cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence-Based Interventions for Adolescent Substance Users

Publisher Summary Adverse consequences of adolescent alcohol and drug use can be severe and far-reaching, including fatal and nonfatal injuries from alcohol and drug-related motor vehicle accidents, victimization and violence, delinquency and legal problems, psychiatric disorders, risk behaviors, and neurological impairments. Substance use can derail normative patterns of development, jeopardize youths' abilities to negotiate critically important developmental tasks and make successful transitions into adult-hood, and increase the risks of alcohol and drug abuse and dependence in adulthood. Family therapies are by far the most often cited as being validated empirically. Evidence-based family therapies have several characteristics in common. These methods are manualized, research-based therapies that view adolescent substance use and other problem behaviors as being symptomatic of the dysfunctional family environment. Treatment begins with a comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of the youth and family to identify intra and extra familial patterns of interaction that contribute to problematic behaviors. Family-based approaches are individualized to the specific needs of the family and use multiple empirically validated intervention strategies borrowed from other approaches to target risks and protective factors. Motivational and engagement issues are addressed as specific phases or stages of treatment.
Dynamic performance of foil bearings with a quadratic stiffness model

Hydrodynamic foil bearings found various applications in high speed small turbomachinery due to several advantages compared with traditional oil lubricated bearing and rolling element bearings such as high speed, pollution free, high temperature, long service life, etc. Corrugated bump foils made of thin sheet metal is the most widely adopted foil structure used in many commercial foil bearings. However, due to various factors during manufacturing process of the foil structure and mounting methods of the foil structure on to the bearing sleeve, measured stiffness curves of the foil structure show very strong non-linearity. The non-linearity of the foil structure is often neglected in most simulation studies in the past, and single value of bump stiffness combined with appropriate structural loss factor were used in these simulation studies. Based on measured non-linear structural stiffness of entire foil bearing, a quadratic stiffness model of individual bump foil was derived and utilized in transient rotordynamic simulations in time domain by solving Reynolds equation, rotor equations of motion, and bump deflections together. The simulation results using the quadratic bump stiffness model were compared with those using linear bump stiffness models.
Treatment of Trauma and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Transgender Adults

This article explores the presence of trauma and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSI) in transgender people. We explore the prevalence of trauma and NSI in transgender people, the ways in which these clinical concerns manifest across the lifespan, and special considerations for assessment and treatment. The article concludes by describing the importance of developing a strong rapport with clients and the concept of reasonably well-controlled cooccurring mental health concerns.
A Laboratory Evaluation of Chemigation to Manage Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Application of insecticides for stink bug management through overhead irrigation, also called chemigation, could reduce application costs, soil compaction, and applicator exposure, while enabling growers to treat multiple fields simultaneously. The objective of these laboratory experiments was to compare knockdown, survival, and efficacy of insecticides when appropriately diluted for ground sprayer and chemigation applications. Treatments included water, bifenthrin [0.11 kg (AI)/ha] and dicrotophos [0.56 kg (AI)/ha] diluted for a ground sprayer (93.5 liters/ha), bifenthrin and dicrotophos diluted for chemigation (25,396 liters/ha), and bifenthrin and dicrotophos plus adjuvants diluted for ground sprayer or chemigation. Two- to 14-day-old adults of Nezara viridula (L.), Euschistus servus (Say), and Halyomorpha halys (Stal) were briefly submerged in appropriately diluted insecticides and then introduced into a disposable petri dish with or without food. Dishes were placed in a growth chamber provisioned with digital video cameras to monitor knockdown and feeding after insecticide exposure. Knockdown was visually assessed at 24 h after treatment followed by mortality and recovery from knockdown at 48 h after treatment. All stink bugs were knocked down within 1 h and never recovered when exposed at ground sprayer dilutions. However, many bugs survived chemigation dilutions. Less than half of the stink bugs were knocked down when exposed to dicrotophos (with or without adjuvants) and survival ranged from 17 to 77%, compared to 7-90% survival when exposed to bifenthrin at chemigation dilutions. These results strongly suggest that chemigation applications for stink bug management need to be closely examined.
COMPARISON OF ARTIFICIAL MEMBRANE WITH LIVE HOST BLOODFEEDING OF AEDES AEGYPTI (L.) (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

Bloodfeeding, egg production and eclosion of Aedes aegypti (L.) fed citrated horse, sheep, or rabbit blood through a Parafilm membrane, with and without a phagostimulant (CO2), were compared with live host (rabbit) fed Ae. aegypti. Laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti were bloodfed for 30 min, 3 times/week for 18 weeks. Citrated mammalian bloods in a glass feeder were warmed to 37°C by a heater/circulator, and offered to the mosquitoes through a stretched Parafilm membrane; dry ice was placed beside the feeders during the final 9 weeks of the study. A significantly lower percentage (47–70%, P < 0.0001) of Ae. aegypti engorged during membrane bloodfeeding than during live host bloodfeeding resulting in significantly lower egg production (P < 0.0001) and egg eclosion in membrane bloodfed insects. Of the in vitro fed mosquitoes, mean egg production was highest in citrated horse blood fed females during weeks 1–9. With the use of CO2 during the last 9 weeks, there was a significant increase in the mean number of mos...
Late Ordovician (Katian) chitinozoans from northwest Saudi Arabia: Biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental implications

