cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bound—Rubber Formation in Diene Polymer Stocks

Abstract The phenomenon of insolubilization of rubber by carbon black has been known for at least twenty-seven years. There have been many attempts during this time to establish a relationship between insolubilization, or bound rubber formation, and reinforcement of rubber by carbon black. It was postulated, as far back as 1925, that there was a parallelism between particle size and insolubilization. This in spite of the fact that the methods available for determining particle size of very fine powders at that time were relatively crude. It was postulated at that time that there was a close relationship between the phenomena of vulcanization and reinforcement. This concept has had recurrent periods of popularity since that time. The insolubilization of rubber by carbon black, or other pigments, has been estimated by various techniques by the early investigators in the field. In more recent work, the trend has been toward a very straightforward experimental approach. Bound rubber in an uncured rubber-fille...
Oxygen Related Defect Center Red Room Temperature Photoluminescence in As Made and Oxidized Porous Silicon

Since bulk silicon does not emit light in the visible part of the spectrum, the discovery of strong visible luminescence from porous silicon has been quite surprising and has generated significant interest. This material differs from bulk silicon in that it consists of interconnected silicon nanostructures, having very large surface to volume ratios. The first emission mechanism proposed involved carrier recombination within quantum size silicon particles, but more recent work has shown that surface emission models are more likely. In this paper, an interfacial oxygen center luminescence model will be discussed, with supporting experimental data. A direct correlation between the presence of these centers and the red photoluminescence in both as-made and oxidized PoSi will also be presented.
Sports injury and illness epidemiology during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games: United States Olympic Team Surveillance

Background To describe injury and illness incidence from the US Youth Olympic Team during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Methods Electronic health records of Team USA athletes registered for the YOG were reviewed for patient encounters during the 2014 YOG. Medical encounters were defined as all medical services provided by a healthcare provider including evaluation, treatment and prophylactic services. All medical conditions were categorised by IOC Injury and Illness reporting criteria. Results Team USA was comprised of 48 male and 46 female athletes, aged of 14–18 years, representing 20 sports. There were 346 total medical encounters among 54 of the 94 registered athletes for a rate of 3.7 medical encounters per athlete. A total of 40 injuries were recorded (14 time loss injuries, 26 non-time loss) and 20 illnesses. This equates to 43% of athletes sustaining an injury, and 21% sustaining an illness, with a frequency of 426 injuries and 213 illnesses per 1000 registered athletes. The most commonly involved body regions for time loss injuries were the knee (21%) and ankle (12%). Time loss injuries most frequently occurred in competition (71%) and the most common type of injury was a ligament sprain (43%). The most common illnesses were respiratory (35%) and dermatological conditions (30%). Conclusions The rates of injury, illness and medical encounters per athlete were greater than in previous reports of medical service provisions at youth Olympic-level sporting events.
Keynote speaker: Learning how to learn

Many learners, including students, practitioners in industry, and even professors, are unaware of best practices in learning, particularly in the STEM disciplines. Instead, they suffer under illusions of competence, continuing with learning practices that research has shown to be ineffective. This talk provides activities and insight into best practices in learning as revealed by insights from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Building on cutting edge research involving the “default mode network,” we'll explore how and when learners should access the brain's different learning modes to creatively tackle problem-solving while reducing frustration. We'll also cover common illusions of competence in learning, such as rereading and using highlighting, and learn how to avoid these challenges by applying more powerful techniques such as recall and “chunking.” Simple techniques described here can allow learners of all kinds to more easily tackle procrastination, which can be one of the most deeply harmful impediments to learning. This talk is meant to provide practical, immediately useful tools to help improve learners' ability to stay on top of tough course material of any type, and to help workers in industry more creatively tackle their jobs.
The Problems and Solutions to the EFL Teacher Professional Development and Teamwork Constructions in the New Undergraduate Universities

This paper bases on the analysis of the problems to the EFL teacher professional development and teamwork construction in the new undergraduate universities.It puts forward the solutions to these problems,which need the effective agreement of both the inside factor and the outside factor: one is from the teacher self-improvement,the other is from their leaders’support.Only in this way can EFL teacher professional development and teamwork construction be realized.
Retrospective Analysis of 178 Traditional Chinese Medicine ADR/ADE Reports

Objective Analyzed serious adverse drug reaction/even(tADR/ADE)of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)occurred in our hospital and discuss the related factors of ADR/ADE. Methods 178 ADR reports of TCM collected by our hospital from JUN.2006 to AUG.2008 were analyzed using retrospective study method. Results Among the 178 ADR/ADE reports,105 kinds of drugs were involved in different dosage forms and specifications,96 (53.93%)ADR reports were happened in one hour. skin and its adjunct is likely to be the most affected organ. the top three of occurrence frequency in ADR/ADE were injections; and the reports of new ADR/ADE caused by Chinese patent medicine is 99(55.62%). 11 severe adverse reactions were occurred,and oral drugs accounted for a higher proportion.Conclusion ADR monitoring should be strengthened to improve the rational use of drug.
Nursing of children with bronchiolitis feared by heparin calcium through high-frequency debilitation

