cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Velopharyngeal Incompetence Pseudo Mental Retardation as a Consequence

Velopharyngeal incompetence (failure of the soft palate to affect closure of the nasopharynx) may result in hypernasal or unintelligible speech, chronic otitis media with secondary conductive hearing loss, or even pseudomental retardation. Such devastating consequences make early diagnosis mandatory.Here is an excellent ca se illustration, review of the literature, and a diagnostic checklist for office use.
The Interplay between Labor and Financial Markets: What are the Implications for Defined Contribution Accounts?

The relationship between earnings, savings and retirement is well-known; however the linkage between labor market outcomes and financial market performance is generally unacknowledged. This Working Paper examines the implications of the link between labor markets and financial markets for workers who save money in individual retirement accounts. Specifically, differences in labor market outcomes across groups may imply differences in the timing of investments, which may reduce savings over time for these groups compared to their counterparts. Using monthly data from the Current Population Survey (1979-2002) we generate hypothetical investment portfolios using stock and bond indices. We exploit differences across demographic groups in unemployment and wage growth, and use these differences to examine each group’s investment outcomes. We then disaggregate the total effects into short-term and long-term components. We find some evidence of short-term market timing effects on investment, but we find much larger long-term effects for some groups. Our findings suggest that, for many people, the retirement savings losses associated with the timing of markets are similar to the costs of annuitizing savings upon retirement. The differences are especially pronounced by education and sex.
A Computationally Robust Anatomical Model for Retinal Directional Selectivity

We analyze a mathematical model for retinal directionally selective cells based on recent electrophysiological data, and show that its computation of motion direction is robust against noise and speed.
23 November 1980 Irpinia–Basilicata earthquake (Southern Italy): towards a full knowledge of the seismic effects

This paper overviews the procedures and tools used for a systematic study of the macroseismic consequences caused by a strong earthquake that struck Southern Italy. The event referred to the 23 November 1980 (Io = X MCS, Ms = 6.9) which affected the Campania and Basilicata regions. Two aspects are addressed here: to broaden the knowledge of the macroseismic field and delineate damage maps of the sites affected on an urban scale. The target area of this study is the Basilicata region about which the current macroseismic information is poor. This research study, based only on unpublished documentary sources, supplies about 50 new assessments and about 30 new re-assessments of the macroseismic site intensity (MCS scale) as outputs. Moreover, about 80 thematic maps showing the damage pattern of the sites affected are also supplied. It is the first time that a large earthquake has been the subject of such extensive studies from a macroseismic point of view, with special attention to the analysis of damage effects at town scale.
Blind source separation of nonstationary convolutively mixed signals

Many algorithms for blind source separation (BSS) have been introduced in the past few years, most of which assume statistically stationary sources as well as instantaneous mixtures of signals. In many applications, such as separation of speech or fading communications signals, the sources are nonstationary. Furthermore, the source signals may undergo convolutive (or dynamic) linear mixing, and a more complex BSS algorithm is required to achieve better source separation. We present a new BSS algorithm for separating linear convolutive mixtures of nonstationary signals which relies on the nonstationary nature of the sources to achieve separation. The algorithm is an on-line, LMS-like update based on minimizing the average squared cross-output-channel-correlations along with unity average energy output in each channel. We explain why, for nonstationary signals, such a criterion is sufficient to achieve source separation regardless of the signal statistics.
RFID-based technology intelligence in libraries

Advanced information technology is becoming more and more important in keeping better track of documents, user history and inventory in libraries. In this paper, RFID-based methodology and approaches that support library services and management such as sensor gate control, circulation, inventory, searching and utilisation statistics, are studied. RFID-based technology intelligence can foster the libraries management in accuracy and efficiency. Also, it will improve digital archives and digital humanities in library systems. Barriers, challenges and future work about RFID applications in libraries are also discussed.
(α-Benzyl-N-Methylphenethylamine (BNMPA), an Impurity of Illicit Methamphetamine Synthesis: I. Physical Characterization and GC-MS Analysis of BNMPA and Anticipated Metabolites in Urine

alpha-Benzyl-N-methylphenethylamine (BNMPA) is an impurity of illicit methamphetamine synthesis. We synthesized BNMPA and three of its anticipated metabolites: N-demethyl-alpha-benzyl-phenethylamine, 1,3-diphenyl-2-propanone, and 1,3-diphenyl-2-propanol. The purity and structure of these compounds and their heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) derivatives were confirmed by melting point, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance. A GC-MS method to detect these compounds in urine, using liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization with HFBA, was developed. Interference studies showed BNMPA and its proposed metabolites to be well-resolved from other common phenethylamine drugs and Health and Human Services-Forensic Urine Drug Testing required analytes. The limit of detection of BNMPA and its metabolites was 2.5 ng/mL; the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the four compounds was 25 ng/mL. The calibration curves were generally linear from 25 to 500 ng/mL. Typical within-run coefficients of variation (CVs) at the LOQ ranged from 13 to 20% (n = 8). Between-run CVs over 1 month at 25 ng/mL were from 9 to 28%, and at 500 ng/mL, they were from 2.6 to 3.9%. The detection of BNMPA or its metabolites in urine samples may provide a marker of use of illicitly synthesized methamphetamine.
Interprofessional Learning as a Third Space: Rethinking Health Profession Students’ Development and Identity through the Concepts of Homi Bhabha

