cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image modeling using inverse filtering criteria with application to textures

Statistical approaches to image modeling have largely relied upon random models that characterize the 2-D process in terms of its first- and second-order statistics, and therefore cannot completely capture phase properties of random fields that are non-Gaussian. This constrains the parameters of noncausal image models to be symmetric and, therefore, the underlying random field to be spatially reversible. Research indicates that this assumption may not be always valid for texture images. In this paper, higher- than second-order statistics are used to derive and implement two classes of inverse filtering criteria for parameter estimation of asymmetric noncausal autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) image models with known orders. Contrary to existing approaches, FIR inverse filters are employed and image models with zeros on the unit bicircle can be handled. One of the criteria defines the smallest set of cumulant lags necessary for identifiability of these models to date, Consistency of these estimators is established, and their performance is evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations as well as texture classification and synthesis experiments.
A boundary condition to absorb both propagating and evanescent waves in a finite-difference time-domain simulation

A boundary condition that absorbs both propagating and evanescent waves in a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation is presented. A computationally efficient method of determining the values of the boundary condition input parameters is described. To illustrate the effectiveness of this boundary condition, it is used to truncate the computational domain of two FDTD simulations, namely a uniform microstrip line and a microstrip line with a gap discontinuity. In both cases, the results are found to be more accurate than those obtained with the conventional second-order Mur absorbing boundary condition. >
An Evolutionary Model for the Study of Wireless Networks

In this paper, we explore the applicability of a well known biological modeling technique to the problem of studying dynamic resource allocation in wireless networks. We utilize a variant of Kauffman's NK model for epistatic evolution, where epistasis is taken to be a measure of the degree to which network links share a common resource, for example time or bandwidth. In our model, alleles correspond to bandwidth assignments, and a given genotype can be seen as are source allocation solution applied across the entire network. A genetic algorithm is employed to evaluate the fitness of possible resource allocation solutions. We believe that this work represents an important step in the direction of understanding network dynamics and wireless resource allocation strategies for autonomic networks.
Inactivation of Bk Channels Mediated by the Nh2 Terminus of the β3b Auxiliary Subunit Involves a Two-Step Mechanism: Possible Separation of Binding and Blockade

A family of auxiliary β subunits coassemble with Slo α subunit to form Ca 2 +-regulated, voltage-activated BK-type K + channels. The β subunits play an important role in regulating the functional properties of the resulting channel protein, including apparent Ca 2 + dependence and inactivation. The β3b auxiliary subunit, when coexpressed with the Slo α subunit, results in a particularly rapid (∼1 ms), but incomplete inactivation, mediated by the cytosolic NH 2 terminus of the β3b subunit (Xia et al. 2000). Here, we evaluate whether a simple block of the open channel by the NH 2 -terminal domain accounts for the inactivation mechanism. Analysis of the onset of block, recovery from block, time-dependent changes in the shape of instantaneous current-voltage curves, and properties of deactivation tails suggest that a simple, one step blocking reaction is insufficient to explain the observed currents. Rather, blockade can be largely accounted for by a two-step blocking mechanism () in which preblocked open states (O* n ) precede blocked states (I n ). The transitions between O* and I are exceedingly rapid accounting for an almost instantaneous block or unblock of open channels observed with changes in potential. However, the macroscopic current relaxations are determined primarily by slower transitions between O and O*. We propose that the O to O* transition corresponds to binding of the NH 2 -terminal inactivation domain to a receptor site. Blockade of current subsequently reflects either additional movement of the NH 2 -terminal domain into a position that hinders ion permeation or a gating transition to a closed state induced by binding of the NH 2 terminus.
Solvent effect on optical activity in dilute solutions

Abstract The theory of optical activity is generalized to include the effects of molecular interactions arising from the moments induced by the electromagnetic field. It is shown that in the presence of these interactions the electric quadrupole terms do not vanish upon statistical averaging, thus giving rise to a new mechanism of solvent effect on optical activity. The theory is specialized to a dilute solution of optically active molecules in optically inactive solvents. It is predicted that for a 0.1 molar solution of optically active molecules having quadrupole polarizability of ≈10 −40 (in SI units), the change in rotation is ≈6° m −1 .
iSOAMM: an independent SOA maturity model

The implementation of an enterprise-wide Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a complex task. In most cases, evolutional approaches are used to handle this complexity. Maturity models are a possibility to plan and control such an evolution as they allow evaluating the current maturity and identifying current shortcomings. In order to support an SOA implementation, maturity models should also support in the selection of the most adequate maturity level and the deduction of a roadmap to this level. Existing SOA maturity models provide only weak assistance with the selection of an adequate maturity level.Most of them are developed by vendors of SOA products and often used to promote their products. In this paper, we introduce our independent SOA Maturity Model (iSOAMM), which is independent of the used technologies and products. In addition to the impacts on IT systems, it reflects the implications on organizational structures and governance. Furthermore, the iSOAMM lists the challenges, benefits and risks associated with each maturity level. This enables enterprises to select the most adequate maturity level for them, which is not necessarily the highest one.
Feasibility of measurement of a voice range profile with a semi-occluded vocal tract

