cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid analysis of the major classes of retinoids by step gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using retinal (O-ethyl) oxime derivatives.

Abstract A rapid step-gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is presented for analysis of the major classes of retinoids in tissues. Retinal was converted into a new derivative, retinal (O-ethyl) oxime, since the standard derivative, retinaloxime, co-elutes with retinol on reversed-phase HPLC. The most abundant naturally occurring retinyl esters, ritinyl palmitate and retinyl stearate, were eluted within 12 min to complete the separation. Retinoids were extracted in the presence of an antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene, and a lipid carrier, cholesterol. Recoveries of 98–100% were obtained from tissue samples by internal addition for the retinoids tested (retinol, retinal and retinyl palmitate), and the absolute recovery of endogenous retinal from rat eyecups was confirmed by spectrophotometric measurements of rhodopsin. Extraction was carried out in an air atmosphere and under subdued incandescent light rather than requiring inert atmosphere and safe-light conditions used in most methods. Cis—trans isomers were not separated under the reversed-phase HPLC conditions employed. Quantitation was carried out using retinyl acetate as internal standard and the day to day precision was better than 3.5%. A sensitivity of about 1 ng is obtained for all retinoids using absorbance monitoring at 325 nm and a C 18 5 μm column with 12% reversed-phase loading. The tocopherols can also be separated and detected simultaneously with similar sensitivity by this method using a fluorescence detector in series [G. J. Handelman, L. J. Machlin, K. Fitch, J. J. Weiter and E. A. Dratz, J. Nutr. , 115 (1985) 807].
Policing the Party: Conflicts between Local Prosecutors and Party Leaders under Late Stalinism

During the late Stalin era, many of the USSR's local party control officials and prosecutors entered into a protracted conflict over who had the right to judge the conduct of communists; prosecutors charged that party committees were shielding communists from prosecution, while control officials claimed that party organs were deferring to prosecutors and abandoning their traditional oversight role. This article will argue that although some party committees were interfering in the courts, the dominant story of party–procuracy relations under post-war Stalinism involved the disengagement of party organs from the oversight of administrative wrongdoing, with long-lasting consequences for the Soviet regime's attitude toward corruption.
GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM OF A REGIONAL ECONOMY WITH A FINANCIAL SECTOR–PART I: AN ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK WITH BUDGET AND BALANCE SHEET LINKAGES

. An accounting framework is presented that can be used as a basis for a regional general equilibrium economic model that meaningfully incorporates both real and financial activity. The accounting framework describes a circular flow from regional income to credit base, and back to regional income, including the balance of payments identity. Both real market transactions and capital stock changes are explicitly recognized. Linkages between real activity flows and sectoral balance sheets are highlighted. Financial activity is recognized as a service, and all assets are assumed to be valued at market prices.
Qualia and Vagueness

In this paper I present two arguments against the thesis that we experience qualia. I argue that if we experienced qualia then these qualia would have to be essentially vague entities. And I then offer two arguments, one a reworking of Gareth Evans' argument against the possibility of vague objects, the other a reworking of the Sorites argument, to show that no such essentially vague entities can exist. I consider various objections but argue that ultimately they all fail. In particular I claim that the stock responses to the Sorites argument fail against my reworking of the argument because they require us to make a distinction between a determinate reality and how that reality appears to us, whereas in the case of qualia we can make no such distinction. I conclude that there can be no such things as qualia.
On zero-divisor graphs of small finite commutative rings

In this article, all graphs on n=6,7,...,14 vertices which can be realized as the zero-divisor graphs of a commutative rings with 1, and the list of all rings (up to isomorphism) which produce these graphs, are given. An algorithm is presented to find (up to isomorphism) all commutative, reduced rings with 1 which give rise to a zero-divisor graph on n vertices for any n>=1. Also, the zero-divisor graph of a finite commutative ring is used to find bounds on the size of that ring.
Electric utility resource planning using Continuous-Discrete Modular Simulation and Optimization (CoDiMoSO)

Electric utility resource planning traditionally focuses on conventional energy supplies such as coal, natural gas, and oil. Nowadays, planning of renewable energy generation as well as its side necessity of storage capacities have become equally important due to the increasing growth in energy demand, insufficiency of natural resources, and newly established policies for low carbon footprint. In this study, we propose to develop a comprehensive simulation based decision making framework to determine the best possible combination of resource investments for electric power generation and storage capacities. The proposed tool involves a combined continuous-discrete modular modeling approach for processes of different nature that exist within this complex system, and will help the utility companies conduct resource planning via employed multiobjective optimization techniques in a realistic simulation environment. The distributed power system considered here has four major components including (1) energy generation via a solar farm, a wind farm, and a fossil fuel power station, (2) storage via compressed air energy storage system, and batteries, (3) transmission via a bus and two main substations, and (4) demand of industrial, commercial, residential and transportation sectors. The proposed approach has been successfully demonstrated for the electric utility resource planning at a scale of the state of Florida.
Map Feature Content and Text Recall of Good and Poor Readers

