cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma of the head and neck.

Since its first description nearly two centuries ago, melanoma has been a difficult disease to diagnose and treat. With the incidence and mortality rates slowly increasing, understanding this disease is more important than ever. Herein, the current diagnostic and treatment recommendations for melanoma of the head and neck are reviewed, with special emphasis on the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). For the past decade, SLNB has been a well-accepted procedure in the treatment of truncal and extremity melanoma, providing useful information for both treatment and prognosis. Still, despite its clear role in the rest of the body, the role of SLNB has not yet been fully defined in the management of melanoma of the head and neck. The complexity of lymphatic drainage patterns and the frequent need to remove sentinel lymph nodes from the parotid gland, thus placing the facial nerve at risk, have made head and neck surgical oncologists slow to adopt this method. However, current data from several trials indi...
Psychometric Evaluation of the Cultural Competence Assessment Instrument Among Healthcare Providers

Background The relevance of healthcare provider cultural competency to the achievement of goals for reduction in extant health disparities has been demonstrated; however, there are deficits with regard to cultural competency measurement. Objectives To examine the test-retest reliability of the cultural competence assessment instrument (CCA) among hospice providers, and to examine the reliability and validity of the CCA among healthcare providers in nonhospice settings. Method Test-retest reliability of the CCA was assessed using a sample of 51 hospice respondents who completed the CCA at two time points. The internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the CCA for healthcare providers in nonhospice settings were evaluated using a convenience sample of 405 healthcare providers. Results The CCA demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability (r = .85, p = .002) in hospice providers over 4 months. Among healthcare providers in nonhospice settings, the CCA had an internal consistency reliability of .89 overall (.91 and .75 for the two subscales). Construct validity was supported by principal axis factor analysis, which showed two factors with item loadings above .40, explaining 56% of the variance. Mean scores of the CCA were significantly higher for providers who reported previous diversity training compared to those who had not. Discussion Findings for the psychometric properties of the CCA supported its potential as an instrument for measuring provider cultural competence. Knowledge gained will be useful for developing future research studies and specific cultural competence intervention approaches for healthcare providers that may decrease health disparities.
Current-Leakage Failures in Hybrid Microcircuits

Electrical failures due to excessive current leakage have been observed in several hybrids during both hot and cold temperature testing. Failures have been correlated with increased amounts of ionic and gaseous contamination in the package. Short-term failures at cold temperature appeared to be due to ammonia (from the substrate-attach epoxy) condensing on the substrate and acting as a conductive medium for ionic and polar species adsorbed on the surface. Short-term failures at hot temperature were consistent with surface inversion leakage. Long-term failures after burn-in at 125°C were due to silver electromigration from the die-attach epoxy. Associated materials and electronic testing are also reported.
SHIVA: Simulated Highways for Intelligent Vehicle Algorithms

SHIVA (Simulated Highways for Intelligent Vehicle Algorithms) addresses deficiencies present in existing microscopic traffic simulators with: realistic sensor modeling; support for communicating vehicles; a variety of driver models; and efficient integration with real robots. SHIVA runs on Sun Sparcstations (under X) and SGI workstations (using Inventor). Class hierarchies for vehicles, sensors and displays allow users to develop algorithms for specific vehicle/sensor configurations and to debug them with graphical viewing tools. Simulated scenarios can be interactively displayed online in 3-D. Off-line execution is also available if only statistics (such as throughput) are desired.
Plane Stokes flow driven by capillarity on a free surface. Part 2. Further developments

For the free creeping viscous incompressible plane flow of a finite region, bounded by a simple smooth closed curve and driven solely by surface tension, analyzed previously, the shape evolution was described in terms of a time-dependent mapping function z = Ω(ζ,t) of the unit circle, conformal on |ζ| [les ] 1. An equation giving the time evolution of the map, typically in parametric form, was derived. In this article, the flow of the infinite region exterior to a hypotrochoid is given. This includes the elliptic hole, which shrinks at a constant rate with a constant aspect ratio. The theory is extended to a class of semi-infinite regions, mapped from Im ζ [les ] 0, and used to solve the flow in a half-space bounded by a certain groove. The depth of the groove ultimately decays inversely with time.
A Rose is a Roos is a Ruusu: Querying Translations for Web Image Search

We query Web Image search engines with words (e.g., spring) but need images that correspond to particular senses of the word (e.g., flexible coil). Querying with polysemous words often yields unsatisfactory results from engines such as Google Images. We build an image search engine, Idiom, which improves the quality of returned images by focusing search on the desired sense. Our algorithm, instead of searching for the original query, searches for multiple, automatically chosen translations of the sense in several languages. Experimental results show that Idiom outperforms Google Images and other competing algorithms returning 22% more relevant images.
Developing sensorimotor behavior with a network of spiking neurons