Semi-occlusion of the vocal tract may provide a new method for assessing ranges of F(0) and a physiological correlate of vocal intensity. Signals can be obtained without concern about room noise, steadiness in mouth-to-microphone distance, and possibly without vocal injury caused by excessive loudness produced. Nine volunteers participated. Steady and acoustic pressures behind the lips were measured. Traditional voice range profiles were obtained on the vowels /α/ and /u/ for comparison. Range of F(0) was not limited in most subjects with the semi-occlusion but may be restricted in some subjects. In the lower portion of the F(0) range, the highest and lowest steady pressures at the semi-occlusion constitute an oral pressure range profile.
Faith Ringgold’s Die: The Riot and Its Reception

The year 1967 was a transitional moment for the rehabilitation of activist art and the formation of black identity. It was likewise significant for Faith Ringgold, who was preparing the solo exhibition that would introduce her to the New York art world. That summer, after riots devastated Detroit and Newark, NJ, she painted Die expressly for the show. The wall-size canvas depicts an interracial cast of clean-cut antagonists trying to kill one another. Although the painting represented the kind of large-scale, politically motivated figuration that had been out of favor since the 1940s, it earned favorable attention from key art journals. I argue that its warm reception indexes the painting’s ability to speak differently to different constituencies, from mainstream and African American modernists to the activists in the Black Arts and peace movements then beginning to make waves. The painting’s multivocal potential encompassed an iconography that reads as either warning against or wishing for social unrest and a format that inserts the large-scale figuration of public murals into the more rarified space of the commercial art gallery. As a microhistory focused on Die ’s production and reception, this study aims to illuminate how racial politics influenced a politics of style in this volatile moment. To do so, it situates Die in relation to a mounting attention to protest, violence, social realism, and black aesthetics, especially as they crystallized in writer Amiri Baraka’s engagement with the Newark riot and in gallery director Robert Newman’s facilitation of Ringgold’s shift to large-scale imagery.
Muscle surface recording and stimulation using integrated PDMS-based microelectrode arrays: Recording-triggered stimulation for prosthetic purposes

With our recent advances in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based conformable microelectrode array (MEA) technologies, numerous exciting prosthetic applications involving neural/muscular surface recording and/or stimulation techniques become more accessible. As a pilot investigation, in this paper, we explore the general concept of recording-triggered surface stimulation, which may find instances in many prostheses that involve a synchronization or synergetic control strategy, using a PCB-integrated PDMS-based dual-MEA. A frog dual-muscle setup was used as a model system for the concept. Contraction synchronization between the two muscles was successfully demonstrated. Our future plan involves adapting current work to the development of a prosthesis for unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP).
Method for the direct measurement of y-, z-, h- and g-parameters at microwave frequencies

A new measurement technique is presented that uses a modification of standard S-parameter instrumentation to directly measure y-,z-,h- andg-parameters at microwave frequencies. The required open-circuit and short-circuit terminations are created by the appropriate simultaneous application of the test r.f. signal to both ports of the device under test. Experimental results indicate the possibility of using this approach to improve the accuracy of 2-port characterisations at microwave frequencies.
Fibulin, a novel protein that interacts with the fibronectin receptor β subunit cytoplasmic domain

Abstract A 100 kd protein was isolated from tissue and cell extracts by affinity chromatography on a synthetic peptide representing the cytoplasmic domain of the fibronectin receptor β subunit. The 100 kd protein also bound to native fibronectin receptor, and this binding could be reversed with EDTA. Calcium may be the divalent cation required for the binding since the 100 kd protein was found to bind 45 Ca 2+ . The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 100 kd protein was not similar to any sequence in a protein data base. Immunofluorescent staining of cells cultured on fibronectin showed the 100 kd protein coinciding with the fibronectin receptor β subunit in sites of substrate contact. Therefore this protein, which we term fibulin, interacts with the fibronectin receptor in vitro and associates with the receptor in vivo. Fibulin is a potential mediator of interactions between adhesion receptors and the cytoskeleton.
The AnyBoard: programming and enhancements

The programming of the AnyBoard is demonstrated by the design of a simple direction finder. The operations needed to enter, simulate, store, map, and debug a design are discussed. The length of time needed to accomplish each of these operations is used to justify some proposed enhancements to the AnyBoard Rapid-Prototyping Environment. >
A micro-level analysis of developmental, parenting, and family milieu variables that differentiate stress-resilient and stress-affected children