Two experiments evaluated the effect of map feature content on recall of text auded by subjects of varying reading skill levels. In Experiment 1, elementary students with below average reading skill studied a map with features represented by labels, symbols with labels, or mimetic drawings with labels before listening to text. Students who studied the mimetic map recalled significantly more map-featured text information than students who studied label or symbol maps. In Experiment 2, good and poor readers studied a mimetic or a label map prior to listening to text. While good readers recalled more map-featured and nonfeatured information than poor readers, no differences were found between map feature content conditions. Map-featured information was better recalled than nonfeatured information by all groups in both experiments. Data from both experiments provide support for the conjoint retention hypothesis.
Effect of 6-wk estrogen withdrawal or replacement on myocardial ischemic tolerance in rats

Menopausal status is a risk factor for coronary artery disease death, but the mechanism underlying this association is uncertain. To test whether estrogen ameliorates the effects of acute myocardial ischemia in ways likely to translate into a mortality difference, we compared the response to brief (6-min) and prolonged (45-min) coronary occlusion in vivo in five groups (each n = 16) of rats: ovariectomized females; ovariectomized females after 6 wk 17β-estradiol replacement; male rats supplemented with estradiol for 6 wk; normal males; and normal females. Coronary occlusion produced a uniform ischemic risk area averaging 53 ± 3% of left ventricular volume. After a brief occlusion, reperfusion ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation occurred with >85% frequency in all groups. During a prolonged occlusion, ischemic ventricular tachycardia occurred in 100% and sustained tachycardia requiring cardioversion in >75% of rats in all groups. Myocardial infarct size averaged 52 ± 4% of the ischemic risk area and was similarly unaffected by gender or estrogen status. We conclude that neither short-term estrogen withdrawal, replacement, nor supplementation significantly affects the potentially lethal outcomes from acute coronary occlusion in this species.
Electronics: What's Coming after the Missile Age?

The electronics industry has experienced four major periods of development: the radio era, the radar era, the television era, and the missile era. The radio and television eras, both being consumer-goods eras, were strongly influenced by the economic climate and by certian contractual arrangements peculiar to the electronics industry, whereas the radar and missile eras were dominated by factors related to the urgent development of new military weapons. Following a discussion of the characteristics of these eras, the author looks into the future to the possibility of the fifth surge in the industry, which he calls the industrial electronics era-a broad term which is intended to include all electronic fields other than consumer goods, military goods, and entertainment services, and including the field now covered by the electrical industry. The paper concludes with a discussion of the major traits and the absence of any one predominating trait in this new era of the future.
Use of Global Positioning System to Identify Crash Locations in South Carolina

To overcome some of the issues with geocoding crash data based on traditional location referencing systems (i.e., route and distance to intersection, route and milepoint, or both), the South Carolina Department of Transportation purchased Global Positioning System (GPS) units for all enforcement agencies in South Carolina responsible for reporting crashes. Reporting officers were instructed to use the GPS units to determine coordinate location data for recording on the crash report. Some of the problems experienced when trying to geocode 3 years (2004 to 2006) of crash data for use in safety analysis are discussed. Overall, approximately 80% of the crash records were located within reasonable levels of accuracy. Trends in the errors over the 3 years indicate a potential for targeted training to significantly reduce error. Recommendations are provided to help improve the success rate of the geocoding process. These recommendations focus on training officers and data entry personnel, designing data entry fi...
NONINVASIVE BATTERY-HEALTH DIAGNOSTICS USING RETROSPECTIVE-COST IDENTIFICATION OF INACCESSIBLE SUBSYSTEMS

Health management of Li-ion batteries depends on knowledge of certain battery internal dynamics (e.g., lithium consumption and film growth at the solid-electrolyte interface) whose inputs and outputs are not directly measurable with noninvasive methods. This presents a problem of identification of inaccessible subsystems. To address this problem, we apply the retrospective-cost subsystem identification (RCSI) method. As a first step, this paper presents a simulation-based study that assumes as the truth model of the battery an electrochemistrybased battery charge/discharge model of Doyle, Fuller, and Newman, and later augmented with a battery-health model by Ramadass. First, this truth model is used to generate the data needed for the identification study. Next, the film-growth component of the battery-health model is assumed to be unknown, and the identification of this inaccessible subsystem is performed using RCSI. The results show that the subsystem identification method can identify the film growth quite accurately when the chemical reactions leading to film growth are consequential.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention–Related Bleeding Risk Factors in Current Practice

