cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental pain phenotype profiles in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of healthy adults.

Objective To examine patterns of interindividual variability in experimental pain responses emerging from multiple experimental pain measures in a racially/ethnically diverse sample of healthy adults and to examine the association between the derived phenotype profiles with demographic, psychological, and health-related measures. Methods Two hundred and ninety-one participants underwent heat, cold, pressure, and ischemic pain assessments, and completed several psychological and health-related assessments. The experimental pain measures were subjected to a principal component analysis and factor scores were used to compute Pain Sensitivity Index scores. The scores were subsequently submitted to a cluster analysis to identify patterns of pain sensitivity across experimental pain modalities. Results The sample was equally composed of non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, and Hispanic whites. Sensitivity scores were computed for heat pain, pressure pain, cold pain, ischemic pain, and temporal summation of heat pain. Five distinct clusters were characterized by high heat pain sensitivity, low ischemic pain sensitivity, low cold pain sensitivity, low pressure pain sensitivity, and high temporal summation. Cluster membership was significantly different by sex as well as somatic reactivity and catastrophizing, although cluster differences were most pronounced between the heat pain-sensitive individuals vs the cold pain-insensitive individuals. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of phenotyping individuals to account for interindividual differences in pain responses. Our findings also replicate previously reported pain phenotypes, which are not solely related to demographic, psychosocial, or health-related factors in our healthy participants. Future studies designed to elucidate the biological underpinnings of pain sensitivity profiles would be of substantial value.
Detection of Formaldehyde-Induced Crosslinking in Soft Elastic Gelatin Capsules Using Near-Infrared Spectrophotometry

The purpose of this research was to monitor the migration of formaldehyde from a polyethylene glycol (PEG) fill into the gelatin shell of a soft elastic gelatin capsule (SEGC) using near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometry. SEGCs were filled with five solutions of aqueous formaldehyde in PEG (0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.40 v/v%), stored at ambient conditions for 48 hr, emptied, and scanned in NIR spectrophotometer. Principal component regression (PCR) was employed to analyze the spectra of the empty capsules. Good correlation was established (r2 = 0.988) when actual concentrations of formaldehyde in the PEG fill of the capsules were regressed against the principal component (PC) values from NIR spectra of the emptied and washed capsules. The loadings of the first PC describe a baseline shift in the spectra that arises from a change in water concentration. Lower PC loadings reveal the presence of signals at 1780 and 2200 nm that are not due to water absorbance, confirming the hypothesis that chemical bonds are formed during the formaldehyde-induced crosslinking of the gelatin in SEGCs. Gelatin crosslinking, initiated by formaldehyde migration from the PEG fill into the shell of an SEGC, was detected by NIR spectrophotometry. When NIR was coupled to principal component analysis, a linear relationship was found between the NIR spectra of empty SEGCs and the amount of crosslinking induced by concentrations of formaldehyde in the original fill material.
Longitudinal impact of weight-related intentions with the initiation and maintenance of smoking among adolescents

The average scores for self-reported health knowledge was 6.5 (range 0–10), health attitudes 5.6 (0–8), health intentions 2.6 (0–4), self-efficacy 4.4 (0–7), health behaviors 15.2 (6–26), and parental health behavior 4.1 (0–8). Girls reported more intentions to engage in healthy behaviors than boys, although boys reported more healthy behaviors than girls (p 0.05). Pearson’s correlation demonstrated significant associations between parental behavior and subject health attitudes (R 0.189), intentions (R 0.309), self-efficacy (R 0.321), and behavior (R 0.202), all p-values 0.01. Controlling for demographic characteristics, linear regression analyses demonstrated that perceived parental behavior was independently associated with subject intentions ( 0.101, p 0.002), self-efficacy ( 0.200, p 0.000), and reported behaviors ( 0.294, p 0.027). Parental behavior was not associated with adolescent knowledge or attitudes. Conclusions: This study confirms that parental behavior plays a significant role in adolescent attitudes, intentions, and actual behavior towards nutrition and physical activity. Preventive interventions need to include families, especially when children are young, as this may play a significant role in combating child and adolescent obesity.
Avoiding Si MOSFET Avalanche and Achieving Zero-Voltage Switching for Cascode GaN Devices

The cascode structure is widely used for high-voltage normally-on wide-bandgap devices. However, the interaction between the high-voltage normally-on device and the low-voltage normally-off Si MOSFET may induce undesired features. This paper analyzes the voltage distribution principle during the turn-off transition as well as the zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) principle during the turn-on transition for cascode GaN devices. The capacitance mismatch between high-voltage normally-on GaN switch and the low-voltage Si MOSFET causes the Si MOSFET to avalanche, and internal high-voltage GaN switch lose the ZVS condition. This issue must be solved in consideration of both power loss and reliability. A simple and effective solution is proposed by adding an extra capacitor to compensate the capacitance mismatch, thereby avoiding Si MOSFET avalanche and achieving true ZVS for cascode GaN devices. The benefits and small penalty of this solution are analyzed in detail. The theoretical analysis is validated by experiments, which are implemented based on a 600-V cascode GaN device. The experiment shows that the proposed method improves the 600-V cascode GaN devices performance significantly in high-frequency applications. The analysis and proposed solution are also applicable to other cascode devices.
Slingshot Isoform-Specific Regulation of Cofilin-Mediated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration and Neointima Formation

