cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anxiety Sensitivity Moderates the Effect of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms on Emotion Dysregulation among Trauma-Exposed Firefighters

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with significant emotion dysregulation, which in turn marks risk for greater symptom-related difficulties and psychiatric comorbidity. Individuals with PTSD symptoms who are high in anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of anxiety and related sensations) may have particular difficulty managing negative affect, as they tend to perceive their trauma-related symptoms to be more threatening. The present study investigated the main and interactive effects of PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) and AS (Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3) on emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16) in a sample of 836 trauma-exposed firefighters (94.6% men; Mage = 38.5 years, SD = 8.5). Results of hierarchical linear regression models indicated that the main effects of PTSD symptom severity (β = .353, p < .001) and AS (β = .273, p < .001) were significantly positively associated with emotion dysregulation, accounting for 28.0% of variance. The interaction term accounted for an additional 2.0% of variance (β = .157, p < .001). Post hoc probing of simple slopes revealed that the strength of the association between PTSD symptom severity and emotion regulation was more than twice as strong for individuals high, compared to low, in AS. Exploratory analyses regarding subscales of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (i.e., Clarity, Goals, Impulse, Strategies, and Non-Acceptance) were also conducted. PTSD symptoms were associated with greater emotion dysregulation for all DERS-16 subscales; AS was associated with greater emotion dysregulation for all subscales with the exception of DERS-16 Impulse. AS moderated the association between PTSD symptoms and DERS-16 Strategies and DERS-16 Non-acceptance. Specifically, greater PTSD symptoms were associated with less access to emotion regulation strategies and greater non-acceptance of emotions for those high, compared to low, in AS. These findings provide novel information regarding the ways in which PTSD symptoms, AS, and emotion dysregulation are interrelated in trauma-exposed, active-duty firefighters.
Outcome for Conservative Surgery for the Correction of Severe Mitral Valve Regurgitation in Children: A Single-Center Experience

Evolving reconstructive techniques have progressively become the preferred approach for treatment of pediatric mitral valve regurgitation. We present our experience in a cohort of patients undergoing surgical correction for severe mitral regurgitation. Fifty-five patients (age 1 month–18 years; median 5 years) were included in the present analysis. Different surgical techniques were used (posterior leaflet augmentation in 25, isolated cleft closure in 12, Alfieri-type procedure in 10, annuloplasty in 5, with artificial chordae in 2, and quadrangular resection with chordal transposition in 1). Follow-up time ranged from 1 to 192 months (median 38[IQR 12–54] months). Operative and follow-up mortality was 0%. Reintervention in the whole population occurred in 31% of patients. However, when first surgery was performed under 2 years of age (no = 17), reintervention reached nearly 50%. The degree of residual mitral regurgitation at follow-up remained stable after surgery, while a significant increase in mean transmitral gradient was observed over time (paired t test = 0.03). In multivariable Cox-regression analysis, post-surgical transmitral gradient was the only independent predictor for reintervention (p = 0.017; HR 2.4; 95%CI 1.2–5.1), after correcting for differences in age at surgery, type of reintervention, mitral annulus dimension, and BSA at the first surgery. ROC curve demonstrated that a post-surgical transmitral mean gradient value > 5 mmHg, was predictive for reintervention (AUC = 0.89; Youden index = 0.44). Our study suggests that the use of conservative technique strategy achieves satisfactory functional results in infants and children with severe MR, although the rate of reoperation in younger patients remains substantial. Post-operative moderate mitral stenosis was the strongest predictor for reoperation.
Evaluation of Paper Straws versus Plastic Straws: Development of a Methodology for Testing and Understanding Challenges for Paper Straws

New alternatives to plastic straws are being considered due to consumer demands for sustainability and recent changes in government policies and regulations, such as bans on single-use plastic products. There are concerns regarding paper straw quality and stability over time when in contact with beverages. This study evaluated the performance and properties of commercially available paper straws and their counterpart plastic straws in various intended applications. The physical, mechanical, and compositional characteristics, as well as the liquid interaction properties of the straws, were determined. The paper straws were composed mainly of hardwood fibers that were hard sized with a hydrophobic sizing agent to achieve a contact angle of 102° to 125°. The results indicated that all the evaluated paper straws lost 70% to 90% of their compressive strength after being in contact with the liquid for less than 30 min. Furthermore, the paper straws absorbed liquid at approximately 30% of the straw weight after liquid exposure for 30 min. Increased liquid temperatures caused lower compressive strengths and higher liquid uptake in the paper straws. This report provides directions and methods for testing paper straws and defines current property limitations of paper straws relative to plastic straws.
Understanding the Ecosystem of Geospatial Research and Service in Universities

The study of location and location-based phenomena is a flourishing field. Many universities have grown their research and/or services in this field (often called GIS), established centers that are...
Associations Between Relative Viral Load at Diagnosis and Influenza A Symptoms and Recovery.