Abstract Investigation of 37 samples from continuously cored intervals of the upper part of the Quwarah Member of the Qasim Formation yielded well-preserved and diverse chitinozoan assemblages. Two biozones previously defined from the North Gondwanan Domain were recognized in the examined cores: the Tanuchitina elongata and Ancyrochitina merga. One new genus, Alhajrichitina, and five new species, Alhajrichitina adamantea, Hyalochitina incomposita, Rhabdochitina curvata, Tanuchitina contracta and Tanuchitina densimura, are described. The vertical distribution of these new taxa form the basis of the Tanuchitina elongata Partial Range Subzone, Hyalochitina incomposita Total Range Subzone, Tanuchitina contracta Partial Range Subzone, and Tanuchitina densimura-Belonechitina aff. robusta Concurrent Range Subzone. Two other assemblages, T. ontariensis and Angochitina cf. curvata are also recognized from the merga Biozone. These new subzones and assemblages improve regional and local stratigraphic correlations, and the recognition of the degree of the Hirnantian glacial erosion at the top of the Quwarah Member. An evolutionary lineage is proposed for the species assigned to Alhajrichitina nov. gen., originating with the Sandbian Lagenochitina dalbyensis, through the Katian Alhajrichitina adamantea and culminating with Rhuddanian species, Alhajrichitina nuayyimensis. Three minor diversity and abundance increases are recognized within the merga–elongata biozone interval. These events could represent minor pulses of sea level rise within a progressive, overall sea level drawdown. For this upper part of the core, a general trend of decreasing diversity is recognized and may indicate an upward shallowing. This trend is compatible with diversity trends from all paleocontinents. It could be speculated that fluctuations in sea level were caused by ice advance and retreat during the initiation of Hirnantian continental glaciation south of the study area.
Can physician gestalt predict survival in patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Clinician gestalt may hold unexplored information that can be capitalized upon to improve existing nomograms. The study objective was to evaluate physician ability to predict 2-year overall survival (OS) in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients based on pre-operative clinical characteristics and routine CT imaging. Ten surgeons and two radiologists were provided with a clinical vignette (including age, gender, presenting symptoms, and pre-operative CA19-9 when available) and pre-operative CT scan for 20 resected PDAC patients and asked to predict the probability of each patient reaching 2-year OS. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess agreement and to compare performance with an established institutional nomogram. Ten surgeons and 2 radiologists participated in this study. The area under the curve (AUC) for all physicians was 0.707 (95% CI 0.642–0.772). Attending physicians with > 5 years experience performed better than physicians with < 5 years of clinical experience since completion of post-graduate training (AUC = 0.710, 95% CI [0.536–0.884] compared to AUC = 0.662, 95% CI [0.398–0.927]). Radiologists performed better than surgeons (AUC = 0.875, 95% CI [0.765–0.985] compared to AUC = 0.656, 95% CI [0.580–0.732]). All but one physician outperformed the clinical nomogram (AUC = 0.604). This pilot study demonstrated significant promise in the quantification of physician gestalt. While PDAC remains a difficult disease to prognosticate, physicians, particularly those with more clinical experience and radiologic expertise, are able to perform with higher accuracy than existing nomograms in predicting 2-year survival.
Strassen’s Theorem for Group-Valued Charges

An extension theorem for positive homomorphisms is used to prove a version of Strassen’s Theorem for charges (finitely additive measures) assuming values in a complete or σ -complete partially ordered group. A counter-example is given to show why completeness assumptions cannot be dropped.
Thermodynamic Functions of Solutions

The chemical potential (μi and fugacity (fi) are alternative but related measures of the escaping tendency of a substance. The necessary condition of equilibrium between two phases, α and β, with respect to the diffusion of any component i, which is free to move between these phases, can be expressed as either $$ \mu_i^{\alpha } = \mu_i^{\beta } $$ (1.1) or $$ f_i^{\alpha } = f_i^{\beta } $$ (1.1) .
INTEGRATION OF LINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS BY LAPLACE-STIELTJES TRANSFORMS

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the integration of linear differential equations by Laplace–Stieltjes transforms. It focuses on N -th order equations and with systems of first order equations, both homogeneous and inhomogeneous. The chapter describes the general results only in the case for homogeneous, linear, first order system of dimension N . The problems considered are the existence of solutions of equation representable as Laplace–Stieltjes transforms or linear combinations of such transforms with coefficients of the form e λt t μ . The chapter also focuses on sets of eigenvalues of A differing by an integer.
Rearrangement and expression of immunoglobulin genes in transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice are discussed which carry a rearrangment test transgene. The methylation status of the transgene varies, depending on the background mouse strain. When the transgene is bred into the C57BL/6 strain, it is completely methylated and not rearranged in lymphoid organs. After several generations of crossing into DBA/2 or SJL the transgene becomes unmethylated and rearranges at high frequency. A strain specific modifier of DNA methylation (Ssm-1) was mapped close to the Friend virus susceptibility locus (Fv-1) on mouse chromosome 4.
A flavin-based extracellular electron transfer mechanism in diverse Gram-positive bacteria.