Objective— We hypothesized that cofilin activation by members of the slingshot (SSH) phosphatase family is a key mechanism regulating vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and neoinitima formation following vascular injury. Methods and Results— Scratch wound and modified Boyden chamber assays were used to assess VSMC migration following downregulation of the expression of cofilin and each SSH phosphatase isoform (SSH1, SSH2, and SSH3) by small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. Cofilin siRNA greatly attenuated the ability of VSMC migration into the “wound,” and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)–induced migration was virtually eliminated versus a 3.5-fold increase in nontreated VSMCs, establishing a critical role for cofilin in VSMC migration. Cofilin activation (dephosphorylation) was increased in PDGF-stimulated VSMCs. Thus, we assessed the role of the SSH family of phosphatases on cofilin activation and VSMC migration. Treatment with either SSH1 or SSH2 siRNA attenuated cofilin activation, whereas SSH3 siRNA had no effect. Only SSH1 siRNA significantly reduced wound healing and PDGF-induced VSMC migration. Both SSH1 expression (4.7-fold) and cofilin expression (3.9-fold) were increased in balloon injured versus noninjured carotid arteries, and expression was prevalent in the neointima. Conclusion— These studies demonstrate that the regulation of VSMC migration by cofilin is SSH1 dependent and that this mechanism potentially contributes to neointima formation following vascular injury in vivo.
Capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles as stimuli-responsive controlled release systems for intracellular drug/gene delivery

Importance of the field: The incorporation of stimuli-responsive properties into nanostructured systems has recently attracted significant attention in the research of intracellular drug/gene delivery. In particular, numerous surface-functionalized, end-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) materials have been designed as efficient stimuli-responsive controlled release systems with the advantageous ‘zero premature release’ property.Areas covered in this review: Herein, the most recent research progress on the design of biocompatible, capped MSN materials for stimuli-responsive intracellular controlled release of therapeutics and genes is reviewed. A series of hard and soft caps for drug encapsulation and a variety of internal and external stimuli for controlled release of different cargoes are summarized. Recent investigations on the biocompatibility of MSN both in vitro and in vivo are also discussed.What the reader will gain: The reader will gain an understanding of the challenges for the future e...
Development and social dominance among group-living primates.

Organisms are integrated systems whose physical and behavioral components codevelop and coevolve. Ontogenetic requirements in one domain are satisfied in part by prior or concurrent developments in another. This work explores how characteristic growth patterns in two primate groups interact with ecological, social, and other life-history constraints to promote the development of particular systems of agonistic relationship. First, the markedly size-dimorphic savanna baboons are contrasted with relatively nondimorphic macaques, where the pubertal growth capacity of males, relative to that of females, is comparatively modest. In baboons and other dimorphic Papionines, maturing males can be expected to invest more heavily in successful feeding competition, and known variation in the ontogeny of male-female dominance relations is well explained by this prediction. Data from five of the best-known species, for example, suggest that the female inclination to promote offspring dominaxice over male peers before puberty diminishes with increases in relative male size and growth potential at puberty. Potential mechanisms for the development of this pattern are discussed. Next, ontogenies are considered for ringtailed lemurs, a highly social, monomorphic prosimian primate in which seasonal scheduling of growth causes a large proportion of adult size to be achieved before weaning. In this species, daughters invariably develop strong alliances with their mothers, and pubertal females must overturn adults in dominance to remain in large natal groups. Despite life-history parallels between ringtails and the focal Papionines, the lemurs do not collaborate agonistically in ways that ensure matrilineal "inheritance" of dominance status, as seen in the monkeys. Body weight and individual fighting ability appear to determine dominance relations among infants, and asymmetries established before weaning typically remain stable until sexual maturation. Anatomical and behavioral data suggest that low visual acuity prevents ringtailed lemurs from developing a system of agonistic intervention that could stabilize adult dominance hierarchies and mediate rank inheritance. In any case, failure to promote the dominance of close kin is argued to have influenced life-history evolution in ringtailed lemurs extensively, including aspects of growth, reproductive biology, and social structure. These analyses identify foci for future research and illustrate the importance of bidirectional effects and feedback in the development and evolution of primate life histories and behavior. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Comparison of Descriptive Analysis of Vanilla by Two Independently Trained Panels

