cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in Emergency Department Use Among Young Adults After the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Dependent Coverage Provision

Study objective Since September 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has allowed young adults to remain as dependents on their parents' private health plans until age 26 years. This insurance expansion could improve the efficiency of medical care delivery by reducing unnecessary emergency department (ED) use. We evaluated the effect of this provision on ED use among young adults. Methods We used a nationally representative ED visit database of more than 17 million visits from 2007 to 2011. Our analysis compared young adults aged 19 to 25 years (the age group targeted by the law) with slightly older adults aged 27 to 29 years (control group), before and after the implementation of the law. Results The quarterly ED-visit rate decreased by 1.6 per 1,000 population (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.1) among targeted young adults after the implementation of the provision, relative to a comparison group. The decrease was concentrated among women, weekday visits, nonurgent conditions, and conditions that can be treated in other settings. We found no effect among weekend visits or visits due to injuries or urgent conditions. The provision also changed the health insurance composition of ED visits; the fraction of privately insured young adults increased, whereas the fraction of those insured through Medicaid and those uninsured decreased. Conclusion The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act dependent coverage expansion was associated with a statistically significant yet modest decrease in ED use, concentrated in the types of ED visits that were likely to be responsive to changes to insurance status. In response to the law, young adults appeared to have altered their visit pattern to reflect a more efficient use of medical care.
Incontinence and Perception

The traditional problem of incontinence raises the question of whether there is any way to account for action contrary to judgment. When one acts, rather than only being acted upon by circumstances, the action is explained in terms of the reasons for action one judges oneself to have. It therefore seems impossible to explain action that iscontrary to such judgment. This paper examines the question of how such explanation would be possible. After excluding accounts that either eliminate incontinence or render it inexplicable, I argue that genuine incontinence would require three components: first, a distinction between the types of judgments simultaneously present in the agent; second, the Aristotelian idea that not all of those types of judgments can be directly action-guiding; and third, that the judgments that are action-guiding can be pre-conceptual perceptions. I then use elements of Collingwood's aesthetics to make the case that although such pre-conceptual perceptions would not be propositional judgments and the relationship between them and the behaviors of the agent could not be causal, those behaviors could still qualify as incontinent actions.
Esterase activity associated with formation of deposits on teeth.

Abstract 1. 1. Esterase activity was found in bacteria, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells associated with deposit formation on teeth. 2. 2. It is suggested that enzyme activity in tooth deposits it correlated with a saponification process, ultimately leading to calcifications.
Lipidated steroid saponins from Dioscorea villosa (wild yam).

Abstract Two groups of lipidated steroid saponins including seven new compounds (2, 3, 5, and 7–10) were isolated from the widely used botanical, wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), employing a fractionation protocol of metabolomic mining. This methodology recently led to the isolation of 14 diarylheptanoids from the same plant. Together with these lipidated steroid saponins, they establish additional new markers for D. villosa. The lipidation of steroids with analog long-chain fatty acids containing different degrees of unsaturation generates an entire series of compounds which are difficult to purify and analyze. The structures of the two series of lipidated steroid saponins (series A and B) were established by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR as well as GC–MS after chemical modification. Series A was determined to be a mixture of lipidated spirostanol glycosides (1–5), while series B (6–10) was proved to be a mixture of five lipidated clionasterol glucosides. The latter group represents the first derivatives of clionasterol to be found in D. villosa. The discovery of this specific structural type of aliphatic esters of steroid saponins expands the characterization of the secondary metabolome of D. villosa. It may also inspire biological studies which take into account the lipophilic character and significantly altered physiochemical characteristics of these otherwise relatively polar phytoconstituents.
An Empirical Expression for the Probability of Particle Passage Through Ideal Screens

SUMMARY Using a form factor, to represent particle shape, the dynamic sieve data of LUDWICK and HENDERSON (1968) can be presented as a single function, with a standard error of 4%.
Operational economies of a process positioning determinant

Abstract We develop and analyze a model of commercial relationship. The commercial chain is assumed to have predefined boundaries consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer and consumers. We show how cooperation in the chain can be induced so as to maximize total system gain. Our analysis helps resolve issues such as optimal price mark up as the product passes through various stages in the chain, optimal level of investment in modernizing manufacturing technology and equipment for faster production rate, production and delivery lot sizing, optimal acquisition cost of backward and forward integration, and optimal investment in set up cost reduction.
Exploring User Behavior In Online Network Equilibrium Problems

The availability of advanced traveler information systems technologies has provided opportunities for travelers to obtain online travel information and thereby improve their travel experiences. The resulting change in user behavior because of such information needs to be accounted for in traffic assignment models. A methodology that accounts for user recourse in the traffic assignment problem is proposed. This methodology accounts for the heterogeneity in user information perception by using a sequential form of logit model. Hyperpaths instead of elementary paths are used in this approach. A key difficulty in modeling online recourse in network assignment problems is in obtaining efficient hyperpaths. A methodology that uses a sequential form of logit model that obviates explicit enumeration of hyperpaths is proposed. Computational results from a hypothetical transportation network are presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed assignment approach.
320 Gb/s RZ-DPSK data multicasting in self seeded parametric mixer

