cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
10543 Assessing Sexual Health Services at a public university in the Deep South

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Our work helps show universities that embedding dedicated sexual health clinics within university health and wellness clinics may expand the amount of students they see for sexual health screenings during a time of increased sexual behavior and exploration. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The National College Health Association reports that college students have frequent, condomless sex. Student health and wellness clinics (SHWC) offer sexual health services, but few have dedicated sexual health clinics (SHC). We evaluated sexual health service use at a university SHWC after implementation of a dedicated SHC two half-days per week. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This was a retrospective analysis of data collected from patients receiving sexual health screening at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) SHWC between January 2015 and June 2019. Demographic variables, sexual behaviors, reason for testing, and rates of STIs were extracted from the electronic medical record and were compared by clinic (SHC vs. SHWC). Data on screening visits of patients over 18 were included in the final analysis. Variables were summarized with frequencies and percentages. Univariate models were fit, and multi-variable models will be fit, selecting variables with p values of 0.1 or less. Odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals for univariate analysis are presented. The study was approved by the UAB Institutional Review Board. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: A total of 5025 STI screenings were performed. Males (OR 4.13; 3.61-4.72), undergraduates (OR 1.33; 1.15-1.54), and persons reporting sex with the same sex (OR 1.88; 1.56-2.28), were significantly more likely to seek care at the SHC. Students with symptoms were more likely to seek care at the SHWC (OR 0.53; 0.47-0.61), while persons who reported contact with STIs were more likely to seek care at the SHC (OR 2.88; 2.22-3.74). The overall percentage of positive screenings was 9.3% for chlamydia (CT), 3.0% for gonorrhea (GC), 0.8% for trichomoniasis (TV), 0.7% for syphilis, and 0.3% for HIV with higher percentages of positive for CT (OR 1.60; 1.30-1.96) and GC (OR 2.02; 1.44-2.85) in the SHC. A greater percentage of positives for TV (OR 0.37; 0.14-0.96) was found in the SHWC. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Based on demographics of persons utilizing services, embedding a dedicated SHC within a university SHWC may expand populations reached for STI screening. With higher percentages of patients testing positive for CT and GC, a SHC may allow for greater diagnosis and treatment of STIs in general screening and persons presenting as contacts.
The Development and Pilot Testing of the ¡Haz Espacio Para Papi! Program Physical Activity Curriculum for Mexican-heritage Fathers and Children

Background: Physical activity (PA) is linked to many health benefits. However, many children and adults do not meet PA recommendations. Specifically, Mexican-heritage (MH) families are less physica...
Putting Density Functional Theory to the Test in Machine-Learning-Accelerated Materials Discovery

Accelerated discovery with machine learning (ML) has begun to provide the advances in efficiency needed to overcome the combinatorial challenge of computational materials design. Nevertheless, ML-accelerated discovery both inherits the biases of training data derived from density functional theory (DFT) and leads to many attempted calculations that are doomed to fail. Many compelling functional materials and catalytic processes involve strained chemical bonds, open-shell radicals and diradicals, or metal-organic bonds to open-shell transition-metal centers. Although promising targets, these materials present unique challenges for electronic structure methods and combinatorial challenges for their discovery. In this Perspective, we describe the advances needed in accuracy, efficiency, and approach beyond what is typical in conventional DFT-based ML workflows. These challenges have begun to be addressed through ML models trained to predict the results of multiple methods or the differences between them, enabling quantitative sensitivity analysis. For DFT to be trusted for a given data point in a high-throughput screen, it must pass a series of tests. ML models that predict the likelihood of calculation success and detect the presence of strong correlation will enable rapid diagnoses and adaptation strategies. These "decision engines" represent the first steps toward autonomous workflows that avoid the need for expert determination of the robustness of DFT-based materials discoveries.
The Ideal Cortical Button Location on the Lateral Femur for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Suspensory Fixation is 30 mm Proximal to the Lateral Epicondyle.

