cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using School-Level Interviews to Develop a Multisite PE Intervention Program

The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) is a randomized, multicenter field trial in middle schools that aims to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls. To inform the development of the TAAG intervention, two phases of formative research are conducted to gain information on school structure and environment and on the conduct of physical education classes. Principals and designated staff at 64 eligible middle schools were interviewed using the School Survey during Phase 1. The following year (Phase 2), physical education department heads of the 36 schools selected into TAAG were interviewed. Responses were examined to design a standardized, multicomponent physical activity intervention for six regions of the United States. This article describes the contribution of formative research to the development of the physical education intervention component and summarizes the alignment of current school policies and practices with national and state standards.
Diel vertical migration and shoaling heterogeneity in Atlantic redfish: effects on acoustic and bottom-trawl surveys

A series of experiments comparing acoustic and bottom-trawl surveys was conducted on Atlantic redfish (Sebastes spp.) on the edge of the Green and Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Canada. Redfish were on or near bottom by day and migrated vertically in the water column at night. In an attempt to account for biases attributable to the presence of fish in the near-bottom dead zone (DZ), a correction factor was applied based on density values measured within the first few metres above the detected bottom. Acoustic densities within increasing range increments above the bottom were compared with densities estimated from the trawl catch. Swept area was calculated using both the trawl's wing spread and door spread as proxies for the minimum and maximum fishing widths. Uncorrected acoustic densities were significantly higher during the night than during the day. No significant day/night differences for the entire water column were observed after DZ corrections. Close agreement between acoustic and trawl densities was obtained by integrating within the first 10 to 20 m off the bottom, with or without the DZ corrections, for both day and night experiments, but regression slopes differed. Trawl catchability appeared to be density-dependent at night, being higher at lower fish densities. Daytime acoustic estimates were more variable than those made at night, as indicated by consecutive passes of several transects and CVs of density (means of 131% during day, 35% at night). We conclude that acoustic measurements made at night provide the most reliable and least variable density estimates, and make recommendations for surveys.
Electromagnetic scattering from slightly rough surfaces with inhomogeneous dielectric profile

Remote sensing of soil moisture using microwave sensors requires accurate and realistic scattering models for rough soil surfaces. In the past much effort has been devoted to the development of scattering models for either perfectly conducting or homogeneous rough surfaces. In practice, however, the permittivity of most soil surfaces is nonuniform, particularly in depth, for which an analytical solution does not exist. The variations in the permittivity of a soil medium can easily be related to its soil moisture profile and soil type using the existing empirical models. In this paper analytical expressions for the bistatic scattering coefficients of soil surfaces with slightly rough interface and stratified permittivity profile are derived. The scattering formulation is based on a new approach where the perturbation expansion of the volumetric polarization current instead of the tangential fields is used to obtain the scattered field. Basically, the top rough layer is replaced with an equivalent polarization current and using the volumetric integral equation in conjunction with the dyadic Green's function of the remaining stratified half-space medium the scattering problem is formulated. All first-order scattering solutions and second-order scattering solutions for the cross-polarization fields are obtained. The theoretical results are compared with the backscatter measurements of rough surfaces with known dielectric profile and roughness statistics.
Microinjection of fluorescent tracers to study neural cell lineages

The examination of cell lineages is an important step towards understanding the developmental events that specify the various cell types in the organism. The mechanisms that control which cell types are formed, their locations, and their numbers remain unknown. Analyses of cell lineage in the frog neural retina have revealed that individual precursors are multipotent and are capable of producing almost any combination of cell types. In addition to giving rise to a wide range of phenotypes, the precursors can give rise to a wide range of clone sizes. Cell lineage studies in other systems indicate that some precursors are multipotent, like those in the retina, while others appear to produce a more restricted range of descendants, perhaps even a single phenotype. These differences in the developmental potential of precursor cells suggest that the nervous system uses several strategies for producing its many cell types. Investigation of these strategies, at the cellular and molecular level, requires more than a description of the normal cell lineages. We are now exploiting the frog neural retina to perform the experimental manipulations needed to elucidate these strategies.
HIV: from molecular recognition to tissue pathogenesis

Dramatic progress has been made recently in identifying both viral and cellular molecules responsible for binding and fusion of HIV-1 to target cells. In vivo, HIV-1 infection is transmitted by viruses that recognize chemokine receptor CCR5, while viruses isolated at later stages of HIV disease often recognize another chemokine receptor, CXCR4. It is still not understood how this molecular tropism of HIV-1 is translated into the virus' ability to compromise normal cell functions, which results in impairment of lymphoid tissue and causes AIDS. Here, we discuss how the new molecular findings might relate to HIV pathogenesis in cells and tissues.
Women in Cardiology: The X Factor and the Heart of Medicine

