cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Psychopathology, Personality Traits, and Marital Distress Among Women Married to Hypersexual Men

This article reports the findings of a study investigating psychopathology, personality traits, and marital distress among a sample of women married to hypersexual men (n = 85) compared with a control group (n = 85) drawn from a combined college and community sample. Psychopathology and personality traits were measured using the NEO Personality Inventory—Revised (NEO–PI–R), and martial satisfaction was measured using the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) of between-group differences was significant. However, although there were a few minor differences with modest effect sizes, examination of post-hoc univariate tests revealed that generally, the wives did not show any more psychopathology or problematic personality traits than would be found within a community sample. In contrast, wives were significantly more distressed about their marriages compared with the controls. Overall, these findings contradict much of the existing research that characterizes wi...
Mandatory versus voluntary approaches to food safety

Food safety policy is currently based on a combination of voluntary measures undertaken by producers and regulatory measures imposed, for example, by the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (e.g., mandatory HACCP systems). This article addresses the question of whether reliance on voluntary approaches is likely to lead to adequate consumer protection. Drawing on recent literature on the choice between voluntary and mandatory approach to environmental protection and standard models of product liability, the article develops an analytical framework to determine the conditions under which firms are likely to invest in food safety voluntarily. The results suggest that for goods for which consumers can readily detect safety characteristics, market forces can create incentives for voluntary provision of safety. However, for goods for which consumers cannot readily detect food risks, market forces are not likely to be sufficient to afford adequate protection. Even in such a context, however, direct government regulation is not always necessary. The threat of the imposition of mandatory controls (possibly coupled with financial inducements for undertaking voluntary approaches) may provide firms with sufficient incentives to invest in food safety in an effort to avoid those controls. However, if firms do not respond, regulators must be prepared to follow through on their threats and impose a regulatory system of protection. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A current assessment of the mutagenic and teratogenic effects of caffeine.

AbstractIn recent years there have been an increasing number of studies of the mutagenicity and terato-genicity of caffeine in experimental systems ranging from microorganisms to mammals. In the absence of direct human data, experimental or epidemiological, the estimation of the degree of risk to which the human caffeine-consuming population is exposed must be indirect. In this review, an attempt is made to draw pertinent data from the experimental studies of mutagenesis and teratogenesis, in conjunction with studies of caffeine metabolism and distribution in mammalian organisms including man, and to interrelate these factors in terms of mechanism of action and pharmacokinetics.
The cost of lung transplantation and the quality of life post-transplant.

Lung transplantation is an important therapeutic option for patients with progressive lung disorders whose chances for long-term survival with conservative medical therapy are deemed poor, and who have substantial limitations in their day-to-day activities. 2 A successful lung transplantation is the culmination of a complex and costly series of surgical, medical, and social interventions aimed at both prolonging life and enhancing its quality. Although mortality statistics and a number of highly standardized and reliable indicators for physiologic status exist to monitor the objective aspects of patient outcome, there is less consistency and common ground in the evaluation of the aspects of patient outcome that are typically grouped under the rubric of quality of life (QOL). That area of research, however, is vibrant and evolving, and increasingly being included in both research and patient care before and after lung transplantation. The purpose of this review is twofold: (1) to provide a brief overview of the definitions, measures, and aims of QOL research, and (2) to summarize the findings of the small but growing body of studies of the QOL of persons living with lung transplants and the cost-effectiveness of lung transplantation. In each section, the challenges unique to lung transplantation are highlighted.
Restorer: a visualization technique for handling missing data

Pseudocoloring is a frequently used technique in scientific visualization for mapping a color to a data value. When using pseudocolor and animation to visualize data that contain missing regions displayed as black or transparent, the missing regions popping in and out can distract the viewer from the more relevant information. Filling these gaps with interpolated data could lead to a misinterpretation of the data. The paper presents a method for combining pseudocoloring and grayscale in the same colormap. Valid data are mapped to colors in the colormap. The luminance values of the colors bounding areas of missing data are used in interpolating over these regions. The missing data are mapped to the grayscale portion of the colormap. This approach has the advantages of eliminating distracting gaps caused by missing data and distinguishing between those areas that represent valid data and those areas that do not. This approach was inspired by a technique used in the restoration of paintings. >
The RNA replication enhancer element of tombusviruses contains two interchangeable hairpins that are functional during plus-strand synthesis.

