cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Impact of Oligomeric Polystyrene Side Chain Arrangement on the All-Polymer Solar Cell Performance

The introduction of oligomeric polystyrene (PS) side chains into the conjugated backbone is proven to enhance the processability and electronic properties of semiconducting polymers. Here, two series of donor and acceptor polymers are prepared with different molar percentages of PS side chains to elucidate the effect of their substitution arrangement on the all-polymer solar cell performance. The observed device performance is lower when the PS side chains are substituted on the donor polymer and higher when on the acceptor polymer, indicating a clear arrangement effect of the PS side chain. The incorporation of PS side chains to the acceptor polymer contributes to the decrease in phase separation domain size in the blend films. However, the reduced domain size was still an order of magnitude larger than the typical exciton diffusion length. A detailed morphological study together with the estimation of solubility parameter of the pristine PS, donor, and acceptor polymers reveals that the relative value of solubility parameter of each component dominantly contributes to the purity of the phase separated domain, which strongly impacts the amount of generated photocurrent and overall solar cell performance. This study provides an understanding of the design strategies to improve the all-polymer solar cells.
Author Reply: Illuminating the Health Benefits of Psychological Assets:

This reply addresses observations of Drs. Larsen, Kruse, and Sweeny, and Scherer in their reviews of our published work on the link between positive psychological assets and outcomes of physical health. Inspired by Obama’s Precision Medicine Initiative we argue that the interplay between the emotion spectrum and health is likely a complex and heterogeneous amalgam of known and yet unidentified elements melding at the individual level. When exploring the emotion–health link, researchers are challenged to grapple with complex system models by considering multiple hierarchies of information that span individual-level factors, genetic blueprints, and cultural and environmental context. Research is needed to more fully elucidate the mechanism through which emotion influences health, with careful consideration of differences across race/ethnicity, culture, and context.
Presence of immune deficiency increases the risk of hospitalization in patients with norovirus infection.

Abstract Norovirus is an emerging pathogen causing gastroenteritis. We sought to identify factors associated with clinical outcomes in a cohort of patients with laboratory-confirmed norovirus infection. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with positive norovirus polymerase chain reaction in stool between October 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016. 128 unique patients were identified during the study period, 64 of whom had immune deficiency, of which only 3 patients had a primary immune deficiency (common variable immune deficiency), while 61 patients had a secondary immune deficiency. 50% of patients with immune deficiency were hospitalized as compared to only 30% of the non–immune-deficient cohort (odds ratio: 2.1 (1.1–4.18, P =0.04). One-third (32.8%) of the patients had a polymicrobial stool infection, and 21.1% had concurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Initial mean total leukocyte count was higher in the hospitalized group at 8.40×109/L versus 6.31×109/L in the nonhospitalized group ( P =0.049). All 13 patients presenting with fever had symptomatic resolution ( P =0.002). The presence of C. difficile infection was correlated with persistent symptoms (OR 2.30 [0.95–5.58], P =0.067). The overall mortality rate among our cohort was 3.13% (4 patients). All deceased patients had secondary immune deficiency, and none had C. difficile coinfection. Presence of an immune deficiency increases the risk of hospitalization with norovirus infection. Absence of fever is associated with lower resolution and possibly may contribute to a persistent infectious state. Presence of concomitant C. difficile infection is correlated with a lower overall mortality rate.
Perceived control and health-related quality of life in heart transplant recipients.

Background:Perceived control has been associated with improved mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in cardiac populations. However, this concept has not been well-studied in heart transplant groups.Aims:We examine the relationship of perceived control to symptoms of anxiety and depression and HRQOL after transplant. We also examine the extent to which anxiety and depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between perceived control and HRQOL.Methods:Our cross-sectional analysis included 113 adult heart transplant patients from the NEW HEART study. High versus low perceived control groups were determined by median split for chi-square and t-test analyses. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were used to examine the influence of perceived control on symptoms of depression and anxiety and HRQOL. Mediation analyses included Baron and Kenny’s four-step regression approach and Preacher and Hayes’ bootstrapping technique to test the indirect effect of perceived control on HRQOL.R...
22. THE NEAR FUTURE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA (PSYCHOSIS) RESEARCH

Overall Abstract: Implications of a heterogeneous clinical syndrome such as schizophrenia have long been known but little attended. Fundamental problems persist, such as schizophrenia as the phenotype in GWAS studies. But the 21st Century has brought substantial attention to limitations in acquisition of new knowledge. New concepts and methods are being implemented. Selected examples will be reviewed and potential scientific advances that influence clinical care will be outlined. This will include advances in mechanism knowledge, identification of novel targets for therapeutic discovery, re-conceptualization of psychopathology for regulatory purposes, a new integration of behavioral and biological science to inform nosology, enhanced testing of neural circuit hypotheses, and serious attention to primary prevention.
Acquired Methemoglobinemia Associated with Topical Lidocaine Administration: A Case Report.