Objective: To study the effect of heparin calcium in treating bronchitis through high - frequency nebulizarion. Method: Fifty patients with bronchitis were randomly distributed into two groups, each group contained twenty - five subjects. In control group, general treatment and nursing were given while in treatment group heparin calcium through high - frequency nebulizarion were used as a supplementary machination. Results: A better effect was observed in the treatment group than in the control group(p 0.01) . Conclusion: It is an effective method to use heparin calcium through high - frequency nebulizarion as a supplementary treatment in bronchitis.
Research on delaminating experiment of discard PWBs' recovery in supercritical condition

The paper investigates the best experimental condition of PWB delamination in the supercritical condition.The PWB without perforation was selected to simplify sample's condition.The PWBs with different copper foil lays were introduced so as to enlarge experimental research sample type,and the ethanol and water were mixed in different proportions to increase the research range of the solvent,and the effect of pressure was analyzed.Experimental results show that temperature played an important role in this experiment;the increasing number of copper foil lays was helpful to delamination;the proportion of ethanol and water in the solvent was helpless,and the pressure was a very important factor of delamination.
The United Platform of Substation Remote Video Monitoring System

The paper describes the background and direction of RD of the united platform of substation remote video monitoring system and introduces the basic principles,functions and system structures of the intelligent instruments such as integrated anti-theft,fire control instrument.It presents technology schemes of implementing the united platform of substation remote video monitoring system in the Jiangsu power system and initiating of it in Zhenjiang Power Supply Company.
Endoscopic electrocoagulation in the management of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding.

The combined European and American success rate with monopolar electrocoagulation in producing hemostasis in several uncontrolled series of patients with arterial bleeding has been between 70 and 88 per cent. In a controlled series, patients with visible ulcer vessels will rebleed in four out of five cases. Monopolar electrocoagulation prevents rebleeding in 94 per cent of treated patients and should be part of the endoscopist’s armamentarium.
THE IDENTIFICATION AND SYNTHESIS OF ACTIVATED PLASMA THROMBOPLASTIN COMPONENT (PTC

1. An activated form of PTC (PTC') which incorporates the properties of both native PTC and activated PTA (PTA') has been identified in BaSO4 eluates of intact citrated plasma. 2. PTC' has been synthesized from partially purified reagents in a reaction shown to require only PTA' and native PTC. Calcium ions greatly accelerate this reaction, but PTC' synthesis occurs slowly in their absence. 3. Kinetic and chromatographic analyses have shown that PTA' functions as an enzyme catalyzing the conversion of native PTC to PTC'. 4. On DEAE-cellulose chromatography, PTC and PTC' were found to elute at the same salt concentration.
Condition Improvement Measurement Using the Condition Evaluation Criteria of Concrete Bridge Decks

AbstractMaintenance, repair, and rehabilitation (MR&R) are cost-effective activities for maintaining good serviceability of concrete bridge decks during their lifetimes. Many past studies were conducted to provide public agencies with optimal MR&R strategies for selecting the correct treatment types at the appropriate application times. While researchers did establish and confirm that the annual deterioration rate and the effectiveness of the MR&R activities are the key input factors that affect the outcomes of MR&R strategy models, they did not spend nearly as much time on engineering inquiry to measure the effectiveness of MR&R activities as they did on projecting the deterioration patterns of bridge systems. The issues of selection bias, empirical data reliability, and overstatement of the effectiveness of MR&R activities continue to compromise the present methods. Therefore, this paper presents a new method that addresses these issues by utilizing the bridge condition evaluation criteria commonly appl...
From Desire to Data: How JLab’s Experimental Program Evolved

This is the first in a three-part article describing the development of the experimental program at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, from the first dreams of incisive electromagnetic probes into the structure of the nucleus through the era in which equipment was designed and constructed and a program crafted so that the long-desired experiments could begin. Part 1, which is presented here, focuses on how the scientific and technical work of previous decades inspired physicists in the 1970s to develop and launch plans for the necessary accelerators and experimental equipment for such probes. This effort required devising an initial wish list of experiments and working with the Department of Energy (DOE) and expert advisory committees to choose the best accelerator plan so that a laboratory design report could be produced in 1986. DOE approval of this report then opened the way for the construction of a 4 GeV continuous wave, superconducting radiofrequency accelerator at a new laboratory in Newport News, Virginia. Along the way those struggling to make experimental dreams come true faced many challenges, including the rise of the more bureaucratic New Big Science and the intellectual revolution that resulted from new understanding about quark-level physics.
Rigid patterns of effortful choice behavior after acute stress in rats

