cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acculturation is Associated With Higher VO2max in Overweight Hispanic Children.

Acculturation has been implicated to be associated with physical activity (PA) behaviors in adults; little is known, however, with respect to the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cardiorespiratory fit ness (VO 2max ) and/or PA were associated with acculturation status in overweight Hispanic children. In a sample of 144 children 8–13 years old, acculturation status was determined by place of birth: foreign born (n = 17), 1st generation (n = 101), or 2nd/3rd generation (n = 26), and by questionnaire: less assimilated (n = 76) or more assimilated (n = 34). VO 2max was measured using a treadmill protocol, PA was assessed by questionnaire, and body composition by DEXA. ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to determine unadjusted and adjusted group differences, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, the 2nd/3rd generation group had significantly higher VO 2max compared with the 1st generation group: 2.26 ± 0.20 L/min vs. 2.15 ± 0.19 L/min, p = .03. No differences were noted for PA, however. Acculturation to the U.S. is associated with higher VO 2max in overweight Hispanic children. Longitudinal analyses are needed to determine whether these fitness differences confer protective health effects in this at-risk population. Acculturation is defined as “when people from differing backgrounds come into contact with one another and interchange cultural attitudes and behaviors” (2). These interchanges often result in the adaptation and assimilation of traits from the dominant culture, which lead to changes in behaviors. Recent increases in immigration to the U.S. have created a large population of first- and secondgeneration children and adolescents who experience cultural influences from both the U.S. and the country of their ancestral origin (22). Such is the case for Hispanic children born in the U.S., who are now estimated to account for more than 50% of all births in California (10). It is therefore of great interest to investigate how this intermix of cultural influences might affect the health status and health behaviors of this population.
Real design problems and real clients: a systems engineering senior design program

We describe the senior design program in Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia. This program serves philosophical capstone of our undergraduate curriculum. We also describe our experiences related to the implementation and execution of the program. The senior design courses provide a major apprenticeship experience for the students that involve them in real design problems while working with real clients. Working in groups of five to eight members, the students apply their classroom knowledge of systems analysis and design to open-ended problems and real applications. Our experience with the program for the first six years has led to considerable success, with numerous student design groups receiving commendations from clients.
Low Plasma Levels of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Patients with Acute Influenza

Plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were measured in young adults with influenza virus type A (H3N2) infection for whom cultures were positive and in comparable controls without symptoms or other evidence of illness. The mean plasma ACTH level +/- SE in 19 patients with acute influenza was 13.5 +/- 2.1 pg/mL compared with 23 +/- 3.2 pg/mL in 11 controls (P = .02). Mean plasma ACTH levels +/- SE had risen to 21 +/- 4.1 pg/mL in specimens obtained from patients during convalescence. The mean plasma cortisol level +/- SE in patients with acute influenza was 13.7 +/- 1.4 micrograms/dL compared with 10.8 +/- 1.0 micrograms/dL in controls (P = not significant). ACTH levels in individual controls were relatively higher than their cortisol levels, but ACTH levels in patients tended to be lower than cortisol levels in paired specimens. These findings suggest that influenza virus type A infection may have an inhibitory effect on the production or release of ACTH.
Genomewide Screening for Genes Associated with Gliotoxin Resistance and Sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Gliotoxin (GT) is a secondary fungal metabolite with pleiotropic immunosuppressive properties that have been implicated in Aspergillus virulence. However, the mechanisms of GT cytotoxicity and its molecular targets in eukaryotic cells have not been fully characterized. We screened a haploid library of Saccharomyces cerevisiae single-gene deletion mutants (4,787 strains in EUROSCARF) to identify nonessential genes associated with GT increased resistance (GT-IR) and increased sensitivity (GT-IS). The susceptibility of the wild-type parental strain BY4741 to GT was initially assessed by broth microdilution methods using different media. GT-IR and GT-IS were defined as a fourfold increase and decrease, respectively, in MIC, and this was additionally confirmed by susceptibility testing on agar yeast extract-peptone-glucose plates. The specificity of GT-IR and GT-IS mutants exhibiting normal growth compared with the wild-type strain was further tested in studies of their susceptibility to conventional antifungal agents, cycloheximide, and H2O2. GT-IR was associated with the disruption of genes acting in general metabolism (OPI1, SNF1, IFA38), mitochondrial function (RTG2), DNA damage repair (RAD18), and vesicular transport (APL2) and genes of unknown function (YGL235W, YOR345C, YLR456W, YGL072C). The disruption of three genes encoding transsulfuration (CYS3), mitochondrial function (MEF2), and an unknown function (YKL037W) led to GT-IS. Specificity for GT-IR and GT-IS was observed in all mutants. Importantly, the majority (69%) of genes implicated in GT-IR (6/10) and GT-IS (2/3) have human homologs. We identified novel Saccharomyces genes specifically implicated in GT-IR or GT-IS. Because most of these genes are evolutionarily conserved, further characterization of their function could improve our understanding of GT cytotoxicity mechanisms in humans.
Effects of buprofezin and diflubenzuron on various developmental stages of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri.