Replication of the RNA genomes of tombusviruses, which are small plus-sense RNA viruses of plants, may be regulated by cis-acting elements, including promoters and replication enhancers that are present in the RNA templates. Using a partially purified RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) preparation (P. D. Nagy and J. Pogany, Virology 276:279-288, 2000), we demonstrate that the minus-strand templates of tombusviruses contain a replication enhancer, which can upregulate RNA synthesis initiating from the minimal plus-strand initiation promoter by 10- to 20-fold in an in vitro assay. Dissection of the sequence of the replication enhancer element revealed that the two stem-loop structures present within the ∼80-nucleotide-long enhancer region have interchangeable roles in upregulating RNA synthesis. The single-stranded sequence located between the two stem-loops also plays an important role in stimulation of RNA synthesis. We also demonstrate that one of the two hairpins, both of which are similar to the hairpin of the minus-strand initiation promoter, can function as a promoter in vitro in the presence of short cytidylate-containing initiation sites. Overall, the in vitro data presented are consistent with previous in vivo results (D. Ray and K. A. White, Virology 256:162-171, 1999) and they firmly establish the presence of a replication enhancer on the minus-stranded RNA of tombusviruses.
Flotation and retreat of a lake-calving terminus, Mendenhall Glacier, southeast Alaska, USA

Mendenhall Glacier is a lake-calving glacier in southeastern Alaska, USA, that is experiencing substantial thinning and increasingly rapid recession. Long-term mass wastage linked to climatic trends is responsible for thinning of the lower glacier and leaving the terminus vulnerable to buoyancy-driven calving and accelerated retreat. Bedrock topography has played a major role in stabilizing the terminus between periods of rapid calving and retreat. Lake-terminating glaciers form a population distinct from both tidewater glaciers and polar ice tongues, with some similarities to both groups. Lacustrine termini experience fewer perturbations (e.g. tidal flexure, high subaqueous melt rates) and are therefore inherently more stable than tidewater termini. At Mendenhall, rapid thinning and simultaneous retreat into a deeper basin led to flotation conditions along approximately 50% of the calving front. This unstable terminus geometry lasted for approximately 2 years and culminated in large- scale calving and terminus collapse during summer 2004. Buoyancy-driven calving events and terminus break-up can result from small, rapidly applied perturbations in lake level.
A review of the conservation threats to carnivorous plants

Over half of the carnivorous plant species assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are listed as threatened (i.e. vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered), but the threats to carnivorous plants have not previously been quantified systematically. In this review, we quantify the conservation threats to carnivorous plant taxa worldwide. Using the IUCN Red List, a literature search of Web of Knowledge, and the National Red Lists database, we collected data on the threats to 48 species of carnivorous plants from nine genera. The most common threat was habitat loss from agriculture, followed by the collection of wild plants, pollution, and natural systems modifications. A principal coordinate analysis revealed that species within a genus often faced similar threats, and an indicator species analysis found positive associations among species in the genus Sarracenia and agricultural activities, over-collection, invasive species, and pollution. Future research should further quantify the effects of pollution on carnivorous plants, and more thoroughly examine the potential role of carnivorous plants as indicator species for wetland health. More research is also needed to quantify the extinction risk for many carnivorous plants, as presently only around 17% of species have been assessed by the IUCN. Ensuring the conservation of carnivorous plants will help maintain the important ecosystem services they provide and prevent secondary extinctions of specialist species that rely on them.
Signal transduction abnormalities in T lymphocytes from patients with advanced renal carcinoma: clinical relevance and effects of cytokine therapy.

Studies have demonstrated abnormalities of the CD3/T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and pathways of signal transduction in T lymphocytes from animals and patients with advanced malignancy. Diminished expression of TCRzeta and p56(lck) that are associated with the TCR and reduced nuclear localization of RelA containing nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) complexes have been noted. These defects have been described in T cells from patients with malignant melanoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), ovarian cancer, and colorectal cancer. Preliminary observations also indicate possible correlation with clinical variables such as stage in selected instances. To further characterize altered expression of TCRzeta, p56(lck), and impaired activation of NFkappaB, T lymphocytes were obtained from 65 patients with RCC, the majority of whom were receiving combination cytokine therapy [interleukin (IL)-2, IFN alpha-containing regimens] and 37 control individuals. In 29 of these patients, levels of TCRzeta and p56(lck) were determined by Western blots of T-cell lysates and semiquantitated using densitometry. Relative levels were then correlated with a series of clinical variables including response to therapy, performance status, survival, disease sites, age, and others. In another group of 28 patients (three individuals from the first group), the frequency of abnormal NFkappaB activation was studied using electrophoretic mobility shift assays after activation of T cells with phorbol myristate acetate/ionomycin or anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Changes in these signaling molecules during cytokine treatment were also investigated. TCRzeta and p56(lck) were detected in the peripheral blood T cells in 27 of 29 patients, and overall, reduced levels were noted visually in 12 of 29 (41%) and 13 of 29 (45%) individuals, respectively. When levels were semiquantitated using densitometry, significant decreases of TCRzeta (P = 0.029) and p56(lck) (P = 0.029) but not CD3epsilon (P = 0.131), compared with control levels, were found. In patients treated with IL-2/IFN alpha-based therapy, relative levels of TCRzeta increased significantly (P = 0.002) on day 15 of cycle one compared with the baseline. Correlations of TCRzeta or p56(lck) levels with response or disease variables, except for lower TCRzeta levels (P 50% of patients and may also revert to normal during IL-2/IFN alpha-based treatment. This alteration in NFkappaB activation occurred in the presence of normal expression of TCRzeta-associated signaling elements. The clinical significance of these findings remains unclear.
4-methyl-pyridine adducts of copper (II) β-diketone chelates

