cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human exposure estimation for 2,3,7,8-TCDD

Abstract Exposure assessment procedures have been developed using relevant and likely scenarios through which humans could be exposed to dioxin-contaminated soil. Five exposure pathways were chosen for analysis: dust inhalation, fish ingestion, dermal absorption, soil ingestion, and beef/dairy product ingestion. Equations for calculating exposure levels and associated cancer risks are presented, and factors describing contact rate, exposure duration, absorbed fraction and miscellaneous parameters for each pathway are discussed.
A PROBABILISTIC APPROACH TO THE TAILS OF INFINITELY DIVISIBLE LAWS

Consider an arbitrary non-degenerate infinitely divisible real random variable X. Usually this is described by the Levy formula for its characteristic function. For any t in the real line ℝ, we have $$ \begin{array}{*{20}c} {C(t)} \hfill & { = \,E\,\exp (iXt)} \hfill \\ {\,} & {= \,\exp \,\{ i\theta t\, - \,\frac{{\sigma ^2 }}{2}t^2} \hfill \\ {\,} & {+ \,\int\limits_{ - \infty }^0 {\left( {e^{ixt} \, - \,1\, - \,\frac{{ixt}} {{1\, + \,x^2 }}} \right)\,dL\left( x \right)\, + \,\int\limits_0^\infty {\left( {e^{ixt} \, - \,1\, - \,\frac{{ixt}} {{1\, + \,x^2 }}} \right)\,dR\left( x \right)} \} ,}} \\ \end{array}$$ where θ є ℝ and σ ≥ 0 are uiquely determined constants and L and R are uniquely determined left-continuous and right-continuous functions (the so-called Levy measures) on (−∞,0) and (0, ∞), respectively, that is L(·) and R(·) are non- decreasing functions such that L(−·) = 0 = R(·) and $$ \int_{ - \in }^0 {x^2 dL\left( x \right)\, + \,\int_0^ \in {x^2 } \,dR\left( x \right)\, \,0.}$$ (1.1)
Cdc42 Regulates the Restoration of Endothelial Barrier Function

The mechanisms involved in the restoration of endothelial cell junctions subsequent to barrier disruption remain unclear. It is known that formation of adherens junctions (AJs) affects cytoskeletal actin arrangement and that Rho GTPases regulate the state of actin polymerization. In the present study, we examined the role of the Rho GTPases, Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 in the reannealing of AJs. We studied the response to thrombin, which increases endothelial permeability through disassembly of AJs, followed by recovery of barrier function through junctional reannealing within 2 hours. Cdc42 was activated late, at approximately 1 hour after thrombin exposure, concurrent with its translocation from the cytoplasm to the membrane. Activation and translocation of Cdc42 preceded the reformation of AJs. Expression of the dnCdc42 mutant (N17Cdc42) significantly delayed the reformation of the VE-cadherin-containing AJs and restoration of endothelial barrier function. We also studied the lung microcirculation to address the in vivo relevance of Cdc42 signaling in barrier restoration. N17Cdc42 expression in the mouse lung endothelium markedly attenuated the endothelial barrier recovery after the permeability increase induced by activation of the thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor-1. These findings demonstrate the critical function of Cdc42 in restoring AJ-dependent, endothelial cell homotypic adhesion and barrier function. The delayed activation of Cdc42 represents a negative-feedback mechanism that signals AJ reassembly after the increase in endothelial permeability induced by inflammatory mediators such as thrombin.
Digital compression of echocardiographic images: is it viable?

The degree of information loss by compression of echocardiographic images utilizing the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) baseline system was evaluated using objective fidelity criteria. Standard echocardiograms were acquired digitally in real-time and stored on optical disk. 180 still frame images were processed in software using 5 preset quantization tables yielding average compression ratios of 7:1, 10:1, 17:1, 30:1 and 36:1. Objective parameters evaluated include the root mean square error (RMSE), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), difference image mean and maximal pixel value shift. The mean pixel values and standard deviations of all images over all levels of compression were very similar. Even for ratios as high as 35:1, no significant bias was introduced in the pixel intensity values. Average RMSE ranged from 1.27 to 7.89 while average SNR ranged from 38.81 to 22.93. The data shows that JPEG compression at high ratios does not significantly alter objective image content and is a potential solution for reducing digital storage requirements. >
The Strong Story Hypothesis and the Directed Perception Hypothesis

I ask why humans are smarter than other primates, and I hypothesize that an important part of the answer lies in what I call the Strong Story Hypothesis, which holds that story telling and understanding have a central role in human intelligence. Next, I introduce another hypothesis, the Driven Perception Hypothesis, which holds that we derive much of our commonsense, including the commonsense required in story understanding, by deploying our perceptual apparatus on real and imagined events. Then, after discussing methodology, I describe the representations and methods embodied in the Genesis system, a story-understanding system that analyzes stories ranging from precis of Shakespeare's plots to descriptions of conflicts in cyberspace. The Genesis system works with short story summaries, provided in English, together with low-level commonsense rules and higher-level reflection patterns, likewise expressed in English. Using only a small collection of commonsense rules and reflection patterns, Genesis demonstrates several story-understanding capabilities, such as determining that both Macbeth and the 2007 Russia-Estonia Cyberwar involve revenge, even though neither the word revenge nor any of its synonyms are mentioned. Finally, I describe Rao's Visio-Spatial Reasoning System, a system that recognizes activities such as approaching, jumping, and giving, and answers commonsense questions posed by Genesis.
Comparative analysis of the ability of Clostridium clariflavum strains and Clostridium thermocellum to utilize hemicellulose and unpretreated plant material.

