cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adolescent dual method use: relevant attitudes, normative beliefs and self-efficacy.

Abstract Purpose To encourage dual contraceptive method use—protection from both STD and pregnancy—health behavior change efforts must target powerful risk and protective factors that are amenable to change. This study examines longitudinal relationships between adolescents' contraceptive-related cognitions and dual method use. Methods Data are from 1123 sexually active 7–11th-grade participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, Waves 1 and 2 (W1, W2). A series of nested path models examined relationships between participants' contraceptive use level at most recent intercourse (zero, one, two methods) and contraceptive-related cognitions. Parallel analyses were completed with four grade/gender groups. Results Dual method use at most recent intercourse ranged from 14.3% to 25.0%. Path models suggested that contraceptive use levels and contraceptive-related cognitions were moderately stable over time. Cross-sectionally, contraceptive use level was associated with parent approval of birth control (older youth, younger girls), birth control attitudes (older youth, younger boys), perceived pregnancy consequences (older youth), perceived sexually transmitted disease risk (older girls), perceived benefits of sex (younger girls), and contraceptive self-efficacy (older youth). W1 father approval of birth control (younger girls), mother disapproval of sex (older girls), and birth control attitudes (older boys) predicted W2 contraceptive use levels. W1 contraceptive use levels predicted several W2 cognitions among older youth. Conclusions Sexually active adolescents' perceptions of parent expectations about sex and contraception have important links to dual method use. Adolescents' attitudes about practical, social, and moral implications of using birth control are also linked to their use of dual contraceptive methods.
Alpha-cluster pickup from Te and Sn isotopes with the (d, 6Li) reaction

The reactions 'zz,~za,~ze,~ze,iaoTe(d, 6Li)"s. ~zo.~zz,~za,~zesn and "z, "6, ~ts,izo,izz,~za, izesn(d,6Li)'°"" "z .~~a,~ie,>>s,~zoCd have been investigatedat Ed = 33 MeV for statesup to E, = 3 MeV or higherusingmagnetic analysis .Alpha-particlespectroscopicfactorsand reduced a-widths have been extractedwith zero- and finite-rangedistortedwave Born approximation (DWBA) theory. Spectroscopicamplitudes were calculatedfrom shell-modelconfigurations includingcore excitationsand a semi-microscopicanalysiswas performed for ground state transitions, proton pairingvibrationstates, aswellascertainstateswithJ` $ 0+.Good agreement isobtainedforthetransitionsto theCd ground statesprovided DWBA isnormalizedtoa-decay. The ground statesand protonpairingvibrationstatesintheheavy Sn isotopesappeartobe strongly mixed . Increasedcollectivity, predictedby the interactingboson model, afFectsthe excitation energiesand transitionstrengthsofthe0+ proton pairingvibrationstatesinSn inthemiddle ofthe neutron shell.Selectivity and coherencephenomena arealsoprevalentforstateswith J` $ 0* and areinterpretedmicroscopically .Inparticular, coherentcontributionsfrom protonpairand neutron pairexcitationsleadto enhancements not observed intwo-nucleon transfer .The mass excessof ' z °Cd was measured as - 83975f 25 keV .About 25 previouslyunknown stateswere observed in the Sn and Cd isotopesand about 30 spin-parityassignmentswere made .
Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of low-back pain and related disability with psychological distress among patients enrolled in the UCLA Low-Back Pain Study

The objectives of the study are to test the hypotheses that psychological distress affects subsequent low-back pain, and pain affects subsequent distress. Six hundred eighty-one participants in a randomized clinical trial of low-back pain treatments were followed for 18 months with assessments for pain, disability, and psychological distress at 6 weeks and 6, 12, and 18 months. Multivariable logistic regression modeling with generalized estimating equations was used to estimate effects. Current pain and disability increased the odds of subsequent psychological distress [pain: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07, 1.72; disability: adjusted OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.98, 1.55], and current distress increased the odds of subsequent pain and disability (pain: adjusted OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.24, 1.86; disability: adjusted OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.20, 1.85). Cross-sectional associations were much stronger than the longitudinal associations, suggesting bias in the former due to selection factors and/or temporal ambiguity. The longitudinal findings suggest that pain/disability and psychological distress may be causes and consequences of each other, although the associations are small.
The effectiveness and long-term stability of overbite correction with incisor intrusion mechanics.

