cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of rural residence on dental unmet need for children with special health care needs.

: Background: Unmet need for dental care is the most prevalent unmet health care need among children with special health care needs (CSHCN), even though these children are at a greater risk for dental problems. The combination of rural residence and special health care needs may leave rural CSHCN particularly vulnerable to high levels of unmet dental needs. Objective: To examine the effects of rural residence on unmet dental need for CSHCN. Methods: We use the nationally representative National Survey of CSHCN Needs. We performed logistic regression to estimate the independent effects of rural residence on the likelihood of having an unmet dental need, using a measure of unmet need based on professional society recommendations and a measure based on parental report. Results: Using either of the measures, a substantial percentage of CSHCN do not receive all needed dental care. Rural CSHCN are more likely to forgo needed dental care than their urban counterparts. Our results suggest that rural CSHCN have unmet needs for dental care due to both difficulty accessing care and because their parents do not recognize a need. Conclusion: Traditional access barriers for rural children, such as inadequate provider supply and lack of insurance, may increase unmet needs both directly and indirectly, through their effects on parents’ perceptions of need. Reducing unmet needs for dental care in rural children with special needs will require addressing both access issues and parents’ understanding of dental care need.
Enhanced identification of smoking-related words during the attentional blink in smokers.

Abstract The attentional blink (AB) occurs when ongoing processing of one target (T1) in a series of rapidly presented stimuli impairs processing of a subsequently presented second target (T2), such that T2 cannot be consciously perceived or reported. There is evidence that the AB can be influenced by the emotional or motivational salience of T2. We examined whether the AB could be attenuated by smoking-related stimuli in smokers. Heavy smokers (N = 55) performed an AB task on two occasions, once following 12-h of abstinence and once following ad libitum smoking. T2s were either smoking-related or neutral (household-related) words, and lagged T1 by 0 to 7 distracter words. T1s were all neutral words. Each word was presented for 130 ms. Subjects were required to recall T1 and T2 immediately after each trial. There was a significant word type by lag interaction, whereby smoking-related T2s were recalled better than neutral T2s at early, but not late, lags. The word type effect at early lags was significantly associated with attentional bias assessed on the smoking Stroop task, but was not significantly moderated by abstinence. These data indicate that, in heavy smokers, smoking-related stimuli are more likely to engage conscious awareness than neutral words under conditions of limited attentional resources.
Lattice structures and osmiophilic bodies in the developing respiratory tissue of rats.

Osmiophilic inclusions have been observed in the lungs of rats particularly in the 20-day rat embryo and newborn up to 3 days post partum. These inclusions are present in the large alveolar cells as dense laminated structures of variable size and configuration. They generally consist of concentrically arranged membranes and have the appearance of myelin figures, usually with a dense center. These osmiophilic inclusions are frequently seen in direct contact with the cell membranes and the alveolar space. The alveolar space contains numerous osmiophilic myelin figures which are thought to originate from the intracellular osmiophilic inclusions. They may extrude through a channel formed inside the cell or by rupture of the cell membrane. Secretion materials may occasionally be seen in the cytoplasm of the large alveolar epithelial cells. These cells appear to be in the process of degeneration. Their cell surfaces are disrupted and the cytoplasm is continuous with materials in the air space. The lattice structure in the alveolar space may originate from the cytoplasmic secretion material. The cytoplasmic secretion material in the cell and the lattice structures in the air space disappear after the rats are 3 days old.
A new landscape for distributed and parallel data management

The inaugural issue of Distributed and Parallel Databases (DAPD) appeared in 1993. It was an outcome of this journal’s founding editor Dr. Ahmed Elmagarmid’s vision. In the first editorial, he noted the need to provide a high quality forum to “publish original results related to databases and systems that use distributed or highly parallel platforms, parallel algorithms, issues resulting from parallelism and distribution of application and data.” DAPD indeed started at the right time, and its relevance grew as database technologies were increasingly deployed in large-scale distributed infrastructures and used parallelism and distribution to improve scale and performance. DAPD faithfully served this mission and made a space among database journals with its focus. Ahmed was early in identifying the topics that grew in importance, such as interoperability in multidatabase systems, object-oriented databases, knowledge bases, and managing biological, spatial, scientific and statistical data. Ahmed carried the ball as the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) for over 15 years, and then as a co-EIC once he called upon me to join him four years ago. A couple of years ago, Ahmed took up a significant leadership position at the Qatar Foundation, and along with that, significant responsibilities. So it is understandable that Ahmed has decided to pass on the DAPD leadership role to others. I am confident that the database community will continue to receive the benefits of Ahmed’s leadership and service, but DAPD owes its immense gratitude for all that he has done for this journal. This occasion also affords me a privilege to welcome one of the best known database researchers, Divyakant (Divy) Agrawal. Divy has been on the faculty of Computer Science Department at the University of California at Santa Barbara since 1987 where he currently serves as a Professor of Computer Science. He is an active
Management guidelines for health care workers exposed to blood and body fluids