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) describes microbial bioelectrochemical processes in which electrons are transferred from the cytosol to the exterior of the cell1. Mineral-respiring bacteria use elaborate haem-based electron transfer mechanisms2-4 but the existence and mechanistic basis of other EETs remain largely unknown. Here we show that the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes uses a distinctive flavin-based EET mechanism to deliver electrons to iron or an electrode. By performing a forward genetic screen to identify L. monocytogenes mutants with diminished extracellular ferric iron reductase activity, we identified an eight-gene locus that is responsible for EET. This locus encodes a specialized NADH dehydrogenase that segregates EET from aerobic respiration by channelling electrons to a discrete membrane-localized quinone pool. Other proteins facilitate the assembly of an abundant extracellular flavoprotein that, in conjunction with free-molecule flavin shuttles, mediates electron transfer to extracellular acceptors. This system thus establishes a simple electron conduit that is compatible with the single-membrane structure of the Gram-positive cell. Activation of EET supports growth on non-fermentable carbon sources, and an EET mutant exhibited a competitive defect within the mouse gastrointestinal tract. Orthologues of the genes responsible for EET are present in hundreds of species across the Firmicutes phylum, including multiple pathogens and commensal members of the intestinal microbiota, and correlate with EET activity in assayed strains. These findings suggest a greater prevalence of EET-based growth capabilities and establish a previously underappreciated relevance for electrogenic bacteria across diverse environments, including host-associated microbial communities and infectious disease.
Influence of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Surfaces on Cellular Morphology and Adhesion

This article presents the effect of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) surfaces and their geometric arrangements on resulting cellular morphology and adhesion. WS2 and MoS2 on SiO2 and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates were utilized as cell culture platforms, and cell–substrate interactions were probed via analysis of cellular morphometric features (i.e., cell area and circularity) of neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) and metrology of TMD surfaces. It was quantitatively confirmed that the presence of TMDs on substrates resulted in an overall enhanced cellular morphology, even on SiO2 substrates adverse to cellular adhesion. On a localized scale, distinct TMD geometric features at sites of adhesion were measured and correlated with the observed cell morphology. Geometric parameters of TMDs, including TMD island count and total TMD area, exhibited positive correlations with the resulting morphology of cells by enhancing cellular areas and elongations. Further, geometric properties were compa...
Alirocumab and cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND Patients who have had an acute coronary syndrome are at high risk for recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events. We sought to determine whether alirocumab, a human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), would improve cardiovascular outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome in patients receiving high-intensity statin therapy. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 18,924 patients who had an acute coronary syndrome 1 to 12 months earlier, had a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of at least 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter), a non-highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol level of at least 100 mg per deciliter (2.6 mmol per liter), or an apolipoprotein B level of at least 80 mg per deciliter, and were receiving statin therapy at a high-intensity dose or at the maximum tolerated dose. Patients were randomly assigned to receive alirocumab subcutaneously at a dose of 75 mg (9462 patients) or matching placebo (9462 patients) every 2 weeks. The dose of alirocumab was adjusted under blinded conditions to target an LDL cholesterol level of 25 to 50 mg per deciliter (0.6 to 1.3 mmol per liter). The primary end point was a composite of death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke, or unstable angina requiring hospitalization. RESULTS The median duration of follow-up was 2.8 years. A composite primary end-point event occurred in 903 patients (9.5%) in the alirocumab group and in 1052 patients (11.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 0.93; P<0.001). A total of 334 patients (3.5%) in the alirocumab group and 392 patients (4.1%) in the placebo group died (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.98). The absolute benefit of alirocumab with respect to the composite primary end point was greater among patients who had a baseline LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg or more per deciliter than among patients who had a lower baseline level. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups, with the exception of local injection-site reactions (3.8% in the alirocumab group vs. 2.1% in the placebo group). CONCLUSIONS Among patients who had a previous acute coronary syndrome and who were receiving highintensity statin therapy, the risk of recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events was lower among those who received alirocumab than among those who received placebo.
Smoking prevalence and trends among a U.S. national sample of women of reproductive age in rural versus urban settings

