cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chondrocyte apoptosis in endochondral ossification of chick sterna.

In the process of endochondral ossification, chondrocytes progress through a series of maturational changes, including division and hypertrophy, that culminate in chondrocyte loss and cartilage resorption. From an investigation of morphology, DNA fragmentation, and collagen synthesis in the developing chick sterna we have characterized chondrocytes death in this process. Light microscopy of resorbing sterna demonstrated chondrocyte condensation at the interface with the invading vasculature and electron microscopy demonstrated a range of chondrocyte morphologies, including retraction from the pericellular matrix, cytoplasmic and nuclear condensation, and vesiculation suggestive of sequential changes characteristic of apoptosis. Isolation and end-labeling of DNA from chick primary ossification centers demonstrated fragmentation to nucleosome sized units, only in primary ossification centers exhibiting active resorption, and in situ detection of DNA fragmentation showed a restriction to chondrocytes at the interface with invading blood. We conclude that terminal differentiation of chondrocytes results in death by an apoptotic process prior to resorption of the tissue and invasion by blood vessels. The extent of DNA fragmentation correlated closely with the proportion of cells displaying a condensed phenotype in contralateral primary ossification centers and peaked at an early stage of resorption, suggesting that chondrocyte apoptosis may be an initiating event in tissue resorption and vascular invasion. Comparison of DNA fragmentation with expression of the hypertrophic chondrocyte phenotype, as indicated by type X collagen synthesis, suggested that DNA fragmentation was a late event in the process of chondrocyte hypertrophy and probably corresponded with chondrocyte condensation. ©1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Towards Adaptive Workflow Enactment Using Multiagent Systems

Advances in Information Technology have created opportunities for business enterprises to redesign their information and process management systems. The redesigned systems will likely employ some form of workflow management system. Workflow management systems exactly enact business processes described in a process description language. Unfortunately, such strict adherence to the prescribed workflow makes it impossible for the system to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. We firmly believe that the historic trajectory of software development paradigms and IT advancements will establish multiagent systems as the workflow enactment mechanism of the future. In this paper we provide a critical survey of workflow, workflow description languages, web services and agent technologies. We propose that workflow description languages and their associated design tools can be used to specify a multiagent system. Specifically, we advance the idea that the Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL4WS) can be used as a specification language for expressing the initial social order of the multiagent system, which can then intelligently adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Experimental investigation of taxon-specific response of alkaline phosphatase activity in natural freshwater phytoplankton

It is widely accepted that alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) is an efficient indicator of phosphate limitation in freshwater phytoplankton communities. In this study, we investigated whether the response in APA to phosphate limitation differs among the taxa in a mixed phytoplankton assemblage. We used the new enzyme-labeled fluorescence (ELF) technique, which allows microscopic detection of phosphate limitation in individual cells of multiple species. The most prominent findings of this study were that alkaline phosphatase (AP) was induced in many, but not all taxa and that different taxa, as well as different cells within a single taxon, experienced different degrees of phosphate stress under the same environmental conditions. Our approach was to manipulate the limiting nutrient in a natural freshwater phytoplankton community by incubating lake water in the laboratory. We induced nitrogen (N) or phosphate limitation through additions of inorganic nutrients. Both the ELF assay and bulk APA indicated that the lake phytoplankton were not phosphate limited at the start of the experiment. During the experiment, several chlorophyte taxa (e.g., Eudorina and an unidentified solitary spiny coccoid) were driven to phosphate limitation when inorganic N was added, as evidenced by a higher percentage of ELF-labeled cells relative to controls, whereas other chlorophyte taxa such as Actinastrum and Dictyosphaeriumwere not phosphate stressed under these conditions. In the phosphate-limited treatments, little or no ELF labeling was observed in any cyanobacterial taxa. Furthermore, all taxa observed after the ELF labeling procedure ( .10-mm fraction) were labeled with ELF at least on one occasion, demonstrating the wide applicability of the ELF method. By using ELF labeling in tandem with bulk APA, the resolution and analysis of phosphate limitation was increased, allowing the identification of specific phosphate-stressed taxa.
The Influence of Gravity Wave Breaking on the General Circulation of the Middle Atmosphere

The zonal mean solstice circulation of the global middle atmosphere is simulated using a semi-spectral numerical model. Radiative heating and cooling is computed by the algorithm of Wehrbein and Leovy. Mechanical dissipation is represented by the gravity wave breaking parameterization of Lindzen. An inertial adjustment parameterization is used to prevent the development of inertially unstable meridional shears near the equator. It is shown that gravity wave drag and diffusion in the mesosphere can account for the observed large departure from radiative equilibrium in both summer and winter. Experiments incorporating a forced stationary wavenumber 1 disturbance indicate that planetary wave EP flux convergences, although they may modify the mean flow profile significantly, cannot provide the major source of mechanical dissipation in the winter mesosphere. A simulated sudden warming is accompanied by an equally strong mesospheric cooling. This cooling is caused primarily by the relaxation of the polar mesosphere toward radiative equilibrium when the easterly mean winds in the polar stratosphere induced by the sudden warming reduce the transmission of gravity waves into the mesosphere.
Kidney vending: the "Trojan horse" of organ transplantation.

