cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angry Aggression Among Police Officers

This article uses angry aggression theory to explain police use of extralegal force. As applied to police behavior, angry aggression theory argues that the chronic stress of police work along with ...
In search of the biological significance of modular structures in protein networks.

Many complex networks such as computer and social networks exhibit modular structures, where links between nodes are much denser within modules than between modules. It is widely believed that cellular networks are also modular, reflecting the relative independence and coherence of different functional units in a cell. While many authors have claimed that observations from the yeast protein–protein interaction (PPI) network support the above hypothesis, the observed structural modularity may be an artifact because the current PPI data include interactions inferred from protein complexes through approaches that create modules (e.g., assigning pairwise interactions among all proteins in a complex). Here we analyze the yeast PPI network including protein complexes (PIC network) and excluding complexes (PEC network). We find that both PIC and PEC networks show a significantly greater structural modularity than that of randomly rewired networks. Nonetheless, there is little evidence that the structural modules correspond to functional units, particularly in the PEC network. More disturbingly, there is no evolutionary conservation among yeast, fly, and nematode modules at either the whole-module or protein-pair level. Neither is there a correlation between the evolutionary or phylogenetic conservation of a protein and the extent of its participation in various modules. Using computer simulation, we demonstrate that a higher-than-expected modularity can arise during network growth through a simple model of gene duplication, without natural selection for modularity. Taken together, our results suggest the intriguing possibility that the structural modules in the PPI network originated as an evolutionary byproduct without biological significance.
Vasopressin accelerates experimental ammonia-induced brain edema in rats after portacaval anastomosis.

Abstract Background/Aims : Cerebral hyperemia is an important contributor to the development of brain edema in fulminant hepatic failure. Rats receiving an ammonia infusion after portacaval anastomosis (PCA) demonstrate a rise in cerebral blood flow (CBF) with brain edema at 180 min. Vasopressin (VP), a systemic vasoconstrictor which in the rat dilates cerebral vessels through V 2 receptors, was used to ascertain the effects of increasing CBF. Methods : Changes in CBF were measured with Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Absolute CBF was measured with radioactive microspheres to calculate oxygen and ammonia uptake. Results : Compared to the NH 3 +Vehicle group, VP+NH 3 infusion accelerated the rise in CBF (117±21 vs. −6±12%, P P P 3 group. A V 1 antagonist negated the higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) that occurs with VP but cerebral hyperemia still occurred. A V 2 antagonist resulted in similar systemic pressures, CBF and brain water compared to the VP+NH 3 group. Conclusions : In this model, an increase in CBF with VP hastens the development of brain edema while increasing ammonia delivery to the brain.
The impact of male circumcision on HIV transmission.

Purpose: Adult male circumcision is currently being implemented as an HIV prevention strategy worldwide. We reviewed the literature on adult male circumcision in the prevention of HIV.Materials and Methods: A MEDLINE® search was used to identify current literature addressing HIV and male circumcision. The data from that literature were reviewed and summarized.Results: Three randomized, controlled trials demonstrate that circumcising adult males reduces the incidence of HIV by 50% to 60%. Adult male circumcision does not seem to have an adverse impact on sexual function. Epidemiological and economic modeling suggests that adult male circumcision can potentially be a highly cost-effective strategy for HIV prevention.Conclusions: Safe, high quality, low cost adult male circumcision services should be made available to regions with a high HIV incidence as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package.
Hormonal control of muscle growth

In muscle of whole animals, pituitary growth hormone, the thyroid hormones, and insulin are major growth-promoting hormones, and the glucocorticoids have significant catabolic actions. At the cellular level the primary anabolic hormones for cultured myoblasts are the somatomedins (insulin-like growth factors) and fibroblast growth factor. In these cells physiological concentrations of growth hormone, thyroid hormones, and insulin have no growth-promoting effect; some of the reported actions of insulin probably result from cross-reaction with the somatomedin receptor. Results with purified proteins do not support the view that mitogens block myoblast differentiation; transforming growth factor-beta and interferon are nonmitogenic proteins that inhibit differentiation, insulin-like growth factors are mitogens that stimulate differentiation, and fibroblast growth factor is the only purified mitogen that inhibits differentiation. At least six serum-free media have now been devised for the growth of various kinds of muscle cells under closely defined conditions.
Performance of random OFDM radar signals in deception jamming scenarios

The paper examines the performance of randomly generated OFDM waveforms in presence of deception jamming. The scenario of interest uses OFDM waveforms for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of a target area into which a digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) repeat jammer has been introduced. The jammer attempts to introduce false targets into the final image by replicating the radar transmitted waveform. SAR images are often constructed using a back projection algorithm requiring the presence of a false target to rely heavily on the matched filter (MF) output of the radar and jamming signals. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to determine probability density functions for maximum MF output for both cross-correlation and auto-correlation of the random OFDM waveforms containing WGN. A MF threshold is then chosen and probability of false alarm and probability of detection are simulated for varying SNRs.
A survey of management tasks completed by clinical dietitians in the practice setting

