cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating High and Low Flow Rates at Unsignalized Intersections

Unsignalized intersections are often modeled with an assumption of random vehicle arrivals. Vehicle arrivals are not random where nearby upstream signalized intersections cause platoons to form. A method is presented to identify periods of high and low flow. A statistical procedure is developed to estimate the high and low traffic flow rates caused by an upstream signal. The procedure is demonstrated with data from unsignalized intersections affected by platoon flow. Ramifications of using the procedure in the analysis of unsignalized intersections are then discussed.
Effects of Ethanol on Receptors Coupled to Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis in Brain

Many of the pharmacological actions of ethanol are related to the disruption of hormone and neurotransmitter signals in the brain. Signal transduction by hormones and neurotransmitters occur through receptors which alter intracellular levels of second messengers. Recent studies have indicated that a large number of hormones and neurotransmitter receptors stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis through the activation of a phosphoinositide specific phospholipase C (reviewed by Abdel-Latif [1]). Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing inositol and include phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2). Hydrolysis of PIP2 leads to the formation of two intracellular second messengers, diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate {l(1,4,5)P3}. Diacylglycerol has been shown to activate a phospholipid-calcium dependent protein kinase commonly referred to as protein kinase C (PKC). Inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate has been shown to release calcium from intracellular stores and to be metabolized to other active second messengers.
Visual Analysis and Filtering to Augment Cognition

We built and demonstrated a system that augments instructors’ sensing abilities and augments their cognition through analysis and filtering of visual information. Called BASE-IT, our system helps US Marine instructors provide excellent training despite the challenging environment, hundreds of trainees and high trainee-to-instructor ratios, non-stop action, and diverse training objectives. To accomplish these objectives, BASE-IT widens the sensory input in multiple dimensions and filters relevant information: BASE-IT a) establishes omnipresence in a large training area, b) supplies continuous evaluation during multi-day training, c) pays specific attention to every individual, d) is specially equipped to identify dangerous situations, and e) maintains virtual vantage points for improved situational awareness. BASE-IT also augments and personalizes the after-action review information available to trainees.
Photosynthesis and Cloning in Cyanobacteria

Research into photosynthesis is now a century old. Progress in the understanding of this mechanism has been slow, primarily for two reasons. First, the process is highly complex and involves dozens of components which must be arranged in a precise, orderly and structured fashion. Secondly, the so-called light-reactions of photosynthesis with which we will be concerned are located within a membrane. Unfortunately, techniques for the study of membrane-localized structures have lagged behind other fields and have only come into their own during the past 10 years. Another feature that has tended to impede progress in photosynthetic research concerns the wide range of organisms that can be utilized for such studies. Thus, researchers have worked with plants, eukaryotic algae, photosynthetic bacteria, and the cyanobacteria (blue-green algae); specific organisms were seen as possessing certain important characteristics and were used only during specific experiments. Though the cyanobacteria have often been utilized as an organism in photosynthetic research, the range of experiments have been somewhat narrow. These include an assessment of the phycobiliproteins in light-harvesting as well as comparative biochemical studies.
Intrusion detection and response model for mobile ad hoc networks

This dissertation presents a research whose objective is to design and develop an intrusion detection and response model for Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANET). Mobile ad hoc networks are infrastructure-free, pervasive and ubiquitous in nature, without any centralized authority. These unique MANET characteristics present several changes to secure them. The proposed security model is called the Intrusion Detection and Response for Mobile Ad hoc Networks (IDRMAN). The goal of the proposed model is to provide a security framework that will detect various attacks and take appropriate measures to control the attack automatically. This model is based on identifying critical system parameters of a MANET that are affected by various types of attacks, and continuously monitoring the values of these parameters to detect and respond to attacks. This dissertation explains the design and development of the detection framework and the response framework of the IDRMAN. The main aspects of the detection framework are data mining using CART to identify attack sensitive network parameters from the wealth of raw network data, statistical processing using six sigma to identify the thresholds for the attack sensitive parameters and quantification of the MANET node state through a measure called the Threat Index (TI) using fuzzy logic methodology. The main aspects of the response framework are intruder identification and intruder isolation through response action plans. The effectiveness of the detection and response framework is mathematically analyzed using probability techniques. The detection framework is also evaluated by performance comparison experiments with related models, and through performance evaluation experiments from scalability perspective. Performance metrics used for assessing the detection aspect of the proposed model are detection rate and false positive rate at different node mobility speed. Performance evaluation experiments for scalability are with respect to the size of the MANET, where more and more mobile nodes are added into the MANET at varied mobility speed. The results of both the mathematical analysis and the performance evaluation experiments demonstrate that the IDRMAN model is an effective and viable security model for MANET.
Patterns of neotropical plant species diversity.