Background: Among themophilic consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) candidate organisms, environmental isolates of Clostridium clariflavum have demonstrated the ability to grow on xylan, and the genome of C. clariflavum DSM 19732 has revealed a number of mechanisms that foster solubilization of hemicellulose that are distinctive relative to the model cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum. Results: Growth experiments on xylan, xylooligosaccharides, and xylose reveal that C. clariflavum strains are able to completely break down xylan to xylose and that the environmental strain C. clariflavum sp. 4-2a is able to grow on monomeric xylose. C. clariflavum strains were able to utilize a larger proportion of unpretreated switchgrass, and solubilize a higher proportion of glucan, xylan, and arabinan, with strain 4-2a reaching the highest extent of solubilization of these components (64.7 to 69.4%) compared to C. thermocellum (29.5 to 42.5%). In addition, glycome immunoanalyses of residual plant biomass reveal differences in the extent of degradation of easily accessible xylans, with C. clariflavum strains having increased solubilization of this fraction of xylans relative to C. thermocellum. Conclusions: C. clariflavum strains exhibit higher activity than C. thermocellum in the breakdown of hemicellulose and are capable of degrading xylan to xylooligomers and xylose. This capability seems to also play a role in the higher levels of utilization of unpretreated plant material.
On the Application of Stress Triaxiality Formula for Plane Strain Fracture Testing

Theoretical and experimental studies have shown that stress triaxiality is the key parameter controlling the magnitude of the fracture strain. Smooth and notched round bar specimens are mostly often used to quantify the effect of stress triaxiality on ductile fracture strain. There is a mounting evidence (Bai and Wierzbicki, 2008, "A New Model of Metal Plasticity and Fracture With Pressure and Lode Dependence," Int. J. Plast., 24(6), pp. 1071-1096) that, in addition to the stress triaxiality, the normalized third deviatoric stress invariant (equivalent to the Lode angle parameter) should also be included in characterization of ductile fracture. The calibration using round notched bars covers only a small range of possible stress states. Plane strain fracture tests provide additional important data. Following Bridgman's stress analysis inside the necking of a plane strain specimen, a closed-form solution is derived for the stress triaxiality inside the notch of a flat-grooved plane strain specimen. The newly derived formula is verified by finite element simulations. The range of stress triaxiality in round notched bars and flat-grooved specimens is similar, but the values of the Lode angle parameter are different. These two groups of tests are therefore very useful in constructing a general 3D fracture locus. The results of experiments and numerical simulations on 1045 and DH36 steels have proved the applicability of the closed-form solution and have demonstrated the effect of the Lode angle parameter on the fracture locus.
TCP-Stream reassembly and state tracking in hardware

In this paper we consider a new approach to network intrusion detection. Conventional network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) are software based. We propose to selectively implement portions of the functionality of a state-of-the-art software NIDS in reconfigurable hardware. This increases performance even under hostile loads and will enable efficient intrusion detection in future multi-gigabit networks. Specifically, we consider the problem of TCP-stream reassembly. We present a high-performance TCP stream reassembly and state tracking module targeted for incorporation into an agile reconfigurable network interface based on Xilinx Virtex technology.
An intramolecular t-SNARE complex functions in vivo without the syntaxin NH2-terminal regulatory domain.

Membrane fusion in the secretory pathway is mediated by SNAREs (located on the vesicle membrane [v-SNARE] and the target membrane [t-SNARE]). In all cases examined, t-SNARE function is provided as a three-helix bundle complex containing three ∼70–amino acid SNARE motifs. One SNARE motif is provided by a syntaxin family member (the t-SNARE heavy chain), and the other two helices are contributed by additional t-SNARE light chains. The syntaxin family is the most conformationally dynamic group of SNAREs and appears to be the major focus of SNARE regulation. An NH2-terminal region of plasma membrane syntaxins has been assigned as a negative regulatory element in vitro. This region is absolutely required for syntaxin function in vivo. We now show that the required function of the NH2-terminal regulatory domain (NRD) of the yeast plasma membrane syntaxin, Sso1p, can be circumvented when t-SNARE complex formation is made intramolecular. Our results suggest that the NRD is required for efficient t-SNARE complex formation and does not recruit necessary scaffolding factors.
Emerging infections: a perpetual challenge

