cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The early history of glaucoma: the glaucous eye (800 BC to 1050 AD)

To the ancient Greeks, glaukos occasionally described diseased eyes, but more typically described healthy irides, which were glaucous (light blue, gray, or green). During the Hippocratic period, a pathologic glaukos pupil indicated a media opacity that was not dark. Although not emphasized by present-day ophthalmologists, the pupil in acute angle closure may appear somewhat green, as the mid-dilated pupil exposes the cataractous lens. The ancient Greeks would probably have described a (normal) green iris or (diseased) green pupil as glaukos. During the early Common Era, eye pain, a glaucous hue, pupil irregularities, and absence of light perception indicated a poor prognosis with couching. Galen associated the glaucous hue with a large, anterior, or hard crystalline lens. Medieval Arabic authors translated glaukos as zarqaa, which also commonly described light irides. Ibn Sina (otherwise known as Avicenna) wrote that the zarqaa hue could occur due to anterior prominence of the lens and could occur in an acquired manner. The disease defined by the glaucous pupil in antiquity is ultimately indeterminate, as the complete syndrome of acute angle closure was not described. Nonetheless, it is intriguing that the glaucous pupil connoted a poor prognosis, and came to be associated with a large, anterior, or hard crystalline lens.
Rheological Characterization of Flow and Crystallization Behavior of Microbial Synthesized Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)

Rheological properties of a series of microbially synthesized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)s, P(3HB-co-4HB)s, with different molecular weights and 4HB compositions have been systematically investigated. Capillary and oscillatory shear measurements have been carried out to characterize the flow behavior of these biopolyesters as a function of temperature at different flow conditions. The rheological characteristics of these samples show that the 4HB content does not appear to strongly affect the critical molecular weight Me for chain entanglement. Under low stresses during creep measurements, the shear viscosity of a sample with low 4HB content diverges abruptly in a narrow temperature range due to the polymer crystallization. The same sample can still undergo capillary flow below the melting temperature at high stresses where the sample yields. Apart from the creep measurements, the crystallization behavior of the semicrystalline sample has been further characterized using stress-controlled...
Advanced solid-state NMR approaches for structure determination of membrane proteins and amyloid fibrils.

Solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy has become an important technique for studying the biophysics and structure biology of proteins. This technique is especially useful for insoluble membrane proteins and amyloid fibrils, which are essential for biological functions and are associated with human diseases. In the past few years, as major contributors to the rapidly advancing discipline of biological SSNMR, we have developed a family of methods for high-resolution structure determination of microcrystalline, fibrous, and membrane proteins. Key developments include order-of-magnitude improvements in sensitivity, resolution, instrument stability, and sample longevity under data collection conditions. These technical advances now enable us to apply new types of 3D and 4D experiments to collect atomic-resolution structural restraints in a site-resolved manner, such as vector angles, chemical shift tensors, and internuclear distances, throughout large proteins.In this Account, we present the technological advan...
116: The impact of a preterm singleton delivery upon a subsequent twin gestation

GESTATION FRANCESCA FACCO, KATE NASH, WILLIAM GROBMAN, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preterm birth of a singleton is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth in a subsequent twin pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: All patients who delivered a singleton followed by a twin pregnancy at Northwestern Memorial Hospital between 6/1/1995 to 5/31/2005 were identified. Those women with a preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks) prior to the index pregnancies, who delivered the index twin or singleton pregnancy prior to 20 weeks, iatrogenically preterm, or with a major fetal anomaly were excluded from further analysis. The group was then analyzed using a cohort study design, in which those whose singleton delivery was preterm were compared with those whose singleton delivery was term. Bivariable comparisons were made with the student t test and chi square analysis, and multivariable logistic regression was also utilized. RESULTS: Three hundred and three women were identified who delivered a singleton followed by twins. Twenty-four (7.9%) of the initial singletons deliveries were preterm. The women who delivered preterm singletons were no different from those who delivered term singletons with regard to age, significant past medical history, or number of prior term births, although they were more likely to be from a non-Caucasian ethnic group (P .01). Also, women who had delivered a preterm singleton pregnancy were significantly more likely than those who had delivered a term singleton pregnancy to deliver a subsequent preterm twin pregnancy (75.0% versus 46.2%, odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence internal 1.3 to 9.1). This significant difference persisted in multivariable analysis after controlling for ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio 3.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 8.6). CONCLUSION: Preterm birth of a singleton is associated with a significantly increased risk of preterm birth in a subsequent twin gestation.
GENE TRANSFER BY F' STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12. I. DELAY IN INITIATION OF CHROMOSOME TRANSFER.