Abstract Spectrophotometric studies in the visible region have been made on benzene solutions of Cu(chelate)2 [chelate = the hexafluoroacetylacetonate ion (HFacac), the thenoyltrifluroacetonate ion (TTA), the trifluoroacetylacetonate ion (TFacac) and the acetylacetonate ion (acac)] with increasing amounts of 4-methyl-pyridine (4-me-py). All form 1:1 adducts of the type Cu(chelate)2·4-me-py which, with the exception of Cu(acac)2·4-me-py, are very stable. The room-temperature formation constant of this adduct has been determined as approximately 101.mole−1. Again with the exception of Cu(acac)2, they all form 1:2 adducts of the type Cu(chelate)2·(4-me-py)2. Solid complexes have been isolated and analysed. It is suggested that the 1:1 and 1:2 adducts are definite compounds and that, in the latter, the second molecule of base is not simply trapped in the lattice.
Carotid revascularization: risks and benefits.

Despite a decline during the recent decades in stroke-related death, the incidence of stroke has remained unchanged or slightly increased, and extracranial carotid artery stenosis is implicated in 20%–30% of all strokes. Medical therapy and risk factor modification are first-line therapies for all patients with carotid occlusive disease. Evidence for the treatment of patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis greater than 70% with either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is compelling, and several trials have demonstrated a benefit to carotid revascularization in the symptomatic patient population. Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is more controversial, with the largest trials only demonstrating a 1% per year risk stroke reduction with CEA. Although there are sufficient data to advocate for aggressive medical therapy as the primary mode of treatment for asymptomatic carotid stenosis, there are also data to suggest that certain patient populations will benefit from a stroke risk reduction with carotid revascularization. In the United States, consensus and practice guidelines dictate that CEA is reasonable in patients with high-grade asymptomatic stenosis, a reasonable life expectancy, and perioperative risk of less than 3%. Regarding CAS versus CEA, the best-available evidence demonstrates no difference between the two procedures in early perioperative stroke, myocardial infarction, or death, and no difference in 4-year ipsilateral stroke risk. However, because of the higher perioperative risks of stroke in patients undergoing CAS, particularly in symptomatic, female, or elderly patients, it is difficult to recommend CAS over CEA except in populations with prohibitive cardiac risk, previous carotid surgery, or prior neck radiation. Current treatment paradigms are based on identifying the magnitude of perioperative risk in patient subsets and on using predictive factors to stratify patients with high-risk asymptomatic stenosis.
A point process approach for analyzing gait variability dynamics

We present a novel statistical paradigm for modeling and analysis of gait variability which captures the natural point process structure of gait intervals and allows for definition of new measures instantaneous mean and standard deviation. We validate our model using two existing data sets from physionet.org. Results show an excellent model fit and yield insights into the underlying statistical structure behind human gait. Statistical analyses further corroborate previous findings of increased variability in gait at different speeds, both self-paced and metronome-paced, and reveal a significant increase in gait variability in Parkinson's subjects, as compared to young and elderly healthy subjects. These results indicate the validity of a point process approach to the analysis of gait, and the potential utility of incorporating instantaneous measures of gait into diagnostic or patient monitoring applications.
`It's Working Beautifully!' Philosophical Reflections on Aesthetics and Organization Theory:

This paper is in two parts. Part I discusses three issues pertaining to the introduction and development of philosophical aesthetics for organization theory. First, aesthetic concepts are shown to ...
Decomposition of aspirin in the solid state in the presence of limited amounts of moisture III: Effect of temperature and a possible mechanism

In a previous study, we showed that aspirin in the presence of limited amounts of moisture fails to follow Leeson-Mattocks kinetics at 62.5 °C. This system has been tested at a series of temperatures, and several plausible models have been tested. It is shown that the data are explained by a model in which the reaction is limited to a surface interaction between aspirin and water from the sorbed bulk moisture layer.
Novel Integrated Energy Systems and Control Methods with Economic Analysis for Integrated Community Based Energy Systems

A framework for establishing neighborhood based integrated energy systems, which are highly but not solely dependant on renewable energy is presented. Integrated energy systems is a whole system concept. It includes knowledge, design, analysis, construction, and long term utilization of a community's electrical, mechanical, thermal, educational, and governing systems at all levels, individual homes, communities, local and regional infrastructures, etc. The authors depend heavily on their experiences in the USA State of Florida. The guidance should be generally applicable to world wide communities with additional considerations. Integrated energy systems will provide significant benefit to both the community and the national grid infrastructure. These systems can provide economic, ideological, and aesthetic satisfaction to certain homeowners who believe a greater dependence on renewable energies is demanded by world events. These systems can also provide significant performance improvements for a national grid that faces rapidly increasing demand at a pace that surpasses the pace of additional transmission or even generation in some places of the world. In this paper we touch on considerations for the national infrastructure, the actual neighborhood microgrid design, the energy sources, the economic analysis and education. This is intended to be a start of discussion and not an exhaustive analysis or case for integrated energy systems.
On styrene–butadiene–styrene–barium ferrite nanocomposites