Copyright: © 2014 Lucas A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Women in Cardiology: The X Factor and the Heart of Medicine Alexandra Lucas1*, MaryAnn Eaverly2, Grant McFadden3 and Marsha Bryant4 1Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology and Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, USA 2Department of Classics, University Florida, USA 3Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, USA 4English and Distinguished Teaching Scholar, University of Florida, USA
An FPGA Implementation of Information Theoretic Visual-Saliency System and Its Optimization

Biological vision systems use saliency-based visual attention mechanisms to limit higher-level vision processing on the most visually-salient subsets of an input image. Among several computational models that capture the visual-saliency in biological system, an information theoretic AIM(Attention based on Information Maximization) algorithm has been demonstrated to predict human gaze patterns better than other existing models. We present an FPGA based implementation of this computationally intensive AIM algorithm to support embedded vision applications. Our implementation provides performance of processing about 4M pixels/sec for 25 basis functions with a convolution kernel size of 21 by 21 for each of the R, G, and B color-channels, when implemented on a Virtex-6 LX240T. We also provide an optimization aimed at controlling the trade-off between power consumption and latency, and performance comparisons with a GPU implementation.
DNA Microarray Assay Helps to Identify Functional Genes Specific for Leukemia Stem Cells

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease derived from an abnormal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and is consistently associated with the formation of Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly effective in treating chronic phase CML but do not eliminate leukemia stem cells (LSCs), which are believed to be related to disease relapse. Therefore, one major challenge in the current CML research is to understand the biology of LSCs and to identify the molecular difference between LSCs and its normal stem cell counterparts. Comparing the gene expression profiles between LSCs and normal HSCs by DNA microarray assay is a systematic and unbiased approach to address this issue. In this paper, we present a DNA microarray dataset for CML LSCs and normal HSCs to show that the microarray assay will benefit the current and future studies of the biology of CML stem cells.
Sensitive pepsin immunoassay for detection of laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To determine whether measurement of pepsin in throat sputum by immunoassay could be used as a sensitive and reliable method for detecting laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) compared with 24-hour double-probe (esophageal and pharyngeal) pH monitoring. Study Design: Patients with clinical LPR undergoing pH monitoring provided throat sputum samples during the reflux-testing period for pepsin measurement using enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. Results: Pepsin assay results from 63 throat sputum samples obtained from 23 study subjects were compared with their pH monitoring data. Twentytwo percent (14/63) of the sputum samples correlated the presence of pepsin with LPR (pH < 4 at the pharyngeal probe), of which the median concentration of pepsin was 0.18 g/mL (range 0.003–22 g/mL). Seventyeight percent (49/63) of the samples unassociated with (pharyngeal) reflux contained no detectible pepsin. Mean pH values for pepsin-positive samples were significantly lower than negative samples at both esophageal probe (pH 2.2 vs. pH 5.0) (P < .01) and the pharyngeal probe (pH 4.4 vs. pH 5.8) (P < .01). When the pepsin assay results were compared with the pharyngeal pH data for detecting reflux (events pH < 4), the pepsin immunoassay was 100% sensitive and 89% specific for LPR. Conclusions: Detection of pepsin in throat sputum by immunoassay appears to provide a sensitive, noninvasive method to detect LPR. Key Words: Pepsin, immunoassay, larynx, laryngopharyngeal reflux, gastroesophageal reflux, GERD, pH monitoring, sputum, reflux laryngitis, diagnosis Laryngoscope, 115:1473–1478, 2005
Specific Enhancement of Clover Root Hair Infections by Trifoliin A-Binding Lipopolysaccharide from Rhizobium Trifolii

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Rhizobium trifolii 0403 in early stationary phase binds specifically to the clover lectin, trifoliin A (Hrabak et al. 1981). Kamberger (1979) proposed that the specific interaction of host lectin with LPS of fast-growing rhizobia triggers successful infection of root hairs after attachment via cross-bridging of lectin and capsular polysaccharides. In this study, we examined the effect of trifoliin A-binding LPS on the infection of white clover root hairs by R. trifolii 0403.
Substance use stigma: Reliability and validity of a theory-based scale for substance-using populations.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders consistently rank among the most stigmatized conditions worldwide. Thus, substance use stigma fosters health inequities among persons with substance use disorders and remains a key barrier to successful screening and treatment efforts. Current efforts to measure substance use stigma are limited. This study aims to advance measurement efforts by drawing on stigma theory to develop and evaluate the Substance Use Stigma Mechanisms Scale (SU-SMS). The SU-SMS was designed to capture enacted, anticipated, and internalized Substance Use Stigma Mechanisms among persons with current and past substance use disorders, and distinguish between key stigma sources most likely to impact this target population. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional evaluation of the validity, reliability, and generalizability of the SU-SMS across two independent samples with diverse substance use and treatment histories. RESULTS: Findings support the structural and construct validity of the SU-SMS, suggesting the scale was able to capture enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma as distinct stigma experiences. It also further differentiated between two distinct stigma sources (family and healthcare providers). Analysis of these mechanisms and psychosocial metrics suggests that the scale is also associated with other health-related outcomes. Furthermore, the SU-SMS demonstrated high levels of internal reliability and generalizability across two independent samples of persons with diverse substance use disorders and treatment histories. CONCLUSION: The SU-SMS may serve as a valuable tool for better understanding the processes through which substance use stigma serves to undermine key health behaviors and outcomes among persons with substance use disorders.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Language: en
High Temperature Damage and Failure Assessment of Plant Components