Artificial nervous systems have been realized with spiking neurons fabricated by VLSI. To explore ways of developing networks of such units through sensorimotor experience, a simulated vehicle, equipped with tactile and visual sensors was trained, using a biologically realistic Hebbian mechanism to navigate an obstacle course. Starting with a simple tactile reflex, networks developed visual guidance mechanisms based on the detection of luminance and motion.
The inertial lift on a rigid sphere in a linear shear flow field near a flat wall

An expression which predicts the inertial lift, to lowest order, on a rigid sphere translating in a linear shear flow field near a flat infinite wall has been derived. This expression may be used when the wall lies within the inner region of the sphere's disturbance flow. It is valid even when the gap is small compared to the radius of the sphere. When the sphere is far from the wall, the lift force predicted by the present analysis converges to the value predicted by earlier analyses which consider the sphere as a point force or a force doublet singularity. The effect of rotation of the sphere on the lift has also been analysed.
MR diagnosis of macrodystrophia lipomatosa.

Macrodystrophia lipomatosa is a congenital form of localized gigantism characterized by an increase in all mesenchymal elements, particularly fibroadipose tissue. MR imaging can be used to examine the soft tissues and detect the fibrous and fatty hypertrophy that characterizes this condition. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of macrodystrophia lipomatosa diagnosed on the basis of MR findings and confirmed at reconstructive surgery.
The chemistry of iodomethane on MoAl alloy thin films formed on dehydroxylated alumina : Formation and reaction of surface methyl species

The surface chemistry of iodomethane is studied in ultrahigh vacuum using X-ray and Auger spectroscopies and temperature-programmed desorption, on a MoAl alloy film formed by reacting molybdenum hexacarbonyl with dehydroxylated alumina. The alloy is grown by reacting Mo(CO)6 with a thin alumina film on a molybdenum substrate at 700 K and heating to 1500 K. A portion of the iodomethane dissociates following adsorption at 150 K. Heating to 220 K desorbs molecular iodomethane from the surface leaving adsorbed methyl species and iodine, where the iodine appears to adsorb preferentially on the aluminum. The resulting methyl species can either decompose to deposit carbon and evolve hydrogen, hydrogenate to yield methane or oligomerize yielding predominantly ethylene and propylene, and a small amount of ethane is formed. Both methyl and ethyl radicals are found to desorb from the surface suggesting that the ethylene is formed by methylene insertion into the methyl surface bond to form an ethyl intermediate, which forms ethylene by b-hydride elimination, or hydrogenates to yield ethane. Propylene is likely to form by further methylene insertion into the ethyl-surface bond. � 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Programmers' views of SoCs

System-on-chip (SoC) designs have the potential to change the way we organize computation. This potential has gone unrealized. Future SoCs will have multiple heterogeneous processing elements, most likely organized around an on-chip network. Thus, SoCs are increasingly modeled as systems in the large. But a chip also has a fixed set of programmable hardware elements that are much more closely coupled than for systems in the large. New application types will require the chip to be considered programmable along with the individual processing elements on the chip. New programmers' views of SoCs are required to capture this new design space. A set of primitives for next generation design languages that support the development of new programmers' views of SoCs is motivated.
Characterisation of the inflammatory cytokine response to anthelmintic treatment in ponies

Summary Reasons for performing study Anthelmintic treatments have been associated with local inflammatory reactions. Since each class of anthelmintic has unique mechanisms of action affecting different subpopulations of parasites, we hypothesised that they will also induce characteristic proinflammatory responses. Objectives To determine the effect of anthelmintic class on the proinflammatory response post treatment. Study design Ponies naturally infected with cyathostomins and other parasites after pasture grazing were left untreated or treated with representatives of 3 different classes of anthelmintics: fenbendazole (benzimidazole); pyrantel tartrate (pyrimidine); and moxidectin (macrocyclic lactone). All were monitored for the expression of proinflammatory genes in the peripheral blood using real-time PCR. Methods The ponies were divided into 4 treatment groups: Group 1 (n = 4) were untreated controls; Group 2 (n = 5) received 5 daily doses of fenbendazole (10 mg/kg bwt); Group 3 (n = 4) received daily treatment of pyrantel tartrate 2× (2.65 mg/kg bwt); and Group 4 (n = 5) received a single dose of moxidectin (400 μg/kg bwt). Blood samples were collected daily for 2 weeks to determine the effect of deworming on proinflammatory gene expression. Faecal egg counts were used to evaluate the efficacy of each drug. Results While treatment with the benzimidazole significantly reduced egg counts up to 14 days post treatment, it also stimulated proinflammatory gene expression. Treatment with pyrantel salt also reduced faecal egg counts with less of a proinflammatory response. Treatment with the macrocyclic lactone was the most successful in reducing faecal egg counts and produced no signs of increased proinflammatory cytokine expression. Conclusions This study revealed pronounced differences in the cytokine responses to anthelmintic treatment. This inflammatory reaction may play a role in the development of parasitic disease post anthelmintic treatment.
The Role of CD4 in HIV Envelope-Mediated Pathogenesis

