cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-temperature deposition of films from tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium and ammonia

Abstract We report the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and characterization of thin films grown from the reaction of tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium (Ti(NMe2)4, TDMAT) with NH3 at 423 K. These films, deposited on a variety of substrates, are amorphous except for a small number of embedded nanocrystallites. The films exhibit peeling at thicknesses greater than ca. 200 nm on all substrates and show no visible evidence of etching after exposure to concentrated hydrochloric or nitric acid for 5 min. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results yield a N/Ti ratio of 0.89 after normalizing the data to that of a TiN standard. The O/Ti ratio varies from 0.26 to 0.66, and the C content is less than 1 at.%. Transmission Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of films deposited on Si gives spectra consistent with the presence of N–H bonds.
A 'corrugated' extrahepatic bile-duct: a new cholangiographic picture.

A patient with an operative cholangiogram showing appearances suggestive of multiple diverticula is recorded; these appearances are apparently unique.
Ontogenetic changes in pacemaker activity in chick heart.

Abstract Pacemaker activity of the isolated chick heart changed considerably during development. The spontaneous impulse frequency increased up to the 11th–15th incubation day. This period of acceleration was followed by a marked deceleration around the time of hatching. Both acceleration and deceleration appeared to be caused by changes intrinsic to the pacemaker. Deceleration was related to a decrease in rate of slow diastolic depolarization. The results were compared with well-known ontogenetic changes in heart rate in vivo . This comparison indicates that the deceleration of pacemaker firing around hatching is counteracted by the development of sympathetic cardiac reflexes in vivo .
If you cannot beat them, join them: using social media as an active learning tool

This article addresses the common concerns faculty face in the classroom – students are addicted to technology and social media. Rather than banning social media from the classroom, instructors can implement its use as an active learning tool to increase engagement related to the course content in learning communities of peers, experts and organisations. This article provides an example of how to use social media in a sustainability marketing university course offering and explores how social media impacts attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge related to course content. Sustainability knowledge and behaviours significantly increased (p < 0.000; p = 0.003) after social media was implemented in the course offering. In addition, students attitudes toward practicing sustainability, reducing consumption, and being ecofriendly significantly increased (p = 0.013; p < 0.000; p = 0.002) based on pre and post class measures.
Choice between magnitudes of reward as a function of free vs forced trial procedures

Naive rats were trained on a T-maze spatial discrimination with four-pellets reward in the alternative designated “correct” and two pellets in the opposite alternative. For half the Ss, all trials were free while for the remainder, experience with the two alternatives was equated by means of forced trials. The group given forced trials acquired the discrimination significantly more rapidly than that given all free trials. Further, a significant positive correlation was observed between number of early choice alternations and later probability of a correct choice in the free-trial group.
Inhibition by amiodarone of slow response action potentials and contraction in guinea pig ventricular muscle

1. Effects of an antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone (AM), on slow response action potentials and contraction of guinea pig ventricular muscle were examined. 2. AM (4.4 x 10(-5) M, 1.1 x 10(-4) M) significantly inhibited the maximum upstroke velocity of slow response action potentials and contraction. 3. As for action potential duration (APD), higher concentration (1.1 x 10(-4) M) of AM significantly shortened the APD, while low concentration (4.4 x 10(-5) M) had little effect on it. 4. These findings strongly suggest that AM blocks slow inward current inflow via Ca2+ channels in the ventricular muscle.
WE DRINK FROM OUR OWN WELLS. By Gustavo Gutierrez

(1986). WE DRINK FROM OUR OWN WELLS. By Gustavo Gutierrez. Religious Education: Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 500-501.
The structure of crossing separations in matroids

Oxley, Semple and Whittle described a tree decomposition for a 3-connected matroid M that displays, up to a natural equivalence, all non-trivial 3-separations of M. Crossing 3-separations gave rise to fundamental structures known as flowers. In this paper, we define a generalized flower structure called a k-flower, with no assumptions on the connectivity of M. We completely classify k-flowers in terms of the local connectivity between pairs of petals.
Isolated Clonal Cytogenetic Abnormalities after High-Dose Therapy: Do They Matter?