Pittard, James (Yale University, New Haven, Conn.), John S. Loutit, and Edward A. Adelberg. Gene transfer by F′ strains of Escherichia coli K-12. I. Delay in initiation of chromosome transfer. J. Bacteriol. 85:1394–1401. 1963.—Two different F′ strains were found to transfer both F-merogenote and chromosomal markers to recipient strains. When zygotes having received different chromosomal markers from the male were selected, a high percentage of them were found to have also received F-merogenote markers under conditions in which the mating of more than one male cell with a single female cell was excluded. An analysis of the kinetics of zygote formation revealed that chromosomal markers began to be transferred from F′ strains 8 to 10 min later than from their analogous Hfr strains. The rate of chromosome transfer is the same from both F′ and Hfr strains, and the difference observed in kinetic experiments was shown not to be due to any difference between the sequence of chromosomal genes in the F′ and Hfr strains. F′ strains and Hfr strains showed no difference in ability to form specific pairs with female recipients shortly after mixing. The observed delay in the transfer of chromosomal markers from F′ cells thus means that, after specific pair formation, F′ cells take 8 to 10 min longer than Hfr cells to initiate chromosome transfer.
Enhancing embodied evolution with punctuated anytime learning

This paper discusses a new implementation of embodied evolution that uses the concept of punctuated anytime learning to increase the complexity of tasks that the learning system can solve. The basic idea is that there is one population of chromosomes per robot rather than one chromosome per robot and reproduction between robots involves a combination of two entire populations of chromosomes instead of the recombination of two single chromosomes. The embodied evolution with punctuated anytime learning system is compared with embodied evolution alone and evolutionary computation alone, as the three methods are used to solve a common problem. The results show that this new learning system is superior to the other methods for evolving colony robot control.
Pregnancy and lactation modulate maternal splenic growth and development of the erythroid lineage in the rat and mouse

Maternal physiology changes dramatically during the course of gestation and lactation to meet the needs of the developing fetus and newborn. In the present study, we examined the influence of pregnancy and lactation on growth and erythroid gene expression patterns of the maternal spleen. Holtzman Sprague-Dawley rats and CD-1 mice were killed at various stages of gestation and post partum. We observed pregnancy dependent increases in spleen weight and spleen DNA content in both the rat and mouse. In the rat, spleen size was greatest at the end of pregnancy and regressed post partum. In contrast, mouse spleen size peaked by gestational Day 13 and regressed to its non-pregnant weight before parturition. Pregnancy dependent changes in the size of the spleen were primarily due to an increase in red pulp. Maternal spleen expression of erythroid-associated genes (erythroid Kruppel-like factor, erythroid 5-aminolevulinate synthase-2, β-major globin) was influenced by pregnancy and lactation. A pregnancy dependent increase in erythroid progenitors was also observed. In summary, the demands of pregnancy and lactation cause marked adaptations in the maternal spleen. The maternal spleen increases in size and exhibits an expansion of the erythroid lineage.
Incorporating gene functional annotations in detecting differential gene expression

Summary. The importance of incorporating existing biological knowledge, such as gene functional annotations in gene ontology, in analysing high throughput genomic and proteomic data is being increasingly recognized. In the context of detecting differential gene expression, however, the current practice of using gene annotations is limited primarily to validations. Here we take a direct approach to incorporating gene annotations into mixture models for analysis. First, in contrast with a standard mixture model assuming that each gene of the genome has the same distribution, we study stratified mixture models allowing genes with different annotations to have different distributions, such as prior probabilities. Second, rather than treating parameters in stratified mixture models independently, we propose a hierarchical model to take advantage of the hierarchical structure of most gene annotation systems, such as gene ontology. We consider a simplified implementation for the proof of concept. An application to a mouse microarray data set and a simulation study demonstrate the improvement of the two new approaches over the standard mixture model.
Robust parameterized component analysis: theory and applications to 2D facial appearance models

Principal component analysis (PCA) has been successfully applied to construct linear models of shape, graylevel, and motion in images. In particular, PCA has been widely used to model the variation in the appearance of people's faces. We extend previous work on facial modeling for tracking faces in video sequences as they undergo significant changes due to facial expressions. Here we consider person-specific facial appearance models (PSFAM), which use modular PCA to model complex intra-person appearance changes. Such models require aligned visual training data; in previous work, this has involved a time consuming and error-prone hand alignment and cropping process. Instead, the main contribution of this paper is to introduce parameterized component analysis to learn a subspace that is invariant to affine (or higher order) geometric transformations. The automatic learning of a PSFAM given a training image sequence is posed as a continuous optimization problem and is solved with a mixture of stochastic and deterministic techniques achieving sub-pixel accuracy. We illustrate the use of the 2D PSFAM model with preliminary experiments relevant to applications including video-conferencing and avatar animation.
Experiences of Interpersonal Violence and Criminal Legal Control: A Mixed Method Analysis

