cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of monitoring results on iodine deficiency disorders in Hongkou District of Shanghai from 2012 to 2016

Objective To understand the coverage of iodized salt and the iodine nutritional status of schoolchildren in Hongkou District of Shanghai City and to provide a basis for adjusting corresponding intervention measures. Methods From 2012 to 2016, according to the "Shanghai Iodine Deficiency Disease Surveillance Program", a street was chosen from five directions as east, west, south, north and centre in Hongkou District. According to the annual monitoring plan, a certain amount of residents or schoolchildren aged 8- 10 were chosen for monitoring, collecting salt samples from residents or children's home to detect salt iodine, and collecting urine samples of children to detect urinary iodine level (which was not tested in 2013). Determination of iodine salt was based on "Determination of Iodine by the General Test Method for the Salt Industry" (GB/T 13025.7-2012), urinary iodine determination was based on "Arsenic and Cerium Catalytic Spectrophotometric Determination of Iodine in Urine" (WS/T 107-2006). Results From 2012 to 2016, a total of 1 550 edible salt samples were tested, including 847 qualified iodized salts, 299 unqualified iodized salts and 404 non-iodized salts, the coverage of iodized salt was 73.9%, and the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 54.6%. A total of 591 urine samples were tested in 2012, 2014- 2016. The median of urinary iodine was 177.2 μg/L; of which < 100 μg/L was 103, accounting for 17.4%; 100 - 199 μg/L was 248, accounting for 42.0%; and ≥300 μg/L was 91, accounting for 15.4%. Conclusions The residents in Hongkou District of Shanghai City do not meet the target of iodized salt coverage and consumption rates of qualified iodized salt. The average urinary iodine level of schoolchildren aged 8 - 10 years has reached the national standard for eliminating iodine deficiency disorders; we should further improve the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt. Key words: Iodine; Salts; Urine; Child
Overlapping neurocognitive inefficiencies associated with higher disordered eating psychopathology in college women

Prior research has supported associations between neurocognitive inefficiencies, including set-shifting and central coherence, and disordered eating psychopathology (DEP). Findings from one study suggest a more severe anorexia nervosa presentation for those with overlapping inefficiencies. To our knowledge, there are no empirical reports of overlapping inefficiencies and DEP in non-clinical, at-risk populations. DEP is prevalent among college women and is linked to impaired functioning; thus, this group represents a prime population to target. The current study investigated how level of self-reported DEP may differ according to neurocognitive profile in a sample of female college students. Participants (N = 144) completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) as well as computerized versions of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Navon task. Median splits were used to categorize the participants into inefficiency groups according to their performance on both neurocognitive tasks. Results supported our hypothesis that those with overlapping inefficiencies would have higher levels of DEP than those with no inefficiencies. However, the overlapping inefficiency group did not differ significantly from the standalone set-shifting or central coherence inefficiency groups. Findings provide preliminary evidence that college women who demonstrate both cognitive inflexibility and a detail-oriented processing style may be prone to heightened DEP. Additional studies that control for potential confounds, use comprehensive neurocognitive batteries, utilize longitudinal designs, and recruit larger and more diverse samples are needed. Replication of this research could inform development of screening and early intervention efforts for college women who may be susceptible to DEP.
Chinese character recognition and literacy development via a techno-pedagogical pivot

This study investigates the effect of sequenced, time-delayed, multimodal Chinese language and communicative literacy supports on the ability of learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language [CFL] to recognize characters and acquire literacy via writing in Chinese. A multimodal web application was designed and developed as a writing platform and supplementary teaching tool—leveraging second language [L2] spoken Chinese understanding and pinyin spelling knowledge to overcome the well documented difficulties faced by CFL students when learning and communicating via Chinese characters. We observed and recorded a communicative writing task carried out on the platform by 14 CFL students and interviewed them upon task completion—also interviewing their instructors. Our findings suggest that designing from a perspective that is pedagogically unique for CFL classrooms afforded new types of interactions and literacy development patterns. Specifically, timed, sequenced, multimodal scaffolds anchored to students’ L2 spoken Chinese understanding and pinyin knowledge supported Chinese character recognition, production, and acquisition within communication and expression-centered tasks.
An Empirical Assessment of Educator and Practitioner Perceptions: Implications for Marketing Research Education

Thirty marketing-related topic areas were evaluated by marketing research (MR) educators and practitioners to determine their perceived importance in preparing graduate students interested in MR careers. The results within and between groups suggested that several traditional subject areas are perceived as most important from the perspectives of both educators and practitioners; other topics were rated lower than expected.
Teaching and Research: The History of a Pseudoconflict