High-dose therapy (HDT) is effective in treating a variety of hematologic conditions. However, despite significant reductions in treatment-related mortality over the past several decades, subsequent development of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (t-MN) remains a significant complication. A number of risk factors have been implicated in t-MN, including prior therapy, age, poor mobilization for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), and conditioning regimen [1-5]. Incidence rates of t-MN have been reported as high as 24.3% after ASCT [1], and the prognosis is exceedingly poor [2,6,7]. Although most cases of t-MN harbor clonal marrow cytogenetic abnormalities (CMCA) [6,7], the clinical significance of CMCA without morphologic or clinical features of t-MN is less well established. In this issue, Showel et al. report on 1 of the largest series to date of CMCA after HDT, detailing the Johns Hopkins experience with patients receiving ASCT or high-dose cyclophosphamide [8]. Of 31 patients with CMCA in this series, 20 developed t-MN. The remaining 11 patients did not meet criteria for t-MN over the duration of follow-up. Four of these patients had only transient CMCA. At least another 4 patients had follow-up that was insufficient to confirm persistence of the CMCA and/or to provide adequate time for development of t-MN (given a delay of up to 3.2 years from initial discovery of CMCA until overt t-MN in this cohort). One patient did not develop t-MN, despite persistence of a CMCA for 3 years and an additional 2.5 years of follow-up. Notably, 2 patients, each with at least 5 years of follow-up from first discovery of CMCA, did not develop t-MN, in spite of complex karyotypes in both cases and transient, clinically significant cytopenias in 1. The authors conclude that CMCA alone are not sufficient to establish a diagnosis of t-MN and that correlation with morphology is also required. At the very least, CMCA appears to be a risk factor for subsequent t-MN, as 64.5% of patients with known CMCA ultimately developed t-MN in this series. This equates to a>18fold higher risk of t-MN in these patients than for the cohort as awhole (whichhada 3.5% incidence of t-MN). Conversely, 95%
ARIMA Modeling With Intervention to Forecast and Analyze Chinese Stock Prices

In this study, we demonstrate the usefulness of ARIMA-Intervention time series analysis as both an analytical and forecast tool. The data base for this study is from the PACAP-CCER China Database developed by the Pacific-Basin Capital Markets (PACAP) Research Center at the University of Rhode Island (USA) and the SINOFIN Information Service Inc, affiliated with the China Center for Economic Research (CCER) of Peking University (China). These data are recent and not fully explored in any published study. The forecasting analysis indicates the usefulness of the developed model in explaining the rapid decline in the values of the price index of Shanghai A shares during the world economic debacle stating in China in 2008. Explanation of the fit of the model is described using the latest development in statistical validation methods. We note that the use of a simpler technique although parsimonious will not explain the variation properly in predicting daily Chinese stock prices. Furthermore, we infer that the daily stock price index contains an autoregressive component; hence, one can predict stock returns.
Loneliness and Creativity in Adolescents

Samples of 107 early, 81 middle, and 112 late adolescents responded to the UCLA Loneliness Scale and The Creativity Scale of the Adjective Check List. Contrary to the hypothesized direction, statistically significant inverse correlations (-.19 to -.33) were found between scores on measures of loneliness and creativity in all three adolescent samples. Findings are interpreted within the conceptualizations in which the relationship between loneliness and creativity were proposed.
A control-based middleware framework for quality-of-service adaptations

In heterogeneous environments with performance variations present, multiple applications compete for and share a limited amount of system resources and suffer from variations in resource availability. These complex applications are desired to adapt themselves and to adjust their resource demands dynamically. On one hand, current adaptation mechanisms built within an application cannot preserve global properties such as fairness; on the other hand, adaptive resource management mechanisms built within the operating system are not aware of data semantics in the application. In this paper, we present a novel middleware control framework to enhance the effectiveness of quality-of-service (QoS) adaptation decisions by dynamic control and reconfiguration of internal parameters and functionalities of a distributed multimedia application. Our objective is to satisfy both system-wide properties (such as fairness among concurrent applications) and application-specific requirements (such as preserving the critical performance criteria). The framework is modeled by the task control model and the fuzzy control model, based on rigorous results from the control theory, and verified by the controllability and adaptivity of a distributed visual tracking application. The results show validation of the framework, i.e., critical application quality parameters can be preserved via controlled adaptation.
Effects of portion size and energy density on young children's intake at a meal.

Background: Large portions of energy-dense foods are one feature of obesity-promoting dietary environments. Entree portion size has been shown to influence energy intake at meals by young children. The role of energy density (ED) in children's response to portion size, however, is unknown. Objective: We aimed to test the effects of portion size and ED on children's food and energy intakes at a meal. Design: Participants were 53 (28 girls and 25 boys; 15 Hispanic, 20 black, 16 white, 2 other race) 5- to 6-y-old children [mean (±SD) body mass index percentile: = 61 ± 28]. A 2 x 2 within-subjects design was used to manipulate entree portion size (250 compared with 500 g) and ED (1.3 compared with 1.8 kcal/g). Fixed portions of other familiar foods were provided. Weighed intake, food preference, and weight and height data were obtained. Results: Effects of portion size (P < 0.0001) and ED (P < 0.0001) on entree energy intake were independent but additive. Energy intake from other foods at the meal did not vary across conditions. Compared with the reference portion size and ED condition, children consumed 76% more energy from the entree and 34% more energy at the meal when served the larger, more energy-dense entree. Effects did not vary by sex, age, entree preference, or body mass index z score. Conclusions: These findings provide new evidence that portion size and ED act additively to promote energy intake at meals among preschool-aged children.
Maternal and Reciprocal Effects on Seedling Characters in ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA (L.) Heynh.