Diversity has been given a central role in attempts to develop a general theory of ecology (Johnson and Raven, 1970). Much attention has been focused on large-scale trends, such as the increase in species diversity with decreasing latitude (Pianka, 1966; Mac Arthur, 1965; Fischer, 1960; Tramer, 1974), but there is surprisingly little documentation of the equally striking changes in diversity within the tropics. Moreover, additional information on tropical plant species diversity patterns is critically needed because of their potential importance in resolving some of the fundamental and theoretically significant differences of opinion as to the nature and manner of regulation of species diversity.
What’s the Problem?

In order to make a new contribution to his field of knowledge, the researcher will need to identify a significant problem within his chosen field, a choice that may have profound career implications. Identify a problem which is of an appropriate scope—neither too safe, nor too ambitious—and which is likely to have a solution.
A Silver Lining: The Role of Ethnic Diversity on Co-Occurring Trajectories of Weight Status and Peer Victimization Across Early Adolescence.

Abstract Purpose Although it is well-established that higher weight status youth are at greater risk of peer victimization, it is unknown how weight status and victimization develop concurrently; thus, the current study examined the co-occurrence of weight status and victimization trajectories across early adolescence. Furthermore, the role of ethnicity, including a novel measure of individual-level ethnic diversity exposure at school, was evaluated. Methods Participants included 5,991U.S. boys and girls (52% female; 32% Latino; 20% white; 14% East/Southeast Asian; 12% African–American/black) from 26 urban middle schools. Participants self-reported height and weight as well as peer victimization across four timepoints from sixth to eighth grade. Survey data was collected between 2009 and 2014. Results Growth mixture modeling identified five weight status groups (Low, Moderate, High, Decreasing, and Increasing) and four victimization groups (Low, High, Decreasing, and Increasing) trajectories. Parallel growth mixture modeling indicated that adolescents in the moderate weight status trajectory experienced the least amount of victimization; adolescents in the high weight status trajectory reported the highest levels of increasing and stable-high victimization. Moreover, higher weight status youth exposed to greater ethnic diversity at school were more likely to experience low victimization. Conclusions The study highlights the importance of belonging to a normative weight status trajectory for experiencing low peer victimization, yet also shows the large variability in the victimization experiences of higher weight status youth. Greater exposure to ethnic diversity at school appears to play a significant role in offsetting risk of victimization among higher weight status adolescents.
Identification of Missing Links Using Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible Spreading Traces

The study of Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible (SIS) spreading on complex networks has stressed the role of the network topology which is often not entirely available in practical cases. This paper addresses the problem of inferring the network links from observed SIS temporal traces. In this paper, we first derive the likelihood of an observed SIS temporal traces and then we show how Bayesian inference can be applied to infer the probability that the uncertain links exist. Moreover, formulating this network reconstruction problem as a Bayesian problem enables us to take advantage of the numerical methods already developed for Bayesian inference. In order to demonstrate the capability of the proposed approach, we performed several simulations where we were able to reconstruct the network from the SIS traces.
Food and Power: Regime Type, Agricultural Policy, and Political Stability

The relationship between development and democratization remains one of the most compelling topics of research in political science, yet many aspects of authoritarian regime behavior remain unexplained. This book explores how different types of governments take action to shape the course of economic development, focusing on agriculture, a sector that is of crucial importance in the developing world. It explains variation in agricultural and food policy across regime type, who the winners and losers of these policies are, and whether they influence the stability of authoritarian governments. The book pushes us to think differently about the process linking economic development to political change, and to consider growth as an inherently politicized process rather than an exogenous driver of moves towards democracy.
Links between discrimination and cardiovascular health among socially stigmatized groups: A systematic review

Background There is a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease across diverse groups in the U.S. population, and increasing research has identified stigma as a potential barrier to cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. This systematic review examines evidence linking discrimination and cardiovascular health among socially stigmatized groups. Study design Six databases were systematically reviewed from inception through February 2018 for studies with adult subjects, focusing on cardiovascular health indicators among social groups stigmatized because of their gender, race/ethnicity, age, body weight/obesity, or sexual orientation. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality and risk of bias for nonrandomized studies, and the Cochrane Collaboration 7-item domain for randomized controlled and experimental trials. Results The search identified 84 eligible studies published between 1984 and 2017. Studies retrieved were categorized according to demonstrated links between stigma and cardiovascular disease risk factors including blood pressure (n = 45), heart rate variability (n = 6), blood/saliva cardiovascular biomarkers (n = 18), as well as other indicators of cardiovascular health (n = 15). Based on the findings from included studies, 86% concluded that there was a significant relationship among stigma or discrimination and cardiovascular health indicators among socially stigmatized groups. However, there were varying degrees of evidence supporting these relationships, depending on the type of discrimination and cardiovascular health indicator. The current evidence implies an association between perceived discrimination and cardiovascular health. However, a majority of these studies are cross-sectional (73%) and focus on racial discrimination (79%), while using a wide variety of measurements to assess social discrimination and cardiovascular health. Conclusions Future research should include longitudinal and randomized controlled trial designs, with larger and more diverse samples of individuals with stigmatized identities, using consistent measurement approaches to assess social discrimination and its relationship with cardiovascular health.
Introduction to the JPIC Issue: Social Inequality: Impact on School, Youth, and Families.