The purpose of this article is to propose specific management guidelines for the immediate emergency department and subsequent occupational health treatment of health care workers (HCWs) following accidental exposures to blood or body fluids. These guidelines are based on a collective review of the literature and the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and authorities expert in this knowledge domain. Guidelines are needed to assure appropriate treatment and coordinated efforts by ED and occupational health providers. Although numerous infections can potentially be transmitted by exposure to blood and body fluids, these guidelines are intended only for evaluation and postexposure prophylaxis of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and infection with HIV.
Reading the Book of Nature: A Hermeneutical Account of Nature for Philosophical Theology

How can we read nature as a revelatory text? This essay argues for a re-opening of the Book of Nature for philosophical theology. I first will summarize the traditional use of the metaphor of the Book of Nature. But this “book” was closed when science discarded the metaphor of divine authorship as unnecessary. We can re-open nature as a text by discovering the textuality of nature, which in turn presents a reemergence of text itself. From this, we can point to a revelatory nature of nature. The import of the text of nature comes from a reflexive, meditative reading, which sees the way in which the world of the text—and simultaneously the world as text—interacts with/as the world of the reader. The world that we encounter through reading is the very world of our existence—we are encountering the world that forms the foundation of the world from which we read.
Clinical pharmacology furosemide and ethacrynic acid

Abstract Ethacrynic acid and furosemide are potent diuretics which are effective in the majority of patients with edema. The main complications they produce are related to the remarkable increase in electrolyte and water excretion after administration. To date, we have found no reason for preference of one agent over the other; the experimental differences between them may not be of great clinical significance. Although these drugs extend the role of diuretics in treating patients with a variety of disorders, they are not curative and they fail in many clinical situations. Both drugs should be recognized as new, important and potent agents but should be used with caution until additional experience enables one to properly evaluate them.
On-axis shielded sputtering of Y-Ba-Cu-O

Abstract In the standard process for sputtering of YBCO, the substrate is located off the axis of the target. Using a particle shield and dc bias, we have deposited high-quality YBCO films on axis at significantly reduced pressures. Typically these films have electrical properties comparable to off-axis films reported in the literature, and deposition rates are 2 to 3 times faster. Even more important is the return to a geometry that is inherently scalable to large-area deposition.
Secondary emission flicker noise

Abstract The secondary emission flicker noise observed by Schwantes, Hannam and Van der Ziel has been investigated by a new method. It was recently found that the electron bombardment of the anode of a vacuum tube could cause an enhanced generation of flicker noise at the cathode. The earlier method of investigation of secondary emission flicker noise did not discriminate against this possibility, so that the existence of the effect was in doubt. A new method of measurement that is independent of this enhancement effect shows that the secondary emission flicker effect is real.
Breast Reconstruction and Prosthesis Use as Forms of Symbolic Completion of the Physical Self

Self-completion theory helps explain the striving toward wholeness associated with the use of an external prosthesis or breast reconstruction. This paper ad dresses variations in post-mastectomy women's perceptions of physical com pleteness, as revealed by personal strategies of breast reconstruction and pros thesis usage. In the present investigation, women who had had reconstruction tended to be younger, employed, and to have more years of education compared to women who did not. Women who had had reconstructive surgery were more concerned about their sexuality, appearance, and social relationships. They were less satisfied with their appearance than those who did not have reconstruction. Prosthesis use and satisfaction were related factors, with younger and better educated women more likely to use the prosthesis. Greater satisfaction with one's prosthesis related significantly to the expertise of the prosthesis fitter.
MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION AND NEURALLY INDUCED CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS

Discussion de l'interet de la stellectomie en raison du mecanisme sympathique de l'arythmie
A boundary value problem of thermal convection

Abstract The two-dimensional thermal convection of a viscous fluid in a rectangular region is analyzed using the Boussinesq theory, and the Rayleigh boundary conditions. The existence of a unique convention state bifurcating from each eigenvalue of the linearized theory is established by using the Morse lemma. This establishes the validity of the formal perturbation method for determining the convection states. The effects of imperfections on the transition from the conduction to the convection states are studied. A theorem of Thom is used to justify a previous asymptotic expansion method near the critical Rayleigh number.
The N. mPc System Description Facility

N. mPc [1], an interactive environment for the design and evaluation o f microprocessor-based systems, has been developed and implemented at Case Western Reserve University. N.mPc contains five separate tools which work together to produce a functional register transfer level simulation of multiple processor, heterogeneous target systems. A system block diagram is shown in Figure 1.A meta assembler, metaMicro [2], allows the user to specify the Format, mnemonics, and associated bit patterns of the target instruction set. It maps mnemonics into bit strings, and outputs the instructions in a control/memory allocation graph which is machine independent.
Effects of sewage sludge on the benthic invertebrate community of the inshore New York Bight

