular, hypertensive, inflammatory and metabolic cardiomyopathies, myocardial involvement by general systemic diseases, muscular dystrophies, neuromuscular disorders, sensitivity and toxic reactions, and peripartal cardiomyopathy. 1 The objective of this article was to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the evaluation of the major nonischemic cardiomyopathies.
Attitude Similarity, Social Goals, and Cooperation

Exceptions to the general rule that perceived attitude similarity is related to enhanced cooperation suggest that the subject's goals and the behavior of the other person are important constraints of the relationship. The present study categorized subjects according to their dominant social goal; 80% of 238 female subjects had predominantly individualistic or competitive social goals. Subjects made choices in a series of different decomposed prisoner's dilemma games, interacting with a conditionally cooperative accomplice who began with either a cooperative or a competitive first choice. The attitude similarity of the accomplice was manipulated at three levels: similar, neutral, and dissimilar. Similar accomplices received a significantly higher level of cooperation only when the subjects had individualistic goals and the accomplice's first choice was competitive. The discussion focuses on conditions which facilitate or suppress cooperative behavior in mixed-motive situations.
A note on the linear stability of steady needle crystals with no surface tension

Based on a one-sided model for needle crystal, we prove that the Ivantsov steady crystals are linearly unstable.
Breaking the Myth of Harmony: Theoretical and Methodological Guidelines to the Study of Rural Third World Households:

Conventional neoclassical models of the household fail to account for the conflict and negotiation inherent in these fundamental economic units. The recent incorporation of game-theoretic notions of "bargained" decision-making into these models neglects gender as a defining feature of household economics. This paper develops an alternative feminist model of the household in which gender-based differentials in the access to key economic and noneconomic resources condition the formation of household economic goals, the allocation of labor and income to competing uses, and the welfare outcomes of household economic activities for all household members.
Vertical Flash memory devices with Protein-assembled Nanocrystal floating gate and A1 2 O 3 control oxide

Summary form only given. In this work we investigated vertical flash memory devices with Al2O3 as control oxide with protein mediated self assembled PbSe nanocrystals used as floating gate. The introduction of high-k dielectric as control oxide provides lower voltage/faster operation and hence less power consumption compared with the devices fabricated with SiO2 as control oxide. For appropriate memory operation the dielectric permittivity, conduction/valence band offset and thickness of the high-k material have to be properly engineered. Higher permittivity ensures better capacitance and scalability; higher band offset improves retention and programming window. Al2O3 has the potential to be the high-k replacement of inter-poly oxide due to its relatively high electron and hole barrier heights and high permittivity.
Global surface temperatures and the atmospheric electrical circuit

To monitor future global temperature trends, it would be extremely useful if parameters nonlinearly related to surface temperature could be found, thereby amplifying any warming signal that may exist. Evidence that global thunderstorm activity is nonlinearly related to diurnal, seasonal and interannual temperature variations is presented. Since global thunderstorm activity is also well correlated with the earth's ionospheric potential, it appears that variations of ionospheric potential, that can be measured at a single location, may be able to supply valuable information regarding global surface temperature fluctuations. The observations presented enable a prediction that a 1 percent increase in global surface temperatures may result in a 20 percent increase in ionospheric potential.
Essential Principles of Effective Mathematics Instruction: Methods to Reach All Students

This article presents essential principles for mathematics instruction for students with disabilities and those who are at risk for school failure. These students have great difficulty in applying algorithmic knowledge to solve problems and even greater difficulty with abstract problem solving associated with higher level mathematics. A procedural and cognitive model of problem solving at the algebraic level is presented.
Metastable systems driven by colored noise: The stationary state

A new perturbation method of finding the stationary distribution function of the formP=Rexp(-φ/D) for a metastable (anharmonic) system driven by exponentially correlated noise is presented. The noise term is modeled by a Langevin equation and the stationary solution of the resultant (2+1)-dimensional Fokker-Planck equation is sought as a series expansion in the anharmonicity parameter around the known harmonic solution valid near the metastable minimum. The series converges for small τ in the leading order of the noise intensityD anywhere within the well. Analytic expressions forφ andR were found for a metastable and a bistable potential. The resultant decay rate is in accordance with previously published results. The method is suitable also for numerical calculations.
Some examples of detection of oceanic mesoscale eddies by the SEASAT synthetic‐aperture radar

This note presents images of three dynamically different regions in the ocean to demonstrate the variety of mesoscale variabilities detected by the Seasat synthetic-aperture radar (SAR). South of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, a cold eddy is observed to form as the result of the southward intrusion of Labrador Sea water, perhaps having led to the birth of a Gulf Stream extension ring. Off the northern coast of California, features resulting from the offshore intrusions of cold upwelling water are observed. Two topographically generated eddies are detected near Misteriosa Bank on the Cayman Ridge in the northwestern Caribbean. Comparisons are made with concurrent NOAA-5 infrared images whenever the eddies have thermal signatures.