A comprehensive approach for the treatment of components operating at high temperature is of immediate industrial interest. Particularly, the components with weldments in currently aging plants are prone to failure. Although these components are designed for base load operation, they are now forced to cyclic operation. This important issue needs to be addressed by a methodology that will be developed and incorporated into design codes such as ASME, as well as in Fitness-for-Service (FFS) assessment procedures (e.g. API 579/ASME FFS1, R5, RCC-MR A16) for in-service plant components. Assessment of welded components for Fitness-for-Service is addressed in fragments in various procedures. The present paper gives an overview of the high temperature assessment procedures including recent developments in the FFS procedures. Experimental and analytical test results from ferritic steel P22, which is used in power generation and chemical processing industrial applications are presented.© 2011 ASME
Selectivity of the Acaricides Clofentezine and Hexythiazox to the Predator Metaseiulus occidentalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Two new ovicidal acaricides were tested in the laboratory to determine their relative toxicity to the predator Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) and the Pacific spider mite, Tetranychus pacificus McGregor. Clofentezine and hexythiazox caused little mortality of adult females, larvae, or eggs of M. occidentalis . It seems unlikely that, at the proposed field rates, these ovicides will be toxic to this predator. Clofentezine is equally toxic to eggs (0–24 h old) of the spider mites T. pacificus and T. urticae Koch. However, both clofentezine and hexythiazox are less toxic to eggs of T. pacificus 49–72 h old than to younger eggs. Fecundity of M. occidentalis and T. pacificus females was significantly increased within 48 h on disks sprayed with hexythiazox at rates 0.5-fold the field rate and above.
Peripherally restricted viral challenge elevates extracellular glutamate and enhances synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.

Peripheral infections increase the propensity and severity of seizures in susceptible populations. We have previously shown that intraperitoneal injection of a viral mimic, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC), elicits hypersusceptibility of mice to kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. This study was undertaken to determine whether this seizure hypersusceptibility entails alterations in glutamate signaling. Female C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with PIC, and after 24 h, glutamate homeostasis in the hippocampus was monitored using the enzyme-based microelectrode arrays. PIC challenge robustly increased the level of resting extracellular glutamate. While pre-synaptic potassium-evoked glutamate release was not affected, glutamate uptake was profoundly impaired and non-vesicular glutamate release was augmented, indicating functional alterations of astrocytes. Electrophysiological examination of hippocampal slices from PIC-challenged mice revealed a several fold increase in the basal synaptic transmission as compared to control slices. PIC challenge also increased the probability of pre-synaptic glutamate release as seen from a reduction of paired-pulse facilitation and synaptic plasticity as seen from an enhancement of long-term potentiation. Altogether, our results implicate a dysregulation of astrocytic glutamate metabolism and an alteration of excitatory synaptic transmission as the underlying mechanism for the development of hippocampal hyperexcitability, and consequently seizure hypersusceptibility following peripheral PIC challenge. Peripheral infections/inflammations enhance seizure susceptibility. Here, we explored the effect of peritoneal inflammation induced by a viral mimic on glutamate homeostasis and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mouse hippocampus. We found that peritoneal inflammation elevated extracellular glutamate concentration and enhanced the probability of pre-synaptic glutamate release resulting in hyperexcitability of neuronal networks. These mechanisms are likely to underlie the enhanced seizure propensity.
A volume-activated taurine channel in skate hepatocytes: membrane polarity and role of intracellular ATP

Osmoregulation in isolated hepatocytes and perfused livers of the little skate (Raja erinacea), an osmoconforming marine elasmobranch, is mediated in part by the uptake or release of the intracellular osmolyte taurine. To further characterize the efflux mechanism, [14C]taurine release and Na(+)-independent uptake were assessed after cell swelling in hypotonic media containing 0.1-100 mM taurine. Rate coefficients for [14C]taurine uptake (0.016 +/- 0.002 min-1) and efflux (0.015 +/- 0.003 min-1) were similar and independent of extracellular taurine concentration, indicating that a taurine-permeable channel mediates the release of this amino acid after cell swelling. Volume-activated taurine uptake and efflux were both blocked by pretreatment with the metabolic inhibitors 2,4-dinitrophenol, antimycin A, and KCN plus iodoacetate, by the sulfhydryl-reactive compound N-ethylmaleimide and the transport inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. [14C]taurine release via this channel was immedi...
Light scattering in anisotropic media