BACKGROUND:Bleeding is a common and costly complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Little is known about the risk factors for bleeding complications.Objective:To report our PCI-related observations from a single institution and use the information to establish risk factors for short-term bleeding complications, with special focus on examining the importance of renal function.METHODS:A retrospective record review was conducted of the admission of 300 patients grouped according to antithrombotic regimen: unfractionated heparin alone (n = 187), bivalirudin (n = 26), and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist plus heparin (n = 103). Bleeding and ischemic outcomes were tracked. A model was constructed to predict independent bleeding risk factors.RESULTS:Treatment groups differed significantly regarding any bleeding (p = 0.001), minor bleeding (p < 0.001), and length of stay (p = 0.01). Multivariate predictors of any bleeding included antithrombotic regimen, creatinine clearance (Clcr) <30 mL/min, a...
Cancer risks following diagnostic and therapeutic radiation exposure in children

The growing use of interventional and fluoroscopic imaging in children represents a tremendous benefit for the diagnosis and treatment of benign conditions. Along with the increasing use and complexity of these procedures comes concern about the cancer risk associated with ionizing radiation exposure to children. Children are considerably more sensitive to the carcinogenic effects of ionizing radiation than adults, and children have a longer life expectancy in which to express risk. Numerous epidemiologic cohort studies of childhood exposure to radiation for treatment of benign diseases have demonstrated radiation-related risks of cancer of the thyroid, breast, brain and skin, as well as leukemia. Many fewer studies have evaluated cancer risk following diagnostic radiation exposure in children. Although radiation dose for a single procedure might be low, pediatric patients often receive repeated examinations over time to evaluate their conditions, which could result in relatively high cumulative doses. Several cohort studies of girls and young women subjected to multiple diagnostic radiation exposures have been informative about increased mortality from breast cancer with increasing radiation dose, and case-control studies of childhood leukemia and postnatal diagnostic radiation exposure have suggested increased risks with an increasing number of examinations. Only two long-term follow-up studies of cancer following cardiac catheterization in childhood have been conducted, and neither reported an overall increased risk of cancer. Most cancers can be induced by radiation, and a linear dose-response has been noted for most solid cancers. Risks of radiation-related cancer are greatest for those exposed early in life, and these risks appear to persist throughout life.
Timing of cortical activation: a latency-resolved event-related functional MR imaging study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The time course of cortical activations of different anatomic areas has been demonstrated to reflect, to some degree, the temporal dynamics of the brain network. The purpose of this study was to determine the temporal sequence of the hemodynamic response in the visual, supplemental motor (SMA), and primary motor cortical areas by using a visuomotor reaction time task. METHODS: The reaction times (RTs) of 26 right-handed subjects were recorded in response to a visual cue during an event-related functional MR imaging (fMRI) experiment. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM99) was used, and activation maps were produced for each subject. This was followed by a random-effects group analysis. Using a weighted least-squares approach, we recorded the time at onset of the hemodynamic response of the fMRI activation in four regions of interest: the right occipital (RO) and left occipital (LO) visual cortices, the SMA, and the left sensorimotor area (LM1). Linear regression analysis was done between the RTs and the mean latencies for the four areas. RESULTS: Using the group analysis, the results showed that the first regions to activate were the visual occipital cortices (RO and LO) with mean latency standard error of mean (SEM) of 1.74 0.05 s and 1.85 0.08 s, respectively. The visual occipital areas were followed by the SMA of 2.07 0.16 s and finally the LM1 with a mean latency of 2.1 0.15 s. There were significant differences in the mean onset of latencies between RO and LO, RO and SMA, and RO and LM1 (P < .05). On performing regression analysis between the RTs and the mean latencies by using the group analysis, there was no significant correlation with any of the four areas. By using an individual subject analysis, the results again showed that the first regions to activate were the visual occipital cortices (RO and LO) with mean latency SEM of 1.75 0.06 s and 1.84 0.12 s, respectively, followed by the SMA with a mean latency of 2.19 0.25 s and finally the LM1 of 2.26 0.38 s. There was no significant difference between the mean onset latencies. CONCLUSION: The onset of the hemodynamic response started first in the visual cortex (input) followed by the SMA and primary motor cortical area (output). The onset of activation showed no direct correlation with the overall RTs of the subjects, leading one to suggest that the peripheral motor unit may have a greater impact on RT than the central contribution.
"Jesus will fix it after awhile": meanings and health.

