cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limitations on design principles for public key protocols

Recent papers have taken a new look at cryptographic protocols from the perspective of proposing design principles. For years the main approach to cryptographic protocols has been logical, and a number of papers have examined the limitations of those logics. This paper takes a similar cautionary look at the design principal approach. Limitations and exceptions are offered on some of the previously given basic design principals. The focus is primarily on public key protocols, especially on the order of signature and encryption. But, other principles are discussed as well. Apparently secure protocols that fail to meet principles are presented. Also presented are new attacks on protocols as well as previously claimed attacks which are not.
Prediction of remaining useful life for fatigue-damaged structures using Bayesian inference

Structural health monitoring enables fatigue damage for in-service structures to be evaluated and the remaining useful life to predicted. In this paper, Bayesian inference using a random walk method was implemented to predict the remaining useful life of an aircraft fuselage panel subjected to repeated pressurization cycles. The Paris’ law parameters, m and C, were treated as uncertain along with the initial crack size, a0. Random samples from the joint distribution of m, C, and a0 were used to generate the fatigue crack growth curve using Paris’ law. Using simulated crack size data, the probability that a selected fatigue crack growth curve represented the true fatigue crack growth curve was updated. Crack sizes were calculated using Paris’ law with uncertain parameters and random noise and bias were added to the simulated crack sizes. With this approach, fatigue crack size was characterized by a probability distribution at each loading cycle. A detailed explanation of Bayesian updating using the random walk method is provided. crack size. The effect of the likelihood on the remaining useful life predictions was also evaluated. The proposed method takes into account model uncertainties as well as the presence of noise and bias in the measurement data.
THE FORM BIREFRINGENCE OF LAMELLAR SYSTEMS CONTAINING THREE OR MORE COMPONENTS

Equations are derived which predict the form birefringence of lamellar systems containing three or more components. These equations may be found useful in interpreting the birefringence of biological specimens and in testing certain theories about the structure of natural membranes.
Human α- and β-Defensins Bind to Immobilized Adhesins from Porphyromonas gingivalis

Human neutrophil peptide α-defensins (HNPs) and human β-defensins (HBDs) are small well-characterized peptides with broad antimicrobial activities and a diversity of innate immune functions. Although the interactions of defensins with bacteria and their membranes have been well characterized, the interactions of defensins with bacterial adhesins have not. Here we determine if HNPs and HBDs bind to the immobilized adhesins of Porphyromonas gingivalis strain 381, recombinant hemagglutinin B (rHagB) and recombinant fimbrillin A (rFimA), by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Association of HNPs and HBDs with rHagB or rFimA was dose dependent and defensin specific. HBD3, HNP-2, and HNP-1 bound more readily to immobilized rHagB than HBD2 and HBD1 did. HNP-2, HNP-1, and HBD3 bound more readily to immobilized rFimA than HBD1 and HBD2 did. Binding of defensins to adhesins may serve to prevent microbial adherence to tissues, attenuate proinflammatory cytokine responses, and facilitate delivery of bound antigen to antigen-presenting cells with defensin receptors.
ATVB In Focus: Platelet Signal Transduction and Interactions With Vascular Cells

With this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , we begin a new series on the mechanisms of platelet activation and the interactions of platelets with other vascular cells. Because this is a vast topic, we have asked a group of active investigators to describe the work that they and others are doing in selected areas. The emphasis in each case is on topics in which new insights have been obtained recently. The series will include …
Optimal fed‐batch control of induced foreign protein production by recombinant bacteria

Optimal control strategies for maximizing the production of induced foreign protein by recombinant bacteria were sought by the optimal control theory. Nutrient and inducer feeding rates were selected as key control variables. Since the problem is linear in the control variables, the optimal control is bang-bang or singular. Singular solutions are shown to exist. The optimal control theory showed that the specific growth rate with respect to nutrient concentration must be kept in its maximum phase and that there exist both a cell growth period and a protein production periods. The optimal control theory calculates exactly the growth and production periods. The glucose concentration is controlled along a singular are to give a maximum specific growth rate. The inducer level is controlled along a separate singular arc.
An extensively edited mitochondrial transcript in kinetoplastids encodes a protein homologous to ATPase subunit 6

Abstract The mitochondrial MURF4 gene of T. brucei has pronounced G versus C strand bias and heterogeneously sized transcripts, characteristic of genes encoding extensively edited transcripts. We find that MURF4 transcripts of T. brucei are extensively edited throughout by the addition and deletion of numerous uridines, creating potential initiation and termination codons and a continuous open reading frame. A potential guide RNA sequence occurs in a minicircle between inverted repeats. The 5′ region of L. tarentolae MURF4 transcripts is also extensively edited, with a created initiation codon. The predicted MURF4 amino acid sequences have homology to those of mitochondrial ATPase subunit 6 genes from a variety of organisms. In addition, their hydropathic profiles are quite similar to those of other species. We therefore conclude that MURF4 encodes ATPase subunit 6 genes.
Program fields for continuous software

We propose program fields, a formal representation for groups of related programs, as a new abstraction to support future software engineering research in several areas. We will discuss opportunities offered by program fields and research questions that have to be addressed.
Does a critical rotator cuff tear stage exist?: a biomechanical study of rotator cuff tear progression in human cadaver shoulders.