Microanalyzed global parent interview variables that had previously differentiated stress-resilient (SR) and stress-affected (SA) outcomes in independent samples (4th–6th and 2nd–3rd grade) of multiethnic, highly stressed, urban children. The in-depth interview assessed caregiving environment and early child development. On item-level t tests for the pooled sample, 36 of 144 items differentiated the groups. Discriminant function analysis identified a cluster of nine sensitive items that correctly classified 81.7% of children as SR or SA. Factor analysis of the 36 items identified a 4-factor solution: Child Adjustment, Early Temperament, Parent-Child Relationship, and Developmental Milestones; SR parents exceeded SAs on each. Structurally comparable analyses using only Sample 2 and including the second interview's new measures, replicated and extended findings from the pooled sample. Overall, study findings enhance understanding of resilience and testify to the merit of using a microanalytic approach in this research area. Implications for streamlining existing measures and for future research directions are considered. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Control of the elm leaf beetle in Colorado.

Insecticidal tests to control Pyrrhalta luteola (Muller) were conducted in a windbreak of Siberian elm, Ulmus pumila L., near Fort Collins, Colorado. Foliar sprays of carbaryl, acephate, and oxydemetomethyl; soil drenches of oxydemetonmethyl; and soil implantations of carbofuran significantly reduced beetle populations. Carbaryl and carbofuran gave best seasonal control.
Interannual variation in reproductive phenology in a riverine fish assemblage: implications for predicting the effects of climate change and altered flow regimes

SUMMARY 1. Freshwater fish commonly exhibit differences in reproductive seasonality within assemblages. However, the extent of variation in reproductive timing among years is less well understood, particularly in relation to environmental variation. Phenological shifts in response to environmental variation, including climate change, can differ among species and thereby change temporal resource partitioning (e.g. in the use of nursery habitat, dietary items, etc.) and potentially the strength of biotic interactions such as competition. 2. To assess interannual variation in reproductive phenology and temporal resource partitioning in an arid-land river, we collected a data set on young-of-year fish in four years within an overall span of 16 years, from 1995 to 2010. Fish species spawned in a consistent order across years; however, the onset of spawning was between 4 and 28 days earlier in 2008–2010 than in 1995. Spawning onset advanced more for later-spawning species, resulting in reduced temporal partitioning across the assemblage. 3. Based on these observations, we developed four alternate models of assemblage-level responses to alteration of flow regime based on the magnitude of phenological shifts and corresponding temporal partitioning among species. Phenological data are consistent with only one of these models. 4. Convergence and overlap in spawning time among species may decrease resource partitioning at a critical life stage and alter assemblage composition in recruitment-driven systems like arid-land rivers. Understanding factors driving convergence and overlap in spawning time among species is key to predicting effects of ongoing climate change and alteration of flow regimes on fish assemblages.
Echocardiographic Features of Traumatic Disruption of the Aortic Valve

The echocardiographic findings are presented of a patient who had evidence of aortic regurgitation one year after blunt trauma to the chest. Combined M-mode and 2-D imaging showed features suggestive of disruption of the posterior aortic leaflet, subsequently confirmed at operation, in the absence of infective endocarditis. Diagnosis of this uncommon cause of aortic regurgitation, heretofore confirmed only by direct visualization, may be made preoperatively by echocardiography.
Two-bar sucrose preference

Rats given the alternative of a high and alow concentration of sucrose on a CRF schedule gave the greatest total number of responses to the low concentration bars and made the most responses in any pair to the bar that produced the highest concentration. The introduction of an FI schedule led to an increase in the rate of responding, a shift in the maximum to a higher concentration pair, and the disappearance of preference for either bar. These results were interpreted as evidence that rate of responding and preference reflect the same underlying process.
Efficient Algorithms for Resource Allocation in Heterogeneous OFDMA Networks

We consider a heterogeneous multiuser OFDMA wireless network serving both QoS-constrained high-priority users and best-effort users. We propose several efficient algorithms for subcarrier/cluster and power allocation. Our strategy is to maximize the total network utility of the best-effort user while satisfying the high-priority users. We define the best-effort user utility function in two different ways and propose two different novel, efficient and optimal cluster allocation algorithms. We also propose an efficient and optimal power allocation algorithm based on the modification of existing algorithms.
Genotyping Mutations in BmAChE3: A Survey of Organophosphate-Resistant and -Susceptible Strains of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

