cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract LB-464: Phenylbutyl isoselenocyanate (ISC-4) and phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC) inhibit 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) induced lung tumorigenesis in A/J mouse

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women with 90% of cases attributed to tobacco smoking. Evidence has shown that there is a 20–30 year latency period from tobacco exposure to invasive disease making chemopreventive approaches desirable. Our lab has previously shown the organoselenium compound ISC-4, an analog of naturally occurring established chemopreventive isothiocyanates, potently inhibits Phase I CYP450 enzymes at the protein level and induces Phase II enzyme activity via a transcriptional mechanism. In A/J mice treated with the tobacco procarcinogen NNK, dietary ISC-4 was able to reduce the number of O6-methyl guanine DNA adducts, which are critical for NNK induced carcinogenesis, in liver and lung. Based on these results we used an A/J mouse model of lung cancer to test the chemopreventive effects of ISC-4 against NNK induced lung tumorigenesis. As a positive control we included a group of high dose PBITC, the sulfur analog of ISC-4, which had never been tested in a chronic feeding model but shown to be very effective in pre-initiation assays at inhibiting NNK tumorigenesis. Based on bioavailability and MTD studies, A/J mice were fed ISC-4 in the AIN-76 diet at 0.19 μmol/g, 0.38 mol/g, and 0.57 μmol/g diet. PBITC, which is tolerated at higher dose, was given at 0.38 μmol/g and 3.0 mol/g diet. Mice (n=30/group) were fed control or experimental diet for two weeks and then injected with a single dose of 10 μmol NNK (IP). They were continued on diet for 22 weeks and then sacrificed. Lung tumors were counted and blood and tissues were collected for toxicity analyses. Mice treated with NNK plus dietary ISC-4 at 0.19 μmol/g, 0.38 μmol/g, and 0.57 μmol/g resulted in tumor multiplicity of 4.14 ± 0.35, 1.90 ± 0.28, and 2.13 ± 0.33 tumors/lung, respectively, compared to 13.9 ± 0.83 tumors/lung for mice treated with NNK on control diet, a reduction of 72–90% (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-464. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-464
Security practices in DevOps

DevOps focuses on collaboration between different teams in an organization to achieve rapid deployment of software and services to end-users by automating the software delivery infrastructure. According to Dyck et al. [1] DevOps is a software process that emphasizes collaboration within and between different teams involved in software development. According to a study from CA Technologies [5], 88% of 1425 organization executives stated that they have adopted DevOps, or are planning to adopt DevOps in the next five years. According to Puppet Labs' 2015 State of DevOps Report [2], organizations that have adopted DevOps experienced 60 times fewer failures and deploy 30 times more frequently than organizations that have not adopted DevOps. Despite the popularity, security aspects of DevOps remain a concern for organizations that want to adopt DevOps [5]. In organizations that use DevOps practices, developers can commit and deploy their software changes at a rapid rate using an automated pipeline. At such a rapid rate, if the security team operates in isolation without close collaboration with the development and operations teams, then the rapidly deployed software changes might not undergo the adequate security reviews, potentially leading to vulnerable software. Bringing security principles within the DevOps process can help the organization in achieving better quality of software by integrating security checks into the phases of development, testing, and deployment.
Analysis of the engines of economic growth in Heilongjiang based on demand

the paper analyzes the engines of economic growth based on demand in Heilongjiang Province. It makes an empirical analysis of the relationship between household consumption,investment and economic growth by using unit root rest,co-integration test,and Granger causality test,according to the corresponding data from 1978 to 2006 in Heilongjiang Province. The results show that there exists long-term stable equilibrium relationship between household consumption,investment and economic growth. If the household consumption increases by 1%,the economy will increase by 0.92%. And if the investment increases by 1%,the economy will increase by 0.48%. Economy in Heilongjiang Province is one driven by investment,with short-term effects. Promotion effect of household consumption on economic growth is bigger than investment.
Small female rib cage fracture in frontal sled tests

ABSTRACTObjectives: The 2 objectives of this study are to (1) examine the rib and sternal fractures sustained by small stature elderly females in simulated frontal crashes and (2) determine how the findings are characterized by prior knowledge and field data.Methods: A test series was conducted to evaluate the response of 5 elderly (average age 76 years) female postmortem human subjects (PMHS), similar in mass and size to a 5th percentile female, in 30 km/h frontal sled tests. The subjects were restrained on a rigid planar seat by bilateral rigid knee bolsters, pelvic blocks, and a custom force-limited 3-point shoulder and lap belt. Posttest subject injury assessment included identifying rib cage fractures by means of a radiologist read of a posttest computed tomography (CT) and an autopsy. The data from a motion capture camera system were processed to provide chest deflection, defined as the movement of the sternum relative to the spine at the level of T8. A complementary field data investigation involve...
ANTIBODIES TO DESMIN IDENTIFY THE BLASTEMAL COMPONENT OF NEPHROBLASTOMA