Background: It is unknown at which stage of rotator cuff tear the biomechanical environment is altered. The purpose of this study was to determine if a critical rotator cuff tear stage exists that alters glenohumeral joint biomechanics throughout the rotational range of shoulder motion, and to evaluate the biomechanical effect of parascapular muscle-loading. Methods: Eight cadaver shoulders were used with a custom testing system. Four progressive rotator cuff tear stages were investigated on the basis of footprint anatomy. Three muscle-loading conditions were examined: rotator cuff only; rotator cuff with deltoid muscle; and rotator cuff, deltoid, pectoralis major, and latissimus dorsi muscles. Testing was performed in the scapular plane with 0°, 30°, and 60° of shoulder abduction. The maximum internal and external rotations were measured with 3.4 Nm of torque. The position of the humeral head apex with respect to the glenoid was calculated with use of a MicroScribe 3DLX digitizing system throughout the rotational range of motion. The abduction capability was determined as the abduction angle achieved with increasing deltoid load. Results: Tear of the entire supraspinatus tendon significantly increased maximum external rotation and significantly decreased abduction capability with higher deltoid loads (p < 0.05). Tear of the entire supraspinatus tendon and half of the infraspinatus tendon significantly shifted the humeral head apex posteriorly at the midrange of rotation and superiorly at maximum internal rotation (p < 0.05). Loading the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles decreased the amount of humeral head elevation due to deltoid loading. Conclusions: Tear of the entire supraspinatus tendon was the critical stage for increasing rotational range of shoulder motion and for decreased abduction capability. Further tear progression to the infraspinatus muscle was the critical stage for significant changes in humeral head kinematics. The pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles played an important role in stabilizing the humeral head as the rotator cuff tear progressed. Clinical Relevance: Early detection of rotator cuff tear, followed by proper management, may prevent detrimental biomechanical alterations and improve patient outcome.
Nursing staff teamwork and job satisfaction

Nursing shortages are one of the vexing problems in healthcare. As the demand continues to rise, the current supply is unable to meet society’s needs. This is a world wide phenomenon. In the United States, according to the latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2016 (BLS 2009). Additionally, more than 587,000 new nursing positions will be created (a 23.5% increase). Consequently, it is expected that nursing will be the nation’s top profession in terms of projected job growth (BLS 2009). Adding to this problem is that registered nurses (RNs) continue to leave their current positions and the profession at a high rate. It has been reported that up to 13% of new nurses consider leaving their jobs within one year (Kovner et al. 2007). Job dissatisfaction is reported to be strongly associated with nurse turnover (Hayes et al. 2006) and intent to leave (Brewer et al. 2009) thus highlighting the importance of understanding what promotes nursing staff job satisfaction. Teamwork has been associated with a higher level of job staff satisfaction (Horak et al. 1991, Leppa 1996, Cox 2003, Rafferty et al. 2001, Gifford et al. 2002, Collette 2004). The relationship between teamwork and job satisfaction in the acute care inpatient hospital nursing team, defined as the Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), nursing assistants (NAs) and unit secretaries (UAs) who work together on a patient care unit to provide nursing care to a group of inpatients, has received scant attention. Most recent research in healthcare on teamwork has been in perioperative and emergency settings and primarily focused on interdisciplinary teams (Morey et al. 2002, Silen-Lipponen et al. 2005, Salas et al. 2007, Mills et al. 2008).
Biomechanical comparison of patellar tendon repairs in a cadaver model: an evaluation of gap formation at the repair site with cyclic loading.