I have chosen this topic for its appropriateness both to the theme of the conference—new directions in applied and computational mathematics—and to the occasion on which we honor Gail Young. For the new directions, with which other speakers will be dealing more directly in their contributions, carry strong implications for the teaching of mathematics at graduate and undergraduate levels—indeed, at all levels—so that it is fitting that we pay attention now to those implications. The organizers have, of course, taken note of this aspect of the conference theme, in placing on our agenda, as its final item, a panel discussion on the general issue of the shape of a new mathematics curriculum. I will confine myself to one aspect of the implications for us as teachers of these new directions; and I promise that my remarks today will be neither repeated nor contradicted when I reappear before you as a panelist tomorrow.
Gold Hill Venture Lending

SUBJECT AREAS: Banks, Fraud, Venture capital CASE SETTINGS: United States; Finance; 10 employees; 2003 David Fischer is trying to raise $200 million for a first-time venture debt fund that will be affiliated with Silicon Valley Bank, a major technology lender. Despite his lengthy experience in venture lending, the process is proving difficult. He and his partners are considering whether to continue trying to raise the full amount or to close a smaller sum that is readily available and prove the model before trying to raise a larger fund. In making their decision, the partners must consider the structure of the fund and the value added by their links to the bank as well as how to counter conflict of interest concerns raised by the potential limited partners.
Lead Hazards and Poisoning

Lead is a divalent cation that affects many biochemical targets. Knowledge of its toxic effects extends back to antiquity. The most important target of this toxicant is the central nervous system. At high doses, encephalopathy is the most serious outcome. This is now a rare occurrence. At lesser doses, impaired cognition and behavior are seen. Knowledge of lead toxicity has passed through five stages. Initially it was thought to be a disease of adults: miners, printers, and painters. In 1892 the first cases of childhood lead poisoning were recognized. Initially it was thought that if a child did not die during the acute episode, he or she was left without any trace of the illness. Residua were then thought to occur only in those who displayed signs of encephalopathy in the acute phase. Over the past 35 years studies have demonstrated cognitive and behavioral deficits in those children who had elevated lead burdens but no clinical signs. As better methods were employed to study the disease, effects were found in lower and lower body burdens. Lead has many sources. The most important source of high-dose exposure in children is household paint. Airborne lead was a significant source, and with the removal of lead from gasoline and other interventions and greatly increased awareness of lead's hazards, the mean blood lead level of young children in the United States dropped from 15 μg dl − 1 in the 1970’s to less than 2 μg dl − 1 .
Picosecond fluorescence decay curves collected on millisecond time scale: direct measurement of hydrodynamic radii, local/global mobility, and intramolecular distances during protein-folding reactions.

The application of luminescence, primarily fluorescence, to the study of protein structure and dynamics has been extensively exploited to facilitate the understanding of complex biological problems. The interest in the application of phosphorescence, however, shows that new and complementary information can be had by careful optical studies of the phosphorescence lifetime. As in the early days of fluorescence spectroscopy in proteins, a complete and rigorous interpretation of the room temperature phosphorescence remains to be developed; nevertheless, it is clear that time-resolved phosphorescence yields new information on proteins in solution, for example, the detection of subtle conformational changes during protein folding, which is outside the sensitivity of earlier techniques. In addition, the great sensitivity of the phosphorescence lifetime to structural changes associated with rigidity and of nearby quenchers suggests that detailed structural information can be obtained when this approach is combined with the power of site-directed mutagenesis or other more biophysical techniques such as energy transfer to attached acceptors. We have presented basic aspects of time-resolved room temperature phosphorescence spectroscopy and demonstrated some useful features of the spectroscopic signals as well as the general approach to data analysis. However, it should be understood that extensions of this approach will easily allow faster and improved time resolution with greater sensitivity to highly quenched phosphorescing states. In addition, many extensions of this approach that are common to fluorescence spectroscopy have yet to be developed. For example, combining time-resolved phosphorescence with anaerobic stopped-flow techniques and more rapid data acquisition electronics will enable studies of conformational dynamics with considerably shortened dead times. Other possibilities include extending the preliminary studies of in vivo-based spectroscopy, such as to microscopy. In conclusion, time-resolved phosphorescence presents a new dimension to biophysical methodologies for the study of proteins, and it is likely that this area will continue to grow in capability as the fundamental understanding improves.
The GASB No. 34 Impact of Budget-to-Actual Variances on Bond Ratings: Evidence from U.S. Cities