As physicians and nephrologists who are actively engaged in the evaluation and the treatment of kidney transplant candidates, recipients, and donors, we are concerned by what we see as a growing threat to the core values that have permitted organ transplantation to flourish during the last half century. Kidney vending, once considered taboo in “respectable” circles, is being debated with some frequency, and in this issue of JASN , specific proposals for implementation have been made. To his credit, Matas (1) presents his case in a rational and dispassionate manner. In the professional and lay press, however, there has been a disturbing change of tone. Those who oppose vending have been derided as “beancounters” and “high-minded moralists” (2); the current system has been described as a “failure” (3); routine psychological evaluation of donors has been described as “intrusive, demeaning” (4); the Institute of Medicine’s caution against treating the body as if it were for sale (5) has been described as “outdated thinking” (6); and respected transplant professionals have been castigated in the national press because of their concern for the potential exploitation of donors (7). There is a lot at stake. The altruistic impulses of living donors and of the families of deceased donors are on the auction block and risk being displaced by the uncertainties of an unfamiliar market place. Matas seems unconcerned by this possibility, and to some proponents of organ vending, the anticipated demise of altruism in organ donation even comes as a blessing (2). To the detractors of our current altruism-based system, the acceptance by the general public of the difficult concepts (brain death, donation after cardiac death, living donation, etc.) that are at the core of our work is taken for granted, because the supply of donors has been inadequate for the need. Dollars …
Peering Through the Crack & Good-Bye to All that: 30 years of TV, Telephones, Sports, Drugs, Etc

Social relationships are enacted and remembered through interpersonal relationships and replayed through the media as the author uses a defining personal experience, that of her son's drug addiction, to rethink, analyze, and resituate herself in the world. The result draws attention to the messy juxtaposition of social structures and policies with personal loss, grief, anger, and episodes of joy and courage. Crack, whether drug, fissure, gibe, highlights remembered fragments which allow the author to tell her stories in ways other than those originally considered. As those personal stories are interwoven with public moments such as school desegregation and changes in telecommunications and popular culture, a social commentary is offered that defamiliarizes the familiar, evokes rather than represents, and therefore offers the reader entry into the narrative, the cultural critique.
Communication patterns, sex, and length of verbalization in speech of four‐year‐old children

The mean length of verbalization of 56 four‐year‐old Head Start children was measured in four communication patterns—dyad, triad, small group, and role‐playing triad. The children produced more speech in the small group than in the dyad. Differences between other patterns were not significant. Similar results were obtained when repetitions of words and phrases were eliminated. Females produced, more speech than males in all communication patterns.
The Self-Adjoint Second-Order Differential Equation

In this chapter we are concerned with the second-order (formally) selfadjoint linear differential equation $$(p(t)x^\prime)^\prime + q(t)x = h(t).$$
Women as Architects of Peace: Gender and the Resolution of Armed Conflict

This essay was adapted from remarks at the 2006 Symposium, Gender, War & Peace: Women's Status in the Wake of Conflict, held at Michigan State University in 2006. As many of the contributions to the symposium demonstrate, women and girls experience particularized harms from armed conflict, including, for example, the psychological fall-out and physical damage of sex-related war crimes, the permanent displacement of women and children from their homes, and the destruction of families and livelihoods. Redressing these harms through post-conflict accountability mechanisms is an important, but incomplete response. Peace processes - the informal and formal mechanisms through which wars are ended and transitions to post-war order are managed and regulated - may have longer term consequences for the welfare of women than the underlying armed conflicts. Domestic and comparative studies tend to demonstrate that women behave differently from men within dispute resolution processes. Given these differences, and because war carries particularly devastating effects for women and girls, efforts to end war and prevent the recurrence of armed conflict should systematically consider the role of women and include women as active participants in peace building.
Lateral Pressure and Deforestation A Review Essay of Environmental Impacts of Globalization and Trade: A Systems Study by Corey L Lofdahl

What are the effects of increased stuctural integration of international trade on the environment of relatively poorer countries, particularly in the southern hemisphere? This is the key question addressed by Corey Lofdahl in his book Environmental Impacts of Globalization and Trade:A Systems Study. Given the theme for this special issue of the Journal of World-Systems Research, a discussion and evaluation of this book seems rather timely and relevant. An immediate fact of interest is that Lofdahl is not an environmental sociologist, let alone acquainted with relevant empirical works grounded in a world-systems perspective. Rather, he is trained as a political scientist, and works in the simulation and information technology sector.
Renoprotection from Diabetic Complications in OVE Transgenic Mice by Endothelial Cell Specific Overexpression of Metallothionein