Background: Ruptures of the patellar tendon are rare injuries. Surgical treatment for this injury is mandatory.Hypothesis: Gap formation does not differ between the three patellar tendon repair techniques.Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.Methods: Twelve fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were used to compare three techniques of patellar tendon repairs. The standard suture repair used two Krackow sutures placed in the avulsed patellar tendon, passed through transpatellar drill holes, and secured with the knee in 30° of flexion. In the second group, suture repair was augmented with a No. 5 Ethibond suture. In the third group, suture repair was augmented with a 2.0 Dall-Miles cable. Testing was performed with the specimens mounted to a custom knee jig with the tibia free, simulating the knee moment of a 70-kg person. Each knee was then cycled 250 times at 0.25 Hz.Results: Gap formation across the standard suture repair averaged 7.3 mm; across the suture augmentation and cable augmentation groups it averag...
Mission and overview of a Fusion Development Facility

The objective of the Fusion Development Facility (FDF) under consideration is to fill the gaps between ITER and current experiments and a fusion demonstration power plant (DEMO). FDF should carry forward advanced tokamak (AT) physics and enable development of fusion's energy applications. Near-term AT physics and nonsuperconducting magnet technology will be used to achieve steady state with burn, producing 100-250 MW fusion power with modest energy gain (Q<5) in a modest sized device (between DIII-D and Joint European Torus). FDF will further develop all elements of AT physics for an advanced performance DEMO. With neutron flux at the outboard midplane of 1-2 MW/m2, continuous operation for periods of up to two weeks, and a goal of a duty factor of 0.3 per year, FDF can produce fluences of 3-6 MW·year/m2 in ten years of operation, for fusion nuclear component research and development. The development of blankets suitable for tritium, electricity, and hydrogen production will be done first in port modules. Then, the most promising candidates will be deployed as full blankets in FDF. Two to three full blankets and about a dozen port-blanket types could be tested. The goal of FDF is to demonstrate closure of the fusion fuel cycle, producing its own tritium. FDF, ITER, International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility, and other AT devices will provide the basis for a fusion DEMO power plant of the ARIES-AT type.
Offline Arabic handwriting recognition: a survey

The automatic recognition of text on scanned images has enabled many applications such as searching for words in large volumes of documents, automatic sorting of postal mail, and convenient editing of previously printed documents. The domain of handwriting in the Arabic script presents unique technical challenges and has been addressed more recently than other domains. Many different methods have been proposed and applied to various types of images. This paper provides a comprehensive review of these methods. It is the first survey to focus on Arabic handwriting recognition and the first Arabic character recognition survey to provide recognition rates and descriptions of test data for the approaches discussed. It includes background on the field, discussion of the methods, and future research directions.
The 2007 GOLD Guidelines: A Comprehensive Care Framework

Comprehensive management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes proper assessment, monitoring of disease, reduction of risk factors, the management of stable COPD, and the prevention and management of exacerbations. The 2007 COPD guidelines from the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease address each of these aspects of COPD management in detail and provide evidence-based recommendations for patients and health-care professionals. Reduction of risk factors emphasizes the importance of smoking cessation and control of environmental indoor and outdoor pollutants. The management of COPD must be individualized. Aerosol administration of bronchodilators is the most effective method of reducing the work of breathing and alleviating dyspnea. Glucocorticosteroid therapy is recommended to reduce the frequency of exacerbations and improve health-related quality of life for patients with stage 3 and 4 COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation proves effective in relieving symptoms, improving quality of life, and increasing patients' physical and emotional participation in activities of daily life. Oxygen therapy is essential for patients with substantial hypoxia. Patients with COPD and respiratory failure may benefit from noninvasive ventilation. Surgery may play a limited role in the management of selected patients with COPD. Since exacerbations influence lung function and clinical decline in patients with COPD and contribute to the cost of caring for this disease, efforts must be directed at prevention and management of exacerbations. In addition to controlled oxygen therapy, antimicrobials, brief courses of systemic corticosteroids and, on occasion, noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation may play a role. The role of respiratory therapists in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of stable COPD and exacerbations is absolutely essential if the goals of the 2007 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines are to be attained.
Weakly Supervised User Profile Extraction from Twitter

While user attribute extraction on social media has received considerable attention, existing approaches, mostly supervised, encounter great difficulty in obtaining gold standard data and are therefore limited to predicting unary predicates (e.g., gender). In this paper, we present a weaklysupervised approach to user profile extraction from Twitter. Users’ profiles from social media websites such as Facebook or Google Plus are used as a distant source of supervision for extraction of their attributes from user-generated text. In addition to traditional linguistic features used in distant supervision for information extraction, our approach also takes into account network information, a unique opportunity offered by social media. We test our algorithm on three attribute domains: spouse, education and job; experimental results demonstrate our approach is able to make accurate predictions for users’ attributes based on their tweets. 1
Risk Preference Utility Caselets

