cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Query processing over incomplete autonomous databases

Incompleteness due to missing attribute values (aka "null values") is very common in autonomous web databases, on which user accesses are usually supported through mediators. Traditional query processing techniques that focus on the strict soundness of answer tuples often ignore tuples with critical missing attributes, even if they wind up being relevant to a user query. Ideally we would like the mediator to retrieve such possible answers and gauge their relevance by accessing their likelihood of being pertinent answers to the query. The autonomous nature of web databases poses several challenges in realizing this objective. Such challenges include the restricted access privileges imposed on the data, the limited support for query patterns, and the bounded pool of database and network resources in the web environment. We introduce a novel query rewriting and optimization framework QPIAD that tackles these challenges. Our technique involves reformulating the user query based on mined correlations among the database attributes. The reformulated queries are aimed at retrieving the relevant possible answers in addition to the certain answers. QPIAD is able to gauge the relevance of such queries allowing tradeoffs in reducing the costs of database query processing and answer transmission. To support this framework, we develop methods for mining attribute correlations (in terms of Approximate Functional Dependencies), value distributions (in the form of Naive Bayes Classifiers), and selectivity estimates. We present empirical studies to demonstrate that our approach is able to effectively retrieve relevant possible answers with high precision, high recall, and manageable cost.
Modulation of proteoglycan and collagen profiles in human dermal fibroblasts by high density micromass culture and treatment with lactic acid suggests change to a chondrogenic phenotype.

Cartilage formation during embryonic development and in fracture healing in adult animals involves chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal precursors. Here we describe an in vitro model whereby human dermal fibroblasts, considered to be restricted to a fibroblast lineage, are apparently redirected toward a chondrogenic phenotype by high density micromass culture in the presence of lactic acid. Micromass cultures treated with 40 mM lactate exhibited increased levels of Alcian blue staining and sulfate incorporation, indicative of elevated sulfated glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Northern analysis revealed an up-regulation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 1 (aggrecan) and transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA and a decrease in type I collagen expression. Type II collagen was detected by reverse transcription-PCR only in experimental cultures. Although the observed changes in biosynthesis and gene expression were consistent with differentiating chondrocytes. the cells displayed an elongated. fibroblast-like...
Factors Affecting Chemical Properties of Heme and Lipid Components in Mechanically Deboned Turkey Meat

Abstract The effect of temperature on the oxidation rates of heme proteins in mechanically deboned turkey meat were measured using reflectance spectrophotometry. Myoglobin was purified and its isoelectric points determined. The molecule was further tested for microheterogeneity by electrophoretic procedures. Lipid oxidation during storage at various temperatures was measured by TBA analysis. Heme oxidation decreased as storage temperatures were reduced from 30°C. to −10°C. Oxidation rates at temperatures below −10°C. were identical. The oxidation rate constant for heme at 30°C. was 0.047 hr.–1. The rate constant for lipid oxidation was the same (0.23 mg. malonaldehyde/kg. meat hr.–1) at all temperatures examined above 20°C. Between 10° and 20°C. the lipid oxidation rate decreased, with the rate then remaining stable down to 0°C., thus corresponding to the heme oxidation rate stabilization noted at these temperatures. The interaction of heme and lipid oxidation could best be observed from 10°C. to 15°C. Electrophoretic patterns for myoglobin extracted from mechanically deboned turkey meat were similar to those previously described by other workers for myoglobin extracted from turkey gizzard tissue. Three distinct fractions were defined electrophoretically. The six fractions derived from isoelectric focusing of the myoglobin sample had lower isoelectric points than did the similar fractions of myoglobin extracted from gizzard tissue. It is felt that these lower isoelectric points may indicate possible heme protein metal binding.
Seismological Detection and Delineation of Magma Chambers Beneath Intraplate Volcanic Centers in Western U.S.A.

In this review I describe results from experiments conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in diverse volcanic environments to image velocity anomalies in the crust and upper mantle using teleseismic P-wave residuals. The linear least-squares inversion technique of Aki et al. (1976, 1977) is extensively used in these studies. The seismic models thus obtained are synthesized with available geologic and geophysical data to infer plausible models of magma genesis in these regions. The three-dimensional velocity model beneath Yellowstone Plateau shows a large low-velocity body of approximately 100 km diameter centered on the caldera and extending from the crust to a depth of about 250 km. This is interpreted to be a massive magma body which is responsible for the volcanism during the past 2 m. y. in Yellowstone. Teleseismic S-wave residuals, Raleigh-wave dispersion data, heat-flow, gravity, Curie isotherm depths, and magnetotelluric data, all support the existence of a temperature near granite solidus beginning at a depth of 5-10 km beneath the Yellowstone caldera floor. In the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) a low-velocity anomaly is present in the upper mantle but not in the crust, leading to the speculation that ESRP is the healed track of a northeast propagating volcanic center whose present position is Yellowstone. The seismic model for the ESRP-Yellowstone volcanic system, though unable to distinguish between different models of origin of the system, clearly shows that basaltic magma rises from the mantle, melts the lithosphere and yields massive quantities of rhyolitic magma.
Who Writes for Youth? A Second Look at the Social Structure of American Authors for Youth

