cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in Heart Rate at Blood Lactate Threshold Due to Exercise Mode in Elite Cross-Country Skiers

Larson, A.J. Variations in heart rate at blood lactate threshold due to exercise mode in elite cross-country skiers. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(4):855-860. 2006.-This study attempted to quantify the difference in heart rate and exercise stage at which blood lactate threshold (Tbla) occurs using 3 different modes of exercise: running, double poling (DP) on roller skis, and skating (SK) on roller skis. Nine elite collegiate cross-country ski racers (4 men, 5 women) served as test subjects. Testing was conducted on a motorized FitNex treadmill, specially designed for roller skiing. Heart rate was monitored via telemetry with values averaged over the last 30 seconds of each stage. A 40-?l blood sample was obtained at the fingertip at the end of each 4-minute stage, and 25 ?l was analyzed for whole blood lactate concentration. The Tbla was determined by the first exercise stage that elicited a concentration over 4.0 mmol·L?1. The same test protocol was used for all 3 exercise modes. Mean heart rate, in beats per minute (b·min?1), at Tbla was not significantly different (P 0.05) for SK (mean 187 ± 14 b·min?1 SD) vs. running (mean 187 ± 12 b·min?1 SD); however, heart rate was significantly lower at Tbla for DP (mean 161 ± 17 b·min?1 SD) vs. running and DP vs. SK. The mean exercise protocol stage that induced a blood lactate value which exceeded Tbla was significantly different (P 0.05) for running (5.22 ± 1.20 mmol·L?1 SD) vs. DP (1.89 ± 0.78 mmol·L?1 SD), running vs. SK (3.67 ± 0.71 mmol·L?1 SD), and SK vs. DP. It was concluded that Tbla occurs at a lower heart rate and exercise stage during DP as compared with SK or running. Therefore, it stands to reason that the heart rate at Tbla may vary based on mode of exercise, and when using heart rate to estimate blood lactate concentration, coaches and athletes should be aware that different modes of exercise elicit a different blood lactate concentration at a given heart rate depending on exercise mode used.
PHEV impacts on microgrid systems

Over the past decade, electric vehicles have emerged as a potential solution to the growing fossil fuel dependence, as well as a means of drastically reducing the manmade pollutants in the environment. Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), which have both an internal combustion engine and an on board battery, are designed to charge the vehicle's battery directly from the electric grid. Although PHEVs seem to provide a solution, there are pros and cons of switching to PHEVs. Their inherent ability to decrease the dependence on oil is partially offset by the overall increase in power consumption. With the current power grid, the introduction of PHEVs could have critical affects depending on the percentage and demographical uniformity of their infiltration.
Transdermal Power Transfer for Implanted Drug Delivery Devices using a Smart Needle and Refill Port

This paper describes a pair of micromachined components that work together for transdermal power (and data) transfer into implantable drug delivery devices. In particular, it describes a smart refill port that is electrically accessed with a mating, multi-pole, plug-in needle. These components are fabricated entirely from molded PDMS, Parylene, Kapton, and micro-electro-discharge machined stainless steel. The component pair demonstrates power transfer with low current leakage into both dry and saline ambient, and it has been used to recharge batteries with currents ranging from 10 mA up to 500 mA while temperature change is monitored.
The timing of surgery for cholecystitis: a review of 202 consecutive patients at a large municipal hospital

Abstract Background Traditionally, cholecystectomy for cholecystitis is performed within 3 days of the onset of symptoms or after 5 weeks, allowing for resolution of the inflammatory response. This study reviewed the outcomes of cholecystectomy performed for patients with gallstone disease in the acute (n = 45), intermediate (n = 55), and delayed (n = 102) periods after the onset of symptoms. Methods The medical records of 202 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a large municipal hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The primary outcomes studied were length of hospital stay, conversion to open cholecystectomy, and complications. Results There was no significant difference in the conversion rate (acute [18%] vs intermediate [20%] vs delayed [11%]) or complication rate (acute [16%] vs intermediate [9%] vs delayed [7%]) among the 3 groups. The delayed group had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay than the intermediate or acute group (3.1 ± 3.8 vs 4.3 ± 3.8 vs 1.7 ± 2.1, respectively, P Conclusions Patients who present with acute symptoms of cholecystitis should undergo surgery during the same admission, regardless of the duration of symptoms.
A Curricular Experiment in Sacramental Edification and Instruction

