cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Review on Chitosan: Ecofriendly Multiple Potential Applications in the Food Industry

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to development of new functional materials for the environment and health, due to the huge waste produced annually by the shellfish processing industry and the absence of waste management which lead to environmental and human health negative effects. The extraction of chitin from crustaceans’ shells may be a solution to minimize the waste and to produce chitosan, a valuable compound which possess biological properties (e.g., anti-cancer, antioxidant, and immune-enhancing) with application in several fields (e.g., food, medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemicals, agricultural crops, and textile). On the basis of the results of different studies, chitosan, a natural bio-degradable and non- toxic bio-polysaccharide derived from chitin, has potential to be used as natural antimicrobial. Chitosan has exhibited high antimicrobial activity against a wide variety of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, including fungi, Gram-positive and Gram negative bacteria. The aim of the present review was to summarize the most important information on chitin and chitosan as ecofriendly materials from its bioactivity point of view and to highlight various aspects such as characteristics with their potential applications especially focusing on the food industry field.
The optical and biological properties of glacial meltwater in an Antarctic fjord.

As the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) region responds to a warmer climate, the impacts of glacial meltwater on the Southern Ocean are expected to intensify. The Antarctic Peninsula fjord system offers an ideal system to understand meltwater’s properties, providing an extreme in the meltwater’s spatial gradient from the glacio-marine boundary to the WAP continental shelf. Glacial meltwater discharge in Arctic and Greenland fjords is typically characterized as relatively lower temperature, fresh and with high turbidity. During two cruises conducted in December 2015 and April 2016 in Andvord Bay, we found a water lens of low salinity and low temperature along the glacio-marine interface. Oxygen isotope ratios identified this water lens as a mixture of glacial ice and deep water in Gerlache Strait suggesting this is glacial meltwater. Conventional hydrographic measurements were combined with optical properties to effectively quantify its spatial extent. Fine suspended sediments associated with meltwater (nanoparticles of ~ 5nm) had a significant impact on the underwater light field and enabled the detection of meltwater characteristics and spatial distribution. In this study, we illustrate that glacial meltwater in Andvord Bay alters the inherent and apparent optical properties of the water column, and develop statistical models to predict the meltwater content from hydrographic and optical measurements. The predicted meltwater fraction is in good agreement with in-situ values. These models offer a potential for remote sensing and high-resolution detection of glacial meltwater in Antarctic waters. Furthermore, the possible influence of meltwater on phytoplankton abundance in the surface is highlighted; a significant correlation is found between meltwater fraction and chlorophyll concentration.
Living dangerously: a defense of Mortal Peril.

As one of the most controversial writers of our time, just the name Richard Epstein draws immediate attention from all sectors of academia. But if the hallmark of great ideas is the criticism they engender, Professor Epstein's words and thoughts are powerful indeed. In Mortal Peril, Professor Epstein outlined a fundamental shift in thinking that he claimed needed to occur before any discussion of health care could take place. The final consensus of the validity of Professor Epstein's views may still be a matter for history to judge, but in many ways, he has already won; with the strength of his logic and convictions, he has forced other scholars to address his concerns, and in doing so, he has refocused the debate on health care. At the symposium, Professor Epstein proved his indisputable eloquence and debating skill in answering and refuting the various points made by his many critics. Now, in writing, he thoughtfully considers and analyzes the views submitted by his colleagues, and solidifies the ideas that first found their expression in Mortal Peril. Language: en
Postoperative urinary tract infection after urogynecologic surgery: timing and uropathogens

Although postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) after urogynecologic surgery are a common adverse event, there is no standardized postoperative time period used to assess this outcome, and the uropathogens unique to this sub-population of patients have not been well described. Our objective is to describe the timing and uropathogens of postoperative UTI after urogynecologic surgery. This retrospective study analyzed postoperative UTI occurring within 90 days following urogynecologic procedures from November 2013 to January 2018 at a single academic institution. Postoperative UTI was defined as any uropathogen growth from standard urine culture. Continuous variables were compared with independent samples t-test and categorical variables with chi-square with Bonferonni corrections as appropriate. One hundred and two of 1085 (9.4%) patients experienced UTI; 63.7% occurred within 6 weeks and 78.4% within 8 weeks; 36.3% of UTIs occurred at a time period of 6 weeks to 90 days. Most commonly isolated uropathogens were Escherichia coli (47.8%) with an additional 11.2% extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli. Other bacteria included Enterococcus faecalis (10.4%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9%), and one culture each for ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant (VRE) Enterococcus faecium. More than one third of UTIs after urogynecologic surgery occur between 6 weeks and 90 days postoperatively. A plateau of UTI incidence occurs at 8 weeks, a time period at which 78.4% of all UTIs were captured. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated uropathogen, and multi-drug-resistant bacteria were implicated in 12.8% of UTIs.
Pilot Study of Bortezomib and Dexamethasone Pre- and Post-Risk-Adapted Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in AL Amyloidosis