Abstract Magnetic investigations on a nanocomposite material obtained by spinning solutions of styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer containing barium ferrite nanoparticles onto Si wafers are reported. The effect of the spinning frequency on the magnetic features is discussed. It is observed that the magnetization at saturation is decreased as the spinning frequency is increased as the centrifuge force removes the magnetic nanoparticles from the solution. This is supported by the derivative of the hysteresis loops, which show two components, one with a high coercive field and another with a small coercive field. Increasing the spinning frequency increases the weight of the low coercive field component. The anisotropy in the distribution of magnetic nanoparticles, triggered eventually by the self-assembly capabilities of the matrix, is revealed by the difference between the coercive field in parallel and perpendicular configuration. It is noticed that increasing the spinning frequency enhances this difference. The effect of annealing the nanocomposite films is discussed.
GRP94 (gp96) and GRP94 N-Terminal Geldanamycin Binding Domain Elicit Tissue Nonrestricted Tumor Suppression

In chemical carcinogenesis models, GRP94 (gp96) elicits tumor-specific protective immunity. The tumor specificity of this response is thought to reflect immune responses to GRP94-bound peptide antigens, the cohort of which uniquely identifies the GRP94 tissue of origin. In this study, we examined the apparent tissue restriction of GRP94-elicited protective immunity in a 4T1 mammary carcinoma model. We report that the vaccination of BALB/c mice with irradiated fibroblasts expressing a secretory form of GRP94 markedly suppressed 4T1 tumor growth and metastasis. In addition, vaccination with irradiated cells secreting the GRP94 NH2-terminal geldanamycin-binding domain (NTD), a region lacking canonical peptide-binding motifs, yielded a similar suppression of tumor growth and metastatic progression. Conditioned media from cultures of GRP94 or GRP94 NTD-secreting fibroblasts elicited the up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II and CD86 in dendritic cell cultures, consistent with a natural adjuvant function for GRP94 and the GRP94 NTD. Based on these findings, we propose that GRP94-elicited tumor suppression can occur independent of the GRP94 tissue of origin and suggest a primary role for GRP4 natural adjuvant function in antitumor immune responses.
Managing Brachycaudis persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) During Peach Orchard Establishment

We investigated whether preplant root dips or postplant sprays or drenches could be used to control the black peach aphid, Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini), on young peach trees. In greenhouse trials, B. persicae died after being placed on peach trees that had their roots dipped in imidacloprid before planting. All rates (0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 ml/liter of water) tested controlled this aphid. B. persicae died faster on trees dipped in imidacloprid (1.6 ml/liter of water) for 5 min before planting than on trees dipped for 2 s. Aphids eventually died on all treated trees. Approximately 50% of untreated trees died from B. persicae infestations in greenhouse studies. Results from a field experiment show that peach trees root-dipped in imidacloprid before planting or drenched with imidacloprid after planting eliminate B. persicae infestations and prevent root colonization for at least 1 yr.
SY25NEW FINDINGS ON THE GENETICS OF ALCOHOL DEPENDENCESY25-1GENOMICS OF ALCOHOLISM – FAMILY STUDIES

Alcoholism is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental contributions to risk. The two strongest known genetic factors are variants of genes that metabolize alcohol. Beyond that, there are probably hundreds of genes that affect risk, however, the heterogeneity of the disorder makes their identification …
Wittgenstein’s Annus Mirabilis : 1929

There may be no royal road to geometry, but for a perceptive philosopher there exists a shortcut entry to Wittgenstein’s philosophy, both to its early and to its later version. This freeway is opened to us by Wittgenstein’s notebooks from the year 1929, listed in von Wright’s catalogue as MSS 105–107. What makes this year 1929 crucial is that it was then that Wittgenstein took the decisive step away from the philosophy of the Tractatus towards his later position. The notebooks provide a vivid, sometimes dramatic, account of Wittgenstein’s intensive struggle to fight his way to a point where he was ready to take this step. What this step is will be explained below. It represents a major failure on the part of the philosophical community in general, and of Wittgenstein’s editors in particular, that these notebooks have not been translated, edited, or apparently even transcribed, in spite of the fact that these unique documents offer us a rare glimpse of the ways of thinking of a great philosopher.1Admittedly, Wittgenstein used much of the material from these notebooks for the book which he put together and which has been published under the title Philosophical Remarks. However, this book cannot serve the same purpose as the notebooks, because most of the traces of his earlier position and most of the traces of the painful struggle which was needed for him to overcome his earlier philosophical self have been removed from the more or less finished text of the book.
Single-nanoparticle near-infrared surface plasmon resonance microscopy for real-time measurements of DNA hybridization adsorption.