AbstractPhenomenology enriches our awareness of the robust relationship between the appearances of things and those things in themselves. Through this modern philosophical tool, the manner of appearance of things is discov- ered to have an ontological density often ignored if not denied prior to the work of Edmund Husserl in the early twentieth century. According to Robert Sokolowski ‘manifestation in all its forms is a dimension of being’ (Eucharistic Presence, p. 32): in other words, the appearance of a thing is an aspect of the being of the thing itself. Such observations bear strikingly on the field of liturgical theology, inasmuch as formal worship constitutes both a funda- mental moral action and at the same time a set of what might be called aesthetic gestures or acts, often evaluated in terms of solemnity, beauty, simplicity vs. elaborateness, and the like. Applied to worship, then, phenom- enology keeps both of these aspects in play. Another benefit of the phenom- enological approach is its power...
Comparative analysis of inorganic elements in the muscle and liver of some fish species

Abstract Four fish species were collected: brown trout, grouper, spotted tail bass, and black crappie. Fish samples were thawed and dissected. The pieces of edible muscle and liver tissues were digested in a reagent-grade nitric acid, in a constant temperature shaking-water bath at 58°C. Thirteen inorganic elements were determined by flame atomic absorption. The significant findings of this report are that inorganic elements, mercury, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, and nickel with the exception of magnesium show elevated levels in the livers than in the muscles of all the four fish species. It seems magnesium concentration levels were consistantly higher in the muscles than in the livers of all four fish species. It is found that calculations of muscle-liver ratios indicate that ratios in the range of 0.5 are preliminary indicative of environmental static conditions, whereas ratios in the range of more than one are indicative of environmental improvement.
Counselor Trainees' Assessment and Diagnosis of Lesbian Clients with Dysthymic Disorder

SUMMARY Graduate-level counselor trainees completed an Assessment and Diagnostic Inventory consisting of clinical vignettes and a series of questions pertaining to conceptualization of client problem, diagnosis, and assessment of overall level of psychopathology.We hypothesized that participants would assign different diagnoses to clients with lesbian versus heterosexual sexual orientation. Participants responded to vignettes in which clients were identified as either a lesbian or a heterosexual female, with all other content identical. Participants were significantly more likely to perceive lesbian clients' problems to be related to sexual orientation for the vignette corresponding to dysthymic disorder. However, they were not more likely to assign personality disorder diagnoses, nor did they attribute a greater degree of psychopathology to lesbian clients with dysthymic disorder.
Backward positive pion production from nuclei bombarded with 600 MeV protons, 700 MeV alpha particles, and 350 MeV deuterons

The momentum dependence, at fixed pion angles of 180 and 155\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, of inclusive pion production reactions has been obtained for 600 MeV protons and 175 MeV/nucleon $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles and deuterons on $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$, C, Co, and Ta. The spectra obtained all fall off exponentially with increasing pion momentum, the slope being about 30 MeV/c independent of either target or projectile nature. The data are examined from the point of view of quasi-two-body scaling, a reaction description discussed recently which suggests that ${q}_{min}$, the minimum nuclear recoil momentum possible kinematically, is the proper scaling variable. When plotted versus ${q}_{min}$, all data presented here keep their exponential shape, but the slope becomes 70 MeV/c, i.e., nearly the same as obtained for proton production by the same selection of beam projectiles and energies. It is concluded that the same functional of the target momentum space wave function is revealed by quasi-two-body scaling in inclusive pion production experiments, as in inclusive proton and light-fragment production experiments. Finally, the results of a Monte Carlo calculation of pion spectra based on a single $\mathrm{NN}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\mathrm{NN}$ interaction and taking into account the internal motion of the nucleons in target and projectile are presented. The shape and cross sections are accounted for when effective momentum densities of exponential forms are used; the slope constants necessary are compatible with the ones obtained in quasi-two-body scaling. Using the ground state momentum density of an independent particle shell model produces pion spectra which fall off too rapidly. Furthermore, the Monte Carlo calculation reveals kinematical features of the reaction, which help explain why quasi-two-body scaling works for pion production.
Delay insensitive code-based timing and soft error-resilient and adaptive-performance logic