ABSTRACT Mutations I48L, I54V, R86Q, V137I, I492M, and T548A were identified previously in BmAChE3, a gene encoding acetylcholinesterase, from the organophosphate (OP) acaricide-resistant San Roman strain of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Recombinant BmAChE3 acetylcholinesterase containing the R86Q mutation was shown to exhibit nearly 20-fold reduction in the rate of phosphorylation by paraoxon relative to the wild-type sequence. In addition, the R86Q mutation was present in resistant laboratory strains at elevated frequency compared with OP-susceptible strains but was insufficient to alone generate the OP-resistant phenotype (J. Med. Entomol. 44:1013–1018). Here, we developed assays to genotype the remaining five mutations and evaluated frequency of all six BmAChE3 mutations in individual R. microplus ticks from laboratory and Mexican field-collected strains. We found a substantial number of individuals in known OP-susceptible strains that seemed to be homozygous for each of the mutations surveyed,...
Crystallization of poly(aryl ether ketone ketone) copolymers containing terephthalate/isophthalate moieties

Ths structure, crystallization, and morphology of poly(aryl ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) copolymers prepared from diphenyl ether (DPE), terephthalic acid (T), and isophthalic acid (I) with six different T/I ratios (40/60, 30/70, 20/80, 15/85, 10/90, and O/100), which are viewed as having TI and/or -DPE-I-DPE-I- (II) «diads», are investigated. The I moieties (1,3-linked isomers) were always found to be incorporated in the crystals and acted as entropy or symmetry defects that effectively decreased the equilibrium melting temperature and the rate of crystallization
RECONSIDERING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED NEIGHBORHOOD RACIAL COMPOSITION AND WHITES' PERCEPTIONS OF VICTIMIZATION RISK: DO RACIAL STEREOTYPES MATTER? ∗

Recent theoretical extensions of threat theory have posited that Whites frequently view Blacks as a criminal threat because of stereotypes linking race and crime. Several studies have found indirect support for this hypothesis and have shown that the percentage of neighborhood residents who are Black is positively associated with the perceptions of victimization risk and fear of crime by White residents. To date, however, little research has investigated whether, as theory would suggest, this relationship is either a consequence of or is contingent on Whites holding stereotypes of Blacks as criminals. In this article, we address this issue by examining whether racial typification of crime mediates or moderates the relationships between static and dynamic measures of neighborhood racial composition and the perceptions of victimization risk by Whites. The results offer mixed support for the threat hypothesis and show that racial typification of crime conditions the relationship between perceived changes in neighborhood racial composition and the perceptions of victimization risk by Whites, but neither explains nor influences the association between static measures of racial composition and the latter. The implications of the findings for threat theory and research are discussed. Language: en
Frequency and recovery effects in high-κ BTI degradation

Net end-of-life aging prediction under realistic use conditions is the key objective for any product aging model. In this paper, a net degradation model is introduced and effects such as recovery, subsequent degradation, frequency, duty cycle, and recovery bias are evaluated. The high-κ recovery behavior observed is consistent with SiO 2 gate stacks, which allows the use of SiO 2 models to predict recovery in both NMOS and PMOS high-κ transistors.
On uniform and linearly tapered long yagi antennas

Traveling-wave analysis of long Yagi antennas is reviewed briefly. The method of designing a Yagi antenna from this viewpoint is discussed and some experimental results are given in order to verify the analysis. A long Yagi antenna, when designed according to the Hansen and Woodyard condition, has a sidelobe ratio of 9.32 db in its radiation pattern, irrespective of the length of the antenna. It is shown that by varying the propagation constant linearly along the length of the antenna, the sidelobe ratio can be improved considerably without sacrificing much of the antenna gain. This linear variation of the propagation constant may be obtained by slowly tapering the element lengths and/or element spacings along the length of the antenna. An approximate theory is developed for the linearly tapered long Yagi antenna and it is verified by actual measurements. A comparison between the radiation patterns of the uniform and the tapered long Yagi antennas clearly shows the advantage of tapering.
How Does Your State Stack Up? Participation Costs in Higher Education Optional Retirement Plans

We examine the costs to higher education employees investing in optional retirement plans (ORP). We find vast differences across states in terms of the number of providers, number of funds offered per provider, and fees. We find the same provider offering the same fund oftentimes charges significantly different fees across states. Net performance is 18 basis points lower than what an investor would otherwise be able to directly invest in funds not within an ORP system. Cross-sectionally, we find that funds offered by insurance companies systematically have worse performance than mutual fund providers. Further, we find that states with more ORP providers have better net performance. Our evidence suggests that by giving employees more choices, the additional competition within the ORP system would result in lower fees, thereby increasing terminal wealth for participants. Our paper has important policy implications as these plans become popular in the public sector as governments try to cut costs by reducing severely underfunded pension liabilities.
Informal Care and Social Support: An Agenda for the Future