We report first experimental demonstration of 320Gb/s RZ-DPSK wavelength multicasting in self-seeded parametric mixer free of Brillouin backscatter. High efficienty multicaster operated without pump phase dithering for error free wavelength mapping of phase-coded channel.
Adsorption and removal dynamics of polymeric micellar nanocarriers loaded with a therapeutic agent on silica surfaces

Obtaining a better understanding of the adsorption behavior of polymeric nanomedicines is important to properly assess their distribution and fate and to develop successful strategies for minimizing their distribution in the environment. In this study, the adsorption and removal dynamics of a model polymeric nanomedicine of systematically varied sizes – levofloxacin loaded poly(ethyleneglycol-b-e-caprolactone) – on and from silica surfaces are investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). For all the sizes of the nanomedicine investigated (90 nm, 110 nm, 149 nm, 174 nm, 207 nm, and 305 nm), the adsorbate mass on the silica followed a roughly exponential trend with respect to time during the exposure stage, suggesting first-order adsorption kinetics. The adsorption rate constant decreased with the increasing particle size. Furthermore, we have developed a modified Leveque equation to describe the mass transport and adsorption behavior of the nanoparticulate dispersion inside the QCM-D chamber. The derivation involved the application of a bipolar coordinate system to the continuity, Navier–Stokes, and convective–diffusion equations. The adsorption rate constants calculated using the derived equation were found to match the experimental results well. The derived equation is important not only in the field of environmental science but also in many other fields as QCM-D is heavily used to characterize the dynamic adsorption behavior of various types of materials including polymers, proteins, and nanoparticles.
Polarization of yeast cells in spatial gradients of alpha mating factor

Abstract The process of cell fusion during mating of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mediated by factors secreted by the mating partners. Spatial gradients of one of these mating factors, alpha-factor, polarized the growth of projections by MATa cells. The site of previous budding did not affect the direction of polarization, and subsequent budding was also polarized if mating factor was removed. Orientation occurred in the presence of nocodazole, suggesting that microtubules were not critical. At extremely low concentrations of alpha-factor, sst2-mutants (which in genetic studies do not discriminate between partners producing different amounts of alpha-factor) were able to polarize their projections. The sensitivity of this spatial sensing mechanism in wild-type cells is such that differences in receptor occupancy estimated to be about 1% are sufficient for orientation.
Up-regulation of 5-HT2 receptors is involved in the increased H-reflex amplitude after contusive spinal cord injury.

Abstract The amplitude of the H-reflex increases chronically after incomplete SCI and is associated with the development of exaggerated hindlimb reflexes. Although the mechanism for this increased H-reflex is not clear, previous studies have shown that pharmacological activation of the 5-HT 2 receptors (5-HT 2 R) can potentiate the monosynaptic reflex. This study tested the hypothesis that increased expression of 5-HT 2 R on motoneurons is involved in increased H-reflex amplitude after a standardized clinically relevant contusive SCI. Adult female rats were subjected to contusion, complete surgical transection, or a T8 laminectomy only. At 4 weeks after surgery, H-reflex recordings from the hindpaw plantar muscles of contused rats showed twice the amplitude of that in laminectomy controls or transected rats. To probe the role of 5-HT 2 R in this increased amplitude, dose–response studies were done with the selective antagonists mianserin or LY53857 and the 5-HT 2 R agonist (±)-1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI). The drugs were intrathecally infused into the lumbar cord while recording the H-reflex. Mianserin did not have any significant effects on the H-reflex after transection, consistent with the loss of distal serotonergic innervation. After contusion, both 5-HT 2 R antagonists reduced the H-reflex reflex amplitude with a significantly higher ID 50 compared to the uninjured controls. The 5-HT 2 R agonist DOI significantly increased reflex amplitude in contused but not control rats. Furthermore, while 5-HT immunoreactivity was similar, contused rats displayed increased 5-HT 2A R immunoreactivity in plantar muscle motoneurons compared to uninjured controls. We conclude that increased expression of 5-HT 2 R is likely to be involved in the enhanced H-reflex that develops after contusive SCI.
IDEOLOGY AND URBAN LANDSCAPES: CONCEPTIONS OF THE MARKET IN PORTLAND, MAINE*