ABSTRACT: We investigate the managerial incentives and debt cost effects associated with budget-to-actual variance disclosures required by the GASB No. 34 reporting model. Empirically, we document associations between variances and municipal bond ratings in a sample of large U.S. cities over the period 2003–2006. We find a disproportionate share of favorable variances for revenues, expenditures, and the net (i.e., surplus/deficit). Further, we show that revenue variances in either direction are associated with lower bond ratings, i.e., precision is important in predicting revenues. In contrast, favorable expenditure variances are associated with higher bond ratings, i.e., imprecision may be tolerated if the variance is favorable. These associations exist despite indirect evidence of managerial incentives to create budgetary slack for both revenues and expenditures. The findings suggest that these disclosures required in the GASB No. 34 financial reporting model indicate factors that influence municipal de...
Coercive Control and Physical Violence in Older Adults Analysis Using Data From the National Elder Mistreatment Study

The most common perpetrators of physical violence against women of any age are their intimate partners. Although research on younger adults has recognized that intimate partner violence (IPV) is distinct in etiology, form, and consequence, whether the same is true for older adults has not been adequately studied. The extent and consequences of coercive controlling violence, IPV that involves physical violence coupled with psychological aggression and/or financial abuse, have not been examined in older populations. Using data from the National Elder Mistreatment Study, the current research examines if coercive control is more evident in physical violent victimizations of older adults (age 60 or older) when the perpetrator is an intimate partner compared with when the perpetrator is not an intimate partner. Findings indicate that older adults who experience emotional coercive control by intimate partners in their lifetime are more likely to experience physical abuse at age 60 or older. Furthermore, older adults who experienced trauma during their lifetime, were in poor health, and with less social support are more likely to experience physical abuse at age 60 or older. However, the victim's sex had no significant influence on the likelihood of experiencing physical abuse.
Design for validation (digital avionics)

Outlines an approach for the development of ultrareliable digital avionics for civil air transports-a design-for-validation philosophy that includes rigorous application of formal methods. The basic concept of the methodology is introduced, and the role of formal methods is explored. System design begins with a detailed description of the system requirements written in a formal, mathematical language. The system design then proceeds in a hierarchical fashion from a highest-level specification of the system down to a detailed implementation level. Therefore, formal methods are applied to the total systems, not just to the individual subsystems, and all interactions between subsystems are formally described and understood. The impact of the design-for-validation philosophy on the system design process is demonstrated by two simple examples. >
Mental development in congenital heart disease.

Intellectual development of cyanotic and acyanotic children with congenital heart disease was compared to that of both their normal siblings and randomly selected well babies. Cyanotic patients scored lower at all ages, particularly in the earlier years, with tests involving gross motor abilities in Gesell and Cattell developmental examinations. Correlation of low test scores to physical incapacity tended to disappear at later ages when Stanford-Binet tests were given. Early motor performance deficit in the handicapped child may cause underestimation of intellectual potential.
The Big Five personality traits, learning styles, and academic achievement

Personality and learning styles are both likely to play significant roles in influencing academic achievement. College students (308 undergraduates) completed the Five Factor Inventory and the Inventory of Learning Processes and reported their grade point average. Two of the Big Five traits, conscientiousness and agreeableness, were positively related with all four learning styles (synthesis analysis, methodical study, fact retention, and elaborative processing), whereas neuroticism was negatively related with all four learning styles. In addition, extraversion and openness were positively related with elaborative processing. The Big Five together explained 14% of the variance in grade point average (GPA), and learning styles explained an additional 3%, suggesting that both personality traits and learning styles contribute to academic performance. Further, the relationship between openness and GPA was mediated by reflective learning styles (synthesis-analysis and elaborative processing). These latter results suggest that being intellectually curious fully enhances academic performance when students combine this scholarly interest with thoughtful information processing. Implications of these results are discussed in the context of teaching techniques and curriculum design.
DISLOCATION ETCH PITS ON BASAL, PRISMATIC, AND PYRAMIDAL PLANES OF SINGLE- CRYSTAL BERYLLIUM OXIDE.

Abstract During the past decade there has been considerable interest in beryllium oxide because of its neutronic and refractory properties. Design applications for this material require components to operate under various states of stress. Therefore, it is important to know the mechanical properties of beryllia at both low and high temperatures. The photomicrographs shown below were obtained during an investigation of the deformation behavior of beryllium oxide single crystals at room temperature. Single crystals were grown in a lithium polymolybdate solution. Crystal habit depended on the crystallizing temperature and flux composition, and it was possible to obtain crystals with a platy, prismatic, or pyramidal morphology. The crystals used in this study were 1 to 4 mm in size. The etching solution (originated by the authors) for revealing dislocations emerging on the basal, first-order prismatic, second-order prismatic, and pyramidal planes was a boiling solution of one part hydrofluosilicic acid in six parts distilled water. The basal planes were etched up to 10 minutes, while the first-order and second-order prism planes and pyramidal planes were etched for times ranging between 30 and 60 minutes. Before etching, the crystals were
The in vivo incorporation of linolenic acid into neuronal and glial cells and myelin.

— Neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and myelin were prepared from 21-day-old rat brain at various times after intracerebral injection of [1-14C]linolenate. Comparisons of phospholipid specific radioactivity demonstrated that the oligodendrocytes were much more active than neuronal, astroglial, or myelin fractions. This is consistent with the concept that the oligodendrocyte is responsible for synthesis of the relatively large mass of myelin sheath. Initially the phosphatidylcholine fraction was more active than the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction, but during the 36 h after injection the former decreased in radioactivity while the latter fraction showed an increase. Fatty acid elongation occurred rapidly. Within 2h after injection, 2/3 of the label had been converted to elongated products (20:4. 20:5, 22:5 and 22:6). All three cell types apparently contained the enzymes necessary to incorporate, elongate, and desaturate linolenic acid and this occurred at similar rates in each cell type. No direct precursor-product relationship was found between the lipids of oligodendrocytes and myelin. There was, however, a lag in the appearance of elongated fatty acids in the phosphoglycerides of myelin. indicating that the polyunsaturated fatty acids in myelin were synthesized elsewhere and transported into the myelin sheath.
Yawning: No effect of 3–5% CO2, 100% O2, and exercise

Using human college-age subjects, the present study tested the commonly cited but previously untested hypothesis that yawning is facilitated by higher than normal levels of CO2 or lower than normal levels of O2 in the blood by comparing the effect on yawning of breathing 100% O2 and gas mixtures with higher than normal levels of CO2 (3 or 5%) with compressed air, the control condition. If yawning is a response to heightened blood CO2, the CO2 mixtures should increase yawning rate and/or duration. If low blood O2 produced yawning, breathing 100% O2 should inhibit yawning. The CO2/O2 hypothesis was rejected because breathing neither pure O2 nor gases high in CO2 had a significant effect on yawning although both increased breathing rate. A second study found that exercise sufficient to double breathing rate had no effect on yawning. The two studies suggest that yawning does not serve a primary respiratory function and that yawning and breathing are triggered by different internal states and are controlled by separate mechanisms.
Dynamics And Control Of Large Space Platforms And Small Experimental Payloads

A capability developed to study the dynamics and control of space platforms in connection with the generation, conversion and utilization of power in space is described. It is based on the use of both rigid and flexible models of platform configurations which may be rather arbitrary. The principal part of the capability is a digital simulation code which uses the results of analyses of finite element models of platforms to account for their flexibilities. By using the code, the general motion of fairly complex configurations including rotating components may be simulated. The control of gross attitude motion is accomplished via a minimum impulse limit cycle controller. Examples of gross attitude motion and "fine" motion due to flexibility are presented. Also, to illustrate the versatility of the code, results are presented of simulations of the motion of a small, suborbital, experimental payload which has deployable booms. Another aspect of the overall capability is spotlighted through an example of the attitude dynamics of the experiment carrying suborbital vehicle during boom deployment.
Noninvasive Measurement of Cerebral Blood Flow and Blood Oxygenation Using Near-Infrared and Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopies in Critically Brain-Injured Adults

Background This study assesses the utility of a hybrid optical instrument for noninvasive transcranial monitoring in the neurointensive care unit. The instrument is based on diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) for measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for measurement of oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentration. DCS/NIRS measurements of CBF and oxygenation from frontal lobes are compared with concurrent xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT) in patients during induced blood pressure changes and carbon dioxide arterial partial pressure variation.
Enhanced reliability of high-density wiring (HDW) substrates through new base substrate and dielectric materials

Flame retardant glass/epoxy composite (FR4) has been extensively used as a substrate material for microelectronic packaging due to its cost effectiveness and overall performance. However, to be able to fabricate high-density wiring with microvias, and embed capacitors, inductors, resistors, and RF and optoelectronic waveguides into a single substrate, we need materials other than FR4 as a base substrate to meet the stringent warpage requirements during fabrication. Typically, these base substrate materials should have a high modulus and good planarity in addition to having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is close to that of silicon so that flip-chips can be attached directly to the substrate without the need for an underfill. Although low-CTE and high modulus base substrate materials can result in low warpage and can eliminate the need for an underfill, they can potentially cause delamination and cracking in the interlayer dielectric. This is due to the high CTE mismatch between the base substrate and a typical polymer dielectric. This paper aims to explore a combination of a base substrate material and an interlayer dielectric material such that the warpage is minimal, the dielectric will not crack or delaminate, and the flip-chip solder joints, assembled without an underfill, will not crack prematurely during qualification regimes or operating conditions. Non-linear finite element models with a design-of-simulations approach are used in arriving at optimized thermo-mechanical properties for the base substrate and the dielectric materials to enhance the overall reliability of the integrated substrate with flip-chip assembly. It is seen that an aluminum nitride base substrate with resin-coated foil C provides the best combination against dielectric cracking, high warpage, and solder joint fatigue. The results from the models have also been validated with experimental data.
Immunohistochemical study of structural proteins in developing junctional epithelium.

