cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The application of management systemrm in purchasing of material of oil fields

This paper analyzed application situation of management information system in China's procurement of oil field materials and the main problems that exist,thus proposed the measures that can promote effective implementation of management systerm in in China's procurement of oil field materials.
Passive Interference to Radio Station Caused by UHV AC Transmission Line in Shortwave Frequency

The scattering of transmission lines will affect the propagation of the electromagnetic wave,so the distance between transmission lines and the shortwave radio station should be assigned in order to assure the communication quality. Therefore,the radio interference of the 1000 kV UHV AC transmission lines,overhead ground line and power tower on the nearby radio station,which was resulted from the scattering of the incidence electromagnetic wave,was analyzed. By using the method of moment simulator NEC (Numerical Electromagnetic Codes),based on the calculation of the electromagnetic field from the wire antenna,the radio interference level from the UHV transmission line of different type was investigated,and corresponding protective distance was obtained. The resultant protective distance was validated by the measurement on the UHV transmission line ratio model. With the possible effect of other factors taken into account as well,the protective distance of the 1000 kV UHV AC transmission line for different radio station within shortwave frequency band was proposed from viewpoints of the environment protection and reliability. The protective distances are 2000 m,1000 m and 500 m respectively for the station of the first,second and third levels.
Rapid unconstrained fab model using a business intelligence tool: DM: Data management and data mining tools

Semiconductor FABs operate with dynamic demand and supply changes as compared to any other industry. The industry traditionally uses spreadsheet based capacity models as well as more sophisticated tools such as Advanced Planning & Scheduling and/or Discrete Event Simulation software. While spreadsheet models are great for simple scenarios, fab managers are increasingly relying more on non-spreadsheet engines. Non-spreadsheet methods are time consuming and typically take hours to prepare data and hours to run. If the results are not acceptable, the cycle repeats. This paper attempts to present a new approach in using a state-of-the-art business intelligence (BI) tool for solving one subset of the problem which is forecasting the flow of lots in the line using an unconstrained modeling approach. Combined with the power of BI tool with a minimal backend scripting we present an approach that runs a whole fab model for many months in single digit minutes.
The astrocyte scar – not so inhibitory after all?

Damaged adult central nervous system axons have very limited regenerative capacity, if any. Other than an intrinsic deficiency (Liu et al., 2011) in axonal extension and guidance compared to embryonic neurons or peripheral neurons, the injury site is also generally viewed to be non-permissive for axonal regrowth. In particular, the formation of an astroglial scar with reactive astrogliosis (Cregg et al., 2014) is thought to generate both a physical and biochemical barrier against axonal regeneration. The latter activity appears to stem largely from glial associated inhibitors such as surface or secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CPSGs), whose enzymatic removal was proven to enhance regeneration in animal models (Moon et al., 2001). This altogether rather dogmatic view has been a mainstay in the field of CNS regeneration, and much research in enhancing CNS regeneration has focused on attempts to alleviate glial inhibition.
Observability Analysis for Improved Space Object Characterization

An information-driven estimator is developed to allow for more accurate estimation of the orbit and appropriate parameters, such as area-to-mass ratio and attitude, of a space object. From the info...
Strategic Response to Turbulent Business Environments in UNDP Supported Projects: A Case Study of the Market Access Project

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the strategies that UN supported agencies can adopt in today’s turbulent business environment. Methodology : The research design was descriptive in nature focusing on The Market Access Programme (MAP). Stratified sampling technique was used to select the sample in which twenty five (25) respondents from a population of eighty six (86) staff working at in conjunction with (MAP) was chosen. The staff includes both management and non-management staff categorized into four levels; senior level management, middle level management, supervisory staff and general staff. Information was collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher and administered with the help of a trained research assistant. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and result presented in frequency tables to show how the responses for the various questions posed to the respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to illustrate the responses. Results : The findings indicated that the causes of turbulence in NGOs environment include advancement in information technology, High dynamism, competitive rivalry, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of supplier and bargaining power of clientele contributes to NGOs environmental turbulence. Results also indicated that strategic planning plays a positive role to the performance of NGOs, specifically UN supported projects such as MAP. Further, results indicate that NGOs use the following strategic responses in response to turbulent environment. These strategies include acquiescence, compromise, avoidance, defiance and manipulation. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that it is vital to understand the forces behind the increasing sophistication and efficiency of risk management systems, before adopting them more widely for regulatory purposes
Measures of impulsivity in Parkinson's disease decrease after DBS in the setting of stable dopamine therapy.