Five early growth characters were examined in six races of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh, their reciprocal F1 hybrids (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids, using a seventh race as a paternal tester. Three of the five characters were also examined at two nutrient levels in reciprocal F1 hybrids (1972) of all seven races. Analyses of F1 and F1 by tester hybrids revealed significant maternal effects in all characters examined in F1 hybrids (1972) and in root length and plant weight of F1 (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids. Significant reciprocal effects were found for plant weight in F1 by tester hybrids and for seed weight, percentage of germination and root length in F1 (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids. The presence of significant maternal and/or reciprocal components in both F1 (1974) and F1 by tester diallels suggests that differences in maternal cytoplasm rather than maternal genotype per se were responsible for much of the variation resulting from these non-direct genetic effects.
Scattering of plane harmonic SH waves by multiple inclusions

SUMMARY Scattering of a plane harmonic SH wave by an arbitrary number of inclusions of general shape and placements within an elastic half-space is investigated by using a direct boundary integral equation approach. The integral equations have been reduced to a system of linear algebraic equations by using the linear elements. The structure of the resulting algebraic system is investigated and compared to the single-inclusion model. For convenience the multiple-inclusion models are assumed to consist of the reference and the auxiliary inclusions. The reference inclusion has the same shape, placement and the material properties as those of the corresponding single-inclusion model. The auxiliary inclusions then surround the reference inclusion assuming different patterns. Extensive testing of the proposed solution is performed. These tests include the transparency and the single-inclusion tests. In the former the material properties of the inclusions are assumed to be the same as those of the half-space and the surface response is found to be equal to the free field one. In the single-inclusion test the material properties of the auxiliary inclusions are assumed to be the same as those of the half-space while those of the reference inclusion are different. Then the resulting surface response is found to reduce to that of the single-inclusion model. For different number of multiple inclusions the surface motion atop the reference inclusion is compared with that of the corresponding single-inclusion model. In particular, a specific measure is introduced to assess accurately the importance of the multiple scattering upon the surface response. The effect of the auxiliary inclusion locations with respect to the reference inclusion upon the surface motion is investigated for two-, three- and nine-inclusion models. The results clearly show the importance of the interactions between the inclusions for a wide range of parameters present in the problem (e.g. nature of the incident wave, geometry of the model and the number of inclusions). For the problems considered here it appears that by ignoring these interactions, that is, using the single-inclusion model, will result in underestimation of the peak surface motion amplification.
Identification of man-made regions in unmanned aerial vehicle imagery and videos

Details work in our group on the use of low-level features for the identification of man-made regions in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. The feature sets that we have examined include classical statistical features such as the coefficient of variation in a window about a pixel, locally computed fractal dimension, and fractal dimension computed in the presence of wavelet boundaries. We discuss these techniques of feature extraction along with our approach to the classification of the features. Our classification work has focused on the use of a semiparametric probability density estimation technique. In addition, we present classification results for region of interest identification based on a set of test images from an UAV test flight.
Simultaneous Versus Staged Resection for Synchronous Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare postoperative outcomes of patients with synchronous colorectal liver metastases treated with either simultaneous or staged colectomy and hepatectomy. STUDY DESIGN: From July 1997 to June 2008, a review of our 1,344-patient prospective hepato-pancreaticobiliary database identified 230 patients treated surgically for primary adenocarcinoma of the large bowel and synchronous hepatic metastasis. Clinicopathologic, operative, and perioperative data, complications, and grade of complications (grade 1, minor, to grade 5, death) were reviewed to evaluate selection criteria, operative methods, and perioperative outcomes. Chisquare and proportional hazard model were used to evaluate predictors of outcomes. RESULTS: Seventy patients underwent simultaneous resection of colon primary and liver metastasis in a single operation; 160 patients underwent staged operations. Simultaneous resections were similar for size (median 4 cm versus 3.7 cm) and number (median 3 cm versus 3 cm) of liver metastases. Major liver resections (3 Couinaud segments) were similar between staged and simultaneous (32% versus 33%, respectively), as was type of colectomy (p 0.2). Complication rates and severity were similar in both groups: 39 of 70 patients (56%) in the simultaneous groupexperienced63complicationsversus88of160patients(55%)with162complicationsin the staged group (p 0.24). Multivariate analysis identified blood transfusion as a predictor of complication (odds ratio 2.98, p 0.001). Patients having simultaneous resection required fewer days in the hospital (median 10 days versus 18 days, p 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: By avoiding a second laparotomy, simultaneous colon and hepatic resection reduces overall hospitalstay,withnodifferenceinmorbidityandmortalityratesorinseverityofcomplications, comparedwithstagedresection.Simultaneousresectionisanacceptableoptioninpatientswith resectable synchronous colorectal metastasis. (J Am Coll Surg 2009;208:842–852. © 2009 by the American College of Surgeons) Synchronous liver metastasis, commonly defined as liver metastasis occurring within 12 months of the colon primary, represents 13% to 25% of 90,000 newly diagnosed colorectal liver metastases. 1,2 Through the expansion of multidisciplinary care with advances in surgical training, surgical techniques (laparoscopy and ablation), anesthetic management, and chemotherapy, the overall survival of
Cell-type-specific epigenetic marking of the IL2 gene at a distal cis-regulatory region in competent, nontranscribing T-cells

