cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulations of Arctic Mixed-Phase Boundary Layer Clouds: Advances in Understanding and Outstanding Questions

An overview of mixed-phase boundary layer cloud simulations emphasizes what detailed studies reveal about the level of understanding of microphysical processes, using analogous liquid-phase boundary layer clouds as a reference for the dynamical conditions. We focus primarily on modeling results from three major field campaign case studies, spanning a range of liquid water path, aerosol loading, cloud temperatures, and active processes (including drizzle, aggregation, and riming). Simulations with detailed microphysics are able to reproduce basic aspects of all three case studies, including continuous ice formation within the context of a well-mixed liquid-cloud-topped layer. However, simulations constrained with measurements of ice nuclei generally underpredict the observed amount of ice present, indicating a possible role for ice multiplication that is poorly established. Assumed ice properties may also bear a significant influence on the water vapor budget and reflectivity properties, but remain imprecisely quantified on a case study basis.
Social Media Social Comparison of Ability (but not Opinion) Predicts Lower Identity Clarity: Identity Processing Style as a Mediator.

Social comparison on social media has received increasing attention, but most research has focused on one type of social comparison and its psycho-emotional implications. Little is known about how different types of social comparison influence youth’s identity development. Drawing on the theories of identity processing styles and social comparison, we examined how two different forms of social comparison on social media related to three identity processing styles, which in turn predicted youth’s global self-esteem and identity clarity. We surveyed 219 college freshmen (Mage = 18.29; 74% female) once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Social comparison of ability on social media was related to concurrent diffuse-avoidant identity processing style, which predicted lower identity clarity months later. In contrast, social comparison of opinion on social media did not influence college freshmen’s global self-esteem and identity clarity through identity processing styles. The findings clarified the implications of online social comparison for youth’s identity development.
EFFUSIVE CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS

Effusive constrictive pericarditis (ECP) is a rare clinical entity and has to be suspected in all cases with pericardial effusion and constrictive physiology. A 48 year old female with history of Hypertension was admitted with dyspnea and chest pain. EKG showed diffuse ST elevations and
Undergraduate Ultrasound Education

Point of care ultrasound education has become prominent in undergraduate medical school training. This chapter discusses the development of a medical school POCUS program starting from a needs assessment to curriculum development. It also covers the management issues with initiation, maintenance, and growth of medical school POCUS programs.
Immunogenetic and structural analysis of a class of HCV broadly neutralizing antibodies and their precursors

Elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) is a leading strategy in rational vaccine design against antigenically diverse pathogens. Here, we studied a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from mice immunized with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoproteins E1E2. Six of the mAbs recognize the conserved E2 antigenic site 412-423 (AS412) and cross-neutralize diverse HCV genotypes. Immunogenetic and structural analysis revealed that the antibodies originated from two different germline (GL) precursors and bind AS412 in a β-hairpin conformation. Intriguingly, the anti-HCV activity of one antibody lineage is associated with maturation of the light chain (LC), whereas the other lineage is dependent on heavy-chain (HC) maturation. Crystal structures of GL precursors of the LC-dependent lineage in complex with AS412 offer critical insights into the maturation process of bnAbs to HCV, providing a scientific foundation for utilizing the mouse model to study AS412-targeting vaccine candidates.
Exposure of juvenile chinook and chum salmon to chemical contaminants in the Hylebos Waterway of Commencement Bay, Tacoma, Washington

The Hylebos Waterway is an industrialized waterway ofCommencement Bay, Tacoma, Washington, that is severelycontaminated with aromatic and chlorinatedhydrocarbons in the sediment. Juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus keta) and chum salmon (O.tshawytscha) inhabit this waterway for a few days orweeks during their outmigration from freshwaterstreams to saltwater. The purpose of thisinvestigation was to determine to what degree juvenilechum and chinook salmon captured from the HylebosWaterway might bioaccumulate organic contaminants. These levels of exposure will be compared to previousstudies where such exposures have been linked tobiological dysfunction in juvenile salmon. Theresults showed that juvenile chum and chinook salmonfrom the Hylebos Waterway take up a wide range ofchemical contaminants, compared to fish fromhatcheries or reference estuaries. These contaminantsinclude high and low molecular weight polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs, including the toxic congeners 105 and118), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), hexachlorobenzene(HCB), DDTs, heptachlor, and several pesticides. Immunohistochemical examination of the gill and gut injuvenile chum salmon from the Hylebos Waterway showedthe induction of the P450 metabolizing enzyme. Moreover, concentrations of contaminants in juvenilechinook and chum salmon from the Hylebos Waterway arecomparable to levels previously shown to be associatedwith biological injury in juvenile chinook salmon,such as impaired growth, suppression of immunefunction as demonstrated by reduced B cell function,and increased mortality following pathogen exposure.
Analysis of Dose—Response Relationships

The discipline of pharmacology is currently going through an important stage in its development. It is at that point where it is appropriate to begin to shift emphasis from what has been essentially a descriptive approach to one tied to a more general framework. The “aspirin through zinc paste” approach has reached the point where, if for no other reason, limitations of memory make it necessary to begin to codify the overall area. In other words, one must begin to focus on the similarities among drugs rather than their differences. This is what general pharmacology is all about.
Magnitude and velocity of proximal vergence.