Background: Correction of deep overbite with subsequent achievement of long-term stability is difficult. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and long-term stability of overbite correction with incisor intrusion mechanics. Methods: The treated group consisted of 25 subjects (13 female, 12 male) with deep overbite of at least 4 mm (mean overbite, 5.9 mm). The orthodontic treatment was initiated in the late mixed or early permanent dentition, and all patients were treated nonextraction. All patients had lateral cephalometric radiographs taken at pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2), and postretention (T3). The treatment included cervical headgear and lever arches to intrude mainly the maxillary incisors and occasionally the mandibular incisors. Premolars were not included in the fixed appliances during the treatment. The untreated group consisted of 25 age- and sex-matched subjects from the Bolton Growth Study. Results: The mechanics used were effective in overbite correction. During the posttreatment period, overbite increased by 0.7 mm. Conclusions: Although this change was statistically significant, the amount was small and is considered clinically insignificant, given the severity of the overbite pretreatment. Furthermore, a net overbite correction (T3-T1) of 3.3 mm and postretention overbite on 2.6 mm is an excellent clinical outcome.
Quantum adiabatic algorithms, small gaps, and different paths

We construct a set of instances of 3SAT which are not solved efficiently using the simplestquantum adiabatic algorithm. These instances are obtained by picking randomclauses all consistent with two disparate planted solutions and then penalizing one ofthem with a single additional clause. We argue that by randomly modifying the beginningHamiltonian, one obtains (with substantial probability) an adiabatic path thatremoves this difficulty. This suggests that the quantum adiabatic algorithm should ingeneral be run on each instance with many different random paths leading to the problemHamiltonian. We do not know whether this trick will help for a random instance of3SAT (as opposed to an instance from the particular set we consider), especially if theinstance has an exponential number of disparate assignments that violate few clauses.We use a continuous imaginary time Quantum Monte Carlo algorithm in a novel way tonumerically investigate the ground state as well as the first excited state of our system.Our arguments are supplemented by Quantum Monte Carlo data from simulations withup to 150 spins.
Textural Variation in Petrogenetic Analyses

Textural variation in rocks bears promise of yielding large amounts of petrogenetically valuable information. This information, concerning reaction pathways and kinetics, can be obtained through evaluation of carefully selected quantitative textural variables such as grain shape, as described by Fourier-series approximation, and surface area of phase contacts per unit volume. As an example, it is shown that the response of these two variables to a metamorphic gradient is more sensitive than standard compositional variables. In addition, these textural variables record processes to which composition cannot respond. Conclusions from the empirical data indicate that surface free energy, which is a function of surface area and grain neighborhoods, may in some instances be a dominant factor in petrogenesis.
Terri Schiavo and the Roman Catholic Tradition of Forgoing Extraordinary Means of Care

Media coverage and statements by various Catholic spokespersons regarding the case of Terri Schiavo has generated enormous and deeply unfortunate confusion (among Catholics and non-Catholics) regarding Church teaching about the use of life-sustaining treatments. Two weeks ago, for example, I received a letter from the superior of a community of Missionary Sisters of Charity, who operate a hospice here in the United States The Missionary Sisters of Charity are the community founded by Mother Theresa, the 20th Century saint whose primary ministry was to rescue dying Untouch-ables from the streets of Calcutta and bring them into her convent where they were washed, sheltered, fed if they were able to eat, prayed for, and cherished. In other words, the sisters gave these poor souls the gift of a death with dignity. The order Mother Theresa founded has continued this ministry, running hospices in the United States and elsewhere for the homeless, the destitute, those dying of AIDS and poverty and drug addiction, and all those dying alone and otherwise unwanted.
Condensation-assisted triangulation system (CATS)

The authors describe CATS, a method of employing a laser triangulation ranging probe for the purpose of measuring specular and transparent surfaces. The specular qualities of some surfaces tend to hamper the operation of certain types of laser probes which require diffuse surfaces. This family of probes has the desirable property of not being sensitive to angular variations in the surface position, making them useful where severe contour variations can be expected. CATS deposits a thin layer of water droplets on the surface to be measured by directing warm moist air at the point to be measured. At this point, a semidiffusely reflecting area is created, allowing normal operation of the gauge. CATS thus aids the dimensional measurement of a shiny or transparent surface by diffuse-type probes. >
The tanh method: exact solutions of the sine-Gordon and the sinh-Gordon equations

In this work we use the tanh method for traveling wave solutions of the sine-Gordon and the sinh-Gordon equations. Several exact solutions of distinct physical structures are obtained. The method is powerful with minimal algebra work and is demonstrated for four models.
Low-cost, compact, gigabit transceivers for data communication

Gigabit fiber-optic data links for use in box-to-box computer interconnects are becoming increasingly common due primarily to the high data rate-distance capability, better EMC/EMI performance and smaller size of the optical fiber technology. However, these advantages alone do not necessarily justify the use of fiber optic interconnects. Fiber optic interconnects must also be comparable in cost to copper ones especially as the distance between boxes shrinks. In this paper, industry trends in technology development that will further cost reduce gigabit fiber optic data communications transceivers will be discussed.
Splinters of Recursive Functions