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and their determinants, have recently attracted substantial scientific and popular attention. HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome, H5N1 avian influenza, and many other emerging diseases have either proved fatal or caused international alarm. Common and interactive co-determinants of disease emergence, including population growth, travel, and environmental disruption, have been increasingly documented and studied. Are emerging infections a new phenomenon related to modern life, or do more basic determinants, transcending time, place, and human progress, govern disease generation? By examining a number of historically notable epidemics, we suggest that emerging diseases, similar in their novelty, impact, and elicitation of control responses, have occurred throughout recorded history. Fundamental determinants, typically acting in concert, seem to underlie their emergence, and infections such as these are likely to continue to remain challenges to human survival.
Betweenness centrality measures for directed graphs

This paper generalizes Freeman’s geodesic centrality measures for betweenness on undirected graphs to the more general directed case. Four steps are taken. The point centrality measure is first generalized for directed graphs. Second, a unique maximally centralized graph is defined for directed graphs, holding constant the numbers of points with reciprocatable (incoming and outgoing) versus only unreciprocatable (outgoing only or incoming only) arcs, and focusing the measure on the maximally central arrangement of arcs within these constraints. Alternatively, one may simply normalize on the number of arcs. This enables the third step of defining the relative behveenness centralities of a point, independent of the number of points. This normalization step for directed centrality measures removes Gould’s objection that centrality measures for directed graphs are not interpretable because they lack a standard for maximality. The relative directed centrality converges with Freeman’s betweenness measure in the case of undirected graphs with no isolates. The fourth step is to define the measures of this concept of graph centralization in terms of the dominance of the most central point.
Robustness of the two-sample t-test umdeh violations of the homogeneity of farjance assumptioi

When the two-sample t-test has equal sample slies, it is widely considered to be a robust procedure (with respect to the significaoce level) under violatioa of the assuaptioo of equal variances. This paper is coa-earned with a quantification of the amount of robustness which this procedure has under such violations, The approach is through the concept of "religion of robustness" and the resluts show an extremely strong degree of robustness for the equal an extremely strong degree of robustness for the equal sample size t-test, probably more so than most statistyicians realise. This extremely high level of robustness, however, reduces quickly as the sample sizes begin to vary from equality. The regions of robustnes obtained show that while most users would likely be satisfied with the degree of robustness inherent when the two sample sizes each vary by 10% from equality, most would wish to be much more cautions when the variation is 20%. The study covers sample sizes n1 -= n 2 = 5(5)30(10)50 plus 10% and 2...
Procedure for symmetric orientation of hot-wire probes.

A quick and simple procedure was developed for setting the sensing elements of an X‐hot wire probe to be symmetric to the mean flow direction. The angle that the probe axis makes with the mean flow direction is changed until a properly conditioned voltage is maximized. This procedure does not require the rather restrictive assumptions of matched linear wire sensitivities, symmetric were orientations to the probe’s axis, wire mutual perpendicularity, or known mean flow direction. After the mean flow direction is determined, the linear sensitivities are matched and the probe is calibrated.
Beginning teacher curriculum decision making, personal teaching metaphors, and teacher education

Abstract To explore the relationship between curriculum and teacher development two parallel case studies of beginning English teachers were conducted. Comparisons are made between the two teachers' experience and implications drawn for teacher education. It is suggested that increased emphasis on four types of knowledge may have facilitated the teachers' efforts to negotiate satisfying teacher roles: content specific pedagogical knowledge; knowledge of the relationship between curriculum and teacher role; self; and teacher development.
Numerical modeling of loss mechanisms resulting from the distributed emitter effect in concentrator solar cells

Power loss associated with lateral current flow in solar cell emitter layers is known to cause fill-factor degradation. In this work, a unique approach to modeling the lateral current flow in solar cell emitter layers is developed using MATLAB™ and current-generation models based upon one-dimensional detailed numerical cell models. An example is employed to illustrate the high degree of accuracy of this approach and that in addition to joule losses in the emitter layer and conducting electrodes, a third loss mechanism, which is the result of the potential gradient across the cell surface, also plays an important role. The relationship between these loss mechanisms is explored over a wide range of concentrations under both uniform and non-uniform illumination for the example cell.
HOW I SEE PHILOSOPHY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY AND BEYOND

: This article raises some questions about the relevance and value of philosophy at present and suggests some ways in which philosophy can become relevant again. It challenges philosophers to become more actively engaged in the world and to restore Western philosophy's original vision of “love of wisdom,” a value sorely lacking in the present-day world and abandoned by much of contemporary Western philosophy. The pursuit of wisdom would involve the quest for sound judgment and synoptic insights regarding the ends humankind should strive to realize, including moral visions to help Homo sapiens emerge from the atavistic jungle. It would also involve sound judgment regarding the proper means for the attainment of these desirable ends. For these things to be possible, philosophy would need to draw upon humankind's collective wisdom in philosophy, religion, and myth, and on advances in scientific knowledge, thereby gaining an ever-deeper understanding of ourselves and of our place in the cosmos.
A GluR1-cGKII Interaction Regulates AMPA Receptor Trafficking