This paper concerns the role of ideology in the operation of urban land and housing markets. We argue that existing work in this area tends to be overly abstract and to reify ideology. To correct this, we advocate examining understandings of particular land and housing markets. We focus on Portland, Maine, and analyze discourses on the uneven costs of social development, inner-city redevelopment, a recent decline in the regional economy and Portland's place in that economy. Traditional pro-market interpretations dominate, but we also identify more politicized understandings - many of which are also pro-market. They are applied very selectively, for example to explain a crisis but not a boom. We conclude that politicized conceptions of market operations are not necessarily radical and may in fact be crucial to the survival of capitalism.
Focal pathology in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus explains pupillary hypersensitivity in Alzheimer’s disease

Patients who suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a sub-population of community-dwelling elders show an exaggerated pupillary reaction to dilute tropicamide, a cholinergic antagonist. This finding may serve as an early diagnostic marker of AD. Here we report a likely pathological basis for this hypersensitive pupillary response. Our observations indicate that the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW), a known center for the control of pupillary function, is a selective target of Alzheimer pathology early in the course of the disease. In all AD cases examined, the EW contained plaques and tangles. In contrast, the adjacent somatic portion of the oculomotor complex was virtually spared of pathology. Early pathology in the EW is likely to initiate a cascade of events that may give rise to pupillary hypersensitivity.
Activation of development in mammals: Is there a role for a sperm cytosolic factor?

In mammalian oocytes, fertilization-associated calcium [Ca2+]i oscillations are responsible for the activation of development. The mechanism(s) by which the sperm triggers the initial [Ca2+]i rise and supports long-lasting oscillations is not resolved. It has been proposed that the sperm may interact with receptors in the oocyte's plasma membrane and engage intracellular signaling pathways that result in Ca2+ release. A different line of investigation suggests that upon sperm-oocyte fusion, a sperm cytosolic factor is released into the oocyte which interacts with unknown cytosolic targets, and generates [Ca2+]i oscillations. We will discuss the most recent evidence for both lines of thought and demonstrate that injections of sperm crude extracts (SF) into mammalian oocytes trigger [Ca2+]i oscillations that support in vitro parthenogenetic development to the blastocyst stage.
Normal plasma growth hormone levels in growth-retarded weanling rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic lesions.

Weanling rats received bilateral electrolytic lesions destroying the areas of the ventromedial (VMN) and dorsomedial (DMN) hypothalamic nuclei, respectively. Trunk blood was collected at sacrifice (Experiment 1 and 2∶ 31 days, Experiment 3∶ 14 days) for the determination of plasma growth hormone (GH) by radioimmunoassay. Rats with DMN lesions showed consistently normal to slightly elevated plasma GH levels while animals with VMN lesions showed significantly reduced plasma GH levels. Linear growth was reduced by both types of hypothalamic lesions but body weight gains and food intake were reduced only in the DMN lesioned rats. Carcass fat was greatly elevated in VMN lesioned rats, moderately elevated in one experiment in the DMN animals and normal in another experiment. These data confirm a previous hypothesis that growth retardation in DMN rats is not due to low circulating GH level but rather represents a hypocaloric-type dwarfism.
Sex-dimorphic landing mechanics and their role within the noncontact ACL injury mechanism: evidence, limitations and directions

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries continue to present in epidemic-like proportions, carrying significant short- and longer-term debilitative effects. With females suffering these injuries at a higher rate than males, an abundance of research focuses on delineating the sex-specific nature of the underlying injury mechanism. Examinations of sex-dimorphic lower-limb landing mechanics are common since such factors are readily screenable and modifiable. The purpose of this paper was to critically review the published literature that currently exists in this area to gain greater insight into the aetiology of ACL injuries in females and males. Using strict search criteria, 31 articles investigating sex-based differences in explicit knee and/or hip landing biomechanical variables exhibited during vertical landings were selected and subsequently examined. Study outcomes did not support the generally accepted view that significant sex-based differences exist in lower-limb landing mechanics. In fact, a lack of agreement was evident in the literature for the majority of variables examined, with no sex differences evident when consensus was reached. The one exception was that women were typically found to land with greater peak knee abduction angles than males. Considering knee abduction increases ACL loading and prospectively predicts female ACL injury risk, its contribution to sex-specific injury mechanisms and resultant injury rates seems plausible. As for the lack of consensus observed for most variables, it may arise from study-based variations in test populations and landing tasks, in conjunction with the limited ability to accurately measure lower-limb mechanics via standard motion capture methods. Regardless, laboratory-based comparisons of male and female landing mechanics do not appear sufficient to elucidate causes of injury and their potential sex-specificity. Sex-specific in vivo joint mechanical data, if collected accurately, may be more beneficial when used to drive models (e.g., cadaveric and computational) that can additionally quantify the resultant ACL load response. Without these steps, sex-dimorphic landing mechanics data will play a limited role in identifying the aetiology of ACL injuries in women and men.
High Pressure Crystallization of HDPE Droplets