There are many myths and stereotypes related to the health of people of color in the United States. Many research studies are done and statistics proliferate on the health status of non-dominant groups. Few studies attempt to understand the meaning systems of poor and working class African American women in relationship to health and health care. This study uses an ethnographic approach including narrative analysis of life history interviews in order to examine how the life experiences and belief systems of a small group of poor and working class African American women from a storefront church in Seattle, Washington, inform and influence the women's opinions and interactions with the dominant white health care system. This paper will examine specific dimensions of the women's belief systems and discuss how these beliefs are applied as the women interpret, confront and examine the meaning of health and the meaning of their own experiences in specific health care encounters. The women's belief systems, learned and reinforced within the context of their daily lives, enable the women to offer a unique critique of the health care system, as well as to maintain a powerful subjectivity in the face of an objectifying system, the dominant white western health care system.
Echocardiographic factors discriminating biventricular versus univentricular approach in the foetus with borderline left ventricle

Background: The term “borderline left ventricle” describes a small left heart that may be inadequate to provide systemic cardiac output and implies the potential need for a single-ventricle palliation. The aim of this study was to identify foetal echocardiographic features that help discriminate which infants will undergo single-ventricle palliation versus biventricular repair to aid in prenatal counselling. Methods: The foetal database at our institution was searched to identify all foetuses with borderline left ventricle, as determined subjectively by a foetal cardiologist, from 2000 to 2011. The foetal images were retrospectively analysed for morphologic and physiologic features to determine which best predicted the postnatal surgical choice. Results: Of 39 foetuses identified with borderline left ventricle, 15 were planned for a univentricular approach, and 24 were planned for a biventricular approach. There were significant differences between the two outcome groups in the Z-scores of the mitral valve annulus, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, aortic valve annulus, and ascending aorta diameter (p<0.05). With respect to discriminating univentricular outcomes, cut-offs of mitral valve Z-score ⩽−1.9 and tricuspid:mitral valve ratio ⩾1.5 were extremely sensitive (100%), whereas a right:left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ratio ⩾2.1 provided the highest specificity (95.8%). Conclusion: In foetuses with borderline left ventricle, a mitral valve Z-score ⩾−1.9 or a tricuspid:mitral valve ratio ⩽1.5 suggests a high probability of biventricular repair, whereas a right:left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ratio ⩾2.1 confers a likelihood of single-ventricle palliation.
Modeling and implementing an adaptive human-computer interface using passive biosensors

Modeling of the human-computer interaction as a partnership between two systems provides a flexible method of modeling both the quantitative and qualitative requirements of a human-computer interface. A discussion of the components of a system, system structures and system issues are reviewed along with a description of the research model used at the adaptive multimodal interactive laboratory.
Chlamydomonas Genome Resource for Laboratory Strains Reveals a Mosaic of Sequence Variation, Identifies True Strain Histories, and Enables Strain-Specific Studies

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a widely used reference organism in studies of photosynthesis, cilia, and biofuels. Most research in this field uses a few dozen standard laboratory strains that are reported to share a common ancestry, but exhibit substantial phenotypic differences. In order to facilitate ongoing Chlamydomonas research and explain the phenotypic variation, we mapped the genetic diversity within these strains using whole-genome resequencing. We identified 524,640 single nucleotide variants and 4812 structural variants among 39 commonly used laboratory strains. Nearly all (98.2%) of the total observed genetic diversity was attributable to the presence of two, previously unrecognized, alternate haplotypes that are distributed in a mosaic pattern among the extant laboratory strains. We propose that these two haplotypes are the remnants of an ancestral cross between two strains with ∼2% relative divergence. These haplotype patterns create a fingerprint for each strain that facilitates the positive identification of that strain and reveals its relatedness to other strains. The presence of these alternate haplotype regions affects phenotype scoring and gene expression measurements. Here, we present a rich set of genetic differences as a community resource to allow researchers to more accurately conduct and interpret their experiments with Chlamydomonas.
The Body Stripped Down An Existential Account of the Threat Posed by the Physical Body

According to terror management theory, cultural beliefs and standards provide protection from fears associated with mortality by convincing individuals that their existence matters more than that of any mere mortal animal. The body threatens the efficacy of such mechanisms by reminding us that we are animals nonetheless, and therefore fated to death. I present research demonstrating that existential concerns contribute to uneasiness with the body, especially regarding sex, and also to pervasive concerns with how the body measures up to cultural standards, most obviously regarding women's appearance. These findings show that in effort to defend against threats associated with the body's physicality, people may deny themselves pleasure and endanger their health.
Genome-wide analysis of light-inducible responses reveals hierarchical light signalling in Neurospora