A 55-year-old male was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. During an intubation procedure, the patient received an application of endobronchial lidocaine (4% gel). Within 2 h of intubation, the patient developed worsening hypoxia, and investigation of arterial blood gasses revealed a pH of 7.21, carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2) of 3.3 kPa, oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) of 55.1 kPa, and measured oxygen saturation of 49%. Co-oximetry of this sample returned a methemoglobin level of 53%. Intravenous methylthioninium chloride (1% solution at 1 mg/kg) was delivered, and subsequent arterial blood gasses, at 30 min and 1 h post administration, showed methemoglobin levels of 12 and 9%, respectively, with return of oxygen saturation to > 90%.
A Systems (Holistic) Approach to Sustainable Agriculture

While natural ecosystems require only sunlight to maintain themselves, agricultural ecosystems require energy subsidies in the form of fertilizers, irrigation, and pesticides. “At what rate should these energy subsidies be applied?” is the basic question for achieving agricultural sustainability. The answer is using energy inputs efficiently, that is, at a point where there is maximum energy output (yield) per unit energy input (fertilizers, pesticides etc.) Energy use efficiency is one of several ecosystem characteristics, but from the viewpoint of sustainability, it is the most important because of the increasing cost and scarcity of fossil fuel subsidies, and the pollution caused by energy waste. Energy inputs to provide maximum yield occurs at a rate which is higher than that which provides maximum energy use efficiency. Maximizing yield does not mean maximizing sustainability because the effort to increase yield (energy output) through increasing energy inputs beyond a certain point results in a decrease in efficiency for every additional unit of yield. Maximizing yield does not take into consideration the cost of that increased yield. Although farming to maximize energy use efficiency instead of yield may result in a decrease in gross energy output, it increases net energy output. Any decline in yield from farming for energy use efficiency is compensated for by decreased costs of energy inputs and pollution clean-up costs that occur from operating beyond the point of maximum efficiency. In economic terms, managing for maximum output is producing beyond the point of diminishing returns. Managing for energy use efficiency means getting the most for your money.
Apparatus for viscoelastic thermal compression of wood

Viscoelastic Thermal Compression (VTC) of wood is a treatment which greatly improves material properties by means of densification with mechanical compression perpendicular to the grain. VTC is similar to other wood densification processes, but is designed for thin lamina and employs dynamic temperature and steam pressure conditions. A device was constructed that is capable of producing VTC wood. Details of the construction and operation of the VTC device are presented. The device consists of a pressurized chamber with variable volume. Wood density may be modified from the initial density of the virgin wood up to approximately 1400 kg/m3. Control of steam pressure and temperature insures that the wood cell walls are not fractured during the process. The device is designed for batch operation and may be adapted to a conventional laboratory hot-press. An example operating schedule is described, but other procedures are possible within the design parameters of the device.
A Vision of Integrated Psychiatric and Medical Care for 2023

This book was written so that early- and mid-career psychiatrists and psychiatrists in training can catch a glimpse of the changing health care environment and the new roles psychiatrists will play in it. While the book summarizes where we are today, the majority of its pages are devoted to forward thinking, i.e., exploring the world of psychiatry that we expect will unfold during the next quarter century. Of course, this centers on the majority of our patients that currently have very limited access to psychiatric services, since they are seen in the medical setting, where psychiatrists rarely practice either due to workforce limitations or financial barriers. Chapter authors share information about the prevalence of psychiatric illness in medical patients, the impact that poor treatment has on total health outcomes and cost, promising models of integrated care that place psychiatrists in a central role as contributors to total health improvement, fiscal and clinical steps that need to be taken to transition from standalone psychiatric services to integrated services, and training and research agendas that will, looking forward, allow psychiatrists to play a central role in integrated health care.
High temperature, experimental thermal memory based on optical resonances in photonic crystal slabs

We present an experimental thermal memory with direct optical control and readout. Information is stored in the internal temperature of the device, while laser illumination is used to read, write, and erase stored bits. Our design is based on an absorptive optical resonance in a silicon photonic crystal slab. When the slab is illuminated by a laser with a wavelength close to the resonance, the optical absorption is nonlinear with power, resulting in thermo-optic bistability. We experimentally demonstrate bistability in a fabricated device and show the reading, writing, and erasing of a single memory bit. A hybrid optothermal model shows good agreement with the experiment. Time dependent measurements show that the experimental write/erase times are less than 500 µs. We demonstrate that memory reliability is maintained over 106 cycles, with less than 3% change in the transmission values for the memory ON and OFF states. Our approach allows operation in high temperature and/or highly fluctuating temperature environment up to 100 °C or greater.
Nivolumab-induced hypophysitis leading to hypopituitarism and secondary empty sella syndrome in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer.

