cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of anorexia and cultural beliefs in infant malnutrition in Mali.

Anorexia, the lack of a normal appetite or refusal to eat, has been reported among infants and young children worldwide. Many factors can contribute to anorexia, including a monotonous diet, chronic malnutrition, zinc deficiency, disease, anxiety, intestinal parasites, and sores in the mouth. At the same time, ethnographic research reveals wide variation in how, and to what extent, caretakers control food consumption (both quality and quantity) in infants generally, and how they deal with anorexia specifically. In some cultures, children are given considerable autonomy in deciding what and how much food to eat, even when anorectic. In other groups, Children's diets are closely monitored by adult caretakers and anorectic children are urged, or even forced, to eat. Theoretically, the potential for wildespread malnutrition and accompanying growth failure, even in the presence of adequate dietary resources, will be highest in populations which exhibit an interaction of (1) multiple conditions leading to anorexia and (2) cultural beliefs which allow children autonomy in food consumption decisions. Research in Mali provides examples of the potential consequences of the combination for child growth.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Diagnosis, monitoring and treatment.

Abstract Introduction Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a disorder typically affecting young, obese women, producing a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure without identifiable cause. State of the art Despite a large number of hypotheses and publications over the past decade, the etiology of IIH is still unknown. There continues to be no evidence-based consensus or formal guidelines regarding management and treatment of the disease. Treatment studies show that the diagnostic lumbar puncture is a valuable intervention beyond its diagnostic importance, and that weight management is critical. However, many questions remain, regarding the efficacy of acetazolamide, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting procedures, optic nerve sheath fenestration, and cerebral transverse venous sinus stenting. Identification of subgroups of patients at high-risk for irreversible visual loss, such as black patients, men, morbidly obese patients, and patients with fulminant IIH, helps determine management approaches and refine follow-up strategies. Perspective Better understanding of the pathophysiology and ongoing clinical trials will hopefully help inform treatment strategies over the next few years.
Numerical Simulations of Sound from Confined Pulsating Axisymmetric Jets

Numerical simulations of the near-field flow and far-field sound radiation in confined pulsating axisymmetric low-Mach-number jets were performed. The geometry resembled a round duct with either a converging or diverging rigid orifice separating the upstream and downstream regions. A sinusoidal inlet velocity time history was imposed to generate the pulsating flow. The objectives were to 1) investigate flow patterns and sound sources, 2) assess Lighthill's acoustic analogy for far-field sound predictions in ducts, and 3) examine the effects of orifice shape on the flow and acoustic behavior. The diverging orifice case featured flow separation and reattachment resulting in a complex vortical flow within the orifice, in contrast to the converging orifice case. Both orifices produced unstable pulsating jets with vortex roll up and pairing downstream of the orifices. Agreement between directly computed sound and Lighthill's acoustic analogy was excellent for both orifices. Using the Lighthill acoustic analogy, three sound-generating mechanisms were identified. The first was a monopole source mainly caused by the fluctuating volume velocity. The second was a dipole source caused by the unsteady forces exerted on the duct walls. The third was a quadrupole sound source caused by the presence of vortex pairing. The main difference between the acoustic signal in the diverging and converging orifice cases was related to the frequency content of the quadrupole source caused by vortex pairing, which was higher in the diverging case because of the more intense vortical flow.
Isolation and phenotypic and functional characterization of cells from Peyer's patches in the dog

Abstract Cells were isolated from canine Peyer's patches (PPs) and their phenotype and capacity to secrete immunoglobulins in vitro were determined. Cells isolated from duodenal and jejunal PPs of adult dogs consisted of 91.4% lymphocytes and 1.6% macrophages with 55.4% mIg + -cells and 35.6% Thy-1 + -cells. In vitro IgA secretion by pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-stimulated PP cells exceeded that by cells from other lymphoid tissues and was specifically increased by concanavalin A, suggesting a role for isotype-specific T-cells. Comparison of duodenal and jejunal (proximal) PPs and the ileal PP revealed that the ileal PP contained fewer T-cells, fewer mIgA + -cells and more mIgM + -cells. Cells from the ileal PP produced very little IgA and IgG, but abundant IgM in vitro. These data suggest that the proximal PPs of dogs are important in the generation of IgA B-cells, similar to PPs of rodents. The ileal PP of dogs may have a function in the early development of the B-cell system of the dog.
Immunohistochemical characterization of extracellular matrix in the developing human cornea

Collagen, fibronectin and laminin are important components of the extracellular matrix of the human cornea. We used the immunofluorescence technique with polyclonal antibodies directed against these proteins and to bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPA), in order to study their distribution in human corneas from 8 weeks of gestation to term and in adult corneas.Immunoreactivity was observed with antibodies to type I collagen in the limbus and the corneal stroma at 8 weeks of gestation. At 11 weeks of gestation it was found in epithelial basement membrane (EBM) and Descemet's membrane (DM) and continued thus throughout fetal and adult life. Type II collagen was not detected in fetal or adult cornea. Type III collagen was detected during 8–20th weeks of gestation in the EBM, DM and stroma. After 27th weeks of gestation, type III collagen could no longer be detected in the central cornea. Type IV collagen was detected in the EBM as early as 8 weeks of gestation and remained positive throughout fetal and adult life...
Reproduction in black-crowned night-herons fed selenium