Incarcerated women are substantially more likely to have experienced interpersonal violence than are women in the general population. Some scholars argue that increased likelihoods of committing crime among survivors of violence explain this association. However, previous research fails to control for measures of social vulnerability. Thus, the relationship between experiencing interpersonal violence and experiencing imprisonment may not be a causal one. To examine the links between social vulnerability, experiences of interpersonal violence, and experiences of incarceration, the authors analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The authors’ findings suggest that social vulnerability—especially being Black, having a parent who has been incarcerated, and being unemployed at the time of the arrest—does mediate the relationship between experiencing violence, using drugs, and believing that interpersonal violence contributed to one’s imprisonment. However, even when controlling for social vulnerability,...
Effects of amino acid restriction during starter and grower periods on subsequent performance and incidence of leg disorders in two strains of male large white turkeys.

Abstract Male Nicholas Large White turkeys were fed diets formulated to meet a minimum of 100, 110, or 120% of NRC (1984) amino acid recommendations. There were three periods when 75% of recommended standards were fed: 0 to 3 wk, 0 to 6 wk, or 6 to 12 wk. A fourth (control) group was not restricted at any time. Four pens of 12 males were fed each amino acid by restriction combination. At 18 wk, leg scores were assigned to all birds and representative samples of birds processed for parts yield. All birds fed restricted diets had significantly lower BW at 18 wk than unrestricted controls but did not differ in feed utilization. Dietary amino acid levels significantly influenced BW and feed utilization, but there was no interaction with restriction times. There were no significant effects of amino acid levels or restriction times on incidence of leg disorders. Breast meat yields (quantity and percentage of carcass) were significantly influenced by both restriction time and amino acid levels. There seemed to be little if any compensatory gain following amino acid restriction in these studies.
Full Newton and constraint methods for semilinear signal modeling

The authors derive an expression for the Hessian matrix of the variable projection functional (VPF) and implement the Hessian using QR factorization. This is incorporated into a full Newton variable projection (FNVP) algorithm for estimating parameters in semilinear signals. They introduce a deflation technique for constraining the VPF to contain known basis vectors. For modeling exponential signals, the computational cost of the FNVP algorithm is shown to vary linearly with N, the size of the data vector, while other algorithms vary as N/sup 2/ or N log/sub 2/ N. >
Regional Anesthesia in the Preterm Neonate

The physiologic immaturity of respiratory musculature and central respiratory control centers leads to an increased risk of apnea and respiratory complications following general anesthesia in the neonate. Regional anesthetic techniques, such as spinal and caudal epidural anesthesia, may obviate the need for general anesthesia and lessen the risks of perioperative morbidity. Although these techniques have been previously described in infants, most reports focus on regional anesthesia in the former preterm infant outside the actual neonatal period. There is relatively little or no information concerning regional anesthesia in neonates during the first week of life. We present four neonates (weight, 1.07 to 2.8 kg; gestational age, 27 to 35 weeks) who required anesthetic care during the first week of life for various surgical procedures, including vesicostomy placement, gastroschisis closure, and debridement of a lower-extremity wound. Either caudal epidural or spinal anesthesia was successfully used in the ...
An analysis of the divergence problem in the Kalman filter

The effect of modeling errors in a linear discrete stochastic system upon the Kalman filter state estimates is investigated. Errors in both plant dynamics and noise covariances are permitted. The errors are characterized in such a manner that a linear recursion relation for the actual estimation error covariances can be derived. Conditions which guarantee that the covariance matrix remains bounded are described in terms of the asymptotic stability of the homogeneous part of the covariance equation and the boundedness of the forcing terms in the inhomogeneous equation.
A guide to benefit-cost analysis, as seen through a controlled experiment in treating the mentally ill

The study reported on here is the first benefit-cost analysis of a controlled (random assignment) experiment in the mental health field. It compares, in terms of an unusually wide variety of tangible and intangible forms of benefits and costs, a traditional, hospital-based approach to treating the mentally ill with a nontraditional community-based approach. The research reported here supports the hypothesis that hospitalization of the mentally ill is, except for emergencies, less effective than community-based treatment of approximately equal cost. The research also confirms the hypothesis that the forms taken by the social costs of alternative programs can be so different that it is easy to mistake a change in the form of costs for a change in their level. Finally, this study highlights the fact that benefit-cost analysis, despite advances at both the conceptual and empirical levels, remains a mixture of science and art.
Molecular markers of urologic cancers