ABSTRACT Treatment for AL amyloidosis aims to eradicate clonal plasma cells, thereby disrupting the amyloid deposition causing organ damage. Risk-adapted high-dose melphalan plus autologous stem cell transplantation (RA-ASCT) is an effective therapy. We conducted a prospective pilot analysis of a comprehensive approach using bortezomib and dexamethasone (BD) before and after RA-ASCT in 19 patients. BD induction (up to 3 cycles of bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 i.v. and dexamethasone 40 mg orally [p.o.] or i.v. on days 1, 4, 8, and 11) was followed by RA-ASCT and then BD consolidation (6 cycles of bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2i.v. and dexamethasone 20 mg p.o. or i.v. weekly for 4 weeks, every 12 weeks). The overall hematologic response rate (partial response or better) was 95%, including 37% minimal residual disease negative [MRD(-)] complete response (CR) by flow cytometry (sensitivity up to 1/106 cells). At 2 years, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 68% (95% confidence interval [CI], 50% to 93%) and 84% (95% CI, 69% to 99%), respectively, with median duration of follow-up in survivors of 61 months (range, 42 to 84 months). In a landmark analysis, patients achieving MRD(-) CR had superior PFS (P= .008). This approach is safe and yields deep and durable remissions promoting organ recovery. Each treatment phase deepened the response. Future aims include improving the efficacy and toxicity of each phase.
Neoantigens and genome instability: impact on immunogenomic phenotypes and immunotherapy response

The resurgence of immune therapies in cancer medicine has elicited a corresponding interest in understanding the basis of patient response or resistance to these treatments. One aspect of patient response clearly lies in the genomic alterations that are associated with cancer onset and progression, including those that contribute to genomic instability and the resulting creation of novel peptide sequences that may present as neoantigens. The immune reaction to these unique ‘non-self’ peptides is frequently suppressed by the tumor itself, but the use of checkpoint blockade therapies, personalized vaccines, or a combination of these treatments may elicit a tumor-specific immune response that results in cell death. Massively parallel sequencing, coupled with different computational analyses, provides unbiased identification of the germline and somatic alterations that drive cancer development, and of those alterations that lead to neoantigens. These range from simple point mutations that change single amino acids to complex alterations, such as frameshift insertion or deletion mutations, splice-site alterations that lead to exon skipping, structural alterations that lead to the formation of fusion proteins, and other forms of collateral damage caused by genome instability that result in new protein sequences unique to the cancer. The various genome instability phenotypes can be identified as alterations that impact DNA replication or mismatch repair pathways or by their genomic signatures. This review provides an overview of current knowledge regarding the fundamentals of genome replication and of both germline and somatic alterations that disrupt normal replication, leading to various forms of genomic instability in cancers, to the resulting generation of neoantigens and, ultimately, to immune-responsive and resistant phenotypes.
CHAPTER 4-1 – GEMINAL INTERPROTON COUPLING

Publisher Summary This chapter describes geminal coupling as the interaction between nuclei bound to the same atom, that is, across two bonds. Of most interest are the geminal interactions of two protons bound to the same carbon atom. Although the coupling is formally across two α-bonds, the hybridization of the central carbon atom strongly influences the magnitude of the coupling constant. An early theoretical treatment predicted that the geminal coupling constants for protons bound to both sp3 and sp2 hybridized carbon atoms should be strongly dependent on the H—C—H angle. The values found for methane, epoxides, substituted β-propiolactones, and ethylene derivatives fitted the theoretical curve; however, the agreement is fortuitous because the theoretically derived signs are incorrect. On present evidence, it is difficult to decide whether the magnitude of H—C—H angle influences the geminal coupling constant. Although it is difficult to obtain values for geminal coupling in unsubstituted alicyclic compounds, and substituents are known to modify their magnitude, sufficient data are available to show that the geminal coupling constants may vary with ring size.
HIV Screening During Pregnancy in a U.S. HIV Epicenter.