The objective of this study was to investigate structural proteins of ameloblasts, reduced enamel epithelium and junctional epithelium using antikeratin antibodies to determine if keratin expression changes as ameloblasts differentiate to cells of junctional epithelium. Block sections of fully erupted, partially erupted and unerupted molar and incisor teeth were removed at necropsy from monkeys age 2, 5, 6 and 7 years. Tissues were fixed in Carnoy's fixative, decalcified in Kristensen's solution for 4 to 8 weeks, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 5 μ. Representative sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Remaining sections were stained with antikeratin antibodies AE1, AE3, 34βE12, 35βH11 and anti40kD using the avidin-biotin-conjugated immunoperoxidase method. Results were analyzed qualitatively for presence or absence of staining products. Antibody 35βH11 reacted with ameloblasts and reduced enamel epithelium during the early maturation phase of tooth development but not with the reduced en...
An octree solution to conservation laws over arbitrary regions (OSCAR)

An octree-based method is presented for the automatic grid generation and computational fluid dynamics solution of flows around complicated geometries. This method decouples the input surface and resultant volume grid so that the user need only he concerned with the actual input geometry and flow conditions. To encourage its use as a design tool, a complete parametric aircraft specification has been added to rapidly generate well-formed input geometries and model realistic aircraft shapes; support is i nc luded for embedded boundary conditions to handle jet engines and propellers. Objectoriented programming is used for the implementation, and coarse-grain parallel computing code has also been used to reduce the time required for the computation.
Intraoperative Fracture During Staged Total Knee Reimplantation in the Treatment of Periprosthetic Infection

Bone stock during knee reimplantation for infection is compromised and may contribute to intraoperative fracture. This study aims to describe the prevalence of said fractures. A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent a staged TKA reimplantation for a periprosthetic infection. Patients who sustained an intraoperative fracture were analyzed. The fracture timing, location, and treatment were recorded. Fracture healing, component stability, and need for re-revision were noted. Between 1990 and 2010, 894 reimplantations were performed. Twenty-three fractures occurred in 21 patients (2.3%) with mean follow-up of 56 months (range: 4-122). Thirteen fractures occurred in femora, 7 in tibiae, and 3 in patellae. Four occurred during resection, while 19 occurred during reimplantation. Observation and wires/cables were the most common treatments utilized. At final follow-up, 91% of fractures demonstrated union and 75% of patients demonstrated stable components. Eight patients (38%) required a revision, the majority of which were performed for re-infection.
Situated Models of Meaning for Sports Video Retrieval

Situated models of meaning ground words in the non-linguistic context, or situation, to which they refer. Applying such models to sports video retrieval requires learning appropriate representations for complex events. We propose a method that uses data mining to discover temporal patterns in video, and pair these patterns with associated closed captioning text. This paired corpus is used to train a situated model of meaning that significantly improves video retrieval performance.
Well-Defined Organic Nanotubes from Multicomponent Bottlebrush Copolymers

Bottlebrush copolymers are comblike macromolecules with densely grafted polymeric branches that adopt a cylindrical shape in solutions. We demonstrate a new method for the preparation of organic nanotubes by single molecule templating of core−shell bottlebrush copolymers. Multicomponent bottlebrush copolymers with well-defined structural parameters are synthesized by a combination of different living polymerization methods. Tubular structures can be prepared by cross-linking the shell layer and selectively etching out the core. The shape and size of original bottlebrush macromolecules are preserved during these transformations, which leads to the formation of well-defined organic nanotubes. The length and diameter of nanotubes are dictated by the length of the backbones and branches of the polymeric precursors, respectively. Water-soluble nanotubes with a hydrophobic interior can be prepared from bottlebrush copolymers with triblock copolymer branches. Herein, we outline molecular design strategies to fab...
A Hybridized Approach to Validation: The Role of Sociological Research Methods in Pedestrian Modeling

Pedestrian and crowd-movement models are difficult to validate using traditional empirical methods because of data-related issues such as generalizability, collection ethics, and costs. Commonly used validation methods make strong assumptions about emergence and the importance of crowd structure, leaving a gap in validation literature. The paper reviews the most common methods of validating pedestrian models and proposes a hybridized qualitative approach to validating models that covers more complex group dynamics and possible situations of panic.
Numerical methods for the solution of partial differential equations of fractional order