Abstract Benthic invertebrate community structure including species diversity, biomass and trophic structure was examined at a sewage sludge disposal site and nearby ‘control’ site in the inner New York Bight off New York City. Although both sites are characterized by soft bottoms with high organic carbon, and support similar deposit feeding assemblages, species diversity is lower at the sludge site, reflecting decreased species richness and evenness. Likewise, total biomass as well as the proportional distribution of biomass among trophic groups, differed between sites. A previously suggested indicator species, Capitella capitata , is present in greater numbers at the control station than the sludge station. It is therefore unsuitable as an indicator species of pollution tolerance in the portion of the New York Bight examined in this study. A small polychaete belonging to the family Ampharetidae, Amage auricula , is by far the most abundant animal at the sludge disposal site, but its potential use as an indicator species is complicated by the fact that it exhibits a great tendency for aggregation. Ampeliscid amphipods appear sensitive to the presence of sludge and may be useful as indicators of contamination. Most of the common animals at both stations were aggregated, and it is recommended that future sampling in the area should be by the use of a larger number of small grabs such as the Shipek, rather than a smaller number of large grabs, as this will increase the probability that patchy fauna are encountered.
Validation and Use of the Animal Thematic Apperception Test (ATAT)

AbstractThere are several contexts in which it is desirable to know how individuals perceive animals. However, most people describe these feelings with little precision. Several scales are useful for assessing attitudes toward individual animals of people who currently own or have owned pets. These usually include items about the role of the pet in the family, habitual means of interacting with the pet, and so on. The Animal Thematic Apperception Test (ATAT) was designed to assess attitudes toward animals independent of pet-ownership status by means of semantic differential scale ratings of line drawings. Preliminary evaluation of this test was completed on a sample of 68 white undergraduate students. The current study was designed to examine further the validity and reliability of the scale and the effect of the presence of animals in various scenes on individuals' perceptions of both the scenes and the people in them. Students (N=213) examined three separate scenes, two with and one without animals, and...
Parental effects on the performance of cultivated × wild species hybrids in potato

Valuable genetic diversity in diploid wild Solanum species can be accessed through crosses to haploids (2n = 2×) of the tetraploid cultivated potato, Solanum tuberosum. Haploid-wild species hybrids segregate for the ability to tuberize in the field. In addition, they vary in male fertility, vine size, stolon length, and tuber size. In this study, three haploids were crossed with nine diploid wild Solanum species and 27 hybrid families were evaluated in the field for two years. The proportion of male fertile hybrid clones varied depending on the wild species parent. A large effect of the female parent was detected for vine size, stolon length, tuber size, percent tuberization, and percent plants selected for agronomic quality. An exceptional haploid (US-W4) was identified for the production of agronomically desirable haploid-wild species hybrids. In hybrids derived from US-W4, differences among wild species parents were observed for agronomic quality. Superior hybrids were produced by S. berthaultii and S. microdontum. Reciprocal crosses were evaluated for a subset of families. When the wild species was used as the female parent, male fertility was restored, but tuberization and tuber size were reduced. Careful selection of both haploid and wild species parents can result in a large proportion of fertile, agronomically desirable hybrid offspring.
Randomized Trial of Immunosuppressive Regimens in Renal Transplantation

The optimal long-term regimen for immunosuppression for kidney transplant recipients is unknown. We conducted a randomized trial involving 150 kidney transplant recipients to compare tacrolimus/sirolimus, tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and cyclosporine/sirolimus. All patients received daclizumab induction and maintenance corticosteroids. Median follow-up was 8 yr post-transplant. Acute rejection (AR) occurred significantly less often among those treated with tacrolimus/MMF (12%) than among those treated with tacrolimus/sirolimus (30%) or cyclosporine/sirolimus (28%). Mean estimated GFR was consistently higher in the tacrolimus/MMF arm, especially after controlling for donor age in a multivariable model during the first 36 mo (P ≤ 0.008). The rate of dying with a functioning graft was significantly higher among those treated with tacrolimus/sirolimus (26%) than among those treated with tacrolimus/MMF (12%) or cyclosporine/sirolimus (4%). We did not observe significant differences in actuarial graft survival at 8 yr post-transplant between the groups. Patient noncompliance seemed responsible for 45% (13/29) of observed graft failures, with 11 of these occurring after 36 mo. Significantly more viral infections, protocol violations, and need for antilipid therapy occurred among patients receiving sirolimus, but we did not observe differences between the groups with regard to infections requiring hospitalization or new-onset diabetes. Taken together, these results suggest that maintenance therapy with tacrolimus/MMF is more favorable than either tacrolimus/sirolimus or cyclosporine/sirolimus.
Epithelial polarity and proliferation control: links from the Drosophila neoplastic tumor suppressors