T-cells retain cell-type-specific programming for IL-2 inducibility through many rounds of division without being stimulated to transcribe the locus. To understand the layering of controls needed to poise this gene heritably for activation, we have used chromatin immunoprecipitation to map histone modifications across the murine IL2 locus, from -10.2 through +0.25 kb, in induction-competent and incompetent cells. In highly inducible EL4 T-lineage cells, stimulation with PMA/A23187 induced strong acetylation of histone H3 and H4, in parallel with transcriptional activation, from -4.6 through +0.25 kb. However, dimethylation of histone H3/K4 was already fully elevated across the same restricted domain before stimulation, with little change after stimulation. RNA polymerase II binding, in contrast, was only found at the known promoter region after stimulation. Similar patterns of histone modifications were seen also in normal IL-2-inducible T-lineage cells. However, neither acetylated histone H3, H4 nor dimethylated histone H3/K4 marking was detected, with or without stimulation, in expression-incompetent cells (NIH/3T3 or Scid.adh). These results identify a discrete new domain of IL2 regulatory sequence marked by dimethylated histone H3/K4 in expression-permissive T-cells even when they are not transcribing IL2, setting boundaries for histone H3 and H4 acetylation when the IL2 gene is transcriptionally activated.
HIV-1 Vpu and HIV-2 Env counteract BST-2/tetherin by sequestration in a perinuclear compartment

In the absence of the Vpu protein, newly formed HIV-1 particles can remain attached to the surface of human cells due to the action of an interferon-inducible cellular restriction factor, BST-2/tetherin. Tetherin also restricts the release of other enveloped viral particles and is counteracted by a several viral anti-tetherin factors including the HIV-2 Env, SIV Nef and KSHV K5 proteins. We observed that a fraction of tetherin is located at the surface of restricting cells, and that co-expression of both HIV-1 Vpu and HIV-2 Env reduced this population. In addition, Vpu, but not the HIV-2 Env, reduced total cellular levels of tetherin. An additional effect observed for both Vpu and the HIV-2 Env was to redirect tetherin to an intracellular perinuclear compartment that overlapped with markers for the TGN (trans-Golgi network). Sequestration of tetherin in this compartment was independent of tetherin's normal endocytosis trafficking pathway. Both HIV-1 Vpu and HIV-2 Env redirect tetherin away from the cell surface and sequester the protein in a perinuclear compartment, which likely blocks the action of this cellular restriction factor. Vpu also promotes the degradation of tetherin, suggesting that it uses more than one mechanism to counteract tetherin restriction.
Apparent anisotropy in inhomogeneous isotropic media

SUMMARY Surface waves propagating through a laterally inhomogeneous medium undergo wavefield complications such as multiple scattering, wave front healing, and backward scattering. Unless accounted for accurately, these effects will introduce a systematic isotropic bias in estimates of azimuthal anisotropy. We demonstrate with synthetic experiments that backward scattering near an observing station will introduce an apparent 360° periodicity into the azimuthal distribution of anisotropy near strong lateral variations in seismic wave speeds that increases with period. Because it violates reciprocity, this apparent 1ψ anisotropy, where ψ is the azimuthal angle, is non-physical for surface waves and is, therefore, a useful indicator of isotropic bias. Isotropic bias of the 2ψ (180° periodicity) component of azimuthal anisotropy, in contrast, is caused mainly by wave front healing, which results from the broad forward scattering part of the surface wave sensitivity kernel. To test these predictions, we apply geometrical ray theoretic (eikonal) tomography to teleseismic Rayleigh wave measurements across the Transportable Array component of USArray to measure the directional dependence of phase velocities between 30 and 80 s period. Eikonal tomography accounts for multiple scattering (ray bending) but not finite frequency effects such as wave front healing or backward scattering. At long periods (>50 s), consistent with the predictions from the synthetic experiments, a significant 1ψ component of azimuthal anisotropy is observed near strong isotropic structural contrasts with fast directions that point in the direction of increasing phase speeds. The observed 2ψ component of azimuthal anisotropy is more weakly correlated with synthetic predictions of isotropic bias, probably because of the imprint of intrinsic structural anisotropy. The observation of a 1ψ component of azimuthal anisotropy is a clear indicator of isotropic bias in the inversion caused by unmodelled backward scattering and can dominate and mask the 2ψ signal. Observers are encouraged to estimate and report 1ψ anisotropy in their inversions for azimuthal anisotropy, to model finite frequency effects using methods that are tailored to the method of measurement, and to estimate 1ψ and 2ψ anisotropy simultaneously.
A modified Gaussian sum approach to estimation of non-Gaussian signals

