cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inpatient Hospital Care of Children With Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18 in the United States

WHAT’S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Trisomy 13 and trisomy 18, common chromosomal abnormalities, are generally considered fatal within the first year after birth, although some children live longer. Little is known, however, about the inpatient medical courses of these infants and children. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: Evaluation of nationally representative hospitalization data demonstrates that a significant number of children with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 live beyond 1 year of age and that the care they receive includes both medical and surgical treatments.
Self-tuning trackers

We examine the problem of obtaining adaptive control laws which tune themselves to control laws minimizing the variance of the tracking error between the output of the linear ARMAX system and a specified reference trajectory. If the reference trajectory is sufficiently rich of order greater than or equal to the sum of the degrees of the control and noise polynomials in the ARMAX system, then an adaptive controller is exhibited for which the parameter estimates are strongly consistent. For the linear model following problem where the trajectory to be tracked is generated as the output of a linear system, it is enough for the order of sufficient richness to be greater than the degree of the noise polynomial alone. Further, if the order of sufficient richness is even smaller, as is often the case, then a lower dimensional adaptive controller which does not attempt to estimate all the coefficients of the noise polynomial is self-tuning.
State Policies and Nurses with Substance Use Disorders

Purpose: To investigate the effects of two state regulatory policies on nurses with substance use disorders (SUD) on relapse rates and retention in the nursing workforce. Design & Methods: This longitudinal comparative study consisted of six data-collection points in 6 months. One sample of 100 registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses or vocational nurses (LPN/VNs) had disciplinary actions taken against their licenses by four U.S. state regulatory boards using a traditional, disciplinary approach. The alternative sample consisted of 119 RNs and LPN/VNs from three U.S. states where the regulatory board diverted nurses to programs for treatment and for determining suitability to return to practice. Data were collected via mailed surveys. Findings: When compared to the sample, the alternative sample had more nurses with active licenses, fewer with criminal convictions, and more nurses employed in nursing. No difference in relapse rate was found. Fewer than 15% of nurses in either sample experienced one or more episodes of relapse during the 6-month study. Of those who did relapse, the majority used alcohol or street drugs. Conclusions: Alternative policies worked as well as disciplinary policies and were a more humane and rehabilitative approach. Alternative policy is consistent with the recommendation in Healthy People 2010 to eliminate financial barriers limiting access to treatment. Further investigation is needed to identify situations that trigger relapse.
Reflective Teaching via a Problem Exploration–Teaching Adaptations–Resolution Cycle: A Mixed Methods Study of Preservice Teachers’ Reflective Notes

We explore development of elementary preservice teachers’ reflective practices as they solved problems encountered while teaching in a reading clinic. Written reflections (N = 175) were collected across 8 weeks from 23 preservice teachers and analyzed to investigate relationships among problem exploration, teaching adaptations, and problem resolution. In this sequential mixed methods design, exploratory qualitative analysis revealed co-occurrence of problem exploration, instructional adaptation, and problem resolution. Confirmatory quantitative analysis found significant relationships: preservice teachers who engaged in more problem exploration or description of instructional adaptations reported more problem resolutions the following week. Results support mixed method, longitudinal analyses to analyze preservice teachers’ written reflections, and use of written reflections with responsive feedback to develop preservice teachers’ agency for problem solving.
Spectroradiometric analysis in a hyperspectral use perspective to discriminate between forest species

Spectroradiometric analysis of seven types of forest cover (white spruce, trembling aspen, tamarack, balsam fir, black spruce and herbaceous vegetation) in a hyperspectral use perspective to discriminate between forest species was carried out. The preliminary results analysis revealed that the 700 to 1350 nm region was the most appropriate for discriminating between the species compared in this study.
Policy relevant determinants of health: an international perspective

Background: International comparisons can provide clues to understanding some of the important policy-related determinants of health, including those related to the provision of health care services. An earlier study indicated that the strength of the primary care infrastructure of a health services system might be related to overall costs of health services. The purpose of the current research was to determine the robustness of the findings in the light of the passage of 5–10 years, the addition of two more countries, and the findings of other research on the possible importance of other determinants of country health levels. Methods: Thirteen industrialized countries, all with populations of at least 5 million, were characterized by the relative strength of their primary care infrastructure, the degree of national income inequality, and a major manifestation of a behavioral determinant of health that is amenable to policy intervention (smoking), using international data sets and national informants. Health system and primary care practice characteristics were judged according to pre-set criteria. Major indicators of health were used as dependent variables, as were health care costs. Findings: The stronger the primary care, the lower the costs. Countries with very weak primary care infrastructures have poorer performance on major aspects of health. Although countries that are intermediate in the strength of their primary care generally have levels of health at least as good as those with high levels of primary care, this is not the case in early life, when the impact of strong primary care is greatest. A subset of characteristics (equitable distribution of resources, publicly accountable universal financial coverage, low cost sharing, comprehensive services, and family-oriented services) distinguishes countries with overall good health from those with poor health at all ages. Neither income inequality nor smoking status accurately identified those countries with either consistently high or
Predicting internal exons by oligonucleotide composition and discriminant analysis of spliceable open reading frames.