In the current paper, we introduce a special issue on Social Inequalities, and the papers which contribute to our understanding of social inequalities and the role of communities in further address...
Liver Transplantation for Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Failure: Role of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Listing Decisions and Outcomes.

Psychiatric co-morbidities are thought to deter listing of patients with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure (APAP-ALF) for liver transplantation (LT). We examined the listing process and short-term outcomes via a cohort study of APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity. We analyzed listing determinants, listing rates, and short-term (21-day) outcomes in APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity (mental illness and/or substance abuse) enrolled in the ALFSG registry between 2000 and 2016. Of the 910 APAP-ALF patients, 801 (88%) had evidence of psychiatric comorbidity. There was no difference in listing between patients with (169/801, 21%) and without (26/109, 24%) psychiatric comorbidity (p = 0.59). Listed patients in both groups were younger with more severe admission clinical parameters than those not listed. Patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity had similar short-term outcomes: transplant rates among listed patients [57/169 (34%) vs 10/26 (39%), p = 0.80], spontaneous (transplant-free) survival (SS) [544/801 (68%) vs 73/109 (67%), p = 0.93], and overall death [207/801 (26%) vs 26/109 (24%), p = 0.74]. In our study, which is limited by informal psychiatric assessments, psychiatric comorbidity in APAP-ALF patients does not appear to impact listing, or short-term outcomes—SS, LT, or death. Transplant listing decisions primarily appear to be based on clinical severity of disease, rather than concern that APAP-ALF patients’ psychiatric comorbidity will compromise outcomes.
Perioperative complications within 30 days of hypospadias surgery: Results from NSQIP-Pediatrics

Summary Introduction There are no large multi-institutional studies reporting on perioperative complications of hypospadias repairs. We sought to determine perioperative complications of hypospadias repairs from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatrics (NSQIP-P) to aid in patient counseling. Study design This cohort study from 2012 to 2017 was conducted using NSQIP-P database. Pediatric patients undergoing hypospadias surgery were identified and compared based on 4 major categories: distal/midshaft repair, one-stage repair proximal, stage one repair, and stage two repair. Baseline demographics between the four groups and perioperative parameters were compared. Multivariable logistic regression analysis models including type of repair was used to determine associations with overall complications, infectious complications, and dehiscence. Discussion There were 11,292 patients identified in the study population. Overall, 78% underwent distal/midshaft hypospadias repair, 12% underwent one-stage proximal repair, 1.4% underwent proximal first stage repair and 9% underwent proximal second stage repair. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that proximal first stage procedures had similar overall complications to distal/mid repairs but proximal one-stage and proximal second stage procedures were associated with significantly more overall complications, local infectious complications, and dehiscence. Age, race, operative time, prematurity were also independently associated with increased overall complications. As expected, complication rates are higher in those with proximal hypospadias. In staged hypospadias, first stage has a lower complication rate compared to second stage. All complications, especially of infectious and dehiscence are the highest in the one-stage proximal and proximal second stage repairs. Conclusion We report large multi-institutional analysis of 30-day peri-operative hypospadias repair complications; this information is useful for patient counseling and education. Summary Table . Parameter All Distal/mid hypospadias One-stage Proximal Proximal First Stage Proximal Second Stage P-value SSI 58 (0.5%) 28 (0.3%) 13 (1.0%) 0 17 (1.8%) UTI 78 (0.7%) 45 (0.5%) 13 (1.0%) 0 20 (2.1%) Dehiscence 293 (2.6%) 149 (1.7%) 59 (4.3%) 4 (2.5%) 81 (8.4%) PNA 8 (0.1%) 3 (0.03%) 2 (0.2%) 1 (0.6%) 2 (0.2%) Return to OR 88 (0.8%) 49 (0.6%) 22 (1.6%) 2 (1.2%) 15 (1.6%) Readmission 157 (1.4%) 96 (1.1%) 28 (2.1%) 3 (1.9%) 30 (3.1%) Infectious comp 127 (1.1%) 67 (0.8%) 25 (1.8%) 0 (0%) 35 (3.6%) Any complication 467 (4.1%) 250 (2.8%) 93 (6.8%) 7 (4.3%) 117 (12.1%)
Conflict-Aware Flight Planning for Avoiding Near Mid-Air Collisions

