cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Modification of Membranes: II. Permeation paths for sulfhydryl agents

The amino-reactive reagent, 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS),1 considerably reduces the uptake of the sulfhydryl agent, parachloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid (PCMBS), but does not reduce its effects on cation permeability and on cation transport. These data indicate that PCMBS enters the membrane by at least two channels, one sensitive and the other insensitive to SITS, with only the latter leading to the cation-controlling sulfhydryl groups. Substitution of phosphate or sulfate for chloride results in an inhibition of PCMBS uptake via the SITS-insensitive pathway. These and other data lead to the conclusion that the SITS-sensitive pathway is the predominant one for anion permeation, and the insensitive one for cation permeation. Parachloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), an agent that is more lipid-soluble than PCMBS, penetrates faster but has a smaller effect on cation permeability. Its uptake is less sensitive to SITS. These and other observations suggest that the cation permeation path involves an aqueous channel in the membrane.
Lamb wave devices based on capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

This paper describes the theory, design, and realization of a new type of Ultrasonic Lamb Wave Transducer. The excitation mechanism of this device is unlike any other as it relies on the Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT). Built using fundamental integrated circuit techniques, this device has an insertion loss of 20 dB at an operating frequency of 2.1 MHz. The dominant propagating mode in the device is that of the lowest order antisymmetric flexural wave (A/sub 0/). The substrate upon which the device rests is 18 /spl mu/m thick and is almost entirely made up of crystalline silicon. When configured as a delay line oscillator, the transducer functions well as a sensor to changes in environmental conditions.
Regional Differences in Manufacturing Performance: The Case of the Canadian Food and Beverage Industry, 1961–84

In this paper the performance of the food and beverage industry in six regions of Canada between 1961 and 1984 is examined. The impact of spatial variations in commodity prices and techniques of production on the rate of profit are separated. Significant regional disparities in both production and market performance exist within the food sector and lend little support to the industry-mix thesis. Price variations are the principal cause of regional differences in manufacturing profitability. The rate of profit in the food industry declined in all regions, though at a slower rate than in manufacturing as a whole.
Use of beta blockers and the risk of death in hospitalised patients with acute exacerbations of COPD.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicts hospitalisation for acute exacerbation, in-hospital death and post-discharge mortality. Although β blockers improve cardiovascular outcomes, patients with COPD often do not receive them owing to concerns about possible adverse pulmonary effects. There are no published data about β blocker use among inpatients with COPD exacerbations. A study was undertaken to identify factors associated with β blocker use in this setting and to determine whether their use is associated with decreased in-hospital mortality. Methods: Administrative data from the University of Alabama Hospital were reviewed and patients admitted between October 1999 and September 2006 with an acute exacerbation of COPD as a primary diagnosis or as a secondary diagnosis with a primary diagnosis of acute respiratory failure were identified. Demographic data, co-morbidities and medication use were recorded and subjects receiving β blockers were compared with those who did not. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of in-hospital death after controlling for known covariates and the propensity to receive β blockers. Results: 825 patients met the inclusion criteria. In-hospital mortality was 5.2%. Those receiving β blockers (n = 142) were older and more frequently had cardiovascular disease than those who did not. In multivariate analysis adjusting for potential confounders including the propensity score, β blocker use was associated with reduced mortality (OR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.99). Age, length of stay, number of prior exacerbations, the presence of respiratory failure, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease or liver disease also predicted in-hospital mortality (p Conclusions: The use of β blockers by inpatients with exacerbations of COPD is well tolerated and may be associated with reduced mortality. The potential protective effect of β blockers in this population warrants further study.
A symptom-level examination of parent-child agreement in the diagnosis of anxious youths.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine parent–child agreement, at the symptom level, in the assessment of anxiety in youths. Differences between agreement at the diagnostic and symptom levels were explored as well as differences in agreement across symptom categories. Differences in the direction of disagreement across symptom categories were also examined. Method Participants were 98 children, 7 to 14 years old (54 boys) who met diagnostic criteria for separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder and their parents. Diagnostic and symptom data were obtained using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children and Parents. Results Parent–child agreement at the symptom level was stronger than agreement at the diagnostic level for all three disorders. Parent–child agreement was stronger for observable symptoms than for unobservable symptoms and weaker for school-based symptoms than for non–school-based symptoms. In cases of discrepant symptom reports, the direction of disagreement varied according to the type of symptom. Conclusions These findings buttress the need for a multi-informant approach in the assessment of childhood anxiety. Further, given the low parent–child agreement at the symptom level in the assessment of child anxiety, clinicians may do well to consider employing the “or rule” at the symptom level when integrating discrepant reports.
Ink secretion protects sea hares by acting on the olfactory and nonolfactory chemical senses of a predatory fish