Abstract A new method which predicts internal exon sequences in human DNA has been developed. The method is based on a splice site prediction algorithm that uses the linear discriminant function to combine information about significant triplet frequencies of various functional parts of splice site regions and preferences of oligonucleotides in protein coding and intron regions. The accuracy of our splice site recognition function is 97% for donor splice sites and 96% for acceptor splice sites. For exon prediction, we combine in a discriminant function the characteristics describing the 5'-intron region, donor splice site, coding region, acceptor splice site and 3'-intron region for each open reading frame flanked by GT and AG base pairs. The accuracy of precise internal exon recognition on a test set of 451 exon and 246693 pseudoexon sequences is 77% with a specificity of 79%. The recognition quality computed at the level of individual nucleotides is 89% for exon sequences and 98% for intron sequences. This corresponds to a correlation coefficient for exon prediction of 0.87. The precision of this approach is better than other methods and has been tested on a larger data set. We have also developed a means for predicting exon-exon junctions in cDNA sequences, which can be useful for selecting optimal PCR primers.
When the President Comes to Town: Examining Local Newspaper Coverage of Domestic Presidential Travel

Domestic travel has become a common practice for modern presidents. Many claim local media cover these presidential trips more extensively and positively than the national media, yet no one has examined the validity of this assumption. We begin this examination with a study of local and national newspaper coverage of President George W. Bush’s 2001 domestic travel. Our findings confirm that the local press covers presidential domestic trips both more comprehensively and favorably than the national press. We also analyze variations in local newspaper coverage of presidential visits, finding that the most important factor influencing both the amount and tone of such coverage is the level of presidential support within a community. Other factors discovered to affect either the amount or tone of local coverage include the availability of adversarial sources, whether a newspaper has a Democratic editorial bent, and whether a visit occurred after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Implementation of novel low-power driver for integrated buck converter

In this paper, we design the best fit driver for power transistors of the synchronous buck PWM converter for turning on and off and generating the desired output. To find the best fit driver, four circuits were implemented using 0.18 mum CMOS technology, and cadence was used to simulate and verify the functionality of these circuits. The design criteria of these drivers depend on power dissipation, delay, and physical size. The best design consists of the novel buck driver with the synchronous DC-DC buck converter. The DC input voltage of this design was 1.2 V, and the DC output voltage of this design was 1.0 V along with output current was 120 mA. The maximum frequency range of this design was up to 100 MHz. The total size of this converter was around 154 mm2 plus the area of the inductor and capacitor. The designed converter achieved the required specification, and its efficiency was up to 94.9%
Model Checking with Induction

We have proposed inductive model checking (IMC) to alleviate the state explosion problem in model checking. IMC divides the whole verification tasks into several sub-tasks, and applies the three inductive steps (basis, hypothesis, and induction) to verify a system with model checking. In this paper, we continue our research by determining those temporal formulas, namely, persistent temporal formulas, which are verifiable with IMC. One important characteristic of a persistent temporal formula is that it contains a periodic temporal formula that must be held persistently. From the verification results of the periodic formula with different sequences of states, IMC concludes the verification of the persistent temporal formula
Norethindrone Blockade of Pituitary Gonadotropin Release; Counteraction by Estrogen

Norethindrone (0.5 mg/kg combined with 3.0 μg of estrogen), injected sc 15–24 hr prior to mating, prevents ovulation in rabbits. Following norethindrone the postcoital elevation in ovarian progestin output, indicative of the discharge of pituitary ovulating hormone, failed to occur, and no increase in gonadotropin activity could be demonstrated in the peripheral circulation. Ovarian progestin output was rapidly activated, however, by iv injection of a minimal stimulating amount of LH or by intra-arterial ovarian infusion of peripheral blood from mated control donors. Estradiol benzoate (0.1 mg in oil) injected sc at 48 and 24 hr before mating partially overcame the blocking action of norethindrone. In the estrogen-primed, norethindrone- treated series, 7/16 rabbits ovulated to mating, and this ratio, as well as the average number of ruptured follicles per ovulating rabbit (3.8), approximated the effect induced by a single iv injection of 2 μg/kg LH; whereas, in the control series, 100 % of the animals ovu...
Regret by women following sterilization

Female sterilization is the most widely used contraceptive method among Brazilian women, although it has not been provided by the National Health System. Due to its legal ambiguity, it has not been recommended by Medical Boards as an ethical procedure. A study in which 3,149 women were asked about contraceptive use was carried out in the Greater Sao Paulo Metropolitan Area between March and July 1992. A total of 407 women under 40 years of age who had been submitted to sterilization at least one year prior to the interview were asked about their adjustment after the operation. Fifteen in-depth interviews with regretful women were analyzed in order to elucidate the nature of such feelings. The results include: adjustment after sterilization, provision of the sterilization procedure, knowledge of contraceptive methods, previous use of methods among sterilized women, and factors associated with regret. The qualitative results focus on the misinformation of sterilized women. Results indicate a need for regulating the procedure in order to ensure women's health, reproductive rights, and the fundamental principles of medical ethics.
Low power and error resilient PN code acquisition filter via statistical error compensation