We present a novel conflict-aware flight planning approach that avoids the possibility of near mid-air collisions (NMACs) in the flight planning stage. Our algorithm computes a valid flight-plan for an aircraft (ownship) based on a starting time, a set of discrete way-points in 3D space, discrete values of ground speed, and a set of available flight-plans for traffic aircraft. A valid solution is one that avoids loss of standard separation with available traffic flight-plans. Solutions are restricted to permutations of constant ground speed and constant vertical speed for the ownship between consecutive way-points. Since the course between two consecutive way-points is not changed, this strategy can be used in situations where vertical or lateral constraints due to terrain or weather may restrict deviations from the original flight-plan. This makes our approach particularly suitable for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration into urban air traffic management airspace. Our approach has been formally verified using the Athena proof assistant. Our work, therefore, complements the state-of-the-art pairwise tactical conflict resolution approaches by enabling an ownship to generate strategic flight-plans that ensure standard separation with multiple traffic aircraft, while conforming to possible restrictions on deviation from its flight path.
France and the American civil war: a diplomatic history

Drawing extensively on heretofore underutilized French archival sources, Steve Sainlaude provides a comprehensive history of France’s diplomatic engagement with the American Civil War. Sainlaude or...
Generation of correlated dual frequency combs in fiber lasers for high-precision metrology

Intracavity Phase Interferometry (IPI) has evolved into a powerful technique for high-precision metrology. In this method a parameter to be measured imparts a phase shift onto a pulse circulating in the laser cavity. The phase shift becomes a frequency shift applied to the corresponding frequency comb, which is measured by interfering the shifted comb with a reference comb created in the same laser cavity. Although fiber lasers are ideal for implementation of IPI, there are several challenges to achieve a deadband-free fiber IPI sensor. The huge amount of phase coupling between crossing pulses eliminates the small signal response. A successful observation of a beat signal was achieved in a polarization maintaining mode-locked fiber laser operating with orthogonally polarized pulses.
Rendering Spatiotemporal Haptic Effects Via the Physics of Waves in the Skin

A major challenge in haptic engineering has been to design practical methods to efficiently stimulate distributed areas of skin. Here, we show how to use a single actuator to generate vibrotactile stimuli which cause sensations of temporally varying spatial extent. Through optical vibrometry methods, we show that vibrational stimuli applied at the fingertip elicit waves in the finger that propagate proximally toward the hand and show how the frequency-dependent damping behavior of skin causes propagation distances to decrease rapidly with increasing frequency of stimulation. Utilizing these results, we design haptic stimuli applied through a single actuator that produces wavefields that expand or contract in size. In a perception experiment, participants accurately (median $>$95%) identified these stimuli as expanding or contracting without prior exposure or training. As a potential application, we used these effects as haptic cues for interactions in virtual reality. We show through a second experiment that the spatiotemporal haptic stimuli were rated as significantly more engaging than conventional vibrotactile stimuli. These findings demonstrate how the physics of waves in skin can be utilized to excite spatiotemporal tactile effects over large surface areas with a single actuator, and inform methods to utilize the effects in practical applications.
A concise review on preparation methods used for the development of solid lipid nanoparticles

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are in submicron size range nanoparticles and are made of biocompatible and biodegradable materials (mainly composed of lipids and surfactants) capable of incorporating both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs. SLNs are also considered as substitute to other colloidal drug systems, also used as controlled systems and targeted delivery. SLNs can be considered as an alternative for oral drug delivery vehicle to improve the oral bioavailability of drugs, associated reduction of drug toxicity and stability of drug in both GIT and plasma. There are different techniques used for the preparation of SLNs. Generally, the preparation of SLNs and any other nanoparticle system necessitates a dispersed system as precursor; otherwise particles are produced through the use of a particular instrumentation. This review provides the summary on the techniques or methods used for the development of SLNs of poorly water soluble drugs for improved drug delivery. Keywords: Solid lipid nanoparticles, controlled delivery, precursor, techniques.
The effect of whey protein concentration and preheating temperature on the color and stability of purple corn, grape and black carrot anthocyanins in the presence of ascorbic acid.

Abstract Our objective was to explore the effects of whey protein (WP) concentration and preheating temperature on anthocyanin color expression and stability over time in the presence of ascorbic acid. Anthocyanins from purple corn, grape or black carrot were mixed with native WP or preheated WP (40–80°C) in various concentrations (0–10 mg/mL) in pH 3 buffer containing 0.05% ascorbic acid and stored in the dark at 25 °C for 5 days. WP addition increased anthocyanin absorbance and protected anthocyanin from ascorbic acid-mediated degradation. Increasing WP concentration resulted in lower lightness and higher chroma, hue angle and color stability. The color loss of anthocyanin solutions decreased by 40%-50% when 10 mg/mL WP was added. Native WP showed more color enhancement and protection than thermally-induced WP. Increasing the WP preheating temperature resulted in less absorbance increase and more absorbance loss. Anthocyanin’ half-life was improved by addition of WP in a dose dependent manner. Native WP addition (10 mg/mL) extended anthocyanin half-life by about 2 times for purple corn and grape, and 1.31 times for black carrot anthocyanin solutions. Preheating temperature did not significantly affect anthocyanin protection by WP. WP addition might enhance anthocyanin stability in beverages containing ascorbic acid, expanding anthocyanin application in foods.
Feasibility of Delivering an on-Campus Food Distribution Program in a Community College Setting: A Mixed Methods Sequential Explanatory Investigation.

