cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Green tea does not inhibit iron absorption

⁎ Tel.: +1 202 741 2426; fax: +1 202 741 2324. E-mail address: tcheng@mfa.gwu.edu. A recent inquiry from a journalist prompted me to write this Letter to the Editor. In some parts of the world, there is a belief that green tea may inhibit iron absorption and thus result in iron deficiency anemia. Unfortunately, this is not supported by any scientific evidence. In Japan, it is sometimes said that ingestion of green tea should be avoided before and after the intake of iron preparation [1]. However, two groups of Japanese investigators showed this not to be true [1,2]. Mitamura and associates [1] administered sodium ferrous citrate to pregnant women with anemia who were divided into two groups: one taking green tea and the other taking water. They found that anemia was corrected in 97% of patients in the green tea group and in 93% of patients in the water group after the oral administration of the iron preparation to both groups. Kubota and associates [2] administered the same iron preparation to four elderly patients with iron-deficiency anemia and 11 healthy elderly subjects. In both groups, the serum iron level reached a maximum value 2–4 h after taking sodium ferrous citrate and returned to the baseline values after 24 h [2]. A more recent study was carried out in France on a much larger group of subjects [3]. A total of 954 men (aged 52– 68 years) and 1639 women (aged 42–68 years), who were participant of the SU.VI.MAX (SUpplementation en VItamines et Mineraux AntioXydants) study [4], completed a detailed questionnaire on tea consumption. To determine the iron status of the participants, the investigators measured the serum ferritin level in the venous blood of the participants. They found that the mean serum ferritin concentration was not related to black, green and herbal tea consumption in men, pre-and post-menopausal women. Furthermore, the risk of iron depletion was in the multivariate model not related to any kind of tea drinking or to the strength of tea, the infusion time or the time of tea drinking. Therefore, they concluded that normal apparently healthy adults are not at risk of iron depletion from tea drinking [3]. The only reference that I could find in the literature about a negative effect of tea drinking on iron absorption came from Tunisia [5]. But the experiment was carried out on rats. Therefore, unless you are a rat and a rat in Tunisia, you should not worry about development of iron deficiency anemia from tea drinking. In China tea has been considered a crude medicine for over 4000 years [6]. In my recent review, the health benefit of drinking Chinese green tea on the cardiovascular system has been conclusively demonstrated [6]. Therefore, another ancient Chinese wisdom about green tea is certainly more than just a tempest in a teapot [6].
Upward turning points and positive rapport-development across time in researcher—participant relationships

Some of the first, and potentially most important, steps that researchers must take in the field are those related to rapport development with their participants. Both novice and experienced field ...
High-resolution electron beam lithography and DNA nano-patterning for molecular QCA

Electron beam lithography (EBL) patterning of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) is a versatile tool for defining molecular structures on the sub-10-nm scale. We demonstrate lithographic resolution to about 5 nm using a cold-development technique. Liftoff of sub-10-nm Au nanoparticles and metal lines proves that cold development completely clears the PMMA residue on the exposed areas. Molecular liftoff is performed to pattern DNA rafts with high fidelity at linewidths of about 100 nm. High-resolution EBL and molecular liftoff can be applied to pattern Creutz-Taube molecules on the scale of a few nanometers for quantum-dot cellular automata.
When work and family collide: Deciding between competing role demands

Abstract This study examined the factors that influence the decision to participate in a work activity or a competing family activity. Part-time MBA students were presented with a vignette in which they were required to choose between participating in a weekend project team meeting and a surprise birthday party for a parent. Pressures from role senders (managers and spouses) to participate in each activity and the supportiveness of role senders for participation in the other role were manipulated in vignettes, and the salience of each role was assessed with self-report scales. Both work and family pressures affected the choice of activity. The salience of work and family roles for respondents also influenced the choice, with the effect of family salience stronger for those who were higher in self-esteem and higher in work salience. Implications of the findings for understanding the directionality of work–family interference are identified, limitations are discussed, and areas for future research are proposed.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin and Testosterone in Individuals with Childhood Diabetes

OBJECTIVE —Insulin downregulates hepatic production of sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG), which in turn influences sex hormone bioavailability. The effects of childhood-onset diabetes and insulin resistance in nondiabetic individuals on SHBG and testosterone in children and young adults are poorly understood. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Individuals with diabetes diagnosed at <18 years of age ( n = 48) and their siblings without diabetes ( n = 47) were recruited for the Chicago Childhood Diabetes Registry Family Study. SHBG and total and free testosterone were measured. Participants ranged in age from 10 to 32 years; 39% were non-Hispanic white. The majority of individuals with diabetes had the classic type 1 phenotype (75%), while the remainder exhibited features of type 2 or mixed diabetes; 96% were treated with insulin. RESULTS —SHBG and total testosterone were higher in male subjects with diabetes compared with those in male siblings. Elevated SHBG was associated with the absence of endogenous insulin independent of sex; elevated total testosterone was similarly associated with the absence of C-peptide for male subjects only. Diabetes type and treatment were unrelated. In those without diabetes, greater insulin resistance had a small, nonsignificant association with lower SHBG and higher free testosterone. CONCLUSIONS —SHBG and total testosterone appear to be higher in male children and young adults with diabetes compared with nondiabetic male siblings, which is apparently related to the absence of endogenous insulin. This may have implications for sex hormone–dependent processes across the lifespan in male individuals diagnosed with diabetes as children.
RATIONALITY, INTELLIGIBILITY, AND INTERPRETATION