Background The CDC and ACOG have issued guidelines for HIV screening in pregnancy for patients living in areas with high prevalence of HIV in order to minimize perinatal vertical transmission. There is a lack of data examining providers' compliance with these guidelines in at-risk patient populations in the United States. Objective To evaluate if HIV screening in pregnant women was performed according to guidelines at a large, urban, tertiary care medical center in South Florida. Study Design. A retrospective review was performed on 1270 prenatal and intrapartum records from women who delivered a live infant in 2015 at a single institution. Demographic and outcome data were chart abstracted and analyzed using arithmetic means and standard deviations. Results Of the 1270 patients who met inclusion criteria, 1090 patients initiated prenatal care in the first or second trimester and delivered in the third trimester. 1000 (91.7%) patients were screened in the first or second trimester; however, only 822 (82.2%) of these were retested in the third trimester during prenatal care. Among the 178 patients lacking a third trimester test, 159 (89.3%) received rapid HIV testing upon admission for delivery. Of the 1090 patients who initiated prenatal care in the first or second trimester and delivered in the third trimester, 982 (90.1%) were screened in accordance with recommended guidelines. Of the 1270 patients initiating care in any trimester, 24 (1.9%) had no documented prenatal HIV test during prenatal care, however 22 (91.7%) had a rapid HIV test on admission for delivery. Two (0.16%) patients were not tested prenatally or prior to delivery. Conclusion Despite 99.8% of women having at least one HIV screening test during pregnancy, there is room for improvement in routine prenatal screening in both early pregnancy and third trimester prior to onset of labor in this high-risk population.
Development of New Cancer Therapies

Systemic therapies for cancer are required for advanced disease and regional disease that is at high risk of systemic dissemination. This is the most difficult therapeutic challenge because of the extreme clonal heterogeneity in advanced cancers and the high probability of therapeutic resistance, either preexistent or evolving as a “fitness” trait in response to the evolutionary selection pressure of the drug. Despite this fact, new drugs for cancer are developed with the goal of prolonging survival even if cure is unobtainable. Even modest improvements in outcomes measured in weeks to weeks are difficult to achieve. New drug development is a highly regulated, labor-intensive, inordinately expensive, and protracted process and has a failure rate estimated to be about 95%. The US Food and Drug Administration oversees the process, requiring proof of the new drug’s safety for human use and efficacy in its intended context of use before a new drug is approved for commercialization and use in patients. The development process moves slowly from discovery in the laboratory of an agent’s activity against a biological target in cancer through preclinical testing of the agent in a biological system. Animals serve as patient surrogates in this required phase of testing, despite the fact that animal models do not accurately predict the safety or the efficacy of new drugs in patients. Human testing in clinical trials is required for the ultimate determination of safety and efficacy of the new agent. Human experimentation is governed by international rules of ethics that are further codified and enforced through the US Office of Human Research Protection in the federal government. The requirements for a clinical trial, among many other things, include the freely informed consent of research participants, a scientifically sound research protocol that also minimizes potential harms to participants, the approval of institutional review boards that are populated by members who are free of conflicts of interest related to the new drug or the proposed study, and the approval of the National Cancer Institute, if federal funding supports the trial. Executing a trial to acquire statistical proof of efficacy can take many years. This chapter reviews the many challenges and requirements of cancer drug development, the high rate of failure in bringing a new cancer therapy to market, and the need for process improvement without compromise of scientific rigor or ethical requirements.
Covid-19 and hellp: Overlapping clinical pictures in two gravid patients

Background The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) on pregnancies is currently under investigation. There is a significant overlap between the clinical findings in novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets syndrome (HELLP). Cases Patients presented at 22 and 29 weeks of gestation with suspected COVID-19 pneumonia. While the patient at 22 weeks of gestation subsequently had an intrauterine fetal demise, the patient at 29 weeks of gestation delivered via an emergency cesarean delivery for nonreassuring fetal status. Both patients also developed transaminitis, thrombocytopenia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation with a proof of hemolysis on peripheral smear. Conclusion Clinicians are encouraged to consider both of these diagnoses when caring for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic to assure that both maternal and fetal concerns are addressed and treated appropriately.
Predictive Value Generalization Bounds.

In this paper, we study a bi-criterion framework for assessing scoring functions in the context of binary classification. The positive and negative predictive values (ppv and npv, respectively) are conditional probabilities of the true label matching a classifier's predicted label. The usual classification error rate is a linear combination of these probabilities, and therefore, concentration inequalities for the error rate do not yield confidence intervals for the two separate predictive values. We study generalization properties of scoring functions with respect to predictive values by deriving new distribution-free large deviation and uniform convergence bounds. The latter bound is stated in terms of a measure of function class complexity that we call the order coefficient; we relate this combinatorial quantity to the VC-subgraph dimension.
Distance-Based Planar Formation Control using Orthogonal Variables

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to the problem of augmenting distance-based formation controllers with a secondary feedback variable for the purpose of preventing formation ambiguities. We introduce two variables that form an orthogonal space and uniquely characterize a triangular formation in two dimensions. We show that the resulting controller ensures the almost-global asymptotic stability of the desired formation for an $n$ -agent system without conditions on the triangulations of the desired formation or control gains.
Locomotor Behavior and Body Mass of Paramys delicatus (Ischyromyidae, Rodentia) and Commentary on Other Early North American Paramyines