We present a 256-tap PN code acquisition filter in an 180nm CMOS process employing statistical system-level error compensation. Under voltage overscaling (VOS), near constant detection probability (P det ) above 90% with 5.8× reduction in energy is achieved at a supply voltage 27% below the point of first failure (PoFF) with an error rate (p e ) of 0.868. This is an improvement of 5.8× in energy-efficiency over conventional error free designs and 3.79× in energy-efficiency and 2170× in error tolerance over existing error tolerant designs.
Evaluation of durapatite ceramic as an alloplastic implant in periodontal osseous defects. II. Twelve month reentry results.

Thirteen patients received Durapatite, a hydroxylapatite ceramic (Periograf®), as a bone implant material in various types of intrabony defects following internally beveled full thickness flaps, root planing, and defect debridement. All osseous margins and defects were measured from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) at specific locations using a standardized periodontal probe. Similarly debrided, nonimplanted defects served as controls. Defect selection as either experimental or control site was based on an alternating defects design after local therapy was completed. Periodontal dressing and systemic tetracycline were used for 10 days. Postsurgical visits for documentation and plaque control were at 10, 20 and 30 days, and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Measurements relating to defect changes were made at the 12-month surgical reentry. For evaluation purposes original defect depths were divided into three groups. In Group I (<3 mm) defect fill was 1.0 mm (47%) for the implanted defects and 0.3 mm (33%) for the c...
AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT VLSI ARCHITECTURE FOR PATTERN RECOGNITION VIA DEEP EMBEDDING OF COMPUTATION IN SRAM

In this paper, we propose the concept of compute memory, where computation is deeply embedded into the memory (SRAM). This deep embedding enables multi-row read access and analog signal processing. Compute memory exploits the relaxed precision and linearity requirements of pattern recognition applications. System-level simulations incorporating various deterministic errors from analog signal chain demonstrates the limited accuracy of analog processing does not significantly degrade the system performance, which means the probability of pattern detection is minimally impacted. The estimated energy saving is 63 % as compared to the conventional system with standard embedded memory and parallel processing architecture, for 256×256 target image.
Micromachines: principles of operation, dynamics, and control

The paper addresses a comprehensive set of issues related to micromachines in an attempt to qualitatively present forth a complete overview of the field of micro electric machinery. Fundamental concepts of electrostatics and electromagnetics that form the basis and dictate the operation of micromachines are first outlined. Scaling arguments for magnetic micromachines are presented. Principles of operation of both electrostatic and electromagnetic micromachines are explained and a useful form of classification for electrostatic machines is made. The role of microfabrication and its impact on the operation of the micromachine is presented. Finally, the dynamics of micromachines and their control principles are presented. The transient analysis of the micromotor based on its geometrical construction and normal surface forces is also illustrated
A resource adequacy assessment of Nigeria's power system

This work is a reliability assessment of Nigeria's existing power system. A probabilistic framework involving Markov reliability models is used to evaluate the ability of available generation to serve Nigeria's existing power demand. Resource planning indices, such as reserve margin and loss of load probability (LOLP), were evaluated. This study also investigates the sensitivity of LOLP to three base load levels (2900, 3100, 3225 MW) and unit availability assumptions (65%, 80%, and 95%). Results show that loss of load probability is extremely sensitive to generation availability. For the 2900 MW base load case, LOLP is reduced from 83.26% to 20.50% moving from 65% to 95% unit availability. Conclusively, in efforts to improve Nigeria's overall system reliability, it behooves resource planners to focus on improving the unit availability levels of existing generation even as new reliable power resources are installed. Such an energy development strategy is likely to be more effective at improving Nigeria's ability to serve its ever-increasing load demand. This work can be improved by considering transmission line effects and evaluating the economic value of reliability in Nigeria.
Reply to J.R. Carver et al

The letter by Carver et al, to our knowledge, represents the fourth independent study documenting no change in response rates based on statin use in rituximab-treated patients with B-cell nonHodgkin’s lymphoma. In this regard, it provides an additional validation of previous studies indicating that concurrent statin use does not affect the clinical efficacy of rituximab and rituximabcontaining therapy. Although the apparent discordance between in vitro studies and the lack of clinical impact on patient outcome requires additional laboratory studies, it also illustrates that the potential for a loss in translation between the laboratory and clinic is a problem in making clinical decisions on the basis of in vitro studies alone.
The elastic, anelastic and plastic components of strain in the load-extension curve for bisphenol-A polycarbonate†

A procedure has been developed for analyzing the elongation of a specimen in a tensile test for the elastic, anelastic, and plastic components of strain. The procedure was applied to bisphenol-A polycarbonate, which showed the division between the anelastic and plastic components to be justified and gave the following results. First, the elastic modulus was found to be essentially constant, independent of stress up to at least 7,000 psi. Second, the strain accumulated at the yield point was found to be mainly anelastic and recoverable with release of the stress. Third, plastic or non-recoverable strain was mainly accumulated only beyond the yield point. These latter two results suggest that anelasticity is important for ductility. The relatively large anelastic response at low stresses that contribute to the ductility of polycarbonate probably arises from both the large size of the moving segment and the large low temperature loss process.
NK Cells in Gamma-Interferon-Deficient Mice Suppress Lung Innate Immunity against Mycoplasma spp.

