cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The hunting strategy of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) near a seal colony

The degree to which white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, are social while hunting is unclear. Our aim was to describe the behavior and interactions among white sharks hunting seals near a seal colony. We attached ultrasonic beacons to five adult white sharks, 4.5–5.2 m long, and recorded their movements and behavior toward each other over a 15-day period in October 1997 at Ano Nuevo Island, California. This site is home to colonies of four species of seals and sea lions. Two additional sharks, females 5.5 and 4.7 m in length, were later tracked intensively during periods of 12 and 3 days during October 1998 and November 1999, respectively. We recorded stomach temperature (indicative of feeding on warm-bodied seals) and swimming depths from the 5.5-m female, swimming speed and depth from the 4.7-m female. We monitored the movements and behavior of these sharks using an array of sonobuoys moored near the island; the receptive field measured 1 km2. Our principal findings were: (1) the sharks spent a mean time of 39.5% of each day patrolling within the receptive field; (2) no shark ever moved far out of it; (3) the sharks spent an equal amount of time and activity in the receptive field at all times of the day, daytime, twilight, and nighttime; (4) movements with respect to the island rookery were most often back and forth parallel to the shoreline, (5) tracks of three sharks, tagged at the same time and place, overlapped more often than those of the other two sharks; and (6) some sharks patrolled certain areas in the field preferentially, but there was no conclusive evidence that they defended these areas as territories. Feeding appeared to be infrequent: only two likely feeding bouts occurred during a cumulative 78-day/shark period that individuals were monitored at Ano Nuevo Island. The behavior and movements of the sharks were consistent with a hunting strategy, in which individuals search for prey independently but, at the same time, remain close enough to each other to “sense” and exploit a kill by any one of them by joining in on the kill to feed.
Generalizations of Arakawa's Jacobian

Abstract A simple method yields discrete Jacobians that obey analogues of the differential properties needed to conserve energy and enstrophy in 2-dimensional flow. The method is actually independent of the type of discretization and thus applies to an arbitrary representation in gridpoints, finite elements, or spectral modes, or to any mixture of the three. We illustrate the method by deriving simple energy- and enstrophy-conserving Jacobians for an irregular triangular mesh in a closed domain, and for a mixed gridpoint-and-mode representation in a semi-infinite channel.
Biomechanics of the cervical spine Part 2. Cervical spine soft tissue responses and biomechanical modeling

Abstract Objective. The responses and contributions of the soft tissue structures of the human neck are described with a focus on mathematical modeling. Spinal ligaments, intervertebral discs, zygapophysial joints, and uncovertebral joints of the cervical spine are included. Finite element modeling approaches have been emphasized. Representative data relevant to the development and execution of the model are discussed. A brief description is given on the functional mechanical role of the soft tissue components. Geometrical characteristics such as length and cross-sectional areas, and material properties such as force–displacement and stress–strain responses, are described for all components. Modeling approaches are discussed for each soft tissue structure. The final discussion emphasizes the normal and abnormal (e.g., degenerative joint disease, iatrogenic alteration, trauma) behaviors of the cervical spine with a focus on all these soft tissue responses. A brief description is provided on the modeling of the developmental biomechanics of the pediatric spine with a focus on soft tissues. Relevance Experimentally validated models based on accurate geometry, material property, boundary, and loading conditions are useful to delineate the clinical biomechanics of the spine. Both external and internal responses of the various spinal components, a data set not obtainable directly from experiments, can be determined using computational models. Since soft tissues control the complex structural response, an accurate simulation of their anatomic, functional, and biomechanical characteristics is necessary to understand the behavior of the cervical spine under normal and abnormal conditions such as facetectomy, discectomy, laminectomy, and fusion.
Modification of pentobarbital-induced sedation by natural and synthetic peptides.

Abstract The effect of intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intracisternal (i.e.) injection of various endogenous peptides and related analogues on the sedation induced by a fixed intraperitoneal dose of sodium pentobarbital in mice was examined. Several peptides were found to antagonize the effects of pentobarbital while one (neurotensin) markedly potentiated them. Certain peptides were active only after intracisternal injection, while others were effective by either route of administration. However, peptides active after intraperitoneal administration were always active after intracisternal administration. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone was the most effective antagonist and was active by both routes. Neurotensin was the most potent potentiator but was active only after central administration. Although few general structural requirements for the analeptic activity of peptides are discernable, it appears that such activity is mediated by the central nervous system.
Rotationally induced vibrational energy relaxation in polyatomic molecular liquids

Abstract A theory is presented for vibrational energy relaxation in polyatomic molecular liquids induced by Coriolis interactions, and applied to several linear triatomic molecules in inert solvents. The predicted rates are consistent with experimental measurements on these systems.
Determination of a current distribution over a cone surface which will produce a prescribed radiation pattern