Paramyine ischyromyids are one of the first ancestral rodent groups to appear in North America. Studying ecological indicators of these extinct animals enables us to better understand how they integrated into North American mammalian communities. In this study we reassess the locomotor behavior of a nearly complete skeleton of a paramyine, Paramys delicatus (AMNH FM 12506), using functional limb indices and living squirrels as extant analogues. We then used the results of the functional limb index study to select an appropriate locomotor group for body mass estimations of Paramys delicatus and other early North American (Wasatchian-Bridgerian) paramyines. This was done because body mass is strongly tied to locomotor patterns and more reliable body mass estimates can be generated from an extant sample that functionally resembles the fossils being studied. Functional limb indices were calculated for three locomotor groups (arboreal, semifossorial, and gliding) of living sciurids. Comparisons among arboreal, semifossorial, and gliding sciurids show that the functional indices related to mechanical advantage of muscles and limb robusticity enable distinction among locomotor groups; however, there is considerable overlap between arboreal and semifossorial taxa. Paramys delicatus was found to have generally greater mechanical advantages and limb robusticity than most living squirrels, including semifossorial taxa. As these traits are associated with semifossorial squirrels that frequently use scratch-digging, this suggests that Paramys delicatus and perhaps other early paramyines were likely proficient scratch-diggers. However, indices reflecting limb proportions of paramyines suggest that these early rodents may have used more hind limb dominated locomotion than do living squirrels. Body mass estimations for early paramyines were therefore derived from a semifossorial squirrel sample. Statistical comparisons suggest that many of the most reliable estimators for body mass in Paramys delicatus and other paramyines are those derived from humeral dimensions, with the most reliable estimate being humeral head superoinferior breadth. Using these estimators, individual body mass estimates of early paramyines range from 3391 to 4005 g for Paramys delicatus, 1137–1329 g for Paramys copei, 1291 g for Paramys taurus, and 3357 g for Notoparamys costilloi. All body mass estimations derived from postcranial elements are substantially larger than previously published estimates derived from the dentition, which may be because postcranial elements play a larger role in supporting body weight.
Material selection for long life and high durability for special purpose type of flexure bearing

Abstract A special type of flexure bearings are installed to support a compressor motor and a displacer within a cryocooler which is used in space applications. The fatigue life of spring is a critical factor for such applications, to ensure that the cryocooler does not fail. The flexure spring is used in the setup of an eccentric type of flexure bearing. The present study analyzes various significant parameters and properties in selecting the best suitable material to achieve finite-fatigue life. To avoid a failure of such critical component, batch testing is carried out. The three materials which are compared with respective SN-curve are a] beryllium copper, b] Stainless Steel (3 0 4) and c] Titanium. The study has been carried out to find the best suitable material for flexure bearing. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used to understand flexure springs stress and displacement.
An Overview of Traceback Investigations and Three Case Studies of Recent Outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce

ABSTRACT Leafy greens contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli have continued to cause foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years and present a threat to public health. An important component of foodborne illness outbreak investigations is determining the source of the outbreak vehicle through traceback investigations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is home to traceback investigation experts who use a standardized process to initiate, execute, and interpret the results of traceback investigations in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local partners. Traceback investigations of three outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce in 2018 and 2019 were examined to demonstrate challenges, limitations, and opportunities for improvement. The three outbreaks resulted in a total of 474 illnesses, 215 hospitalizations, and 5 deaths. These illnesses were linked to the consumption of romaine lettuce from three distinct growing regions in Arizona and California. Some of the challenges encountered included the time it took to initiate a traceback, limited product-identifying information throughout the supply chain, lack of interoperability in record-keeping systems, and comingling of product from multiple suppliers. These challenges led to time delays in the identification of the farm source of the leafy greens and the inability to identify the root cause of contamination. Implementation of technology-enabled traceability systems, testing of these systems, and future regulations to incentivize adoption of traceability systems are some of the initiatives that will help address these challenges by improving traceback investigations and ultimately preventing foodborne illnesses and future outbreaks from occurring. HIGHLIGHTS
Neuromorphic Autonomous Spiking Encoding

Understanding how biological neurons encode information through neural signaling is crucial in building rich computational hardware neuromorphic systems. This paper creates a neuromorphic neuron model capable of processing and performing complex tasks autonomously and in real-time through neural modulation and dynamic neural encoding. We test the autonomous behavioral capability by mimicking Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons' (L5PNs) coincident detection encoding behavior using a small network of neurons. The results show that individual output neurons can autonomously encode different received Action Potential (AP) patterns to their time of occurrence into unique output AP patterns. Such property might influence future neuromorphic autonomous encoding systems without the need for a large number of neurons. Implementation of circuits was conducted using the 45nm CMOS technology node, and functional verification is discussed in detail using Cadence Virtuoso Simulator tools.
Understanding and Advancing Natural Resource Management in the Context of Changing Ocean Conditions