We describe the clinical course of a 64-year-old woman with stage IVa lung adenocarcinoma who presented with over 1 month of fatigue, unintentional weight loss and emesis. She initiated treatment with nivolumab immunotherapy 1 year prior and had been tolerating the treatment well. A comprehensive workup revealed multiple endocrinological abnormalities consistent with hypophysitis leading to hypopituitarism in the form of central adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism as well as a partially empty sella on imaging. This case demonstrates that while receiving novel forms of treatment such as immunotherapy, patients should be monitored closely for a wide range of adverse effects.
Views of regulatory authorities on standards to assure quality in online nursing education

Abstract Background With the rapid growth in online education programs in nursing, quality of education through this modality is becoming of greater importance. Purpose This paper aims to explore current recommendations and standards for quality in online nursing education offered by nursing regulatory, accrediting, and licensing organizations. Method Individual interviews were conducted with the leaders from four accrediting, licensing and certifying organizations in nursing about their perspectives on quality standards for online education. Findings The following themes emerged from the qualitative interviews: Theme 1- Standards are not specific to online education; Theme 2-This is not up to us - Professional organizations can offer recommendations but not responsible for regulations; and Theme 3- Each institution has responsibility to provide support and evaluate the quality of online education. Discussion Schools of nursing should continue to incorporate current standards for quality in online education as the methods of delivery continue to evolve in this highly technologically-oriented world.
Real-world experience of dupilumab treatment for atopic dermatitis in adults: a retrospective analysis of patients' records.

Background Clinical trial data for dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4Rα), have shown that it is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in patients whose disease is resistant to other therapies. However, little real-world experience with dupilumab use has been reported thus far. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess overall outcomes in adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with dupilumab. Methods A retrospective review of electronic medical records was conducted for patients treated with dupilumab in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California, Irvine. Results We analyzed the medical records of 77 AD patients who received dupilumab according to standard dosing and had at least one documented follow-up visit. In 66 patients (86%), dupilumab improved clinical disease severity, with 23 patients (30%) experiencing complete clearance on dupilumab. Dupilumab was generally well-tolerated and caused no serious adverse events. The most common side effects included dry eyes, conjunctivitis, and keratitis. The most common reason for discontinuation of treatment was lack of substantial clinical improvement or progression of disease severity, followed by ophthalmologic side effects. Conclusions Overall, dupilumab was well-tolerated and resulted in clinical improvement in our patient population. These results provide additional important information on the safety and utility of dupilumab treatment for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in the real-world clinical setting.
This is UnREAL: discourses of quality, antiheroes, and the erasure of the femininized popular culture in “Television for Women”

This essay examines the discourse of the initial industry promotion and popular press reviews of the Lifetime series, UnREAL, and argues that in seeking to justify the program as “quality,” this di...
Therapeutic Targeting of mTORC2 in mTORopathies.

Dysregulated mTOR contributes to neurodevelopmental dysfunction. A new study (Chen et al., 2019) demonstrates that suppression of mTORC2, not mTORC1, ameliorates survival, seizures, and abnormal behaviors in a Pten mutant model, highlighting mTORC2 as a potential therapeutic target in mTORopathies.
Assessment of instructions on panelist cognitive framework and free sorting task results: A case study of cold brew coffee

Abstract As the free sorting task becomes more common in sensory science, methodological research is needed to determine best practices for the test. Previous studies have shown that asking attribute-specific, “analytical” questions can bias the answers participants give to later “holistic” questions in a survey. For the free sorting task, this has led researchers to recommend only asking subjects to label or describe groups of products after they have finished sorting, but this approach is not based on empirical research. The present study investigated whether the separation of sorting and labeling steps is necessary by having 80 panelists sort 12 cold brew coffee samples in 3 conditions: labeling and describing the groups afterwards, at the same time, or not at all. Results were analyzed with DISTATIS, Hierarchical DISTATIS, and permutation tests. This work is novel in investigating the effect of labeling instructions on sorting results and provides some interesting insight into sensory impact of coffee bean parameters on cold brew coffees. No configurational differences were found based on the timing of labeling instructions and 38% of panelists labeled their groups without being told, suggesting future researchers may request that subjects label when convenient. While the most distinctive samples were the dark roast coffees, a large subgroup (n = 36) sorted the coffee samples partially based on country of origin. Given the lack of effect from different sorting instructions and the tendency for spontaneous, simultaneous labeling, simultaneous labeling is suggested as best practice for future sorting tasks.
Open-source five degree of freedom motion platform for investigating fish-robot interaction