It is with great pleasure that I serve as Guest Editor of the Seminars Section in this issue of Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations. The field of molecular markers for urologic cancers is at an exciting time. Never in the past 20 years have so many new markers come to the forefront that have apparent clinical implications for the disease. In this issue, you will see analysis of the current state of the art for the molecular markers of bladder cancer by Dr. Lokeshwar and her colleague. Dr. Chinnaiyan and his group at the University of Michigan outlined the latest in molecular markers for prostate cancer. Finally, Dr. Veltri and his colleague have analyzed the use of nucleic acid markers for urologic cancers. As you will see in these 3 components, we now have markers that have moved from the bench to the bedside. Although this term is often overused, in this case it is quite applicable. People have taken concepts and moved them into the clinical setting. Over the next several years, the use of these markers in urologic cancers will revolutionize how we approach these diseases. I believe that we will use these markers to diagnose cancer early, at a stage in which less aggressive treatments may be effective, as well as to stratify patients into different groups for appropriate therapeutic intervention. I am indebted to each of these authorship teams for their hard work in the preparation of these scholarly works.
Letter by Hartung and Cottrell Regarding Article, “What Is the Use of Hypothermia for Neuroprotection After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest?”

Kim et al1 wrote that “IH [induced hypothermia] provides neuroprotection in animal models of cardiac arrest, but is of uncertain benefit in humans.” Indeed, as Desmond Morris wrote, humans are The Naked Ape .2 Other vertebrates have fur or insulating amounts of subcutaneous fat (whales and sea lions), or feathers and down, or live in warm environments with little temperature variation (naked mole rats), or are cold blooded. Homo erectus probably …
COLOR FORMATION IN RAW LEAD GLAZES1

Various amounts of practically all of the chromatic elements in the periodic system were introduced individually into a simple lead silicate glaze, and the resulting glazes were analyzed for color with an automatically recording photoelectric color analyzer. The spectrophotometric data were then converted into trichromatic and monochromatic specifications of color. An empirical relationship was then determined between the concentration of the chromatic element and the three attributes of color: hue, saturation, and brilliance. The effect of glaze thickness on color was also studied. It was found that the same laws connecting concentration of the coloring element with the three attributes of color held for all the elements used. A number of elements not previously mentioned in the literature as color-producing agents were found to give interesting colored glazes. In several cases an element was added to the base glaze in various forms, such as nitrates, chlorides, and oxides. If equivalent amounts were added, the color in all cases was the same regardless of the colorless radical.
The Emergence of Intentionality

In Van Orden and Holden's (2002) article, “Intentional Contents and Self-Control,” they provide an outline for how a research program can preserve the notion of intentionality in goal-directed behavior without reifying it or treating it as a singular efficient cause all its own. In a conventional theoretical framework where intention is treated as something that spawns de novo from an individual cognizer every time he or she makes a freely willed decision (an act that simply has no preceding causes of its own), any scientific understanding of causality becomes profoundly compromised. Alternatively, in a simple deterministic framework where all behaviors (including intentional acts) are the direct result of a traceable number of linear preceding causes, the very notion of intentionality becomes nothing more than a descriptive convenience. In between these extremes, Van Orden and Holden point to a theoretical framework where a version of causality and a version of intentionality can coexist. By embracing ci...
Variable Threshold Voltage Design Scheme for CMOS Tapered Buffers

This paper proposes a low power, low delay design for CMOS tapered buffers. A slight increase in the threshold voltage is shown to have an exponential effect in reducing the total power dissipation. The corresponding increase in the propagation delay is compensated for by increasing the number of buffer stages such that there is still an overall significant reduction in the total power dissipation. As compared to the constant threshold voltage design based on a cost function of PT2, the proposed scheme can lead to either a power dissipation reduction of about 70% while maintaining the same delay, or up to 30% in power dissipation with 10% propagation delay reduction, respectively. Closed form expressions that give the optimum threshold voltage and number of stages are presented
Like a Box of Chocolates: A Case Study of User-Contributed Content at Footnote

User-contributed content has been suggested as a means to narrow the gap between the level of description that resource-constrained repositories are able to provide and the level of description that users need or have come to expect. Research seems to indicate that allowing users to contribute content holds some promise for augmenting traditional description, thus increasing the discoverability of materials. As yet, the practice of allowing user-contributed content has not been widely adopted, especially for large-scale online collections. Because this is not an endeavor to be entered into lightly in terms of required resources or policy considerations, it is important for decision makers to have as much information as possible about who will contribute content and what that content looks like. It is informative to look at the experience of Footnote, an entity with an existing online collection with user contribution functionality. This case study identifies individuals with family connections to a collec...
The Meiotic Origin of Temperature-Induced Crossovers in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER Females.