Homi K. Bhabha is a post-colonial and cultural theorist who describes the emergence of new cultural forms from multiculturalism. When health profession students enculturated into their profession discuss patient care in an interprofessional group, their unilateral view is challenged. The students are in that ambiguous area, or Third Space, where statements of their profession’s view of the patient enmesh and an interprofessional identity begins to form. The lessons learned from others ways of assessing and treating a patient, seen through the lens of hybridity allow for the development of a richer, interprofessional identity. This manuscript will seek out the ways Bhabha’s views of inbetweenness enhance understanding of the student’s development of an interprofessional viewpoint or identity, and deepen the author’s developing framework of an Interprofessional Community of Practice.
Formation of the Open Complex by Bacterial RNA Polymerase—A Quantitative Model☆

Over the last two decades, a large amount of data on initiation of transcription by bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) has been obtained. However, a question of how the open complex is formed still remains open, and several qualitative hypotheses for opening of DNA by RNAP have been proposed. To provide a theoretical framework needed to analyze the assembled experimental data, we here develop the first quantitative model of the open complex formation by bacterial RNAP. We first show that a simple hypothesis (which might follow from recent bioinformatic and experimental results), by which promoter DNA is melted in one step through thermal fluctuations, is inconsistent with experimental data. We next consider a more complex two-step view of the open complex formation. According to this hypothesis, the transcription bubble is formed in the -10 region, and consequently extends to the transcription start site. We derive how the open complex formation rate depends on DNA duplex melting energy and on interaction energies of RNAP with promoter DNA in the closed and open complex. This relationship provides an explicit connection between transcription initiation rate and physical properties of the promoter sequence and promoter-RNAP interactions. We compare our model with both biochemical measurements and genomics data and report a very good agreement with the experiments, with no free parameters used in model testing. This agreement therefore strongly supports both the quantitative model that we propose and the qualitative hypothesis on which the model is based. From a practical point, our results allow efficient estimation of promoter kinetic parameters, as well as engineering of promoter sequences with the desired kinetic properties.
The distribution of silty soils in the Grayling Fingers region of Michigan: Evidence for loess deposition onto frozen ground

This paper presents textural, geochemical, mineralogical, soils, and geomorphic data on the sediments of the Grayling Fingers region of northern Lower Michigan. The Fingers are mainly comprised of glaciofluvial sediment, capped by sandy till. The focus of this research is a thin silty cap that overlies the till and outwash; data presented here suggest that it is local-source loess, derived from the Port Huron outwash plain and its down-river extension, the Mainstee River valley. The silt is geochemically and texturally unlike the glacial sediments that underlie it and is located only on the flattest parts of the Finger uplands and in the bottoms of upland, dry kettles. On sloping sites, the silty cap is absent. The silt was probably deposited on the Fingers during the Port Huron meltwater event; a loess deposit roughly 90 km down the Manistee River valley has a comparable origin. Data suggest that the loess was only able to persist on upland surfaces that were either closed depressions (currently, dry kettles) or flat because of erosion during and after loess deposition. Deep, low-order tributary gullies (almost ubiquitous on Finger sideslopes) could only have formed by runoff, and soil data from them confirm that the end of gully formation (and hence, the end of runoff) was contemporaneous with the stabilization of the outwash surfaces in the lowlands. Therefore, runoff from the Finger uplands during the loess depositional event is the likely reason for the absence of loess at sites in the Fingers. Because of the sandy nature and high permeability of the Fingers' sediments, runoff on this scale could only have occurred under frozen ground conditions. Frozen ground and windy conditions in the Fingers at the time of the Port Huron advance is likely because the area would have been surrounded by ice on roughly three sides. This research (1) shows that outwash plains and meltwater streams of only medium size can be significant loess sources and (2) is the first to present evidence for frozen ground conditions in this part of the upper Midwest.
A novel method for strip level warpage simulation of PoP package during assembly

