cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Aspects of Pain

Defensive responses to noxious stimulation are found throughout the animal kingdom, and nociceptors that detect incipient injury have been reported in species representing most of the major animal phyla. Emerging molecular genetic evidence indicates that at least some nociceptive transduction mechanisms have been widely conserved during evolution, notably mechanisms involving the degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel and transient receptor potential families of ion channels. Nociceptive neural networks show similarities across many species, including the use of inhibitory mechanisms to produce antinociception during active escape behavior. However, opiates and melanocortin receptors, as well as the mas-related genes family of receptors, may be restricted to the chordate lineage. Long-lasting, nociceptive sensitization often follows the antinociceptive phase after peripheral injury, and some mechanisms underlying this sensitization are conserved across phyla. Some of these are involved in plasticity of nociceptor synapses (N-methyl-d-asparate-receptor-dependent low-term synaptic potential) and regulation of gene transcription in nociceptive pathways (CREB activation). Knowledge gained from investigating homologous nociceptive mechanisms in various phyla can offer useful insights into how these mechanisms operate in humans. Comparative studies may also provide clues about the evolution of emotional aspects of pain, although subjective pain experiences in animals are not directly accessible for experimental investigation.
Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis with Shy-Drager Syndrome

Shy-Drager syndrome consists of progressive autonomic nervous system failure with Parkinson's disease-like symptoms and orthostatic hypotension. It can also result in airway compromise from bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Fewer than 30 cases of severe bilateral vocal cord paresis or paralysis associated with the Shy-Drager syndrome have been reported in the English literature. We present a case of a 72-year-old man who had a 2-year history of orthostatic hypotension, neurogenic bladder, impotence, anhydrosis, and extremity weakness and paresthesias. Hoarseness and dyspnea with stridor developed as a result of bilateral vocal cord paralysis in the median position and required an emergency tracheotomy. This combination of symptoms resulted in the diagnosis of Shy-Drager syndrome. We present the case along with literature review of bilateral vocal cord paralysis with the Shy-Drager syndrome.
Testing for Clustering Superimposed on a Nonuniform Density and Related Generalizations of Ballot Problems

The scan statistics presented until now test the null hypothesis of uniformity again a pulse alternative. In this chapter, we modify the scan statistics to detect a cluster superimposed on temporal or seasonal trends. Attention will be focused on the conditional continuous case, but similar procedures could be used for the discrete statistic.
Normal force distribution and posture of a hand pressing on a flat surface.

Abstract Hand strength data are needed to understand and predict hand postures and finger loads while placing the hand on an object or surface. This study aims to analyze the effect of hand posture and surface orientation on hand force while pressing a flat surface. Twelve participants, 6 females and 6 males ages 19–25, performed three exertions (100%, 30% and 10% MVC- Maximum Voluntary Contraction) perpendicular to a plate in 4 angles (−45°, 0°, 45° and 90° with respect to the horizontal plane) at elbow height. Exertions involved pushing in two postures: (1) whole hand and (2) constrained to only using the fingertips. Inter-digit joint angles were recorded to map hand and finger motions and estimate joint moments for each condition. Participants exerted twice the force when pushing with whole hand vs. fingertips. 72–75% of the total force was exerted over the base of the palm, while only 11–13% with the thumb for exertions at 90°, 45° or 0° plate angles. Males maximum force for pushing at 0°, 45° and 90° plates averaged 49% higher than females for the whole hand and 62% for the fingertips (p 0.05) for the −45° plate. Thumb joint loads were generally higher than the other individual fingers (p
Sonographic Discovery of Autotransplanted Splenic Implants in a Pregnant Patient

It is important to include splenic implants in the differential diagnosis of patients with a history of splenic trauma. Autotransplanted splenic implants may have a sonographic appearance similar t...
Dielectric and Resistive Heating of Polymeric Media: Toward Remote Thermal Activation of Stimuli-Responsive Soft Materials.

Stimuli-responsive soft materials are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of contemporary technologies, and methods by which to promote thermal stimulation remotely are of considerable interest for controllable device deployment, particularly in inaccessible environments such as outer space. Until now, remote thermal stimulation of responsive polymers has relied extensively on the use of nanocomposites wherein embedded nanoparticles/structures are selectively targeted for heating purposes. In this study, an alternative remote-heating mechanism demonstrates that the dielectric and resistive thermal losses introduced upon application of an alternating current generate sufficient heat to raise the temperature of a neat polyimide by over 70 °C within ≈10 s. Thermal imaging is used here to measure current-induced temperature changes of polymeric media, and a proposed analytical model yields predictions that compare reasonably well with experimental data, confirming that such remote heating is viable. Conditions permitting a shape-memory polymer possessing a melting transition and susceptible to dielectric actuation to achieve continuous electrostrain-temperature cycling are identified.
Positive physical and mental outcomes for residents in nursing facilities using music: a systematic review.