The high affinity interaction between the envelope (env)glycoprotein of HIV-1 and the cell surface glycoprotein CD4 is a central molecular event in AIDS pathogenesis. This interaction not only provides the molecular basis for the tropism of HIV-1 for CD4+ cells, but, as is described in the present chapter, also represents a critical step in several cpmplex pathogenic mechanisms that contribute to the development of immunodeficiency in HIV-1-infected individuals.
A Review of the Demographic Features of Hawaiian Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Abstract This review summarizes all existing data and knowledge of the demographic variables and their stochasticity of Hawaiian green turtles. The population numbers roughly 4000 breeding females today, having rebounded from its near extinction in the early 1970s, with most of the nesting restricted to French Frigate Shoals in the remote and geologically ancient Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. A timeline is provided of the scientific monitoring for this population and associated data streams relating to morphometrics, maturity, nest dynamics, sex ratio, as well as population growth and viability.
Nearly optimal non-Gaussian codes for the Gaussian interference channel

Recent work demonstrated that for the two-user Gaussian Interference Channel (G-IC) sub-optimal point-to-point codes can outperform optimal (Gaussian) point-to-point codes. However, it is not clear how far from capacity such sub-optimal codes operate. This work demonstrates a family of sub-optimal codes, generated from a mixture of Gaussian and discrete random variables, that is optimal up to an additive gap for the G-IC. The developed tools are of interest on their own and can be used in a variety of channel models. For example, it can be shown that the capacity of the block-asynchronous G-IC where the decoders are prevented from decoding the interfering signals is to within an additive gap of the capacity of the classical G-IC where the receivers are fully synchronized and informed about the interfering codebooks.
Investigation of the Influence of Microdispersed Fillers on the Physicomechanical Properties of Epoxy Composites

We optimize the composition of adhesive and functional surface layers for the formation of two-layer coatings with improved adhesive, physicomechanical, and thermal properties. It is shown that, for the formation of an adhesive layer, it is reasonable to add particles of a carbide mixture in the following amounts: q = 15–20 wt.% per q = 100 wt.% of the epoxy oligomer. At the same time, for the formation of the surface layer of the coating, it is necessary to use q = 40–50 wt.% of iron minium as a filler.
Laterally oxidized long wavelength CW vertical- cavity lasers

Vertical-cavity lasers (VCLs) operating at 1.3 and 1.55 µm wavelengths are potentially low cost sources for optical communications.
Generation of Strong Short Terahertz Pulses via Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage-Assisted Coherent Scattering

We analyzed the efficiency of coherent scattering of infrared radiation in atomic and molecular gases for production of intense short THz pulses, using simulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). The method is based on excitation of maximal coherence when the system is undergoing through STIRAP in IR-irradiated atomic or molecular gases (for example Rb, methanol, and others) at room temperature. By applying optical pulses in correct sequence one can generate coherence in a system during STIRAP which triggers following coherent scattering of infra-red radiation, and can produce pulses of THz radiation with pulse energies ranging from several nJ to µ-J and pulse durations from several fs to ns.
Local and Long-Range Hydrogen Motion in a-Si:H

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of 1H dipolar echoes in a-Si:H indicate that the dipolar spin-lattice relaxation time, T1D, can be used as a measure of local hydrogen motion. In general, the microscopic hydrogen motion is orders of magnitude faster, and the microscopic activation energies are much smaller, than those measured macroscopically using secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Although no detailed model exists to explain these apparently divergent results, these discrepancies can be understood phenomenologically by assuming a very broad distribution of rates. In this case the measured activation energies can be shown to scale roughly as the logarithm of the time over which the measurement is made.
Young and Older Adults' Appraisal of Memory Failures in Young and Older Adult Target Persons

A person-perception approach was employed to investigate people's appraisal of young or older target persons' everyday memory failures as described in 28 vignettes of more serious and less serious types of memory failure. In Experiment 1 of the study, 115 young adults rated each of 28 memory failure vignettes on a 7-point seriousness scale. Mrs. X, the target person in the vignettes, was described either as age 30 or 70. Vignettes in the more serious category were rated, as expected, more stringently than vignettes in the less serious category. Also, the young subjects rated Mrs. X age 70 more stringently than Mrs. X age 30, regardless of the seriousness level of the vignettes. In Experiment 2, 79 older adults evaluated the same vignettes, again with Mrs. X either age 30 or 70. Again, vignettes in the more serious category were rated more stringently than vignettes in the less serious category. However, older adults rated Mrs. X age 30 and Mrs. X age 70 equivalently. In a final overall analysis, older adults were more lenient than the young in memory failure judgments, and their differential leniency was most apparent in judgments of the serious vignettes.
Functional Versus Anatomic Assessment of Myocardial Bridging by Intravascular Ultrasound: Impact of Arterial Compression on Proximal Atherosclerotic Plaque