The purpose of this study was to examine the 100-fold difference in mycoplasma levels in lungs of gamma interferon knockout (IFN-γ−/−) mice compared to those seen with wild-type BALB/c mice at 3 days postinfection. NK cells secreted IFN-γ; however, their cytotoxic granule extracts failed to kill mycoplasma. We found a conundrum: the clearance of organisms was as effective in NK-depleted IFN-γ−/− animals as in wild-type mice (with both IFN-γ and NK cells). NK+ IFN-γ−/− animals had high mycoplasma burdens, but, after NK-like cell depletion, mycoplasma numbers were controlled. Essentially, IFN-γ was important in animals with NK-like cells and unimportant in animals without NK cells, suggesting that IFN-γ counters deleterious effects of NK-like cells. Impairment of innate immunity in IFN-γ−/− mice was not due to NK-like cell killing of macrophages. The increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and neutrophils in lung fluids of NK+ IFN-γ−/− mice were reduced after NK cell depletion. In summary, in the murine model that resembles chronic human disease, innate immunity to mycoplasma requires IFN-γ when there are NK-like cells and the positive effects of IFN-γ counteract negative effects of NK-like cells. When imbalanced, NK-like cells promote disease. Thus, it was not the lack of IFN-γ but the presence of a previously unrecognized NK-like cell-suppressive activity that contributed to the higher mycoplasma numbers. It appears that pulmonary NK cells may contribute to the immunosuppressive environment of the lung, but when needed, these dampening effects can be counterbalanced by IFN-γ. Furthermore, there may be instances where perturbation of this regulatory balance contributes to the susceptibility to and severity of disease.
Wastewater Irrigation and Health: Assessing and Mitigating Risk in Low-Income Countries

Pay Drechsel, Christopher A. Scott, Liqa Raschid-Sally, Mark Redwood and Akica Bahri (Eds), London, Earthscan/International Development Research Centre, 2010 How can resource-limited countries mana...
Intensive screening for resected stage II and III colorectal cancer

SUMMARY Disease recurrence continues to be a major cause of death in patients with resected stage II and III colorectal cancer. Distant and local relapses, unless successfully treated surgically, result in patient demise within 5 years in approximately 90% of patients. By contrast, patients who undergo curative-intent surgery and enter surgical remission experience 40–50% 5-year survival. Effective surveillance strategies are needed to improve the rate of colorectal cancer recurrence detection and maximize the chances of curative resections. In this article, we review the strength and shortfalls of the supportive data for intensive surveillance and reflect on the recommendations of various medical associations.
Electrochemical capacitance of iron oxide nanotube (Fe-NT): effect of annealing atmospheres.

The effect of annealing atmosphere on the supercapacitance behavior of iron oxide nanotube (Fe-NT) electrodes has been explored and reported here. Iron oxide nanotubes were synthesized on a pure iron substrate through an electrochemical anodization process in an ethylene glycol solution containing 3% H2O and 0.5 wt.% NH4F. Subsequently, the annealing of the nanotubes was carried out at 500 °C for 2 h in various gas atmospheres such as air, oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), and argon (Ar). The morphology and crystal phases evolved after the annealing processes were examined via field emission scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical capacitance properties of the annealed Fe-NT electrodes were evaluated by conducting cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests in the Li2SO4 electrolyte. Based on these experiments, it was found that the capacitance of the Fe-NT electrodes annealed in air and O2 atmospheres shows mixed behavior comprising both the electric double layer and pseudocapacitance. However, annealing in N2 and Ar environments resulted in well-defined redox peaks in the CV profiles of the Fe-NT electrodes, which are therefore attributed to the relatively higher pseudonature of the capacitance in these electrodes. Based on the galvanostatic charge–discharge studies, the specific capacitance achieved in the Fe-NT electrode after annealing in Ar was about 300 mF cm−2, which was about twice the value obtained for N2-annealed Fe-NTs and three times higher than those annealed in air and O2. The experiments also demonstrated excellent cycle stability for the Fe-NT electrodes with 83%–85% capacitance retention, even after many charge–discharge cycles, irrespective of the gas atmospheres used during annealing. The increase in the specific capacitance was discussed in terms of increased oxygen vacancies as a result of the enhanced transformation of the hematite (α-Fe2O3) phase to the magnetite (Fe3O4) phase for the electrodes annealed in the N2 and Ar atmospheres.
Video Games Do Indeed Influence Children and Adolescents’ Aggression, Prosocial Behavior, and Academic Performance A Clearer Reading of Ferguson (2015)

