cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Misrepresenting “Usual Care” in Research: An Ethical and Scientific Error

Comparative effectiveness studies, referred to here as "usual-care" trials, seek to compare current medical practices for the same medical condition. Such studies are presumed to be safe and involve only minimal risks. However, that presumption may be flawed if the trial design contains "unusual" care, resulting in potential risks to subjects and inaccurately informed consent. Three case studies described here did not rely on clinical evidence to ascertain contemporaneous practice. As a result, the investigators drew inaccurate conclusions, misinformed research participants, and subjects' safety was compromised. Before approving usual-care protocols, IRBs and scientific review committees should evaluate the quality and completeness of information documenting usual-care practices. Guidance from governmental oversight agencies regarding evidence-based documentation of current clinical practice could prevent similar occurrences in future usual-care trials. Accurate information is necessary to ensure that trials comply with government regulations that require minimizing research risks to subjects and accurate informed consent documents.
Anteroposterior balance reactions in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Aim To compare anterior and posterior standing balance reactions, as measured by single-stepping thresholds, in children with and without spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Method Seventeen ambulatory children with spastic CP (eight males, nine females) and 28 typically developing children (13 males, 15 females; age range 5-12y, mean [SD] 9y 2mo [2y 3mo]), were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. Balance reaction skill was quantified as anterior and posterior single-stepping thresholds, or the treadmill-induced perturbations that consistently elicited a step in that direction. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms of between-group differences in stepping thresholds, dynamic stability was quantified using the minimum margin of stability. Ankle muscle activation latency, magnitude, and co-contraction were assessed with surface electromyography. Results We observed an age and group interaction for anterior thresholds (p=0.001, partial η2 =0.24). At older (≈11y; p Interpretation The effects of CP on balance reactions are age- and direction-specific. Older typically developing children are more able or willing to withhold a step when unstable. What this paper adds Children with spastic cerebral palsy have age- and direction-specific balance-reaction impairments. Lower anterior stepping thresholds were observed in older, but not younger children. Older typically developing children withheld a forward step at higher levels of instability. No between-group differences were seen in posterior stepping thresholds.
Impacts of Experimentally Obtained Harmonic Spectrums of Residential Appliances on Distribution Feeder

Owing to the increased use of power electronic-based appliances and energy-efficient home equipment such as modern lighting loads, the percentage of nonlinear loads has increased in the distribution system, which can impact system performance, loss, and stability. Thus a comprehensive knowledge of their power quality and harmonic analysis is essential to improve the load models, voltage stability assessment, determination of possible interactions at harmonic frequencies, protection planning, and the effect of system impedance. This paper focuses on harmonic load flow analysis for multiple residential load types to determine the expected impacts on an modeled distribution secondary. For this study, the household appliances include lighting, power electronic, resistive, and motor loads with a nominal supply voltage of 120 V single-phase or 240 V split-phase at a nominal frequency of 60 Hz. The harmonic spectrums, as obtained from the experimental evaluation of real loads, are used to inform the harmonic load flow for a detailed secondary network, including the distribution service transformer extracted from a real distribution feeder's model. Additionally, the impact of voltage harmonics on a three-phase test load is presented with experimental results. The harmonic data of the transformer terminal voltage, as obtained from the former load flow study, are scaled to generate the source voltage for the three-phase configuration of the grid simulator to make the test setup very similar to a typical secondary design in the U.S.
Salivaomics, Saliva-Exosomics, and Saliva Liquid Biopsy

The concept of liquid biopsy has emerged into the cancer lexicon to describe detected alterations of tumor biomarkers within body fluids which reflect the presence and the biology of cancer. This is typically performed by assessing circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNAs (ctDNAs), tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and proteins. Although plasma, urine, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) are all viable biofluids, growing attention has recently been cast on saliva. Saliva is readily available, can be obtained noninvasively, is easily collected and stored, and also demonstrates compelling pathophysiological association with systemic diseases. Importantly, saliva liquid biopsy delivers the best clinical performance to detect ctDNAs in lung cancer patients. In conjunction with validated biomarkers, and reliable and robust analytical detection tools, saliva has the potential to pioneer a new landscape of real-time point-of-care testing in personalized medicine. This chapter will review the salivaomics, the disease-related biomarker properties of saliva, and the scientific advances in the pathophysiological foundations which make saliva an ideal candidate for noninvasive liquid biopsy. Moreover, a novel liquid biopsy technology termed electric field-induced release and measurement (EFIRM), which works in tandem with the technological advances to extract crucial disease information in saliva, is reviewed.
Robotic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion: beyond the initial experience