Behavior is rational to the extent that it optimizes actions, beliefs, and information collection subject to various constraints. It is intelligible to the extent that it makes sense to an interpreter. The two concepts are connected because interpretation ordinarily proceeds on the assumption that others would do what we do under the same circumstances, mutatis mutandis. And because we of necessity understand our own behavior as being as rational as possible given the constraints we face, we must interpret the behavior of others in the same way. This paper develops the concepts of rationality and intelligibility, and applies them to the problem of interpretation. It does so by relying upon Jon Elster's recent work upon the same concepts. Like Elster, moreover, this paper concerns both the interpretation of real behavior and that of fictional characters.
On Linearization of Nonlinear Singular Control Systems

In the paper, two kinds of linearization problems are investigated for nonlinear singular control systems. One of them is to change a nonlinear singular control system into a general linear singular control system without any further requirements, by using state-coordinate transformations. Another is to change such a nonlinear system into a controllable linear singular control system by using the same kind of transformations. Sufficient and necessary conditions under which both of linearization problems are solvable are derived. Some examples are provided to illustrate the results of the paper.
Willingness to Exchange Health Information via Mobile Devices: Findings From a Population-Based Survey

PURPOSE The rapid proliferation of mobile devices offers unprecedented opportunities for patients and health care professionals to exchange health information electronically, but little is known about patients’ willingness to exchange various types of health information using these devices. We examined willingness to exchange different types of health information via mobile devices, and assessed whether sociodemographic characteristics and trust in clinicians were associated with willingness in a nationally representative sample. METHODS We analyzed data for 3,165 patients captured in the 2013 Health Information National Trends Survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to test differences in willingness. Ordinal logistic regression analysis assessed correlates of willingness to exchange 9 types of information separately. RESULTS Participants were very willing to exchange appointment reminders (odds ratio [OR] = 6.66; 95% CI, 5.68–7.81), general health tips (OR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.74–2.38), medication reminders (OR = 2.73; 95% CI, 2.35–3.19), laboratory/test results (OR = 1.76; 95% CI, 1.62–1.92), vital signs (OR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.48–1.80), lifestyle behaviors (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.24–1.58), and symptoms (OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.46–1.79) as compared with diagnostic information. Older adults had lower odds of being more willing to exchange any type of information. Education, income, and trust in health care professional information correlated with willingness to exchange certain types of information. CONCLUSIONS Respondents were less willing to exchange via mobile devices information that may be considered sensitive or complex. Age, socioeconomic factors, and trust in professional information were associated with willingness to engage in mobile health information exchange. Both information type and demographic group should be considered when developing and tailoring mobile technologies for patient-clinician communication.
Thickness Dependent Perpendicular Magnetic Domain Patterns in Sputtered Epitaxial FePt (001) L10 Films

The present paper discusses the magnetic anisotropy and magnetic domain structure of highly ordered epitaxial FePt(001) films grown on Pt seeded MgO(001) substrates. These films were grown by dc-magnetron sputtering from a Fe50Pt50 alloy target at a substrate temperature of 550°C during deposition. Thicknesses were varied between 15 and 170 nm. The presence of the highly anisotropic face centered tetragonal L10 crystal structure with a maximum long range chemical ordering of 95% and a low degree of misorientations was confirmed by specular and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements. For film thicknesses ≥ 50 nm in-plane and out-of-plane hysteresis measurements indicate large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and at the same time low remanent magnetisation. Magnetic force microscopy reveals highly interconnected perpendicular stripe domain patterns. From their characteristic width, which is strongly dependent on the film thickness, a value of the dipolar length, D0, of 50 ±5 nm is derived. Assuming an exchange constant of 10-6 erg/cm, this value is consistent with an anisotropy constant Ku ∼ 1.108 erg/cc.
Vaccination and 30-Day Mortality Risk in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the potential association of vaccination and death in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). METHODS: The study cohort included individuals ages 9 to 26 years with deaths between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011. We implemented a case-centered method to estimate a relative risk (RR) for death in days 0 to 30 after vaccination.Deaths due to external causes (accidents, homicides, and suicides) were excluded from the primary analysis. In a secondary analysis, we included all deaths regardless of cause. A team of physicians reviewed available medical records and coroner’s reports to confirm cause of death and assess the causal relationship between death and vaccination. RESULTS: Of the 1100 deaths identified during the study period, 76 (7%) occurred 0 to 30 days after vaccination. The relative risks for deaths after any vaccination and influenza vaccination were significantly lower for deaths due to nonexternal causes (RR 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38–0.83, and RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24–0.80, respectively) and deaths due to all causes (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56–0.91, and RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.28–0.65). No other individual vaccines were significantly associated with death. Among deaths reviewed, 1 cause of death was unknown, 25 deaths were due to nonexternal causes, and 34 deaths were due to external causes. The causality assessment found no evidence of a causal association between vaccination and death. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of death was not increased during the 30 days after vaccination, and no deaths were found to be causally associated with vaccination.
Changes in Within-Plant Distribution of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Soybeans