Trafficking of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) is regulated by specific interactions of the subunit intracellular C-terminal domains (CTDs) with other proteins, but the mechanisms involved in this process are still unclear. We have found that the GluR1 CTD binds to cGMP-dependent protein kinase II (cGKII) adjacent to the kinase catalytic site. Binding of GluR1 is increased when cGKII is activated by cGMP. cGKII and GluR1 form a complex in the brain, and cGKII in this complex phosphorylates GluR1 at S845, a site also phosphorylated by PKA. Activation of cGKII by cGMP increases the surface expression of AMPARs at extrasynaptic sites. Inhibition of cGKII activity blocks the surface increase of GluR1 during chemLTP and reduces LTP in the hippocampal slice. This work identifies a pathway, downstream from the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) and nitric oxide (NO), which stimulates GluR1 accumulation in the plasma membrane and plays an important role in synaptic plasticity.
4‐Benzyloxazolidine‐2‐thione

[145588-94-9] C10H11NOS (MW 193.27) InChI = 1/C10H11NOS/c13-10-11-9(7-12-10)6-8-4-2-1-3-5-8/h1-5,9H,6-7H2,(H,11,13)/f/h11H InChIKey = WJSUXYCBZFLXIK-WXRBYKJCCW (versatile chiral auxiliary for asymmetric aldol and other asymmetric enolate reactions) Solubility: soluble in dichloromethane and tetrahydrofuran, low solubility in hexanes. Form Supplied in: colorless oil.
Lifetime stress experience: transgenerational epigenetics and germ cell programming

The transgenerational epigenetic programming involved in the passage of environmental exposures to stressful periods from one generation to the next has been examined in human populations, and mechanistically in animal models. Epidemiological studies suggest that gestational exposures to environmental factors including stress are strongly associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders. Both maternal and paternal life experiences with stress can be passed on to offspring directly during pregnancy or through epigenetic marks in the germ cell. Animal models of parental stress have examined relevant offspring phenotypes and transgenerational outcomes, and provided unique insight into the germ cell epigenetic changes associated with disruptions in neurodevelopment. Understanding germline susceptibility to exogenous signals during stress exposure and the identification of the types of epigenetic marks is critical for defining mechanisms underlying disease risk.
Structurally Characterized Transition-Metal Phosphine Complexes of Relevance to Catalytic Reactions

A catalytic reaction that occurs under homogeneous conditions can be probed by spectroscopic and kinetic methods, but hardly by crystallographic techniques. Why then include in a book concerned with homogeneous catalysis a chapter on the structures of isolable transition-metal phosphine complexes? There are several answers. One is that such structures provide details, albeit indirectly, on the substrate-metal interaction that occurs in such a reaction. How this interaction is affected by the nature of the metal and its ligands can be probed macroscopically by kinetic measurements; it can also be probed at the molecular level in a qualitative way by spectroscopic methods. But if one seeks metrical details about the interaction, then one must turn to diffraction studies on stable, isolable analogues of the original system. Of course, one must employ spectroscopic methods to establish that the analogue is indeed a good model for the temporal species in the catalytic reaction. A second answer is that such structural information is an aid to the formulation of reaction schemes, some of which are based on minimal data. In such schemes there frequently are proposed intermediates of new or unusual structures. Known structures may serve as a basis for such speculation. Sometimes, of course, a scheme may precede the isolation and characterization of a new structural type. In such instances the ensuing characterization of a useful analogue supports the credibility (or perhaps minimizes the incredibility) of the scheme.
Euskaldun Andreak: Basque Women as Hard Workers, Hoteleras, and Matriarchs

Analysis of the role of women in the Basque ethnic boarding houses of the early twentieth and late nineteenth centuries. Appeared in a edited text discussing women's role in the settlement of the West and including various ethnic and cultural adaptations to life in the West.
Falsely Decreased Total Serum Calcium Concentration Associated With Iron Dextran Injection

We cared for a patient in whom iron dextran administration interfered with the determination of total serum calcium concentration. An unexpected elevation in serum phosphorus concentration also occurred after the iron dextran infusion. A MEDLINE search from 1966 to present was conducted, and the manufacturer of the iron dextran was contacted for information related to these findings. Several drugs and diseases were found that may decrease serum calcium and increase phosphorus concentrations. We found one anecdotal citation of iron dextran interfering with serum calcium concentrations, but no reports of interference with serum phosphorus concentrations. Doses of iron dextran in excess of 250 mg may cause a false decrease in total calcium concentration more than 4 hours after the infusion is completed. A false increase in serum phosphorus concentrations after the infusion requires further investigation.
A long open reading frame in the mitochondrial LSU rRNA group-I intron of Cryphonectria parasitica encodes a putative S5 ribosomal protein fused to a maturase