Robotic assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has gained popularity within minimally-invasive urologic surgery, and has been shown to be a safe procedure with similar oncologic outcomes when compared to the conventional open standard. While initial RARC feasibility and outcomes studies were performed with extracorporeal urinary diversion, intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) is becoming increasingly utilized. Reported benefits of an intracorporeal approach include decreased blood loss and a lower incidence of ureteral strictures. While ICUD is technically challenging, many have overcome the learning curve associated with this procedure via a mentorship model and a dedicated operative team. Techniques vary between institutions, and ileal conduit, continent cutaneous and orthotopic continent (neobladder) diversions have all been performed. Herein, we describe the learning curve, technical points, and unique complications associated with ICUD.
Chemical Treatment of a Highly Expansive Clay Using a Liquid Ionic Soil Stabilizer

Expansive soils for residential projects are often treated with liquid ionic soil stabilizer (LISS) using deep pressurized injection method. Liquid ionic soil stabilizers have a long history of application in practice. However, there is limited knowledge and experimental evidence of their stabilization mechanism and effectiveness. This paper summarizes the research that investigated the effects of liquid ionic stabilizers on key engineering properties of a highly expansive clay from Carrollton, Texas, through comprehensive physical and mechanical testing and microscopic observation of untreated and treated soils. Test results before and after treatment were analyzed for two different treatment ratios: 1:300 and 1:150, showing a 53% swell reduction for treated soil compacted at the optimum moisture content (OMC) for treated soil, and 25% swell reduction for treated soil compacted at the OMC for the untreated soil. There was no significant improvement in unconfined compressive strength; noticeable improvement in stiffness was observed. The microscopic analysis showed a marked change in morphology and quantitative element composition, thus suggesting the occurrence of a reasonable degree of stabilization.
Evaluation of food safety curriculum effectiveness: A longitudinal study of high-school-aged youths’ knowledge retention, risk-perception, and perceived behavioral control

Abstract Societal changes have prompted the elimination of Family and Consumer Science courses from many schools and the reduction of food-handler role models at home. Declining opportunities for youth to acquire food-handling knowledge and skills increases their risk of contracting a foodborne illness. Many youths are employed in food service and could perpetuate the spread of foodborne illness. In this study, two food safety curricula were evaluated for effectiveness in changing the food safety knowledge, risk-perception, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) of high school students enrolled in microbiology and agriculture courses, immediately following and one year after an educational intervention. One curriculum utilized the Positive Deviance (PD) model, while the other utilized Experiential Learning (EL) methods. Survey questions related to risk-perception and PCB were measured on a five-point Likert scale. Twenty-four knowledge questions were assigned one point for each correct answer and zero points for incorrect answers. Risk-perception and PBC continued to increase from the post-survey to the follow-up survey among the PD and EL Groups. After the educational intervention, the EL Group perceived themselves to be at a greater risk for contracting a foodborne illness and became significantly more confident in their abilities to clean food-contact surfaces, store food safely, and prepare food that is safe to eat. Knowledge scores also significantly increased among the PD (16.88–18.78) and EL (16.66–18.81) Groups. After one year, only the EL Group scored significantly higher on the follow-up survey (18.87) than on the pre-survey (16.66). Microbiology students achieved the highest knowledge scores (20.47) after the educational intervention; however, their knowledge gain significantly attenuated (19.39) after one year. Students reported sharing food safety information with family to improve food-handling behaviors. This study demonstrates the need for continued food safety education to retain knowledge and highlights the study's curricula continued influence on students' risk-perception and PBC.
Agricultural education and migration: A comparison of rural youth in El Salvador and Honduras

Youth is defined as a period of transition from childhood to adulthood that ranges between the ages of 15 and 24, and it is the most mobile social group in the world. Youth migration in El Salvador and Honduras is a well-known problem; however, limited research has studied the causes of migration and the impact of agricultural education programs on the decision to migrate. This study aims to identify and compare the migration intentions of students in agricultural and non-agricultural programs of two rural communities of El Salvador and Honduras. For this quantitative study, a two-group model was used, the target population (N = 209) was composed of high school students with similar socioeconomic characteristics. Overall, the comparison between El Salvador and Honduras showed a significant difference between countries regarding their migration intentions (p < 0.05). Salvadorian students presented a stronger willingness to migrate. Moreover, students’ intention of migration was evaluated based on their educational background. Youth who were not part of a formal agricultural program have a higher intention of migrating (p < 0.05). Finally, the main and interaction effects of intention to migrate, country of origin, and academic program based on the different migration drivers were analyzed.
Medical Anthropology Courses and Concepts Tested on the MCAT: A Content Analysis of 40 U.S. Course Syllabi:

The Association of American Medical Colleges recommends students seeking to enter medical school complete courses in the social sciences. Despite calls to teach social science—including anthropolog...
Rare earth elements (REEs) recovery and porous silica preparation from kaolinite