BACKGROUND: Diaphorina citri populations in Florida are developing resistance to commonly used neurotoxic insecticides. Alternativestoneurotoxins,suchasinsectgrowthregulators,areneededtocontrolthisseason-longsubtropicalpesttoprevent or delay development of insecticide resistance. In the present investigation, two insect growth regulators (IGRs), buprofezin and diflubenzuron, were evaluated against various developmental stages of D.citri. RESULTS: The 0‐1-day-old D.citri eggs were more susceptible to buprofezin and diflubenzuron than the 3‐4-day-old eggs. Adult emergence was completely suppressed by treating first- or third-instar nymphs with buprofezin or diflubenzuron at 30‐240or23‐184 µ gm L −1 ratesrespectively.Treatmentoffifth-instarnymphswithdiflubenzuronatarateof184 µ gm L −1 and withbuprofezinat30‐240 µ gm L −1 ratesresultedinapproximately20and15‐80%reductionsinadultemergencerespectively. The mean number of eggs per plant was reduced at 5 days after topical treatment with diflubenzuron. Mean egg hatch per plant was reduced at 5 and 6‐15 days after topical treatments with buprofezin and diflubenzuron respectively. CONCLUSION: Buprofezin and diflubenzuron effectively suppressed D.citri adult emergence. D.citri were more susceptible as early (first‐third-instar) than late (fifth-instar) nymphs. Both IGRs inhibited egg production and egg hatch. Reduction in the number of subsequent offspring suggests reduced vertical transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the pathogen thought to cause citrus greening disease. The present results indicate that both IGRs tested here should be effective tools for rotation in insecticide-based D.citri management programs. c � 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
The participation of metals in the mechanism of the F1-ATPase

Abstract The Mg 2+ cofactor of the F 1 F 0 ATP synthase is required for the asymmetry of the catalytic sites that leads to the differences in affinity for nucleotides. Vanadyl (V IV O) 2+ is a functional surrogate for Mg 2+ in the F 1 -ATPase. The 51 V-hyperfine parameters derived from EPR spectra of VO 2+ bound to specific sites on the enzyme provide a direct probe of the metal ligands at each site. Site-directed mutations of residues that serve as metal ligands were found to cause measurable changes in the 51 V-hyperfine parameters of the bound VO 2+ , thereby providing a means by which metal ligands were identified in the functional enzyme in several conformations. At the low-affinity catalytic site comparable to β E in mitochondrial F 1 , activation of the chloroplast F 1 -ATPase activity induces a conformational change that inserts the P-loop threonine and catch-loop tyrosine hydroxyl groups into the metal coordination sphere thereby displacing an amino group and the Walker homology B aspartate. Kinetic evidence suggests that coordination of this tyrosine by the metal when the empty site binds substrate may provide an escapement mechanism that allows the γ subunit to rotate and the conformation of the catalytic sites to change, thereby allowing rotation only when the catalytic sites are filled. In the high-affinity conformation analogous to the β DP site of mitochondrial F 1 , the catch-loop tyrosine has been displaced by carboxyl groups from the Walker homology B aspartate and from βE197 in Chlamydomonas CF 1 . Coordination of the metal by these carboxyl groups contributes significantly to the ability of the enzyme to bind the nucleotide with high affinity.
A Life-Cycle Cost Comparison of Exit Stairs and Occupant Evacuation Elevators in Tall Buildings

Recent changes in the International Building Code (IBC) require a third exit stair for buildings in excess of 420 ft (128 m) high. Additionally, the new code provision allows for occupant evacuation elevators (OEE) to be used as an alternative to the third stair, provided the passenger elevator be protected in such a way to facilitate safe building evacuation. In this study, we evaluate the life-cycle costs of these alternative means of egress, using two prototypical building designs. Building ‘42F’ is a 42 floor, 504 ft (154 m) high building with a total floorspace of 1.68 million ft2 (0.16 million m2). Building ‘75F’ is a 75 floor, 900 ft (274 m) high building with a total floorspace of 3.38 million ft2 (0.31 million m2), including an 8403 ft2 (781 m2) sky lobby. The life-cycle cost of the OEE is compared to two exit stair designs, differentiated by width: 44 in. (112 cm) and 66 in. (168 cm). The wider exit stair conforms with another change to the IBC that requires the increase in width of exit stairs by 50% in new sprinklered buildings. The results of the economic analysis demonstrate that: (1) an additional exit stair is a cost-effective alternative to the installation of OEE on a first-cost basis; and (2) OEE are a cost-effective alternative to the installation of an additional exit stair on a life-cycle cost basis when rental rates are moderate to high and when discount rates are moderate to low.
The Mediated Metropolis: Anthropological Issues in Cities and Mass Communication