Until recently proximal vergence was considered to play only a minor role in the eye alignment changes that occur when looking between distant and near targets. We measured the magnitude and velocity of proximal vergence using infrared limbal sensing to record vergence responses between two untextured luminous horizontal rods which lacked disparity and accommodative cues. The magnitude of proximal vergence responses averaged 3.9° for convergence and 3.8° for divergence, about 70% of the total vergence "demand." Peak velocities for proximal convergence and divergence averaged 69 and 53 deg/sec, substantially faster than the velocities of comparably sized disparity or accommodative vergence responses. Its rapid velocity makes proximal vergence well suited to initiate the eye alignment changes between distant and near targets. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:755-760,1989 Of the four components of vergence originally identified by Maddox—tonic, accommodative, fusional (disparity), and proximal (the vergence stimulated by "awareness of nearness")—accommodative and disparity vergence have generally been considered most important for the eye alignment changes when looking from far to near. While proximal vergence has traditionally been considered secondary, 1
Simulation Versus Problem Based Learning for Cerebrospinal Drainage Catheter Insertion and Management: A Randomized Trial in a Large Academic Anesthesiology Residency Program

Objective Cerebrospinal fluid drainage catheter-related complications can be reduced by following strict guidelines during their introduction, maintenance, and removal. The authors therefore aimed to determine whether simulation-based learning would improve senior anesthesiology residents’ patient care performance during the insertion and management of these catheters compared to interactive problem-based learning (PBL) using the Anaesthetists’ Non-Technical Skills global rating scale (ANTS). Design Prospective randomized trial. Setting Vascular or hybrid operating rooms in a large academic tertiary care center. Participants Senior anesthesia (categorical anesthesia-3) residents rotating through the vascular rotation at the Cleveland Clinic main campus in the period between December 2014 and June 2017. Intervention Simulation-based learning versus PBL. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome was the composite score (ANTS global rating scale) achieved by participating residents as evaluated by their supervising anesthesiologists. Out of 28 residents who completed the study, N = 13 were randomized to simulation-based learning and N = 15 residents to the PBL approach. The median (first quartile, third quartile) composite score was 16 (14, 16) and 16 (13, 16) for the simulation-based learning and PBL groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in staff evaluation of the 2 study groups (p = 0.48) with an estimated odds (95% confidence interval) of getting a better staff evaluation score of 1.9 (0.3-10.6) times higher comparing simulation versus traditional training groups. Conclusion Compared to interactive PBL, simulation-based learning does not result in a statistically significant improvement in anesthesia resident performance during insertion and management of cerebrospinal fluid drainage catheters.
Relations of religion with depression and loneliness in older sexual and gender minority adults.

Objectives: High levels of religious involvement have been associated with positive mental health outcomes in older adults. This study investigated whether the effects of religion on healthy aging ...
Examining Ethnocentrism in an Age of Hybrid Consumers and Hybrid Brands: An Empirical Analysis

AbstractBased on empirical data collected from 333 respondents from three distinct cultural groups of consumers: U.S. citizens by birth, naturalized U.S. citizens of Bangladeshi origin, and natural...
On Static and Adaptive Policies for Chance-Constrained Voltage Regulation

Electricity distribution networks are envisioned to host an increasing number of photovoltaic (PV) generators. PV units are equipped with inverters that can inject or absorb reactive power, a capability that can be crucial for supporting safe nodal voltages. Inverter set points are designed as solutions of optimal power flow formulations with specifications on the probability that nodal voltages remain within safe bounds. This paper compares various designs for chance-constrained voltage regulation. Due to their inherent nonconvexity, chance constraints are replaced by the conditional-value-at-risk, which offers a conservative convex approximation. The focus is on designs that yield static reactive power control policies or policies that can control the reactive power in a fashion adaptive to the uncertain renewable energy production and load consumption.
Regulation of cisplatin-resistant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by the SRC/ETS-1 signaling pathway