A 4238-bp intervening sequence within the highly conserved U11 region of the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA gene of the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica Ep155 has been sequenced and identified to be a group-I intron. This is the largest group-I intron reported to-date for fungal mitochondrial genomes. The intron contains an 851-codon open reading frame encoding a putative, but complete, small-subunit ribosomal protein of 510 amino acids which is fused at its carboxyl terminus to a 311 amino-acid polypeptide representing a typical maturase-like protein. A short open reading frame of 83 amino acids with some similarity to maturases, but lacking a translation-initiation codon, was also noted at the 3' end of the intron. The unusual size of the intron and the arrangement of the open and truncated reading frames suggest that this segment of the mtDNA of C. parasitica has arisen by a fusion of components from two or more different introns, possibly involving the re-location of intronic genes.
Perfectly Regioregular Electroactive Polyolefins: Impact of Inter-Chromophore Distance on PLED EQE

Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization (ADMET) was used to synthesize a series of perfectly regioregular polyolefins, in which the number of backbone atoms between pendant terfluorene groups was precisely controlled at 8, 14, or 20 carbons. Analogous random copolymers containing identical chromophore densities were also synthesized to study the impact of regioregularity on the performance of this class of materials in polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs). Additionally, the backbone alkene remnants of ADMET were saturated to generate materials with somewhat different ordering. These saturated derivatives led to improvements in PLED external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) over their unsaturated analogues in most cases, with a large improvement in one material. Charge mobility, as manifested in current density during PLED characterization, and relative solid-state fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF) also exhibit reasonable dependencies, with longer distances between electroactive groups yielding lower PLED curren...
Is There a Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Fluoroscopy Time During Sacroiliac Joint Injection? A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Objective. To determine the relationship between BMI and fluoroscopy time during intra-articular sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injections performed for a pain indication. Design. Multicenter retrospective cohort study. Setting . Three academic, outpatient pain treatment centers. Subjects . Patients who underwent fluoroscopy guided SIJ injection with encounter data regarding fluoroscopy time during the procedure and body mass index (BMI). Main Outcome Measure. Median and 25–75% Interquartile Range (IQR) fluoroscopy time. Results . 459 SIJ injections (350 patients) were included in this study. Patients had a median age of 57 (IQR 44, 70) years, and 72% were female. The median BMI in the normal weight, overweight, and obese groups were 23 (IQR 21, 24), 27 (IQR 26, 29), and 35 (IQR 32, 40), respectively. There was no significant difference in the median fluoroscopy time recorded between these BMI classes (p = 0.45). First-time SIJ injection (p = 0.53), bilateral injection (p = 0.30), trainee involvement (p = 0.47), and new trainee involvement (trainee participation during the first 2 months of the academic year) (p = 0.85) were not associated with increased fluoroscopy time for any of the three BMI categories. Conclusions. Fluoroscopy time during sacroiliac joint injection is not increased in patients who are overweight or obese, regardless of whether a first-time sacroiliac joint injection was performed, bilateral injections were performed, a trainee was involved, or a new trainee was involved.
Analysis of wireless and catenary power transfer systems for electric vehicle range extension on rural highways

This paper analyzes two different transportation electrification charging schemes, i.e., an embedded wireless power transfer system and an overhead catenary wire system, for use in range extension of electric vehicles on rural highways. The efficiency, feasibility, and benefits of the two schemes are examined. Electric vehicles currently lack widespread popularity mainly due to battery limitations, especially for long distance travel. The rural highway charging methods presented here can greatly increase the range of electric vehicles while decreasing battery sizes. Average modeling approaches for power electronics and vehicle usage were developed in MATLAB/Simulink to compare the two systems, each at two power levels. 30 kW and 48 kW were chosen to demonstrate the differences between power levels both capable of maintaining a positive net charge on a dynamic electric vehicle. Component efficiencies, energy transfer levels, and installation percentages for the various models were determined. The models were applied to California highway I-5 to show immense potential savings over gasoline vehicles. It was shown that catenary charging is cheaper and has higher energy transfer than wireless; however, it has difficulty servicing all vehicle types, has visible wires, and requires more maintenance.
Oviposition choice and larval performance of Neomusotima conspurcatalis on leaflet types of the invasive fern, Lygodium microphyllum

Lygodium microphyllum (Cavanilles) R Brown (Lygodiaceae), Old World climbing fern, invades wildlands in central and southern Florida, USA, and causes considerable habitat disturbance. Efforts to develop an effective biological control strategy have focused on several folivorous insects and a leaf-galling mite from southeast Asia and Australia. Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a foliage-feeding moth that specializes on Lygodium species. First released in 2008, N. conspurcatalis successfully established in Florida and is dispersing throughout the L. microphyllum-invaded range. We investigated whether N. conspurcatalis display any preference (oviposition or larval feeding) between two leaflet morphologies, i.e., fertile spore-producing vs. sterile leaflets. Furthermore, we examined whether oviposition and no-choice diets on either fern leaflet type conferred any possible selective advantages (e.g., weight, emergence success) to the offspring. Finally, we analyzed leaf nitrogen and carbon content and leaf volatiles to gauge differences between the leaflet types. In choice and no-choice scenarios, larvae consume approximately the same amount of leaf area and display no preference between fertile and sterile leaflets. However, females deposited significantly more eggs on fertile than on sterile leaflets. Oviposition choice had no effect on larval development times, pupal weights, or successful eclosure. Nitrogen and carbon content did not differ between fertile and sterile samples, but sterile leaflets contain more 1-octen-3-ol, which may act as an herbivory deterrent. The propagule attack imposed by N. conspurcatalis feeding on fertile leaflets is unlikely to provide adequate control, but could be beneficial as part of a suite of biological control agents and other control methods.
Robust Power Flow Control of Grid-Connected Inverters