Despite community college students experiencing food insecurity there has been a dearth of research conducted on the feasibility of providing a program designed to increase access to fruits and vegetables among community colleges. This study used a mixed methods sequential explanatory design to examine the feasibility of delivering an on-campus food distribution program (FDP) to community college students and to examine the association between FDP and food insecurity and dietary intake. The study also explored the student’s experiences related to barriers and facilitators of program utilization. In phase one, the FDP occurred for eight months and students could attend twice per month, receiving up to 60 pounds of food per visit. Online questionnaires were used to collect students’ food security and dietary intake. Among the 1000 students offered the FDP, 495 students enrolled, with 329 students (66.5%) attending ≥ 1. Average attendance = 3.27 (SD = 3.08) [Range = 1–16] distributions. The FDP did not reduce food insecurity nor improve dietary intake. In phase two, a subsample of students (n = 36) discussed their FDP experiences through focus groups revealing three barriers limiting program utilization: program design and organization, personal schedule and transportation, and program abuse by other attendees. Facilitators to greater program utilization included: the type of food distributed and welcoming environment, along with allowing another designated individual to collect food. To maximize program use, it is suggested that reported barriers be addressed, which might positively influence food insecurity and dietary intake.
Structure of an immunoglobulin Fab fragment specific for triple-stranded DNA.

Triple-stranded DNA of the form poly(Pyr).poly-(Pur).poly(Pyr) (where Pyr represents a pyrimidine, and Pur represents a purine) has become the subject of intense research because of its potential use in the control of gene expression and in the development of sequence-specific reagents for cleaving DNA. In a triplex of this type, the second pyrimidine strand is in a parallel orientation to the purine strand and forms Hoogsteen base pairs with it via the major groove. We describe here the three-dimensional crystal structure determination of the antigen-binding fragment (Fab) from the murine monoclonal antibody Jel 318. Jel 318 is specific for triple-stranded DNA, with a preference for the sequence poly[d(T.m5C)].poly[d(G.A)].poly[(d(m5C+.T)]. The structure has been solved by the molecular replacement method and refined by molecular dynamics to an R value of 0.20 at a resolution of 2.8 A. The crystals have cell dimensions that are very similar to those of the previously determined structure of Fab Kol, but the Fab fragments pack within the unit cell in a completely different manner. The protein is in an extended conformation, with an elbow angle of 154 degrees. The shape and electrostatic surface potential of the antibody combining site suggest a possible model for the recognition of triplex DNA in which residues of CDR-H2 (where CDR represents complementarity-determining region) make specific contact with the DNA bases in the minor groove of the triplex.
The Penobscot Dance of Resistance: Tradition in the History of a People

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Pauleena MacDougall Year: 2004 Pages: 264 Publisher: University of New Hampshire Press ISBN: 1584653817 (soft cover). Prices: $24.95(soft cover).
Data Cleansing: A Prelude to Knowledge Discovery

This chapter analyzes the problem of data cleansing and the identification of potential errors in data sets. The differing views of data cleansing are surveyed and reviewed and a brief overview of existing data cleansing tools is given. A general framework of the data cleansing process is presented as well as a set of general methods that can be used to address the problem. The applicable methods include statistical outlier detection, pattern matching,clustering, and Data Mining techniques. The experimental results of applying these methods to a real world data set are also given. Finally, research directions necessary to further address the data cleansing problem are discussed.
Time and lag window selection in Wigner-Ville distribution

The paper provides the conditions on the selection of the lap and the time windows in Wigner-Ville distribution when it is considered for time-varying power spectrum estimation. It is shown that the general class of non-stationary processes requires the inseparability of the two windows. The separation is adequate for a certain class of processes in which the autocorrelation is considered invariant along time intervals whose length is shorter for smaller lags. The paper presents a discussion which relates the time-averaging estimation of the autocorrelation function with the nature of its slow time-variation.
Preserving sexual function in women and girls with cancer: survivorship is about more than just surviving.