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the applicability and effectiveness of the use of music in providing for positive physical and mental outcomes in nursing facilities. Problem Lack of quality of life (QOL) has been a significant issue within nursing facilities. With the rise in census due to Baby Boomers, it has become imperative to find ways to increase overall QOL. Methods The research team participants conducted a literature review via Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed (MEDLINE), and Academic Search Ultimate to collect data regarding the use of music to provide for positive physical and mental outcomes in nursing facilities. Results The most common facilitator mentioned was increased socialization or communication (18%), followed by reduced depression (12%), improved physical health (11%), and reduced agitation or behavior problems (9%). The most common barriers were as follows: cannot isolate effects of music (26%), cost prohibitive (11%), difficult to implement (11%), and no significant improvements in QOL or well-being (11%). Conclusion The use of music showed positive outcomes for residents in nursing facilities and should be considered for implementation as part of the normal culture within such facilities.
Heart Failure in a Patient with End-Stage Kidney Disease on Renal Replacement Therapy

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains one of the main causes of death in patients with end-stage kidney disease on renal replacement therapy. Intermittent hemodialysis itself causes significant hemodynamic stress and vascular changes as well as a potential high-output state from arteriovenous fistula that can be linked to left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial ischemia and stunning. Cardiovascular and metabolic changes such as fluid overload, uremia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, anemia, and dyslipidemia contribute to high CVD risks. Appropriate heart failure and coronary artery disease management (e.g. drugs and devices) as well as metabolic treatment (e.g. anemia) may attenuate disease progression, while modifications in modalities of renal replacement therapy or renal transplant may provide a more favorable cardiovascular profile.
Social Media Elements, Ecologies, and Effects.

This review delineates core components of the social media ecosystem, specifying how online platforms complicate established social psychological effects. We assess four pairs of social media eleme...
The inference of sex-biased human demography from whole-genome data.

Sex-biased demographic events (“sex-bias”) involve unequal numbers of females and males. These events are typically inferred from the relative amount of X-chromosomal to autosomal genetic variation and have led to conflicting conclusions about human demographic history. Though population size changes alter the relative amount of X-chromosomal to autosomal genetic diversity even in the absence of sex-bias, this has generally not been accounted for in sex-bias estimators to date. Here, we present a novel method to identify sex-bias from genetic sequence data that models population size changes and estimates the female fraction of the effective population size during each time epoch. Compared to recent sex-bias inference methods, our approach can detect sex-bias that changes on a single population branch without requiring data from an outgroup or knowledge of divergence events. When applied to simulated data, conventional sex-bias estimators are biased by population size changes, especially recent growth or bottlenecks, while our estimator is unbiased. We next apply our method to high-coverage exome data from the 1000 Genomes Project and estimate a male bias in Yorubans (47% female) and Europeans (44%), possibly due to stronger background selection on the X chromosome than on the autosomes. Finally, we apply our method to the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 high-coverage Complete Genomics whole-genome data and estimate a female bias in Yorubans (63% female), Europeans (84%), Punjabis (82%), as well as Peruvians (56%), and a male bias in the Southern Han Chinese (45%). Our method additionally identifies a male-biased migration out of Africa based on data from Europeans (20% female). Our results demonstrate that modeling population size change is necessary to estimate sex-bias parameters accurately. Our approach gives insight into signatures of sex-bias in sexual species, and the demographic models it produces can serve as more accurate null models for tests of selection.
HIV-1 genome trafficking initiates APOBEC3G packaging in the cytosol

HIV-1 RNA genomes interact with diverse RNA binding proteins in the cytoplasm including antiviral factor APOBEC3G (A3G) that, in the absence of viral Vif proteins, is packaged into virions. When and where genome-A3G interactions are initiated in the host cell is unknown. Here we use quantitative long-term (>24 h) live cell fluorescence video microscopy and a new in-cell RNA-protein interaction assay (the "IC-IP") to describe subcellular viral and A3G trafficking behaviors over the entire HIV-1 productive phase. Among other findings, we demonstrate that genome-A3G interactions are initiated in the cytosol soon if not immediately after genome nuclear export; that A3G-genome interactions are sufficiently strong so that tethering either factor to membranes inhibits trafficking of the reciprocal binding partner; and that selective recognition of genomes promotes consistent delivery of A3G to sites of virion assembly. Further elucidation of RNA signature(s) detected by A3G may inform development of RNA-targeted antivirals.
Variation of Behavioral Health Care by Behavioral Health Symptom Profile Among a Diverse Group of Pregnant and Parenting Mothers