Mammalian epithelial tumors lose polarity as they progress toward malignancy, but whether polarity loss might causally contribute to cancer has remained unclear. In Drosophila, mutations in the "neoplastic tumor suppressor genes" (nTSGs) scribble, discs-large, and lethal giant larvae disrupt polarity of epithelia and neuroblasts, and simultaneously induce extensive overproliferation of these cells, which exhibit malignant-like characteristics. Herein I review what is known about the role of the fly nTSGs in controlling cell polarity and cell proliferation. Incorporating data from mammalian studies, I consider how polarity and proliferation can be coupled, and how disruption of polarity could promote cancer.
On the Possibilities of the Limited Precision Weights Neural Networks in Classification Problems

Limited precision neural networks are better suited for hardware implementations. Several researchers have proposed various algorithms which are able to train neural networks with limited precision weights. Also it has been suggested that the limits introduced by the limited precision weights can be compensated by an increased number of layers. This paper shows that, from a theoretical point of view, neural networks with integer weights in the range [-p,p] can solve classification problems for which the minimum euclidian distance in-between two patterns from opposite classes is 1/p. This result can be used in an information theory context to calculate a bound on the number of bits necessary for solving a problem. It is shown that the number of bits is limited by m*n*log(2pD) where m is the number of patterns, n is the dimensionality of the space, p is the weight range and D is the radius of a sphere including all patterns.
2D object segmentation from fovea images based on eigen-subspace learning

In this paper, we consider the problem of segmenting 2D objects from intensity fovea images based on learning. During the training, we apply the Karhunen-Loeve projection to the training set to obtain a set of eigenvectors and also construct a space decomposition tree to achieve logarithmic retrieval time complexity. The eigenvectors are used to reconstruct the test fovea image. Then we apply a spring network model to the reconstructed image to generate a polygon mask. After applying the mask to the test image, we search the space decomposition tree to find the nearest neighbor to segment the object from background. The system is tested to segment 25 classes of different hand shapes. The experimental results show 97% correct rate for the hands presented in the training (because of the background effect) and 93% correct rate for the hands that have not been used in the training phase.
The equivocal appendix at CT: prevalence in a control population.

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of appendices with an equivocal appearance at computed tomography (CT) in a control population. We retrospectively identified a control population of 150 patients who underwent CT of the abdomen and pelvis for evaluation of hematuria (without abdominal pain, fever, or colonic disease). One reader measured the diameter of the appendix and noted if the appendix was either isodense in appearance or airless and fluid filled. Sixty-seven of 150 cases (44.6%) demonstrated appendiceal diameter greater than 6 mm. The appendix was collapsed or isodense in 34/150 cases (22.7%). Only ten of 150 or 6.6% of cases were isodense in combination with diameter greater than 6 mm, and none had diameter greater than 10 mm. Only one of 150 cases (0.67%) demonstrated airless fluid within the lumen, and the appendix measured less than 6 mm. While the diameter of the normal appendix is frequently greater than 6 mm, none measured greater than 10 mm in combination with ambiguous morphology. Furthermore, in the normal appendix, airless fluid filling the lumen is a rare appearance with a prevalence of less than 1%. While appendicitis could undoubtedly occur in an isodense appendix between 6 and 10 mm in diameter, such an appearance can occur in up to 6.6% of the normal population
Characterizing uncertainty in expert assessments: ozone depletion and the West Antarctic ice sheet

Large-scale assessments have become an important vehicle for organizing, interpreting, and presenting scientific information relevant to environmental policy. At the same time, identifying and evaluating scientific uncertainty with respect to the very questions these assessments were designed to address has become more difficult, as ever more complex problems involving greater portions of the Earth system and longer timescales have emerged at the science–policy interface. In this article, we explore expert judgments about uncertainty in two recent cases: the assessment of stratospheric ozone depletion, and the assessment of the response of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) to global warming. These assessments were fairly adept at characterizing one type of uncertainty in models (parameter uncertainty), but faced much greater difficulty in dealing with structural model uncertainty, sometimes entirely avoiding grappling with it. In the absence of viable models, innovative approaches were developed in the ozone case for consolidating information about highly uncertain future outcomes, whereas little such progress has been made thus far in the case of WAIS. Both cases illustrate the problem of expert disagreement, suggesting that future assessments need to develop improved approaches to representing internal conflicts of judgment, in order to produce a more complete evaluation of uncertainty. WIREs Clim Change 2011 2 728–743 DOI: 10.1002/wcc.135 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
The 0.3-kb fragment containing the R-U5-5’leader sequence of Friend murine leukemia virus influences the level of protein expression from spliced mRNA