ABSTRACT Agricultural and industrial practices can produce wastewater that contains high concentrations of selenium, a naturally-occurring trace element. Selenium entering aquatic systems through wastewater inflow can accumulate in aquatic food chains to levels that may be toxic to fish and wildlife species. Mallard reproduction is known to be adversely affected by 10 ppm selenium in the diet (containing 7–10 percent moisture, in the form of selenomethionine); however, hatching success of eggs laid by black-crowned night-herons fed a 10 ppm selenium diet, as selenomethionine, in this study was not different from eggs laid by herons fed an unsupplemented diet (0.1 ppm selenium). Organ weights, hemoglobin concentrations, hematocrits, eggshell thickness, and shell thickness did not differ between controls and herons receiving 10 ppm selenium. Developmental malformations commonly associated with selenium exposure in other birds were not observed in heron embryos or hatchlings in the 10 ppm group. However, thr...
Formation of the rhodium oxides Rh2O3 and RhO2 in Rh/NaY

The oxidation states of Rh in NaY supported catalysts have been studied by temperature programmed reduction (TPR). After calcination of the exchanged catalyst to 380°C, both RhO2 and Rh2O3 are identified, besides small amounts of RhO+ and Rh3+. Quantitative reduction is possible for samples calcined at temperatures not exceeding 500°C. Re-oxidation of the reduced samples leads to formation of RhO2 and Rh2O3, with negligible protonolysis to Rh3+. The dioxide prevails after re-oxidation at 320°C, but the sesquioxide after oxidation at 500°C. In the temperature regime where both oxides coexist the reduction of NO with propane is catalyzed even at an O2/C3H8 ratio of 10. Total oxidation of propane reaches 80% at 350°C.
The Urquiola oil spill, La Coruña, Spain: Impact and reaction on beaches and rocky coasts

The supertankerUrquiola grounded, exploded, and burned at the entrance to La Coruna harbor (Spain) on May 12, 1976. A total of 100,000 tons of Persian Gulf crude oil was lost, of which about 30,000 tons washed onto shoreline environments. From May 17 to June 10, 1976, the impact and interaction of oil on fine-sand, coarse-sand, and gravel beaches and on sheltered and exposed rocky coasts was monitored in detail. At 32 localities, the beach was profiled, trenched, extensively sampled, and photographed. Another 67 stations were examined for surficial oil coverage and distribution. The surficial distribution of oil on the beaches was influenced primarily by wave activity, tidal stage, and oil quantity. Heaviest accumulations formed along the high-tide swash line. Within beach sediments, oil was present at distinct oiled sediment layers, which were often deeply buried. The depth of burial was related to wave energy and sediment type. Deepest burial (1 m) was on a high-energy, coarse-sand beach (Mz=0.82φ). Burial on fine-sand beaches was less than 30 cm. The thickness of oiled sediment depended on sedimentary characteristics, the quantity of oil present, wave action, and capillary forces. Oil-soaked sediment, as much as 65-cm thick, occurred on coarse-grained beaches. On fine-sand beaches, oiled sediment was limited to thicknesses of 10 cm or less. On rocky shores, oil distribution was determined primarily by wave energy. Along high-energy, cliffed, or steeply dipping rocky areas, wave reflection kept the oil approximately 5 m offshore and contamination was minimal. In low-energy, sheltered areas, oil readily accumulated, causing apparent environmental damage.
A revised assignment of the 13C NMR spectra of α- and β-pinenes

α-Pinene and β-pinene 13C enriched at the C-10 position were prepared by an unambiguous synthesis. 13C NMR spectral analysis provided evidence for a revised assignment for α-pinene at the C-9 and C-10 carbon atoms.
Hypoglycaemic-related fear in parents of children with poor glycaemic control of their type 1 diabetes is associated with poorer glycaemic control in their child and parental emotional distress

Commentary on: A Haugstvedt, T Wentzel-Larsen, M Graue, et al.. Fear of hypoglycaemia in mothers and fathers of children with Type 1 diabetes is associated with poor glycaemic control and parental emotional distress: a population-based study. Diabet Med2010;27:72–8.
Structural Studies of Polymer-Cushioned Lipid Bilayers

The structure of softly supported polymer-cushioned lipid bilayers, prepared in two different ways at the quartz-solution interface, were determined using neutron reflectometry. The polymer cushion consisted of a thin layer of branched, cationic polyethyleneimine (PEI), and the bilayers were formed by adsorption of small unilamellar dimyristoylphos- phatidylcholine (DMPC) vesicles. When vesicles were first allowed to adsorb to a bare quartz substrate, an almost perfect bilayer formed. When the polymer was then added to the aqueous solution, it appeared to diffuse beneath this bilayer, effectively lifting it from the substrate. In contrast, if the polymer layer is adsorbed first to the bare quartz substrate followed by addition of vesicles to the solution, there is very little interaction of the vesicles with the polymer layer, and the result is a complex structure most likely consisting of patchy multilayers or adsorbed vesicles.
Safety and immunogenicity of concomitant versus nonconcomitant administration of hepatitis B, tetanus-diphtheria, and measles-mumps-rubella vaccines in healthy eleven- to twelve-year-olds