In this paper, an uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE)-based robust power flow control is developed for grid-connected inverters to achieve accurate power delivery to the grid. The model of power delivering with both frequency dynamics and voltage dynamics is derived at first. The UDE method is introduced into the controller design to deal with model uncertainties (e.g., output impedance and power angle), coupling effects, and external disturbances (e.g., the fluctuation of the dc-link voltage, the variation of output impedance/line impedance, and the variations of both frequency and amplitude in the grid voltage). Also, this controller does not need a voltage regulator or a current regulator and is easy for the implementation and parameter tuning through the design of the desired tracking error dynamics and the UDE filters. Experimental results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed method for different disturbance rejection scenarios, the low-voltage fault-ride through capability, and the weak grid operation capability. The good robustness of the UDE-based control is also demonstrated through the comparison with two other controllers: the proportional–integral controller and the active disturbance rejection controller.
Managing Pain Before It Manages You

Development of self-management techniques is a hallmark of effectively treating chronic pain. Now in its 4th edition, Margaret Caudill's Managing Pain Before It Manages You provides an exceptional ...
Analyzing the Just War Frame

At the simplest and most fundamental level, the importance I attribute to the just war frame is due to the unconscious appeal of the just war tradition within the Western liberal imagination. There is no comparable logic and set of ideas available to those in positions of authority in Western liberal societies who wish to forge a shared understanding of the conditions making a resort to war legitimate, the actors or conditions making that resort to war necessary, why it is the best course of action, and ultimately why all members of the society in question should support the decision (Kennedy, 2006). Indeed, the extent to which American decision-makers, opinion-leaders, and the public at-large automatically and reflexively draw upon the language and logic of the just war as a heuristic device when war enters the realm of the possible is striking, and speaks to this point (Hudson, 2009).
Using mutational load in next generation sequencing (NGS) to identify mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in colorectal cancer (CRC).

3565 Background: NCCN guidelines recommend screening all CRC patients diagnosed at age ≤ 70 years and those > 70 who meet Bethesda Criteria with either immunohistochemistry (IHC) for MMR protein ex...
Revisiting Financial Issues and Marriage

This chapter examines research pertaining to the association between financial issues and marriage. The majority of the research reviewed was published after 2008. These studies show that financial issues relate to marriage formation, marital quality, and marital stability (i.e., divorce). Specifically, financial stability is associated with a greater likelihood of marriage. Further, behaviors that financial practitioners would label “sound financial management” are positively associated with marital quality and stability. For example, longitudinal studies found that consumer debt was positively associated with divorce whereas financial assets were negatively associated with divorce. Studies have also found that financial arguments create worse relationship outcomes for couples than other types of disagreements. Because this area of research has been investigated for less than 30 years, this chapter also identifies areas that need further research including gender, diversity, and class issues.
Gallstone ileus associated with impaction at Meckel’s diverticulum: Case report and literature review

Gallstone ileus due to erosion of one or more gallstones into the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction. The site of impaction is usually distal ileum, and less commonly the jejunum, colon, duodenum, or stomach. We report a rare case of gallstone ileus with impaction at the proximal small bowel and at a Meckel's diverticulum (MD) in a 64-year-old woman managed with laparoscopic converted to open small bowel resections. Patient was discharged home in stable condition and remained asymptomatic at 6-mo follow up. We review the current literature on surgical approaches to MD and gallstone ileus. Diverticulectomy or segmental resection is preferred for complicated MD. For gallstone ileus, simple enterolithotomy or segmental resection are the most the most favored especially in older co-morbid patients due to lower mortality rates and the rarity of recurrent gallstone ileus. In addition, laparoscopy has been increasingly reported as a safe approach to manage gallstone ileus.
Slashing university education: Women’s academic crime fiction in Thatcher’s Britain:

This essay analyzes Margaret Thatcher’s higher education policies and their impact on women, in particular, in order to examine the rise of British women’s academic crime fiction during and immediately following her tenure as Prime Minister. Looking closely at novels published between 1985 and 1999, the essay concludes that British women writers internalized the political conflicts and cutbacks initiated by the Thatcher government as the metaphorical ‘death’ of the British higher education system.
Design of a Compact Log-Periodic Dipole Array Using T-Shaped Top Loadings