In an effort to test our working hypothesis that diabetes-induced renal glomerular damage may be the result of oxidative insult, JTMT transgenic mice were produced that overexpress the antioxidant ...
A 1550 NM phase change electro-optical shutter

This paper introduces a new electro-optical shutter with measured transmission loss of less than 1.3 dB in the shutter ON state and isolation of ∼14 dB in the shutter OFF state. The shutter is composed of sub-wavelength metallic slits filled with germanium telluride (GeTe) phase change material (PCM). The slits serve both as waveguides for extra-ordinary transmission of optical signal and as nano-heaters for changing the phase of GeTe. This work focuses on thermal and optical characterization of the GeTe slits in both amorphous and crystalline states through Joule heating. As GeTe goes through its phase transition, its complex reflective index changes, resulting in a significant shift in the optical property of the shutter. In this work, the shutter is designed to have a strong peak in the transmission (with >75% transmission amplitude) at 1550 nm in the amorphous (OFF) state of GeTe. When GeTe crystalizes, the wavelength of transmission peak shifts and the transmission amplitude is modulated, resulting in only 4% transmission at 1550 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first demonstration of optical modulators using PCM and providing such a high contrast.
Integrating Evolutionary Game Theory into Mechanistic Genotype-Phenotype Mapping.

Natural selection has shaped the evolution of organisms toward optimizing their structural and functional design. However, how this universal principle can enhance genotype–phenotype mapping of quantitative traits has remained unexplored. Here we show that the integration of this principle and functional mapping through evolutionary game theory gains new insight into the genetic architecture of complex traits. By viewing phenotype formation as an evolutionary system, we formulate mathematical equations to model the ecological mechanisms that drive the interaction and coordination of its constituent components toward population dynamics and stability. Functional mapping provides a procedure for estimating the genetic parameters that specify the dynamic relationship of competition and cooperation and predicting how genes mediate the evolution of this relationship during trait formation.
Alterations in Rate of Influenza Virus Proliferation Produced by Growth Hormone and Testosterone.

SummaryWhen the rate of protein anabolism in the host was increased by testosterone or growth hormone, increases in rate of proliferation and amount of influenza virus were clearly demonstrated.
Equidissections of Trapezoids

Suppose a plane polygon is dissected into triangles of equal areas. What numbers of triangles are possible? Given a polygon K, a dissection of K into m triangles of equal areas is called an m-equidissection. The spectrum of a polygon K, denoted S(K), is the set of integers m such that K has an m-equidissection. If S(K) consists of all multiples of a single integer m, we say that S(K) is principal and write S(K)= . Monsky [2] showed that if K is a square, then S(K)= . Kasimatis [1] showed that if K is a regular n-gon with n 2 5, then S(K) = . A discussion of this problem for other polygons is contained in Chapter 5 of [4]. What can we say about the spectrum of a trapezoid? We may confine our attention to trapezoids with vertices (0, 0), (1, 0), (0, 1), (a, 1), a > O, since any trapezoid is affinely equivalent to such a trapezoid. Denote this trapezoid by T(a). The following are shown in [4] (pp. 121-122):
Volatile Components of Licorice Roots Produced in Different Countries

甘草根10種の揮発性成分の検索と産地間差異を比較検討し,下記の結果を得た.(1) 甘草根10種類から初めて炭化水素6成分,アルデヒド2成分,アルコール3成分,フェノール1成分,ケトン2成分及び脂肪酸2成分を検出した.(2) 甘草根10種に共通した主要な揮発性成分は,フェノール,炭化水素及び脂肪酸類で,それぞれ全揮発性成分量の6～18%, 32～59%, 30～56%を占めていた.
Ischemia-reperfusion injury in kidney transplantation

Ischemia-reperfusion injury to the kidney is a complex pathophysiological process that has importance during transplantation as it affects graft function and survival. It starts with the physiological changes associated with the death of the donor, including the direct effects of hypoxia and metabolic stress. The injury continues through the organ procurement and preservation procedures. Upon reperfusion, the organ is then further damaged by a reactive inflammatory process which had been primed during the earlier injuries. Clinically, the damage from microvascular dysfunction and cytotoxic agents contributed by the immunologic response results in impaired graft function or graft loss. Recent advances in understanding the specific pathways involved in this injury have helped identify novel therapies. Nevertheless, ischemia-reperfusion injury continues to be a daunting problem even as these treatment strategies are being evaluated for clinical use.
It Takes a Movement to Defeat a Market: Tech-Enabled Collaboration to Combat Human Trafficking