I T has been known since the early work of PLOUGH (1917, 1921) that alterations in temperature can increase recombination frequencies in females of Drosophila melanogaster. Two distinct, yet related, problems have arisen from such studies. First, does the additional frequency of crossing over represent gonial or meiotic events, or both? Second, does temperature act at the time of crossing over or before? Initially, PLOUGH proposed that the effect is a meiotic one, occurring in the earliest oocyte and most probably at the time of exchange. In a subsequent paper ( 1 924) he expressed the somewhat altered view that the sensitive stage was the gonial cell and that induction occurred prior to the meiotic event. WHITTINGHILL’S studies (1 964) indicated to him that at least a component of heat-induced crossovers might be oogonial in origin, whereas THOMPSON (1964) not only favored a gonial origm, but also suggested that heat treatment permanently affects the female, leading to increased recombination frequencies among her progeny for the duration of her egg production. A permanent effect must have its origin in the stem cells. The present experiments are directed toward answering only the first question, i.e., the origin of temperature-induced crossovers. Genetic tests are available which permit one to arrive at an unambiguous answer. Two such tests have been utilized here, one employing the phenomenon of secondary nondisjunction and the other nonrandom disjunction. Both are special types of meiotic segregation, the former occurring at anaphase I, the latter at anaphase 11. In each case the frequency of segregation is directly related to the amount of meiotic exchange. When exchange is increased by temperature, one kind of segregation will result if meiotic exchange is involved; another kind if it is gonial exchange. Hence, the effect of increased exchange on meiotic segregation provides a means of discriminating between the two different types of origin. The results indicate an exclusively meiotic origin.
More on Ausubel's Dynamic Double Auction

This paper examines the incentive-compatibility of a close variant of Ausubel's (2006) dynamic auction for divisible heterogeneous goods. Assuming only quasi-linear, (weakly) concave utilities with private values, this paper removes Ausubel's assumptions that value functions are strictly concave and non-satiated, that demand functions are measurable, and that the price tâtonnement is continuous and reaches an equilibrium in finite time. Strict concavity is a problematic assumption when applying the auction design, for instance, to commodity exchanges between firms motivated by locally linear value functions. Since merely concave value functions may induce non-unique levels of optimal consumption, bidders in the design modification proposed here submit (set-valued) demand correspondences rather than (single-valued) demand functions. The auctioneer then selects a suitable vector of demand levels from these bids and feeds them into a discrete tatonnement process based Shor's (1985) subgradient algorithm. For quasi-linear, concave utilities, this algorithm converges to equilibrium prices for any starting point. This paper shows that misrepresentations of demand that lead the tâtonnement process away from the true price equilibrium are strictly inferior to truth-telling as the run-time of the process tends to infinity and as its step-size tends to zero. This result, based on only elementary techniques from convex analysis, is closely related to Ausubel's conclusion that truthful revelation of demand is a weakly dominating strategy.
Challenging Agency Preemption

Since Cipollone in 1992, preemption of state tort law by federal agencies has become increasingly important. Although agencies frequently have claimed the power to preempt, the role of non-agency actors - consumers, public interest organizations, and states - in these decisions has been unclear. In this paper, I examine how often (and in what circumstances) such actors have participated in the decisionmaking process in either of two ways - consulting with the agency or submitting comments. In addition, I examine how often they have challenged final regulations claiming preemptive effect in either of two ways - by directly suing to enjoin enforcement of the regulation or indirectly defending a tort cause of action against a defendant’s claim of preemption. To do this, I collect and analyze data from 2006 to 2009 concerning both preemption regulations and, as a baseline of comparison, environmental regulations issued by the EPA.
Evaluation of Persuasive Design Features in a Prototype of a Tobacco Cessation Website

Tobacco smoking rates are higher in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community when compared to mainstream groups. There is an increased interest in designing and implementing online cessation programs tailored for this community. This work-in-progress contributes to our understanding of issues for supporting online tobacco cessation by reporting findings from the evaluation of design features included in a paper prototype developed for a proposed LGBTQ health and wellness website.
Osmoregulation in Drosophila melanogaster selected for urea tolerance.