Abstract This paper presents the design, construction, operation, and validation of a robotic gantry platform specifically designed for studying fish-robot interaction. The platform has five degrees of freedom to manipulate the three-dimensional position, yaw angle, and the pitch of a lure. Additionally, it has a four-conductor slip ring that allows power and data to be transmitted to the lure for the operation of fins and other actuators that increase realism or act as stimuli to focal fish during an ethorobotic experiment. The design is open-source, low-cost, and includes purpose-built electronics, software, and hardware to make it extensible and customizable for a number of applications with varying requirements.
A Novel ESD Clamp Based on the VO 2 Insulator-Metal Transition

Protection from electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a continual challenge in semiconductor manufacturing, requiring significant die space for silicon-based rectifiers. On-chip ESD protection requires devices with a voltage-triggered reduction in resistance by orders of magnitude within a nanosecond or less, in order to safely divert current away from sensitive circuits, and which must return to insulating when the ESD event is over. This behaviour is inherent to insulator-metal transition (IMT) materials [1] like vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ), making them candidates for simple, highly compact ESD clamps that are both bipolar and potentially back-end of the line (BEOL) compatible, dealing with ESD events more rapidly and further away from sensitive devices. Here, we demonstrate VO 2 snapback devices as compact ESD clamps and use transmission line pulse (TLP) testing to evaluate their reliability for the first time. We find that they have a snapback voltage which can be easily engineered via device length and are capable of sustaining $> 10\mathrm{A}$ current in the metallic state, yet still return to insulating once an event is over.
Synthesis of heteroepitaxial BP and related Al-B-Sb-As-P films via CVD of Al(BH 4 ) 3 and MH 3 (M=P, As, Sb) at temperatures below 600 °C

Low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using the Al(BH4)3 and PH3 precursors at ~ 600 °C produces pure and crystalline BP films directly on Si and on ZrB2 buffer layers with no sign of Al incorporation. The BP films on ZrB2 are fully epitaxial despite the structural difference between the hexagonal buffer and the cubic epilayer. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the interface energies revealed strong bonding interactions at the heterojunction due to compliant lattice matching behavior, corroborating the favorable assembly of BP on ZrB2. A systematic study of the growth method is carried out by substituting As and Sb for P in the group-V carrier gas. Reactions of Al(BH4)3 with AsH3 at 320 °C yielded the expected BAs films with small amounts of Al. In this case the samples are amorphous and efforts to crystallize them by increasing the growth temperature yielded boron-rich analogues. Analogous reactions of Al(BH4)3 with SbD3 on Si at 300 °C produce AlSb epitaxial crystals doped with B instead of the BSb phase. This indicates that the process favors formation of Al-Sb bonds over the weaker B-Sb bonds. The results of this study indicate that the Al(BH4)3 approach represents a viable low-temperature route that may be advantageous in producing useful BP coatings with applications in thermal and optical technologies. The compound also represents an intriguing low-temperature route to BP, BAs, and AlSb-type materials when reacted with corresponding P, As, and Sb hydrides, yielding in each case the thermodynamically driven products.
How media empower the vulnerable: Using community structure theory to analyze relationships between demographics and health reporting

Instead of studying the impact of media on society, the traditional "top down" orientation of most communication studies scholars, this keynote presentation adopted the opposite perspective, exploring the "bottom-up" impact of "society" on "media". Unlike conventional "agenda-setting theory", which suggests that nationally prominent news media set issue "agendas" for other news media and public opinion, and also unlike the "guard dog" view that media essentially protect the interests of political and economic elites, the "community structure theory" explores links between different community (typically city or nation-state) demographics and variations in reporting on critical health concerns. Summarizing his scholarship on health communication presented and published over decades, the speaker outlined community structure theory's illumination of two overall patterns in US and cross-national coverage of health communication issues. In US coverage, broad measures of economically "buffered" privilege (educational, income, or occupational advantage) are linked to "favorable" or "government responsibility" coverage of health issues, and specific measures of "health" privilege (physicians, hospitals) are connected to "favorable" or "government responsibility" coverage promoting selected health issues. In cross-national coverage, specific measures of national "health vulnerability" (such as percent without improved water access, infant mortality rate) are linked to "government" responsibility coverage for selected health issues (human trafficking, water handling/contamination). In addition, broad measures of "macro" vulnerability conditions (agricultural dependence, political instability) are associated with "government" responsibility coverage for a wide range of health issues (genetically modified foods, drug trafficking, condom promotion, and food security). Overall, community structure theory's "bottom up" perspective reveals how the vulnerable are empowered by their demographic alignment with variations in health communication.
The Chicago Skyline

