cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of monolayers' alkyl chain length on atomic force microscopy anodization lithography

The effects of the alkyl chain length for AFM anodization nanolithography on different alkylsilane monolayers were demonstrated by fabricating line and dot patterns. The different threshold voltage was observed on different alkylsilane monolayers. The observed threshold voltage gaps between different SAMs may be caused by the electric energy needed to degrade the SAM and the organizations of the SAM with the different alkyl chain length in spite of the similar energy offset. The length of the alkyl chain affects the widths of lines in line patterns, and the diameters of dots in dot patterns, also.
"The Most Unjust Piece of Legislation": Section 213 of the Economy Act of 1932 and Feminism During the New Deal

In February 1936, a former federal government worker named Gussie E. Howell penned a letter to Grace Brewer, director of the Governmental Workers' Council (gwc) of the National Woman's Party (nwp). Howell, who lived in Texas, had apparently heard from colleagues about a questionnaire sent out by the nwp about the effects of Section 213 of the Economy Act of 1932 (“Section 213”). Howell said that while she had not seen the questionnaire, she wanted to describe the effect of Section 213 on her life.
Antifungal Activities of Hedychium Essential Oils and Plant Extracts Against Mycotoxigenic Fungi

Plant-derived antifungal compounds are preferred to chemicals to reduce the risk of toxic effects on humans, livestock, and the environment. Essential oil extracted from rhizomes and plant extracts of ornamental ginger lily (Hedychium spp.) were evaluated for their antifungal activity against two fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides, that produce two major classes of mycotoxins, aflatoxin, and fumonisin, respectively, on several crops. Essential oil or leaf extracts from several Hedychium species and varieties totally inhibited the growth of pre-germinated spores of A. flavus and F. verticillioides. Control of these two fungi by aqueous extracts of rhizome was not effective, although a reduced number of colonies was observed. In view of these results, essential oils or crude leaf extracts from Hedychium spp. need to be considered for the control of mycotoxin-producing fungi under storage conditions.
Scalable parallel molecular dynamics on MIMD supercomputers

Presents two parallel algorithms suitable for molecular dynamics simulations over a wide range of sizes, from a few hundred to millions of atoms. One of the algorithms is optimally scalable, offering performance proportional to N/P where N is the number of atoms (or molecules) and P is the number of processors. Their implementation on three MIMD parallel computers (nCUBE2, Intel Gamma, and Intel Delta) and performance on a standard benchmark problem as compared to vector and SIMD implementations is discussed. The authors also briefly describe the integration of one of the algorithms into a widely-used code appropriate for modeling defect dynamics in metals via the embedded atom method. >
An International Comparison of Radio Wavelength Standards by Means of Piezo-Electric Resonators

Piezo-electric wave length standards of the quartz or quartz-steel types previously described by the author have been compared with standard wave meters or multi-vibrators in the United States, Italy, France, and England. Six standards were used, of frequencies ranging from 14 to 1,500 kilocycles. The methods of comparison are described, and data obtained at the various laboratories presented. The tabulated results show that the average deviation from the weighted means, for all comparisons, is about 0.1 percent. It is shown that by the simplest methods of comparison a precision of 0.1 percent is attained, while in a comparison with the multi-vibrator, by more elaborate means, the precision is a few parts in 100,000.
Characterization and Expression Pattern of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate (ACC) Synthases cDNA from Geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum cv Sincerity)

The enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-caryboxylate (ACC) synthase catalyzes the rate limiting step in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis and is, primarily, regulated at the transcription level. To understand the role of ACC synthases in stress-induced ethylene bursts in geranium, degenerated oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify a DNA probe from cDNA; and used to screen a cDNA library prepared from an mRNA preparation from mature flowers. Six putative full-length ACC synthase clones were isolated; these clones were divided into two groups on the basis of deduced amino acid sequences and features contained in their mRNA. Clones (e.g. PHS-ACS41, 44, and 45) in group I contain a stop codon (TAG) just before the initiation codon (ATG). Clone PHS-ACS44 from this group contains an “extra” 780 nucleotide sequence at the untranslated 3′-end region (UTR) after the first polyadenylation signal and a short poly(A) tail. The “extra” UTR contains another polyadenylation signal and a poly(A) tail, otherwise the coding sequence is identical to PHS-ACS41. Clone PHS-ACS49 in group II contains stop codon (TAG) twenty one bases upstream from the initiation codon. All these genes contain eleven conserved amino acid residues, the substrate and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate binding site that are characteristic of all ACC synthases. Using RTPCR and gene specific primers, expression studies show that these genes are expressed differentially. PHS-ACS41 and PHSACS44 not only show differences in expression in vivo, but also exhibit differential translational efficiencies in vitro suggesting that the “extra” 780 UTR in vivo may serve as a regulatory element. Our finding of multiple ACC synthase genes and their expression in geranium is consistent with similar observations in other plant species in which ACC synthases are encoded by a multigene family that are differentially regulated by internal and external factors.
Unsteady Discrete Adjoint Formulation for Two-Dimensional Flow Problems with Deforming Meshes