White collar-1 (WC-1) and white collar-2 (WC-2) are essential for light-mediated responses in Neurospora crassa, but the molecular mechanisms underlying gene induction and the roles of other real and putative photoreceptors remain poorly characterized. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of genome-wide microarrays reveals 5.6% of detectable transcripts, including several novel mediators, that are either early or late light responsive. Evidence is shown for photoreception in the absence of the dominant, and here confirmed, white collar complex (WCC) that regulates both types of light responses. VVD primarily modulates late responses, whereas light-responsive submerged protoperithecia-1 (SUB-1), a GATA family transcription factor, is essential for most late light gene expression. After a 15-min light stimulus, the WCC directly binds the sub-1 promoter. Bioinformatics analysis detects many early light response elements (ELREs), as well as identifying a late light response element (LLRE) required for wild-type activity of late light response promoters. The data provide a global picture of transcriptional response to light, as well as illuminating the cis- and trans-acting elements comprising the regulatory signalling cascade that governs the photobiological response.
Effects of selected fertilizers on the life history of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B.

ABSTRACT We tested the effects among a purportedly sustainable water-soluble fertilizer, a conventional water-soluble fertilizer, an alternation of these, a controlled-release fertilizer, and a clear water control on the life-history traits of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae; = Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring) biotype B reared on poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willdenow ex Klotzch). Free amino acids in petioles were measured to estimate plant nutrient assimilation and phloem nutritional quality for B. tabaci biotype B. The sustainable fertilizer produced plants with the highest concentration of amino acids. In contrast, fecundity of whiteflies was lowest in plants treated with the sustainable fertilizer and the water control. The relationship between total amino acids in phloem and survival was significantly quadratic, with the highest survival at intermediate levels. Fecundity, however, was negatively correlated with total amino acid content of the mater...
The LQG/LTR procedure for multivariable feedback control design

This paper provides a tutorial overview of the LQG/LTR design procedure for linear multivariable feedback systems. LQG/LTR is interpreted as the solution of a specific weighted H2-tradeoff between transfer functions in the frequency domain. Properties of this solution are examined for both minimum-phase and nonminimum-phase systems. This leads to a formal weight augmentation procedure for the minimum-phase case which permits essentially arbitrary specification of system sensitivity functions in terms of the weights. While such arbitrary specifications are not possible for nonminimum-phase problems, a direct relationship between weights and sensitivities is developed for nonminimum-phase SISO and certain nonminimum-phase MIMO cases which guides the weight selection process.
Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.

In the general population, the overall incidence of acute patellar dislocation is 5.8 per 100,000 people in the United States1. The rate of patellar dislocation is estimated to be highest in the age group of ten to seventeen years, with reported rates of 29% to 43%1-3. Women have a 33% increased prevalence of acute patellar dislocation compared with men1. Patellar instability typically occurs in patients with several anatomic risk factors, including both soft-tissue and osseous abnormalities. Conlan et al. studied twenty-five cadaveric specimens to analyze soft-tissue restraints associated with patellar instability and found the medial patellofemoral ligament to be a critical medial soft-tissue restraint in preventing lateral instability4. Furthermore, biomechanical and radiographic findings have led many surgeons to state that disruption of the medial patellofemoral ligament is the “essential lesion” required for patellar dislocation1,4-7. Disruption of the medial patellofemoral ligament was diagnosed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in twenty-six (96%) of twenty-seven patients8; the lesion most commonly occurs at the femoral attachment site9,10 (Fig. 1). In addition, the deep capsular layer, the medial patellomeniscal ligament, and the medial patellotibial ligament all have been found to contribute to the soft-tissue stabilization of the patella against lateral …
Reading Comprehension Skill Development and Instruction for Adolescent English Language Learners: A Focus on Academic Vocabulary Instruction

This chapter describes the reading comprehension development of adolescent ELLs, and the nature of their difficulties in this domain. We first describe the ELL population in U.S. secondary schools today—the diversity within the group and its academic achievement. We then discuss the elements and nature of the reading process itself to provide readers the foundational knowledge to understand the challenges faced by adolescent ELLs. We also highlight a series of research-based instructional practices that support the literacy development of adolescent ELLs. In particular, we focus on the importance of academic vocabulary instruction, as a key element of academic language instruction, for promoting these students’ advanced literacy skills. We conclude this chapter by delineating a literacy research agenda that will address and answer many of the pressing questions posed by today’s educators and policymakers.
Health Beliefs and Patient Adherence to Treatment