U.S. smoking prevalence is declining at a slower rate in rural than urban settings and contributing to regional health disparities. Cigarette smoking among women of reproductive age is particularly concerning due to the potential for serious maternal and infant adverse health effects should a smoker become pregnant. The aim of the present study was to examine whether this rural-urban disparity impacts women of reproductive age (ages 15–44) including pregnant women. Data came from the ten most recent years of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2007–2016). We estimated prevalence of current smoking and nicotine dependence among women categorized by rural-urban residence, pregnancy status, and trends using chi-square testing and multivariable modeling while adjusting for common risk factors for smoking. Despite overall decreasing trends in smoking prevalence, prevalence was higher among rural than urban women of reproductive age overall (χ2(1) = 579.33, p < .0001) and among non-pregnant (χ2(1) = 578.0, p < .0001) and pregnant (χ2(1) = 79.69, p < .0001) women examined separately. An interaction between residence and pregnancy status showed adjusted odds of smoking among urban pregnant compared to non-pregnant women (AOR = .58, [.53 –.63]) were lower than those among rural pregnant compared to non-pregnant women (AOR = 0.75, [.62 –.92]), consistent with greater pregnancy-related smoking cessation among urban pregnant women. Prevalence of nicotine dependence was also higher in rural than urban smokers overall (χ2(2) = 790.42, p < .0001) and among non-pregnant (χ2(2) = 790.58, p < .0001) and pregnant women examined separately (χ2(2) = 63.69, p < .0001), with no significant changes over time. Associations involving residence and pregnancy status remained significant in models adjusting for covariates (ps < 0.05). Results document greater prevalence of smoking and nicotine dependence and suggest less pregnancy-related quitting among rural compared to urban women, disparities that have potential for direct, multi-generational adverse health impacts.
Reduced Serum Sphingolipids Constitute a Molecular Signature of Malnutrition in Hospitalized Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION:Malnutrition is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cirrhosis. Although multiple noninvasive measures of nutritional status have been studied, no consensus exists for early identification of malnutrition in cirrhosis. Serum metabolomics offers a novel approach for identifying
Readmissions Following Congenital Heart Surgery in Infants and Children

Thirty-day readmission after congenital heart surgery (CHS) is an important outcome given the vulnerability of pediatric patients. We hypothesized that readmissions after pediatric CHS are common and identifiable risk factors exist. We obtained State Inpatient Databases for Washington, New York, Florida, and California and selected CHS admissions age < 19 years. The main outcome was readmission defined as non-elective hospitalization < 31 days of discharge from index CHS admission. In multivariable analyses using generalized estimating equations, we examined associations of patient-level characteristics (age, sex, race, household income, insurance status, genetic syndromes, co-morbidities, RACHS-1 surgical risk category and complication) and admission characteristics [weekend admission, urgent/emergent admission, and high resource use (HRU)] with 30-day pediatric readmission after adjusting for case mix. Among 8585 index admissions we identified 967 readmissions (11.3%). Median length of stay for readmissions was 5 days, median total charge of $31,973, and mortality rate 1.8%. Among readmissions, 1.7% underwent another CHS of which 44% were HRU, complication rate 88% and mortality 6.25%. In multivariable analysis, age 1 month–1 year AOR 1.3 p = 0.01; Hispanic ethnicity AOR 1.2 p = 0.03; government-insurance AOR 1.3 p = 0.01; RACHS-1 3 complexity AOR 2.4 p < 0.001; RACHS-1 4 + complexity 2.0 p = 0.001; HRU AOR 1.4 p = 0.02; complications AOR 1.1 p = 0.04; and emergent index admission AOR 2.0 p < 0.001 were risk factors for readmission. Over 11% of pediatric CHS admissions result in an unplanned readmission. Hispanic ethnicity, government insurance, HRU admissions, higher case complexity, complications, and emergent index admission are risk factors for readmission.
Blast injury: impact on brain and internal organs

Blast trauma can kill or injure by multiple different mechanisms, not all of which may be obvious on initial presentation. Patients injured by blast effects should be treated as having multisystem trauma and managed according to Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines. For the most severely injured patients, damage control resuscitation should be practiced until definitive hemorrhage control has been achieved. Patients with blast injuries may present in mass-casualty episodes that can overwhelm local resources. This article reviews some specific injuries, as well as the importance of mild traumatic brain injury. The importance of rehabilitation is discussed. Language: en
Spatiality of street vendors and sociospatial disputes over public space: The case of Valparaíso, Chile

Abstract In recent years street vending or street trading has become a focal point of political agendas throughout cities of the Global South. The literature of street vending tends to develop within two fields of analysis: 1- socio-spatial regulation, 2- socio-spatial appropriation. This research is centred on socio spatial appropriation analysis of street vendors in the city of Valparaiso, Chile, revealing social and spatial disputes over the use of public space. Through a quantitative and qualitative analysis, we present an in-depth view of social and spatial conflict identified by street vendors themselves, revealing how socio-spatial appropriation by street vendors is an expression of the social and spatial dispute over the use of public space. This study makes an original contribution by associating spatial conflicts of street vending with the socio-spatial appropriation of public space. Results show the need to include the socio-spatial logic and dynamics of street vending in the design and management of public spaces in cities faced with this growing phenomenon.
Modeling gold nanoparticle radiosensitization using a clustering algorithm to quantitate DNA double-strand breaks with mixed-physics Monte Carlo simulation.