Nanoscale VLSI systems are subject to increasingly prevalent catastrophic defects, soft errors, and significant parametric variations, which cannot be reduced below certain levels according to quantum physics, and must be handled by new design methods. In this paper, we leverage the existing fault-secure logic design techniques, and propose resilient and adaptive-performance (RAP) logic based on delay-insensitive (DI) code and inversion-free logic. RAP logic clears all timing errors and achieves adaptive maximum performance in the absence of external soft errors at a higher area/power cost compared with the existing logic paradigms. Our experimental results further demonstrate that dual-rail static (Domino) RAP logic outperforms alternative delay-insensitive (DI) code-based static (Domino) RAP logic with less area, higher performance and lower power consumption in all test cases, and achieves an average of 2.29(2.41)× performance boost, 2.12(1.91)× layout area and 2.38(2.34)× power consumption compared with the traditional minimum area static logic based on the Nangate 45nm open cell library.
Increasing opportunities to respond to print during storybook reading: Effects of evocative print-referencing techniques

Abstract This study employed a multiple baseline design to determine whether brief training and observational learning enabled teachers to increase their use of evocative references to print during whole-class storybook reading. Evocative print references require children to respond to teachers’ questions or directives about print and, as such, were conceptualized as opportunities to respond (OTRs). Framed within this conceptualization, the study examined whether teachers’ use of print-focused OTRs increased children's engagement during book reading and accelerated acquisition of print awareness skills. Book reading was observed twice weekly during baseline and intervention phases and coded for teachers’ use of print-referenced OTRs and children's level of engagement. Print-knowledge skill probes were administered weekly to 33 children from low-income backgrounds. Results showed gains from baseline to intervention in teachers’ use of evocative print references, children's engagement, and performance on skill probes. Findings are discussed in terms of using book reading to promote development of print awareness in children who are behind their peers in early literacy skills.
Episodic nature of earthquake activity in stable continental regions revealed by palaeoseismicity studies of Australian and North American quaternary faults

Palaeoseismic investigations of recent faulting in stable continental regions of Australia, North America and India show that these faults typically have a long‐term behaviour characterised by episodes of activity separated by quiescent intervals of at least 10 000 and commonly 100 000 years or more. Long recurrence intervals such as these are well documented by detailed studies of the faults that ruptured during the 1986 Marryat Creek, South Australia and 1988 Tennant Creek, Northern Territory earthquakes. Thus, neotectonic features associated with stable continental region faults such as scarps and grabens commonly have subtle geomorphic expression and may be poorly preserved. Many potentially hazardous faults in stable continental regions are aseismic, which is one reason why the inventory of these faults is incomplete. Although they may be currently aseismic, faults in stable continental regions that are favourably oriented for movement in the current stress field could produce damaging earthquakes, o...
A simulation of transit time effects in Doppler ultrasound signals

A signal model is proposed which can be used to study frequency extraction techniques for Doppler ultrasound. The signal is based on the physics of the Doppler process and depends on a sliding window used to average a set of independent Gaussian random numbers. This window is related to the shape of the sample volume for the Doppler pulse and depends on the Doppler angle. Simulation results compare favorably with results from flow experiments in terms of the variance of the estimated Doppler shift, the shape of the power spectra and the behavior of the signals with respect to Burg autoregressive power spectra. A potential use of the signal in the study of spectral analysis techniques is presented.
Neo-tribes: the power and potential of online communities in health care

Online communities deserve better than their current treatment---where they are largely relegated to the fringes of health care.
The Nature of Calcium Phosphate in Mineralizing Vertebrate Tissues