Purpose To determine the ideal location for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) suspensory cortical button placement on the lateral femur with the highest failure load and to establish the relationship of tunnel diameter and cortical thickness on load to failure. Methods Computed tomography (CT) data were obtained from 45 cadaveric distal femurs. A Cartesian coordinate system was established along the lateral femur with the lateral epicondyle (LE) as a reference point. Locations 0, 20 and 30 mm from the LE along lines 0°, 25°, 50°, and 75° posterioproximal from the axial plane were created. Tunnels connecting from each location to the center of the ACL footprint were simulated. Cortical thickness and long axis diameter of the oval cortical holes were determined for each location. Based on the CT data, custom drill guides were created and used to drill 4.5 mm tunnels at each lateral femur location to the ACL footprint on the cadaver femurs. Cortical buttons were placed at each location and pulled using a servohydraulic testing system. The correlation of tunnel diameter and cortical thickness to button failure load were analyzed using a regression analysis. Results Significant differences were found for failure load (P<.0001) and cortical thickness between the locations tested (P<.0001). The location 30 mm proximal from the LE and 75⁰ from the axial plane had the highest failure load of 573 N. A regression analysis (R2 = .15) indicated that the cortical thickness was significantly correlated with load to failure (P <.0001), whereas the long-axis diameter was not (P = .33). Conclusion The ideal cortical button location on the lateral femur for ACL suspensory fixation was located 30 mm proximal from the lateral epicondyle, based on this area's high failure load. Oblique tunnel drilling of this proximal location may cause a larger long-axis diameter cortical hole, but the cortex is also thicker, which is more closely correlated with failure load. Clinical Relevance Different ACL suspensory cortical button locations on the lateral femur have different failure loads based on the cortical thickness of the bone supporting the button. It is important for surgeons to understand which drilling techniques place the button in a proximal and posterior location, especially if the bone quality of the patient is of concern.
Total endovascular aortic arch repair using the Terumo Aortic triple-branch arch endograft.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of total endovascular repair of aortic arch aneurysms using a novel triple-branch arch endograft. Methods Retrospective review of the clinical data and outcomes of 3 patients with arch aneurysms treated at a single institution using a custom-made triple-branch aortic endograft (Terumo Aortic, Sunrise, FL) between 2015 and 2020. The device has 3 internal branches corresponding to the principal branches of the standard aortic arch, obviating the need for any surgical revascularization. This initial experience represents the first three cases ever performed in the world using this endograft. Results All procedures were technically successful. There were no strokes, in-hospital, or 1 year mortality. All 3 patients required secondary re-interventions. One patient died 14 months after the index procedure due to endocarditis unrelated to the arch repair. Conclusion The initial experience with the Terumo Aortic triple-branch endograft for treatment aortic arch aneurysms showed that, while the procedure is technically feasible, there remain significant anatomic and mechanical challenges in the endovascular repair of this segment of the thoracic aorta. Further refinements of endograft design and identification of optimal bridging stent technology are needed.
A simple analytic model for estimating Mars Ascent Vehicle mass and performance

The Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) is a crucial component in any sample return campaign. In this paper we present a universal model for a two-stage MAV along with the analytic equations and simple parametric relationships necessary to quickly estimate MAV mass and performance. Ascent trajectories can be modeled as two-burn transfers from the surface with appropriate loss estimations for finite burns, steering, and drag. Minimizing lift-off mass is achieved by balancing optimized staging and an optimized path-to-orbit. This model allows designers to quickly find optimized solutions and to see the effects of design choices.
Network access control for mobile ad-hoc networks

In this paper, we propose to enforce network access control in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) using cryptographic techniques. In the proposed approach, packets are authenticated by means of a network-wide symmetric (session) key. Because nodes are mobile and communication paths may change rapidly, timely distribution of new session keys is challenging (particularly if keys change frequently). Nodes wishing to communicate may therefore hold different session keys, which must somehow be synchronized. We present a fully distributed key synchronization method based on stateless group key distribution, and localized packet retransmission. If nodes A and B wish to communicate securely over a path P, all nodes on this path must synchronize keys with their immediately adjacent neighbors in the path. Any node which is unable to synchronize keys will not be allowed to forward packets. Simulations and a functioning prototype demonstrate the proposed system is practical and effective.
Cytoskeleton of intestinal goblet cells in rabbit and monkey: The theca

Abstract The infrastructure and function of the cytoskeleton in intestinal goblet cells was investigated in colonic mucosa from rabbits and monkeys. This exocrine cell is unusual in that its secretory granules are stored as a compact apical mass limited by a dense, cup-shaped layer of cytoplasm called the "theca". Ultrastructural analysis of this cytoplasmic layer in rabbit goblet cells permeabilized with Triton X-100, treated with S 4 fragments of heavy meromyosin, and fixed in the presense of tannic acid revealed that it contains an orderly arrangement of microtubules and intermediate filaments, but no detectable actin filaments. Microtubules are arranged vertically, like barrel staves, along the inner aspect of the theca. Intermediate filaments are arranged in two contiguous layers: an inner, basketlike network and an outer series of circumferential bundles resembling the hoops of a barrel. Autoradiography of [ 3 H]glucosamine-labeled human and rabbit cells maintained in organ culture without secretagogues had provided preliminary data suggesting that labeled secretory granules migrate preferentially along the periphery of the apical granule mass, adjacent to the theca, toward the luminal cell surface. In this study, we confirm this observation and show that colchicine inhibits this movement. Cholinergic secretagogues induce rapid release of mucin by compound exocytosis of the granules stored in the theca. This secretory activity is not inhibited by colchicine, presumably because it does not require granule movement. The cuplike shape of the theca is unaltered during rapid release of stored granules. Because the shape is unaltered after 6 h of colchicine treatment, it appears to be maintained by the intermediate filament layers.
Fundamentals of Engineering Programming with C and Fortran