Ink secretion of sea hares, Aplysia californica, is a mixture of ink from the ink gland and opaline from the opaline gland. Its defensive mechanisms against predatory spiny lobsters include deterrent compounds that are unpalatable and amino acids that stimulate appetitive responses (phagomimicry) or interfere with chemoreception (sensory disruption) by predators. The current study aimed to identify mechanisms whereby sea hares use ink secretion to defend against a fish predator, in this case the bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum. We show that inking by live sea hares decreased the probability that wrasses strike sea hares. Ink protected sea hares by affecting two phases of feeding. First, an ink cloud between a wrasse and food decreased the probability that the wrasse captured the food. Second, if the wrasse captured food treated with ink, then that food was less likely to be accepted. In neither assay did opaline have a significant effect. Inactivating the olfactory sense of fish through nares occlusion eliminated the deterrent effect of ink on food capture but not the effect of ink on food acceptance, thus showing that olfaction mediates responses to deterrents during the capture phase of feeding and that nonolfactory chemical senses mediate responses to deterrents during the acceptance phase. These nonolfactory chemical senses may be intraoral senses, as fish did not reject pellets until after they were captured. Ink did not protect through phagomimicry, since neither ink nor opaline was accepted, despite the fact that mixtures containing the amino acid components of ink and opaline were accepted.
Maturation of Yellow-Poplar Somatic Embryos

Since somatic embryogenesis in yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) was first reported, a major problem with the system has been the very low conversion frequencies of somatic embryos. Although large numbers of embryos could be produced in liquid medium, conversion percentages were even lower than for those differentiated on solid medium, where conversion averaged less than 1 percent. Proembryogenic masses (PEMs) removed from auxin-supplemented medium and placed in hormone-free medium generally produced malformed and clustered somatic embryos that were asynchronous in their development and that failed to mature properly, retaining fused or malformed cotyledons, even though radicles would elongate. To promote production of somatic embryos capable of conversion to plantlets, we tested physical and chemical treatments on embryogenic suspension cultures. Production of synchronous, mature, well-formed embryos was promoted by fractionating embryogenic suspensions on sieves and culturing in medium supplemented with abscisic acid (ABA). High levels of sucrose in the medium could substitute for ABA to a certain extent in aiding embryo maturation. However, conversion of the embryos was inhibited once they were transferred to solid medium. A modification of this technique, in which PEMs were plated on physical supports on solid medium immediately following fractionation, raised average conversion frequencies for mature embryos to over 70 percent.
STEADY STATE GROWTH OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN CONTINUOUS CULTURE: COMPARISON OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NUTRIENT EQUATIONS1,2

Previously, there have been conflicts over whether external or internal nutrient concentrations control phytoplankton growth rates at steady state in continuous culture. To experimentally demonstrate that both equations equally describe steady state growth, continuous culture studies with phosphorus-limited growth of the chrysophyte Monochrysis lutheri Droop were carried out over the entire growth rate region up to biomass washout. Data were examined using both the Monod and Droop equations, and, even though there were significant variations in the yield coefficient with growth rate, the data fit both equations reasonably well. Because of their relative simplicity, the Droop equation and an equation combining both the Monod and Droop equations are better suited for expressing kinetic data than the Monod equation. It is crucial, though, that the criteria necessary to achieve steady state be fulfilled.
How the decision-making literature might inform career center practice

Krieshok (1998) reviewed the empirical literature and concluded with ten things the field knows for sure about career decision-making, as well as ten things we assume we know but which the literature suggests need reconsideration. This article summarizes those findings in light of their implications for career center practice, including less emphasis on becoming decided, more emphasis on acting as one's own agent, and the importance of addressing clients' resistance to engaging in anything more than simple short-term interventions.
Tonality Induction: A Statistical Approach Applied Cross-Culturally

Sensitivity to tone distributions has been proposed as a mechanism underlying tonality induction. This sensitivity is considered in a cross-cultural context using two styles of music, Finnish spiritual folk hymns and North Sami yoiks. Previous research on melodic continuation judgments showed strong correlations with the statistics of the musical style, specifically, the tone distributions and two- and three-tone transitions. This article develops models using these three kinds of statistics to categorize short initial segments as coming from one style or the other. The model using tone distributions was found to make numerous categorization errors, which can be understood because the tone distributions for these styles are similar. However, categorization was better for the models that used two- and three-tone transitions. The major differences between the transitional probabilities in the styles were analyzed, and these differences were used to account for the cases that the models found difficult. These results point to listeners' sensitivity to higher order transition information and its utility for style identification.
Coverage of the Phineas Gage Story in Introductory Psychology Textbooks Was Gage No Longer Gage