This chapter examines the Chicago Skyline. Read as a unit; a skyline forms a potent urban symbol that manifests citizens’ achievements, economic status, cultural ambition, and lifestyle. An imageable skyline boosts the city’s reputation, reinforces civic life, and fosters pride. It also helps residents and visitors to better orient themselves within the city and to navigate through it. According to Kevin Lynch, a modern skyline is a “vertical edge” created by tall buildings. By analyzing Chicago Skyline, this chapter attempts to extract useful placemaking and urban design lessons.
Nonlinear Effects of Mobility on COVID-19: Implications for Targeted Lockdowns

This paper investigates nonlinearities in the relationship between mobility and COVID-19 cases or deaths. The formal analysis is achieved by using county-level daily data from the U.S., where a difference-in-difference design is employed. Nonlinearities in the relationship between mobility and COVID-19 cases or deaths are investigated by regressing weekly percentage changes in COVID-19 cases or deaths on mobility measures, where county fixed effects and daily fixed effects are controlled for. The main innovation is achieved by distinguishing between the coefficients in front of mobility measures across U.S. counties based on their demographic or socioeconomic characteristics. The results suggest that the positive effects of mobility on COVID-19 cases or deaths increase with population, per capita income, or commuting time as well as with having certain occupations, working in certain industries, attending certain schools, or having certain educational attainments. Important policy implications follow regarding where mobility restrictions would work better to fight against COVID-19 through targeted lockdowns.
Adverse childhood experiences and sexual health among young adults: Examining the roles of regulatory focus and patient activation

Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a prevalent concern linked to poor health outcomes, including in the area of sexual health. Objective The current study explored factors that might impact sexual health attitudes and behaviors among college students exposed to ACEs. We examined: a) regulatory focus (i.e., type of goals that individuals are likely to pursue), and b) patient activation (i.e., degree of skills, knowledge, beliefs, and motivations that a person has related to their health). Participants and setting College students (N = 503) completed an online survey. Methods The survey assessed exposure to ACEs, regulatory focus, patient activation, condom use self-efficacy, condom embarrassment, and number of past year sexual partners. Results Reporting a higher number of ACEs was related to greater prevention regulatory focus (p Conclusions Prevention-focused health messages and improving patient activation may be useful components of interventions targeting sexual health among young adults exposed to ACEs.
Cuatro palabras sobre ensayos clínicos: ciencia/negocio, riesgo/beneficio

This article discusses the limitations of clinical trials in determining the safety and efficacy of therapeutic drugs in Latin America. A major limitation is the lack of transparency surrounding the implementation of clinical trials. The data gathered by research ethics committees, regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry is inaccessible to outside parties; this secrecy is not explained by the need to protect industrial secrets but rather by the industry's need to commercialize as quickly as possible the drugs under experimentation. The covering up of ethical violations, errors, and even fraud is a tacit condition imposed by the industry in order to continue future clinical trials. The governments of the region have accepted the industry’s rationalization that clinical trials transfer scientific knowledge, benefit participants, and increase the flow of foreign capital coming in to the country, and in addition the results contribute to improving health in all nations. Based on evidence gathered from several Latin American countries and from independent researchers in other parts of the world, the authors refute the industry's arguments.
Functional inference from probabilistic protein interaction networks

The ability to obtain complete genome sequence for human and model organisms has shifted the grand challenge of genomics to describing the functional units of a genome and their interactions at the systems level. Protein-coding genes are the dominant class of functional units, and protein–protein interactions provide the framework for understanding manifold biological processes. Recent years have seen exponential growth in the quantity of protein–protein interaction data available for inferring protein networks. Inference remains challenging, however, because of high false-positive and false-negative rates in the high-throughput studies generating the majority of protein interaction data. Experimental studies now report confidence metrics together with interaction data, and similar methods have been applied retrospectively to analyze legacy data sets. Thus, a convenient level of abstraction for protein interaction data is a weighted graph in which vertices represent proteins, perhaps labeled by biological function, and edge weights represent confidence scores or likelihoods for pairwise interactions. Graph-based models permit intuitive inference of protein function based on the function of neighboring proteins. This review provides a critical view of recent advances in algorithms for protein functional inference from probabilistic protein interaction networks. The types of algorithms considered, in order of increasing statistical rigor and computational cost, include nearest-neighbor approaches, adaptive neighborhoods and tree-building methods, energy minimization by simulated annealing and free energy minimization by message passing methods, and stochastic methods based on Gibbs sampling. The review explores the trade-off between computational cost, predictive accuracy, and generalization error. Keywords: proteomics; protein interactions; spin lattice; Markov random field; generalized belief propagation; Gibbs sampling
Some Properties of Extracellular Acetylxylan Esterase Produced by the Yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa.