Changing ocean conditions, such as ocean acidification, hypoxia, and ocean warming, are impacting marine ecosystems and posing a variety of immediate and future challenges for natural resource mana...
Gastrointestinal and Feeding Issues for Infants <25 weeks of gestation

Abstract Appropriate nutrition is essential for optimal development and growth of preterm infants. Infants less than 25 weeks corrected gestational age are frequently the most difficult group for which to provide adequate nutrition due to minimal energy stores and high fluid losses. Nutrient delivery becomes an integral, but also very challenging part in their management. Early administration of intravenous nutrients provides a critical bridge to full enteral nutrition. However, enteral feeding is challenging due to immaturities of the intestinal tract, feeding intolerance and the risk of catastrophic gastrointestinal disease such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Decreased gastric acid production, increased gut permeability, reduced immunoglobulins, immature intestinal epithelia and a decreased mucin barrier all contribute to weakness to gastrointestinal insult. This review aims to illustrate the importance of enteral feeding and the common challenges and approaches in the nutrition of infants born at this age.
Hemingway, Cuba, and the Cuban Works

The profound impact of Cuba on Ernest Hemingway's life and work Ernest Hemingway resided in Cuba longer than he lived anywhere else in the world, yet no book has been devoted to how his life in Cuba influenced his writing. Hemingway, Cuba, and the Cuban Works corrects this omission by presenting contributions by scholars and journalists from the United States, Russia, Japan, and Cuba, who explore how Hemingway absorbed and wrote from the culture and place around him. The volume opens with an examination of Hemingway's place in Cuban history and culture, evaluations of the man and his work, and studies of Hemingway's life as an American in Cuba. These essays look directly at Hemingway's Cuban experience, and they range from the academic to the journalistic, allowing different voices to speak and different tones to be heard. The first section includes reflections from Gladys Rodriguez Ferrero, former director of the Museo Finco Vigia, who describes the deep affection Cubans hold for Hemingway; and recollections from the now-adult members of "Gigi's All Stars," the boys' baseball team that Hemingway organized in the 1940s. In the second part of the collection, Hemingway scholars- among them, Kim Moreland, James Nagel, Ann Putnam, and H. R. Stoneback-employ a variety of critical perspectives to analyze specific works set in Cuba or on its Gulf Stream and written during the years that Hemingway actually lived in Cuba. Also included are a long letter by Richard Armstrong describing the Machado revolution in Cuba and Hemingway's photographs of fishermen at Cojimar, which provide vivid visual commentary on The Old Man and the Sea. Appended to the collection are Kelli Larson's bibliography of scholarly writing on Hemingway's Cuban works and Ned Quevedo Arnaiz's sample of Cuban writing on those works. A chronology placing Hemingway's life in Cuba beside historical events is also provided. This important volume illuminates Hemingway's life and work during the Cuban years, and it will appeal to Hemingway fans and scholars alike.
Physical and physiological changes associated with stunting syndrome in turkeys and effects of diet

Experiments were done to determine the effect of feeding diets of different ingredient composition to poults experimentally infected with stunting syndrome (SS) at 1 day of age. In the first experiment, feeding a diet containing fish meal and meat and bone meal (AP diet) as the main protein sources eliminated the effects of SS inoculation on performance traits as compared with the effects of SS inoculation on poults fed a practical corn-soy (CS) diet. In spite of similar performances in noninoculated (Nonlnoc, dosed per os with 1 ml of tryptose phosphate broth at 1 day of age) and inoculated (Inoc, dosed per os with 1 ml of the SS-inoculum at 1 day of age) poults fed the AP diet, these poults had similar activities of sucrase and maltase in the jejunum and ileum as CS- fed Inoc poults. Disaccharidase activities were less in Inoc poults (P inoculation were more severe than those in Exp. 1. In these experiments, the AP diet only partially overcame the adverse effects of SS on poults (i.e., 90.3 and 59.6% growth depression from 1 to 5 days of age in Inoc poults fed the CS and AP diets, respectively, as compared to the Nonlnoc poults fed the same diets). The mechanism(s) by which the AP diet exerted its beneficial effects was not related to digestion and(or) absorption given that retention of dry matter was either similar (Exp. 2) or lower (P Nonlnoc and Inoc poults. Inoc poults fed the AP diet gained more (P dry matter, protein, and ash than Inoc poults fed the CS diet, but loss
Therapeutic Uses of Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Medicine

Hyperthyroidism is a disease manifested by excessive thyroid hormone activity and can arise from a number of pathogenic processes. Several strategies are employed in the treatment of hyperthyroidism, e.g., use of antithyroid drugs such as propylthiouracil or methimazole, thyroidectomy, and use of 131I. Each of these methods has its own merits and disadvantages, but drug therapy and 131I treatment are the most common choices.
The Mental Health and Adjustment of Immigrant and Refugee Children