These three caselets provide practice using risk preference and utility, with both exponential utility (constant risk aversion) and logarithmic utility (decreasing risk aversion). The second caselet is an extension of "Integrated Siting Systems, Inc." (UVA-QA-0441). Students may use TreePlan to conduct a sensitivity analysis of risk tolerance, and can employ Solver to find optimal risk sharing. Students will learn concepts and garner insights regarding portfolio risk in making investments, how intangibles can affect evaluation of risk, and how expected utility can exploit risk sharing.
Modification of the lower ionospheric conductivity by thunderstorm electrostatic fields

This paper reports a modeling study of the modifications of the nighttime lower ionospheric conductivity by electrostatic fields produced by underlying thunderstorms. The model used combines Ohm's law with a simplified lower ionospheric ion chemistry model to self-consistently calculate the steady state nighttime conductivity above a thunderstorm. The results indicate that although the electron density is generally increased, the lower ionospheric conductivity can be reduced by up to 1–2 orders of magnitude because electron mobility is significantly reduced due to the electron heating effect. For a typical ionospheric density profile, the resulting changes in the reflection heights of extremely low frequency and very low frequency waves are 5 and 2 km, respectively.
The perceived effects of electronic cigarettes on health by adult users: A state of the science systematic literature review

Background and purpose There is a lack of research on perceived health effects of electronic cigarettes by adult users. Because more people are choosing electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in addition to, or instead of traditional cigarettes, it is important for the nurse practitioner (NP) to understand why. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using four scholarly databases. The search strategy utilized remained consistent. Qualitative, quantitative, observational studies and meta-analyses were considered for review. Of the 52 articles preliminarily retrieved, 9 met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Conclusions The majority of e-cigarette users perceive they are less harmful to health than traditional cigarettes. One reason for use is smoking cessation. Current guidelines recommend against promoting e-cigarette use. More research is needed on the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes as well as regulatory statements to guide future healthcare practice. Implications for practice As prevalence of e-cigarette use increases, it is important for NPs to understand the perceived effects on health by adults who use them and, specifically, how these perceptions motivate use. Armed with this information, the NP can communicate with patients about e-cigarettes, confidently recommend against their use, and begin discussions about reliable smoking cessation tools and resources that will help patients achieve their goals.
Move over, Nintendo, here comes SDI's National Test Bed

A billion-dollar computer network will allow researchers from all over the country to play games of nuclear war in space—and supposedly come up with a workable ballistic missile defense.
A prospective look at a synthetic teammate for UAV applications

This paper describes current progress and future plans for research and development in synthetic teammates for applications in training, analysis, and system design for UAV operations. The development of these teammates involves the eventual integration of several distinct, yet related, basic and applied research lines, including navigation and orientation in virtual environments, computational cognitive process modeling of aircraft maneuvering and reconnaissance missions, verbal interaction between human operators and synthetic entities, and the formal analysis of team skill. The use of the ACT-R cognitive modeling architecture to create computational cognitive process models serves as a common thread that will be helpful in integrating the products of these research lines into a functional system. The paper provides a summary of the current status of our research, as well as a description of externally developed technologies we plan to leverage in order to achieve our goal of a high-fidelity cognitive model that is able to operate as a member of a team performing UAV reconnaissance missions.
LOGISTIC REGRESSION FOR EMPIRICAL STUDIES OF MULTIVARIATE SELECTION

Understanding the mechanics of adaptive evolution requires not only knowing the quantitative genetic bases of the traits of interest but also obtaining accurate measures of the strengths and modes of selection acting on these traits. Most recent empirical studies of multivariate selection have employed multiple linear regression to obtain estimates of the strength of selection. We reconsider the motivation for this approach, paying special attention to the effects of nonnormal traits and fitness measures. We apply an alternative statistical method, logistic regression, to estimate the strength of selection on multiple phenotypic traits. First, we argue that the logistic regression model is more suitable than linear regression for analyzing data from selection studies with dichotomous fitness outcomes. Subsequently, we show that estimates of selection obtained from the logistic regression analyses can be transformed easily to values that directly plug into equations describing adaptive microevolutionary change. Finally, we apply this methodology to two published datasets to demonstrate its utility. Because most statistical packages now provide options to conduct logistic regression analyses, we suggest that this approach should be widely adopted as an analytical tool for empirical studies of multivariate selection.
Towards a Critique of Social Innovation