The red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa produced an esterase that accumulated in the culture supernatant on induction with triacetin. The enzyme was specific for substrates bearing an O-acetyl group, but was relatively nonspecific for the rest of the molecule, which could consist of a phenol, a monosaccharide, a polysaccharide, or an aliphatic alcohol. The esterase was more active against acetylxylan and glucose β-d-pentaacetate than were a number of esterases from plant and animal sources, when activities on 4-nitrophenyl acetate were compared. The enzyme exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was active over a broad pH range (5.5 to 9.2), with an optimum between pH 8 and 10. In addition, the enzyme retained its activity for 2 h at 55°C. The yeast that produced the enzyme did not produce xylanase and, hence, is of interest for the production of acetylxylan esterase that is free of xylanolytic activity.
Historic Preservation and the Cultural Politics of the American Downtown

M.Christine Boyer, The City of Collective Memory: Its Historical Imagery and Architectural Entertainments. Cambridge, MA, London: MIT Press, 1998 [1994]. Dolores Hayden, The Power of Place: Urban Landscapes as Public History. Cambridge, MA, London: MIT Press, 1996 [1995]. Sharon Zukin, The Cultures of Cities. Oxford: Blackwell, 1995.
Observations on single operator performance controlling two UGVs in a field assessment

The experimental assessment described in this paper looked at span of control within the context of a larger assessment of tactical behaviors. Span of control refers, generally, to the number and type of robotic assets an operator controls. This paper describes the span of control portion of the tactical behaviors assessment that took place at the U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Robotics Research Facility at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA, during the fall of 2009. Three operators controlled two unmanned ground vehicles simultaneously for a total of six runs. The assessment is briefly described. The bulk of the discussion, however, addresses experimenter observations of the assessment process gleaned from subjective ratings and post-run interviews and issues that need to be addressed to improve assessment in the future.
Unintentional gallium incorporation in AlN and its impact on the electrical properties of GaN/AlN and GaN/AlN/AlGaN heterostructures

Thin AlN interlayers are widely used in (In,Al,Ga)N based high-electron-mobility transistors to improve the mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas forming at the GaN/(In,Al,Ga)N interface. AlN layers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, however, were recently shown to contain high amounts of gallium caused by carry over reactions, resulting in AlxGa1−xN layers with x ~ 0.5 under typical deposition conditions. By modifying the AlN growth conditions in this study, layers with an Al mole fraction up to 0.78 were obtained. The unintentional Ga incorporation had a negligible effect on the electronic properties of GaN/AlN/AlGaN structures with nominally 0.7 nm thick AlN interlayer and sheet carrier densities in the order of 1 × 1013 cm−3. It resulted, however, in low electron mobility values for samples with thicker nominal AlN layers and/or higher sheet carrier densities.
Differential diagnosis of chronic urticaria

Objectives To review diseases that can present with cutaneous signs and symptoms that mimic those observed in chronic urticaria and to discuss the workup necessary to distinguish these diseases from chronic urticaria. Data Sources We performed a PubMed search using the following keywords: urticaria, cryopyrin, Sweet syndrome, subacute cutaneous lupus, urticarial vasculitis, urticaria pigmentosa, angioedema, fixed drug eruption, bullous pemphigoid, and reticular erythematous mucinosis . Appropriate chapters in general dermatology textbooks were also reviewed. Study Selection Articles that related to disease states, which present with persistent urticarial lesions, were catalogued for use in this review. Results Besides acute, chronic, and physical urticarias, there are 2 categories of diseases that have urticarial lesions. The first group includes those in which the skin lesions are almost indistinguishable from those seen in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria. Thus, the diagnosis relies on a careful history and physical examination, and in some cases laboratory studies are required. The second group are ones that have skin lesions that at one point in their development have an urticaria-like appearance or on rare occasion may have such lesions. These latter diseases are numerous, and we have tried to highlight the ones that most mimic chronic idiopathic urticaria or are more common. Conclusions A working knowledge of the diseases that can present with urticarial lesions is essential to accurately diagnose and effectively treat these symptomatic and sometimes serious conditions.
T2 relaxation induced by clusters of superparamagnetic nanoparticles: Monte Carlo simulations

Clustering strongly affects the transverse (T2) relaxation induced by superparamagnetic nanoparticles in magnetic resonance experiments. In this study, we used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate systematically the relationship between T2 values and the geometric parameters of nanoparticle clusters. We computed relaxation as a function of particle size, number of particles per cluster, interparticle distance, and cluster shape (compact vs. linear). We found that compact clusters induced relaxation equivalent to similarly sized single particles. For small particles, the shape and density of clusters had a significant effect on T2. In contrast, for larger particles, T2 relaxation was relatively independent of cluster geometry until interparticle distances within a cluster exceeded ten times the particle diameter. Results from our simulations suggest principles for the design of nanoparticle aggregation-based sensors for MRI.
Flavor quality and ethanol concentration affect ethanol-conditioned flavor preferences.

A previous report showed that outbred rats acquired preferences for a sweetened conditioned stimulus (CS) flavor paired with intragastric ethanol. To evaluate the role of sweet taste in ethanol conditioning, this study compared training with sweetened and unsweetened flavors. In Experiment 1, nondeprived rats were trained to drink one flavored solution (CS+, e.g., grape) paired with intragastric infusion of 5% ethanol and another (CS-, e.g., cherry) paired with intragastric water on alternate days. The volume of ethanol solution infused was matched to the volume of flavored solution the rats consumed. The sweet group's flavors initially contained 0.2% saccharin, reduced to 0.1%, 0.05%, and 0% over days; the plain group's flavors were unsweetened. The sweet group drank more and self-infused more ethanol during training and its preference for the CS+ over the CS- (without saccharin) exceeded that of the plain group (75% versus 62%). Experiment 2 equated total ethanol intake in rats trained with two combinations of flavor quality and ethanol concentration. The Sweet5 group drank flavors with 0.2% saccharin throughout training and tests and received 5% ethanol when they drank CS+, while the Plain10 group drank unsweetened flavors and the CS+ was paired with 10% ethanol. Despite equal daily ethanol doses, the Sweet5 group strongly preferred the CS+ (89%) while the Plain10 group avoided it (31%). The two groups continued to show opposite CS+ preference profiles even when both were tested with sweet CS flavors and 10% ethanol infusions. Thus, sweet taste contributes to the development of ethanol-conditioned flavor preferences, and this effect is not explained by a simple enhancement of ethanol intake.
Thrombocytopenia is an independent predictor of mortality in pulmonary hypertension

Abstract Background Established prognostic factors for pulmonary hypertension (PH) include brain natriuretic peptide, troponins and hemodynamic measures such as central venous pressure and cardiac output. The prognostic role of thrombocytopenia, however, has yet to be determined in patients with PH. The aim of this study was to evaluate effect of thrombocytopenia on mortality in patients with PH. Methods 521 patients with severe PH, defined by a pulmonary artery systolic pressure >60 mm Hg on transthoracic echocardiography and a platelet count measured within one month after diagnosis were enrolled from three hospitals of Montefiore Medical Center. The cohort was divided into two groups: mild thrombocytopenia to a normal platelet count (platelet count 100,000–450,000 per uL); and moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count Results Mean age was 70.3 ± 15.6 with 40% of patients being male. Overall mortality at 1 year was 30.7%, with increased mortality in PH patients with mild thrombocytopenia compared to those with moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (46.5% vs. 27.0%, p p = 0.002). Conclusions Moderate to severe thrombocytopenia is an independent predictor of higher mortality in patients with severe PH. These findings may support the use of thrombocytopenia as a useful prognostic indicator in patients with severe PH.
Electronic Mail and the Reinvigoration of American Democracy

In the last few decades American democracy has undergone a severe decline in the viability of one of its core elements: political participation. As a result, voter turnout has been steadily decreasing since the 1960 presidential election. However, new information technologies like electronic mail have the potential to reinvigorate the electorate by creating a medium in which the political discourse in this country can be made more personal and effective. This largely theoretical article examines methods by which electronic mail can be used to overcome the crisis that presently plagues the American democratic system.
Density function theory of thermodynamic properties for LiD crystal under high temperature and pressure

Abstract We have used the technique of impact-collision ion-scattering spectrometry to study the in-plane geometry of the Si (111)−( 3 × 3 ) In surface. The In adatoms are generally presumed to lie in a threefold-symmetric hollow position, i.e. the H 3 site, of the Si(111) surface or in a threefold-symmetric position above a second-layer Si atom, i.e. the T 4 site. Total-energy calculations favor the T 4 site. Our ICISS polar-angle scans agree with the T 4 structural simulations. Separations of the In and Si layers, and the In-Si bond length have also been determined from our experimental data.
Estimating moisture transport over oceans using space‐based observations

The moisture transport integrated over the depth of the atmosphere (0) is estimated over oceans using satellite data. The transport is the product of the precipitable water and an equivalent velocity (ue), which, by definition, is the depth-averaged wind velocity weighted by humidity. An artificial neural network is employed to construct a relation between the surface wind velocity measured by the spaceborne scatterometer and coincident ue derived using humidity and wind profiles measured by rawinsondes and produced by reanalysis of operational numerical weather prediction (NWP). On the basis of this relation, 0 fields are produced over global tropical and subtropical oceans (40_N- 40_S) at 0.25_ latitude-longitude and twice daily resolutions from August 1999 to December 2003 using surface wind vector from QuikSCAT and precipitable water from the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission. The derived ue were found to capture the major temporal variability when compared with radiosonde measurements. The average error over global oceans, when compared with NWP data, was comparable with the instrument accuracy specification of space-based scatterometers. The global distribution exhibits the known characteristics of, and reveals more detailed variability than in, previous data.
Hemispheric specialization for categorical and coordinate spatial relations during an image generation task: evidence from children and adults.