A method to apply the discrete adjoint for computing sensitivity derivatives in two-dimensional unsteady flow problems is presented. The approach is to first develop a forward or tangent linearization of the nonlinear flow problem in which each individual component building up the complete flow solution is differentiated against the design variables using the chain rule. The reverse or adjoint linearization is then constructed by transposing and reversing the order of multiplication of the forward problem. The developed algorithm is very general in that it applies directly to the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian form of the governing equations and includes the effect of deforming meshes in unsteady flows. It is shown that an unsteady adjoint formulation is essentially a single backward integration in time and that the cost of constructing the final sensitivity vector is close to that of solving the unsteady flow problem integrated forward in time. It is also shown that the unsteady adjoint formulation can be applied to time-integration schemes of different orders of accuracy with minimal changes to the base formulation. The developed technique is then applied to three optimization examples, the first in which the shape of a pitching airfoil is morphed to match a target time-dependent load profile, the second in which the shape is optimized to match a target time-dependent pressure profile, and the last in which the time-dependent drag profile is minimized without any loss in lift.
Coverage of the Stanford Prison Experiment in Introductory Psychology Textbooks

Zimbardo’s 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE), one of the most famous studies in psychology, is discussed in most introductory textbooks. The present study is concerned with the nature of this c...
Cyanobacterial construction of hot spring siliceous stromatolites in Yellowstone National Park

Living stromatolites growing in a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park are composed of silica-encrusted cyanobacterial mats. Two cyanobacterial mat types grow on the stromatolite surfaces and are preserved as two distinct lithofacies. One mat is present when the stromatolites are submerged or at the water-atmosphere interface and the other when stromatolites protrude from the hot spring. The lithofacies created by the encrustation of submerged mats constitutes the bulk of the stromatolites, is comprised of silica-encrusted filaments, and is distinctly laminated. To better understand the cyanobacterial membership and community structure differences between the mats, we collected mat samples from each type. Molecular methods revealed that submerged mat cyanobacteria were predominantly one novel phylotype while the exposed mats were predominantly heterocystous phylotypes (Chlorogloeopsis HTF and Fischerella). The cyanobacterium dominating the submerged mat type does not belong in any of the subphylum groups of cyanobacteria recognized by the Ribosomal Database Project and has also been found in association with travertine stromatolites in a Southwest Japan hot spring. Cyanobacterial membership profiles indicate that the heterocystous phylotypes are 'rare biosphere' members of the submerged mats. The heterocystous phylotypes likely emerge when the water level of the hot spring drops. Environmental pressures tied to water level such as sulfide exposure and possibly oxygen tension may inhibit the heterocystous types in submerged mats. These living stromatolites are finely laminated and therefore, in texture, may better represent similarly laminated ancient forms compared with more coarsely laminated living marine examples.
An unusual pattern of ligand-receptor interactions for the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, with implications for the binding of varenicline.

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor shows broad pharmacology, complicating the development of subtype-specific nicotinic receptor agonists. Here we use unnatural amino acid mutagenesis to characterize binding to α7 by the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix; Pfizer, Groton, CT), an α4β2-targeted agonist that shows full efficacy and modest potency at the α7 receptor. We find that unlike binding to its target receptor, varenicline does not form a cation-π interaction with TrpB, further supporting a unique binding mode for the cationic amine of nicotinic agonists at the α7 receptor. We also evaluate binding to the complementary face of the receptor’s binding site by varenicline, the endogenous agonist acetylcholine, and the potent nicotine analog epibatidine. Interestingly, we find no evidence for functionally important interactions involving backbone NH and CO groups thought to bind the canonical agonist hydrogen bond acceptor of the nicotinic pharmacophore, perhaps reflecting a lesser importance of this pharmacophore element for α7 binding. We also show that the Trp55 and Leu119 side chains of the binding site’s complementary face are important for the binding of the larger agonists epibatidine and varenicline, but dispensable for binding of the smaller, endogenous agonist acetylcholine.
Localization of preproenkephalin mRNA-expressing cells in rat auditory brainstem with in situ hybridization