Most introductory textbooks discuss the story of Phineas Gage and his terrible accident in which he survived a three-and-a-half-foot-long tamping iron that weighed 13¼ pounds exploding through his head. Twenty-three current introductory textbooks were analyzed for the accuracy of their coverage of Gage’s subsequent (post-accident) history and psychosocial recovery and for inclusion of recently discovered photos of Gage and the most recent digital reconstruction of the path of the tamping iron through his head. Although coverage was generally accurate when included, only half a dozen textbooks discussed Gage’s subsequent history or recovery. Inclusion of the photos and recent modeling work was also lacking. Explanations for these coverage deficiencies and suggestions for improved coverage for teachers and textbook authors are offered.
Molecular characterization of centriole assembly in ciliated epithelial cells

Ciliated epithelial cells have the unique ability to generate hundreds of centrioles during differentiation. We used centrosomal proteins as molecular markers in cultured mouse tracheal epithelial cells to understand this process. Most centrosomal proteins were up-regulated early in ciliogenesis, initially appearing in cytoplasmic foci and then incorporated into centrioles. Three candidate proteins were further characterized. The centrosomal component SAS-6 localized to basal bodies and the proximal region of the ciliary axoneme, and depletion of SAS-6 prevented centriole assembly. The intraflagellar transport component polaris localized to nascent centrioles before incorporation into cilia, and depletion of polaris blocked axoneme formation. The centriolar satellite component PCM-1 colocalized with centrosomal components in cytoplasmic granules surrounding nascent centrioles. Interfering with PCM-1 reduced the amount of centrosomal proteins at basal bodies but did not prevent centriole assembly. This system will help determine the mechanism of centriole formation in mammalian cells and how the limitation on centriole duplication is overcome in ciliated epithelial cells.
Effects of prescribed fire in mixed oak forests of the southern Appalachians: forest floor, soil, and soil solution nitrogen responses

Abstract We examined nutrient cycling responses to prescribed fire on three sub-mesic, mixed-oak sites located in the Blue Ridge Physiographic province of the southern Appalachian Mountains: Alarka Laurel Branch (AL), Robin Branch (RB), and Roach Mill Branch (RM). Each study site was located within a sub-watershed that drained a first order stream. Our objective was to quantify the effects of prescribed burning on forest floor mass, nitrogen and carbon pools; and soil and soil water available nitrogen. Each site included a burned and unburned control area; both burned and control areas were sampled before and after burning. Within each plot, we sampled forest floor mass, carbon and nitrogen, soil and soil solution nitrate (NO3-N) and ammonium (NH4-N) concentrations before and after the prescribed burns. All prescribed fires were conducted in the dormant season and were low to moderate intensity. All sites lost a significant amount of forest floor mass due to burning; 82 to 91% of the Oi layer and 26 to 46...
The enhanced immogenicity of horse cytochrome C by light dinitrophenylation.

Monomeric horse cytochrome C is a weak erratic immunogen in rabbits which can be converted to a consistent immunogen by light dinitrophenylation. Antibody responses to the dinitrophenyl group are more vigorous than to the cytochrome C but the responses are parallel, the strongest responses to both the carrier and the hapten occurring in the same animals.
Directing Sampling based on Uncertainty Analysis

Determining where and what to sample for environmental modeling of receiving waters is becoming increasingly important because the need for improved accuracy i…
Effects of Abusive Supervision, Psychological Climate, and Felt Violation on Work Outcomes A Moderated Mediated Model

This study adds to the existing literature by empirically demonstrating that psychological climate is an important variable in understanding the relationships between abusive supervision and employ...
Requiem for the Truth-in-packaging Bill?:

Is the “Truth-in-Packaging Bill” dead or not? More precisely, what about Senator Philip A. Hart's “Fair Packaging and Labeling Act” (S.985)?Here are some answers— and also some provocative thoughts...
Convective Enhancement of Surfaces with Realistic Ice Roughness Distributions