Psychological scientists have long sought to determine the relative impact of environmental influences over development and behavior in comparison with the impact of personal, dispositional, or genetic influences. This has included significant interest in the role played by media in children’s development with a good deal of emphasis on how violent media spark and shape aggressive behavior in children and adolescents. Despite a variety of methodological weaknesses in his meta-analysis, Ferguson (2015, this issue) presents evidence to support the positive association between violent media consumption and a number of poor developmental outcomes. In this Commentary we discuss this meta-analytic work and how it fits into a broader understanding of human development.
The nature, formation, and stability of end-member illite: A hypothesis

The nature and stability of end-member illite (I), K 0 . 8 8 γ 0 . 0 1 /O 1 0 (OH) 2 , a K-deficient mica, has been a subject of much controversy. Evidence for the metastability of "illite" with respect to ideal muscovite (Ms) + pyrophyllite (Py) has been discussed in the literature but conflicting evidence from studies of natural and synthetic systems point to the stability of K-deficient micas with respect to Ms below ∼360 °C. Py coexists with K-deficient micas in natural assemblages thought to have formed between 300 and ∼360 °C. Available evidence suggests that end-member illite (I) has an ordered, domain structure. Structural strain due to K-deficiency in micas may be accommodated by the creation of Py domains. The resulting structure could be stable with respect to Ms + Py at low temperatures only if the domains are ordered. Recent FTIR studies have established the presence of local Py domains and molecular water in Al-rich illite. Py stability (∼360 °C at 1 kbar) limits the stability of the domain structure; Ms coexists with andalusite + water at 400 °C. The prograde, stepwise transformation of S (smectite) → I-S → I probably leads to a metastable, compositional end-member (I w ) containing "excess," interlayer water. Dehydration of I w results in the formation of a metastable, disordered K-deficient mica (I d ) that may recrystallize to form a stable, ordered, Py domain structure (I o ). I w may persist metastably but solid-state alteration of Ms can only yield I o . Fine-scale, Py domains have not been observed in K-deficient micas by TEM as yet, but available evidence suggests that end-member illite (I o ) is a distinct, ordered, domain structure, stable below ∼360 °C.
Low-Temperature PECVD Si3N4 Films for GaAs Encapsulation and Passivation

We have begun a detailed study of the physical properties of Si3N4 films deposited at low temperatures using a PECVD process based on dilution of reactive gases with inert carrier gas [1] in order to investigate their feasibility for use as post-implant encapsulants and/or device passivation layers for GaAs. The films and substrates are analyzed by ion channeling, ellipsometry, IR spectrometry, ESR, RBS, and SEM to evaluate implantation-induced substrate and interface damage as well as the films’ optical properties, surface morphology, stoichiometry, uniformity, stress, and electrical trapping characteristics. Following furnace or RTA annealing they are recharacterized, adding SIMS to evaluate As diffusion into the films. Both Schottky and ohmic contacts are then formed and used to measure Hall mobility, trap density and 1/f noise. Preliminary results of these studies are presented and compared with those obtained using other techniques such as wafer-to-wafer As entrapment, arsine overpressure, or conventional CVD.
The Persistence of Stereotyped Dialect Features among Portuguese-American Immigrants from São Miguel, Azores

Among dialects of Portuguese, the variety indigenous to the island of Sao Miguel exhibits an inventory of vocalic features not found elsewhere in the Lusophone world. The most emblematic characteristics of this dialect are the front round vowels [y] and [o], which correspond to [u] and [ou/oi] (respectively) of the European standard language. There are also systematic differences in the pronunciation of the tonic vowels, reflexes of a historical chain shift: sete ‘seven’ is often rendered in S. Miguel as [saet] (Std. [set]), avo ‘grandmother’ as [ɐ'vo] (Std. [ɐ'vɔ]), and avo ‘grandfather’ as [ɐ'vu] (Std. [ɐ'vo]). While these characteristic are attested in the contemporary speech of the island, one might ask whether they persist in the speech of Azorean emigrants in the United States. This paper presents a phonetic analysis of four emigrants from the village of Nordeste, members of the same family, each of whom presents different phonetic behaviors. While three speakers preserve most of the speech reflexes characteristic of the island, one presents a vocalic inventory more like that of the standard language. This variability reflects a tension between behaviors emblematic of Micaelense identity (e.g., [y] < [u]) and a need to accommodate to sociolinguistic pressures exerted by the standard language, which predominates in the larger community of Portuguese immigrants.
Bridles, Halters, and Hybrids: A Case Study in T'ang Frontier Policy

(1988). Bridles, Halters, and Hybrids: A Case Study in T'ang Frontier Policy. Tang Studies: Vol. 1988, No. 6, pp. 49-68.
Surveillance analysis of human brucellosis in Ningbo from 2002 to 2012