Trafficking in Persons is, in part, a result of the processes of globalization making the world a smaller place. As with historical Atlantic slavery, closing this distance connects productive trade routes, but also connects powerful groups to vulnerable groups. Therefore, the technologies that compose cyberspace present a key battleground in the contemporary fight against human trafficking. The direct role of online space in trafficking is well-documented – online marketplaces and visual media serve as exchanges for the exploitation of people. Direct counters, such as the Virtual Global Taskforce, use the social logics of the online space against exploiters and prove effective. I will extend this thinking into indirect uses of globalized communications for both trafficking and anti-trafficking. I argue that traffickers have the benefit of a market, which in the Hayekian sense serves as an implicit social cloud-computing platform. Communications and financial technologies facilitate this market. Conversely, anti-traffickers are subject to the ‘anti-market’ of the “NGO Scramble,” which makes collaboration difficult and slows adaptation vis a vis the illicit market. I propose that the C-TiP Movement needs to explicitly accomplish through technologically enhanced collaboration ‘market-like’ functions: 1) efficient connectivity, 2) compatible ontologies, and 3) convergent incentives. This results in a ‘data ecosystem,’ a space for rapid innovation and sense-making. I introduce the concept of ‘information friction,’ a measure of the efficiency of this space.
Real-time ultrasonic measurement of fat thickness and longissimus muscle area: II. Relationship between real-time ultrasound measures and carcass retail yield.

Feedlot steers (n = 180) representing 11 sire-breed groups were ultrasonically measured for fat thickness (FTU) and longissimus muscle area (LMU) at two 60-d intervals during the feeding period and four 21-d intervals corresponding to serial slaughter dates to predict carcass retail yield parameters. Two fat trim levels, 8 and 0 mm, were used to calculate percentage of trimmable fat (FAT8P and FAT0P) and retail product percentage (RPD8P and RPD0P) for each carcass. Regression techniques were used to evaluate best-fit equations that explained variation in retail product components. When FAT8P, FAT0P, RPD8P, and RPD0P were regressed on USDA yield grade (YG), R2 values ranged from 75 to 76% (P < .001). Comparatively, when live animal predictors of YG components (FTU, LMU, and final live weight) were used as the independent variables, equations predicting retail yield had R2 values of 61 to 65% (P < .01). Equations using final FTU as the independent variable explained 58 to 64% (P < .001) of the variation in FAT8P, FAT0P, RPD8P, and RPD0P. Equations with FTU, LMU, and either WT, AGE, marbling, or quality grade resulted in R2 values similar to those with only FTU, indicating the strong influence of fat on retail yields. These results indicate that ultrasonic predictors explained about 10% less variation in retail product percentage than did carcass measures.
Descriptive norms and expectancies as mediators of a brief motivational intervention for mandated college students receiving stepped care for alcohol use.

Background and Aims Stepped care approaches for mandated college students provide individual Brief Motivational Interventions (BMI) only for individuals who do not respond to an initial, low-intensity level of treatment such as Brief Advice (BA). However, how BMIs facilitate change in this higher-risk group of mandated students remains unclear. Perceived descriptive norms and alcohol-related expectancies are the most commonly examined mediators of BMI efficacy, but have yet to be examined in the context of stepped care.
Environmental, Nutrition and Health Issues in a US Refugee Resettlement Community

INTRODUCTION In 2012, North Carolina ranked in the top ten states in refugee resettlement, with central Guilford County one of the most diverse in the southeast. OBJECTIVE Examine the local resettlement environmental, nutrition and health barriers and needs of refugees in Guilford County, as perceived by individuals providing services to them. METHODS Participants (n = 40) included: medical and social service providers, educators, faith-based volunteers, resettlement agency caseworkers and liaisons to a variety of refugee communities. Guided semistructured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Themes were identified using deductive content analysis and categorized by frequency of reporting by participants. RESULTS Perceptions were consistent across participants regarding a diverse local refugee population. Resettlement housing was observed to be in poor condition, located in areas of poverty with transportation barriers. However, refugees rarely relocated, due to strong community relationships and support. Perceived dietary risks included: difficulties budgeting and maintaining food assistance, hoarding food, high consumption of sodas and sweets, misperceptions regarding US products (e.g., perceived need for infant formula), and limited health knowledge. Respondents observed that most refugees preferred "fresh" foods, and had strong agricultural skills but lacked green space. Major barriers to health care reported were: poverty, short duration of initial Medicaid coverage, and language (both lack of interpretation services and translated materials). Providers consistently observed type 2 diabetes, weight gain and dental problems across refugee groups. CONCLUSIONS Direct service providers' experiences and observations working with a diverse resettlement population provide unique insight into consistent barriers to achieving good health that confront refugees. While refugees face many barriers, groups often have impressive strengths, such as agricultural skills, on which to focus. KEYWORDS Refugees, emigration, immigration, minority health, health care disparities, diet, environment, USA.
Problem-solving ability and response to novelty in mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) from different elevations

