cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collective Behavior of Polar Impurities in Ionic Crystals

The purpose of this work is to construct a theory which will explain recent low-temperature measurements of the dielectric properties of KCl crystals containing substitutional hydroxyl ions. The Onsager theory of polar liquids, as extended by Pirenne to allow for the possibility of spontaneous polarization, is modified in order to take into account the strong short-range interactions that are important in solids. The theory leads to two simultaneous transcendental equations, which are solved numerically to obtain the dielectric constant for small applied fields and the spontaneous polarization as a function of temperature. The agreement with experiment is good except in the neighborhood of the Curie temperature, where the discrepancies are such as one might expect to arise from the nonuniform distribution of hydroxyl ions in the experimental samples. Theoretical results are also given for the dielectric constant measured in a large steady field or by means of a small alternating field in the presence of a large steady bias.
Pregravid cardiometabolic risk profile and risk for gestational diabetes mellitus

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine pregravid cardiometabolic profile and subsequent risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Study Design GDM cases (n = 199) and control subjects (n = 381) were selected from a cohort of women who took part in a multiphasic health checkup examination at Kaiser Permanente from 1984–1996 and who had a subsequent pregnancy and were matched by year and age at multiphasic health checkup examination and age at delivery. Results Pregravid measurements of serum glucose levels of 100–140 mg/dL, body mass index of ≥25.0 kg/m 2 , and prehypertension/hypertension level were associated independently with GDM risk (odds ratios [OR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–13.9; OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.6–4.3; and OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0–2.3, respectively). The risk of GDM increased with the number of cardiometabolic risk factors ( P P = .0001). Conclusion Pregravid cardiometabolic risk profile may help clinicians to identify high-risk women to target for primary prevention or early management of GDM.
A quantitative comparison of a percentile rule with a 2-fold rule for assessing mutagenicity in the Ames assay

Abstract Using a model based on the bivariate normal density function, this paper compares the effectiveness of two commonly employed decision rules for assessing mutagenicity in the standard Ames Salmonella assay. The 2-fold method, which considers a compound significantly mutagenic if its mean number of revertants per plate at any dose is equal to or greater than twice the mean number of revertants concurrent control, may be a poor indicator of significant mutagenesis. In the percentile method, the frequency of induced mutations for the test compound is tested against the 95th percentile of the accumulated historical data for the spontaneous mutation frequency. As judged by the higher probability of declaring a compound mutagenic that elevates the reversion rate above background, the percentile rule is more reliable than the 2-fold method.
Medical workstation design: enhancing graphical interface with 3D anatomical atlas

ABSTRACT The huge data archive of the UCSF Hospital Integrated Picture Archiving and Communication System (HI-PACS)gives healthcare providers access to diverse kinds of images and text for diagnosis and patient management. Given the massof information accessible, however, conventional graphical user interface (GUI) approach overwhelms the user with forms,menus, fields, lists, and other widgets and causes "information overloading." This article describes a new approach thatcomplements the conventional GUI with 3-D anatomical atlases and presents the usefulness of this approach with a clinicalneuroimaging application.Keywords: 3-D anatomical brain model, user interface, computer graphics, information management, PACS. 1. INTRODUCTION In the last decade, first generation PACS have been the prevalent means for acquisition, storage, communication,and display of medical images [1]. Understand the need to supplement image data with relevant diagnostic and patientinformation, the recent development effort focuses on the second generation or hospital integrated (HI-PACS) [2,3]. A HI-PACS integrates first generation PACS with heterogeneous clinical information systems, such as hospital information system(HIS) and radiological information system(RIS), and migrates to an open client/server system architecture with theimplementation of recognized standards for image and data representation and exchange [4, 5].
Islamic Adaptations to Western Europe and North America The Importance of Contrastive Analyses

The article examines the ways Islamic leaders have adapted to conditions in Britain, France, and the United States by taking one problem—how a Muslim woman can obtain a religious divorce—and identifying contrasts across those three countries. It emphasizes two contrasts among the three countries: the degree of residential concentration of Muslims and the social effects such concentration may have, and the legal legitimacy of religion in civil courts. Muslim leaders have crafted institutions accordingly: in Britain, shariah councils emerging from tight-knit communities and regarded by jurists as relatively benign; in France, Islamic leaders constrained to emphasize the Islamic legitimacy of civil institutions; and in the United States, leaders developing contractual instruments in response to relatively favorable judicial reactions.
Postexercise hypotension in an endurance-trained population of men and women following high-intensity interval and steady-state cycling.