Background Rapid point-of-care polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic tests generally provide a qualitative result of positive or negative only. Additional information about the relative viral load could be calculated. Such quantitative information might be useful for making treatment decisions. Methods We enrolled students at a university health center who presented with cough and 1 additional flu-like symptom from December 2016 to February 2017. Data were collected before, during, and 5 days after the clinic visit. All those enrolled in the study received a point-of-care PCR test (cobas Liat). For those patients that tested positive for influenza A, we investigated correlations between the relative viral load and measures of disease severity and recovery. Results One hundred thirty-five students tested positive for influenza A. We found a positive correlation between viral load and body temperature. Time since symptom onset seemed to have a negative correlation but was not statistically significant. We did not find any correlations between viral load and overall symptom severity or outcomes related to recovery. Conclusions Although we found a correlation between relative viral load and body temperature, for our study population of young, overall healthy adults, we did not find that relative viral load provided additional information that could help in determining treatment and disease outcomes. It could be that viral load does provide useful additional information for other groups of patients, such as young children or older adults. Further studies on those populations are warranted.
Differential responses of resistance arterioles to elevated intraluminal pressure in blacks and whites.

Microvascular function regulates blood pressure and may contribute to racial differences in the incidence and prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Here, we show that using ...
Evaluation of Nonlinear Contrast Pulse Sequencing for Use in Super-Resolution Ultrasound Imaging

The use of super-resolution ultrasound (SR-US) imaging greatly improves visualization of microvascular structures, but clinical adoption is limited by long imaging times. This method depends on detecting and localizing isolated microbubbles (MBs), forcing the use of a dilute contrast agent concentration. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) image acquisition times as long as minutes arise as the localization of thousands of MBs are acquired to form a complete SR-US image. In this article, we explore the use of nonlinear CEUS strategies using nonlinear fundamental contrast pulse sequencing (CPS) to increase the contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) and compare MB detection effectiveness to linear B-mode CEUS imaging. The CPS compositions of amplitude modulation (AM), pulse inversion (PI), and a combination of the two (AMPI) were studied. A simulation study combined the Rayleigh–Plesset–Marmottant (RPM) model of MB characteristics and a nonlinear tissue model using the k-Wave toolbox for MATLAB (MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA). Validation was conducted using an in vitro flow phantom and in vivo in the rat hind-limb. Imaging was performed with a programmable US scanner (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc., Kirkland, WA, USA) and customized to transmit a set of basis US pulses from which both B-mode US (frame rate (FR) of 800 Hz) and multiple nonlinear CPS compositions (FR of 200 Hz) could be assessed from identical in vitro and in vivo datasets using a near simultaneous method. The simulations suggest that MB characteristics, such as diameter and motion, help to predict which US imaging strategy will enhance MB detection. The in vitro and in vivo US imaging studies revealed that different subpopulations of polydisperse MB contrast agents were detected by linear imaging and by each different nonlinear CPS composition. The most effective single imaging strategy at a 200-Hz FR was found to be B-mode US imaging. However, a combination of B-mode US imaging with a nonlinear CPS imaging strategy was more effective in detecting MBs in vivo at all depths and was shown to shorten image acquisition time by an average of 33.3%–76.7% when combining one or more CPS sequences.
Small bowel heterotopic gastric mucosa as a lead point for recurring intussusception

Abstract Heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) can be discovered anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract but is a rare entity beyond the ligament of Treitz in the absence of Meckel's Diverticulum. These lesions are often asymptomatic and there have been very limited reports of HGM alone presenting as intussusception. In the few cases presented, most utilized a 99 mTc pertechnetate scan (Meckel's scan) or intraoperative palpation of the small bowel to aid in identification of the HGM. We present a case of a 6-year-old male with a total of six episodes of recurrent intussusception caused by an ileal islet of HGM with no pathologic lead point identified over multiple modalities of investigation including one prior manual evaluation of the small bowel. The current literature regarding the diagnosis and management of these lesions is reviewed and a proposed algorithm for patients with recurrent intussusception is presented.
Pelvic floor myofascial pain in gynecology oncology patients: A pilot study:

Objective:Here we present a pilot study investigating the prevalence of pelvic floor myofascial pain in patients presenting to an academic tertiary care gynecologic oncology clinic. We describe pat...
Magmatic history and crustal genesis of western South America: Constraints from U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes of detrital zircons in modern rivers