The blastemal component of Wilms' tumor (WT) might be indistinguishable histologically from other small, blue, round-cell tumors of childhood, including alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), particularly in small biopsy specimens and in the setting of metastatic disease. Furthermore, there are currently no reliable blastemal markers. Deparaffinized sections of 9 formalin-fixed blastema-predominant WTs and 46 RMSs were immunostained with antibodies to desmin (D33), myogenin (F5D), MyoD1 (5.8A), and muscle-specific actins (HHF35), after heat-induced epitope retrieval. WE defined as positive those cases with more than 5% of cells immunostained (only nuclear staining was considered as positive for myogenin and MyoD1). Antibodies to desmin were positive in eight (89%) of nine cases of blastema-predominant WT; in contrast, no case was positive for any of the other muscle-associated proteins. Of the 46 cases of RMS, all were positive for desmin, 42 were positive for myogenin and MyoD1, and 43 were positive for muscle actins. Desmin immunoreactivity, of and by itself, cannot be considered specific for RMS, but when accompanied by immunoreactivity for other myogenic proteins, it is highly characteristic of RMS. Our data also suggest that desmin immunoreactivity, in the absence of other muscle-associated protein expression, might be considered a clue to the diagnosis of the blastemal WT. Particularly in the context of small biopsy specimens or in metastatic settings, the use of a panel of antibodies to desmin as well as to other myogenic proteins, such as MyoD1 or myogenin, can help to discriminate between WT and RMS. Additional studies are required to determine whether desmin immunoreactivity in the blastemal component of WT represents true desmin expression.
Abortion and Pregnant Adolescents

Statistics indicate that the incidence of pregnancy termination through abortion is on the rise among adolescents. This trend is particularly disturbing because many teenagers opting for an abortio...
5—Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Amidotransferase From Soybean Nodules

The proposed pathway of ureide biogenesis directs the flow of recently fixed N from initial assimilation into amino acids to allantoic acid, via purine synthesis and subsequent partial purine oxidation (Reynolds et al. 1982). 5—Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (PRAT) catalyzes the first committed step of de novo purine biosynthesis and could be important in the metabolic control of nitrogen assimilation in ureide plants. This paper reports on the kinetic and regulatory properties of PRAT from soybean nodules.
Complementary Semiconducting Polymer Blends for Efficient Charge Transport

Charge transport in polymeric thin films is a complicated process, which involves a multitude of coupled electronic events. Because of the growing appeal of semiconducting polymers in organic electronics, it makes the fundamental understanding of charge transport increasingly important. On the other hand, it urges the solution of the processability problem, frequently associated with high-performance polymers. In this study, we introduce complementary semiconducting polymer blends (c-SPBs), aiming to provide solutions for both the fundamental understanding of charge transport and the processability problem. The c-SPBs contain a highly crystalline matrix polymer with intentionally placed conjugation-break spacers (CBSs) along the polymer backbone, thus eliminating intrachain transport, and a tie chain polymer that is a fully conjugated polymer, restoring intrachain transport by connecting π-crystalline aggregates in the matrix polymer. The results show that the addition of as little as 1 wt % tie chain pol...
Racial disparities: Disruptive genes in prostate carcinogenesis

Population specific studies in prostate cancer (PCa) reveal a unique heterogeneous etiology. Various factors, such as genetics, environment and dietary regimen seems to determine disease progression, therapeutic resistance and rate of mortality. Enormous disparity documented in disease incidences, aggressiveness and mortality in PCa among AAs (African Americans) and CAs (Caucasian Americans) is attributed to the variations in genetics, epigenetics and their association with metabolism. Scientific and clinical evidences have revealed the influence of variations in Androgen Receptor (AR), RNAse L, macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MRS1), androgen metabolism by cytochrome P450 3A4, differential regulation of microRNAs, epigenetic alterations and diet in racial disparity in PCa incidences and mortality. Concerted efforts are needed to identify race specific prognostic markers and treatment regimen for a better management of the disease.
Guiding cellular activity with polarized light

Actin, cytoskeleton protein forming microfilaments, play a crucial role in cellular motility. Here we show that exposure to very low levels of polarized light guide their orientation in-vivo within the live cell. Using a simple model to describe the role of actin-filament orientation in directional cellular motion, we demonstrate that the actin polymerization/depolymerization mechanism develops primarily along this direction and, under certain conditions, can lead to guidance of the cell movement. Our results also show a dose dependent increase in actin activity in direct correspondence to the level of laser irradiance. We found that total expression of Tau protein, which stabilize microtubules, was decreased by the irradiance, indicating that exposure to the light may change the activity of kinase, leading to increased cell activity.
Stiffness Analysis of a Variable Stiffness Joint Using a Leaf Spring

A variable stiffness joint using a leaf spring is designed to ensure physical safety. The joint stiffness is often controlled by changing the effective length of the leaf spring. The stiffness model based on the small-deformation theory cannot solve large deflection problems of the leaf spring caused by larger joint deflected angles. The elliptic integral solution is considered to be the most accurate method for analyzing large deflections of beams. In this paper, a stiffness analysis model based on the elliptic integral solution is proposed. The joint stiffness property is analyzed. The simulation results show the joint stiffness is nonmonotonic and strong nonlinear. A stiffness simplified model is presented by nonlinear curve fitting for application simplicity. The experiment is carried out to verify the stiffness property and the stiffness analysis model.
Operating Room Traffic Increases Aerosolized Particles and Compromises the Air Quality: A Simulated Study.