Basic notation in this paper is as in [3]. From [5] and [9] the following additional notation is derived. 9i is the partial recursive function with index i, wi its range. 0 is the empty set. ' ' denotes isomorphism between sets, ' m' many-one equivalence, '=T' Turing equivalence. '<1' and '<m' signify one-one and many-one reducibility respectively. 'Recursive' is used throughout for 'general recursive'.
Finding Good Enough: A Task-Based Evaluation of Query Biased Summarization for Cross-Language Information Retrieval

In this paper we present our task-based evaluation of query biased summarization for cross-language information retrieval (CLIR) using relevance prediction. We describe our 13 summarization methods each from one of four summarization strategies. We show how well our methods perform using Farsi text from the CLEF 2008 shared-task, which we translated to English automtatically. We report precision/recall/F1, accuracy and time-on-task. We found that different summarization methods perform optimally for different evaluation metrics, but overall query biased word clouds are the best summarization strategy. In our analysis, we demonstrate that using the ROUGE metric on our sentence-based summaries cannot make the same kinds of distinctions as our evaluation framework does. Finally, we present our recommendations for creating muchneeded evaluation standards and datasets.
Habitat Associations of Small Fishes around Islands in the Upper Mississippi River

Abstract In large rivers, islands provide a variety of habitat types and increase habitat heterogeneity. Creating or modifying islands with dredged sediments from channel maintenance operations provides an opportunity to enhance habitat features that might promote certain fish communities or general fish abundance. To determine associations between fish species and habitat features of islands, we sampled fish by seining at 62 sites around 20 islands in the upper Mississippi River from Winona, Minnesota, to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (180 km). Habitat characteristics were divided into macrohabitat features associated with islands, such as island shape, location, or maximum depth around the island, and mesohabitat features of sites, such as depth, sediment type, and vegetation abundance. Cluster analysis of islands based on macrohabitat features identified four clusters distinguished primarily by water depth and distance from the main channel. Mean fish density did not differ among island clusters. Cluster...
Imaging of the Temporal Bone: A Symptom-Based Approach

Some of the symptoms associated with the temporal bone diseases are nonspecific, whereas others overlap with each other. Careful history and physical examination is of paramount importance for the localization of these disorders to a certain anatomic structure. Imaging plays a critical role in diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up of diseases of the temporal bone. This article discusses the common diseases associated with the temporal bone in a symptom-based approach. The categories reviewed are otalgia, hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. Representative imaging features of the common abnormalities in each category are discussed. When a disease is associated with more than one symptom, it is included under the predominant symptom. We also provide guidelines for the preferred imaging modalities in certain clinical scenarios.
Characteristics of Amphetamine Addicts

(1970). Characteristics of Amphetamine Addicts. International Journal of the Addictions: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 183-193.
Non-thermal plasma enhances endothelial cell proliferation through fibroblast growth factor-2 release

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma is currently being developed for a wide variety of clinical applications, including skin sterilization, blood coagulation, malignant cell apoptosis, and wound healing [1]. Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from existing vessels, is critical in wound healing. Endothelial cells, which line the inner surface of blood vessels, control the angiogenic process through production, release, and response to growth factors. We hypothesized that low level plasma treatment can enhance endothelial cell proliferation through growth factor release.
The Influence of an Advanced Organizer on Two Types of Instructional Units About Finite Geometries.

This study involved 48 Northwestern University students who were enrolled in C26-1 Geometry. The theoretical point of view underlying the study predicted that advanced organizers should be most effective in situations where structural integration is a problem, and that the "learning hierarchy" model for constructing instructional materials can accentuate problems that arise because of structural integration. A topic was selected in which problems had been judged to arise because of structural integration. Two self-instructional versions of the basic fourhour unit were written, and a 30-minute organizer was written that could be used with both versions of the unit. A 50-minute posttest was administered immediately after the unit was completed. The objectives of the study were (a) to determine whether the organizer would have a greater facilitating effect when it is given as an advanced organizer (i.e., before the unit) than when it is given as a post organizer (i.e., after the unit); (b) to determine whether the advanced organizer would have a greater facilitating effect for the hierarchy unit than for the spiral unit; and (c) to determine whether the advanced organizer would have a different effect depending on the ability level of the students (e.g., a greater facilitating effect for lower-ability students). For the two classes that participated in the study, midterm examination scores were available that could be used to measure the pretreatment ability level of the students.
Optimizing robustness while generating shared secret safe primes

We develop a method for generating shared, secret, safe primes applicable to use in threshold RSA signature schemes such as the one developed by Shoup. We would like a scheme usable in practical settings, so our protocol is robust and efficient in asynchronous, hostile environments. We show that the techniques used for robustness need special care when they must be efficient. Specifically, we show optimizations that minimize the number and size of the proofs of knowledge used. We also develop optimizations based on computer arithmetic algorithms, in particular, precomputation and Montgomery modular multiplication.
Cracking the olivine zoning code: Distinguishing between crystal growth and diffusion