Hair cells and auditory nerve dendrites in the inner ear are innervated by pontine neurons that have been demonstrated by immunochemical techniques to contain several neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine and the opioid peptide enkephalins and dynorphins. The functions of these nerve fibers are not known, but may involve modifying auditory sensitivity to low intensity stimuli. In the guinea pig the opioid pathways originate in the lateral superior olivary region. A recent study in the gerbil has reported cells expressing preproenkephalin mRNA present only in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body, and not in the superior olivary region. In the present study, a non-radioisotopically labeled in situ hybridization method was used to identify cells expressing mRNA coding for preproenkephalin in rat pontine neurons, specifically in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body. These cells may represent an enkephalin-containing medial olivocochlear system in the rat, the origin of the lateral system in the rat that differs markedly from the better-studied guinea pig and cat, or a non-olivocochlear enkephalin-containing system.
Dietary habits, diversity and the indigenous diet of the turks and Caicos Islands implications for island-specific nutrition intervention

Objective: To describe dietary habits in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Design and Methods: Food frequency questionnaires were administered to female-household-heads of 144 households randomly selected from three islands’ voter’s lists (Grand Turk [n = 48], Providenciales [n = 46] and Middle Caicos [n = 50]). Data were collected on the distribution of: (a) Households among Levels 0 – 7 of a Food Group Scale, developed using the Cornell Technique of Scaling Dichotomous Data, and based on number of households that consumed seven food groups (meat and legumes, bread/cereals, fruits, vegetables, starchy roots/tubers/fruits; dairy and beverages) weekly; (b) Foods among four categories (common core, island core, occasional or rare) also based on weekly frequency of consumption. Results: Thirty per cent of households on Grand Turk and 37% on Providenciales were at level 7, the most varied and complex diets, compared to 3% for Middle Caicos, which exemplified the indigenous diet of local seafood, beans, and grits (corn) supplemented with imports eg rice and bread/flour. Middle Caicos had substantially fewer island core foods ([n = 16] from four food groups) than did Grand Turk (n = 29) and Providenciales (n = 30), which represented the 7-food groups and included 15 (94%) of Middle Caicos’ island core foods. Conclusion: Providenciales and Grand Turk had more varied and complex diets. Understanding how various islands supplement the indigenous/traditional diet is imperative to develop and evaluate (a) island-specific nutrition intervention eg culturally appropriate nutrition education messages (eg to increase iron consumption); and (b) future research protocols.
The "Anatomy" of a Performance-Enhancing Drug Test in Sports

The components of a performance-enhancing drug (PED) test in sports include sample selection, collection, establishing sample integrity, sample pretreatment, analyte detection, data evaluation, reporting results, and action taken based on the result. Undergraduate curricula generally focus on the detection and evaluation steps of an analytical procedure, but the other steps often determine the quality of the final result. Following the whole analytical process in a PED test can provide a wealth of useful pedagogical examples for the undergraduate analytical curriculum, including practical illustrations of chemical equilibria and a deeper appreciation of analytical protocol. Moreover, actions taken based on the analytical results in PED testing are usually public knowledge because they involve prominent athletes. As a consequence, students get to see that the analytical result is often one of several possible inputs that produce an ultimate decision, which places the analytical result in a "real-world" context.
A scalable simulator for TinyOS applications

Large clouds of tiny devices capable of computation, communication and sensing, the goal of the Smart Dust project, will soon become a reality. Hardware miniaturization is shrinking devices and research in software is producing applications that allow devices to communicate and cooperate toward a common goal. Success on the software front hinges on the design of algorithms that can scale up with system size. Given that the number of individual cooperating devices will reach high orders of magnitude (hundreds of thousands or even millions), debugging and evaluating the software in such a large system can reap much benefit from simulation. This paper describes the design of a scalable and flexible simulator which allows for the direct execution, at source code level, of applications written for TinyOS, the operating system that executes on Smart Dust. This simulator also provides detailed models for radio signal propagation and node mobility.
Risk Factors for 30-day Readmissions after Hepatectomy: Analysis of 2444 Patients from the ACS-NSQIP Database

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with unplanned readmissions after hepatectomies. Patients who underwent hepatectomies between January and December of 2011 were identified using the ACS-NSQIP database. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of unplanned readmissions related to the procedure within 30 days. Unplanned readmissions occurred in 10.5 % of all patients who received a hepatectomy. On multivariate analysis, transfusion within 72 h after surgery (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, p median 320 min, OR 2.43, p < 0.001) were independent perioperative predictors of unplanned readmissions. Independent preoperative risk factors included elevated alkaline phosphatase (OR 1.45, p = 0.017), bleeding disorders (OR 1.72, p = 0.051), and lower albumin levels (OR 1.30, p = 0.036). Transfusion, complexity of procedure, and duration of operation were the strongest predictors of unplanned readmissions after liver resection.
Temporal variation in the synchrony of weather and its consequences for spatiotemporal population dynamics