Abstract Background Strategies to prevent bacterial fallout and reduce particle count in the operating room (OR) are key components of preventing periprosthetic joint infection. Although OR traffic control is an important factor, a quantitative study has not been performed to investigate the influence of personnel and door opening on OR air quality. This simulated study aimed to examine the influence of these 2 factors on particle density in OR with and without the laminar air flow (LAF). Methods Both experiments took place within an empty OR of an arthroplasty unit equipped with an LAF system. First, the number of particles in the air was counted using a particle counting apparatus while 9 persons entered the room, one every 15 minutes. Second, the door was opened and closed starting with zero door openings per minute and increasing to 4 in 15-minute increments. Both experiments were performed once with the LAF turned on and once without. Results The number of personnel in the OR and the number of door openings per minute correlate with the density of particles. Both relationships were significantly reduced by turning the LAF on (correlation coefficients Conclusion This study confirms that personnel and door opening are a major source of particles in the OR air. Controlling traffic is critical for reduction of particles and is likely to be a key preventative strategy in reducing periprosthetic joint infection. LAF is protective against the negative influence of number of people and door openings.
A fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process algorithm to prioritize Smart Grid technologies for the Saudi electricity infrastructure

Abstract Uncertainty is an inherent feature in grid modernization planning decisions. The paper presents a decision analysis framework to integrate Smart Grid technologies and applications for the modernization of the Saudi electricity infrastructure. The analysis applies a fuzzy set theory accompanied by the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Imprecision in decision making – particularly those arising from human subjectivity in input – is explicitly modeled using fuzzy sets. This paper demonstrates the use of triangular fuzzy numbers to model uncertainty in planning decisions. The Saudi electricity infrastructure aims at meeting certain goals stated in the Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program. We propose an algorithm for prioritizing candidate Smart Grid technologies for grid modernization. This is intended as a tool for charting a transitional modernization plan for policy makers and for meeting specific targets in the transformation program.
Where is the love? Developing loving relationships as an essential component of professional infant care

Using a grounded theory approach, this study explores the ways a diverse group of pre-service student caregivers, new to teaching and caring for infants, come to understand notions of ‘love’ during...
Resistive and elastic work of breathing in older and younger adults during exercise.

Aging-induced changes to the pulmonary system result in increased work of breathing (WOB) during exercise. However, it is not known whether this higher WOB with aging is due to differences in elast...
Computer-Mediated Communication: Cognitive Science Approach

In successful communication, two people converge on the belief that they are talking about the same thing. Now that much communication takes place over electronic media that bridge time and space, many activities formerly conducted face-to-face are no longer so. We present a theoretical framework for conceptualizing conversation as a collaborative activity, that of ‘grounding’ (Clark and Brennan, 1991). This framework is consistent with experimental and descriptive findings about mediated communication, particularly for task-oriented dialogues, and is useful for explaining and predicting how a medium shapes communication.
A generative Markov model for bowling scores

We create a data-driven Markov model for generating 10-pin bowling scores from the Professional Bowlers Association. The model incorporates insights from the hot hand literature and makes use of Bayesian shrinkage. For realistic sample sizes, the proposed approach is superior to modeling via the empirical distribution. Investigation of player-specific model components allows for a richer comparison of players than is possible using raw game scores alone. An additional feature of the model is that it can be used for in-game prediction.
Fundamental Roles of Axial Stretch in Isometric and Isobaric Evaluations of Vascular Contractility