Presents an investigation of contemporary American authors who write for youth. The methodology derives from Laurenson’s study of the sociology of British authors. The study is based on the biographical and sociological data of the randomly selected 220 of 786 (27%) authors identified as first authors from American Library Association selected lists. Whites, women, and writers from the Northeast United States and West Coast dominate the field. Authors tend to be educated at high prestige colleges and universities and follow careers as writers, teachers, and fields in communications. Male and minority writers have increased in recent decades along with newer forms of artistic production.
Countable abelian group actions and hyperfinite equivalence relations

An equivalence relation E on a standard Borel space is hyperfinite if E is the increasing union of countably many Borel equivalence relations $$E_n$$ where all $$E_n$$ -equivalence classs are finite. In this article we establish the following theorem: if a countable abelian group acts on a standard Borel space in a Borel manner then the orbit equivalence relation is hyperfinite. The proof uses constructions and analysis of Borel marker sets and regions in the space $$2^{{\mathbb {Z}}^{<\omega }}.$$ This technique is also applied to a problem of finding Borel chromatic numbers for invariant Borel subspaces of $$2^{{\mathbb {Z}}^n}$$ .
Does Loan Renegotiation Differ by Securitization Status? An Empirical Study

This paper investigates whether mortgage loan servicers renegotiate a distressed loan differently depending on whether the loan is held on their own books or by private investors. Using the proprietary mortgage metrics database that has servicer-provided loan renegotiation details, we conduct a comprehensive empirical evaluation of the securitization impact on loan renegotiation. We focus on loan outcome, loan renegotiation frequency, and loan renegotiation effectiveness in influencing outcomes. We find that non-renegotiated securitized loans have a significantly higher foreclosure rate than similarly situated portfolio loans. We show that servicers actually conduct fewer loan renegotiations for securitized loans. By studying multi-stage transition probabilities, we discover that the self-cure rate and re-default rate are different between securitized loans and portfolio loans. Overall this paper reveals that loan renegotiations, in particular loan outcome, loan renegotiation frequency and effectiveness, do differ by securitization status.
Universal Health Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts Did Not Change the Trajectory of Arthroplasty Use or Costs.

Background The state of Massachusetts enacted universal health insurance in 2006. However it is unknown whether the increased access to care resulted in changes to surgical use or costs.
Homeward navigation in Pogonomyrmex occidentalis harvester ants

This study determined the relative importance of sources of navigational information in Pogonomyrmex occidentalis harvester ants. Displacement experiments, polarized light manipulations, and view manipulations tested the use of path integration, polarized light patterns, and visual guidance in the ability of Pogonomyrmex ants to orient homeward during foraging. In the displacement experiments, worker ants that were displaced from their original locations to new locations equidistant from the nest initially walked in the direction of the home vector that would be determined by a path integrator (PI). Sham treatments showed that handling and returning ants to their original location had no effect on homeward navigation. Neither a polarizing filter nor changing nearby landmarks affected orientation. However, placement of a wall behind the nest while an ant was navigating homeward caused it to become disoriented. Ants viewing the wall walked in random directions and took more time to find their nest. These results suggest that P. occidentalis workers rely on PI to navigate homeward after foraging, but do not follow the home vector indicated by the PI if the panorama has been significantly altered and, therefore, conflicts with the available PI information.
Applying image analysis to assess food aesthetics and uniqueness

This paper describes our latest work on assessing the aesthetics of food dishes by analyzing its visual appearance. Specifically, our framework builds upon work in the areas of color science, psychology and statistics to enable users to computationally assess whether the image of a dish is visually appealing. Moreover, we further assess the uniqueness of a dish by comparing its color composition against a dish image repository. The assessment engine has been recently integrated into a Google Glass Application which brings a new dimension of wearable computing to this work. Our preliminary experiments with the assessment system have shown encouraging results, and the initial deployment of the Google Glass Application has raised quite some interests.
Branching ratios and radiative lifetimes of the U , L , and I states of thorium oxide