This study examines the association between behavioral health symptoms and use of behavioral health care (BHC; i.e., past year counseling and/or regular use of psychiatric medication) among a diverse group of mothers of toddlers. Data were from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study (N = 4205 mothers). The association between symptom profiles (i.e., depressive, anxiety, and alcohol and drug dependence) and use of BHC was estimated with logistic regression models. Potential moderation by race/ethnicity was examined. Complex symptom profiles, older age, functional limitations, prior behavioral health symptoms, and having Medicaid were associated with increased BHC use. While BHC use varied by symptom profile (but not by race/ethnicity), BHC use was low across profiles. Pregnant women and women of color were most likely to have unmet needs, underscoring the need to improve screening and management systems for these populations.
Gabapentin attenuates somatic signs of precipitated THC withdrawal in mice

Abstract Cannabis is the most frequently used federally illicit substance in the United States. However, there are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms associated with cessation in heavy users. A promising, readily available, non-cannabinoid therapy are the gabapentinoids. Although currently approved for epilepsy and neuropathic pain, gabapentinoids are increasingly used for their “off-label” efficacy in treating various psychiatric conditions and substance abuse. Gabapentin (GBP) synergizes with cannabinoid agonism in neuropathic pain models, substitutes for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in drug discrimination procedures, and reduced withdrawal symptoms in an outpatient clinical trial. However, there are limited data on the biological plausibility of the therapeutic action of gabapentinoids in cannabinoid withdrawal in preclinical models. The purpose of the current study was to determine the efficacy of GBP on attenuating THC withdrawal in mice, using an array of tests targeting withdrawal-induced and withdrawal-suppressed behaviors. Separate cohorts of male and female mice were administered THC (10 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle for 5.5 days, and withdrawal was precipitated by the CB1 antagonist rimonabant (2 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) on the sixth day. GBP (≥10 mg/kg) reduced somatic signs of withdrawal (i.e., paw tremors and head twitches), but had no effect in locomotor activity or conditioned place preference. GBP (50 mg/kg) also restored withdrawal-suppressed responding on a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule. However, GBP (50 mg/kg) had no effect in withdrawal-suppressed marble burying or tail suspension struggling and did not normalize the stress response induced by THC withdrawal, as indicated by plasma corticosterone. These data suggest gabapentin may be effective at treating cannabinoid withdrawal symptoms including somatic and affective symptoms but may act independently of endocrine stress activation.
Sir Peter J. Lachmann and Prof. Robert B. Sim: Gone but Will Never Be Forgotten!

In addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought an unexpected global gloom, the beginning of this year was also particularly cruel to the complement field, as two of our greatest and dearest members—Sir Peter Lachmann and Prof [...]
A Novel Risk Prediction Model to Triage Difficult Urethral Catheterizations

Abstract Objective To construct a risk prediction model to identify cases of difficult urethral catheterizations (DUC) in order to prevent complications from improper placement. Materials and Methods Using a single-institution database of urologic consults for Foley catheterizations from June 2016 to January 2020, a model to predict DUC in male patients was constructed. DUC was defined as requiring the use of a guidewire, cystoscopy, urethral dilation, and/or suprapubic tube (SPT) placement, while a simple Foley was defined as an uncomplicated placement of a regular or coude catheter. A final model to predict DUC was constructed using multivariable logistic regression and internally validated using bootstrap statistics. Results A total of 841 consults were identified, with 181 (21.5%) classified as a DUC. On multivariable regression, patient-specific factors as overweight BMI (OR: 1.71; P = .014), urethral stricture disease (OR: 7.38; P Conclusion This model is a promising tool to help providers identify patients who likely require catheterization by a urologist and potentially reduce catheterization-related complications. The high rate of uncomplicated catheterizations also highlights the need for continuing education amongst healthcare professionals. External validation and application to the initial Foley encounter will shed light on its overall utility.
Discussion Piece: New Volume in the Clarendon Edition of the Works of John Locke

A brief discussion of the material in the newly published title from the Clarendon Edition of the Works of John Locke, Literary and Historical Writings.
From Crisis to Confidence: Macroeconomics after the Crash