The problem of determination of the current distribution over a cone surface, which will produce a prescribed radiation pattern, is formulated. F pattern and G pattern are defined and expressed in terms of a "potential" function \Phi , in case of currents polarized in the direction of the generating lines of the cone. A matrix relationship is found between coefficients of a series expansion of \Phi and coefficients of a series expansion of the currents. The relationship becomes a direct one to one correspondence in case of an infinite biconical system.
Symplectic structure of wave‐equation imaging: a path‐integral approach based on the double‐square‐root equation

SUMMARY We carry out high-frequency analyses of Claerbout's double-square-root equation and its (numerical) solution procedures in heterogeneous media. We show that the double-square-root equation generates the adjoint of the single-scattering modelling operator upon substituting the leading term of the generalized Bremmer series for the background Green function. This adjoint operator yields the process of ‘wave-equation’ imaging. We finally decompose the wave-equation imaging process into common image point gathers in accordance with the characteristic strips in the wavefront set of the data.
Self-regulation at work.

Self-regulation at work is conceived in terms of within-person processes that occur over time. These processes are proposed to occur within a hierarchical framework of negative feedback systems that operate at different levels of abstraction and with different time cycles. Negative feedback systems respond to discrepancies in a manner that reduces deviations from standards (i.e., goals). This is in contrast to positive feedback systems in which discrepancies are created, which can lead to instability. We organize our discussion around four hierarchical levels— self, achievement task, lower-level task action, and knowledge/working memory. We theorize that these levels are loosely connected by multiple constraints and that both automatic and more conscious processes are essential to self-regulation. Within- and cross-level affective and cognitive processes interact within this system to motivate goal-related behaviors while also accessing needed knowledge and protecting current intentions from interference. Complications common in the work setting (as well as other complex, real-life settings) such as the simultaneous pursuit of multiple goals, the importance of knowledge access and expertise, and team and multiperson processes are also discussed. Finally, we highlight the usefulness of newer research methodologies and data-analytic techniques for examining such hierarchical, dynamic, within-person processes.
A wideband and high gain V-band EBG patch antenna on liquid crystal polymer

In this paper, we present a novel and compact proximity fed V-band electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) patch antenna. The EBG structure serves to mitigate surface waves which can degrade the antennas performance. The proposed antenna is designed and fabricated on a multi-layer near hermetic Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) substrate. It is shown through simulation that up to 4.57 dB of gain enhancement is achieved through the use of an EBG structure to surround the patch antenna. The proposed antenna achieves a measured bandwidth of 10 GHz, which corresponds to a fractional bandwidth of 16.6%, and occupies a total area of only 7.4 × 5.6 cm2.
Processing-based tuner gain correction in a wideband multi-channel receiver

Modern radar systems often capitalize on advanced radio frequency components in the receiver front end to include wideband tuners and amplifiers, highly stable local oscillators, and high-speed analog-to-digital converters. Yet, technology demonstrators often emphasize either the hardware or the processing algorithm rather than the end-to-end system. This paper presents the hardware characterization of tuner-gain mismatch in a wideband multi-channel array and the subsequent signal processing calibration model. The gain model is empirically found to follow a T-distribution and is used to balance the amplitude across the tuners as part of the processing for time-frequency-beamforming. Phase is also shown to be the critical factor to completely correcting phase mismatch. Here, we present details of the wideband receiver front-end and the signal processing backend.
Synovial fluid differential cell count in wear debris synovitis after total knee replacement.

Abstract Background Determining the cause of synovitis following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be challenging. The differential diagnoses include infection, hemarthrosis, instability, crystalline disease, wear debris or idiopathic causes. Wear particle synovitis can mimic periprosthetic infection with symptoms of pain and effusion. Radiographs and physical exam are often inconclusive in differentiating the two. Synovial fluid analysis is routinely used in evaluating periprosthetic infections. We examined the association between synovial white blood cell count and differentials, and polyethylene wear and osteolysis, to see if fluid analysis can aid in establishing the diagnosis of wear particle synovitis. Methods A cell count and differential was obtained from synovial fluid samples from 54 TKAs undergoing revision for aseptic failure. Explanted polyethylene inserts were analyzed for linear and volumetric wear, oxidation (ketone peak height), and damage features. Analysis was performed to assess the relationship between cell counts and polyethylene wear indicators as well as severity of intra-operative and radiographic osteolysis. Results Total and percent mononuclear (monocyte and lymphocyte) cell counts were found to be elevated in the presence of documented wear debris synovitis and an association was suggested between their levels and maximum ketone levels. Conclusion The present study implies that the differential cell count of knee fluid can help distinguish wear debris from infection as a source of synovitis following TKA and identifies the value of the mononuclear cell count as a possible tool to assess abnormal wear rates of the polyethylene insert. Further research into identifying the exact role of monocytes in the wear debris synovitis and osteolytic pathways is warranted. Level of evidence Level II, diagnostic study.
Identifying host factors that regulate viral infection.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. This work was supported by NIH R01 AI068645 and NIH R01 AI091721 to K.R.S., and a NIH National Research Service Award T32 GM07544 to T.-H.H. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Intra-chip wireless interconnect for clock distribution implemented with integrated antennas, receivers, and transmitters

