cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endovascular and surgical treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms in pediatric patients.

Objective Pediatric cerebral aneurysms are rare. There are very few recent studies that focus on the multidisciplinary treatment of ruptured aneurysms. We reviewed our pediatric endovascular and surgical experience with ruptured cerebral aneurysms. Methods Pediatric patients aged 16 years and younger who were admitted with a diagnosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were included in this analysis. Results Twelve patients with 13 aneurysms (4 male patients and 8 female patients; age range, 4 months-16 years; mean age, 5.1 years), were admitted with subarachnoid hemorrhage during the past 12 years. The majority of patients were admitted in good clinical condition; 31% were in Hunt and Hess Grade II, and 31% were in Hunt and Hess Grade III. The remaining patients were in poor clinical condition and were in Hunt and Hess Grade IV (23%) or Grade V (15%). Computed tomography revealed that 15% of the patients were in Fisher Grade 2, 23% were in Fisher Grade 3, and 62% were in Fisher Grade 4. Endovascular techniques were used in the treatment of 5 aneurysms, and microsurgery was used in the treatment of 8 aneurysms. In the endovascular group, aneurysm sizes ranged from 2 to 35 mm (mean, 12.6 mm); 3 aneurysms were in the anterior circulation, and 2 were in the posterior circulation. In the microsurgery group, 6 aneurysms were in the anterior circulation, and 2 were in the posterior circulation; sizes ranged from 3 to 15 mm (mean, 6.8 mm). Sixty-nine percent of the patients were independent at follow-up. Conclusion Contemporary endovascular and microsurgical techniques can be used effectively to treat ruptured cerebral aneurysms in pediatric patients. In the time period studied, the techniques were equally effective when used in the appropriate patients.
Measurement of intracellular calcium gradients in single living cells using optical sectioning microscopy

Intracellular free calcium has been recognized as a regulator of many cellular processes and plays a key role in mediating actions of many drugs. To elucidate subcellular spatial calcium changes throughout the cell in three dimensions (3-D), optical sectioning microscopy was applied using digital imaging coupled fluorescence microscopy. The cell was loaded with a fluorescent indicator, fura-2, and a stack of sectional fluorescent images were acquired, digitized and finally stored on-line for post image analysis. Each sectional image was then deconvolved, to remove contaminating light signals from adjacent planes, using the Nearest Neighboring Deconvolution Algorithm (NNDA) and the overall imaging system's empirical Point Spread Function (PSF) that is measured with a 0.25 micrometers fluorescent bead. Using this technique, we measured that the addition of growth factors caused a 2 - 3 fold increase (1) in nuclear calcium compared to cytosolic calcium in blood cells and (2) in both nuclear and cytosolic calcium in liver cells. Such spatial information, which is important in understanding subcellular processes, would not be possible to measure with other methods.
A model of ploughing by a pyramidal indenter — upper bound method for stress-free surfaces

Abstract The upper bound method is a convenient tool for modeling friction. In this method, a rigid/perfectly plastic material is assumed to move by rigid blocks around asperities, and velocities are allowed to have discontinuities along a few assigned planes which are the boundaries of the rigid blocks. The locations of these planes and frictional forces are found by the process of rate of work minimization. However, the method is strictly applicable only for problems where the configuration of the surface is known a priori . This restriction is often ignored in the literature. For the example of an asperity with a square-based pyramidal shape we examine the consequences and show that the error might be significant. We also develop an algorithm still employing this rigid block scheme, but where the shape of the pile-up in front of the asperity is determined on a rigorous basis. We give examples and comparisons with previous approximate solutions.
A hypothesis for the pathway of the thermally-induced unfolding of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease.

An examination of the evidence relevant to the thermally-induced unfolding of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease has been made and used, together with the three-dimensional structure, to develop a model for the pathway of unfolding of this protein at neutral pH. In this model, initially, the region of the chain between residues 17 and 25 unfolds, followed by regions 27–34 and 75–80. The next sections of the chain to unfold are proposed to be the α-helix between residues 51 and 60 and the C-terminal loop from residues 104–124. The last α-helix to unwind is that in the N-terminal region. Three sections of the chain appear to be quite stable to thermal denaturation, viz. residues 35–50, 62–74 and 81–102, and it is proposed that these form the initial nucleation sites for the folding of the native molecule.
rf power dependence of subharmonic voltage spectra of two-dimensional Josephson-junction arrays.