Abstract Objective To investigate clinical dietitians' involvement in completing management tasks in a practice setting. Design A random sample of 1,599 self-designated clinical dietitians was selected to receive the survey. The survey instrument consisted of 54 management tasks divided into four management categories: personnel, materials, financial, and organizations. For each task, the respondent was to indicate frequency of task completion and setting that contributed the most in providing competency for task completion. Statistical analysis A 38% response rate was achieved and 526 surveys were submitted for data analysis. Responses for number of respondents completing each task, frequency of task completion, and training setting were generated for position title, number of years as a registered dietitian, number of employees supervised, and size of hospital. χ 2 Analysis was used to determine degree of association among variables. Results Every task listed on the survey was completed by at least some of the respondents. Financial management tasks had the lowest incidence of response. Clinical dietitians were found to be assuming management responsibilities to varying degrees in the practice setting; 50% or more of the respondents performed tasks in the personnel area. The position title of the dietitian influenced which tasks were completed in the practice setting but was independent of frequency of task completion. Work experience was the setting that contributed the most to attaining skills needed for task completion. Conclusions Management is a viable component of clinical dietitians' responsibility. Knowledge of activities and requirements of the workplace is essential if dietitians are to be competitive in the professional job market. With the current drive for cost-effective, quality patient care, clinical dietitians will be expected to have competent management skills.
Endovascular stents for treatment of coarctation of the aorta: Acute results and follow-up experience

Balloon angioplasty as treatment for coarctation of the aorta is increasingly performed. Endovascular stents have been proposed as a means of improving the efficacy and safety of the procedure. In this report, we describe one institution's immediate results and clinical follow-up after implantation of endovascular stents. Retrospective analysis for endovascular stent placement for coarctation of the aorta between 1993 and 2002 was made. The immediate hemodynamic results and clinical follow-up were reviewed. Thirty-two patients underwent attempted stent placement for coarctation. Twenty-three patients had postoperative recurrent coarctation and nine had native coarctation. The systolic gradient decreased from 31 to 1.8 mm Hg (P = 0.001) and the diameter was increased 8.1 to 13.5 mm (P-0.001). Mean follow-up was 1.5 years. The mean follow-up gradient as assessed by sphygomomanometry was 13.1 mm Hg. Eight patients underwent 10 successful further dilations. Complications included one stent migration and one aortic dissection. The use of stents as an adjunct to balloon angioplasty in selected patients with coarctation can be performed with low complication rates and provides excellent immediate relief of obstruction with promising follow-up. Further dilation of these stents is possible. Long-term follow-up is warranted.
Performance of a Diode-Directed Solid-State Marx Modulator

The diode-directed solid-state Marx modulator is a new high-voltage modulator developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to drive a high-power magnetron. In its normal mode of operation the modulator produces 46-kV, 160-A, 5-mus rectangular pulses at 50 Hz. The modulator is also capable of running in burst mode and generating arbitrary waveforms at full voltage. The current paper describes modulator testing and performance results. Also shown are several of the unique features of this design, such as pulse width variability, wave shape variability, and switch protection.
On Non-Utilization Bounds for Arbitrary Fixed Priority Policies

Prior research on schedulability bounds focused primarily on bounding utilization as a means to meet deadline constraints. Non-trivial bounds were found for a handful of scheduling policies in which utilization is directly related to the ability of the policy to meet deadlines. Examples include Rate Monotonic, Deadline Monotonic and EDF scheduling. For most other scheduling policies, however, utilization is not correlated with schedulability. For example, shortest job first can miss deadlines at an arbitrarily low utilization. This raises the question of whether or not some other non-utilization-based metric might be more indicative of schedulability in those cases. This paper answers the above question positively by extending the notion of schedulability bounds, in a uniform manner, to arbitrary priorities and non-utilization metrics. We present a simple function that generates the schedulability metric to be bounded from the definition of a (fixed-priority) scheduling policy, and derive a non-trivial schedulability bound on that metric. It is shown that the generated metrics and bounds are valid in that no deadline misses occur when these bounds are not violated. This result allows efficient real-time admission control to be performed in systems with arbitrary fixed-priority scheduling policies. As an example, we illustrate applying schedulability bounds for admission control to shortest-jobfirst and velocity monotonic scheduling.
Mathematics in Chemical Engineering