Nonadherence (sometimes called noncompliance) can be defined as a patient's failure to follow treatment recommendations given by their healthcare provider. The reasons for nonadherence include inadequate patient health literacy, health beliefs and attitudes, and practical barriers such as treatment side effects and financial constraints. Nonadherence has also been associated with emotional health challenges, particularly clinical depression. The purpose of this article is to examine the effects of patient health beliefs on adherence to medical treatment and suggests ways that health professionals can work with their patients to enhance mutual collaboration and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Non-Financial Firms as Cross-Market Arbitrageurs

I demonstrate that non-financial corporations act as cross-market arbitrageurs in their own securities. Firms simultaneously issue in one market and repurchase in another in response to relative valuations, inducing large and negatively-correlated financing flows in different markets. Specifically, net equity repurchases and net debt issuance both increase when the expected returns on debt are especially low, or when the expected returns on equity are relatively high. Credit valuations affect equity financing as much as equity valuations do, and vice versa. Additionally, cross-market corporate arbitrage counteracts market segmentation, helps account for merger dynamics, and has implications for unconventional monetary policies.
Global Competition and Market Access in the Securities Industry

The objective of this paper is to identify problems of market-access in the securities industry, to consider the adequacy of the approaches taken under regional and global financial services liberalization negotiations, and to suggest residual market-access issues that remain to be addressed. Part 1 of the paper places the securities industry in the context of the financial intermediation process, explaining the dynamics of that process and its impact on the securities industry and their international dimensions, including the volume and location of transactions-flows, and reviews available evidence on the apparent performance of firms home-based in various countries. Part 3 surveys the role of financial regulation, and evidence regarding explicit and implicit barriers to market access faced by securities firms, and the extent to which these have been addressed in both regional and global trade liberalization efforts.
Effects of Depression and Antidepressant Use on Cognitive Deficits and Functional Cognition Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To use a Rehabilomics framework to evaluate relations hips between post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) depression (PTD) and potential associated factors, including antidepressant use, on cognitive recovery following severe TBI. PARTICIPANTS: Severe TBI survivors (n = 154), recruited from a level 1 trauma center. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with assessments at 6 and 12 months postinjury. MAIN MEASURES: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PTD symptoms); cognitive composite score from a neuropsychological assessment battery (cognitive impairment); and Functional Independence Measure-Cognition (FIM-Cog, self-reported functional cognition). RESULTS: Individuals with and without PTD did not differ with respect to cognitive impairment. However, antidepressant use, regardless of PTD status, was associated with cognitive impairment. Individuals with PTD reported lower FIM-Cog scores at both time points compared with those without PTD. In a post hoc longitudinal analysis, individuals with late-onset PTD had worse cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that antidepressant use impairs cognition among individuals without PTD. Also, PTD did not directly affect cognitive impairment but may affect functional cognitive limitations through self-evaluation and apathy/motivation factors. Language: en
Signaling from Neural Impulses to Genes

Nerve impulses regulate expression of genes that control receptors, channels, enzymes, and structural proteins. This activity-dependent feedback allows adaptation to changing requirements and environmental conditions. The signal transduction mechanisms carrying information from the cell membrane to the nucleus are becoming well characterized, but a more dynamic view of intracellular signaling is emerging to explain cellular responses to specific patterns of neural impulses. This review analyzes this interface between electrophysiology and molecular cell biology to examine the signals, substrates, and processes that enable the nervous system to regulate its structure and function as a consequence of its own operation.
The Comprehensive Strategies in Preventing Boiler Tube Bursting Leakege

Under the circumstance of electric power reform,some new problems are emerged with respect to the issue of boiler tube failure. On the basis of introducing some new developments in this field abroad, the comprehensive measures to control boiler tube failure are discussed,including failure mechansim analysis,life prediction and risk management.
Characterization of Inner Medullary Collecting Duct Plug Formation Among Idiopathic Calcium Oxalate Stone Formers.

Objective To study the prevalence of, risk factors for, and renal functional consequences of ductal plug formation in idiopathic calcium oxalate (iCaOx) stone formers (SF). Patients and Methods Accessible renal papillae were videotaped to determine the percent surface area (SA) occupied by plaque and ductal plug in a consecutive cohort of iCaOx SF undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy for stone removal. Results Between 2009 and 2014, iCaOx SF comprised 96 of 240 enrolled patients. Of these, 41 (43%) had ductal plugs. Mean plaque SA did not differ between the low and high % plug groups (2.1% vs 3.4%, respectively). The amounts of mean % SA plaque and ductal plug were not strongly correlated (Spearman's ρ = 0.12, P = .3). Patients with >1% mean SA plug had a higher urinary pH (median 6.5 vs 6.0, P = .02) and elevated urinary hydroxyapatite supersaturation (median 5.4 vs 3.7 delta G; P = .04). Those with >1% plugging had more extensive ductal dilation ( P = .002) compared to those with ≤1%. However, estimated glomerular filtration rate was the same (median 75.4 mL/min/1.73 m 2 vs 74.7 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ). Number of prior stone events was associated with mean and maximum papillary SA occupied by plug ( P P = .3 and p = .5, respectively). Conclusion Within a cohort of iCaOx SF, macroscopic plaque and ductal plugs often coexist. Intraluminal features known to favor calcium phosphate crystallization appear to play a role in plug formation. The pathogenic significance of these plugs remains to be established, although their extent appears to correlate with stone burden.
New State and County Records for Oopterinus distinctus O'Brien (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Curculioninae; Otidocephalini)