Descriptive analysis panelists create, through training, a consensus language to describe perceived differences among samples. If DA gives reliable, objective descriptions of samples, it would be expected that data obtained from independently trained panels be consistent. Two DA panels were trained independently using the same samples. Vanillin and four vanilla samples each at 3-fold, 10-fold and 20-fold concentration were evaluated. Panel J used 14 terms to describe the vanillas and panel K used 16 terms. Eleven and thirteen terms, respectively, significantly discriminated among the samples. Principal component analyses (PCAs) for the two panels were visually similar. Both separated vanillin, Bourbon, Bourbon Processed Bali, Indonesian and Indonesian Non-smoky vanillas across the first PC. Procrustes analysis of the two spaces had a 0.80 fit value. Both the PCAs and the Procrustes analysis indicated considerable overlap of similar descriptive terms. Thus it appears that DA does give reliable consistent results across independently trained panels.
Developing an efficient and reproducible conjugation-based gene transfer system for bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria are widely used as probiotics and have attracted increasing research interest worldwide. However, molecular techniques are still very scarce mainly due to the low efficiencies and strain-specific electroporation protocols that have been developed. Bacterial conjugation enables the transfer of genetic material among a relatively wide range of organisms and with virtually no size limitation. A conjugation protocol was developed based on the RP4 conjugative machinery in the Escherichia coli strain WM3064(pBB109). Using this machinery, the newly constructed transmissible E. coli–Bifidobacterium shuttle vector, pDOJHR-WD2, was successfully and consistently transferred into several strains representing four Bifidobacterium species at efficiencies which correlated with the E. coli to bifidobacteria ratios. Higher ratios were found to significantly improve transfer frequency per recipient, with almost 100 % transfer frequency occurring when the ratio was 105 : 1. The incompatible resident plasmid, pDOJH10S, in Bifidobacterium longum DJO10A was able to coexist, albeit at lower copy numbers, with the incoming vector pDOJHR-WD2 even though they possess the same ori. In some cases the copy number of this resident plasmid was too low to observe via gel electrophoresis, but it could be detected by Southern hybridization. Plasmid curing resulted in a strain, DJO10A-W3, that had lost both plasmids and this showed a one-log increase in conjugation efficiency due to the lack of plasmid incompatibility. In conclusion, this novel conjugative gene transfer protocol can be used for the introduction of genetic material (without size restriction) into Bifdobacterium species and is particularly useful for strains that are recalcitrant to electroporation.
Stealing for love? Apparent nuptial gift behavior in a kleptoparasitic spider

Abstract The presentation of nutritional resources as nuptial gifts before or during the mating process is well known among insects, but has only rarely been documented in spiders. Here, we report on observations and a series of photographs made during field studies in Fortin de las Flores, Veracruz, Mexico, which, although a single anecdotal report, represent a potentially significant finding. A male of the kleptoparasitic spider Argyrodes elevatus Taczanowski 1873 (Araneae, Theridiidae) was observed stealing a prey item from within a communal web of its host, the colonial orb-weaver Metepeira incrassata F.O. Pickard-Cambridge 1903 (Araneae, Araneidae). The male A. elevatus then carried and presented the prey item to a female, waited nearby until she began feeding, and copulated with her as she fed upon it. As far as is known, this is the first report of kleptoparasitic Argyrodes apparently utilizing a prey item stolen from a host spider as a nuptial gift.
The Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein (LRP) Is a Novel β-Secretase (BACE1) Substrate

BACE is a transmembrane protease with beta-secretase activity that cleaves the amyloid precursor protein (APP). After BACE cleavage, APP becomes a substrate for gamma-secretase, leading to release of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta), which accumulates in senile plaques in Alzheimer disease. APP and BACE are co-internalized from the cell surface to early endosomes. APP is also known to interact at the cell surface and be internalized by the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP), a multifunctional endocytic and signaling receptor. Using a new fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based assay of protein proximity, fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), and co-immunoprecipitation we demonstrate that the light chain of LRP interacts with BACE on the cell surface in association with lipid rafts. Surprisingly, the BACE-LRP interaction leads to an increase in LRP C-terminal fragment, release of secreted LRP in the media and subsequent release of the LRP intracellular domain from the membrane. Taken together, these data suggest that there is a close interaction between BACE and LRP on the cell surface, and that LRP is a novel BACE substrate.
Sorbitol dehydrogenase: a novel target for adjunctive protection of ischemic myocardium

PRINCIPAL AIMSSorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) is a member of the superfamily of medium chain dehydrogenases/reductases. SDH, the second enzyme in the polyol pathway, oxidizes sorbitol to fructose in t...
Acute hepatitis in a woman following excessive ingestion of an energy drink: a case report