A novel 814 nm near-infrared surface plasmon resonance (SPR) microscope is used for the real-time detection of the sequence-selective hybridization adsorption of single DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The objective-coupled, high numerical aperture SPR microscope is capable of imaging in situ the adsorption of single polystyrene and gold particles with diameters ranging from 450 to 20 nm onto a 90 μm × 70 μm area of a gold thin film with a time resolution of approximately 1–3 s. Initial real-time SPR imaging (SPRI) measurements were performed to detect the accumulation of 40 nm gold nanoparticles for 10 min onto a gold thin film functionalized with a 100% complementary DNA surface at concentrations from 5 pM to 100 fM by counting individual particle binding events. A 100% noncomplementary DNA surface exhibited virtually no nanoparticle adsorption. In contrast, in a second set of SPRI measurements, two component complementary/noncomplementary mixed DNA monolayers that contained a very small percentag...
Seasonal Development and Color Morph Determination of the Yellowheaded Fireworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The yellow headed fireworm, Acleris minuta (Robinson), has four discrete generations in southwestern Iowa: the overwintering gray color morph flies in April followed by the first-, second-, and third-generation flights of the orange color morph in late May, late June, and early August, respectively. The offspring of the third summer generation begin emerging as adults in mid-September. These gray moths overwinter and mate the following spring. Photoperiod triggers color morph determination. Repeated exposures of larvae to photophases of 12 h or less produce gray morph development and must begin not later than the fourth stadium.
Influence of lactogenic hormone and estradiol benzoate upon placentoma formation in intact rats measured by total DNA.

SummarySprague - Dawley - Rolfsmeyer rats showing full estrous smears were administered 1 mg/day of ovine lactogen containing 15 IU/mg for 5 days. On day 6, one uterine horn was traumatized and 1 μg EB and 1 and 2 mg lactogen (LGH) were administered on days 6 to 9. On day 10, horns of uteri were separated and processed for DNA. EB had no influence on placentoma formation; whereas, both levels of LGH stimulated placentoma in 1/3 of rats with graded reaction as measured by DNA. EB, .5 μg or 1 μg, with 1 mg LGH improved neither % response nor total DNA in comparison with LGH alone. While lactogenic preparation stimulated placentoma formation, reasons are advanced why it is premature to identify luteotropic action with lactogen.
Learning strategy, list abstractness, and free-recall learning

The influence of learning strategy and type of list (abstract vs concrete) were investigated in two experiments. The results of both experiments strongly indicated that instructions to link successive items facilitates free recall relative to rehearsal instructions. The control Ss were generally inferior to the Ss instructed to link successive words but superior to the rehearsal Ss. It was unclear whether the instruction effect depended on the type of list, but there was some evidence that the instruction effect increased as the number of learning trials increased.
Sero-Epidemiologic Studies of Meningococcal Infection with the Indirect Hemagglutination Test

A major barrier to understanding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of meningococcal infection has been the inability to define the degree of susceptibility of a person or population. During the presulfonamide era, a variety of standard immunologic techniques were employed to demonstrate humoral antibody to meningococci in patients with meningitis and in asymptomatic carriers [1-10]. However, few investigators pursued this aspect of meningococcal infection during the 20-year period beginning with World War II when this disease was satisfactorily controlled by sulfonamide prophylaxis [11-18]. At the end of this period, in 1963 [19], the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the host response to symptomatic or asymptomatic meningococcal infection was emphasized by the appearance of sulfonamide-resistant strains.
Nonlinear optical pulse suppression via ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer in an aggregated perylene diimide/oligothiophene molecular triad.

A donor–acceptor–donor triad material in which two quinquethiophene moieties are attached via nonconjugated, flexible bridges to the 1,7-positions (80% isomer) and 1,6-positions (20% isomer) of a perylene diimide (PDI-5T) has been synthesized, and its nonlinear suppression of nanosecond laser pulses in the 680–750 nm range has been studied. The kinetics of the photoinduced charge separation processes have been characterized using femtosecond transient pump–probe spectroscopy. Excitation of either the quinquethiophene donor or perylene diimide acceptor leads to ultrafast (<700 fs) photoinduced charge separation, yielding quinquethiophene and perylene diimide radical ions that are strongly absorbing in the red–near-IR region. Despite the short lifetime (52 ps) of the charge-separated state, reasonably strong nonlinear suppression of nanosecond pulses, with figures-of-merit up to 14, has been realized with 4 mM solutions of PDI-5T. Although the radical ion absorption (RIA) is much stronger at 750 nm than tha...
Two New Fifty-Year-Old Species of Myxobacteria

(1958). Two New Fifty-Year-Old Species of Myxobacteria. Mycologia: Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 628-633.
Life-Cycle Perspectives on Aquatic Ecotoxicity of Common Ionic Liquids.