Cinema, radio, television, video, the Internet, and other visual mass media have found niches in the dense creativity of twentieth-century urban life, altering social practices and cultural encounters worldwide. Yet, without cities where producers and audiences have congregated, mass production, texts, distribution, and reception lack human foundations. This symbiosis demands careful ethnographic analysis of media within concrete urban histories. The AA. illustrate this approach from work with film and viewership in two cities. Hong Kong has gained global fame for its films, often scrutinized for clues to its identity; the AA. examine how moviegoing itself and the contexts of transnational spectatorship define a changing city. Philadelphia, by contrast, has rarely controlled its film images; here, it is useful to contrast the production and reading of visual images about the city with images produced through narrowcast media that speak to urban social issues. In both cases, urban visual cultures highlight contestation and creativity in local and global frameworks.
Neural computing with structured information

Techniques to index and structurally relate the memories stored in a neural network are considered. Indexing may be done either by appending indexing keys to memories or by using portion of the memory itself to perform self-indexing. The first method is useful for easy recall and it can be applied to develop a database system. The second method defines a mechanism for sequential associative memory and for the sequential generation of a number of states. The usefulness of these techniques for optimization problems and knowledge representation is discussed. In particular, the use of neural networks in conjunction with the technique of octree representation for computer vision is described. >
β2-Integrins in demyelinating disease: not adhering to the paradigm

The beta(2)-integrins are a subfamily of integrins expressed on leukocytes that play an essential role in leukocyte trafficking, activation, and many other functions. Studies in EAE, the animal model for multiple sclerosis, show differential requirements for beta(2)-integrins in this disease model, ranging from critical in the case of LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) to unimportant in the case of CD11d/CD18. Importantly, expression of beta(2)-integrins on T cell subsets provides some clues as to the function(s) these adhesion molecules play in disease development. For example, transferred EAE studies have shown that Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) expression on alphabeta T cells is critical for disease development, and the absence of LFA-1 on Tregs in recipient mice results in exacerbated disease. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding the role of beta(2)-integrins in demyelinating disease and new information about the role of beta(2)-integrins with respect to alterations in Treg numbers and function. In addition, we discuss the potential for targeting beta(2)-integrins in human demyelinating disease in light of the recent animal model studies.
Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD 1.0): a monitor of complete and ongoing genome projects world-wide.

UNLABELLED GOLD (Genomes On Line Database) is a World Wide Web resource for comprehensive access to information regarding complete and ongoing genome projects around the world. AVAILABILITY GOLD is based at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is available at http://geta.life.uiuc.edu/ approximately nikos/genomes. html. It is also mirrored at the European Bioinformatics Institute at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/research/cgg/genomes.html. CONTACT genomes@ebi.ac.uk
REACTIONS OF NORMAL AND TUBERCULOUS ANIMALS TO TUBERCULO-PROTEIN AND TUBERCULO-PHOSPHATIDE

Prior observations on the cellular reactions to tuberculo-phosphatide are confirmed and compared with reactions induced by this material in tuberculous animals. In the latter the response is accelerated and augmented and simulates the Koch phenomenon. Tuberculo-protein produces no macroscopic reaction in normal animals. The microscopic reaction of neutrophiles and monocytes regresses in less than a week. The same material in tuberculous animals causes a response characterized by more or less hemorrhage and necrosis, tissue degeneration, and infiltration of neutrophiles and monocytes. Late in the reaction there may be a few epithelioid cells and foreign body giant cells. Preparations of tuberculo-phosphatide which contain no tubercle bacilli, or only a few, induce the typical cellular response but do not induce hypersensitiveness to tuberculin. Repeated intradermal skin-test injections of tuberculo-protein MA-100 in normal guinea pigs may be followed by a mild hypersensitiveness to subsequent injections.
The relationship between the instantaneous velocity field and the rate of moment release in the lithosphere

SUMMARY Instantaneous velocity gradients within the continental lithosphere are often related to the tectonic driving forces. This relationship is direct if the forces are secular, as for the case of loading of a locked section of a subduction interface by the downgoing plate. If the forces are static, as for the case of lateral variations in gravitational potential energy, then velocity gradients can be produced only if the lithosphere has, on average, zero strength. The static force model may be related to the long-term velocity field but not the instantaneous velocity field (typically measured geodetically over a period of several years) because over short time intervals the upper lithosphere behaves elastically. In order to describe both the short- and long-term behaviour of an (elastic) lithosphere‐(viscoelastic) asthenosphere system in a selfconsistent manner, I construct a deformation model termed the expected interseismic velocity (EIV) model. Assuming that the lithosphere is populated with faults that rupture continually, each with a definite mean recurrence time, and that the Earth is well approximated as a linear elastic‐viscoelastic coupled system, I derive a simple relationship between the instantaneous velocity field and the average rate of moment release in the lithosphere. Examples with synthetic fault networks demonstrate that velocity gradients in actively deforming regions may to a large extent be the product of compounded viscoelastic relaxation from past earthquakes on hundreds of faults distributed over large ( >10 6 km 2 ) areas.
Emission sources and ocean uptake of acetonitrile (CH3CN) in the atmosphere