Abstract A kaolinite containing 245 ppm of REEs was used as a feedstock for REE recovery. Acid leaching test results showed that less than 20% of the REEs were leached using 1.2 mol/L HCl. However, after thermal treatment at 600 °C, a recovery of over 80% was obtained with a much lower acid concentration (0.01 mol/L). Meanwhile, only 3.91% Al, 2.34% Fe, 8.63% K, 9.32% Mg, 0.08% Ti, and 5.34% Ca were simultaneously extracted. Therefore, high-purity rare earth products are likely produced from the kaolinite. To achieve a more comprehensive utilization of the kaolinite, the residual solid after REE recovery was subjected to a selective leaching process to prepare porous silica. Comparisons among three different types of mineral acids showed that H2SO4 provided the best performance. The effects of different factors were investigated using the response surface methodology. A porous silica with as high as 336.95 m2/g specific surface area was ultimately produced.
On languaging and communities: Latino/a emergent bilinguals' expansive learning and critical inquiries into global childhoods

Young children in diverse urban contexts bring to school transnational knowledges, complex multilingual literacies, and cultural practices which reflect global mobility and the blended nature of their social worlds. For children such as the Latino first graders we have been working with for the past three years, their lived experiences do not easily align with one language or national affiliation. Our qualitative practitioner research study examines how emergent bilinguals in transnational contexts engage in critical inquiry through photographing and writing about their communities. Drawing on Cultural Historical Activity Theory, we explore how children's experiences in global neighborhood spaces – including their dynamic translanguaging practices and transnational histories – were an epistemic resource and a means of enacting agency. We suggest that translanguaging, as a cultural historical artifact, can help mediate children's critical inquiries into global childhoods.
The hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene: a model for the study of mutation in mammalian cells.

Publisher Summary In mammalian cells, the principal genetic locris that has proved to be amenable to mutation studies is the one coding for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). This chapter provides a review of results obtained from the various approaches that have been applied to the study of mutation at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus and summarizes recent advances made in the molecular cloning of HPRT genes. The availability of cloned probes leads to detailed molecular study of both experimentally induced and naturally occurring mutations at the HPRT locus. Although the gene is very large, a number of changes that involve substantial deletions or rearrangements have already been identified; even smaller changes have been examined either by protein-sequencing techniques or selective restriction-enzyme cleavage studies. Further development of methods for using specific primers to examine mRNA sequences directly or the application of recombination “rescue” approaches to isolate defined regions for detailed analysis may increase the feasibility of a routine examination of minor changes in nucleotide sequences. The fact that small expressing-vectors constructed from HPRT cDNA sequences can be used in gene-transfer experiments allows the potential for site-directed mutagenesis in vitro, followed by an examination of the in vivo effects and may well provide a good system for future studies on gene correction.
Gene fusions and gene duplications: relevance to genomic annotation and functional analysis

Escherichia coli a model organism provides information for annotation of other genomes. Our analysis of its genome has shown that proteins encoded by fused genes need special attention. Such composite (multimodular) proteins consist of two or more components (modules) encoding distinct functions. Multimodular proteins have been found to complicate both annotation and generation of sequence similar groups. Previous work overstated the number of multimodular proteins in E. coli. This work corrects the identification of modules by including sequence information from proteins in 50 sequenced microbial genomes. Multimodular E. coli K-12 proteins were identified from sequence similarities between their component modules and non-fused proteins in 50 genomes and from the literature. We found 109 multimodular proteins in E. coli containing either two or three modules. Most modules had standalone sequence relatives in other genomes. The separated modules together with all the single (un-fused) proteins constitute the sum of all unimodular proteins of E. coli. Pairwise sequence relationships among all E. coli unimodular proteins generated 490 sequence similar, paralogous groups. Groups ranged in size from 92 to 2 members and had varying degrees of relatedness among their members. Some E. coli enzyme groups were compared to homologs in other bacterial genomes. The deleterious effects of multimodular proteins on annotation and on the formation of groups of paralogs are emphasized. To improve annotation results, all multimodular proteins in an organism should be detected and when known each function should be connected with its location in the sequence of the protein. When transferring functions by sequence similarity, alignment locations must be noted, particularly when alignments cover only part of the sequences, in order to enable transfer of the correct function. Separating multimodular proteins into module units makes it possible to generate protein groups related by both sequence and function, avoiding mixing of unrelated sequences. Organisms differ in sizes of groups of sequence-related proteins. A sample comparison of orthologs to selected E. coli paralogous groups correlates with known physiological and taxonomic relationships between the organisms.
Developmental trajectories of disordered eating from early adolescence to young adulthood: A longitudinal study