The dispersed laser induced fluorescence resulting from excitation of the $U(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)\ensuremath{-}X{}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}(0,0)$, $L(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)\ensuremath{-}X{}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}(0,0)$, and $I(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)\ensuremath{-}X{}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}(0,0)$ bands near 398, 402, and 512 nm, respectively, of thorium oxide, ThO, has been recorded and analyzed. The branching ratios for the fluorescence decay from the $U(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, $L(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, and $I(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$ states are determined. Radiative lifetimes of 57 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 2, 17 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1, 115 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 4, and 468 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 30 ns for the $U(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, $L(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, $I(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, and $C{}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{1}(v=0)$ states, respectively, were determined from the analysis of the fluorescence decay curves. Transition dipole moments for numerous bands involving the $U(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, $L(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, $I(|\ensuremath{\Omega}|=1)(v=0)$, and $C{}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{1}(v=0)$ states are determined. Possible optical pumping and detection schemes are proposed for experiments using ThO to search for the electric dipole moment of the electron.
The bulk application off high-Tc superconductors in Japan

A great deal of progress in the bulk application of high-critical-temperature (high-Tc) superconductors has been achieved in Japan}, particularly with regard to the use of bismuth-based wires and tapes for current leads and magnets. Additional applications, such as power cables, are also being demonstrated. This article describes the status of high-Tcmaterials and applications in Japan, specifically in the areas of current leads, underground transmission cables, and magnets.
Rapid Detection of Cytomegalovirus by 24-Well Plate Centrifugation with the Use of a Monoclonal Antibody to an Early Nuclear Antigen

Two methods for the detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 457 clinical specimens were compared: (1) centrifugal inoculation of MRC-5 cells seeded on coverslips in 24-well plates and staining with a monoclonal antibody to CMV early nuclear antigen after incubation for both 16–18 hours (EA-1) and four days (EA-4); and (2) conventional tube cell culture. CMV was identified in 50 (11%) specimens from 34 different patients. EA-1 and EA-4 had positive results for CMV in 32 (64%) and 36 (73%) of the specimens, respectively. Positive inclusions were present on only one coverslip in 31% of the cases by EA-1 and in 10% by EA-4. The number of inclusions was not necessarily predictive of tissue culture results. CMV was recovered by conventional tissue culture from 27 specimens (54%) after an average of 17 days (range, 6-26 days). One specimen, positive for CMV by EA-4, yielded herpes simplex virus (HSV), and from 9 of the 407 CMV-negative specimens, another virus was recovered: HSV from 6 specimens and varicella zoster virus, adenovirus, and enterovirus from one specimen each. CMV was detected in significantly more specimens by EA-4 than by tissue culture ( P = 0.037). However, there was no significant difference in the detection of CMV between EA-1 and EA-4 or between EA-1 and conventional culture. The authors’ data suggest that for maximum recovery of CMV from clinical specimens, both an early antigen assay and conventional tissue culture should be performed. For urine specimens it appears that inoculation of two coverslips followed by staining after overnight incubation is adequate. To optimize the yield of the early antigen assay when testing specimens other than urine, the authors recommend inoculating three coverslips, two of which should be stained after overnight incubation, and, if necessary, the third coverslip could be stained after a more prolonged incubation period.
Regional alterations in SR Ca2+-ATPase, phospholamban, and HSP-70 expression in chronic hibernating myocardium

We sought to identify mechanisms for chronic dysfunction in hibernating myocardium. Pigs were instrumented with a left anterior descending artery stenosis for 3 mo. Angiography demonstrated high-gr...
Antibacterial prophylaxis reduced the incidence of fever in patients receiving chemotherapy for solid tumors or lymphoma.

Source Citation Cullen M, Steven N, Billingham L, et al. Antibacterial prophylaxis after chemotherapy for solid tumors and lymphomas. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:988-98. 16148284
Tensile behavior of Al2O3/FeAl + B and Al2O3/FeCrAlY composites

The feasibility of Al2O3/FeAl + B and Al2O3/FeCrAlY composites for high-temperature applications was assessed. The major emphasis was on tensile behavior of both the monolithics and composites from 298 to 1100 K. However, the study also included determining the chemical compatibility of the composites, measuring the interfacial shear strengths, and investigating the effect of processing on the strength of the single-crystal A12O3 fibers. The interfacial shear strengths were low for Al2O3/FeAl + B and moderate to high for Al2O3/FeCrAlY. The difference in interfacial bond strengths between the two systems affected the tensile behavior of the composites. The strength of the A12O3 fiber was significantly degraded after composite processing for both composite systems and resulted in poor composite tensile properties. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) values of the composites could generally be predicted with either rule of mixtures (ROM) calculations or existing models when using the strength of the etched-out fiber. The Al2O3/FeAl + B composite system was determined to be unfeasible due to poor interfacial shear strengths and a large mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). Development of the Al2O3/FeCrAlY system would require an effective diffusion barrier to minimize the fiber strength degradation during processing and elevated temperature service.
Paying attention to your acetylcholine, Part 2: the function of nicotinic receptors.