[1] Airborne measurements of acetonitrile (CH3CN) were made off the U.S. west coast, over California, and during two transfer flights over the U.S. in April and May of 2002. Acetonitrile was strongly enhanced in the plumes from two forest fires, confirming the usefulness of the measurement as an indicator for biomass burning emissions. The emission ratios relative to CO of acetonitrile in the two plumes were slightly higher than previously reported values for fires burning in other fuel types. No significant acetonitrile release was observed in the Los Angeles basin or from other point sources (ships and a power plant). Acetonitrile concentrations were significantly reduced in the marine boundary layer indicating the presence of an ocean uptake sink. Increased loss of acetonitrile was observed close to the coast, suggesting that acetonitrile was efficiently lost by dissolving in the upwelling ocean water, or by biological processes in the surface water.
Fast genome-wide epistasis analysis using ant colony optimization for multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis on graphics processing units

Epistasis, or non-linear gene-to-gene interaction, is now thought to be at the heart of many common human diseases. A popular algorithm to detect epistasis is Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR), which exhaustively searches to determine an optimal classification. This exhaustive search is combinatorial in complexity and does not scale efficiently to large datasets. Ant Colony Opimization (ACO) is a technique to reduce this complexity by exploiting expert knowledge to spend more time looking at most likely candidates for the optimal classification. Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are highly-parallel integrated circuits able to execute arbitrary code. The authors implemented ACO MDR on GPUs and compared it to both a Java ACO implementation and an exhaustive C++ implementation. The performance advantage of GPUs, combined with the added computational efficiency of a heuristic evolutionary algorithm such as ACO, allow larger scale problems to be tackled, something that is becoming critical with the advances in high throughput genome sequencing.
Nitrogen biogeochemistry in the Adirondack Mountains of New York: hardwood ecosystems and associated surface waters.

Studies on the nitrogen (N) biogeochemistry in Adirondack northern hardwood ecosystems were summarized. Specific focus was placed on results at the Huntington Forest (HFS), Pancake-Hall Creek (PHC), Woods Lake (WL), Ampersand (AMO), Catlin Lake (CLO) and Hennessy Mountain (HM). Nitrogen deposition generally decreased from west to east in the Adirondacks, and there have been no marked temporal changes in N deposition from 1978 through 1998. Second-growth western sites (WL, PHC) had higher soil solution NO3 concentrations and fluxes than the HFS site in the central Adirondacks. Of the two old-growth sites (AMO and CLO), AMO had substantially higher NO3 concentrations due to the relative dominance of sugar maple that produced litter with high N mineralization and nitrification rates. The importance of vegetation in affecting N losses was also shown for N-fixing alders in wetlands. The Adirondack Manipulation and Modeling Project (AMMP) included separate experimental N additions of (NH4)2SO4 at WL, PHC and HFS and HNO3 at WL and HFS. Patterns of N loss varied with site and form of N addition and most of the N input was retained. For 16 lake/watersheds no consistent changes in NO3 concentrations were found from 1982 to 1997. Simulations suggested that marked NO3 loss will only be manifested over extended periods. Studies at the Arbutus Watershed provided information on the role of biogeochemical and hydrological factors in affecting the spatial and temporal patterns of NO3 concentrations. The heterogeneous topography in the Adirondacks has generated diverse landscape features and patterns of connectivity that are especially important in regulating the temporal and spatial patterns of NO3 concentrations in
Ethnomethodology as an emic guide to cultural systems: the case of the insects and the Kayapó Indians of Amazonia

This paper is an attempt to briefly summarize the taxonomic features of the folk entomological classification system of the Kayapo Indians of Central Brazil. The folk system shows a correlation with scientific taxonomies, especially at levels of Class, Order and Family. Several morphological continua os "sequences" are evident and within these are found additional sub-groupings called "complexes". Of particular interest is the sequence labeled "ny", which is analogous to the scientific Orders of Isoptera and Hymenoptera. Patterns for these groupings reflect important social and cultural values and are indicative of the significance of social insects (bees, ants, wasps and termites) in the Kayapo belief system. It is suggested that taxonomic systems are guides to culturally significant domains and point to underlying social and cultural patterns. These patterns are reified by mythology and oral tradition, being encoded as recurring symbolic forms with natural prototypes. Thus an ethnomethodology to determine folk classification systems offers an emic approach to the investigation of cultures and reveals the inter-relationships between cognitive systems, mythology, ceremony, and natural symbols.
Gallium nitride: use in high power control applications

The use of gallium nitride field effect transistors in microwave and RF control applications is discussed. A control model for the FET is presented and used to predict on-state resistance, off-state capacitance and switch cutoff frequency. The effects of the gate bias circuit and high power operation on on-state resistance are also presented.
Adrenoleukodystrophy Oleic acid lowers fibroblast saturated C22‐26 fatty acids

Monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid (C18:1), decreased the content of saturated very-long-chain fatty acids (VLFA) in cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and controls. When confluent ALD fibroblasts were incubated with oleic acid for 5 days in lipid-free medium, which eliminates uptake of exogenous VLFA, the mean cell content of C26:0 was decreased by 33.7 +/- 10.1%. Oleic acid inhibited C26:0 synthesis in ALD fibroblasts by 58% and total fatty acid synthesis by 68 to 78%. Therefore, the elevated C26:0 levels in ALD cells may be lowered by inhibiting fatty acid biosynthesis, and inhibition of saturated VLFA synthesis by oleate may be useful in treating ALD.
Corrigendum to ‘Predictive Risk Factors for 30-day Readmissions Following Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty and Modification of Patient Management’. [The Journal of Arthroplasty 29/10 (2014) 1938–1942]

Duration, mean (SD) 199.57 46.72 181.97 38.165 0.02 LOS, mean 5.053 5.4671 3.721 1.2989 0.145 n % n % Sig. EBL b100 12 31.6% 48 37.2% 0.525 100–300 15 39.5% 51 39.5% 0.995 300–1000 8 21.1% 24 18.6% 0.736 N1000 3 7.9% 6 4.7% 0.427 ASA High (III–IV) 31 81.6% 68 52.7% 0.001 Post-Operative Complications 21 55.3% 54 41.9% 0.144 D/C status 0.443 Home 1 2.6% 7 5.4% Home w/Services 13 34.2% 32 24.8% SNF 24 63.2% 90 69.8%
Previous anxiety and depression as risk factors for early labour force exit

Background Individuals with a history of mental illness have lower earnings than individuals without. A possible reason is that those with prior anxiety or depression may be more likely to exit the labour force prior to retirement age, but evidence has been mixed and limited. Our objective was to compare risk of early labour force exit between employed adults with a history of depression or anxiety versus those without, separately for men and women. Methods We used data from the Baltimore Epidemiological Catchment Area Follow-up Cohort, which collected baseline data in 1981 and follow-up data 1993–1996 and 2004–2005. Cox proportional hazards models estimated the relative risk of labour force exit comparing those with versus without prior history of anxiety or depressive disorders. Results Women with prior anxiety or depression are at 37% increased risk of dropping out of the labour force as compared to women without, controlling for age, socioeconomic status, race and marital status (HR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.79). Men with prior anxiety or depression are 18% more likely to subsequently drop out of the labour force as compared to men without, controlling for the above confounders as well as veteran status, but this association is not statistically significant (HR: 1.18, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.27). Conclusions Prior anxiety or depression increases risk of early labour force exit for women. These findings may help explain previously reported lower earnings among female individuals with a history of mental illness and highlight the importance of considering anxiety and depressive disorders in policies supporting labour force participation.
PACT: participant-centered clinical trial framework

Our PArticipant-centered Clinical Trial (PACT) Framework is a new approach to the design and analysis of clinical trials in the behavioral, social and health sciences. The PACT Framework is based on the idea that data can be privately maintained by participants and never revealed to researchers, while still enabling statistical models to be fit and scientific hypotheses tested. PACT rests on the assumption that clinical trial data should belong to, be controlled by, and remain in the possession of participants. Since data have value, individuals can thus accumulate personal wealth by participating in science. The innovation of the PACT Framework is that statistical models are fit by sending an objective function and vector of parameters to each participants' personal device (e.g., smart-phone), where the likelihood of that individual's data is calculated locally. Only the likelihood value is returned to the central optimizer. The optimizer aggregates likelihood values from all participants and chooses new parameters until the model converges. The PACT Framework solves or simplifies many current problems that plague human participant clinical trials. A PACT study provides significantly greater privacy for participants; automatic management of opt-in and opt-out consent; lower cost for the researcher and funding institute; a larger base of participants; and faster determination of results. PACT facilitates the use of mobile devices that can enable many trials to be performed while participants remain in their normal living environments, thus opening new paths in the way one thinks about research methods. Furthermore, if a participant opts into many clinical trials simultaneously, all of the studies could automatically have access to individual-level longitudinal data sharing.
Discriminant-based analysis of the dynamics of turbulent flow

Several examples are described where the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor are used to describe the structure of a fluid flow. This approach provides a rational basis for understanding various dynamical processes which can occur in the flow. Two types of motions responsible for most of the Reynolds stress generation in turbulent wall flows are identified.
Re-tuning the past, selling the future: Tata-AIG and the Tree of Love

This article explores the mobilisation of Indian popular music in the Tata-AIG life insurance company television advertisement ‘Tree of Love’ (2004). I address ways in which music representing different periods of Hindi film, along with visual representations of Indian material culture, have been integrated into an advertising narrative that alludes to India's technological and economic development. I suggest that a range of aural and visual signs subtly complement each other in creating a narrative that not only marks the passage of time, but reframes past social and economic debates into contemporary terms. I contextualise this advertisement – and the signs that it uses – within the field of the Indian insurance industry, as well as within the social-historical context of modern India. Then, utilising elements of Peircean semiotic theory, I closely analyse the aural representations of the passage of time and different eras of Indian musical culture. The analysis ties together the interactions of musical and non-musical signs with the cultural memories that the commercial is designed to evoke. Ultimately, I argue that musical meaning in this advertising context emerges from the complex interaction of these aural and visual signs, and produces memory as much as it reflects it.
Stabilizing the spine to relieve low back pain.