Dispersions of high density polyethylene (HDPE) particles in polystyrene (PS) were produced by interfacially driven breakup of nanolayers in multilayered systems that were fabricated by means of layer-multiplying coextrusion. The droplet size distribution was controlled by the HDPE initial individual layer thickness: 14, 40 or 120 nm. These unique systems allowed us to demonstrate unequivocally for the first time that the HDPE pseudohexagonal phase formation required nucleation on foreign surfaces or on crystals formed in the orthorhombic form at atmospheric pressure. The dispersions of HDPE particles in the PS matrix were subjected to annealing at high pressure of 480 MPa at 235 °C, in conditions where the pseudohexagonal phase forms in HDPE. To reach the desired conditions the samples were first heated and then subjected to high pressure or they were first pressurized and then heated. The samples treated according to the first route melted and transformed into the pseudohexagonal phase from the molten s...
Optimized upstream scheduling in broadband cable networks

The upstream scheduling in broadband cable access networks (CANs) does not efficiently support two-way multimedia applications. The dominant standard in CANs, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), leaves the design of upstream scheduling open to vendors. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic analysis of the DOCSIS upstream scheduling has been published. We present a formal analysis, identify important relations among scheduling parameters, and formulate the optimal scheduling problem. We also design an optimal splitting-data-slot approach, which further reduces request contentions via piggybacking.
Confidence intervals for quantiles and value-at-risk when applying importance sampling

We develop methods to construct asymptotically valid confidence intervals for quantiles and value-at-risk when applying importance sampling (IS). We first employ IS to estimate the cumulative distribution function (CDF), which we then invert to obtain a point estimate of the quantile. To construct confidence intervals, we show that the IS quantile estimator satisfies a Bahadur-Ghosh representation, which implies a central limit theorem (CLT) for the quantile estimator and can be used to obtain consistent estimators of the variance constant in the CLT.
Evidence-based practices for substance use disorders.

People with substance use disorders are heterogeneous, with wide variations across groups in terms of substances used, comorbid disorders, and their strengths and resources. Specialized therapies have been developed to target specific types of substance use disorders: alcohol, opiates, cocaine, and marijuana. Treatment services have been developed to address not only the substance use, but also the range of other problems that often predate, co-occur with, and are caused by substance use disorders. These issues can include family or social relationships, legal matters, job or vocational concerns, medical conditions, and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Several large federal agencies oversee treatment services and research on alcohol problems (the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), drug problems (the National Institute on Drug Abuse), or both drug and alcohol problems (SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment). In determining and evaluating the effectiveness of various treatment approaches, the primary focus is, in most cases, abstinence, or at least a clinically meaningful reduction in substance use. Other important outcomes usually assessed include treatment retention and associated problems, such as psychiatric severity, medical problems, legal concerns, family/social relations, and job/vocational functioning. Although there is some variability in how these criteria are measured, there is consensus
Ecological factors in the inundative use of fungal entomopathogens

Fungal entomopathogens have been developed in numerous countries as biocontrol agents with more than 100 mycoinsecticide products commercially available in 2006. The chief, perhaps sole, use of these mycoinsecticides has been as inundative agents, within a chemical paradigm. Large numbers of propagules are applied in an attempt to overwhelm by brute force many of the factors that keep a pathogen in nonepizootic equilibrium with its host. This review attempts to summarize what we know about the abiotic and biotic factors that affect the efficacy of these mycoinsecticides in both foliar and soil applications. Sunlight, humidity, temperature, and phylloplane-associated factors can affect both immediate efficacy and persistence on plants. Likewise, soil texture-moisture interactions, temperature, and a host of biotic factors can affect mycoinsecticides in the soil. Despite much research, our understanding of these ecological aspects is imperfect, especially in a holistic, dynamic sense.
Application of DBS sampling in combination with LC–MS/MS for pharmacokinetic evaluation of a compound with species-specific blood-to-plasma partitioning

Background: Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling in combination with LC–MS/MS has been used increasingly in drug discovery for quantitative analysis to support pharmacokinetic (PK) studies. In this study, we assessed the effect of blood-to-plasma (B:P) partitioning on the bioanalytical performance and PK data acquired by DBS for a compound AMG-1 with species and concentration-dependent B:P ratio. Results: B:P partitioning did not adversely affect bioanalytical performance of DBS for AMG-1. For rat, (B:P ratio of 0.63), PK profiles from DBS and plasma methods were comparable. For dog, concentration-dependence of B:P ratio was observed both in vivo and in vitro. Additional studies demonstrated concentration-dependence of the compound’s unbound fraction in plasma, which may contribute to the concentration-dependence of the B:P ratio. Conclusion: DBS is a promising sampling technique for preclinical pharmacokinetic studies. For compounds with high B:P ratio, caution needs to be applied for data comparison and inte...
Reaching the limits of nuclear stability