Abstract Purpose To study safety and immunogenicity of concomitant administration of hepatitis B (HB), Tetanus-diphtheria (Td), and Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines in healthy 11–12-year-olds. Method One hundred ninety-seven healthy 11–12-year-olds from the general community were randomized in an unblinded study to concomitant vaccination with Recombivax HB brand of HB vaccine and Td and MMR vaccines or to HB given at a separate time from Td and MMR vaccination. Primary analyses were for induction of protective immunity and safety. Secondary endpoints were mean geometric antibody titers for HB and a boosting effect for Td and MMR. Differences in immunogenicity were analyzed using the one-sided Pearson’s Chi-square test. Results Concomitant vaccination for HB, Td, and MMR had a significantly increased incidence of headache, red eyes, and rash compared with nonconcomitant vaccination. There was no significant difference in incidence of serious adverse events, rates of protective immunity, or in secondary endpoints. Conclusions Concomitant HB, Td, and MMR vaccination in 11–12-year-olds is as safe and immunogenic as nonconcomitant vaccination.
The crinoids of the Al Rose Formation (Early Ordovician, Inyo County, California, U.S.A.)

Upon re-examination Proexenocrinus inyoensis Strimple & McGinnis, the oldest camerate crinoid known, is interpreted as a diplobathrid camerate assigned to the family Rhodocrinitidae rather than a monobathrid assigned to the Tanaocrinidae, as suggested by previous workers. The slab containing the holotype of P. inyoensis also has two undescribed crinoid specimens. These new Early Ordovician crinoids are described and assigned to Inyocrinus strimplei gen. et sp. nov. These specimens are from the Al Rose Formation of west-central California, U.S.A. (upper Ibexian; Arenigian).
COMBINED EFFECT OF HEAT AND ALKALI IN STERILIZING SUGARCANE BAGASSE

— Bacterial spores contained in sugarcane bagasse were subjected to various combinations of heat exposure and alkali concentration and the rate of destruction determined for each set of conditions. A series of survival, thermal death time and alkaline destruction curves revealed a different mode of death by heat exposure than alkali treatment. Addition of alkali into the heating menstruum caused the death rates of bacterial spores to be much greater than with heat alone at a given temperature. Exposure of the spores to a temperature of 75°C for 130 min was required to reduce the spore population by 90% with heat treatment alone. Incorporation of a 1% NaOH solution into the heating menstruum effected the same degree of destruction of the spores within a 2 min period at the same temperature. From a series of thermal destruction and alkaline destruction curves, an empirical equation expressing the relationship between the death rate of bacterial spores, and the intensity of temperature and the concentration of alkali was established. The equation reveals that the death rate of bacterial spores is affected in an exponential manner by temperature and in a direct relationship by alkali concentration. Using the equation, sterilization time for various combinations of temperature and alkali concentration was determined and the overall correlation index between the experimental data and computed value was 0.877.
GPU-Aware Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Non-blocking Collective Benchmarks

As we move towards efficient exascale systems, heterogeneous accelerators like NVIDIA GPUs are becoming a significant compute component of modern HPC clusters. It has become important to utilize every single cycle of every compute device available in the system. From NICs to GPUs to Co-processors, heterogeneous compute resources are the way to move forward. Another important trend, especially with the introduction of non-blocking collective communication in the latest MPI standard, is overlapping communication with computation. It has become an important design goal for messaging libraries like MVAPICH2 and OpenMPI. In this paper, we present an important benchmark that allows the users of different MPI libraries to evaluate performance of GPU-Aware Non-Blocking Collectives. The main performance metrics are overlap and latency. We provide insights on designing a GPU-Aware benchmark and discuss the challenges associated with identifying and implementing performance parameters like overlap, latency, effect of MPI_Test() calls to progress communication, effect of independent GPU communication while the overlapped computation proceeds under the communication, and the effect of complexity, target, and scale of this overlapped computation. To illustrate the efficacy of the proposed benchmark, we provide a comparative performance evaluation of GPU-Aware Non-Blocking Collectives in MVAPICH2 and OpenMPI.
Detection of a human intracisternal retroviral particle associated with CD4+ T-cell deficiency.