Within-plant distribution of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) on soybeans, GLycine max (L.) Merrill, was investigated from 1980 to 1986. The distribution of larvae upon plant parts was evaluated based on the number on each plant part and on the number adjusted for the surface area of each plant-part. Distribution of larvae changed with larval size. The proportion of larvae, based on the number per plant part, was highest on rolled leaves for small larvae, but was highest on open leaves for large larvae. Distribution of larvae adjusted for the area of plant parts was most dense on rolled leaves, flowers, and pods. Plant phenology affected larva distribution because flowers and pods were unavailable in some plant growth stages. Larvae were observed feeding on all plant parts, but larvae found on stems were predominantly moving rather than feeding.
Patterned polymer films via reactive silane infusion-induced wrinkling.

A method for simultaneously patterning and functionalizing thin poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) films through a reactive silane infusion based wrinkling is developed. Wrinkled patterns with tunable wavelengths on submicrometer size are easily produced over large area surfaces and can express a wide variety of chemical functional groups on the surface. The characteristic wavelength of wrinkling scales linearly with initial film thickness, in agreement with a gradationally swollen film model. Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm that the wrinkled film is composed of two layers: a gradient cross-linked top layer and a uniform un-cross-linked bottom layer. The surface chemical properties of wrinkles can be easily tuned by infusion of different functional silanes. Hierarchical wrinkled patterns with micro/nano structure can be achieved by combining wrinkling with other simple lithography methods. Wrinkled nanopatterns can be used as a mold to transfer the topology to a variety of other mater...
Comparative incorporation of P32 into lung phosphatidyl choline in mammals with different metabolic and pulmonary morphologic characteristics.

SummaryIn the present study the incorporation of P32 into lung PC (cpm/mg DNA) was lowest in the sloth, was progressively higher in the cat, rabbit, and rat, and was highest in the mouse. It was 25 times greater in the adult mouse than in the sloth when expressed per gram fresh weight of lung tissue; it was 15 times greater when expressed as per mg DNA; and it was 11 times greater when expressed as specific activity. Lung PC specific activity from this study correlates well with alveolar surface area per unit lung volume, alveolar diameter, and oxygen consumption.
Detection Result of Salmonella Carrier-state among Employees in Catering and Service Industries in Jinshan District of Shanghai during 2004-2009

[Objective] To understand the distribution of Salmonella in Jinshan district, enhance the health management among employees in catering and service industries, and provide the basis for prevention of the occurrence and outbreak of food poisoning.[Methods]During 2004-2009, employees in catering and service industries were examined by analswab culture. The isolated Salmonella were identified by serotyping, and the relationship between Salmonella carrier-state and seasons or years was analyzed.[Results]Salmonella was detected in 134 samples among 189 068 samples, and the detection rate was 0.71%. 19 strains types of Salmonella were identified, which were dominated by Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella derby. The peak seasons were summer and autumn, and the detection rate showed a descending trend from 2004 to 2009.[Conclusion]The strains types of Salmonella carried by employees in catering and service industries in Jinshan district were multiplex, and the detection rate was closely related to seasonal variation.
Detecting Inconsistency in Governance

Much of the judicial decision making research has focused on inter-judge inconsistency. How much more likely is a panel of all Democratic appointees to decide in favor of civil rights plaintiffs than is a panel of all Republican appointees? How does the presence of a black judge on a panel affect the likelihood that an affirmative action plan will be found constitutional? How large are the inter-judge disparities in asylum grant rates? How inconsistent are social security disability decisions? But despite the attention paid to disagreement, the vast majority of research shares a peculiar feature: it ignores much of judicial disagreement. By coding decisions on a single dimension (e.g., liberal versus conservative or grant versus deny) and grouping judges according to demographic characteristics, researchers are mediating the study of inconsistency through intuitions about the nature of judicial disagreement. For reasons of both theory and policy, we argue for an agnostic, data-driven approach to the study of inconsistency. Using a newly collected dataset of appellate review in the Ninth Circuit, we show how machine-learning methods can help researchers make progress on previously identified challenges to the study of inconsistency. We also briefly discuss how our approach to inconsistency could be used to evaluate adjudication systems and changes to those systems as well as address debates between legal realists and formalists.
An overview of organic liquid phase hydrogen carriers