Anomalous diffusion is a possible mechanism underlying plasma transport in magnetically confined plasmas. To model this transport mechanism, fractional order space derivative operators can be used. Here, the numerical properties of partial differential equations of fractional order α, 1 ≤ α ≤ 2, are studied. Two numerical schemes, an explicit and a semi-implicit one, are used in solving these equations. Two different discretization methods of the fractional derivative operator have also been used. The accuracy and stability of these methods are investigated for several standard types of problems involving partial differential equations of fractional order.
Estrogen Receptor α and β Expression in Upper Gastrointestinal Tract with Regulation of Trefoil Factor Family 2 mRNA Levels in Ovariectomized Rats

Abstract This study compared expression of two estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) genes in the rat upper gastrointestinal tract and the effects of 17β-estradiol administration on gastric trefoil factor family (TFF) mRNA steady-state levels in ovariectomized rats. Estrogen receptor α and β cDNA fragments from fundic mucosa were cloned by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) and sequenced. Both ER subtypes were detected in fundus, antrum and duodenum by RT–PCR. Northern analysis of poly(A) + mRNA from fundic mucosa showed that ERα mRNA is expressed as a single transcript at 6.5 kb and ERβ is expressed as multiple transcripts with major transcripts ranging from 1.1–4.7 kb. ERβ mRNA was expressed in greater abundance than ERα mRNA. Fundic TFF2 mRNA steady-state levels were increased by 17β-estradiol administration in ovariectomized rats with no significant change in TFF1 mRNA levels. These studies show expression of both ER subtypes in the rat upper gastrointestinal tract with regulation of TFF2 mRNA by 17β-estradiol. These results suggest that estrogens, probably acting via ERβ, have a direct role in regulating gastric physiology.
Action Plan to combat infections due to carbapenem-resistant, Gram-negative pathogens in acute-care hospitals in Greece

The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant pathogens (CRPs) has increased worldwide. Given the importance of CRPs for public health and the high rates of carbapenem resistance observed in Greece, the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention (HCDCP) under the auspices of the Ministry of Health has undertaken initiatives to develop an Action Plan (i) to estimate the burden of CRP infections in acute-care hospitals in Greece and (ii) to implement infection control measures to limit the intrahospital transmission of these organisms. Starting in November 2010, specific infections caused by CRPs were reported to the HCDCP weekly. Results showed that CRP infections constitute a significant public health problem in acute-care hospitals in this country, with a mean incidence of 0.48 per 1000 patient-days and a crude 28-day mortality rate of 34.4%. The second phase of the Action Plan consists of systemic evaluation for adherence to an infection control bundle including enhanced standard infection control practices, separation of carriers and infected patients from non-carriers, and strict implementation of contact precautions. Communication between hospitals and public health authorities has been established to facilitate rapid notification and feedback.
Adaptive Virtual Autobalancing for a Rigid Rotor With Unknown Mass Imbalance Supported by Magnetic Bearings

The objective of this paper is to describe an imbalance compensation scheme for a rigid rotor supported by magnetic bearings that performs on-line identification of rotor imbalance and allows imbalance cancellation under varying speed of rotation. The proposed approach supplements existing magnetic bearing controls which are assumed to achieve elastic suspension of the rotor. By adopting a physical model of imbalance and utilizing measurements of the spin rate, the proposed algorithm allows the computation of the necessary corrective forces regardless of variations in the spin rate. Convergence of the algorithm is analyzed for single-plane balancing, and is supported by simulation in single- and two-plane balancing, as well as by experimental results in single-plane implementation.
Protecting User Privacy Better with Query l-Diversity

This paper examines major privacy concerns in location-based services. Most user privacy techniques are based on cloaking, which achieves location k-anonymity. The key is to reduce location resolution by ensuring that each cloaking area reported to a service provider contains at least k mobile users. However, maintaining location k-anonymity alone is inadequate when the majority of the k mobile users are interested in the same query subject. In this paper, the authors address this problem by defining a novel concept called query l-diversity, which requires diversified queries submitted from the k users. The authors propose two techniques: Expand Cloak and Hilbert Cloak to achieve query l-diversity. To show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques, they compare the improved Interval Cloak technique through extensive simulation studies. The results show that these techniques better protect user privacy.
Quantum tunneling and dissipation in nanometer-scale magnets