If the spine is unstable, it produces low back pain. Most often, this instability results when a disk degenerates or when the spine mechanically dysfunctions after a disk is removed above the lumbosacral level. If and when operation is necessary, fusing the lateral transverse processes with cancellous iliac bone will give desired results.
Abstract 324: RAGE Deficiency Contributes to Increased Induction of Angiogenesis in Hindlimb Ischemia in Diabetic Mice by Modulation of Hypoxia- and Inflammatory Dependent Gene Expression

People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing ischemic vascular disease, including peripheral artery disease (PAD). Prior studies highlighted the importance of midkine for induction of angiogenesis associated with vascular repair process in the hindlimb ischemia model and suggested that the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway may be involved in midkine expression in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), monocytes and endothelial cells under hypoxia. Our previous data showed that genetic deletion of receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) improved restoration of angiogenesis and blood flow in hindlimb ischemia in diabetic mice. Here, we tested the hypothesis that RAGE deficiency would upregulate expression of certain genes responsible for the coordination of inflammatory response and angiogenesis in hindlimb ischemia in diabetic mice. Wild type (WT) and RAGE-/- mice were rendered diabetic (D) with streptozotocin (stz); non-diabetic (ND) cohorts were treated with buffer alone. Aft...
Comparative Study on Selection of Batten plate and Lace Bar Lattice Columns under Axial Compression

The minimum amount of the steel between the batten plate and lace bar lattice columns under axial compression in the stability conditions of both strong and weak axis is compared and analyzed through a large number of examples,and the stable economic conditions for the application of two components are obtained.The formulas in the minimum amount of two kinds of steel columns under axial compression are derived.The section and spacing of double limbs,the effective lengths of both strong and weak axis,the size and spacing of batten plate,axial pressure,as well as the section and assigned angle of lace bar are taken as variable parameters so as to obtain the minimum steel consumption of two lattice columns.All these as mentioned above could provide some references for the engineering design of lattice columns.
Association of peritraumatic dissociation with symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.

AIM In this study, we evaluated whether peritraumatic dissociation (PD) was associated with symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and whether this association was modified by trauma prior to police work. METHOD Symptoms of depression, PTSD, peritraumatic dissociative experience (PDE), and trauma prior to police work were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, PTSD Checklist-Civilian, PDE questionnaire, and the Brief Trauma questionnaire, respectively, in 328 police officers. Separate regression models were used to assess if either symptoms of depression or PTSD were associated with PD stratified by prior trauma. Means were adjusted for race, number of drinks per week, and smoking. RESULTS PD was associated with symptoms of PTSD and depression (β = 0.65, p < .001 and β = 0.27, p < .001, respectively). PD was positively associated with symptoms of PTSD regardless of prior trauma (β = 0.61, p < .001(without prior trauma), 0.75, p < .001 (with prior trauma). In contrast to PTSD, depression symptoms were significantly associated with PD scores in individuals with prior trauma (β = 0.47, p < .001), but not in individuals without prior trauma (β = 0.13, p = .165). LIMITATIONS This is a cross-sectional study. Outcomes were obtained via self-report and were not clinically diagnosed. Aspects of both the trauma event as well as the symptoms and severity of PD may have introduced recall bias. CONCLUSION These results add to the literature indicating that PD plays a role in symptoms of PTSD and depression and how prior trauma may modify this relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record
Revisiting Adjuvant Radiotherapy After Gross Total Resection of World Health Organization Grade II Meningioma

Background Atypical meningioma is a World Health Organization grade II tumor with intermediate prognosis and risk of recurrence. Optimal management after gross total resection (GTR) is controversial, with observation versus adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) contentiously debated. Methods Pathologic review was performed of all atypical meningiomas diagnosed at our institution from 1988 to 2011. Retrospective chart review documented patient demographics, extent of surgical resection, history of radiation therapy, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). A supplemental systematic literature review was completed in which English-language articles published since 1979 comparing observation and RT after GTR of atypical meningioma were surveyed. Results Sixty-nine patients met inclusion criteria. Sixty-one underwent observation, and 8 received RT. Overall, 15 observation and 3 patients undergoing RT experienced tumor recurrence (5-year PFS 79% vs. 88%; P = 0.67); 19 observation and 2 patients undergoing RT died (5-year OS 89% vs. 83%; P = 0.68). Systematic review identified 9 preceding studies reporting extractable data comparing observation and RT outcomes after GTR. Recurrence was 18% and 19% after observation and RT ( P = 0.9); total survival was 84% and 93% ( P = 0.2). At 5 years, PFS was 81% after observation and 88% after RT ( P = 0.2), whereas survival was 87% after observation and 96% after RT ( P = 0.4). Conclusions Observation alone after GTR of atypical meningioma was not associated with increased risk of tumor recurrence or mortality. Although some preceding authors advocate for RT based on empiric experience, a systematic review also suggests that observation may provide equivalent PFS and OS to RT. Taken together, these findings indicate that observation after GTR may be a safe alternative to RT.
A 6-point risk score predicted which elderly patients would fall in hospital