Olivine composition and zoning patterns are widely used to reconstruct the evolution of mafic magmas from source to surface and to extract time scales of magmatic processes. Deciphering the olivine zoning code is challenging because the contributions of growth and diffusion may overlap. A detailed multielement (Fe, Mg, P, Al, and Ni) examination of zoning in an exceptional olivine with skeletal morphology allows unequivocal discrimination between these two processes using simple but powerful geometrical arguments. Olivine crystals initially grow rapidly and diagonally from corner locations, whereas diffusion effectively tracks mutually perpendicular crystal lattice orientations. Generating the zoning patterns for our case-study olivine required at least 4–5 months of diffusive reequilibration of Fe-Mg, further demonstrating that crystal morphologies produced by rapid growth can survive at magmatic temperatures for extended periods. No significant major element zoning is preserved after rapid growth, lending further credibility to time scales retrieved via diffusion modeling. Extending multielement approaches to decoding olivine zoning patterns can help determine whether the kinetic relationship between growth- and diffusion-induced zoning recognized herein is widely applicable. Such studies will improve our understanding of time scales of magma storage, solidification, mixing, and/or transit toward the surface.
Medical Home Implementation Gaps for Seniors: Perceptions and Experiences of Primary Care Medical Practices:

Objective: The study objective was to better understand specific implementation gaps for various aspects of patient-centered medical home (PCMH) care delivered to seniors. The study illuminates the physician and staff experience by focusing on how individuals make sense of and respond behaviorally to aspects of PCMH implementation. Method: Qualitative data from 51 in-depth, semi-structured interviews across six different National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)-accredited primary care practices were collected and analyzed. Results: Physicians and staff identified PCMH implementation gaps for their seniors: (a) performing in-depth clinical assessments, (b) identifying seniors’ life needs and linking them with community resources, and (c) care management and coordination, in particular self-management support for seniors. Prior experiences trying to perform these aspects of PCMH care for older adults produced collective understandings that led to inaction and avoidance by medical practices around the...
Historical allopatry and the biogeography of speciation in the prosobranch snail genus Nucella

Two recently diverged northeastern Pacific sibling snail species, Nucella ostrina and N. emarginata, currently inhabit adjacent zoogeographic provinces. Their distributions overlap in central California to the north of a major faunal boundary at Point Conception, California (PC). To test the hypothesis that modern sympatry is due to a recent northward range expansion by N. emarginata, I analyzed the population structures of both species with nuclear (allozyme) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers. Populations of N. emarginata in the region of overlap exhibit significantly lower heterozygosity and allelic diversity than either populations to the south of PC or populations of N. ostrina. A single mtDNA haplotype characterizes all but one population of N. emarginata sampled in this region, but no haplotype to the south of PC is found at more than one locality. MtDNA haplotypes and allozyme allele frequencies also indicate monophyly of central California populations of N. emarginata. Sharp differences in allelic diversity over small geographic distances may reflect the action of natural selection, but because both nuclear and mtDNA markers display concordant patterns, a range expansion across PC best explains patterns of genetic variation in N. emarginata. Allozymes and mtDNA also reveal that the geologically older N. ostrina is paraphyletic with respect to N. emarginata. This pattern is consistent with, but not indicative of, a peripheral isolation model of speciation. Low genetic diversity is also expected if a significant bottleneck occurred at speciation. However, low allelic diversity is not universal throughout the geographic range of N. emarginata; high allelic diversity at the southern end of the distribution of N. emarginata suggests that in the past N. emarginata has been geographically restricted much further south than PC. A northward range expansion across PC by N. emarginata may thus represent only the most recent postglacial movement by the species. The thermal and oceanographic discontinuities found at PC may not have been directly involved in geographic isolation if N. emarginata originated much further south of this modern boundary. Despite uncertainty regarding the exact spatial distribution of populations at speciation, genetic data indicate that even though N. ostrina and N. emarginata currently exhibit a broad range of geographic overlap, speciation was likely allopatric and was initiated by physical isolation of populations in different zoogeographic provinces.
Effect of Some Sulfonamides on Renal Secretion.