Abstract Introduction Recent evidence suggests deep brain stimulation can alter impulse control. Our objective was to prospectively evaluate the effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation on impulse control disorders (ICDs) in the setting of a conservative dopamine reduction strategy. Methods Patients (n = 37) undergoing de novo, unilateral STN or GPi DBS lead implantation were evaluated pre-operatively and 6–12 months post-operatively for the presence of ICDs using the Questionnaire for Impulsivity in Parkinson's disease (QUIP) and by clinical interview. Results Of the patients enrolled, 23 underwent electrode implantation in the globus pallidus internus and 14 were implanted in the subthalamic nucleus. Mean time to long term follow-up was 9.7 ± 2.4 months. Post-operative LEDD was not significantly lower than pre-operative LEDD (pre-op: 1238.53 ± 128.47 vs. post-op: 1178.18 ± 126.43, p = 0.2972, paired t-test). Mean QUIP scores were significantly lower at follow up compared to pre-operative baseline (1.51 ± 0.45 vs. 2.51 ± 0.58, p = 0.0447, paired t-test). Patients with ICDs pre-operatively (n = 14, 37.8%) had significant improvement in QUIP scores at follow-up (6.00 ± 0.94 vs. 2.64 ± 0.98, p = 0.0014, paired t-test). Improvement was not uniform across the cohort: 1 patient with ICD at baseline developed worsening symptoms, and 4 patients with no ICD pre-operatively developed clinically significant ICDs post-operatively. Conclusion When LEDD is relatively unchanged following STN or GPi DBS for PD, ICD symptoms tend toward improvement, although worsening and emergence of new ICDs can occur. In the setting of stable LEDD, these findings suggest that the intrinsic effects of DBS may play a significant role in altering impulsive behavior.
Oxotremorine-M potentiates NMDA receptors by muscarinic receptor dependent and independent mechanisms.

Abstract Muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptors play an important role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and cortex. Potentiation of NMDA receptors as a consequence of muscarinic acetylcholine M1 receptor activation is a crucial event mediating the cholinergic modulation of synaptic plasticity, which is a cellular mechanism for learning and memory. In Alzheimer's disease, the cholinergic input to the hippocampus and cortex is severely degenerated, and agonists or positive allosteric modulators of M1 receptors are therefore thought to be of potential use to treat the deficits in cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease. In this study we developed a simple system in which muscarinic modulation of NMDA receptors can be studied in vitro . Human M1 receptors and NR1/2B NMDA receptors were co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes and various muscarinic agonists were assessed for their modulatory effects on NMDA receptor-mediated responses. As expected, NMDA receptor-mediated responses were potentiated by oxotremorine-M, oxotremorine or xanomeline when the drugs were applied between subsequent NMDA responses, an effect which was fully blocked by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. However, in oocytes expressing NR1/2B NMDA receptors but not muscarinic M1 receptors, oxotremorine-M co-applied with NMDA also resulted in a potentiation of NMDA currents and this effect was not blocked by atropine, demonstrating that oxotremorine-M is able to directly potentiate NMDA receptors. Oxotremorine, which is a close analogue of oxotremorine-M, and xanomeline, a chemically distinct muscarinic agonist, did not potentiate NMDA receptors by this direct mechanism. Comparing the chemical structures of the three different muscarinic agonists used in this study suggests that the tri-methyl ammonium moiety present in oxotremorine-M is important for the compound's interaction with NMDA receptors.
Integrating the Principles of Toxicology Into a Chemistry Curriculum

Abstract Designing safer products, processes, and materials requires a commitment to engaging in a transdisciplinary, systems approach utilizing the principles of chemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences, and other allied disciplines. Chemistry and toxicology are inherently complementary fields of investigation connected by the basic principles, reactions, and consequences of the structure–toxicity relationship. Green chemistry incorporates this relationship as part of efforts to reduce and ideally eliminate hazard at the molecular level. Embracing the principles of toxicology is a requirement to identify safer alternatives to existing hazardous products and materials and is a critical component of designing safer chemicals. Educators must find ways to integrate toxicology into education at the K-12, university, college, and professional levels. We present an approach for professors and upper-level course instructors for incorporating toxicology concepts into existing chemistry topics. The suggestions for recommended reading should be consulted to identify the sources of cited health claims effects or statements of fact that the reader would like to verify.
A distributed control architecture for collaborative multi-robot task allocation

This paper addresses the problem of task allocation for multi-robot systems that perform tasks with complex, hierarchical representations which contain different types of ordering constraints and multiple paths of execution. We propose a distributed multi-robot control architecture that addresses the above challenges and makes the following contributions: i) it allows for on-line, dynamic allocation of robots to various steps of the task, ii) it ensures that the collaborative robot system will obey all of the task constraints and iii) it allows for opportunistic, flexible task execution given different environmental conditions. This architecture uses a distributed messaging system to allow the robots to communicate. Each robot uses its own state and team member states to keep track of the progress on a given task and identify which subtasks to perform next using an activation spreading mechanism. We demonstrate the proposed architecture on a team of two humanoid robots (a PR2 and a Baxter) performing hierarchical tasks.
A Novel Type of Fiber in the Leaves of the Cycad Dioon