From the Publisher: Fundamentals of Engineering Programming with C and Fortran is a beginner's guide to problem solving with computers that shows how to prototype a program quickly for a particular engineering application. The book's side-by-side coverage of C and Fortran, the predominant computer languages in engineering, is unique. It emphasizes the importance of developing programming skills in C while carefully presenting the importance of maintaining a good reading knowledge of Fortran. The author has provided many homework problems and program listings. This concise and accessible book is useful either as a text for introductory-level undergraduate courses on engineering programming or as a self-study guide for practicing engineers.
Kinetic studies of macrophages: II. The effect of specific antisera on radiolabeled peritoneal cells

Abstract The distribution of intraperitoneally injected 51Cr-labeled peritoneal cells in syngeneic recipient mice was markedly altered by treatment with antimacrophage serum. The spleen-seeking segment of the peritoneal population was virtually eliminated by treatment of the cells in vitro with antimacrophage serum. Pretreatment of recipient mice with the same serum resulted in increased accumulation of labeled cells in the spleen and reduced migration of cells to the bone marrow. Injection of the recipients with antimacrophage serum at the time of cell introduction caused decreased recovery of labeled peritoneal cells from the spleen. Treatment of donors with antimacrophage serum resulted in nearly normal distribution patterns. Antithymocyte serum and normal rabbit serum did not effect the distribution of intraperitoneally injected labeled peritoneal cells. AMS was shown to be ineffective in promoting the survival of skin allografts when ALS activity was removed by absorption with lymphocytes.
Disrupted Lives: How People Create Meaning in a Chaotic World and Questioning Misfortune: The Pragmatics of Uncertainty in Eastern Uganda

Disrupted Lives: How People Create Meaning in. Chaotic World. Gay Becker. Berkeley: University of California Press,1997.xii. 264pp. Questioning Misfortune: The Pragmatics of Uncertainty in Eastern Uganda. Susan Reynolds Whyte. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. xiv. 258 pp.
Modeling interactions between fire and atmosphere in discrete element fuel beds

In this text we describe an initial attempt to incorporate discrete porous element fuel beds into the coupled atmosphere–wildfire behavior model HIGRAD/FIRETEC. First we develop conceptual models for use in translating measured tree data (in this case a ponderosa pine forest) into discrete fuel elements. Then data collected at experimental sites near Flagstaff, Arizona are used to create a discontinuous canopy fuel representation in HIGRAD/FIRETEC. Four simulations are presented with different canopy and understory configurations as described in the text. The results are discussed in terms of the same two discrete locations within the canopy for each simulation. The canopy structure had significant effects on the balance between radiative and convective heating in driving the fire and indeed sometimes determined whether a specific tree burned or not. In our simulations the ground fuel density was the determining factor in the overall spread rate of the fire, even when the overstory was involved in the fire. This behavior is well known in the fire meteorology community. In the future, simulations of this type could help land managers to better understand the role of canopy and understory structure in determining fire behavior, and thus help them decide between the different thinning and fuel treatment strategies available to them.
A Dog-Eat-Dog Empire: Violence and Affection on the Streets of Ottoman Cairo

This article analyzes how the political and economic transformation of Ottoman Egypt at the turn of the nineteenth century impacted relationships between humans and dogs. Dogs were integral and essential social actors in Egypt for millennia, but in the decades around 1800 they came to be set apart from society as useless and dangerous sources of pollution, disease, and annoyance. Thus, for the first time in Egypt’s history, large-scale dog eradication campaigns were carried out in Cairo and the countryside. Violence was not the only strategy for dealing with this changing role of dogs in Egypt. Another that began to develop in the early nineteenth century but that would only fully emerge later was the phenomenon of interspecies affective relations. In addition to offering a history of human-dog relations in Ottoman Egypt, Mikhail’s article also considers the seeming contradiction of the contemporaneous emergence of human violence and affection toward dogs.
Where the Cloud Meets the Commons

Changes presented by cloud computing—shared computing services, applications, and storage available to end users via the Internet—have the potential to seriously alter how libraries provide services, not only remotely, but also within the physical library, specifically concerning challenges facing the typical desktop computing experience. Libraries have invested time and money in establishing an infrastructure to support a particular kind of computing experience, and advances in cloud computing may make this type of experience obsolete. One of the ways libraries have added value to their services has been by implementing library commons. A key component to these commons has been desktop computing. Cloud computing offers applications via a Web browser, meaning that the applications can run independently of the local hardware and operating system, calling into question the necessity of traditional desktop computing. As libraries have shown in the past, they have the capability to assess challenging situatio...
Multivariate and vectorial analysis of pharmacological signalling: diaphragm inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate under the duress of burn trauma

Aberrant signal transduction processes within the diaphragm contribute to the weakness of this primary muscle involved in respiration. The importance of this report emphasizes how scald burn injury manifests distant systemic effects which impact on respiration. Scald burn injury from hot water is a common type of thermal injury in three specific patient groups: young children, the elderly, and the mentally and physically handicapped. Multivariate and vectorial analyses are presented within this paper with application to the effects of burn trauma on pharmacological signal transduction systems in the diaphragm. Multivariate equations showed the dependence of IP3 on three to five independent variables. The independent variables included: burn size, glycerophosphate, and other polyinositols (inositol 1,4 biphosphate (I1, 4P2), inositol 1 phosphate (I1P) and inositol). Graphic illustration of the equations used vectorial analysis. The multivariate analysis gives rise to a wider class of contributing factors than those observed using standard univariate relationships. This may be useful clinically in the identification of therapeutic agents for the treatment of respiratory problems in burn patients.
A model of GABA transport by cortical synaptosomes from the Long-Evans rat.