Background The acute effect of high-intensity interval exercise (HI) on blood pressure (BP) is unknown although this type of exercise has similar or greater cardiovascular benefits compared to steady-state aerobic exercise (SS). This study examined postexercise hypotension (PEH) and potential mechanisms of this response in endurance-trained subjects following acute SS and HI. Sex differences were also evaluated. Methods A total of 25 endurance-trained men (n = 15) and women (n = 10) performed a bout of HI and a bout of SS cycling in randomized order on separate days. Before exercise, 30 min postexercise, and 60 min postexercise, we measured brachial and aortic BP. Cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), end diastolic volume (EDV), end systolic volume (ESV), and left ventricular wall-velocities were measured using ultrasonography with tissue Doppler capabilities. Ejection fraction and fractional shortening (FS), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and calf vascular resistance were calculated from the above variables and measures of leg blood flow. Results BP, ejection fraction, and FS decreased by a similar magnitude following both bouts but changes in CO, heart rate (HR), TPR, and calf vascular resistance were greater in magnitude following HI than following SS. Men and women responded similarly to HI. Although men and women exhibited a similar PEH following SS, they showed differential changes in SV, EDV, and TPR. Conclusions HI acutely reduces BP similarly to SS. The mechanistic response to HI appears to differ from that of SS, and endurance-trained men and women may exhibit differential mechanisms for PEH following SS but not HI.
Latitudinally asymmetric response of global surface temperature: Implications for regional climate change

[1] The Earth's climate system was subject to two multi-decadal warming trends in the beginning (1910–1940) and end (1975–2005) of the 20th century, having been interrupted only by a cooling trend in mid-century (1940–1975). The spatio-temporal distribution of surface temperature during this time, especially the land-ocean warming contrast in recent decades, has been the subject of many climate change detection studies. The focus of this study is the south-to-north warming asymmetry and we observed a similar Latitudinal Asymmetry of Temperature Change (LATC) for the two warming sub-periods and the cooling sub-period. Basically, the temperature change was low in the Southern Hemisphere extra-tropics (60°S) and increased monotonically to peak values (0.15°C/decade for warming trends) in the Northern Hemisphere extra-tropics (60°N). We hypothesized that the LATC is a fundamental characteristic of the planet's transient response to global forcing. We tested this hypothesis using climate model simulations of CO2 and aerosol forcing, and the simulations revealed very similar LATC as seen in the observations. In the simulations, the LATC did not depend on the asymmetry of the forcing and furthermore weakened significantly in equilibrium simulations, leading to the deduction that the LATC was caused by a corresponding asymmetry in the land-ocean fraction, i.e., the analyses of model simulations supported the hypothesis of LATC being a fundamental characteristic of the planet's transient response. If LATC is preserved as the planet warms beyond 2°C, precipitation patterns can be drastically disrupted in the tropics and sub-tropics, with major implications for regional climate.
Comparative haemodynamic and metabolic effects of vasodilator and inotropic agents in experimental myocardial infarction

Following coronary embolisation and onset of left ventricular failure 27 awake dogs were randomly assigned to infusion of saline (controls), nitroprusside, or dobutamine (a new inotropic agent). Nitroprusside and dobutamine both increased cardiac output and lowered left ventricular filling pressure while raising coronary sinus flow. Dobutamine, however, increased myocardial oxygen consumption whereas nitroprusside reduced it. Therefore vasidilators may be more beneficial than inotropic agents in acute myocardial infarction.
Coupling of hormonal stimulation and transcription via the cyclic AMP-responsive factor CREB is rate limited by nuclear entry of protein kinase A

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulates a number of eukaryotic genes by mediating the protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent phosphorylation of the CREB transcription factor at Ser-133. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the stoichiometry and kinetics of CREB phosphorylation are determined by the liberation and subsequent translocation of PKA catalytic subunit (C subunit) into the nucleus. Using fluorescence imaging techniques, we observed that PKA was activated in a stimulus-dependent fashion that led to nuclear entry of C subunit over a 30-min period. The degree of CREB phosphorylation, assessed with antiserum specific for CREB phosphorylated at Ser-133, correlated with the amount of PKA liberated. The time course of phosphorylation closely paralleled the nuclear entry of the catalytic subunit. There was a linear relationship between the subsequent induction of the cAMP-responsive somatostatin gene and the degree of CREB phosphorylation, suggesting that each event--kinase activation, CREB phosphorylation, and transcriptional induction--was tightly coupled to the next. In contrast to other PKA-mediated cellular responses which are rapid and quantitative, the slow, incremental regulation of CREB activity by cAMP suggests that multifunctional kinases like PKA may coordinate cellular responses by dictating the kinetics and stoichiometry of phosphorylation for key substrates like CREB.
Research on the Long-Term Effects of Child Abuse

This review explores recent quantitative and qualitative studies of the long-term effects of child abuse, specifically, how abuse in child-hood affects adulthood. There is a plethora of studies tha...
Promotion and Reassignment in Public School Districts: How Do Schools Respond to Differences in Teacher Effectiveness?.