Abstract A number of non-human-immunodeficiency-virus (HIV) type 1 disorders are associated with CD4+ T-cell deficiency and dysfunction. However, the etiopathogenesis of CD4+ T-cell immunodeficiency in these disease states remains unclear. Human intracisternal retroviral (HICRV) particles were detected in a lymphoblastoid cell line exposed to mononuclear cells from a patient with severe CD4+ T-cell deficiency without risk factors for HIV infection. Ultrastructurally, the HICRV is distinct from HIV-1, HIV-2, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type I, and HTLV-II. Supernatants of activated mononuclear cells showed significant reverse transcriptase activity that was predominantly Mn2+ dependent. The patient's mononuclear cells were negative for HIV-1, HIV-2, HTLV-I, and HTLV-II proviruses as demonstrated by the lack of amplification by PCR. Also, the patient's serum was negative for antibodies to HIV-1, HTLV-I, and HTLV-II and for HIV-1 p24 antigen; however, serum was positive for antibodies against the HICRV as demonstrated by Western blot. Similar HICRV particles were detected in a lymphoblastoid cell line exposed to mononuclear cells from the patient's daughter, who showed CD4+ T-cell dysfunction. The HICRV may be associated with CD4+ T-cell immunodeficiency and dysfunction in patients without risk for HIV-1, HIV-2, HTLV-I, and HTLV-II.
What Does Virus Evolution Tell Us about Virus Origins

Despite recent advances in our understanding of diverse aspects of virus evolution, particularly on the epidemiological scale, revealing the ultimate origins of viruses has proven to be a more intractable problem. Herein, I review some current ideas on the evolutionary origins of viruses and assess how well these theories accord with what we know about the evolution of contemporary viruses. I note the growing evidence for the theory that viruses arose before the last universal cellular ancestor (LUCA). This ancient origin theory is supported by the presence of capsid architectures that are conserved among diverse RNA and DNA viruses and by the strongly inverse relationship between genome size and mutation rate across all replication systems, such that pre-LUCA genomes were probably both small and highly error prone and hence RNA virus-like. I also highlight the advances that are needed to come to a better understanding of virus origins, most notably the ability to accurately infer deep evolutionary history from the phylogenetic analysis of conserved protein structures.
The Structural Conformity Hypothesis and the Acquisition of Consonant Clusters in the Interlanguage of ESL Learners.

The validity of two implicational universals regarding consonant clusters was tested in an analysis of the interlanguage of 11 subjects who were native speakers of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. The results were strongly supportive of the two universals, suggesting the possibility that primary language universals hold also for nonprimary languages.
A novel routing metric for environmentally-powered sensors with Hybrid Energy Storage Systems

Sustainable wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are potential candidates for remote patient monitoring, monitoring the health of civil structures (e.g. bridges, office buildings, pipelines), environmental monitoring, industrial monitoring and surveillance. However, limited battery life has been a barrier for widespread deployment of such networks. This paper proposes the novel communication using hybrid energy storage system (CHESS) routing metric for networks such that each node has an hybrid energy storage system (HESS). An HESS is composed of a supercapacitor (SC) and a rechargeable battery (RB). SCs and RBs have quite different characteristics, the most important for WSNs being that RBs can be recharged 100 s of times, while SCs can be recharged on the order of a million times before failing. While HESS architectures have been used for wireless devices, no routing algorithm has considered how to exploit these two storage mechanisms to maximize network life. CHESS also allows control of the depth of discharge of the RB.
Amino Acid Transport in Intestine

During the past 30 years many of the universal principles of membrane transport have been established or confirmed using the readily accessible and testable small intestine. Historically, amino acid transport studies have been conducted in a variety of species at various stages of ontogenetic development. The intact epithelium, isolated enterocytes, and isolated brush border and basolateral membranes have each been used to investigate the physiologic, thermodynamic and kinetic events of absorption. Recently, our laboratory (Pan et al., 1991) and others (Hidalgo & Borchardt, 1990) have used cultured intestinal cell lines to study amino acid transport regulation in monolayers that emulate the in vivo epithelium (Zweibaum et al., 1991).
Death and transformation in hamlet

(1983). Death and transformation in hamlet. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Vol. 3, Themes of death and mourning in art and literature, pp. 485-512.
Healthcare reform in the UK and the US: what lies beneath?

The US has resumed its journey toward nearly universal healthcare insurance with the recent passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, rightly labelled a healthcare insurance reform bill, with other things tucked into it. Within minutes of signing, however, multiple states announced intentions to derail the legislation through the courts, asserting that it violates the US Constitution because it mandates individuals to obtain health insurance. Republicans predicted autumn election victories for candidates pledging to repeal the ‘disastrous’ legislation. Democrats predicted that when the populace realises what the legislation does, they will applaud it and reject such efforts. And thus the proper roles of government and the private sector continue to be in dispute, with the electorate divided, some pleading for wider government action and others pleading to restrain government and rely on market forces and personal responsibility. While the political cacophony continues, much is happening in family medicine and primary care, just beneath the headlines. Redesign is everywhere. The ‘clinic’ is not being tweaked; it is being re-made. The current US label for family medicine's new model is the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH).1 This PCMH can be understood as modernised primary care delivery capable of coping with comorbidity, acute problems, chronic diseases, and primary and secondary prevention, with great teamwork and robust information management. It is nothing less than a re-make of the nation's largest platform of formal healthcare delivery, promoted by big business and some professional organisations.2 It is very hard, fatiguing work, likely to take another decade to reach a new steady state. The nature of the work, …
The predictability of asset returns: an approach combining technical analysis and time series forecasts