Premise of research. The extant genera of cycads (order Cycadales) can be readily distinguished by the anatomy of their leaflets. In particular, the genus Dioon possesses a unique cellulosic fiber ...
The Multiple Facets of Eve: The Place of Premenstrual Syndrome in the Taxonomy of Affective Behavior

My interest in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was, like Virginia Cassara’s (see her chapter, this volume), personally motivated. Where hers was a response to subjectively felt distress associated with the premenstrual phase of her cycle, mine, while also a reaction to such experiences, was necessarily observational. I have known a young woman undergoing troublesome periodic changes of mood who, once she had related these to her menstrual cycle, sought medical help and information with only limited success. One has only to see and know such a person, let alone to be one, in order to be convinced that the phenomenon we are here calling PMS is real, and that whatever psychological manifestations are involved, that it is also biologically based by virtue of its tight correlation with the hormonal events associated with the menstrual cycle. It would seem, therefore, a reasonable expectation to find clinical studies in which hormonal differences between women experiencing premenstrual psychological stress and women not seriously affected in this way would have been described, and, further, to find clinical practice taking advantage of these findings and providing diagnostic tests to identify the particular imbalance involved in each case, as well as the means to achieve a normal equilibrium with the expected amelioration of symptoms. Given the complexity of the hormonal systems involved in the menstrual cycle, it was also my expectation that there would be multiple etiologies, and that these would not necessarily be confined to the hormonal changes associated with the cycle, but would include neural and psychological events as well.
Relative accuracy of body adiposity index and relative fat mass in participants with and without down syndrome.

The body adiposity index (BAI) and relative fat mass (RFM) are anthropometric measures developed to estimate body composition (%Fat). There is limited research validating these methods of body composition assessment in adults with Down syndrome (DS). The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy of the BAI and RFM in a sample of adults with- and without DS. We hypothesize that the RFM would provide greater accuracy than the BAI when estimating %Fat. BAI and RFM were assessed in a sample of adults (n = 235, 50.2% female, 20.0% DS, 23.1 ± 6.7 years). %Fat assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry served as the criterion method of body composition. Between-group differences were assessed using a two-way (SEX × DS) analysis of variance. BAI overestimated %Fat in men without DS, but underestimated %Fat in women without DS (4.1 ± 4.5%Fat vs. −3.5 ± 4.6%Fat, respectively, p < 0.001). BAI overestimated %Fat in men and women with DS (4.7 ± 7.8%Fat vs. 0.8 ± 7.5%Fat, respectively, p = 0.090). RFM slightly overestimated %Fat in male and female participants without DS, and did not vary by sex (0.9 ± 4.0%Fat vs. 0.2 ± 4.2%Fat, respectively, p = 0.248). RFM underestimated %Fat in men and women with DS, with no differences observed between sexes (−2.1 ± 5.3%Fat vs. −2.2 ± 6.9%Fat, respectively, p = 0.953). The BAI and RFM can be used to estimate body composition in individuals with- and without DS, however, the RFM yields greater accuracy and is recommended when more advanced methods of body composition assessment are unavailable or create unwanted participant burden.
Effects of Selenium Supplementation in Obese Selenocysteine Lyase Knockout Mouse (P24-022-19)

We previously demonstrated that disruption of selenocysteine lyase (Scly) in mice leads to the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome under selenium deficiency, with effects on glucose homeostasis in the liver. It is unknown whether the physiology of skeletal muscle, a key tissue in glucose disposal, is also affected by the disruption of Scly. Here, we investigated the effects of a high-fat diet supplemented with selenium in the muscle physiology of Scly knockout (KO) mice Age-matched homozygous male and female Scly KO and wild type (WT) from C57BL/6 J background were group-caged and fed for three months to a diet containing 45% kcal fat and 0.25 ppm (adequate) or 1 ppm (high) of selenium as sodium selenite. Serum, liver, soleus, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were collected and assessed for total glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity and creatine kinase (CK). Total RNA was extracted from soleus and liver, reverse-transcribed, and used in qPCR. Following an adequate selenium intake, total GPX activity in serum, mRNA of GPX1 and selenoprotein P in the liver, and mRNA of selenoprotein N in soleus were unchanged of Scly KO compared to WT mice, both in males and females. We observed five-fold increase of CK activity in serum and a one-fold decrease in soleus of Scly KO male mice when compared with WT. Increased CK levels in serum have been related with muscle impairment. Interestingly, when male Scly KO mice were fed a high selenium diet, we observed the opposite effect, with serum CK activity significantly decreased, while in soleus CK activity increased in Scly KO mice. CK activity levels on liver or BAT were unchanged. CK activity in serum was unchanged in female mice, corroborating to the previously described sexual dimorphism for these animals. These results suggest an improvement in Scly KO muscle health after selenium supplementation. Adequate selenium levels maintain selenium homeostasis and ensure the maintenance of selenoprotein levels, but high selenium intake may be necessary to preserve muscle health. FAPESP/Brazil, NIDDK-NIH/USA, NIMHD-NIH/USA.
NED and SILVAH: A history of the coalition