Background The presence of a myocardial bridge (MB) has been shown to promote atherosclerotic plaque formation proximal to the MB, presumably because of hemodynamic disturbances provoked by retrograde blood flow toward this segment in cardiac systole. We aimed to determine the anatomic and functional properties of an MB related to the extent of atherosclerosis assessed by intravascular ultrasound. Methods and Results We enrolled 100 patients with angina but no significant obstructive coronary artery disease who had an intravascular ultrasound–detected MB in the left anterior descending artery (median age 54 years, 36% male). The MB was identified with intravascular ultrasound by the presence of an echolucent band (halo). Anatomically, the MB length was 22±13 mm, and halo thickness was 0.7±0.6 mm. Functionally, systolic arterial compression was 23±12%. The maximum plaque burden up to 20 mm proximal to the MB entrance was significantly greater than the maximum plaque burden within the MB segment. Among the intravascular ultrasound–defined MB properties, arterial compression was the sole MB parameter that demonstrated a significant positive correlation with maximum plaque burden up to 20 mm proximal to the MB entrance ( r =0.254, P =0.011 overall; r =0.545, P <0.001 low coronary risk). In multivariate analysis, adjusting for clinical characteristics and coronary risk factors, arterial compression was independently associated with maximum plaque burden up to 20 mm proximal to the MB entrance. Conclusions In patients with an MB in the left anterior descending artery, the percentage of arterial compression is related directly to the burden of atherosclerotic plaque located proximally to the MB, particularly in patients who otherwise have low coronary risk. This may prove helpful in identifying high‐risk MB patients.
Is “fracking” a new dirty word? The influence of word choice on public views toward natural gas attitudes

Abstract The increased public attention to hydraulic fracturing as a technique for extracting natural gas has raised the stakes of the political and regulatory struggle that surround it. This increased attention has also raised questions about the levels of popular support or opposition to the technique. Before we can assess this support or opposition, we must have a firm understanding of the language and framing of language of these extractive technologies. This paper uses a survey experiment to compare two popular framing languages for hydraulic fracturing, with half of the respondents receiving questions that refer to the technique as “hydraulic fracturing” and the other half, as “fracking”. We analyzed the effects of framing for the two treatments by conducting t -tests to compare responses to questions concerning opinions and attitudes about the extraction technique. The results illustrate that the concerns that the term “fracking” is politicized and pejorative are overstated. The survey reveals that familiarity with the technique influences levels of support and reactions to specific wording, but there is no general framing effect for the use of one wording over the other.
Deep Subsurface Life from North Pond: Enrichment, Isolation, Characterization and Genomes of Heterotrophic Bacteria

Studies of subsurface microorganisms have yielded few environmentally relevant isolates for laboratory studies. In order to address this lack of cultivated microorganisms, we initiated several enrichments on sediment and underlying basalt samples from North Pond, a sediment basin ringed by basalt outcrops underlying an oligotrophic water-column west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 22°N. In contrast to anoxic enrichments, growth was observed in aerobic, heterotrophic enrichments from sediment of IODP Hole U1382B at 4 and 68 m below seafloor (mbsf). These sediment depths, respectively, correspond to the fringes of oxygen penetration from overlying seawater in the top of the sediment column and upward migration of oxygen from oxic seawater from the basalt aquifer below the sediment. Here we report the enrichment, isolation, initial characterization and genomes of three isolated aerobic heterotrophs from North Pond sediments; an Arthrobacter species from 4 mbsf, and Paracoccus and Pseudomonas species from 68 mbsf. These cultivated bacteria are represented in the amplicon 16S rRNA gene libraries created from whole sediments, albeit at low (up to 2%) relative abundance. We provide genomic evidence from our isolates demonstrating that the Arthrobacter and Pseudomonas isolates have the potential to respire nitrate and oxygen, though dissimilatory nitrate reduction could not be confirmed in laboratory cultures. The cultures from this study represent members of abundant phyla, as determined by amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA extracts, and allow for further studies into geochemical factors impacting life in the deep subsurface.
Analysis of The CT and Pulmonary Function test results of Pneumoconiosis patients

[Objective]To explore the value of CT and pulmonary function test in diagnosis and review of pneumoconiosis. [Methods]The reexamination results of CT and pulmonary function of 18 cases of pneumoconiosis were analyzed in 2010,and were compared with original images(X-ray film). [Results]Pulmonary function testing results had no significant correlation with pneumoconiosis stage.(P0.01) CT and X-ray chest radiograph were significantly different in different nodules types of inspection. [Conclusion]CT can not replace of X-ray chest radiograph in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis,but it can make up for deficiencies of X-ray,therefore,combination use of CT and X-ray should be enhanced.
[Clinical-pharmacological aspects to accelerate the development process from the preclinical to the clinical phase/1st communication: The contribution of clinical pharmacology].