Although parents may make decisions to leave their homes, either willingly in the hope of improving their lives or involuntarily to escape danger and seek safety for themselves and their families, it is never a voluntary decision for the child. The economic, political, social, and other contextual issues associated with migration are as significant in predicting the child's adjustment to his or her new circumstances as his or her physical and psychological endowment. This article addresses these issues and suggests that particular consideration be given to children whose migration was punctuated by life-threatening danger or whose families were overwhelmed by the stresses of migratory experiences. Child and adolescent psychiatrists and other well-trained mental health professionals can further the understanding of the interactions among the child, family, and new community, which can promote or hinder the process of adaptation to the new setting.
Effects of Plasma Elongation on Magnetics of Continuous-Coil Tokamak Reactors

The paper presents the results of a scoping study of the effects upon machine parameters of varying plasma elongation and aspect ratio. The toroidal magnets under consideration were designed to have the same ignition margin and constant maximum equivalent membrane stress in the throat of the machine.
Oxalate Oxidase Model Studies – Substrate Reactivity

The synthesis and structure of [MnLCl]0.5H2O (1·0.5H2O, HL = 1-benzyl-4-acetato-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) is reported. Complex 1 exists as a coordination polymer in the solid state, and the MnII center is bonded to three amine nitrogen atoms, one carboxylate oxygen atom, a chlorido ligand, and an adjacent carboxylate group in a chelating fashion to afford a seven-coordinate center. The dissolution of 1 in acetonitrile containing excess oxalate (ox) ions results in a monomeric species. When mixtures of 1 and oxalate ions are exposed to oxygen under ambient conditions, a dark pink EPR-silent species is generated. The pink species is believed to be [MnIII(ox)2]–, which results from the displacement of the ligand L– by an oxalate ion. The decomposition of this species ultimately results in the formation of 1 equiv. of CO2 per oxalate ion consumed, a HCO3– ion, and a MnII species. Further reaction of the resulting MnII species with excess oxalate in the presence of oxygen leads to additional oxalate degradation.
Traffic density-based discovery of hot routes in road networks

Finding hot routes (traffic flow patterns) in a road network is an important problem. They are beneficial to city planners, police departments, real estate developers, and many others. Knowing the hot routes allows the city to better direct traffic or analyze congestion causes. In the past, this problem has largely been addressed with domain knowledge of city. But in recent years, detailed information about vehicles in the road network have become available. With the development and adoption of RFID and other location sensors, an enormous amount of moving object trajectories are being collected and can be used towards finding hot routes. This is a challenging problem due to the complex nature of the data. If objects traveled in organized clusters, it would be straightforward to use a clustering algorithm to find the hot routes. But, in the real world, objects move in unpredictable ways. Variations in speed, time, route, and other factors cause them to travel in rather fleeting "clusters." These properties make the problem difficult for a naive approach. To this end, we propose a new density-based algorithm named FlowScan. Instead of clustering the moving objects, road segments are clustered based on the density of common traffic they share. We implemented FlowScan and tested it under various conditions. Our experiments show that the system is both efficient and effective at discovering hot routes.
Defect modes in photonic crystals studied using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Two-dimensional photonic crystal band gaps have been studied using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. We observe the effects of defect modes in both the amplitude and phase spectra. These results are in reasonable agreement with calculations.
Analyst variation associated with land cover image classification of Landsat ETM + data for the assessment of coarse spatial resolution regional/global land cover products

This study examined analyst variation associated with land cover (LC) image classification using 30 × 30 m Landsat ETM+ data for the assessment of coarse spatial resolution regional/global LC products. The study was designed to test the effect of varying training site selections (location and number) among six analysts performing a supervised classification on a Landsat ETM + image. Design constraints maintained other aspects of the classification process constant (i.e., type of classifier, choice of band combinations, etc.). Results indicated that training site selection alone did not provide a predictive measure of classification accuracy. Only when training data selection was combined with variations in spatial resolution did significant differences occur. Differences in classification accuracies between analysts increased threefold in the aggregation process from 90 × 90 m to 1200 × 1200 m. Error sources (i.e. analyst differences) and the dynamics of the spatial aggregation process can potentially acc...
Mobile context handoff in distributed IEEE 802.11 systems

The mobility management is one of the most critical issues in mobile wireless systems. The quest to support delay-stringent multimedia applications challenges most existing solutions to the mobility management problem. We propose a mobility management scheme, called mobile AP to support station mobility efficiently. In Mobile AP mobility support system, the context of each mobile station is defined by the association stairs between the mobile station and the wireless communication infrastructure. When the mobile station roams in mobile AP systems, the context of the association follows the mobile station from one physical access point to another, thus eliminating the need for the mobile station to re-associate with new access points. We implement mobile AP system in IEEE 802.11 systems, and the essential idea is applicable in other wireless systems.
Sketching Design Thinking: Representations of design in education and practice