A neuropathogenic variant of Friend murine leukemia virus (Fr-MLV) clone A8 induces spongiform neurodegeneration when infected into neonatal rats. Studies with chimeras constructed from the A8 virus and the non-neuropathogenic Fr-MLV clone 57 identified a 0.3-kb KpnI-AatII fragment containing a R-U5-5’leader sequence as an important determinant for inducing spongiosis, in addition to the env gene of A8 as the primary determinant. This 0.3-kb fragment contains a 17-nucleotide difference between the A8 and 57 sequences. We previously showed that the 0.3-kb fragment influences expression levels of Env protein in both cultured cells and rat brain, but the corresponding molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Studies with expression vectors constructed from the full-length proviral genome of Fr-MLV that incorporated the luciferase (luc) gene instead of the env gene found that the vector containing the A8-0.3-kb fragment yielded a larger amount of spliced luc-mRNA and showed higher expression of luciferase when compared to the vector containing the 57-0.3-kb fragment. The amount of total transcripts from the vectors, the poly (A) tail length of their mRNAs, and the nuclear-cytoplasm distribution of luc-mRNA in transfected cells were also evaluated. The 0.3-kb fragment did not influence transcription efficiency, mRNA polyadenylation or nuclear export of luc-mRNA. Mutational analyses were carried out to determine the importance of nucleotides that differ between the A8 and 57 sequences within the 0.3-kb fragment. In particular, seven nucleotides upstream of the 5’splice site (5’ss) were found to be important in regulating the level of protein expression from spliced messages. Interestingly, these nucleotides reside within the stem-loop structure that has been speculated to limit the recognition of 5’ss. The 0.3-kb fragment containing the R-U5-5’leader sequence of Fr-MLV influences the level of protein expression from the spliced-mRNA by regulating the splicing efficiency rather than transcription, nuclear export of spliced-mRNA, or poly (A) addition to mRNA. Seven nucleotides in the 0.3-kb fragment, which reside within the stem-loop structure that has been speculated to limit recognition of the 5’ss, could pinpoint the function of this region.
Robust Transfer Principal Component Analysis with Rank Constraints

Principal component analysis (PCA), a well-established technique for data analysis and processing, provides a convenient form of dimensionality reduction that is effective for cleaning small Gaussian noises presented in the data. However, the applicability of standard principal component analysis in real scenarios is limited by its sensitivity to large errors. In this paper, we tackle the challenge problem of recovering data corrupted with errors of high magnitude by developing a novel robust transfer principal component analysis method. Our method is based on the assumption that useful information for the recovery of a corrupted data matrix can be gained from an uncorrupted related data matrix. Specifically, we formulate the data recovery problem as a joint robust principal component analysis problem on the two data matrices, with common principal components shared across matrices and individual principal components specific to each data matrix. The formulated optimization problem is a minimization problem over a convex objective function but with non-convex rank constraints. We develop an efficient proximal projected gradient descent algorithm to solve the proposed optimization problem with convergence guarantees. Our empirical results over image denoising tasks show the proposed method can effectively recover images with random large errors, and significantly outperform both standard PCA and robust PCA with rank constraints.
Perturbation of Global Solution Curves for Semilinear Problems

We revisit the question of exact multiplicity of positive solutions for a class of Dirichlet problems for cubic-like nonlinearities, which we studied in [6]. Instead of computing the direction of bifurcation as we did in [6], we use an indirect approach, and study the evolution of turning points. We give conditions under which the critical (turning) points continue on smooth curves, which allows us to reduce the problem to the easier case of f(O) = O. We show that the smallest root of f(u) does not have to be restricted.
Estimative current mode control technique for DC-DC converters operating in discontinuous conduction mode

A new control technique for DC-DC converters is introduced and applied to a boost converter operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). In contrast to conventional control methods, the principal idea of the proposed control scheme is to obtain samples of the required signals and estimate the required switch-on time. The proposed technique is applicable to any converter operating in DCM, including power factor correctors (PFC), however, this letter mainly focuses on boost topology. In this letter, the main mathematical concept of a new control algorithm is introduced, as well as the robustness investigation of the proposed method with simulation and experimental results.
The Majority of MicroRNAs Detectable in Serum and Saliva Is Concentrated in Exosomes