To improve the transition from research to development a critical evaluation of the individual project by research and disease area teams is required to include input from pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, galenics, clinical pharmacology, clinical as well as regulatory experts and marketing. Decisions on the individual development strategy should be made prior to the start of development and all projects should be reviewed at predefined stages throughout the product development life cycle. This ensures consistency of decision-making not only during the development of individual products but throughout the entire development pipeline. Studies in the exploratory stage of drug development should be designed for decision making in contrast to later clinical trials in the confirmatory stage that require power for proof-of-safety and proof-of-efficacy. The more thorough and profound studies have been carried out during this exploratory stage of drug development, the earlier a decision can be made on the continuation or discontinuation of further development, thus saving development time and money and assessing and considerably reducing the risk for the patients and increasing the success rate of the project in the later confirmatory effectiveness trial with an adequate number of subjects receiving the new therapy under typical conditions of use. Strategies which may be helpful to improve the quality of decisions in drug discovery and drug development are: ○ discovery experiments should be done to critically evaluate the compound, ○ the killer experiments should be done as early as possible, ○ continuous effort on preclinical disease models is necessary to improve predictability of efficacy in patients (humanized research): genomic technology should be used to identify novel, disease-related targets and to characterise preclinical test systems, improvement of knowledge and experience concerning the relevance of new technologies for the clinical picture, ○ genotyping of clinical trial patients to select patient groups which are likely to respond to treatment (pharmacogenomics), ○ modelling and simulation of preclinical and clinical trials, ○ integration of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles into drug development, ○ assessment of the interaction potential (CYP-450, trasporter proteins and others), ○ increasing use of biomarker / surrogate marker for rapid clinical feedback, ○ involvement of the target population as soon as possible, ○ applying statistical data analysis techniques for proving effectiveness, ○ co-operation with high quality centers. To reach this goal clinical pharmacology must be fully integrated in the whole process from the candidate selection to its positioning within the market.
Atypical presentation of mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA

A 14 year old patient with short stature, type I diabetes, and cataracts was referred for evaluation of avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Radiography was suggestive of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with decreased bone mineral density for age. Targeted molecular and biochemical testing were normal in this patient. Whole exome sequencing was performed and showed compound heterozygosity for previously reported pathogenic GALNS variants which were diagnostic of mucopolysaccharidosis, type IVA (Morquio A). While this case describes neither a novel condition nor a new mutation, it does illustrate three important points in the diagnosis of patients with atypical forms of MPS IVA. First, that in many instances urine glycosaminoglycan analysis is not sufficient to rule out MPS IVA as a potential diagnosis. Patients in whom biochemical screening is advised should have measurement of leukocyte enzymatic activity. Second, that in patients with radiographic evidence of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with additional features or with normal targeted testing, MPS IVA should remain in the differential diagnosis. Third, that whole exome sequencing represents a viable diagnostic platform for evaluation of patients with unknown skeletal or metabolic disease.
Metallosis Presenting as Knee Pain 26 years after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Introduction Metallosis occurs when periprosthetic soft tissues, synovium, and/or bone is infiltrated by metallic debris secondary to metal-on-metal wear. This debris can cause a chronic inflammatory reaction leading to joint instability, pain, and swelling, and may cause osteolysis, implant looseningand ultimately implant failure. Case report An 81 year old female, with a history of primary left total knee arthroplasty, presented with a 6 month history of left knee pain, swelling, and limited range of motion following a fall. Radiographs and joint aspiration were performed, with results that showed no evidence of periprosthetic trauma or infection but were suspicious for chronic metallosis. The patient underwent revision total knee replacement of the left knee which revealed extensive necrotic black metal debris throughout the joint space. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of a foreign body reaction consistent with metallosis. Conclusion This case is a rare example of chronic metallosis presenting 26 years following total knee replacement. Treatment with revision total knee replacement is the consensus management choice to avoid further destruction of the bone and joint capsule that can occur with metal-induced inflammation.
Coaxing a Viral RNA Out of its Shell: How does a Viral RNA Genome Initiate Contact with its Host?