We have measured the rf-bias-current dependence of the \ensuremath{\nu}/2 subharmonic spectral response of planar 300\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}300 Nb-Au-Nb proximity-coupled Josephson-junction arrays. The \ensuremath{\nu}/2 subharmonic voltage spectrum was examined at two rf-bias frequencies, \ensuremath{\nu}/${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}1.4, 2.0 (${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}120 MHz), and in applied magnetic fields corresponding to f=0,1/2 flux quantum per plaquette. The measurements were compared to analytical predictions for an rf-biased asymmetric superconducting quantum interference device with non-negligble loop inductance and large rf-bias-current amplitudes, based on the resistively shunted Josephson-junction model. Reasonable agreement was found between experiment and theory, suggesting that a possible origin for the observed subharmonic behavior in arrays involves an interplay between array plaquette inductances and junction critical-current variations.
Overwintering behavior of the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema scarabaei and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and their white grub hosts

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are obligate pathogens known to naturally persist in many habitats. Because survival is a fundamental component of persistence, we investigated whether vertical movement and other avoidance behaviors (i.e., in-host survival and latent infection), previously speculated as viable survival mechanisms, are exhibited during the cooler months in a temperate turfgrass habitat. The vertical distribution of populations of two EPN species, Steinernema scarabaei Stock & Koppenhofer (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae), and two important hosts of these EPN species, the white grub species Popillia japonica Newman and Anomala orientalis Waterhouse (both Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), were regularly monitored in turf plots from October through April in two consecutive years. Entomopathogenic nematode vertical distribution showed limited changes for H. bacteriophora but none for S. scarabaei. Recovery of H. bacteriophora showed a strong and consistent decline at 0–4 cm depth in the 1st year and a weaker decline at 4–10 cm in the 1st year and at 0–4 cm in the 2nd year. Due to high variability in the data, it was not possible to determine whether the decline in the upper soil layers was due to downward migration or attrition of infective juvenile nematodes. The decline occurred mostly during the first half of the season before the soil froze to any significant extent. The vertical distribution of both white grub species changed with temperature during fall and spring, but not during winter. Overwintering infective juveniles were only recovered in the soil. There was no evidence for successful in-host survival or latent infection by the nematodes in endemic white grub populations.
Bounds for the String Editing Problem

The string editing problem is to determine the distance between two strings as measured by the minimal cost sequence of deletions, insertions, and changes of symbols needed to transform one string into the other. The longest common subsequence problem can be viewed as a special case. Wagner and Fischer proposed an algorithm that runs in time O(nm), where n, m are the lengths of the two strings. In the present paper, it is shown that if the operations on symbols of the strings are restricted to tests of equality, then O(nm) operations are necessary (and sufficient) to compute the distance.
Effects of a memory strategy on second-graders’ performance and self-efficacy

Abstract This study investigated the mediating effects of learning a memory strategy on second-graders’ performance of a memory task and their self-efficacy for the task. Specifically, second graders were taught a strategy for organizing words into categories to increase their ability to remember lists of words. Their predictions of how many words they would subsequently remember were taken as a measure of self-efficacy for the task. The trained students not only outperformed their untrained counterparts on the memory task, but also predicted higher levels of future performance, indicating that their efficacy for the task had increased. Quantitative data were collected to measure students’ predictions and performance, while qualitative data provided insight into students’ strategy use and ability to articulate their actions.
Optical properties of undoped and modulation-doped AlxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract The radiative recombination of carriers in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in undoped and modulation-doped Al x Ga 1− x N/GaN heterostructures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is investigated at low temperature using photoluminescence measurements. Temperature-dependent Hall effect and Shubnikov–de Haas measurements, verify the formation of a high-quality 2DEG. Radiative recombination is observed between the 2DEG in quantum states at the hetero-interface and the holes in the flat-band region or bound to residual acceptors both in undoped and modulation-doped Al x Ga 1− x N/GaN heterostructures. The luminescence peaks related to the 2DEG disappear when the top AlGaN layer is removed by reactive ion etching. In addition, the effect of the growth interruption time, laser excitation intensity, and doping conditions upon the photoluminescence is also described.
Identification of endogenous outward currents in the human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cell line

Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293) are widely used as an expression system in studies of ion channels. However, their endogenous ionic currents remain largely unidentified. To characterize these currents, we performed patch clamp experiments on this expression system. In whole-cell voltage clamp mode, the HEK 293 cells showed mainly outward currents using physiological concentrations of Na+ and K+ and symmetric concentrations of Cl- (150 mM) across the plasma membranes. K+ currents contributed to a small portion of these outward currents, since a shift of the reversal potentials of only approximately 20 mV was seen with a change of extracellular K+ concentration from 3 to 150 mM. In contrast, the reversal potential shifted approximately 25 mV when extracellular Cl- was reduced to 50 mM, indicating that most of the outward currents are carried by Cl-. In inside-out patches, several distinct Cl- currents were identified. They were: (1) 350 pS Cl- current, which was voltage-activated and had a moderate outward rectification; (2) 240 pS Cl- current with a weak outward rectification; and (3) 55 pS Cl- current, which was voltage-activated, sensitive to DIDS, and showed a strong outward rectification. Activation of these Cl- currents did not require an elevation of free Ca2+ level in the cytosol. Besides these three currents, we observed two other Cl- currents with much smaller conductances (25 and 16 pS, respectively). Two different K+ currents were seen in the HEK 293 cells, with one of them (125 pS) showing inward rectification and the other (70 pS) outward rectification. Moreover, a 50 pS cation channel was recorded in these cells. The presence of a variety of ion channels in the HEK 293 cells suggests that a great precaution needs to be taken when this expression system is used in studies of several similar ion channels.
Sensitivity analysis of linear elastic systems using domain parameterization and a mixed mutual energy principle

Abstract A unified approach for explicit structural design sensitivity analysis of linear elastic systems is presented. First-order sensitivity expression involving the complete set of design variable, including shape design parameters, are derived for general response functional. Both direct differentiation and adjoint variable methods are developed in a general, variational context. A domain parameterization method, related to the mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian kinematic description, is introduced for the treatment of shape variation problems. This approach is an alternative to the material derivative methods presented elsewhere in the literature. The adjoint variable derivation is based on a mixed energy principle, the mutual Hu-Washizu energy principle, which is formally stated and proved. The design sensitivity derivation based on this principle unifies and extends several of the adjoint variable methods found in the literature. The derivations presented here are extended to nonlinear systems in a subsequent paper. The sensitivity expressions are valid for use with force, displacement or mixed approximate solutions of the elasticity equations. Other formulations are generally only consistent with displacement solution methods. Numerical implementation of the design sensitivity methods is discussed and illustrative examples are included.
Acute primary diaphragmitis (Hedblom's syndrome).

We are quite convinced that Hedblom's syndrome is a common entity, and has been wrongly labeled under various conditions which are secondary to or associated with it. A more careful clinical study of cases presenting ponopnea and lower chest immobility and particularly upper abdominal pains without other confirming signs of abdominal pathology, will aid materially in the diagnosis of Hedblom's syndrome. We attach the name of Dr. Carl A. Hedblom to this syndrome in his honor and as an expression of respect and gratitude for the aid and encouragement he had given us as the head of the Surgical Department of the College of Medicine of the University of Illinois. We sincerely hope that he does not resent this posthumous liberty we have taken in identifying his name with this entity.
Leishmania donovani and Leishmania braziliensis: Hexokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and pentose phosphate shunt activity☆

Abstract The hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase of Leishmania donovani and L. braziliensis do not appear to be subject to metabolic regulation. The relative importance of glycolysis vs the pentose phosphate shunt is not clear, but experiments using specifically radiolabeled glucose and growth studies with carbohydrate-free media supplemented with ribose indicate that the pentose phosphate pathway is active in vivo.
A variance in hamster pouch carcinogenesis in tissue irradiated with 200 KVP x-rays and cobalt-60 x-rays.

Abstract In ninety Syrian hamsters, divided into six groups, twenty animals were irradiated with 1,530 r of cobalt-60 x-rays and twenty animals were irradiated with 1,530 r of 200 KVP x-rays prior to three weekly applications of DMBA to the right buccal pouches. The radiation was applied as a single continuous dose limited to the area of the right cheek and jaws. Control groups for the DMBA application and the two modalities of radiation were studied. Cobalt-60-irradiated hamsters developed carcinomas at a rate similar to the control animals. Animals irradiated with 200 KVP developed carcinomas later than their controls. This retarded carcinogenesis in the orthovoltage group was interpreted in terms of the DMBA acting upon tissue, with degenerative alterations induced by the 200 KVP radiation, that is, the radiobiologic effect resulted in a slowing of the chemobiologic effect.
Direct Mg2+ Binding Activates Adenylate Kinase from Escherichia coli*

We report evidence that adenylate kinase (AK) from Escherichia coli can be activated by the direct binding of a magnesium ion to the enzyme, in addition to ATP-complexed Mg2+. By systematically varying the concentrations of AMP, ATP, and magnesium in kinetic experiments, we found that the apparent substrate inhibition of AK, formerly attributed to AMP, was suppressed at low magnesium concentrations and enhanced at high magnesium concentrations. This previously unreported magnesium dependence can be accounted for by a modified random bi-bi model in which Mg2+ can bind to AK directly prior to AMP binding. A new kinetic model is proposed to replace the conventional random bi-bi mechanism with substrate inhibition and is able to describe the kinetic data over a physiologically relevant range of magnesium concentrations. According to this model, the magnesium-activated AK exhibits a 23- ± 3-fold increase in its forward reaction rate compared with the unactivated form. The findings imply that Mg2+ could be an important affecter in the energy signaling network in cells.
The thermal-hydraulics of a simulated PWR facility during steam generator tube rupture transients☆

Abstract The thermal-hydraulics of the semi-scale test facility during steam generator tube rupture transients were investigated in this paper. The test facility simulates the main features of a Westinghouse four-loop pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant. The constructed analytical model simulated both the intact and broken loops, and included the vessel (lower plenum, core, upper plenum, upper dome), the hot legs, pressurizer and the primary and secondary sides of the U-tube steam generators. The two-phase Modular Modeling System code, which was developed by the Electric Power Research Institute, and the EASY5 simulation language were used in carrying out the calculations. A control model was developed to simulate the major facility control systems and to perform the necessary control functions. Calculations were carried out during the first three hundred seconds of the event, where the automatically functioning plant protection system components were assumed to operate. The impact of reactor scram, pressurizer heater activation, main steam isolation valve closure, emergency core cooling system activation, pump trip, main feedwater termination, auxiliary feedwater injection, and atmospheric dump/safety relief valves opening/closing on the system response was calculated. The time histories of the thermal-hydraulic conditions, such as pressure and temperature, are presented for one, five and ten-tube ruptures. Comparisons with experimental data and RELAP-5 (MOD 1.5) calculations are also given.
Structural analysis of geothermal well cements

Current design procedures are deficient when it comes to the cement/sealant used in geothermal well cementing jobs. The structural performance of the cement is based on the requirement that the cement must have a certain compressive strength. By calculating the response of the cement due to pressure/temperature (P/T) loads, the relevant stress fields are found to be sensitive to a variety of parameters in such a way that they cannot be enveloped solely by the compressive strength of the material. A similar concern also exists in the oil and gas industry. This paper presents a variety of modeling approaches that can be used to perform the necessary structural analysis from which the stress field in the cement can be evaluated. It is recommended that the design of the cement be based on the results from such structural analysis rather than on the basis of the limited requirement for compressive strength. The paper also presents parametric variations of the radial and tangential stresses in the cement that were obtained through coupled analyses of casing-cement-formation models. It is shown that the state of stress in the cement is very sensitive to (a) far-field stress and (b) the relative stiffness between the cement and the formation.
Demography, Development and Deforestation in a World-System Perspective

A world systems theory is used to conduct an exploratory examination of the determinants of deforestation throughout the world. The analysis opened up the question of the role of foreign capital penetration through multinational corporations and direct foreign investment and the role of domestic capital concentration. World environmental degradation is considered the product of forest depletion in England during the 16th and 17th centuries that spurred the Industrial Revolution with its environmental impact and regional inequalities. The inequalities have encouraged the semi-periphery to deplete resources for short-term gains in achieving a competitive economic advantage. Deforestation amounts to an estimated loss of 11 million hectares of tropical forests annually or a 50% reduction since 1900. World system theory may be the best theory for modeling trends among countries at different levels of development. Olsen recognized different environmental consequences from social dynamics in different structural settings. Semi-peripheral countries according to Wallerstein are situated between peripheral and core countries and include a range in economic strength and political background. Their economic dependence is on the core countries but their position is upwardly mobile in the world system. Generalized least squares regression models for core semi-peripheral peripheral and combined countries indicate that the largest effect of demographic change on deforestation is in the core. The largest direct and indirect effects of education on deforestation are found in the semi-periphery and from rural encroachment. Service and manufacturing growth is associated with deforestation in the periphery and with rural encroachment in the semi-periphery where it has a dramatic effect on deforestation. Forestation has been linked with economic development. Regulation in the core appears to support sustained development while in the semi-periphery with regulation and technology deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate. The periphery is vulnerable to natural resource exploitation from the semi-periphery and core.
Identifying trait clusters by linkage profiles

Motivation: Genes often regulate multiple traits. Identifying clusters of traits influenced by a common group of genes helps elucidate regulatory networks and can improve linkage mapping. Methods: We show that the Pearson correlation coefficient, ρ∧L, between two LOD score profiles can, with high specificity and sensitivity, identify pairs of genes that have their transcription regulated by shared quantitative trait loci (QTL). Furthermore, using theoretical and/or empirical methods, we can approximate the distribution of ρ∧L under the null hypothesis of no common QTL. Therefore, it is possible to calculate P-values and false discovery rates for testing whether two traits share common QTL. We then examine the properties of ρ∧L through simulation and use ρ∧L to cluster genes in a genetical genomics experiment examining Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Results: Simulations show that ρ∧L can have more power than the clustering methods currently used in genetical genomics. Combining experimental results with Gene Ontology (GO) annotations show that genes within a purported cluster often share similar function. Software: R-code included in online Supplementary Material. Contact: joshua.sampson@yale.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary materials are available at Bioinformatics online.
Detection sensitivity and power consumption vs. operation modes using system-on-chip based Doppler radar occupancy sensor

A low cost, low power Doppler radar occupancy sensor is developed by building a customized passive sensor node into a low power System-on-Chip (SoC) CC2530 RF transceiver. Experiment on the periodic moving mechanic target illustrates that this SoC based Doppler radar sensor is able to accurately detect the motion of the target under CW, modulated CW and packet operation modes. The study on sensitivity and power consumption under these modes indicates the most cost efficiency and power efficiency can be achieved by operating the sensor under packet mode with an optimum output power level.
Mathematical models of immune-induced cancer dormancy and the emergence of immune evasion

Cancer dormancy, a state in which cancer cells persist in a host without significant growth, is a natural forestallment of progression to manifest disease and is thus of great clinical interest. Experimental work in mice suggests that in immune-induced dormancy, the longer a cancer remains dormant in a host, the more resistant the cancer cells become to cytotoxic T-cell-mediated killing. In this work, mathematical models are used to analyse the possible causative mechanisms of cancer escape from immune-induced dormancy. Using a data-driven approach, both decaying efficacy in immune predation and immune recruitment are analysed with results suggesting that decline in recruitment is a stronger determinant of escape than increased resistance to predation. Using a mechanistic approach, the existence of an immune-resistant cancer cell subpopulation is considered, and the effects on cancer dormancy and potential immunoediting mechanisms of cancer escape are analysed and discussed. The immunoediting mechanism assumes that the immune system selectively prunes the cancer of immune-sensitive cells, which is shown to cause an initially heterogeneous population to become a more homogeneous, and more resistant, population. The fact that this selection may result in the appearance of decreasing efficacy in T-cell cytotoxic effect with time in dormancy is also demonstrated. This work suggests that through actions that temporarily delay cancer growth through the targeted removal of immune-sensitive subpopulations, the immune response may actually progress the cancer to a more aggressive state.
A nonparametric Riemannian framework for processing high angular resolution diffusion images (HARDI)

High angular resolution diffusion imaging has become an important magnetic resonance technique for in vivo imaging. Most current research in this field focuses on developing methods for computing the orientation distribution function (ODF), which is the probability distribution function of water molecule diffusion along any angle on the sphere. In this paper, we present a Riemannian framework to carry out computations on an ODF field. The proposed framework does not require that the ODFs be represented by any fixed parameterization, such as a mixture of von Mises-Fisher distributions or a spherical harmonic expansion. Instead, we use a non-parametric representation of the ODF, and exploit the fact that under the square-root re-parameterization, the space of ODFs forms a Riemannian manifold, namely the unit Hilbert sphere. Specifically, we use Riemannian operations to perform various geometric data processing algorithms, such as interpolation, convolution and linear and nonlinear filtering. We illustrate these concepts with numerical experiments on synthetic and real datasets.
Regional stability for a tubular reactor with axial mixing

A graphical phase-plane procedure is suggested by which regions of stability can be estimated for a tubular reactor. The technique uses a super-position of limits for primary flow and reaction effects and those arising from secondary axial dispersion. Several detailed numerical tests are reported to substantiate the conjecture. On propose une representation graphique dans le plan dea phase qui permet d'estimer les zones de stabilite pour un reacteur tubulaire. On emploie dans la dite methode une superposition de limites dans le cas d'un ecoulement primaire et des effets qui proviennent de la reaction et d'une dispersion axiale secondaire. On decrit en detail plusieurs essais numeriques pour corroborer la conjecture.
Kanian Freedom and the Problem of Luck

This article provides a brief explanation of Robert Kane's indeterministic, event-causal libertarian theory of freedom and responsibility. It is noted that a number of authors have criticized libertarian theories, such as Kane's, by presenting the problem of luck. After noting how Kane has tried to answer this problem in his recent writings, the author goes on to explain Ishtiyaque Haji's recent version of the luck argument. The author considers three possible Kanian replies to Haji's luck argument and argues that the third reply can adequately answer the luck objection. It is also noted that the third reply requires making some significant alterations to Kane's theory that would also help him resolve certain problems with his views about responsibility for character.
Cryptococcus neoformans: gastronomic delight of a soil ameba.

During 7 days of incubation in vitro the trophozoite stage of the free-living soil amoeba, Acanthamoeba polyphaga, phagocytized and killed 78–97% of the cells of three strains of Cryptococus neoformans. With one strain, incubation time was increased to nine days and 99% of the yeast cells were killed. It was calculated that during 4–9 days of incubation a single trophozoite phagocytized and killed a daily average of 84 yeast cells. The lethal effect of A. polyphaga on C. neoformans may represent a biological control mechanism in nature. Some of the surviving cells of C. neoformans developed into colonies containing pseudohyphae; these pseudolhyphal forms may be a biological ‘escape hatch’.
Making the news: Movement organizations, media attention, and the public agenda

Increasingly, scholars have come to see the news media as playing a pivotal role in shaping whether social movements are able to bring about broader social change. By drawing attention to movements’ issues, claims, and supporters, the news media can shape the public agenda by influencing public opinion, authorities, and elites. Why are some social movement organizations more successful than others at gaining media coverage? Specifically, what organizational, tactical, and issue characteristics enhance media attention? We combine detailed organizational survey data from a representative sample of 187 local environmental organizations in North Carolina with complete news coverage of those organizations in 11 major daily newspapers in the two years following the survey (2,095 articles). Our analyses reveal that local news media favor professional and formalized groups that employ routine advocacy tactics, mobilize large numbers of people, and work on issues that overlap with newspapers’ focus on local economic growth and well-being. Groups that are confrontational, volunteerled, or advocate on behalf of novel issues do not garner as much attention in local media outlets. These findings have important implications and challenge widely held claims about the pathways by which movement actors shape the public agenda through the news media.
Finite element analysis of multiconductor printed‐circuit transmission‐line systems

In this paper the finite element method (FEM) is used to analyse general, multiconductor transmission-line systems of arbitrary cross-section. The per-unit-length matrices of capacitance, inductance, conductance and resistance, which characterize a multiconductor transmission line, are obtained from the FEM analysis. Numerical results are presented and compared both with experimental results and other available data.
Average QLg, QSn, and observation of Lg blockage in the Continental Margin of Nova Scotia

The term “Lg blockage” refers to the sudden disappearance of the Lg phase along a particular propagation path which is commonly seen at continental-oceanic transition zones. In this paper we present observational evidence of Lg blockage across the continental margin of Nova Scotia in eastern Canada. Regional Lg and Sn spectra from 91 events with epicentral distances between 100 and 1200 km and magnitudes between 2.5 and 4.7 are inverted simultaneously for the source spectrum, site amplification, and average attenuation. The vertical displacement spectra were estimated between 0.9 and 10.75 Hz. The assumptions include a fixed frequency-independent geometric spreading rate for Lg and a frequency-dependent spreading model for the Sn. Estimates for the apparent regional attenuations are QLg (f) = 615(±25) f0.35(±0.04) and QSn (f) = 404(±23) f0.45(±0.03). Results from this study provide an accurate parameterization of observed amplitude spectra and are valuable for representing wave propagation in the region. Based on the observation of a strong trade-off between Sn and Lg amplitudes which have different attenuation characteristics, we conclude any attenuation study based on measuring amplitude of a package of several different phases, without taking into consideration the propagation characteristics of individual waveforms at the region of study, may bias the estimation of average regional Q.
A novel portfolio optimization method for foreign currency investment

In this paper, we present the research of a foreign currency investment framework involving the prediction of the foreign currency exchange rates and the portfolio optimization under certain constrains. We adopt two machine learning methods, support vector machines (SVMs) and neural networks (NNs), as well as the traditional moving average method, to predict the exchange rates for three foreign currencies including Australia Dollars (AUD), European Euro (EUR), and Swiss Francs (CHF). Based on these forecastings, we choose two out of the three currencies listed above and build a portfolio by adopting multi-objective portfolio optimization techniques by maximizing the return and minimizing the risk. Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) theorem guarantees that the optimal portfolio is reachable. Simulation results show that the optimal portforlio investment can achieve superior return performance compared with three single currency investment benchmarks.
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in house dust are related to hormone levels in men

Despite documented widespread human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) through dietary intake and contact with or inhalation of indoor dust, along with growing laboratory evidence for altered endocrine function following exposure, human studies of PBDE exposure and endocrine effects remain limited. We conducted a preliminary study within an ongoing study on the impact of environmental exposures on male reproductive health. We measured serum hormone levels and PBDE concentrations (BDE 47, 99 and 100) in house dust from 24 men recruited through a US infertility clinic. BDE 47 and 99 were detected in 100% of dust samples, and BDE 100 was detected in 67% of dust samples, at concentrations similar to those reported in previous US studies. In multivariable regression models adjusted for age and BMI, there was a statistically significant inverse relationship between dust PBDE concentrations and free androgen index. Dust PBDE concentrations were also strongly and inversely associated with luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and positively associated with inhibin B and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Finally, consistent with limited recent human studies of adults, PBDEs were positively associated with free T4. In conclusion, the present study provides compelling evidence of altered hormone levels in relation to PBDE exposures estimated as concentrations in house dust, and that house dust is an important source of human PBDE exposure, but more research is urgently needed.
Improved signaling as a result of randomness in synaptic vesicle release

The probabilistic nature of neurotransmitter release in synapses is believed to be one of the most significant sources of noise in the central nervous system. We show how p0, the probability of release per docked vesicle when an action potential arrives, affects the dynamics of the rate of vesicle release in response to changes in the rate of arrival of action potentials. Furthermore, we examine the theoretical capability of a synapse in the estimation of desired signals using information from the stochastic vesicle release events under the framework of optimal linear filter theory. We find that a small p0, such as 0.1, reduces the error in the reconstruction of the input, or in the reconstruction of the time derivative of the input, from the time series of vesicle release events. Our results imply that the probabilistic nature of synaptic vesicle release plays a direct functional role in synaptic transmission.
Functional connectivity for face processing in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder and anorexia nervosa.

Background. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) are both characterized by distorted perception of appearance. Previous studies in BDD suggest abnormalities in visual processing of own and others’ faces, but no study has examined visual processing of faces in AN, nor directly compared the two disorders in this respect. Method. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data on 60 individuals of equivalent age and gender in each of three groups – 20 BDD, 20 weight-restored AN, and 20 healthy controls (HC) – while they viewed images of others’ faces that contained only high or low spatial frequency information (HSF or LSF). We tested hypotheses about functional connectivity within specialized sub-networks for HSF and LSF visual processing, using psychophysiological interaction analyses. Results. The BDD group demonstrated increased functional connectivity compared to HC between left anterior occipital face area and right fusiform face area (FFA) for LSF faces, which was associated with symptom severity. Both BDD and AN groups had increased connectivity compared to HC between FFA and precuneous/posterior cingulate gyrus for LSF faces, and decreased connectivity between FFA and insula. In addition, we found that LSF connectivity between FFA and posterior cingulate gyrus was significantly associated with thoughts about own appearance in AN. Conclusions. Results suggest similar abnormal functional connectivity within higher-order systems for face processing in BDD and AN, but distinct abnormal connectivity patterns within occipito-temporal visual networks. Findings may have implications for understanding relationships between these disorders, and the pathophysiology underlying perceptual distortions.
The Effects of Poly(Ethyleneimine) (PEI) Molecular Weight on Reinforcement of Alginate Hydrogels

Alginate hydrogels are widely used for cell encapsulation and transplantation, and they are frequently surface reinforced with secondary polymers to enhance their mechanical rigidity and stability. We hypothesized that the molecular weight (MW) of the polymer utilized to reinforce alginate would be an important factor in their stability, particularly when the gel network was homogeneously reinforced with the polymer. This hypothesis was investigated with alginate hydrogels cross-linked with Ca2+, and reinforced throughout the bulk of the gel with poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) having different MWs. Interactions between the two polymers became significant following gelation, leading to higher elastic moduli (E) than gels with no PEI. The decrease in E of gels incubated in isotonic salt solutions over time, utilized as an indication of gel break down, was ameliorated with an increase in the MW of the PEI. In addition, the dependencies of the moduli and viscoelasticity on the temperature also became smaller with the use of high MW PEI. This is likely due to the limited mobility of high MW PEI, leading to a higher energy for dissociation. The stable interactions between the alginate and PEI prevented alterations of the pore structure in the gels, and slowed the deterioration of gel properties even under continuous agitation in a bioreactor. The results of this study will likely be useful in designing alginate encapsulation strategies for various applications.
Relationship of Pyruvic Acid to the Bisulphite Binding Substances of the Blood

Increases in the bisulphite binding substances (B.B.S.) of the blood have been related to increases in pyruvic acid, both in beriberi1 and following exhaustive exercise.2 The B.B.S. has been shown to be elevated in beriberi1 and other disease states,3 and also following the injection of sodium pyruvate.4 The present communication gives a brief resume of the relationship of the B.B.S. to the blood pyruvic acid.Pyruvic acid was estimated in blood by Peters and Thompson's modification of the Neuberg-Case method,5 B.B.S. by a modification3 of the Clift and Cook procedure.6 The methods used for selection of clinical material3 and for administering sodium pyruvate4 are given elsewhere.From pure aqueous solutions of lithium pyruvate an average of 85.7% of the theoretical amount of pyruvic acid as B.B.S. and 85.6% as pyruvic acid by the hydrazone method were recovered. The recovery of lithium pyruvate from blood, when added in amounts ranging between 10 and 20 mg. per 100 ml. of blood, averaged 90.4% of theoretic...
Survival of European Corn Borer Larvae on Resistant Corn Treated with Nutritional Substances

These studies were conducted on the assumption that resistance to leaf feeding by European corn borers, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), is caused by the absence of, or limited amount of, some nutritional substance (s) in the resistant strains of corn. Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine what effect the addition of some nutritional substances to resistant corn plants would have on survival of European corn borer larvae. Corn plants were treated by placing the desired substances into the whorl of the plant with a pipette. Larval survival on resistant plants which received most of the ingredients of an artificial diet was much higher than on plants treated with distilled water. In fact, larval survival on treated plants of the resistant inbred, C.I. 31A, was equal to that found on untreated plants of the susceptible inbred, WF9. We obtained evidence which indicated that ascorbic acid plus 1 or more of the other ingredients of the artificial diet were responsible for the increased larval survival on the treated resistant plants.
Nation and Citizenship in the Twentieth-Century British Novel

1. Democratic friends in E. M. Forster's The Longest Journey and Howards End 2. Toward social citizenship in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway 3. Citizenship, character, and the Second World War in Elizabeth Bowen's The Heat of the Day 4. Authoring citizenship in Sam Selvon's and Buchi Emecheta's immigrant fictions 5. Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses and the politics of extremity.
Applications of CRISPR technologies in research and beyond

Programmable DNA cleavage using CRISPR-Cas9 enables efficient, site-specific genome engineering in single cells and whole organisms. In the research arena, versatile CRISPR-enabled genome editing has been used in various ways, such as controlling transcription, modifying epigenomes, conducting genome-wide screens and imaging chromosomes. CRISPR systems are already being used to alleviate genetic disorders in animals and are likely to be employed soon in the clinic to treat human diseases of the eye and blood. Two clinical trials using CRISPR-Cas9 for targeted cancer therapies have been approved in China and the United States. Beyond biomedical applications, these tools are now being used to expedite crop and livestock breeding, engineer new antimicrobials and control disease-carrying insects with gene drives.
Sufficiency and Insufficiency

Theoretical statistics makes abundant use of a certain concept named “sufficiency.” It is traditionally introduced as follows.
Indirect pars repair for pediatric isthmic spondylolysis: a case series

Background: Isthmic spondylolysis (ISY) is a common cause of back pain in the pediatric population. Historically, non-operative treatments have had a very high success rate. The purpose of this study was to review the mid-term results of an indirect pars repair technique on reducing the visual analog score for pain (VAS), spondylolysis defect healing, complication rates and rates of return to pre-surgery activity level in pediatric patients who failed conservative care for ISY. Methods: A retrospective review of all pediatric patients ( Results: Nine patients (6 females, 3 males) were treated surgically. Average age at the time of surgery was 15.4 years, (range, 13 to 17 years). Average length of final follow-up was 11.9 months (range, 6 to 24 months). Preoperative VAS averaged 5.6 points (range, 2 to 8 points) compared to final follow-up of 1.2 (range, 0 to 3). Definitive bony healing was noted in 7 of 9 cases (77.8%) with at least 6 months follow-up. Eight of nine patients (88.9%) returned to preoperative competitive sports activity level. No complications were noted during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Pediatric patients treated surgically with indirect pars repair appear to achieve satisfactory mid-term outcomes. This technique appears safe, and has both a high healing rate and return to competitive athletics. Further study is needed to determine durability of this procedure.
Impact of Algal Blooms and Their Toxins on Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant Operations

Abstract Seawater desalination by reverse osmosis (RO) has emerged over the past few decades as a reliable and necessary method for augmenting drinking water supplies in many parts of the world. As freshwater resources become limited due to global climate change, rising demand, and exhausted local water supplies, seawater desalination will play an increasingly important role in securing the world’s future water supply. The global increase in occurrence and incidence of harmful algae blooms is a concern for RO desalination plants due to the high biomass of microalgae present in ocean waters during these events, and a variety of deleterious substances that some algae produce. The compounds range from innocuous substances that can cause membrane fouling, to noxious compounds and powerful neurotoxins that constitute significant public health risks if they are not effectively and completely removed by RO membranes. Algal blooms can cause significant operational issues that can necessitate costly pretreatment procedures, result in increased energy usage due to membrane fouling, and in extreme cases, require a plant to be removed from service. Early algal bloom detection by desalination facilities is essential so that operational adjustments can be made to ensure that production capacity remains unaffected. This chapter will focus on characterizing a range of substances of concern to desalination facilities, their known producers, and our present state of knowledge regarding substances of particular concern due to their toxicity. Also included is a case study from southern California, which involved the monitoring of intake and desalinated water from a pilot SWRO desalination facility, and bench-top SWRO experiments modeled the worst-case scenario toxic events for the local area.