This study compares the aquatic ecotoxicity impacts of production- and use-phase release of five common ionic liquids (ILs). Integrating toxicity data, physical properties, and fate and transport parameters with the USEtox model, we report, for the first time, the freshwater ecotoxicity characterization factors for [Bmim]+[Br]−, [Bmim]+[Cl], [Bmim]+[BF4]−, [Bmim]+[PF6]−, and [BPy]+[Cl]− as 624, 748, 823, 927, and 1768 CTUe/kg, respectively. IL Production life cycle inventories were modeled and utilized to estimate their production-side ecotoxicity impacts. Literature on environmental aspects of ILs propagates either their green characteristics (no air emissions and high recyclability) or their nongreen aspects due to toxicity concerns of their release to water. This study adds a third dimension by showing that the upstream ecotoxicity impacts of producing ILs could outweigh the potential ecotoxicity impacts of direct release during use. Furthermore, for the studied ILs, an average of 83% of ecotoxicity im...
Environment in the World Bank1 – Policies and Practices

Environmental criteria (including conservation, pollution control and human ecology) are systematically integrated into World Bank projects in the belief that sustainable economic development depends on sound environmental management. Procedures are outlined by which the Bank incorporates necessary environmental safeguards into each stage of the project cycle, from initial identification, planning and design through construction operation and final evaluation. The Bank9s other environmental functions (including technical assistance liaision work) are also outlined. Specific Bank projects with significant coastal implications are noted. 1 The views presented in this paper are solely those of the author and do not necessarily fully reflect the policies and procedures of the World Bank.
Heat-Bath Configuration Interaction: An Efficient Selected Configuration Interaction Algorithm Inspired by Heat-Bath Sampling

We introduce a new selected configuration interaction plus perturbation theory algorithm that is based on a deterministic analog of our recent efficient heat-bath sampling algorithm. This Heat-bath Configuration Interaction (HCI) algorithm makes use of two parameters that control the trade-off between speed and accuracy, one which controls the selection of determinants to add to a variational wave function and one which controls the selection of determinants used to compute the perturbative correction to the variational energy. We show that HCI provides an accurate treatment of both static and dynamic correlation by computing the potential energy curve of the multireference carbon dimer in the cc-pVDZ basis. We then demonstrate the speed and accuracy of HCI by recovering the full configuration interaction energy of both the carbon dimer in the cc-pVTZ basis and the strongly correlated chromium dimer in the Ahlrichs VDZ basis, correlating all electrons, to an accuracy of better than 1 mHa, in just a few mi...
Proton Sensitivity of NCX: Modulation by Na, Ca and a Distinct Proton-Sensing Domain

The Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) is a plasma membrane transporter expressed in cardiac myocytes where it extrudes Ca2+ on a beat to beat basis, thereby influencing contractility. NCX is strongly inhibited by cytosolic protons potentially leading to contractile dysfunction and cellular injury under pathological conditions associated with a decrease in intracellular pH (e.g. ischemia/reperfusion). The molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation remain elusive. Previous studies suggested that NCX pH inhibition is enhanced by intracellular Na and that may originate from displacement of Ca from two regulatory Ca2+-binding domains.Using giant patch voltage clamp and site-directed mutagenesis, we found that NCX pH sensitivity can develop independently from both Na+ and Ca2+ regulation. In the absence of Ca2+ regulation (E516L) pH sensitivity increased, while removal of Na+-dependent inactivation (K229Q) caused a decrease in NCX apparent proton affinity. The data indicate that NCX pH regulation originates from a separate intrinsic pH sensor whose affinity for protons can be modulated by cytoplasmic Na+ and Ca2+. Substitution of Histidines 124 and 165 and Lysine 229 drastically decreased both the apparent affinity of NCX for intracellular protons (K1/2 values are, µM: 0.043± 0.004 for WT and 0.28±0.08 for mutant) and the Hill coefficient (1.81±0.10 for WT and1.01±0.01 for mutant). These results suggest that these residues are key components of the NCX pH sensor.
Deep Learning in Radiology: Does One Size Fit All?

Abstract Deep learning (DL) is a popular method that is used to perform many important tasks in radiology and medical imaging. Some forms of DL are able to accurately segment organs (essentially, trace the boundaries, enabling volume measurements or calculation of other properties). Other DL networks are able to predict important properties from regions of an image—for instance, whether something is malignant, molecular markers for tissue in a region, even prognostic markers. DL is easier to train than traditional machine learning methods, but requires more data and much more care in analyzing results. It will automatically find the features of importance, but understanding what those features are can be a challenge. This article describes the basic concepts of DL systems and some of the traps that exist in building DL systems and how to identify those traps.
Improving Disparity Map Estimation for Multi-View Noisy Images

A robust multi-view disparity estimation algorithm for noisy images is presented. The proposed algorithm constructs 3D focus image stacks (3DFIS) by projecting and stacking multi-view images and estimates a disparity map based on the 3DFIS. To make the algorithm robust to noise and occlusion, a texture-based view selection and patch size variation scheme based on texture map is proposed. Experiment results indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms conventional stereo matching algorithms as well as previously reported multi-view disparity estimation algorithms under noisy conditions.
Development of fetal vascular responses to endothelin-1 and acetylcholine in the sheep.