Forest management decision support software has been used for several decades. Many people have tried a variety of approaches, with varying degrees of success, to provide information that helps forest managers make decisions. This chapter documents some of the successes and failures of NED and SILVAH. In 1988 the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Northeastern Forest Experiment Station used its Genesis program to stimulate innovation. Under the leadership of H. Clay Smith, it convened the Stand Regeneration working group and, under the leadership of David Marquis, created the Stand Growth working group. Before that time, silvicultural research across the station had been scattered; each local researcher worked independently, which resulted in a variety of growth models and approaches to silvicultural analysis and prescription. The Genesis working groups used the SILVAH system of inventory, analysis, and prescription as a model to consolidate much of the silvicultural research that had been produced by scientists across the station’s territory (Benzie 1977a, 1977b; Dale and Hilt 1989; Frank and Bjorkbom 1973; Lancaster 1985; Lancaster and Leak 1978, Leak et al. 1969, 1987; Perala 1977; Philbrook et al. 1973; Roach 1977; Safford 1983; Stout and Nyland 1986; Stout et al. 1987). The idea was to develop a software package that would provide a universal framework for sharing silvicultural research results and proposing recommended actions. The first step was to develop a software package that consolidated several growth models that had been developed independently around the northeastern United States, including SILVAH (Marquis and Ernst 1992), NE-TWIGS (Teck and Hilt 1991), Fiber (Solomon et al. 1995), and Oaksim (Hilt 1985). This software package was called the Northeast Decision Model, or later NED.
A New Complete Condition Monitoring Method for SiC Power MOSFETs

This article proposes a new complete condition monitoring method which can independently monitor both the threshold voltage drift and the packaging degradation accurately by monitoring only the reverse body diode voltage drop at different gate bias levels. The SiC MOSFETs are aged through an accelerated aging method and the corresponding changes in electrical parameters are periodically measured to assess their correlation with the state of the device's health. It has been revealed that the on -state resistance reveals the combination of gate oxide and package-related degradation while the threshold voltage mainly depicts gate oxide-related issues. Unlike these two parameters, the body diode voltage drop is found to independently indicate the state of device health both for package and gate oxide. This is caused by a unique secondary conduction mode of SiC MOSFETs in third-quadrant operation which is clearly disclosed with transition boundaries by a proposed body diode transfer characterization curve. In order to have a detailed condition information of the device with a simple circuit, monitoring the reverse body diode voltage drop at 0 and $-$ 5 V gate bias is proposed. The proposed condition monitoring method is implemented on a gate drive circuit and experimental results are given for two artificially degraded devices. The experimental results confirm that the proposed method can independently monitor both the gate oxide and packaging degradations accurately by monitoring a single precursor parameter. The proposed method can be integrated into the gate driver or converter itself to monitor SiC devices.
A Review Essay of Escape From Rome

This essay reviews Escape from Rome by Walter Scheidel. It examines the argument that Europe's persistent fragmentation following the collapse of the Rome empire is responsible for the origins of the modern world. First, I consider Scheidel's argument that the rise of Rome at the end of the first millennium BCE was relatively over-determined, but that once Rome fell, it was highly unlikely for any subsequent empire to dominate Europe. Second, I examine the institutional consequences of this divergence in state-building. Finally, I reflect on the role of counter-factual in history.
Complex coupling coefficient in laterally coupled microcavity laser diode arrays

The complex component of the coupling coefficient κ = κ r + i κ i, used to describe the coupling between adjacent semiconductor microcavity laser diodes, is studied. The complex component κ i represents the gain or loss difference between the coherent in-phase and out-of-phase array supermodes obtained from two laterally coupled lasers. Steady-state analysis reveals that the threshold of the preferred coherent supermode is lower than that of an individual laser mode in proportion to κ i. We show that the complex component κ i can be experimentally extracted from a simple output power vs current measurement. Furthermore, the change in the lasing threshold at the onset of optical coupling perturbs the differential resistance of the coupled lasers. Therefore, an electrical signature of optical coupling can be detected in the diode array series resistance.
Introduction: Marginality and Social Media:

This special issue brings together 13 manuscripts and two practitioner responses that speak to the intersection of marginality and social media in a variety of contexts. Readers of Social Media + S...
Real-Time Food Intake Monitoring Using Wearable Egocnetric Camera