Strip level warpage is important for improving package manufacturing processes yield. In addition, the process induced warpage in strip level can be one of the major contributors to package level warpage variation at end of line after singulation. However, not many studies have been conducted so far in the area of strip level warpage measurement and simulation due to some limitations. In this paper, shadow moire method was investigated to measure the warpage of the entire strip at elevated temperatures. Technical issues related to measuring samples with size as large as a strip in shadow moire, such as temperature uniformity, were fully evaluated. A super element sub-structuring simulation methodology was proposed and investigated to model strip level warpage in order to capture all the package details and substrate signal layer trace structures while keeping the whole strip model at a reasonable size for solution efficiency. Through this measurement and simulation study, it was found that (1) a strip could show warpage dominated in strip length direction or in width direction. More importantly, this dominant direction could switch when temperature ramped up from room temperature to reflow temperature. (2) Different window blocks in the same strip could have different warpage characteristics. The inner window blocks had warpage dominated in width direction at all temperatures, but the outer window blocks changed the dominant warpage direction from length to width direction as temperature increased. As a result, it was concluded that a whole strip must be measured or simulated rather than just one window block for strip level warpage characterization. (3) Unlike package level warpage model, nonlinear geometry effect was very significant for strip level model. This effect must be taken into account in the model in order to obtain accurate simulation results. (4) For the strip studied here, simulation results showed lower copper density in the substrate helped reduce strip warpage. In addition, the effect of copper balance among 4 signal layers was also evaluated.
Optimum electron distributions for space charge dominated beams in photoinjectors

Abstract The optimum photo-electron distribution from the cathode of an RF photoinjector producing a space charge dominated beam is a uniform distribution contained in an ellipsoid. For such a bunch distribution, the space charge forces are linear and the emittance growth induced by those forces is totally reversible and consequently can be compensated. With the appropriate tuning of the emittance compensation optics, the emittance, at the end of photoinjector beamline, for an ellipsoidal laser pulse, would only have two contributions, the cathode emittance and the RF emittance. For the peak currents of 50 and 100 A required from the S-Band and L-Band RF gun photoinjectors discussed here, the RF emittance contribution is negligible. If such an ellipsoidal photo-electron distribution were available, the emittance at the end of the beamline could be reduced to the cathode emittance. Its value would be reduced by more than 40% from that obtained using cylindrical shape laser pulses. This potentially dramatic improvement warrants review of the challenges associated with the production of ellipsoidal photo-electrons. We assume the photo-electrons emission time to be short enough that the ellipsoidal electron pulse shape will come directly from the laser pulse. We shift the challenge to ellipsoidal laser pulse shaping. To expose limiting technical issues, we consider the generation of ellipsoidal laser pulse shape in terms of three different concepts.
Thermal Conductivity of Aluminum Nitride Thin Films

Anomalously low laser damage resistance thresholds have been observed in many thin film systems. Thermal conductivity values well below bulk have been suggested as a possible cause. A series of reactively sputtered AIN films were deposited on fused quartz and sapphire substrates. Their thermal conductivities were measured using the thermal comparator technique. Important factors contributing to the apparently large thermal resistance in the AIN films include film surfaces, small grain size, and high oxygen concentration. Preferred orientation and columnar morphology also affect film conductivity. Film microstructures were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and correlated with measured values of thermal conductivity.
Sterilization efficacy of dielectric barrier discharge on non-uniform surfaces

In this study we investigate effectiveness of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) excited by nanosecond rise and fall time voltage pulses to kill bacteria located within indentations on surfaces. The nanosecond pulsed DBD produces uniform plasma independently of the uniformity of the bacteria covered surface acting as one of the DBD electrodes. The experimental set-up consists of a flat high voltage electrode insulated by a thin layer of quartz. Bacteria (Escherichia coli) are plated onto the surface of agar at concentrations of 108 colony forming units (CFUs). Agar plates were prepared specially having non-uniform surfaces (with ridges and indentations) to mimic the real case for living skin tissue. We compared the sterilization effectiveness of nanosecond and conventional DBD by applying nanosecond pulses and microsecond long pulses produced at same rates with same equivalent power. We observed visually that the nanosecond DBD produced uniform plasma, while the conventional DBD produced micro-discharges that were often terminated on the top of the ridges. Sterilization results were evaluated by culturing the bacteria. Preliminary results indicate that nanosecond DBD can sterilize non-uniform surfaces significantly faster than the conventional DBD does.
Motors in Space

All momentum devices require a spin motor of some type to actuate the rotor spin axis. CMGs also require a motor on the gimbal axis. The torque and speed requirements for the gimbal motor design are typically much different from those for the rotor. These issues, among others, motivate the following discussion of motors commonly employed in spaceborne momentum devices. The objective of this chapter is to familiarize the reader with some of the key considerations with the goal of informing the analysis, implementation, and operation of momentum-control systems and the spacecraft that use them. Motor design is a broad specialty field that demands much more depth than offered here.
Eccentricity and Sameness. Discourses on Lesbianism and Desire between Women in Italy, 1860s–1930s

Charlotte Ross’ Eccentricity and Sameness. Discourses on Lesbianism and Desire between Women in Italy, 1860s–1930s is a fascinating account of an Italian lesbian body in post-Unification Italy reco...
Clinical Application Value of Prenatal Ultrasound Diagnosis for the Detection of Abnormal Fetal Gallbladder