Abstract An overview study for assessing the feasibility of using organic compounds as hydrogen carriers is conducted. A literature survey and preliminary molecular modeling work have been carried out. Different classes of compounds have been investigated in the literature. Those are cycloalkanes, polycyclic alkanes, heteroatoms-containing hydrocarbons and even ionic liquids. In addition to experimental work where catalyst development and reactor design were sought for efficient and selective dehydrogenation of organic carriers, computational modeling work had also been conducted by different research groups, principally to search for compounds with low enthalpy of dehydrogenation. Among the different compounds considered, the ones that meet more or less the required physical (liquid in all state), toxicity/environmental, stability (to be recycled) and cost criteria for hydrogen storage and delivery purposes are within the cycloalkanes class. Methylcyclohexane only seems to be the appropriate candidate. The economic viability of using such compounds is however pending to the releasable hydrogen content as the maximum value is only about 7.2wt%. Among catalysts usually cited for the dehydrogenation of the organic compounds, noble metal supported ones and mono or bi-metallic catalysts especially are having better performances in terms of activity and selectivity. Although the combination of catalysts and organic compounds will give different reactivity and selectivity, the polycyclic alkanes and heteroatom-containing hydrocarbons will usually be more susceptible to side reactions during dehydrogenation forming coke, additional partially dehydrogenated and decomposed products as well. No data are available as to the life time of the catalyst in such reaction, but it is expected that deactivation might be a concern. Different reactor configurations were considered in pursuit of high conversions while limiting side reactions. Finally the computational modeling data obtained are in agreement with the ones found in the literature. Although heteroatom-containing polycyclic hydrocarbons are found to present lower enthalpy of dehydrogenation that would be suitable for on-board dehydrogenation, as mainly sought by the different research groups, their application as organic carrier seems quite difficult in regards of their hydrogen content, their physical properties and the cost of synthesis.
Protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 deficiency in podocytes attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced proteinuria

Podocytes are specialized epithelial cells that play a significant role in maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier and preventing urinary protein leakage. We investigated the contribution of protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced renal injury. We report increased Shp2 expression in murine kidneys and cultured podocytes following an LPS challenge. To determine the role of podocyte Shp2 in vivo, we generated podocyte-specific Shp2 knockout (pod-Shp2 KO) mice. Following administration of LPS, pod-Shp2 KO mice exhibited lower proteinuria and blood urea nitrogen concentrations than controls indicative of preserved filter integrity. In addition, renal mRNA and serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNFα, INFγ and IL-12 p70 were significantly decreased in LPS-treated knockout mice compared with controls. Moreover, the protective effects of podocyte Shp2 deficiency were associated with decreased LPS-induced NF-κB and MAPK activation, nephrin phosphorylation and attenuated endoplasmic reticulum stress. These effects were recapitulated in differentiated E11 murine podocytes with lentiviral-mediated Shp2 knockdown. Furthermore, Shp2 deficient podocytes displayed reduced LPS-induced migration in a wound healing assay. These findings identify Shp2 in podocytes as a significant contributor to the signaling events following LPS challenge and suggest that inhibition of Shp2 in podocytes may present a potential therapeutic target for podocytopathies.
Routine extended follow-up surveillance of iliac vein stents for iliocaval venous obstruction may not be warranted