The initial velocity of uptake of GABA by cortical synaptosomes from the Long-Evans rat has been measured as a function of both sodium and GABA concentration. These data were then fitted to the rate equation for each of several possible models, and the models giving least error were identified. Although one cannot unequivocally distinguish between two of the models on the basis of the goodness of fit, deductions based on the fits of subsets of the models point to one of the two models. The major predictions from this model are as follows: (1) Uptake of GABA is totally sodium-dependent. (2) Although plots of 1/v versus 1/[Na]2 are nonlinear, the coupling ratio for transport (Na/GABA) is 2. (3) For transport to take place, the order of combination with carrier must be Na, Na, GABA. (4) Maximal velocity will occur only at infinite Na and GABA concentrations. (5) There is a sigmoidal relationship between apparent maximal velocity (Va) and [Na]. (6) Kt, the [GABA] that gives a velocity equal to Va/2, rises and then falls as [Na] is increased from zero, passing through a maximum at 33.52 mM [Na]. (7) The relationship between initial velocity and [Na] is sigmoidal. (8) Jm, rate of uptake with infinite [Na], is hyperbolically related to [GABA]; Jm approaches Vmax as [GABA] becomes very large. (9) KNa, the [Na] giving a velocity equal to Jm/2, declines rapidly from 10−7M to 10−5M GABA, but is essentially constant at 10−4M and above. (10) One GABA molecule is translocated per carrier molecule. The model is consistent with observations in the literature concerning the effects of sodium on the kinetics of transport.
Determination of the distribution of chromium oxidation states in reduced Cr/Al2O3 catalysts from XPS by factor analysis and curve fitting

Principal component analysis (PCA) and target testing (TT) were performed on a series of reduced 2.5 wt.% Cr/Al2O3 catalysts to determine the number, positions, shapes and relative spectral compositions (i.e. Cr oxidation states) in Cr 2p spectra as monitored by ESCA. The results from PCA indicated the presence of only two abstract components. The abstract factors were transformed through iterative TT into real spectroscopic components that were attributed to Cr6+ and Cr3+. These factor analysis results were used in addition to non-linear least-squares curve fitting to provide a detailed description of changes in the Cr 2p envelope during reduction of the Cr/Al2O3 catalysts. Only two components were necessary to reproduce the original data.
Vertebral body resection in the treatment of cancer involving the spine

Results of radical spinal surgery with vertebral body resection in of 51 patients with primary and metastatic cancer of the spine were analyzed. Seven patients had primary spine tumors, 16 had paravertebral tumors that involved the spine by direct extension, and 28 had blood—borne metastases to the spine. Thirty-five patients (68%) had prior therapy directed to the spine: 4 had undergone previous surgery, 9 had surgery and radiation, and 22 had radiation alone. Forty-five patients (90%) had intractable pain, and 25 patients (48%) were nonambulatory. Myelography revealed high-grade or complete block in 39 patients (76%). Following surgery, 38 of 45 (84%) had pain relief, and 40/58 (78%) were ambulatory at discharge. Of the 25 patients who were unable to walk prior to surgery, 15 (60%) improved to fully ambulatory status. The surgical mortality was low (4%), and complications were few (10%). These results are superior to those reported following treatment by radiation and steroid therapy. In selected patients who have actual or potential neural compression resulting from tumor within the vertebral body, such surgery should be considered as initial therapy. Cancer 53:1393-1396, 1984.
Hydrogen Storage of Li2NH Prepared by Reacting Li with NH3

In this paper, Li2NH was prepared by reacting Li particles with NH3 at 200 °C, followed by dehydrogenation at 280 °C. The obtained Li2NH particles reversibly absorb hydrogen and have slow kinetics during the first hydrogenation and much faster kinetics during the subsequent rehydrogenations. Furthermore, their hydrogen capacity increases with the cycle number. After 15 cycles, the reversible hydrogen capacity increases to 3.1 wt % from the initial value of about 2 wt %. A larger number of cycles are expected to increase the hydrogen capacity.
Test and Evaluation as an Integrated Process in IPPD Efforts