Objective To analyze and evaluate the clinical application value of routine ultrasound examination in pregnant women with the use of high frequency probe for dynamic monitoring in the detection of abnormal fetal gallbladder.Methods 5 400 pregnant women with prenatal examination in our hospital from December 2009 to January 2012 received the conventional ultrasound with high frequency probe for dynamic monitoring of fetal gallbladder status.Results The results of early percutaneous ultrasound examination showed 8 cases of fetal gallbladder abnormalities among 5 400 pregnant women,and the results of dynamic monitoring by high-frequency probe showed 5 cases of displayed gallbladder,2 cases of gallbladder with strong echo,one case of double gallbladder.Among 5 cases of displayed gallbladder,4 cases were confirmed with no gallbladder abnormalities by prenatal and postpartum review,and the other was confirmed with congenital gallbladder absence by postpartum review.2 cases of gallbladder with strong echo were confirmed with gallstones by prenatal and postnatal review,and the gallstones were disappeared within postnatal six months.One case of double gallbladder was confirmed with congenital choledochal cyst by postpartum recheck.Conclusions Ultrasound examination can check the fetal gallbladder abnormalities,and high-frequency probe for dynamic monitoring can make further diagnosis of the fetal gallbladder abnormalities.
Time series models of individual substance abusers.

Time series analysis is a statistical procedure appropriate for repeated observations on a single subject or unit. The goal of the analysis may be to determine the nature of the process that describes an observed behavior or to evaluate the effects of a treatment or intervention. Model identification involves specifying which of several alternative Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models best describes the series and may be used to investigate basic processes. This is illustrated by an example involving selecting the model of nicotine regulation that best represents smokers. Intervention analysis involves determining if there are any changes in level or direction for the series as a result of the intervention. Two types of applications have potential for the substance abuse area: (1) evaluation of the effects of an intervention on a single individual, and (2) evaluation of organizational-level changes (i.e., program evaluation). This is illustrated by an example that examines the effect of relaxation therapy on blood pressure. Pooled time series procedures are employed to combine the data from several different individuals or units, either by cross-sectional analysis or meta-analysis. In addition, several other issues are discussed that are critical to performing a time series analysis: selection of an appropriate computer program, alternative procedures for handling missing data, procedures for multiple observations at each occasion, and corrections for seasonal data.
Thioridazine: central dopamine turnover and clinical effects of antipsychotic drugs.

Thioridazine was administered to 14 patients diagnosed as within the “schizophrenic spectrum” with the result that substantial improvement in psychotic symptoms was achieved while significant extrapyramidal side effects occurred in only 1 patient. Under these conditions lumbar cerebrospinal fluid homo vanillic acid following probenecid was significantly elevated (48%). Cerebrospinal fluid probenecid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid declined significantly during treatment with thioridazine. Taken in conjunction with the results of other studies, it appears that cerebrospinal fluid homo vanillic acid can be moderately elevated in man during successful treatment with antipsychotic drugs when extrapyramidal side effects are virtually absent. Possible interpretations of these results are discussed with regard to the clinical effects of antipsychotic drugs as they relate to central dopaminergic activity.
SUSY Searches at the Tevatron

Searches continue for evidence of supersymmetric particles in both the fixed-target and collider experiments at the Tevatron at Fermilab. The results of recent searches place new limits on the masses of squarks, gluinos, charginos, neutralinos, and the charged Higgs.
Carbamazepine: A Therapy for ADHD

The efficacy of carbamazepine (CBZ) in treatment of ADHD has been determined by meta-analysis of 10 reports from the international literature reviewed at Columbia University, St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, and New York University Medical Center.
Abstract PR10: Exploiting the G2-M cell cycle checkpoint dependency in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) using pharmacological inhibitors of CHK1 and WEE1