With technological advancement, wearable egocentric camera systems have extensively been studied to develop food intake monitoring devices for the assessment of eating behavior. This paper provides a detailed description of the implementation of CNN based image classifier in the Cortex-M7 microcontroller. The proposed network classifies the captured images by the wearable egocentric camera as food and no food images in real-time. This real-time food image detection can potentially lead the monitoring devices to consume less power, less storage, and more user-friendly in terms of privacy by saving only images that are detected as food images. A derivative of pre-trained MobileNet is trained to detect food images from camera captured images. The proposed network needs 761.99KB of flash and 501.76KB of RAM to implement which is built for an optimal trade-off between accuracy, computational cost, and memory footprint considering implementation on a Cortex-M7 microcontroller. The image classifier achieved an average precision of 82%±3% and an average F-score of 74%±2% while testing on 15343 (2127 food images and 13216 no food images) images of five full days collected from five participants.
Selected Best Works from Biometrics: Theory, Applications, and Systems 2019

The 10th IEEE International Conference on Biometrics: Theory, Applications, and Systems (BTAS) was held on 23–26 September 2019 in Tampa, FL, USA. BTAS is one of the premier global conferences on biometric recognition and includes sensors, image and signal processing, pattern recognition, artificial intelligence, and statistics. Organizers of BTAS 2019 nominated a selection of the best-reviewed papers from the conference to submit extended versions of their work to a special issue of the IEEE Transactions on Biometrics, Behavior, and Identity Science. These submissions went through the regular peer-review process at TBIOM, including in some instances substantial further revision and improvement, leading to the set of papers appearing in this issue.
Application of microRNA Database Mining in Biomarker Discovery and Identification of Therapeutic Targets for Complex Disease

Over the past two decades, it has become increasingly evident that microRNAs (miRNA) play a major role in human diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, their easy detection in circulation has made them a tantalizing target for biomarkers of disease. This surge in interest has led to the accumulation of a vast amount of miRNA expression data, prediction tools, and repositories. We used the Human microRNA Disease Database (HMDD) to discover miRNAs which shared expression patterns in the related diseases of ischemia/reperfusion injury, coronary artery disease, stroke, and obesity as a model to identify miRNA candidates for biomarker and/or therapeutic intervention in complex human diseases. Our analysis identified a single miRNA, hsa-miR-21, which was casually linked to all four pathologies, and numerous others which have been detected in the circulation in more than one of the diseases. Target analysis revealed that hsa-miR-21 can regulate a number of genes related to inflammation and cell growth/death which are major underlying mechanisms of these related diseases. Our study demonstrates a model for researchers to use HMDD in combination with gene analysis tools to identify miRNAs which could serve as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets of complex human diseases.
Association Between Cardiometabolic Factors and Dizziness in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND Balance dysfunction is a complex, disabling health condition that can present with multiple phenotypes and etiologies. Data regarding prevalence, characterization of dizziness, or associated factors is limited, especially in an African American population. PURPOSE The aim of the study is to characterize balance dysfunction presentation and prevalence in an African American cohort, and balance dysfunction relationship to cardiometabolic factors. RESEARCH DESIGN The study design is descriptive, cross sectional analysis. STUDY SAMPLE The study sample consist of N = 1,314, participants in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS JHS participants were presented an initial Hearing health screening questionnaire (N = 1,314). Of these, 317 participants reported dizziness and completed a follow-up Dizziness History Questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to compare differences in the cohorts' social-demographic characteristics and cardiometabolic variables to the 997 participants who did not report dizziness on the initial screening questionnaire. Based on questionnaire responses, participants were grouped into dizziness profiles (orthostatic, migraine, and vestibular) to further examine differences in cardiometabolic markers as related to different profiles of dizziness. Logistical regression models were adjusted for age, sex, education, reported noise exposure, and hearing sensitivity. RESULTS Participants that reported any dizziness were slightly older and predominantly women. Other significant complaints in the dizzy versus nondizzy cohort included hearing loss, tinnitus, and a history of noise exposure (p < 0.001). Participants that reported any dizziness had significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, blood pressure medication use, and higher body mass index (BMI). Individuals with symptoms alluding to an orthostatic or migraine etiology had significant differences in prevalence of hypertension, blood pressure medication use, and BMI (p < 0.001). Alternatively, cardiometabolic variables were not significantly related to the report of dizziness symptoms consistent with vestibular profiles. CONCLUSION Dizziness among African Americans is comparable to the general population with regards to age and sex distribution, accordingly to previously published estimates. Participants with dizziness symptoms appear to have significant differences in BMI and blood pressure regulation, especially with associated orthostatic or migraine type profiles; this relationship does not appear to be conserved in participants who present with vestibular etiology symptoms.
Increased Nephrolithiasis Prevalence in People with Disabilities: A National Health and Nutrition Survey Analysis.