Objective Research examining changes in eating disorder symptoms across adolescence suggests an increase in disordered eating from early to late adolescence. However, relevant studies have largely been cross-sectional in nature and most have not examined the changes in the attitudinal symptoms of eating disorders (e.g., weight concerns). This longitudinal study aimed to address gaps in the available data by examining the developmental trajectories of disordered eating in females from preadolescence into young adulthood. Method Participants were 745 same-sex female twins from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Disordered eating was assessed using the Total Score, Body Dissatisfaction subscale, Weight Preoccupation subscale, and a combined Binge Eating and Compensatory Behavior subscale from the Minnesota Eating Behavior Survey assessed at the ages of 11, 14, 18, 21, and 25. Several latent growth models were fit to the data to identify the trajectory that most accurately captures the changes in disordered eating symptoms from 11 to 25 years. Results The best-fitting models for overall levels of disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and weight preoccupation showed an increase in from 11 through 25 years. In contrast, bulimic behaviors increased to age of 18 and then stabilized to age of 25. Discussion The findings expanded upon extant research by investigating longitudinal, symptom specific, within-person changes and showing an increase in cognitive symptoms into young adulthood and the stability of disordered eating behaviors past late adolescence. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014; 47:793–801)
Terminal design considerations for multi-gigabit airborne optical networks

We summarize important physical layer design issues relevant to atmospheric optical link networks. Specific topics include link power budget analyses, optical module design, atmospheric transmission and turbulence, and the use of polarization.
Local global SAW sensors for turbulence

The determination of fluctuating normal and shear stresses on a structure embedded in a turbulent flow is an important problem in fluid dynamics. A novel surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor is developed to detect the surface forces (wall pressure and wall friction) and the direction of the turbulent flow as a function of position and time on the structure. The sensor is composed of a pair of SAWs having an identical center frequency with surface waves experiencing shear stresses in opposite directions. The difference in SAW velocity is proportional to the shear stress associated with the turbulent flow. The difference between the mean velocity of a pair of the SAWs subject to turbulent flow and the velocity of the SAW in a stationary fluid is proportional to the pressure (normal stress of the flow). The direction of fluid flow is determined through an arrangement of three pairs of SAW sensors in a manner similar to a strain rosette. The SAW sensor can operate over a wide frequency range. Thus, by employing an appropriate center frequency depending on the spatial and temporal resolution required, it is possible to measure simultaneously the fluctuating surface forces and the direction of a turbulent flow both locally and globally. >
Deep recycling of oceanic asthenosphere material during subduction

Uncertainties in the origin and composition of oceanic asthenosphere lead to different views on its temporal evolution upon subduction. We investigate the evolution of asthenosphere material during subduction using high-resolution geodynamic models. In contrast to some earlier models suggesting that limited amount of asthenosphere material can be entrained during subduction, we find that much of the subslab mantle (>100 km thick) could recycle into the deep mantle following the slab, even if this mantle layer remains buoyant and less viscous during entrainment. Our results support the hypothesis that observed trench-parallel subslab seismic anisotropy is a downward continuation of the anisotropic asthenosphere. The entrainment of sometimes buoyant asthenosphere material provides a new mechanism for reducing slab dip angle which is consistent the shallower Pacific slab underneath Japan than that farther south. Episodic release of entrained buoyant materials during subduction can also explain enigmatic intraplate volcanism, such as the Changbaishan volcano in Northeast China.
Traveling in Film Theory, on Giuliana Bruno Atlas of Emotion: Journeys in Art, Architecture, and Film

Giuliana Bruno _Atlas of Emotion: Journeys in Art, Architecture, and Film_ London: Verso, 2002 ISBN 1859848028 484 pp.
ID: 154: Putting on the brakes: Negative regulation of IL-17 signaling

The cytokine IL-17 came into prominence a decade ago with the discovery of Th17 cells. IL-17 signals through its receptor to control immune responses to extracellular pathogens, particularly fungi. Conversely, IL-17 activates pathology in many autoimmune and infectious settings. Therefore, constraint of the IL-17 receptor pathway is an essential facet of its regulation. To date, our understanding of IL-17 signaling checkpoints remains quite limited, but in recent years a number of negative regulators have been identified. These inhibitors block IL-17 activation at multiple levels, although the integration of these inhibitors remains poorly understood. This talk will discuss emerging work defining several novel feedback inhibitors that restrict the downstream IL-17 signaling pathway and their molecular mechanisms of action.
Morphological spectrum of primary epidermal laminae in the forehoof of Thoroughbred horses