Animals may adapt to hyperosmolar environments by either osmoregulating or osmoconforming. Osmoconforming animals generally accumulate organic osmolytes including sugars, amino acids or, in a few cases, urea. In the latter case, they also accumulate 'urea-counteracting' solutes to mitigate the toxic effects of urea. We examined the osmoregulatory adaptation of Drosophila melanogaster larvae selected to live in 300 mmol l(-)(1) urea. Larvae are strong osmoregulators in environments with high NaCl or sucrose levels, but have increased hemolymph osmolarity on urea food. The increase in osmolarity on urea food is smaller in the selected larvae relative to unselected control larvae, and their respective hemolymph urea concentrations can account for the observed increases in total osmolarity. No other hemolymph components appear to act as urea-counteractants. Urea is calculated to be in equilibrium across body compartments in both selected and control larvae, indicating that the selected larvae are not sequestering it to lower their hemolymph osmolarity. The major physiological adaptation to urea does not appear to involve increased tolerance or improved osmoregulation per se, but rather mechanisms (e.g. metabolism, decreased uptake or increased excretion) that reduce overall urea levels and the consequent toxicity.
Antecedents of privacy calculus components in virtual health communities

We examined communicating personal health information (PHI) in virtual communities.Younger individuals are more concerned about their PHI privacy.Healthier individuals expect to receive less personal benefits of communicating PHI.Affective commitment will increase expected outcomes of communicating PHI. Over the past decade, social media technologies have become effective tools not only for entertainment, but also for online health communications. In virtual health communities (VHCs), the members often share their personal health information (PHI) with other members. These information exchanges provide benefits to both the information providers as well as the recipients. The PHI disclosure, however, may entail privacy concerns. Our study used the privacy calculus model to examine the trade-off between individuals' expected benefits and privacy concerns when disclosing PHI in social media environments. Our results showed that age, health status, and affective commitment influence the balance between the information disclosure drivers and barriers in the privacy calculus model. More specifically, we found that among members of VHCs, healthier people expect to receive fewer personal benefits of communicating PHI in social media environments. Moreover, individuals who are emotionally attached to online communities expect to both receive and provide more benefits while communicating PHI in those communities. We also observed that individuals who are familiar with but not members of VHCs, especially those who are young and healthy, are more concerned about their PHI privacy in online communities.
Introduction to transvaginal imaging.

Transvaginal sonography provides improved resolution and avoidance of intervening anatomic structures that can degrade the image. In this article, transvaginal transducers are described and compared with transabdominal transducers. The sagittal and coronal views used in transvaginal sonography are described. Advantages and disadvantages of transvaginal sonography are considered. Safety considerations of the decreased attenuation path to the fetus are dealt with.
Clarifying the Construct of Family-Supportive Supervisory Behaviors (FSSB): A Multilevel Perspective

The goal of this chapter is to present new ways of conceptualizing family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB), and to present a multilevel model reviewing variables that are linked to this construct. We begin the chapter with an overview of the U.S. labor market's rising work–family demands, followed by our multilevel conceptual model of the pathways between FSSB and health, safety, work, and family outcomes for employees. A detailed discussion of the critical role of FSSB is then provided, followed by a discussion of the outcome relationships for employees. We then present our work on the conceptual development of FSSB, drawing from the literature and from focus group data. We end the chapter with a discussion of the practical implications related to our model and conceptual development of FSSB, as well as a discussion of implications for future research.
Regression-based case selection for pathway analysis of non-linear relationships

Introduction In the last chapter, we applied our method to several simple textbook examples, including a hypothetical that posited a linear X1/Y relationship with equifinality (that is, multiple pathways between X1 and Y). In this chapter, we turn to a discussion of case selection in a more complex empirical setting: one that features a non-linear relationship between X1 and Y and the relationship is embedded in a longer causal chain that involves dynamic processes. Under these conditions, researchers must decide where in the causal process to investigate and how to deal with temporal dynamics in their large- and small- N studies. This chapter grapples with these issues by using an example drawn from the policy diffusion literature. As we make clear, in the context of pathway analysis, conceptualizing what is the key explanatory variable and what is the mechanism is not determined by the labels used in prior research or deep philosophical concerns, but rather by practical concerns regarding the relevant research question, how variables are used within the existing empirical research, and data availability. Once the relevant literature is properly understood, our method can be applied in a relatively straightforward manner. International policy diffusion The literature on international policy diffusion is both immense and contested. For purposes of this chapter, therefore, we distinguish between two very different types of studies. One type focuses on the threshold question of whether policy choices spread across political boundaries; that is, whether policy adoption is purely a function of domestic pressures (Berry and Berry 1990; Gray 1973, 1994; Simmons et al. 2008; cf. Volden et al. 2008). The second type of study essentially assumes that policies diffuse across borders, so its focus is on how and under what conditions policy decisions of one country spill over into others. In general, the literature that assumes the existence of diffusion and focuses on how policy diffusion works is more interesting for our purposes, as the search for mechanisms lies at its center (Simmons et al. 2008).
Average American women’s clothing size: comparing National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (1988–2010) to ASTM International Misses & Women’s Plus Size clothing