Abstract Objectives : To estimate the prevalence of nephrolithiasis in people with disabilities (PWD), while accounting for known kidney stone disease risk factors. Methods : We used answers to the disability and kidney disease questionnaires from the 2013-2016 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey by the Centers for Disease Control, to calculate nephrolithiasis prevalence by functional disability type. We additionally estimated the total US population of stone formers with disabilities and compared disability prevalence between stone formers and non-stone formers. Multivariate logistic regression models were built using known correlates of nephrolithiasis. Results : 34.7% (CI: 30.5-39.1%) of United States stone-formers are PWD. The prevalence of nephrolithiasis in PWD is 16.1% (CI: 14.4-18.0) in comparison to 9.2% (CI: 8.3-10.3) in people without disabilities. PWD have significantly elevated odds of nephrolithiasis (un-adjusted OR: 1.91 CI: 1.55-2.36). Adjusting for age, gender, race, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, odds of nephrolithiasis remains elevated in PWD overall (adjusted OR: 1.46 95% CI: 1.17-1.83) and in all disability domains. Conclusions : One in 3 people with nephrolithiasis are PWD. Odds of nephrolithiasis are increased in PWD even after adjustment for multiple known risk factors in all disability domains. PWD are known to be a unique population that can face significant health disparities, but there is a dearth of studies that estimate urologic disease prevalence within this group. Future urologic research should incorporate disability status to explore potential disparities.
Assessing the State of Supply Chain Management

The great promise of supply chain management has always been that firms working collaboratively in their respective supply chains will be able to leverage the strong relationships that have been created to build quantum leaps in performance for the entire supply chain. As we survey the landscape of supply chain management we do find many instances of companies who have achieved success in delighting their customers with excellent logistics services delivered in a very efficient manner. However, as we examine the broad spectrum of companies, industries, supply chains and different countries, it can be concluded that we have barely scratched the surface in realizing the potential benefits associated with the supply chain management mandate. This article will examine the stateof-the-art in supply chain management in 2008, looking at how we measure supply chain success for individual companies as well as for entire supply chains. We will first examine the short history of supply chain management as a discipline and assess where it stands as a discipline. Next, we will explore key metrics for assessing supply chain performance at the company level and then at the supply chain level. Once the assessment has been explained, we will conclude by examining the key steps necessary to realize the full potential of the supply chain management discipline. Next, we will explore key metrics for assessing supply chain performance at the company level and then at the supply chain level.
Dietary requirements in pregnancy

Abstract Studies of the maternal diets in pregnancy and in lactation indicate that inadequate diets inevitably affect the well-being of the mother, fetus, and infant. Although deficiencies in diet causing morbidity of the fetus, such as rickets, hypoplasia of the teeth, 56 tetany 57 and anemia, may be corrected in early infancy, yet the first opportunity has been lost in not preventing the condition before it had a chance to develop. To correct these disorders of the fetus, emphasis should be placed on the proper maternal diet during the last trimester, provided that the mother has previously been in a good state of nutrition. It is interesting to note, however, that the production of an adequate supply of milk is dependent upon an optimum diet during the last trimester of pregnancy. The one important fact to be emphasized is that supplements of manufactured concentrates cannot be substituted for natural foodstuffs. In this day and age, when transportation of natural foodstuffs offers scarcely any problem, there should be no need for dietary disturbances in certain sections of this country due either to lack of food, vitamins, or to essential minerals.
Mexico's Banking Crisis: Devaluation and Asset Concentration Effects

The sharp 1994-1995 Mexican peso devaluation was followed by a financial-sector crisis, forcing the Mexican government to retake control of several banks and to grant substantial assistance to many other banks. This paper uses daily stock price data to test several hypotheses concerning the impact of devaluation. First, we use event-study methodology to test whether some sectors of Mexican economy were 'devaluation-gaining' while other sectors were 'devaluation-losing.' Second, we test the linkage between the devaluation and the financial-sector crisis that ensued. Specifically, we test whether devaluation shocks were transmitted through the liability side versus the asset side of bank balance sheets. Our results suggest that governments should consider putting minimum guidelines on bank portfolios.
An After‐School Program on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Elementary School Children

This study describes the Food and Fitness Fun Education Program (FFFEP), which was implemented in an after-school child care program in California. FFFEP consisted of 16 weeks of lessons and activities. Changes in healthy eating and physical activity in children and their parents were analyzed using pre- and posttests for children and a parent survey. In all, 1,810 children in kindergarten through fifth grades participated in the program. Testing of the children took place at the beginning and end of the program. A sample of parents in the 48 sites participated in surveys at the end of the program. Seventy-two percent of the children in the program were Hispanic. Children and parents reported healthier eating and an increase in physical activity as a result of the children’s participation.
Micro‐RNAs as Oncogenes and Tumour Suppressors