We investigated the role of the ETS-1 transcription factor in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) in multiple cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cell lines. We examined its molecular link with SRC and MEK/ERK pathways and determined the efficacy of either MEK/ERK inhibitor PD0325901 or SRC inhibitor Dasatinib on cisplatin-resistant HNSCC inhibition. We found that ETS-1 protein expression levels in a majority of cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cell types were higher than those in their parental cisplatin sensitive partners. High ETS-1 expression was also found in patient-derived, cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cells. While ETS-1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, it could still re-sensitize cells to cisplatin treatment. Interestingly, previous studies have shown that MER/ERK pathways could regulate ETS-1 through its phosphorylation at threonine 38 (T38). Although almost all cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cells we tested showed higher ETS-1 phosphorylation levels at T38, we found that inhibition of MEK/ERK pathways with the MEK inhibitor PD0325901 did not block this phosphorylation. In addition, treatment of cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cells with the MEK inhibitor completely blocked ERK phosphorylation but did not re-sensitize cells to cisplatin treatment. Furthermore, we found that, consistent with ETS-1 increase, SRC phosphorylation dramatically increased in cisplatin-resistant HNSCC, and treatment of cells with the SRC inhibitor, Dasatinib, blocked SRC phosphorylation and decreased ETS-1 expression. Importantly, we showed that Dasatinib, as a single agent, significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, in addition to survival. Our results demonstrate that the SRC/ETS-1 pathway plays a crucial role and could be a key therapeutic target in cisplatin-resistant HNSCC treatment.
New Angles on Inequality

The trenchant essays in this volume pose two critical questions with respect to inequality: First, what explains the eruption of nationalist, xenophobic, and far-right politics and the ability of e...
Fake Alphas, Tail Risk and Reputation Traps

This paper presents a model in which the investment funds’ desire to enhance their reputation is decisive in determining the severity of aggregate shocks. Fund managers can generate active returns at a disutility or try to time the market, while investors learn about the managers’ skill by observing past returns. During booms, star funds exploit their status by extracting higher rents from investors, while poor performers may end up in a reputation trap, limiting their ability to attract investment. In a crisis, the funds exploit their reputation more frequently and tend to exacerbate fluctuations insofar as in the search for higher short-term returns they expose investors’ capital to tail risk. The model’s predictions on the effect of volatility, skewness of returns and inflows of funds, are all supported by recent empirical evidence on fund managers’ behavior.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Comorbid Consequences of War

Scientific literature is reviewed supporting a "consequence of war syndrome (CWS)" in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn soldiers. CWS constituents include chronic pain and insomnia, other physical complaints, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and neuropsychological deficits. The foundation of CWS lies with the chronic stressors inherent to deployment and the cascade of biological events mediated and maintained by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation. Such dysregulation is modified by the individual's specific experiences at war, difficulty reintegrating to post-deployment life, and the onset or exacerbation of the chronic and comorbid physical, emotional, and cognitive disorders. The circuit network between the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and hippocampus is particularly sensitive to the consequences of war. The review's specific conclusions are as follows: HPA axis dysregulation contributes to the chronic insomnia and hyperarousal seen in soldiers. There is considerable symptom overlap between PTSD and blast-related head injury, and it is difficult to determine the relative contributions of the two disorders to abnormal imaging studies. In some cases, traumatic brain injury (TBI) may directly precipitate PTSD symptoms. While not intuitive, the relationship between TBI and postconcussion syndrome appears indirect and mediated through PTSD. Blast-related or conventional head injury may have little long-term impact on neuropsychological functioning; contrarily, PTSD particularly accounts for current cognitive deficits. The psychological experience of CWS includes a "war-within" where soldiers continue to battle an internalized enemy. Successful treatment of CWS entails transdisciplinary care that addresses each of the constituent disorders.
Novel approach to outpatient endometrial biopsy to detect endometrial cancer.

e16522 Background: Currently there is no consensus on the best device and technique for obtaining endometrial biopsies to rule out cancer. Outpatient methods available include aspiration devices (P...
Intracranial monitoring and resective epilepsy surgery: Preoperative predictors of nonprogression to therapeutic surgery and long-term outcomes

Background: Resective surgery is efficacious in treating intractable epilepsy when an epileptogenic focus is accurately identified. Invasive monitoring is crucial when noninvasive studies are indeterminate or nonconcordant. Objective: Some patients do not progress to definitive surgery, following invasive monitoring; we aim to elucidate predictive characteristics and determine long-term outcome. Methods: Characteristics of patients in the Institutional Review Board-approved Rush University Surgical Epilepsy database who underwent invasive electroencephalography monitoring for were retrospectively analyzed to determine premonitoring factors correlating with nonprogression to definitive surgery. Results: Among 127 patients analyzed, 112 underwent resective surgery and 15 did not. Seizure freedom (Engel Class I) was realized in 63% of the surgery group and 7% of the nonsurgical group. The most common reason for not undergoing resective surgery was indeterminate epileptogenic focus localization. Factors correlating with nonprogression to surgery included bilateral pathology (P = 0.023), and factors exhibiting a trend include location, with frontal and parietal having lowest operative rates, and female gender. Conclusions: In all patient categories studied, subgroups that progressed to therapeutic surgery had better outcomes than those that did not. Lengthening invasive monitoring duration, employing newer diagnostic technologies for better seizure localization, and optimization of patient selection should be explored to improve overall outcomes. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Medical knowledge, Patient care, Practice-based learning and improvement, Systems-based practice.
Debate as a tool to develop disciplinary practices and student agency