PURPOSE The radiosensitization properties of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are investigated using a simple Geant4 cell model considering a realistic cell geometry and a clustering algorithm to characterize the number of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). MATERIALS AND METHODS A mixed-physics approach is taken for accurate modeling of low-energy photon interactions in the different regions of the model using Geant4-DNA physics within the cell, and Livermore physics within gold. Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN), a clustering algorithm, is used to directly quantitate DNA DSBs after irradiation. The simulation was run using different sizes of GNPs, different distances of GNPs from the cell nucleus, and several combinations of these two conditions. RESULTS Four types of radiation were simulated in the work: 80-keV monoenergetic photons, 100-keV monoenergetic photons, a 250-kVp photon spectrum, and a 6-MV flattening filter free (FFF) photon spectrum. A variable enhancement in DSB yield, nucleus dose, and cell dose was observed when there are GNPs in the cell cytoplasm, and increases with larger GNPs and proximity to the nucleus. The distance of the GNPs from the nucleus has a large impact on the DSB yield and nucleus dose, but little to no effect on the cell dose. The cell dose enhancement factor of 80 keV photons varies from 1.037-1.125 at 0.2 µm for 30-100 nm GNPs to 1.040-1.127 at 4 μm. The DSB enhancement factor varies from 1.050 to 1.174 at 0.2 µm to a marginal effect of <1.01 at 4 μm. For 100 keV, the dose enhancement factor is from 1.142-1.470 at 0.2 µm to 1.106-1.371 at 4 μm. The DSB enhancement factor varies from 1.249-1.813 at 0.2 µm to almost no effect at 4 μm. For 250 kVp, the dose enhancement factor is from 1.117-1.393 at 0.2 μm to 1.110-1.342 at 4 μm. The DSB enhancement factor varies from 1.183-1.600 at 0.2 μm to a marginal effect of ~1.03 at 4 μm. A 6-MV FFF shows a dose enhancement factor of 1.061-1.103 at 0.2 μm and 1.053-1.107 at 4 μm. The DSB yield varies from 1.070-1.143 at 0.2 μm to a marginal effect at 4 μm. CONCLUSION The stark difference in behavior for DSB yield when compared to cell dose highlights the importance of evaluating more complex radiobiological quantities rather than dose alone when evaluating the radiosensitization properties from metallic nanomaterials. The nucleus dose showed similar characteristics to the DSB yield demonstrating the ability of the method to predict DNA damage and its relationship with nuclear dose. The proposed method provides a way to explore the radiobiological mechanisms of radiation-induced DNA damages, and it aids to evaluate the physical radiosensitization properties of GNP-aided radiotherapy, which can be easily combined with radiochemical DSB quantitation in order to better understand the intricate DNA damage induction mechanisms that are involved in GNP-aided radiotherapy.
Cracking Down on Complexity in the Evolving Brain

Louail et al. analyzed the brains of five primate species to determine factors driving size differences. In addition to analyzing the volume of the whole brain, they considered specific brain regions. In doing so, they linked the size of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex with foraging complexity across species.
$T\bar{T}$ Deformation and the Complexity=Volume Conjecture

Complexity in quantum physics measures how difficult a state can be reached from a reference state and more precisely it is the number of fundamental unitary gates we have to operate to transform the reference state to the state we are considering. In the holographic context, based on several explicit calculations and arguments, it is conjectured that certain bulk volume calculates the boundary field theory subregion complexity. In this paper, we will show that the $T\bar{T}$ deformation shows a strong signal of the correctness of this complexity equals volume conjecture. A bonus is a way to look at the $T\bar{T}$ deformation, by its reversibility, as operating a unitary quantum circuit which prepares states in quantum field theory.
Oral Bioavailability Evaluation of Celastrol-Encapsulated Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles Using an Optimized LC-MS/MS Method

Celastrol (CL), a compound isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii, possesses various bioactivities such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity effects. In previous studies, we developed CL-encapsulated silk fibroin nanoparticles (CL-SFNP) with satisfactory formulation properties and in vitro cancer cytotoxicity effect. For further in vivo oral bioavailability evaluation, in this study, a simple and reliable LC-MS/MS method was optimized and validated to determine CL concentration in rat plasma. The separation of CL was performed on a C18 column (150 by 2 mm, 5 µm) following sample preparation using liquid-liquid extraction with the optimized extraction solvent of tert-butyl methylether. The assay exhibited a good linearity in the concentration range of 0.5-500 ng/mL with the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.5 ng/mL. The method was validated to meet the requirements for bioassay with accuracy of 91.1-110.0%, precision (RSD%) less than 9.1%, extraction recovery of 63.5-74.7% and matrix effect of 87.3-101.2%. The developed method was successfully applied to the oral bioavailability evaluation of CL-SFNP. The pharmacokinetic results indicated the AUC0-∞ values of CL were both significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those for pure CL after intravenous (IV) or oral (PO) administration of equivalent CL in rats. The oral absolute bioavailability (F, %) of CL significantly (p < 0.05) increased from 3.14% for pure CL to 7.56% for CL-SFNP after dosage normalization. This study provides valuable information for future CL product development.
Leveraging Semantic and Lexical Matching to Improve the Recall of Document Retrieval Systems: A Hybrid Approach.