We investigate predictability of asset returns by developing an approach that combines technical analysis and conventional time series forecasts. While exploiting predictable components as functions of past prices or returns, technical trading rules and time series forecasts capture different aspects of market predictability: the former tends to identify periods to be in the market when returns are positive and the latter is capable of identifying periods to be out when returns are negative. Applied to daily Dow Jones Averages over the first 100 years, the combined strategies outperform both technical trading rules and time series forecasts. The predictability can be explained largely by non-trivial low-order serial correlations in returns and is not mainly attributable to measurement errors arising from non-synchronous trading.
Nebulized Antibiotics for the Treatment of Refractory Bacterial Chronic Rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVE:To review the safety and efficacy of nebulized antibiotics for refractory bacterial chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in adults.DATA SOURCES:PubMed (up to February 2011) and The Cochrane Library (up to February 2011) were searched using the terms nebulizer, nebulized, antibiotics, and chronic sinusitis.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All English-language articles reporting clinical trials in adults were evaluated; 4 relevant studies were identified.DATA SYNTHESIS:Conventional therapy for CRS, including pharmacologic treatments (eg, oral antibiotics, corticosteroids, antihistamines) and surgery, are not effective for all patients, which has led to experimentation with nebulized antibiotics. The 4 trials analyzing the effectiveness of nebulized antibiotics for refractory CRS in adults identified in our literature search were diverse in their methods, and different antibiotics were used in each trial. Furthermore, all of the trials had small sample sizes, with the largest comprising 42 patients. Two...
The Fragility of Healing.

This article explores a paradox—the simultaneous cultivation and suppression of "healing dramas" by pediatric rehabilitation therapists. Dramatic moments are defined as ones in which the routine exercises and treatment activities of therapeutic practice are transformed into narrative plots. These improvisational plots involve multiple characters, risks, suspense, and above all, a heightened sense that something is at stake. Experience itself becomes the focus of attention for the patient. Based upon ethnographic research in Chicago and Los Angeles, this article offers an anatomy of two such moments, investigating not only how healing dramas are constructed between patients and healers but how and why institutional discourses and practices invite their abandonment.
Lipids and Atherosclerosis: Lessons Learned from Randomized Controlled Trials of Lipid Lowering and Other Relevant Studies

Despite evidence from population studies and clinical trials dating to 1984 (1), The Lipid Hypothesis, the idea that a reduction in blood cholesterol reduced coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was viewed with skepticism. Subsequently, angiographic studies using a range of drug and lifestyle regimens demonstrated that progression of coronary atherosclerosis could be reduced and clinical cardiac events prevented. A new and expanded opportunity for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and prevention of CHD emerged with the use of statins. The landmark Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S) was the first randomized, controlled trial to convincingly demonstrate that coronary events and total mortality were decreased by a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (2). Within the past decade, major clinical endpoint trials (2–7), enrolling more than 30,000 patients, have emphasized the value of LDL-C reduction. This reduction in CHD is particularly noteworthy because total and LDL-C reduction were accomplished with a variety of drugs (statins, fibrates, and bile acidbinding resins), dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and surgery (ileal bypass), indicating that reduction in cholesterol and LDL-C was more important than how it was achieved. CHD events, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and all-cause mortality can be prevented with statins or fibrates in patients with average or elevated LDL-C who have preexisting CHD
Accelerating the kernels of BLAST with an efficient PIM (processor-in-memory) architecture

BLAST is a widely used tool to search for similarities in protein and DNA sequences. However, the kernels of BLAST are not efficiently supported by general-purpose processors because of the special computational requirements of the kernels. The kernels involve large amounts of computations which contain a high degree of potential parallelism that general-purpose processors can only exploit to a very limited extent. The kernels handle operands that are small (one byte) and not efficiently manipulated by general-purpose processors. The kernels entail only simple operations whereas current general-purpose processors expend significant proportion of their chip area to support complex operations, such as floating-point operations. The kernels perform a large amount of memory accesses, which translates into severe penalties. In this paper, we propose an efficient PIM (processor-in-memory) architecture to effectively execute the kernels of BLAST. We propose not only to reduce the memory latencies and increase the memory bandwidth but also to execute the operations inside the memory where the data are located. We also propose to execute the operations in parallel by dividing the memory into small segments and by having each of these segments execute operations concurrently. Our simulation results show that our computing paradigm provides a 242/spl times/ performance improvement for the executions of the kernels and a 12/spl times/ performance improvement for the overall execution of BLAST.
A Preliminary Research on P300-Based BCI Application for People with Motor Disabilities