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the most lethal form of lung cancer, is characterized by early metastasis and rapid development of drug resistance. SCLC is characterized by ubiquitous loss of TP53 and RB1 and mutually exclusive amplification of the MYC oncogene (CMYC, MYCN, MYCL). The loss of TP53 is thought to render SCLC cells deficient at the G1-S cell cycle checkpoint, thus making these cells completely dependent on the G2-M checkpoint for DNA repair, mainly governed by CHK1 and WEE1. CHK1 is a vital serine-threonine kinase regulating the G2-M checkpoint upon DNA damage. The WEE1 kinase is a regulator of CDK1/2 and inhibition of WEE1 leads to aberrant DNA replication and premature mitosis. In this study we investigated the effect of CHK1 (LY2606368) and WEE1 (AZD1775) inhibitors as therapeutic targets for SCLC. Methods: Protein and gene expression was determined by immunoblot and real-time-RT-PCR respectively. Effect of the drugs on cell viability was determined by CellTiter-Glo. Efficacy of LY2606368 in H69 (chemosensitive) and H69/CR (chemoresistant) models was further determined by in vivo flank tumor regression analysis. The effect of LY2606368 monotherapy was also tested in a spontaneous SCLC genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) model. The mechanistic studies were conducted by immunoblot analysis, apoptosis assay and flow cytometry. Pre and post-treatment cell lysates were analyzed by reverse phase protein array (RPPA) for biomarker exploration. Result: Higher expression of CHK1 and WEE1 was observed in SCLC patient tumor samples compared to normal lung (p WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 treatment decreased cell viability (IC50 Significance: The study establishes CHK1 and WEE1 as therapeutic targets in SCLC, a disease for which the standard of care has remained unchanged for >30 years. Together, these results strongly indicate the potency of G2-M cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors as effective targeted therapies in both chemosensitive and chemoresistant patient population. The CHK1 inhibitor, LY2606368, and the WEE1 inhibitor, AZD1775, are both in current Phase 1 clinical trials. The correlative biomarker data from this study will not only indicate the subset of the patient population who are most likely to respond to these treatments, but it will also guide the selection of most effective combination strategies with CHK1 and WEE1 inhibition. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A25. Citation Format: Triparna Sen, Pan Tong, Catherine Allison Stewart, Sandra Cristea, You Hong-Fan, Bonnie S. Glisson, Don L. Gibbons, Julien Sage, Jing Wang, Lauren A. Byers. Exploiting the G2-M cell cycle checkpoint dependency in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) using pharmacological inhibitors of CHK1 and WEE1. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Cancer Cell Cycle - Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Response; Feb 28-Mar 2, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(11_Suppl):Abstract nr PR10.
Exploring the effect of laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation on voice

Objective This study was conducted to explore the potential use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation as an adjunctive treatment for muscle tension dysphonia. Methods Voice data and ratings of fatigue and soreness were obtained for two experiments. Experiment one examined the vocal effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation applied to the neck for 15 minutes. Experiment two examined the recovery effect of laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation following a vocal loading task among normophonic women. Results No significant differences in vocal function following 15 minutes of laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation were found. Six of 11 participants receiving laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation exhibited improved recovery following the vocal loading task. Conclusion A short session of laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be beneficial in reducing muscle fatigue for some individuals. Further investigation is warranted to determine the applicability of laryngeal neuromuscular electrical stimulation in voice therapy.
Multi-user two-way deterministic modulo 2 adder channels — When adaptation is useless

In two-way channels nodes are both sources and destinations of messages, allowing them to “adapt” or “interact” in the sense that their next channel input may be a function of their past received signals. This “adaptation” and how to best exploit it lies at the heart of two-way communication problems, rendering them particularly complex and challenging. It would be useful to know when adaptation is not beneficial from a capacity perspective. Certain examples exist: it is known that for the point-to-point two-way modulo 2 adder channel, and the point-to-point Gaussian two-way channel, adaptation does not increase capacity. In this work we show that the same is true for certain classes of deterministic multi-user two-way channels. In particular, we consider a class of multi-user two-way modulo 2 adder channels, which include the two-way modulo 2 adder MAC/BC channel, the two-way modulo 2 adder interference channel, and the two-way modulo 2 adder Z channel. For all three channel models we obtain the capacity region, which may be achieved using simple time-sharing.
Human Emotions: A Conceptual Overview

Concepts related to human affect have been attracting growing interest among psychologists, medical researchers, and neuroscientists, and as the present volume shows, affective processes are becoming a subject of interest in sleep research as well. Despite such progress, the study of emotion and affect has been historically controversial, and a wide range of opinions exist regarding the definition, measurement, and interpretation of emotional processes elicited in the laboratory. This chapter presents a selective overview of the theoretical and empirical issues in emotion research with an emphasis on psychophysiological approaches. To this end, the chapter takes a pragmatic perspective, in which emotions are conceptualized as multidimensional responses of the organism to challenges from the environment. In addition, we discuss the differential contributions of behavioral, physiological, and self-report indices to understanding emotions, along with their temporal dynamics and neurophysiological underpinnings.
Integrating Local Ecological Knowledge into Fisheries Planning and Management: Another Context for Knowledge Management Research?