Over large areas, synchronous fluctuations in population density are often attributed to environmental stochasticity (e.g., weather) shared among local populations. This concept was first advanced by Patrick Moran who showed, based on several assumptions, that long-term population synchrony will equal the synchrony of environmental stochasticity among locations. We examine the consequences of violating one of Moran's assumptions, namely that environmental synchrony is constant through time. We demonstrate that the synchrony of weather conditions from regions across the United States varied considerably from 1895 to 2010. Using a simulation model modified from Moran's original study, we show that temporal variation in environmental synchrony can cause changes in population synchrony, which in turn can temporarily increase or decrease the amplitude of regional-scale population fluctuations. A case study using the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) provides empirical support for these predictions. This study provides theoretical and empirical evidence that temporal variation in environmental synchrony can be used to identify factors that synchronize population fluctuations and highlights a previously underappreciated cause of variability in population dynamics.
Novel treatment of a septal ulceration using an extracellular matrix scaffold (septal ulceration treatment using ECM)

Abstract Background Septal ulceration is a mucositis involving the mucous membranes of the nasal septum. Patients often complain of nasal irritation, crusting, and epistaxis. Presently, there is no gold standard for the treatment of septal ulcerations. Currently described therapies include local debridement, septal dermoplasty, septal flap reconstruction, and cadaveric dermal graft repair; however, no therapy has demonstrated a consistent improvement of symptoms. We present a novel approach for the treatment of chronic septal ulceration, using an extracellular matrix scaffold (MatriStem® Wound Care Matrix, ACell, Inc.) to repair unilateral partial septal mucosal defects. Methods This is a retrospective chart review of three patients with age range from 42 to 74 years. All three patients underwent several years of unsuccessful conservative medical management and two patients had prior unsuccessful septoplasty and septal ulcer debridement procedure. There are no complications noted in the post-operative period. Result All three patients had complete symptom relief on post-operative visit after chronic septal ulceration repair using an extracellular matrix scaffold mechanism. Patients were able to manage with conservative nasal regiment after surgery with significant improvement on quality of life. Conclusion The use of extracellular matrix scaffolding provides the nasal septum with a framework for the in-growth of healthy mucosa over ulcerated areas. We propose this as a new treatment approach for patients who failed conservative medical management. Chronic septal ulcerations can be healed to provide improved quality of life to patients.
An 86-year-old man with septic arthritis of the knee.

Department of Medicine/Infectious Disease, State University of New York Upstate University, Syracuse, New York, USA Correspondence: Dr Tasaduq Fazili, Department of Medicine/Infectious Disease, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, 725 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13104, USA. Telephone 315-464-9360, fax 315-464-9361, e-mail fazilit@upstate.edu Case presentation An 86-year-old man with a medical history significant for an aortic valve replacement and pacemaker insertion >20 years previously developed a stress fracture of the left leg, which was placed in an immobilizer cast. One week later, he developed progressive left knee swelling and was admitted to the hospital. A physical examination was significant only for a grade 2 (of 6) systolic murmur over the aortic area, and mild swelling and tenderness of the left knee. The surrounding skin was not erythematous. He exhibited leukocytosis with a white blood cell count of 15.1×109/L. An aspirate of joint fluid from the left knee revealed a white blood cell count of 12.9×109/L with 82% neutrophils. A Gram-stained smear of the joint fluid revealed many white blood cells with no bacteria. Culture of this aspirate for bacteria and fungi was negative. A bone scan showed increasing uptake in the left tibia, suggestive of osteomyelitis. The patient was discharged on four weeks of ceftriaxone (2 g intravenously once per day) for presumed bacterial septic arthritis/osteomyelitis. He presented three weeks later with increasing left knee pain and swelling. A joint washout of the knee and surgical debridement of the proximal tibia was performed. A Gram stain (Figure 1) and modified acid-fast stain (Figure 2) of the joint fluid are shown.
Resolving Disputed Elections Through Negotiation

Could a disputed election — one in which the winner is not clear and the result is within the “margin of litigation” — be resolved through a negotiated result? Given the “winner take all” nature of these elections, where one candidate ends up holding the office, and all others do not, it would seem that negotiated solutions and other alternative dispute resolution techniques would have no application. This article explores why self-interested candidates and their associated parties may be interested in a negotiated outcome, what the scope of such an agreement could look like, and how to overcome barriers to such a negotiated result.
A highly reliable single-stage converter for Electric Vehicle applications