A Gaussian sum estimation algorithm has previously been developed to deal with noise processes that are non-Gaussian. Inherent in this algorithm is a serious growing memory problem that causes the number of terms in the Gaussian sum to increase exponentially at each iteration. A modified Gaussian sum estimation algorithm using an adaptive filter is developed that avoids the growing memory problem of the previous algorithm while providing effective state estimation. The adaptive filter is comprised of a fixed set of estimators operating in parallel with each individual estimate possessing its own corresponding weighting term. A simulation example illustrates the new non-Gaussian estimation technique. >
COMP-1 promotes competitive advantage of nematode sperm

Competition among sperm to fertilize oocytes is a ubiquitous feature of sexual reproduction as well as a profoundly important aspect of sexual selection. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms sperm use to gain competitive advantage or how these mechanisms are regulated genetically. In this study, we utilize a forward genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify a gene, comp-1, whose function is specifically required in competitive contexts. We show that comp-1 functions in sperm to modulate their migration through and localization within the reproductive tract, thereby promoting their access to oocytes. Contrary to previously described models, comp-1 mutant sperm show no defects in size or velocity, thereby defining a novel pathway for preferential usage. Our results indicate not only that sperm functional traits can influence the outcome of sperm competition, but also that these traits can be modulated in a context-dependent manner depending on the presence of competing sperm.
Heparin use in acute ischaemic stroke: does evidence change practice?

There has been much discussion in recent years about the importance of evidence-based medicine and, although the discipline has received broad acceptance, it is not without its critics. An important question that has received relatively little attention is: what is the evidence that evidence-based medicine has had any effect on practice? In this article, I shall try to answer this question with respect to the use of heparin in the management of acute ischaemic stroke. I will not consider the unusual instances of extra-cranial arterial dissection, cerebral venous thrombosis and crescendo transient ischaemic attacks, but will instead focus on the more common causes of acute ischaemic stroke for which heparin anticoagulation is still frequently used. Acute ischaemic stroke is a common problem that carries a significant risk of death and disability. There are approximately 600 000 new cases diagnosed each year in the USA with about 150 000 deaths and a further 300 000 survivors left with substantial disability. The use of heparin in the management of acute ischaemic stroke has been the subject of many studies, including a number of randomized controlled trials. Low-molecular-weight heparin, administered subcutaneously, was used in most studies, although a few have examined the use of intravenous unfractionated heparin. For the most part, these studies (Table 1) have shown no benefit from heparin, with the small decrease in the risk of stroke progression or recurrence being offset by an increase in the risk of hemorrhagic complications. What has been the impact of these results? Has there been a decline in the usage of heparin since publication of these results? If not, why not? These are the questions that are considered in this paper. View this table: Table 1 Randomized trials of heparin use in acute ischaemic stroke There are limited data upon which to base an answer to this question. A few studies …
Relativistic Harmonic Oscillator Revisited

The familiar Fock space commonly used to describe the relativistic harmonic oscillator, for example, as part of string theory, is insufficient to describe all the states of the relativistic oscillator. We find that there are three different vacua leading to three disconnected Fock sectors, all constructed with the same creation-annihilation operators. These have different spacetime geometric properties as well as different algebraic symmetry properties or different quantum numbers. Two of these Fock spaces include negative norm ghosts (as in string theory), while the third one is completely free of ghosts. We discuss a gauge symmetry in a worldline theory approach that supplies appropriate constraints to remove all the ghosts from all Fock sectors of the single oscillator. The resulting ghost-free quantum spectrum in $d+1$ dimensions is then classified in unitary representations of the Lorentz group $\mathrm{SO}(d,1)$. Moreover, all states of the single oscillator put together make up a single infinite dimensional unitary representation of a hidden global symmetry $\mathrm{SU}(d,1)$, whose Casimir eigenvalues are computed. Possible applications of these new results in string theory and other areas of physics and mathematics are briefly mentioned.
Estimates of Insulin Secretory Function in Apparently Healthy Volunteers Vary as a Function of How the Relevant Variables Are Quantified

BACKGROUND: Several surrogate estimates have been used to define relationships between insulin action and pancreatic β-cell function in healthy individuals. Because it is unclear how conclusions about insulin secretory function depend on specific estimates used, we evaluated the effect of different approaches to measurement of insulin action and secretion on observations of pancreatic β-cell function in individuals whose fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was <7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL). METHODS: We determined 2 indices of insulin secretion [homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) and daylong insulin response to mixed meals], insulin action [homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentration during the insulin suppression test], and degree of glycemia [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and daylong glucose response to mixed meals] in 285 individuals with FPG <7.0 mmol/L. We compared the relationship between the 2 measures of insulin secretion as a function of the measures of insulin action and degree of glycemia. RESULTS: Assessment of insulin secretion varied dramatically as a function of which of the 2 methods was used and which measure of insulin resistance or glycemia served as the independent variable. For example, the correlation between insulin secretion (HOMA-β) and insulin resistance varied from an r value of 0.74 (when HOMA-IR was used) to 0.22 (when SSPG concentration was used). CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions about β-cell function in nondiabetic individuals depend on the measurements used to assess insulin action and insulin secretion. Viewing estimates of insulin secretion in relationship to measures of insulin resistance and/or degree of glycemia does not mean that an unequivocal measure of pancreatic β-cell function has been obtained.
On some new approaches to practical Slepian-Wolf compression inspired by channel coding