Abstract We use a unique administrative database from the state of Florida to provide the first evidence that promotion and other job reassignments within school districts are systematically related to differences in teacher effectiveness in raising student achievement. We follow the career paths of a cohort of almost 25,000 classroom teachers during the 2001–2002 school year for seven subsequent years. Our results confirm that effective teachers are more likely to become assistant principals or principals and less likely to be reassigned to a low-stakes teaching position. The tendency of highly effective teachers to continue teaching in high-stakes grades and subjects is strongest in schools receiving low ratings from the state's school accountability system. Teachers entering the principal track experience a large increase in annual earnings, but the share of teachers promoted in this way is small enough that future compensation remains largely unrelated to effectiveness for teachers as a whole.
Adjustment of Siblings of Handicapped Children: A Comparison

Compared 55 older siblings (ages 7 1/2 to 15 years) of young handicapped children (ages 1-7 years) with 55 matched siblings of nonhandicapped children. Results of standardized children's assessment scales show that siblings of handicapped children are comparable to siblings of nonhandicapped children in self-concept, behavior problems, and social competence. Differences, however, appear along certain psychological dimensions and great variations exist within each group of siblings. Further, demographic and personal attributes are differentially related to measures of adjustment in different groups of siblings. Implications for research and intervention are drawn.
Thermal-aware task scheduling at the system software level

Power-related issues have become important considerations in current generation microprocessor design. One of these issues is that of elevated on-chip temperatures. This has an adverse effect on cooling cost and, if not addressed suitably, on chip reliability. In this paper we investigate the general trade-offs between temporal and spatial hot spot mitigation schemes and thermal time constants, workload variations and microprocessor power distributions. By leveraging spatial and temporal heat slacks, our schemes enable lowering of on-chip unit temperatures by changing the workload in a timely manner with Operating System(OS) and existing hardware support.
The limits of farming systems research and development: Should development administrators be interested?

Abstract The assumptions of farming systems research and development (FSR/D) are similar to those of the alternative technology movement (ATM). While FSR/D can be a useful research method, it is doubtful if it will succeed as a development strategy where the Green Revolution failed. Much of the criticism of ATM is applicable to FSR/D. This criticism is based upon the eventual tendency of markets to expropriate much of the value created by the introduction of alternative technologies. Other critiques include the implicit technological determinism of FSR as a development strategy and the tendency of FSR advocates to ignore macro-economic and social structures that limit ‘bottom-up’ development efforts.
Proton-induced defect generation at the Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface

We report first-principles calculations of interface trap formation in MOS structures. Hydrogen is known to passivate Si dangling bonds at the Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface, but the subsequent arrival of H+ at the interface causes depassivation of Si-H bonds. We show that, contrary to conventional assumptions, depassivation is not a two-step process, namely, neutralization of H+ by a Si electron, reaction with a Si-H bond, and subsequent formation of an H/sub 2/ molecule. Instead, we establish that H+ is the only stable charge state of hydrogen at the interface, and that H+ reacts directly with Si-H. The products of this reaction are an H/sub 2/ molecule and a positively charged dangling bond center (D/sup +/), formed via the reaction SiH + H/sup +/ /spl rArr/ D/sup +/ + H/sub 2/. Here the D/sup +/ center is most likely the positive charge state of the P/sub b/ defect. As a result, H-induced interface-trap formation depends on the electric field in the oxide to establish a preferred direction for proton drift, but does not depend on the availability of Si electrons to enable the interface reaction to occur. After the dangling bond center is formed via this process, the subsequent charge state of the interface traps is controlled by the Si surface potential. A hydrogen catalytic cycle can lead to reversible passivation and depassivation reactions at or near the interface, depending on experimental conditions.
The abundance of cell cycle regulatory protein Cdc4p is controlled by interactions between its F box and Skp1p.

Posttranslational modification of a protein by ubiquitin usually results in rapid degradation of the ubiquitinated protein by the proteasome. The transfer of ubiquitin to substrate is a multistep process. Cdc4p is a component of a ubiquitin ligase that tethers the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Cdc34p to its substrates. Among the domains of Cdc4p that are crucial for function are the F-box, which links Cdc4p to Cdc53p through Skp1p, and the WD-40 repeats, which are required for binding the substrate for Cdc34p. In addition to Cdc4p, other F-box proteins, including Grr1p and Met30p, may similarly act together with Cdc53p and Skp1p to function as ubiquitin ligase complexes. Because the relative abundance of these complexes, known collectively as SCFs, is important for cell viability, we have sought evidence of mechanisms that modulate F-box protein regulation. Here we demonstrate that the abundance of Cdc4p is subject to control by a peptide segment that we term the R-motif (for “reduced abundance”). Furthermore, we show that binding of Skp1p to the F-box of Cdc4p inhibits R-motif-dependent degradation of Cdc4p. These results suggest a general model for control of SCF activities.
Recollagenation: a new technique for the restoration of pitted acne scars