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can regulate arterial mechanics via contractile activity in response to changing mechanical and chemical signals. Contractility is traditionally evaluated via uniaxial isometric testing of isolated rings despite the in vivo environment being very different. Most blood vessels maintain a locally preferred value of in vivo axial stretch while subjected to changes in distending pressure, but both of these phenomena are obscured in uniaxial isometric testing. Few studies have rigorously analyzed the role of in vivo loading conditions in smooth muscle function. Thus, we evaluated effects of uniaxial versus biaxial deformations on smooth muscle contractility by stimulating two regions of the mouse aorta with different vasoconstrictors using one of three testing protocols: (i) uniaxial isometric testing, (ii) biaxial isometric testing, and (iii) axially isometric plus isobaric testing. Comparison of methods (i) and (ii) revealed increased sensitivity and contractile capacity to potassium chloride and phenylephrine (PE) with biaxial isometric testing, and comparison of methods (ii) and (iii) revealed a further increase in contractile capacity with isometric plus isobaric testing. Importantly, regional differences in estimated in vivo axial stretch suggest locally distinct optimal biaxial configurations for achieving maximal smooth muscle contraction, which can only be revealed with biaxial testing. Such differences highlight the importance of considering in vivo loading and geometric configurations when evaluating smooth muscle function. Given the physiologic relevance of axial extension and luminal pressurization, we submit that, when possible, axially isometric plus isobaric testing should be employed to evaluate vascular smooth muscle contractile function.
Pragmatics and Semantics to Connect Specific Local Laws with Public Reactions

This paper proposes an approach called TOLCS (Tweet Ordinance Linkage by Commonsense and Semantics) which helps connect specific ordinances or local laws to pertinent tweets expressing public reactions on them. TOLCS incorporates pragmatic aspects by commonsense knowledge, and semantic aspects by domain knowledge along with text similarity methods. It uses a blocking mechanism to reduce sample space for efficiently processing big data on ordinances and tweets.
Protection against cisplatin-induced toxicities by N-acetylcysteine and sodium thiosulfate at the molecular, cellular and in vivo levels

5853 Cisplatin (CDDP) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent that is highly ototoxic and nephrotoxic. This study investigates the potential chemoprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and sodium thiosulfate (STS) on in vitro and in vivo CDDP toxicities. For ototoxicity studies CDDP (6 mg/kg) was administered to Long-Evans rats via a retrograde right external carotid artery infusion to perfuse the vertebral arteries. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds at 4-20 kHz were tested prior to and 7 days after treatment. NAC (400 mg/kg IV) or STS (8g/m2 IV) were administered at different time points before or after CDDP. For nephrotoxicity studies, rats were treated with CDDP intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg) before or after NAC or STS, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CR) concentrations were determined after 3 days. In vitro cytotoxicity and chemoprotection in human tumor cell lines were assessed by cell viability and immunoblotting assays. The otoprotective activity of STS was time dependent. Rats treated with STS 4 h after CDDP exhibited no significant change from baseline ABR thresholds. The STS 8 h group had less otoprotection, while the 12 h rats had marked ototoxicity. CDDP induced abnormally high BUN and creatinine which corresponded to toxic changes in the renal tubules. All NAC-treated animals showed normal BUN and reduced creatinine levels compared to CDDP alone, as well as no histopathological evidence of nephrotoxicity. Delayed treatment with STS at any time point was not consistently protective against nephrotoxicity. STS administration fully protected against the in vitro cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of CDDP if added within 2 h of CDDP, but chemoprotection was reduced if STS administration was delayed to 4 h and was minimal by 6 h after CDDP. Delayed administration of STS provides protection against CDDP-induced ototoxicity when administered 4 and partial protection 8 h after CDDP. Pretreatment with NAC prevented CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, but delayed administration of STS was not protective. STS blocks the apoptotic pathways induced by CDDP if administered within 2-4 h of CDDP, but not if delayed to 6 h or later. These results show that chemoprotection route and timing of administration can be manipulated to maintain CDDP anti-tumor efficacy while protecting against chemotherapy side effects.
Imaging Diagnosis of SLAP Tears and Microinstability

The glenohumeral joint is the most mobile joint in the body. Static and dynamic stabilizers play a vital role in maintaining the stability of the shoulder, negotiating the fine balance between physiologic mobility and pathologic laxity. The glenoid labrum is an important static stabilizer of the glenohumeral joint, consisting of a ring of fibrous and fibrocartilaginous tissue along the glenoid rim. In this chapter, we review the imaging of common pathologies affecting the superior labrum, in particular superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears and microinstability. Microinstability is generally understood to consist of poorly localized shoulder pain related to pathologic laxity without frank dislocation. Microinstability is discussed both in the context of the overhead-throwing athlete, with an emphasis on internal impingement and posterior capsular contracture/glenohumeral internal rotation deficit, and in those not engaged in overhead motions, with microinstability generally related to injuries of the supporting ligamentous structures of the shoulder. We review the imaging appearance of the different types of SLAP lesions and discuss how to optimize the imaging protocol for the diagnosis of SLAP lesions. Finally, we discuss how to differentiate SLAP lesions from normal variants of the superior and anterosuperior labrum.
Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Attributes of the School Environment That Teachers Relate to Creative Instruction