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Ningbo and provide scientific evidence for the development of the preventive and control measures.Methods:By using Rose Bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT),serological detection was conducted in risk populations with occupational exposure to Brucella,including lives stock traders,slaughters,raisers,milkmaids,veterinary and people engaged in lives stock in Ningbo.Results:From 2002 to 2012,6737 persons received the detection,113 were serological positive(1.68%),of which 50 cases were diagnosed as brucellosis and 63 cases were bacteria carriers.The brucellosis cases and carriers mainly distributed in Cixi City,Yuyao City,Yinzhou District,Ninghai county.Brucellosis cases related to local trafficking processing slaughtering sheep industry in Cixi City,Yuyao City.Brucellosis cases related to the local dairy farming in Yinzhou District,Ninghai county.Conclusion:In recent ten years,human brucellosis epidemic presents a clear upward trend in Ningbo.It is suggested to strengthen the training of medical staff in and of brucellosis knowledge and management.Active surveillance and health education on focus groups is the focus of the prevention and control of brucellosis in the future.
Rolipram ameliorates oxidative stress on PC12 cells induced by H_2O_2

Aim To investigate the potential protective effects of PDE4 inhibitor rolipram on PC12 cells injury induced by H2O2 and the mechanisms involved.Methods The survival rate of PC12 cells subject to the oxidative damage induced by H2O2 was determined by MTT assay.The PC12 cells were stained with PI and the percentage of different phases in the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry.The ability of clearing ·OH and O2· the content of MDA,GSH and NO and the activity of SOD were determined by colorimetric Assay Kit.Effects of rolipram on Trx and iNOS expression levels of damaged PC12 cells induced by H2O2 were detected both by Western blot and real-time RT-PCR.Results Rolipram significantly increased the survival rate of PC12 cells injured by H2O2 in a concentration dependent manner.And rolipram rescued the mitosis of damaged PC12 cell and stimulated the synthesis of DNA in S-phase of cell cycle,which were shown in rising level of cell ratio in different phases.The biochemical assay data showed rolipram improved the ability of clearing hydroxy radical and superoxide anion in impaired cells induced by oxidative stress with H2O2.Meanwhile,inhibition of PDE4 increased the level of GSH and SOD in cell supernatant,while it decreased the content of MDA and NO.Furthermore,the impaired cells incubated with rolipram expressed higher level of Trx and lower level of iNOS compared with those treated with the vehicle.Conclusion PDE4 inhibitor rolipram protects the PC12 cell from the oxidative damage induced by H2O2 via balancing the oxidative and antioxidative system.
Concentration of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 in ovine follicular fluid and serum

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 mRNA and protein localize within granulosal cells of post-gonadotropin-surge follicles and luteal tissue in ewes. Our objectives were to test the hypotheses that 1) follicular fluid concentration of TIMP-1 increases following a gonadotropin surge induced by LHRH agonist (Exp. 1) and 2) luteal status affects peripheral serum concentration of TIMP-1 (Exp. 2 and 3). In Exp. 1, the concentration of TIMP-1 within antral fluid from post-surge follicles (28.7 +/- 6.65 microg/mL) was greater (P < .02) than from pre-surge follicles (2.37 +/- 2.47 microg/mL). In Exp. 2, serum concentration of TIMP-1 did not differ among d 0 to 6 (1.27 +/- .55 microg/mL) of the estrous cycle or among periods of luteal maintenance (1.29 +/- .06 microg/mL), spontaneous luteal regression (1.19 +/- .09 microg/mL), or luteal development (1.22 +/- .08 microg/mL). However, serum concentration of TIMP-1 was greater ( P < .001) during the period of luteal maintenance (1.14 +/- .04 microg/mL) than during PGF2alpha-induced luteolysis (d 26; .85 +/- .06 microg/mL) and induced luteal absence (d 27 to 33; .95 +/- .05 microg/mL). In Exp. 3, ewes (n = 14) were bled daily from d 1 to 19 (d 0 = estrus) and at 12-min intervals for 6 h on d 3, 10, and 17. Although concentration of TIMP-1 varied considerably within and among ewes, mean concentration of TIMP-1 per ewe per day increased ( P < .05) from d 3 to 17. These data indicate that follicular fluid concentration of TIMP-1 increases following a gonadotropin surge, but the contribution of ovarian derived TIMP-1 to peripheral serum concentration is negligible.
Pepsin and the esophagus.

Esophagitis results from excessive exposure of the esophagus to gastric juice through an ineffective or dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter mechanism. A possible role of pepsin in damaging the esophageal mucosa with consequent esophagitis may be examined directly by testing pepsin under various conditions in experimental models of esophagitis. Since gastric juice contains both acid and pepsin, all experiments examine separately effects of perfusion of the esophagus by acid without and with pepsin in various combinations. Acid perfusion alone at concentrations represented by pH 1.3 or above does not produce esophagitis. The addition of pepsin to acid between pH 1 and 3.5 causes considerable acute esophageal damage. Outside the proteolytic range, i.e., higher than pH 3.5, pepsin does not damage the esophagus. The damage caused by acidified pepsin may be made much worse by the further addition of aspirin or other NSAIDs, presumably by further breaking down mucosal barriers.
The National Capital Region closed circuit television video interoperability project