The primary purpose of this paper was to find the relationship between the participants’ disability and user performance on a P300-based brain-computer interface (BCI) — P300 Speller. Ten participants with motor disabilities were employed to spell 10 ten-character phrases with two different user interfaces (5 for each). Results of the study indicated a linear relation between participants’ speech ability and task performance. As the speech ability increases, users’ task performance increases. However, such a relation doesn’t exist between motor ability and task performance. This study should provide invaluable empirical data and insights for the future study.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies The Synergistic Accumulative Effect of Parents' Beliefs on Children's Drinking Behavior

This research examined whether mothers' and fathers' beliefs about their children's alcohol use had cu- mulative self-fulfilling effects on their children's future drinking behavior. Analyses of longitudinal data acquired from 115 seventh-grade children and their mothers and fathers were consistent with synergistic accumulation effects for negative beliefs: Parents' beliefs predicted the greatest degree of confirmatory behavior from children when both mothers and fathers overestimated their chil- dren's alcohol use. Results did not support synergistic accumulation effects for positive beliefs: Children's predicted future alcohol use was similar regardless of whether one parent or both underestimated their child's alcohol use. These findings suggest that the generally small self-fulfilling effects reported in the literature may underestimate the power of negative self-fulfilling prophecies to harm targets because studies have not taken into consideration the possibility that negative self-fulfill- ing prophecies may be more likely than positive ones to accumulate across multiple perceivers.
NON-STEADY-STATE TRANSPORT OF SUPERTHERMAL ELECTRONS IN THE PLASMASPHERE

Numerical solutions to the time-dependent kinetic equation, which describes the transport of superthermal electrons in the plasmasphere between the two conjugate ionospheres, are presented. The model calculates the distribution function as a function of time, field-aligned distance, energy, and pitch-angle. The processes of refilling, depleting, and establishing steady-state conditions of super- thermal electrons in the plasmasphere are discussed. A distinctive feature of the ionospheric plasma is the presence of superthermal electrons. Superthermal electrons, which are created by ionization of the atmosphere by solar radiation or energetic particles of magnetospheric origin, take an active part in a number of physical processes affecting the Earth's ionosphere and plasmasphere. Knowledge of the distribution function of superthermal electrons is required when solving such geophysical problems as heating of the thermal ionospheric and plasmaspheric plasmas, optical emissions and ionization of the upper atmosphere, and wave generation in the ionospheric and plasmaspheric plasmas. One impo.rtant aspect of the superthermal electron problem is their transport through the plasmasphere. The superthermal electrons escaping from the ionosphere experience small-angle scattering when traveling through the plasmasphere as a result of the Coulomb interaction with the thermal plasma. Due to this scattering, some of the superthermal electrons are scattered to the outside of the loss cone and undergo magnetic reflection, i.e. they become trapped. Sanatani and Hanson (1970) and Nagy and Banks (1970) presented qualitative discussions of electron trapping and the resulting increase in plasmaspheric heating, but the first attempts of quantitative calculations were those of Gastman (1973), Takahashi (1973), Swartz et al. (1975), Lejeune and Worsmer (1976) and Khazanov et. al. (1977). Among the numerous papers devoted to the superthermal electron transport between the magnetoconjugate regi. ons of the ionosphere, no results have yet been published which describe the evolution and formation of superthermal electron fluxes under nonstationary conditions. Such models may be needed when the local source of superthermal electrons increases or decreases rather sharply, such as during sunrise and sunset, auroral precipitation events, or plasmaspheric millling. During these short periods, strongly anisotropic distributions of sUperthermal electrons are generated, which may be sources of Plasma instabilities and anomalous heating of the thermal plasma.
An in vitro evaluation of the effectiveness of endotracheal suction catheters.

Introduction: Tracheal suction catheters (TSCs) are used to clear mucus from an endotracheal tube (ETT). The clearance rate is critical because airway mucus stasis leads to obstruction, but prolonged catheter suctioning can lead to hypoxemia. The rate of mucus clearance from an ETT is thought to be influenced by the properties of the mucus, the pressure used to suction the mucus, and the diameter of the catheter. In this study, different adult TSCs were evaluated for their ability to suction mucus simulants that had properties similar to airway mucus. Methods: Six different 14F TSC designs were evaluated. All catheters had the same end hole size, but the two side holes were sized at 3 mm, 4 mm, or 5 mm. A coagulant (Polyox Water Soluble Resin Coagulant NF; Dow Chemical Company; Cary, NC) was mixed with water at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.5%, and 3.0% to simulate mucus or sputum. Suction effectiveness was evaluated by the mass percentage of the coagulant suctioned over 10 s at 100 mm Hg from an 8.0 ETT. Measurements and results: The 1.5% and 3.0% simulants had properties comparable to human airway mucus and sputum. Suction effectiveness was less with the 3.0% coagulant simulant compared with the 1.5% and 0.5% simulants. Suction effectiveness was greater (p Conclusions: Greater TSC side hole diameter and nonparallel positioning was important for suctioning mucus simulants that are similar to mucus or sputum. The distance between side holes, end hole size, suction force, and duration of suctioning were not tested but could also have an effect on TSC performance.
Cardiovascular complications of obesity surgery in patients with increased preoperative cardiac risk