A conceptual challenge in understanding the life cycles of all viruses is how a rigid protein shell - the “capsid” - can both protect the viral genome from nucleases and other insults and, at the appropriate downstream stage, make its genetic information available to the host cell machinery. For double-stranded DNA viruses, like bacteriophages or Herpes Simplex Virus, genomes are packaged into preformed empty capsids, and released by pressure-driven ejection, with the capsid remaining intact: work is done to package the genome, but its delivery is spontaneous. In contrast, for single-stranded RNA viruses, like polio or SARS, packaging of their genomes is spontaneous, with capsid protein organizing around the RNA in a self-assembly process. This immediately raises the question of whether work is needed to release the RNA from its protective capsid. In the case of positive-strand RNA viruses, whose genomes are directly translated following their entry into the host cell cytoplasm, ribosomes have been implicated in the delivery/release of the viral RNA. We report here on the synthesis of constructs designed to measure the force needed to pull RNA out of its capsid, using virus-like particles reconstituted in vitro from RNA and purified capsid protein from a particularly well-studied virus, cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV). We also investigate the extent to which the ends of a packaged RNA are accessible for interaction with probes impermeable to the interior of the capsids. These results are used to interpret relative translation efficiencies of naked and packaged forms of RNA genes in cell-free extracts, in an effort to determine how ribosomes are involved in this RNA uncoating process.
Generational status and social factors predicting initiation of partnered sexual activity among Latino/a youth.

Author(s): Cabral, Patricia; Wallander, Jan L; Song, Anna V; Elliott, Marc N; Tortolero, Susan R; Reisner, Sari L; Schuster, Mark A | Abstract: ObjectiveExamine the longitudinal association of generational status (first = child and parent born outside the United States; second = child born in the United States, parent born outside the United States; third = child and parent born in the United States) and parent and peer social factors considered in 5th grade with subsequent oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse initiation by 7th and 10th grade among Latino/a youth.MethodUsing data from Latino/a participants (N = 1,790) in the Healthy Passages™ study, the authors measured generational status (first = 18.4%, second = 57.3%, third-generation = 24.3%) and parental (i.e., monitoring, involvement, nurturance) and peer (i.e., friendship quality, social interaction, peer norms) influences in 5th grade and oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse initiation by 7th and 10th (retention = 89%) grade.ResultsAmong girls, parental monitoring, social interaction, friendship quality, and peer norms predicted sexual initiation. Among boys, parental involvement, social interaction, and peer norms predicted sexual initiation (ps l .05). When ≥1 friend was perceived to have initiated sexual intercourse, third-generation Latinas were more than twice as likely as first- and second-generation Latinas (ps l .05) to initiate vaginal intercourse by 10th grade and almost 5 times as likely as first-generation Latinas to initiate oral intercourse by 7th grade.ConclusionsAmong Latina youth, generational status plays a role in social influences on vaginal and oral intercourse initiation. Moreover, Latinas and Latinos differ in which social influences predict sexual intercourse initiation. Preventive efforts for Latino/a youth may need to differ by gender and generational status. (PsycINFO Database Record
Cuckoo searching optimal composition of multicomponent alloys by molecular simulations

Abstract A robust computational design framework that couples the metaheuristic cuckoo search technique with classical molecular dynamics simulations is employed to optimize the composition of multicomponent alloys for increased tensile strength. Model binary, ternary, and quinary multi-principal element alloys are chosen as test beds to predict the influence of atomic concentration of one constituent element (design variable) on the ultimate tensile strength (objective function) of the material. The design solutions that correlate the elemental atomic fraction to strength over a number of computational search cycles are in qualitative agreement with earlier experiments. The predictive scheme explores a vast materials landscape and accelerates the elemental selection for discovery of novel multicomponent alloys.
Functional Changes in Inner Retinal Neurons in Animal Models of Photoreceptor Degeneration

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) refers to a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders that result in the death of rod and cone photoreceptors. There is now abundant evidence to suggest that inner retinal neurons, particularly the bipolar and horizontal cells, undergo significant morphological changes and changes in neurotransmitter receptor expression in response to photoreceptor degeneration. Some of these alterations could impact the choice and success of intervention strategies for these conditions, and it is therefore necessary to understand the timing and nature of any functional deficits resulting from degenerative changes. This paper will review the evidence for functional alterations in the inner retina in animal models of (RP), with particular emphasis on the bipolar and ganglion cells.
Anterolateral Popliteal Puncture Technique: A Novel Retrograde Approach for Chronic Femoropopliteal Occlusions.

Purpose: To describe the feasibility and safety of an anterolateral popliteal puncture technique as a retrograde access to chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in the femoropopliteal segment. Methods: T...
Comparative pathogenicity of Vibrio spp., Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae and five isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. achromogenes in juvenile Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus).