Objective: The National Capital Region (NCR) includes many government jurisdictions and agencies using different closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras and video management software. Because these agencies often must work together to respond to emergencies and events, a means of providing interoperability for CCTV video is critically needed. Design: Video data from different CCTV systems that are not inherently interoperable is represented in the “data layer.” An “integration layer” ingests the data layer source video and normalizes the different video formats. It then aggregates and distributes this video to a “presentation layer” where it can be viewed by almost any application used by other agencies and without any proprietary software. A native mobile video viewing application is also developed that uses the presentation layer to provide video to different kinds of smartphones. Setting: The NCR includes Washington, DC, and surrounding counties in Maryland and Virginia. Results: The video sharing architecture allows one agency to see another agency's video in their native viewing application without the need to purchase new CCTV software or systems. A native smartphone application was also developed to enable them to share video via mobile devices even when they use different video management systems. Conclusions: A video sharing architecture has been developed for the NCR that creates an interoperable environment for sharing CCTV video in an efficient and cost effective manner. In addition, it provides the desired capability of sharing video via a native mobile application.
Editor's Highlight: Metformin Protects Against Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity by Attenuation of Mitochondrial Oxidant Stress and Dysfunction.

Overdose of acetaminophen (APAP) causes severe liver injury and even acute liver failure in both mice and human. A recent study by Kim et al. (2015, Metformin ameliorates acetaminophen hepatotoxicity via Gadd45β-dependent regulation of JNK signaling in mice. J. Hepatol. 63, 75-82) showed that metformin, a first-line drug to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, protected against APAP hepatotoxicity in mice. However, its exact protective mechanism has not been well clarified. To investigate this, C57BL/6J mice were treated with 400 mg/kg APAP and 350 mg/kg metformin was given 0.5 h pre- or 2 h post-APAP. Our data showed that pretreatment with metformin protected against APAP hepatotoxicity, as indicated by the over 80% reduction in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities and significant decrease in centrilobular necrosis. Metabolic activation of APAP, as indicated by glutathione depletion and APAP-protein adducts formation, was also slightly inhibited. However, 2 h post-treatment with metformin still reduced liver injury by 50%, without inhibition of adduct formation. Interestingly, neither pre- nor post-treatment of metformin inhibited c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation or its mitochondrial translocation. In contrast, APAP-induced mitochondrial oxidant stress and dysfunction were greatly attenuated in these mice. In addition, mice with 2 h post-treatment with metformin also showed significant inhibition of complex I activity, which may contribute to the decreased mitochondrial oxidant stress. Furthermore, the protection was reproduced in JNK activation-absent HepaRG cells treated with 20 mM APAP followed by 0.5 or 1 mM metformin 6 h later, confirming JNK-independent protection mechanisms. Thus, metformin protects against APAP hepatotoxicity by attenuating the mitochondrial oxidant stress and subsequent mitochondrial dysfunction, and may be a potential therapeutic option for APAP overdose patients.
M-CSF Preferentially Induces C-Fos Via ERK to Specify Monopoiesis Whereas G-CSF Directs Granulopoiesis Via SHP2

Hematopoietic cytokines stimulate proliferation and survival, but their role in lineage commitment remains uncertain. To gain insight into the contribution of cytokine signaling to myeloid lineage specification, we compared G-CSF and M-CSF signaling in primary murine, lineage-negative marrow cells. G-CSF specifically activated STAT3 and induced increased SHP2 phosphorylation, whereas M-CSF preferentially activated PLC-γ and ERK and induced c-Fos in marrow progenitors. In contrast, phosphorylation of Jun kinase or c-Jun was similar in response to both cytokines, as was induction of PU.1. Inhibition of ERK by either of two chemical inhibitors prevented c-Fos induction and interfered with monocyte lineage specification, as assessed by enumerating monocytic versus granulocytic colony-forming units in methylcellulose culture with IL3/IL6/SCF. ERK inhibition also reduced C/EBPα21 phosphorylation, as seen previously in cell lines. M-CSF induced C/EBPαS21 modification more effectively than G-CSF, but the effect of this modification on C/EBPα activities and its role in myeloid lineage choice remains uncertain. Consistent with a role for ERK in monocyte specification, phorbol ester potently activated ERK and induced monocytic colonies in IL3/IL6/SCF or in GCSF/SCF methylcellulose culture. SHP2 inhibition reduced ERK activation by G-CSF but not by M-CSF and reduced granulopoiesis but not monopoiesis in CFU assays with IL3/IL6/SCF, indicating that an ERK-independent target of SHP2 helps specify granulopoiesis. Phorbol ester induction of ERK and monopoiesis may reflect preferential activation of PLC-γ by M-CSF compared to G-CSF, as we observed. In summary, M-CSF signals activate ERK more potently than G-CSF signals and thereby induce c-Fos to favor monopoiesis, whereas G-CSF signals activate the SHP2 tyrosine phosphatase, shifting the balance to granulopoiesis, via effects of SHP2 on additional regulators besides ERK. How cytokine signals cooperate with transcription factors to specify lineage determination is a fundamental issue in hematopoiesis, and elucidating these functional interactions will facilitate efforts to expand normal myeloid cells and to use cytokines or downstream effectors to induce malignant cells to differentiate.
Precise determination of the complex refractive index of scattering and absorbing samples by combining THz-TDS and a Kramers-Kronig analysis