SummaryFollowing the addition of sulfanilamide and of sulfonamides having an unsubstituted SO2NH2 group to the Ringer-phenol red perfusion fluid of an isolated frog kidney, the reaction of the secretion turns from acid to alkali, as indicated by the color of the indicator. This effect is reversible. Reasons are proposed for the assumption that the change of reaction is due to the inhibitory action of the sulfonamides upon carbonic anhydrase and that this enzyme is involved as a catalyzer in the reabsorption of bicarbonate by the kidney.
Direct drive: Simulations and results from the National Ignition Facility

Direct-drive implosion physics is being investigated at the National Ignition Facility. The primary goal of the experiments is twofold: to validate modeling related to implosion velocity and to estimate the magnitude of hot-electron preheat. Implosion experiments indicate that the energetics is well-modeled when cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) is included in the simulation and an overall multiplier to the CBET gain factor is employed; time-resolvedscattered light and scattered-lightspectra display the correct trends. Trajectories from backlit images are well modeled, although those from measured self-emission images indicate increased shell thickness and reduced shell density relative to simulations. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the most likely cause for the density reduction is nonuniformity growth seeded by laser imprint and not laser-energy coupling. Hot-electron preheat is at tolerable levels in the ongoing experiments, although it is expected to increase after the mitigation of CBET. Future work will include continued model validation, imprint measurements, and mitigation of CBET and hot-electron preheat.
Performance of rubblization on jointed concrete pavement rehabilitation in Shanghai

This paper explains the working theory of resonant breaker,its ideal effect,and construction requirements.Rubblization using resonant breaker has been evaluated on Huchinping highway and JinShan Broadway in Shanghai by field tests of FWD and bearing tests and laboratory particle size analyses.The main objective of this study is to understand resonant breaker's technique,its mechanical/physical behaviors,its field performance,and rubblized layer properties for design purposes.
Roles of the N- and C-Termini in the Function of the Yvc1p Saccharomyces Cerevisiae TRP Channel

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cytoplasic calcium levels increase in response to hyperosmotic stress. The Yvc1p TRP channel is responsible for for this response: stress activates Yvc1p, and the channel releases Ca2+ from the vacuolar storage compartment into the cytoplasm. Changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations in Saccharomyces are easily observed by monitoring the luminescence of cytoplasmic aequorin (Batiza et al, 1996, JBC). We have explored the utility of this assay for examining Yvc1p function, and have used the assay to study the consequence of truncation mutations of Yvc1p.From the N-terminus, the deletion constructs sequentially remove residues from the start up to the first putative transmembrane domain. We find that the first 30 amino acids are not essential for basic Yvc1p function and response to hyperosmotic shock. At the C-terminus, the panel of deletion constructs spans the segment after TM6 through the last residue. Here we find a more complicated pattern, but Yvc1p function, as judged by aequorin luminescence, is clearly adversely affected by deletions of more than the last 12 residues.
Stringing ‘The Figure in the Carpet’: Seven Readings, Seven Critical Plots

In what follows I will discuss seven readings of ‘The Figure in the Carpet’ developed by the members of my critical theory seminar. Six of these papers appeared in the Draftings in Reader-Oriented Criticism issue (DIROC). My own analysis, presented midway through this seminar, but fully articulated only in this chapter, is added here in order to represent more accurately my own obtrusive presence in this community of readers. Three other papers were left out from the Draftings collection because they remained at an incipient level of critical articulation. From the theoretical perspective adopted in this seminar, emphasising the interactional, open-ended process of critical writing,1 this did not meant that they were not ‘finished’, but rather that they did not pursue the interaction with James’s story and other readings far enough, did not foreground their own configurational process sufficiently. The primary purpose of this seminar, and of the publication venture that followed it, was to provide ample opportunity for the articulation of self-conscious, positional readings that engaged in a critical dialogue with James’s text and with each other. These essays could follow, as indeed most of them have, established modes of critical articulation, or they could resort to deconstructive, ironic, parataxical procedures in order to fulfill their purposes. Students were also encouraged to seek some degree of self-awareness, to spell out the assumptions and critical operations that led from early response to critical ‘rewriting’. Ideally, after several weeks of intense rewriting and classroom discussion, all interpretations can attain this ‘bi-active’ critical focus on textual figuration and their own interpretive manoeuvres. The three papers left out did not manage to make it beyond the level of a good response report or a formalistic application of a readily available interpretative grid (in this case borrowed from Peircean semiotics).
Carbon Nanotubes in Thin-Film Solar Cells

Thin-film photovoltaics offer the promise of cost-effective and scalable solar energy conversion, but the lifetime and efficiency of these solar cells continue to trail their inorganic silicon counterparts. Carbon nanotubes have recently been explored as materials in thin-film solar cells due to their optical absorption in the visible and infrared, high chemical stability, and exceptional charge transport properties. In particular, developments in the isolation of carbon nanotubes with homogeneous structures and properties have enabled their use as active absorbing materials, interfacial charge transport layers, and transparent conductive electrodes in organic and perovskite solar cells. This progress report highlights these recent advances and suggests future directions for carbon nanotubes in thin-film organic and inorganic nanomaterial solar cells.
Impedance and Current Distribution