SummaryA new process to elevate pitted acne scars is described. Following local anaesthesia, a pocket is created underneath the scar using a common hypodermic needle. The puncture wound is dilated to permit the entry of a small implant of banked human fascia lata through the hole into the dermis. Retreatment can be performed as necessary.
Blowing drops off a filament

The first part of this work is devoted to the experimental study of oil drop motion along a filament due to the parallel air jet blowing. The drop displacement and velocity along the filament are measured. A number of accompanying phenomena are observed. These include drop stick–slip motion and shape oscillations, shedding of a tail along the filament, the tail capillary instability and drop recoil motion. The experimental observations are rationalized in the framework of several simplified models, and the origin of several observed phenomena is elucidated. In the second part of this work, experiments with cross-flow of the surrounding gas relative to the filament with an oil drop on it are conducted, with the gas velocity being in the 7.23 to 22.7 m s−1 range. The Weber number varied from 2 to 40 and the Ohnesorge number was in the 0.07 to 0.8 range. The lower and upper critical Weber numbers were introduced to distinguish between the beginning of the drop blowing off the filament and the onset of the bag-stamen drop breakup. The range of the Weber number between these two critical values is filled with three types of vibrational breakup: V1 (a balloon-like drop being blown off), V2 (a drop on a single stamen being blown off), and V3 (a drop on a double stamen being blown off). At still higher values of the Weber number, the bag-stamen breakup can be replaced by the bag type of breakup depending on a slight difference in the blowing speed, or the former and the latter can become intermittent depending on the drop asymmetry relative to the filament. The Weber number/Ohnesorge number plane was delineated into domains corresponding to different breakup regimes, the statistics of the residual liquid portion left on a filament was established and drop hopping across neighboring filaments was studied.
Immunocapture of prostate cancer cells with anti-PSMA antibodies in microdevices

This document reports the performance of anti-PSMA monoclonal antibodies in microfludic devices for the isolation of circulating prostate cancer cells.
Donor reactions during DDAVP-stimulated plasmapheresis.

Donor exposure can be strikingly reduced for patients with classical hemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease when large volumes of potent cryoprecipitated AHF are prepared from donors following DDAVP (1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin) stimulation and automated plasmapheresis—a procedure called “plasma exchange donation.” Although this procedure has been reported to be relatively safe for donors, data are limited. Accordingly, we studied 20 donors during 48 procedures using DDAVP (0.3 μg/kg IV) followed by 2–3 L plasma collection. Replacement fluid for each initial plasma exchange donation was plasma protein fraction; autologous cryoprecipitate-poor plasma was used for subsequent procedures. Mild reactions, particularly facial flushing, were noted in all 48 procedures. No procedure was discontinued, but four were modified due to either an increased pulse rate (≤20/min from baseline) or a fall in systolic or diastolic blood pressure (≤20 mm Hg from baseline). No donor was deferred or withdrew from the program. Based on our modest experience, DDAVP stimulated plasma exchange donation appears to be a safe and effective method for collecting large quantities of plasma from which potent cryoprecipitated AHF can be prepared. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Retrieving ocean surface wind speed from the TRMM Precipitation Radar measurements

Spaceborne scatterometery has been used for many years now to retrieve the ocean surface wind field from normalized radar cross-section measurements of the ocean surface. Though designed specifically for the measurement of precipitation profiles in the atmosphere, the Precipitation Radar (PR) of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) also acquires surface backscattering measurements of the global oceans. As such, this instrument provides an interesting opportunity to explore the benefits and pitfalls of alternative radar configurations in the satellite remote sensing of ocean winds. In this paper, a technique was developed for retrieving ocean surface winds using surface backscattering measurements from the TRMM PR. The wind retrieval algorithm developed for TRMM PR makes use of a maximum-likelihood estimation technique to compensate for the low backscattering associated with the PR configuration. The high vertical resolution of the PR serves to filter-out rain-contaminated cells normally integrated into Ku-band scatterometer measurements. The algorithm was validated through comparisons of ocean surface wind speeds derived from PR with remotely measured winds from TMI and QuikSCAT, as well as in situ observations from oceanographic buoys, revealing good agreements in wind speed estimations.
Therapeutic window of interleukin-2 for autoimmune diseases.