Source Citation Oliver D, Britton M, Seed P, Martin FC, Hopper AH. Development and evaluation of evidence based risk assessment tool (STRATIFY) to predict which elderly inpatients will fall: case-c...
Characterization of Intramolecular Interactions of Cytochrome c Using Hydrogen–Deuterium Exchange-Trapped Ion Mobility Spectrometry–Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics

Globular proteins, such as cytochrome c (cyt c), display an organized native conformation, maintained by a hydrogen bond interaction network. In the present work, the structural interrogation of kinetically trapped intermediates of cyt c was performed by correlating the ion-neutral collision cross section (CCS) and charge state with the starting solution conditions and time after desolvation using collision induced activation (CIA), time-resolved hydrogen/deuterium back exchange (HDX) and trapped ion mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (TIMS-MS). The high ion mobility resolving power of the TIMS analyzer allowed the identification of new ion mobility bands, yielding a total of 63 mobility bands over the +6 to +21 charge states and 20 mobility bands over the −5 to −10 charge states. Mobility selected HDX rates showed that for the same charge state, conformers with larger CCS present faster HDX rates in both positive and negative ion mode, suggesting that the charge sites and neighboring exchange sites ...
Drinking Water Disinfection in the United States: Balancing Infectious Disease, Cancer and Costs, Market and Nonmarket Failures

Arguably, the most important public health improvement of the 20th century is the virtual elimination of the most deadly waterborne infectious diseases, such as cholera, through the treatment of drinking water (CDCP, 1999). But current treatment practices have not reduced health risks to zero. Recent studies indicate that waterborne infectious disease (WBID) — albeit less severe — remains more widespread in the U.S. than previously thought. On the other hand, the disinfection methods used in the U.S., most commonly chlorine species, produce a variety of disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of them carcinogenic. Addressing microbial risks by increasing disinfectant doses or longer exposure times will exacerbate the DBP problem. There are solutions that address both WBID and DBPs simultaneously, such as filtration, especially microfiltration and nanofiltration, or improved distribution operations and maintenance, but they also have their advantages and disadvantages, including higher costs.
Effectiveness of Youth Mental Health First Aid USA for Social Work Students.

Purpose:Adolescent mental health is a public health priority. Considered an early intervention approach, Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) trains adults to provide initial assistance to adolesc...
Linear operator-based statistical analysis: A useful paradigm for big data

In this article we lay out some basic structures, technical machineries, and key applications, of Linear Operator-Based Statistical Analysis, and organize them toward a unified paradigm. This paradigm can play an important role in analyzing big data due to the nature of linear operators: they process large number of functions in batches. The system accommodates at least four statistical settings: multivariate data analysis, functional data analysis, nonlinear multivariate data analysis via kernel learning, and nonlinear functional data analysis via kernel learning. We develop five linear operators within each statistical setting: the covariance operator, the correlation operator, the conditional covariance operator, the regression operator, and the partial correlation operator, which provide us with a powerful means to study the interconnections between random variables or random functions in a nonparametric and comprehensive way. We present a case study tracing the development of sufficient dimension reduction, and describe in detail how these linear operators play increasingly critical roles in its recent development. We also present a coordinate mapping method which can be systematically applied to implement these operators at the sample level. The Canadian Journal of Statistics xx: 1–25; 2017 © 2017 Statistical Society of Canada
Vitamin D supplementation decreases serum 27-hydroxycholesterol in a pilot breast cancer trial

27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), an endogenous selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), drives the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), the active metabolite of vitamin D, is known to inhibit expression of CYP27B1, which is very similar in structure and function to CYP27A1, the synthesizing enzyme of 27HC. Therefore, we hypothesized that 1,25(OH)2D may also inhibit expression of CYP27A1, thereby reducing 27HC concentrations in the blood and tissues that express CYP27A1, including breast cancer tissue. 27HC, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and 1,25(OH)2D were measured in sera from 29 breast cancer patients before and after supplementation with low-dose (400 IU/day) or high-dose (10,000 IU/day) vitamin D in the interval between biopsy and surgery. A significant increase (p = 4.3E−5) in 25OHD and a decrease (p = 1.7E−1) in 27HC was observed in high-dose versus low-dose vitamin D subjects. Excluding two statistical outliers, 25OHD and 27HC levels were inversely correlated (p = 7.0E−3). Vitamin D supplementation can decrease circulating 27HC of breast cancer patients, likely by CYP27A1 inhibition. This suggests a new and additional modality by which vitamin D can inhibit ER+ breast cancer growth, though a larger study is needed for verification.
Remote Chemical Sensing Using Nuclear Spectroscopy