The purpose of these final comments is to set out future issues related to informal caring and social services delivery. I will therefore sketch what I see to be major agenda items for the development of social work practice related to informal helping and social networks. More specifically, I will argue for a disciplined, precise, and differentiated set of professional interventions based on patterns of informal caring in various client situations and circumstances. This theme has been discussed at various times throughout the conference but warrants continued attention and development. Time does not allow for full explication of the assumptions of this presentation nor for full development and documentation of the assertions made. My comments, however, are based on a careful reading of the literature on social networks and informal caring on both sides of the Atlantic, discussions with researchers and practitioners in the US as well as more recently here in the UK during the past six months of my sabbatical leave from the University of Illinois at Urbana. Most of the issues I will identify have also been reflected in or explicitly discussed during sessions of
Endometrial Cancer Surveillance Counterpoint: USA

In the United States, endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. It is estimated that 43,470 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2010 and 7,950 died of their cancer [1]. Fortunately, the majority of endometrial cancers are diagnosed at an early stage due to abnormal uterine bleeding, and most of these women are cured. Approximately 70 % are diagnosed with localized disease, with a corresponding 5-year survival rate of 95 % [1]. Although there has been a decrease in the death rate of endometrial cancer by a small percentage since 1991, there has been an increase in incidence over the past few years [1], likely attributable to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Other risk factors for endometrial cancer include diabetes, hypertension, endogenous or exogenous excess estrogen, nulliparity, family history, and endometrial hyperplasia.
Soft X-Ray Driven Femtosecond Molecular Dynamics

We present the first direct measurements of ultrafast EUV ionization-induced dynamics in molecules. Using a few femtosecond EUV pump and strong-field probe, we time resolve the evolution of molecular ion Rydberg states.
Personal and Impersonal Social Reinforcement

Varying degrees of personal praise and impersonal feedback had effects inconsistent with social drive theory predictions.
Crowdsourcing Biological Specimen Identification: Consumer technology applied to health-care access

Existing technology may provide a solution to the intractable problem of the unmet demand in rural areas for the identification of biological specimens. The acquisition and transmission of biological specimens, revealed through low-cost microscopy, to a server would be viewed and analyzed by autonomous members of a crowdsource community, where, subject to a system of quality control, populations that do not have access to medical diagnostic facilities might have the full advantages of medical analyses. In our proposed system, a smartphone is equipped with a low-cost microscope interface. This enables health-care workers to obtain digital images of biological specimens, bacteria, or tissue cultures that are then transmitted to a cloud server. These image data can be made available, via crowd-sourcing, for experts to provide a consensus on the imaged specimen. The opinions of crowdsourced experts can be based in part on their scientific peer ranking and professional qualifications and in part on their history of contributions and peer ranking within the crowdsourcing community. Different opinions as to the nature of the specimen provided can be weighed by the crowdsourcing software engine that then presents the conclusions to the originating health-care worker.
Analysis on HBsAg Levels of Food and Public Places Employees in Changping District of Beijing City

[Objective]To understand the infection status of HBV among food and public places employees in Changping District of Beijing City.[Methods]ELISA method was adopted to conduct HBsAg detection on employees.[Results]Of 76 654 employees received health examination in Changping District in 2009,the HBsAg carrying rate was 1.83%,that of male was higher than female(χ2=55.44,P0.01),The HBsAg carrying rate of employees from local areas or other places was 0.74%,2.18%,respectively;the difference was significant(χ2=163.52,P0.01).[Conclusion]The HBsAg carrying rate of food and public places employees in changing district was lower than national average levels(4.4%～8.0%),but it is still necessary to implement annual health examination and vaccination of hepatitis B vaccine among employees of this industry.
Historical perspectives on methodology to detect Listeria monocytogenes.

While recognized as a causative agent of illness in animals and humans for some time, the foodborne role of Listeria monocytogenes is a new and emerging one. This review briefly summarizes the historical developments in methodology used to detect the presence of L. monocytogenes. Although clinical procedures exist, these procedures do not consider isolation of Listeria from heavily contaminated environments. Federal agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have defined protocols for the isolation of Listeria from dairy and meat products, respectively. Each of these protocols, and current problems common to all methods for the isolation of Listeria from food products, are discussed. Finally, future challenges with respect to improvement in our abilities to recognize, isolate, and rapidly identify Listeria in foods are presented.
Changes in Chemical/Biological Weapons Technology and Public Opinion since World War II

With the impetus provided by the capture of German nerve agent production plants and agent stockpiles, CW technology moved forward rapidly in the early years after World War II. Both the Soviet Union and the West experimented with these new agents and went on to develop improved variants of their own.
Noise from a phantom road experiment alters the age structure of a community of migrating birds