A wireless interconnect system which transmits and receives RF signals across a chip using integrated antennas, receivers, and transmitters is proposed and demonstrated. The transmitter consists of a voltage-controlled oscillator, an output amplifier, and an antenna, while the receiver consists of an antenna, a low-noise amplifier, a frequency divider, and buffers. Using a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology, each of these individual circuits is demonstrated at 15 GHz. Wireless interconnection for clock distribution is then demonstrated in two stages. First, a wireless transmitter with integrated antenna generates and broadcasts a 15-GHz global clock signal across a 5.6-mm test chip, and this signal is detected using receiving antennas. Second, a wireless clock receiver with an integrated antenna detects a 15-GHz global clock signal supplied to an on-chip transmitting antenna located 5.6 mm away from the receiver, and generates a 1.875-GHz local clock signal. This is the first known demonstration of an on-chip clock transmitter with an integrated antenna and the second demonstration of a clock receiver with an integrated antenna, where the receiver's frequency and interconnection distance have approximately been doubled over previous results.
Risk of valvular heart disease associated with use of fenfluramine.

Estimates of excess risk of valvular heart disease among prior users of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine have varied widely. Two major forms of bias appear to contribute to this variability and also result in a systematic under-estimation of risk. The first, a form of nondifferential misclassification, is the result of including background, prevalent cases among both exposed and unexposed persons in calculations of risk. The second bias results from not considering the relatively short duration of exposure to drugs. We examined data from all available echocardiographic studies reporting the prevalence of aortic regurgitation (AR) and mitral regurgitation (MR) among persons exposed to fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine and a suitable control group. We also included one study in which previously existing AR or MR had been excluded. We corrected for background prevalent cases, estimated incidence rates in unexposed persons, and performed a person-years analysis of apparent incidence rates based on exposure time to provide an unbiased estimate of relative risk. Appearance of new AR was strongly related to duration of exposure (R2 = 0.75, p < 0.0001). The summary relative risk for mild or greater AR was 19.6 (95% CI 16.3 – 23.5, p < 0.00001); for moderate or greater MR it was 5.9 (95% CI 4.0 – 8.6, p < 0.00001). These findings provide strong support for the view that fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine are potent causal factors in the development of both aortic and mitral valvular heart disease.
Stability of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin production with laboratory manipulation of group A streptococci

Because of reported differences in the production of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins by group A strains associated with severe streptococcal infections, the stability of exotoxin production by specific strains was examined by passing group A streptococci on blood agar culture plates daily for 20 days. No changes were detected in either exotoxin genes or in exotoxin production during this time, suggesting that these reported differences are due to other explanations such as differences in the strains collected from various geographic areas or to laboratory methodologic differences.
Time-Division-Multiplexed Test Delivery for NoC Systems

This test-scheduling approach for NoC designs minimizes test time through high-speed test delivery over the network, with test data interleaved via time-division multiplexing (TDM), and through slower test execution at the target cores. Results with a test-scheduling algorithm and a simulated test case from ITC 2002 SoC benchmarks show significant test time and I/O savings compared to a single-clock approach.
Pharmacodynamic Target Evaluation of a Novel Oral Glucan Synthase Inhibitor, SCY-078 (MK-3118), Using an In Vivo Murine Invasive Candidiasis Model