Physical effort is a common cost of acquiring rewards, and decreased effort is a feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Stress affects performance on several tests of cognition and decision making in both humans and nonhumans. Only a few recent reports show impairing effects of stress in operant tasks involving effort and cognitive flexibility. Brain regions affected by stress, such as the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala, are also implicated in mediating effortful choices. Here, we assessed effort-based decision making after an acute stress procedure known to induce persistent impairment in shuttle escape and elevated plasma corticosterone. In these animals, we also probed levels of polysialyted neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), a marker of structural plasticity, in medial frontal cortex and amygdala. We found that animals that consistently worked for high magnitude rewards continued to do so, even after acute shock stress. We also found that PSA-NCAM was increased in both regions after effortful choice experience but not after shock stress alone. These findings are discussed with reference to the existing broad literature on cognitive effects of stress and in the context of how acute stress may bias effortful decisions to a rigid pattern of responding.
Association of State-Level Restrictions in Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice With the Quality of Primary Care Provided to Medicare Beneficiaries:

Context: State scope of practice (SoP) laws impose significant restrictions on the services that a nurse practitioner (NP) may provide in some states, yet evidence about SoP limitations on the quality of primary care is very limited. Method: This study uses six different classifications of state regulations and bivariate and multivariate analyses to compare beneficiaries attributed to primary care nurse practitioners and primary care physicians in 2013 testing two hypotheses: (1) chronic disease management, cancer screening, preventable hospitalizations, and adverse outcomes of care provided by primary care nurse practitioners are better in reduced and restricted practice states compared to states without restrictions and (2) by decreasing access to care, SoP restrictions negatively affect the quality of primary care. Findings: Results show a lack of consistent association between quality of primary care provided by NPs and state SoP restrictions. Conclusion: State regulations restricting NP SoP do not im...
Psychosocial Care and Education of Children with Sickle Cell Disease Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Their Families

This chapter provides an overview of psychosocial and educational considerations in the context of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD). While the psychosocial literature on HSCT in pediatric SCD is quite limited, available research and clinical experience supports the need for a multidisciplinary approach to supporting patients and families as they deal with the multiple stressors that can arise before, during, and after transplant. As medical and psychosocial providers, we have an obligation to thoughtfully educate families about HSCT for SCD, support patients and families in their decision-making, evaluate ongoing coping and adjustment, and intervene to maximize social and emotional outcomes for patients and families. This chapter outlines recommendations for communicating with and educating families about HSCT for SCD, discusses what is known about psychosocial adjustment and outcomes for patients and families, and provides guidance regarding evidence-based assessment of psychosocial risks at the individual and family level.
Iron Oxide on Magnesium Oxide Support as a New Destructive Adsorbent for Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

In this study an overlayer structure of iron oxide on magnesium oxide support and pure magnesium oxide was synthesized in ultra fine particles of high surface area. The surface structure of Fe/MgO particles was studied by XPS, Mossbauer and XRD spectroscopy and surface chemisorption of CO2. The potential of both compounds to react with and decompose CCl4 was studied. Infrared (IR), powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Gas Chromatography (GC) measurements were applied to study the decomposition reaction with CCl4. The results of this study prove that magnesia-supported iron oxide (Fe/MgO) is about 15 times more efficient in reacting with and decomposing CCl4 than pure MgO.
Single screw extrusion of apple pomace-enriched blends: Extrudate characteristics and determination of optimum processing conditions.

Response surface methodology was used to investigate the single screw extrusion of apple pomace–defatted soy flour–corn grits blends and the product properties. Five different blends at a level of 0–20% w/w apple pomace were extrusion cooked with varied barrel and die temperature (100–140℃), screw speed (100–200 rpm), and feed moisture content (14–20% wet basis). Increasing apple pomace content in the blends significantly (P < 0.05) increased the bulk density, the total phenolic content, and the antioxidant activity of the extrudates. The expansion ratio increased with pomace inclusion level of 5% but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) at higher levels of pomace inclusion (10–20%). Moisture content had quadratic influence on water absorption and solubility indices. Optimal extrusion cooking conditions most likely to produce apple pomace-enriched extruded snack products were at 140℃ barrel and die temperature, 20% feed moisture content, and 200 rpm screw speed. The results indicated active interaction betw...
Behavior Change Design Sprints

While numerous design methods used in industry help designers rapidly brainstorm design ideas, few help them to use theory in the design process. Behavior change theories can support such design activities as understanding, ideating, sketching, and prototyping. We present the Behavior Change Design Sprint (BCDS), a design process for applying behavior change theories to the design process and for prototyping behavior change technologies. BCDS facilitates the application of theories into the design process through a series of exercises that help designers identify intervention placement and project behavioral outcomes, conduct more focused ideation, and advocate for their design rationale. We present our process to create the sprint and findings from a series of sprint deployments.
Physics and Principles of Ultrasound Imaging

Inorder toaccurately interpret the imagesoneseesonanultrasound (US) monitor screen it is essential to have a basic comprehension of basic physics and the principles of ultrasound imaging. Several societies, including the Royal College of Radiologists (1), the American College of Emergency Physicians (2), and the American College of Surgeons (3) have developed guidelines that state the necessity of incorporating this fundamental knowledge base into one’s practical training for using ultrasound at the bedside. This chapter will review some of these core principles, with key words or phrases used in the lexicon of US italicized for emphasis.
The relationship between students' computer self-efficacy, self-regulation, and engagement in distance learning.