Several past studies have demonstrated the effects of anthropogenic noise on populations of animals. Yet, differing effects of noise by age and subsequent changes in the age structure of populations are poorly understood. We experimentally tested the effects of traffic noise alone on the age structure of a community of migrating birds at a fall stopover site in south-western Idaho using an array of speakers – creating a phantom road – that replicated the sound of a roadway without other confounding aspects of roads. Both hatch-year and adult birds were negatively affected by noise – having lower capture rates, lower body condition and lower stopover efficiency along the phantom road when the noise was on compared to control conditions. However, hatch-year birds responded more strongly which lead to a significant shift in the ratio of hatch-year to adult birds under noisy conditions. Our previous work using the phantom road demonstrated that traffic noise can degrade the quality of a stopover site by affecting the ability of migrating birds to gain body condition. Here, we demonstrate differences between age classes such that although noise degrades habitat for both hatch-year and adult migrants, there are still differences in responses to noise between age groups. Despite alternative explanations of our results such as changes in behavior affecting capture likelihood, evidence suggests that younger birds avoided the phantom road more than adult birds perhaps because of different tradeoffs between foraging and predation risk and differing strategies of site selection during migration.
Characterization of the active sites on MoS2 hydrodesulfurization catalysts by complementary magnetic susceptibility and electron spin resonance techniques

On presente les resultats des mesures en titre sur 5 echantillons de haute purete, pauvrement cristallin de MoS 2
Gender and national origin differences in healthcare utilization among U.S. Immigrants from Mexico, China, and India

ABSTRACTObjectives: To examine gender and national origin differences in the healthcare utilization of immigrants from the three largest populations in the U.S. today (Mexico, China, and India) and to determine if barriers to utilization operate similarly across groups.Methods: The analysis uses nationally-representative data from the 2003 New Immigrant Survey (NIS) to compare utilization behaviors among legal permanent residents from Mexico, China, and India (n = 2244). Conceptually, the study draws on Andersen’s Behavioral Model to hypothesize gender and national origin differences in utilization based on factors that might predispose, enable, or necessitate healthcare. Multivariate logistic regression models are used to predict the odds of having seen a doctor in the past year and to test whether obstacles to utilization differ across immigrant groups.Results: Chinese immigrants are less likely than Mexican and Indian immigrants to have seen a doctor in the past year, a finding that is largely driven b...
Consequences of divergence and introgression for speciation in Andean cloud forest birds

Divergence with gene flow is well documented and reveals the influence of ecological adaptation on speciation. Yet, it remains intuitive that gene exchange inhibits speciation in many scenarios, particularly among ecologically similar populations. The influence of gene flow on the divergence of populations facing similar selection pressures has received less empirical attention than scenarios where differentiation is coupled with local environmental adaptation. I used a paired study design to test the influence of genomic divergence and introgression on plumage differentiation between ecologically similar allopatric replacements of Andean cloud forest birds. Through analyses of short-read genome-wide sequences from over 160 individuals in 16 codistributed lineages, I found that plumage divergence is associated with deep genetic divergence, implicating a prominent role of geographic isolation in speciation. By contrast, lineages that lack plumage divergence across the same geographic barrier are more recently isolated or exhibit a signature of secondary genetic introgression, indicating a negative relationship between gene flow and divergence in phenotypic traits important to speciation. My results suggest that the evolutionary outcomes of cycles of isolation and divergence in this important theatre of biotic diversification are sensitive to time spent in the absence of gene flow.
Azithromycin decreases NALP3 mRNA stability in monocytes to limit inflammasome-dependent inflammation

Azithromycin, an antibiotic used for multiple infectious disorders, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, but the molecular basis for this activity is not well characterized. Azithromycin inhibits IL-1β-mediated inflammation that is dependent, in part, on inflammasome activity. Here, we investigated the effects of azithromycin on the NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NALP3) protein, which is the sensing component of the NALP3 inflammasome, in human monocytes. THP-1 cells were treated with azithromycin alone, LPS alone, or both. NALP3 and IL-1β protein levels were determined by immunoblotting. NLRP3 gene (encoding NALP3) transcript levels were determined by quantitative qPCR. In order to measure NLRP3 transcript decay, actinomycin D was used to impair gene transcription. THP-1 Lucia cells which contain an NF-κB responsive luciferase element were used to assess NF-κB activity in response to azithromycin, LPS, and azithromycin/LPS by measuring luminescence. To confirm azithromycin’s effects on NLRP3 mRNA and promoter activity conclusively, HEK cells were lipofected with luciferase reporter constructs harboring either the 5’ untranslated region (UTR) of the NLRP3 gene which included the promoter, the 3’ UTR of the gene, or an empty plasmid prior to treatment with azithromycin and/or LPS, and luminescence was measured. Azithromycin decreased IL-1β levels and reduced NALP3 protein levels in LPS-stimulated THP-1 monocytes through a mechanism involving decreased mRNA stability of the NALP3 – coding NLRP3 gene transcript as well as by decreasing NF-κB activity. Azithromycin accelerated NLRP3 transcript decay confirmed by mRNA stability and 3’UTR luciferase reporter assays, and yet the antibiotic had no effect on NLRP3 promoter activity in cells containing a 5’ UTR reporter. These studies provide a unique mechanism whereby azithromycin exerts immunomodulatory actions in monocytes by destabilizing mRNA levels for a key inflammasome component, NALP3, leading to decreased IL-1β-mediated inflammation.
Individual, peer, and family factor modification of neighborhood-level effects on adolescent alcohol, cigarette, e-cigarette, and marijuana use