exual health is difficult to define, but we know it when we whether she is having difficulties with her sexual function S see it. As defined by a technical report published by the World Health Organization in 2006, “Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected, and fulfilled.” Long considered “just” a quality-of-life issue, research points to much broader implications of impaired sexual health than previously understood. Whereas the value individuals place on sex does vary, sexual health is central for many women in maintaining intimate partnerships and a sense of general well-being, and for some, the socioeconomic consequences of relationship strain can be immense. This concept of sexual health is further complicated in women with a diagnosis of cancer. Female sexuality remains an element of well-being more likely to be discussed among girlfriends than with one’s physician. Although both physicians and patients indicate that sexual health is important, providers list many barriers to addressing these issues in women with cancer. Barriers include a fear of making the patient and/or provider uncomfortable, lack of adequate time, training or resources to address such concerns, lack of evidence-based solutions to problems that may arise, and/or a feeling that is the responsibility of the patient or another provider to raise these issues. Despite these barriers to discussing sexual health with female cancer patients, research shows that sex is important to these patients, across age groups and cancer types, and that sexual problems are common. Perhaps most importantly, patients are interested in discussing sexual health issues with a provider, given the opportunity. Simply asking the patient
Antimicrobial polypeptides are key anti-HIV-1 effector molecules of cervicovaginal host defense.

Mucosal surfaces of the cervix and vagina are portals for heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and, therefore, play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of primary infection. Cationic antimicrobial polypeptides including defensins are the principal effector molecules of mucosal innate immunity against microbes and viruses such as HIV. In cervicovaginal secretions, antimicrobial polypeptides constitute the majority of the intrinsic anti-HIV-1 activity, synergism between cationic polypeptides is complex, and full anti-HIV-1 activity involves the complete complement of cationic polypeptides. Periods in which cationic antimicrobial polypeptide expression is reduced are likely associated with increased susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. This review provides an overview of the role of cationic antimicrobial polypeptides in innate cervicovaginal anti-HIV-1 host defense, and discusses how hormones and bacterial infections can regulate their expression. Emphasis is placed on the θ-defensin (retrocyclin) class of anti-HIV-1 peptides and their potential for development as topical microbicides to prevent HIV-1 transmission.
Studies on Starling's law of the heart. VIII. Mechanical properties of human myocardium studied in vivo.

This investigation was designed to study the mechanical properties of human myocardium in vivo, and to ascertain whether Starling9s law applies to the human ventricle by determining whether the length of a segment of myocardium influences its force of contraction. A modified Walton-Brodie strain-gauge arch was sewn to the right ventricle of 10 patients and to the left ventricle of one patient at the time of operation. This instrument permitted the controlled alteration of the length of the myocardial segment to which it was attached, as well as the measurement of the tension exerted by this segment of myocardium throughout the cardiac cycle. In all 11 patients studied it was noted that as myocardial length was increased, the end-diastolic tension tended to rise slightly at first, but with further stretching the end-diastolic tension increased more strikingly. As the segment was stretched the maximal systolic tension, which it developed, increased more than did its resting tension. Thus, within limits, the active or developed tension rose as the myocardial segment increased in length. In five patients the active tension declined after the myocardial segment had been stretched to values ranging between 15 and 50 per cent above baseline length, i.e., a descending limb of the length-active tension relationship was evident. No change in duration of active tension occurred with progressive stretching of the myocardial segment, and changes in the rate of development of tension paralleled the changes in the active tension. In six patients the segment of myocardium was stretched progressively and was then permitted to shorten in the opposite direction. Hysteresis of the myocardium was demonstrated, since, at any given myocardial segment length, the resting and the maximal tensions were higher when the segment was being lengthened than when it was being shortened. These observations provide a description of the mechanical properties of functioning human myocardium and indicate that this tissue behaves in accordance with the Frank-Starling principle.
A three-phase ac/ac power electronic transformer-based PWM ac drive with lossless commutation of leakage energy

This paper presents a novel three-phase ac/ac power converter topology with a high frequency ac-link for adjustable speed PWM ac drives. Such drives find applications in electric power generation from renewable energy sources like wind. This converter has a single power conversion stage with bidirectional power flow capability. The high frequency transformer provides voltage transformation, isolation, noise decoupling and high power density. This topology minimizes the number of switching transitions of the load with the transformer windings. This reduces the common-mode voltage switching and results in a better output voltage profile. This paper presents a lossless source based commutation of leakage energy. It also results in the soft switching of all the switches in the load side converter. The proposed topology is controlled with a carrier based PWM technique based on the direct modulation of matrix converters. This modulation results in controllable input power factor. The proposed converter has been analyzed and simulated. The simulation results confirm the operation and the advantages of the proposed topology.
Contaminant profiles in Southeast Asian immigrants consuming fish from polluted waters in northeastern Wisconsin