Responses to K+, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and acetylcholine (ACh) of isolated adrenal, femoral, middle cerebral, and renal arteries from fetal [110–145 days gestational age (dGA, term ∼148 dGA)] and 0-...
Central Descending Auditory Pathways

The presence of descending pathways in the auditory system has been known for a long time. These pathways may improve the system’s ability to extract information from acoustic stimuli and perhaps control what auditory information reaches consciousness. The past two decades have seen a tremendous growth in interest in the central descending system for several reasons.5
Recognition: Are There Multiple Mechanisms for Filtering Complex Stimuli?

A basic system-level problem is how brains recognize stimuli, using that verb operationally, without implying or denying conscious awareness. This is similar but not necessarily equivalent to asking how they represent stimuli. I approach it here by considering only a subset of behavioral recognitions, namely the biologically important stimuli, such as species-typical communications, that usually trigger all-or-none recognition (offspring, mate, food, predator, home), with or without specific motor response. This is in contrast to the subset, postponed here, of more ambiguous, protracted, or sophisticated stimuli, such as unfamiliar faces, voices, or objects (Mozart, Rembrandt, haute cuisine, tickle).
Relationship of reservoir properties for shaly sandstones based on effective porosity

Effective porosity is the proportion of total porosity that contributes to fluid flow in a reservoir. Reservoir properties such as permeability and capillary pressures are related to effective porosity. The presence of clay minerals in shaly sandstones introduces microporosity, and thus makes it difficult to estimate accurately the permeability. We find that previous estimates of clay microporosity permit more accurate predictions of effective porosity, permeability, and capillary displacement pressures for shaly sandstones. In this study, a single data set from the literature is used to illustrate the relationship between effective porosity and permeability, and capillary pressure. The data set consists of 14 samples, which were drawn deliberately from a larger sample population of 44 petroleum reservoir sandstones. These samples cover a range of porosity and air permeability ranging from 8.45-to-26.5% and 0.031-to-1173 millidarcy, respectively. Our results indicate that effective porosities can be applied to predict permeability and capillary displacement pressure for a wide range of shaly reservoir sandstones. The prediction of permeability by the widely used Kozeny-Carman equation can also be improved by effective porosity. The basis for the correlation between permeability and effective porosity is the strong relationship between the latter and median pore-throat diameter.
Financial Pricing of Insurance

The financial pricing of insurance refers to the application of asset pricing theory, empirical asset pricing, actuarial science, and mathematical finance to insurance pricing. In this chapter we unify different approaches that assign a value to insurance assets or liabilities in the setting of a securities market. By doing so we present the various approaches in a common framework that allows us to discuss differences and commonalities. The presentation is done as simply as possible while still communicating the important ideas with references pointing the reader to more details.
Postoperative epistaxis and sphenoid sinus ostial stenosis after posterior septal branch injury during sphenoidotomy

Background Postoperative arterial epistaxis and sphenoid sinus stenosis after sphenoidotomies for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and transsphenoidal approaches (TSAs) are uncommon. One potential source of epistaxis after sphenoidotomy is the sphenopalatine artery's posterior septal branch (PSB). PSB injury, in addition to other factors, could increase the risk of sphenoid stenosis. The purpose of this study was to determine incidence of, and risks factors for, the following outcomes after sphenoidotomy: PSB injury; postoperative epistaxis from the injured PSB; and sphenoid stenosis after PSB injury. Methods A single-institution, prospective case series was conducted based on 233 sphenoidotomies performed during ESS (n = 163) and TSAs (n = 70). Outcome measures included intraoperative PSB injury, postoperative epistaxis from the PSB, and sphenoid stenosis. Results The incidence of PSB injury was 17.2% during ESS-related sphenoidotomies, and 5.7% during TSA-related sphenoidotomies (p = 0.010). After PSB injury during ESS- and TSA-related sphenoidotomies (n = 32), there was 1 instance of epistaxis from the PSB (3.1%). Of the 161 ESS-related sphenoidotomies, 6 developed complete or near-complete stenosis (3.7%), which was more likely to occur with smaller anterior sphenoid face dimensions (p = 0.001). PSB injury, revision sphenoidotomy, and other factors did not increase the risk of stenosis. None of the TSA-related sphenoidotomies stenosed completely. Median follow-up was 7 months. Conclusion PSB injury occurred in 17.2% of ESS-related sphenoidotomies and 5.8% of TSA-related sphenoidotomies. After PSB injury, postoperative epistaxis from the PSB was rare (3.1%). After ESS-related sphenoidotomies, sphenoid stenosis was rare (3.7%), and was more likely to occur with smaller sphenoid dimensions, but not with PSB injury or other factors.
Efficient wave-equation-based diffraction imaging