An integrative review of 121 recent studies on collecting and utilising local ecological knowledge (LEK) for fisheries science and management suggests that insufficient attention is given either to conceptualising LEK or to the critical issue of how LEK is defined. Elements from knowledge management guided the analysis. Une revue integrant 121 etudes recentes traitant de la collecte et l’utilisation du savoir ecologique local pour la science et la gestion du domaine de la peche suggere que ce domaine est neglige, particulierement en ce qui concerne la conceptualisation du savoir ecologique local ou encore la question fondamentale a savoir comment ce savoir est defini. Des elements de la gestion des connaissances ont guide cette analyse.
A Macroeconometric Model of Income Inequality in the United States

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles macroeconomic performance and policy have had in the increase in income inequality during the 1980s. We estimate a vector autoregression that includes measures of macroeconomic performance — such as unemployment and inflation — and of macroeconomic policy — such as money supply, transfer payments and defense expenditures. We find that, aside from innovations in inequality itself, innovations in unemployment appear to be the most important source of fluctuations in inequality. Furthermore, historical decompositions suggest that innovations to macroeconomic performance variables explain most of the unexpected increase in income inequality during the 1980s.
Automated histamine analysis for in vitro allergy testing: II. Correlation of skin test results with in vitro whole blood histamine release in 82 patients☆

Abstract The recently developed sensitive, automated histamine assay system was applied for in vitro allergy testing. The simplified method for histamine release from whole heparinized blood was used. Aliquots of blood and allergen were incubated for one hour at 37 °C, and each supernatant was then analyzed for histamine release. Nine common pollen and environmental allergens were used at three 10-fold dilutions for in vitro testing with the use of 20 ml of blood. Intradermal skin tests were correlated with the whole blood histamine release in 82 patients who had received no immunotherapy. A scoring system for the histamine results was developed to take into consideration the results with multiple allergen concentrations. When the skin test was strongly positive (⩾3+ at 100 protein nitrogen units [PNU]/ml), the whole blood histamine release was positive in 89% of the tests. In contrast, when the skin test was negative (
The Physiology of Pupal Diapause in Flesh Flies

While visiting the University of Paris in 1963, Gottfried Fraenkel was attracted by a thriving colony of Sarcophaga argyrostoma cultured in the Laboratoire de Zoologie. He decided to transport some of these flesh flies back to Urbana, but since his journey included several more visits along the way he tried to slow down their rate of development. It was December. The days were short, the temperature cold. Each night he diligently placed the flies on the cool windowsills of his hotel room. When he arrived in Urbana, a few flies emerged immediately, but the majority remained as undifferentiated pupae and emerged only after several months. Professor Fraenkel thus inadvertently discovered diapause in flesh fly pupae and, along with Catherine Hsiao, published two papers (Fraenkel and Hsaio, 1968a, 1968b), that preliminarily described its environmental and endocrine regulation. Although Roubaud had experimented with a few diapausing pupae of S. argyrostoma as early as 1922 and diapause was also reported for Pseudosarcophaga affinis (Coppel et al., 1959; House, 1967), the Fraenkel and Hsiao papers provided the real impetus for the over 35 publications on flesh fly diapause that have since appeared.
Die Beeinflussung der funktionellen Eigenschaften des menschlichen Erregungsleitungssystems durch Frequenzbelastung, elektroinduzierte Vorhofextrasystolen und Blockade des autonomen Nervensystems Teil B: Refraktäritätsverhalten

An 32 Patienten wurde durchHis-Bundel-Elektrokardiographie in Kombination mit der programmierten Stimulation untersucht, in welchem Ausmas Herzfrequenz und autonomes Nervensystem an der Beeinflussung des Refraktaritatsverhaltens in den einzelnen Abschnitten des normalen PQ-Intervalls partizipieren. Die Untersuchungen wurden bei 3 Stimulationsfrequenzen vor und nach intravenoser Gabe von 1 mg Atropin (15 Patienten) oder nach intravenoser Gabe von 0,4 mg Visken® (17 Patienten) durchgefuhrt. In der Beeinflussung des Refraktaritatsverhaltens des Atriums uberwiegt Frequenzbelastung die Auswirkung der Blockade beider Komponenten des Autonomen Nervensystems. Frequenzanstieg bewirkt eine Verkurzung von ERP und FRP des Atriums. Parasympathikus- und Sympathikusblockade erzeugen keine gerichteten Veranderungen des durch die Frequenzbelastung vorgegebenen Verhaltens der Refraktarperioden. Der AV-Knoten reagiert am empfindlichsten auf Frequenzbelastung und Blockade des autonomen Nervensystems. Artifizielle Frequenzsteigerungen verlangern die ERP des Knotens; die FRP reagiert entweder mit Verkurzung oder Verlangerung. Auf ERP und FRP des Av-Knotens wirkt Parasympathikusblockade verkurzend, Sympathikusblockade verlangernd. Diese Auswirkungen der Blockade des autonomen Nervensystems auf die ERP werden im Zusammenhang mit dem „Gate-Mechanismus” diskutiert. Parasympathikusblockade fuhrt bei der Mehrzahl der Untersuchten zu einer Verlagerung des Ortes mit der langsten ERP vom AV-Knoten zum Atrium. Sympathikusblockade bewirkt in einigen Fallen eine Verschiebung des „Gate” vom Atrium zum Av-Knoten.
A Review on the Effectiveness of Surgical Intervention for Symptomatic Intracranial Arachnoid Cysts in Adults.