Western South America provides an outstanding laboratory for studies of magmatism and crustal evolution because it contains Archean–Paleoproterozoic cratons that amalgamated during Neoproterozoic supercontinent assembly, as well as a long history of Andean magmatism that records crustal growth and reworking in an accretionary orogen. We have attempted to reconstruct the growth and evolution of western South America through U-Pb geochronologic and Hf isotopic analyses of detrital zircons from 59 samples of sand mainly from modern rivers. Results from 5524 new U-Pb ages and 1199 new Hf isotope determinations are reported. Our data are integrated with previously published geochronologic and Hf isotopic information, yielding a combined record that includes >42,000 ages and >1900 Hf isotope analyses. These large data sets yield five main conclusions: (1) South America has an age distribution that is similar to most other continents, presumably reflecting processes of crustal generation and/or preservation related to the supercontinent cycle, with age maxima at 2.2–1.8 Ga, 1.6–0.9 Ga, 700–400 Ma, and 360–200 Ma; (2) <200 Ma magmatism in western South America has age maxima at ca. 183, 166, 149, 125, 110, 88, 65, 35, 21, and 4 Ma (with significant north-south and east-west variations), yielding an average cyclicity of ∼33 m.y.; (3) for the past 200 m.y., no correlation exists between magmatism and the velocity of convergence between central South America and Pacific oceanic plates, the age of the downgoing plate, or the absolute motion of South America; (4) Hf isotopes record reworking of older crustal materials during most time periods, with incorporation of juvenile crust at ca. 1.6–1.0 Ga, 500–300 Ma, and ca. 175–35 Ma; and (5) the Hf isotopic signature of <200 Ma magmatism is apparently controlled by the generation of evolved crust during crustal thickening and eastward arc migration, versus juvenile magmas during extensional tectonism and westward and/or outboard migration of arc magmatism.
MO-F-CAMPUS-J-01: A Novel and Efficient Daily QA Program for Both Modern Linear Accelerator and Optical Surface Motion Systems

Purpose: The camera-based optical surface monitoring system(OSMS) is a standard motion-tracking system for TrueBeam™ machine. Daily quality assurance(DQA) procedures for the TrueBeam and OSMS systems currently require multiple phantoms and test sequences. Machine Performance Check(MPC) uses the IsoCal™ phantom to test geometric and dosimetric aspects, and has been validated for routine TrueBeam DQA. This work examines the novel use of MPC to simultaneously conduct DQA of OSMS,utilizing one phantom and test sequence for QA of both the TrueBeam and OSMS systems. Methods: TrueBeam with 6 degree-of-freedom(6DOF) couch, MPC and OSMS were installed. The therapists routinely use MPC with the IsoCal phantom to verify geometric and dosimetric parameters with an automated sequence of varying gantry and collimator angles, MLC positions, and couch translations and rotations as the DQA for TrueBeam. A surface outline of the IsoCal phantom, generated from a CT dataset, was imported to OSMS and used to monitor the position of the phantom at isocenter and to track its movement up to 5cm/10°(yaw) and rotation in pitch and roll up to 3° in real time during the automated MPC sequence. Motion of the phantom throughout the MPC routine was compared to the couch position shown by the digital readout. Results: The coincidence of isocenter, as determined by OSMS, and TrueBeam radiation isocenter was within ±0.8mm/±0.8° in three axes. Between OSMS and TrueBeam 6DOF couch, the mean couch relative shifts/angles were within ±0.7mm/±0.8° for each axis. Reported pitch and roll values were within ±0.4mm/±0.4°. The total measurement time for each DQA session took approximately 5 minutes. Conclusion: Use of the IsoCal phantom and MPC for simultaneous DQA of TrueBeam and OSMS increases QA efficiency and reduces complexity. OSMS isocenter position and motion-tracking capability in 6DOF were verified in real-time and were found to be within 1mm of the expected value.
The coffee paradox in stroke: Increased consumption linked with fewer strokes

Objective: To determine the association in amount of daily coffee consumption with incidence of stroke in a broad cohort, considering other vascular risk factors.Methods: We utilized the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994; NHANES III) data on participants aged ≥17 years old to examine coffee consumption and stroke. Multivariate logistic regression models related the amount of coffee use reported in a food frequency questionnaire with stroke, controlling for other vascular risk factors.Results: Of 33 994 NHANES III subjects, coffee consumption and stroke data in adults ≥17 years old were available in 19 994. Daily coffee consumption ranged from 0 to 20 (median 1) cups and 644 (3.2%) participants had a stroke diagnosed by a physician. Coffee intake varied with age, gender, and ethnicity (P < 0.001). Interestingly, heart failure, diabetes, and hypertension were less frequent, and high cholesterol more frequent in those consuming ≥3 cups per day (P < 0.001). Smoking was more fre...
Discrete scale transform for signal analysis