Issue: The many types of nicotinic cholinergic receptors differ in their structure, function, location, response to drugs, and involvement in cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
The changing shape of type 2 diabetes.

CONTEXT Type 2 diabetes is primarily a disease that affects late-middle-aged and elderly individuals. Due to increasing affluence, lifestyle changes, and obesity, however, it is also affecting younger age groups. Therefore, treatment recommendations may need to be revised to reflect these changes. Fortunately, various new treatment options, including insulin analogs with more physiologic time-action profiles and drugs that target the incretin system, are now available. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION This review was based on a PubMed literature search done in August 2007, using relevant search terms. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Improving diet and increasing physical activity are important therapeutic interventions in diabetes and associated conditions. However, many people find it difficult to maintain lifestyle changes, which is why the American Diabetes Association recommends lifestyle intervention plus metformin following initial diagnosis. Current guidelines recommend a stepwise approach, with additional oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) being added as the disease progresses. Insulin therapy should be initiated once OADs fail to control hyperglycemia, as there is good evidence that intensive therapy, with strict glycemic targets, can reduce the long-term microvascular complications that are associated with poorly controlled diabetes. In addition, while the evidence is less conclusive, intensive therapy may also improve long-term macrovascular comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS It is important that patients with diabetes receive the most effective therapy for maintaining glycemic control and that treatment is modified or augmented in those who are not achieving appropriate glycemic goals. Only by maintaining long-term, effective glycemic control can the microvascular and macrovascular comorbidities associated with diabetes be minimized.
Desterritorializar: Hacia a una Teoría Curricular Itinerante

This study critically analyses Eurocentric thinking and its use in curriculum theory, understood as a dominant, colonialist, inflexible and homogenising way of thinking. Therefore, curriculum theory is at best paralysed and bureaucratised, when not deprived of its critical purpose and also its social and educational analysis purposes. In view of this, an itinerant curriculum theory is supported here—by returning to the initial ideas of Huebner, Deleuze and, especially, Sousa Santos—which will lead to new ways of seeing and thinking about education. Deterritorialising curriculum theory means favouring differences, epistemological openness and diversity. Only in this way will curriculum theory be able to be a source of emancipating education.
High efficiency diffraction grating for EUV lithography beamline monochromator

A blazed diffraction grating for the EUV lithography Beamline 12.0.1 of the Advanced Light Source has been fabricated using optical direct write lithography and anisotropic wet etching technology. A variable line spacing pattern was recorded on a photoresist layer and transferred to a hard mask layer of the grating substrate by a plasma etch. Then anisotropic wet etching was applied to shape triangular grating grooves with precise control of the ultralow blaze angle. Variation of the groove density along the grating length was measured with a Long Trace Profiler (LTP). Fourier analysis of the LTP data confirmed high groove placement accuracy of the grating. The grating coated with a Ru coating demonstrated diffraction efficiency of 69.6% in the negative first diffraction order which is close to theoretical efficiency at the wavelength of 13.5 nm. This work demonstrates an alternative approach to fabrication of highly efficient and precise x-ray diffraction gratings with ultra-low blaze angles.
Hookah Smoking Outcome Expectations Among Young Adults.

ABSTRACTBackground: Despite the dangers associated with hookah tobacco smoking, use and popularity in the United States among young adults continue to increase. While quantitative studies have assessed users' attitudes toward hookah, qualitative research can provide a more in-depth description of positive and negative attitudes and beliefs associated with hookah use. Objectives: To determine outcome expectancies associated with hookah use among young adults. Methods: We conducted six focus groups in 2013 to identify outcome expectancies associated with hookah use. Participants (N = 40) were young adults aged 18–23 who reported hookah use in the past three months. Using Outcome Expectancy Theory perspective, we posed the question “Hookah smoking is _______?” to elicit words or phrases that users associate with hookah use. Results: Over 75% of the users' hookah use outcome expectancies were positive, including associating hookah smoking with relaxation and a social experience. Content analysis of the words ...
In search of voice: theory and methods in K-12 student voice research in the US, 1990–2010

AbstractStudent voice research is a promising field of study that disrupts traditional student roles by reorganizing learning spaces that center youth voices. This review synthesizes student voice research by answering the following questions: (a) To what extent has student voice been studied at the K-12 levels in the US? (b) What are the conceptual characteristics of US student voice studies? (c) What are the methodological characteristics of this work at K-12 levels in the US? The review included 49 studies published in peer-refereed journals between 1990 and 2010. Results indicate student voice research is rapidly opening up spaces and capacities for racial and ethnic historically marginalized youth to play key roles in school change and hybrid learning spaces. The results open up new possibilities for building on this rapidly growing scholarship through interdisciplinary theory building, along with a need for broader attention to axes of marginalization across different geographical spaces.
Nuclear, Solar and Desalination Working Together Symbiotically