Creative instruction is widely regarded as effective teaching that enhances learning and promotes learner creativity. The benefits to students are clear. However, contemporary research does not identify how instructional creativity is enabled and limited by the environment. This investigation addresses this gap by looking beyond the school environment as an academy where only learner creativity is valued. The insights of measurably creative teachers are synthesized as an approach to discovery that is unique to this area of research. The findings suggest that teachers with a high or substantial creative ability relate distinct attributes of the physical and socio-organizational environment to the creativity of their professional experiences and that the attributes are interrelated. This mixed-method study contributes important knowledge which can be used to improve the design of schools and optimize both learner and instructor creativity.
A Generalized Method of Resolving Transient Disturbances into Standing and Traveling Waves by Space-Time Spectral Analysis

Abstract Space-time spectral formulas are generalized to partition the time power spectrum of transient disturbances consisting of multiple wavenumbers into standing and traveling parts by assuming that these parts are incoherent with each other. This technique is useful in interpreting the spatial variation of wave amplitude in terms of standing and traveling waves. An example of its application to the analysis of transient planetary waves is given.
Children's Dysregulated Representations Mediate Ineffective Parenting Practices and Effortful Control in Lower Income Families.

Objective Rooted in attachment theory, we tested the degree to which children's dysregulated representations mediate linkages between ineffective parenting and children's effortful control in a sample of lower income families. Background Children in lower income households are at greater risk for difficulties with effortful control. Although ineffective parenting practices may influence children's development of effortful control, there is limited knowledge related to the mechanisms underlying this association. According to attachment theory, it is possible that children who experience ineffective parenting practices have more dysregulated representations, which may then be linked with poorly regulated behavior. Method This cross-sectional study included 40 preschool-age children enrolled in Head Start and their mothers. Ineffective parenting practices were operationalized using mothers' self-reported parenting styles and observed parenting behaviors; children's dysregulated representations and effortful control were measured during a series of observed laboratory tasks. Structural equation modeling was used to test pathways between measured variables. Results The relation between ineffective parenting practices and children's effortful control was not directly related; however, structural equation modeling indicated a significant indirect effect through children's dysregulated representations. Children whose mothers were more ineffective in their parenting had more dysregulated representations. In turn, more dysregulated representations were related to poorer effortful control. Conclusion Children who experience ineffective parenting practices may be less likely to internalize reliable expectations regarding their environment's structure and order. Poorly stabilized perceptions may inhibit adaptive social and behavioral functioning. Implications These findings inform intervention efforts aimed toward enhancing parenting practices to improve children's representations and effortful control behaviors.
Analysis of cost comparison and effects of change orders during construction: Study of a mass timber and a concrete building project

Abstract In recent years, timber has been considered as an alternative source of building material because of its sustainability and design efficiency. However, the cost competitiveness of timber buildings is still under study due to the lack of available cost information. This paper presents a comprehensive cost comparative analysis of a mass timber building mainly developed with cross-laminated timber (CLT). The actual construction cost of the project is compared with the modeled cost of the same building designed as a concrete option. The result shows that the construction cost of timber building is 6.43% higher than the modeled concrete building. The study further investigated the change orders associated with the project and found that the total cost of change orders contributed 5.62% to the final construction cost of mass timber building. The study is helpful to provide insight into the construction cost of typical mass timber buildings. It also can be used as a guide for the project owners to make decisions regarding their initial investments on a mass timber project.
The Prehistory of Psychiatric Genetics: 1780–1910

While psychiatric genetics has emerged as one of our most dynamic research fields, the historical context in which we view these developments is limited. To provide such a perspective, the author reviews 48 representative texts, published from 1780 to 1910, examining the inheritance of insanity. Six main conclusions emerge. First, most authors viewed heredity as among the strongest risk factors for insanity. Second, most writers concluded that a predisposition to illness rather than the illness itself was transmitted in families. Third, the probabilistic nature of the transmission was noted, as insanity often skipped generations or affected only a few of many siblings. Fourth, authors discussed the homogeneity versus heterogeneity of familial transmission of the various forms of insanities. Heterogeneous transmission was usually seen as the rule-with relatives of insane patients affected with a wide variety of psychiatric, and sometimes neurological, illnesses. Homogeneous transmission ("like begets like") was the exception. Fifth, writers noted that odd and eccentric personality features were common in the relatives of their insane patients. Finally, inheritance was commonly understood to include prior environmental parental experiences, and some authors noted that parent-offspring transmission of insanity could arise from psychological or intrauterine effects. Many of these conclusions, arising solely from clinical experience and without an understanding of biological mechanisms, statistical analyses, or necessary controls, are supported by later, more rigorous methods. Rather than entirely rejecting its value, we might view this literature as a complementary resource, likely more biased, but suffused with the extensive clinical knowledge of our forebears.
Guns don’t kill people…: good guys and the legitimization of gun violence

Building on literatures that examine why firearms are appealing and to whom and employing Weber’s concept of “legitimate violence”, this paper utilizes an online concealed carry forum to critically analyze how firearm proliferation is rationalized in the U.S. The analysis focuses on three specific examples of violence—the Parkland, Florida, and Philando Castile shootings, and stories of children who find guns and shoot themselves and/or others. This work is a critical examination of the social construction of “legitimate violence” that deconstructs the discourses embedded in the “pro-gun” notion that the answer to gun violence is more guns.
Agricultural Disaster Payments in the Southeastern U.S.: Do Weather and Climate Variability Matter?