Recent immigrants to the USA from Southeast Asia may be at higher risk of exposure to fish-borne contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p, p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (DDE) and methylmercury (MeHg) because of their propensity to engage in subsistence fishing. Exposure to contaminants was assessed in men and women of Hmong descent living in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where the Fox River and lower Green Bay are contaminated with PCBs, and to a lesser extent with mercury. Serum samples from 142 people were analyzed for PCBs and p,p'-DDE by capillary column gas chromatography with electron capture detection (ECD). Whole blood was analyzed for total mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry and atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. Lipid-adjusted total PCB concentrations ranged from 8.7 to 3,091ng/g (full range of the data), with a geometric mean of 183.6ng/g (estimated after eliminating one outlier). DDE ranged from 0.3 to 7,083 (full range of the data) with a geometric mean of 449.8ng/g (estimated after eliminating two outliers). Men had higher PCB and DDE concentrations than women. Serum PCB concentrations were significantly correlated with fish consumption (r=0.43, p<0.0001), whereas DDE concentrations were not (r=0.09,p=0.29). Instead, serum DDE was strongly associated with the number of years spent in a Thai refugee camp before immigrating to the USA (r=0.60;p<0.0001). PCB congeners 138, 153, 118 and 180 accounted for a smaller percentage of the total PCBs than has been reported in other fish-eating populations, and several lightly chlorinated congeners were present in relatively large amounts. Mercury exposure was low in this population. In conclusion, Hmong immigrants in northeastern Wisconsin are at risk of elevated PCB exposure from consumption of locally caught fish. The pattern of exposure is somewhat different than patterns in other fish-eating populations, possibly due to use of Aroclor 1242 by the paper industry in this region.
Rhizobium meliloti homologs of Escherichia coli mur genes

Abstract The pectate-lyase-encoding gene pelB of Erwinia chrysanthemi ec 16 was used as a probe for hybridization to Rhizobium meliloti Rml021 chromosomal DNA under low-stringency conditions. An Rml021 DNA fragment that hybridized to this probe was cloned and sequenced. Results of RNA hybridization indicate that a portion of the cloned fragment is transcribed in R. meliloti . Although the Rml021 fragment shares no significant nucleotide sequence identity with Ecl6 pelB , it includes an ORF (open reading frame) that shares a high degree of nt sequence identity with the Escherichia coli murD gene. This gene codes for UDP- N -acetylmuramoyl- l -alanyl- d -glutamate synthetase, which catalyzes a step in the synthesis of the E. coli cell wall. The R. meliloti putative murD sequence is preceded by a partial ORF that shares sequence identity with mraY . The orientation of the two ORFs in R. meliloti is similar to that of the E. coli murD and mraY genes.
Scaling of the insulator-to-superconductor transition in ultrathin amorphous Bi films

Study of the electrical conductances of a series of ultrathin Bi films as a function of increasing thickness has revealed behavior which can be correlated with the onset of superconductivity, even in the insulating state. The conductances of these films scale empirically with a single parameter which falls to zero when the films become superconductive. These observations suggest a direct transition between insulating and superconducting behavior. This transition occurs at a normal-state sheet resistance close to the quantum resistance for pairs, ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{q}}$=h/4${\mathit{e}}^{2}$.
Chemical and physical diversity of hydrothermal plumes along the East Pacific Rise, 8°45′N to 11°50′N

We conducted a survey of water-column hydrothermal plumes along a 350-km long section of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) axis stretching from 8°45′N to 11°50′N, including the region at 9°45′–54′N where 1991 ALVIN dives found evidence for recent seafloor volcanic eruptions. Our survey included measurements of temperature anomaly, light attenuation (suspended particles), methane, hydrogen, iron, manganese, helium, and aluminum. We detected strong light attenuation plumes in two main regions: south of the Clipperton Transform Fault (CTF) from 9°27′N to 9°57′N and north of the CTF from 11°05′N to 11°35′N. However, the plumes at these two regions had very different physical and chemical characteristics. South of the CTF, where the ridge is thought to be magmatically robust, the plumes had very high ratios of ³He/heat, methane/Mn and S/Fe. Plumes north of the CTF had much lower ratios of ³He/heat, methane/Mn, and S/Fe. These striking differences in volatile/heat and volatile/metal ratios suggest that the plumes in the vicinity of 9°50′N were derived from a young, evolving hydrothermal system, while the activity at ∼11°10′N is from an older, stable system. This survey demonstrated that water-column plume measurements can be used not only to accurately locate regions of hydrothermal activity, but also to determine the first-order chemical and physical characteristics of the hydrothermal fluids exiting from the seafloor.
Global Satellite Vegetation Monitoring: Long Term Global Monitoring of Vegetation Variables Using Moderate Resolution Satellites; Missoula, Montana, 16–19 June 2009

The fourth global vegetation workshop illuminated critical issues related to the current status and future of satellite vegetation monitoring in the climate change and carbon-trading era. About 120 scientists representing 12 countries attended the 3-day workshop. Plenary talks were given by distinguished remote sensing/ecosystem scientists. John Townshend (University of Maryland) presented his views on the current challenges in global remote sensing. Richard Waring (Oregon State University) offered new ecological insights to improve predictions of terrestrial carbon balances from satellite data sets. Compton Tucker (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) gave a synopsis of land observations, climate data gaps, and essential climate variables for global vegetation monitoring.
15N NMR spectroscopy of Pseudomonas cytochrome c-551.