The scale transform introduced by Cohen (see IEEE Trans. Signal Processing, vo1.41, p.3275-3292, December 1993) is a special case of the Mellin transform. The scale transform has mathematical properties desirable for comparison of signals for which scale variation occurs. In addition to the scale invariance property of the Mellin transform many properties specific to the scale transform have been presented. A procedure is presented for complete implementation of the scale transformation for discrete signals. This complements discrete Mellin transforms and delineates steps whose implementation are specific to the scale transform.
DNA Replication Precedes Neuronal Cell Death in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating dementia of late life that is correlated with a region-specific neuronal cell loss. Despite progress in uncovering many of the factors that contribute to the etiology of the disease, the cause of the nerve cell death remains unknown. One promising theory is that the neurons degenerate because they reenter a lethal cell cycle. This theory receives support from immunocytochemical evidence for the reexpression of several cell cycle-related proteins. Direct proof for DNA replication, however, has been lacking. We report here the use of fluorescent in situ hybridization to examine the chromosomal complement of interphase neuronal nuclei in the adult human brain. We demonstrate that a significant fraction of the hippocampal pyramidal and basal forebrain neurons in AD have fully or partially replicated four separate genetic loci on three different chromosomes. Cells in unaffected regions of the AD brain or in the hippocampus of nondemented age-matched controls show no such anomalies. We conclude that the AD neurons complete a nearly full S phase, but because mitosis is not initiated, the cells remain tetraploid. Quantitative analysis indicates that the genetic imbalance persists for many months before the cells die, and we propose that this imbalance is the direct cause of the neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease.
Pituitary responsiveness to luteinizing hormone-releasing factor in normal and androgenized female rats.

In order to compare directly the functional responsiveness of the pituitary gland in the androgenized rat with that of the normal female, luteinizing hormone-releasing factor (LRF) was administered intravenously and plasma and pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) was measured utilizing a radioimmunoassay. Just prior to the critical period proestrous normal adult females received an ovulation blocking dose of pentobarbital; androgenized rats were similarly treated. Blood was collected by jugular puncture and then 0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 or 500 ng LRF/100 g body wt was administered. The rats were bled 15 minutes later and decapitated after 45 minutes at which time trunk blood and anterior pituitary glands were collected. Pituitary response to LRF as measured by plasma LH was identical in both groups of rats except at the 500 ng dose. Pituitary LH concentration was significantly reduced only in the androgenized rats given the 500 ng dose of LRF. Ovarian sensitivity to LH was also measured by studying the ovulatory r...
Effect of an unfamiliar location on the consumption of novel and familiar foods by sheep

We studied how moving lambs to an unfamiliar environment affected their intake of novel and familiar foods. In the first experiment, half the lambs (n = 14) were conditioned to avoid a novel food (wheat) by pairing its ingestion with lithium chloride (LiCl); the other half (n = 14) received wheat but no LiCl. Half of the lambs that received LiCl and half that did not were moved to a location unfamiliar to the lambs. Lambs at both locations were offered wheat (familiar but aversive to half the lambs), oats (novel food), and alfalfa pellets (familiar food). In the second experiment, one group of lambs (n = 16) remained at the familiar location; the other group (n = 16) was moved to a novel location. Both groups were offered alfalfa pellets (familiar food) with or without onion powder (novel flavor), wheat bran (novel food), and rye with 1% LiCl (novel and toxic food). We found that: (1) lambs consumed a familiar but aversive food (wheat) more readily at the unfamiliar location than at the familiar location (P = 0.052); (2) lambs ate less of the novel foods (oats and wheat bran) at the unfamiliar location (P = 0.09 and P < 0.001, respectively); (3) intake of the familiar food (alfalfa pellets) did not differ between locations on day 1 of either experiment. These results suggest that: (1) food neophobia is greater in unfamiliar than familiar environments, which may cause animals to eat more familiar foods in unfamiliar environments, even if the familiar foods contain toxins. They further suggest that animals should be: (2) exposed to novel foods in familiar environments to expedite intake of novel foods; (3) provided with familiar foods in novel environments to prevent declines in intake; (4) conditioned to avoid foods (e.g. fruit trees, poisonous plants) in the environments where they will forage to increase the persistence of the aversion.
The future is now: comparing the effect of episodic future thinking on impulsivity in lean and obese individuals.

The choice of small immediate rewards as opposed to larger delayed rewards, or delay discounting, is an important dimension of impulsive decision making. The inability to delay gratification is related to obesity, as well as other maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse, problem drinking, smoking, pathological gambling, and risky HIV behaviors. One way to reduce delay discounting (DD) may be to use prospective imagery in the form of episodic future thinking (EFT) during inter-temporal decision making. We have recently shown that EFT reduces DD and ad libitum energy intake in obese individuals. However, no studies have examined whether the magnitude of the EFT effect differs between lean and overweight/obese individuals. We conducted a within-subject design experiment to compare the efficacy of EFT versus a control task in reducing DD between lean (N = 24) and overweight/obese (N = 24) women. Participants attended two sessions in which they engaged in either EFT or control episodic thinking during a DD task. We also examined whether individual differences such as trait time perspective, behavioral inhibition or behavioral activation moderated the EFT effect on DD. Results showed EFT reduced DD similarly for lean and overweight/obese individuals. The EFT effect was moderated by behavioral activation. This suggests EFT is just as effective in reducing impulsive decision making in obese individuals as it is in lean individuals and may be useful in reducing other impulsive obesity related behaviors.
Relations of sex, age, perceived fitness, and aerobic activity with social physique anxiety in adults sixty years and older.