The theory of Brillouin scattering of light in an optically anisotropic medium is developed. The influence of a uniform elastic strain on the intensity and the depolarisation factors of the light scattered by a glass are calculated. These quantities change rapidly when the forced birefringence reaches a magnitude of the same order as the optical fluctuations within the glass. They reach definite saturation values for large strains. The results are analogous in many respects to those observed for scattering in a graphite sol under the influence of a magnetic field.
Separation between ischemic and reperfusion injury by site specific entrapment of endogenous adenosine and inosine using NBMPR and EHNA.

BACKGROUND Although myocardial ATP is essential for myocardial viability and ventricular function, it is a major source of free radical substrates for endothelial xanthine oxidase. Correlation between myocardial ATP and ventricular function has been hindered by the impact of ATP catabolites on ventricular function during reperfusion. OBJECTIVES This work results from four separate experiments assessing the role of nucleoside efflux in reperfusion mediated injury to determine the dual role of myocardial ATP in postischemic ventricular dysfunction. An adenosine deaminase inhibitor, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine (EHNA), and an adenine nucleoside transport blocker, p-nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), were used to specifically inhibit adenosine deamination and block nucleoside release, respectively. This pharmacological intervention results in site-specific entrapment of intramyocardial adenosine and inosine, generated during ischemia, and blocks degradation to free radical substrates during reperfusion, thereby limiting the impact of reperfusion mediated injury. METHODS Forty-three anesthetized dogs were instrumented to monitor left ventricular performance from the slope of the relationship between stroke work and end-diastolic length (SW/EDL). Hearts were subjected to varying periods (30, 60, or 90 min) of global ischemia and 60 or 120 minutes of reperfusion. Two control groups for 30 and 60 minutes of ischemia (16 dogs) received only saline solution. Four treated groups (27 dogs) received saline containing 100 microM EHNA and 25 mM NBMPR prior to ischemia or only during reperfusion (n = 7). Myocardial biopsies were analyzed for ATP catabolites and NAD+. RESULTS Myocardial ATP and left ventricular function were severely depressed by 50% and 80% in the untreated controls, following 30 and 60 minutes of ischemia (37 degrees C), respectively. Ventricular dysfunction was inversely related to inosine levels in the myocardium at the end of the ischemic period. Administration of EHNA/NBMPR before ischemia or only during reperfusion resulted in significant accumulation of mainly adenosine or inosine, respectively. Entrapment of nucleosides was associated with complete recovery of ventricular function after 30 or 60 minutes of ischemia. Hearts subjected to 90 minutes of ischemia developed contracture. CONCLUSIONS Despite severely reduced ATP levels, ventricular function significantly recovered to preischemic values only in the EHNA/NBMPR-treated groups. Selective blockade of purine release during reperfusion is cardioprotective against post-ischemic reperfusion mediated injury. It is concluded that nucleoside transport plays an important role in regulation of endogenous adenosine and inosine affecting the degree of myocardial injury or protection from reperfusion mediated injury.
User-Defined Body Gestures for an Interactive Storytelling Scenario

For improving full body interaction in an interactive storytelling scenario, we conducted a study to get a user-defined gesture set. 22 users performed 251 gestures while running through the story script with real interaction disabled, but with hints of what set of actions was currently requested by the application. We describe our interaction design process, starting with the conduction of the study, continuing with the analysis of the recorded data including the creation of gesture taxonomy and the selection of gesture candidates, and ending with the integration of the gestures in our application.
Information Disclosure in Dynamic Lemon Market

This paper studies the incentive of a long run seller to disclose past offers when trading with a sequence of short-run buyers. Compared with the models of mandatory disclosure or mandatory non-disclosure, there is a new set of equilibria generated by allowing flexibility in the disclosure option. In this new class of equilibria, the seller adopts a threshold rule in disclosure and only discloses rejected price offer above the threshold to the future buyers. In a two-period case I show that the welfare-maximizing equilibrium in the optional disclosure model could generate a strictly higher social surplus than any equilibria in models with mandatory restrictions on the disclosure policy. Mandatory disclosure or concealment of past offers may not be necessary for market information structure. Moreover, a policy maker can adopt non-disclosure policy for lower prices and voluntary (or mandatory) disclosure policy for higher prices to enhance trading efficiency.
Double Negative T-Cells in Children with Aplastic Anemia.