The limits of nuclear stability have not been reached for most elements. Only for the lightest elements are the minimum and maximum number of neutrons necessary to form an isotope for a given element known. The current limits, novel features of nuclei at these limits as well as the future possibilities of pushing these limits even further will be discussed.
Modern Fool’s Gold: Alpha in Recessions

Investors continue to chase past returns and active portfolio management despite evidence that suggests a passive investment strategy is generally superior. Prior research claims that active fund managers add alpha in recessions. Findings in this article suggest that alpha from active managers is isolated to a subset of the manager universe.Further, the authors conclude that this outperformance displays weak persistence and that there is no meaningful impact of prior superior performance in recessions on performance in subsequent recessions or expansions.
bad blood, spoiled milk: bodily fluids as moral barometers in rural Haiti

Move san, an illness widespread among rural Haitian women, might be described as a somatically experienced disorder caused by emotional distress. When it occurs in pregnant women or nursing mothers, move san causes breastmilk to “spoil,” in which case an herbal treatment is likely to be sought. Case material is presented that suggests that bad blood and spoiled milk serve as moral barometers that submit “private” problems (abuse of women, especially pregnant or nursing ones) to public scrutiny. Although more than one analytic model is considered here, it is argued that move san is best understood as a disorder of experience in which the stories told by sufferers, and by their consociates, play a key role in the shaping of that experience. By attending closely to the way in which illness (and other misfortune) is worked into the narrative renderings of broader experience, anthropologists may be better able to avoid the Cartesian dualism that still marks much medical anthropology. [Haiti, illness narrative, bodily fluids, Cartesian dualism, interpretive anthropology]
Microwave Bistatic Reflectivity Dependence on the Moisture Content And Matric Potential of Bare Soil

Results are presented of an experimental program to determine the functional dependence of the microwave reflectivity of nonvegetated soil surfaces upon volumetric soil moisture and matric potential. A combination evaporation-drainage field experiment was conducted on a bare Captina silt loam with reflectivity, soil moisture content, and matric potential monitored for extended time periods. Results show that for a restricted pressure range (approximately -0.05 to -0.75 bar) there is excellent linear correlation between the log of bistatic reflectivity and both volumetric moisture content and matric potential. Layering effects due to steep moisture content (and matric potential) gradients in the profile are demonstrated to have two distinct and significant effects on the reflectivity response. At near saturation of rough surfaces a very thin dry surface layer appears to modify the effective roughness. This leads to a saturation of reflectivity at high moisture contents. As the surface proceeds to dry further, deeper layers produce coherent interference patterns in the reflectivity response, particularly at the higher frequencies.
Origins of arousal: roles for medullary reticular neurons

The existence of a primitive CNS function involved in the activation of all vertebrate behaviors, generalized arousal (GA), has been proposed. Here, we provide an overview of the neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and molecular properties of reticular neurons within the nucleus gigantocellularis (NGC) of the mammalian medulla, and propose that the properties of these neurons equip them to contribute powerfully to GA. We also explore the hypothesis that these neurons may have evolved from the Mauthner cell in the medulla of teleost fish, although NGC neurons have a wider range of action far beyond the specific escape network served by Mauthner cells. Understanding the neuronal circuits that control and regulate GA is central to understanding how motivated behaviors such as hunger, thirst and sexual behaviors arise.
Characterization of charge-carrier dynamics in thin oxide layers on silicon by second harmonic generation

First measurements of time-dependent second-harmonic generation ~SHG! at a Si/(ZrO2) x(SiO2) 12x interface show a behavior that is drastically different from similar measurements at Si/SiO 2 interfaces. We suggest that in Si/SiO2 only electron injection is important, while both electrons and holes contribute to the dynamics at the Si/(ZrO2) x(SiO2) 12x interface. Multiphoton excitation occurs in Si for all oxides, and involves direct interband transitions. The marked difference between the two systems is related to the population of multiphoton excited states in Si, the corresponding conduction- and valence-band offsets, and trapping/detrapping processes in the oxides. Our measurements confirm the existence of an initial built-in field at the interface.
Improvements on Mel-Frequency Cepstrum Minimum-Mean-Square-Error Noise Suppressor for Robust Speech Recognition

Recently we have developed a non-linear feature-domain noise reduction algorithm based on the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion on Mel-frequency cepstra (MFCC) for environment-robust speech recognition. Our novel algorithm operates on the power spectral magnitude of the filter-bank's outputs and outperforms the log-MMSE spectral amplitude noise suppressor proposed by Ephraim and Malah in both recognition accuracy and efficiency as demonstrated on the Aurora-3 corpora. This paper serves two purposes. First, we show that the algorithm is effective on large vocabulary tasks with tri-phone acoustic models. Second, we report improvements on the suppression rule of the original MFCC-MMSE noise suppressor by smoothing the gain over the previous frames to prevent the abrupt change of the gain over frames and adjusting gain function based on the noise power so that the suppression is aggressive when the noise level is high and conservative when the noise level is low. We also propose an efficient and effective parameter tuning algorithm named step-adaptive discriminative learning algorithm (SADLA) to adjust the parameters used by the noise tracker and the suppressor. We observed a 46% relative word error (WER) reduction on an in-house large-vocabulary noisy speech database with a clean trained model, which translates into a 16% relative WER reduction over the original MFCC-MMSE noise suppressor, and 6% relative WER reduction on the Aurora-3 corpora over our original MFCC-MMSE algorithm or 30% relative WER reduction over the CMN baseline.
Finite word effects in block-state realizations of fixed-point digital filters