ABSTRACTWe have developed an efficient and practical wave-equation-based technique to image subsurface geologic features such as isolated scatterers, reflector edges, fault, fracture zones, and ero...
Association of Plasma Trimethylamine-N-oxide and Serum Endothelin-1 with Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a major complication that affects long-term survival after heart transplantation (HT). Multiple factors contribute to the development of CAV, with inflammation playing an important role. Endothelin-1 (ET1) is a pro-inflammatory mediator that has been implicated in development of CAV. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a gut-derived metabolite, recently linked to accelerated risk of atherosclerosis in non-HT pts. Herein, we sought to investigate the association of ET1 and TMAO with CAV in HT. Methods Blood was collected in 116 HT pts (52.8±12.6 yo; F 19%). Plasma TMAO and serum ET1 were measured via LC-MS and ELISA, respectively. Presence of CAV on angiography was defined using the current ISHLT criteria or an intravascular ultrasound measurement of a maximal intimal thickness of >0.5mm. We used Wilcoxon test and logistic regression analyses to assess the association between CAV and TMAO/ET1 levels, controlling for several covariates. Results TMAO and ET1 were measured at a median [IQR] of 9.3 [4.7-52.7] months post-HT. CAV was assessed at a median of 4.70 [1.08-8.17]y. Median TMAO and ET1 levels were 4.79 [2.49-9.15] µM and 1.93 [1.36-2.61] pg/mL, respectively. CAV was present in 59 (51%) pts. There was no difference in baseline characteristics in pts with (CAV+) and without CAV (CAV-). CAV+ pts had a longer median follow up (5.98 [2.99-9.75] vs 1.92 [1.01-6.02]y). TMAO levels were similar in both groups (5.50 [2.67-11.5] vs 4.44 [2.61-7.58] µM, p = 0.56), while ET1 was significantly higher in the CAV+ group (2.20 [1.69-2.93] vs 1.68[1.21- 2.31] pg/mL, p Conclusion Our findings indicate that ET1, but not TMAO, is independently associated with CAV in HT.
Assessment of the iodine nutritional status among Chinese school-aged children

Objective The remarkable success of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) elimination in China has been achieved through a mandatory universal salt iodization (USI) program. The study aims to estimate the relationship between urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and iodine content in edible salt to assess the current iodine nutritional status of school aged children. Methods A total of 5565 students from 26 of 39 districts/counties in Chongqing participated in the study, UIC and iodine content in table salt were measured. Thyroid volumes of 3311 students were examined by ultrasound and goiter prevalence was calculated. Results The overall median UIC of students was 222 μg/L (IQR: 150-313 μg/L). Median UIC was significantly different among groups with non-iodized salt (iodine content 39 mg/kg) salt (P 0.05). Conclusions The efficient implementation of current USI program is able to reduce the goiter prevalence in Chongqing as a low incidence of goiter in school aged children is observed in this study. The widened UIC range of 100-299 μg/L indicating sufficient iodine intake is considered safe with a slim chance of causing goiter or thyroid dysfunction. Further researches were needed to evaluate the applicability of WHO reference in goiter diagnose in Chongqing or identifying more accurate criteria of normal thyroid volume of local students in the future.
Heavy Metal Removal via Phycoremediation

Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) is a growing environmental problem and is characterized by acidic, heavy metal-laden water. Here we consider the use of algae to remediate ARD and heavy metal pollution. Algae species candidates that remediate heavy metals from impacted waters with a 90% efficiency while sustaining highly acidic, metal-laden conditions were explored. The following phycoremediation candidates were selected, cultivated, and intended to be tested for their metal-sorption capacity and ideal operational conditions: Spirulina platensis, Cladophora glomerata, a sample from mine water, and a sample local to New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the unexpected remote-only working constraints, only the local sample was tested for its metal removal efficiency on synthetic multi-metal mine water and at only one operational condition: contact time. Optimum contact times varied upon the different metals: 75 minutes (Al), 15 minutes (As), 60 minutes (Cu), and 30 minutes (Fe, Mn, and Zn).After practicing phycoremediation in the lab, a full-scale system for mass-cultivation of algae and treatment of acid rock drainage with an influent flow rate of 10 GPM was designed. An ORWP was selected for the mass-cultivation of the algae and the required pond area was determined to be 700 m 2 . For the treatment system, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) design was selected with three batch reactors each with a volume of 1500 gallons to account for a 10 GPM flow per tank per cycle. To separate the biomass from the treated mine water, a concurrent inclined settling system and flocculant was chosen. A mass balance was applied to the system to find the flow of biomass exiting and the amount of truckloads per year required for disposal of the biomass. From a cost analysis, the estimated capital and annual costs of a full-scale ARD treatment phycoremediation system is estimated to be $361,943 and $244,821/year, respectively.
Restaurant Authenticity: An Analysis of Its Influence on Restaurant Customer Perceptions and Behaviors

This study developed a conceptual model to test the influence of restaurant authenticity on customer perceptions and behaviors at restaurants serving a destination’s authentic regional cuisine. The...
Pruritus and Other Dermatological Problems in Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease has implications on the function of many organ systems. Numerous physiologic changes that occur in CKD often present with cutaneous manifestations. Pruritus is the most common cutaneous manifestation of kidney failure but has only minimally effective treatments. Xerosis, Lindsay’s nails, acquired perforating dermatoses (APD), metastatic calcinosis cutis (MCC), nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), pseudoporphyria, and porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) are other disorders of the skin seen in CKD that can be addressed with various medical or surgical treatments.