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study is to determine the current average clothing size of adult American women. Secondary data of average body measurements from the most recently published National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys were compared to ASTM International industry clothing size standards. Findings suggest that, contrary to popular assumptions, the average American woman’s (AAW’s) clothing size is larger than anticipated. The AAW wears between a Misses size 16–18, which corresponds to a Women’s Plus size 20W, with greater distinctions found when considering race and ethnicity. It is suggested that updating Misses and Plus-size clothing standards should be a major priority.
Multiplication Algorithm for Combined Physical and Chemical Enhancement of X-ray Effect by Nanomaterials

The total enhancement obtained from mixing silica-covered 90 nm gold nanoparticles and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium-covered 2 nm gold nanoparticles that individually under X-ray irradiation produced average physical enhancement and chemical enhancement respectively was studied experimentally and theoretically. The total or combined enhancement was shown to be the multiplication of the two individual enhancements, and this algorithm can be derived from the original definition of physical and chemical enhancement. The maximum total enhancement was 18-fold, whereas the maximum measured average physical enhancement was 7-fold and the derived chemical enhancement was 3.9-fold; all three maxima were achieved under different experimental conditions. The results of simulation using rate equations for the combined physical and chemical enhancement were obtained and were found to agree with the measured total enhancements.
Growth Inhibition of Mycoplasma gallisepticum following Membrane Insertion of Cholesterol Autoxidation Products.

A model for studying the effect of cholesterol autoxidation products on membrane function was developed. Eight cholesterol autoxidation products were tested for their effect on growth of Mycoplasma gallisepticum . None gave better growth than cholesterol. When substituted for cholesterol in the growth medium, 6-ketocholesterol and cholesterol triol caused significant (78%) growth inhibition after 42 h. Recovery of radiolabeled 3H-cholesterol triol ([1,2,6,7- 3H(N)]) indicated that 26% was incorporated into membranes, even though minimal or no growth had taken place. Inhibitory effects may have been due to assimilation of cholesterol autoxidation products into the cell membrane.
Child Sexual Abuse, Military Sexual Trauma, and Psychological Distress among Male Military Personnel and Veterans

Previous research has demonstrated increased psychological distress and increased risk of revicitimization for survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). However, little is know about the associations among CSA, military sexual trauma (MST), and psychological distress among male military personnel and veterans. These issues were examined in the present study in a sample of 328 male military personnel and veterans enrolled in college. Results indicated that participants with a history of CSA were significantly more likely to experience MST (50%) than participants without a history of CSA (4%). Depression, posttraumatic stress, and guilt were significantly higher among participants with CSA and/or MST as compared to those with no history of sexual victimization, even when adjusting for age and combat exposure. Guilt significantly mediated the relationship between CSA and current psychological distress.
Abstract 184: Quality Improvement of Statin Therapy Appropriateness in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Objectives: The 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines recommend statin therapy for all diabetic patients between the ages of 40 to 75. The intensity of statin therapy is guided by the 10-year atherosclerosis car...
A new dynamic heat pump simulation model with variable speed compressors under frosting conditions

A dynamic heat pump simulation model under frosting condition is proposed. Toward this end, a simple frosting model is proposed based on the perfect analogy between heat and mass transfer including heat conduction. The proposed frosting model is first validated against experimental data for the flat plate boundary layer at various temperatures and relative humidity. Then, the model is incorporated into a quasi-dynamic heat pump simulation which adopts segment-by-segment local heat exchanger model and variable speed compressors. It is shown that the proposed model can naturally represent non-uniform frosting on the heat exchanger surface, and the interaction between frosting and heat pump cycle.
Just Blue (and Biophilic) Cities

Social justice is a key goal in a blue biophilic city. Often there are significant social inequalities in terms of access to nature, including blue nature, and efforts such as the Blue Greenway in San Francisco and the new Waterfront Park in Newark seek to more fairly distribute these blue benefits. This chapter introduces the concept of equigenic blue: that investments in access to blue nature can help to overcome other forms of social and health disparity. There are other important aspects of social justice explored here, including the extent of ethical obligations to future generations and to other non-human forms of life.
A Postscript on Habermas, Nietzsche, and Politics

For Habermas, both in his 1968 Knowledge and Human Interests and in the Postscript to his edition in the same year of Nietzsche’s Erkenntnistheoretische Schriften, Nietzsche was the limiting case of the Enlightenment.1 Had he but taken one step more — specifically of grasping that reflection must link thinking to rationality — Nietzsche would have been able to see “the unity of the two categories of knowledge: science and reflection.”2
New design approach and implementation of solar water heaters: A case study in Michigan