Abstract Background Obesity surgery reduces the incidence of long-term cardiovascular events by modifying the associated risk factors. The derived benefits of weight loss surgery might be counterbalanced by the increased cardiovascular risks in some patients. The primary objective of the present study was to determine the rate of cardiovascular events after obesity surgery in patients considered to have an increased cardiac risk profile at a tertiary referral hospital. Methods A retrospective analysis of the data from consecutive patients who underwent obesity surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Florida was performed. The use of β-blockers, noninvasive stress testing, and perioperative events were assessed. Results The data from 154 patients who had undergone a preoperative cardiac consultation at the Cleveland Clinic Florida before obesity surgery from 2003 to 2006 were analyzed. Most patients were women (n = 108, 69%), and 25 (16%) were >65 years old. The number of patients who received perioperative β-blockers was 72 (47%). Noninvasive stress testing was performed in 78 patients (50%). Of the 78 patients who underwent noninvasive stress testing, 25 (32%) had a positive finding. Only 1 patient with positive stress test results had an obstructive coronary artery lesion found on cardiac catheterization. A total of 5 nonfatal cardiac-related events (3.2%) occurred. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0%. Conclusion Obesity surgery in patients with established coronary heart disease or risk factors is a safe and well-tolerated procedure, with an overall low rate of cardiac events. Noninvasive stress testing in this population resulted in a high rate of false-positive results and uncommonly led to intervention.
Parasites of trout-perch, percopsis omiscomaycus (Percopsidae) from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan, U.S.A.

One-hundred trout-perch, Percopsis omiscomaycus, collected from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron in September 2011, were examined for parasites. Seven parasite species (1 Myxozoa: Myxobolus procercum; 1 Ciliophora: Trichodina sp.; 3 Digenea: Allacanthochasmus sp., Neochasmus sp., Crepidostomum percopsisi; 1 Nematoda: Camallanus oxycephalus; 1 Copepoda: Ergasilus luciopercarum) were found to infect trout-perch. Crepidostomum percopsisi had the highest prevalence (98%), mean intensity (5.3), and mean abundance (5.2). Ergasilus luciopercarum had a prevalence of 46% and a mean intensity of 2.6. Myxobolus procercum and Allacanthochasmus sp.–Neochasmus sp. (considered 1 taxonomic group) each had a prevalence of 22%. Trichodina sp. and C. oxycephalus infrequently infected trout-perch. Gravid individuals of only C. percopsisi and E. luciopercarum were found. Trichodina sp., Allacanthochasmus sp., Neochasmus sp., C. oxycephalus, and E. luciopercarum are reported for the first time from trout-perch in Lake Huron.
Effect of Plasma Sterilization on the Hemostatic Efficacy of a Chitosan Hemostatic Agent in a Rat Model

The United States military has had success with chitosan (CS)-based hemostatic agents to control trauma-induced hemorrhages. Despite the positive reviews, additional physical forms of CS may enhance its hemostatic efficacy. Additionally, standard sterilization techniques may negatively affect the hemostatic efficacy of CS. We studied the effects of a CS-based hemostatic pad, the Clo-Sur P.A.D.™ (Scion Cardio-Vascular, Inc.), on severe femoral vessel bleeding in a rat model. The effects of different sterilization techniques on the bioadhesivity, surface atomic concentrations, and hemostatic efficacy of the P.A.D. were also evaluated. Hemostatic efficacy, bioadhesivity, and surface atomic concentrations of the P.A.D. were evaluated in its unsterilized form, after sterilization with standard e-beam treatment, and after sterilization with one of three types of non-thermal nitrogen plasma: nitrogen gas, air, or nitrous oxide plasma. After standardized puncture of the femoral artery or transection of the femoral vessels, rats were treated with either a CS P.A.D. or gauze pad. The Clo-Sur P.A.D., regardless of sterilization technique, stopped arterial and mixed arterial/venous bleeding in all cases in <90 s with the time to hemostasis (TTH) significantly less for all P.A.D. treatment groups (P < 0.001; n = 4–5/group) compared to gauze-treated controls (n = 3). E-beam sterilized P.A.D.s consistently showed non-significant trends toward increased TTH and worse hemostasis scores compared to unsterilized and plasma sterilized P.A.D.s. Treating e-beam sterilized P.A.D.s with N2 plasma reverted the hemostatic efficacy to levels equivalent to native, unsterilized PADs. A CS-based hemostatic pad successfully controlled severe bleeding in a rat model with combined e-beam and plasma sterilized P.A.D.s showing the most promising results. Further studies are warranted.
The Power and Influence of Political Identities Beyond Political Contexts

Scholarship in identity politics looks at the general social identity formation process, asks how social identities become politicized, and then examines the consequences for political attitudes and behaviors of social identity politicization. While party identification scholarship considers what identification with a party consists of and its impact on numerous political factors, these two scholarly traditions rarely interface. This is surprising given that both share the goal of explaining the causes and consequences of political identification. In this paper, we examine the impact of political identity on non-political attitudes. We do so through the analysis of two independent surveys that both included similar list experiments. We find relatively strong evidence that political identities influence non-political attitudes, though that effect does not appear to be linearly related to the strength of one’s own political identity.
Defining the complexity of an activity