Abstract Background Neighborhood factors reported subjectively by residents and measured objectively at the census tract are both associated with adolescent alcohol, tobacco (cigarette and electronic cigarette), and other drug (marijuana) (ATOD) use. Less clear is how these neighborhood factors are longitudinally associated with each substance. Equivocal findings may be due to lack of consideration of individual, peer, and family effect modifiers, which could help adolescents overcome exposure to stressful neighborhood environments. Methods We used multivariate logistic regressions with interaction terms to test whether parental monitoring, resistance self-efficacy (RSE) and being around peers who use ATOD modified the association between four subjective and objective neighborhood measures and odds of using each substance measured one year later among 2539 high school students and college freshmen originally recruited from middle schools in Southern California. Results Census tract-level disadvantage was not longitudinally associated with ATOD use. However, perceptions of higher neighborhood disorganization, less social cohesion, and more neighborhood problems with alcohol and drug use were associated with higher odds of ATOD use. Higher RSE and weaker affiliations with peers who use ATOD consistently buffered negative effects of neighborhood disorganization and neighborhood problems with alcohol and drugs on past year ATOD use. Conclusions Community-level programs that increase social cohesion among neighbors, neighborhood monitoring of deviant behaviors, and better policing of open drug selling may prevent ATOD use. Programs should also target RSE and minimize affiliations with peers who use ATOD, which could reduce the magnitude of the association with ATOD, even for adolescents living in the most at-risk neighborhoods.
Revenue Sources and Social Media Engagement Among Environmentally Focused Nonprofits

This study examines social media efforts among environmentally focused nonprofits. A survey of environmentally focused nonprofits revealed that more than half of these organizations receive government funding. Prior research demonstrates social media is an efficient medium in which to simultaneously communicate with multiple stakeholders. However, stakeholder engagement is likely tied with the need to raise funds. From that basis, we discuss social media use among nonprofits and develop hypotheses about differences in social media use among organizations receiving government funds and those not receiving government funds. Our hypotheses are rooted in resource dependency theory (RDT) and dialogic communication theory (DCT). We test our hypotheses on data from environmentally focused nonprofits by comparing the levels of social media engagement with varying levels of their total funding provided by government grants to determine if there is a correlation with the level of public engagement via social media. We find the level of engagement on the social media site Facebook is lower for government-funded environmental nonprofits than privately funded ones. The findings of reduced social media engagement and the dependence upon government funding versus private funding supports the precepts of resource dependency theory.
Development of Electroplated Au Capsule Fill Tube Assemblies (CFTA) for the Double Shell ICF Concept on NIF

AbstractCurrent capsules used at the National Ignition Facility utilize a single-shell design comprised of a single ablator material. Although single-shell designs are currently the standard design, they suffer from several physics disadvantages, such as sensitivity to asymmetries and instabilities. The double shell is a proposed design utilizing a high-Z inner metal shell with a low-Z outer shell that is intended to mitigate the issues associated with typical single-shell designs.Electroplating is one method that can be utilized to fabricate high-Z metal shells. Au is one particular material that can be electroplated with high density and uniformity. Capsule fill tube assemblies (CFTAs) built from these Au shells have passed all cryogenic leak tests. The shells have a low native surface roughness and are free of voids. Au shells have been successfully fabricated, characterized, and built into CFTAs.
Radiation recall pneumonitis induced by ifosfamide for malignant soft tissue tumor arising from the chest wall: A case report

Abiraterone acetate (AA), a CYP17 inhibitor, now has a crucial role in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), and previous studies have reported several prognostic clinical factors for AA treatment. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has also been investigated for a CRPC treatments in a few reports, however it has not been identified to be a prognostic factor for AA treatment in Japanese patients. The present study aimed to assess the association of the baseline NLR with the overall survival (OS) in CPRC patients treated by AA. The present study retrospectively reviewed a total of 90 consecutive patients with CRPC treated with AA from 2011 to 2016 at Yokohama City University Medical Center and National Cancer Center Hospital East. The primary endpoint of the study was the OS, which was defined as the survival from the start of AA administration. The secondary endpoint was the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response. PSA response was defined as a reduction in antigen levels of >50%. Complete blood cell counts were performed, and the NLR was calculated using the neutrophil and lymphocyte counts obtained on the same day or a few days prior to the initiation of AA therapy. The NLR cut-off point was determined to be 3.76 for the OS, and divided into the high NLR group of 34 patients and the low NLR group of 56 patients. A PSA response was obtained in 8 patients (23.5%) in the high NLR group and in 24 (42.9%) in the low NLR group. The difference of PSA response between the two groups was significant (P=0.037). Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that a high NLR [NLR ≥3.76; median OS: 8.4 months; 95% confidence interval (CI): 6.325-10.475 months] was correlated with a risk of mortality compared with a low NLR (NLR <3.76; median OS not reached). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that the NLR was an independent predictor for the OS (hazard ratio: 2.682; 95% CI: 1.143-6.293; P=0.023). The findings suggest that the NLR may be a useful novel biomarker for predicting the prognosis of CRPC patients treated with AA.
Influence of wall conduction on natural convection in an inclined square enclosure