Research on design pedagogy has shown that students progress through a variety of barriers on the path to becoming a successful design practitioner, and that frameworks for explicit reflection can be beneficial to the development of design students. Schon uses the concept of reflection-on- action to describe one form of reflection on design practice, with the eventual goal of improving design processes and judgment. In this study, sketching is used as a form of reflection-on-action in a first semester intensive course in interaction design (IxD). This sketch reflects the student’s current understanding of the “whole game” or holistic view of design in IxD. Current practitioners in IxD companies were asked to draw the “whole game” sketch as well. Parallels among the sketches and areas of divergence are discussed. In summary, students shifted from abstract, linear representations of process early in the semester to more concrete, iterative representations by the end of their first semester. Practitioner sketches were more abstract and linear, but also included representations of business terminology and design teams. We propose a preliminary model of change in expertise, which documents the shift in a designer’s visual representation of their process as their expertise increases over time. Implications for changes in design pedagogy and avenues for future research are discussed.
Can a Sport Organization Monitor Its Employees' and Athletes' Use of Social Media?

In Pietrylo v. Hillstone Restaurant Group, the plaintiff filed a wrongful-discharge claim against his employer after he was fired for content he had posted about the employer on a social media web site. This article discusses the implications of the court's decision on athletes in the sport industry.
Protein Processing, Endocytosis and Intracellular Sorting of Growth Factors

Introduction Endocytosis of Growth Factor Receptors Receptor Recruitment into Clathrin-Coated Pits Molecular Mechanisms of Internalization Pathway Through Endosomal Compartments Kinetics of Intracellular Trafficking: Recycling Versus Degradation Mechanism of Receptor Sorting in Endosomes Other Types of Signaling Receptors Perspectives Acknowledgments Bibliography Keywords: receptors; cytoskeleton; vesicles
Modification of an essential arginine of carbamate kinase.

Abstract Carbamate kinase from Streptococcus faecalis is inactivated by butanedione in borate buffer, which implies the presence of an essential arginine at the active site of the enzyme. The inactivation reaction is first order in [butanedione] and a replot of the inactivation rate data infers that one arginine is modified. The enzyme is protected against inactivation by ADP, ATP, the metal-nucleotides and carbamyl phosphate but not by carbamate. Amino acid analyses reveal that one of three arginines is modified by butanedione in the absence of protecting agents, and the binding of ADP to the enzyme prevents modification. Thus, analysis of the data suggest that (i) substrate binding to arginine and (ii) protein conformational changes at the active site are responsible for protection of an essential arginine against modification by butanedione.
Long‐term survival and prognostic factors in patients with regional breast cancer (skin, muscle, and/or chest wall attachment)

Between 1948 and 1981, 1230 patients were diagnosed as having regional (skin, muscle, or chest wall attachment) breast cancer, and long-term survival was studied. In all patients, overall survival was 33% at 5 years, 19% at 10 years, and 9% at 20 years. Significant excess mortality due to breast cancer was observed throughout the 20-year follow-up period (P < 0.002). The risk of breast cancer was highest in the 5-year period following diagnosis, and declined steadily from that time. Additionally, 308 patients diagnosed since 1968 were studied for the effect of prognostic factors. Clinical status of nodes (positive or negative) and presence or absence of peau d'orange were found to be significant prognostic factors in those patients. In those receiving radical surgery, the number of nodes and presence or absence of peau d'orange were found to be of prognostic significance. No effect of race, age, year of diagnosis, site of attachment, type of fixation, ulceration, edema, size of tumor, satellite nodules, or dimpling retraction on breast-cancer-specific survival was observed when the nodal status and peau d'orange were controlled. These data demonstrate that mortality in regional breast cancer is significant and is highly dependent on peau d'orange and nodal status. Cancer 55:1389-1397, 1985.
The Role of Leptin in Human Obesity and Disease: A Review of Current Evidence

Since leptin was discovered 4 years ago, understanding of the mechanisms underlying neuroendocrine function, body weight, and energy homeostasis has greatly broadened. Elucidation of these mechanis...
Anaerobic biodegradation of toluene under denitrifying conditions in contaminated groundwater and soil

Abstract The objectives of this study were: (1) to demonstrate nitrate loading as a control variable for the rate and extent of toluene degradation; (2) to maintain nitrate and toluene effluent concentrations below drinking water standards under continuous flow conditions; and, (3) to conduct treatability studies prior to a field demonstration delineating the effect of nitrate loading on toluene degradation. This project simulated field conditions in the laboratory by using contaminated soil and groundwater in batch and column biodegradation studies. The column experiments had continuous groundwater flow and were packed with soil from the site. Toluene concentrations approximating 50% saturation, 200 mg/l, were degraded. Carbon and nitrogen mass balances were completed. A goal during these experiments was to maintain the effluent nitrate and toluene concentrations below drinking water standards. Nitrate loading was demonstrated as a control variable for toluene degradation, with residual nitrate/nitrite concentrations in column effluents maintained below drinking water standards. The concentration of nitrate feed was varied to observe effects on toluene degradation. Reduction in influent nitrate concentrations resulted in a stoichiometric increase in column effluent toluene concentrations.
Congenital heart disease in childhood, with special reference to prognosis