This study examines the relationship between computer self-efficacy, self-regulation, engagement, and expected achievement for students in distance learning. Prior research on these variables is robust; however, studies specifically on distance learning at the high school level are sparse. While the bulk of research on distance learning has focused on higher education and has mostly looked at the role of self-efficacy and self-regulation, it was predicted that there would be a significant relationship between computer self-efficacy, self-regulation, and engagement at the high school level. To determine of such a relationship existed, students (N=194) were given an online survey that consisted of items from the Web Users Self-Efficacy scale (Eachus & Cassidy, 2006), designed to measure their computer self-efficacy; a modified version of the self-regulation subscale from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990), designed to measure their self-regulation; and a modified version of the Feelings About School Inventory (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, Friedel, & Paris, 2005), designed to measure their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. The results of the analysis indicated that there was a significant relationship between students' selfregulation and their engagement and expected achievement in distance learning.
A review of the variational methods for solving DC circuits

Direct current (DC) circuits are usually taught in upper-level physics curricula, and Kirchhoff's laws are stated and used to solve the steady-state currents. However, students are not often introduced to alternative techniques, such as variational principles, for solving circuits. Many authors have tried to derive the steady-state distribution of currents in circuits from variational principles, and the initial attempts were carried out by great physicists, such as Kirchhoff, Maxwell and Feynman. In this article, we shall review such variational principles in physics and illustrate how they can be used to solve DC circuits. We will also explore how they are related, in a fundamental way, to the entropy production principles of irreversible thermodynamics. We believe that the introduction of variational alternatives for solving circuits can be a good opportunity for the instructor to present the techniques of the calculus of variations and irreversible thermodynamics to students.
Monetary Equivalent Value (MEV) of a Published Article in Psychology

Publishing one’s research in peer-reviewed journals is generally acknowledged to be a valuable enterprise. This is particularly the case for academic and research psychologists who rely on publications for career status, stability, and advancement. Psychological researchers can devote extensive amounts of time to planning, conducting, writing up, and getting their research published in respected psychology journals, yet their work efforts in this regard have heretofore never been quantified monetarily. This article introduces the concept of a monetary equivalent value (MEV) of a published article in psychology. An initial basic linear equation is introduced that sets the dollar (or Euro) value of an article based on the median number of hours involved in publishing an article, the mean hourly wage of psychologists, and the 5-year Impact Factor (IF) of the journal in which the article is published. MEVs were calculated for the full range of journals published by the American Psychological Association (APA) that have IF ratings. MEV values varied widely, from a low of $4,562 for an article published in the journal "Dreaming", to a high of $131,613 for an article appearing in "Psychological Bulletin". This article represents the first to explore the MEV as an additional metric to understand the impact of published articles, and as such this exploratory study has numerous limitations. Chief among these is the study’s reliance on the controversial Journal Citation Reports (JCR) journal impact factor metric, as well as its extrapolation from a limited medical literature on the average number of hours involved in publishing a study.
“We Are Worried Mothers:” A Panel of “Ordinary South Africans” on US Capitol Hill

In 1986, a “panel of ordinary South Africans” addressed members of the US Congress. Their visit did not command as much attention as would the visit of (future president) Nelson Mandela in 1990 or ...
Eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide and water fluxes in US mid-south cotton production