This presentation will describe and summarize aspects of the chemical, biological and physical nature of the mineral deposited in the normal vertebrate skeletal and dental systems. Bone, calcifying cartilage and tendon, dentin, cementum and enamel mineral is a calcium phosphate, most often referred to as apatite and commonly denoted as Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. The mineral is composed of crystals of a unique size and shape, having an unusual chemistry including –3–5% carbonate and 5–10% [HPO4]2−, and serving as a reservoir for other cationic and anionic species. Apatite composition varies in the type and degree of ion substitution, number of atomic vacancies, crystallinity, and age and maturation. Nucleation, growth, and development of the crystals are mediated by organic matrix molecules specific for each tissue, notably collagen in all except enamel. Amelogenin protein modulates apatite formation in part in the latter tissue. The interactions between such organic molecules and the mineral crystals are complex an...
Maximum Mass of a Neutron Star

On the basis of Einstein's theory of relativity, the principle of causality, and Le Chatelier's principle, it is here established that the maximum mass of the equilibrium configuration of a neutron star cannot be larger than $3.2{M}_{[m?]}$. The extremal principle given here applies as well when the equation of state of matter is unknown in a limited range of densities. The absolute maximum mass of a neutron star provides a decisive method of observationally distinguishing neutron stars from black holes.
Hormonal regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway

Abstract The NF-κB transcription factor modulates a number of gene responses to hormonal stimuli. NF-κB can be induced by growth promoting hormones and cytokines, has been shown to counteract the effectiveness of steroid hormones and has recently been found to be regulated during mammalian spermatogenesis. Recent advances in the characterization of the NF-κB signaling pathway offer new opportunities to examine how hormonal stimuli regulate NF-κB mediated gene expression. In this mini-review we outline the signal pathways responsible for activating NF-κB, discuss the hormonal regulation of NF-κB and the regulation of hormonal responses by NF-κB, as well as summarize new studies characterizing NF-κB expression and activity in the mammalian testis.
Extradural block. Confirmation of the injection site by X-ray monitoring

Summary X-ray monitoring was used to confirm the accuracy of extradural block in 100 patients who attended the Pain Relief Clinic for treatment of a variety of different conditions. A Tuohy needle was introduced by the central or paramedian approach and conventional physical signs, notably loss of resistance, used to identify entry into the estradural space. A radio-opaque dye was introduced prior to the analgesic solution, to display the injection site. X-ray screening confirmed the accuracy of the block in 83 patients, but unexpectedly in 17 the point of the needle was either just outside the spinal canal or only partly in the extradural space. There was no difficulty in correcting the needle position with the X-ray facilities available. Imprecise needle siting is only partially explained by technical problems. Imprecise siting of the needle may be responsible for at least some cases of inadequate analgesia or unexpected complications. In our view X-ray confirmation of site is essential for difficult extradural blocks, or when neurolytic solutions are introduced into the spinal canal. It may also be useful in teaching and research.
From in vitro to in vivo by dynamic multiwavelength imaging

There is a clear trend today towards non-invasive, dynamic, digital approaches to biomedical imaging, and a need for even higher resolution. Light is particularly well suited for such investigations, as its temporal, spatial and intensity range are unparalleled. A convergence of new capabilities from fields as diverse as electronics, optics, molecular biology, computer science and dye chemistry have transformed light microscopy from a traditional, static, 2D tool into a highly useful, dynamic, 3D research capability for biology and medicine. We believe that the understanding of certain fundamental biological functions by dynamic mapping of events in living systems is within reach, based on novel, interdisciplinary methods. For imaging molecular events with high resolution (live cells, in vitro), light microscopy has continued to improve in performance, and we survey here some of our recent progress. The same dynamic mapping can be extended to organs, whole animals and humans, by monitoring molecules labeled with the long-wavelength dyes that proved useful in microscopy. We report here results obtained by in vivo imaging of fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibodies, indicative of tumor location and evolution in nude mice.
Collaborative interpretation in land change science meta-studies

This article presents preliminary findings from an ongoing study of collaborative knowledge creation in the land change science (LCS) research community. Using observational data from two international workshops on LCS meta-study practice, we document the challenges to current approaches highlighting the need for direct interaction with case study authors. Results from the study are being used to enhance the meta-study process through GLOBE, new scientific cyberinfrastructure for users to share, compare, and synthesize local and regional data.
Dynamics of perfectly wetting drops under gravity.