Search engines often follow a two-phase paradigm where in the first stage (the retrieval stage) an initial set of documents is retrieved and in the second stage (the re-ranking stage) the documents are re-ranked to obtain the final result list. While deep neural networks were shown to improve the performance of the re-ranking stage in previous works, there is little literature about using deep neural networks to improve the retrieval stage. In this paper, we study the merits of combining deep neural network models and lexical models for the retrieval stage. A hybrid approach, which leverages both semantic (deep neural network-based) and lexical (keyword matching-based) retrieval models, is proposed. We perform an empirical study, using a publicly available TREC collection, which demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach and sheds light on the different characteristics of the semantic approach, the lexical approach, and their combination.
IP Reputation Scoring with Geo-Contextual Feature Augmentation

The focus of this article is to present an effective anomaly detection model for an encrypted network session by developing a novel IP reputation scoring model that labels the incoming session IP address based on the most similar IP addresses in terms of both network and geo-contextual knowledge. We provide empirical evidence that considering not only traditional network information but also geo-contextual information provides better threat assessment. The reputation scores provide a means to quantitatively capture good and bad IP behavior, making our model ideal for detecting malicious network behavior. With network encryption being the most practical solution to data security and privacy today, our approach expands the network administrator's ability to make decisions about IP addresses’ trustworthiness in an encrypted session with limited network information.
Impact of telemedicine on health outcomes in children with medical complexity: an integrative review

Children with medical complexity (CMC) are a high priority population with chronic illnesses dependent on the use of health services, on technological systems to support their vital functions and characterized by multiple health needs. One of the main challenges linked to chronic conditions is finding solutions to monitor CMC at home, avoiding re-hospitalization and the onset of complications. Telemedicine enables to remotely follow up patients and families. An integrative review was performed to assess whether telemedicine improves health outcomes for CMC. Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched to identify studies describing the effect of using telemedicine systems on health outcomes for CMC. The PRISMA guidelines were used to select the papers. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated through the Johanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools and the Cochrane Collaboration ROB 2.0. A total of 17 papers met the quality criteria and were included. Specialized telemedicine systems (tele-visits), telehealth, and tele-monitoring have been reported to reduce unplanned hospitalizations and visits, decrease total costs for healthcare services and families, and increase satisfaction for family members. No effect was found on the quality of life in children and their families. Conclusion: Available evidence supporting the use of telemedicine in CMC is favorable but limited. High-quality methodological studies including other unexplored health outcomes such as mental health, hospital readmissions, mortality, caregiver competences, and self-efficacy are needed to confirm the effectiveness of telemedicine systems in improving health outcomes for CMC.
Neural Stem Cells

Neural stem cells (NSCs) may teach us about how cell fate choices are made and which genes regulate these choices. In addition, NSCs might be a source of tissue for cell therapy. Studies focusing on the mechanisms of NSC growth and differentiation suggest they may be more plastic than had been anticipated. Keywords: stem cell; progenitor cell; embryonic stem cell; transplantation; ex vivo gene therapy
History and culture in a provincial centre: a universal chronicle from Renaissance Rimini

The Cronaca universale of Gaspare Broglio is well known to local historians, who have long used it as a precious source of information about the Malatesta of Rimini and their political adventures. This essay reads it instead for clues to the cultural formation and intellectual interests of its author. In what he read and what he chose to include in his chronicle, this Sienese-born chronicler in the service of a lord of the Romagna displayed an eclectic interest in both classical and chivalric subjects, interests that he shared with his Malatesta masters and the Po valley nobility to which they belonged. Broglio's cultural formation and tastes were broadly characteristic of a class, not narrowly typical of a locale. Like others of his class, Broglio circulated widely in the service of a variety of masters. This circulation loosened any attachment he, and others of his class, might have had to a particular place, while fostering a sense of belonging to a supra-local cadre of people of similar background, experience, duties, and skills. Thus, his training and outlook may fairly be taken as typical of an entire group of people: that cadre of moderately well-educated members of the lesser nobility who served the princes of Italy in military, diplomatic, and administrative capacities and whose most distinguished representative, born right about the time Broglio left off writing his chronicle, was Baldassare Castiglione.
Discourse Variations Between Usability Tests and Usability Reports