The parallel ac link universal converter is an extension of a buck-boost converter in which the current of the inductor is alternating with zero dc component. Charging an inductor in both positive and negative directions allows better utilizing it. The input and output in parallel ac-link universal converter can have any number of phases with dc or ac voltages, and the switches benefit from the soft switching. The main limitation of the parallel ac-link universal power converter is that it requires large number of switches, i.e. twice the number of switches required for the same converter with dc link, to be able to charge and discharge the inductor in both positive and negative directions. Large number of switches decreases the reliability of the converter and increases its cost. Several modified configurations that require fewer switches than the original configuration and offer the same advantages have been proposed. In this paper, the application of one of these topologies, called “extremely sparse parallel ac-link universal converter”, in Electric Vehicle (EV) is studied. This single-stage converter fulfills the task of the dc-dc converter, inverter, and battery charger in an EV. In contrast to the conventional configuration in which a bulky electrolytic capacitor is used, the proposed approach uses a small inductor and a small ac capacitor at the link that increases the reliability of the system. In this paper, principles of operation, analysis and design procedure of this converter are presented, and its performance in EV application is evaluated.
Female Prothonotary Warblers Protonotaria citrea sing during the mate acquisition period

Female song in passerine birds may be more common than traditionally assumed, but it is not well-documented or understood, especially in migratory species. We describe the first evidence of sex-specific songs produced by female Prothonotary Warblers, as well as the results of playback trials aimed at exploring the adaptive function (if any) of this female-specific vocalization. Based on the behaviour of three females and our playback trials, we suggest that these unique songs are related to mate acquisition during the early stages of courtship.
Small Farm Survival Through Trust and Social Networks: A Case Study of Raciechowice, Poland

Small, subsistence-farming operations have patched the countryside and the cultural framework of Poland throughout its history. This tradition is threatened by globalization, especially Poland's recent entry into the European Union. EU rural restructuring programs seek to remedy the inefficiencies of Poland's "fragmented" agrarian structure so that Poland can participate in the EU's Common Agricultural Market; yet, increases in global competitiveness come at the cost of many environmental and economic effects, as well as a dislocation of the traditional social fabric in rural Poland. This study examines current and potential areas for farmer and local government (gmina) involvement in protection of farmland as an attempt to prevent such adverse outcomes while still increasing farm viability and profitability. Sixteen structured interviews with local government officials, current small farmers and ex-small farmers were conducted in Raciechowice, a traditional small farming community 40 km southeast of Krakow.
Phylogenetic relationships and spatial distributions of putative fungal pathogens of seedlings across a rainfall gradient in Panama.

Abstract Despite their importance in structuring plant communities, the identities and spatial distributions of the pathogens impacting wild plant communities are largely unknown. To advance our knowledge of plant-pathogen interactions in tropical forests, I identified likely fungal pathogens from forest sites across a rainfall gradient in Panama and compared the communities of fungi inhabiting a wetter, Atlantic and a drier, Pacific forest (∼45 km apart). Seedlings with symptoms of pathogen attack were collected and fungi were isolated from the symptomatic tissue. Based on internal transcribed spacer region sequences, I assigned the fungal isolates to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and estimated their taxonomic placements. I observed 28 OTUs (defined by 95% sequence similarity); primarily, the genera Mycoleptodiscus, Glomerella, Bionectria, Diaporthe, and Calonectria. The wetter, Atlantic and drier, Pacific forest sites shared 29% of observed and 56% of non-singleton fungal OTUs, suggesting that, in these forests, the common fungal pathogens of seedlings are relatively widespread, habitat generalists.
A catalytic fluoride-rebound mechanism for C(sp3)-CF3 bond formation

The biological properties of trifluoromethyl compounds have led to their ubiquity in pharmaceuticals, yet their chemical properties have made their preparation a substantial challenge, necessitating innovative chemical solutions. We report the serendipitous discovery of a borane-catalyzed formal C(sp3)-CF3 reductive elimination from Au(III) that accesses these compounds by a distinct mechanism proceeding via fluoride abstraction, migratory insertion, and C-F reductive elimination to achieve a net C-C bond construction. The parent bis(trifluoromethyl)Au(III) complexes tolerate a surprising breadth of synthetic protocols, enabling the synthesis of complex organic derivatives without cleavage of the Au-C bond. This feature, combined with the “fluoride-rebound” mechanism, was translated into a protocol for the synthesis of 18F-radiolabeled aliphatic CF3-containing compounds, enabling the preparation of potential tracers for use in positron emission tomography.
X-ray luminescence computed tomography using a focused x-ray beam.