Abstract We summarize recent low-temperature noise and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements on the nanometer-scale magnetic protein horse-spleen ferritin. The experiments show a narrow resonance peak at about 10 6 Hz, which is discussed in the framework of recently-developed theories of macroscopic quantum coherence and tunneling in antiferromagnets; theory and experiment are argued to agree qualitatively, though quantitative discrepancies remain. We also review the recent analysis of a rather general spin-parity effect for tunneling in magnetic systems: systems with appropriate symmetry may exhibit quantum tunneling for integer spin, but not for half-odd-integer spin, where destructive interference between different tunneling paths suppresses the tunneling. Finally, we study the effect on this spin-parity phenomenon caused by dissipation, i.e. coupling to an environment consisting of a bath of harmonic oscillators. Using the real-time, Feynman-Vernon path integral formalism, we find models where an arbitrarily small amount of ohmic dissipation completely destroys the spin-parity effect (i.e., produces as such tunneling for half-odd-integer spins as for integer spins), and others where the effect appears to disappear gradually with increasing dissipation. Suprisingly, however, there is a sense in which the spin-parity effect is preserved in both types of models: a Calderia-Leggett type of analysis shows that neither experiences any tunnel splitting of its ground state. We present simple arguments for how this intriguing paradox might be resolved.
A conventional and high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction study of phase separations in Pr2NiO4+δ

Abstract Several Pr2NiO4+δ samples with varying oxygen content have been examined by conventional and high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction techniques. Three different phase separation regions have been identified with synchrotron diffraction, and the room temperature lattice parameters of each phase are reported, as well as conventional X-ray powder diffraction data on four single-phase regions of the phase diagram. The low temperature behavior of a sample with an average excess oxygen content of 0.020 was also studied, revealing phase coexistence and a tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transition on heating at 118 K. A semiquantitative oxygen concentration phase diagram is proposed on the basis of the amount of excess oxygen in the individual phases, as estimated from iodometric titrations and relative phase volumes. In addition, the overall stability field of Pr2NiO4+δ, showing the oxygen fugacity at the reduction and oxidation boundaries as a function of temperature, is reported.
Laughlin liquid to charge-density-wave transition at high Landau levels

We compare the energies of the Laughlin liquid and a charge density wave in a weak magnetic field for the upper Landau-level filling factors ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{N}}$= and . The charge-density-wave period has been optimized and was found to be \ensuremath{\simeq}3.${3\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{c}}$, where ${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ is the cyclotron radius. We conclude that the optimal charge density wave is lower in energy than the Laughlin liquid for the Landau-level numbers N\ensuremath{\geqslant}2 at ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{N}}$= and for N\ensuremath{\geqslant}3 at ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{N}}$=. This implies that the quantum Hall plateaus cannot be observed for N\ensuremath{\geqslant}2, in agreement with the experiment.
Rules as "Unseen Participants": The Democratic Presidential Nomination Process

This article evaluates the likely consequences of recent rule changes within the Democratic Party, specifically, the decision to require proportional representation in the 1992 primaries and caucuses and to reduce the number of superdelegates. Analysis of statewide data from the 1984 primaries and caucuses shows that the front-runner, Walter Mondale, was the prime beneficiary of the rules due to his overwhelming support among unpledged superdelegates and his more than proportional share of delegates won with a plurality of votes in caucuses and primaries. The combined impact of the allocation system and the use of superdelegates is such that the application of the 1992 rules to the 1984 race could have changed the outcome of the Democratic nomination.
Effects of quinidine and propranolol on energy transduction in beef heart mitochondria

Abstract The effects of quinidine and propranolol on mitochondrial respiration and on three respiration-dependent functions (oxidative phosphorylation, calcium uptake, and uncoupler-stimulated respiration) were studied. Both quinidine and propranolol inhibited respiration and three respiration-dependent functions in the presence of pyruvate plus malate or succinate plus rotenone as the substrates. Furthermore, both quinidine and propranolol inhibited ATP-P i exchange, a mitochondrial energy-coupling reaction that does not involve respiration. Inhibition by propranolol but not by quinidine was strongly depended on the KCl concentration of the medium, the inhibition being maximal at low concentrations. The effect of KCl appears to lower the affinity of propranolol to the mitochondrial membrane.
Divided attention: An undesirable difficulty in memory retention

How can we improve memory retention? A large body of research has suggested that difficulty encountered during learning, such as when practice sessions are distributed rather than massed, can enhance later memory performance (see R. A. Bjork & E. L. Bjork, 1992). Here, we investigated whether divided attention during retrieval practice can also constitute a desirable difficulty. Following two initial study phases and one test phase with Swahili–English word pairs (e.g., vuvi–snake), we manipulated whether items were tested again under full or divided attention. Two days later, participants were brought back for a final cued-recall test (e.g., vuvi–?). Across three experiments (combined N = 122), we found no evidence that dividing attention while practicing retrieval enhances memory retention. This finding raises the question of why many types of difficulty during practice do improve long-term retention, but dividing attention does not.
Regional differences in organization of the extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton at the equator of chicken intrafusal muscle fibres.