This chapter examines tissue and body impedance as it affects the evaluation of electrical stimulation. It is concerned generally with current levels exceeding 100μA, and voltage levels exceeding 1 V. As a result, many of the special problems associated with characterizing the body’s response to microampere currents or millivolt potentials will not be relevant. For a thorough discussion of impedance in biological measurements at very low voltages and currents, the reader is directed to the work of Geddes (1972).
Phosphatidylserine (PS) Binding Sites in Kringle Modules Regulate the Domain Organization and Conformation of Bovine Prothrombin.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) specifically regulates prothrombin activation during blood coagulation by binding to specific on factor Xa (Koppaka et al. Biochemistry, 7483, 1996) and its cofactor, factor Va (Zhai et al. Biochemistry, 5675, 2002). Binding to PS-containing membranes also alters prothrombin conformation (Lentz et al., Biochemistry, 5460, 1994; Chen et al. ibid. 4701, 1997). We ask here whether specific PS binding sites on prothrombin also control these structural changes, and, if so, where these sites are located. Four methods (Trp fluorescence, circular dichroism [CD], differential scanning calorimetry [DSC], and quasi-elastic light scattering [QELS]) were used to define the structural consequences of soluble 1,2-dicaproyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine; (C6PS) binding both to whole prothrombin and to its proteolytically generated fragments. Intrinsic fluorescence titrations suggested the existence of two linked C6PS binding sites in fragment 1.2 (F1.2) and prethrombin 1, both of which contain prothrombin’s kringle pair. The existence of two sites was supported by direct equilibrium binding measurements with F1.2. CD measurements at increasing C6PS concentrations with both F1.2 and the kringle pair (F1.2 minus the γ-carboxy-glutamic acid [GLA] domain) were consistent with formation of a structure akin to an anti-parallel β sheet. Thermal denaturation profiles of F1.2 suggested calcium-independent, C6PS-induced domain reorganization within this fragment. Denaturation profiles and Trp fluorescence of the N-terminal, membrane binding domain (F1) and fragment 2 (F2) did not reveal any C6PS-induced changes. F2 consists mainly of the second cys-rich kringle module. The hydrodynamic radius of prothrombin was also found to decrease substantially (from 3.3 nm to 2.6 nm) in the presence of saturating (1mM) C6PS. Other lipids (phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidyl-D-serine) did bind to prothrombin but did not produce comparable structural changes. The results show that C6PS 1) binds specifically to linked, calcium-independent sites within prothrombin’s two kringle domains and 2) induces thereby a conformational reorganization in the whole molecule. Supported by USPHS grant HL072827 to BRL.
Axle detection on prestressed concrete bridge using bridge weigh-in-motion system

In the bridge weigh-in-motion (B-WIM) system, the free of axle detector (FAD) sensors, attached to the bottom of the slab, are used to obtain vehicle parameters such as velocity, axle numbers, and their distances. The experimental B-WIM test using FAD sensors by previous researchers on prestressed concrete I girder bridge yielded reliable responses; however, the frequency of vehicle parameter detection was questionable. On the prestressed concrete bridges, when the vehicle paths are near girders, the load gets transferred to the girder thus affecting the vehicle axle detection. Therefore, to properly detect the vehicle parameters, an optimized sensor location and number of sensors is required on the slab and near the girders. The previous experimental test, despite being accurate in single vehicle axle detection, was unsuccessful in breaking down the vehicle parameters on wide-span bridges that are subjected to multiple vehicles. Therefore, the fully developed 3 dimensional finite element model (3D FEM) of vehicle–bridge interaction considering different aspects of vehicle including suspension, damping, tire movement, air pressure, mass distribution on the axles, material and geometric behavior of the bridge was developed and verified with the experimental results. After verification the 3D FEM was used for sensor optimization on slab and the girder. Moreover, the optimized sensor locations were analyzed for multi-vehicles–bridge interaction. With the optimization, the sensor placement was made suitable for the B-WIM implementation on US bridges. Once implemented, the B-WIM system can be used for monitoring traffic for structural health and for law enforcement.
Incorporating breeding abundance into spatial assignments on continuous surfaces

Determining the geographic connections between breeding and nonbreeding populations, termed migratory connectivity, is critical to advancing our understanding of the ecology and conservation of migratory species. Assignment models based on stable isotopes historically have been an important tool for studying migratory connectivity of small-bodied species, but the low resolution of these assignments has generated interest into combining isotopes with other sources in information. Abundance is one of the most appealing data sources to include in isotope-based assignments, but there are currently no statistical methods or guidelines for optimizing the contribution of stable isotopes and abundance for inferring migratory connectivity. Using known-origin stable-hydrogen isotope samples of six Neotropical migratory bird species, we rigorously assessed the performance of assignment models that differentially weight the contribution of the isotope and abundance data. For two species with adequate sample sizes, we used Pareto optimality to determine the set of models that simultaneously minimized both assignment error rate and assignment area. We then assessed the ability of the top models from these two species to improve assignments of the remaining four species compared to assignments based on isotopes alone. We show that the increased precision of models that include abundance is often offset by a large increase in assignment error. However, models that optimally weigh the abundance data relative to the isotope data can result in higher precision and, in some cases, lower error than models based on isotopes alone. The top models, however, depended on the distribution of relative breeding abundance, with patchier distributions requiring stronger downweighting of abundance, and we present general guidelines for future studies. These results confirm that breeding abundance can be an important source of information for studies investigating broad-scale movements of migratory birds and potentially other taxa.
Empiricism and the Three-Dimensionality of Space