A compact log-periodic dipole array (LPDA) is presented with size-reduced dipole elements. With T-shaped top loading, the length of individual dipole elements is reduced by 45% compared to that of λ/2-dipole elements. The compact LPDA is simulated and fabricated for measurement verification. The measured 10-dB impedance bandwidth is 87.3%, and the average realized gain in the direction of the shortest dipole is 5.1 dBi over the operating bandwidth.
Patterns of use and factors associated with early discontinuation of opioids following major trauma

Abstract Background Inappropriate use of prescription opioids is a growing public-health issue. We sought to estimate the proportion of traumatic injury patients using legal prescription opioids up to 1-year after hospitalization. Methods We used 2006–2014 claims data from TRICARE insurance to identify adults hospitalized secondary to trauma between 2007 and 2013. Prescription opioid use was evaluated for one-year post-discharge. Risk-adjusted Cox Proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate predictors of opioid discontinuation. Results Only 1% of patients sustained legal prescription opioid use at 1-year following trauma. Lower socioeconomic status (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.98) and higher injury severity (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84–0.91) were associated with sustained use. Younger patients (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.21) and Black patients (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04–1.15) were found to have a higher likelihood of opioid discontinuation. Conclusions In this population, adult patients who sustained trauma were not at high risk of sustained legal prescription opioid use.
Six-Month Visit

Mrs. McDoungh brings her son Jimmy into the pediatric clinic for his 6-month checkup. Jimmy’s weight is 8.5 kg (18.7 lb) (75th percentile), his length is 68 cm (27.2 in.) (75th percentile), and his head circumference is 43.4 cm (17.36 in.) (75th percentile). Jimmy’s anterior fontanel is still open, with no overriding sutures palpated. He has doubled his birth weight (at birth 3.8 kg–8.36 lb) and is exclusively breastfed. The mother is concerned about starting solid foods. She has a friend whose baby has allergies and the mother thinks she should only breastfeed to prevent Jimmy from getting allergies. He is turning over from back to front and front to back and likes rolling. He plays with rattles, shaking them in his hands and putting them in his mouth. Mrs. McDoungh notices that Jimmy sometimes rolls under the table. Jimmy has eight wet diapers a day and soft stools twice a day. He is down to two naps daily and makes sounds such as ba and da. When playing with objects, he shakes and bangs them. Mrs. McDoungh is starting to play peekaboo with Jimmy. She wonders if she uses a walker with him whether he will begin to walk sooner. Jimmy also likes to be read picture books that rhyme.
Acousto-electric tomography

Although the electric impedance of biological tissues is highly sensitive to their physiological and pathological status, pure electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has very poor spatial resolution. We invented acousto-electric tomography (AET) to image the electric impedance properties of biological tissues with high spatial resolution. AET is based on acousto-electric modulation, which is the localized variation in conductivity produced by a focused ultrasonic wave. It combines the contrast advantage of EIT and the resolution advantage of ultrasound imaging. The spatial resolution of AET is primarily defined by the size of the ultrasonic focal spot. Therefore, the resolution is much better than that of EIT, and it is scalable with the acoustic parameters. The contrast of AET is determined by the combination of three factors: the electric impedance, the media dependent modulation coefficient, and the acoustic properties. Unlike EIT, AET forms images directly without resorting to inverse algorithms. And unlike traditional ultrasonography, AET is free of speckles.
The Ordeal and the Constitution

Bernard Bailyn's The Ordeal of Thomas Hutchinson demonstrated that losers provide a method to recover the historical reality of people who did not know which political and constitutional arguments ...
Safety vs. Surveillance: What Children Have to Say about Mobile Apps for Parental Control

Mobile applications ("apps") developed to promote online safety for children are underutilized and rely heavily on parental control features that monitor and restrict their child's mobile activities. This asymmetry in parental surveillance initiates an interesting research question -- how do children themselves feel about such parental control apps? We conducted a qualitative analysis of 736 reviews of 37 mobile online safety apps from Google Play that were publicly posted and written by children (ages 8-19). Our results indicate that child ratings were significantly lower than that of parents with 76% of the child reviews giving apps a single star. Children felt that the apps were overly restrictive and invasive of their personal privacy, negatively impacting their relationships with their parents. We relate these findings with HCI literature on mobile online safety, including broader literature around privacy and surveillance, and outline design opportunities for online safety apps.
Effects of acute intradialytic exercise on cardiovascular responses in hemodialysis patients