Abstract Although there is a growing body of research related to disciplinary and critical literacy practices within social studies classrooms, little is known about how teachers cultivate these practices through structured debates within the school day. Focusing on teachers at one high school, the researchers used a qualitative case study to explore how debate promoted critical and disciplinary literacy, simultaneously providing space for student empowerment and agency. Findings demonstrated an increased focus by teachers on student-led learning, highlighting how teachers made incremental changes that prioritised students’ argumentation skills and comfort in sharing their voice throughout the debate process and beyond.
HDP as a basic indicator of regional competitiveness in Czech Republic with orientation on South Bohemia

There is evaluated the level of competitiveness of particular districts with using GDP per capital and its decomposition with orientation on position of South Bohemia district in the article. We used spot method for obtaining of order of districts according the chosen indicators. The South Bohemia district was places on sixth position and reached 44 % level of Prague as the best district in Czech Republic.
Characterization of Inflammatory Changes Associated with Canine Oligodendroglioma

Summary Oligodendroglioma is a common glial tumour in the dog. In human neuropathology, the immune cell microenvironment of gliomas has been investigated; however, the nature of the inflammatory cells within canine gliomas is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the nature of the immune cells and determine an association between the inflammatory cells and tumour grade. Thirty-four (18 of grade II and 16 of grade III) formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded samples of canine oligodendroglioma were evaluated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry for expression of CD3, PAX5, Iba-1, HLA-DR, Mac387 and CD31. Variations in immune cell recruitment and activation were evident in all cases. Infiltrating CD3+ T lymphocytes were common in most cases. PAX5+ B lymphocytes were less common and restricted to perivascular cuffs within or around the tumour. Iba-1+ cells were common within the tumour and formed a dense infiltrate around the tumour in a subset of cases. HLA-DR+ cells were common within the tumour and in a subset of cases formed perivascular cuffs. Iba-1+ cells typically had prominent ramified processes suggestive of activated microglia, while the HLA-DR+ cells had a more rounded morphology typical of amoeboid microglia. Rare Mac387+ macrophages were found in the tumour parenchyma, while increased numbers of Mac387+ monocytes were noted within the vasculature. No association or significance was established between the immune cell infiltrate and the grade of the tumour (all P ≥0.16). This study establishes that there is a robust population of immune cells within canine oligodendrogliomas and indicates that further study is needed to determine the role of these cells in tumour pathogenesis and progression.
Thermal characterization of corn starch mutants and textural effects on tortillas

Ten parent corn lines, comprised of four mutants (dull sugary2, amylose-extender sugary2, amylose-extender dull, and an amylose-extender (ae) with introgressed Guatemalan (GUAT) germplasm) and six lines with introgressed exotic germplasm backgrounds were crossed with each other to create 20 progeny crosses. The parents and progeny crosses were characterized for % resistant starch (RS), gelatinization, and retrogradation characteristics. The RS was measured from the extracted starch targeting the measurement of RS 2, which is present in ungelatinized starch, by using the Megazyme Resistant Starch kit. The RS values from the 10 parent lines varied from 18.3 % to 52.2 %, and the values from the 20 progeny crosses ranged from 16.6 to 34.0 %. Greater RS in parents was correlated to greater RS in the progeny crosses (r = 0.63, P ≤ 0.05). The Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) was used to measure the gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of the starches. Peak gelatinization temperature and change in enthalpy were positively correlated to % RS (r = 0.65 and r = 0.67, P ≤ 0.05); however, the retrogradation parameters, a measure of RS 3, did not correlate with % RS (RS 2 type). All parents, with the exception of Guat ae, and progeny crosses had % RS greater than that of commercial cornstarch (8.9%), but lower than that of a high-amylose standard (50 % apparent amylose, 40.2 % RS). The % RS and onset temperature increased with the addition of the ae gene. Tortillas are a simple food system made from whole corn that has been nixtamalized. A high-amylose, non-floury corn type with 55.2% RS, a floury corn type with 1% RS, and a 1:1 blend with 28.2% RS were used to make traditional tortillas. Whole corn was nixtamalized
A model for the adsorption of weak electrolytes on solids as a function of pH