Self-reported physical activity, and perceived fitness were examined to assess their effects on social physique anxiety in a sample of older individuals (N = 249; M age = 70.4 yr., SD = 8.2). Parti...
Stereoselective syntheses of a di-, tri-, and tetra-saccharide fragment of shigella dysenteriae type 1 O-antigen using 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosyl chloride as a glycosyl donor

Abstract Methyl 2,4-di- O -benzoyl-α- l -rhammopyranoside ( 1 ) furnished a crystalline 3- O -bromoacetyl derivative that was treated with the dichloromethyl methyl ether-ZnCl 2 reagent to give 2,4-di- O -benzoyl-3- O -bromoacetyl-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl chloride ( 3 ). Compounds 1 and 3 were condensed under the conditions of base-deficient, silver trifluoromethanesulfonate-mediated glycosylation to give a fully protected rhamnobioside, which on O -debromoacetylation afforded the disaccharide nucleophile 10 . Similar condensation of 3 with methyl 3- O -benzoyl-4,6- O -benzylidene-α- d -galactopyranoside, followed by O -debromoacetylation and condensation of the thus formed methyl O -(2,4-di- O -benzoyl-α- l -rhamnopyranosyl)-(1 → 2)-4,6- O -benzylidene-3- O -benzoyl-α- d -galactopyranoside again with 3 , gave the trisaccharide glycoside. Subsequent O -debromoacetylation gave 17 , having only HO-3 3 unsubstituted. Silver perchlorate-mediated glycosylations of 1 , 10 , and 17 with 3,4,6-tri- O -acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosyl chloride afforded, with high α stereoselectivity, protected di-, tri-, and tetra-saccharide glycosides. Subsequent hydrogenation, followed by N -acetylation and O -deacylation, afforded three oligosaccharide glycosides having nonreducing terminal 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranosyl residues and comprising successively larger portions of the repeating unit of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 O-antigen.
The positive inotropic effect of glucagon in the chronically failed right ventricle as demonstrated in the isolated cat heart.

Previous in vitro studies has provided evidence to show that papillary muscles obtained from cats with chronic right ventricular failure had lost their ability to develop a positive inotropic response to glucagon. Since it is difficult to extrapolate from the isolated papillary muscle to the intact heart, studies were done to assess the effects of glucagon in the perfused isovolumically beating heart obtained from cats four months after surgical banding of the pulmonary artery for the experimental production of chronic right ventricular failure (CRVF). At the peak of the dose-response curve, glucagon increased right ventricular isovolumic pressure 25% (39.00 ± 4.37 to 49.67 ± 5.15 mm Hg; p < 0.001) and right ventricular dp/dt 63% (522.2 ± 93.9 to 852.6 ± 159.9 mm Hg/sec; p < 0.001) in 6 normal hearts. Similar dose related increases in right ventricular isovolumic pressure and dP/dt were obtained in 6 hearts taken from cats with chronic right ventricular failure. The respective increases in right ventricular isovolumic pressure and dP/dt were 43% (30.33 ± 4.01 to 43.67 ± 6.25 mm Hg; p < 0.025) and 73% (317.50 ± 30.29 to 550.83 ± 89.04 mm Hg/sec; p < 0.025). These results provide evidence that glucagon possesses the capacity to augment myocardial contractility in the heart with experimentally induced chronic right ventricular failure.
Tokamak Startup Using Point-Source dc Helicity Injection

Startup of a 0.1 MA tokamak plasma is demonstrated on the ultralow aspect ratio Pegasus Toroidal Experiment using three localized, high-current density sources mounted near the outboard midplane. The injected open field current relaxes via helicity-conserving magnetic turbulence into a tokamaklike magnetic topology where the maximum sustained plasma current is determined by helicity balance and the requirements for magnetic relaxation.
Intracellular Protease from Streptococcus durans

Abstract An intracellular protease from Streptococcus durans was isolated and partially purified and characterized. A 67-fold purification was obtained with retention of 53% of the original activity. Purification was complicated by the presence of nucleic acids which could not be removed without loss of proteolytic activity. Ribonuclease inactivated the protease, but attempts to reactivate the protease by adding ribonucleic acid extracted from S. durans were unsuccessful. Disc electrophoresis of the enzyme in polyacrylamide gel showed one protein zone with an adjoining nucleic acid zone. The protease exhibited normal reaction kinetics with respect to substrate concentrations, enzyme concentration, and reaction rate. The proteolytic activity was affected by the ionic strength of the assay reaction mixture, and an ionic strength of 0.1 was optimal. Proteolytic activity was optimal at pH 7.5, with secondary activity occurring at pH 5.5 to 6. Divalent Ca, Co, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn, and di- and trivalent Fe had no effect on the activity of the protease purified 67-fold, but Hg inhibited the protease about 15%. Treatment of the assay reaction mixture could be partially restored by the addition of the aforementioned ions, except Fe, Cu, and Hg. The protease withstood heating at 97 to 99C for 60 minutes at pH 6 and 7.5, but lost 21% of activity at pH 8.5. Casein and β -lactoglobulin were acted upon by the enzyme, but there was no proteolytic activity detected on bovine serum albumin and hemoglobin, or in the milk-clot test. p -Chloromercuribenzoate was the most effective inhibitor of sulfhydryl groups, followed by N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide. Reducing agents and diisopropyl fluorophosphate had no effect on the proteolytic activity.
Non-Intrusive ECG Measurement on Vehicle Steering Wheel and Driver Seat