Juvenile Atlantic halibut (~100 mg, Hippoglossus hippoglossus) were exposed to Vibrio proteolyticus, a Vibrio spp. isolate, Photobacterium damselae ssp. damselae and five different isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida ssp. achromogenes via an hour-long bath immersion to ascertain their variation in pathogenicity to this fish species. Results were analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Analysis of the data from challenges using A. salmonicida ssp. achromogenes revealed three survival values of zero and a spread of values from 0 to 28.43. Challenges using a Vibrio spp isolate, V. proteolyticus and P. damselae resulted in Kaplan-Meier survival estimates of 31.21, 50.41 and 57.21, respectively. As all bacterial species tested could induce juvenile halibut mortalities, they must all be considered as potential pathogens. However, the degree of pathogenicity of A. salmonicida is isolate dependent.
Overview of adult outcomes in pediatric-onset spinal cord injuries: implications for transition to adulthood.

AbstractObjective: To provide an overview of the adult outcomes of individuals with pediatric-onset spinal cord injuries (SCis) and the implications of those findings for transition to adulthood.Method: Structured interview including standardized measures.Participants: lndividuals who sustained SCI at ≤ 18 years of age and were ≥ 24 years of age at interview; matched community controls.Outcome Measures: A structured interview including demographics and medical complications. Standardized measures include the Functional lndependence Measure, Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART), Short Form-12 (SF-12), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).Results: Of 265 individuals interviewed (mean age at injury, 13.9 years; mean age at follow-up, 27.8 years), 67% were males, 87% were white, and 59% had tetraplegia. Results showed that 32% had a college degree, 57% were employed, 65% were living independent ly, and 20% were married; the median income was $1 2,000. Compared with controls, subjects w...
Why Do Federal Loans Crowd out the Private Market? Evidence from Graduate Plus Loans

I investigate why federal student loans crowd out the private market by exploiting the introduction of graduate PLUS loans, which relaxed the federal borrowing limit on graduate students. After the expansion, students replaced private with PLUS loans nearly one-for-one, but did not increase borrowing. I use credit bureau data to compare private and federal loans, and show that most graduate students could receive private interest rates below the federal rates. Modeling students expected utilities, I find that the insurance provided by the federal income-based repayment option can rationalize most borrowers decisions to take out the higher interest federal loans.
Televising the Making of the Neoliberal Multicultural Family

This chapter looks at how the state-sponsored public broadcasting network, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), frames statist multiculturalism to deal with the increasing number of multicultural families and their mixed-race children. It also examines one of Korea’s representative human documentary programs, Love in Asia (KBS-1TV), showing that it televises normative images of the multicultural family to (re)produce this racial subject as an “economic citizen” who can contribute to the national economy. By analyzing how the show mobilizes two types of cultural metaphors—the Korean Obama and the cultural bridge—the chapter asserts that the show uses mixed-race bodies to construct the neoliberal multicultural state.
Community Approaches for Addressing Crime and Violence: Prevention, Intervention, and Restoration

Crime and violence have long been among the more pressing and recalcitrant community challenges especially with increasing inequality and growing disparities among communities. Given this context for exploring and understanding community-based approaches for crime prevention, in America, this chapter examines theories related to crime prevention, as well as community organizing and programmatic community-based approaches used to address crime and community violence at the local level. In discussing community intervention methods, strategies, and tactics that have been effective in crime prevention, violence intervention, and promoting collective efficacy and restorative justice, this chapter will provide brief case examples of projects and programs that have been undertaken at the community level. These examples provide lessons learned for community practitioners and leaders to undertake and replicate in similar efforts. We will also examine the evidence-base of such community approaches and what applied research supports as best practice in the field.
Cannabinoid Stimulation of Arachidonate Metabolism in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Leukocytes

Cannabinoids, especially delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have been shown to alter a wide variety of immune functions in humans and mice, both in vitro and in vivo (as reviewed in 1). More recent studies have focused on the mechanisms by which THC alters immunity, most notably alterations in signal transduction (2–5). In this regard our laboratory has studied the effects of THC on production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) (2) and arachidonic acid metabolism in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)(3).
Evoked and Event-Related Potentials: Has Evolution Altered Assembly Responses?

Electrical responses to stimuli or to cognitive events of known onset time commonly cause more or less localized activity in the brain. Evoked potentials and their subclass of event related potentials are recorded as compound field potentials whose origin is not completely understood. They are believed to result from spikes, synaptic potentials and other forms of activity of parts of neurons and perhaps also other generators, including neuroglia, all vector-summed in the extracellular medium. The form, time course and dynamic properties of the compound field potentials are poorly predicted or explained from data derived from single units, whether intracellular or extracellular; the compound waves have little energy in the high frequency part of the power spectrum and are mainly slow.
Mechanisms of Hemostasis and Arterial Thrombosis