{sup 15}N-{sup 1}H correlation spectroscopy with detection at the {sup 1}H frequency has been used at natural abundance to detect nitrogen nuclei bonded to protons in the ferrocytochrome c-551 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 19429). Side-chain aromatic nitrogen, main-chain amides, and side-chain amides have been assigned to specific residues by comparison to previous proton assignments. Assignment ambiguities arising from overlap in the proton dimension have been resolved by examining spectra as a function of temperature and pH. Nitrogen chemical shifts are reported at pH 4.6 and 9.4 and three temperatures, 32, 50, and 60{degree}C. Significant differences arise from the observed protein shifts and expected shifts in the random coil polypeptide.
A method for computing the degree of mixing in steady continuous flow systems

Abstract The degree of mixing was first proposed by Danckwerts and further discussed by Zwietering more than 50 years ago to measure mixing performance of a continuous flow system. Although the measure has been widely discussed in mixing literature, there has never been a method to compute its value for a general continuous flow. In this paper, a method is developed to compute this measure for a general steady continuous flow system for the first time. The method is based on the recently developed mean age theory. The governing equations for the mean age and higher moments of age are also derived for different types of tracer introduction other than pulse input in the current mean age theory.
The Isolation, Localization and Characterization of the QM Homolog in Drosophila melanogaster

A fragment of 443 bp was amplified from a λZAPII Drosophila central nervous system (CNS) cDNA library using minimally degenerate primers to very conserved regions of the QM gene. This fragment was used as a probe to screen the λZAPII Drosophila CNS cDNA library. Two clones of the Drosophila QM homolog (pDQM-7A1 and pDQM-2B1), each containing the complete coding region, were isolated. The 5′-UTR of this gene was obtained by RACE PCR and ligated to the coding sequence to produce a the full-length copy of the Drosophila QM homolog (DQM) cDNA. The DQM cDNA measures 746 nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide of 218 residues. The amino acid sequence shows 76.1 percent identity with human QM and 69.1 percent identity with QSR1, the yeast homolog of QM. Unlike the human or mouse genome which contains multiple copies of the QM gene, the Drosophila genome has only a single copy as indicated by genomic Southern blot analysis. In situ hybridization confirms the presence of a single copy of DQM in the Drosoph...
Network coding-aware channel allocation and routing in cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we investigate a network coding-aware channel allocation and routing scheme for multi-hop cognitive radio networks. We consider network coding and channel availability in cognitive radio networks and maximize the throughput by allocating the channel and link rate appropriately. First, we model the activities of the primary users and the interference among the secondary users in a cognitive radio network and show how to implement network coding in the multi-hop cognitive radio network. Second, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the throughput of the network. It takes advantage of the network coding opportunities and considers the channel availability constraint. By solving this optimization problem, we can determine how to allocate channels and rates of links in different channel availability scenarios. Furthermore, we compare the performance of our scheme with the coding oblivious routing for different scenarios of channel availability and maximum number of channels in a random wireless network. Our work brings insights on the benefits of network coding-aware routing in multi-hop cognitive radio networks.
Observation of Non-Maxwellian Electron Distribution Functions in the Alcator Device by Means of Thomson Scattering and Their Interpretation

In the Alcator device incoherent Thomson scattering always gives Gaussian spectral profiles at low values of the ratio of electron drift velocity to thermal velocity ($\frac{{v}_{D}}{{v}_{\mathrm{th}}}\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.1$). However, at higher values of $\frac{{v}_{D}}{{v}_{\mathrm{th}}}$ non-Gaussian profiles are observed and can be interpreted in terms of scattering from electrons with high toroidal velocity (low-energy runaways). This interpretation is supported by soft-x-ray and plasma-resistivity measurements and agrees with a previous theoretical analysis.
Transistor and interconnect modeling for design of carbon nanotube integrated circuits

The one-dimensional carbon nanotube (CNT) has excellent electrical, mechanical and thermal properties which have made the CNT one of the promising materials for applications in nanoelectronics and micro/nano-systems. Nanometer CMOS technology, especially in 22 nm and below, is plagued due to performance degradation of conventional Cu/low-k dielectric as an interconnect material for gigascale integration. In search for novel technologies, no such material has aroused so much interest other than carbon nanomaterials since the discovery of carbon nanotube. Recent work on analytical modeling equations describing the current transport in carbon nanotube field effect transistors and carbon nanotube interconnects will be presented for use in design of emerging logic devices similar to CMOS design style.