Governments around the world are forced to react to disasters caused by weather. The agricultural sector is particularly susceptible to weather extremes and adverse climate conditions. In the US, agricultural disaster payments account for a significant part of total agricultural subsidies. The payments, and their distribution, are more important in the areas most affected by disastrous weather events, usually coinciding with areas of pronounced impact of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In this article, the impact of weather and climate, as well as some economic variables, on disaster payments is analysed using county level data from four states in the southeastern United States. The results suggest that weather and climate variables explain most of the crop disaster payments at the county level while socioeconomic variables do not, suggesting that advancements in weather and climate forecasts could be helpful in planning for disaster compensation.
Improving length of stay on a trauma service

Background Reducing length of stay (LOS) is a major healthcare initiative. While LOS is closely linked to the diagnosis and procedure in elective surgery, many additional factors influence LOS on a trauma service. We hypothesized that more standardized patient management would lead to decreased LOS. Methods Retrospective analysis of Trauma Registry data compared LOS before (PRE) and after (POST) implementation of standardized processes on a trauma service. Patients were subdivided by age (over and under 65 years). Data were compared using unpaired t-test, χ2 test and analysis of variance tests, where appropriate. Results 1613 PRE and 1590 POST patients were compared. Although age and Injury Severity Score were similar, median LOS decreased by 1 day for the group overall (p Conclusions Improved standardization of processes on a trauma service reduced LOS in patients of all ages. A prospective study may identify specific factors associated with prolonged LOS, to allow further improvement. Level of evidence III. Study type Therapeutic/Care management.
Parenteral Nutrition of Renal Disease

The rationale for dietary therapy in renal failure has been investigated largely in adults in chronic renal failure. Their nutritional needs have been established primarily on the basis of oral dietary intake and prolonged balance studies. The requirements for maintaining positive nitrogen balance in adults with chronic renal disease were substantiated largely through the work of Rose and Dekker (1956), Giordanno (1963), and Giovanetti and Maggiore 1964). This has led to the concept of supplying nitrogen of “high biologic activity”, largely in the form of L-essential amino acids. Nitrogen from urea, which is plentiful in uremia, is then synthesized into non-essential amino acids and, with essential amino acids, into protein, the result being the maintenance of positive nitrogen balance on the 0.5 gm per kg per day of protein supplied.
Magnetisation reversal and thermal activation in CoCrPt patterned media

Summary form only given. Co/sub 70/Cr/sub 18/Pt/sub 12/ perpendicular media has been patterned using a focussed beam of Ga/sup +/ ions (FIB) into arrays of sub -100nm islands suitable for demonstrating high density recording. The islands show single domain behaviour below a critical size, which in this case is approximately 110nm. In order to characterise the change to the magnetic properties introduced by FIB patterning, we have measured reversal properties including switching field distributions and thermal decay rates by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) imaging and Kerr rotation. The MFM was used to measure small arrays of islands by counting reversed islands at remanence as a function of reverse field or decay time. The Kerr measurements were averaged over larger arrays using a /spl sim/20/spl mu/m focussed laser beam. As a comparison unpatterned media was measured both using Kerr rotation and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).
Interaction of transforming growth factor-beta 1 with alpha 2-macroglobulin. Role in transforming growth factor-beta 1 clearance.

It has been widely assumed that the interaction of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) with its serum-binding protein, alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), mediates the rapid clearance of TGF-beta 1 from the circulation. To test this, we have analyzed the effect of TGF-beta 1 binding on the conformational state of alpha 2M. Our results demonstrate that the binding of TGF-beta 1 to alpha 2M does not lead to the conformational change in the alpha 2M molecule that is required for the clearance of the alpha 2M.TGF-beta 1 complex via the alpha 2M receptor. Furthermore, endogenous TGF-beta 1 is associated with the conformationally unaltered slow clearance form of alpha 2M. Clearance studies in mice show that the half-life of 125I-TGF-beta 1 in the circulation (1.6 +/- 0.71 min) is not affected by blocking the alpha 2M receptor with excess conformationally altered alpha 2M. These results suggest that TGF-beta 1 is rapidly cleared from the circulation after injection by a pathway not involving alpha 2M.
The fine structure of teleost epidermis