Activity recognition is a widely researched area with applications in health care, security and other domains. With each recognition system considering its own set of activities and sensors, it is difficult to compare the performance of these different systems and more importantly it makes the task of selecting an appropriate set of technologies and tools for recognizing an activity challenging. In this work-in-progress paper we attempt to characterize activities in terms of a complexity measure. We define activity complexity along three dimensions - sensing, computation and performance and illustrate different parameters that parameterize these dimensions. We look at grammars for representing activities and use grammar complexity as a measurement for activity complexity. Then we describe how these measurements can help evaluate the complexity of activities of daily living that are commonly considered by various researchers.
Enantiomerically Pure Organolanthanides for Asymmetric Catalysis. Synthesis, Structures, and Catalytic Properties of Complexes Having Pseudo-meso-Me2Si(η5-C5H3R)(η5-C5H3R*) Ancillary Ligation

As established by NMR, circular dichroism, and X-ray diffraction, organolanthanides of the new chelating ligand Me2Si(tBuCp)[(+)-neo-Men-Cp]2- (Men = menthyl; Cp = η5-C5H3) preferentially adopt a single chiral configuration of the asymmetric metal−ligand template. Metallocene dichloro complexes (R,S)-Me2Si(tBuCp)[(+)-neo-Men-Cp]Ln(μ-Cl2)Li(OEt2)2 (Ln = Y, Lu) are synthesized by alkylation of the corresponding lanthanide trichlorides with the ligand dilithium salt and are isolated isomerically pure by crystallization from diethyl ether. Alkylation of the (R,S)-epimers with MCH(SiMe3)2 (M = Li, K) proceeds with retention of configuration at the lanthanide center, affording chiral hydrocarbyl complexes in high yield. Reaction of the Lu−hydrocarbyl with hydrogen affords diastereomerically pure {(R,S)-Me2Si(tBuCp)[(+)-neo-Men-Cp]LuH}2, an active catalyst for asymmetric olefin hydrogenation. X-ray diffraction reveals a pseudo-C2-symmetric dimer with a pseudo-meso Cp ring substituent arrangement. The two Me2Si(t...
Further purification of a human placental inhibitor to hemagglutination by H-1 virus.

SummaryThe glycoprotein found in human placental fluids that inhibits the hemagglutination of H-1 and HB viruses has been obtained in a high degree of purity as shown by disc electrophoresis and immunodiffusion. It sediments as a macroglobulin whose biological activity can be destroyed by treatment with trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, neuraminidase, or sodium metaperiodate. The inhibitor possesses a remarkable capacity for reacting with H-1 virus since it is active in as low a concentration as 0.004 μg/ml.
A Solution To Hoffman’s Choice For Unauthorized Workers: Creating New Incentives To Report Unlawful Workplace Discrimination

This Article will identify how federal law protects unauthorized workers from class-based discrimination and will define the proper scope of relief for violations of these laws. First, this Article examines a conflict in federal law that creates an incongruence between the purported right to a workplace free of discrimination and the corresponding claims for relief available to unauthorized workers. Next, this Article proffers a new analytical framework, based on state law examples, to resolve this legal quagmire, arguing that current jurisprudence does not apply to anti-discrimination statutes. Finally, this Article proposes that Congress amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) to correct the U.S. Supreme Court’s misapplication of immigration law, which stripped unauthorized workers of the basic protections of dignity and workplace security.
On forecasting ionospheric total electron content responses to high-speed solar wind streams

Conditions in the ionosphere have become increasingly important to forecast, since more and more spaceborne and ground-based technological systems rely on ionospheric weather. Here we explore the feasibility of ionospheric forecasts with the current generation of physics-based models. In particular, we focus on total electron content (TEC) predictions using the Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (GITM). Simulations are configured in a forecast mode and performed for four typical high-speed-stream events during 2007–2012. The simulated TECs are quantified through a metric, which divides the globe into a number of local regions and robustly differentiates between quiet and disturbed periods. Proposed forecast products are hourly global maps color-coded by the TEC disturbance level of each local region. To assess the forecasts, we compare the simulated TEC disturbances with global TEC maps derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite observations. The forecast performance is found to be merely acceptable, with a large number of regions where the observed variations are not captured by the simulations. Examples of model-data agreements and disagreements are investigated in detail, aiming to understand the model behavior and improve future forecasts. For one event, we identify two adjacent regions with similar TEC observations but significant differences in how local chemistry versus plasma transport contribute to electron density changes in the simulation. Suggestions for further analysis are described.
Photo Quiz: Thigh Abscess in a Morbidly Obese Diabetic Patient.

A 55-year-old man presented to the emergency department with complaints of a painful abscess on his inner right thigh that had been present for about 1 week. The patient was morbidly obese, with a significant medical history, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and previous abscesses.