Equatorial regions of chicken intrafusal fibres were examined with a panel of monoclonal antibodies against intracellular proteins and components of extracellular matrix to identify structural associations at points of contact between sensory terminals and intrafusal fibres, and at points which lacked them. One aspect of this study was to establish whether the known morphological differences between myosensory and neuromuscular junctions also extended to the molecular level. As viewed in cross-sections, myosensory junctions at the equator are restricted to approximately one-half of the intrafusal fibre circumference, a region referred to as the sensory sector. The diametrically opposite region which lacks sensory terminals is referred to as the non-sensory sector. The basal lamina over the sensory sector was positive for chondroitin sulphate, while that part which covered the non-sensory sector was negative. Staining for collagen type IV was very faint at the sensory sector and stronger at the non-sensory sector, but immunoreactivity for heparan sulphate proteoglycan and laminin was moderate to strong in all parts of the basal lamina. Within intrafusal fibres, filamin and α-actinin were largely limited to the sensory sector. The major feature of the non-sensory sector was a sharply delineated, narrow intrafibre crescent of vinculin, and colocalized with it, a crescent of talin. The plasmalemma of intrafusal fibres at the non-sensory sector reacted positively for the β1 subunit of the integrin family of receptors. Immunolocalization of these receptors was not observed to any significant extent in the sensory sector. Towards the end of the equator and the initial portion of the juxtaequator, chondroitin sulphate, vinculin and the other proteins came gradually to be distributed equally all the way round the intrafusal fibres. This changeover in distribution of connective tissue proteins and structural intracellular proteins parallels the decreasing number of contacts made by sensory terminals.
Considerations Regarding the Regulation of Gene Transcription and Messenger Translation

The RNA sequences in the region of the coat protein gene of MS2/R17 phage, of the maturation protein gene ofQβ and of a 6s-RNA transcribed from a presumptive gene ofλ were examined. All but five of the 61 amino acid codons are present in these messages and although there is some evidence of a bias in the frequency of utilization of the codons, there is little evidence to suggest that any codons may be forbidden. It is shown that selection has not reduced useless protein synthesis by minimizing the number of out of register AUG's or maximizing the number of out of register terminating codons in messenger RNA. Secondary structures of the RNA's were formulated using a modification of the diagonal method of Tinocoet al. (1971). Of the 12 AUG triplets considered in the sequences only one is a primary attachment site for ribosomes and it is the only one of the 12 that appears in end loops with none of the bases paired. A thirteenth AUG triplet appears at the beginning of the 6s-RNAλ gene. Its occurrence in an end loop free of base pairing suggests that this is a ribosome binding site. It is speculated (1), that transcriptase may recognize its binding site on the DNA by a procedure that is in part the analogue of the protein synthetase recognizing its binding-initiation site, namely that as the DNA strands are separated, a secondary structure forms in the sense strand with a CAT in the end loop; (2), that reverse transcriptase might be useful as a means of keeping multiple copies of a gene identical if it were to correct the sense strand DNA in a DNA-RNA hybrid; and (3), that processing of RNA in the intercistronic region normally occurs in the same manner as translation, namely, moving the RNA through, three nucleotides at a time.
Generalization Among Related Complex Odorant Mixtures and Their Components: Analysis of Olfactory Perception in the Spiny Lobster

We investigated the processing of odorant mixtures containing two to seven components by the spiny lobster Panulirus argus. The chemicals tested were food-related compounds that are attractive to spiny lobsters, and include adenosine-5'-monophosphate, betaine, L-cysteine, L-glutamate, DL-succinate, taurine, and ammonium. Components were tested at concentrations that produced search behavioral responses of equal magnitude in unconditioned animals. Responses of unconditioned animals to mixtures and their components reveal hypoadditivity, in which the response to a mixture is less than the sum of the responses to that mixture's components. Aversive conditioning coupled with generalization testing was used to evaluate generalization and hence perceptual similarity between related mixtures. Animals were conditioned to either an individual odorant, a four-compound mixture, or a seven-compound mixture, followed by generalization testing with submixtures or larger mixtures containing the conditioned stimulus. Animals tended not to generalize, but significant generalization between a more simple conditioned stimulus and more complex mixtures containing that conditioned stimulus occurred in 2 of 11 cases, and significant generalization between a conditioned mixture and its submixtures was observed in 4 of 9 cases. Both the number and chemical identity of components of mixtures may contribute to the degree of generalization between mixtures. Overshadowing, in which the ability to learn about a chemical is affected by simultaneous presentation of other chemicals, occurred in two of three cases. We discuss implications of these findings with respect to elemental and configural processing of odorant mixtures in the spiny lobster, possible neural mechanisms responsible for these results, and the potential utility of generalization and overshadowing to the spiny lobster's natural behavior.