Animals inhabiting challenging and harsh environments are expected to benefit from certain phenotypic traits including cognitive abilities. In particular, innovation and habituation are traits thought to benefit animals in challenging environments and increase individual’s probability of survival via increased foraging success. Here, we tested whether mountain chickadees from two elevations varying in winter climate severity differed in two traits involving innovation and habituation–problem-solving ability and response to novelty. Higher montane elevations are associated with a significantly longer winter period characterized by lower temperatures and more snow, making winter survival more challenging due to a probable increase in foraging demands. Mountain chickadees inhabiting the harsher high elevation were significantly faster at solving a novel problem than their low elevation counterparts. Birds from both elevations responded with increased latency to approach the novel object; however, there were no elevation-related differences. Male and female chickadees responded similarly on both tasks, suggesting no sex-related differences in problem solving ability or neophobia. The problem solving results are consistent with the results for closely related black-capped chickadees along a longitudinal gradient of winter climatic harshness on a larger geographic scale, but the response to novelty data is not. Overall, our data support the hypothesis that enhanced problem solving ability might be associated with living in harsher environments either via natural selection or by plastic response to different environments and suggest that differences in problem solving ability do not have to be associated with differences in neophobia.
Naloxone administration in chronic hallucinating schizophrenic patients

The recent discovery of the endogenous opiate peptides has been followed by a massive research effort aimed at defining the role of these substances in both normal and abnormal physiology. A part of this research has focused on the possible role of the opiate peptides in psychiatric disorders. Controversial evidence has recently been presented suggesting a role for endogenous opiate systems in mood and psychoses. Terenius et al. (1976) reported that some opiate peptide fractions were elevated in unmedicated schizophrenic and manic patients. These concentrations decreased when the schizophrenic patients were medicated and when the manic patients became depressed (Terenius et al. 1976). Gunne et al. (1977) then attempted to reverse the theorized opiate peptide contribution to schizophrenia by administering the opiate antagonist naloxone (0.4 mg, i.v.). They reported decreased auditory hallucinations in four of six schizophrenic patients tested. This study was single blind, did not use standard rating scales or explicit subject selection criteria (Gunne et al. 1977). Yet, the report of decrease or loss of auditory hallucinations was intriguing. Several groups then attemptedto replicate this study without much success. Volavka et al. (1977) used the same dose of naloxone (0.4 mg) in carefully selected subjects, observed them for several hours and observed no effect on schizophrenic symptoms. Davis et al. (1977) gave between 0.4 and 10 mg of naloxone i.v. (usually, 0.4 mg) to patients from several diagnostic categories. These patients were studied for 1 hour and while they may have had improved cognition, no change in hallucinations was reported. Most recently Janowsky et al. (1977) have infused 1.2 mg of naloxone to a general population of schizophrenic subjects and observed no important changes over an hour.
Allograft versus autograft in cervical and lumbar spinal fusions: an examination of operative time, length of stay, surgical site infection, and blood transfusions.

BACKGROUND Autograft harvesting for spine arthrodesis has been associated with longer operative times and increased blood loss. Allograft compared to autograft in spinal fusions has not been studied in a multicenter cohort. METHODS Patients enrolled in the ACS-NSQIP registry between 2012 and 2013 who underwent cervical or lumbar spinal fusion with either allograft or autograft through a separate incision were included for analysis. The primary outcomes of interest were operative time, length of stay, blood transfusion, and surgical site infection (SSI). RESULTS A total of 6790 and 6718 patients received a cervical or lumbar spinal fusion, respectively. On unadjusted analysis in both cervical and lumbar cohorts, autograft was associated with increased rates of blood transfusion (cervical: 2.9% vs. 1.0%, P<0.001; and lumbar: 21.0% vs. 15.7%, P<0.001) and increased operative time (cervical: 167 vs. 128 minutes, P<0.001; and lumbar: 226 vs. 204 minutes, P<0.001) relative to allograft. On multivariable analysis in both the cervical and lumbar cohorts, autograft was associated with increased odds of blood transfusion (cervical: OR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.0-5.1; and lumbar: OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6) and longer operative times (cervical: 27.8 minutes, 95% CI: 20.7-35.0; and lumbar: 25.4 minutes, 95% CI: 17.7-33.1) relative to allograft. Autograft was not associated with either length of stay or SSI. CONCLUSIONS In a multicenter cohort of patients undergoing cervical or lumbar spinal fusion, autograft was associated with increased rates of blood transfusion and increased operative time relative to allograft.
Depression During Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes Among Predominantly Puerto Rican Women.