In many parts of the world, drinking water is not available except through desalination. Most of these areas have an abundance of solar energy, with few cloudy periods. Energy is required for desalination and for producing electricity. Traditionally this energy has been supplied by fossil fuels. However, even in those parts of the world that have abundant fossil fuels, using them for these purposes is being discouraged for two reasons: 1) the emission of greenhouse gases from combustion of fossil fuels, and 2) the higher value of fossil fuels when used for transportation. Nuclear power and solar power are both proposed as replacements for fossil fuels in these locations. Both of these energy systems have high capital costs, and negligible fuel costs (zero for solar) Instead of these two primary forms of energy competing, this paper shows how they can compliment each other, especially where a significant part of the electricity demand is used for desalination.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Old/Past/Ancient/Historic Frontiers in Black Hole Astrophysics

Author(s): Trimble, Virginia | Abstract: AbstractBasic questions about black holes, some of which are fairly old, include (1) What is a black hole? (2) Do black holes exist? And the answer to this depends a good deal on the answer to (1), (3) Where, when, why, and how have they formed? and (4) What are they good for? Here I attempt some elaboration of the questions and partial answers, noting that general relativity is required to described some of the phenomena, while dear old Isaac Newton is OK for others.
The Context for Higher Education Attainment: A Quantitative Assessment

This chapter provides statistical analysis of the Member States of the European Union in the Bologna Process. The objectives for education, employability, and innovation are defined by the European Commission’s Europe 2020 economic growth strategy. The theoretical background of policy diffusion is applied to explain the objectives of higher education attainment and internationalization. The panel regression analysis explains relationships among macroeconomic variables, where the dependent variable is higher education attainment. Assessing opportunities of and challenges to policy reform, the quantitative analysis of data for EU countries, between the years 2000 and 2014, highlights Portugal and Spain. This research method is useful to identify variables in the political economy that may have a relationship with the objectives of the Bologna Process and Europe 2020. Testing the hypothesis that macroeconomic performance influences higher education attainment, the findings show that gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has the most significant relationship with higher education attainment.
Introduction to Multiple Regression: How Much Is Your Car Worth?

Data collected from Kelly Blue Book for several hundred 2005 used General Motors (GM) cars allows students to develop a multivariate regression model to determine car values based on a variety of c...
An attempt to produce hypersplenism in the dog, using methylcellulose.

(1) Hematological and histopathologic changes were studied in dogs and rats after infusions of solutions of methylcellulose. (2) After 4 to 8 weeks of daily intravenous infusions of 0.6 Gm. of 400 centipoise methylcellulose, the dogs developed moderate anemia with a reduction of the mean red cell volume to 27 ± 4 cc./Kg., compared with 38.6 ± 3 cc./Kg. in the controls, and a reduction in the apparent red cell life span studied with Cr51 from 24 ± 3 days in the controls to 18 ± 3 in the treated animals. (3) Following the infusions in the dog there was an increase of the mean blood urea nitrogen from 15 mg. per cent to 96 mg. per cent, with only a small increase in the rat. (4) At necropsy there was foamy cytoplasmic vacuolization throughout the reticuloendothelial systems of both rat and dog. In the dog, the spleens were pale and moderately enlarged. Large cells with vacuolized cytoplasm largely replaced the normal structures of this organ. In the markedly enlarged rat spleen there were islands of methylcellulose-filled cells, surrounded by a rim of lymphocytes and strikingly engorged red pulp. In the rat there was vacuolization of the renal glomerular cells but no significant change in the tubules or interstitial tissue. In the dogs sacrificed one week after the termination of the methylcellulose infusions, foamy cytoplasmic distention of the glomeruli and interstitial cells and tubular dilatation and cyst formation were noted. Progressive fibrosis and hyalinization of the glomerulus and fibrosis and calcification and lymphocytic infiltration of the interstitial tissue were seen in the kidneys of dogs sacrificed from 3 months to 3 years after termination of the methylcellulose infusions. (5) Although methylcellulose infusions produce splenomegaly and anemia in the dog, the associated uremia precludes this preparation as a model for the study of hypersplenism.
178 – Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Publisher Summary This chapter explains thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. The use of thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke is supported by cerebral angiographic studies. The use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) as treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke can be justified. Dosing, administration, and patient follow-up including blood pressure management must be done carefully. Drug administration and patient monitoring should be carried out in the emergency department and/or an intensive care unit. Treatment with intravenous streptokinase at a dose of 1.5 million units or greater cannot be justified. Further use of intravenous streptokinase should be limited to investigational protocols requiring treatment within 3 hr and/or lower doses of streptokinase. Treatment with intraarterial thrombolytic therapy can best be justified in the setting of an investigational protocol. Controlled studies are needed to address safety and efficacy, and whether local thrombolytic therapy is superior to early treatment with intravenous tPA.
Exploring the Occupational Context of Independent Male Escorts Who Seek Male Clients: The Case of Job Success:

Male sex work (MSW) research has been generally limited to the examination of “social problems.” Although there have been studies on occupational aspects, pointed examinations of the occupational e...
Psychoactive plants in need of chemical and pharmacological study

Reports on the inebriating properties of plants—some employed in magico-religious ceremonies of primitive societies in various parts of the world—continue to appear. Their sources are many: reports of travellers, anthropological writings, historical documents, herbarium specimens and others. The diversity and wide occurrence of the reports have tended to keep them from the scrutiny of investigators who might have studied the plants for the ascertainment of their active principles. In an effort to focus attention on some of these presumably psychoactive plants, the following notes are offered. Only those species which seem most urgently in need of attention are listed. There are others which appear to be promising albeit not of such immediate interest because of the vagueness of the ethnobotanical reports of their use or because of extreme difficulty in procuring sufficient supplies of the plant for phytochemical study. Even though the number of species listed below is limited, it is obvious how much remains to be done in the interdisciplinary study of biodynamic plants. A very recent survey of natural hallucinogens has pointed out that more than 200 species of higher plants comprise the study, that they are widely distributed in the plant kingdom (146 genera in more than 50 families) and that the active principles are known for only about 45 species (Schultes and Farnsworth 1980)Bot. Mus. Leaft., Harvard Univ. 28 (186–190). This survey attributes the lack of chemical knowledge of these plants to two causes: (i) the lack of good animal models which the chemist can utilize in monitoring his isolation work; and (ii) the paucity of field work of scientific trustworthiness in fast disappearing aboriginal societies. The survey ends with the statement that the “… Plant kingdom remains a fertile and almost virgin territory for those interested in the discovery of new psychoactive drugs, not to mention other types of biologically active compounds waiting in silent hiding.” The extreme paucity of phytochemical studies on these plants of very significant use in primitive societies emphasizes one of the most important results from ethnobotanical investigations: the ability to orient chemical analyses along lines of biodynamically useful species.
HPV Literacy: The Role of English Proficiency in Korean American Immigrant Women.

Background Although Korean American women have one of the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates among all Asian American and non-Hispanic White women, they are less likely to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. Objectives This study aimed to examine Korean American women's HPV literacy and factors related to HPV literacy to identify targeted intervention strategies. Methods A quota sampling strategy was used to recruit 243 Korean American women aged 19-85 years in the Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan area. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to examine factors associated with HPV literacy. Findings HPV literacy of Korean American immigrant women was moderate, and knowledge about HPV detection items was particularly low. Age was the only predisposing factor that had a significantly negative association with HPV literacy, whereas education level and English proficiency had a significant positive relationship with HPV literacy. Health status as a need factor was significantly positively associated with HPV literacy.
Copper and zinc in inflammation

Inflammation is a desirable complex process by which the organism controls and repairs effects of noxious stimuli. Efficacy of the organism in ameliorating the undesirable effects of inflammation is measured by decreases in the four cardinal features of inflammation, pain, redness, heat and swelling, is with the ultimate aim of preventing loss of function. Experimental studies teach that copper and zinc are fundamentally involved in the expression and control of inflammation. How copper and zinc metabolism changes in inflammatory states and how inflammation modulates the organism’s fluctuating copper and zinc levels are discussed using examples from laboratory experiments and from natural experiments such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Bringing theory and reality together through CIM

Computer Controls and networks are at the heart of CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) cells. The interdisciplinary nature of CIM cells brings Computer Science students together with Engineering Technology and other students face to face with real world problems. Texas A&M University Corpus Christi is currently developing a funded CIM cell laboratory that will be used in three Computer Science courses and four Engineering Technology courses. The courses include Manufacturing Processes, Programmable Logic Controllers, Control Systems, Capstone Projects, Systems Programming, and System Analysis and Design. The Mechanical Engineering Technology students benefit from the study of mechanical components, the design of tooling and fixtures, the selection of material handling equipment, pneumatic actuators and clamps, and the relationship of material selection to the manufacturing process. The Control Systems Engineering Technology students study the use of sensors, data acquisition, actuators, networking of equipment, robot controllers, programmable logic controllers, and the communication of the cell with overall factory operations. The Computer Science students will focus on the development of controlling algorithms, cell control, user interfaces, networking, and the manipulation and analysis of the data collected. The students of each of the three majors will benefit from working in interdisciplinary groups to solve real-world-like problems. [6,7]
Solving Square Jigsaw Puzzle by Hierarchical Loop Constraints