Abstract A review has been made of 230 records of children with congenital cardiac defects seen at the Children's Hospital during the years 1922 to 1936. Information concerning 80 per cent of this group was obtained in 1938. One hundred two children had died, 73 per cent of the deaths occurring within the first year of life. The death rate among infants with symptoms serious enough to warrant admission to the hospital was as high as 70 per cent. One-third of the infants who came originally under observation in the cardiac clinic had died during the period of observation. Of 94 school children, 11 per cent had died. The mortality rate observed among groups of children with congenital cardiac defects will thus be greatly influenced by the selection of patients. Impressions derived from experience with school children will be unduly optimistic. The death rate of cyanotic infants was twice that of noncyanotic, and continued to rise progressively with age, whereas that of noncyanotic individuals tended to show only a slow increase after the second year of life. One-half of all deaths were due to infection, with pneumonia heading the list. Among the patients that came to necropsy, 90 per cent of those with lesions of the acyanotic and delayed cyanotic type had died of infection, whereas 40 per cent of individuals with lesions of the cyanotic type had died of the cardiac defect itself.
Book review: KAM: A System for Intelligently Guided Numerical by Computer By Kenneth Man-Kam Yip (MIT Press, 1991)

Dynamics studies time varying systems, such as the climate, population growth, planetary motion, and chemical reactions. Dynamicists formulate mathematical models of the systems, analyze the models, and predict the behavior of the systems. They seek simple models whose predictions agree with many observations. Once they develop an accurate model of a system, they can augment experimentation and observation with mathematical analysis and computer simulation, thus predicting (and perhaps controlling) its behavior more quickly and more easily. For example, fluid flow models reduce the need for wind tunnel tests of new aircraft, saving the designers time and money. An accurate model of the climate could predict the effects of alternate industrial policies on global warming without the cost, risk, and lead time of experimentation.
ON THE PRODUCT AND RATIO OF GAMMA AND WEIBULL RANDOM VARIABLES

The distributions of products and ratios of random variables are of interest in many areas of the sciences. In this note, the exact distributions of the product XY and the ratio X/Y are derived when X and Y are gamma and Weibull random variables distributed independently of each other.The authors thank the referee and the editor for carefully reading the paper and for their help in improving the paper.
Relationship between hypercholesterolaemia, endothelial dysfunction and hypertension.

ObjectivesWe have previously shown that in the rat a diet high in cholesterol and deficient in vitamin E and selenium results in hypercholesterolaemia and increased lipid oxidation. We utilized this model to determine whether rats given this diet develop impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation med
Direct Standardization: A Tool for Teaching Linear Models for Unbalanced Data

Abstract An approach to teaching linear regression with unbalanced data is outlined that emphasizes its role as a method of adjustment for associated regressors. The method is introduced via direct standardization, a simple form of regression for categorical regressors. Properties of regression in the presence of association and interaction are emphasized. Least squares is introduced as a more efficient way of calculating adjusted effects for which exact decompositions of the variance are possible. Interval-scaled regressors are initially grouped and treated as categorical; polynomial regression and analysis of covariance can be introduced later as alternative methods.
Seed size and quantitative characters in Avena barbata

Seed-size differences in Avena barbata Pott ex Link are of two sorts. First, there is a seed-size dimorphism (floret position) such that half of the seeds on every plant are larger. Second, the characteristic seed sizes of certain populations are significantly larger than those of other populations. This study reports relationships between seed size and quantitative characters at very early, intermediate, and late stages of the plant's life cycle: young seedlings of Avena barbata grown from smaller seeds are smaller than seedlings grown from larger seeds. Larger seeds do not produce plants that are larger at later stages if the seed-size difference is determined by floret position within the same genotype. Larger seeds do produce plants that are larger at later stages if the seed-size difference characterizes populations having different genotypes at many loci.
Zero temperature string breaking in lattice quantum chromodynamics

The separation of a heavy quark and antiquark pair leads to the formation of a tube of flux, or ''string,'' which should break in the presence of light quark-antiquark pairs. This expected zero-temperature phenomenon has proven elusive in simulations of lattice QCD. We study mixing between the string state and the two-meson decay channel in QCD with two flavors of dynamical sea quarks. We confirm that mixing is weak and find that it decreases at level crossing. While our study does not show direct effects of internal quark loops, our results, combined with unitarity, give a clear confirmation of string breaking.