Abstract 3195 Poster Board III-132 Background Aplastic Anemia (AA) is characterized by an acquired, progressive loss of hematopoietic tissue from the bone marrow thought to result from an immune reaction targeting the stem cell. Lymphocytes expressing CD8 and cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma, are known key factors in the pathophysiology. More recently, the role of other T cell populations has been invoked. We undertook the current retrospective study of 19 consecutive pediatric patients to understand the scope of immune dysregulation seen in children with AA. Patients between the ages of 2 and 17 (10 girls, 9 boys) were referred to our center for evaluation of pancytopenia and underwent a staged comprehensive work up to exclude heritable, infectious, infiltrative, or nutritional etiologies for bone marrow failure. Patients were categorized as severe (n=16), or moderately severe (n=3) according to accepted criteria. Association with hepatitis was noted in one patient. Laboratory studies were performed in a certified clinical laboratory, with reference ranges established according to established protocols. Methods In a subset of 9 patients, we performed detailed T- cell immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. As previously described in adult AA patients, 5 of our 9 patients showed decreases in CD56/CD16 co-expressing NK cells (% range: 1.9-7.5% with reference range of 5-15%) whereas CD2 /CD25 co-expressing T-regulatory cells were decreased in 1 of 9 patients and increased 3 of 9 patient without correlation with demographic, or clinical parameters (% range: 0.6-15.3% with reference range of 2-10%). Further detailed analysis of T-cell subsets revealed an increase in CD3/CD4 double-negative T-cells (DNT) in 6 of 9 patients (% range: 2.3-21.7% with reference range of 0-4%). This population is widely considered diagnostic of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), a rare immune mediated disease commonly involving lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, fevers and variable cytopenias. While ALPS often arises from mutations in components of fas apoptotic signaling pathway, none of the nine patients tested showed abnormalities outside the reference range in cell surface expression of fas -, or fas ligand. Finally, clones of cells lacking expression of glycosylphosphatidyl-inositol (GPI) linked proteins have been reported in adult patients with AA, where clone size fluctuates with response to immunotherapy treatment. Among our patients 4 of 9 showed red cell (% clonal size range 0.1-14.6) or white blood cell (% clonal size range 0.2-38) clones. Conclusion In conclusion, our study in a pediatric AA cohort, while small, confirms key findings of immune dysregulation previously seen in adult patients and for the first time demonstrates the existence of sizable populations of immature double-negative T-cells. Understanding the full spectrum of immune dysfunction is critical in understanding the pathophysiology of AA and may help in guiding immunotherapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Examining the Unique Characteristics of a Non-Probability Sample of Undocumented Female Sex Workers with Dependent Children: The Case of Haitians in the Dominican Republic

Haitians in the Dominican Republic (DR) are increasingly marginalized due to recent legislation that stripped Haitian-Dominicans of their citizenship and increased Haitian migrants’ deportation risk. Haitian female sex workers (FSWs) are particularly vulnerable, though little is known about them. This study will help public health efforts targeted at sex workers to better reach Haitian FSWs and address their needs by identifying a profile of characteristics unique to this group compared to Dominican FSWs. Data were collected in 2014 among Haitian and Dominican FSWs in Puerto Plata, DR. Surveys assessed respondents’ demographics, health consciousness, depression, and stigma. Adjusted logistic regressions showed that Haitian FSWs were disadvantaged: they had significantly lower rates of education, more children, and less permanent income. Furthermore, Haitian FSWs were more likely to work independently and for fewer hours. Interestingly, Haitian FSWs internalized less stigma than Dominicans. Though we can only speculate, this could be due to migration for sex work, or the lack of formal employment for Haitians. Initiatives to alleviate poverty, create formal jobs, and overturn discriminatory legislation may have the most impact for Haitian FSWs.
Simulation Model of the Shiphandling Training Boat "Blue Lady"

Abstract The shiphandling training boat used for navigators training is presented. Its strongly nonlinear model for simulation research is described with details. Model has block-oriented structure, easy to develop. Model coefficients were carefully adjusted based on many full-scale trials. The accuracy of the model was werified by comparison with data from real ship. Exemplary results of this verification are presented in figures at the end of publication.
Enabling Context Aware Applications with Image Sensors

Image sensors have become ubiquitous due to their integration into smart phones, laptops and more recently wearable devices. However, the majority of these devices tend to utilize camera sensors in traditional usages like photography and video communication. Recently, we have seen a rise in context aware applications of ambient sensing utilizing a diverse set of sensors like audio, wireless, and bio-sensors. In this talk, I will describe new usages of ambient sensing across a multitude of sensors, and highlight some of the constraints and challenges that we and other researchers have encountered in trying to use image sensors for such usages.
Data Journalism and the Challenge of Shoe-Leather Epistemologies