ABSTRACT The weevil Oopterinus distinctus O'Brien (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Curculioninae; Otidocephalini), that was previously only reported from four counties in Arkansas, has been collected in Louisiana and Alabama and additional counties in Akransas. This represents new state and county records for this rare weevil.
RadShield: semiautomated shielding design using a floor plan driven graphical user interface

The purpose of this study was to introduce and describe the development of RadShield, a Java-based graphical user interface (GUI), which provides a base design that uniquely performs thorough, spatially distributed calculations at many points and reports the maximum air-kerma rate and barrier thickness for each barrier pursuant to NCRP Report 147 methodology. Semiautomated shielding design calculations are validated by two approaches: a geometry-based approach and a manual approach. A series of geometry-based equations were derived giv­ing the maximum air-kerma rate magnitude and location through a first derivative root finding approach. The second approach consisted of comparing RadShield results with those found by manual shielding design by an American Board of Radiology (ABR)-certified medical physicist for two clinical room situations: two adjacent catheterization labs, and a radiographic and fluoroscopic (R&F) exam room. RadShield’s efficacy in finding the maximum air-kerma rate was compared against the geometry-based approach and the overall shielding recommendations by RadShield were compared against the medical physicist’s shielding results. Percentage errors between the geometry-based approach and RadShield’s approach in finding the magnitude and location of the maximum air-kerma rate was within 0.00124% and 14 mm. RadShield’s barrier thickness calculations were found to be within 0.156 mm lead (Pb) and 0.150 mm lead (Pb) for the adjacent catheteriza­tion labs and R&F room examples, respectively. However, within the R&F room example, differences in locating the most sensitive calculation point on the floor plan for one of the barriers was not considered in the medical physicist’s calculation and was revealed by the RadShield calculations. RadShield is shown to accurately find the maximum values of air-kerma rate and barrier thickness using NCRP Report 147 methodology. Visual inspection alone of the 2D X-ray exam distribution by a medical physicist may not be sufficient to accurately select the point of maximum air-kerma rate or barrier thickness.
For Love of Humanities and Arts

In this second of three chapters on love of subject, we explore how students and teachers experience learning in the arts and humanities. The poems raise questions about how to balance analysis, criticism and creativity in the teaching of literature, how teachers sustain themselves through the piles and piles of student work they must read and comment on, and the limitations of the canon and canonical ways of reading and writing.
Data driven approach to estimating fire danger from satellite images and weather information

Wildfires cause extensive damage to nature and human developments. Substantial funds are spent preparing for and fighting them. This work develops a data driven approach to modeling the probabilistic risk of a currently burning fire becoming large and dangerous. We based our model upon observations of fire, weather and surrounding extracted from remote satellites. Data driven models reached good recognition accuracy in predicting fire danger in the coming day or two. We intend using the predictions in planning algorithms, e.g. flight plans for unmanned fire surveillance aircraft, to fight the fires in a more efficient and timely manner.
Technical Standards, Standards-Setting Organizations and Intellectual Property: A Survey of the Literature (with an Emphasis on Empirical Approaches)

Despite their potential benefits, voluntary consensus standards have over the past decade become the subject of significant private litigation, regulatory enforcement and policy debate. Much of the current controversy centers on the perceived proliferation of patents covering standardized technologies, potentially abusive enforcement of such patents against manufacturers and users of standardized products, and the terms on which patent holders may be required to license the use of those patents to others. This chapter offers an overview of the empirical, legal and economic literature concerning the interaction of inter-operability standards and standards-setting organizations with intellectual property rights (primarily patents, with attention to copyrights and trademarks as well).
Elementary Preservice Science Teaching Efficacy and Attitude toward Science: Can a College Science Course Make a Difference?.