An uncontrolled immune system threatens human health as much as a defective one. Autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes (T1D), result from destruction of healthy tissues by a rogue immune system. Much of the self-policing of the immune system can be attributed to one subset of T cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs) (1). Patients with congenital defects in Tregs develop fatal multiorgan autoimmune diseases early in life (2). Tregs can be identified by the cell surface phenotype of CD4+CD25+CD127lo. CD25 is not merely a marker for Tregs but important for the maintenance and function of these cells as well. It associates with CD122 and CD132 to form the high-affinity receptor for interleukin (IL)-2, a growth factor for T cells. CD25 is constitutively expressed on Tregs, whereas its expression on other T cells is induced only after activation. Therefore, Tregs can better respond to IL-2 than other T cells in the steady state, prompting the consideration of using IL-2 therapeutically to expand Tregs for restoration of immune homeostasis. One challenge to this approach is that other T cells and natural killer (NK) cells constitutively express CD122 and CD132 that can respond to high-dose IL-2, leading to their activation and tissue destruction. In fact, the current U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved use of IL-2 is for enhancing immunity …
Challenging the gender binary? Male basketball practice players’ views of female athletes and women’s sports

Kane’s ‘sport as a continuum’ theory posits many women can outperform many men in a variety of athletic endeavors. However, because sports are typically sex-segregated, this athletic continuum is r...
Nicotine and Neurokinin Signaling

Abstract Substance P (SP) belongs to the family of tachykinins, which also contains neurokinins (NKs) A and B. The three neuropeptides and their respective receptors are expressed in several of the brain regions that regulate stress, anxiety, and addiction-related behaviors. Although there is extensive evidence for a role of the SP/NK1R system in opiate and alcohol dependence, very little is known regarding the role that tachykinins play in the mechanisms of nicotine dependence. This chapter provides an overview of the molecular and circuit-based mechanisms that provide a rationale for the effects of NKs on drug abuse. In particular, we provide a summary of the evidence for the interactions with the nicotinic cholinergic system and how these systems represent a mechanistic link between stress, anxiety, and the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. More studies are needed to determine whether NK receptors are promising drug targets that might complement current smoking cessation strategies.
Is It Time to Make Mind-Body Approaches Available for Chronic Low Back Pain?

The substantial increase in clinical trials of mindfulness meditation over the past 2 decades reflects an increasing interest in using mindfulness approaches to treat various symptoms and disorders.1- 3 For example, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a semistandardized 8-week program created in 1979, has been used for many of these trials and is based on meditation techniques.4 These meditation techniques were not intended to cure any specific health problems. Rather, they were intended as a way to deal with stress and address adverse life experiences by increasing awareness of breathing, thoughts, and bodily sensations and learning to observe them from a detached perspective. Not reacting to these phenomena, but simply observing them, can lead to greater objectivity about how an individual thinks and feels toward them. This objectivity could lead to a different experience of the phenomena altogether and may lead to a deeper understanding of how the mind and body interact to create life experiences. Thus, this awareness of what causes life experiences could lead to reduced pain and stress through avoidance of mental and physical behaviors that promote adverse outcomes.
Friendship Networks in Developing Relationships: Converging and Diverging Social Environments

Changes in the structure offriendship networks are thought to complement change in a couple's level of involvement in a close relationship. As a pair become close, their network of mutual friends should increase in size, and with declining involvement a concurrent reduction in the number of mutualfriends should occur. A measure of network overlap was derived from daily reports of social activity provided by participants. The hypothesized variations of stage and overlap are consistently supported in both cross-sectional and longitudinal tests. Network overlap covaries with stage of relationship, and this covariation cannot be accounted for by a couple's familiarity or length of dating. Underlying variations in overlap are compositional changes in the stability of the network membership, involving either the reclassification of friends or actual changes in network membership. The findings are discussed in terms of the importance of considering the social context of developing relationships, since that context can serve both facilitative and disruptive functions.
Integration of Remote Sensing and Risk Analysis for Airframe Structural Integrity Assessment

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) investigated the feasibility of integrating remote sensing technology with probability of failure analyses into a monitoring system capable of assessing the structural integrity of critical airframe components. The project demonstrated the viability of remote sensing to discern structural flaw growth along with the integration of sensor data with crack growth analyses in order to assess the health and integrity of a critical structural component. The demonstration was performed on a complicated aircraft structural component that has limited accessibility with realistic loading. The technical approach employed for developing the structural health monitoring system included (1) detailed stress analyses of a critical structural component, (2) crack growth analyses to predict the structural component’s fatigue life, (3) a damage sensor system to monitor the structural components and capture degradation mechanisms during fatigue testing, (4) reasoning algorithms to integrate damage sensor data with crack growth analyses in order to assess the current structural health and integrity of the component, and (5) predictions of the component’s structural capability and remaining useful life on a periodic basis. Researchers used Bayesian principles to estimate flaw sizes based on both sensor readings and crack growth analyses, which were then used for periodic structural health and integrity assessments. Results validated how fatigue life predictions and probability of failure assessments can be improved with more accurate estimates of actual flaw sizes and continual structural health monitoring.
Analysis on health education teaching material design in a university