After prediction-defying elections in 2015 and 2016 in the United Kingdom and the United States rattled journalists, some publicly blamed data journalism—an indictment that raised questions about journalistic discourse surrounding the polysemic phrase and still-developing field. A content analysis (n = 612) of all published news stories over two years in four international news databases revealed the potential of journalists to embrace data as an empirical tool, for the phrase was most frequently associated with numerical analysis. However, the next most-frequent definitional category was electoral prediction, which was statistically more likely in the nations where data journalism is most often practiced, the U.K. and U.S. Correlating data journalism with electoral prediction also was statistically more likely in the month immediately after the surprising elections. Further, it was more likely to stimulate pushback from practitioners who saw data as epistemologically less reliable than “shoe-leather” app...
Incapacitated Involvement: Incarceration and Fatherhood in Fragile Families at Age 9:

We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to expand knowledge about the impact of paternal incarceration on fathering in three specific ways: (a) we explore fathers’ involveme...
Peroxidase secretion by lacrimal glands from juvenile F344 rats.

Secretion of peroxidase by rat lacrimal glands is generally acknowledged to be greater in juvenile rats than in adults. However, this phenomenon has not been so well documented in lacrimal glands as other age-related changes have been. Therefore, we studied lacrimal protein and peroxidase secretion in response to muscarinic cholinergic and alpha-adrenergic stimulation of glands from 35- to 90-day-old male F344 rats. Lacrimal tissue fragments were incubated in perifusion chambers, and secretion of protein and peroxidase was measured in response to stimulation by carbachol or phenylephrine. There was a negative first-order correlation between total protein secretion and age. Dose-response curves showed that at the highest doses there was a small but significant change in protein secretion. Secretion of lacrimal peroxidase in response to carbachol and phenylephrine changed significantly with increasing age. The tissue content of peroxidase was diminished by about 25% during this period, but that decrease alone was not sufficient to explain the changes in secretory responsiveness. The decrease of peroxidase secretion elicited by phenylephrine had both first- and second-order components in its correlation with age between 35 and 90 days. Dose-response curves for 5-week (35-41day)- and 12-week (84-90-day)-old tissue showed that the maximum secretion of peroxidase was reduced by about 50%, but with no apparent shift in the dose-response curve. In contrast to the secretory response to phenylephrine, the decrease in carbachol-dependent peroxidase secretion over the 35-90-day period had only a first-order component. In addition, the dose-response curve for carbachol-dependent peroxidase secretion shifted to the right, while the dose-response curve for carbachol-dependent total protein secretion remained unchanged with age. In the adult tissue, peroxidase secretion reached a maximum at 10 nM carbachol, 10 times higher that that required for tissue from 5-week animals. These changes in protein and peroxidase secretion occurred during puberty but were not dependent upon testicular hormones. Further, the independence of the age-related changes in protein and peroxidase secretion in response to both phenylephrine and carbachol are consistent with the presence of more than one pool of exocytotic protein in the lacrimal gland. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:562-568,1989 Studies of age-related changes in exocrine gland function have focused, in large measure, upon the effects of senescence. However, age-dependent changes, often associated with the onset of puberty, also occur in juvenile animals. Examples relevant to exocrine gland function include the differentiation of convoluted granular tubules characteristic of adult mouse submaxillary and sublingual gland
Antimicrobial mouthrinses and the management of periodontal diseases. Introduction to the supplement.

ABSTRACT Background Periodontal diseases are complex disorders that have been associated with multiple risk factors. These disorders are triggered by the accumulation of dental plaque, and the clinical signs are caused by the resultant inflammatory and immune responses. Tissue destruction that defines periodontitis has been linked to excessive production of proinflammatory molecules including matrix metalloproteinases, interleukin-1 beta and prostaglandin E 2 . Important risk factors for periodontitis can be grouped into four categories: microbial, systemic, behavioral and local. These risk factors can be considered modifiable or unmodifiable. Controlling risk factors is important in the management of chronic diseases and is a valid strategy for controlling periodontal diseases. Limiting the accumulation of dental plaque is an important part of controlling the development and progression of periodontal diseases. By adhering to a daily oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing, flossing and rinsing, patients play an essential role in disease management. Conclusion Patients play an important role in controlling the oral microbial biofilm that is essential to the initiation, development and progression of periodontal diseases. A daily oral hygiene regimen that includes the use of an antimicrobial mouthrinse can modify patients' microbial risk of developing periodontal disease. Clinical Implications Patients can help reduce their risk of developing periodontal disease by controlling the accumulation of plaque. This can be accomplished, in part, by adhering to a daily oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing, flossing and using an antimicrobial mouthrinse.
Syntheses and studies of acetylenic polymers