We present a novel computational puzzle solver for square-piece image jigsaw puzzles with no prior information such as piece orientation or anchor pieces. By “piece” we mean a square $d$d x $d$d block of pixels, where we investigate pieces as small as 7 × 7 pixels. To reconstruct such challenging puzzles, we propose to find maximum geometric consensus between pieces, specifically hierarchical piece loops. The proposed algorithm seeks out loops of four pieces and aggregates the smaller loops into higher order “loops of loops” in a bottom-up fashion. In contrast to previous puzzle solvers which aim to maximize compatibility measures between all pairs of pieces and thus depend heavily on the pairwise compatibility measures used, our approach reduces the dependency on the pairwise compatibility measures which become increasingly uninformative for small scales and instead exploits geometric agreement among pieces. Our contribution also includes an improved pairwise compatibility measure which exploits directional derivative information along adjoining boundaries of the pieces. We verify the proposed algorithm as well as its individual components with mathematical analysis and reconstruction experiments.
Diuretic Strategies in Severely Ill Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Introduction Intravenous loop diuretics remain the mainstay of therapy for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF); however, most physicians rely on clinical experience when choosing a diuretic strategy. Studies have compared continuous versus intermittent loop diuretic strategies, but few have looked at severely ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) or on inotropes. Our study aimed to determine the characteristics and outcomes of patients with ADHF receiving continuous versus intermittent loop diuretic strategies without excluding patients with renal failure or later requiring inotropes. Methods Using a retrospective cohort design, we included patients admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital for ADHF who received right heart catheterization from 2012 to 2017. Exclusion criteria included LVEF ≥ 40% and requiring inotropes prior to the index hospitalization. Measures of interest included 30- and 90-day readmissions, need for renal replacement therapy, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Continuous and categorical variables were analyzed using student's t-test and chi-square testing. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 206 patients met inclusion criteria. Age, ethnicity, LVEF, type of cardiomyopathy, presence of severe valve disease and comorbidities were similar between patients receiving an intermittent versus continuous loop diuretic strategy. Patients who received a continuous loop diuretic strategy were more likely to be male (71.8% vs 54.5%, p = 0.01), have a higher BMI (32.9 vs 29.3, p = 0.004), have an AKI on admission (52.5% vs 35.1%, p = 0.02), and be on inotropes both pre- and post-RHC (77.6% vs 38.8%, p = Conclusion At our institution, patients receiving a continuous loop diuretic strategy were more likely to be male, have a higher BMI, have an AKI present on admission, and be placed on inotropes during their hospital stay. Patients with this strategy had a longer length of stay but no difference in 30- or 90-day readmissions. Because patients who received continuous loop diuretics were more likely to have acute renal failure and be on inotropes, it will be important to further assess this group's response to continuous versus intermittent loop diuretics as these patients were excluded from prior landmark trials.
Proximal Femoral Allograft-Prosthetic Composites: Do They Really Restore Bone? A Retrospective Review of Revision Allograft-Prosthetic Composites.

Abstract Background Large bone deficiencies are a challenging problem, historically treated with an allograft-prosthetic composite (APC) or megaprosthesis. There were several advantages of the APC compared with early megaprostheses, including the theoretical benefit of restoring bone stock. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have evaluated this claim. Our purpose was to review our institution's experience with APCs of the proximal femur that underwent revision for an aseptic cause and determine if the allograft bone was retained or removed during the revision procedure. Methods We identified 203 proximal femoral allograft prosthetic composites placed from 1988 through 2014. Twenty-seven of these patients underwent a revision because of an aseptic cause. Three categories were devised to classify the amount of allograft retention: type A, complete allograft retention; type B, partial retention; and type C, no allograft retention. Results The mean time from the initial APC to revision surgery was 5 years. The most common indication for revision included failure of the allograft (loosening or fracture). At the time of revision, there were 3 type A cases (11%), 4 type B cases (15%), and 20 type C cases (74%). Three of the 4 type B cases used the retained allograft as a strut graft around a newly inserted megaprosthesis. Conclusion The results of this study are contradictory to previous literature that suggests APCs restore bone stock. In this series, the allograft was retained in only a small percentage of cases when the APC was revised for an aseptic cause. Level of Evidence IV.
Mechanism of Enhanced MerTK-Dependent Macrophage Efferocytosis by Extracellular Vesicles.