A study of teleost (bony fish) epidermis by light and electron microscopy has demonstrated that this epidermis consists predominantly of filament-containing cells. In comparing teleost epidermis with that of mammals, the absence of a cell sequence comparable to basal, spinous, granular, and horny cells is immediately apparent. In filament-containing cells most organelles cluster around the centrally placed nucleus and 70 A diameter filaments course through the peripheral cytoplasm. Shorter and less dense filamentous wisps and ribosomes are seen between the filaments and central organelle complex. These filamentous wisps are thought to represent precursors of the more peripheral filaments. Filament-containing cells in the basal and mid-layers of the epidermis are structurally similar. Differentiation of these cells is apparent only in the surface layer where microvilli develop which are covered by a fuzz layer; a terminal web is formed, an overall increase in protoplasmic density occurs, and some organelles undergo structural changes.
A Technique for Producing Large Yields of Vegetative Cell-Free Refractile Clostridium perfringens Spores of Unaltered Heat Resistance

Sonic treatment of sporulated Clostridium perfringens cultures produced suspensions free of vegetative cells without altering viable spore counts or thermal resistance.
Toxic, Metabolic, and Nutritional Diseases

Many neurologic disorders are subsumed under this designation and some disorders previously considered to be neurodegenerative are now known to be due to metabolic abnormality
Analyzing the performance of Internet worm attack approaches

Recent active worm propagation events show that active worms can spread in an automated fashion and flood the Internet in a very short period of time. In this paper, we address the issue by analyzing the impacts of worm attack approaches on Internet worm propagation. In particular, we analyze four worm attack approaches with considering following attack strategies: pure random-based/ PlP (peer-to-peer) hitlist-based strategies for victim selection and cooperation-based/ non-cooperation-based strategies for worm instance coordination. Our numerical analysis results show that the attack approach with combining the worm instance cooperation and P2P hitlist-based victim selection strategies achieves the best performance compared to all other attack approaches in term of attack efficiency
The Performance of Space-Time Processing for Suppressing NarrowbandInterference in CDMA Communications

The requirement to suppress narrowband interferences in CDMA communications stems from the overlay concept, i.e., coexistence of different types of signals in the same frequency band. The conventional approach to rejecting the narrowband interferences has been to whiten the received signal containing the interference, prior to spread spectrum demodulation. In this paper, it is proposed to achieve the interference rejection through spatial processing. The main benefit of this approach is its robustness with respect to the interference bandwidth. Stepping up from single domain spatial processing to space-time processing provides degrees of freedom for both overlay interference cancellation and diversity combining. Two space-time architectures, cascade and joint-domain, are studied and compared to a Rake receiver preceded by a whitening filter. Main contributions of the paper are the development of analytical expressions of (1) the efficiency of each method, (2) the p.d.f.‘s of the output SNR in a Rayleigh fading environment, and (3) the error probability associated with each method. The analysis therein demonstrates that the joint-domain architecture outperforms the cascade configuration, which in turn is superior to the whitening filter-Rake combination.
Cross-Reactive TCR Responses to Self Antigens Presented by Different MHC Class II Molecules

Autoreactive T cells represent a natural repertoire of T cells in both diseased patients and healthy individuals. The mechanisms regulating the function of these autoreactive T cells are still unknown. Ob1A12 is a myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive Th cell clone derived from a patient with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Mice transgenic for this human TCR and DRA and DRB1*1501 chains develop spontaneous experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The reactivity of Ob1A12 is reported to be restricted to recognition of MBP peptide 85-99 in the context of DRB1*1501. DRA/DRB1*1501 and the patient's other restriction element, DRA/DRB1*0401, differ significantly in their amino acid sequences. In this study we describe an altered peptide ligand derived from MBP(85-99) with a single amino acid substitution at position 88 (Val to Lys; 88V-->K), that could stimulate the Ob1A12.TCR in the context of both DRA/DRB1*1501 and DRA/DRB1*0401. Analysis of a panel of transfected T cell hybridomas expressing Ob1A12.TCR and CD4 indicated that Ob1A12.TCR cross-reactivity in the context of DRA/DRB1*0401 is critically dependent on the presence of the CD4 coreceptor. Furthermore, we found that activation of Ob1A12.TCR with MBP altered peptide ligand 85-99 88V-->K presented by DRB1*1501 or DRB1*0401 resulted in significant differences in TCR zeta phosphorylation. Our data indicate that injection of altered peptide ligand into patients heterozygous for MHC class II molecules may result in unexpected cross-reactivities, leading to activation of autoreactive T cells.
An overview of evolutionary computation

Evolutionary computation uses computational models of evolutionary processes as key elements in the design and implementation of computerbased problem solving systems. In this paper we provide an overview of evolutionary computation, and describe several evolutionary algorithms that are currently of interest. Important similarities and differences are noted, which lead to a discussion of important issues that need to be resolved, and items for future research.
Quality improvement on an academic autopsy service.