Based on new diiodo aryl compounds a series of novel soluble polymers, poly(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenyleneethynylene)s (PPE polymers) were synthesized using palladium-catalysis. The molecular weights (MW) range from 8,000 to 40,000. Properties such as absorption, fluorescence, and conductivity were studied. A PPE polymer with butoxy side chain exhibits a weak electrical conductivity ({sigma} = 10{sup {minus}3} S/cm) after doping with AsF{sub 5}. Absorption spectra in THF solution at room temperature (RT) show a maximum at 440 nm. However, absorption spectra of PPE polymers in the film state at (RT) show a maximum at 480 nm. PPE polymer-based light emitting diode (LED) devices have been prepared; greenish light from these LED devices can be observed. Poly(ethynylene-p-arylene-ethynylene-silylene)s were synthesized through the same palladium-catalyzed polymerization; MWs are between 6,000 and 82,000. Absorption and fluorescence were studied. Some of these polymers exhibit thermotropic liquid crystalline properties. In addition, nonlinear optical properties were briefly examined. Poly(silylene-ethynylene) homopolymers as well as alternating copolymers were synthesized through a novel palladium-catalyzed polymerization; MWs range from 56 {times} 10{sup 3} to 5.3 {times} 10{sup 3}. Thermal stability of these was also investigated; char yields range from 56 to 83%. One of these polymers exhibits thermotropic liquid crystalline properties.
Trust and reputation in peer-to-peer networks

The increasing availability of high bandwidth Internet connections and low-cost, commodity computers in people's homes has stimulated the use of resource sharing peer-to-peer networks. These systems employ scalable mechanisms that allow anyone to offer content and services to other system users. However, the open accessibility of these systems make them vulnerable to malicious users wishing to poison the system with corrupted data or harmful services and worms. Because of this danger, users must be wary of the quality or validity of the resources they access. To mitigate the adverse behavior of unreliable or malicious peers in a network, researchers have suggested using reputation systems. Yet our understanding of how to incorporate an effective reputation system into an autonomous network is limited. This thesis categorizes and evaluates the components and mechanisms necessary to build robust, effective reputation systems for use in decentralized autonomous networks. Borrowing techniques from game theory and economic analysis, we begin with high-level models in order to understand general trends and properties of reputation systems and their effect on a user's behavior and experience. We then closely examine the effects of limited reputation sharing through simulations based on large-scale measurements from actual, operating P2P networks. Finally, we propose new mechanisms for improving message routing throughput in decentralized networks of untrusted peers: one geared towards structured DHTs (SPROUT) and two other complementary mechanisms for mobile ad hoc networks (Watchdog and Pathrater).
A modified en bloc excision technique during vitrectomy for diabetic traction retinal detachment. Results and complications.

Purpose: The visual results and complications were determined for a modified en bloc excision technique for management of diabetic traction macular detachment. Patients and Methods: A consecutive series of 30 eyes with this condition underwent pars plana vitrectomy, during which all posterior hyaloid except for portions essential for membrane dissection were excised. Bimanual dissection techniques then allowed excision of fibrovascular membranes "en bloc" with the retained hyaloid. Results: After 6 to 44 months of follow-up, visual acuity of 5/200 or better was obtained in 23 (77%) of 30 eyes, with complete reattachment in 29 (97%) of 30 eyes. Iatrogenic retinal breaks occurred in 6 (20%) of 30 eyes. Two eyes required repeat vitrectomy. Conclusions: The modified en bloc excision technique allowed similar visual outcome, a higher reattachment rate, and less postoperative morbidity than previously reported surgical approaches to diabetic traction macular detachment.
CHAPTER 3 – Molecular Systematics of a Rapidly Evolving Species Flock: The mbuna of Lake Malawi and the Search for Phylogenetic Signal

This chapter explains the molecular systematics of a rapidly evolving species flock highlighting the mbuna cichlid fauna of Lake Malawi, an ecologically diverse assemblage of approximately 300 species. With the advent of molecular investigation and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis in evolutionary studies, it was hoped that basic problems of cichlid phylogenetics would be resolved. Two major mtDNA lineages ( α and β ), differing by 1.5% sequence divergence, were identified within the mbuna. Some alternate molecular approaches need to be considered as mtDNA cannot provide sufficient information to resolve relationships within the mbuna . Variation at microsatellite loci is more promising. Such loci can exhibit extremely large numbers of alleles, differing in the number of a simple nucleotide repeat unit present. This chapter also includes tabular representation of morphological and ecological characteristics of three mbuna genera along with hypothetical and actual relationships between the three. It provides evidence that hypervariable microsatellite loci that contain phylogenetic information is potentially capable of resolving relationships within the mbuna.
Narrow Linewidth Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) Lasers

A sub-Hz fundamental linewidth all-waveguide photonic integrated Brillouin laser is described. Principles behind the laser dynamics and resulting record low linewidths and phase and frequency noise will be presented. New systems-on-chip applications are enabled by the potential to operate from visible to infrared.
Engineering a Foundation for Partnership to Improve Medication Safety during Care Transitions.

There are major gaps and barriers for patients and caregivers after hospital discharge to achieve safe medication use. Patients and caregivers are often not ready to take on the responsibility for ...
Recent Progress in Natural-Product-Inspired Programs Aimed To Address Antibiotic Resistance and Tolerance.