Echinocandins inhibit the synthesis of β-1,3-D-glucan in Candida and are the first-line therapy in numerous clinical settings. Their use is limited by poor oral bioavailability, and they are available only as intravenous therapies. Derivatives of enfumafungin are novel orally bioavailable glucan synthase inhibitors. We performed an in vivo pharmacodynamic (PD) evaluation with a novel enfumafungin derivative, SCY-078 (formerly MK-3118), in a well-established neutropenic murine model of invasive candidiasis against C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis. The SCY-078 MICs varied 8-fold. Oral doses of 3.125 to 200 mg/kg SCY-078 salt in sterile water produced peak levels of 0.04 to 2.66 μg/ml, elimination half-lives of 5.8 to 8.5 h, areas under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0-24 h) of 0.61 to 41.10 μg·h/ml, and AUC from 0 to infinity (AUC0-∞) values of 0.68 to 40.31 μg·h/ml. The pharmacokinetics (PK) were approximately linear over the dose range studied. Maximum response (Emax) and PK/PD target identification studies were performed with 4 C. albicans, 4 C. glabrata, and 3 C. parapsilosis isolates. The PD index AUC/MIC was explored by using total (tAUC) and free (fAUC) drug concentrations. The maximum responses were 4.0, 4.0, and 4.3 log10 CFU/kidney reductions for C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, respectively. The AUC/MIC was a robust predictor of efficacy (R2, 0.53 to 0.91). The 24-h PD targets were a static dose of 63.5 mg/kg, a tAUC/MIC of 500, and an fAUC/MIC of 1.0 for C. albicans; a static dose of 58.4 mg/kg, a tAUC/MIC of 315, and an fAUC/MIC of 0.63 for C. glabrata; and a static dose of 84.4 mg/kg, a tAUC/MIC of 198, and an fAUC/MIC of 0.40 for C. parapsilosis. The mean fAUC/MIC values associated with a 1-log kill endpoint against these species were 1.42, 1.26, and 0.91 for C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, respectively. The static and 1-log kill endpoints were measured relative to the burden at the start of therapy. The static and 1-log kill doses, as well as the total and free drug AUC/MIC PD targets, were not statistically different between species but were numerically lower than those observed for echinocandins. SCY-078 is a promising novel oral glucan synthase inhibitor against Candida species, and further investigation is warranted.
On-site provision of substance abuse treatment services at community health centers

We examined on-site and off-site referral-based provision of substance abuse (SA) treatment services among a sample of community health centers (CHCs). Analyses used survey data collected from CHCs in three states merged with administrative claims to both characterize CHC care delivery models and examine the association between models and care quality. Care quality was based on the Washington Circle measures of initiation and engagement. Approximately half the sample provided at least some SA treatment services on site. The provision of intensive outpatient treatment services on site was associated with significantly higher engagement rates. It was also associated with higher (but not significantly) initiation rates. At the same time, on-site provision of screening and counseling services was negatively associated with both initiation and engagement rates. Given limited resources, investing in more intensive services on site may yield better outcomes for CHC patients than lower level services, but further study is recommended.
Serum Antibody Response to Antigens of Oral Gram-negative Bacteria by Cats with Plasma Cell Gingivitis-Pharyngitis

The etiology of a form of periodontal disease in domestic cats known as plasma cell gingivitis-pharyngitis is not understood. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Bacteroides species have been strongly implicated as the cause of periodontitis in humans and other mammalian species, and most affected patients manifest serum antibodies reactive with the infecting bacteria. We and others have isolated Bacteroides species from the oral flora of cats. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot procedures, we measured serum antibodies in affected and control cats reactive with human isolates of A. actinomycetemcomitans, B. gingivalis, and B. intermedius, and purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from these and other species, and Bacteroides of cat origin. Affected cats had serum antibody titers reactive with these Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria that were significantly elevated relative to those of normal control cats. The quantitatively major antigens recognized by cat serum antibodies are ...
Skeletal–Extraskeletal Angiomatosis in a Dog

An 8-year-old castrated male mixed-breed dog had an ill-defined hemorrhagic and painful lesion in the base of the claw of the second digit of the right forelimb. Radiographically, the expansile and lytic lesion affected the distal phalanx. The digit was amputated and submitted for histologic examination. Histologically, the distal phalanx was largely replaced by a mass composed of variably sized cavernous vascular spaces lined by a single layer of flattened endothelial cells. A similar mass was in the subcutis adjacent to the distal phalanx. The benign vascular proliferation involving the medulla of bone and a second tissue type in this dog is consistent with skeletal–extraskeletal angiomatosis as described in humans. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of skeletal–extraskeletal angiomatosis in the veterinary literature.
Deconstructing the Portrayals of HIV/AIDS Among Campaign Planners Targeting Tribal Populations in Koraput, India: A Culture-Centered Interrogation

This article deconstructs the portrayal of HIV/AIDS in the tribal dominated district of Koraput, India, among program planners, service delivery personnel, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), etc. who plan, implement, and evaluate HIV/AIDS interventions targeting tribal communities in the region. Drawing upon postcolonial and subaltern studies approaches, we critically examine the ideological assumptions that circulate in the dominant discursive spaces among campaign planners and implementers who target HIV/AIDS among the tribal population in Koraput, India. Based on our critical examination, we suggest guidelines for engaging with program planners and implementers through health communication pedagogy informed by the culture-centered approach.
Convergence of observer ratings and student perceptions of reform practices in sixth-grade mathematics classrooms