Objectives To examine associations between depression and preterm birth and small-for gestational age (SGA) among women of predominantly Puerto Rican descent, a population who experiences disparities in adverse birth outcomes and one of the highest infant mortality rates in the United States. Methods Proyecto Buena Salud (PBS) was a prospective cohort study conducted from 2006 to 2011 at a large tertiary care center in Western Massachusetts. Caribbean Islander (i.e., Puerto Rican and Dominican Republic) women were interviewed in early, mid and late pregnancy. Among 1262 participants, associations between depression, assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and risk of preterm birth and small-for-gestational age (SGA) were evaluated. Results Women with at least probable minor depression [odds ratio (OR) = 1.77 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02, 3.07)] or probable major depression [OR = 1.82 (95% CI = 1.01, 3.25)] in mid-pregnancy had an increased risk of SGA compared to non-depressed women in adjusted analyses. Borderline significant associations were observed between increasing levels of depressive symptom scores in early and mid-pregnancy [OR = 1.05 (95% CI = 1.00, 1.11) and OR = 1.04 (95% CI = 1.00, 1.09), respectively] and each additional trimester of exposure to probable major depression across mid- to late pregnancy [OR = 1.66 (95% CI = 1.00, 2.74)] and SGA. Late pregnancy depression was not associated with SGA; depression during pregnancy was not associated with preterm birth. Conclusions for Practice In this population of predominantly Puerto Rican women, mid-pregnancy depression increased risk for SGA. Findings can inform culturally appropriate, targeted interventions to identify and treat pregnant women with depression.
The business cycle, labor market transitions by age, and the great recession

ABSTRACTUsing matched monthly CPS data, this article studies differences in labour force transitions across age groups focusing on periods prior to and after the start of the Great Recession. Monthly transitions between employment, unemployment, and nonparticipation of 25–55-year-old males are examined from 1996 through 2013. Prior to the Great Recession (1996–2007), younger groups of workers are more likely to move from employment to unemployment and face an increased risk beyond that of other workers of making this transition as the economy worsens; however, this differential responsiveness no longer appears after the start of the Great Recession. Before and after the start of the Great Recession, younger groups of workers are more likely to move from unemployment to employment; however, there is no extra responsiveness among younger workers to the business cycle. Transitions into and out of the labour force nuance these findings; however, there is no evidence of differential responsiveness among younge...
Directly deposited optical-blocking filters for single-photon x-ray imaging spectroscopy

Directly deposited optical-blocking filters (DD OBFs) have the potential to improve filter performance and lower risk and cost for future x-ray imaging spectroscopy missions. However, they have not been fully characterized on high-performance charge coupled devices (CCDs). This paper reports the results of DD OBFs processed on high-performance photon-counting CCDs. It is found that CCD performance is not degraded by deposition of such filters. X-ray and optical transmission through the OBF is characterized and found to match theoretical expectation. Light-leaks through pinholes and the side and back surfaces are found to lower the optical extinction ratio; various coating processes are developed to resolve these issues.
Corporate social network design for knowledge sharing within university's operation

This study aims to design a corporate social network for knowledge sharing within University's operation. Data were collected by investigating into needs required by 576 staffs working in Rajamangala University of Technology. The data were collected from June–September, 2015 and were used as integral part in the design of corporate social network by employing object-oriented system analysis and designing approach. The results of the study reveal staff's needs in regard to corporate social network as follows: 18 use case diagrams, 27 class diagrams, and 57 sequence diagrams. ‘3-Tires Architecture + KMS Architecture’ principle was employed in designing architectural design of the system so as to develop corporate social network within the university's operation.
Unha mirada cara a u e onde n’As Cantigas de Santa María: un traballo cuantitativo

The linguistic variability of the adverbs u and onde is one of the most overlooked yet intriguing differences of Galician-Portuguese. I set out to analyze quantitatively the uses of both adverbs, concentrating on the orthographic variation as well as the semantic variation. My analysis has its base in one of the largest collections of lyrical compositions of the Middle Ages, As Cantigas de Santa Maria , proving that the specific uses of u and onde that were documented at this time in Galician-Portuguese were still marked by the original Latinate variants.
Multidecadal Variability in the Subseasonal Peak of Low-Level Convergence over the Pacific Warm Pool

In the Western North Pacific (WNP), the atmospheric low-level convergence is one of the main factors that influences the genesis of tropical cyclones (TC). It has been observed that the timing of the seasonal maxima in the low-level convergence and TC genesis has shifted since the mid-1990s from mid-August to late-July, with this shift having also affected the number of TC. A multidecadal frequency of 20 years was revealed in the timing variation of the tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in the Western Pacific, in which a weak WNP low-level convergence in spring may trigger an advanced ISO phase in summer and vice versa. The present diagnostic analysis does not identify any prominent oceanic variations associated with these multidecadal variations in the summer ISO or in the spring setup of the ISO. The atmospheric circulation does show an anomaly, which suggests an intensified extension of the subtropical high. The possible mechanism may be related to stochastic low-frequency variability of the atmosphere, which acts to influence the seasonal evolution of the WNP low-level convergence.
The effect of temperature, relative humidity and rainfall on airborne ragweed pollen concentrations