Abstract An eddy covariance (EC) system was used over a production-scale, US mid-south cotton field in order to improve understanding of carbon and water flux dynamics in cotton production. Measurement outcomes of NEE and ET from agricultural cropping systems in the humid US mid-south may differ from measurements made in arid production regions due to variation in precipitation, relative humidity, and cloud cover. Local measurements are needed for timely irrigation water management decisions and to assess their impact on the carbon cycle. Measurements were made in a 63-ha field in Northeast Arkansas in the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons (May-October). Average daily NEE during the growing season was driven largely by gross primary production (GPP) measured at -1.80 ± 0.26 g C m−2 d-1 ranging between -13.5 and 2.4 g m−2 d-1 during 2016 and -1.97 ± 0.26 g C m−2 d-1 ranging between -11.1 and 5.9 g m−2 d-1 during 2017. Across both years the average daily GPP during the growing season was 7.65 ± 0.45 g C m−2 d-1 during 2016 and 8.33 ± 0.37 g C m−2 d-1 during 2017. GPP was lowest during emergence and post-harvest and highest from the first week of flowering (FF) stage to about 3 weeks after cutout (cessation of vegetative expansion and production of new fruiting sites). Measured ET was lowest early and late in the season, and highest from FF until cutout. Across both seasons, average ET was 3.5 ± 0.1 mm d-1, more specifically 3.3 ± 0.1 mm d-1 during 2016 and 3.6 ± 0.1 mm d-1 during 2017. Peak water use was 7.6 mm d-1 during both growing seasons. Measured ET values were similar to results from lysimeter studies conducted in humid southeastern US climates, but lower than those observed in studies in arid regions. The water use efficiency of harvest yield per evapotranspiration flux was 0.26 kg lint cotton m-3 water and 0.34 kg lint m-3 water in 2016 and 2017, respectively which 1.5–2 times those of other studies, likely due to higher yields and lower evapotranspiration measured in this study. The findings suggest that US mid-south cotton production should continue to be managed differently than other more arid US cotton production regions.
Enhanced nucleotide chemistry and toehold nanotechnology reveals lncRNA spreading on chromatin.

Understanding the targeting and spreading patterns of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) on chromatin requires a technique that can detect both high-intensity binding sites and reveal genome-wide changes in spreading patterns with high precision and confidence. Here we determine lncRNA localization using biotinylated locked nucleic acid (LNA)-containing oligonucleotides with toehold architecture capable of hybridizing to target RNA through strand-exchange reaction. During hybridization, a protecting strand competitively displaces contaminating species, leading to highly specific RNA capture of individual RNAs. Analysis of Drosophila roX2 lncRNA using this approach revealed that heat shock, unlike the unfolded protein response, leads to reduced spreading of roX2 on the X chromosome, but surprisingly also to relocalization to sites on autosomes. Our results demonstrate that this improved hybridization capture approach can reveal previously uncharacterized changes in the targeting and spreading of lncRNAs on chromatin. thCHART, a hybridization capture approach using biotinylated LNA-oligonucleotides with toehold architecture, improves the specificity of RNA enrichment and enables detection of the chromosomal spreading pattern of Drosophila roX2 lncRNA under different cellular conditions.
Post-Trauma Psychopathology in Journalists: The Influence of Institutional Betrayal and World Assumptions

Journalists are often exposed to potentially traumatic content through their profession. High levels of exposure have been found to predict high levels of psychopathology among journalists, includi...
Guided Endodontic Access in a Maxillary Molar Using a Dynamic Navigation System

The treatment of calcified root canals is challenging in endodontic practice. A 63-year-old man was referred to the postgraduate endodontic clinic at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, for the treatment of tooth #3. Because of the patient's history of head and neck radiation and the high risk of developing osteoradionecrosis, a nonsurgical endodontic approach was found to be the most reasonable treatment option despite the questionable prognosis of the tooth. During the endodontic treatment, the distobuccal canal appeared to be partially calcified and was not possible to be located freehand even with use of the dental operating microscope and cone-beam computed tomographic approximated approach. Therefore, the dynamic navigation system using the X-Guide system (X-Nav technologies, LLC, Lansdale, PA) was used, which allowed for the successful location of the canal. Conventional endodontic treatment was completed following standardized instrumentation, irrigation, and obturation. Details on how to use the dynamic navigation system are described including its advantages, disadvantages, and limitations.
The impact of catastrophic collisions and collision avoidance on a swarming behavior

Abstract Swarms of autonomous agents are useful in many applications due to their ability to accomplish tasks in a decentralized manner, making them more robust to failures. Due to the difficulty in running experiments with large numbers of hardware agents, researchers often make simplifying assumptions and remove constraints that might be present in a real swarm deployment. While simplifying away some constraints is tolerable, we feel that two in particular have been overlooked: one, that agents in a swarm take up physical space, and two, that agents might be damaged in collisions. Many existing works assume agents have negligible size or pass through each other with no added penalty. It seems possible to ignore these constraints using collision avoidance, but we show using an illustrative example that this is easier said than done. In particular, we show that collision avoidance can interfere with the intended swarming behavior and significant parameter tuning is necessary to ensure the behavior emerges as best as possible while collisions are avoided. We compare four different collision avoidance algorithms, two of which we consider to be the best decentralized collision avoidance algorithms available. Despite putting significant effort into tuning each algorithm to perform at its best, we believe our results show that further research is necessary to develop swarming behaviors that can achieve their goal while avoiding collisions with agents of non-negligible volume.
Atrioventricular Interdependence in Fontan Patients and Its Impact on Exercise Performance

BACKGROUND: In Fontan circulation, ventricular filling is dependent on active atrial contraction. This atrioventricular interdependence is key for optimal exercise performance. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationship between atrial and ventricular deformation in young Fontan survivors and their relationship to exercise performance (peak oxygen consumption; VO2 max). METHODS: Single center retrospective cohort study …
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Mortality in the United States, 1999-2017

Background: Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) comprise an increasing proportion of individuals living with CHD in the United States (US). A greater than 20% decrease in adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) related mortality in the US was noted from 1999 to 2006. No recent national data are available evaluating mortality in the ACHD population. Our study aims to estimate US ACHD mortality rates by age and specific CHD lesion over the last two decades. Methods: We conducted a 19-year analysis (1999-2017) of publicly available, de-identified Multiple Cause of Death …
An automated optimization strategy to design collimator geometry for small field radiation therapy systems.