As part of a research project examining relationships between instructional practices and student cognitive and social outcomes in middle-school mathematics classes, external observers and students reported perceptions of teachers’ instructional practices. The extent to which students in classrooms identified by external raters as reform-oriented actually perceive instruction in ways aligned with reform principles has not been established. A 25-item observation protocol aligned with the reform practices called for in the Standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) was used to develop a quantitative profile of instructional practices across two lessons in each of 28 classes of 15 participating teachers. Students in each of the observed classes completed a 49-item survey of their perceptions of instructional practices. As items for both the observation protocol and Student Survey were designed to measure alignment with the same dimensions of reform practice, the convergence of these two data sets was examined as a means to confirm the observation ratings. The findings show moderately strong correlations between ratings of external observers and perceptions of sixth-grade students across three dimensions (pedagogy, tasks and mathematical interactions) of reform-oriented teacher practice in mathematics classrooms. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Effects of the poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel crosslinking mechanism on protein release

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels are widely used to deliver therapeutic biomolecules, due to high hydrophilicity, tunable physicochemical properties, and anti-fouling properties. Although different hydrogel crosslinking mechanisms are known to result in distinct network structures, it is still unknown how these various mechanisms influence biomolecule release. Here we compared the effects of chain-growth and step-growth polymerization for hydrogel crosslinking on the efficiency of protein release and diffusivity. For chain-growth-polymerized PEG hydrogels, while decreasing PEG concentration increased both the protein release efficiency and diffusivity, it was unexpected to find out that increasing PEG molecular weight did not significantly change either parameter. In contrast, for step-growth-polymerized PEG hydrogels, both decreasing PEG concentration and increasing PEG molecular weight resulted in an increase in the protein release efficiency and diffusivity. For step-growth-polymerized hydrogels, the protein release efficiency and diffusivity were further decreased by increasing crosslink functionality (4-arm to 8-arm) of the chosen monomer. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the crosslinking mechanism has a differential effect on controlling protein release, and this study provides valuable information for the rational design of hydrogels for sophisticated drug delivery.
Distinctive alterations of nucleoside, sugar and amino acid uptake of sulfhydryl reagents in cultured mouse cells.

Abstract The differential effect of several sulfhydryl reactive reagents on the initial rate of uptake of nucleoside, amino acids, and deoxyglucose in mouse embryo cells was studied. Distinctive patterns of inhibition were found for each combination of substrate and inhibitor. The hydrophilic mercurial p -chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (PCMB-S), inhibited the initial rate of l -phenylalanine, α-aminoisobutyric acid, and deoxyglucose uptake. On the contrary, the uptake of nucleosides and the amino acid, l -lysine, was slowly inhibited by PCMB-S. The hydrophobic sulfhydryl reactive chemical, dithiodipyridine (DTP), inhibited the initial rate of uridine uptake while inhibiting deoxyglucose more slowly and l -phenylalanine and l -lysine not at all. Fluorodinitrobenzene (FDNB) slowly inhibited uridine and deoxyglucose without altering amino acid uptake. Two amino reactive compounds, the hydrophilic 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (SITS) and the hydrophobic reagent 2-methoxy-5-nitrotropone (MNT) failed to interfere with the uptake of any of these substrates. These results demonstrate that the permeation pathways for nucleosides, sugars, and several amino acids are chemically distinguishable by their characteristic response to two sulfhydryl reactive chemicals. On the basis of the inhibitory patterns, the involvement of sulfhydryl groups as well as their location in each permeation pathway is discussed.
Delivering nebulized medication to infants and toddlers.

1. James Seidel 1. Chief, General and Emergency Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA Several aerosolized drugs are available for the management of reactive airway disease. Nebulized drugs are given directly into the airway, which minimizes the systemic effects of musculoskeletal tremor, anxiety, and cardiovascular stimulation in most patients. Although infants and young children can be given medication via a metered dose inhaler that has a spacer, these children may not generate enough inspiratory pressure to open the oneway valve on the spacer fully.
Is Sweden Doomed to Repeat U.S. Errors? Fraud in Sweden’s Health Care System

Frauds committed by recipients of public insurance and providers of health care are stealing millions of kronor from Swedish taxpayers each year. Privatization in Sweden’s health care will likely increase the losses from fraud. Vardval, Sweden’s latest method to transfer the delivery of health services from public entities to private ones, focuses on primary care and is an attempt to secure “seamless” treatment for patients at a nearby location and hopefully reduce health care costs. But the new policy also creates numerous opportunities for unscrupulous providers and patients to steal from Sweden’s taxpayer-supported programs. The intent of the current research was to explore the impacts of privatization on the regulation of Swedish health care. One of those impacts, it is argued, will be a need for Swedish officials to attend to a growing crime problem. Lessons from the United States suggest that government attention to the problem at this early stage is needed to prevent the thefts from growing and bec...
Future Directions for Automated Weed Management in Precision Agriculture