In this paper I review the concept of social innovation (SI) towards two set of questions to do with ecology and critical management: how can local management actions strengthen ecosystem response to crises? Through what organizational arrangements are ecosystem responses coordinated? The first part of this paper reviews the concept of social innovation; the second part presents cases from southwest Rajasthan and west Yunnan on social innovation, based on field work conducted in January and August 2011. I argue that these cases can be read as not only demonstrating social innovation but in terms of critiques of the managerial agency available in neoliberal governments, and in terms of narrative ruptures, puzzles that reveal the push and pull of agential interests. I then step back from these interpretations and argue for a focus on the politics of social innovation. As a term SI signifies the possibilities for shifting power structures through networked engagement. Networks including of NGOs must work wit...
Variation in Ontogeny

Publisher Summary The hierarchy that exists from organs to populations is critical to studies of variation. Although growth is a property of an individual, measurements of growth, and the variation in those measurements, exist at several obvious levels of organization: within individual and among individuals, as well as between/among whatever biological groups constitute the hypothesis being tested. The identification of the components of this hierarchical relationship can be simple or complex, but certain elements are consistent. One element, the unit of analysis, is the component for which measurements are collected. This chapter aims to elucidate the significance of variation during growth at different hierarchical levels. It presents an example of an analysis of growth data that includes partitioning within individual and among individual variation to compare differences in variation among externally or experimentally defined groups. In doing so, it shows that a single mechanism affects variation differently at these hierarchical levels.
Preoperative Falls Predict Postoperative Falls, Functional Decline, and Surgical Complications

Abstract Background Falls are common and linked to morbidity. Our objectives were to characterize postoperative falls, and determine whether preoperative falls independently predicted postoperative falls (primary outcome), functional dependence, quality of life, complications, and readmission. Methods This prospective cohort study included 7982 unselected patients undergoing elective surgery. Data were collected from the medical record, a baseline survey, and follow-up surveys approximately 30days and one year after surgery. Results Fall rates (per 100 person-years) peaked at 175 (hospitalization), declined to 140 (30-day survey), and then to 97 (one-year survey). After controlling for confounders, a history of one, two, and ≥three preoperative falls predicted postoperative falls at 30days (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 2.3, 3.6, 5.5) and one year (aOR 2.3, 3.4, 6.9). One, two, and ≥three falls predicted functional decline at 30days (aOR 1.2, 2.4, 2.4) and one year (aOR 1.3, 1.5, 3.2), along with in-hospital complications (aOR 1.2, 1.3, 2.0). Fall history predicted adverse outcomes better than commonly-used metrics, but did not predict quality of life deterioration or readmission. Conclusions Falls are common after surgery, and preoperative falls herald postoperative falls and other adverse outcomes. A history of preoperative falls should be routinely ascertained.
Towards Representation Independent Similarity Search Over Graph Databases

Finding similar entities is a fundamental problem in graph data analysis. Similarity search algorithms usually leverage the structural properties of the database to quantify the degree of similarity between entities. However, the same information can be represented in different structures and the structural properties observed over particular representations may not hold for the alternatives. These algorithms are effective on some representations and ineffective on others. We define the property of representation independence for similarity search algorithms as their robustness against transformations that modify the structure of databases but preserve the information content. We introduce a widespread group of such transformations called relationship reorganizing. We propose an algorithm called R-PathSim, which is provably robust under relationship reorganizing. Our empirical results show that current algorithms except R-PathSim are highly sensitive to the data representation and R-PathSim is as efficient and effective as other algorithms.
Distribution and Effects of Aflatoxin in Chicken Tissues After Feeding Radiolabeled (14C) Aflatoxin B1.

The effects of single oral administration of 1 mg of 14C-aflatoxin B1 to 3-wk-old chickens and 10 mg of non-radioactive aflatoxin to 6-wk-old chickens were determined. Analyses were made of the distribution of 14C in the blood, organs, tissues and feces. No toxic effects were observed on chickens fed 1 mg of aflatoxin B1 during 72 h but those fed 10 mg of non-radioactive aflatoxin exhibited both altered physical signs and pathological findings. Both the 14C-aflatoxin studies and chemical analyses for the parent compound indicated that most of the aflatoxin was excreted in the feces within 48 h and of the amount retained, most was found in the liver.
Deletion of Ptpn1 induces myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Abstract Leukemia accepted article preview online, 23 January 2017. doi:10.1038/leu.2017.31.
Crowdclass: Designing Classification-Based Citizen Science Learning Modules

In this paper, we introduce Crowdclass, a novel framework that integrates the learning of advanced scientific concepts with the crowdsourcing microtask of image classification. In Crowdclass, we design questions to serve as both a learning experience and a scientific classification. This is different from conventional citizen science platforms which decompose high level questions into a series of simple microtasks that require no scientific background knowledge to complete. We facilitate learning within the microtask by providing content that is appropriate for the participant’s level of knowledge through scaffolding learning. We conduct a between-group study of 93 participants on Amazon Mechanical Turk comparing Crowdclass to the popular citizen science project Galaxy Zoo. We find that the scaffolding presentation of content enables learning of more challenging concepts. By understanding the relationship between user motivation, learning, and performance, we draw general design principles for learning-as-an-incentive interventions applicable to other crowdsourcing applications.
Negative and positive emotion responses to daily school problems: links to internalizing and externalizing symptoms