Sequencing and annotation efforts have compiled a list of protein-coding genes in the human genome. Largely overlooked, however, is the presence of non-coding RNA genes. Micro-RNAs comprise one such group of non-coding RNAs. Due to the widespread effects they have on gene expression, micro-RNAs are receiving a tremendous amount of scientific interest. This has reached a peak with the identification of specific micro-RNA genes that function as human oncogenes and tumour suppressors. This chapter will present an overview of this amazing class of RNAs, and discuss their connection with human cancer. Keywords: microRNA; miRNA; let-7; oncomiR; non-coding RNA
The Prevention of Hospital Readmissions in Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a growing healthcare burden and one of the leading causes of hospitalizations and readmission. Preventing readmissions for HF patients is an increasing priority for clinicians, researchers, and various stakeholders. The following review will discuss the interventions found to reduce readmissions for patients and improve hospital performance on the 30-day readmission process measure. While evidence-based therapies for HF management have proliferated, the consistent implementation of these therapies and development of new strategies to more effectively prevent readmissions remain areas for continued improvement.
Cognitive function in chronic rhinosinusitis: a controlled clinical study

Background Cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has previously received little attention. Cognitive data generally includes only subjective measures and lack appropriate controls when cognition is considered. The purpose of this study was to characterize dimensions of cognitive function that are affected in patients with CRS compared to a control sample using subjective and objective measures of cognitive function. Methods Patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for CRS and non-CRS controls were recruited from the same clinical reference population. Patient-reported cognitive dysfunction was assessed using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) and fatigue via the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Objective cognitive function was assessed using a battery of tests from the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) computerized platform. Results A total of 100 subjects were enrolled, including 50 patients with active CRS and 50 control subjects. Patients with CRS scored significantly worse in subjective cognition as measured by total CFQ scores (38.3 ± 16.5 vs 30.9 ± 12.5; p = 0.009) and the FSS (4.2 ± 1.6 vs 3.0 ± 1.5; p = 0.001). Patients with CRS were also found to have worse simple reaction time scores compared to controls without CRS (162.4 ± 56.2 vs 193.0 ± 44.6; p = 0.003). These differences persisted regardless of polyp status. Performance differences for FSS and SRT measures remained significant after controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, allergic rhinitis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and antihistamine usage. Conclusion Patients with CRS report significantly more cognitive dysfunction and fatigue on validated instruments and had worse reaction times on computerized testing. Further study is necessary to determine whether available treatments impact these measures.
BASREP: a method for maintaining euglycemia during somatostatin suppression of pancreatic secretion.

Abstract A glucagon infusion algorithm has been developed to reestablish basal glycemia when pancreatic insulin and glucagon secretion are inhibited by somatostatin (SRIF). When insulin alone is infused intraportally during SRIF to replace endogenous hormone release, hypoglycemia is generated by the combined actions of both peptides. In the presence of SRIF infusion, the normal physiologic response to hypoglycemia, i.e. stimulation of glucagon secretion and glucagon-induced increase in hepatic glucose production, has been prevented. Our computer algorithm, “BASREP”, was designed to mimic the normal pancreatic counterregulatory response by substituting endogenous alpha-cell secretion with exogenous intraportal infusion. Sequential measurements of glucose concentration are analyzed with a minimal mathematical model of glucose disappearance, adapted to include a variable to describe glucagon stimulation of hepatic glucose production. Based upon the observed change in plasma glucose, BASREP computes after every sample the infusion rate of glucagon necessary to stimulate glucose production and maintain desired glucose level. This method minimizes instabilities and should prove useful in future investigations of glucose metabolism.
Anxiety and somatization

Abstract Contrary to self-reports, most patients with chronic anxiety disorders exhibit increased muscle tension but not autonomic hyperarousal when at rest. Under everyday stress they tend to react with less physiological flexibility than normal controls. However, they overreact subjectively and physiologically to stimuli that are anxiety-provoking. Diminished physiological flexibility (DPF) may be caused by anxiety-induced cerebral overresponse to neutral stimuli, leading to poor discrimination to inputs that are not related to psychopathology. There is only a weak relationship and, in some instances, a desynchrony between physiological changes and perception of change under stress. The inconsistencies between self-reports of physiological states and physiological recordings can be explained by alterations of body sensations through psychological factors, predominantly expectations and attention to bodily states that lead to perceptual distortions.
Surface tension determined with a micromethod