The success of empiricism in accounting for our knowledge of the tri-dimensionality of the physical world is intimately connected with its ability to refute Kant’s claim that the existence of such similar but incongruent counterparts as the left and right hands constitutes evidence for his transcendental a priori of space.1 Since the reasons for the untenability of this particular Kantian contention are not given even in Reichenbach’s definitive empiricist critique of the transcendental idealist theory of space2 and are not sufficiently known to the philosophical public, I shall give a brief statement of them.
Fabrication of the Metal Particle in Plastic Bead Target for the LLE Ultra-Strong-Spherical Shock Campaign

AbstractThe challenge of fabricating a shock convergence target is embedding the metal particle at the center of a plastic bead with ≤10-µm concentricity between the metal particle and plastic bead. Two types of the metal particle in plastic bead target were fabricated for the Ultra-Strong-Spherical Shock campaign: (1) a metal particle 50 µm in diameter embedded in the center of a 430-µm-diameter plastic bead and (2) the same metal particle and a 430-µm-diameter plastic bead with an embedded conical shield with the metal particle located at the tip of the conical shield. This paper describes the fabrication of these two target types; it includes the selection of the plastic bead material, how the metal particle was embedded in the plastic material, how the metal particle was attached to the end of the cone, how the plastic material was machined into a bead 430 µm in diameter, and how X-ray images were used to establish the particle position in the plastic material and how it was used for final metrology t...
Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia – From Molecular Pathogenesis to Targeted Therapy

Large Granular Lymphocytes (LGL) are part of the immune system normally comprising 10–15 % of adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). LGL actively survey for virus-infected or transformed cells in the body. Phenotypically, LGL contain two distinct subpopulations – cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and Natural Killer (NK) cells. Despite important differences in origin and functions, CTL share several characteristics with NK-cells (Smyth et al. 2001).
Perspective: Stochastic magnetic devices for cognitive computing

Stochastic switching of nanomagnets can potentially enable probabilistic cognitive hardware consisting of noisy neural and synaptic components. Furthermore, computational paradigms inspired from the Ising computing model require stochasticity for achieving near-optimality in solutions to various types of combinatorial optimization problems such as the Graph Coloring Problem or the Travelling Salesman Problem. Achieving optimal solutions in such problems are computationally exhaustive and requires natural annealing to arrive at the near-optimal solutions. Stochastic switching of devices also finds use in applications involving Deep Belief Networks and Bayesian Inference. In this article, we provide a multi-disciplinary perspective across the stack of devices, circuits, and algorithms to illustrate how the stochastic switching dynamics of spintronic devices in the presence of thermal noise can provide a direct mapping to the computational units of such probabilistic intelligent systems.
The multiperipheral model

The multiperipheral Regge model attempts to substitute a more plausible model for then-particle production amplitude which is significant in unitarity-type equations.
Immunological Injury of Virus-Infected Cells by Antiviral Antibody and Complement

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the immunological injury of virus-injected cells by antiviral antibody and complement. Viruses that stimulate the immune response might play a role in the development of autoimmune disorders, while viruses which depress humoral and/or cellular immunity might make the host less able to combat other infectious agents and might initiate or potentiate the development of tumors. The immune response of the host to viral antigens can result in the formation of circulating virus-antibody complexes. These complexes can react with antiimmunoglobulins, the components of complement or rheumatoid factor. Deposition of these virus-antibody complexes in the kidneys can lead to the development of immune-complex type of glomerulonephritis. Viruses can also induce new antigens on the surface of infected cells and the interaction with specific antiviral antibody plus complement can result in cell destruction. This chapter summarizes some of recent studies on the destruction of virus-infected cells by antiviral antibody and complement. It also discusses some of the factors which might inhibit or enhance the degree of immunological injury.
Youth Community Groups: Promotion of Mental Health and Capacity Development (Revisited)