Some would argue that the financial crash revealed failings in the discipline of economics as well as in the financial system. The main post-war approaches to economics, based on neo-classical and new- Keynesian principles and modelling, failed to anticipate the crash or the depth of the slump that followed. In this monograph, Roger Koppl, drawing on ideas from the Austrian school and the work that has been done on policy uncertainty argues that the missing ingredient in many economic theories is a proper theory of "confidence". The author is not only able to make sense of Keynes' "animal spirits", but also demonstrates how "Big Players" - often, though not always, government agencies - can undermine confidence, reduce long-term investment, increase speculation and reduce economic growth over a long period of time. From crisis to confidence not only describes the process through which the economy must go through before a full recovery after the financial crash, it also describes the journey that must be travelled by the discipline of economics. As economics students and other commentators question post-war macro-economics, Roger Koppl provides some of the answers needed to understand the long slump after the financial crash. A theory of confidence is needed in any economic framework that is to explain one of the most important periods in modern economic history.
Multispecies Interactions and Biofilm Community Development

Most studies of biofilms have focused on single species and on genes that control or are regulated by life on a surface. As more information is uncovered by studies of pure cultures, these data can be applied towards understanding the roles of specific genes in multispecies interactions. This chapter focuses mostly on multi-species interactions among oral bacteria in biofilms: a few single-species biofilms are featured to discuss responses to environmental signals, including signals generated by the occupants within the biofilm. Signals involved in cell-to-cell communication among biofilm cells include acyl homoserine lactones, oligopeptides, and autoinducer-2 (AI-2). Importantly, an optimal concentration of 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD) was critical for maximal biofilm development. One site where natural multispecies biofilms are unusually accessible is the tooth surface in the human oral cavity. We use a retrievable enamel chip model system that permits us to place three pieces of enamel side by side in a groove cut into an acrylic stent that is placed bilaterally on the buccal surface of the lower dentition. The majority of cells in both sequentially and coaggregateinoculated biofilms were S. gordonii, regardless of the inoculation order. Usually biofilms are formed only on solid or semi-solid substrata, such as steel pipes or agar, respectively. Many environmental cues and signals likely govern multispecies biofilms that form and disperse. One of the most important determinants is the distance between signal generator and signal receiver.
Early Development of Choriocarcinoma

Age. Tabulation of the ages of the patients with trophoblastic disease registered in the Albert Mathieu Chorion-epithelioma Registry is presented in Table I. The patient material is received from all parts of the United States but not all material is sent to the Registry. None has been sent on the basis of the age of the patient. In all probability this sampled data of age distribution is valid for all patients with trophoblastic disease in the United States.
Playing tough and clean hockey : developing emotional management skills to reduce individual player aggression

" Aggression in youth ice hockey is prevalent and has many negative consequences including the possibility of injury (Widmeyer & McGuire, 1993). Multiple antecedents lead to aggression (Bushman & Anderson, 2001), however, emotions and related cognitions are often the precursor. Very few attempts have been made to control aggressive behavior in sport. Therefore, the Playing Tough and Clean Hockey Program is a nine session program created to teach youth ice hockey players emotional management skills to reduce aggressive behavior while continuing to play physical hockey. Four youth ice hockey players participated in a season long (30 or more games per participant) single-subject multiple baseline AB (baseline, program) design study. The study had two purposes, (1) examine the program's influence on the emotional control, emotional toughness, and aggressive behavior of participants, and, (2) to conduct an evaluation of the program's effectiveness. It was hypothesized that participants would have enhanced emotional control and toughness (i.e., ability to respond positively in an adverse situation) and would exhibit fewer acts of aggression following the program's implementation. Participants completed post-game reports after every game assessing their performance, emotions, aggressive feelings, emotion management, and emotional control skills success. Games were videotaped throughout the season to record instances of aggressive and retaliatory behaviors. Results revealed that participants perceived the program enhanced their ability to maintain emotional control and toughness, and play tough and clean hockey. Correlations revealed that across the four participants' perceptions of emotional control and toughness were often positively associated with tough and clean hockey and negatively associated with perceptions of aggressive hockey. Analysis of on-ice aggressive acts showed that each participant was less aggressive in the program phase, but effect sizes varied with the greatest effects being found with the most aggressive player. Moreover, participants reduced the percentage of time they retaliated to being provoked. Participants felt the program was effective, thus suggesting it as method for teaching emotion management skills to youth hockey players to reduce aggression. Practical implications and future directions were forwarded, especially the need for sport psychology to view aggression as a more complex construct. "--Abstract from author supplied metadata.
A design procedure for large spherical domes under external pressure