Predictions of ice shapes formed during supercooled, large-droplet (SLD) icing conditions made by ice accretion codes currently used in aircraft design must be improved. One area for significant improvement is the model used in ice accretion codes to characterize ice roughness and the convective heat transfer enhancement of the ice roughness. To improve the predictive capabilities of ice accretion codes, the convective heat transfer from ice roughness must be measured and characterized for flows over surfaces with realistic roughness properties and relevant thermal boundary conditions. In a parallel effort, Tecson and McClain [2013] present a method to generate distributions of hemispherical elements with statistical properties similar to ice roughness measured in the Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn Research Center. This paper details measurements of the convective heat transfer from test plates with the hemispherical element distributions for flows with negligible freestream acceleration and nominally constant flux boundary conditions. Three surfaces were studies: a smooth plate and two surfaces generated to match Appendix C icing roughness measured by Anderson et al. [1997]. While Appendix C icing droplet sizes are much smaller than those found in SLD conditions, the measurements of Appendix C roughness convective enhancement will serve an important validation step in interpreting and understanding the convective enhancement of SLD ice roughness.
Quantifying the influence of child abuse history on the cardinal symptoms of fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the influence of abuse, particularly in childhood, with pain sensitivity and other adverse symptoms experienced by women with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS: Subjects with FM completed a detailed abuse interview, dolorimetry, and questionnaire-based assessments of fatigue, cognitive self-appraisal, and depression. Student's t- and chi-square tests were used to analyse differences in FM symptoms between those with and without a history of childhood abuse. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between abuse and symptom severity, adjusting for possible confounders. RESULTS: In 111 women with FM, physical abuse during childhood demonstrated a clinically modest, yet statistically significant, association with increased tenderness as measured by pain pressure thresholds (β=-0.25, p=0.011) and tender points (β=0.23, p=.022). Physical child abuse was also associated with cognitive language impairment after adjusting for depression (β=0.27, p=0.001). While emotional child abuse was associated with fatigue, the association did not persist after adjustment for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Group differences are of small magnitude and might not directly impact clinical practice, however, the experience of child abuse is associated with FM symptom severity and may shape the biological development of interoception in ways that predispose to pain and polysymptomatic distress. Language: en
Understanding molecular mechanisms in multivariant actions of levamisole as an anti-helminthic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-neoplastic and immunomodulatory drug☆

Abstract Levamisole is an imidothiazole derivative with a wide variety of applications in medical field. It has long been used as an anti-helminthic where its primary action is through the opening of acetyl choline receptor channels. It is widely used as an immunomodulatory drug through its action on dentritic cells and by enhancing the release of cytokines like interleukins 12 and 10. The antioxidant action of levamisole is by the enhancing effect on the major cellular redox systems like glutathione, enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase and also possible effects on glutathione related enzymes. On the other hand, the anti-inflammatory action is by the inhibition of TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor) and interleukin 6. Anti-neoplastic action of levamisole is by two ways that is, through its apoptotic action causing cell cycle inhibition and increased endothelial cell adhesion and the second action is through its anti-angiogenic property. This article enlightens upon the various mechanisms of action of levamisole at molecular level describing its diverse uses as an anti-helminthic, immunomodulatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drug.
Fixation disparity and oculomotor imbalance.

(1958). Fixation Disparity and Oculomotor Imbalance. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 21-36.
Gamma Knife Surgery in Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Gamma knife surgery (GKS) represents a safe, effective, and relatively durable noninvasive treatment option for patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and recurrent TN. By one year's time, 75% to 90% of patients will have obtained pain relief, defined as Barrow Neurological Institute grades I to IIIB. Similar rates have been demonstrated for patients undergoing a second GKS for recurrent TN. Predictors of durability of GKS in TN include type I TN, post-GKS Barrow Neurological Institute score, and the presence of post-Gamma Knife facial numbness.
Abstinence expectancies and quit attempts.

Abstract Introduction Several scales have been developed to measure expectancies about smoking cessation. This secondary analysis tested the reliability and validity of one of the most commonly used expectancy measures - the Perceived Risks and Benefits of Quitting Scale (PRBQ). Methods Smokers (n = 143) who planned to quit at some point in the next 3 months entered an observational study in which they called an Interactive Voice Response system nightly for 3 months to report quit attempts and abstinence. They completed the PRBQ at baseline and the end of 1, 2 and 3 months. No treatment was provided. Results The Risks scores and Benefit scores of the PRBQ had high internal reliability (alpha = 0.88–0.96 across administrations) and high test-retest stability (ICC = 0.67–0.80), but poor to moderate concurrent validity (correlation with other cessation measures = 0.09–0.52), and poor predictive validity (no significant prediction of quit attempts or duration of abstinence). Results were similar for men and women. Conclusions The PRBQ appears to be reliable but, similar to other scales of cessation expectancies, its validity appears to be poor. The face valid notion that expectations influence quitting requires further testing.
The Treatment of Superficial Femoral Artery In-Stent Restenosis: The Jury Is Still Out.