This paper critically explores the role of community development projects, groups, as well as charitable organizations, notably churches, in mental health development, integration – as well as facilitating a “sense of belonging” to a particular community. As highlighted in the paper, “Agrupaciones comunitarias juveniles: promocion de la salud mental y desarrollo de capacidades”, the process through which those groups that participated in the research, were selected, involved amongst other criteria the following: The requirements of a community initiative aimed at promoting young people as the main beneficiaries; the driving motive of a sense of belonging to the community. This paper, amongst other objectives, consolidates on the notion of “the sense of belonging” – as well as contributes to the literature in highlighting why community development primarily comprises a symbiotic process and two-way relationship where a sense of belonging, as conveyed to particular groups – and in this case, youth groups, facilitates and encourages the process through which such groups can give back to such communities. Such a sense of belonging also having been developed between both parties involved in the form of what has been bestowed upon such groups – not only through monetary and funding needs, but also (and more importantly) through other forms of support which cannot necessarily be quantified in monetary terms. Understanding and trust between parties involved also having been developed through mutual communication and understanding over a period of time.
Caging the mercurous ion: a tetradentate tripodal nitrogen ligand enhances stability and J(1H199Hg)

The dimeric mercurous ion has been encapsulated by a pair of the tetradentate tripodal nitrogen ligands tris[(2-(6-methylpyridyl))methyl]amine (TLA). The complex [Hg2(TLA)2](ClO4)2 (1) was isolated directly from an acetonitrile solution of Hg(ClO4)2 ⋅ 3H2O and TLA. Complex 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group \(\bar P1\) with a = 10.537(2) A, b = 10.751(2) A, c = 10.907(2) A, α = 75.20(3)○, β = 73.73(3)○, γ = 75.73(3)○, and Z = 1. The cation is located an inversion center. The Hg–Hg and Hg–Namine bond distances are 2.5469(8) and 2.297(6) A, respectively, and the average Hg–Npyridyl bond length is 2.75(7) A. Complex 1 was stable indefinitely in acetonitrile-d3 solution, permitting detection of 13 and 22 Hz heteronuclear couplings between the Hg(I) ions and the methylene protons of the ligand. Comparisons with the structures and spectroscopic properties of related mercuric and mercurous complexes are made.
Free to be you and me, maybe: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents doing gender with their children

ABSTRACTThis article draws on participant observation with 33 members of families headed by LGBTQ-identified parents, and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 14 parents from these families in...
Field Agronomic Condition Test (F.A.C.T.) Environmental sensing: The Future of Agricultural and Conservation IOT

Agriculture faces a large volume of issues in the future that include climate change, growing population, and resource allocation. In addition, soil macronutrients tracking along with land management has always been a challenging field. Since, the macronutrients combined with soil pH, soil moisture, light intensity, air temperature and humidity steers the crop growth, it is imperative to track and log these data points to provide optimal crop growth conditions. In the past, there has been a lack of devices that could track soil conditions for a farmer resulting in non-optimal crop growth. In this paper we propose the Field Agronomic Condition Testing (F.A.C.T) that aids the farmers to test and log soil conditions. F.A.C.T combines agriculture and computer science under the umbrella of IoT (Internet of Things) in order to collect environmental data for agricultural or conservation land improvement across the globe. This device was developed using Raspberry Pi 3, a credit card sized computer, Elegoo Uno microcontrollers, and multiple sensors that collect data on light intensity, soil Ph, soil moisture, air temperature, and humidity. No device exists that can take these readings and present the data in this fashion. Data collection is initiated by either hard buttons on the device or by applications on Raspberry Pi that may be accessed by any device that can connect to the VNC viewer. Data may be collected in all areas using this method. This data is sent via web connection to the AWS (Amazon Web Service) cloud where data is provided in a graph. The data can be used to influence irrigation, crop choice, animal grazing, and assist land stewardship.
Vision status of children aged 7–15 years referred from school vision screening in Norway during 2003–2013: a retrospective study

Undetected vision problems is an important cause of reduced academic achievement, performance in everyday life and self-esteem. This receives little attention in national health care services in Norway even though most of these vision problems are easily correctable. There are no published data on how many Norwegian schoolchildren are affected by correctable vision problems. This study aims to determine the vision status in primary and secondary schoolchildren referred from vision screening during the 10 year period of 2003–2013. Of the 1126 children (15%) aged 7–15 years referred to the university eye clinic by the school screening program, all 782 who attended the eye clinic were included in the study. Patient records were retrospectively reviewed with regard to symptoms, refractive error, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of logMAR, binocular vision, ocular health and management outcomes. Previously undetected vision problems were confirmed in 650 (83%) of the children. The most frequent outcomes were glasses (346) or follow-up (209), but types of treatment modalities varied with age. Mean refractive errors were hyperopic for all age groups but reduced with age (ANOVA, p 0.05). Mean logMAR BCVAs were better than 0.0 and improved with age (ANOVA, p < 0.001). The most prevalent symptoms were headaches (171), near vision problems (149) and reduced distance vision (107). The vision screening identified children with previously undetected visual problems. This study shows that the types of visual problems varied with age and that most problems could be solved with glasses. Our results stress the importance of regular eye examinations and that vision examinations should be included in primary health care services. Furthermore, there is a need for raised awareness among parents and teaching staff regarding vision problems in children.