Background Intracranial arachnoid cysts are generally benign and can be asymptomatic or symptomatic. When symptoms are indicated, the effects of arachnoid cysts can be disabling to the patient. Quantitative assessment on the effectiveness of surgical intervention to relieve symptoms is inconsistently reported throughout the literature and is often contradictory. Due to this lack of direct evidence and disagreement among practitioners, nonsurgical treatment, such as pain management, is often prescribed. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effectiveness of the 3 most common surgical treatments (craniotomy, endoscopic fenestration, and shunting) in relieving patient symptoms and to provide a resource of case study information for doctors and patients considering surgical intervention. Methods A worldwide literature review was performed using the PubMed database to collect reported data on case studies describing surgical intervention for intracranial arachnoid cysts. A meta-analytic review was performed on the viable data to investigate the overall surgical effectiveness for an adult population (aged 18 years or older). To increase the number of patient outcomes, some mixed data (case studies containing both adult and pediatric patients) were included in this study. Results The meta-analytic results show that, for the mixed adult and pediatric population, surgical treatment improves patient outcomes ( r ¯ = 0.828; P r ¯ = 0.890, 0.738, and 0.892. For the adult-only population, the meta-analytic results show that surgical treatment also improves patient outcomes ( r ¯ = 0.667; P r ¯ = 0.638, 0.684, and 0.727. Conclusions The results indicate that surgical intervention is an effective approach to reduce or eliminate symptoms caused by intracranial arachnoid cysts.
The impact of neoliberal school choice reforms on students with disabilities: perspectives from New York City

This disability studies in education informed study unpacks effects of neoliberal reforms on students with disabilities in New York City schools. These reforms proliferated small themed schools, di...
Experimentally induced variation in neuroendocrine processes affects male reproductive behaviour, sperm characteristics and social interactions

While extensive research has focused on how social interactions evolve, the fitness consequences of the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying these interactions have rarely been documented, especially in the wild. Here, we measure how the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying male behaviour affect mating success and sperm competition in the ocellated wrasse (Symphodus ocellatus). In this species, males exhibit three alternative reproductive types. "Nesting males" provide parental care, defend territories and form cooperative associations with unrelated "satellites," who cheat by sneaking fertilizations but help by reducing sperm competition from "sneakers" who do not cooperate or provide care. To measure the fitness consequences of the mechanisms underlying these social interactions, we used "phenotypic engineering" that involved administering an androgen receptor antagonist (flutamide) to wild, free-living fish. Nesting males treated with flutamide shifted their aggression from sneakers to satellite males and experienced decreased submissiveness by sneaker males (which correlated with decreased nesting male mating success). The preoptic area (POA), a region controlling male reproductive behaviours, exhibited dramatic down-regulation of androgen receptor (AR) and vasotocin 1a receptor (V1aR) mRNA following experimental manipulation of androgen signalling. We did not find a direct effect of the manipulation on male mating success, paternity or larval production. However, variation in neuroendocrine mechanisms generated by the experimental manipulation was significantly correlated with changes in behaviour and mating success: V1aR expression was negatively correlated with satellite-directed aggression, and expression of its ligand arginine vasotocin (AVT) was positively correlated with courtship and mating success, thus revealing the potential for sexual selection on these mechanisms.
Perceived campus safety as a mediator of the link between gender and mental health in a national U.S. college sample.

Men and women tend to have different mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine the reason for gender differences in college students’ mental health. We examined perceived camp...
Examining validity of body mass index calculated using height and weight data from the US driver license.

Driver license departments in many US states collect data on individuals’ height and weight. These data can be useful to researchers in epidemiological and public health studies. As height and weight on driver license are self-reported, they may be prone to reporting bias. We compare height and weight obtained from driver license records and clinically measured height and weight, as well as body mass index (BMI) values calculated using the two data sources for the same individual. We linked individual height and weight records obtained from the Driver License Division (DLD) in the Utah Department of Public Safety to clinical records from one of the largest healthcare providers in the state of Utah. We then calculated average differences between height, weight and BMI values separately for women and men in the sample, as well as discrepancies between the two sets of measures by age and BMI category. We examined how well self-reported height and weight from the driver licenses classify individuals into specific BMI categories based on clinical measures. Finally, we used two sets of BMI values to estimate individuals’ relative risk of type II diabetes. Individuals, on average, tend to overestimate their height and underestimate their weight. Consequently, the value of BMI calculated using driver license records is lower than BMI calculated using clinical measurements. The discrepancy varies by age and by BMI category. Despite the discrepancy, BMI based on self-reported height and weight allows for accurate categorization of individuals at the higher end of the BMI scale, such as the obese. When used as predictors of relative risk of type II diabetes, both sets of BMI values yield similar risk estimates. Data on height and weight from driver license data can be a useful asset for monitoring population health in states where such information is collected, despite the degree of misreporting associated with self-report.
Moving Target Defense for Cloud Infrastructures: Lessons from Botnets