Large, thin-walled, spherical domes are favored as view windows in underwater leisure vehicles. Such domes are made of polycarbonate material for clarity. Also, their design and construction are governed by the applicable ASME Code [1]. At the basis of the said ASME standard are small aperture windows subjected to high pressure, such as those used in very deep sea research vehicles. However, the leisure vehicles are different both in size and the applied external pressure. Such domes need to be designed against buckling. Buckling of apparently symmetrical shapes can be unsymmetrical due to thickness variations, property variations, orientations, non-linear behavior of the material, hydraulic gradients of the pressure over the dome surface, and fluctuations of external pressure due to waves. Furthermore, the theoretical mode shapes for perfect, thin walled, symmetrical shells can themselves be unsymmetrical. Thus, one needs to recognize the shell buckling in unsymmetrical mode, at a pressure far less than the critical pressure predicted by linear elastic theories; also, the corresponding mode shape does not necessarily relate to the lowest mode. In this paper, an extra-code viewpoint is discussed for the design of large view diameter domes for functionality. An example is used to simulate the buckling process by the finite element method. Lastly, a design procedure is proposed which essentially assumes the experimentally observed lower buckling pressures as the basis rather than the linear elastic buckling formulas.
A multicriteria optimization problem for the design of a circular array of dipoles

For a dense circular array of electric dipoles, the simultaneous maximization of the signal-to-noise ratio and the minimization of the quality factor has been carried out. The minimal points for this problem, forming the trade-off curve, have been computed by a combination of the modified Polak method, the BFGS method with line search and the penalty method.
Condom Use and Stages of Change Among College Students in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the correlates for nonuse of condoms and the factors that affect stages of change for regular condom use among college students in Taiwan. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Cross-sectional quantitative survey design. A total of 996 college students were recruited from two universities in Northern Taiwan. MEASURES: Questionnaires collected data on demographic information condom use HIV/AIDS knowledge confidence in using condoms in different situations and perceived benefits and barriers to using condoms. RESULTS: The common reasons for not using condoms were trust in the partner (21.30%) partner dislike for condoms (19.49%) and perception of low risk (18.77%). Most sexually active students (52.4%) were in the earliest 2 stages of readiness to change (i.e. precontemplation contemplation). Participants in action/maintenance were (a) 43.4% less likely to show a high knowledge score (b) 4.08 times more likely to present high self-efficacy and (c) 2.24 times more likely to be more religious than those in contemplation/preparation. CONCLUSIONS: Among a highly literate group college students condom use is inconsistent and readiness to change is not imminent. This study reveals that preventive steps targeted at young adults should address other concerns related to condom use such as trust in partners and the alleged appeal of unprotected sex. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Atmospheric Inputs of Mercury and Organic Carbon into a Forested Upland/Bog Watershed

Inputs of mercury (Hg) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in throughfall and stemflow waters were measured for an upland/bog watershed in northern Minnesota, and were compared to the deposition in a nearby opening to determine the influence of tree canopies on Hg and DOC deposition. Twice as much Hg and seven times as much DOC was deposited in the forested watershed compared to the opening. Mass balance studies that are based on wet-only deposition in openings severely underestimate atmospheric deposition of Hg in forests. Conifer canopies are more efficient filters of airborne, particulates than are deciduous canopies as indicated by much higher Hg concentrations and total deposition in throughfall and stemflow waters under conifers. Significant positive relationships existed between Hg and DOC in both throughfall (36-57% of the variation) and stemflow waters (55-88% of the variation). Hg complexation by DOC appears to be related to the contact time between precipitation and carbon sources.
Below the (Bible) Belt: Religion and Sexuality Education in American Public Schools

This paper examines the struggles over sexuality education in American public schools, and especially the role of religion in these contests. The conflicts over the actual curricula often occur school district by school district or within individual states (see for example Elliott 2010). The disputes over federal support for sex education focus on the national institutions: the Congress, the presidency, the courts, and the bureaucracy. The contests over curricula and resources are not the focus of this paper, however. Here, I am more interested in understanding the struggle over beliefs, values, and ideas. In doing so, I first consider the ‘worldview problem’ that so clearly distinguishes between supporters of AO and CSE. Next, I examine the invisible and (sometimes) visible hand of religion in the sex ed controversies. I subsequently discuss the ‘battle over science’ which is fought over public opinion, programmatic effectiveness, and governmental support.
Elder Abuse in Contemporary Society: Programs, Policy, and Politics

The intent of our special issue, “Elder Abuse in Contemporary Society: Programs, Policy and Politics,” is to highlight, from various disciplinary perspectives (e.g., health care, law, social work),...
Stereotype content and social distance: changing views of homosexuality.