The article contains sections titled: 1. Solution of Equations 1.1. Matrix Properties 1.2. Linear Algebraic Equations 1.3. Nonlinear Algebraic Equations 1.4. Linear Difference Equations 1.5. Eigenvalues 2. Approximation and Integration 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Global Polynomial Approximation 2.3. Piecewise Approximation 2.4. Quadrature 2.5. Least Squares 2.6. Fourier Transforms of Discrete Data 2.7. Two-Dimensional Interpolation and Quadrature 3. Complex Variables 3.1. Introduction to the Complex Plane 3.2. Elementary Functions 3.3. Analytic Functions of a Complex Variable 3.4. Integration in the Complex Plane 3.5. Other Results 4. Integral Transforms 4.1. Fourier Transforms 4.2. Laplace Transforms 4.3. Solution of Partial Differential Equations by Using Transforms 5. Vector Analysis 6. Ordinary Differential Equations as Initial Value Problems 6.1. Solution by Quadrature 6.2. Explicit Methods 6.3. Implicit Methods 6.4. Stiffness 6.5. Differential - Algebraic Systems 6.6. Computer Software 6.7. Stability, Bifurcations, Limit Cycles 6.8. Sensitivity Analysis 6.9. Molecular Dynamics 7. Ordinary Differential Equations as Boundary Value Problems 7.1. Solution by Quadrature 7.2. Initial Value Methods 7.3. Finite Difference Method 7.4. Orthogonal Collocation 7.5. Orthogonal Collocation on Finite Elements 7.6. Galerkin Finite Element Method 7.7. Cubic B-Splines 7.8. Adaptive Mesh Strategies 7.9. Comparison 7.10. Singular Problems and Infinite Domains 8. Partial Differential Equations 8.1. Classification of Equations 8.2. Hyperbolic Equations 8.3. Parabolic Equations in One Dimension 8.4. Elliptic Equations 8.5. Parabolic Equations in Two or Three Dimensions 8.6. Special Methods for Fluid Mechanics 8.7. Computer Software 9. Integral Equations 9.1. Classification 9.2. Numerical Methods for Volterra Equations of the Second Kind 9.3. Numerical Methods for Fredholm, Urysohn, and Hammerstein Equations of the Second Kind 9.4. Numerical Methods for Eigenvalue Problems 9.5. Green's Functions 9.6. Boundary Integral Equations and Boundary Element Method 10. Optimization 10.1. Introduction 10.2. Gradient-Based Nonlinear Programming 10.3. Optimization Methods without Derivatives 10.4. Global Optimization 10.5. Mixed-Integer Programming 10.6. Dynamic Optimization 10.7. Development of Optimization Models 10.8. Multicriteria Optimization 10.8.1. Motivation 10.8.2. Considerations 10.8.3. Solution Finding 10.8.3.1. Scalarization 10.8.3.2. Approximation 10.8.3.3. Other Approaches 10.8.4. Presentation 10.9. Optimization under Uncertainty 10.9.1. Introduction 10.9.2. Sensitivity Analysis 10.9.3. Robust and Stochastic Optimization 10.9.4. Optimization under Uncertainty by Multicriteria Optimization 11. Probability and Statistics 11.1. Concepts 11.2. Sampling and Statistical Decisions 11.3. Error Analysis in Experiments 11.4. Factorial Design of Experiments and Analysis of Variance
Flavor Programming During Infancy

Objective. Although individuals differ substantially in their flavor and food preferences, the source of such differences remains a mystery. The present experimental study was motivated by clinical observations that early experience with formulas establishes subsequent preferences. Design. Infants whose parents had chosen to formula-feed them were randomized into 1 of 4 groups by the second week of life. One group was assigned to be fed a milk-based formula (Enfamil), whereas another was assigned to be fed (Nutramigen), a particularly unpleasant-tasting protein hydrolysate formula. The remaining groups were assigned to be fed Nutramigen for 3 months and Enfamil for 4 months; the timing of exposure differed between the groups. After 7 months of exposure, infants were videotaped on 3 separate days while feeding, in counterbalanced order, Enfamil, Nutramigen, and Alimentum, a novel hydrolysate formula. Results. For each of the 4 interrelated measures of behavior (intake, duration of formula feeding, facial expressions, and mothers’ judgments of infant acceptance), previous exposure to Nutramigen significantly enhanced subsequent acceptance of both Nutramigen and Alimentum. Seven months of exposure led to greater acceptance than did 3 months. Conclusions. The bases for clinical difficulties in introducing hydrolysate formulas during older infancy are clarified in this study. More broadly, variation in formula flavor provided a useful model for demonstrating experimentally the effects of long-term exposure differences on later acceptance. Such early variation, under more species-typical circumstances (eg, via exposure to different flavors in amniotic fluid and mothers’ milk), may underlie individual differences in food acceptability throughout the life span.
Comparison of Percent of United States Adults Weighing ≥300 Pounds (136 Kilograms) in Three Time Periods and Comparison of Five Atherosclerotic Risk Factors for Those Weighing ≥300 Pounds to Those <300 Pounds