The term hemostasis refers to the critical physiologic response to arterial injury that serves to limit hemorrhage. Thrombosis, a pathologic process, results when the coagulation system is excessively activated in the absence of bleeding. The mechanisms that regulate these processes, as well as the mode of action of pharmacologic agents that attenuate thrombosis, are discussed.
Commentary: Spare-Time Life of Chinese Children

Cet article propose un commentaire du rapport presente par Guan Ying dans le present numero, et consacre aux loisirs des enfants chinois
Subserving Others May Be Bad for Me

Subservient people are by far the most common in a practice of psychotherapy, because, lacking power, they appeal most readily to borrow it from us. They have in common a posture of diffidence in relation to some greater power for which they have to beg. They vary in their color, tone, and shape, depending upon the place where they must subserve and be ill-used, and thus go by many different names that show their context or locale.
The Relational Basis of Agency: An Integrated Psychological/Theological Approach

Christian theology has emphasized how agency is meant to be used in the service of God and others and thus should be considered shared agency. In this chapter, I take a feminist process theology approach to agency, showing how agency is exerted in webs of relationships that contribute to well-being. From a process viewpoint, God is integral to relation so that the exertion of human agency impacts God. I briefly explore how shared agency is explained in attachment theory, neurobiology, and cognitive psychology. This chapter revises top-down notions of agency—the idea that persons have the capacity to act according to goals and intentions—including our theological notions about freedom. People seem to act with agency towards their own goals, but this agency is actually fostered in networks of relationships with others and with God. It is out of these very networks of relationships that persons discover top-down by persons believing in their agency.
Strategies for cancer survivorship: practical advice from a doctor and patient.

Being told you have cancer will change you forever. It may be difficult to even hear anything else that is said after the word “cancer.” At this moment, you have become a cancer survivor. While this is not a journey that you would willingly sign up for, it can become a meaningful and enriching part of your life. The first and quite possibly the most important point to make about cancer survivorship is that you are not alone. There are many cancer survivors around you, including people you would have hardly guessed ever had cancer. In addition, the number of survivors continues to grow, as successful therapies produce cures or control of the disease even while many of the underlying causes of cancer remain unknown. To become a capable survivor, you should avail yourself of all the help you can get. Many of these strategies were suggested to me by other cancer survivors early in my journey. Other strategies evolved because of specific circumstances. Lastly, some strategies come from my own experience as a physician, including my understanding of the medical field. My hope is that these strategies will make the journey easier for others.
A Leaf-Spot Disease of Honey Locust Caused by a New Species of Linospora

The conidial stage of a fungus of common occurrence on the foliage of honey locust has been known as Melasmia hypophylla. Its fructification is an acervulus and not a pycnidium, and it belongs in t...
2. Fachtagung Iminiumsalze

Iminiumsalze spielen als gut zu handhabende Bausteine ebenso wie als reaktive Zwischenstufen eine wichtige Rolle in der organischen Synthesechemie. Von der ungebrochenen Aktualitat dieser wohletablierten Substanzklasse zeugten die 27 Vortrage im Herbst 1995 in Stimpfach-Rechenberg.
A network science-based k -means++ clustering method for power systems network equivalence

Network equivalence is a technique useful for many areas including power systems. In many power system analyses, generation shift factor (GSF)-based bus clustering methods have been widely used to reduce the complexity of the equivalencing problem. GSF captures power flow on a line when power is injected at a node using bus to bus electrical distance. A more appropriate measure is the one which captures what may be called the electrical line distance with respect to a bus termed as relative bus to line distance. With increase in power transactions across different regions, the use of relative bus to line distance becomes appropriate for many analyses. Inspired by the recent trends in network science on the study of network dynamics based on the topological characteristics of a network, in this paper, we present a bus clustering method based on average electrical distance (AED). AED is independent of changes in location of slack bus and is based on the concept of electrical distance introduced in the context of molecular chemistry and pursued later for applications in social and complex networks. AED represents the AED from a bus to buses of the transmission line of interest. We first propose an AED-based method to group the buses into clusters for power systems network equivalence using k-means clustering algorithm integrated with silhouette analysis. One limitation of this method is that despite its speed, sometimes it may yield clusters of inferior quality compared to the optimal solution. To overcome this limitation, we next present our improved clustering method which incorporates a seeding technique that initializes centroids probabilistically. We also incorporate a technique in our method to find the number of clusters, k, to be given as input to our clustering algorithm. The resulting algorithm called AED-based k-means++ clustering method yields a clustering that is O(logk) competitive. Our network equivalence technique is next described. Finally, the efficacy of our new equivalencing technique is demonstrated by evaluating its performance on the IEEE 300-bus system and comparing that to the performance of our AED-based method (Sharma et al. in Power network equivalents: a network science-based k-means clustering method integrated with silhouette analysis. In: Complex networks and their application VI, Lyon, France. p. 78–89, 2017) and the existing GSF-based method.