Summary Reasons for performing the study: Hoof health is a major concern of horse owners as well as the equine industry. However, many questions remain concerning regional variations of laminar junction and its potential to remodel. Hypothesis: To examine regional variations in the morphology of the laminar junction and thickness of the hoof wall in Thoroughbred horses. Methods: The forefeet of 25 Thoroughbred cadavers were examined. Each hoof was divided into 20 blocks through 4 proximodistal slices (below the coronary band, each 1 cm apart) and 5 circumferential positions (toe, medial and lateral quarters and heels). In each block, 25 central primary epidermal laminae (PEL) were considered. Orientation of each lamina in relation to the hoof wall (LO), degree of bending (IA) and the spaces between the adjacent laminae (LS) were measured. Thickness of the hoof wall and number of branched PEL were also measured. Data were analysed using a split-block design in ANOVA. Results: There were significant differences between the 2 proximal and 2 distal slices in LO and IA data, but not in LS data. Circumferentially, toe blocks were different from heel and quarters blocks. Lateral and medial heels as well as the quarters were mostly different. The hoof wall was slightly thicker laterally than medially. There were more branched PEL on the lateral side of the left hooves and on the medial side of the right hooves. Conclusions: These data add to the circumstantial evidence supporting the hypothesis of adaptive remodelling in the laminar junction. Results of this study signify the capability of PEL to remodel in response to applied stress to the regions of the hoof. Potential relevance: A deeper understanding of the gross and cellular processes of laminar remodelling may well prove to be complementary to an understanding of their failure in laminitis.
Hepatic encephalopathy induced by small bowel obstruction in a noncirrhotic child with portal vein thrombosis

A case of hepatic encephalopathy in a noncirrhotic child, who has undergone a previous mesocaval shunt for extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis, is presented. Hepatic encephalopathy developed 5 years after the operation and is believed to have been precipitated by the presence of small bowel obstruction. Exploratory laparotomy and lysis of an adhesion relieved the obstruction and led to the resolution of the encephalopathy.
Coronary Embolism Following Mitral Valve Replacement: Intraoperative Diagnosis and Successful Embolectomy

Abstract A 48-year-old man undergoing mitral valve replacement sustained an intraoperative embolism to the left main coronary artery. This resulted in acute cardiac decompensation in spite of all conventional resuscitative measures. The condition was suspected, and successful coronary embolectomy was carried out through an ascending aortotomy. Following this, the postoperative course was uneventful.
A survey on data compression in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are resource constraint: limited power supply, bandwidth for communication, processing speed, and memory space. One possible way of achieve maximum utilization of those resource is applying data compression on sensor data. Usually, processing data consumes much less power than transmitting data in wireless medium, so it is effective to apply data compression before transmitting data for reducing total power consumption by a sensor node. However, existing compression algorithms are not applicable for sensor nodes because of their limited resource. Therefore, some of compression algorithms, which have been specifically designed for WSNs, are presented in this paper: coding by ordering, pipelined in-network compression, low-complexity video compression, and distributed compression.
Fibroblast growth factor as an intraovarian hormone: differential regulation of steroidogenesis by an angiogenic factor

The potential role of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in the regulation of granulosa cell differentiation was investigated because of its recent identification as the corpus luteum angiogenic factor. Treatment of rat ovarian granulosa cells with FGF inhibits the capacity of follicle stimulating hormone to stimulate estrogen production and to induce luteinizing hormone receptors. In contrast, although incubations with FGF can inhibit the estrogen-sensitive component of progesterone synthesis, the presence of FGF with suboptimal concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone significantly enhances the synthesis of progesterone. This capacity to differentially regulate steroidogenesis in the granulosa cell is comparable to the potency of FGF (ED50 = 30 pg/ml, 10(-12) M) in other in vitro assays. The observation that an angiogenic factor, like FGF, can specifically increase the sensitivity of progesterone synthesis and simultaneously inhibit estrogen formation supports the hypothesis that this growth factor plays an important role in the development and maintenance of a functional corpus luteum. As such, FGF may be involved in the local regulation of follicular selection, growth and atresia by simple virtue of its capacity to induce a neovascular response on one hand and by its ability to modulate the differentiated response to gonadotropins on the other.
Where to Start? Introducing Standardized Nursing Languages in Educational Settings

Viewpoint provides a forum for scholarly discussion about the theoretical, philosophical, and practical issues related to nursing language and classification systems. The sometimes controversial views are intended to stimulate readers' comments and perspectives. We welcome brief, informal responses to published viewpoints. If you have a viewpoint you want to submit, or if you want to discuss it beforehand, contact the column editor: judithwilkins@att.net; 913.631.1089.
Introduction to neurobehavioral issues in the neurosurgical treatment of movement disorders: basic issues, thalamotomy, and nonablative treatments.