The radiologic tables used for many imaging procedures have maximum weight limits. Many United States (US) adults may have a body weight that exceeds these limits and may be ineligible for diagnostic imaging procedures. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1976 to 1980, 1988 to 1994, and 1999 to 2004, we determined the increase in the percentage and number of US adults weighing ≥300 pounds (i.e., the weight limit for an electron beam computed tomography table). In addition, the prevalence and clustering of 5 cardiovascular disease risk factors (current smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated C-reactive protein) was determined for US adults weighing ≥300 pounds, and compared with their counterparts weighing
Ocean Sciences in Relation to Living Resources

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's Resolution XI-17 on Ocean Sciences in Support of Living Resources specifies that programs should be formulated in applied ocean research related to ...
A convenient technique for polarimetric calibration of single-antenna radar systems

A practical technique for calibrating single-antenna polarimetric radar systems is introduced. This technique requires only a single calibration target such as a conducting sphere or a trihedral corner reflector to calibrate the radar system, both in amplitude and phase, for all linear polarization configurations. By using a metal sphere, which is orientation independent, error in calibration measurement is minimized while simultaneously calibrating the crosspolarization channels. The antenna system and two orthogonal channels (in free space) are modeled as a four-port passive network. Upon using the reciprocity relations for the passive network and assuming the crosscoupling terms of the antenna to be equal, the crosstalk factors of the antenna system and the transmit and receive channel imbalances can be obtained from measurement of the backscatter from a metal sphere. For an X-band radar system with cross polarization isolation of 25 dB, comparison of values measured for a sphere and a cylinder with theoretical values shows agreement within 0.4 dB in magnitude and 5 degrees in phase. An effective polarization isolation of 50 dB is achieved using this calibration technique. >
Real-time traffic updates in moving objects databases

This work addresses the problem of updating moving objects databases (MOD) using real-time traffic information. The motion of the object is represented by a trajectory, which can be constructed using the available electronic maps and the information about traffic patterns. However, the statistical information about traffic patterns may change due to accidents, extreme weather conditions, road work, etc. In this work, we present a model for updating the trajectories of moving objects when unexpected traffic conditions occur. Many sites provide up-to-date information about traffic conditions on major expressways. However, the unexpected traffic conditions may affect not only the vehicles on the expressways for which an on-line monitoring is provided, but may also have an effect on the streets near those expressways. We propose a model of this spill-over effect and we utilize it in the process of identifying the trajectories which are affected by the abnormal traffic.
Effects of Acarbose on Cardiac and Hepatic Metabolism in Diabetic Rats

We have studied the effects of the inclusion of acarbose in a high carbohydrate diet fed to rats with type I diabetes (streptozotocin-treated) and to rats with genetically induced type II diabetes (SHR/N-cp rats). Although the SHR/N-cp rats had only a slightly elevated fasting blood sugar, the oral glucose tolerance curve in these rats was markedly higher than that in normal rats. Administration of acarbose for 5 weeks (10 mg/100 g diet) greatly improved glucose tolerance in the type II diabetic antimals. In streptozotocin-diabetic rats, in which fasting blood sugar was extremely high, feeding of acarbose had little or no effect on the hyperglycemia.
A frequency-independent and parallel algorithm for computing the zeros of strictly proper rational transfer functions

We develop an algorithm for computation of the zeros of a strictly proper rational transfer function in partial fraction form, by transforming the problem of finding the roots of the determinant of a frequency-dependent matrix into one of finding the eigenvalues of a companion matrix comprised of the determinants of a binomial-based set of frequency-independent matrices. The proposed algorithm offers a fundamentally new approach that avoids solving severely ill-conditioned system of linear equations, where condition numbers increase rapidly with frequency. The developed algorithm is straightforward, and enables parallel computation of the characteristic polynomial coefficients a n ' that comprise the companion matrix to the characteristic polynomial ?nansn of the frequency-dependent matrix. Additionally, the algorithm allows for relatively inexpensive computation of asymptotically accurate approximants of the transfer function, such that a n ' need be computed only for selected powers of s = j ω , where the number of required determinant operations are shown to be relatively small. Additionally, limitations of the developed algorithm are highlighted, where the computational cost is shown to be on the order O ( 2 N p ) determinant operations on matrices of dimensions ( N p + 1 ) × ( N p + 1 ) , and Np is the number of poles. Illustrative numerical examples are selected and discussed to provide further insight about pros/cons of the proposed method, and to identify potential areas for further research.
Changes in blast zone albedo patterns around new martian impact craters