In cropping systems, integrated weed management is based on diversification. Rather than relying solely on one or two herbicides, a multiplicity of weed control strategies is employed. Yet, integrated weed management as currently practiced is far from integrated; every weed is still managed the same regardless of location or season. The recent development of precision application technology is now allowing for smaller treatment units by making applications according to site-specific demands. The automated systems of the future will have sensor and computer technologies that first categorize each and every plant in the field as either weed or crop and then identify the species of weed. Following identification, multiple weed control tools located on a single platform are applied at micro-rates to individual plants based on their biology. For example, if the system identified a weed resistant to Roundup, it could be spritzed with a different herbicide or nipped with an onboard cutter or singed with a burst of flame. This system and others like it will be capable of targeting different weed-killing tools to specific weeds. This chapter will discuss the challenges and tools of the future.
Differences in repeating patterns of complex fractionated left atrial electrograms in longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation as compared with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background— Complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) are morphologically more uniform in persistent longstanding as compared with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). It was hypothesized that this may result from a greater degree of repetitiveness in CFAE patterns at disparate left atrial (LA) sites in longstanding AF. Methods and Results— CFAEs were obtained from recording sites outside the 4 pulmonary vein (PV) ostia and at a posterior and an anterior LA site during paroxysmal and longstanding persistent AF (10 patients each, 120 sequences total). To quantify repetitiveness in CFAE, the dominant frequency was measured from ensemble spectra using 8.4-second sequences, and repetitiveness was calculated by 2 novel techniques: linear prediction and Fourier reconstruction methods. Lower prediction and reconstruction errors were considered indicative of increasing repetitiveness and decreasing randomness. In patients with paroxysmal AF, CFAE pattern repetitiveness was significantly lower (randomness higher) at antral sites outside PV ostia as compared with LA free wall sites ( P <0.001). In longstanding AF, repetitiveness increased outside the PV ostia, especially outside the left superior PV ostium, and diminished at the LA free wall sites. The result was that in persistent AF, there were no significant site-specific differences in CFAE repetitiveness at the selected LA locations used in this study. Average dominant frequency magnitude was 5.32±0.29 Hz in paroxysmal AF and higher in longstanding AF, at 6.27±0.13 Hz ( P <0.001), with the frequency of local activation approaching a common upper bound for all sites. Conclusions— In paroxysmal AF, CFAE repetitiveness is low and randomness high outside the PVs, particularly the left superior PV. As evolution to persistent longstanding AF occurs, CFAE repetitiveness becomes more uniformly distributed at disparate sites, possibly signifying an increasing number of drivers from remote PVs.
Cigarette smoking among the elderly: disease consequences and the benefits of cessation.

Abstract Synopsis. The disease consequence of smoking occurs disproportionately among the elderly because of the long duration of cumulative injury or change that underlies the bulk of tobacco-caused disease. Older smokers are less likely than younger smokers to attempt quitting, but they are more likely to be successful in the attempts that they do make to quit. Excess absolute rates of disease incidence and mortality due to smoking increase steadily with increasing age and duration of smoking, and there is little evidence to suggest that the disease consequences of smoking diminish among the elderly. Although cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of excess mortality among younger smokers, lung cancer is the largest cause of excess smoking-related mortality over the age of 60 years; and at older ages the excess death rate from chronic obstructive lung disease equals that for cardiovascular disease. Because of the dramatic increases in smoking-related excess mortality with advancing age, approxi...
Jacques Maritain: an anthropological basis for the civil economy tradition

It is common among scholars who study Italian civil tradition the idea that French personalism contains the anthropological basis in which best fits the civil economy. However, even though this idea is often repeated, it is not easy to find papers who demonstrate it clearly. Even more, it is not easy to find papers that contain—in a rigorous and systematic way—the anthropological basis for all subsequent developments of the civil economy. In this paper we take into account the works of one of the most important French personalists: Jacques Maritain. Thus, we provide a detailed description of Maritain’s social anthropology, and make a close comparison between his proposals and those of the civil tradition, to conclude that the work of this philosopher can be offered as a strong anthropological basis for this tradition.
Activating Latent HIV by Inhibiting Bromodomain Proteins

Pharmacologically inhibiting bromodomain:acetyl-lysine recognition has recently emerged as a strategy to activate latent HIV reservoirs for the purpose of eradication. Bromodomains are present in many chromatin-associated factors and have been functionally linked to the HIV replication cycle, particularly at the transcription phase. Here, we provide a review of HIV latency and transcription, of the emergent role of bromodomain-containing proteins in HIV biology, and of studies with chemical inhibitors of bromodomains to activate HIV from latency.
Disparities Between Asthma Management and Insurance Type Among Children