Objective To analysis design effect of a self-made teaching material in a university,and provide appropriate teaching material for college students. Methods According to current health risk factors,trends and characteristics of college students,health education material book was designed by using cases,and analysis. The book was divided into 12 columns. Before and after health education activities carried out by using the textbook,a questionnaire investigation was conducted by random method to find out readers health awareness,and a typical investigation for design elements of subjective and objective satisfaction. Results The Kappa value was 0. 733. A total of 110 students were selected for core information awareness survey,and the core information awareness rate was significantly increased by 39. 54%(χ2= 230. 62,P = 0. 000). About 12 items of subjective evaluation,70. 2% of them were got "good"effect,27. 7% for "middle",2. 1% for "bad",respectively. About 3 items of objective evaluation,all of them were "appropriate". Community health education workers had positive approval. Conclusion The health education material with pictures,cases,and analysis were acquired the readers satisfaction,and its information communication effect was good. It was appropriate for health education activities among college students.
Comprehensive assessment on the outcome of Tianjin Act of Tobacco Control

Objective To evaluate the integrated effects of tobacco control programs through comparing the pre- and post- implementation of the Tianjin Tobacco Control Act (Act) , in 4 successive years. Methods Case-related data on myocardial infarction was collected by Tianjin Surveillance System, New Case Registry. Both the representative sample size of indoor working places and public places for observation and PM2.5 monitored were selected through the calculation of Survey System, while the representative sample size of people involved in the survey for interview was under the Door to Door and Intercept. Results Through comparing the pre- and post- implementation programs on Act, the posting of"No Smoking Sign"had become much more visible in hospitals, schools, governmental buildings and the waiting areas of public transportation. People smoked much less in the main public places, excepting for hotels and public bath rooms (P<0.05). Exposure to secondhand smoking (SHS) had a 26.5% (P<0.01) decline, than the Act was implemented in workplace and public place. Despite the number of cases increased in the entire population in Tianjin (β=-0.061, P=0.00; β=0.059, P=0.00) , cases with myocardial infarction presented at the hospitals were declining annually, among the indoor workers. Conclusion Act showed a positive effect in decreasing the number of smokers in public places thus protecting people from the negative effects on SHS. Message on health effect and social benefits on tobacco control should be disseminated to facilitate the comprehensive implementation of the Act. Key words: Tobacco control; Secondhand smoke; Indoor public places and work places
A Large Proportion of T Lymphocytes Lack CD5 Expression After Bone Marrow Transplantation

The lymphocyte cell surface molecule CD5 (T1, Leu 1, Tp67 in the human; Ly 1 in the mouse) is expressed on the majority of circulating T lymphocytes and a small population of B cells. We have analyzed CD5 expression on repopulating T cells in the peripheral blood of patients after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The frequency of CD3+ T cells that lack expression of CD5 is dramatically increased after BMT compared with the normal population. The percent of total CD3+ CD5- cells correlated with the presence of graft versus host disease and with time following transplant, but did not correlate with age, diagnosis, preparative regimen, T-cell depletion of the marrow, major histocompatibility complex compatibility, or the presence or absence of interstitial pneumonitis. Furthermore, the total number and percent of CD8+ CD5- cells was increased following BMT. CD3+ cells from BMT patients were sorted for the presence or absence of CD5 expression. CD3+ CD5- cells were capable of interleukin-2 production and of mediating cytolysis following lectin stimulation. We conclude that CD3+ CD5- T cells are functional and represent a significant proportion of circulating cells in patients after BMT.
Genetic analysis of germ cell tumors: current progress and future prospects.

The cytogenetic analysis of germ cell tumors has revealed the presence of an isochromosome of the short arm of chromosome 12, designated i(12p), which is a highly specific marker present in more than 80% of germ cell tumors. The i(12p) has also been identified in differentiated malignancies that develop in the setting of germ cell tumors, which have, in addition to the i(12p), tumor-specific cytogenetic markers. This suggests a common clonal origin of these tumors as well as a karyotypic progression associated with tumor evolution. Cytogenetic analysis is of value in the diagnosis of poorly differentiated midline carcinomas of unknown primary site. Quantitation of the 12p copy number may also provide important prognostic information in the treatment of germ cell malignancies.
Analysis of variation in gas exchange, growth patterns, and energy utilization in a parrot and other avian embryos

Analysis of variation can offer insights into the factors affecting avian embryonic development that refine the understanding based on central tendencies. The magnitude of individual parameters may vary greatly between individuals as well as between species. For example, in Agapornis roseicollis water vapor conductance of eggs of different individuals varies by a factor of at least 7. This results in an extreme range of air cell gas tensions (\({P_{A{O_2}}}\) as low as 46 torr; \({P_{AC{O_2}}}\) as high as 90 torr) which appear to be well tolerated by the embryos. Completion of the chorioallantois occurs much later in incubation in Agapornis and Pelecanus than in the precocial chicken.
A Selection for Assembly Reveals That a Single Amino Acid Mutant of the Bacteriophage MS2 Coat Protein Forms a Smaller Virus-like Particle