Major weather parameters have long been known to alter airborne pollen and spore concentrations. The following study was conducted to study the effect of three of these parameters on airborne ragweed pollen concentrations.During the ragweed (RW) season for the years 1997 and 1998, 10 minute pollen collections were taken at least every 4 hours using an Allergenco MK-3 spore trap. Slides were fixed, and counted microscopically at 400X. During this same period, weather parameters were monitored by an Automated Weather Systems recording station located within a few meters of the collector.The ragweed season for this region begins in mid August and ends by mid October. Temperature patterns for the period demonstrated usual daily fluctuations with highs 13 to 35 °C and lows 8 to 24 °C. Relative humidity readings for the period varied between 25 and 100%. Highest RW values were seen after seasonal cooling in September. Daily rainfall for the period varied between 0 and 100 mm. Airborne RW always declined sharply after strong rainfall events (> 10 mm/day). Peak airborne RW concentrations were often associated with the passing of frontal boundaries and the change in wind direction and velocity that accompanies that passing.Factors influencing airborne RW concentrations are multiple and complex, but atmospheric forces have great influence. The passing of major weather fronts and the associated temperature drops, wind disturbances and rainfall are the major factors.
Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy in Treatment of Bronchogenic Carcinoma

Surgery is considered the initial treatment of choice for any patient with operable/resectable lung cancer. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of patients are candidates for surgery and suitable for complete resection. Approximately 40% of patients present locoregional disease, for which radiotherapy has long been considered one of the primary treatment modalities. Recent randomized studies by DILLMAN et al. (1996), ARRIAGADA et al. (1991) and KOMAKI et al. (1997) suggest a small but definite benefit in favor of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy over radiotherapy alone. Based on these data, combined chemoradiation is currently considered the treatment of choice for this group of patients. As pointed out by VAN HOUTTE (1997), there are two major problems with this consideration. First, these results are largely based on a select subset of patients with favorable prognostic factors (weight loss less than 5%, performance status above 70) and after careful staging procedures.
Topics on Measurable Functions of Real Variables

Letfbe a real-valued function defined and bounded in some interval \(\left[ {a,b} \right] \subset \mathbb{R}\). Denote by $$\mathcal{P} \equiv \left\{ {a = {{x}_{0}} < {{x}_{1}} < \cdots < {{x}_{n}} = b} \right\}$$ a partition of[a,b]and set $${{v}_{f}}\left[ {a,b} \right] = \begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\sup } \\ {\text{P}} \\ \end{array} \sum\limits_{{i = 1}}^{n} {\left| {f\left( {{{x}_{i}} - f\left( {{{x}_{{i - 1}}}} \right)} \right)} \right|}$$ This number, finite or infinite, is called thetotal variationoffin[a,b].IfVf [a,b]is finite, the functionfis said to be ofbounded variationin[a,b].
Recruitment and Departure of Volunteers

Technically different from military expeditions, which are characterized by some kind of organization, is the practice of private individuals to cross the frontiers of their own state, either singly or in greater numbers, in order to join the forces of a belligerent power or to participate in a foreign civil war. As in the case of military expeditions, however, these persons are nationals of a state which is on peaceful terms with the government against which they enlist, thus posing the interesting question whether the former has the obligation to prevent their departure. Largely because these individuals presumably join the foreign force without the intervention and compulsion of their government, international practice has referred to them as volunteers. But, since recent events unmistakably demonstrate that these volunteers are used by states as instruments of aggression/their impact upon the peace and security of mankind can no longer be ignored.1
Fate of lutein-containing zein nanoparticles following simulated gastric and intestinal digestion

Abstract Zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) were prepared to encapsulate lutein via solvent-induced nanoprecipitation, and the stability of the zein nanoparticles with encapsulated lutein (ZLNPs) was determined following in vitro gastric and intestinal simulation. Stability was assessed by dynamic light scattering, gel electrophoresis, tendency towards sedimentation, and both atomic force and light microscopy. ZNPs possessed a hydrodynamic radius of ∼75 nm, which was not altered with incorporation of lutein. Gastric digestion conditions induced significant aggregation and sedimentation of ZLNPs, which were not fully digested by gastric enzymes and were found adhered to lipid droplets in light micrographs. Aggregation was decreased and digestion was promoted during gastric digestion if salt was omitted, indicating that a high ion concentration increased ZLNP aggregation and limited enzymatic digestion. ZLNPs were redispersed in intestinal conditions and completely digested into peptides. In comparison to aqueous lutein dispersions, incorporation within ZNPs increased lutein's digestive stability by ∼58% but reduced its micellarization efficiency by ∼42%. These findings indicated that ZNPs provided a degree of physical protection to encapsulated carotenoids in gastric conditions yet might partially interfere with certain pathways for carotenoid bioaccessibility.
State Space Analysis of Flying Capacitor Multilevel DC-DC Converters for Capacitor Voltage Estimation

Flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converters show great promise for a number of DC-DC applications, but are subject to problems with voltage balance on the flying capacitors. A variety of techniques have been developed to regulate the flying capacitor voltages, but there is still a need to accurately measure them and understand the limitations of balancing algorithms in general. This work proposes an accurate, robust, and flexible way to estimate flying capacitor voltage states through sampled measurements of the switching node voltage. A state space model which reveals the necessary conditions for observability and controllability is developed. Scenarios where estimation and balancing cannot be achieved are explored; importantly, the criterion developed herein points to simple ways to eliminate these scenarios. The results are verified with a 6-level FCML hardware prototype.
Transducer Radiation Modeling for Ultrasonic Inspection Purposes

One of the main goals of ultrasonic inspection is to determine the absolute scattering response from a given reflector (i.e., defect). In the literature there are a number of reported successful approaches for evaluation of the absolute scattering response from spheroidal inclusions and voids [1]. These approaches were based on a measurement model that accounts for transducer diffraction effects and the scattering and propagation through liquid-solid interfaces. Approximate analytic diffraction corrections were developed for some experimental configurations, and consequently the scattering responses were deconvolved from received ultrasonic signals in an absolute sense. However, one of the important conditions for the accuracy of the deconvolution process is the proper modeling of the individual transducer diffraction characteristic. There is evidence [2,3] based upon on-axis pressure studies and C-scan profiles that considerable discrepancies can occur between individual transducers of the same diameter and nominal frequency. The main purpose of this paper is to study the acoustic characteristics of a set of three unfocused, immersion, piezoelectric, pulse-echo transducers. The analysis of transducer modeling was performed by correlating the vibrating piston theory with experimental results.
Perceived Health Outcomes of Mountain Bikers: A National Demographic Inquiry

Given the International Mountain Bike Association’s growing membership, mountain biking popularity, and industry growth, it is important to explore perceived health benefits and outcomes derived from the sport of mountain biking. Mountain biking is currently one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the world, but empirical documentation regarding outcomes from participation is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived health outcomes of mountain biking as they relate to different demographic groups in the United States. Data were collected using the Perceived Heath Outcomes of Recreation Scale, which measured recreation outcomes in terms of prevention, improvement, and psychological benefits from recreation participation in mountain biking. Results from this national study explored differences according to gender, age, membership, and regions. Findings suggest that women perceived higher psychological health outcomes, and men perceived higher health outcomes related to prevention. Older riders significantly perceived prevention-based health outcomes from mountain biking than their younger counterparts. No differences were found between prevention, psychological, and improvement outcomes related to membership. Regional analysis revealed a homogenous view of health outcomes from mountain bikers across the U.S. Land managers, outdoor advocacy groups, and commercial outfitters could use this research to promote the health benefits of mountain biking. Interestingly, and noteworthy from a public health perspective, mountain bikers who ride twice monthly, or every day, perceived similar outcomes. This provides support for the notion that mountain biking, even when participating with less frequency, bodes well as a possible recreation activity to address some of the challenges our society faces regarding unhealthy lifestyles. Recreation professionals could advocate for an alternative form of physical activity by introducing mountain biking to new audiences, while articulating the possible health benefits achieved from participation. This study may be useful to outdoor recreation programmers and public land use managers to better understand participants on park trails; and to allow for better recognition of benefits resulting from mountain biking on trails. Subscribe to JPRA
A EDUCAÇÃO ESPECIAL NO ENSINO SUPERIOR: CONTEXTO E DESAFIOS DO INSTITUTO FEDERAL DE EDUCAÇÃO, CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA DO ESPÍRITO SANTO (Ifes)

O objetivo deste artigo e analisar o processo de inclusao de discentes, no ensino superior, no Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Espirito Santo (Ifes). Na introducao, apresenta-se o contexto historico do Nucleo de Apoio as Pessoas com Necessidades Especificas (Napne). Em seguida, as Resolucoes do Conselho Superior do Ifes. Depois, os desafios da educacao especial ate este ano de 2018. Conclui-se o estudo com quatro principios norteadores para a permanente inclusao de alunos com necessidades especificas.
The Real Effects of Accounting on Debt Repurchases

I investigate the real effects of accounting rules that permit the inclusion of gains and losses from debt repurchases in reported income. Because the gains or losses from repurchasing a company’s own debt securities are included on the firm’s income statement, managers have incentives to strategically time gain recognition. I predict that such strategic timing will be more likely to occur when the accounting rules (SFAS 145) allow the gain to be recognized in income before extraordinary items relative to when the gain is required to be recognized as an extraordinary item. Using a sample of 778 firms that repurchased debt between 1994 and 2011, I find evidence consistent with my predictions. Specifically, firms record larger extinguishment gains when earnings are (i) less than analysts’ forecasts, (ii) low relative to the prior year’s earnings, or (iii) less than zero. I find that these effects are stronger after the application of SFAS 145. This study contributes to the literature that examines real effects of accounting rules by providing evidence that firms repurchase their own debt at least in part for accounting benefits.