Abstract “Blast zones” (BZs) around new martian craters comprise various albedo features caused by the initial impact, including diffuse halos, extended linear and arcuate rays, secondary craters, ejecta patterns, and dust avalanches. We examined these features for changes in repeat images separated by up to four Mars years. Here we present the first comprehensive survey of the qualitative and quantitative changes observed in impact blast zones over time. Such changes are most likely due to airfall of high-albedo dust restoring darkened areas to their original albedo, the albedo of adjacent non-impacted surfaces. Although some sites show drastic changes over short timescales, nearly half of the sites show no obvious changes over several Mars years. Albedo changes are more likely to occur at higher-latitude sites, lower-elevation sites, and at sites with smaller central craters. No correlation was seen between amount of change and Dust Cover Index, relative halo size, or historical regional albedo changes. Quantitative albedo measurements of the diffuse dark halos relative to their surroundings yielded estimates of fading lifetimes for these features. The average lifetime among sites with measurable fading is ∼15 Mars years; the median is ∼8 Mars years for a linear brightening. However, at approximately half of sites with three or more repeat images, a nonlinear function with rapid initial fading followed by a slow increase in albedo provides a better fit to the fading behavior; this would predict even longer lifetimes. The predicted lifetimes of BZs are comparable to those of slope streaks, and considered representative of fading by global atmospheric dust deposition; they last significantly longer than dust devil or rover tracks, albedo features that are erased by different processes. These relatively long lifetimes indicate that the measurement of the current impact rate by Daubar et al. (Daubar, I.J. et al. [2013]. Icarus 225, 506–516. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2013.04.009 ) does not suffer significantly from overall under-sampling due to blast zones fading before new impact sites can be initially discovered. However, the prevalence of changes seen around smaller craters may explain in part their shallower size frequency distribution.
Relationship of Soil Properties and Sugarcane Yields to Red Stripe in Louisiana

Symptoms of red stripe disease caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae in Louisiana between 1985 and 2010 were limited to the leaf stripe form, which caused no apparent yield loss. During 2010, the more severe top rot form was observed, and a study was initiated to investigate the distribution of red stripe in the field and determine its effects on cane and sugar yields. Soil properties data, red stripe incidence, and sugarcane yields were all highly variable and were not randomly distributed in the field. Combined harvest data showed a negative correlation between yield components and red stripe incidence, with the strongest relationship between sucrose per metric ton and disease incidence. Red stripe incidence was positively correlated with several soil properties, including phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and calcium. Red stripe incidence also was found to increase with increasing nitrogen rate, with the greatest effects in heavy soils. Results also indicated that using red-stripe-infected cane as a seed source can significantly decrease shoot emergence, stalk population, and subsequent cane and sugar yields. These combined data suggest that red stripe disease can exhibit a highly variable rate of infection in commercial sugarcane fields and may also significantly decrease sugar yields.
Automation of Shrimp Quality Evaluation

Current quality evaluation of shrimp involves subjective determination of melanosis, and manual measurements of count per unit weight, ratio of largest to smallest shrimp, and presence or absence of broken parts, foreign materials, etc. With the globalization of shrimp trade, objectivity, repeatability and standardization of quality evaluation is necessary. Computerized image analysis was used to evaluate count, uniformity ratio, and weight estimation. Weight of individual shrimp were predicted from surface area. Different correlations were tried to relate weight to surface area. Analysis of errors from automated evaluations is presented.
Biomarkers for PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade Therapy in Non–Small-cell Lung Cancer: Is PD-L1 Expression a Good Marker for Patient Selection?

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality in cancer therapy. With improved understanding of how to tip the balance of immune homeostasis, novel therapeutics targeting immune checkpoints have been developed, with durable responses observed in multiple solid tumors, including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small-cell lung cancer. Clinical trials have reported favorable responses using programmed cell death-1 protein receptor (PD-1)/programmed cell death-1 protein ligand (PD-L1) blockade as monotherapy and most impressively in combinatorial trials with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 protein blockade. Nonetheless, a clinical benefit has not been observed in all patients. Therefore, identifying the ideal biomarkers for patient selection would be of great value in optimizing and personalizing immunotherapy. The utility of PD-L1 expression as a biomarker has varied in different clinical trials and immunohistochemistry assays. In addition, the response to immune checkpoint inhibition has been complicated by PD-L1 expression as a marker influenced by the dynamic tumor microenvironment. No consensus has yet been reached on whether PD-L1 expression is an ideal marker for patient selection. Recent research has shown promise for alternative markers, including T-cell immunohistochemistry, other immunologic markers, T-cell receptor clonality, and somatic mutational burden. However, additional studies are needed to assess the value of these as practical predictive biomarkers for patient selection and treatment response.
Enhancing Effect of Nicotinic Acid and Cysteine Hydrochloride on Growth of Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae.