Abstract Hemispheric specialization of categorical and coordinate image generation was assessed in adults, 8-year-old and 10-year-old children. In a standardized image generation task, participants decided whether probes, presented in a blank grid (categorical task) or bracketed square (coordinate task), would have appeared on a previously studied letter. To ensure that participants mentally generated the target letter, probe location was varied. “Early” probes appeared on letter segments that are first produced when the letter is drawn; while “late” probes appeared on later produced segments. Like previous adult studies, the grid task elicited a left hemisphere “categorical” strategy; while the bracket task elicits a right hemisphere “coordinate” strategy. However, contrary to previous research, the results reveal the significant and complex effects of probe location on categorical and coordinate image generation abilities. Specifically, early probes elicited a strong right hemisphere advantage for both tasks across all ages, whereas late probes produced a left hemisphere dissociation between categorical and coordinate processing. The left hemisphere dissociation was evident only for 10-year-olds and adults, suggesting that younger children are not yet proficient in generating spatial representations.
A chemoenzymatic synthesis of the C10-C19 moiety of fk506

Abstract The strategy used in the synthesis of the C10-C19 segment of FK506 is described.
Application of a Two‐Dimensional Computer Simulation to Cake Growth in Slip Casting with Complicated‐Shape Gypsum Molds

A two-dimensional computer simulation method, developed by the authors using the method of finite differences, was applied to estimate the cake growth in slip casting of alumina with a triangular gypsum mold and a box-type gypsum mold with a convex bottom. The cake growth patterns, water penetration patterns, water flow rate distributions, and pressure distributions were simulated in the molds and/or cakes. The simulated cake growth patterns were in good agreement with those observed experimentally in both molds. Moreover, the cake growths could be well understood from the results of the water flow rate distributions in each case. The present method is applicable to cake growth simulation in slip casting with complicated-shape gypsum molds.
Caprine β-Mannosidosis: Regional Differences in Deficits of CNS Myelin Proteins

Caprine β-mannosidosis is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by marked deficiency of β-mannosidase activity, accumulation of oligosaccharides, and pathologic changes involving prominent dys
Transduction of Human CD34+ Cells That Mediate Long-Term Engraftment of NOD/SCID Mice by HIV Vectors

Efficient gene transfer into human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is an important goal in the study of the hematopoietic system as well as for gene therapy of hematopoietic disorders. A lentiviral vector based on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was able to transduce human CD34+ cells capable of stable, long-term reconstitution of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. High-efficiency transduction occurred in the absence of cytokine stimulation and resulted in transgene expression in multiple lineages of human hematopoietic cells for up to 22 weeks after transplantation.
A randomized trial of a multicomponent intervention for adolescent sun protection behaviors

Objective To evaluate a multicomponent primary care–based intervention to increase sun protection behaviors among adolescents. Excessive sun exposure in childhood increases the lifetime risk of melanomas and other forms of skin cancer. Interventions to improve sun protection behaviors in childhood have been based primarily in school and community settings, with little attention to the role of primary care physicians. Design A 2-year randomized controlled trial. Setting Primary care physician offices and participant homes. Participants Eight hundred nineteen adolescents aged 11 to 15 years. Interventions At the study onset and the 12-month follow-up, the adolescents engaged in an office-based expert system assessment of sun protection behaviors followed by brief stage-based counseling from the primary care provider. Participants also received up to 6 expert system–generated feedback reports, a brief printed manual, and periodic mailed tip sheets. Participants randomized to the comparison condition received a physical activity and nutrition intervention. Main Outcome Measure A self-reported composite measure of sun protection behavior. Results A random-effects repeated-measures model indicated a greater adoption of sun protection behaviors over time in the intervention group compared with the control group. The intervention effect corresponded to between-group differences at 24 months in avoiding the sun and limiting exposure during midday hours and using sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15. Secondary analysis indicated that, by 24 months, more adolescents in the intervention group had moved to the action or the maintenance stage of change than those in the control group (25.1% vs 14.9%; odds ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.68). Sun protection behavior was also found to be positively associated with the completion of more intervention sessions ( P = .002). Conclusion Primary care counseling coupled with a minimal-intensity expert system intervention can improve adolescents' sun protection behaviors.