PURPOSE To develop an automated optimization strategy to facilitate collimator design for small-field radiotherapy systems. METHODS We developed an objective function that links the dose profile characteristics (FWHM, penumbra, and central dose rate) and the treatment head geometric parameters (collimator thickness/radii, source-to-distal-collimator distance[SDC]) for small-field radiotherapy systems. We performed optimization using a downhill simplex algorithm. We applied this optimization strategy to a linac-based radiosurgery system to determine the optimal geometry of four pencil-beam collimators to produce 5, 10, 15, and 20mm diameter photon beams (from a 6.7MeV, 2.1mmFWHM electron beam). Two different optimizations were performed to prioritize minimum penumbra or maximum central dose rate for each beam size. We compared the optimized geometric parameters and dose distributions to an existing clinical system (CyberKnife). RESULTS When minimum penumbra was prioritized, using the same collimator thickness and SDC (40cm) as a CyberKnife system, the optimized collimator upstream and downstream radii agreed with the CyberKnife system within 3-14%, the optimized output factors agreed within 0-8%, and the optimized transverse and percentage depth dose profiles matched those of the CyberKnife with the penumbras agreeing within 2%. However, when maximum dose rate was prioritized, allowing both the collimator thickness and SDC to change, the central dose rate for larger collimator sizes (10, 15, 20mm) could be increased by about 1.5-2 times at the cost of 1.5-2 times larger penumbras. No further improvement in central dose rate for the 5mm beam size could be achieved. CONCLUSIONS We developed an automated optimization strategy to design the collimator geometry for small-field radiation therapy systems. Using this strategy, the penumbra-prioritized dose distribution and geometric parameters agree well with the CyberKnife system as an example, suggesting that this system was designed to prioritize sharp penumbra. This represents proof-of-principle that an automated optimization strategy may apply to more complex collimator designs with multiple optimization parameters.
Enfoques y lineamientos RSP para el seguimiento, la medición y la evaluación del desempeño en programas del sector público

Se resena la evolucion de la medicion del desempeno y de la evaluacion de programas en las organizaciones del sector publico, y se destaca la significacion de la misma en la actualidad, haciendo alusion al caso de los paises en desarrollo. Se comentan los principales aspectos de la implementacion de un sistema de evaluacion y medicion del desempeno, y se discuten sus alcances y sus limitaciones. La busqueda de medidas apropiadas para la estimacion cuantitativa y cualitativa de las RSP organizaciones del sector publico no es nueva. Sin embargo, en los ultimos anos la preocupacion en torno a la evaluacion de los programas se ha incrementado, al tiempo que se adelantan reformas del Estado con nuevos criterios. Asi, la evaluacion y la medicion del desempeno han pasado a ser parte de estas reformas, orientadas hacia una mayor flexibilizacion de la gerencia, la asuncion de nuevas responsabilidades por los servicios publicos, descentralizacion, privatizacion y atencion a las necesidades de los usuarios.
Advanced Approach to Concept and Design Studies for Space Missions

Recent automated and advanced techniques developed at JPL have createda streamlined and fast-track approach to initial mission conceptualizationand system architecture design, answering the need for rapid turnaround oftrade studies for potential proposers, as well as mission and instrumentstudy groups. JPL has assembled a team of multidisciplinary experts withcorporate knowledge of space mission and instrument development. Theadvanced Concept Design Team, known as Team X, provides interactive designtrades including cost as a design parameter, and advanced visualizationfor pre-Phase A mission feasibility studies. The proposer and Team Xcollaborate closely in developing scenarios, and Team X responds with adetailed integrated mission/instrument design and development plan within 1week. Iteration of the plan is on a similar rapid turnaround basis.JPL has experience planning more than 250 missions, including pointed andsurvey astrophysics missions such as GALEX, SIM, IRAS, SIRTF, and WIRE.
Clinical Evaluation of the MICRO-ID, API 20E, and Conventional Media Systems for Identification of Enterobacteriaceae