The consumption of energy drinks has increased significantly. We report the case of a patient who presented to our hospital with jaundice, abdominal pain, and markedly increased liver transaminases likely due to the increased consumption of an energy drink. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature linking the development of acute hepatitis to the consumption of an energy drink. A 22-year-old Caucasian woman presented to our hospital with epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever. She had been drinking 10 cans of an energy drink daily for two weeks prior to presentation. Her physical examination revealed mild epigastric tenderness. Her initial blood tests revealed elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bilirubin. A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen and pelvis was normal, and the patient was discharged to home. She returned to the Emergency Department of our hospital with worsening pain and new-onset jaundice. This time her physical examination revealed epigastric tenderness and icteric sclera. Her aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and international normalized ratio were markedly elevated. Further radiological studies were non-specific, and she was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute hepatitis. Her viral serology and toxicology screens were negative. The patient was treated supportively and was discharged after resolution of her symptoms and a marked decrease in her liver enzymes. The development of acute hepatitis in this patient was most likely due to the excessive ingestion of an energy drink, and we speculate that niacin was the culprit ingredient.
Interpreting flow cytometry data: a guide for the perplexed

Recent advances in flow cytometry technologies are changing how researchers collect, look at and present their data.
The fiber-Brillouin ring for low noise amplification, switching and channel selection

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in low loss optical fibers is a mechanism in signal depletion through undesirable back reflection. The authors' investigations have pointed to a solution based on the fiber Brillouin ring. Such a configuration brings about high finesse, leading to extremely low SBS onset threshold, thus low noise, and the possibility of multiple Stokes and antiStokes line generation for SBS bandwidth broadening. The scattering property of SBS can be used by proper configuration of the wave interaction geometry for signal switching and channel selection, especially in densely packed WDM (wavelength division multiplexed) format. The broadband fiber Raman amplifier often experiences pump depletion due to the onset of SBS, which then produces undesirable noise. The fiber Brillouin ring, when installed in line, can suppress the induced SBS and also remove SBS noise, leading to a broadband fiber ring enhanced fiber Raman amplifier. >
Toward a more Complex Understanding of Acculturation and Adjustment Cultural Involvements and Psychosocial Functioning in Vietnamese Youth

This study examined possible links between acculturation and adjustment in 182 Vietnamese youths living in a primarily Anglo-American community. Extending past work, the present research employed a more complex perspective on both acculturation—cast as separate levels of involvement in the native and host cultures—and adjustment—measured across personal (distress, depression, self-esteem), interpersonal (family relationships), and achievement (school grade point average) domains. Results indicated that, as expected, involvement in the U.S. culture predicted positive functioning across all three adjustment domains, and involvement in the Vietnamese culture predicted positive family relationships. Contrary to hypotheses, involvement in the Vietnamese culture related negatively to personal adjustment (i.e., distress). These findings are discussed in terms of the apparent complexities of the acculturation-adjustment link, particularly with regard to the utility of viewing acculturation from a two-dimensional ...
Advancements in accuracy of the alanine dosimetry system. Part 2. The influence of the irradiation temperature

Abstract Systematic measurements of the temperature coefficient for alanine electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) response have been performed for irradiation in the temperature range (10–50)°C and in the absorbed dose range (1–100) kGy at the dose rate 9.5 kGy/h. During the 60 Co -ray irradiation, - l -alanine dosimeters were kept in a sealed aluminum holder that provided an effective heat exchange with the temperature-controlled environment. The time between the irradiation and signal measurements was standardized, and a reference sample fixed in the resonant cavity was used to correct the signals for small variations in the spectrometer sensitivity. The temperature coefficient for each dose was determined from approximately 30 experimental points processed by the weighted least-squares technique after the necessary statistical tests were done. The temperature coefficients thus determined were considerably lower than previously reported. The dose dependence of the temperature coefficient features a minimum at (20–30) kGy (about 0.135%/K) with higher values at 1 kGy (0.17%/K) and at 100 kGy ((0.175–0.19) %/K). With the exception of very high doses, no significant distinction was found between the temperature coefficients of Bruker and NIST dosimeters, which differ in shape and binder content.
VALIDITY OF EXTRAPOLATING FIELD CO2 EXPERIMENTS TO PREDICT CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS

One of the ultimate goals of ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) experiments is to infer the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to sequester carbon (C) in a CO2-enriched world. This modeling study examines C sequestration (Cseq) in natural ecosystems based on CO2 experiments. Most experiments are conducted by a step increase in Cq2 concen- tration, whereas natural ecosystems are experiencing a gradual increase in atmospheric CO2 (C.). To examine the effects of a step vs. gradual CO2 increase on ecosystem responses, we have developed a terrestrial C sequestration (TCS) model that focuses on C and nitrogen (N) interactions in regulating Cseq. We used the model to: (I) compare Cseq and N demand in response to the step vs. gradual increase in CO2; (2) identify mechanisms underlying different ecosystem responses to the step vs. gradual CO2 forcing; (3) examine key param- eters in controlling Cseq; and (4) explore three hypothesized N supply mechanisms in reg- ulating photosynthetic acclimation and Cseq. Application of this model to simulate responses of a forest ecosystem with gross primary productivity of 1200 g C.m-2.yr-1 suggested that a step increase in CO2 from 350 to 700 ppm resulted in Cseq of 263 g C.m-2.yr-1 in the first year. A gradual C. increase led to the Cseq rates of 27 and 58 g C.m-2.yr-1 in 1987 and 2085 when CO2 reached 350 and 700 ppm, respectively. The model predicted that N demand required to balance the additional C influx was 4.1 g N.m-2.yr-1 in the step CO2 increase and only 0.6 and 1.7 g N.m-2.yr-1 in 1987 and 2085, respectively, in the gradual C. increase. The contrasting differences in Cseq and N demand between the two increase scenarios reflected the nature of C fluxes that were controlled by the sizes of donor pools (i.e., donor-controlled system). Our modeling analysis of four ecosystems (forest with high productivity (HP); grassland with HP; forest with low productivity (LP); and grassland with LP) indicated that additional C influx and C relaxation time are the key parameters in determining ecosystem C,eq. The additional C influx varied with ecosystem productivity and N regulation, while C relaxation time differed between the forests and grasslands due to woody tissues and litter in the forests. We conclude that in spite of the fact that the step experiment is one of the most effective approaches in ecosystem studies, its results cannot be directly extrapolated to predict terrestrial C,eq in natural ecosystems responding to a gradual C. increase. In order to develop predictive understanding from the step experiments, we need not only to improve experimental design and measurement plans, but also to develop new approaches, such as deconvolution and inverse modeling, for data analysis and interpretation.
Interannual variation in seasonal drivers of soil respiration in a semi-arid Rocky Mountain meadow

Semi-arid ecosystems with annual mois- ture inputs dominated by snowmelt cover much of the western United States, and a better understanding of their seasonal drivers of soil respiration is needed to predict consequences of climatic change on soil CO2 efflux. We assessed the relative importance of tem- perature, moisture, and plant phenology on soil respiration during seasonal shifts between cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers in a Rocky Mountain meadow over 3.5 separate growing seasons. We found a consistent, unique pattern of seasonal hysteresis in the annual relationship between soil respiration and temperature, likely representative for this ecosystem type, and driven by (1) continued increase in soil T after summer senescence of vegetation, and (2) reduced soil respiration during cold, wet periods at the beginning versus end of the growing season. The timing of meadow senescence varied between years with amount of cold season precipitation, but on average occurred 45 days before soil temperature peaked in late-summer. Autumn soil respiration was greatest when substantial autumn precipitation events occurred early. Surface CO2 efflux was temporarily decoupled from respiratory production during winter 2006/2007, due to effects of winter surface snow and ice on mediating the diffusion of CO2 from deep soil horizons to the atmosphere. Upon melt of a capping surface ice layer, release of soil-stored CO2 was determined to be 65 g C, or *10 % of the total growing season soil respiration for that year. The shift between soil respiration sources arising from mois- ture-limited spring plant growth and autumn decom- position indicates that annual mineralization of soil carbon will be less dependent on projected changes in temperature than on future variations in amount and timing of precipitation for this site and similar semi- arid ecosystems.
Reproductive incompatibility between two subspecies of Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract There is interest in introducing the midwestern subspecies of Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer), C. m. lengi Timberlake, as a biological control agent for augmentation programs in Florida. The Division of Plant Industry (DPI) of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has prohibited the release of C. m. lengi for fear that it could interbreed with the native Florida subspecies C. m. fuscilabris (Mulsant), causing genetic contamination or suppression of the C. m. fuscilabris populations. Two populations of these subspecies, fuscilabris from the southeastern USA and lengi from the midwestern USA, were crossed. Reciprocal single pair crosses were performed under controlled laboratory conditions (temperature, relative humidity and daylength) on two dates. Results demonstrated a nearly complete reproductive incompatibility between these two populations in the first generation (F1) and complete reproductive incompatibility in the second (F2). Further analysis is required to establish t...
The functional value of preventive and restorative safety behaviors: a systematic review of the literature

Safety behaviors are unnecessary actions used to prevent, escape from, or reduce the severity of a perceived threat. Most cognitive-behavioral theorists posit that the use of safety behaviors during exposure is maladaptive because they interfere with fear reduction. However, there is growing evidence suggesting that the use of safety behaviors can facilitate exposure. In general, the findings are mixed as to whether safety behaviors should be made available during exposure-based interventions. The aim of the current review was to evaluate whether safety behaviors should be made accessible during exposure, and whether under certain circumstances, they facilitate or hinder important exposure outcomes. We examined two functional types of safety behaviors: preventive and restorative. A thorough review of the safety behavior literature from the last three decades was conducted. The evidence suggests (restorative) safety behaviors that allow for full confrontation with a core threat do not interfere with meaningful indicators of successful exposure, whereas (preventive) safety behaviors that hinder engagement with the stimulus or experience may weaken exposure outcomes. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed and future directions in the investigation of safety behaviors are suggested.
Electrophoretic Studies of Insect Esterases