Systems engineering of complex systems under IPPD methodology ensures the integration of all products and processes. This approach includes test and evaluation planning, which may occur at several stages during complex system development, i.e., at the subsystem, system, and supersystem levels. The structure of a project under IPPD must include the assignment of responsible teams and the chartered interaction among those teams so that test and evaluation can be performed across the board. This will ensure the integration of all components into a total system to meet project goals.
Environmental Phthalate Exposure and the Odds of Preterm Birth: An Important Contribution to Environmental Reproductive Epidemiology

make an im-portant public health contribution by demonstrating a siz-able impact of phthalates, a class of commonly used chemi-cals, on a health outcome ofmajorpublichealthconcern:the growing burden of pre-termbirth.Worldwide,15mil-lionbabiesarebornpreterm(<37weeks’gestation),withratesincreasingover2decadesinalmostallcountriesthathavere-liabledata.
Aluminum composite reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes from plasma spraying of spray dried powders

Homogenous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in micron sized aluminum silicon alloy powders was achieved by spray drying. Excellent flowability of the powders allowed fabrication of thick composite coatings and hollow cylinders (5 mm thick) containing 5 wt.% and 10 wt.% CNT by plasma spraying. Two phase microstructure with matrix having good distribution of CNT and CNT rich clusters was observed. Microstructural evolution has been explained using single splat and the infiltration of CNT clusters by liquid metal. Partial CNT surface damage was observed in case of the 10 wt.% CNT coating due to CNT mesh formation and smaller size of spray dried agglomerate. Increase in the elastic modulus and improvement in the yield strength and elastic recovery properties due to CNT addition was observed by nanoindentation.
Effects of acid deposition on paints and metals: Results of a controlled field study

Abstract A controlled field study was conducted in Research Triangle Park, NC to determine the impact of acid deposition on paints and metals. A computer-controlled system was designed so that test panels of galvanized steel, five exterior paints and Teflon could be exposed under the following conditions: (1) dry deposition only; (2) dry plus ambient wet deposition; and (3) dry deposition plus deionized water. A 78-day, 11-rain-event exposure experiment was conducted in which ambient and DI run-off samples were collected from each material on a rain-event basis and chemically analyzed. The run-off results show that the dry and wet deposition of acidic species accelerates the dissolution rates of galvanized-steel corrosion products and alkaline compounds in exterior paints. CaCO3 and ZnO in latex paints and Al in aluminum flake paint react with acids either directly deposited or produced in thin films of moisture covering the surfaces. The results indicate that the uptake of SO2 into moisture is strongly influenced by the reactivity of the material towards H+. Galvanized steel was found to have the highest SO2 deposition velocity, whereas an oil-based paint, containing no known alkaline compounds, had the smallest value. Run-off results also suggest that Zn corrosion products were dissolved in ambient precipitation by acids produced by dissolved CO2.
Isolating the effect of radiation-induced segregation in irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels

Post-irradiation annealing was used to help identify the role of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) in irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) by preferentially removing dislocation loop damage from proton-irradiated austenitic stainless steels while leaving the RIS of major and minor alloying elements largely unchanged. The goal of this study is to better understand the underlying mechanisms of IASCC. Simulations of post-irradiation annealing of RIS and dislocation loop microstructure predicted that dislocation loops would be removed preferentially over RIS due to both thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. To verify the simulation predictions, a series of post-irradiation annealing experiments were performed. Both a high purity 304L (HP-304L) and a commercial purity 304 (CP-304) stainless steel alloy were irradiated with 3.2 MeV protons at 360 °C to doses of 1.0 and 2.5 dpa. Following irradiation, post-irradiation anneals were performed at temperatures ranging from 400 to 650 °C for times between 45 and 90 min. Grain boundary composition was measured using scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry in both as-irradiated and annealed samples. The dislocation loop population and radiation-induced hardness were also measured in as-irradiated and annealed specimens. At all annealing temperatures above 500 °C, the hardness and dislocation densities decreased with increasing annealing time or temperature much faster than RIS. Annealing at 600 °C for 90 min removed virtually all dislocation loops while leaving RIS virtually unchanged. Cracking susceptibility in the CP-304 alloy was mitigated rapidly during post-irradiation annealing, faster than RIS, dislocation loop density or hardening. That the cracking susceptibility changed while the grain boundary chromium composition remained essentially unchanged indicates that Cr depletion is not the primary determinator for IASCC susceptibility. For the same reason, the visible dislocation microstructure and radiation-induced hardening are also not sufficient to cause IASCC alone.
An online gait adaptation with SuperBot in sloped terrains

Among the different types of robots, modular and self-reconfigurable robots such as SuperBot have less limitations than their counterparts due to their versatility of gaits and increased dynamic adaptability. This results in a highly dexterous and adjustable robot suitable for many environments. This however, usually comes at the expense of a necessary human observer required to monitor and control the robot manually resulting in a waste of power and time. Thus, an intelligent system would be indispensable in optimzing the behavior and control of modular and self-reconfigurable robots. This paper presents an Intelligent Online Reconfiguration System (IORS) which through a combination of learning and reasoning, increases the efficiency in control and movement of the modular and self-reconfigurable robot called Superbot. Using this system, Superbot is able to learn and choose the best gait automatically by sensing its current environment (e.g., friction or slope). As a result, the IORS implementation in SuperBot achieves: 1) correct slope gradient sensing, 2) best gait learning to traverse different slopes, and 3) rational decision making for choosing the best gait.
Members of the pogo superfamily of DNA-mediated transposons in the human genome.