Objective: Extracellular vesicles secreted by cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCev) polarize macrophages toward a distinctive phenotype with enhanced phagocytic capacity (MCDCev). These changes underl...
The Added Value

Abstract This chapter explores the added value (i.e., opportunities, knowledge, skills, and attributes) that the qualification of earning a PhD in engineering brings its recipients. Reasons to earn a PhD rather than a Bachelor’s or a Master’s are important since unlike many disciplines, an engineering Bachelor’s degree can be a terminal one in which graduates earn above average salaries. Although this chapter focused initially on the positive aspects, or value, of earning an engineering PhD, negative aspects of getting a PhD (e.g., being overqualified to do fundamental engineering work) and neutral aspects (i.e., no added value) of obtaining an engineering PhD also emerged.
Simultaneous separation of carboxyl functionalized cellulose and egg albumin using ionic polyelectrolytes in an aqueous-organic multi-phase system

Abstract Harvesting microalgae is technically challenging due to the low concentration of biomass in the growth medium. Moreover, separation and harvesting of intracellular components from microalgae are equally challenging due to the complexity of the algal matrix. Separation of the valuable intracellular compounds from microalgae requires significant processing steps and can add to the cost of the final products. In this work, we report a novel technique for separation of cellulose particles (mimicking algal cells) and albumin (mimicking algal proteins) via selective interfacing of cationic polyelectrolyte to the surface of one component and migrating it to a hydrophobic organic solvent. In this work, two different systems were studied, a two-phase system consisting of water-organic solvent, and a three-phase system consisting of salt, polyethylene glycol, and an organic solvent. In the two-phase system, it was found that around ~75% of proteins can be retained in water phase while ~85% cellulose can be migrated into hexane phase at pH 4.5 and a polyelectrolyte concentration of 3% (w/w of the suspended particles) in a single unit operation. The efficiency of the migration in the three-phase was much lower since proteins dispersed in all the three phases. The results indicate the possibility of using the cationic polyelectrolyte-based two-phase technique to separate proteins from a mixture of cellulose and protein alluding the possibility of usage to separate cellulose-heavy microalgal debris from water-soluble components such as proteins from a disintegrated algal matrix.
A multi-pollutant model: a method suitable for studying complex relationships in environmental epidemiology

Most of the models developed to study the effects of pollutants on the health of people are single input and single outcome while adjusting for other variables. However, the real environment is a mixture of pollutants, which affect people synergistically and varies in time and space. The aim of this work is to introduce a multiple exposures-outcomes tree regression method. An oblique tree with Weighted Oblique Decision Trees (WODT) algorithm was designed to find the share effects of pollutant(s) on health outcomes and investigate the temporal and spatial differences. Using this method, a case study was conducted on the association between O3, NO2, PM2.5 and asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and bronchitis in CA, USA. The results indicated that NO2 and O3 are responsible for asthma emergency department (ED) visits in South Coast and San Diego Air Basins during January–April and October–December for the years 2005–2015. For PM2.5, the results indicated that an increase in concentration was associated with an increase in the number of ED visits for COPD and pneumonia during January–December in the whole study area. The method introduced in this study is useful in handling multi-pollutant exposure conditions. Using this method, public health agencies and policy makers can better understand the relative effects of multiple pollutants on the health of people in temporal and spatial scales.
Multilevel versus single-level factor analysis: Differentiating within-person and between-person variability using the CCAPS-34.

Objective: Although most self-report measures of distress are intended to assess time-varying constructs, they are usually developed using between-person data. They are therefore vulnerable to misspecification due to measurement nonequivalence at the between-person and within-person levels. In recent years, multiple studies have found that self-report distress may not be the same when considered over time versus between people: what changes over time may not be the same as what makes individuals different from one another. Method: In this study, we present a multilevel factor analysis (MFA) of a widely used multidimensional self-report measure of psychological symptoms, the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-34 (CCAPS-34), in two samples (Ns: 1,223 and 757) of individuals with 10 or more observations each. We compare the results to traditional factor analysis. Results: Single-level factor analyses converged with the established seven-factor structure, regardless of sample or data subset. The MFA largely, but not entirely, recovered the existing factor structure of the CCAPS-34 at the within-person level in both samples, but not at the between-person level. The between-person factor structure was simpler than the within-person factor structure, particularly in the nonclinical sample in which only two factors were sufficient. Conclusions: The factors of this instrument that change over time appear to be narrow, while differences between people are broader. This argues against using general distress measures when assessing treatment outcomes. MFA is a promising method for measure development, even in data with relatively few observations per person. This method may clarify how self-report psychopathology manifests over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).