There is an increasing interest in using microRNAs (miRNA) as biomarkers in autoimmune diseases. They are easily accessible in many body fluids but it is controversial if they are circulating freely or are encapsulated in microvesicles, particularly exosomes. We investigated if the majority of miRNas in serum and saliva are free-circulating or concentrated in exosomes. Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation from fresh and frozen human serum and saliva. The amount of selected miRNAs extracted from the exosomal pellet and the exosome-depleted serum and saliva was compared by quantitative RT-PCR. Some miRNAs tested are ubiquitously expressed, others were previously reported as biomarkers. We included miRNAs previously reported to be free circulating and some thought to be exosome specific. The purity of exosome fraction was confirmed by electronmicroscopy and western blot. The concentration of miRNAs was consistently higher in the exosome pellet compared to the exosome-depleted supernatant. We obtained the same results using an equal volume or equal amount of total RNA as input of the RT-qPCR. The concentration of miRNA in whole, unfractionated serum, was between the exosomal pellet and the exosome-depleted supernatant. Selected miRNAs, which were detectable in exosomes, were undetectable in whole serum and the exosome-depleted supernantant. Exosome isolation improves the sensitivity of miRNA amplification from human biologic fluids. Exosomal miRNA should be the starting point for early biomarker studies to reduce the probability of false negative results involving low abundance miRNAs that may be missed by using unfractionated serum or saliva.
Bioweapons Proliferation Where Science Studies and Public Policy Collide

Post 9/11 concerns about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have highlighted the importance of understanding the fundamental nature of tacit weapons knowledge and its transfer mechani...
Design techniques for self-powered microsystems

This paper describes recent advancements in low power circuit design and energy harvesting that will help lead to the autonomous operation of microscale autonomous sensing platforms. Low power circuit techniques for sensor interfaces and RF communication are explored. We introduce a 1cm3 thermoelectric energy harvester and present measured results.
Natural but Not Inducible Regulatory T Cells Require TNF-α Signaling for In Vivo Function

TNF-α has a multifunctional role in autoimmune diseases as reflected in the variable responses of different human diseases to anti-TNF-α therapy. Recent studies have suggested that TNF-α modulates autoimmunity partially via effects on regulatory T cells (Tregs) and that these effects are mediated through the type II TNFR (TNFR2). We have investigated the requirement for TNFR2-expression on murine natural Tregs (nTregs) and induced Tregs (iTregs) in mediating suppression of colitis. Surprisingly, we find that TNFR2-expression is required for both spleen- and thymus-derived nTreg-mediated suppression, but is not required for iTreg-mediated suppression. Abnormal TNFR2(-/-) nTreg function was not associated with an in vivo decrease in accumulation, stability, or expression of markers known to be relevant in Treg function. Because iTregs are generated in the presence of TGF-β, we investigated whether activation in the presence of TGF-β could overcome the functional defect in TNFR2(-/-) nTregs. Although preactivation alone did not restore suppressive function of nTregs, preactivation in the presence of TGF-β did. These results identify potentially critical differences in activation requirements for nTregs versus iTregs. Furthermore, our findings are consistent with reports suggesting that nTregs are activated in sites of inflammation while iTregs are activated in lymph nodes. Finally, by demonstrating that nTregs require TNF-α for optimal function whereas iTregs do not, our results suggest that the enigma of variable responses of different human diseases to anti-TNF-α therapy may relate to whether nTregs or iTregs have the predominant regulatory role in a given disease.
Improving the inter-rater agreement of hypsarrhythmia using a simplified EEG grading scale for children with infantile spasms.

Abstract Background There is poor inter-rater agreement in determining the presence or absence of hypsarrhythmia among patients with infantile spasms. Yet, remission of hypsarrhythmia has been used as a clinical and research outcome measure. Two important features of hypsarrhythmia are the burden of epileptiform discharges and the amplitudes of background slow waves. We hypothesized that an electroencephalogram (EEG) grading scale emphasizing epileptiform discharge burden and the amplitudes of background slow waves would improve inter-rater agreement in interpreting hypsarrhythmia. Our aim was to assess inter-rater agreement of hypsarrhythmia using a novel and simplified EEG grading scale called the ‘BASED' (Burden of Amplitudes and Epileptiform Discharges) score and compare this to the traditional method of EEG analysis. Methods Twenty patients with infantile spasms were prospectively evaluated and electroclinical outcomes were determined. Forty EEG clips (20 pre-treatment and 20 post-treatment), representing the most severely abnormal five minute sleep epoch of each study, were assessed by three reviewers blinded to treatment and clinical outcome. Fleiss' kappa ( К ) was used to assess the inter-rater agreement in the interpretation of hypsarrhythmia when using the BASED score compared to the traditional method of EEG analysis. Results Reviewers had favorable inter-rater agreement using the BASED score in interpreting hypsarrhythmia ( К : 0.87) compared to when using the traditional method of EEG analysis to interpret hypsarrhythmia ( К : 0.09). The three reviewers all agreed on the presence or absence of hypsarrhythmia in 37/40 (93%) epochs using the BASED score but in only 15/40 (38%) epochs using the traditional method of EEG analysis, p = Conclusion When compared to the traditional method of EEG analysis, the BASED score allowed for better inter-rater agreement in the interpretation of hypsarrhythmia. Future infantile spasms clinical trials must better define criteria for hypsarrhythmia.
Moments and distribution of central $$L$$ L -values of quadratic twists of elliptic curves