Virus-like particles are used to encapsulate drugs, imaging agents, enzymes, and other biologically active molecules in order to enhance their function. However, the size of most virus-like particles is inflexible, precluding the design of appropriately sized containers for different applications. Here, we describe a chromatographic selection for virus-like particle assembly. Using this selection, we identified a single amino acid substitution to the coat protein of bacteriophage MS2 that mediates a uniform switch in particle geometry from T = 3 to T = 1 icosahedral symmetry. The resulting smaller particle retains the ability to be disassembled and reassembled in vitro and to be chemically modified to load cargo into its interior cavity. The pair of 27 and 17 nm MS2 particles will allow direct examination of the effect of size on function in established applications of virus-like particles, including drug delivery and imaging.
Detection of Range-Folded Returns in Doppler Lidar Observations

Doppler lidars with a high pulse repetition frequency are susceptible to range ambiguities from clouds and other distant targets with large backscatter. These range ambiguities degrade the quality of wind profiles and other calculated or retrieved variables. Here, a technique to detect and remove range-folded returns from the moment observations is proposed and described. A simplified method of removing erroneous wind observations from range-folded returns is also detailed. Through detection and removal of range-folded echoes, the quality and accuracy of wind profiles are shown to improve.
Mitochondrial miRNAs in Diabetes: Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Over the last 2 decades, mi(cro)RNAs have emerged as one of the key regulators of metabolic homeostasis. Most of the studies have highlighted that, in the cytoplasm, miRNAs directly bind to the 3′-...
The Equator as Wall: Coastally Trapped Waves and Ray-Tracing

There are many analogies between coastal dynamics and equatorial dynamics. The first three sections therefore discuss coastally-trapped waves, ray-tracing in general, and ray-tracing for coastal waves in particular. The rest of this chapter extends this ray-tracing analysis to equatorial waves.
ICA based neural network for image denoising.

The goal of this research is to eliminate the noise from color images of different formats by using multilayer feedforward neural network based on Independent Component Analysis (ICA), and the results are compared to those received by Independent Subspace Analysis (ISA) and Topographic Independent Component Analysis (TICA). We analyze the results of these three approaches by using different sets of parameters and different type and level of noise. Natural scenes are used for simulations by converting them to grayscale values between 0 and 255. A training set is generated by taking samples from the images. The mean and different whitening filters are implemented in order to sphere the training set. By prewhitening the original image in this way, we can ensure that the subsequent transformation to be learnt should approximate an orthonormal matrix rotation without scaling. The experimental results prove that ICA significantly reduces the noise by elimination of some small features, which are in the original image.
How the Tiger Elve Got Its Stripes

How did the tiger elve get its stripes? It's simple, really: a massive and impulsive CG emits an intense burst of EMP, detectable worldwide at ELF radio frequencies, resulting in a large glowing el...
Design and fabrication of reduction-sensitive cell penetrating nanofibers for enhanced drug efficacy

This work demonstrates a modular design strategy based on the supramolecular assembly of multidomain peptides to fabricate reduction-responsive cell penetrating nanofibers (CPNs), which hold great promise for selective targeting of cancer therapeutics to tumor cells.
Emergency Networking in Licensed Spectrum Using Cognitive Radios: Challenges and Insights

A new paradigm for emergency networking is proposed that enables reliable and high data-rate wireless multimedia communications among first responders in licensed spectrum. Such communications are essential for efficient and coordinated rescue and recovery missions in the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters. The envisioned paradigm differs from the traditional dynamic spectrum access paradigm of higher priority for licensed incumbent users compared to unlicensed users because of the need for emergency networks to reverse the role assignments based on dynamic mission policies. As an example, a highly reconfigurable mission-policy-aware cross-layer communication framework for cognitive ad hoc emergency networking is presented. It is followed with a detailed discussion about the research challenges associated with solving optimization problems in resource-constrained environments and in time-constrained emergency scenarios. Research challenges associated with translation and dissemination of the proposed dynamic mission policies and their incorporation into the communication framework are also discussed.
Classical Implications of the Quantum Statistical Interpretation

Regarding Quantum Mechanics as the fundamental theory we derive, from its underlying geometry, a complete version of Classical Mechanics, including: the interpretation of the phase space as the manifold of classical states; the Wigner-Moyal correspondance rule, now obtained from first principles; the Jordan and Lie structures of the algebra of classical observables, given by the point-wise multiplication and the Poisson bracket of functions on the cotangent bundle of the configuration manifold. The geometric formulation of the Dirac problem followed here allows to extend the solution which we propose to cases where the configuration space is an homogeneous Riemannian manifold. In case this manifold is not flat, the theory provides a natural distinction between the momenta and the Darboux coordinates relative to the symplectic form associated to the Poisson bracket. For instance, the momentum map is explicitly derived for the case where the configuration space is a Riemannian manifold of constant negative curvature. Finally, the connection between our approach and the general geometric quantization programme is discussed.
Cardiomyopathy and altered integrin-actin signaling in Fhl1 mutant female mice.