We propose here to experimentally demonstrate original methods, combining terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and Kramers-Kronig (KK) relations, to fully characterize in transmission non-classical samples for example exhibiting either low transmission bands, or scattering effect. For such samples, classical THz-TDS extraction process leads to erroneous optical parameters (refractive index and absorption coefficient) whose causal relations are in turn not fulfilled. Therefore, by comparing the measured optical parameters with those calculated using the KKR, we can estimate the error and thus correct it to precisely characterize the sample.
Prediction of the structural response of the femoral shaft under dynamic loading using subject-specific finite element models

AbstractThe goal of this study was to predict the structural response of the femoral shaft under dynamic loading conditions using subject-specific finite element (SS-FE) models and to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the models in relation to the model complexity. In total, SS-FE models of 31 femur specimens were developed. Using those models, dynamic three-point bending and combined loading tests (bending with four different levels of axial compression) of bare femurs were simulated, and the prediction capabilities of five different levels of model complexity were evaluated based on the impact force time histories: baseline, mass-based scaled, structure-based scaled, geometric SS-FE, and heterogenized SS-FE models. Among the five levels of model complexity, the geometric SS-FE and the heterogenized SS-FE models showed statistically significant improvement on response prediction capability compared to the other model formulations whereas the difference between two SS-FE models was negligible. This resu...
Modeling of intense pulsed ion beam heated masked targets for extreme materials characterization

Intense, pulsed ion beams locally heat materials and deliver dense electronic excitations that can induce material modifications and phase transitions. Material properties can potentially be stabilized by rapid quenching. Pulsed ion beams with pulse lengths of order ns have recently become available for materials processing. Here, we optimize mask geometries for local modification of materials by intense ion pulses. The goal is to rapidly excite targets volumetrically to the point where a phase transition or local lattice reconstruction is induced followed by rapid cooling that stabilizes desired material's properties fast enough before the target is altered or damaged by, e.g., hydrodynamic expansion. By using a mask, the longitudinal dimension can be large compared to the transverse dimension, allowing the possibility of rapid transverse cooling. We performed HYDRA simulations that calculate peak temperatures for a series of excitation conditions and cooling rates of silicon targets with micro-structured masks and compare these to a simple analytical model. The model gives scaling laws that can guide the design of targets over a wide range of pulsed ion beam parameters.
Layer-by-layer assembled polymer/MOF membrane for H2/CO2 separation

Abstract Numerous investigators have produced polymer composites containing metal-organic framework (MOF) filler particles in attempts to combine the processability of polymers and the gas selectivity of MOF particles. However, filler particle aggregation and weak filler-matrix interaction have sometimes led to poor gas separation performance. In this study, we combined polyvinylpyrrolidone modified UiO-66-PA particles (PVP + MOF) with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) through H-bonding assisted layer-by-layer assembly. The resultant PAA/(PVP + MOF) bilayers feature individually dispersed fillers and strong filler-matrix interaction. Of note, this filler-matrix interaction is stronger than the internal strength of fillers, which is a phenomenon previously not seen in polymer/MOF composites. The combination of individually dispersed fillers and strong filler-matrix interaction enables the polymer/MOF composite membrane, based on PAA/(PVP + MOF) bilayers, to be more selective (H2/CO2 = 20.3) than PAA/PVP bilayers (H2/CO2 = 12.5) and several pure-MOF membranes that were reported previously (H2/CO2
Renewable Epoxy Thermosets from Fully Lignin-Derived Triphenols

A series of fully renewable triphenols (TPs) with various number of methoxy group substituents (n = 0–6) were synthesized using lignin-derived phenols (guaiacol and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol) and aldehydes (4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, and syringaldehyde). The structural evolution from TPs to epoxy thermosets was followed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Thermomechanical properties of the resulting epoxy thermosets were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile analysis (TA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Increasing the content of methoxy groups decreased the glass transition temperature (132–118 °C) and glassy modulus (2.7–2.2 GPa). Thermal stability of high-methoxy-content thermosets was reduced due to electron-donating effects and higher oxygen content. Conversions and isolated yields of TPs significantly decreased as the number of methoxy substituents increased, which markedly determined the feasibility of TPs as precursors ...
Point Matching Method for Flaw Detection in Printed Circuit Boards

There is high demand in industry for automated inspection of printed circuit boards (PCB’s). The major requirements for inspection systems are high speed, universality and high precision of inspection. Two major approaches have been used in the past: the reference-comparison and the design-rule verification methods. Each of them has its limitations and advantages. Recently, several authors have described algorithms which integrate both the reference-comparison and the design-rule methods [1–4].