The treatment decision for in-stent restenosis (ISR) involving the superficial femoral artery (SFA) is complex. Important clinical issues include the problem (intimal hyperplasia inside a minimally expandable metal stent), the natural history (persistent claudication with low risk of limb loss), and
Pijnstilling in de mondzorg

Pijnklachten in en rond de mond komen veelvuldig voor. Mondzorgverleners zullen dan ook regelmatig pijn medicamenteus behandelen. Het voorschrijven van pijnstillers of het adviseren over het gebruik van pijnmedicatie moet derhalve goed en verantwoord gebeuren. Als eenvoudig analgeticum zijn paracetamol en ibuprofen een goede eerste keus. Doorgaans kunnen met deze eenvoudig middelen pijnklachten in de mond adequaat bestreden worden. De bijwerkingen zijn beperkt en het aantal contra-indicaties en interacties met andere medicijnen is te overzien.
Three-Dimensional Volumetric Reconstruction for Neuromagnetic Source Localization

Neuromagnetic measurements in conjunction with appropriate mathematical models permit the localization of centers of activity in the human brain. For large evoked response components, Monte Carlo error analyses suggest that location uncertainty due to measurement noise may be as low as 1 mm. However, in order to achieve and exploit this degree of accuracy in source localization it is necessary to improve procedures for documenting the location of sensors with respect to the head, and for locating anatomical sources which account for observed fields.
Light Chain Amyloid Fibrils Act as a Recruitment Point for Soluble Protein and Reveal their Cytotoxic Potential in Human Cardiomyocytes

Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is an incurable human disease characterized by the misfolding and systemic amyloid aggregation of immunoglobulin light chains. While several studies have reported that soluble light chain internalize into renal and cardiac fibroblast cells, the correlation between cellular internalization and the mechanisms causing AL cytotoxicity still remains unclear. Previously, we demonstrated that AL proteins internalize into mouse cardiomyocytes and localize into lysosomes. Here, we extended this study following the internalization of full length (FL) and variable domain (VL) AL proteins into human cardiomyocytes (AC16 cell line) by real-time live-cell image analysis (IncuCyte ZOOM™). Our results show that soluble protein internalizes into AC16 cells in a size-dependent manner, thus VL domains internalizes faster than the FL proteins. Experiments using endocytic inhibitors have shown that soluble proteins internalize by a Clathrin-dependent endocytic pathway and localize in perinuclear compartments. Further on, we have studied the internalization of preformed amyloid fibrils and their effect when co-incubated with soluble protein. External aggregates rapidly surround the cells, strongly interact with the cell membrane, and act as a recruitment point for soluble protein, triggering the amyloid fibril elongation (cell mediated seeding). Although fibrils are predominantly extracellular, a fraction of them is also internalized. Finally, our attempt to clarify the role of amyloid fibrils in the disease revealed their cytotoxic potential at significant low concentrations compared to soluble AL proteins. This study would help us to understand the unique aspects of behind light chain internalization and cytotoxicity in AL amyloidosis.
Iron, Copper, and Manganese Complexation by Forest Leaf Litter

Des echantillons de litiere (naturels et acidifies) de Pinus monticulosa, salix et castanopsis sempervirens des forets de la Sierra Nevada en Californie, ont ete etudies pour determiner leur composition chimique, leur capacite de complexation pour les ions Fe, Mn et Cu et la nature et la stabilite des complexes metalliques resultants. Les complexes ont ete etudies par analyse totale des metaux, par spectroscopie en infra-rouge et spectroscopie de resonance de spin electronique
Data-Enabled Quantification of Aluminum Microstructural Damage Under Tensile Loading

The study of material failure with digital analytics is in its infancy and offers a new perspective to advance our understanding of damage initiation and evolution in metals. In this article, we study the failure of aluminum using data-enabled methods, statistics and data mining. Through the use of tension tests, we establish a multivariate acoustic-data matrix of random damage events, which typically are not visible and are very difficult to measure due to their variability, diversity and interactivity during damage processes. Aluminium alloy 6061-T651 and single crystal aluminium with a (111) orientation were evaluated by comparing the collection of acoustic signals from damage events caused primarily by slip in the single crystal and multimode fracture of the alloy. We found the resulting acoustic damage-event data to be large semi-structured volumes of Big Data with the potential to be mined for information that describes the materials damage state under strain. Our data-enabled analyses has allowed us to determine statistical distributions of multiscale random damage that provide a means to quantify the material damage state.
Conductive polypyrrole and acrylate nanocomposite coatings: Mechanistic study on simultaneous photopolymerization

Abstract Facile preparation of conductive polypyrrole coatings with optimized binding and conductive properties for various electronic applications such as printing circuit boards and conductive inks using simultaneous photopolymerization method was investigated in this article. This method involves independent polymerization processes of pyrrole and acrylate monomers occurring simultaneously to produce conductive coating. While AgNO 3 was used as oxidizing agent for photopolymerization of pyrrole, Irgacure 907 was used as the photoinitiator for the acrylate monomer, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate. Based on Real-time Fourier Transform Infrared (RT-FTIR) spectroscopy characterization on polymerization rates and mechanisms, it was deduced that the selection of proper initial concentrations of monomers and their corresponding photoinitiators was essential to obtain optimized conductive and binding properties of the final coating. In addition, microscopic techniques such as TEM and SEM revealed that the size, morphology and dispersion of polypyrrole were also affected by the initial concentrations. Finally, conductivity measurements obtained via four-point probe method and conductive AFM were correlated with the spectroscopic and microscopic characterization to determine the optimal conditions for the preparation of conductive polypyrrole/acrylate coatings via this method.
A Computational Comparison of Five Heuristic Algorithms for the Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problem