Due to the low x-ray photon utilization efficiency and low measurement sensitivity of the electron multiplying charge coupled device camera setup, the collimator-based narrow beam x-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) usually requires a long measurement time. We, for the first time, report a focused x-ray beam-based XLCT imaging system with measurements by a single optical fiber bundle and a photomultiplier tube (PMT). An x-ray tube with a polycapillary lens was used to generate a focused x-ray beam whose x-ray photon density is 1200 times larger than a collimated x-ray beam. An optical fiber bundle was employed to collect and deliver the emitted photons on the phantom surface to the PMT. The total measurement time was reduced to 12.5 min. For numerical simulations of both single and six fiber bundle cases, we were able to reconstruct six targets successfully. For the phantom experiment, two targets with an edge-to-edge distance of 0.4 mm and a center-to-center distance of 0.8 mm were successfully reconstructed by the measurement setup with a single fiber bundle and a PMT.
Rank Based Approaches

Density-based methodology that exploits k-neighborhood of a data point has many good features. For instance, it is independent of the distribution of the data and is capable of detecting isolated objects. However it has some shortcomings:
Measuring rat kidney glomerular number and size in vivo with MRI

Nephron number is highly variable in humans and is thought to play an important role in renal health. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the result of too few nephrons to maintain homeostasis. Current...
Modeling regional myocardial flows from residue functions of an intravascular indicator

The purpose of the present study was to determine the accuracy and the sources of error in estimating regional myocardial blood flow and vascular volume from experimental residue functions obtained by external imaging of an intravascular indicator. For the analysis, a spatially distributed mathematical model was used that describes transport through a multiple-pathway vascular system. Reliability of the parameter estimates was tested by using sensitivity function analysis and by analyzing “pseudodata”: realistic model solutions to which random noise was added. Increased uncertainty in the estimates of flow in the pseudodata was observed when flow was near maximal physiological values, when dispersion of the vascular input was more than twice the dispersion of the microvascular system for an impulse input, and when the sampling frequency was <2 samples/s. Estimates of regional blood volume were more reliable than estimates of flow. Failure to account for normal flow heterogeneity caused systematic underestimates of flow. To illustrate the method used for estimating regional flow, magnetic resonance imaging was used to obtain myocardial residue functions after left atrial injections of polylysine-Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, an intravascular contrast agent, in anesthetized chronically instrumented dogs. To test the increase in dispersion of the vascular input after central venous injections, magnetic resonance imaging data obtained in human subjects were compared with left ventricular blood pool curves obtained in dogs. It is concluded that if coronary flow is in the normal range, when the vascular input is a short bolus, and the heart is imaged at least once per cardiac cycle, then regional myocardial blood flow and vascular volume may be reliably estimated by analyzing residue functions of an intravascular indicator, providing a noninvasive approach with potential clinical application.
Age Differences in Beliefs about Emotion Regulation Strategies.

OBJECTIVES Age shifts in emotion regulation may be rooted in beliefs about different strategies. We test whether there are age differences in the beliefs people hold about specific emotion regulation strategies derived from the process model of emotion regulation and whether profiles of emotion beliefs vary by age. METHOD An adult life-span sample (N = 557) sorted 13 emotion regulation strategies either by (a) how effective the strategies would be or (b) how likely they would be to use them, in 15 negative emotion-eliciting situations. RESULTS Younger adults ranked attentional and cognitive distraction more effective than older adults, and preferred avoidance, distraction, and rumination more (and attentional deployment less) than middle-aged and older adults. Latent profile analysis on preferences identified three distinct strategy profiles: Classically adaptive regulators preferred a variety of strategies; situation modifiers showed strong preferences for changing situations; a small percentage of people preferred avoidance and rumination. Middle-aged and older adults were more likely than younger adults to be classically adaptive regulators (as opposed to situation modifiers or avoiders/ruminators). DISCUSSION These findings provide insight into the reasons people of different ages may select and implement different emotion regulation strategies, which may influence their emotional well-being.
Gender Recognition or Gender Reductionism?: The Social Implications of Embedded Gender Recognition Systems

Automatic Gender Recognition (AGR) refers to various computational methods that aim to identify an individual's gender by extracting and analyzing features from images, video, and/or audio. Applications of AGR are increasingly being explored in domains such as security, marketing, and social robotics. However, little is known about stakeholders' perceptions and attitudes towards AGR and how this technology might disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. To begin to address these gaps, we interviewed 13 transgender individuals, including three transgender technology designers, about their perceptions and attitudes towards AGR. We found that transgender individuals have overwhelmingly negative attitudes towards AGR and fundamentally question whether it can accurately recognize such a subjective aspect of their identity. They raised concerns about privacy and potential harms that can result from being incorrectly gendered, or misgendered, by technology. We present a series of recommendations on how to accommodate gender diversity when designing new digital systems.
Abstract 18327: Early Estrogen Replacement After Ovariectomy Limits Liver DAG and Promotes Insulin Sensitivity in a Manner That Requires Hepatic Estrogen Signaling