University laboratory science courses are typically designed to prepare science majors or those who are pursuing health related careers. These courses often do not provide the experiences necessary to improve elementary preservice teacher science teaching efficacy or attitudes and beliefs toward science. This research utilized a university science content course that was designed for preservice elementary teachers. The course was designed to specifically teach science content consistent with national and state standards for K-5 science. The course was also designed to encourage elementary preservice teachers to share uncertainties concerning science and science education, while allowing them to experience the mastery of science content through discovery, inquiry, and collaborative laboratory experiences. The purpose of this design and implementation was to promote science content understanding, but also improve science teaching efficacy and attitudes toward science. Data was collected utilizing the Science Teacher Efficacy and Beliefs Instrument for preservice teachers (STEBI-B) and an end of course survey designed to encourage reflection on science teaching and attitudes toward science. The findings from this research suggest that a course specific to the science content needs of elementary preservice teachers’ can also improve confidence in teaching science and attitudes toward science as a body of knowledge.
Allocation, not male resistance, increases male frequency during epidemics: a case study in facultatively sexual hosts.

Why do natural populations vary in the frequency of sexual reproduction? Virulent parasites may help explain why sex is favored during disease epidemics. To illustrate, we show a higher frequency of males and sexually produced offspring in natural populations of a facultative parthenogenetic host during fungal epidemics. In a multi-year survey of 32 lakes, the frequency of males (an index of sex) was higher in populations of zooplankton hosts with larger epidemics. A lake mesocosm experiment established causality: experimental epidemics produced a higher frequency of males relative to disease-free controls. One common explanation for such a pattern involves Red Queen (RQ) dynamics. However, this particular system lacks key genetic specificity mechanisms required for the RQ, so we evaluated two other hypotheses. First, individual females, when stressed by infection, could increase production of male offspring vs. female offspring (a tenant of ‘Abandon Ship’ theory). Data from a life table experiment supports this mechanism. Second, higher male frequency during epidemics could reflect a purely demographic process (illustrated with a demographic model): males could resist infection more than females (via size-based differences in resistance and mortality). However, we found no support for this resistance mechanism. A size-based model of resistance, parameterized with data, revealed why: higher male susceptibility negated the lower exposure (a size-based advantage) of males. These results suggest that parasite-mediated increases in allocation to sex by individual females, rather than male resistance, increased the frequency of sex during larger disease epidemics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Stretchable temperature-sensing circuits with strain suppression based on carbon nanotube transistors

For the next generation of wearable health monitors, it is essential to develop stretchable and conformable sensors with robust electrical performance. These sensors should, in particular, provide a stable electrical output without being affected by external variables such as induced strain. Here, we report circuit design strategies that can improve the accuracy and robustness of a temperature sensor based on stretchable carbon nanotube transistors. Using static and dynamic differential readout approaches, our circuits suppress strain-dependent errors and achieve a measured inaccuracy of only ±1 oC within a uniaxial strain range of 0–60%. We address device variability by using a one-time, single-point calibration approach. In contrast with previous approaches, which infer temperature change through a normalized measurement at two temperatures, our prototype devices provide an absolute output without temperature cycling. This is essential for practical deployment because heating and cooling the sensor is prohibitively slow and costly during real-time operation and production testing. Using carbon nanotube transistors, stretchable temperature sensor circuits can be designed that suppress strain-dependent errors and achieve a measured inaccuracy of only ±1 °C within a uniaxial strain range of 0–60%
Classical topological order in the kinetics of artificial spin ice

Systems of interacting nanomagnets known as artificial spin ice1–4 have allowed the design, realization and study of geometrically frustrated exotic collective states5–10 that are absent in natural magnets. We have experimentally measured11,12 the thermally induced moment fluctuations in the Shakti geometry of artificial spin ice. We show that its disordered moment configuration is a topological phase described by an emergent dimer-cover model13 with excitations that can be characterized as topologically charged defects. Examination of the low-energy dynamics of the system confirms that these effective topological charges have long lifetimes associated with their topological protection, that is, they can be created and annihilated only as charge pairs with opposite sign and are kinetically constrained. This manifestation of classical topological order14–19 demonstrates that geometrical design in nanomagnetic systems can lead to emergent, topologically protected kinetics that can limit pathways to equilibration and ergodicity. Experiments on the Shakti geometry of artificial spin ice show that its low-energy excitations are topologically protected, and that an emergent classical topological order influences the ergodicity and equilibration of this nanomagnetic system.
Valuing Differences and Reinforcing Them: Multiculturalism Increases Race Essentialism

A substantial body of research on diversity philosophies has shown that multiculturalism (i.e., emphasizing and valuing cultural/ethnic differences) is a more effective way to promote equality and ...
Structure of the Fatou Set

The next two sections will be surveys only, with no proofs for several major statements. This section will describe a close relative of the Siegel disk.