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of iliac vein stents placed for iliocaval venous obstruction (ICVO) and to determine if routine follow-up surveillance is warranted on the basis of timing of stent failure. Methods All patients who underwent iliac vein stenting from 2003 to 2015 were identified from a prospectively maintained registry. Demographics of the patients, venous risk factors, prior venous interventions, indications, imaging, anatomic location of the ICVO, operative findings, procedural success, complications, and clinical follow-up were recorded. Clinical and ultrasound surveillance was performed at first postoperative follow-up and at routine subsequent intervals. Continuous data were analyzed with Student t-tests or Mann-Whitney U test, and frequency data were analyzed with χ2 analysis or Fisher exact test. Primary patency was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results Seventy-four limbs in 70 patients who underwent iliac vein stenting for ICVO were identified; 36 limbs (48.6%) were stented for nonthrombotic venous compression (stent-VC), and 38 limbs (51.4%) were stented for venous thrombosis (stent-VT). Twenty-seven limbs (71.1%) of the stent-VT group were treated for acute venous thrombosis requiring lysis followed by stenting for underlying venous lesions. The median number of follow-up visits for the stent-VC and stent-VT groups was two (interquartile range [IQR], 1-4) and two (IQR, 1-3), whereas the mean length of follow-up was 19.6 ± 29.5 months and 19.8 ± 26.5 months (P = .972), respectively. During the first 6 months, one limb (2.8% [n = 36]) in the stent-VC group occluded, whereas 13.2% (5/38) of the limbs in the stent-VT group occluded. In the stent-VT group, 57% of limbs (4 of 7) with acute venous thrombosis requiring thrombolytic therapy had limb occlusion at >6 months (median, 18.1 months; IQR, 16.6-30.1). Overall patency rates for the stent-VC and stent-VT groups were 97.2% (1/36) and 73.7% (10/38) at 36 months (standard error, ≤10%; P = .001), respectively. Conclusions Iliac vein stents placed for nonthrombotic iliac vein compression had statistically higher patency than those placed for venous thrombosis, with few stent failures, all occurring within 6 months. Iliac vein stents placed for venous thrombosis continued with stent failure after 6 months and may benefit from extended surveillance.
Super-resolution diffusive optical imaging

We demonstrate super-resolution diffusive optical imaging by localizing point fluorescent sources in highly scattering media. The method allows formation of higher resolution images of optical parameters in deep tissue than have previously been possible.
1.128 – Fluorinated Biomaterials

Fluorinated biomaterials have interesting properties attractive for their application in several biomaterials and biotechnology niches. Biomedical grade solids and liquids are commercially available. These biomaterials are central to vascular grafts and hemodialysis access, hernia repair, and medical tubing essential to catheters. Intrinsically expensive materials, fluoropolymers have been recognized for their chemical stability and unique interfacial properties with biological fluids and cellular components. Fluorinated materials, coatings, and films all interact strongly with biological milieu proteins, creating adherent protein layers that govern further biomaterials performance. This property is exploited in biotechnology of blotting membranes and in preclotted cardiovascular implants. Perfluoropolymers have difficult processing challenges, but unique specialized fabrication methods exploit qualities in certain fluorinated materials, including bulk mechanical processing for creation of microporous perfluoropolymer meshes and fabrics, and high-precision size-tolerance in making fluorinated medical tubing and multilumen catheters. Perfluorofluids have limited volatility, high density, high gas solubility, insolubility with aqueous milieu and emulsified stability, and low toxicity in human tissue, which are attractive characteristics for imaging and oxygen/drug delivery capacities. Fluorinated solids are not generally mechanically useful because of their tendency to cold flow under shear stress. In addition to chemical and physical characteristics, numerous biomedical applications for fluorinated materials are described.
Objective Design to Subjective Evaluations: Connecting Visual Complexity to Aesthetic and Usability Assessments of eHealth

ABSTRACTObjective: The visual complexity of a website is influential for users’ first perceptions and subsequent use of eHealth. Using two definitions of visual complexity, we conducted a comparati...
Use of Rectified Photographs and Differentially Rectified Photographs for Photo Maps

A brief analysis shows that the rapid development of the orthophoto technique in the last decade does not mean that the ordinary rectification of aerial photographs should be discarded. Derived for...
Veganism and Children: A Response to Marcus William Hunt

In this paper I respond to Marcus William Hunt’s argument that vegan parents have pro tanto reasons for not raising their children on a vegan diet because such a diet is potentially harmful to children’s physical and social well-being. In my rebuttal, first I show that in practice all vegan diets, with the exception of wacky diets, are beneficial to children’s well-being (and adults as well); and that all animal-based diets are potentially unhealthful. Second, I show that vegan children are no more socially outcast than any other group. In other words, veganism does not harm the lives of children. Having considered several studies, I show that the moral reasons that vegan parents may have for raising their children on a vegan diet significantly outweigh the reasons for raising their children on an animal-based diet. Thus, I conclude that parents have a moral obligation to raise their children on a vegan diet.
Developing mental toughness: Perspectives from NCAA Division I team sport coaches

The purpose of this research was to determine strategies National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) head coaches use to develop mental toughness within collegiate team settings. Fifteen NCAA D...
Increased subjective and reinforcing effects of initial nicotine exposure in young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to matched peers: results from an experimental model of first-time tobacco use.

Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for adverse cigarette smoking outcomes, and little is known about factors underlying this risk. This study sought to evaluate the effects of initial nicotine exposure in young adults with and without ADHD using a novel paradigm of exposure to model initial smoking experiences. Participants were young adult nonsmokers (n = 61 ADHD, n = 75 Control) between the ages of 18–25 years (inclusive) who reported never having smoked a full cigarette, and no tobacco use in the prior 3 years. Participants were exposed to three different blinded doses of intranasally administered nicotine (0, 0.5, 1.0 mg) across three separate fixed dose experimental sessions. In subsequent sessions, participants were given the opportunity to self-administer nicotine under two different conditions—high and low cognitive demand. Physiological, subjective, and reinforcing effects of nicotine were the main outcomes. Nicotine plasma levels, and no group differences in effects of nicotine on heart rate or blood pressure, confirmed comparable dosing exposure across groups. ADHD participants reported significantly greater dizziness following nicotine, and greater pleasant subjective effects across all conditions, compared to non-ADHD non-smokers. There were no group differences on subjective reports of bad or unpleasant effects. Subsequent nicotine self-administration was significantly higher among non-smokers with ADHD, and their choices of nicotine were not influenced by cognitive condition. There are meaningful differences between young adults with and without ADHD with respect to the initial subjective and reinforcing effects of nicotine; and interventions to prevent use should start prior to typical age of experimentation among ADHD patients.
Combination and Sequential Osteoanabolic/Antiresorptive Therapy in Osteoporosis Treatment

Osteoporosis medications can be classified as either antiresorptive or osteoanabolic based on their mechanism of action. As discussed in prior chapters, the most commonly used antiresorptive agents include the nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates and the receptor activator of NFκB (RANK)-ligand inhibitor, denosumab, whereas the currently available osteoanabolic drugs, teriparatide and abaloparatide, both act through activation of the receptor to parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related protein. While the standard of care for osteoporosis treatment is monotherapy, combined osteoanabolic/antiresorptive therapy has been evaluated in numerous clinical trials as a means to improve efficacy. These combination studies have generally demonstrated limited utility with the exception of the combination of denosumab and teriparatide which appears uniquely capable of additively increasing bone mineral density and improving bone microarchitecture and strength compared to any individual drug. Additionally, as osteoporosis therapy options have expanded, and clinical guidelines have begun to include the concept of limiting treatment courses to several years, defining the optimal use of multiple agents in sequence has become an area of increasing interest. The results of the initial studies in this area appear to support the concept of the initial use of an osteoanabolic drug followed by an antiresorptive agent, especially in patients with severe osteoporosis in whom long-term therapy will likely be necessary.
Sustainable Novel Bamboo-Based Membranes for Water Treatment Fabricated by Regeneration of Bamboo Waste Fibers

The waste fiber byproduct of the bamboo construction industry was used as the sustainable feedstock for the fabrication of cellulose-based membranes using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C4mi...
Constructing a tissue-specific texture prior by machine learning from previous full-dose scan for Bayesian reconstruction of current ultralow-dose CT images

Purpose: Bayesian theory provides a sound framework for ultralow-dose computed tomography (ULdCT) image reconstruction with two terms for modeling the data statistical property and incorporating a priori knowledge for the image that is to be reconstructed. We investigate the feasibility of using a machine learning (ML) strategy, particularly the convolutional neural network (CNN), to construct a tissue-specific texture prior from previous full-dose computed tomography. Approach: Our study constructs four tissue-specific texture priors, corresponding with lung, bone, fat, and muscle, and integrates the prior with the prelog shift Poisson (SP) data property for Bayesian reconstruction of ULdCT images. The Bayesian reconstruction was implemented by an algorithm called SP-CNN-T and compared with our previous Markov random field (MRF)-based tissue-specific texture prior algorithm called SP-MRF-T. Results: In addition to conventional quantitative measures, mean squared error and peak signal-to-noise ratio, structure similarity index, feature similarity, and texture Haralick features were used to measure the performance difference between SP-CNN-T and SP-MRF-T algorithms in terms of the structure and tissue texture preservation, demonstrating the feasibility and the potential of the investigated ML approach. Conclusions: Both training performance and image reconstruction results showed the feasibility of constructing CNN texture prior model and the potential of improving the structure preservation of the nodule comparing to our previous regional tissue-specific MRF texture prior model.
Data Science for K-12 Education

Data science is a field that can be used in a variety of settings. Education is one of the fields that is expanding its use of data science to improve the quality of education. The United States denotes primary and secondary school as grades kindergarten (K) through 12th grade. This is representative of education prior to college/university level. Data science in K-12 education is evaluated and important to the field of education because educators, administrators, and stakeholders are always looking for ways to close the achievement gap and increase performance of all students. Student performance evaluation using data science is crucial to closing this gap. Data mining is used in the evaluation and analysis of student performance, educational programs and educational instruction. It is also used to create prediction models for future student success. A K-12 education dataset will be used to evaluate student performance. This paper will explore and display student performance based on a variety of factors and data. Data science in K-12 education and its impact on student performance and educator use of this data is discussed. We have also performed review of existing work in the data analytics for K-12 education along with their limitations.
Forecasting the Growth of Structures from NMR and X-Ray Crystallography Experiments Released Per Year