We introduce three new innovations for compression using LDPCs for the Slepian-Wolf problem. The first is a general iterative Slepian-Wolf decoding algorithm that incorporates the graphical structure of all the encoders and operates in a 'turbo-like' fashion. The second innovation introduces source-splitting to enable low-complexity pipelined implementations of Slepian-Wolf decoding at rates besides corner points of the Slepian-Wolf region. This innovation can also be applied to single-source block coding for reduced decoder complexity. The third approach is a linear programming relaxation to maximum-likelihood sequence decoding that exhibits the ML-certificate property. This can be used for decoding a single binary block-compressed source as well as decoding at vertex points for the binary Slepian-Wolf problem. All three of these innovations were motivated by recent analogous results in the channel coding domain.
Thermal modeling of porous insertion electrodes

Isothermal calorimetry was performed on Li|LiPF 6 in ethylene carbonate:dimethyl carbonate|LiAl 0.2 Mn 1.8 O 4-δ F 0.2 cells. The measured rate of heat generation varied substantially with time. To understand why, we investigated the entropy, irreversible resistance, and heats of mixing. Two methods for computing the heat of mixing, one computational and one analytic, are derived. We demonstrate how the energy balance of Rao and Newman accounts for heat of mixing across electrodes, but neglects heat of mixing within particles and in the electrolyte, which may be of equal magnitude. In general, the magnitude of the heat of mixing, which is the amount of heat released during relaxation after interruption of the current, will be small in materials with transport properties sufficiently high to provide acceptable battery performance, with the possible exception of heat of mixing within the insertion particles if the particle radius is large. Comparing simulations of heat generation to calorimetry measurements reseals that the entropic heat is significant and accounts for much of the variation of the rate of heat generation. The rate of irreversible heat generation is larger when the open-circuit potential varies steeply with lithium concentration, because of diffusion limitations within the solid.
Comparison of the Effect of Exercise on Late-Phase LTP of the Dentate Gyrus and CA1 of Alzheimer's Disease Model.

We investigated the neuroprotective effect of regular treadmill exercise training on long-term memory and its correlate: the late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) and plasticity- and memory-related signaling molecules in the DG and CA1 areas of a rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (i.c.v. infusion of Aβ1-42 peptides, 2 weeks, 250 pmol/day). Testing in the radial arm water maze revealed severe impairment of spatial long-term memory in Aβ-infused sedentary rats but not in exercised Aβ-infused rats. The L-LTP, measured as changes in the field (f)EPSP and in the amplitude of population spike (pspike), was induced by multiple high-frequency stimulation in the CA1 and DG areas of anesthetized rats. The L-LTP of fEPSP in both areas was severely impaired in the sedentary Aβ rats but not in exercised Aβ rats. However, L-LTP of the pspike was severely suppressed in the CA1 area but not in the DG of sedentary Aβ rats. Immunoblot analysis revealed no increase in the levels of phosphorylated (p)-CREB, CaMKIV, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in both CA1 and DG areas of sedentary Aβ rats during L-LTP, whereas the levels of these molecules were robustly increased in exercised Aβ rats. Impairment of synaptic function may be due to deleterious changes in the molecular signaling cascades that mediate synaptic structural and functional changes. The protective effect of regular exercise can be a promising therapeutic measure for countering or delaying the AD-like pathology.
Fending for Themselves: Creating a U.S. Hedge Fund Market for Retail Investors

This Article shows that financially sophisticated retail investors in the United States likely suffer from undue economic losses because they are not permitted to invest in hedge funds. A hedge fund is a type of private investment pool that compensates managers in part with an annual performance fee, is not subject to the full range of restrictions on investment activities and disclosure obligations imposed by the federal securities laws, and typically engages in the active trading of financial instruments. Modern portfolio economics teaches that diversification helps to prevent investment losses, and the absolute return strategies employed by hedge funds can help to diversify an investment portfolio already composed of traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. However, U.S. federal securities law requires individual investors to be wealthy to qualify to invest in hedge funds. Although intended to protect investors, wealth-based qualifications prohibit sophisticated retail investors from benefiting from hedge funds and do not prevent unsophisticated investors from bearing hedge fund-like risks. The Securities and Exchange Commission has expressed some desire to increase access to hedge funds while maintaining investor protection, and the reforms proposed in this Article explain how to accomplish that goal. The proposed reforms seek to create a retail fund of hedge funds that privately raises capital through an underwriter who in turns lists the securities of the fund on an electronic trading platform accessible only by sophisticated investors.
Relationship of Clinical to Basic Research with Peptides as lllustrated by MSH