This project examined effects of stereotype content and uniformity on social distance regarding homosexuals. Administration of an adjective checklist and social distance scale to 538 undergraduates resulted in identification of “traits” that change social distance. Those traits that positively correlated with distance at or beyond the .05 level was: “cowardly,” “sly,” “suspicious,” “shrewd,” “stupid,” “impulsive,” and “ignorant.” Traits that correlated with reduced distance (“sensitive,” “individualistic,” “intelligent,” “honest,” “imaginative,” “neat,” “reserved,” “alert,” “kind,” “faithful,” “courteous,” “sophisticated,” and 'artistic”) were more uniform. Both cluster of negative and positive traits were moderately intercorrelated within and suggest that they each represent underlying dimensions. It is suggested that stereotypes about homosexuals are changing in a more positive direction.
The Availability of Fast-Food and Full-Service Restaurants in the United States: Associations with Neighborhood Characteristics

Background Parallel to the rising obesity epidemic, food consumption patterns and household expenditures show a marked upward trend in total energy intake derived from away-from-home sources. Methods This study conducted cross-sectional multivariate analyses to examine associations between local-area racial, ethnic, and income characteristics and the availability of full-service and fast-food restaurants. Based on a U.S. national census of 28,050 ZIP codes that cover a population of 280,675,874 people, restaurant outlet data were linked to 2000 Census Bureau data based on ZIP code tabulation areas and analyses were undertaken using negative binomial count models and ordinary least squares regression analyses. Results Study results showed that higher- versus lower-income, predominantly black and racially mixed versus predominantly white and Hispanic versus non-Hispanic neighborhoods had fewer available full-service and fast-food restaurants. Near-low- and middle-income neighborhoods had the highest number of available restaurants with 1.24 and 1.22 times number of full-service restaurants and 1.34 and 1.28 times the number of fast-food restaurants compared to high-income neighborhoods. Predominantly black neighborhoods were found to have 58.2% and 59.3% of the number of full-service and fast-food restaurants available in predominantly white neighborhoods. No statistically significant differences were found in the relative availability of fast-food versus full-service restaurants by income, race, or ethnicity in the national sample used. However, across urban areas, near-low-, middle-, and near-high- versus high-income neighborhoods and predominantly black versus white neighborhoods were found to have moderately higher proportions of fast-food among total restaurants. Conclusions In urban areas, higher proportions of available fast-food restaurants out of total restaurants in predominantly black versus predominantly white neighborhoods may contribute to racial differences in obesity rates.
Multiplication of a human parasite (Leishmania donovani) in phagolysosomes of hamster macrophages in vitro

Leishmania donovani, the etiological agent of human visceral leishmaniasis, was grown in hamster peritoneal macrophages in vitro. By electron microscopy, using a lysosomal marker, these parasitic protozoa were seen to multiply within host cell phagolysosomes. The survival mechanism of this intracellular parasite is based apparently upon resistance to macrophage lysosomal enzymic digestion.
Regioselective synthesis and characterization of naphthylethylcarbamoyl-β-cyclodextrins

Regioselective reactions of 1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl isocyanate (NEIC) with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) were studied with and without NaH activation of beta-CD in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and pyridine. All six possible monosubstituted CD products were separated and characterized by proton NMR. Primary substitution product predominates when the reaction was carried out under reflux condition in pyridine without NaH activation. The C-2 substitution product predominates when the reaction was carried out in DMF. Conversion of 2-O-(1-(1-naphthyl)ethylcarbamoyl)-beta-CD to 6-O-(1-(1-naphthyl)ethylcarbamoyl)-beta-CD was observed when NaH was used to activate hydroxyl groups of CD.
Charge regulation in nanopore ionic field-effect transistors.

We studied the ionic conductance through Al${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ nanopore transistors to probe the surface charge density and its dependence on the applied gate field. The observed conductance modulations are entirely attributable to the electrostatic field effect, and their dependence on pH, ionic strength, and gate voltage is described by a quantitative model. Importantly, these experiments revealed how reactive surface groups dominate the response of nanofluidic field-effect devices via a chemical effect called charge regulation. A quantitative understanding of this effect enables the development of new nanofluidic technologies.
Magnetic Fields for the Laboratory Simulation of Astrophysical Objects

Strong magnetic fields were generated using a fast pulsed power generator, to investigate the interaction of plasma flows with magnetic fields and magnetized background plasmas. The inductive loads used in these experiments were designed using a filament and a finite element modeling approaches. Magnetic fields up to 2 MG (200 T) were measured by using the Faraday rotation technique.
Adhesion and Friction of Polymer Surfaces: The Effect of Chain Ends

Using a surface forces apparatus we studied the adhesion and friction of glassy polystyrene (PS) and poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) surfaces having various molecular weights (MW) from 2 000 000 to 1240 Da. Cross-linking of high MW polymers leads to lower adhesion and friction relative to the untreated polymers, whereas scission (bond-breaking) leads to higher adhesion and friction. “Asymmetric” bond-broken against cross-linked surfaces behave intermediately between the two “symmetric” systems. Both the friction and adhesion of untreated polymers increase with decreasing MW, often resulting in irreversible damage during sliding or separation. We conclude that the population of the chain “ends” at the surfaces is the most important factor that determines the adhesion, adhesion hysteresis, friction, and wear between two polymer surfaces. Segment polarity and layer thickness play secondary roles.
Degenerative meniscus: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options