This paper presents a computational comparison of five heuristic algorithms for the traveling salesman problem (TSP). Each of these algorithms is a composite algorithm consisting of a simple tour construction algorithm and a post-processor. The five tour construction procedures considered are all insertion algorithms which may be easily implemented. The post-processor used in the five composite algorithms is a modified 3-opt procedure that is shown to outperform both the 3-opt and 2-opt branch exchange procedures. The final result of the computational tests is the conclusion that there are simple and easily implemented heuristic procedures that will produce high quality solutions to the TSP in a moderate amount of computer time.
Opportunistic suspension feeding in the intertidal gastropod Olivella columellaris and its implications for the regulation of tidal migrations

espanolResumen: El gasteropodo Olivella columellaris habita las playas arenosas del Pacifico Oriental Tropical. Estos caracoles suelen realizar migraciones mareales ya que se alimentan de particulas en suspension en la zona de resaca que se mueve con la marea. Aunque este comportamiento posiblemente este regulado por un reloj endogeno que sigue los ritmos mareales, O. columellaris facilmente puede modificarlo. Por ejemplo, cuando se crean pequenos canales que drenan el agua de las pozas (naturales o artificiales) generadas en marea baja, la alimentacion suspensivora continua mientras el agua este corriendo, retrasandose asi la migracion mareal. Dicha plasticidad en el comportamiento cuestiona la importancia de los ritmos endogenos en la regulacion de las migraciones mareales de O. columellaris. EnglishAbstract: The gastropod Olivella columellaris inhabits sandy beaches of the Tropical East Pacific. These snails perform tidal migrations for continuous suspension feeding in the moving backwash zone, possibly controlled by an endogenous circatidal clock. However, O. columellaris readily modifies its circatidal behavior, for example when flow channels develop below natural and artificial tide pools at ebb tide. Suspension feeding continues in such channels while water is running, delaying tidal migration. Such behavioral plasticity questions the significance of endogenous rhythms for the regulation of tidal migrations in O. columellaris.
Evaluation of Five Methods to Measure Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Apple and Citrus

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a common remote sensing calculation used to assess green biomass in addition to nutrient, pest, and water stress. The approach used in NDVI has pote...
David Oliver: Preventing a Gosport repeat.

In the wake of this June’s inquiry report on the sometimes preventable or needlessly distressing deaths of 451 patients at Gosport War Memorial Hospital in the 1990s,1 a November Commons statement by the health secretary set out policies aiming to prevent a repeat and to improve wider healthcare safety.2 I broadly welcome such government attention, but the devil is in the detail. Ultimately, the only way to improve safety and prevent further scandals is through the culture and solutions of local organisations.3 Reports on other recent mass care failings have shown that external regulation can be late in recognising them.456 A recent King’s Fund report on the Care Quality Commission questioned its record in improving safety rather than describing or rating …
Growth hormone disorders and abnormal stature in kidney disease

Growth retardation is the most visible of all the comorbidities associated with the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children. In addition to the cosmetic impact, poor growth has been associated with an impaired health-related quality of life and increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Factors which contribute to the development of this complication include inadequate nutrition, abnormal bone metabolism, salt depletion, cause and severity of the primary renal disorder, metabolic acidosis, delayed puberty, and abnormalities of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I (GH/IGF-I) axis. Evaluation for and treatment of the modifiable risk factors are mandatory to enhance height velocity. Attention to nutritional deficiencies is most important during infancy and often requires enteral tube support to achieve nutritional targets. The use of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has proven to be safe and efficacious in the setting of CKD-related growth hormone resistance, with the best results experienced by those receiving pre-end-stage renal disease (ESRD) therapy, in contrast to the dialysis and transplant populations. Despite the efficacy of rhGH, its underutilization is prevalent and obstacles to its use must be overcome if the growth of the CKD population is to be optimized.
Fertility Transition: Cultural Explanations

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by S. Cotts Watkins, volume 8, pp. 5572–5575, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
“What would the neighbors do?” Measuring sexual and domestic violence prevention social norms among youth and adults

There is growing attention to how social processes in communities may contribute to domestic and sexual violence (DSV) and be a target for prevention efforts. Three main variables are collective efficacy and descriptive and injunctive norms. To date, few measures exist that assess these variables in the specific context of violence prevention. The current study sampled 3,866 adults and high-school youth in four communities in northern New England. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined the psychometrics of the scales. Scales reflecting collective efficacy, indirect public, and direct individualized descriptive norms, public and personal injunctive norms, and youth perceptions of adults' prevention actions demonstrated robust factor structures and adequate reliability and validity. These measures may prove useful for a diverse audience (e.g., practitioner, researchers) for assessing the effectiveness of community-level DSV prevention strategies.
Analysis of malaria endemic situation in Jiangyin City during 2002-2011