Nuclear spectroscopy techniques are used to determine the elemental composition of planetary surfaces and atmospheres. Radiation, including gamma rays and neutrons, is produced steadily by cosmic ray bombardment of the surfaces and atmospheres of planetary bodies and by the decay of radionuclides within the solid surface. The leakage flux of gamma rays and neutrons contains information about the abundance of major elements, selected trace elements, and light elements such as H and C. Gamma rays and neutrons can be measured from high altitudes (less than a planetary radius), enabling global mapping of elemental composition by an orbiting spacecraft. Radiation that escapes into space originates from shallow depths (<1 m within the solid surface). Consequently, nuclear spectroscopy is complementary to other surface mapping techniques, such as reflectance spectroscopy, which is used to determine the mineralogy of planetary surfaces.
Designing human-centered robots: The role of constructive failure

Abstract Framing of failure as constructive can help students to engage in authentic practices of iterative design and to leverage failure in future experiences. In contrast to classroom norms that privilege “right” answers and perfect final submissions, classrooms that position failure and iteration as norms prepare students for the realities of complex problem solving. This qualitative case study examines the role of failure in one middle school human-centered robotics curriculum, a challenging collaborative problem-solving experience for these students. In this context, we conceptualize constructive failure as short-term and supported experiences of failure that build a base for longer-term success solving complex engineering design problems. Within this unit focused on the design and development of robots that serve a social function, scaffolds were provided to orient students to the benefits of failing fast and often. Across several episodes, we show how the instructor of this course introduced and supported failure, and we trace the trajectory of two groups as they moved from frustration to articulating failure as necessary in a comparative case study. This analysis highlights constructive failure as an asset for learning through iterative design and for the development of creative problem-solving skills. We conjecture that formative experiences of failure can support the process of problem-based learning (PBL) – particularly PBL centered on design thinking. This case study works to inform how future K-12 classrooms and curricula might be structured to support and recognize failure as a positive norm and a valued part of collaborative problem solving and design.
Patient satisfaction: history, myths, and misperceptions.

The belief persists that patient satisfaction surveys are more responsive to friendliness and expensive facilities than clinician interaction, but there is evidence to the contrary.
Angiogenesis--biomedical technology.

One of the major consequences of angiogenesis research has been that it has led to new technologies that can aid many areas of science and medicine. In addition, a variety of biomedical technologies that are being developed can be used to aid in the understanding and quantification of the angiogenic response in vivo. There are a number of chapters in this book which deal with the exciting advances of biomedical technology as it relates to angiogenesis. These advances generally fall into three major areas: 1) drug delivery systems, 2) biomaterials and artificial organs, and 3) new imaging methods. Each of these areas is discussed below briefly as a prelude to the chapters in this book.
Growth Characteristics of the Brain

Considering the many observations that have been made to assess brain growth in terms of morphology and biochemistry, one can conclude that the growth of the brain is over long before the rest of the body stops growing. This, of course, does not include the psychological development of the brain, which continues up to and sometimes beyond adulthood.
Prospective associations between children's depressive symptoms and peer victimization: The role of social helplessness

Investigating precursors to peer victimization, a particularly damaging form of peer maltreatment, represents an important research objective. This study's purpose was to evaluate the hypothesis that social helplessness is one mechanism underlying the pathway from early depressive symptoms to subsequent peer victimization among preadolescents in the third through fifth grades (N = 230; 126 girls; Mage at recruitment = 9.48; SD = 0.68). We collected self-reports of depressive symptoms and peer victimization and teacher reports of social helplessness in the fall of 2015 or 2016 (T1) and at two subsequent time points (T2 and T3) separated by 6-month lags. Results from a random intercepts cross-lagged panel model provided evidence for our hypothesized model in which T2 social helplessness partially mediated the effect of T1 depressive symptoms on T3 peer victimization. Findings underscore the importance of school-based prevention and youth development programmes that promote social-emotional learning for youth who are symptomatic for depression. Statement of contribution What is already known on the subject? Children's depressive symptoms and interpersonal dysfunction are related in a transactional way. Children who are symptomatic for depression tend to exhibit social-behavioural deficits. Depression-linked, social-behavioural deficits are associated with relationship disturbances. What does this study add? Children's socially helpless behaviour mediated the contribution of depressive symptoms to subsequent peer victimization. Depressive symptoms predicted, and were predicted by, socially helpless behaviour. Socially helpless behaviour increased risk for, but did not result from, peer victimization.