Zone electrophoresis in acrylamide gel was used to separate the soluble esterases from homogenates of 6 insect species. Esterases were classified according to their response to certain organophosphate and carbamate compounds. The following esterases were found: 10 aliphatic esterases (Ali-E's) in the black blister beetle, Epicauta pennsylvanica (De Geer), and the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.) ; 8 Ali-E's in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.) ; 6 Ali-E's in the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) ; 9 Ali-E's in the yellow-striped armyworm, Prodenia ornithogalli Guenee; and 6 Ali-E's and 2 arylesterases in the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie).
Effect of cell geometry, internal viscosity, and pH on erythrocyte filterability.

AbstractA simple filtration method has been developed for measuring the passage time of dilute erythrocyte suspensions through 2.8-um cylindrical pores relative to the passage time of the suspending buffer. This method of determining relative filtration time (RFT) is shown to be sensitive to the major determinants of overall red cell deformability by demonstration of the effects of variations in internal viscosity (intracellular hemoglobin concentration), cell geometry (volume, surface area-to-volume ratio), and membrane properties. These factors were examined by varying the buffer pH at constant osmolality and by varying the buffer osmolality at constant pH. In addition, the influence of cell volume alone was investigated by measuring RFT of suspensions of rat, rabbit, and human erythrocytes, of naturally different volumes but of the same basic biconcave shape. The results of these studies indicate that: (a) RFT is significantly increased by decreases in the surface area-to-volume ratio produced by osmot...
ID: 50: PERFORATED DIVERTICULOSIS COMPLICATED WITH ACTINOMYCOSIS INFECTION AND PRESENTED AS PELVIC MALIGNANCY

Case Presentation A 48-year-old female with no significant past medical history who presented with fatigue, and lower abdominal pain, unintentionally weight lost and yellowish vaginal discharge. Physical examination was remarkable for a palpable mass extending from supra-pubic to supra-umbilical area and vaginal examination remarkable for foul-smelling vaginal discharge. Initial laboratory studies indicated Hemoglobin 5.8 mg/dl and white blood counts 15,000/µL. Computerized tomography of Abdomen/Pelvis CT with contrast which demonstrating an infiltrative process or mass like structure involving the pelvis measuring 10×12×6 cm. The initial impression was Gynecological cancer which could be uterine/cervix/ovarian cancer. However, Pap-smear was negative. Biopsy was obtained which showed acute inflammatory exudates fragments of benign appearing smooth muscle proliferation and fibro-adipose tissue infiltrated with histiocytes. The decision for exploratory laparotomy was made which revealed a large pelvic abscess. The surgery resulted in modified radical hysterectomy, resection of left and right tubo-ovarian abscess complexes, recto-sigmoid resection with end-sigmoid colostomy and Hartmann9s pouch, and ileo-colic resection with a primary anastomosis. Pathology examination revealed a segment of colon with perforated diverticulosis and a tubo-ovarian complex with acute and chronic inflammations, granulation tissue formation and bacterial colonies morphologically suggestive of Actinomyces. Patient started on Intra-venous Penicillin-G. After 4 weeks, CT abdomen/Pelvic repeated which showed post-surgical changes and decreased in size of abscess/fluid collections. Discussion Actinomycosis is a rare and insidious disease. The most common etiologic organism is the anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium, Actinomyces israelii. Actinomycetes are prominent among the normal flora of the oral cavity but less prominent in the lower gastrointestinal and female genital tract. Because these microorganisms are not virulent, they require a break in the integrity of the mucous membranes and the presence of devitalized tissue to invade deeper body structures and to cause human illness. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is the most common type of the infections followed by Thoracic actinomycosis and less common in abdomen and pelvis. The most common cause of abdominal/pelvic actinomycosis is acute perforated appendicitis. Also, most of Abdomen/Pelvis cases have a history of recent or remote bowel surgery (e.g.perforated appendicitis, perforate colonic diverticulitis). Pelvic actinomycosis has become more common in females who use an Intra-Uterine Devices, which may increase the risk of infection through injury to the normal uterine mucosa. Diagnosis of Abdomen/Pelvic actinomycosis is usually established postoperatively, following exploratory laparotomy for a suspected malignancy. Involvement of any abdominal organ, including the abdominal wall, can occur by direct spread, with eventual formation of draining sinuses.
525 THE EFFECT OF THE 80-HOUR WORK WEEK ON RESIDENTS' OPERATIVE CASE VOLUME.