Abstract The adsorption from aqueous solutions on charcoal at 25°C as a function of pH has been obtained for four carboxylic acids: 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid, 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, and 2,4-dichlorophenyl acetic acid. The adsorption measurements were treated semiempirically in terms of a general Langmuir-type adsorption process by considering the presence of both ionic and molecular species in the bulk solutions. This semiempirical treatment furnished specific Langmuir adsorption equation parameters which could be interpreted in terms of the surface concentrations at saturation and the desorption energies of the adsorbed species. For the weak electrolytes studied, all the Langmuir parameters except the surface saturation concentration for the uncharged molecules were found to vary in a consistent way with pH. Synergistic adsorption effects were shown to occur at low concentrations in the pH range where ion and molecule bulk concentrations were comparable. Good agreement with observed adsorption measurements was obtained for calculated values obtained from the Langmuir adsorption equation parameters over the entire range of pH used in the measurements. The concentrations of ions and molecules in the bulk solutions were determined from the dissociation constants and mass balance. Similarly, from dissociation constants and mass balance for the adsorbed particles, surface concentrations of ions and molecules were determined at each pH. The ratio of ions to molecules adsorbed onto the surface of the charcoal showed that ions were adsorbed in excess of the molecules throughout much of the pH range for all four weak electrolytes studied.
Regional muscle glucose uptake remains elevated one week after cessation of resistance training independent of altered insulin sensitivity response in older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Aging is associated with a decline in skeletal muscle size. Muscle is critical both for mobility and glucose disposal. While resistance exercise (RE) increases muscle mass and function in the elderly, its role in improving glucose utilization is less clear. Aims: To investigate whether muscle size was linked with insulin sensitivity (IS) in elders with diabetes following RE and if regional muscle glucose uptake differed from systemic glucose utilization. Methods: Seven (68.4±5.9 yr) adults with diabetes participated. After 16 weeks of RE, within 24 h (post 1) and after 1 week of no exercise (post 2), lean tissue cross-sectional area (CSA) and IS via glucose infusion rate (GIR) were assessed along with a standardized 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography uptake value (SUV). Results: CSA increased between pre-test (108.5±35.3 cm2) and post 1 (116.8±40.9 cm2), p=0.02 and did not differ at post 2 (116.0±39.3 cm2). GIR during the 40 mU/m2/min insulin clamp differed between pretest (22.0±15.8 mg/kg/min) and post 1 (67.9±72.8 mg/kg/min), and post 1 and post 2 (25.0±27.2 mg/kg/min) but not between pre-test and post 2. GIR results during the 200 mU/m2/min insulin clamps also differed between pre-test and post 1, and post 1 and post 2 but not between pre-test and post 2. FDG-SUV increased between pre-test (1.1 ±0.2) and post 1 (1.4±0.3), and remained stable between post 1 and post 2 (1.4±0.4). Conclusion: RE that increased muscle size and FDG-SUV improved IS 24 h but not 1 week after exercise training.
Situation/threat context assessment

There is a debate within the information fusion community whether situation and threat assessment (SA/TA) are separate as called out in the Joint Directors of the Lab (JDL) or interlinked in the Data Fusion Information Group (DFIG) Model. Situation assessment seeks a geospatial and temporal acknowledgement of the environment while threat assessment determines the impacts from the situation. Three types of impacts exist: entities (e.g., objects), environments (e.g. natural disasters), and relationships (interactions among entities). While object assessment can be determined from Bayes and/or evidential reasoning, it is also extended to threat assessment through a prior effects and world modeling. In this paper, we bring together the discussions of context as related to the discussion on SA/TA contextual analysis. While it is inherent that context plays a role in TA; we seek to highlight some of the assumptions, difficulties, and needs for TA — most notably stemming from requirements for sensor, user, and mission (SUM) management. SA and TA can be separate, linked, or serial, depending on the circumstance. An example is presented that highlights the need for context assessment in threat analysis as related to the changing situation.
The Possibilities are Assessable: Using an Evidence Based Framework to Identify Assessment Opportunities in Library Technology Departments

Abstract Objective – This study aimed to identify assessment opportunities and stakeholder connections in an emerging technologies department. Such departments are often overlooked by traditional assessment measures because they do not appear to provide direct support for student learning. Methods – The study consisted of a content analysis of departmental records and of weekly activity journals which were completed by staff in the Emerging Technologies and Services department in a U.S. academic library. The findings were supported by interviews with team members to provide richer data. An evidence based framework was used to identify stakeholder interactions where impactful evidence might be gathered to support decision-making and to communicate value. Results – The study identified a lack of available assessable evidence with some types of interaction, outreach activity, and responsibilities of staff being under-reported in departmental documentation. A modified logic model was developed to further identify assessment opportunities and reporting processes. Conclusion – The authors conclude that an evidence based practice research approach offers an engaging and illuminative framework to identify department alignment to strategic initiatives and learning goals. In order to provide a more complete picture of library impact and value, new and robust methods of assessing library technology departments must be developed and employed.
Experiences Accompanying Postpartum Weight Loss: Benefits, Successes, and Well-Being

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, and research has supported the theory that pregnancy contributes to long-term weight gain. This phenomenological study investigated the postpartum weight loss experiences of 24 women. Women ranged in age from 25 to 35 years, were mostly Caucasian with adequate resources, and about half worked either full or part time. Women described both positive and negative experiences associated with weight loss. Themes included issues related to exercise, weight struggles, pregnancy contributions to weight gain, eating, breastfeeding, motivation for weight loss, time issues, miscellaneous struggles, realizing benefits, social support, quick weight loss, personal well-being, and successes. The overarching theme that represents these women's experiences was the need to balance weight loss activity with other responsibilities, which resulted in challenges and triumphs in women's pursuit of returning to their prepregnancy weights. Realizing benefits, successes, and perso...
Theory of Breakdown Wave Propagation