A new superfamily of transposons from fungi, nematodes, and flies related to the pogo element ofDrosophila melanogaster was recognized that represents a branch of the extended superfamily of transposase and integrase proteins sharing a common D,D35E catalytic domain. Searches of human sequences in the public databases for similarity to this domain revealed at least two members of this new superfamily, with many highly mutated copies, in the human genome. A full-length consensus was constructed for one of them, which includes the MER37 medium reiteration frequency sequence recognized previously, from 343 human sequence accessions (261 of which are unique). Most of these were Expressed Sequence Tags, some were Sequence-Tagged Sites, and a few are from long genomic sequences. The 2417 bp consensus has the hallmarks of a pogo superfamily transposon, including 12 bp inverted terminal repeats, and encodes two long open reading frames. The first ORF encodes a poly-peptide with 42% amino acid sequence identity to pogo in the D,D35E region. The second element shows 49% amino acid sequence identity with the first, and 40% with pogo in this region. These elements coincide with those described recently as Tigger1 and Tigger2, respectively. These transposons appear to have been active 80–90 Myr ago in the genome of an early primate or primate ancestor.
Studies of pulsed laser melting and rapid solidification using amorphous silicon

Abstract Pulsed laser melting of ion implantation-amorphized silicon layers, and the subsequent solidification of undercooled liquid silicon, have been studied experimentally and theoretically. Measurements of the time of the onset of melting of amorphous silicon layers, during an incident laser pulse, have been combined with measurements of the duration of melting, and with modified melting model calculations to demonstrate that the thermal conductivity, Ka, of amorphous silicon is very low (Ka⋍0.02 W/cm K). Ka is also found to be the dominant parameter determining the dynamical response of amorphous silicon to pulsed laser radiation; the latent heat of fusion and melting temperature of amorphous silicon are relatively unimportant. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that bulk (volume) nucleation occurs directly from the highly undercooled liquid silicon that can be prepared by pulsed laser melting of amorphous silicon layers at low laser energy densities. A modified thermal melting model has been constructed to simulate this effect and is presented. Nucleation of crystalline silicon apparently occurs at a nucleation temperature, Tn, that is higher than the temperature, Ta, of the liquid-to-amorphous phase transition. The model calculations demonstrate that the release of latent heat by bulk nucleation occurring during the melt-in process is essential to obtaining agreement with experimentally observed depths of melting. These calculations also show that this release of latent heat accompanying bulk nucleation can result in the existence of buried molten layers of silicon in the interior of the sample after the surface has solidified. It is pointed out that the occurrence of bulk nucleation implies that the liquid-to-amorphous phase transition (produced using picosecond or ultraviolet nanosecond laser pulses) cannot be explained by purely thermodynamic considerations.
Biomechanics of single zonal chondrocytes.

Articular cartilage has a distinct zonal architecture, and previous work has shown that chondrocytes from different zones exhibit variations in gene expression and biosynthesis. In this study, the material properties of single chondrocytes from the superficial and middle/deep zones of bovine distal metatarsal articular cartilage were determined using unconfined compression and digital videocapture. To determine the viscoelastic properties of zonal chondrocytes, unconfined creep compression experiments were performed and the resulting creep curves of individual cells were fit using a standard linear viscoelastic solid model. In the model, a fixed value of the Poisson's ratio was used, determined optically from direct compression of middle/deep chondrocytes. The two approaches used in this study yielded the following average material properties of single chondrocytes: Poisson's ratio of 0.26±0.08, instantaneous modulus of 1.06±0.82 kPa, relaxed modulus of 0.78±0.58 kPa, and apparent viscosity of 4.08±7.20 kPa s. Superficial zone chondrocytes were found to be significantly stiffer than middle/deep zone chondrocytes. Attachment time did not affect the stiffness of the cells. The zonal variation in viscoelastic properties may result from the distinct mechanical environments experienced by the cells in vivo. Identifying intrinsic differences in the biomechanics of superficial and middle/deep zone chondrocytes is an important component in understanding how biomechanics influence articular cartilage health and disease.
Racial and ethnic differences in asthma diagnosis among children who wheeze.