Neurosurgical treatment of movement disorders has experienced a recent renaissance. Although a full historical overview of movement disorders surgery is beyond the scope of this introduction (interested readers are referred to Gabriel & Nashold, 1998; Gildenberg, 1998; Guridi & Lozano, 1997; Ostertag, Lucking, Mehdorn, & Deuschl, 1997; Siegfried & Blond, 1997; and Speelman & Bosch, 1998, for more comprehensive treatises), it is worth.
Isolation and characterization of liver glycogen synthase from diabetic rats.

Abstract Glycogen synthase was isolated from the livers of alloxan diabetic rats by the addition of a high-molecular-weight, polydisperse glycogen, described previously ( D. M. Haverstick and A. H. Gold, 1981, Anal. Biochem.III, 137–145 ), to supernatant extracts of centrifuged liver homogenates. Further purification was achieved by high-speed centrifugation and ion-exchange chromatography. Comparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis show that synthase isolated from normal and diabetic rats have the same subunit molecular weight. Enzymes from both sources react with antisynthase antibody in the same manner. Both enzymes have essentially the same affinity toward substrate, UDP-Glc, and activator, Glc-6-P, and both enzymes are capable of undergoing b into a transformation in vitro with exogenous, partly purified synthase phosphatase. These results suggest that diabetes does not result in the in vivo appearance of an “abnormal” type of glycogen synthase which is not capable of interacting with the synthase b to a conversion system.
Anisotropic shrinkage during sintering of glass-powder compacts under uniaxial stresses : Qualitative assessment of experimental evidence

The shrinkage anisotropy that occurs during sintering of glass-powder compacts under uniaxial compressive stresses is considered. Available experimental data from the literature are used to calculate a shrinkage anisotropy factor (k) and to study its dependence on the applied stress and progress of densification. The factor k is defined by the ratio between axial and radial strains. The experimental data are interpreted in terms of qualitative trends proposed for the variation of k with the progress of sintering for a constant applied load. It is shown that when sintering densification predominates over viscous deformation induced by an external load at the onset of the process, k increases with the sintering time. The existence of a stage at which the shrinkage anisotropy factor becomes negative is confirmed by the analysis of available experimental data. The trends for the variation of k are also given for the case of the externally induced deformation predominating over sintering densification. However, no sufficient experimental data were found to validate the proposed trends in this case. The prediction of the theoretical model of Scherer for viscous sintering under uniaxial stresses is shown to agree qualitatively with the experimental trends. In connection with the use of dilatometry in sintering kinetic studies, the effect of small stresses on shrinkage anisotropy is highlighted.
Depth determination for shallow teleseismic earthquakes Methods and results

Contemporary methods used to determine depths of moderate-sized shallow teleseismic earthquakes are described. These include techniques based on surface wave spectra, and methods which estimate focal depth from the waveforms of body waves. The advantages of different methods and their limitations are discussed, and significant results for plate tectonics, obtained in the last five years by the application of these methods, are presented.
Isolated torsion of penis Report of 6 cases

Torsion of the penis as an isolated anomaly has rarely been reported. Six such cases seen in a pediatric urologic practice within a two and one-half-year span suggest that it is not as rare as has been hitherto suggested. The embryologic abnormality appears to be an isolated skin and dartos defect, since the torsion is completely remedied by simply freeing the penile shaft of its investing tissue. The ease of achieving a normal appearance would appear to justify its surgical correction.
Gonadotropins, Estrogens, and Adrenal Steroids during the Menopausal Hot Flash*

Six postmenopausal women with frequent hot flashes underwent an 8-h recording of finger temperature as an objective marker of flushing. Serial measurements of serum LH, FSH, estrone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione (Δ), cortisol (F), and progesterone were also performed to identify any acute fluctuations in hormonal concentrations which were associated with the temperature changes. A significant increase (P < 0.001) in the level of LH was found, with a maximal percent change of 34 ± 4% during the 5- to 10- min segment after the onset of the finger temperature rises. This maximal LH increase coincided with a maximal finger temperature increase 7.2 ± 0.7 min after onset. Significant correlations were noted between LH measurements and finger temperature measured simultaneously and 5 and 10 min before the time of the sample, suggesting that the maximal LH increase occurs slightly after the maximal finger temperature elevation. Significant rises of DHEA (P < 0.02), A (P < 0.02), and F...
TNF-α alters the release and transfer of microparticle-encapsulated miRNAs from endothelial cells.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) encapsulated within microparticles (MPs) are likely to have a role in cell-to-cell signaling in a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis. However, little is known about t...
Calcium and magnesium levels in the intermolt(C4) carapaces of three species of freshwater crawfish (Cambaridae: decapoda).