SummaryNicotinic acid enhances the growth of leptospira when added to Noguchi semi-solid medium in a final concentration of 0.01%. Cysteine hydrochloride in the same concentration has a similar effect, though not as marked as nicotinic acid. Glycine seems to have a reverse effect, and may even act to suppress the growth of the organisms.
IV. Constitutional Development in Latin America: A Synthesis

“Do not give to a people institutions for which it is unripe in the simple faith that the tool will give skill to the workman's hand. Respect Facts. Man is in each country not what we may wish him to be, but what Nature and History have made him.” Bryce, Modern Democracies, I, 206.With minor exceptions, the panorama of constitutional growth in the Western Hemisphere reveals two main streams. The United States Constitution, the British North America Act of 1867 (which is the Canadian fundamental law), and the organic laws of the various New World British possessions of today all stem, obviously, from English constitutional and institutional ancestry. The constitutions of the twenty Latin American states, on the other hand, all reflect in varying degree the experience and institutions of their three mother countries. These modern constitutions are, it is true, influenced by alien examples at one point or another, but the core is undubitably Latin. More narrowly, the inspiration is Hispanic; and still more narrowly, Spanish.It is not easy to explain in detail the degree of similarity between French political institutions and those of the Iberian peninsula in the centuries between the emergence of the several national states and the political revolutions in Latin America. At least, the French belonged to a not unrelated family. A much closer relationship is easily discernible among the political institutions of the three main Iberian entities that ultimately became the national states of Spain and Portugal, viz., Castile, Aragon, and Portugal. It is often forgotten that for many generations no political or constitutional “Spain” existed, that Aragon and Castile were as distinct from each other in most ways as either of them was from Portugal, that an easily possible union of the ruling houses of Castile and Portugal—supplanting the marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand—might have changed the whole subsequent course of history.
Selective inactivation of esterase by alcohol.

SummaryIn tissues of the dog, 95% alcohol as a fixative selectively destroys aliesterase while it preserves cholinesterase reasonably well.
Basic Amino Acids Yielded by Thyroglobulin.

SummaryAnalysis of the basic amino acids of thyroglobulin by direct isolation methods indicates that this protein yields 0,62% of histidine, 8.22% of arginine and 1.93% of lysine.
Effects of Λ-Σ Coupling in 4 Λ H, 4 Λ He, and 5 Λ He

We consider the effect on the binding energies of $_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{4}\mathrm{He}\ensuremath{-}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{4}\mathrm{H}$ of inclusion of admixing the $\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ particle, based on a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{-}N$ potential derived from $_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{5}\mathrm{He}$. This mixing explains the discrepancy in Coulomb energy of $_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{4}\mathrm{He}\ensuremath{-}_{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{4}\mathrm{H}$ and leads to a consistent set of potential parameters.
Role of alcohol in college sexual victimization and postassault adaptation.

OBJECTIVE: Sexual victimization is common in college populations and has been linked to a number of deleterious outcomes, including posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and problem drinking. Research suggests that these associations may be further impacted when the victimization involves alcohol, yet little is known about how alcohol-related sexual victimization (ASV) may influence functional outcomes over time. Posttraumatic cognitions are dysfunctional trauma-related beliefs that are thought to affect posttrauma adaptation and may help to shed light on the later psychological effects of ASV. METHOD: Accordingly, the present study sought to examine how ASV during college may influence PTSS and problem drinking over time in a sample of young adults (N = 116). We examined ASV in 2 ways: cumulative (since starting college) and the most recent event (during college). Further, we tested the mechanistic role of trauma cognitions in these relations, controlling for trauma severity. RESULTS: Findings revealed that ASV prospectively predicted problem drinking across models, but was not associated with PTSS. The effects of ASV became nonsignificant when baseline PTSS and problem drinking were statistically controlled. Counter to our expectations, ASV was not associated with trauma cognitions, and these cognitions did not mediate the association between ASV and later PTSS or problem drinking. In contrast, trauma severity was significantly related to trauma cognitions. CONCLUSIONS: For many young adults, the effects of college sexual victimization extend well beyond the college years. These findings add to our understanding of college sexual victimization experiences and the posttrauma adaptation process in young adults. (PsycINFO Database Record(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Hemodynamic Performance and Thrombogenic Properties of a Superhydrophobic Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve

In this study, we explore how blood-material interactions and hemodynamics are impacted by rendering a clinical quality 25 mm St. Jude Medical Bileaflet mechanical heart valve (BMHV) superhydrophobic (SH) with the aim of reducing thrombo-embolic complications associated with BMHVs. Basic cell adhesion is evaluated to assess blood-material interactions, while hemodynamic performance is analyzed with and without the SH coating. Results show that a SH coating with a receding contact angle (CA) of 160° strikingly eliminates platelet and leukocyte adhesion to the surface. Alternatively, many platelets attach to and activate on pyrolytic carbon (receding CA = 47), the base material for BMHVs. We further show that the performance index increases by 2.5% for coated valve relative to an uncoated valve, with a maximum possible improved performance of 5%. Both valves exhibit instantaneous shear stress below 10 N/m2 and Reynolds Shear Stress below 100 N/m2. Therefore, a SH BMHV has the potential to relax the requirement for antiplatelet and anticoagulant drug regimens typically required for patients receiving MHVs by minimizing blood-material interactions, while having a minimal impact on hemodynamics. We show for the first time that SH-coated surfaces may be a promising direction to minimize thrombotic complications in complex devices such as heart valves.
Effect of dental dust collector on controlling air pollution in sandblasting room