A numerical study has been made of natural convection in an externally heated inclined enclosure with finitely conducting side walls. Results indicate that conduction along the enclosure walls has a stabilizing influence onthe convective motion in the enclosure and is therefore responsible for reduced heat transfer from the enclosure. The average Nusselt number along the hot and cold surfaces is observed to decrease with decreasing conductivity ratio and increasing wall thickness. The heat flux along the side walls is observed to reverse its direction and therefore, the Nusselt number along the side wall interfaces can be either positive or negative.
Theory and Fact in the Law of Accidents

During the nineteenth century, the common law fashioned rules conditioning compensation for accidents on both causal agency and the fault of a party. This scheme of accident compensation has been under attack for nearly a century. Some of the battles have been fought within the common law itself; product liability emerged with Cardozo's opinion in MacPherson v. Buick Motor Co.1 That decision has served as an exemplary illustration of the adaptability of the common law. More often, the controversy has raged in the legislatures and in the legal literature. In the first of these arenas, the battle resulted in workers' compensation, which transformed the basis of compensation for industrial accidents from fault to injury within the scope of employment. In 1932, a Columbia University study made the first calls for the abandonment of fault as a basis for compensation for automobile accidents.2 Roughly forty years later, no-fault automobile accident plans were adopted in some states.3
Relation of the Photocurrents to the Corrosion Rates of Pure Aluminum having Various Oxides

Photoelectrochemical measurements of aluminum in saltwater revealed an inverse relationship between the magnitude of the photocurrent and the polarization resistance of the oxide layer. It was postulated that the photocurrent originated from the mid-bandgap traps. Pitting appeared to be preceded by photocurrents from the high energy defects (trap depth E=3.8 eV).
Spatial dependency of shoulder muscle demand during dynamic unimanual and bimanual pushing and pulling.

Abstract Work involving extensive pushing and pulling is associated with higher frequency of shoulder complaints. While reports of shoulder muscle demand during submaximal isometric tasks are abundant, dynamic submaximal push-pull exertions are not well understood. We evaluated how muscle demand (weighted EMG average) of surface glenohumeral muscles varies with task type and target. Seventeen healthy young adults performed seated unimanual and bimanual pushes and pulls to 3 thoracohumeral elevations (20°, 90°, 170°) and 4 elevation planes (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°) with loading at 15% of isometric push-pull capacity. Pulling required less demand than pushing (p
Racial Disparities and the Effect of County Level Income on the Incidence and Survival of Young Men with Anal Cancer

Purpose: Prior studies have identified a racial disparity in incidence and survival of squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) in the young African American male population. We aim to determine whether racial disparities are independent of income and urban location. Methods: The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance of Epidemiology and End Results database was queried for data on patients with SCCA for the years of 2000-2013. Cox regression was used to determine the effect of race, county median family income, rural-urban continuum, and stage of disease on overall survival. Results: The incidence rate of SCCA was significantly higher in black men <50 years old than in white men. Black race had a hazard ratio of 1.55 (confidence interval [CI] 1.33-1.81) when controlling for age, stage, income, and urban-rural status. Each $10,000 increase in county median family income was protective with a hazard ratio of 0.90 (CI 0.86-0.94). Residence in a metropolitan area did not significantly affect survival. Conclusions: The lower survival of black men <50 years old with SCCA is independent of income, urban location, and stage of disease. Further efforts are needed to target this at-risk population and the authors suggest wide application of previously validated screening programs for anal dysplasia.
Caribbean futures in the offshore Anthropocene: Debt, disaster, and duration:

The devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria across the Caribbean (especially in Barbuda, Dominica, Puerto Rico, St Martin/St Maarten, and parts of the British and US Virgin Islands) are ha...
HIF-1 regulation of miR-29c impairs SERCA2 expression and cardiac contractility

Our study demonstrated hypoxia-inducible factor-1-dependent upregulation of miR-29c, which, in turn, inhibited SERCA2 expression and reduced cardiac contractility in a transgenic overexpression sys...