The propagation of electrical breakdown waves in a gas is analyzed by assuming that the wave front of the breakdown wave is an electron shock wave. A simple three-fluid hydrodynamical model is used in which the partial pressure of the electron gas behind the shock zone is the primary source of the motion. A theoretical wave velocity of 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ m/sec is predicted for an applied field of ${10}^{4}$ V/m in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ at a pressure of 0.2 mm Hg. Since the propagation mechanism of the breakdown wave is mechanical, the model explains propagation equally well into either a positive or negative electric field. Qualitative agreement between theoretical and experimental breakdown wave velocities is obtained.
Advanced materials technologies of interest to the process industries

Interdependence between materials technologies and process industries is a common feature. Significant advances in science and technology are continually leading to the conception and design of new materials. An overview of some specialty materials (ceramics, polymers and composites) is provided. A summary of advances made in the metals industries (chemistry change, processing, fabrication, powder metallurgy and surfacing/coating) is presented. Multitude of innovative approaches to high performance alloys are illustrated by examples of an advanced corrosion-resistant alloy, a cobalt-free, heat-resistant alloy and a family of new wear-resistant stainless steels. Also, advances in information technology and materials expert systems are briefly outlined. Fortschritte der Werkstofftechnik fur die Verfahrensindustrien Die wechselseitigen Beziehungen zwischen Werkstofftechnik und Verfahrenstechnik sind allgemein bekannt; die betrachtlichen Fortschritte in Wissenschaft und Technik fuhren zu einer stetigen Weiterentwicklung neuer Werkstoffe. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine Ubersicht einiger Spezialwerkstoffe (Keramik, Polymere, Verbundwerkstoffe) gegeben, wobei die Fortschritte der Metallentwicklung (Veranderungen der Zusammensetzung, der Bearbeitung, der Umformung, der Pulvermetallurgie und der Oberflachenbeschichtung) behandelt werden. Die zahlreichen neueren Bestrebungen zur Entwicklung von Hochleistungslegierungen werden am Beispiel von neuen korrosionsbestandigen Legierungen, einer kobaltfreien hitzebestandigen Legierung und einer Familie neuer verschleisbestandiger nichtrostender Stahle erortert. Kurz eingegangen wird auch auf die Informationstechnik und Expertensysteme fur Werkstoffe.
Proportional hazards tests and diagnostics based on weighted residuals

SUMMARY Nonproportional hazards can often be expressed by extending the Cox model to include time varying coefficients; e.g., for a single covariate, the hazard function for subject i is modelled as exp { fl(t)Zi(t)}. A common example is a treatment effect that decreases with time. We show that the function /3(t) can be directly visualized by smoothing an appropriate residual plot. Also, many tests of proportional hazards, including those of Cox (1972), Gill & Schumacher (1987), Harrell (1986), Lin (1991), Moreau, O'Quigley & Mesbah (1985), Nagelkerke, Oosting & Hart (1984), O'Quigley & Pessione (1989), Schoenfeld (1980) and Wei (1984) are related to time-weighted score tests of the proportional hazards hypothesis, and can be visualized as a weighted least-squares line fitted to the residual plot.
Nitrosothiol Quantification in Human Plasma

Abstract A high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay for measuring picomole quantities of nitrosothiol in biological samples was developed. The assay utilizes the catalytic reduction of nitrosothiol by mercuric cation (Hg 2+ ). Released nitrogen oxide reacts with sulfanilamide (SA) and N -(1-napthyl)ethylenediamine (NNED) to form a stable azo dye. The azo dye is then separated from N -(1-napthyl)ethylenediamine and quantified by reversed-phase HPLC. In addition to nitrosothiol, nitrite and atmospheric nitrogen oxides are sources of nitrogen oxide that react with the reagents, SA and NNED, to form the azo dye. Therefore, a reference sample, which includes the nitrosothiol sample and all reagents except Hg 2+ , is utilized for the subtraction of nitrite and atmospheric nitrogen oxides which “contaminate” the nitrosothiol sample and reagents. This method is a sensitive (∼3 pmol; ∼10 −1 μM) and accurate means to measure nitrosothiol concentration in biologic samples.
To serve and protect? Toward a better relationship between drug control policy and public health.