Objective To analyze the control strategy of malaria in Jiangyin City in recent 10 years and evaluate its effect of prevention and control of malaria.Methods The historical data including the reports of municipal malaria information network,data from malaria project of Global Foundation,data from regular monitoring and malaria epidemiological investigation were all collected and analyzed for the pattern of occurrence and distribution of malaria infections in Jiangyin City from 2002 to 2011.Results There were 72 cases of malaria from 2002 to 2011.But 21 cases of malaria were found in 2007,so the comprehensive intervention measures was took to the source of infection,till 2011 only 1 case was found who was a nonlocal.The highest infection rate was 0.092 0 per 10 000 in 2007 while the lowest was 0 in 2011.The annual mean density of mosquito during 2004-2007 was 0.79,0.19,4.61,1.19/one person,one hour respectively.Conclusion The incidence of malaria was controlled under 0.01％ for 26 consecutive years. Key words: Malaria; Endemic situation; Jiangyin City
Adipose PTEN acts as a downstream mediator of a brain-fat axis in environmental enrichment

Abstract Background/Objectives Environmental enrichment (EE) is a physiological model to investigate brain-fat interactions. We previously discovered that EE activates the hypothalamic-sympathoneural adipocyte (HSA) axis via induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), thus leading to sympathetic stimulation of white adipose tissue (WAT) and an anti-obesity phenotype. Here, we investigate whether PTEN acts as a downstream mediator of the HSA axis in the EE. Methods Mice were housed in EE for 4- and 16-week periods to determine how EE regulates adipose PTEN. Hypothalamic injections of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors expressing BDNF and a dominant negative form of its receptor were performed to assess the role of the HSA axis in adipose PTEN upregulation. A β-blocker, propranolol, and a denervation agent, 6-hydroydopamine, were administered to assess sympathetic signaling in the observed EE-PTEN phenotype. To determine whether inducing PTEN is sufficient to reproduce certain EE adipose remodeling, we overexpressed PTEN in WAT using an AAV vector. To determine whether adipose PTEN is necessary for the EE-mediated reduction in adipocyte size, we injected a rAAV vector expressing Cre recombinase to the WAT of adult PTENflox mice and placed the mice in EE. Results EE upregulated adipose PTEN expression, which was associated with suppression of AKT and ERK phosphorylation, increased hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) phosphorylation, and reduced adiposity. PTEN regulation was found to be controlled by the HSA axis—with the hypothalamic BDNF acting as the upstream mediator—and dependent on sympathetic innervation. AAV-mediated adipose PTEN overexpression recapitulated EE-mediated adipose changes including suppression of AKT and ERK phosphorylation, increased HSL phosphorylation, and reduced adipose mass, whereas PTEN knockdown blocked the EE-induced reduction of adipocyte size. Conclusions These data suggest that adipose PTEN responds to environmental stimuli and serves as downstream mediator of WAT remodeling in the EE paradigm, resulting in decreased adipose mass and decreased adipocyte size.
A discerning Church: Pope Francis, Lonergan, and a theological method for the future: by G. Whelan, New York, Paulist Press, 2019, Pp. 1-xix; 1–232, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-8091-5446-3 (pbk)

This book addresses what is seen to be a crucial issue in the pontificate of Pope Francis, namely, the adoption by the Pope of what the author identifies as an inductive theological method. In doin...
Dr-Vectors: Decision Residual Networks and an Improved Loss for Speaker Recognition

Many neural network speaker recognition systems model each speaker using a fixed-dimensional embedding vector. These embeddings are generally compared using either linear or 2nd-order scoring and, until recently, do not handle utterance-specific uncertainty. In this work we propose scoring these representations in a way that can capture uncertainty, enroll/test asymmetry and additional non-linear information. This is achieved by incorporating a 2nd-stage neural network (known as a decision network) as part of an end-to-end training regimen. In particular, we propose the concept of decision residual networks which involves the use of a compact decision network to leverage cosine scores and to model the residual signal that's needed. Additionally, we present a modification to the generalized end-to-end softmax loss function to target the separation of same/different speaker scores. We observed significant performance gains for the two techniques.
The Price Effect of Stock Repurchases: Evidence from Dual Class Firms

We examine a sample of dual-class firms to isolate the magnitude and duration of the demand-driven price effect from stock repurchases. In this novel setting, the non-repurchased class serves as a ...
Transient Elastic Waves in a Fluid-Filled Cylinder