MICRO-ID (General Diagnostics, Morris Plains, N.J.) is a new kit system designed for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae in 4 h. It consists of 15 biochemical tests of paper disks. Each test is in its own compartment in a molded plastic tray. Only one reagent need be added to the system (2 drops of 20% KOH, which is added to the Voges-Proskauer test). Based on the pattern of positive and negative biochemical test results, a five-digit octal code number is calculated. An identification is derived from a computer-generated identification manual. A study was conducted to compare three systems—the MICRO-ID 4-h and the API 20E (Analytab Products Inc., Plainview, N.Y.) 18- to 24-h systems and a conventional media system—to measure the ability of each to identify members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Comparison tables, rather than simple percentage agreement tables, were generated to define the particular strengths and weaknesses of each system and allow the laboratory to best use the data. The MICRO-ID compared quite favorably with conventional media. MICRO-ID yielded incorrect identifications with 1.5% of the isolates tested (API 20E, 4.7% misidentification rate). Half the MICRO-ID misidentifications occurred when the system identified a Citrobacter diversus as a lysine-negative Escherichia coli; all gave one octal number. A direct comparison of the MICRO-ID and API 20E was of limited value because percentage agreements were merely the sums of the errors of each. The ease of inoculation, the requirement for the addition of only one reagent, and the 4-h capability make the MICRO-ID system an extremely attractive development in the field of bacterial identification. Images
Racial Profiling and Traffic Stops: An Examination of Research Approaches and Findings in the War on Drugs

This article is a review of some of the main research approaches to understanding racial profiling as it manifests in the traffic stop. It orients the emergence of racial profiling as a product of the war on drugs philosophy guiding law enforcement in the late 20th century and discusses how the contemporary nature of racial profiling has origins in a long history of racialized policing in the United States. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the issue, particularly from mainstream criminologists, focus on quantitative assessment of exposure to law enforcement agents and rational choice-based arguments that it makes sense to target certain groups based on the hue of the criminal justice system. More critical approaches examined within complicate this notion by contextualizing racial profiling in contemporary times as a mere manifestation of historical efforts by the state to marginalize communities of color.
Academic and Social Impairments of Elementary School Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study examined academic and social impairments of 6- to 11-year-old children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 101) versus other referred children without ADHD (n = 53) ...
Protein Fouling of Track-Etched Polycarbonate Microfiltration Membranes

Abstract Bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions of 0.1 g/liter and 1.0 g/liter were filtered through 0.05 μm and 0.2 μm polycarbonate microfiltration membranes using a stir cell. Total resistance versus time and permeate concentration versus time curves and scanning electron micrographs were generated. From these, together with comparing the results to internal and external fouling models, several different founding mechanisms are hypothesized. For 0.1 g/liter concentration and 0.2 μm pore diameter, the fouling occurs at the mouths of the pores, slowly closing off pore entrance areas while allowing complete transmission of the protein for a period of time. Eventually, the pores become so constricted that protein transmission decreases and a layer of rejected protein forms on the external membrane surface. For 0.1 g/liter concentration and 0.05 μm pore diameter, fouling immediately closes off pores, and permeate concentration decreases quickly. For 1.0 g/liter concentration and 0.2 pm pore diameter, the fouling allows for nearly complete transmission of proteins for the entire length of the experiment, unlike the more dilute case of 0.1 g/liter. Since the diameters of BSA molecules are more than an order of magnitude smaller than the pore radii, it is believed that the proteins form aggregates which accumulate on or just below the top surface of the membrane, depending on their size relative to the pore openings.
A Qualitative Investigation of the Relationship Between Consumption, Physical Activity, Eating Disorders, and Weight Consciousness

BackgroundPrevious research has identified a positive relationship between alcohol consumption and disordered eating, alcohol consumption and physical activity, and physical activity and disordered eating. However, there is a paucity of published research examining the interrelatedness of all 3 behaviors together.PurposeThis study examines the relationship between alcohol consumption, disordered eating, and physical activity by exploring college students' weight management behaviors.MethodsParticipants included undergraduate students (n = 36) recruited from a Midwestern university. Five distinct focus groups were conducted. Data analytic techniques included constant comparison analysis, classical content analysis, word count, and theoretical coding.ResultsWeight consciousness, characterized by guilt/worry regarding calories from alcohol consumption, represented the most salient theme. Increasing physical activity and/or decreasing caloric intake prior to/following alcohol consumption were the primary mech...
Superparamagnetism in hematite

It is well known that small particles of ferromagnetic material show superparamagnetic behavior. The magnetic properties of hematite, which has a weak spontaneous magnetization show superparamagnetic behavior in grains which are as large as 1/4 to 1/2 μ in diameter. This is shown to be the case by the use of magnetic tests, including hysteresis and Curie temperature effects and by the use of X-ray diffraction and optical determination of particle sizes.
Synthesis of Iron Oxide Based Gelatin Nanocomposites and their Applications in Removal of Cr (VI) Ions from Aqueous Solutions