A modification of the maximum bubble pressure method is described. It allows a convenient determination of surface tension in a small volume of sample (0.5 μl). A specially designed glass capillary has a short, very narrow section (i.d. 0.26 mm) into which the liquid to be studied is instilled. It forms a column of liquid, which blocks the capillary lumen. However, when pressure is slowly raised on one side of the column, the liquid is eventually extruded so that air can get through. Pressure is then seen to drop abruptly from reaching a peak when the meniscus, forced to diminish in size, reaches the most narrow section of the capillary. The peak pressure is proportional to the surface tension and is used to calculate the sample's surface tension. Pure liquids and various concentrations of methanol have been studied, and as an example of a biological liquid that is available in limited quantities only, tear fluid was examined. Its surface tension was found to be 64.3 ± 0.9 mN m−1 (mean ± standard error).
The Ams (altered mRNA stability) protein and ribonuclease E are encoded by the same structural gene of Escherichia coli

Abstract The in vitro and in vivo analysis of the ribonuclease E-deficient (rne-) and the altered mRNA stability protein-deficient (ams-) strains of Escherichia coli has demonstrated that they carry mutations in the same structural gene. Strains encoding either thermolabile RNase E (rne-3071) or Ams protein (ams-1) are defective in both rRNA processing and mRNA turnover. Immediately after a shift to the nonpermissive temperature, the chemical decay rate of bulk mRNA is slowed 2- to 3-fold, and within 70 min, precursors to 5S rRNA begin to accumulate. In addition, all of the phenotypes associated with either the rne-3071 or the ams-1 alleles were complemented by a recombinant plasmid carrying ams+. When taken together with previous genetic studies, these results suggest that the role of ribonuclease E in mRNA turnover involves endonucleolytic cleavages at the proposed ACAG(A/U)AUUUG consensus sequence.
Characterization of fatigue crack growth in aluminium panels with a bonded composite patch

This study introduces an analytical procedure to characterize the fatigue crack growth behavior in an aluminium panel repaired with a bonded composite patch. This procedure involves the computation of the stress intensity factor from a two-dimensional finite element method consisting of three layers to model cracked plate, adhesive and composite patch. In this three layer finite element analysis, as recently introduced by the authors, two-dimensional Mindlin plate elements with transverse shear deformation capability are used. The computed stress intensity factor is then compared with the experimental counterpart. The latter was obtained from the measured fatigue crack growth rate of an aluminium panel with a bonded patch by using the power law relationship (Paris Law) of an unpatched aluminum panel. Both a completely bonded patch (with no debond) and a partially bonded patch (with debond) are investigated in this study. This procedure, thus, provides an effective and reliable technique to predict the fatigue life of a repaired structure with a bonded patch, or alternatively, it can be used to design the bonded composite patch configuration to enhance the fatigue life of cracked structure.
Some recent advances of shock wave physics research at the Laboratory for Shock Wave and Detonation Physics Research

Progress made in recent years on three topics that have been investigated at the Laboratory for Shock Wave and Detonation Physics Research are presented in this report. (1) A new equation of state (EOS) has been derived which can be used from a standard state to predict state variable change along an isobaric path. Good agreements between calculations for some representative metals using this new EOS and experiments have been found, covering a wide range from hundreds of MPa to hundreds of GPa and from ambient temperature to tens of thousands of GPa. (2) An empirical relation of Y/G = constant (Y is yield strength, G is shear modulus) at HT–HP has been reinvestigated and confirmed by shock wave experiment. 93W alloy was chosen as a model material. The advantage of this relation is that it is beneficial to formulate a kind of simplified constitutive equation for metallic solids under shock loading, and thus to faithfully describe the behaviours of shocked solids through hydrodynamic simulations. (3) An attempt at microstructure characterization for a failure wave in shocked glass has been carried out for the first time. Analyses on both the fractal dimension of the cracks' propagating path and the degree of damage in the failed region qualitatively revealed that ZF1 glass has a much less damaged structure than K9 glass at nearly the same loading stress. Based on the above analysis, we conjecture inhomogeneous immiscible phases, more in K9 than in ZF1, distributed in the glass body of the intrinsic factor, exhibiting as numerous locally strained spots due to the shock induced different compressibilities between the matrix and the immiscible phases. When the surface cracks, activated by the shearing action of one-dimensional strain loading, propagate and arrive at the strained spot boundaries, new cracks would be generated, accompanied by crack turning and branching, and thus cause glass body fracturing and fragmenting. In other words, the more numerous the strained spots are, the more severely damaged the structure of the shocked glass.
Wet Etched Pyramidal Microneedles With Fluid-Delivery Microchannels

A number of designs for microneedles have recently been developed to facilitate the painless injection of medications, such as insulin, into the human body [1–6]. The injections are painless because the needles penetrate the skin predominantly in the epidermal layer of skin which contains no nerve endings. Some microneedles do not contain inner channels and are simply coated with medication, the intent being that the transdermal drug delivery will take place through absorption over time. A more effective method of medicinal transfer is to equip the microneedles with an inner channel to facilitate rapid delivery of the medication to the skin.Copyright © 2007 by ASME