The symptomatic degenerative meniscus continues to be a source of discomfort for a significant number of patients. With vascular penetration of less than one-third of the adult meniscus, healing potential in the setting of chronic degeneration remains low. Continued hoop and shear stresses upon the degenerative meniscus results in gross failure, often in the form of complex tears in the posterior horn and midbody. Patient history and physical examination are critical to determine the true source of pain, particularly with the significant incidence of simultaneous articular pathology. Joint line tenderness, a positive McMurray test, and mechanical catching or locking can be highly suggestive of a meniscal source of knee pain and dysfunction. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging are frequently utilized to examine for osteoarthritis and to verify the presence of meniscal tears, in addition to ruling out other sources of pain. Non-operative therapy focused on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy may be able to provide pain relief as well as improve mechanical function of the knee joint. For patients refractory to conservative therapy, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy can provide short-term gains regarding pain relief, especially when combined with an effective, regular physiotherapy program. Patients with clear mechanical symptoms and meniscal pathology may benefit from arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, but surgery is not a guaranteed success, especially with concomitant articular pathology. Ultimately, the long-term outcomes of either treatment arm provide similar results for most patients. Further study is needed regarding the short and long-term outcomes regarding conservative and surgical therapy, with a particular focus on the economic impact of treatment as well.
Group Self-Similar Stable Processes in R d

Group self-similar processes are introduced. The spectral representation of such processes in the class of multidimensional strictly stable processes is determined. The uniqueness of such representations in terms of the corresponding group actions and cocycles is established.
International adoption: Issues of acknowledgement of adoption and birth culture

There has been a steady trend of adopting children from other countries. Families who adopt children internationally are faced with not only the acknowledgement of the adoption but the recognition of the birth culture. Thirty four families were surveyed to assess issues regarding the relevance, frequency, and means of acknowledgement of the adoption and birth culture. Findings are reported with suggestions for adoption professionals included.
Effects of protein intake and growth hormone on utilization of N15 from ammonium citrate

In experiments on dogs receiving diets containing either 12.3 per cent of casein and a supplement of methionine, or 36.2 per cent of casein, utilization of N15 from ingested ammonium citrate was larger when it was added to the low protein diet. Growth hormone induced nitrogen storage and gain in weight on the low protein diet, and increased utilization of N15 from ammonium citrate much more than it did when protein intake was high. Addition of sodium lactate, pyruvate, or α-ketoglutarate to either diet on the day that N15-labeled ammonium citrate was fed did not alter the amount of N15 retained.
Rapid prediction of hydrogen permeation through amorphous metal membranes: an efficient computational screening approach

Efficient purification of hydrogen from high temperature mixed gas streams using dense metal membranes can potentially play a critical role in the large-scale production of hydrogen from gasification of coal or biomaterials. We use first-principles calculations together with statistical methods to systematically predict hydrogen permeability through amorphous ternary Zr–Cu–T films (T = 17 elements) and other selected amorphous materials. These results greatly expand the range of amorphous materials that have been considered as hydrogen purification membranes. More importantly, we demonstrate that relatively simple descriptions of the site binding energies in these amorphous materials can account for the key observations from our detailed first-principles calculations. This outcome significantly reduces the computational effort required in future screening of materials in this application and also places bounds on the ultimate performance of these materials.
Pathways for climate change effects on fire: Models, data, and uncertainties:

Fire is a global process affecting both the biosphere and the atmosphere. As a result, measuring rates of change in wildland fire and understanding the mechanisms responsible for such changes are important research goals. A large body of modeling studies projects increases in wildfire activity in future decades, but few empirical studies have documented change in modern fire regimes. Identifying generalizable pathways through which climate change may alter fire regimes is a critical next step for understanding, measuring, and modeling fire under a changing climate. In this progress report, I review recent model-, empirical-, and fire history-based studies of fire and climate change and propose three pathways along which fire regimes might respond to climate change: changes in fuel condition, fuel volume, and ignitions. Model- and empirical-based studies have largely focused on changes in fuel condition with some models projecting up to 50% increases in area burned under a 2 x CO2 climate. Fire history dat...
Galaxy bias and halo-occupation numbers from large-scale clustering