Background In patients with kidney failure requiring hemodialysis (HD) treatment, intradialytic exercise (IDEX) has been advocated for its feasibility and effectiveness in improving important health outcomes. However, IDEX as an adjunct therapeutic strategy is infrequently implemented, in part due to potential risks of IDEX, especially in patients with chronic volume overload. This study was performed to evaluate the safety of IDEX performed at different time points by examining its effect on intradialytic cardiovascular hemodynamics. Methods In a randomized cross-over study (n = 12), intradialytic changes in brachial, aortic, and cardiac hemodynamics and autonomic function were examined during a HD session; (1) without exercise; (2) with 30 min of IDEX performed in the first hour of treatment; or (3) with 30 min of IDEX in the third hour of treatment. Results IDEX during either the first or third hour did not exacerbate hemodynamic instability during treatment regardless of patient's hydrations status. While there were transient increases in stroke volume, cardiac output, and heart rate during IDEX, intradialytic changes in brachial and aortic blood pressure, cardiac hemodynamics, and autonomic function were similar on days with and without IDEX. Conclusion These results indicate that IDEX does not exacerbate hemodynamic instability during HD, regardless of a patient's hydration status or the timing of exercise.
Charged Micelles in Surfactant-Water-Nonaqueous Liquid Systems

Electrical transient techniques were used to study conduction processes and surfactant aggregation in low conductivity dielectric liquids containing surfactant and water. Dependence of the transient conduction on electric field, cell thickness, water and surfactant concentrations, electrode materials, temperature and impurities was determined. Charged species are likely inverted micelles of surfactant and water molecules. In Aerosol OT+water+m-xylene system with surfactant concentrations below 10 mM and water concentration extrapolated to zero, the mobility of charged micelles is 1.2 × 10-8 m2/Vsec and the corresponding micellar diameter with one electron charge per micelle is 22A. The degree of ionization is very low relative to aqueous systems. The fraction of ionized species is in part per million range with respect to concentration of surfactant or water molecules.
The beta-phaseolin 5' matrix attachment region acts as an enhancer facilitator.

MARs found flanking the β-phaseolin gene (phas) were tested for insulating activity in an enhancer blocking assay. True insulators should block enhancer dependent expression of a reporter gene when placed between the enhancer and a promoter. Insertion of phas 3′ MAR or coding sequences lowered CaMV 35S enhancer driven GUS expression from the phas basal promoter, indicating a distance dependence of the 35S enhancer. 5′ MAR or 5′ MAR core fragments could not act as independent enhancers when fused to the phas basal promoter, and did not lower expression when inserted in the enhancer blocking assay construct, indicating that they facilitated 35S enhancer expression at a distance when located between the enhancer and the promoter.
Gender Effects in a Russian and American Matched-Guise Study: A Sociolinguistic Comparison

L'A. analyse dans cet article les prejuges linguistiques, dans une etude comparative entre la langue russe et anglo-americaine, dans le contexte historique de l'apres Guerre Froide. Il examine plus particulierement les divergences entre l'ideologie et la pratique sociale actuelle dans le rapport entre la langue et la differenciation sexuelle homme/femme. Pour observer de tels faits, l'A. procede a des tests, consistant en l'ecoute par des juges hommes/femmes, russes/americains, d'enregistrement sonores representatifs de divers registres ou varietes de langue (standard, soutenu, dialecte,...) dans leurs langues respectives. Il observe des comportements semblables entre les femmes russes et americaines, par exemple le fait que toutes deux ont tendance a stigmatiser plus les mauvais usages langagiers des femmes que ceux des hommes.
Bounds for Correlated Compound Probabilities

Various statistical applications require the calculation of compound probabilities but, in many cases, this is complicated by a lack of independence of the individual probabilities. Although an exact analytical solution is not known, problems of this ty..
Prevalence of Hypertension in Children

In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a new clinical practice guideline for defining hypertension in children as an update to the previous Fourth Report guidelines issued in 2004. Prev...
Multifunctionality goes quantum critical

Multiferroic quantum criticality — associated with the merging of two distinct quantum critical points — is explored, with implications for fundamental physics and low-temperature applications.
Hospital utilization 4 years after bariatric surgery: sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Abstract Background While sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has lower perioperative risk compared with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), long-term data about their differential impact on overall health are unclear. Hospital use after bariatric surgery is an important parameter for improving peri- and postoperative care. Objective This present study was aimed to compare SG and RYGB in terms of their effect on long-term hospital-based healthcare utilization. Setting Multicenter, statewide database. Methods A retrospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent SG and RYGB between 2009 and 2011, with follow-up until 2015 and 2-year presurgery information. Propensity score–matched SG and RYGB groups were created using preoperative demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, and presurgery hospital use, measured by cumulative length of stay (LOS) and frequency of emergency department visits. Postsurgery yearly LOS, incidence of hospital visits, and the reason for the visit were compared. Primary outcomes included postoperative hospital visits during years 1 to 4 after bariatric surgery and cumulative LOS. Secondary outcomes included specific reasons for hospital use. Results There were 3540 SG and 13,587 RYGB patients, whose mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) LOS was 1.3 (1.3–1.4), .9 (.8–1), 1 (.9–1.1), and 1.2 (1–1.3) days at years 1 through 4, respectively. Postoperative yearly LOS was similar between the 2 propensity-matched groups. The risk of hospitalizations (odd ratio .73, 95% CI .64–.84, P Conclusion Postoperative 4-year hospital utilization remains low for both SG and RYGB. The previously established lower early perioperative risk of SG was not appreciated for longer-term hospital use compared with RYGB.