Background Racial and ethnic disparities exist in reported childhood asthma prevalence, but it is unclear if disparities stem from true prevalence differences or a different likelihood of receiving a diagnosis from a health professional. Concern has been raised that asthma may be underdiagnosed, particularly among minority children who have more restricted access to high-quality health care. Objective To examine racial/ethnic differences among currently symptomatic children in acquiring an asthma diagnosis to determine if relative underdiagnosis among minorities exists. Children for whom no symptoms were reported (a group that includes those with well-controlled symptoms) were excluded from the analysis. Methods The 1999 National Health Interview Survey includes a nationally representative sample of children with reported wheezing symptoms. We included children 3 to 17 years old in the study and analyzed racial/ethnic differences in asthma diagnosis, controlling for young age, gender, parental education, single-parent household, central-city residence, region of residence, health insurance, having a usual place of care, and parent-reported severity of wheezing symptoms. Results Among those reported to have wheezed in the past year (n = 946), 83% of Puerto Rican, 71% of non-Hispanic black, and 65% of Mexican children were diagnosed with asthma compared with 57% of non-Hispanic white children. Using non-Hispanic white children as the reference group, the approximate adjusted relative risk for physician diagnosis of asthma given wheezing in the past year was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04, 1.63) for Puerto Rican, 1.22 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.37) for non-Hispanic black, and 1.19 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.39) for Mexican children. Minority children were reported to have greater severity of wheezing symptoms. Even after accounting for this increased severity, children in racial and ethnic minority groups were as or more likely to have a reported asthma diagnosis than non-Hispanic white children. Conclusions Our findings do not provide evidence for the hypothesis that symptomatic minority children are underdiagnosed with asthma compared with non-Hispanic white children. To the contrary, among currently symptomatic children, minority children were more likely to be diagnosed than non-Hispanic white children even after accounting for the higher wheezing severity among minority children.
Hybrid optoelectric techniques for molecular diagnostics

Hybrid optoelectric techniques reflect a new paradigm in microfluidics. In essence, these are microfluidic techniques that employ a synergistic combination of optical and electrical forces to enable noninvasive manipulation of fluids and/or particle-type entities at the micro/nano-scale [1]. Synergy between optical and electrical forces bestows these techniques with several unique features that are promising to bring new opportunities in molecular diagnostics. Within the scope of molecular diagnostics, several aspects of optoelectric techniques promise to play a relevant role. These include, but are not limited to, sample preparation, sorting, purification, amplification and detection.
Growth effects of Phaenicia sericata larval extracts on fibroblasts : mechanism for wound healing by maggot therapy

The potential growth stimulating effects of the blow fly, Phaenicia sericata, on mammalian tissue were assessed by exposing human fibroblast tissue culture to maggot extracts. The growth effects of these extracts were compared to those of epidermal growth factor (EGF), recombinant interleukin 6 (IL6), and the insect hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (EC). Results of dose-response experiments revealed that EGF had a maximum fibroblast stimulation at 66078 +/- 1979 counts per minute (cpm), with peak counts on day 6 of culture, as measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. P. sericata hemolymph (HL) and alimentary secretions (AS) and EC were also demonstrated to stimulate resting fibroblast tissue cultures, but the maximal stimulations only achieved 12% of EGF. Their growth rates plateaued between days 4 and 6. Addition of both HL and AS, as well as EC, significantly increased the growth rate of EGF-stimulated fibroblasts; AS increased the maximal stimulation of IL6-stimulated fibroblasts. These studies suggest the existence of intrinsic factors within the maggot which may be responsible for the growth-stimulating effects seen in maggot-infested wounds.
Differentiation of Self and Spirituality: Empirical Explorations.

This study explored the relationships between an individual's interpersonal functioning, perceived spirituality, and selected spiritual practices. Using Bowen's family systems theory, the authors proposed that an individual's level of spiritual development and level of differentiation are correlated and that certain spiritual practices are predictive of both of these levels. The results of this study showed a positive correlation between differentiation and a general report of spirituality. Spiritual practices also predicted individuals' level of spiritual development. A common underlying concept, self-regulation, may explain the correlation between differentiation and spiritual development. Likewise, spiritual practices may support change in both areas.
Block Size Optimization in Deduplication Systems

Data deduplication is a popular dictionary based compression method in storage archival and backup.The deduplication efficiency (``chunk'' matching) improves for smaller chunk sizes, however the files become highly fragmented requiring many disk accesses during reconstruction or "chattiness"in a client-server architecture. Within the sequence of chunks that an object (file) is decomposed into, sub-sequences of adjacent chunks tend to repeat. We exploit this insight to optimize the chunk sizes by joining repeated sub-sequences of small chunks into new ``super chunks'' with the constraint to achieve practically the same matching performance. We employ suffix arrays to find these repeating sub-sequences and to determine a new encoding that covers the original sequence.With super chunks we significantly reduce fragmentation, improving reconstruction time and the overall deduplication ratio by lowering the amount of metadata (fewer hashes and dictionary entries).
Coadjoint orbits, vortices, and Clebsch variables for incompressible fluids

This paper is a study of incompressible fluids, especially their Clebsch variables and vortices, using symplectic geometry and the Lie-Poisson structure on the dual of a Lie algebra. Following ideas of Arnold and others it is shown that Euler's equations are Lie-Poisson equations associated to the group of volume-preserving diffeomorphisms. The dual of the Lie algebra is seen to be the space of vortices, and Kelvin's circulation theorem is interpreted as preservation of coadjoint orbits. In this context, Clebsch variables can be understood as momentum maps. The motion of N point vortices is shown to be identifiable with the dynamics on a special coadjoint orbit, and the standard canonical variables for them are a special kind of Clebsch variables. Point vortices with cores, vortex patches, and vortex filaments can be understood in a similar way. This leads to an explanation of the geometry behind the Hald-Beale-Majda convergence theorems for vorticity algorithms. Symplectic structures on the coadjoint orbits of a vortex patch and filament are computed and shown to be closely related to those commonly used for the KdV and the Schrodinger equations respectively.
Helium Negative Ions from Metastable Helium Atoms