We study the dynamics of small droplets of polydimethylsiloxane silicone oil on a vertical, perfectly wetting, silicon wafer. Interference videomicroscopy allows us to capture the dynamics of these droplets. We use droplets with a volumes typically ranging from $100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}500\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nl}$ (viscosities from $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}1000\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{cSt}$) to understand long time derivations from classical solutions. Past researchers used one dimensional theory to understand the typical ${t}^{1∕3}$ scaling for the position of the tip of the droplet in time $t$. We observe this regime in experiment for intermediate times and discover a two-dimensional similarity solution of the shape of the droplet. However, at long times our droplets start to move more slowly down the plane than the ${t}^{1∕3}$ scaling suggests and we observe deviations in droplet shape from the similarity solution. We match experimental data with simulations to show these deviations are consistent with retarded van der Waals forcing which should become significant at the small heights observed.
Glycoproteins gE and gI are required for efficient KIF1A-dependent anterograde axonal transport of alphaherpesvirus particles in neurons

Alphaherpesviruses, including pseudorabies virus (PRV), spread directionally within the nervous systems of their mammalian hosts. Three viral membrane proteins are required for efficient anterograde-directed spread of infection in neurons, including Us9 and a heterodimer composed of the glycoproteins gE and gI. We previously demonstrated that the kinesin-3 motor KIF1A mediates anterograde-directed transport of viral particles in axons of cultured peripheral nervous system (PNS) neurons. The PRV Us9 protein copurifies with KIF1A, recruiting the motor to transport vesicles, but at least one unidentified additional viral protein is necessary for this interaction. Here we show that gE/gI are required for efficient anterograde transport of viral particles in axons by mediating the interaction between Us9 and KIF1A. In the absence of gE/gI, viral particles containing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Us9 are assembled in the cell body but are not sorted efficiently into axons. Importantly, we found that gE/gI are necessary for efficient copurification of KIF1A with Us9, especially at early times after infection. We also constructed a PRV recombinant that expresses a functional gE-GFP fusion protein and used affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry to identify gE-interacting proteins. Several viral and host proteins were found to associate with gE-GFP. Importantly, both gI and Us9, but not KIF1A, copurified with gE-GFP. We propose that gE/gI are required for efficient KIF1A-mediated anterograde transport of viral particles because they indirectly facilitate or stabilize the interaction between Us9 and KIF1A.
May: A Month of Roundtables

Excerpt] Springtime in Ithaca means the snow may melt, graduating seniors may leave Ithaca, and the Center for Hospitality Research will hold three Industry Roundtables. The Center’s Roundtables are forums that enable faculty, industry leaders, and students to link academic theory to practical application by presenting relevant research and discussing, contemplating, and analyzing other issues important to the hospitality industry.
Characterization of circulating interleukin-1 receptor antagonist expression in children with inflammatory bowel disease

The cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 appear to be important in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Recently, a naturally occurring interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, designated IL-1ra, which inhibits IL-1β activityin vitro andin vivo has been described. The purpose of the present study was to assess the circulating levels and relative relationships of IL-1ra, IL-1β, and IL-6 in children with IBD of varying severity. Serum/plasma samples were obtained from 32 children with ulcerative colitis, 45 with Crohn's disease, and 24 control patients. Cytokine assays were performed by enzymelinked immunoassay. IL-1ra levels were significantly elevated in children with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease of moderate/severe activity compared to patients with inactive/mild IBD or control subjects (P<0.001). IL-1β was only detectable in the circulation of two subjects with severe colitis (one ulcerative colitis, one Crohn's disease), and both had extremely elevated IL-1ra levels. IL-1ra levels were significantly related to IL-6 levels for patients with IBD (P<0.00001). Our results suggest that circulating IL-1ra appears in increasing concentrations in children with mounting degrees of disease severity as determined by clinical scoring methods as well as by the level of IL-6. Future work will need to address the clinical and prognostic value of measuring circulating IL-1ra in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.
Profile of Alberto Ruz Lhuillier as a Young Man