Finite word effects are examined for a class of block realizations that are derived from a state-space realization of the transfer function. For this class of block realizations it is found that the dynamic range of the state variables is independent of block length, roundoff noise decreases with block length and, if the filter is realized in normal form, all autonomous limit cycles can be eliminated.
Thermal Response Associated with Prototype Pesticide Protective Clothing

In an effort to develop protective clothing that offered improved heat dissipation characteristics to pesticide applicators, the thermal responses were collected from 54 male subjects wearing two prototypes and a typical clothing ensemble. The performance of three designs and three fabrics with known chemical protective characteristics was determined in a controlled laboratory, simulating a hot environment. Analysis of physiological and perceptual data revealed that one protective fabric offered a similar thermal comfort level as chambray, a fabric growers often wear for pesticide application, which is an ineffective barrier to pesticide penetration.
High-Voltage breakdown and conditioning of carbon and molybdenum electrodes

Carbon and molybdenum electrodes employed in high-voltage devices such as ion sources and traveling wave tubes can be easily damaged by electrical breakdown and arcing events. Modification of the electrode surfaces due to these events can impact the voltage hold-off capability of the surfaces, which could lead to additional arcing, further damage, and the potential for device failure. Power supplies driving these devices are usually rated for their damage potential by the amount of stored energy. However, many systems that use arc discharges characterize the lifetime of the device for voltage hold-off and the amount of material removed from the surfaces by the amount of current that passes through the arc, or the "Coulomb-transfer rating." The results of a series of tests that were performed on the voltage hold-off capability and damage to several different carbon and molybdenum surfaces due to induced arcing are presented. Damage to the surfaces was characterized by the field emission threshold after arcing events, by the amount of Coulomb-transfer in the arc, and by scanning electron microscope photographs of the subsequent surfaces. Both conditioning and damage to the surfaces were observed, and are related to the characteristics of the materials and the electrical breakdowns.
ECOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF FLYING SQUIRREL MICROHABITAT USE AND DENSITY IN TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS OF SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA

We studied habitat relations of the Prince of Wales flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus griseifrons), an endemic of the temperate, coniferous rainforest of southeastern Alaska, because of concerns over population viability from extensive clear-cut logging in the region. We used stepwise logistic regression to examine relationships between microhabitat use (i.e., captures among traps spaced at 40-m intervals) and 26 vegetative and structural habitat features measured in plots centered on trap stations. Seasonal (spring, autumn) models were created for two oldgrowth forest types: upland, western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)‐Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) forests (upland-OG); and peatland-scrub‐mixed-conifer forests (peatland-MC). Density of trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) .74 cm and abundance of Vaccinium were positively correlated with microhabitat use in peatlandMC during both seasons. During spring and autumn, the odds of capturing a flying squirrel increased by factors of 2.7 and 16.9, respectively, with an increase in mean density of 10 large trees/ha. Microhabitat use of uplandOG during autumn was positively correlated with density of snags with a dbh of 50‐74 cm and negatively correlated with percentage cover of understory herbaceous vegetation; microhabitat use during spring was inversely correlated with percentage surface cover of water. At the macrohabitat (13-ha replicate of forest type) scale, large (.74-cm dbh) trees explained 65% of the variation in density between forest types; percent cover of moss and volume of down wood in decay classes I‐IV explained 70% and 63‐77% of the variation, respectively. Our findings corroborate general patterns reported for western coniferous forests, but suggest that G. sabrinus in temperate rainforests of southeastern Alaska differ ecologically from populations in the Pacific Northwest in important ways.
Image-Based Q Tomography using Reverse Time Q Migration

This paper first developed a technique to tomographically estimate a Q model from the migrated image using two-way wavefield continuation method. When compared with the previous work with a one-way downward-continuation method, this technique exhibits better capability of handling the steep structure, e.g. the salt flank. Numerical results on a complex model with a salt body demonstrate the effectiveness of this two-way method on resolving the overturned wave propagation introduced by the steep structures.
Word of Mouse