Examining emotion reactivity and recovery following minor problems in daily life can deepen our understanding of how stress affects child mental health. This study assessed children’s immediate and delayed emotion responses to daily problems at school, and examined their correlations with psychological symptoms. On 5 consecutive weekdays, 83 fifth graders (M = 10.91 years, SD = 0.53, 51% female) completed brief diary forms 5 times per day, providing repeated ratings of school problems and emotions. They also completed a one-time questionnaire about symptoms of depression, and parents and teachers rated child internalizing and externalizing problems. Using multilevel modeling techniques, we assessed within-person daily associations between school problems and negative and positive emotion at school and again at bedtime. On days when children experienced more school problems, they reported more negative emotion and less positive emotion at school, and at bedtime. There were reliable individual differences in emotion reactivity and recovery. Individual-level indices of emotion responses derived from multilevel models were correlated with child psychological symptoms. Children who showed more negative emotion reactivity reported more depressive symptoms. Multiple informants described fewer internalizing problems among children who showed better recovery by bedtime, even after controlling for children’s average levels of exposure to school problems. Diary methods can extend our understanding of the links between daily stress, emotions and child mental health. Recovery following stressful events may be an important target of research and intervention for child internalizing problems.
Dynamic Analysis of Underwater Cables

A general approach is presented for the finite element analysis of cable systems under hydrodynamic influences. The drag and inertia effects of fluid are included using a Morrison type equation. Curved cable elements are used to improve the geometric approximation of cable segements so that less elements are required than if straight elements are used. The formulation can also handle geometric and material nonlinearities and the effects of any discrete elements can be lumped at nodal points. The principle of virtual work is used to formulate the governing equations and an incremental solution scheme is adopted to simulate the nonlinear effects. The development of the model is presented in a general setting so that further extension or inclusion of other hydrodynamic models is possible. Numerical examples demonstrate the validity and capability of the mathematical formulation. Excellent comparison to experimental results are obtained using a relatively coarse grid of curved cable elements.
Combined ionically modified seawater and microgels to improve oil recovery in fractured carbonate reservoirs

Abstract Modified waterflooding is a process in which the ionic composition of injected water is altered to improve oil recovery. Recently, extensive studies on crude oil, brine, and rock systems reported that the composition of injected water can change rock wettability during waterflooding. Carbonate reservoirs are mixed or oil wet reservoirs and most of these reservoirs are fractured, resulting in low oil recovery. In the last decade, many researchers conducted laboratory experiments to evaluate gel treatment in fractured models. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of sulfate ion concentration and low salinity water (diluted seawater) on improving oil recovery in fractured and nonfractured reservoirs when combined with microgel treatment. Four key parameters were examined: increased sulfate ion concentration, a degree of seawater dilution, fracture width, and matrix permeability. Three models were designed and tested in this work: nonfracture, fully-open fracture, and partially-open fracture model. Three different sulfate ion concentrations (typical seawater and that which was doubled and then tripled in sulfate ion concentration) and low salinity water that had been diluted 10 and 100 times were applied as waterflooding processes in two fracture widths (0.5 mm and 1 mm) with two different matrix permeabilities (20 md and 2.44 md). Microgel (425 μm in size) was swollen in typical seawater and injected in the fractured model to block the fractures and divert the brine into the matrix. The results show that increased sulfate ion concentration and diluted seawater can improve oil recovery by changing core wettability towards water-wet conditions. We also found that diluted seawater can improve both displacement and sweep efficiency while increased sulfate ion concentration only improves displacement efficiency when applied after gel treatment in both fully open fractures and partially open fractures. Therefore, diluted seawater can improve plugging efficiency but sulfate ions cannot. Increased sulfate ion concentration followed by diluted sea water with microgel-filled fractures might be a viable technique to improve oil recovery in fractured carbonate reservoir. The sulfate ion concentration effects decrease as fracture width increases and matrix permeability decreases. Also, the diluted seawater effects decrease as matrix permeability decreases. Combining microgel with sulfate ion concentration results in higher oil recovery than combining microgel with low salinity water in fully open fracture. However, combining microgel with low salinity water showed highest oil recovery in partially open fracture.
The Relationship Between Sleep and Cognition in Children Referred for Neuropsychological Evaluation: A Latent Modeling Approach.