Abstract 1. 1. Mean calcium (25.1, 24.9 and 25.4%) and magnesium (0.408, 0.428 and 0.421%) concentrations of the carapaces of intermolt (C4) Orconectes virilis, Procambarus alleni, and Procambarus clarkii did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). 2. 2. Mature (sexually active) crawfish apparently have much thicker cuticles than do rapidly growing mature (sexually inactive) and juvenile crawfish of the same size.
Possible second-order phase transition of ferroelectric NaNO2 produced by strain☆

Abstract The result of the calculation on the variation of the spontaneous polarization versus strain ( S 2 ) along the polar axis of ferroelectric NaNO 2 suggests that ferroelectric NaNO 2 undergoes a second-order phase transition at a room temperature strain of S 2 = −0.0025.
A model-based approach for estimation of two-dimensional maximum entropy power spectra

A stochastic model-based approach is presented for estimation of the two-dimensional maximum entropy power spectrum (MEPS) from given finite uniform array data. The method consists of fitting an appropriate two-dimensional noncausal Gaussian-Markov random field (GMRF) model to the given data using the maximum likelihood (ML) technique for parameter estimation. The nonlinear criterion function used for ML estimation is similar in structure to the function arising in the deterministic approach of Lang and McClellan. The model-based approach provides new insights into the two-dimensional MEPS estimation problem. For example, using the asymptotic normality of ML estimates, we derive simultaneous confidence bands for the estimated MEPS. It turns out that when the true correlations are generated by a noncausal GMRF model, the two-dimensional MEPS can be obtained by solving linear equations. This approach also suggests techniques for realizing two-dimensional GMRF models from the given correlation data. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the usefulness of the approach.
Health-related quality of life after total hip replacement

Total hip replacement (THR) is a commonly performed orthopedic procedure with an increasing rate of utilization. It is performed to relieve symptoms of pain and help restore the loss of function that follows advanced hip diseases, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and avascular necrosis. Although there are numerous studies evaluating patient outcomes after THR with respect to physical functioning and pain relief, relatively few studies have specifically evaluated changes in health-related quality of life (QOL). We reviewed a total of 20 studies that evaluated changes in QOL after THR. Results of all studies were consistent in showing beneficial and often dramatic improvements in QOL after elective THR. These improvements were most likely to occur within the first 3 to 6 months after THR. Future research should assess the impact of both patient-level predictors and the role of various surgical approaches in contributing to successful outcomes after THR.
Perception of relative and absolute age in facial photographs

Longitudinal series of photographs of faces of secondary school students were used to evaluate observers’ ability to perceive age. Information in individual stimuli was manipulated by masking out parts of the photographs, while information provided by the relations among stimuli was manipulated by task conditions. The ability to perceive relative age was assessed in two tasks requiring subjects to order photographs by age. Absolute age perception was studied in a third task requiring age estimates in years to photographs presented one at a time. While judgments were beyond chance accuracy in all combinations of masking and task conditions, a decrease in either type of information generally produced a decrease in accuracy.
Thoracic phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors causing oncogenic osteomalacia

Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome induced by mesenchymal tumors. Just over 100 cases have been reported for this rare disorder, and only seven instances were caused by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors of the spine. The authors present an illustrative case of a 61-year-old woman with oncogenic osteomalacia induced by a tumor of the spine, and review the literature describing the clinical presentation, surgical treatment, and follow-up of this syndrome.
First Order Superconductor to Insulator Transition: Evidence for a Supersolid Phase

The superconductor-to-insulator transition in the presence of long-range Coulomb interactions is studied using Monte Carlo techniques. At integer filling the transition is second order. At half-filling, we find evidence of a first-order transition to a state with nonzero ${S}_{\ensuremath{\pi}, \ensuremath{\pi}}$. No intervening supersolid phase is observed. Off half-filling, two separate transitions are found. The transition from the superconducting to a supersolid phase is second order followed by another second-order transition between the supersolid and an insulating phase.
Peak Period Design Standards for Small Western U.S. Water Supply Systems

: In order to determine design capacities for various components of municipal and rural domestic water supply systems, engineers must estimate water requirements for an entire year (water rights), for the peak season (reservoir storage), for the peak day (pump or treatment plant size), and for peak hour (pipeline sizes). Historically, per capita water use rates have varied greatly between systems, particularly in semiarid regions where outdoor demands are large. The resulting uncertainty in design capacity estimates can cause either inadequate capacities or premature investment. In order to minimize that uncertainty multiple regression and frequency analyses were made of the various water demand parameters mentioned above for 14 systems in Utah and Colorado. Specifically, demand functions are reported for average month, peak month, and peak day. Peak hour demands were also studied but are reported in a different paper. The independent variables which were significant for monthly and daily demands were price of water and an outdoor use index which includes the effect of variation in landscaped area and accounts for use of supplementary ditch or pressure irrigation systems. The demand functions were developed with data from systems varying in size from very small low density rural systems to Salt Lake City's water system. The correlation coefficients (R2) vary from 0.80 to 0.95.
A smartphone-based digital hearing aid to mitigate hearing loss at specific frequencies