Asthma is a chronic illness among children. Minority children may be vulnerable to asthma complications since more than half are from households that are poor or near poor, and some have no health insurance. Asthma management plans are important for the long-term treatment of asthma and beneficial for self-management. This study analyzed insurance type and the relationship between having an asthma management plan among children across all races with asthma. This study utilized the 2002 and 2003 National Health Interview Survey. Findings showed that whites were significantly more likely than Non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics to have an asthma management plan (OR, 1.66; p = .0031). In this study, children who reported Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage were twice as likely to have an asthma management plan (OR, 2.67; p = .0004). Mandating all insurers to provide an asthma management plan to children with asthma may reduce the race-based inequities and differences in asthma management plan status.
Ethical Decisionmaking and the Design of Rules of Ethics

Much of what American lawyers know about legal ethics comes from the rules of professional responsibility. Law school courses are organized around the Model Code of Professional Conduct (“Model Code”) 1 and the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (“Model Rules” or “Rules”) 2 (together, “Codes”), 3 a majority of states require that bar applicants pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (“MPRE”), 4 and the continuing education of lawyers often focuses on application of the Codes and their state law variations. 5 Even though the
The perceptions of public health nurses on using standardized care plans to translate evidence-based guidelines into family home visiting practice

Abstract Objectives Public health nurse (PHN) perceptions of using standardized care plans to translate evidence-based guidelines into family home visiting practice have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate PHN experience and awareness of cognitive processes while using evidence-based care plans in family home visiting practice. Design This qualitative study used content analysis of PHN interviews. Sample A purposive sample of PHNs in a local public health agency who were experienced in the use of care plans in electronic documentation. Measures The qualitative study utilized content analysis methods. Semi-structured interviews examined their cognitive experience transitioning from usual practice care plans to evidence-based care plans. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Themes were developed and revised following several reviews of the transcripts. Results Four themes from PHN interviews revealed a complex dynamic process of knowledge management: (1) PHN thinking is separate from the care plan. (2) PHN thinking is supported by the care plan. (3) PHN thinking is stimulated by the care plan. (4) PHN documentation distress is minimized when the care plan matches PHN thinking. Conclusion While using the evidence-based FHV care plan, PHN cognitive processes were related to their own knowledge and expertise, their individual clients, and the entire client population or program. Evidence-based care plans supported and stimulated PHN thinking about evidence-based interventions and their application in practice. A good fit of the care plan knowledge schemata with a PHN's own knowledge schemata may decrease documentation distress. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of using evidence-based care plans in other disciplines and settings.
Research on the Pattern "shi(是)X shi(是)Y" Expressing Universality

Antonymous X and Y are made up of a set,which lay a base for expressing universality of "shi(是)X shi(是)Y"."Shi(是)" experienced the process of development from "accurate affirmation","general affirmation" to "only expressing reference",which made syntactic function and position of "shi(是)X shi(是)Y" change—from predicative function to referential function,from predicate to subject or topic.The functional grammaticalization of "shi(是)X shi(是)Y" causes its structure to do grammaticalization.The construction "shi(是)X shi(是)Y" expressing universality has two features—definiteness and discreteness,which all of universal elements have.
Cluster Analysis on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome of Cerebral Arteriosclerosis

Objective To analyses the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of cerebral arteriosclerosis,by the ways of clinical epidemiology and variable cluster analysis.Methods We researched 98 cerebral arteriosclerosis patients and recorded their symptoms,tongues and pulses.Then we used cluster analysis method to analyses the clinical data of the patients.Results These patients could be divided into 4 types:marrow deficiency syndrome(34.69%),phlegm stasis syndrome(19.39%),qi stasis syndrome(27.55%),and kidney qi deficiency syndrome(18.37%).Conclusion Cerebral arteriosclerosis is mainly produced by deficiency and/or scathe traditional Chinese medicine pathology mechanism.
Study on the Dichotomy of the Political and Administration Officials in China's Civil Servant System

The separation of the political officials and the administration officials is the basic principle in modern civil servant system.We should detach the political and administration officials to overcome the actual malpractice,strengthen the management pertinence,realize the democratization of political officials and the specialization of administration officials.
Effect of ATP-Bingding Cassette Transporter A7 on lipid release

Objective:To study the effect of ATP-bingding cassette A7(ABCA7)on lipid release in ABCA7-or ABCA1-transfected cells.Methods:ABCA7-or ABCA1-transfected cells were incubated with apolipoprotein A1 for 24 h,ABCA1 and ABCA7 protein levels were detected by immunoblotting,and cellular lipid release was examined by Enzyme assay.Results:ABCA1 and ABCA7 protein levels were increased by treated with apoA1.ABCA7 induced lipid release was increased by apolipoprotein A1 treatment in the same manner as ABCA1.Conclusion:ABCA7 as well as ABCA1 have the function of intracellular lipid release.
The Internet is for Porn: Measurement and Analysis of Online Adult Traffic