In the present study, iron oxide based gelatin nanoparticles (FeOGel) have been used as an efficient low cost adsorbent to remove the low concentrations of toxic Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution. The adsorption experiments were carried out by batch contact method and the effect of the significant process parameters such as initial pH of solution, contact time, adsorbent dose and the initial Cr (VI) concentration were investigated on the metal ion removal capacity. The optimum adsorption of Cr(VI) on the gelatin nanoparticles was observed at an initial pH value of 2-3. The maximum adsorption capacities of FeOGel for Cr(VI) were 120 mg/g at 25°C. The equilibrium sorption data fit satisfactorily to the Langmuir adsorption model. The characterization of the prepared FeOGel was accomplished by FTIR, SEM, TEM, XRD and ζ-potential measurements. The results obtained in this study illustrated that the prepared nanoparticles of iron oxide impregnated gelatin could be an effective and economically viable adsorbents...
Comparative approaches to R & D policy coordination

Approaches to the interagency coordination of R & D policy adopted by the governments of five West European countries and the United States are described and analyzed comparatively in terms of four variables: (1) procedures; (2) aims; (3) distribution and sources of influence among participating agencies; and (4) the frame of reference which orders governmental actions in R & D for coordination purposes. Differences stem from general features of policy formation within each system and changes over time in the conception and goals of “science policy”. The inherent ambiguities of the coordination concept and the difficulties in defining the “perfectly coordinated” system are the primary obstacles in evaluating coordination formats both within and across systems.
The Acute Effect of Selective Hyperglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia upon Fetal Ovine Glucose Transporter Proteins

The Acute Effect of Selective Hyperglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia upon Fetal Ovine Glucose Transporter Proteins
Cultivating the sustainable city: urban agriculture policies and gardening projects in Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the past 20 years, municipal governments across the United States have increasingly tried to incorporate environmental efforts into city business and policies. Urban sustainability has become the key concept around which such activities are organized. Official sustainability plans are most often implemented through indicators and metrics. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, urban gardening, in a variety of forms, has been the focus of ongoing citizen- and NGO-led environmental efforts, as well as municipal measures of sustainability. Here, debates around the recent adoption of a city urban agriculture policy, as well as a program to encourage the installation of raingardens in neighborhoods across the city, reveal some of the rich variations in gardening practices and spaces. These far exceed the relatively narrow official focus on sustainability indicators. Better understanding how urban sustainability initiatives might work with, but also move beyond, indicators may provide directions toward wider visions of ...
Mutagenicity of HPLC fractions from extracts of aatrex-treated corn

Crude extracts from maize plants treated with varying concentrations of AAtrex, an s-triazine herbicide, were tested for the induction of gene conversion in a diploid strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae heteroallelic at two loci. These extracts were then subjected to analysis by higher pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the fractions collected in water, 50% methanol, and 100% methanol were similarly tested. Dose-dependent convertogenic activity observed in the 50% methanol fractions suggested that the mutagen(s) is recovered in this fraction.
Ternary nitrides BiNCa3 and PbNCa3: Unusual ionic bonding in the antiperovskite structure.

The compounds ${\mathrm{BiNCa}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{PbNCa}}_{3}$, a narrow-gap semiconductor and a metal, respectively, with the antiperovskite structure, are investigated with the local-density augmented-plane-wave method. The calculations confirm that both N and the heavy ions Bi and Pb are close to the nominal 3- charge states of an ionic picture; however, there is considerable covalent mixing between the two sets of p states. The filled p bands of the ${\mathrm{BiNCa}}_{3}$ compound are separated from the conductions bands, with a calculated gap of \ensuremath{\sim}0.1 eV consistent with its semiconducting behavior. ${\mathrm{PbNCa}}_{3}$, with one less electron per cell and therefore an unfilled p band, is predicted correctly to be metallic, consistent with a rigid-band picture.
Cooking with Philip Quinn

In response to various difficulties that confront John Hick’s pluralistic hypothesis, Philip Quinn proposes a recipe for developing “more satisfactory” pluralistic hypotheses. In this short exploratory paper I examine Quinn’s proposal, identify some problems that it faces, and consider some alternatives.
A Note on the Convergence of Analytical Target Cascading With Infinite Norms

Analytical target cascading (ATC) is a multidisciplinary design optimization method for multilevel hierarchical systems. To improve computational efficiency, especially for problems under uncertainty or with strong monotonicity, a sequential linear programming (SLP) algorithm was previously employed as an alternate coordination strategy to solve ATC and probabilistic ATC problems. The SLP implementation utilizes L ∞ norms to maintain the linearity of SLP subsequences. This note offers a proof that there exists a set of weights such that the ATC algorithm converges when L ∞ norms are used. Examples are also provided to illustrate the effectiveness of using L ∞ norms as a penalty function to maintain the formulation linear and differentiable. The examples show that the proposed method provides more robust results for linearized ATC problems due to the robustness of the linear programming solver.