The attitudes and beliefs that archaeologists bring to their profession can have important impacts upon the manner in which they approach their work; therefore, studying an archaeologist’s life can shed light on archaeological history. An investigation of the early life of the Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier provides fascinating evidence of just how life experiences can have an impact on attitudes and theoretical approaches. Ruz was the archaeologist who, in 1952, discovered the magnificent tomb of the Classic Maya King of Palenque, Mexico, K’inich Janaab’ Pakal I. Research into Ruz’s early life sheds light on why he had negative opinions about the United States (US), and highlights the experiences that caused them, and explains how they changed. When Ruz moved to Cuba in the 1930s, and learned about the impact of American interference in Cuban affairs, he became deeply involved in the socialist revolution to oust Cuba’s US puppet dictators and to free his country from ‘yanqui’ imperialism. In addition, these early student life experiences exposed him to other students who espoused the theories and ideas of Karl Marx. Later Ruz would use some of these theories to explain the development and fall of ancient Maya civilization.
Does Intensive Glycemic Control Reduce Cardiovascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes

This continuing feature updates readers on recent developments in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. Cardiovascular disease remains the number 1 killer in the United States, and more clinical outcome trials have been conducted in cardiology than in any other field of medicine. Given this rapidly expanding knowledge base, if pharmacists stay current with developments in drug therapy, they can have a significant impact on prevention and treatment.
Beyond access to medical care. Pursuit of health and prevention of ills.

This essay expands the public discourse on reform of health care. It examines the meaning of health, societal requirements for attaining health and preventing ills, and values and goals to guide health policy reform. The essay suggests a universal model of health and development in human societies, according to which levels of health and of human development and levels of ill health and of human underdevelopment tend to reflect, and to vary with, the extent to which people can meet their intrinsic needs in the context of the social, economic, and political institutions of their societies and the dominant values that shape these institutions and their dynamics. It applies this model to an examination of health in the United States and reveals that the extent to which people can realize their intrinsic needs is limited and that their health and development are, consequently, unsatisfactory. The essay also examines implications of this analysis for policy development and advocates transformations of our soci...
Information policy in an era of illiteracy: The U.S. Pension Bureau before the civil war

Abstract This study looks at the pre-Civil War Federal Pension Bureau to examine how an earlier generation of American government officials defined information policy. Between 1847 and the outbreak of the Civil War, the Pension Bureau had to process about three-quarters-of-a-million applications, largely from elderly veterans seeking special land grants. Many of these applicants were illiterate or semi-literate, thus posing special problems for the Bureau and forcing new needs in government publishing and information exchange. Rather than innovate, the Bureau chose a do-nothing approach and decided against aiding the veterans with their applications in any way, a policy choice that worked to the economic detriment of many of the veterans.
Emission and polarization spectrometer for biophysical spectroscopy.

We have constructed a spectrometer which, using well established techniques, measures both fluorescence and circular dichroism (natural and magnetic) as well as several other parameters of interest in biophysical spectroscopy. This combination is feasible since the various measurements, aside from sharing many optical components, can all use a lock‐in amplifier to process electronic signals. Although fluorescence and circular dichroism provide greatly different information about the material under investigation, from the standpoint of instrumentation they are very similar. Combining several functions in a single spectrometer has the advantages of economy and flexibility.
IDIOPATHIC LOW RESTING HEART RATE (LRHR) IN NEONATES: SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE. 1188

IDIOPATHIC LOW RESTING HEART RATE (LRHR) IN NEONATES: SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE. 1188
CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL FELDSPARS BY RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY FOR FUTURE PLANETARY EXPLORATION