X-linked scapuloperoneal myopathy (X-SM), one of Four-and-a-half LIM 1 (FHL1) related diseases, is an adult-onset slowly progressive myopathy, often associated with cardiomyopathy. We previously generated a knock-in mouse model that has the same mutation (c.365 G > C, p.W122S) as human X-SM patients. The mutant male mouse developed late-onset slowly progressive myopathy without cardiomyopathy. In this study, we observed that heterozygous (Het) and homozygous (Homo) female mice did not show alterations of skeletal muscle function or histology. In contrast, 20-month-old mutant female mice showed signs of cardiomyopathy on echocardiograms with increased systolic diameter [wild-type (WT): 2.74 ± 0.22 mm, mean ± standard deviation (SD); Het: 3.13 ± 0.11 mm, P < 0.01; Homo: 3.08 ± 0.37 mm, P < 0.05) and lower fractional shortening (WT: 31.1 ± 4.4%, mean ± SD; Het: 22.7 ± 2.5%, P < 0.01; Homo: 22.4 ± 6.9%, P < 0.01]. Histological analysis of cardiac muscle revealed frequent extraordinarily large rectangular nuclei in mutant female mice that were also observed in human cardiac muscle from X-SM patients. Western blot demonstrated decreased Fhl1 protein levels in cardiac muscle, but not in skeletal muscle, of Homo mutant female mice. Proteomic analysis of cardiac muscle from 20-month-old Homo mutant female mice indicated abnormalities of the integrin signaling pathway (ISP) in association with cardiac dysfunction. The ISP dysregulation was further supported by altered levels of a subunit of the ISP downstream effectors Arpc1a in Fhl1 mutant mice and ARPC1A in X-SM patient muscles. This study reveals the first mouse model of FHL1-related cardiomyopathy and implicates ISP dysregulation in the pathogenesis of FHL1 myopathy.
Improving Latino/a American students’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities and use of live theater

This study investigated the efficacy of a live theater performance intervention for enhancing the attitudes of pre-service rehabilitation students toward people with disabilities. A convenience sample of 54 undergraduate students of Latino/a descent (females = 33 and males = 21), age range 18 - 24 completed a pre-post design attitude change intervention. Data were collected on the students’ attitudes toward persons with disabilities, using the scale of attitudes towards disabled persons, and gladness, using a liker scale. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Results indicated the live theater performance intervention was more effective in providing positive emotion of gladness and in improving the attitudes of the students towards PWDs compared to simple print media.
Optimal placement of data concentrators for expansion of the smart grid communications network

Evolving power systems with increasing renewables penetration, along with the development of the smart grid, calls for improved communication networks to support these distributed generation sources. Automatic and optimal placement of communication resources within the advanced metering infrastructure is critical to provide a high-performing, reliable, and resilient power system. Three network design formulations based on mixed-integer linear and non-linear programming approaches are proposed to minimise network congestion by optimising residual buffer capacity through the placement of data concentrators and network routeing. Results on a case study show that the proposed models improve network connectivity and robustness, and increase average residual buffer capacity. Maximising average residual capacity alone, however, results in both oversaturated and underutilised nodes, while maximising either minimum residual capacity or total reciprocal residual capacity can yield much-improved network load allocation. Consideration of connection redundancy improves network reliability further by ensuring quality-of-service in the event of an outage. Analysis of multi-period network expansion shows that the models do not deviate significantly from optimal when used progressively (within 5% deviation), and are effective for utility planners to use for smart grid expansion.
Synthesis and properties of Er3+-doped silica glass by sol-gel processing with organic complexation

Er3+-doped silica glass (up to 10 wt%) was synthesized by sol-gel processing with the addition of 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APS) as a complexing reagent. Er3+ ion reacted with the amino groups and, thus, linked to the silica network during the sol preparation. It is anticipated that the motion of Er3+ ions would be restricted, and the formation of Er3+ clusters inhibited. No detectable phase segregation was observed by means of SEM/TEM, regardless the addition of organic complexing reagent and heat-treatment. Nitrogen adsorption analysis indicated that dense glass was obtained after heating at 900–1000 °C for 10 hrs. Although the current experimental results were not conclusive, both fluorescence spectra and magic-angle spin (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were indicative that the addition of the complexing reagent APS might result in a homogeneous dispersion of high level Er3+ doping in the resultant gels. After the removal of organic components, however, Er3+ clustering occurs when firing at a high temperature for a long period of time, e.g. at 1000 °C for 10 hrs, due to enhanced Er3+ diffusion.