ABSTRACTThis research attempts to understand the mechanisms underlying the differential impacts of online consumer reviews, using the concept of cognitive personalization. In two experiments, the authors show that the level of cognitive personalization developed while reading an online review influences consumers’ purchase intentions. The level of cognitive personalization is a function of the reader’s affect intensity, the nature of the product reviewed (experience vs. search), and the content of the review (experiential vs. factual); in addition, the effect of cognitive personalization on purchase intention is moderated by valence (positive vs. negative).
Electronic properties of mixed-phase graphene/h-BN sheets using real-space pseudopotentials

A major challenge for applications of graphene is the creation of a tunable electronic band gap. Hexagonal boron nitride has a lattice very similar to that of graphene and a much larger band gap, but B-N and C do not alloy: B-C-N materials tend to phase separate into $h$-BN and C domains. Quantum confinement within the finite-sized C domains of a mixed B-C-N system can create a band gap, albeit within an inhomogeneous system. Here we investigate the properties of hybrid $h$-BN/C sheets with real-space pseudopotential density functional theory. We find that the electronic properties are determined not just by geometrical confinement, but also by the bonding character at the $h$-BN/C interface. B-C terminated carbon regions tend to have larger gaps than N-C terminated regions, suggesting that boron-carbon bonds are more stable. We examine two series of symmetric structures that represent different kinds of confinement: a graphene dot within a $h$-BN background and a $h$-BN antidot within a graphene background. The gaps in both cases vary inversely with the size of the graphenic region, as expected, and can be fit by simple empirical expressions.
Radiation Reaction and the quantum Langevin equation

The quantum Langevin equation is described. Its form for the case of an electron coupled to the blackbody radiation field is constrained by the second law of thermodynamics. This rules out the Abraham-Lorentz equation but allows a modified equation that has no runaway solutions.
Sideroblastic Anemia Associated with Cytogenetic Aberrations of Bone Marrow Cells

A patient with acquired sideroblastic anemia of the secondary type associated with apparent pyoderma gangrenosum is presented because of the presence and persistence of an aneuploid bone marrow cell line exhibiting two additional chromosomes which morphologically conform to group C and group D. The relationship between sideroblastic anemia, myeloproliferative syndrome, and genetic injury is discussed.
INFECTION SITUATIONS OF HIV AND SYPHILIS OF 1300 DRUG ABUSERS IN QINGDAO CITY AND ANALYSIS OF RELATED FATORS

Objective To investigate the infection situation of HIV and syphilis among 1300 drug abusers in an house of detention in Qingdao City,and to confer related factors of the infection rates of the two pathogens in drug abusers.Methods The demography data and the behavioral data of 1300 drug abusers in an house of detention in Qingdao City were retrospectively analyzed,the test for anti-HIV,and syphilis serology status were made,and the infection situation of the two pathogens was observed.Then the related factors of the infection rates were concluded basic on the former analysis.Results The infection rates of HIV and syphilis of the 1300 drug abusers were both higher than that of normal ones(P0.05).Those who used the same injectors with others run the higher risk of being infected by the two pathogens,and so do those who had have dangerous intercourse(P0.05,OR3).Conclusions The infection rates of HIV and syphilis of drug abusers were both higher than that of normal ones,and using the same injector with others and having dangerous intercourse may be the reasons accounting for the higher infectious rates.
Ameloblastoma: 25 Year Experience at a Single Institution.

Ameloblastoma is a rare, locally aggressive odontogenic neoplasm, accounting for fewer than 1 % of head and neck tumors. Recent literature suggests that the initial surgical approach and histologic growth patterns are the most important prognostic determinants in ameloblastoma. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with ameloblastoma with data reported in the literature; the study spanned 2 decades at a single institution. The institution’s database was searched for all patients with pathologically confirmed ameloblastoma, diagnosed between 1990 and 2015. The data collected included sex, age, clinical and imaging findings, management, histologic pattern, clearance of surgical margins, length of follow-up, time to recurrence, and disease-related mortality. The potential risk factors of recurrence were evaluated using log-rank test, proportional hazard model, and Fisher exact test. Review of the database yielded 54 patients with pathologically confirmed ameloblastoma and follow-up. Recurrence was noted in 13 (24 %) patients. Surgical approach was associated with the risk of recurrence (6.1 % following radical resection vs. 52 % following limited surgery, p = 0.002). There were trends toward higher recurrence rate in the group with pathologically documented positive margins (p = 0.054) and in follicular ameloblastoma (p = 0.35). Transformation into ameloblastic carcinoma was identified in two patients. There was no disease-related mortality. Our study confirms the recent data regarding the importance of radical surgical resection in management of ameloblastoma. Surgical approach appears to be the strongest predictor of tumor clearance.
P-selectin mediates spontaneous leukocyte rolling in vivo