We show that if one can compute a little more than a particular moment for some family of L-functions, then one has upper bounds of the conjectured order of magnitude for all smaller (positive, real) moments and a one-sided central limit theorem holds. We illustrate our method for the family of quadratic twists of an elliptic curve, obtaining sharp upper bounds for all moments below the first. We also establish a one sided central limit theorem supporting a conjecture of Keating and Snaith. Our work leads to a conjecture on the distribution of the order of the Tate-Shafarevich group for rank zero quadratic twists of an elliptic curve, and establishes the upper bound part of this conjecture (assuming the Birch-Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture).
Intraseason Harvest Regulation for Fish and Wildlife Recreation: An Application to Fishery Policy

Resource managers often ignore economic information in decisions about recreational use of fish and wildlife resources. By evaluating within‐season harvest regulations, economists can identify strategies to improve recreational benefits without compromising management objectives represented in an annual harvest quota. Theoretical analysis raises a potential for bias in applied welfare analysis if regulations inefficiently trade off fishing quality and exogenous seasonality in anglers' demand. Simulations demonstrate that efficient regulations may limit daily harvests during the best fishing season or during the peak season of demand. Inadequate knowledge of recreationists' behavioral responses to quality and regulations currently limits policy assessments.
Wireless Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Through Scalp at Microwave Frequencies; Preliminary Phantom and Animal Study

Clinical determination of intracranial pressure (ICP) is critical to the management of head injuries and diseases of the brain (e.g., Hydrocephalus), in order to avoid death and disability. The feasibility of acquiring intracranial pressure information through scalp at 2.4 GHz ISM band is demonstrated through in-vivo animal study. A previously fabricated device, including a piezoresistive sensor, an oscillator, and a chip antenna, irradiating a signal whose frequency depends on ICP, was implanted in pig skull. This experiment was primarily conducted for studying the biocompatibility of the device, signal transmission through scalp, and the frequency sensitivity of the device with ICP change. The possibility of pressure monitoring through scalp at 2.4 GHz ISM band was verified, as the received signal strength agreed with the in-vitro phantom experiment result, as expected. Moreover, a correlation between the ICP pressure and the irradiated frequency was demonstrated.
Africanising Apartheid: identity, ideology, and state-building in post-independence Africa

Between 1968 and 1975, the leaders of white South Africa reached out to independent African leaders. Scholars have alternately seen these counterintuitive campaigns as driven by a quest for regional economic hegemony, divide-and-rule realpolitik, or a desire to ingratiate the regime with the West. This article instead argues that the South African government's outreach was intended to energise a top-down recalibration of the ideology of Afrikaner nationalism, as the regime endeavoured to detach its apartheid programme from notions of colonialist racial supremacy, and instead reach across the colour line and lay an equal claim to the power and protection of African nationalism. These diplomatic manoeuvrings, therefore, serve as a prism through which to understand important shifts in state identity, ideological renewal, and the adoption of new state-building models.
Recent Advances in Drinking Water Disinfection: Successes and Challenges

The need for water disinfection in the developing world is undeniable. Disinfecting drinking water is critical for achieving an adequate level of removal or inactivation of pathogenic organisms that exist in raw water, for preventing recontamination of drinking water within the distribution system, and maintaining drinking water quality throughout the distribution system (USEPA 1999; AWWA 2001a; Sommer et al. 2008; WHO 2011). Waterborne diseases cause about five million human deaths per year, at least half of which are children (UNICEF 1995). Therefore, water utilities have the vital responsibility of managing water quality risks to ensure the safety and quality of water supplied to their customers. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, inactivating and or removing pathogenic organisms (disinfection) from drinking water have been the main approaches to safeguard drinking water quality (Hrudey and Hrudey 2004). In the absence of drinking water disinfection, people are subject to falling ill from infectious diseases, caused by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and protozoan parasites.
Astrocytes in hepatic encephalopathy.

Considerable progress has been made in recent years toward understanding the neurochemical events occurring in hepatic encephalopathy (HE). However, an integrated picture of all of the available facts and events regarding the pathogenesis of this condition has yet to emerge. Many studies to date have largely ignored certain fundamental cellular changes which occur in this condition. In this article, the involvement of astrocytes in HE will be reviewed in an attempt to bridge this gap in our knowledge. Studies carried out in our laboratory on astrocytes dealing with the effect of ammonia and other putative toxins will be presented, and an attempt will be made to integrate these findings with current pathogenetic views of HE. New concepts dealing with the role of second messengers and protein phosphorylation will be presented. Finally, we wish to leave the reader with the concept that HE represents a primary gliopathy, i.e., that the astrocyte is the prime CNS target in HE.
MANGLE AND SEVERE WRINGER INJURIES OF THE HAND IN CHILDREN