Bacteria utilize multiple mechanisms that enable them to gain or acquire resistance to antibiotic therapies during the treatment of infections. In addition, bacteria form biofilms which are surface...
Can Sweat Sensors Detect Common Diseases? A Simple Sweat Patch May Soon Achieve It

Diseases, infections, and hazardous chemicals alter the physiology of the human body and result in changes in the composition of extracellular and intracellular fluids. Given the difficulty in collecting extracellular and intracellular fluids, blood is typically analyzed to diagnose pathological conditions. Blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to every cell of the body and also carries away waste products; therefore, the assumption that blood composition depicts the cellular environment as closely as possible is reasonable. Blood collection, however, requires invasive procedures (such as phlebotomy or a fingerprick) and is not pleasant for the majority of the population, in some cases deterring individuals from seeking medical assistance and having blood tests. If the composition of another biofluid that could be easily tested using a noninvasive sampling technology and portable detectors would be proven to accurately depict the cellular environment, then new disease diagnostic tests could be developed, and health-testing procedures would become easier, cheaper, and appealing to almost everybody. Sweat is a biofluid that can be collected noninvasively, and some research studies suggest that sweat composition might reveal pathological conditions, chemical and biochemical exposures, and psychological stress. There are also articles in popular media that have gone even further and claimed that “sweat is the new blood” and sweat analyses will soon substitute traditional blood tests. The fact is that sweat is analyzed in medical practice in only a few specific cases (e.g., diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, hyperhidrosis, and hematohidrosis, and to optimize fluid and electrolyte intake strategies in athletes), and normal and pathological concentrations of biomarkers in sweat have not been established yet (1). It is also true that the wealth of chemical information present in the sweat has been undervalued for decades and that sweat has not been thoroughly studied for clinical diagnostic purposes. Sweat collection and analysis using conventional …
On Data Summarization for Machine Learning in Multi-organization Federations

Machine learning is a promising technology for many modern applications. To train an effective machine learning model, a large amount of data is required. However, data may be created in different organizations and sharing data across organizational boundaries is difficult due to privacy concerns and communication bandwidth limitations. Data summarization is a technique for reducing the amount of data that needs to be shared, while preserving characteristics in the data that are useful for training machine learning models. In this paper, we present an overview of data summarization techniques, which can be useful for machine learning across organizational boundaries. We also discuss some possible applications related to these data summarization techniques and challenges for future research.
Passive Tool Changer Development for an Elastic and Compliant Manipulator

Robotic tool changers allow the use of multiple tools or end-effectors by a robotic manipulator and eliminate the need for human intervention to change tools. In this paper, we present the design and testing of a passive mechanical tool changer designed for a project involving the inspection of an acidic and radioactive air duct. The tool changer relied on the active/passive motions of a compliant manipulator to perform tool changes and contains no electrical or pneumatic components. The resulting tool changing operation utilizes a developed compliant controller that relies exclusively on contact forces to guide the manipulator, and thus eliminates the need for precision operation or any assistance from the operator. The design features a locking system to ensure secure storage of tools that are not in use. Furthermore, the connection mechanism includes a bore scope camera for use when tools are not attached or to visually verify tool connections. Testing and demonstrations were performed to validate both the design and operation as well as show both the tools and tool changer perform in an extreme environment. The design requirements, iterative process, and prototype testing with the manipulator are also discussed.
Detection and Localization of Disconnections in PV Strings Using Spread-Spectrum Time-Domain Reflectometry

This article describes the novel use of spread-spectrum time-domain reflectometry (SSTDR) for detecting and locating disconnection faults in photovoltaic (PV) power plants. We measure strings of cells and full-sized modules to understand how disconnections affect the reflectometry signature. PV modules correspond to reactive loads and disconnections in a PV string and cause distinguishable and measurable changes in SSTDR responses. Disconnection faults are manually introduced and correctly identified and localized applying the proposed technique. The SSTDR technique can detect and locate disconnects through at least eight 36-cell modules. Using the new technique described in this article, we can both detect and locate the disconnections within a 1-ft resolution, on average.
Tailed dsDNA Phages

Abstract, The tailed dsDNA bacteriophages or Caudovirales include three morphological families, Myoviridae, with contractile tails (example, phage T4), Siphoviridae with long, non-contractile tails (example, phage λ), and Podoviridae, with short, stumpy tails (examples, phages P22 and T7). Virions assemble via converging pathways. Capsids are built as empty procapsids and filled with genomic DNA; tails and tail fibers are made separately and tails are joined to capsids, followed by tail fibers. Tails and fibers identify hosts, then deliver the phage chromosome to the host where it is actively replicated, transcribed and translated to make progeny phage or enters a dormant, lysogenic state.