Driver drowsiness is one of the major causes of deadly traffic accidents. Continuous monitoring of drivers’ drowsiness thus is of great importance for preventing drowsiness-caused accidents. Previous psychophysiological studies have shown that heart rate variability (HRV) has established differences between waking and sleep stages. This offers a way to detect driver’s drowsiness by analyzing HRV, which is typically measured and analyzed from electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. Although ECG measurement techniques are well developed, most of them involve electrode contacts on chest or head. Wiring and discomfort problems inherent in those techniques prevent implementing them on cars. This research develops two non-intrusive real-time ECG measurement methods for drivers. In the first method, each half of the steering wheel is wrapped with conductive fabric as electrode and is isolated to each other. In the second one, two pieces of conductive fabric with the same dimension are placed on the driver seat’s backrest. Signals from conductive fabric electrodes are filtered by differential low pass, band pass and notch filters to amplify ECG signals and suppress noise. Noise whose frequency overlaps with the frequency range of ECG signal cannot be eliminated by these filters. To address this challenge, an adaptive filter is employed for baseline noise cancellation. Experimental tests show that both ECG measurement methods can provide clear ECG signals for further HRV analysis, although signals from the steering wheel are of better quality. Test results also demonstrate that the adaptive filter can effectively cancel baseline noise.
Interface-oriented middleware and distributed service inference

Distributed systems that dynamically adapt to changing environments should be developed based on incrementally defined, loosely coupled services. But current middleware platforms tend to encourage monolithic services that are tightly coupled with their environments. We suggest that the non-incremental nature of middleware services is due in part to the lack of support for implementation inheritance, and that tight coupling is due to insufficient support for interface abstraction. Interface-oriented programming (IOP) is an extension of object-oriented programming in which all program inter-dependencies, including inheritance dependencies, are expressed using interface abstractions. This encourages development of partial classes, and requires a new program linking mechanism called representation inference to integrate them. We propose that a distributed implementation of IOP including partial services and distributed service inference could address some of the limitations of middleware systems, providing new opportunities for performance reflection and transparent adaptation.
The Global Economic Ethic Manifesto: Implementing a Moral Values Foundation in the Multinational Enterprise

The Global Economic Ethic Manifesto (“Manifesto”) is a moral framework/code of conduct which is both interactive and interdependent with the economic function of the main institutions of the economic system: markets, governments, civil society, and supranational organizations, which lays out a common fundamental vision of what is legitimate, just, and fair in economic activities. The Manifesto includes five universally accepted principles and values: the principle of humanity; the basic values of non-violence and respect for life; the basic values of justice and humanity; the basic values of honesty and tolerance; and the basic values of mutual esteem and partnership. We posit that the Manifesto provides an ethical foundation for explicitly assisting multinational enterprise's (“MNE”) executive management and boards of directors to meet the moral failures criticisms associated with the expansion of global capitalism, and similarly how the U.N. Global Compact (“Compact”) is focused on addressing complimentary market and institutional failures. In this article, we argue how the Compact and the Manifesto complement each other, explaining how the policies and guidelines of the Compact can now be implemented at the organizational/individual level through a comprehensive human resource management (HRM) plan supporting the ethical framework of the Manifesto. Finally, we have described how the Manifesto completes a comprehensive managerial framework (consisting of both the Compact and the Manifesto) for what we term an “MNE Moral Values-Based Corporate Governance Model.” Ultimately, further research is needed in understanding how much impact external and internal influences make on creating a sustainable ethical culture in MNEs.
Solid Self-Microemulsifying Formulation for Candesartan Cilexetil

Sparingly, water-soluble drugs such as candesartan cilexetil offer challenges in developing a drug product with adequate bioavailability. The objective of the present study was to develop and characterize self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) of candesartan cilexetil for filling into hard gelatin capsules. Solubility of candesartan cilexetil was evaluated in various nonaqueous careers that included oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed to identify the self-microemulsification region. Four self-microemulsifying formulations were prepared using mixtures of oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants in various proportions. The self-microemulsification properties, droplet size, and zeta potential of these formulations were studied upon dilution with water. The optimized liquid SMEDDS formulation was converted into free flowing powder by adsorbing onto a solid carrier for encapsulation. The dissolution characteristics of solid intermediates of SMEDDS filled into hard gelatin capsules was investigated and compared with liquid formulation and commercial formulation to ascertain the impact on self-emulsifying properties following conversion. The results indicated that solid intermediates showed comparable rate and extent of drug dissolution in a discriminating dissolution medium as liquid SMEDDS indicating that the self-emulsifying properties of SMEDDS were unaffected following conversion. Also, the rate and extent of drug dissolution for solid intermediates was significantly higher than commercial tablet formulation. The results from this study demonstrate the potential use of SMEDDS as a means of improving solubility, dissolution, and concomitantly the bioavailability.
The effect of cholecystokinin pancreozymin on hunger and thirst in mice.

The gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, was injected into food or water-deprived C3H mice. The lowest concentration of CCK-PZ that was effective in reducing food intake also reduced water consumption. A lower dose of CCK-PZ was without effect on either eating or drinking. These findings suggest that CCK-PZ has no specific effect on hunger in mice.
A dynamic programming heuristic for the P-median problem

A new heuristic algorithm is proposed for the P-median problem. The heuristic restricts the size of the state space of a dynamic programming algorithm. The approach may be viewed as an extension of the myopic or greedy adding algorithm for the P-median model. The approach allows planners to identify a large number of solutions all of which perform well with respect to the P-median objective of minimizing the demand weighted average distance between customer locations and the nearest of the P selected facilities. In addition, the results indicate regions in which it is desirable to locate facilities. Computational results from three test problems are discussed.
Structured epitaxial graphene on SiC

We present recent results on epitaxial graphene high frequency FETs and a new concept of graphene nano-structuration. Nano-patterned epitaxial graphene grown on SiC is produced by etching the silicon carbide before annealing so that the graphene structures are produced in their final shapes. This avoids post-annealing patterning that is known to greatly affect transport properties on the nanoscale.
Studies on the lipids of sheep red blood cells: III. The fatty acid composition of phospholipids in HK and LK cells

The fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte phospholipids was studied in samples from five high potassium (HK) and five low potassium (LK) sheep. The total fatty acid composition, including the composition from the individual phospholipids in the erythrocytes of these animals is reported. There were no significant differences between either the total fatty acid composition or that of the individual phospholipids in the HK or LK cells. Sheep red cells had very little polyunsaturated fatty acids in their phospholipids. Palmitic, stearic and oleic acids were the major components of glyceryl phospholipids, while nervonic acid accounted for 50% of the fatty acids in the sphingomyelin fraction. The similarity between the fatty acid composition of HK and LK red cells indicates that quantitative differences in the lipids of the membrane are not the primary reason for the observed differences in the cation levels in the two types of cells. This agrees with conclusions drawn from previous studies.
When does persuasion veer into coercion

Nudges can be powerful tools for influencing behaviour – but you have to take care not to cross the line into coercion, says philosopher Evan Selinger
Electronic spectrum of trimethylamine borane: An isoelectronic analog of neopentane

Abstract The vacuum ultraviolet spectra of trimethylamine borane and trimethylamine borane- d 3 have been recorded in the region 50 000 cm −1 to 78 000 cm −1 . Two electronic transitions are present, both exhibiting long vibronic progressions. The effect of isotopic substitution upon the excited state frequencies indicates that the excitation is localized largely in the N-BH 3 D( 3 ) part of the molecule. Tentative assignments to upper state orbitals having mixed valence and Rydberg character are suggested.
An Entropy-Based Automated Cell Nuclei Segmentation and Quantification: Application in Analysis of Wound Healing Process

The segmentation and quantification of cell nuclei are two very significant tasks in the analysis of histological images. Accurate results of cell nuclei segmentation are often adapted to a variety of applications such as the detection of cancerous cell nuclei and the observation of overlapping cellular events occurring during wound healing process in the human body. In this paper, an automated entropy-based thresholding system for segmentation and quantification of cell nuclei from histologically stained images has been presented. The proposed translational computation system aims to integrate clinical insight and computational analysis by identifying and segmenting objects of interest within histological images. Objects of interest and background regions are automatically distinguished by dynamically determining 3 optimal threshold values for the 3 color components of an input image. The threshold values are determined by means of entropy computations that are based on probability distributions of the color intensities of pixels and the spatial similarity of pixel intensities within neighborhoods. The effectiveness of the proposed system was tested over 21 histologically stained images containing approximately 1800 cell nuclei, and the overall performance of the algorithm was found to be promising, with high accuracy and precision values.
Converting focus group data on food choices into a quantitative instrument

ROSALIEAMOS,3 NANCY BETTS,4 CONSTANCE GEORGIOU,S SHARON HOERR,6 RAO IVATURI,7 AND JANE VOICHICK 2 lDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, Shantz 309, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721; 2Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706; 3Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Ed., 220C Mackay Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011; 4202 Ruth Leverton Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0806; SNutrition and Food Management, Milam Hall 108, Oregon State University, Corvalis, Oregon 97331-5103; 6Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1224; 7Department of Home Economics, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809
Generalized Nash games and quasi-variational inequalities