The Raman spectra of a large number of natural feldspar-group minerals were obtained to determine what compositional and structural information can be inferred solely from their Raman spectra. The feldspar minerals selected cover a wide range of Na, K, and Ca proportions, crystal structures and degrees of cation disorder. The samples include both homogeneous feldspar phases and a few with visible intergrowths. From the positions of the strongest Raman peak in the spectrum, four structural types of feldspars can be readily identified: orthoclase (and microcline), albite, high-temperature plagioclase, and anorthite. Using a Raman spectral database of feldspar minerals established during this study and an autonomous spectral search-and-match routine, up to seven different types of feldspar can be unambiguously determined. Three additional feldspar types can be further resolved by careful visual inspection of the Raman spectra. We conclude that ten types of feldspars can be classified according to their structure, crystallinity, and chemical composition solely on the basis of their Raman spectra. Unlike olivine, pyroxene and some Fe-oxides, the Raman peak positions of the feldspars cannot be used to extract quantitative information regarding the cation composition of the feldspar phases. We also define the necessary specifications of a field Raman spectrometer capable of characterizing feldspar minerals during planetary surface exploration.
State-dependent fire models and related renewal processes.

We introduce a general class of stochastic processes forced by instantaneous random fires (i.e., jumps) that reset the state variable $x$ to a given value. Since in many physical systems the fire activity is often dependent on the actual value of the state variable, as in the case of natural fires in ecosystems and firing dynamics in neuronal activity, the frequency of fire occurrence is assumed to be state dependent. Such dynamics leads to independent interfire statistics---i.e., to renewal point processes. Various functions relating the frequency of fire occurrence to $x(t)$ are analyzed and compared. The relation between the probabilistic dynamics of $x(t)$ and the interfire statistics is derived and some exact probability distribution of both $x(t)$ and the interfire times are obtained for systems with different degrees of complexity. After studying processes in which the fire activity is coupled only to a deterministic drift, we also analyze processes forced by either additive or multiplicative Gaussian white noise.
The changing face of information technology

Information technology as an academic discipline began in the early 90's. Since then, there have been many changes in how industry views the discipline. Today, information technology is about large-scale operations. This may be manifested as supporting enterprise services, working with big data, or supporting massive multi-user systems. In this paper, we describe a new curriculum that is based upon the original work in the "2008 Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Technology" document, but addresses modern information technology demands. We discuss a new curricular model for teaching information technology and also the addition of analytics as an overarching theme for the curriculum.
Modularity-Maximizing Graph Communities via Mathematical Programming

In many networks, it is of great interest to identify communities, unusually densely knit groups of individuals. Such communities often shed light on the function of the networks or underlying properties of the individuals. Recently, Newman suggested modularity as a natural measure of the quality of a network partitioning into communities. Since then, various algorithms have been proposed for (approximately) maximizing the modularity of the partitioning determined. In this paper, we introduce the technique of rounding mathematical programs to the problem of modularity maximization, presenting two novel algorithms. More specifically, the algorithms round solutions to linear and vector programs. Importantly, the linear programing algorithm comes with an a posteriori approximation guarantee: by comparing the solution quality to the fractional solution of the linear program, a bound on the available “room for improvement” can be obtained. The vector programming algorithm provides a similar bound for the best partition into two communities. We evaluate both algorithms using experiments on several standard test cases for network partitioning algorithms, and find that they perform comparably or better than past algorithms, while being more efficient than exhaustive techniques.
Deformation processing of PMMA into high-strength fibers

Poly(methyl methacrylate) was drawn into fibers by melt extrusion followed immediately by a transient temperature drawing process. By varying five processing variables, fibers ranging from 0.635 mm to 25 μm in diameter were produced. Heat-induced relaxation of the aligned structure was used to determine the draw ratio of the resultant fibers and therefore the degree of polymer chain alignment imposed by the deformation process. The resulting changes in length and diameter were measured and it was found that draw ratios of 5–20 had been achieved under the varying processing conditions. It was also observed that fiber diameter immediately after drawing is a good predictor of the degree of orientation present in the fiber irrespective of the processing conditions. To test the effect molecular orientation has on material properties, fibers with varying degrees of orientation were tested in tension. As expected, increasing alignment resulted in increasing tensile strength. The maximum observed true ultimate tensile strength was 225 ± 53 MPa and was seen in fibers with a draw ratio equal to 18.7 ± 4.5. Fibers with a lower degree of alignment, while not as strong in tension, exhibited significantly increased ductility. True strains of as high as 25% were observed.
Flexible Piezoelectric Transducer Based on Electrospun PVDF Nanofibers for Sensing Applications