We show that current surveys have at least as much signal to noise in higher-order statistics as in the power spectrum at weakly nonlinear scales. We discuss how one can use this information to determine the mean of the galaxy halo occupation distribution (HOD) using only large-scale information, through galaxy bias parameters determined from the galaxy bispectrum and trispectrum. After introducing an averaged, reasonably fast to evaluate, trispectrum estimator, we show that the expected errors on linear and quadratic bias parameters can be reduced by at least 20-40%. Also, the inclusion of the trispectrum information, which is sensitive to "three-dimensionality" of structures, helps significantly in constraining the mass dependence of the HOD mean. Our approach depends only on adequate modeling of the abundance and large-scale clustering of halos and thus is independent of details of how galaxies are distributed within halos. This provides a consistency check on the traditional approach of using two-point statistics down to small scales, which necessarily makes more assumptions. We present a detailed forecast of how well our approach can be carried out in the case of the SDSS.
A Simple Statistical Method for Determining the Approximate Duration of the Instars of Leaf-mining Larvae and Others

It is usually laborious and difficult to determine satisfactorily the duration of the larval instars of those forms which molt in leaf-mines, bear cases, or are otherwise not readily measured without removal from shelter. A simple statistical method, which has several advantages, is described. Comparative data on Phyllotoma nemorata (Fallen) and Coleophora salmani Hein are given as examples.
Temperature dependent resistivity in Rb3C60: constant volume versus constant pressure

Abstract Under conditions of constant sample volume the normal state resistivity of ϱ of Rb3C60 has a temperature dependence ϱ ≈ T, in sharp contrast to ϱ ≈ T2 observed under condtionns of constant sample pressure. Implications for the normal-state scattering mechanism are discussed.
Semiparametric Relative-risk Regression for Infectious Disease Transmission Data

This article introduces semiparametric relative-risk regression models for infectious disease data. The units of analysis in these models are pairs of individuals at risk of transmission. The hazard of infectious contact from i to j consists of a baseline hazard multiplied by a relative risk function that can be a function of infectiousness covariates for i, susceptibliity covariates for j, and pairwise covariates. When who-infects-whom is observed, we derive a profile likelihood maximized over all possible baseline hazard functions that is similar to the Cox partial likelihood. When who-infects-whom is not observed, we derive an EM algorithm to maximize the profile likelihood integrated over all possible combinations of who-infected-whom. This extends the most important class of regression models in survival analysis to infectious disease epidemiology. These methods can be implemented in standard statistical software, and they will be able to address important scientific questions about emerging infectio...
Infinite complete group presentations

Abstract Knuth-Bendix for strings, when applied to a presentation for a group G , often diverges. In this paper we develop a Knuth-Bendix procedure for equational term rewriting which can find an infinite, complete presentation for G in certain cases where previous procedures fail. These presentations yield an efficient solution of the word problem for G in the same way as finite ones, by reducing any word to a unique normal form. Our presentations consist of finitely many families, each of which is parameterized by a single term rewrite rule. The parameters are formal variables which occur in exponents, and take all positive integer values. We give an example of a group which is not FP ∞ , hence which has no finite complete rewrite system, and is not automatic, but which has a complete presentation in our sense.
Pion-Pion Scattering and Low-Energy Pion Production

A model for the reaction $\ensuremath{\pi}+N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\pi}+N$ at low energies, with $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}$ scattering lengths as parameters, discussed in a previous analysis is extended by removing the assumption that $\frac{{a}_{0}}{{a}_{2}}=\frac{5}{2}$. The parameters are determined by using the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ angular distribution from ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+n$ at 430 Mev and the total cross section for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+n$ at 470 Mev. We find two acceptable sets for the $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}$ scattering lengths: ${a}_{0}=0.50$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${a}_{1}=0.07$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${a}_{2}=0.16$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and ${a}_{0}=0.65$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${a}_{1}=0.07$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${a}_{2}=\ensuremath{-}0.14$ ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The total cross sections for the various charge channel and for single partial waves are computed. The predictions of this model are in qualitative agreement with experiment.
Park-people relationships: an international review

Abstract An international survey, supported by the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Program, was conducted of selected individuals who were reported to be knowledgeable about relationship between local populations and proximate national parks and equivalent reserves. The study objectives were to identify: (1) specific parks and reserves where efforts are being made to foster mutually supportive interactions and (2) strategies and techniques being employed in these efforts. Fifty-seven parks and reserves were identified in 35 countries in the survey and an additional 42 parks and three countries were identified in a review of the literature. Four general models of park-local population relationships were identified: (1) local participation in park management and operations and/or residence within park, (2) services delivered by park personnel to local populations living outside the park, (3) maintenance of traditional land uses inside the park and (4) local population involvement in park related tourism. The efficacy of the four models is discussed in reference to Firey's man-mind-land concept (1960) .