Objective In order to meet the new accreditation requirement set by the ACGME on July 1, 2003, yet still maintain the operative experience of our residents, our program underwent many changes. This included decreasing the number of call nights, eliminating rotations that did not have a heavy operative volume as well as the addition of other rotations that provided for more operative experience. This study examined the impact that the decrease in work hours had on the residents9 operative case volume. Methods The major operative cases of categorical surgical residents (clinical PGY I-V) were recorded from July 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004. The number of call nights each resident took per quarter (defined as a 3-month period beginning July 1) was also recorded during this time period. Residents who were in their research year during this time period were not included in the study. The number of cases per quarter that the residents performed was examined. We also compared the number of cases per resident year as well as number of cases per gender. Results From July 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004, there was not a significant change in the number of cases performed by categorical surgical residents (p > .4936). The mean number of cases per quarter for successive levels was PGY I: 11, PGY II: 22, PGY III: 87, PGY IV: 63, and PGY V: 45. On analysis, resident year was a predictor in the average number of cases performed, with the greatest number of cases performed in the PGY III year (p Conclusion The 80-hour work week did not make a significant impact on the operative experience of our categorical surgical residents. It is likely that the changes made to the rotational schedule offset the decrease in work hours by increasing the time that the residents spent in the operating room.
Glimpses of particle radiobiology.

Afin d'appliquer l'utilisation de particules en radiotherapie, une synthese des recherches en radiobiologie est effectuee. En particulier, les effets precoces et tardifs sur les tissus normaux en fonction de la dose par fraction et du transfert d'energie lineaire sont donnes
Does Double Jeopardy Harm Defendants?: An Economic Analysis

Double Jeopardy has a long history in Anglo-American jurisprudence, but there has been little analysis of it from an economic perspective. This paper begins to address this gap by examining the incentive effects of the asymmetric appeal rights attached to Double Jeopardy. By this I mean the fact that in the US the defendant can appeal any conviction, but the prosecution has highly attenuated rights to appeal an acquittal. Most other jurisdictions have more symmetrical rights of appeal. Double Jeopardy protection is often justified by references to concerns with government oppression of potential and actual defendants - in particular concerns with reducing false convictions and containing litigation costs. However, my analysis shows that asymmetric appeal rights, which give the prosecution only one shot at obtaining a conviction (i.e., the initial trial), may induce the prosecution to spend even more in the initial trial than would be the case if appeal rights were symmetric. Such increased spending may increase (rather than decrease) the chance of a false conviction. In addition, increased prosecutorial spending in the initial trial might result in an increase in total litigation costs and an increase in the defendant's litigation costs. If so, then asymmetric appeal rights may have perverse effects - increasing false convictions and increasing litigation costs. In addition, my analysis discusses some further potential effects of asymmetric appeal rights including their effects on the development of the law, the timing of when issues are resolved, prosecutorial or police abuse of defendant's other constitutional rights, and the creation and use of multiple offenses against one defendant. On all these fronts asymmetric appeal rights may have socially undesirable effects. Finally, I discuss some other frequently cited justifications for Double Jeopardy's asymmetric appeal rights and conclude that they do little to counteract or balance against the potential harm from asymmetric appeal rights. Overall, my analysis shows that Double Jeopardy's asymmetric appeal rights may have effects that run counter to Double Jeopardy's stated objectives and might thereby actually harm defendants. This requires, at a minimum, renewed discussion about whether asymmetry in appeal rights is desirable.
A broadband megawatt hollow beam multicavity klystron

In recent years there has been a great interest in incorporating a hollow beam in high power klystron devices. This interest is based on the fact that with the higher perveance achievable with a hollow beam, lower operating voltages would be necessary and a, larger bandwidth could be achieved.
A comprehensive model for management and validation of federal big data analytical systems

In this era of data science, many software vendors are rushing towards providing better solutions for data management, analytics, validation and security. The government, being one of the most important customers, is riding the wave of data and business intelligence. However, federal agencies have certain requirements and bureaucracies for data-related processes, certain rules and specific regulations that would entail special models for building and managing data analytical systems. In this paper, and based on work done at the US government, a model for data management and validation is introduced: Federal Model for Data Management and Validation (FedDMV). FedDMV is 4-step model that has a set of best practices, databases, software tools and analytics. Automated procedures are used to develop the system and maintain it, and association rules are used for improving its quality. After working with multiple engineers and analysts at the federal agency, there is a general consent that FedDMV is easy to follow (please refer to the experimental survey). However, to quantify that satisfaction, three experimental studies were performed. One is a comparison to other state-of-the-art development models at the government, the second one is a survey that was collected at the government to quantify the level of satisfaction regarding FedDMV and its tool; and finally, a data validation study was performed through detailed testing of the federal system (using an Association Rules algorithm). To develop a safe and sound federal data analytical system, a tested and rigorous model is required. There is a lack of government-specific models in industry and research. FedDMV aims to provide solutions and guided steps to facilitate the development of data analytics systems given the governmental constraints. FedDMV deals with unstructured data that streams from multiple sources, automates steps that are usually manual, validates the data and maximizes its security. The results of the experimental work are recorded and reported in this manuscript.
Is Stepfamily Status Associated With Cohabiting and Married Women's Fertility Behaviors?