The cardiovascular effects of postmenopausal estrogen replacement have been controversial. Estrogen replacement at the time of menopause may protect from cardiovascular disease, due to improvements in the complications of obesity. We designed studies to define mechanisms by which estrogen replacement may alter the impact of high-fat feeding, when given at the time of surgical menopause by ovariectomy (OVX) in C57/B6 mice. OVX-mice had a 2-fold increase in adiposity after 5 weeks of high-fat diet feeding, compared with sham mice (sham 16.5±1.2% vs. OVX 32.4±3.1% adiposity). The weight gain and increased adiposity were prevented with subcutaneous replacement of estradiol (E2) at the time of OVX (OVX-E2 5.4±0.4% vs OVX 32.4±3.1% adiposity). We defined the impact of OVX and E2 replacement on insulin sensitivity with hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies. For OVX mice, insulin sensitivity was reduced 25% compared with sham mice, while OVX-E2 mice had a 2.2-fold increase in insulin sensitivity (sham 694±51; OVX 519±125; OVX-E2 1584.0±197 mg•ml•[kg•min•mU]-1). Compared to OVX, after hyperinsulinemia, in the liver of OVX-E2 mice, we found: 1) increased phosphorylation of ACC (inactive form), increased protein amounts of DGAT 2 (promotes TG synthesis from DAG). This potential increase in fatty-acid oxidation, coupled with increased TG synthesis was associated with reduced liver DAG content in OVX-E2 mice (OVX 4.0±0.7 vs. OVX-E2 1.74±0.53 µg•mg-1), and increased phosphorylation of ser473-AKT (insulin-signaling activated). In order to define the requirement of liver estrogen signaling in the protective effects of E2 replacement, we performed a parallel study with OVX and E2 replacement in mice with liver estrogen receptor alpha knockout (LKO). While E2 replacement reduced adiposity in LKO mice similar to controls, E2 replacement in LKO mice failed to improve whole-body insulin resistance (746±138 mg•ml•[kg•min•mU]-1), and failed to prevent liver DAG accumulation (3.2±1.1 µg•mg-1) compared to OVX mice. This study demonstrates that estrogen replacement at the time of OVX promotes insulin sensitivity by increasing TG synthesis, thereby limiting liver DAG content, and lipotoxicity. This protective effect requires hepatic estrogen signaling.
Fate of Field-Isolated Escherichia coli O157 in Ground Beef at Different Storage Temperatures

The survival of six Escherichia coli O157 strains, including five strains recently isolated from beef carcasses and strain ATCC 43895, was evaluated at 0, 1, 7, and 14 days in ground beef held at −20, 1, 4, and 7°C. Only small losses in cell numbers occurred at −20 and 1°C; in general, cell numbers decreased during the first day of storage and then remained unchanged through day 14. At −20°C, statistically significant reductions in cell numbers were observed only for strains 55AC1 and 299AB3 due to greater losses in the first day. At 1°C, strain 131AC1 did not decrease in cell numbers during the first day of storage, but both this strain and strain 55AC1 experienced statistically significant reductions in viable cell numbers by day 14, primarily due to losses after day 7. At 4°C, after an initial loss of cell numbers for four strains, minor increases were observed for all six strains by day 14. The differences were statistically significant for strains 114AC1, 299AB3, and ATCC 43895, but were small enough...
Risk Factors in Premature Ejaculation: Experimental Psychology in the Evaluation of Premature Ejaculation

Psychological research has attempted to understand the relationship between subjective psychological experiences (perceptive, affective, and cognitive) and physical/physiological components of sexual response, including erection and ejaculation. Such research has enabled exploration and clarification of concepts related to the etiology of premature ejaculation (PE). For example, in men with PE, genital stimulation (as opposed to erotic stimulation in general) is particularly germane to dysfunctional response, with autonomic response patterns altered during the sexual response cycle. Anomalous patterns of arousal are probably involved, though not necessarily in ways that had been conceptualized originally (e.g., hyperarousal). And psychosomatic interactions between negative emotion, autonomic response, and rapid ejaculation may sustain the dysfunctional response. Such findings dispel long-standing hypotheses regarding the etiology of PE and raise new questions about the development of PE.
Language learning for the 21st century: challenges of the North American Free Trade Agreement

L'A. examine le probleme du manque d'interet pour les langues secondes aux Etats-Unis. le monolinguisme est repandu, ce qui contraste avec l'attitude de la plupart des autres pays du monde. En 1992, Le Canada, Le Mexique et les Etats-Unis ont signe un document (North American Free Trade Agreement) visant a la reduction des barrieres entre les trois pays. L'A. analyse les implications de ce document pour l'enseignement des langues au 21 e siecle
Analysing Control Systems by Means of Event Trees