The importance and seriousness of wringer and mangle injuries have been emphasized. In most wringer injuries the trauma to the hand is comparatively slight, the most serious See Images in the PDF file injury occurring about the elbow and axilla. With mangle injuries of the hand, the mechanism of injury is the same, but in addition to the effect of rolling, there is a thermal burn. The treatment of both injuries is basically the same. Attempts are made to clean the wound as early as possible and this is done at the end of five to seven days, by mechanical debridement. Split-thickness skin grafts should be applied early to prevent secondary infection and to minimize scar formation. The wound should be closed by the fourteenth to the twenty-first day. Later, in the case of palmar defects, the contracted skin graft is excised and full-thicknsess skin grafts are applied. A tube pedicle graft may be necessary if tendons and nerves have been destroyed. Postoperative splinting and physical therapy are necessary to prevent recurrence of contractures and to restore function.
Meghana Nayak. Who Is Worthy of Protection? Gender-Based Asylum and US Immigration Politics

Meghana Nayak provides a fascinating look into the process of seeking political asylum in the USA for individuals who claim gender-related persecution, asking the question, “Who is worthy of protec...
Empire's Twin: U.S. Anti-Imperialism from the Founding Era to the Age of Terrorism, edited Ian Tyrrell and Jay Sexton

Historians William Appleman Williams and Walter LaFeber began characterising the United States as an empire several decades ago, and this has since become the dominant interpretation in the history...
Impacts of Diffusive Transport on Carbonate Mineral Formation from Magnesium Silicate-CO2-Water Reactions

Reactions of CO2 with magnesium silicate minerals to precipitate magnesium carbonates can result in stable carbon sequestration. This process can be employed in ex situ reactors or during geologic carbon sequestration in magnesium-rich formations. The reaction of aqueous CO2 with the magnesium silicate mineral forsterite was studied in systems with transport controlled by diffusion. The approach integrated bench-scale experiments, an in situ spectroscopic technique, and reactive transport modeling. Experiments were performed using a tube packed with forsterite and open at one end to a CO2-rich solution. The location and amounts of carbonate minerals that formed were determined by postexperiment characterization of the solids. Complementing this ex situ characterization, 13C NMR spectroscopy tracked the inorganic carbon transport and speciation in situ. The data were compared with the output of reactive transport simulations that accounted for diffusive transport processes, aqueous speciation, and the fors...
Monitoring & Control System for the Second Stage Water Diversion Project in Zhoushan Mainland

The general situation of the second stage water diversion project in Zhoushan mainland is introduced.The design principles of pump station monitoring and control system are given.Following these principles,the system structure and main configuration is designed.The system control characteristic and further major function analysis of the system is described.The success in running this system will provide an advanced technique for the operation management of the second stage water diversion project in Zhoushan mainland,and ensure safe,reliable and economical operation.
Submaximal Exercise Systolic Blood Pressure and Heart Rate at 20 Years of Follow-up: Correlates in the Framingham Heart Study.

Background Beyond their resting values, exercise responses in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) may add prognostic information for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In cross‐sectional studies, exercise BP and HR responses correlate with CVD risk factors; however, it is unclear which factors influence longitudinal changes in exercise responses over time, which is important for our understanding of the development of CVD. Methods and Results We assessed BP and HR responses to low‐level exercise tests (6‐minute Bruce protocol) in 1231 Framingham Offspring participants (55% women) who underwent a routine treadmill test in 1979–1983 (baseline; mean age 39±8 years) that was repeated in 1998–2001 (follow‐up; mean age 58±8 years). Adjusting for baseline exercise responses, we related the follow‐up exercise responses to baseline CVD risk factors and to their changes between examinations. Compared with men, women had greater rise in exercise systolic (S)BP and HR at 20‐year follow‐up (both P <0.005). Baseline blood lipid levels, resting SBP and HR, and smoking status were associated with greater exercise SBP at follow‐up (all P <0.05). Weight gain across examinations was associated with higher exercise SBP and HR at follow‐up (both P <0.0001). Smoking cessation was associated with a 53% reduced risk of attaining the highest quartile of exercise SBP (≥180 mm Hg) at follow‐up ( P <0.05). Conclusion An adverse CVD risk factor profile in young adults and its worsening over time were associated with higher SBP and HR responses to low‐level exercise in midlife. Maintaining or adopting a healthy risk factor profile may favorably impact the exercise responses over time.
A Joint Model for Answer Sentence Ranking and Answer Extraction

Answer sentence ranking and answer extraction are two key challenges in question answering that have traditionally been treated in isolation, i.e., as independent tasks. In this article, we (1) explain how both tasks are related at their core by a common quantity, and (2) propose a simple and intuitive joint probabilistic model that addresses both via joint computation but task-specific application of that quantity. In our experiments with two TREC datasets, our joint model substantially outperforms state-of-the-art systems in both tasks.