While usability evaluation and usability testing has become an important tool in artifact assessment, little is known about what happens to usability data as it moves from usability session to usability report. In this ethnographic case study, I investigate the variations in the language used by usability participants in user-based usability testing sessions as compared to the language used by novice usability testers in their oral reports of that usability testing session. In these comparative discourse analyses, I assess the consistency and continuity of the usability testing data within the purview of the individual testers conducting “do-it-yourself” usability testing. This case study of a limited population suggests that findings in oral usability reports may or may not be substantiated in the evaluations themselves, that explicit or latent biases may affect the presentation of the findings in the report, and that broader investigations, both in terms of populations and methodologies, are warranted.
Humanitarian intervention - eight theories

Much has been written about the ethics of humanitarian intervention in the past fifteen years. In this paper I discuss a variety of justifications that have been proposed (in fact, seven theories of justification), finding difficulties with each of them, and then I offer a theory of justification of my own. My approach to justification will differ from most of the earlier accounts in two ways. First, I begin the discussion of justification at a different point. Second, I seek to expand the traditional discussion of humanitarian intervention to cover an area not usually addressed, namely, the question of the scope of justified humanitarian intervention. If humanitarian intervention is sometimes justified, precisely when is it justified? This is no merely academic question, given the belated appeal to humanitarian intervention on the part of those scrambling to provide a public justification of the war in Iraq.
Attention and target selection for smooth pursuit eye movements

Two rhesus monkeys were trained to track a small moving target in the presence of a moving distractor. The target and distractor were distinguished by their color. Smooth pursuit eye movements were quantified in terms of the latency of the eye movement and the open-loop eye acceleration profile. Smooth pursuit latencies for single targets were on the order of 100 msec. When the target was paired with a distractor moving in the same direction as the target, pursuit latencies decreased to roughly 85 msec. When the target was paired with a distractor moving in the opposite direction, pursuit latencies increased to roughly 150 msec. The motion of the distractor had no significant effect on the eye acceleration profile. Experiments were performed to dissociate visual search for the target from pursuit initiation by providing a spatial cue rather than the color cue. These experiments showed that visual search necessarily preceded pursuit initiation only when the distractor moved in the opposite direction relative to the target. In this case, visual search contributed about 25 msec to the overall latency of pursuit. Control experiments showed that the monkey need not attend to the distractor in order for it to influence the latency of pursuit. A network model was developed in which units that represent the motions of the target and distractor compete against one another. Attention serves to bias the outcome of this competition toward the direction of the selected target. The performance of this network exhibits a striking parallel to the effect of the distractor on smooth pursuit latency.
Comparison of Future Time Perspective and Self-Determination Theory for Explaining Exercise Behavior

The primary purposes of this study were to compare future time perspective and subtypes of regulation from self-determination theory as explanatory variables of exercise behavior and to examine potential differences in future time perspective across stages of change. Participants consisted of 317 undergraduates. The two most prominent measures of future time perspective were employed to allow for a comparison. Results revealed numerous significant correlations among future time perspective, self-regulation subtypes, and exercise behavior. Intrinsic and integrated subtypes of regulation explained the most variance in exercise behavior. Participants in higher stages of change had significantly higher future time perspective scores, lower amotivation scores, and higher scores for internal forms of regulation. Applied implications and suggestions for future research are presented. jabr_81 109..128 Although the physical and psychological benefits of regular exercise are well documented according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “more than 50% of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. Twenty-five percent of adults are not active at all in their leisure time” (CDC, 2004, para. 3). Further, the percentage of the population who do not get sufficient exercise or who are inactive exceeds 70% (CDC, 2004). Identifying the strongest predictors of exercise adherence as well as the relationship among these factors is important. The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships between a relatively newer construct (future time perspective) in contrast to motivation subtypes from the self-determination theory. Specifically with regard to explaining exercise behavior and examining possible differences for a prevalent intervention theory which classifies individuals into stages based on their readiness to change (stages of change). The following paragraphs will summarize the relevant research literature for each construct.
Narratives of silence: Rethinking gender, agency, and power from the communication experiences of battered women in South India.

Feminist and critical scholars have reiterated the need and urgency for greater representation of the perspectives of marginalized groups in communication theorizing. This essay presents a feminist rethinking of agency, power, and gender from the standpoint of battered women in a shelter in south India. The notion of the autonomous, individual agent and the idea of power as an entity are revisited. Because the lives of oppressed women do not conform to the voluntaristic model of action, communication theory needs to problematize agency to reflect its political complexity. The narratives of battered women provide a perspective on the mechanisms of silencing by which women's subordination and limitations on their agency are achieved and maintained in a specific cultural context in India.
Products of Hankel Operators

This paper studies products of Hankel operators on the Hardy space. We show thatHfσ(1)*Hfσ(2)Hfσ(3)*=0 for all permutation σ if and only if eitherHf1 orHf2 orHf3 is zero. Using Douglas' localization theorem and Izuchi's theorem on Sarason's three functions problem, we show that $$H^\infty [f] \cap H^\infty [g] \cap H^\infty [h] \subset H^\infty + C$$ is a sufficient condition forHf*HgHh*,Hg*HfHh*, andHf*HhHg* to be compact.
Arc damage of interelectrode insulators in MHD generators