Abstract A generalized Nash game is an n -person noncooperative game with nondisjoint strategy sets; other names for this game form include social equilibria and pseudo-Nash games. This paper explores both the qualitative and quantitative properties of such games through the use of quasi-variational inequality theory. Several interesting relationships between the variational and quasi-variational inequality forms of this class of games are described and the practical implementation of generalized Nash games are explored at length.
Marxist-Leninist Organization: Prognosis Among Black Workers

The assessment of future trends in the development of social movements lacks precision, but it is an important task which should be attempted with maximum care. Much current discussion focuses on the relevance of Marxist-Leninist principles to the black movement in America (Baraka, 1974; Hare, 1975; Cruse, 1967). This paper will attempt to evaluate the future prospects for black Marxist-Leninist organizations by examining lessons which may be learned from the brief career of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers (for a more detailed history of the League see Geschwender, 1974, 1977a, 1977b; Georgakis and Surkin, 1975). This paper will be organized into five parts. It will begin with a brief history of the League. This will be followed by sections analyzing conditions conducive to the rise and demise of the League. The concluding sections will use this material to assess the present and make predictions about the future.
Determination of optimal reactor system configuration for polymerization reactions. II. Effect of chain transfer, autoacceleration, and temperature profile

The effect of chaln transfer, diffusion control, and temperature on the optimal design and selection of polymerization reactors was investigated. Chain transfer to the monomer was examined and a parametric study of the corresponding rate constant was carried out. The Trommsdorff effect was included in the model by using a diffusion-controlled termination process. An optimum temperature sequence was determined for this modified model by incorporating the effect of temperature on the rate constants and on the amount and rate of heat removal. Furthermore, the concept of dividing the plug flow reactor into several constant temperature zones was considered, and the effect of “zoning” on the system performance was determined.
Spectroscopic studies of the stability of zeolitic deNOx catalysts

Abstract Cu-ZSM-5 is considered for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO x in streams with ca. 10% H 2 O which causes dealumination and activity loss. Multivalent Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Pd 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ga 3+ , A1 3+ , Fe 3+ , La 3+ and Ce 3+ ions were tried as stabilizers. MAS-NMR of tetrahedral 27 Al was the dealumination yardstick. Information was also obtained from NMR of 1 H, 23 Na and 29 Si. Some ions, La 3+ and Ce 3+ , suppress the dealumination but samples containing the active Cu 2+ and the La 3+ are not as stable as singly modified materials and not more active in SCR than non-modified Cu-ZSM-5. The Cu 2+ was monitored in-situ by ESR under flow-through conditions. Steaming at 650°C or calcination at 850°C irreversibly changes the co-ordination of all square-planar Cu 2+ . By incorporating ca. 5 wt% of La or Ce, a part of the copper (20–30%) preserves the active square-planar Cu 2+ co-ordination even after 0.5 h at 850°C. This is reflected in a higher ethane oxidation activity.
Conceiving Artistic Work in the Formation of Artist Policy: Thinking Beyond Disinterest and Autonomy

(2004). Conceiving Artistic Work in the Formation of Artist Policy: Thinking Beyond Disinterest and Autonomy. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 59-78.
Race/ethnicity and perinatal depressed mood

This study examined the extent to which race/ethnicity is a risk factor for depressed mood in late pregnancy and the early postpartum period apart from its relationship with other demographic and infant outcome variables. Data obtained from 26,877 women with newborns in Iowa indicate that 15.7% endorsed a single depression item. Logistic regression results indicate that race/ethnicity was a significant predictor of depressed mood, controlling for age, marital status, income and educational level, and infant health outcome. Compared to White women, African‐American women were significantly more likely to report depressed mood (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03–1.52). Hispanic women were significantly less likely to report being depressed (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.61–0.88). The role of social support in understanding these findings is explored.
On a problem of Foreman and Magidor

A question of Foreman and Magidor asks if it is consistent for every sequence of stationary subsets of the ℵn’s for 1≤n<ω to be mutually stationary. We get a positive answer to this question in the context of the negation of the Axiom of Choice. We also indicate how a positive answer to a generalized version of this question in a choiceless context may be obtained.
Isolation and characteristic analysis of a novel strain H7N9 of avian influenza virus A from a patient with influenza-like symptoms in China

A novel H7N9 virus (A/Changsha/1/2013(H7N9)) identified through routine examination in the influenza network laboratory was analyzed retrospectively. The gene sequences of A/Changsha/1/2013(H7N9) were highly homologous to other viruses isolated in mainland China. Mutations of Q226L and G186V were found in the hemagglutinin protein (HA). Amino acid deletions were found at positions 69-73 of the neuraminidase protein (NA) and 218-230 of the non-structural protein (NS1). All viral genes except PB1 were essentially identical to the sequences of other Chinese influenza A H7N9 isolates. Overall, A/Changsha/1/2013(H7N9) is highly homologous to other H7N9 avian influenza viruses isolated in mainland China.