Objective To investigate the effect of dental dust collector on controlling air pollution in sandblasting room.Methods Bacterial sedimentation method and dust sampler monitoring method were adopted to monitor the air in a dental sandblasting room.The experimental group used dental dust collector to intervene during cleaning,control group was not taken intervention,the air colony forming unit and dust density before,during and after treatment were compared.Results Before treatment,there were no significant differences in air bacterial count and dust density between two groups([273.30±85.30]CFU/m3 vs[265.30±90.30]CFU/m3,P0.05;[0.47±0.03]mg/m3 vs[0.45±0.04]mg/m3,P0.05);during and after treatment,air bacterial count in experimental group were(512.60±99.30)CFU/m3 and(350.70±62.40)CFU/m3 respectively,dust density were(0.61±0.23)mg/m3 and(0.52±0.16)mg/m3 respectively,which were significantly lower than that of control group respectively([918.90±135.20]CFU/m3,[488.50±85.20]CFU/m3,[3.26±0.35]mg/m3,[1.65±0.21]mg/m3)(P0.01 or P0.05).Conclusion Dental sandblasting cause air pollution seriously,dental dust collector can effectively remove pollutants,control the sources of pollution,and maintain the cleanliness of the air in dental clinic.
Building the STEM pipeline: Findings of a 9-year longitudinal research project

Abstract This research addresses the call for identifying the human capital for the U.S.'s future STEM workforce. Using a national dataset tracking 34,744 middle school students up to six years after their first enrollment in a four-year college, we investigated the developments of two individual difference predictors of STEM success based on the Person-Environment fit (P-E fit) model, quantitative ability and STEM interest fit, from adolescence to early adulthood. Results show that these individual difference factors are reciprocally related and thus mutually develop over time. They are relatively stable at adolescence and meaningfully predict the probability that the students obtained a college degree in STEM approximately nine years later. This finding has important theoretical implication as it helps resolve conflicting perspectives regarding the causal relationships between interests and abilities. Finally, we also found that the development and prediction of quantitative ability and interest fit are similar for both men and women, suggesting that they can be useful to identify future STEM participants at early age.
Evaluation of an Audio-Visual Novela to Improve Beliefs, Attitudes and Knowledge toward Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive degeneration in cognitive ability that limits the capacity for independent living. Interventions are needed to target the medical, social, psychological, and knowledge needs of caregivers and patients. This study used a mixed methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness of a dementia novela presented in an audio-visual format in improving dementia attitudes, beliefs and knowledge.Methods: Adults from Los Angeles (N = 42, 83% female, 90% Hispanic/Latino, mean age = 42.2 years, 41.5% with less than a high school education) viewed an audio-visual novela on dementia. Participants completed surveys immediately before and after viewing the material.Results: The novela produced significant improvements in overall knowledge (t(41) = −9.79, p < .0001) and led to positive increases in specific attitudes toward people with dementia but not in beliefs that screening would be beneficial. Qualitative results provided concordant and disco...
Considerations for Neuromodulation

Enhanced technology, reduced complication rate, improved physician education, and growing community awareness have led to a dramatic rise in the number of patients being treated with neuromodulation therapies. When selecting appropriate candidates for neuromodulation, there are a number of biologic and device-related factors that physicians should evaluate and address when possible prior to operative intervention. Despite rapidly evolving technology and significantly increased utilization, the complication rate associated with neuromodulation therapies remains substantial and explant rates persistently high.
Participant feedback from peer-led, clinician-led, and internet-delivered eating disorder prevention interventions.

Objective This article examines qualitative participant feedback to clinician-delivered groups, peer-delivered groups, and an Internet version of a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program from a controlled trial. These data have not been systematically examined and can inform the refinement and implementation of eating disorder prevention programs. Method Feedback was collected from body dissatisfied young women (N = 680; M age = 22.2, SD = 7.1) randomized to a clinician-led group, peer-led group, Internet version of this prevention program or to an educational video. Results Clinician and peer-led group participants reported the group setting, feeling that they were not alone, and the letter exercise as most valuable; the most common response of what was less valuable was "none." Many participants of the Internet version suggested increasing community support. Conclusions Findings suggest the importance of considering the therapeutic value of group membership, and that online prevention programs could be enhanced by providing a mechanism for community support, such as an online forum. Results also inform selective prevention and suggest that screening potential participants to determine which delivery method best suits them should be considered. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:1087-1092).
Monte Carlo simulation of X-ray imaging using a graphics processing unit