Many of the principles that are now influencing the field of brain peptides were established more than a decade ago with melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). A series of studies with MSH demonstrated not only the multiple actions of peptides but also the complex relationship of basic to clinical investigation. The actions of MSH, therefore, can be considered a prototype for those of other peptides. The present review discusses several of these actions with examples taken from our own experience. Where possible, clinical studies are emphasized even though most of our research has involved laboratory animals.
On optimizing interdependent skills: a case study in simulated 3D humanoid robot soccer

In several realistic domains an agent's behavior is composed of multiple interdependent skills. For example, consider a humanoid robot that must play soccer, as is the focus of this paper. In order to succeed, it is clear that the robot needs to walk quickly, turn sharply, and kick the ball far. However, these individual skills are ineffective if the robot falls down when switching from walking to turning, or if it cannot position itself behind the ball for a kick.This paper presents a learning architecture for a humanoid robot soccer agent that has been fully deployed and tested within the RoboCup 3D simulation environment. First, we demonstrate that individual skills such as walking and turning can be parameterized and optimized to match the best performance statistics reported in the literature. These results are achieved through effective use of the CMA-ES optimization algorithm. Next, we describe a framework for optimizing skills in conjunction with one another, a little-understood problem with substantial practical significance. Over several phases of learning, a total of roughly 100--150 parameters are optimized. Detailed experiments show that an agent thus optimized performs comparably with the top teams from the RoboCup 2010 competitions, while taking relatively few man-hours for development.
“Thanks for your interest in our Facebook group, but it's only for dads”: Social Roles of Stay-at-Home Dads

The number of stay-at-home dads (SAHDs) in the U.S. has risen dramatically over the past 30 years. Despite gaining social acceptability, SAHDs still experience isolation and judgment in their offline environments. This research explores how SAHDs use the Internet and social media related to their roles as fathers. We conducted interviews with 18 SAHDs about their families, their identities, and their social experiences. We find that they turn to social media to gain social support and overcome isolation they experience offline. However, they engage in strategic self-disclosure on particular platforms to avoid judgment related to being SAHDs. They rely on online platforms to give off both traditionally feminine and masculine impressions'as loving caregivers of their children while simultaneously as do-it-yourself men who make things around the house. Through creating Facebook groups and using anonymous social media sites, SAHDs create multidimensional social networks that allow them to cope better with the role change. We reflect on the evolving roles of SAHDs in society, and put forth an argument for greater support for diverse kinds of parenting online.
Characterizing organic matter inputs to sediments of small, intermittent, prairie streams: a molecular marker and stable isotope approach

Small rivers and streams are ecologically important because they contribute to the export of organic carbon to coastal environments, likely influencing the global carbon cycle. While organic matter (OM) dynamics in large rivers has been studied in quite some detail, less is known about small streams. Sources of OM in streams ultimately determine its availability to the food web and downstream transport. In this study, sediment samples were collected from the King’s Creek watershed in Konza Prairie (Kansas, USA) and analyzed using molecular biomarkers and bulk 13C stable isotopes with the objective to comparatively assess OM inputs between riparian forest vegetation and watershed grassland to small, intermittent streams. We are interested in the potential influence of woody riparian expansion that has been ongoing at the site. Biomarkers typical of the local C4 grasses (branched n-alkanes, phytadienes) were more abundant in some of the sediments of the upper reaches. The sediments of the lower reaches contained biomarkers of algae (short-chain aliphatic compounds, C25:5 highly branched isoprenoid, brassicasterol) and vascular plant-derived material (triterpenols). Degraded OM (triterpene/triterpenol ratio) was found throughout the watershed with no pattern between the upper and lower reaches. Bulk 13C isotope analysis showed that the upper reaches of the watershed receive significant OM inputs from the C4 grasses (74–99 %) while the lower reaches are more strongly influenced by riparian trees (26–27 %) and algae (21–22 %). These results suggest that the environmental dynamics of bulk OM and the biomarker composition of small prairie streams are highly complex and likely a function of several factors such as light availability, riparian vegetative composition and density, and varying degrees of OM storage, retention and transport along the river continuum.
Predicting 5th and 95th Percentile Anthropometric Segment Lengths From Population Stature

Designing for human variability frequently necessitates an estimation of the spatial requirements of the intended user population. These measures are often obtained from “proportionality constants” which predict the lengths of relevant anthropometry using stature. This approach is attractive because it is readily adapted to new populations—only knowledge of a single input, stature, is necessary to obtain the estimates. The most commonly used ratios are those presented in Drillis and Contini’s report from 1966 [1]. Despite the prevalence of their use, these particular values are limited because the size and diversity of the population from which these ratios were derived is not in the literature, and the actual body dimensions that each ratio represents are not clear. Furthermore, they are often misinterpreted and used inappropriately. This paper introduces a new approach, the “boundary ratio” which mitigates many of these issues. Boundary ratios improve on the traditional application of proportionality constants by: 1) explicitly defining the body dimensions, 2) defining constants for the 5th , 50th , and 95th percentile measures, and 3) providing distinct constants for males and females when necessary. This approach is shown to better model the range of variability exhibited in population body dimensions.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Surface charge-dependent toxicity of silver nanoparticles.