In this paper, we present a forecasting scheme for the growth of molecular structures from NMR and X-ray Crystallography experimental techniques released every year by employing an autoregressive (...
Modeling temporal and spatial changes during hydrolytic degradation and erosion in biodegradable polymers

Abstract This paper presents a computational model in describing the spatial and temporal changes in the chemical and physical characteristics of biodegradable polymer solids during hydrolytic degradation and erosion processes. A set of coupled governing differential equations are formulated to account for the diffusion of water molecules into the polymers, scission kinetics from a hydrolytic process, formation of monomers, and diffusion of the soluble monomers out of the polymer body. A multi-network model is adopted for capturing the hydrolytic scission, in which a long polymeric chain is being converted to monomers and byproducts. As the monomers leave the polymer body, surface and bulk erosion mechanisms are described and changes in the shape and size of the polymer body also take place. The governing differential equations are solved using a finite difference approach. It is noted that hydrolytic degradation induces temporal and spatial changes in the chemical and physical properties of polymers; and thus, the polymers that are initially homogeneous with regards to the above properties become heterogeneous due to the spatial changes in their macromolecular networks during biodegradation. The responses obtained from the model are compared with available experimental data of PLGA biodegradable polymer.
Phenotypic variation in mitochondrial function across New Zealand snail populations

Mitochondrial function is critical for energy homeostasis and should shape how genetic variation in metabolism is transmitted through levels of biological organization to generate stability in organismal performance. Mitochondrial function is encoded by genes in two distinct and separately inherited genomes - the mitochondrial genome and the nuclear genome - and selection is expected to maintain functional mito-nuclear interactions. Nevertheless, high levels of polymorphism in genes involved in these mito-nuclear interactions and variation for mitochondrial function are nevertheless frequently observed, demanding an explanation for how and why variability in such a fundamental trait is maintained. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is a New Zealand freshwater snail with coexisting sexual and asexual individuals and, accordingly, contrasting systems of separate vs. co-inheritance of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. As such, this snail provides a powerful means to dissect the evolutionary and functional consequences of mito-nuclear variation. The lakes inhabited by P. antipodarum span wide environmental gradients, with substantial across-lake genetic structure and mito-nuclear discordance. This situation allows us to use comparisons across reproductive modes and lakes to partition variation in cellular respiration across genetic and environmental axes. Here, we integrated cellular, physiological, and behavioral approaches to quantify variation in mitochondrial function across a diverse set of wild P. antipodarum lineages. We found extensive across-lake variation in organismal oxygen consumption, mitochondrial membrane potential, and behavioral response to heat stress, but few global effects of reproductive mode or sex. Taken together, our data set the stage for applying this important model system for sexual reproduction and polyploidy to dissecting the complex relationships between mito-nuclear variation, performance, plasticity, and fitness in natural populations.
Parameters for Thermal Energy Systems Resilience

To provide a building design that is robust, adaptable, and affordable, one must understand the aspects of the building’s geographic location that will impact equipment selections, operating hours, and maintenance needs. One must also consider the building’s “thermal resilience,” i.e., its ability to withstand a heating plant outage. Designing for resilience is of growing importance, especially for military and government installations that must maintain critical functions even during outages. Buildings with a fast rate of temperature degradation with the loss of heating system function have low resiliency; buildings with a slower rate of temperature degradation have higher resiliency. In extreme cold climates, resiliency can play an integral role in protecting property during an outage. A drop in indoor temperature can pose a risk of freezing plumbing, which can lead to burst pipes and interior flooding that can cause enormous and costly damage, and which can effect a loss of workspace in an office building. More resilient designs must consider not only building HVAC installations, but also building envelope and the whole energy infrastructure, including thermal capacity of concrete and brick walls, internal water pipes, critical system redundancy, outside insulation without weak points, and a centrally controlled, low carbon hot water heat supply. This paper describes a quantitative approach to evaluate a system’s resiliency based on analytical and experimental studies conducted under IEA EBC Annex 73 and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) project Technologies Integration to Achieve Resilient, Low-Energy Military Installations, to evaluate building energy performance in extreme climate conditions. This work recommends that more thermally resilient designs for buildings in cold climates include consideration of increased thermal resistance of the building envelope, improved whole-building airtightness, and higher thermal mass.
Novel niobium-doped titanium oxide towards electrochemical destruction of forever chemicals.