117–118Keywords: HIV, police, drug policy, enforcementThe USA has the highest rate of incarceration in theworld; over 2 million people are behind bars and another4.5 million are on probation or parole. The number ofincarcerated people in the USA has almost doubled overthe last decade [1,2], due at least in part to penally-oriented US drug policies. In their paper [3], Friedmanet al. examine the extent to which legal repressiveness –measured through drug-related arrests, police per capitaand corrections expenditures percapita – inﬂuences HIVinfectionin89majorUSmetropolitanareas.Inanelegantanalysis, the authors show that their three indices of legalrepressiveness had no effect on drug use measures, but allthree were associated with higher HIV prevalence.The growing body of literature surrounding policing andHIV risk [3–9] has important implications for bothresearchandpolicy.Intermsofresearch,thereisaneedtodetermine the extent to which the relationship betweenpolicing practices and HIV infection is causal, and if so,whether the effectis direct or indirect. Literature exists tosupport both direct and indirect pathways. Police canhaveadirecteffectonwhere,withwhom,whenandhowinjection drug users (IDUs) administer theirdose. Studiesfrom the USA and elsewhere show that police pressure isassociatedwithuseofshootinggallerieswhereneedlesarerented or sold and needle sharing is commonplace [5–7].Police can also have an indirect effect on HIV risk, forexamplebydiscouragingIDUsfromutilizationofsyringeexchange programs (SEPs) [8] ordisplacing IDUs to areaswith limited or no access to SEPs ordrug treatment [8,9].Friedman and colleagues [3] provide yet another piece ofevidencethattheUSwarondrugsishavingserious,oftendevastating health effects that can be reduced throughpublic health interventions.The war on drugs, which the USA has prosecuted withsingle-minded vigor at home and abroad, is a losingproposition.Yetonecanhardlyconcludethatabandoningcollective efforts to reduce harmful drug consumptionwould produce a net beneﬁt to society: drugs, both legaland illegal, can carry signiﬁcant health hazards. In legalandillegalmarkets,theproﬁtmotivedrivesproducersandsellerstomarketaseffectivelyaspossible.Thus,theissueisnot whether to continue drug control efforts, but whichsorts of efforts, and in what combination, will have thegreatest positive impact on drug abuse and the type,severity and distribution of harms. Experiences withnicotine, alcohol and heroin all have something to teachus about regulatory models and their health effects.The prescription for policy is not obvious. Reducingdemand, incarcerating fewer drug users, improving andexpanding harm reduction services and drug treatmentoptionsareallsensiblepiecesof anewdrugpolicy,butwehave no more consensus about what policies work thanwe do on the question of which ones do not. Moreover,we do not have one global drug problem but many,varying with place, culture, economic conditions and
Nondestructive, Continuous Rapid Measurement and Control of Flock Density

A nondestructive technique for rapidly and continuously measuring the density of flocked fabric was developed and used to continuously monitor an experimental flocking range. A sensing device measured the capacitance of a capacitor when the fabric with adhesive passed through it. This value was saved and compared with the value read when the flocked substrate passed through a second transducer downstream. A process monitoring computer received these signals and output a signal to a strip chart recorder proportional to the mass of flock on the substrate. The recorded signal could then be used to control the uniformity of flock deposition on the substrate.
The red plaque test: A rapid method for identification of excision defective variants of bacteriophage lambda

We have developed a simple and rapid plaque test for isolation, characterization, and mapping of integration and excision-defective mutants of bacteriophage lambda. Mutants are recognized by their inability to promote the int and xis dependent excision of a cryptic prophage inserted within the galT gene of E. coli. Methods for complementation of int and xis mutants as well as methods for isolation and analysis of transducing phage are presented.
Expression of a truncated retroviral envelope gene enhances expression of normal cellular phenotypes.

The envelope gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MLV) and its various functional domains have been studied extensively but not as much in terms of their biological effects on cell growth. In this study, we report the biological characterization of a truncated Mo-MLV envelope gene, LN11, which is devoid of a signal peptide. Its expression in various cell types, as compared to the control, enabled the transduced cells to assume a more normal phenotype, which is defined by an increase in contact inhibition and factor dependence, as well as reduced tumorigenicity. LN11-transduced fibroblasts exhibited a higher degree of contact inhibition, assumed a more flattened morphology and were more adherent compared to the control. In v-abl transformed hematopoietic cells, expression of LN11 resulted in slower cell growth, which was due to an enhanced dependence on exogenous growth factors. Enforced expression of LN11 also resulted in a slower rate of tumor development and a reduced tumor load. Thus, modification of a retroviral genome could have a significant impact on cell growth and development. This is one example where we need to consider the safety issue carefully when constructing retrovirus vectors for gene therapy.
The other “papers on the science of administration”: a search for common themes

The Papers on the Science of Administration are almost exclusively Gown for the opening and closing articles by Luther Gulick. This article explores the intervening nine articles to test some of Gulick's assertions about them. First, despite Gulick's somewhat unclear claim to the contrary, the “other” papers did not present many unfamiliar arguments to impress informed readers. Second, despite Gulick's explicit claim, the articles offered little consensus except on the most general and unusable “principles” of administration. Third, there were hints throughout the papers that the “principles” approach to management was collapsing because of the vague but indispensable issue of leadership. Hence, the “other” papers are neglected because they never offered the emerging consensus that Gulick promised.
Temporal asymmetry of sex interconversion in a strain of the homothallic fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe

In the homothallic P/d sex interconversion system in a strain of a fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), P→d is apparently twice as frequent as d→P. This is interpreted to mean that P→d occurs before DNA replication, whereas d→P occurs after. But the probabilities of their occurrence within a cell cycle are about the same (1 in 27 cell divisions).
A query integrity assurance scheme for accessing outsourced spatial databases

With the trend of cloud computing, outsourcing databases to third party service providers is becoming a common practice for data owners to decrease the cost of managing and maintaining databases in-house. In conjunction, due to the popularity of location-based-services (LBS), the need for spatial data (e.g., gazetteers, vector data) is increasing dramatically. Consequently, there is a noticeably new tendency of outsourcing spatial datasets by data collectors. Two main challenges with outsourcing datasets are to keep the data private (from the data provider) and to ensure the integrity of the query result (for the clients). Unfortunately, most of the techniques proposed for privacy and integrity do not extend to spatial data in a straightforward manner. Hence, recent studies proposed various techniques to support either privacy or integrity (but not both) on spatial datasets. In this paper, for the first time, we propose a technique that can ensure both privacy and integrity for outsourced spatial data. In particular, we first use a one-way spatial transformation method based on Hilbert curves, which encrypts the spatial data before outsourcing and, hence, ensures its privacy. Next, by probabilistically replicating a portion of the data and encrypting it with a different encryption key, we devise a technique for the client to audit the trustworthiness of the query results. We show the applicability of our approach for both k-nearest-neighbor queries and spatial range queries, which are the building blocks of any LBS application. We also design solutions to guarantee the freshness of outsourced spatial databases. Finally, we evaluate the validity and performance of our algorithms with security analyses and extensive simulations.
Fibulin-2 deficiency attenuates angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy by reducing transforming growth factor-β signalling

AngII (angiotensin II) is a potent neurohormone responsible for cardiac hypertrophy, in which TGF (transforming growth factor)-β serves as a principal downstream mediator. We recently found that ablation of fibulin-2 in mice attenuated TGF-β signalling, protected mice against progressive ventricular dysfunction, and significantly reduced the mortality after experimental MI (myocardial infarction). In the present study, we investigated the role of fibulin-2 in AngII-induced TGF-β signalling and subsequent cardiac hypertrophy. We performed chronic subcutaneous infusion of AngII in fibulin-2 null (Fbln2 − / − ), heterozygous (Fbln2 + / − ) and WT (wild-type) mice by a mini-osmotic pump. After 4 weeks of subpressor dosage of AngII infusion (0.2 μg/kg of body weight per min), WT mice developed significant hypertrophy, whereas the Fbln2 − / − showed no response. In WT, AngII treatment significantly up-regulated mRNAs for fibulin-2, ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide), TGF-β1, Col I (collagen type I), Col III (collagen type III), MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-2 and MMP-9, and increased the phosphorylation of TGF-β-downstream signalling markers, Smad2, TAK1 (TGF-β-activated kinase 1) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), which were all unchanged in AngII-treated Fbln2 − / − mice. The Fbln2 + / − mice consistently displayed AngII-induced effects intermediate between WT and Fbln2 − / − . Pressor dosage of AngII (2 mg/kg of body weight per min) induced significant fibrosis in WT but not in Fbln2 − / − mice with comparable hypertension and hypertrophy in both groups. Isolated CFs (cardiac fibroblasts) were treated with AngII, in which direct AngII effects and TGF-β-mediated autocrine effects was observed in WT. The latter effects were totally abolished in Fbln2 − / − cells, suggesting that fibulin-2 is essential for AngII-induced TGF-β activation. In conclusion our data indicate that fibulin-2 is essential for AngII-induced TGF-β-mediated cardiac hypertrophy via enhanced TGF-β activation and suggest that fibulin-2 is a potential therapeutic target to inhibit AngII-induced cardiac remodelling.
High-resolution studies of collision-induced population grating resonances in optical four-wave mixing in sodium vapor

Optical four-wave mixing resonances in sodium vapor induced by collisions with inert buffer gases (He, Ar, Xe, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$) are characterized at high resolution ( 5 MHz) using lasers tuned near the $D$ lines of Na. These resonances are interpreted in terms of coherent scattering from a population grating established by collisional absorption of the incident radiation. The roles of homogeneous and inhomogeneous contributions to the resonance line shapes are clarified. The line shapes exhibit structure sharper than the predicted linewidth, that characteristic of the $3P$-to-$3S$ transition rate. We show that this is caused by collision-induced optical pumping which introduces the ground-state lifetime into the grating relaxation physics. These long-lived gratings are exemplified dramatically by experiments in the presence of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ which collisionally quenches the Na $3P$ states. Similar results are obtained in Xe where it is argued that excimer formation with the $3P$ states plays a role in the population dynamics. Model calculations of the effects of sodium level degeneracy on the grating dynamics are presented to support these conclusions. Finally we present data illustrating interference between the collision-induced population grating resonances detailed here and collision-induced coherent Raman resonances between Zeeman sublevels of the ground state.