Rolling represents the initial step leading to leukocyte extravasation from blood vessels during an inflammatory reaction. In vitro studies indicate that P-selectin could be one of the ligands on endothelium involved in the rolling phenomenon, although the molecular determinants responsible for this transient attachment in vivo are still undefined. Our objectives were to develop a blocking monoclonal antibody against canine P-selectin and to use it to investigate the role of P-selectin in leukocyte rolling in vivo using the technique of intravital microscopy. P-selectin was immunoaffinity purified from canine platelets and used for the production of monoclonal antibodies. One of the hybridomas generated, MD6, was shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by flow cytometry to bind preferentially to stimulated platelets and to completely prevent binding of stimulated platelets to neutrophils. Visualization of canine mesenteric venules by intravital microscopy showed that administration of MD6 resulted in a marked inhibition in the number of rolling leukocytes (18.96 +/- 9.92 v 156.40 +/- 19.50 leukocytes/min, P
Executive control in bilingual children: Factors that influence the outcomes

While findings on the bilingual advantage in adults are mixed, the data from children are more consistent but still show variations. A number of factors influence the outcomes, such as individual bilingual characteristics, variations in target functions, and differences in task type. Our goal is to demonstrate that there is a complex relationship among these variables and that the outcomes of executive function (EF) studies depend on the interactions among these factors. Performance on EF is influenced by children's language proficiency, language use, age, socioeconomic status, and culture. These individual features show different interactions with different executive components. Bilingual and monolingual children differ in some EFs but not in others. Variations in tasks and other measurement issues further increase the differences in the results. We may better understand the nature of the bilingual advantage in children if we combine aspects of developmental science and language processing with hypotheses about bilingualism.
Metabolism of pluripotent stem cells

Recently, growing attention has been directed toward stem cell metabolism, with the key observation that metabolism not only fuels the proper functioning of stem cells but also regulates the fate of these cells. There seems to be a clear link between the self-renewal of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), in which cells proliferate indefinitely without differentiation, and the activity of specific metabolic pathways. The unique metabolism in PSCs plays an important role in maintaining pluripotency by regulating signaling pathways and resetting the epigenome. To review the most recent publications concerning the metabolism of pluripotent stem cells and the role of metabolism in PSC self-renewal and differentiation. A systematic literature search related to the metabolism of PSCs was conducted in databases including Medline, Embase, and Web of Science. The search was performed without language restrictions on all papers published before May 2016. The following keywords were used: “metabolism” combined with either “embryonic stem cell” or “epiblast stem cell.” Hundreds of papers focusing specifically on the metabolism of pluripotent stem cells were uncovered and summarized. Identifying the specific metabolic pathways involved in pluripotency maintenance is crucial for progress in the field of developmental biology and regenerative medicine. Additionally, better understanding of the metabolism in PSCs will facilitate the derivation and maintenance of authentic PSCs from species other than mouse, rat, and human.
Using Geometry To Sense Current

We describe a superconducting three-terminal device that uses a simple geometric effect known as current crowding to sense the flow of current and actuate a readout signal. The device consists of a “Y”-shaped current combiner, with two currents (sense and bias) entering separately through the top arms of the “Y”, intersecting, and then exiting together through the bottom leg of the “Y”. When current is added to or removed from one of the arms (e.g., the sense arm), the superconducting critical current in the other arm (i.e., the bias arm) is modulated. The current in the sense arm can thus be determined by measuring the critical current of the bias arm, or inversely, the sense current can be used to modulate the state of the bias arm. The dependence of the bias critical current on the sense current occurs due to the geometric current crowding effect, which causes the sense current to interact locally with the bias arm. Measurement of the critical current in the bias arm does not break the superconducting ...
Coated-Platelet Levels May Explain Some Variability in Clinical Phenotype of Severe Hemophilia.

Abstract Objective: To determine if variability in clinical phenotype of severe hemophilia patients is influenced by the percentage of coated-platelets. Background: Co-activation of platelets with thrombin and collagen results in a unique subset of platelets, with high levels of alpha granule proteins on their surface, such as Factor V, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and thrombospondin. This subset of activated platelets is referred to as coated-platelets (J. Thromb. Haemostasis 3:2185, 2005). The high concentration of adhesive and prohemostatic proteins observed on coated-platelets provides a unique procoagulant locus that may influence the number of bleeding episodes in patients with severe hemophilia. Methods: After informed consent, 3–5 ml of blood was drawn from patients with severe hemophilia (Factor VIII Results: In 6 patients with more than 3 bleeds reported in the last 6 months (14 ± 4.9 bleeds; mean ± 1SD), the average coated-platelets percentage was 22.3 ± 11.2%. In 17 patients with 3 or less bleeds (1.6 ± 1.3) in the last 6 months, the average coated-platelets percentage was 37.6 ± 12.0%, a difference that was statistically significant (p=0.012). In healthy controls (n=12), the mean coated-platelets were 30.2 ± 9.5%. Conclusion: A higher percentage of coated-platelets may provide a better procoagulant locus for residual Factor VIII, thereby reducing the number of clinical bleeding episodes and partially explaining some variability observed in clinical phenotype of severe hemophilia.