Electrochemical advanced oxidative processes (EAOP) are a promising route to destroy recalcitrant organic contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. Central to EAOP are catalysis-induced reactive free radicals for breaking the carbon fluorine bonds in PFAS. Generating these reactive species electrochemically at electrodes provides an advantage over other oxidation processes that rely on chemicals or other harsh conditions. Herein, we report on the performance of niobium (Nb) doped rutile titanium oxide (TiO2) as a novel EAOP catalytic material, combining theoretical modeling with experimental synthesis and characterization. Calculations based on density functional theory are used to predict the overpotential for oxygen evolution at these candidate electrodes, which must be high in order to oxidize PFAS. The results indicate a non-monotonic trend in which Nb doping below 6.25 at.% is expected to reduce performance relative to TiO2, while higher concentrations up to 12.5 at.% lead to increased performance, approaching that of state-of-the-art Magneli Ti4O7. TiO2 samples were synthesized with Nb doping concentration at 10 at.%, heat treated at temperatures from 800 to 1100 °C, and found to exhibit high oxidative stability and high generation of reactive oxygen free radical species. The capability of Nb-doped TiO2 to destroy two common species of PFAS in challenge water was tested, and moderate reduction by ~ 30% was observed, comparable to that of Ti4O7 using a simple three-electrode configuration. We conclude that Nb-doped TiO2 is a promising alternative EAOP catalytic material with increased activity towards generating reactive oxygen species and warrants further development for electrochemically destroying PFAS contaminants.
Recovering Lexically and Semantically Reused Texts

Writers often repurpose material from existing texts when composing new documents. Because most documents have more than one source, we cannot trace these connections using only models of document-level similarity. Instead, this paper considers methods for local text reuse detection (LTRD), detecting localized regions of lexically or semantically similar text embedded in otherwise unrelated material. In extensive experiments, we study the relative performance of four classes of neural and bag-of-words models on three LTRD tasks – detecting plagiarism, modeling journalists’ use of press releases, and identifying scientists’ citation of earlier papers. We conduct evaluations on three existing datasets and a new, publicly-available citation localization dataset. Our findings shed light on a number of previously-unexplored questions in the study of LTRD, including the importance of incorporating document-level context for predictions, the applicability of of-the-shelf neural models pretrained on “general” semantic textual similarity tasks such as paraphrase detection, and the trade-offs between more efficient bag-of-words and feature-based neural models and slower pairwise neural models.
Judicial Activism: Clearing the Air and the Head

In my approach to the topic of judicial activism, I distinguish between the sins of judicial abdication, the refusal of judges to apply the law, and the more common contemporary sin of judicial usurpation, the use of the judicial office to legislate in the guise of adjudication. I discuss the forms usurpation can take and give some examples of usurpation by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Structure, function, and mechanism of cytosolic quinone reductases.

Abstract Quinone reductases type 1 (QR1) are FAD‐containing enzymes that catalyze the reduction of many quinones, including menadione (Vit K3), to hydroquinones using reducing equivalents provided by NAD(P)H. The reaction proceeds with a ping‐pong mechanism in which the NAD(P)H and the substrate occupy alternatively overlapping regions of the same binding site and participate in a double hydride transfer: one from NAD(P)H to the FAD of the enzyme, and one from the FADH2 of the enzyme to the quinone substrate. The main function of QR1 is probably the detoxification of dietary quinones but it may also contribute to the reduction of vitamin K for its involvement in blood coagulation. In addition, the same reaction that QR1 uses in the detoxification of quinones, activates some compounds making them cytotoxic. Since QR1 is elevated in many tumors, this property has encouraged the development of chemotherapeutic compounds that become cytotoxic after reduction by QR1. The structures of QR1 alone, and in complexes with substrates, inhibitors, and chemotherapeutic prodrugs, combined with biochemical and mechanistic studies have provided invaluable insight into the mechanism of the enzyme as well as suggestions for the improvements of the chemotherapeutic prodrugs. Similar information is beginning to accumulate about another related enzyme, QR2.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Folklore and Folklife

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2005 Pages: 1972 Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN: 0-313-32847-1 (hard cover). Prices: $449.95 USD(hard cover).
Normal mode theory of underwater sound propagation in a range dependent environment

A normal-mode method, suitable for practical calculations of transmission loss, is developed for the propagation of underwater sound in a channel with environmental parameters that depend gradually on range, by employing an adiabatic separation of the wave equation. Results are illustrated using a parabolic sound velocity profile which opens up with increasing range.
Synthesis of Some 4-Aryl Substituted Poly(alkyl/arylphosphazenes)

A series of 4-aryl substituted poly(alkyl/arylphosphazenes), [N=P(Me)(p-C6H4–X]n (X = Br, Cl, OMe, CF3), were prepared via the thermal condensation polymerization of the corresponding N-silylphosphoranimines, Me3SiN=P(Me)(p-C6H4–X)–OR (R = CH2CF3, Ph). The new polymers were obtained in high yields and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and molecular weight measurements. Treatment of some of the same Si–N=P precursors with trifluoroethanol afforded the non-geminally substituted cyclic trimers, [N=P(Me)(p-C6H4–X]3 (X = OMe, CF3) as mixtures of cis and trans isomers. The pure cis isomer of the methoxy derivative was isolated and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction.