cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Entrusting internal medicine residents to use point of care ultrasound: Towards improved assessment and supervision.

Background: Internal medicine physicians and trainees are increasingly using, and seeking training in, diagnostic point of care ultrasound (POCUS). Numerous internal medicine training programs have...
A proposed multidisciplinary model providing comprehensive breast cancer care.

43Background: Strategies to detect and treat breast cancer continue to improve, and as such, the number of survivors has grown dramatically. To date, there has not been a well-established model to ...
Delusion and Double Book-Keeping

This chapter introduces Jaspers’ understanding of delusion with regard to the question of comprehensibility and incomprehensibility. After a historical introduction, the characteristic feature of derealization is discussed and related to what Bleuler called “double book-keeping.” Then, the methodological relevance of phenomenology and the similarity between delusional states and phenomenological imagination and bracketing (as emphasized by authors such as Blankenburg) are discussed. Different stances taken toward the world already in the realm of the natural attitude can be described within the Schutzian framework of “multiple realities.” This framework is analyzed with regard to the notion of double book-keeping. It shows that some elements of schizophrenic experience can be seen—in Heideggerian terms—to preserve and reveal something about human authenticity.
Dynamic Effects in Ultrasonic Determination of Composite Moduli Using Velocity Data

Ultrasonic techniques show great promise for nondestructive characterization of high temperature composites which are usually manufactured with specially designed fiber-matrix interphases. Ultrasonically measured composite elastic moduli are important mechanical characteristics, and the problem of interphase characterization is also often related to the measured composite moduli. The characterization of interphase is critical since the interphase transfers load from the fiber to the matrix and its properties significantly affects the overall mechanical performance of the composite. Chu and Rokhlin have recently developed methods to determine fiber-matrix interphase elastic properties from ultrasonically measured composite moduli using static micromechanical models [1, 2, 3, 4]. Since their method is based on measurements of ultrasonic wave velocities in different directions in the composite and on relating them to the static composite elastic moduli, error may be introduced in determining the static composite moduli from wave velocity data if dispersion is not negligible. We have performed experimental measurements and theoretical studies of dispersion and attenuation for waves propagating along and normal to fibers in a SiC/Ti unidirectional metal matrix composite [5, 6, 7]. In this paper we focus on the effect of fiber-induced dispersion on determination of the composite and fiber-matrix interphase moduli.
Assessing Early Literacy Growth in Preschoolers Using Individual Growth and Development Indicators

Evidence of longitudinal relations between language and early literacy skills in early childhood and later reading (and other) achievement is growing, along with an expanding array of early educati...
The Impact of Renal Tissue Procurement at Bedside on Specimen Adequacy and Best Practices.

Objectives Renal biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of both native and allograft renal diseases. We studied the impact of tissue procurement at bedside (TPB) omission on the adequacy of renal biopsies. Methods We compared 120 renal biopsies collected during 2015 using TPB with 111 renal biopsies collected during 2016 when TPB was discontinued. Adequacy criteria were applied as follows: by light microscopy, 10 glomeruli and two arteries for allograft biopsies and seven glomeruli for native biopsies. At least one glomerulus was considered adequate for immunofluorescence and electron microscopy in both groups. Results The rate of inadequacies in allograft biopsies increased significantly, from 12.50% to 21.61% (P < .05), when TPB was discontinued. Conclusions Elimination of TPB service had a negative impact on allograft specimen adequacy. Repeat biopsies add cost and delay patient care. Institutions should take this into consideration when considering omission of TPB.
Bolivia en 2017: rumbo a la incertidumbre

The year 2017 was marked by growing uncertainty about the future as Evo Morales continued to prepare for yet another presidential campaign despite growing resis¬tance and a 2016 referendum in which voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would allow Morales to seek a fourth term. The year was also dominated by plans for the December judicial elections, which were just as problematic as they had been in 2011. While economic indicators remained generally positive, there was also growing concern about the future of the economy. 2017 was also the first year that the quality of Bolivian democracy declined significantly, suggesting that 2018 could be a defining year for the country.
3251 Psoas muscle caliber as a predictor of negative outcomes in elderly trauma patients

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Aim 1: To evaluate whether psoas muscle size on CT imaging can be used as univariate predictor for increased risk of morbidity and mortality in trauma patients 65 years or older with rib fractures. Primary outcomes will be 30 day mortality. Secondary outcomes will include length of stay, 30 day readmission rate, need for operative/procedural intervention, ICU days, ventilator days, discharge to rehabilitation. Aim 2: An eventual goal of the project will be to use the results of the single variable psoas size study to inform the development of a predictive model for readmission rate in this population based on clinical variables present at admission. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This retrospective cohort study will utilize the Maine Trauma Registry to conduct a database review for all persons 65 years of age and older admitted to Maine Medical Center between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 with rib fracture as diagnosed by CT imaging. Psoas caliber will be measured on admission CT. Patient outcomes will be assessed via EMR review. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Anticipate finding a relationship between decreased psoas caliber and increase in 30 day mortality and post trauma complications. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: If a relationship is demonstrated between decreased psoas caliber and poor outcomes in elderly patients with rib fractures, this early indicator could be used to identify those patients at most risk, for whom targeted interventions may make the greatest difference. Knowing a measure of frailty could also help guide goals of care discussions, because it would allow clinicians to have a more detailed understanding of a patient’s baseline. Those patients identified as frail could be admitted to an ICU level of care and more closely monitored and treated. Alternatively, some frail patients and their families may choose to focus more on comfort and quality of life after achieving a better understanding of a patient’s frailty and risk, changing the direction of care provided. Being able to identify the higher risk patients with an objective measure would allow clinicians to provide more personalized medicine.
Current perspectives on the impact of Kratom use.

The leaves from the tree Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as Kratom, in the coffee plant family (Rubiaceae) are commonly used in their native habitat of Southeast Asia as a stimulant to sustain energy during hard day labor and as an opioid-like analgesic and sedative. Traditional and modern uses overlap based on the effects of the leaf extract which has also gained popularity in the United States and Europe in the last two decades. Kratom has and is being used for the mitigation of opioid withdrawal symptoms and as a harm reduction agent with a minority of users subsequently developing a dependence on the extract. The respective demographic use patterns of Kratom differ between Southeast Asia and the Western world. While pure Kratom is primarily used by day laborers and misused in conjunction with cough medicine by youth in Southeast Asia, a majority of users in the United States is middle-aged, has at least middle income, private health insurance, and completed some college. Deaths attributed to the use of Kratom have been reported in Europe and the United States but not in Southeast Asia. Although Kratom was detected as the alkaloid mitragynine in the blood of the decedents, causality could not be established in almost all cases because of poly-drug exposures. It is notable that Kratom can cause herb–drug interactions, especially with other central nervous system -active substances. Given the mostly unregulated market for Kratom products in Western countries, consumers may be exposed to adulterated or contaminated products, especially if purchased through websites or the darknet. A number of countries have scheduled Kratom because of its stimulant- and opioid-like effects and the established interaction of the alkaloid mitragynine with opioid receptors.
Approximate convex hull based scenario truncation for chance constrained trajectory optimization

Abstract In this paper, we study chance constrained trajectory optimization of linear systems with general ellipsoidal and polytopic state-input constraints where the constraints must be met with some prescribed confidence level. We use the sampling techniques, specifically scenario approach, due to their generality and tractability compared to the analytical methods. To address the main drawback of scenario approach, which may require large number of samples, we introduce an approximate convex hull-based method to significantly reduce the number of samples. Based on the allowable computational complexity, the prominent samples are selected in a proper mapping and the rest are truncated. The truncation error is later compensated for by adjusting (buffering) the constraint set, so that the satisfaction of constraints with the desired confidence level is still guaranteed. Simulation results confirm the theoretical predictions with solid performance of the proposed method after discarding about 99% of samples from the scenario approach, which remarkably speeds up the online computations.
Evaluating the realized niche and plant–water relations of wetland species using experimental transplants

Wet meadows are a common focus of wetland restoration efforts, and the species within them often exist within a restricted range of water levels. Unfortunately, many restored wetlands have higher water levels and more open water than naturally occurring reference wetlands, and many are invaded and dominated by species of Typha. Most studies evaluating the optimal water level for plant species use observational methods, yet experimental methods are required to understand the breadth of a species’ niche. We used experimental transplants of Carex pellita, a common wet meadow sedge used in restoration in the interior of the USA, and Typha latifolia, a species of cattail which invades many restored wetlands, to test whether higher water levels in a restored wetland were prohibitive to the target sedge species. Physiological and growth measurements were collected on both species. We found that C. pellita grew as well or better when transplanted into the ponded water levels, while T. latifolia had reduced growth when transplanted into the relatively drier meadow conditions. Interestingly, C. pellita was able to adjust its Turgor Loss Point in response to changing water levels. Only recently the assumption of a constant Turgor Loss Point for each species has been questioned. Our results provide evidence that wet meadow species have a broader hydrologic niche than previously thought, and their ability to make physiological adjustments in response to changing water levels may allow them to thrive in areas with widely varying water levels.
Cytokine gene polymorphisms and cancer-related symptoms in lung cancer patients

9012 Background: Cytokines, aberrantly produced by cancer cells, have recently been implicated in the severity of cancer-related symptoms. We hypothesize that functional variations in cytokine gene...
A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Internalized Racial Oppression and Health-Related Outcomes:

Internalized racism represents a critical component of the system of racial oppression wherein People of Color adopt the negative beliefs about their race held by members of the White majority grou...
A century of evolution of the accessibility concept

Abstract The concept of accessibility has acquired numerous meanings along multiple dimensions during the century of its evolution. This essay argues for the salience of two dimensions: application-based and definition-based. In its application, accessibility has incorporated positive and normative dimensions which have varied in prominence over time. In its definition, accessibility has varied between a mode of evaluation incorporating measured mobility and proximity, on the one hand, and a predefined market basket of urbanist improvements to transportation and land use systems, on the other. Advocates of the accessibility shift should emphasize both the measured approach to accessibility and accessibility’s normative side.
Microstructure and tensile behavior of nanostructured gradient TWIP steel

Abstract Gradient structured metals have shown unique mechanical properties, such as high strength and good ductility. In this study, a gradient TWIP steel was fabricated by surface mechanical grinding treatment. The subsequent gradient structures consist of an outermost nanolaminate layer, a layer of deformation twins mixed with shear bands, and a deformation twinned layer. Tensile studies reveal that the introduction of gradient structures increases the yield strength significantly. Deformation induced hardening reaches maxima at the interface regions between the layers, presumably due to the distinct transition of high angle grain boundaries and twin boundaries near the interfaces and the accumulation of geometrically necessary dislocations under tension. These in-depth studies provide insight into the design of high-strength, strain hardenable metallic materials with gradient structures.
Role of Elevated Intracellular S-Adenosylhomocysteine in the Pathogenesis of Alcohol-Related Liver Disease.

Background: The earliest manifestation of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is steatosis, characterized by the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) in hepatocytes. Findings from our laboratory have indicated that many pathological changes, including steatosis, correlate with the alcohol-induced hepatocellular increases in S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). Based on these considerations, we hypothesized that an experimental increase in intracellular SAH alone will result in similar steatotic changes to those seen after alcohol exposure. Methods: Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes grown on collagen-coated plates were exposed to serum-free medium containing 50 µmol/L oleic acid and varying concentrations of 3-deazaadenosine (DZA) to experimentally elevate intracellular SAH levels. Results: Overnight exposure to DZA treatment dose-dependently increased hepatocellular triglyceride accumulation, which was also evident by morphological visualization of larger-sized LDs. The rise in triglycerides and LDs accompanied increases in mRNA and protein levels of several LD-associated proteins known to regulate LD number and size. Furthermore, DZA treatment caused a decline in the levels of lipases that prevent fat accumulation as well as increased the expression of factors involved in lipogenesis and fatty acid mobilization. Collectively, our results indicate that the elevation of intracellular SAH is sufficient to promote fat accumulation in hepatocytes, which is similar to that seen after alcohol exposure.
Voriconazole versus Itraconazole for the Initial and Step-Down Treatment of Histoplasmosis: A Retrospective Cohort.

Background Itraconazole is the preferred azole for histoplasmosis in the current Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines. Voriconazole is increasingly used as treatment for histoplasmosis; it has in-vitro activity against Histoplasma capsulatum and has shown success in case reports and small case series but may have a lower barrier to resistance. No comparative studies have been published. Methods We constructed a single-center retrospective cohort of adult patients diagnosed with histoplasmosis from 2002 to 2017. Individual charts were reviewed to gather clinical information including demographics, clinical features, immune status, treatments, and mortality. Patients were categorized based on initial choice of azole, either as initial treatment or as step-down therapy from amphotericin B. Initial therapies with other azoles were excluded. Mortality was compared using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards with Heaviside function at 42 days. Results We identified 261 cases of histoplasmosis from 2002 to 2017. After excluding patients not treated with itraconazole or voriconazole, 194 patients remained. 175 (90%) patients received itraconazole and 19 (10%) received voriconazole. There were no significant demographic differences between patient populations receiving either azole as their initial azole treatment. Death at 180 days occurred in 41 patients (23.4%) in the itraconazole group and 6 patients (31.6%) in the voriconazole group. Patients on voriconazole had a statistically significant increase in mortality during the first 42 days after initiation of treatment when compared to patients receiving itraconazole (HR 4.30 [95% CI 1.3-13.9, p 0.015]) when controlled for other risk factors. Conclusion Voriconazole in histoplasmosis was associated with increased mortality in the first 42 days compared to itraconazole.
Expression Changes in Epigenetic Gene Pathways Associated With One-Carbon Nutritional Metabolites in Maternal Blood From Pregnancies Resulting in Autism and Non-Typical Neurodevelopment

The prenatal period is a critical window for the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The relationship between prenatal nutrients and gestational gene expression in mothers of children later diagnosed with ASD or non-typical development (Non-TD) is poorly understood. Maternal blood collected prospectively during pregnancy provides insights into the effects of nutrition, particularly one-carbon metabolites, on gene pathways and neurodevelopment. Genome-wide transcriptomes were measured with microarrays in 300 maternal blood samples in Markers of Autism Risk in Babies-Learning Early Signs. Sixteen different one-carbon metabolites, including folic acid, betaine, 5'-methyltretrahydrofolate (5-MeTHF), and dimethylglycine (DMG) were measured. Differential expression analysis and weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) were used to compare gene expression between children later diagnosed as typical development (TD), Non-TD and ASD, and to one-carbon metabolites. Using differential gene expression analysis, six transcripts (TGR-AS1, SQSTM1, HLA-C, and RFESD) were associated with child outcomes (ASD, Non-TD, and TD) with genome-wide significance. Genes nominally differentially expressed between ASD and TD significantly overlapped with seven high confidence ASD genes. WGCNA identified co-expressed gene modules significantly correlated with 5-MeTHF, folic acid, DMG, and betaine. A module enriched in DNA methylation functions showed a suggestive protective association with folic acid/5-MeTHF concentrations and ASD risk. Maternal plasma betaine and DMG concentrations were associated with a block of co-expressed genes enriched for adaptive immune, histone modification, and RNA processing functions. These results suggest that the prenatal maternal blood transcriptome is a sensitive indicator of gestational one-carbon metabolite status and changes relevant to children's later neurodevelopmental outcomes. LAY SUMMARY: Pregnancy is a time when maternal nutrition could interact with genetic risk for autism spectrum disorder. Blood samples collected during pregnancy from mothers who had a prior child with autism were examined for gene expression and nutrient metabolites, then compared to the diagnosis of the child at age three. Expression differences in gene pathways related to the immune system and gene regulation were observed for pregnancies of children with autism and non-typical neurodevelopment and were associated with maternal nutrients.
Skill Overshooting in Job Training With the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program

The authors investigate the training choices made by workers entering the Trade Adjustment Assistance program and their postexit outcomes. This is important as more workers enter these types of pro...
Comparison of Machine Learning Approaches for Tsunami Forecasting from Sparse Observations

We have explored various different machine learning (ML) approaches for forecasting tsunami amplitudes at a set of forecast points, based on hypothetical short-time observations at one or more observation points. As a case study, we chose an observation point near the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and two forecast points in the Salish Sea, one in Discovery Bay and the other in Admiralty Inlet, the waterway leading to southern Puget Sound. One ML approach considered is to train a support vector machine to predict the maximum amplitude at the forecast points. We also explored the use of two deep convolutional neural networks, a denoising autoencoder and a variational autoencoder to predict the full time series at the forecast points. These latter approaches also provide an estimate of the uncertainty in the predictions. As training data we use a subset of the 1300 synthetic CSZ earthquakes generated in the work of Melgar et al. (J Geophys Res Solid Earth 121:6658-6674, 2016b), reserving some as test data. As additional tests, the trained ML models have also been applied to other hypothetical CSZ earthquakes produced by very different approaches, such as the “L1 event” from the work of Witter et al. (Geosphere 9(6):1783-1803, 2013) that is used in the generation of tsunami inundation maps in Washington State. The ML models are capable of providing very good predictions from short duration observations, even when truncated before the first wave peak has reached the observation point.
Terra: finale di partita. Per essere ancora ottimisti

Drawing on Beckett’s parable from Endgame, Richard Schechner explores how the world, that the tailor disparages, is polluted, its climate warming, deserts expanding, forests chopped down, mineral and liquid resources wantonly extracted, glaciers melting, seas acidifying and rising. In spite of that, there is still a reasonable chance to cling to optimism, because of Performance Studies’ inspiring role.
Whither the ADHD Brain? Waning Structural Brain Differences in a Sample of Thousands

Background: Structural neuroimaging studies, including meta-analyses, have identified a variety of differences across cortical and subcortical structures associated with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children. However, studies to date have not employed large, representative samples, complete with data on potential confounders. Here, we compared brain measures among 9- and 10-year-old children with and without ADHD using data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest longitudinal study of brain development in the United States. Methods: We used baseline demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging data from the ABCD Study. Neuroimaging data underwent centralized quality control, harmonization, and processing by the ABCD Team. Mixed effects models were used to estimate effect sizes (Cohen’s d) associated with ADHD. We used a novel simulation strategy to assess our ability to detect significant effects despite misclassification. Outcomes: Our sample included 949 participants with ADHD and 9,787 without. In the full model, which included a priori selected potential confounders, we found only 11 significant differences across 79 brain regions using a false discovery rate correction. Significant effect sizes ranged from -0.07 to -0.05. Effect sizes remained essentially unchanged using alternative diagnostic instruments. Simulations indicated that we were well powered to detect differences even if there was substantial misclassification in the sample. Interpretation: We found fewer and smaller differences than previous studies, consistent with the trend towards smaller effects in larger samples. Our results suggest that there are few meaningful and specific structural differences associated with ADHD among children in the general population. Funding: We thank the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study Team. JB was supported by Grant No. T32 MH016434-41, by the AACAP Pilot Research Award for Attention Disorders, and by the Bender-Fishbein Award in Child Psychiatry Research. JP was supported by the Edwin S Webster Foundation, Suzanne Crosby Murphy Endowment and by NIH (UH3 OD023328). Declaration of Interest: JP has received research support from Takeda (formerly Shire) and Aevi Genomics, and consultancy fees from Innovative Science Solutions. JB, AL, LC, EB, and JD declare no competing interests. Ethical Approval: Institutional review boards at each site approved the study procedures. Written consent was obtained from all parents, and children gave verbal assent.
Artificial Intelligence Guided Conformational Mining of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Artificial intelligence recently achieved the breakthrough of predicting the three-dimensional structures of proteins. The next frontier is presented by intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which, representing 30% to 50% of proteomes, readily access vast conformational space. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are promising in sampling IDP conformations, but only at extremely high computational cost. Here, we developed generative autoencoders that learn from short MD simulations and generate full conformational ensembles. An encoder represents IDP conformations as vectors in a reduced-dimensional latent space. The mean vector and covariance matrix of the training dataset are calculated to define a multivariate Gaussian distribution, from which vectors are sampled and fed to a decoder to generate new conformations. The ensembles of generated conformations cover those sampled by long MD simulations and are validated by small-angle X-ray scattering profile and NMR chemical shifts. This work illustrates the vast potential of artificial intelligence in conformational mining of IDPs.
Do You Have Game? A Comparison of Leadership Skills of Two Collegiate Athletic Coaches

Leadership skills have been a predominant topic throughout literature as means to discover key influencers of success. A plethora of findings have emerged throughout different settings and time frames. Additionally, frameworks have been developed to determine which skills are associated with outcomes. Though these tools show positive opportunities for firms to advance, there is a need to determine if different facets of skills and behaviors can yield similar results. The following study looks at the leadership skills of two distinguished collegiate coaches to determine which leadership skills and behaviors are exhibited through the utilization of multiple leadership assessment models and rubrics.
Eye Movement Dysfunctions And Psychosis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses eye movement dysfunctions and psychosis. The two types of eye movements involved in the chapter are saccadic, or rapid eye movement, which occurs frequently each day and smooth pursuit or tracking movement, which responds to discrepancies between target and eye movements. Eye movement dysfunctions are noted in the tracking movements, which, in many psychotic patients, consist either in the complete replacement of smooth pursuit by a large saccade, or much more frequently, by smaller, persistent interruptions of smooth pursuit by rapid eye movements. The chapter separately examines the two components of nystagmus: the slow phase and the rapid or saccadic phase. Several sources of errors required evaluation, which included the effects of (1) drug treatments, (2) methods of recording eye movements, (3) methods of scoring and quantitative assessment, (4) effects of the task or of the characteristics of the target that the subject follows, (5) attentional and motivational variables, and (6) age.
Strategic water resources planning: A case study of Bangladesh

Many agrarian countries have heavily invested in large-scale water projects to promote their agricultural development. There have been, however, few attempts to devise strategic water resources planning accounting for the macroeconomic linkages ofagriculture. This article presents such a strategic water resourcesplanning framework for Bangladesh. First, a dynamic costminimization model is solved to compute the optimal investmentneeded in various water projects such that an agricultural growthtarget can be met. Next, the minimum cost solution is againderived accounting for the macroeconomic linkages of agriculture,which, under different macroeconomic scenarios, results innoticeably different policy implications for optimal waterplanning. These results suggest that the traditional sectoralapproaches of planning water investment projects are generallyinconsistent with the broader macroeconomic reality of Bangladesh.
RHO GTPASES in neuronal morphogenesis

The Rho family of small GTPases act as intracellular molecular switches that transduce signals from extracellular stimuli to the actin cytoskeleton and the nucleus. Recent evidence implicates Rho GTPases in the regulation of neuronal morphogenesis, including migration, polarity, axon growth and guidance, dendrite elaboration and plasticity, and synapse formation. Signalling pathways from membrane receptors to Rho GTPases and from Rho GTPases to the actin cytoskeleton are beginning to be discovered. Mutations in these signalling pathways have been reported in human neurological diseases, which underscores their importance in the development and function of the nervous system.
Direct Measurement of Spectral Phase for Ultrashort Laser Pulses Based on Intrapulse Interference

We present a method for the direct spectral phase measurement of ultrafast laser pulses. The second-derivative of the unknown spectral phase is revealed by the experimental 2D-contour plot and can be measured without mathematical manipulation.
Fatal acute selenium toxicity

Selenium is used widely in industry and as a dietary supplement. Reports of acute selenium toxicity are infrequent, however, and the relationship of toxicity to selenium concentrations in blood and tissues has not been established. We describe a patient who died eight days after ingesting selenious acid in the form of gun blueing. The patient's clinical course demonstrated many of the features of inorganic selenium toxicity described in animals; hypotension as a result of both vasodilation and decreased cardiac output, adult respiratory distress syndrome, severe myopathy which contributed to respiratory failure, and a garlicky odor to the breath. Four days after ingestion the serum selenium concentration was twenty times normal and urinary excretion seventy times normal. Postmortem tissue selenium concentrations were up to 40 times normal.
Sinusoid parameter estimation using the fast Fourier transform

The problem with using the FFT to do spectral estimation is that only a sampled version of the discrete Fourier transform of the input signal is provided. To do parameter estimation on a signal with frequency that does not appear at the output of the FFT, one has to perform spectral interpolation to approximate the original continuous spectrum. The author introduces a new interpolation scheme that allows the frequency and amplitude of a sinusoid to be estimated with high accuracy. The method is based on the fact that spectral convolution introduces spectral leakage that can be observed at the output of an FFT. With the minimum four-sample Blackman-Harris window, this method yields better results than the conventional parabola-fitting technique. The largest error occurs when the frequency is halfway between two frequency bins. Higher-order Taylor series could be used to improve the estimation in the range of 0.45 >
A fast carry propagation technique for parallel adders

A new technique is presented for the design of faster ripple-carry adders. Although this design is structurally inherited from the Manchester carry adder, it operates much faster and cuts down the propagation delay of the adder by close to 75 per cent. The main concept in this technique is the balance of charge throughout the nodes in the carry chain. This balance of charge, which is the consequence of selective pre-charging (SPC), causes the shifting of logic from 0 (or 1) to 1 (or 0) very quickly. The technique is implemented for a 4-bit adder module and the SPICE simulation results are compared with a similar Manchester carry adder. >
Socioeconomic Disparities and Air Pollution Exposure: a Global Review

The existing reviews and meta-analyses addressing unequal exposure of environmental hazards on certain populations have focused on several environmental pollutants or on the siting of hazardous facilities. This review updates and contributes to the environmental inequality literature by focusing on ambient criteria air pollutants (including NOx), by evaluating studies related to inequality by socioeconomic status (as opposed to race/ethnicity) and by providing a more global perspective. Overall, most North American studies have shown that areas where low-socioeconomic-status (SES) communities dwell experience higher concentrations of criteria air pollutants, while European research has been mixed. Research from Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world has shown a general trend similar to that of North America, but research in these parts of the world is limited.
Evidence that the transcription activator encoded by the Pseudomonas putida nahR gene is evolutionarily related to the transcription activators encoded by the Rhizobium nodD genes

The nahR gene of the 83-kilobase naphthalene degradation plasmid NAH7 of Pseudomonas putida encodes a 34-kilodalton polypeptide which binds to the nah and sal promoters to activate transcription of the degradation genes in response to the inducer salicylate. The DNA sequence of the nahR gene was determined, and a derived amino acid sequence of the NahR protein was obtained. A computer search for homologous proteins showed that within the first 124 amino-terminal residues, NahR has approximately 35% identity with the transcriptional activator proteins encoded by the nodD genes of Rhizobium species. Allowing for ultraconservative amino acid substitutions, greater than 47% overall similarity was found between NahR and NodD, while 32% similarity was found between NahR and another transcription activator, LysR of Escherichia coli. The region of greatest similarity among all three proteins contained a probable helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif as suggested by homology with the proposed consensus sequence for Cro-like DNA-binding domains. The high level of amino acid identity between NahR and NodD, in conjunction with the observations that nahR and nodD are 45% homologous in DNA sequence, are divergently transcribed from homologous promoters near the structural genes they control, and have similar DNA-binding sites, strongly suggests that these two genes evolved from a common ancestor.
Disclosure and Agency Conflict in Delegated Investment Management: Evidence from Mutual Fund Commission Bundling

This study provides empirical evidence on the role of disclosure in resolving agency conflicts in delegated investment management. For certain expenditures fund managers have alternative means of payment which differ greatly in their opacity: payments can be expensed (relatively transparent); or bundled with brokerage commissions (relatively opaque). We find that the return impact of opaque payments is significantly more negative than that of transparent payments. Moreover, we find a differential flow reaction that confirms the opacity of commission bundling. Collectively, our results demonstrate the importance of transparency in addressing agency costs of delegated investment management.
Up-regulation of dopamine D1-receptors in the brain of 28-day-old rats exposed to the delta (δ) opioid agonist SNC80 during the preweaning period

Abstract Twenty-eight-day-old rats exposed to the delta (δ) opioid receptor agonist SNC 80 during the preweaning period exhibited a significant increase in the density and apparent dissociation constant of striatal dopamine D1-receptors. There were no significant effects on the binding characteristics of striatal D2-receptors or on D1- or D2-receptors in the nucleus accumbens. The results suggest that δ-opioid receptor mechanisms might be involved in certain neurological changes observed in offspring of mother addicted to opioids during nursing.
A scaled mapping parabolic equation for sloping range-dependent environments

Parabolic equation solutions use various techniques for approximating range-dependent interfaces. One is a mapping approach [M. D. Collins et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1937–1942 (2000)] where at each range the domain is vertically translated so that sloping bathymetry becomes horizontal, and range dependence is transferred to the upper surface. In this paper, a scaled mapping is suggested where the domain is vertically distorted so that both the bathymetry and upper surface are horizontal. Accuracy is demonstrated for problems involving fluid sediments. Generalizations of the approach should be useful for environments with layer thicknesses that vary with range.
Quantification of fullerenes by LC/ESI-MS and its application to in vivo toxicity assays.

With production and use of carbon nanoparticles increasing, it is imperative that the toxicity of these materials be determined; yet such testing requires specific and selective analytical methodologies that do not yet exist. Quantitative liquid−liquid extraction was coupled with liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the quantitative determination of fullerenes from C60 to C98. Isotopically enriched, 13C60, was used as an internal standard. The method was applied to determine the loss of C60 from exposure water solution and uptake of C60 by embryonic zebrafish. The average recovery of C60 from zebrafish embryo extracts and 1% DMSO in aqueous-exposure solutions was 90 and 93%, respectively, and precision, as indicated by the relative standard deviation, was 2 and 7%, respectively. The method quantification limit was 0.40 μg/L and the detection limit was 0.02 μg/L. During the toxicological assay, loss of C60 due to sorption to test vials resulted in the reduction of exposure-so...
Environmental control of defensive reactions to footshock

Footshock given immediately after rats are placed in a strange inescapable environment produces no diminution in movement. However, if a brief exploration period is allowed before shock, freezing is the dominant defensive behavior seen. Thus, the topographical similarity of postshock reactions to unconditioned defensive behaviors elicited by a cat also involves a similar flight-to-freezing shift when the subject is permitted prior familiarization with the inescapable threat situation.
Pattern emergence and selection in crystal growth

Equations of motion for a steady solidification front are derived. Beyond threshold the stationary solutions exhibit a cellular structure. In dynamic simulations of the interface subjected to noise, the wave number is seen to change through strongly nonlinear events, leading to a unique final state. This state is located with the help of heuristic arguments.
A two-subunit histone complex from calf thymus.

Summary Studies by equilibrium ultracentrifugation demonstrate that a complex can form between histones f2al and f3. This two-subunit complex undergoes a concentration-dependent reversible association to a four-subunit complex. Less than 3% separate f2al or f3 is present under the conditions of this investigation. Non-denaturing methods have been used to isolate the f2al-f3 complex.
Biological Approaches to Bone Regeneration by Gene Therapy

Safe, effective approaches for bone regeneration are needed to reverse bone loss caused by trauma, disease, and tumor resection. Unfortunately, the science of bone regeneration is still in its infancy, with all current or emerging therapies having serious limitations. Unlike current regenerative therapies that use single regenerative factors, the natural processes of bone formation and repair require the coordinated expression of many molecules, including growth factors, bone morphogenetic proteins, and specific transcription factors. As will be developed in this article, future advances in bone regeneration will likely incorporate therapies that mimic critical aspects of these natural biological processes, using the tools of gene therapy and tissue engineering. This review will summarize current knowledge related to normal bone development and fracture repair, and will describe how gene therapy, in combination with tissue engineering, may mimic critical aspects of these natural processes. Current gene therapy approaches for bone regeneration will then be summarized, including recent work where combinatorial gene therapy was used to express groups of molecules that synergistically interacted to stimulate bone regeneration. Last, proposed future directions for this field will be discussed, where regulated gene expression systems will be combined with cells seeded in precise three-dimensional configurations on synthetic scaffolds to control both temporal and spatial distribution of regenerative factors. It is the premise of this article that such approaches will eventually allow us to achieve the ultimate goal of bone tissue engineering: to reconstruct entire bones with associated joints, ligaments, or sutures. Abbreviations used: BMP, bone morphogenetic protein; FGF, fibroblast growth factor; AER, apical ectodermal ridge; ZPA, zone of polarizing activity; PZ, progress zone; SHH, sonic hedgehog; OSX, osterix transcription factor; FGFR, fibroblast growth factor receptor; PMN, polymorphonuclear neutrophil; PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor; IGF, insulin-like growth factor; TGF-beta, tumor-derived growth factor beta; CAR, coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor; MLV, murine leukemia virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; AAV, adeno-associated virus; CAT, computer-aided tomography; CMV, cytomegalovirus; GAM, gene-activated matrix; MSC, marrow stromal cell; MDSC, muscle-derived stem cell; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.
Is there an association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and family history of depression

Abstract Background: To date, research examining the relationship between the serotonin transporter gene and depression has yielded both positive and negative results. This study will attempt to add further evidence to that body of literature by examining the relationship between the serotonin transporter gene and a family history of depression while controlling for a family history of completed suicide. Methods: Forty-seven volunteers responded to questionnaires regarding family history of depression and suicide, and provided buccal swabs to allow for analysis of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism. Results: Individuals with the s/s genotype were significantly more likely to have two or more first-degree relatives with a history of depression even when controlling for a family history of completed suicides. Limitations: The small sample size, particularly in the group of individuals with the s/s genotype, is a limitation of this study. Assessment of family history was conducted in abbreviated fashion. Information regarding participants’ personal history of depression and suicide was not collected, so no conclusions regarding participants’ own mental health can be drawn. Conclusions: A significant relationship between family history of depression and the s/s genotype was found, despite the small sample size and while controlling for family history of suicide. Whatever risk short alleles may confer for depression may be distinct from the risk they confer for suicidality.
New perspectives on paleoglaciology

Abstract Paleoglaciology deals with glaciation cycles of the Quaternary Ice Age. It combines the dynamics of present-day ice sheets deduced from glaciology with the history of former ice sheets deduced from glacial geology. Cosmogenic dating now makes a detailed chronology of a cycle possible. Radiocarbon dating has provided a detailed chronology for Termination of the last cycle, but cannot date how the cycle began. Here we identify the central challenge in applying paleoglaciology to Quaternary glaciation cycles in general, and initiation of these cycles in particular. The challenge is the role of thickening sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, possibly becoming thick ice shelves floating over deep Arctic basins and high marine ice sheets grounded on shallow Arctic continental shelves. In that case, an Arctic Ice Sheet existed that was larger and less stable than the Antarctic Ice Sheet is now or in the past. Two approaches to this problem are presented as Part 1 and Part 2. In Part 1, the height of these former ice sheets is linked primarily to the strength of ice-bed coupling, which is deduced from glacial geology. It provides “snapshots” of ice sheets that give ice elevations independent of the past history and largely independent of ice-surface conditions, temperatures and the mass balance in particular. In Part 2, heights of former ice sheets depend on both their past history, particularly initial conditions, and changing surface conditions during the glaciation cycle. This provides a “motion picture” of ice sheets during the full cycle. The challenge is to establish a “mind meld” of these two approaches. They allow new perspectives on paleoglaciology.
Microcrystalline Silicon Tunnel Junctions for Amorphous Silicon-Based Multijunction Solar Cells

The formation of tunnel junctions for applications in amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) based multijunction n-i-p solar cells has been studied using real time optics. The junction structure investigated in detail here consists of a thin ({approximately} 200 {angstrom}) layer of n-type microcrystalline silicon ({micro}c-Si:H) on top of an equally thin layer of p-type {micro}c-Si:H, the latter deposited on thick ({approximately} 2,000 {angstrom}) intrinsic a-Si:H. Such a structure has been optimized in an attempt to obtain single-phase {micro}c-Si:H with a high crystallite packing density and large grain size for both layers of the tunnel junction. They have explored the conditions under which grain growth is continuous across the p/n junction and conditions under which renucleation of n-layer grains can be ensured at the junction. one important finding of this study is that the optimum conditions for single-phase, high-density {micro}c-Si:H n-layers are different depending on whether the substrate is a {micro}c-Si:H p-layer or is a H{sub 2}-plasma treated or untreated a-Si:H i-layer. Thus, the top-most {micro}c-Si:H layer of the tunnel junction must be optimized in the multijunction device configuration, rather than in single cell configurations on a-Si:H i-layers. The observations are explained using an evolutionary phase diagram for a-Si:H and {micro}c-Si:H film growthmore » versus thickness and H{sub 2}-dilution ratio, in which the boundary between the two phases is strongly substrate-dependent.« less