Hearing Loss is one of the three most common chronic conditions among the elderly. In many cases, an individuals hearing is only impaired at certain (not all) frequencies. Analog hearing aids boost all sound frequencies equally including frequencies in which the individuals hearing is good, causing discomfort to the user. Digital hearing aids can amplify only the specific frequencies at which a persons hearing is impaired. In this paper, we describe the design, implementation and evaluation of a smartphone digital hearing aid app. Our digital hearing aid implementation has two parts: speech processing in the frequency domain and sound classification. We used Weighted Over-Lap Add (WOLA) filter bank to decompose microphone sounds into different frequency bands that are then amplified in the frequency domain. Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) of input sounds are computed and used as features for sound classification by the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) machine learning model. Our digital hearing aid app amplifies select frequency bands and correctly classifies speech in quiet and noisy environments. The results of a small user evaluation of our prototype are also promising.
Sleep improves the variability of motor performance.

Sleep after learning often enhances task performance, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using a well-characterized rotation learning paradigm implemented both behaviorally and in computer simulations, we compared two main hypotheses: the first, that off-line replay during sleep leads to further potentiation of synaptic circuits involved in learning; the second, that sleep enhances performance by uniformly downscaling synaptic strength. A simple computer model implemented synaptic changes associated with rotation adaptation (30°), yielding a reduction in mean directional error. Simulating further synaptic potentiation led to a further reduction of mean directional error, but not of directional variability. By contrast, simulating sleep-dependent synaptic renormalization by scaling down all synaptic weights by 15% decreased both mean directional error and variability. Two groups of subjects were tested after either two rotation adaptation training sessions or after a single training session followed by sleep. After two training sessions, mean direction error decreased, but directional variability remained high. However, subjects who slept after a single training session showed a reduction in both directional error and variability, consistent with a downscaling mechanism during sleep.
Aromaticity of some high sulphur coals: surprising degree of heterogeneity

Abstract Aromaticity values for a set of 26 coals of high sulphur content have been determined by a cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning 13C n.m.r. Unlike various sets of coals for which similar data are in the literature, this set shows essentially no correlation between aromaticity and carbon content; the variance explained (R2) by a linear regression of the data for the 26 coals is 3%. It appears that this set of coals, all of high vitrinite content and all of Pennsylvanian age, is more heterogeneous than expected, and we infer that the heterogeneity arises at least partly from variation in the distribution of types of structure containing the organic sulphur.
Increased Airborne Bacterial Survival as a Function of Particle Content and Size

ABSTRACT Two test vegetative bacteria, Pseudomonas syringae and Erwinia herbicola, and a physical aerosol decay indicator, Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores, were sprayed into a particle size fractionating wind tunnel. Test bacterial survival significantly increased directly with droplet size for varying test cell to spore ratios and temperature. However, survival varied inversely with relative humidity.
The albino mutation of tyrosinase alters ocular angiogenic responsiveness

We have observed substantial differences in angiogenic responsiveness in mice and have mapped the genetic loci responsible for these differences. We have found that the albino mutation is one of the loci responsible for such differences. Using B6.A consomic strains, we determined that chromosome 7 bears a locus that inhibits VEGF-induced corneal neovascularization. F2 crosses between B6.A consomic mice and C57BL/6J parents along with AXB and BXA recombinant inbred strains demonstrated highest linkage near the tyrosinase gene. This region was named AngVq4. Congenic animals confirmed this locus, but could not demonstrate that the classical tyrosinase albino (c) mutation was causative because of the existence of additional linked loci in the congenic region. However, in 1970, a second tyrosinase albino mutation (c-2J) arose in the C57BL/6J background at Jackson Labs. Testing this strain (C57BL/6J ) demonstrated that the albino mutation is sufficient to completely explain the alteration in angiogenic response that we observed in congenic animals. Thus, we conclude that the classical tyrosinase mutation is responsible for AngVq4. In contrast to the cornea, where pigmented animals exhibit increased angiogenic responsiveness, iris neovascularization was inhibited in pigmented animals. These results may partially explain increased aggressiveness in amelanotic melanoma, as well as ethnic differences in diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.
Exchange Rate Risk and U.S. Agricultural Trade Flows

This paper analyzes the effect of exchange rate risk on U.S. agricultural trade flows. A model which incorporates exchange rate risk is applied to ten countries. While exchange rate risk was not significant in the seven developed markets, results indicate that the exchange rate variable adversely affected U.S. agricultural exports to the three developing countries used in the analysis. These findings underscore the importance of exchange rate risk in developing countries trading behavior. Issues such as establishment of well-developed financial and commodity markets in developing countries must be addressed in future research.