Children from prior relationships potentially complicate fertility decision-making in new cohabitations and marriages. On the one hand, the “value of children” perspective suggests that unions with and without stepchildren have similar—and deliberate—reasons for shared childbearing. On the other hand, multipartnered fertility (MPF) research suggests that childbearing across partnerships is often unintended. Using the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth and event-history models, I examine the role of stepfamily status on cohabiting and married women’s fertility and birth intendedness, with attention to union type and stepfamily configuration. Adjusting for covariates, women in stepfamily unions are more likely to have a first shared birth in a union than women in unions in which neither partner has children from past relationships, but stepfamily births are less likely to be intended than unintended. Further, this association varies by union type: married women have similar birth risks across stepfamily status, but births are less likely to be intended in marital stepfamilies. For cohabitors, women in a stepfamily are more likely to have a birth than women in nonstepfamily unions, with no differences in intendedness. Configuration (whose children and how many) also matters; for instance, women with one child from a past relationship are more likely to have a birth and to have an intended than unintended birth than women with other stepfamily configurations. It appears that children from either partner’s prior relationships influences subsequent fertility decision-making, undermining the utility of the “value of children” perspective for explaining childbearing behaviors in complex families.
A robust techno-economic analysis of PMU-based islanding detection schemes

Traditional islanding detection schemes have mainly relied on voltage angle measurements obtained from PMUs for determining island formation. However, when placed in a network, PMUs measure both voltages and currents. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that better results can be obtained if other quantities measured by a PMU are also considered for islanding detection. Prior research considered device minimization as the primary objective for placing PMUs. An alternate formulation of the PMU placement problem that minimized total synchrophasor deployment cost has also been proposed recently. The second hypothesis that we test is if accuracies similar to what was observed with the device minimization objective are attained with the alternate formulation. Our results indicate that from a techno-economic perspective, better performance is realized if all the information provided by PMUs is used for decision making with the PMU locations computed using the alternate formulation.
My Experiences with Rudolf Kalman [Historical Perspectives]

The first time I saw Rudy Kalman was around 1964 at Purdue University while attending a lecture he was giving. I can't remember the subject. At that time I was a young, inexperienced graduate student, and I didn't know who he was. That changed quite fast with my exposure to courses on linear systems, estimation theory, optimal control, and stability theory, since these were all subjects upon which Rudy's research was having a huge impact. I soon realized that the person who I had seen give that lecture was actually a celebrity.
Evaluation of Multiple Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterization Schemes in Southeast U.S. Cold Season Severe Thunderstorm Environments

AbstractSoutheast U.S. cold season severe weather events can be difficult to predict because of the marginality of the supporting thermodynamic instability in this regime. The sensitivity of this environment to prognoses of instability encourages additional research on ways in which mesoscale models represent turbulent processes within the lower atmosphere that directly influence thermodynamic profiles and forecasts of instability. This work summarizes characteristics of the southeast U.S. cold season severe weather environment and planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization schemes used in mesoscale modeling and proceeds with a focused investigation of the performance of nine different representations of the PBL in this environment by comparing simulated thermodynamic and kinematic profiles to observationally influenced ones. It is demonstrated that simultaneous representation of both nonlocal and local mixing in the Asymmetric Convective Model, version 2 (ACM2), scheme has the lowest overall errors ...
Dye-sensitized electron transfer from TiO2 to oxidized triphenylamines that follows first-order kinetics

Two sensitizers, [Ru(bpy)2(dcb)]2+ (RuC) and [Ru(bpy)2(dpb)]2+ (RuP), where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, dcb is 4,4'-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridine and dpb is 4,4'-diphosphonic acid-2,2'-bipyridine, were anchored to mesoporous TiO2 thin films and utilized to sensitize the reaction of TiO2 electrons with oxidized triphenylamines, TiO2(e-) + TPA+ → TiO2 + TPA, to visible light in CH3CN electrolytes. A family of four symmetrically substituted triphenylamines (TPAs) with formal Eo(TPA+/0) reduction potentials that spanned a 0.5 eV range was investigated. Surprisingly, the reaction followed first-order kinetics for two TPAs that provided the largest thermodynamic driving force. Such first-order reactivity indicates a strong Coulombic interaction between TPA+ and TiO2 that enables the injected electron to tunnel back in one concerted step. The kinetics for the other TPA derivatives were non-exponential and were modelled with the Kohlrausch-William-Watts (KWW) function. A Perrin-like reaction sphere model is proposed to rationalize the kinetic data. The activation energies were the same for all of the TPAs, within experimental error. The average rate constants were found to increase with the thermodynamic driving force, consistent with electron transfer in the Marcus normal region.