While providing elasticity to clients through on-demand service and cost-effectiveness to service providers through efficient resource allocation, current cloud infrastructures are largely homogeneously and statically configured for ease of administration. This leaves ample opportunities for attackers to reconnoiter and penetrate the security perimeter of cloud services. This chapter (1) explores the evolution in botnet technologies from the early static architectures to the recent dynamic and resilient architectures that employ various moving target defense (MTD) techniques to circumvent crackdowns, and (2) draws lessons from botnets in identifying cloud security challenges and proposed solutions to MTD for cloud infrastructures, in which the cloud infrastructure configuration constantly evolves to confuse attackers without significantly degrading the quality of service. Proposed solutions may increase the cost for potential attackers by complicating the attack process and limiting the exposure of network vulnerability in order to make the network more resilient against novel and persistent attacks.
Flow-radiation coupling in CO 2 hypersonic wakes using reduced-order non-Boltzmann models

This work presents a unified physics-based reduced-order simulation framework for describing non-Boltzmann thermochemistry and radiative heating for hypersonic flows. The new approach is used to analyze afterbody flow dynamics and concomitant carbon dioxide IR radiation for the Mars 2020 mission.
Trust, anger, resentment, forgiveness: On blame and its reasons

Author(s): Wallace, RJ | Abstract: A discussion of the scope that exists for the normative assessment of blame. The paper starts from the assumption that blame is to be understood in terms of the reactive attitudes. A particular crux is the question of whether blame can be assessed critically if conditions are in place that render the reactive attitudes apt or warranted. The paper argues that even warranted blame can be managed critically and that this is something we often have reason to do, given the oppositional nature of reactive blame. The point is illustrated through a discussion of forgiveness and hypocrisy. A further claim is that, once reasons for reactive blame are distinguished from distinct reasons for managing it in different ways, space opens up for interesting global challenges to reactive blame, even when it is internally apt or warranted.
The relationship between mindfulness and objective measures of body awareness: A meta-analysis.

Although awareness of bodily sensations is a common mindfulness meditation technique, studies assessing the relationship between mindfulness and body awareness have provided mixed results. The current study sought to meta-analytically examine the relationship between mindfulness operationalized as a dispositional trait or a construct trained through short- (i.e., randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) or long-term mindfulness meditation practice with objective measures of body awareness accuracy. PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched. Studies were eligible if they reported the association between mindfulness and body awareness, were published in English, and included adults. Across 15 studies (17 independent samples), a small effect was found linking mindfulness with greater body awareness accuracy (g = 0.21 [0.08, 0.34], N = 879). When separated by study design, only RCTs continued to show a significant relationship (g = 0.20, [0.02, 0.38], k = 7, n = 505). Heterogeneity of effects was low (I2 < 25%), although with wide confidence intervals. Effects were not moderated by study quality. Low fail-safe N estimates reduce confidence in the observed effects. Results suggest a small but potentially detectable relationship between mindfulness and body awareness accuracy. Future investigations could examine individual differences in body awareness as a mechanism within mindfulness interventions.
Electrocardiogram: Acquisition and analysis for biological investigations and health monitoring

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) was introduced since 1893 by Einthoven, and it has been used for decades in clinical settings for vital sign monitoring as well as cardiac assessment. The ECG signal with its unique characteristic waves of P waves, QRS complexes, and T waves holds important information about the functionalities of the heart. In recent years, advances in electronics and telecommunications have paved the way for out-of-clinic ECG acquisition and monitoring. The rise of advanced data science techniques, such as machine learning, has further opened doors for distanced, home-based, and automated diagnoses. In parallel, micro- and nanotechnology has enabled significant strides in biological investigations using small animal models, such as zebrafish and mouse, uncovering underlying mechanisms of numerous biological processes. In this chapter, we first introduce the basics of electrocardiogram and the methods for acquisition; and then systems used with zebrafish and humans are discussed. Artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, is brought into the discussion with an emphasis on the use of convolutional neuron networks for classifying ECG patterns of arrhythmic zebrafish mutants. Finally, the chapter recapitulates with the necessity of translating findings from animal research for use with humans as well as a body sensor network with multimodal sensors which may reveal unprecedented connections among physiological parameters.
A CASE OF AL AMYLOID WITH CARDIOMYOPATHY AND MULTIORGAN INVOLVEMENT: WHEN LVAD SUPPORT IS NOT ENOUGH

We review the complicated management of a patient with cardiomyopathy due to AL amyloidosis secondary to multiple myeloma (MM). A 63 year old male with no significant past medical history was admitted with 3 months of shortness of breath due to decompensated heart failure. EKG showed low voltage.