The damage to interelectrode insulators on the anode wall of an MHD generator, resulting from magnetically driven arcs, has been studied experimentally and analytically. Recession rates of about 1-3 mm/s and damage widths of about 2-4 mm were measured for alumina, boron-nitride, and magnesia insulators at arc currents ranging from 7 to 83 A and at magnetic fields up to 1 T. The recession rate and damage width were affected by both the magnetic body force (IB) and the power dissipated in the arc. In general, boron-nitride performed best and alumina worst. A simple model of the steady arc and the heat transfer from the insulator predicted the damage parameters within a factor of 2. Damage from unsteady arcing can also occur and has not been addressed in detail. The relationship of the fault arc voltage-current characteristics to the width and spacing of electrode sections required for an MHD generator is presented.
Strong reducing agents containing dimolybdenum Mo24+ units and their oxidized cations with Mo25+/6+ cores stabilized by bicyclic guanidinate anions with a seven-membered ring

The syntheses of two analogues of the bicyclic guanidinate ligand hpp (hpp = the anion of the guanidine-type compound 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2a]pyrimidine) which contain two fused rings are reported. Each compound contains one seven-membered ring while the other is either a five (Htbd) or a six (Htbu) membered ring. In THF/Bu4NPF6, the dimolybdenum compounds Mo2(tbd)4 and Mo2(tbu)4 are easily oxidized and they have signals in the differential pulse voltammograms at −1.059 and −1.009 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively and for the Mo25+/6+ couples and in the same order −0.242 and −0.312 V for the Mo26+/5+ couples. The two compounds produce the corresponding Mo2(bicyclic guanidinate)4Cl compounds immediately upon dissolution in CH2Cl2 and these easily form species with Mo26+ cores. In Mo2(tbd)4Cl there are two crystallographically independent molecules with Mo–Mo distances of 2.1711(7) and 2.1690(7) A. The distance between metal atoms increases to 2.206(1) A upon oxidation to Mo2(tbd)4Cl2 which has a triply bonded Mo26+ core. For the diamagnetic compound Mo2(tbu)4 this distance is 2.0677(9) A and it increases to 2.133(2) A upon reduction of the bond order from 4 to 3.5 in the paramagnetic compound Mo2(tbu)4Cl.
Pharmacokinetics of tiazofurin in dogs

The pharmacokinetics of total and free tiazofurin, an antineoplastic agent, was studied in healthy mongrel dogs following intravenous and oral administration of the drug. The free fraction of tiazofurin was obtained from plasma by an ultrafiltration technique using a micropartition system. Total and free tiazofurin levels were determined by a sensitive high performance liquid chromatographic method. The percentage of tiazofurin bound to plasma proteins remained constant at approximately 15 per cent following administration to healthy mongrel dogs. The mean pharmacokinetic parameters of elimination rate constant (K), effective half-life (t 1/2), mean residence time (MRT) and the time to reach peak plasma level (tmax--after oral administration) were 0.32 +/- 0.04 h-1, 2.24 +/- 0.25 h, 3.23 +/- 0.36 h, and 1.78 +/- 0.50 h, respectively. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 0.98 +/- 0.30 1 kg-1 and the plasma clearance was 5.24 +/- 2.39 ml min-1 kg-1. About 90 per cent of tiazofurin was absorbed following oral administration. The pharmacokinetic parameters did not differ significantly between the total and free drug levels, indicating that the pharmacokinetics of total tiazofurin levels reflect those of the free tiazofurin in plasma.
American presidential proactivity, charismatic leadership, and rated performance

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of American presidential proactivity (i.e., a stable disposition to influence the environment) with charismatic leadership and rated performance. Using historiometric procedures, raters measured proactivity in unidentified profiles describing 39 American presidents. Archival sources were exploited for two presidential charisma and five performance assessments. Hierarchical regression analyses generally supported the predictions that presidential proactivity would be positively associated with charismatic leadership and rated performance. Limited support was observed for the idea that proactive behaviors are an essential, yet partial explanation for the effectiveness of charismatic leadership. The results are discussed in terms of how proactive features such as actively identifying opportunities and functioning as a powerful force for change facilitate the understanding of presidential charismatic leadership and effectiveness.
Effects of temperature on biochemical reactions and drug resistance of virulent and a virulent Aeromonas salmonicida

. Incubation temperatures of 11°, 18° and 28° did not substantially affect biochemical reactions of either virulent or avirulent forms of Aeromonas salmonicida subspecies salmonicida. The only change observed, amygdalin fermentation, was positive at 11° and 18° but negative at 28°C. Several isolates utilized sucrose, a characteristic not normally recognized for A. salmonicida subspecies salmonicida. Antimicrobial susceptibility screening indicated resistance to novobiocin increased at the higher incubation temperatures. Standardized drug sensitivity testing procedures and precise zone diameter interpretive standards for bacterial fish pathogens are needed.