Using membrane and bending theories of thin elastic shells, analyses of the early stages of water hammer are presented. Some of the restrictions of the elementary one-dimensional theory are relaxed so that the effects of radial components of acceleration of the fluid and of the shell can be assessed. A finite Hankel transform is employed to generate partial differential equations which are integrated numerically by the method of characteristics.
Pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L) extract and Chinese gall (Galla chinensis) extract inhibit Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes on cooked shrimp and raw tuna

Abstract Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Listeria monocytogenes are bacterial pathogens associated with raw or ready-to-eat seafood products. Many compounds extracted from plant material have shown promise for inhibiting bacterial pathogens when applied to some foods. In this study, aqueous methanol extracts from pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.) and Chinese gallnut (Galla chinensis) were tested against V. parahaemolyticus and L. monocytogenes on cooked shrimp and raw homogenized tuna. The extracts were applied to the shrimp by soaking for 2 min (5 mg/ml). The extracts (1.7 mg ml) were added to homogenized tuna and stirred. The antimicrobial assay on V. parahaemolyticus was conducted at 12 °C, and the assay on tuna was conducted at both 4° and 12 °C. Both Chinese gall and pomegranate peel extracts significantly inhibited the growth of V. parahaemolyticus in both shrimp and tuna. Only Chinese gall extract significantly inhibited growth of L. monocytogenes. Overall V. parahaemolyticus was more sensitive to both plant extracts compared with L. monocytogenes. Both plant extracts had stronger antimicrobial activity on shrimp compared with the tuna. Neither extract completely inhibited the growth of V. parahaemolyticus or L. monocytogenes.
An Examination of the Workflow Processes of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Program in Health Care Settings

Abstract Introduction Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a public health program used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs that has been adapted for implementation in emergency departments and ambulatory clinics nationwide. Methods This study used a combination of observational, timing, and descriptive analyses from a multisite evaluation to understand the workflow processes implemented in 21 treatment settings. Direct observations of 59 SBIRT practitioners and semi-structured interviews with 170 stakeholders, program administrators, practitioners, and program evaluators provided information about workflow in different medical care settings. Results The SBIRT workflow processes are presented at three levels: service delivery, information storage, and information sharing. Analyses suggest limited variation in the overall workflow processes across settings, although performance sites tailored the program to fit with existing clinical processes, health information technology, and patient characteristics. Strategies for successful integration include co-locating SBIRT providers in the medical care setting and integrating SBIRT data into electronic health records. Conclusions Provisions within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 call for the integration of behavioral health and medical care services. SBIRT is being adapted in different types of medical care settings, and the workflow processes are being adapted to ensure efficient delivery, illustrating the successful integration of behavioral health and medical care.
A combatant by any other name: Assessing what women do in war

Attempts to understand how and why women participate in rebel groups are often hindered by a poor understanding of what it means to be a participant. Official ranks and titles, for example, are often not applied to women or are applied inconsistently across groups. Scholarly literature on women in rebel groups also ignores this issue, with scholars rarely problematizing the issue of what being a “participant” really means. Relying on case study evidence, formal definitions of participant roles as employed by armed forces and scholars studying rebel groups, and the stories of individual women, I propose a broader, gender-sensitive typology for four types of participant roles: combat, noncombat, leadership, and forced/coerced participation.
Polyspectral factorization: necessary and sufficient condition for finite extent cumulant sequences

The authors provide necessary and sufficient conditions for bispectral and trispectral factorization for processes with finite-extent cumulant sequences. These conditions are derived entirely in terms of the cumulant sequences. They use the fact that for a finite-extent cumulant sequence factorability is equivalent to finding a finite-order moving-average process with an identical cumulant sequence. In principle the results can be extended to polyspectra of even higher orders. An interesting result of the investigation is that there exist processes generated by nonlinear mechanisms that are factorable. >
Extrasolar Giant Planets and Brown Dwarfs

Until just five years ago, a big gap yawned between the mass of the giant planets known only in our solar system, and that of the known small stars in the surrounding universe. This picture has changed dramatically, as recent surveys are turning up scores of giant planets and small stars called brown dwarfs. Brown dwarfs have diameters of about one-tenth of the sun, and are relatively cool. Many of their detailed properties remain the subject of intense investigation. Differentiating between giant planets and brown dwarfs also turns out to be difficult, as they may overlap in size and properties. These objects are therefore right at the boundary between planetary science and astronomy, and are receiving much attention.
Altruistic Relationships for Optimizing Task Fulfillment in Robot Communities

This paper introduces the concept of a multi-robot community in which multiple robots must fulfill their individual tasks while operating in a shared environment. Unlike typical multi-robot systems in which global cost functions are minimized while accomplishing a set of global tasks, the robots in this work have individual tasks to accomplish and individual cost functions to optimize (e.g. path length or number of objects to gather).