Abstract The potential of evacuated tube solar water heaters is evaluated for the state of Michigan, which has regions with low solar resources, for year-round usage. Simple empirical equations for the initial sizing design stage are provided for the entire state for a given system. The analysis includes experimental results obtained for a setup at Michigan State University and model-based results for 26 locations dispersed throughout the state. These are obtained using the System Advisor Model (SAM) software package from National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The results show that evacuated tube collector solar water heaters are appropriate for typical household water usage for Michigan’s climate with payback periods as low as 8 years (variations are due to local weather conditions). In addition, a study on the optimum collector area for various hot water demands is performed; this led to identification of empirical equations useful for estimating the optimal area of a given system as a function of the hot water demand for locations throughout Michigan. A parametric study is carried out and it is found that the overall heat gain coefficient of an evacuated tube collector affects significantly its performance and it should be considered in order to select an appropriate system. The impact of additional parameters such as heat gain and heat loss coefficients on the performance of the system is also discussed.
Family influences on the use of e-cigarettes

E-cigarette use among adolescents continues to rise. However, little research has examined factors that influence adolescent e-cigarette use. The goal of the current study was to better understand ...
Noninvasive neuromodulation in migraine and cluster headache

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the currently available noninvasive neuromodulation devices for the treatment of migraine and cluster headache.Recent findingsOver the last decade, several noninvasive devices have undergone development and clinical t
Microprocessor-driven ICP Monitor: Instrumentation

The Fiber Optic Transducer (FOT) ICP monitor is an electrically safe microprocessor driven system which employs a non-electrical pressure sensor. It monitors ICP in a range of –6 to 250 mmHg, with a frequency response of 100 Hz or higher. The FOT device is based on a breakthrough in fiberoptic technology which allows information to be transmitted through a single optical fiber of about 50 µm in diameter. The sensing unit, which gives a direct readout of pressure, can be made small enough to pass through a 17 gauge needle (1.5 mm diameter).
Epitaxial Graphene for High-Current QHE Resistance Standards

We report the growth of large-area monolayer graphene on the centimeter scale using an optimized growth process allowing for reproducibility and morphology improvements. Magneto-transport measurements on graphene quantum Hall effect devices demonstrate the applicability for high-current quantum resistance metrology.
Circulating Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB (RANK), RANK ligand (RANKL), and Mammographic Density in Premenopausal Women

The receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK) pathway plays essential roles in breast development. Mammographic density is a strong risk factor for breast cancer, especially in premenopausal women. We, therefore, investigated the associations of circulating RANK and soluble RANK ligand (sRANKL) with mammographic density in premenopausal women. Mammographic density was measured as volumetric percent density in 365 cancer-free premenopausal women (mean age, 47.5 years) attending screening mammogram at the Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO). We used linear regression models adjusted for confounders, to compare the least-square means of volumetric percent density across tertiles of circulating RANK and sRANKL. Furthermore, because RANKL levels in mammary tissue are modulated by progesterone, we stratified analyses by progesterone levels. The mean volumetric percent density increased across tertiles of circulating RANK from 8.6% in tertile 1, to 8.8% in tertile 2, and 9.5% in tertile 3 (Ptrend = 0.02). For sRANKL, the mean volumetric percent density was 8.5% in tertile 1, 9.4% in tertile 2, and 9.0% in tertile 3 (Ptrend = 0.30). However, when restricted to women with higher progesterone levels, the mean volumetric percent density increased from 9.1% in sRANKL tertile 1 to 9.5% in tertile 2, and 10.1% in tertile 3 (Ptrend = 0.01). Circulating RANK was positively associated with volumetric percent density, while circulating sRANKL was positively associated with volumetric percent density among women with higher progesterone levels. These findings support the inhibition of RANKL signaling as a pathway to reduce mammographic density and possibly breast cancer incidence in high-risk women with dense breasts.
Preparation of composite Ag@Au core–shell nanoparticles and their linear and nonlinear optical properties

We herein report the preparation of composite Ag@Au core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) through galvanic replacement reaction and the investigations of linear and nonlinear optical properties. TEM micrographs envisage the formation of core–shell NPs. EDS elemental mapping images demonstrate the homogeneous distribution of the elements and their chemical composition. The powder XRD pattern confirms the formation of highly crystalline composite Ag@Au core–shell NPs. The UV–Vis absorption spectrum shows contribution of Ag and Au characteristic absorption bands and the slight red shift provides the strong evidence for coating of Au shell over the Ag core. Moreover, the linear optical parameters such as the extinction coefficient, reflectance, refractive index, conductivity, susceptibility and polarizability are studied. z-scan analysis reveals the enhanced nonlinear optical properties of the composite Ag@Au core–shell NPs with nonlinear refraction coefficient (n2) being ten times higher than that of Ag NPs and eight times increase in comparison with that of Au NPs.