Children with conditions affecting cognitive processes experience high levels of sleep disturbance, which may further compound the cognitive ramifications of their disorders. Despite this, existing studies in this area have been primarily confined to only particular diagnostic groups and/or a limited scope of sleep and cognitive parameters. The current study characterized the nature of sleep problems and examined the relationship between a wide range of sleep-related problems and cognitive functioning in a large (N = 103) diagnostically heterogeneous sample of youth (aged 6–16) referred for neuropsychological assessment. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between sleep-related problems (i.e., daytime sleepiness, sleep onset latency, sleep fragmentation, sleep time variability, sleep debt) and cognitive performance (i.e., executive functioning, sustained attention, memory, processing speed). Sleep fragmentation emerged as the most prominent sleep-related problem in the present sample. Structural equation modeling demonstrated a negative association between sleep-related problems and cognition that did not reach statistical significance (β = −0.084, p = 0.629). The current statistical approach may be used as a conceptual framework for future work examining these multi-dimensional constructs in a parsimonious fashion.
Student Readiness: Examining the Impact of a University Outdoor Orientation Program

This study examined the impact of a university outdoor orientation program on participants’ transition to higher education. Researchers focused on participants’ experiences during the program, utilizing a mixed-methods approach to measure resilience and well-being. Pre- and posttest instruments consisted of two preestablished scales and a series of open-ended questions, which were administered during a 4-day university outdoor orientation program. Findings indicated significant improvement of resilience and well-being in participants through outdoor orientation program involvement. Additionally, direct content analysis identified major themes related to resilience, well-being, and readiness for college. Subscribe to JOREL
Effectiveness of public health spending on infant mortality in Florida, 2001–2014

Studies investigating the effectiveness of public health spending typically face two major challenges. One is the lack of data on individual program spending, which restricts researchers to rely on aggregate expenditures. The other is the failure to address issues of endogeneity and serial correlation between health outcomes and spending. In this study, we demonstrate that the use of specific spending items as opposed to overall spending, combined with Generalized Method of Moments estimation techniques can do a far better job in revealing the effectiveness of public health services on health outcomes. As an example, we consider the effects of infant-related public health programs on infant mortality rates. Focus on programs expressly related to maternal and infant health was made possible by a unique longitudinal dataset from the Florida Department of Health containing information for all 67 Florida counties spanning 2001 through 2014. Our empirical methodology, by addressing potential endogeneity issues along with serial correlation, allows us to estimate the causal impact of specific public health investments in maternal and infant-related programs on infant mortality. We find that a 10 percent increase in targeted public health spending per infant leads to a 2.07 percent decrease in infant mortality rates. We also find that targeted spending may be more effective in reducing infant mortality among blacks than among whites. The use of targeted spending data along with the Generalized Method of Moments technique can provide stronger evidence to guide future resource allocation and policy decisions in public health.
Bilateral Neonatal Torsion

Extravaginal neonatal torsion of the spermatic cord, although rare, is being recognized with increasing frequency. Bilateral neonatal torsion is even more uncommon. Only 1 previous case of asynchronous neonatal torsion has been reported. Controversy exists concerning the urgency of exploration as well as the need for contralateral orchiopexy, since some reports suggest that the contralateral testicle is not at risk for torsion. We present 4 consecutive cases of bilateral neonatal torsion seen between 1966 and 1986. Two cases were asynchronous, 1 of which with a previously normal-appearing contralateral gonad was rendered anorchid. In the other patient a testicle was salvaged by prompt intervention. We have adopted a policy of prompt exploration with contralateral orchiopexy in all cases of unilateral neonatal torsion. Treatment of the ipsilateral testicle is determined by operative findings.
Curvature Regularization for Resolution-Independent Images

A resolution-independent image models the true intensity function underlying a standard image of discrete pixels. Previous work on resolution-independent images demonstrated their efficacy, primarily by employing regularizers that penalize discontinuity. This paper extends the approach by permitting the curvature of resolution-independent images to be regularized. The main theoretical contribution is a generalization of the well-known elastica energy for regularizing curvature. Experiments demonstrate that i incorporating curvature improves the quality of resolution-independent images, and ii the resulting images compare favorably with another state-of-the-art curvature regularization technique.
Single-dose sodium polystyrene sulfonate for hyperkalemia in chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease.