A code for Monte Carlo simulations of radiation transport using a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is introduced. The code has been developed using the CUDATM programming model, an extension to the C language that allows the execution of general purpose computations on the new generation of GPUs from NVIDIA. The accurate Compton and Rayleigh interaction models and interaction mean free paths from the PENELOPE package, and a generic voxelized geometry model, have been implemented in the new code. The secondary particles generated by Compton, photoelectric and pair-production events are not transported. An ideal x-ray detector and a cone beam source can be defined to reproduce an imaging system and facilitate the simulations of medical imaging applications. A 24-fold speed up factor with the GPU compared to the CPU is reported for a radiographic projection of a detailed anthropomorphic female phantom. A description of the simulation algorithm and the technical implementation in the GPU are provided. This work shows that GPUs are already a good alternative to CPUs for Monte Carlo simulation of x-ray transport.
Differential responses of human dendritic cells to metabolites from the oral/airway microbiome

Small molecule metabolites that are produced or altered by host-associated microbial communities are emerging as significant immune response modifiers. However, there is a key gap in our knowledge of how oral microbial metabolites affect the immune response. Here, we examined the effects of metabolites from five bacterial strains found commonly in the oral/airway microbial communities of humans. The five strains, each isolated from cystic fibrosis patient sputum, were Pseudomonas aeruginosa FLR01 non-mucoid (P1) and FLR02 mucoid (P2) forms, Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp), S. salivarius (Ss) and Rothia mucilaginosa (Rm). The effect of bacterial metabolites on dendritic cell (DC) activation, T cell priming and cytokine secretion was determined by exposing DCs to bacterial supernatants and individual metabolites of interest. Supernatants from P1 and P2 induced high levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-6 from DCs and primed T cells to secrete interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-22 compared to supernatants from Sp, Ss and Rm. Investigations into the composition of supernatants using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) revealed signature metabolites for each of the strains. Supernatants from P1 and P2 contained high levels of putrescine and glucose, while Sp and Ss contained high levels of 2,3-butanediol. The individual metabolites replicated the results of whole supernatants, although the magnitudes of their effects were reduced significantly. Altogether, our data demonstrate for the first time that the signature metabolites produced by different bacteria have different effects on DC functions. The identification of signature metabolites and their effects on the host immune system can provide mechanistic insights into diseases and may also be developed as biomarkers.
Persistent model order reduction for complex dynamical systems using smooth orthogonal decomposition

•This paper considers reduced order models (ROMs), which can be classified as persistent.•Persistent ROMs are robust, stable, and delivers high-fidelity simulations for a relatively wide range of parameters and operating conditions.•Model order reduction (MOR) framework based on subspace robustness and dynamical consistency concepts is used to develop ROMs for three different systems using both proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and smooth orthogonal decomposition (SOD).•For all of these systems, the subspace robustness and dynamical consistency of MOR subspaces were good indicators for the stability, accuracy, and reliability of the corresponding ROMs.•In contrast to proper POD-based ROMs, when SOD-based ROMs become stable, they stay stable for higher dimensional reductions, while POD ROMs may lose their stability.•This is directly correlated with monotonic improvement in the SOD subspace robustness, which also correlates with the improved accuracy of the corresponding ROMs.•For the POD subspaces, we do not observe this monotonic increase in the robustness, which may drop precipitously as subspace dimension increases and cause the loss of stability of the corresponding ROM.
The social context moderates the relationship between neighborhood safety and adolescents' activities

Abstract Studies of neighborhood safety and physical activity have typically neglected to consider the youth's peer context as a modifier of these relationships. This study fills this gap in testing the independent and interactive effects of perceived neighborhood safety and time spent with friends and peers on young adolescents' physical activity and sedentary behavior. Participants (N = 80; ages 13–17) completed the Pedestrian/Traffic Safety and Crime Safety subscales of the adolescent version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS). An experience sampling methodology was used to assess sedentary behaviors/screen time and the social context in which physical activity and sedentary time/behavior occurred. Physical activity was assessed via accelerometry. Multilevel models were used to estimate the relationships between predictors (neighborhood safety and social context) and outcomes (physical activity and sedentary time/behavior). Frequency of peer/friend interactions moderated the relationships between neighborhood safety and adolescents' physical activity and sedentary behavior. Specifically, physical activity was more strongly influenced by neighborhood safety among adolescents who reported spending less time with peers and friends than among those who reported frequent peer interactions. Among youths who perceived that their neighborhoods were safer, spending more time with friends and peers was related to greater engagement in sedentary activities, whereas this was not the case among adolescents who perceived that their neighborhoods were less safe. The peer social context moderates the relationship between perceived neighborhood safety and adolescents' physical activity and sedentary behavior. Improving social interactions at the individual level within neighborhoods may decrease concerns of safety.
Too Much of a Good Thing: Investigating the Association between Actual Smartphone Use and Individual Well-Being

Research suggests that people around the world spend anywhere from an hour to as much as ten hours daily on their smartphones. However, the vast majority of this research has used self-reported dat...