Abstract Context.—Autopsy rates continue to decline in the United States. Objective.—Although many of the causes of this decline are external to pathology departments, we hypothesized that intradep...
RDF: a density-based outlier detection method using vertical data representation

Outlier detection can lead to discovering unexpected and interesting knowledge, which is critical important to some areas such as monitoring of criminal activities in electronic commerce, credit card fraud, etc. In this paper, we developed an efficient density-based outlier detection method for large datasets. Our contributions are: a) we introduce a relative density factor (RDF); b) based on RDF, we propose an RDF-based outlier detection method which can efficiently prune the data points which are deep in clusters, and detect outliers only within the remaining small subset of the data; c) the performance of our method is further improved by means of a vertical data representation, P-trees. We tested our method with NHL and NBA data. Our method shows an order of magnitude speed improvement compared to the contemporary approaches.
Interaction of dopamine transporter (DAT1) genotype and maltreatment for ADHD: a latent class analysis

Background: Although the association of the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been widely studied, far less is known about its potential interaction with environmental risk factors. Given that maltreatment is a replicated risk factor for ADHD, we explored the interaction between DAT1 and maltreatment with ADHD symptoms defined dimensionally and using latent class analysis (LCA). Method: We tested the association of the 40 base-pair variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism in DAT1, maltreatment, and their interaction in 2,488 boys and girls from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Results: In boys, ADHD symptoms were optimally defined by four classes (Combined, Hyperactive/Impulsive, Inattentive, and Normal), whereas in girls, ADHD symptoms were defined by three classes (Combined, Combined-Mild, Normal). A significant DAT1 · maltreatment interaction revealed that maltreated girls homozygous for the 10-repeat allele had more symptoms of ADHD, and were also 2.5 times more likely to be classified in the Combined ADHD group than in the Normal Group. Conclusions: The underlying structure of ADHD symptoms differed between boys and girls and DAT1 interacted with maltreatment to predict ADHD symptoms and ADHD status derived from LCA. Interactive exchanges between maltreatment and DAT1 for ADHD symptoms, and their implications for intervention, are discussed. Keywords: ADHD, latent class analysis, gene-environment interaction, DAT1, maltreatment.
Primate-inspired autonomous navigation using mental rotation and advice-giving

The cognitive process that enables many primate species to efficiently traverse their environment has been a subject of numerous studies. Mental rotation is hypothesized to be one such process. The evolutionary causes for dominance in primates of mental rotation over its counterpart, rotational invariance, is still not conclusively understood. Advice-giving offers a possible explanation for this dominance in more evolved primate species such as humans. This project aims at exploring the relationship between advice-giving and mental rotation by designing a system that combines the two processes in order to achieve successful navigation to a goal location. Two approaches to visual advice-giving were explored namely, segment based and object based advice-giving. The results obtained upon execution of the navigation algorithm on a Pioneer 2-DX robotic platform offers evidence regarding a linkage between advice-giving and mental rotation. An overall navigational accuracy of 90.9% and 71.43% were obtained respectively for the segment-based and object-based methods. These results also indicate how the two processes can function together in order to accomplish a navigational task in the absence of any external aid, as is the case with primates.
Why current decay on a wire causes radiation

The decay of current with increasing distance from the feedpoint of a straight wire antenna comprised of a perfect electric conductor has been attributed to radiation by numerous authors, e.g. [1–5]. This connection is explained here using a time-domain solution for an impulsively excited wire and relating this to the E-field kink model of radiation.
Checks and Balances: Keeping the Science in Our Profession.

Kamhi (1999) suggests that clinicians may choose to use an intervention approach "because it works" rather than relying on their theory of language learning. This suggestion spawned a number of con...
Individualizing for the Gifted Student--And Others Too.

A lternative programming has the potential for meeting the needs of the gifted together with the needs of other students.
Particle Detection Using MKID-Based Athermal-Phonon Mediated Detectors

We are developing athermal-phonon mediated particle detectors that utilize microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) as phonon sensors. MKIDs afford natural frequency domain multiplexing, which allows for massive substrates to be patterned with hundreds of sensors while keeping readout complexity to a minimum. Previously, our 2 cm $$\times $$ 2 cm $$\times $$ 1 mm proof-of-principle device utilized 20 MKIDs and, from the magnitude and timing of their response, we were able to reconstruct the position of a particle interaction to $$<$$ 1 mm. From this, we corrected for variations in detector response across the device and measured an energy resolution of $$\sigma _E = 0.55$$ keV at 30 keV. We have designed and fabricated a new 3-inch prototype device that utilizes 256 MKID sensors, and we present results from its initial testing. Applications include rare event searches, such as the direct detection of dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay, as well as hard X-ray/soft $$\gamma $$ -ray astrophysics.
Hemangioma of penis and scrotum

Hemangiomas of the genitalia are extremely rare. A hemangioma is self-limited and usually resolves spontaneously, therefore conservative treatment is generally recommended. However, genital hemangiomas may require surgical treatment if they become symptomatic. Herein we report a case of hemangioma of the penis and scrotum requiring surgical excision. The natural history and alternative treatments of hemangiomas are described.