Helium negative ions were produced from ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ by a two-step process in which $\mathrm{He} (1s2s)^{3}S_{1}$ was first produced by a nearly resonant charge transfer and then ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ was produced by capture of a $2p$ electron. Both collisions were with cesium atoms. The maximum yield of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ was 1.2% of the incident ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ when the energy of the ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ was 3 keV. The cross sections relevant to these processes were obtained.
Optimal adaptive control: A non-linear separation theorem†

Abstract For the quadratic cost, non-linear, adaptive stochastic control problem with linear plant and measurement models excited by white gaussian noise, and unknown time-invariant model parameters, the optimal stochastic control is obtained and shown to separate (‘non-linear separation theorem’) into a bank of model-conditional deterministic controller gains and a corresponding bank of known non-linear functional of the model-conditional, causal, mean-square state-vector estimates. This separation may also be viewed as a decomposition of the optimal, non-linear adaptive control into a bank of model-conditional, optimal, non-adaptive linear controls, one for each admissible value fof the unknown parameter θ and a nonlinear part, namely the bank of a posteriori model probabilities, which incorporate the adaptive nature, of the optimal adaptive control. Results are given for a special case of the above problem— namely, uncertainty in the measurement matrix—that exhibit drastically reduced computational req...
Effects of brain stem stimulation on cortical NADH fluorescence, blood flow, and O2 consumption in the cat

A causal relationship has been suggested between the altered electrical cortical activity and the increases in both cortical metabolism and blood flow which follow experimental reticulocortical activation. To further study this hypothesis, cortical O2 consumption, NADH fluorescence, and blood flow were monitored simultaneously with aortic blood pressure and ECoG after the electrical stimulation of the pontomesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) in anesthetized cats. Reversible increases in blood pressure, cortical blood flow, and O2 consumption, and decreases in NADH fluorescence were induced by MRF stimulation. All these changes were linearly related to each other as a function of stimulus intensity; they were often but not always associated with an increase in the ECoG frequency. MRF stimulation after ganglionic suppression with hexamethonium chloride revealed a dissociation of the resulting changes in the ECoG from the changes in cortical blood flow and metabolism. In addition, pharmacologically induced acute elevations of blood pressure caused changes in the experimental parameters similar to those which followed MRF stimulation but without a significant effect on the ECoG. We conclude that (i) acute increases in cortical blood flow and oxidative metabolism after electrical MRF stimulation may be more related to the simultaneous elevations of blood pressure than to changes in the ECoG; and (ii) an acute increase in cortical blood flow may by itself stimulate cortical oxidative metabolism in the anesthetized cat.
Type 2 diabetes in youth: are there racial differences in β-cell responsiveness relative to insulin sensitivity?

Bacha F, Gungor N, Lee S, Arslanian SA. Type 2 diabetes in youth: are there racial differences in β-cell responsiveness relative to insulin sensitivity? Objective: Non-diabetic African American (AA) youth have an upregulated insulin secretion relative to insulin sensitivity (IS) compared with their American White (AW) peers. We investigated if similar racial differences exist in youth with T2DM. Research Design and Methods: Fourteen AAs and 14 AWs T2DM adolescents underwent evaluation of IS and clearance (hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp), first- and second-phase insulin and C-peptide secretion (hyperglycemic clamp); body composition (DEXA); and abdominal adiposity (CT). Results: AA and AW T2DM had similar HbA1c, diabetes duration, BMI, and % body fat, with lower visceral fat in AAs (p = 0.013). While insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was similar in AA and AW (7.5 ± 1.0 vs. 7.3 ± 0.9 mg/kg FFM/min), IS tended to be lower (2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6 mg/kg FFM/min per µU/mL, p = 0.081). First-phase insulin (175.7 ± 52.9 vs. 66.6 ± 10.8 µU/mL, p = 0.01) and second-phase insulin (236.2 ± 40.7 vs. 105.1 ± 17.9 µU/mL, p = 0.008), and first-phase C-peptide (8.2 ± 1.2 vs. 5.0 ± 0.3 ng/mL, p = 0.02) and second-phase C-peptide (10.8 ± 0.9 vs. 7.6 ± 0.6 ng/mL, p = 0.012) were higher in AA. β-Cell function relative to IS was higher in AA vs. AW (259.5 ± 35.3 vs. 168.8 ± 25.1 mg/kg FFM/min, p = 0.043). Conclusions: Racial differences in insulin secretion can be demonstrated with the clamp technique in obese adolescents with T2DM. Similar to non-diabetic youth, AA adolescents with T2DM compared with their AW counterparts have an upregulated β-cell function relative to IS, the reasons for which remain to be investigated.