As a result of the extensive number of applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), their potential impacts, once released into the environment, are of concern. The toxicity of AgNPs was reported to be dependent on various factors such as particle size, shape and capping agent. Although these factors may play a role in AgNPs toxicity, the results presented herein suggest that surface charge is one of the most important factors that govern the toxicity of AgNPs. In the current study, the toxicity of four AgNPs representing various surface charging scenarios ranging from highly negative to highly positive was investigated. These AgNPs were (1) uncoated H2−AgNPs, (2) citrate coated AgNPs (Citrate-AgNPs), (3) polyvinylpyrrolidone coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs), and (4) branched polyethyleneimine coated AgNPs (BPEI-AgNPs). Our results clearly demonstrate that the AgNPs exhibited surface charge-dependent toxicity on the bacillus species investigated. Furthermore, ultrafiltration membranes were utilized to purify the...
The benefits of rotational head tracking

There are three common types of head tracking provided by virtual reality (VR) systems based on their degrees of freedom (DOF): complete 6-DOF, rotational 3-DOF, and translational 3-DOF. Prior research has indicated that complete 6-DOF head tracking provides significantly better user performance than not having head tracking, but there is little to no research comparing the three common types of head tracking. In this paper, we present one of the first studies to investigate and compare the effects of complete head tracking, rotational head tracking, and translational head tracking. The results of this study indicate that translational head tracking was significantly worse than complete and rotational head tracking, in terms of task time, task errors, reported usability, and presence. Surprisingly, we did not find any significant differences between complete and rotational head tracking. We discuss potential reasons why, in addition to the implications of the results.
Clinical Observations of Selective Head Mild Hypothermia on Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective To explore the effects of selective head mild hypothermia on neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods Fifty neonates with moderate or severe HIE were randomly assigned into treatment group(n=25) and control group(n=25).The control group got routine treatment.In addition to the routine treatment,the treatment group received selective head mild hypothermia treatment for 72 hours.In both groups patients of cerebral middle artery resistance index(RI) at postnatal age 3-4 days and neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) score at 5-7 days and 28 days of life were determined.Results Compared with control group,the total cure rate of treatment group was 48%(12/25 cases) vs 28%(7/25 cases).The cure rate of moderate HIE was 68.75%(11/16 case) vs 41.18%(7/17 cases).The cure rate of severe HIE was 11.11%(1/9 case) vs 0(0 case).The total cure rate of cerebral middle artery RI0.55 of patients was 13.33%(2/15 cases) vs 0(0 case) and the total cure rate of cerebral middle artery RI 0.55-0.80 of patients at postnatal age 3-4 days was 100%(10/10 cases) vs 58.33%(7/12 cases).Conclusions Selective head mild hypothermia treatment may be used as a neuroprotective therapy in treating neonates with HIE.It may effective the treatment of moderate HIE with head mild hypothermia treatment.
Investigation and analysis of microbial contamination in self-made beverages in Henan province

Objective To understand the overall hygienic status of self-made beverages in Henan province and provide reference for forthcoming national and local standards of fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Methods A total of 275 samples in six categories were collected from hotels,restaurants and cold drink stores of various sizes in cities and towns of Henan province. Then the total number of bacterial colony,coliform,Salmonella,S. aureus,and Shigella were detected in these samples according to GB 4789-2010 and GB 4789-2012,"Microbiology test methods for national food safety". Results The qualified rates of fresh fruit and vegetable juices,carbonated beverages,tea beverages and milk-containing beverages were 52. 94%, 51. 85%,60. 00%,75. 00% respectively,qualified for all the test items. In fresh fruit and vegetable juices,total number of bacterial colony equal or above 50000 cfu / ml accounted for 47. 76%,while the coliforms equal or above 2400 cfu / ml accounted for 44. 78%. Meanwhile,4 S. aureus strains and 1 Shigella strain were detected. In vegetable protein beverages,total number of bacterial colony equal or above 100 cfu / ml accounted for 50. 00%,while the coliforms equal or above 30 cfu / ml accounted for 25. 00%. Conclusion Self-made beverages showed relatively low hygiene level in Henan province,so the hygienic administration departments should strengthen monitoring and supervision,and the corresponding national hygienic standards of fresh fruit and vegetable juices should be made as soon as possible.