Background The use of sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) for the treatment of hyperkalemia lacks sufficient efficacy data in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD); however, use remains widespread. Recent evidence suggests that this population may be at risk for serious gastrointestinal adverse effects with SPS. Methods. We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study. Adult patients with CKD Stages 4, 5, or ESRD maintained on renal replacement therapy with serum potassium >5 mEq/L and receipt of SPS were screened for inclusion. Our primary outcome was decrease in potassium within 24 h post-30 g oral SPS suspended in 33% sorbitol. Secondary outcomes included decrease in potassium within 24 h from 15 or 30 g SPS doses and gastrointestinal adverse events. Results Of 596 records, 114 were included for analysis. At the first serum potassium level within 24 h post-30 g oral SPS the median potassium decrease was 0.8 mEq/L [interquartile range (IQR) 0.4-1.1; P < 0.001]. At the first potassium level within 24 h post-15 or 30 g SPS, the median potassium decrease was 0.7 mEq/L (IQR 0.4-1.0; P < 0.001]. Post-SPS potassium levels occurred 14-16 h post-SPS. Gastrointestinal side effects occurred within 30 days of SPS in 5% of patients, although only two cases were classified as possibly associated. Conclusions The use of single-dose SPS monotherapy resulted in a significant decrease in serum potassium levels within 24 h in patients with CKD Stage 4, 5, or ESRD. However, it remains unclear if SPS is associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal injury in this population.
Fuel Cell Powered Vehicles

This report reviews concepts behind fuel cell technology, describes the improvements and vehicles that have been developed since 2001 as the technology has been refined, and examines the issue of what fuel should be used and the necessary refueling infrastructure. Chapters include: The Fuel Cell Vehicles The Race Is On Refueling Infrastructure The Future and more
Visual-spatial processing style is associated with psychopathology in adolescents with critical congenital heart disease.

Objective: To determine whether visual-spatial processing style is associated with psychopathology in a large sample of adolescents with critical congenital heart disease (CHD). Local (part-oriente...
Adiponectin has anti-malignant potential in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by activation of AMPK in HepG2 cells

2049 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high relative-risk association with obesity. Recent studies have established that obesity is an endocrine disorder mediated by hormones secreted from white adipose tissue (WAT). Adiponectin, an adipocytokine secreted by WAT, proposed to have therapeutic potential, is inversely associated with obesity. Importantly, low levels of serum adiponectin are associated with higher relative-risk of HCC. The Purpose of the present study was to elucidate the potential mechanism whereby adiponectin negatively modulates the growth of HCC. Methods: The HCC cell line HepG2 was used for these experiments. Both mRNA transcripts and protein expression of both adiponectin receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, were detected by RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis, respectively. Adiponectin dose and time studies were conducted to determine cell viability by XTT-reduction and cell proliferation by BrdU incorporation. Metastatic properties, including the effect of adiponectin on cell migration, were determined, in part, by Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS). Adiponectin signal-transduction was assessed by immunoblot assay for phosphorylated 5’-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), AMPK, PCNA, Cyclin D1, p21, Caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3. Results: AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 transcripts and respective proteins were identified in HepG2 cells. Optimization from dose and time course studies revealed that either globular or full-length adiponectin treatment [10µg/ml] reduced HepG2 cell proliferation by 50% and increased apoptosis by 6-fold as compared to serum-free (SF) treatment (p
Platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonists on cytokine induction of iNOS and sPLA2 in immortalized astrocytes (DITNC).

Platelet-activating factor (PAF, 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and its receptor are known to play important roles in modulating neuronal plasticity and inflammatory responses, particularly during neuronal injury. PAF receptors are widespread in different brain regions and are present on the cell surface as well as in intracellular membrane compartments. Astrocytes are immune active cells and are responsive to cytokines, which stimulate signaling cascades leading to transcriptional activation of genes and protein synthesis. Our recent studies indicate the ability of cytokines, e.g., tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), to induce the inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) and secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) genes in immortalized astrocytes (DITNC) (Li et al., J. Interferon and Cytokine Res. 19: 121-127. 1999). The main objective for this study is to examine the effects of PAF antagonists on cytokine induction of iNOS and sPLA2 in these cells. Results show that BN50730, a synthetic PAF antagonist, but not BN52021, a natural PAF antagonist (ginkolide B) can dose-dependently inhibit cytokine induction of NO production and sPLA2 release. Inhibition of NO production by BN50730 corroborated well with the decrease in iNOS protein and mRNA levels as well as binding of NF-kappaB STAT- 1 to DNA, suggesting that BN50730 action is upstream of the transcriptional process. These results are in agreement with the role of intracellular PAF in regulating the cytokine signaling cascade in astrocytes and further suggest the possible use of BN50730 as a therapeutic agent for suppressing the inflammatory pathways elicited by cytokines.