Abstract In the failure analysis of a control system one is nearly always confronted in practice with several different consequences as result of a disturbance in the controlled process and/or a failure in the control system. Often enough one performs such an analysis by means of fault trees. This may lead to incorrect conclusions. In the author's opinion a failure analysis of a control system should start with the construction of event trees. A particular failure mode of the control system can be analysed by means of a fault tree. To illustrate this approach an example is given. A pressure regulating system is analysed by means of event trees.
The Basque Language is Included in the Dene-Caucasian Language Family

There are today roughly 5,000 languages spoken in the world. The Basque language has long been regarded as an isolate, that is, a language with no known relatives. Recently, however, it has been demonstrated that it is in fact a member of the Dene-Caucasian language family, whose other branches are Caucasian, Burushaski, Sino-Tibetan, Yeniseian, and Na-Dene (see Figure 1).
Energy Expenditure: Indirect Calorimetry

Indirect calorimetry is a method of estimating metabolic heat production by measuring respiratory oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange. Indirect calorimetry is commonly used in studies of human energy metabolism to assess resting metabolic rate, 24 h total energy expenditure, and relative rates of substrates (carbohydrate vs fat) used to support energy expenditure. This article provides a basic overview of indirect calorimetry including the principles, various methodologies, and basic calculations to assess an individual's energy expenditure and relative substrate oxidation in a clinical or research setting.
Neural network model for automated system to diagnose blood clots

We proposed an automated system for diagnosis of blood clots that works based on user input data as symptoms. We selected 55 symptoms indicating possible blood clot symptoms. The user may input any of these symptoms through cell phone facility or any input device and find possible blood clot as quickly as possible. In this paper a MATLAB neural network model 'nftool' is used to diagnose blood clot diseases. The accuracy of the recognition of the symptom after repeated trainings was 93.75%. For better results we need to train the neural network system with more data. The success of this model will be to enhance patient care by saving a lot of time and money for the patient, while at the same time offering the opportunity to receive an appropriate diagnosis for their disease.
A phase iia trial of acupuncture to reduce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy severity during neoadjuvant or adjuvant weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

e22201Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and potentially dose-limiting side effect of neurotoxic chemotherapy for cancer patients. We evaluated the preliminar...
The Motivations and Consequences of Dying at Home: Family Caregiver Perspectives

Although ample research suggests that individuals prefer to die at home, the realities of a home death experience, from the perspective of family members, are not well understood. The following stu...
Car-deficit households: determinants and implications for household travel in the U.S.

In the U.S., households with less than one car per driver (auto-deficit households) are more than twice as common as zero-vehicle households. Yet we know very little about these households and their travel behavior. In this study, therefore, we examine whether car deficits, like carlessness, are largely a result of financial constraint or of other factors such as built environment characteristics, household structure, or household resources. We then analyze the mobility outcomes of car-deficit households compared to the severely restricted mobility of carless households and the largely uninhibited movement of fully-equipped households, households with at least one car per driver. Data from the California Household Travel Survey show that car-deficit households are different than fully-equipped households. They have different household characteristics, travel less, and are more likely to use public transit. While many auto-deficit households have incomes that presumably enable them to successfully manage with fewer cars than adults, low-income auto-deficit households are—by definition—income constrained. Our analysis suggests that low-income car-deficit households manage their travel needs by carefully negotiating the use of household vehicles. In so doing, they travel far more than carless households and use their household vehicles almost as much as low-income households with at least one car per driver. These results suggest that the mobility benefits of having at least one car per driver are more limited than we had anticipated. Results also indicate the importance of transportation and employment programs to ease the potential difficulties associated with sharing cars among household drivers.
Relationship between food insecurity and high blood pressure in a national sample of children and adolescents.

To determine the relationship between food insecurity (FI) and high blood pressure (BP) in a national cohort of children and adolescents. A cross-sectional analysis of children aged 8–17 years in the 2007–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; unweighted N = 7125). FI over the preceding 12 months was assessed using the USDA Household Food Security Scale in NHANES. We defined high BP as (i) systolic or diastolic BP ≥ 90% for age < 13 years or ≥ 120/80 mmHg for age ≥ 13 years measured at one visit or (ii) reported hypertension diagnosis or current antihypertensive medication use. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine the association between household and child-specific FI and high BP, controlling for age, sex, race, and household income, accounting for the complex NHANES survey design. The study population was 14.4% black, 21.3% Hispanic, and 49.4% female with a mean age of 12.6 years (SD 2.9). 20.3% had FI and 12.8% had high BP. High BP was more common in household FI vs. food-secure subjects (15.3% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.003). Adjusted analysis confirmed that household FI and child FI were associated with high BP (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04–1.54; OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03–1.96, respectively). Household and child FI were associated with an increased likelihood of high BP in a large nationally representative cohort of children and adolescents. FI may have a significant impact on cardiovascular health during childhood. Further research is warranted to better define how FI contributes to health disparities.