Adult (or pornographic) websites attract a large number of visitors and account for a substantial fraction of the global Internet traffic. However, little is known about the makeup and characteristics of online adult traffic. In this paper, we present the first large-scale measurement study of online adult traffic using HTTP logs collected from a major commercial content delivery network. Our data set contains approximately 323 terabytes worth of traffic from 80 million users, and includes traffic from several dozen major adult websites and their users in four different continents. We analyze several characteristics of online adult traffic including content and traffic composition, device type composition, temporal dynamics, content popularity, content injection, and user engagement. Our analysis reveals several unique characteristics of online adult traffic. We also analyze implications of our findings on adult content delivery. Our findings suggest several content delivery and cache performance optimizations for adult traffic, e.g., modifications to website design, content delivery, cache placement strategies, and cache storage configurations.
Multiple infections in cancer: Epidemiology approches in cancer control

A 18% of the global cancer burden has been attributed to infectious agents, with estimates ranging from 7% in developed countries to about 22% in developing countries. Chronic infections caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomaviruses (HPV), and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are reported to be responsible for approximately 15% of all human cancers. Interestingly, although many of the infectious agents that have been associated with cancer—such as HPV, EpsteinBarr virus (EBV), and H. pylori-are highly prevalent in the world, most infected individuals do not develop cancer but remain lifelong carriers. Malignancies associated with infectious agents may result from prolonged latency as a result of chronic infections. Pathogenic infections are necessary but are not sufficient for cancer initiation or progression. Cancer initiation may require additional cofactors, including secondary infections. Therefore, in patients with chronic infection with one agent, secondary coinfection with another agent may serve as an important co-factor that may cause cancer initiation and progression. Additionally, opportunistic co-infections could significantly inhibit response to cancer treatment and increase cancer mortality. Co‐infections are relatively common in areas with a high prevalence of infectious agents, especially in developing countries. These co-infections can cause an imbalance in the host immune system by affecting persistence of and susceptibility to malignant infections. Several articles have been published that focus on infectious agents and cancer. In this presentation, the role of infectious agents in malignancies, highlight the role of multiple/co-infections in cancer etiology, and review implications for cancer epidemiology will be discussed. Mukesh Verma, J Bacteriol Parasitol 2013, 4:4 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9597.S1.004
Digitally assisted Analog Compressive Sensing

Analog Compressive Sensing (CS) provides a novel strategy to sample and process wideband sparse signals at sub-Nyquist rate. This scheme exploits the signal sparsity to reduce the sampling rate requirements. The analog compressive sensing system performance is greatly impacted by the accuracy of analog circuit components, especially with the scaling of CMOS technology. In this paper, the effect of the circuit imperfections in the analog compressive sensing architecture based on Parallel Segmented Compressive Sensing (PSCS) is discussed, such as the finite settling time, the timing uncertainty and so on. An iterative background calibration algorithm based on LMS (Least Mean Square) is proposed, which is shown to be able to effectively calibrate the error due to the circuit nonideal factors.
Pronunciation Training Facilitates the Learning and Retention of L2 Grammatical Structures

The present study investigated the impact of pronunciation training on the learning and retention of second language (L2) grammatical structures. By drawing on the phonological saliency of stress placement in German separable- and inseparable-prefix verbs, the study explored whether enhancing explicit instruction through pronunciation training can boost learners’ accuracy with the target grammatical form. Learners’ command of separable- and inseparable-prefix verbs was tested prior to and after a grammar lesson using a listening task in which participants identified whether target verbs contained a separable or inseparable prefix and a written production task in which participants described pictures using separable- and inseparable-prefix verbs. Results revealed significant and sustained improvement on both the listening and written production task among the grammar + pronunciation group, which suggests that pronunciation training can facilitate the learning and retention of L2 grammatical structures over and above explicit instruction.
Truffle in paradise: Job costing for a small business

Abstract Textbooks and case studies that simply provide direct materials and direct labor costs for job costing problems do not give the reader a true picture of the difficulty in developing these costs, especially for small business owners. “Truffle in Paradise” presents a case based on a very real situation where the entrepreneur, Thor Rasmussen, has started a premium truffle business in his spare time; the business is growing but Thor has no idea if it is profitable because he has not costed his truffles and does not know if his prices are appropriate. The case walks you through the process of determining the costs of his truffles, applying a costing model to analyze his prices, performing sensitivity analyses on labor and material costs, and producing a pro-forma income statement. Student feedback reported that the case opened their eyes to the complexity of costing and planning in small businesses.