Abstract We present the results concerning the fabrication and characterization of a piezoelectric transducer based on electrospun polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) nanofibers. The deposition process was optimized to obtain aligned nanofibers and to maximize the overall piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric properties were investigated depositing the material on interdigitated metal electrodes implemented on a thin flexible substrate. In order to generate a suitable mechanical stimulation, the device was coupled to an acoustic actuator and its response was recorded at different vibration frequency and during the interaction with humidity and ethanol.
The long-term fate of Cu2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ adsorption complexes at the calcite surface: An X-ray absorption spectroscopy study

In this study, the speciation of Zn2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ ions sorbed at the calcite surface was monitored during a 2.5-year reaction period, using extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize metal speciation on the molecular scale. Experiments were performed using pre-equilibrated calcite-water suspensions of pH 8.3, at metal concentrations below the solubility of metal hydroxide and carbonate precipitates, and at constant metal surface loadings. The EXAFS results indicate that all three metals remained coordinated at the calcite surface as inner-sphere adsorption complexes during the 2.5-year ageing period, with no evidence to suggest slow formation of dilute metal-calcite solid solutions under the reaction conditions employed. All three divalent metals were found to form non-octahedral complexes upon coordination to the calcite surface, with Zn2+ adsorbing as a tetrahedral complex, Cu2+ as a Jahn–Teller distorted octahedral complex, and Pb2+ coordinating as a trigonal- or square-pyramidal surface complex. The non-octahedral configurations of these surface complexes may have hindered metal transfer from the calcite surface into the bulk, where Ca2+ is in octahedral coordination with respect to first-shell O. The use of pre-equilibrated calcite suspensions, with no net calcite dissolution or precipitation, likely prevented metal incorporation into the lattice as a result of surface recrystallization. The results from this study imply that ageing alone does not increase the stability of Zn2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ partitioning to calcite if equilibrium with the solution is maintained during reaction; under these conditions, these metals are likely to remain available for exchange even after extended sorption times.
Effects of graphene and carbon coating modifications on electrochemical performance of silicon nanoparticle/graphene composite anode

Abstract The effects of graphene and C coating modifications on electrochemical performance of silicon nanoparticle (SiNP)/graphene composite anode were investigated. Graphene with varying sheet sizes (238, 160 and 113 nm) were used as an anode material where a cycling performance dependence on the sheet size (edge sites and sheet disorder) was observed. Temperature-dependent N doping of graphene resulted in graphene with N (5.97% w/w) presenting three binding configurations: 72.1% pyridinic N, 22.4% pyrrolic N and 5.5% graphitic N. The nitrided graphene displayed improved cycling capacity and minimized performance decay, principally due to the pyridinic N. Galvanostatic cycling using increasing current density rates (500–2500 mA g −1 ) of SiNP composites with C coating/deposition showed improvements in both capacity retention and rate performance. A polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based coating scheme was used to produce a N-containing (2.20%) C coating which displayed the best high performance improvements, attributable to the minimization of direct solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and improvement in the conduction path. Optimization of the methods to achieve the best modification characteristics might enable performance improvements that maximize the capabilities of the materials.
Medical Countermeasures for Pandemic Influenza: Ethics and the Law

SERIOUS OUTBREAKS OF AVIAN INFLUENZA A (H5N1) have occurred among birds in Asia, with cases now reported in Europe. Although H5N1 is highly contagious among birds, it is rare in humans due to a significant species barrier. As of January 7, 2006, 146 cases were reported with 76 deaths. Human-to-human transmission has occurred, but transmission to date has not continued beyond one person. The prevalence of H5N1 is currently very low and pales in comparisonwithpandemicsofhumanimmunodeficiencyvirus, malaria, and tuberculosis. However, recent evidence that the 1918“Spanish” fluwascausedbyanavian influenzavirus lends credence to the theory that current outbreaks could have pandemic potential. Extrapolating from the 1918 pandemic, which killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million people in a less-populatedplanet, modelingstudies indicate that500 000 to1millionAmericanscoulddie,with tensofmillionsofdeaths globally. In response, the US government and the World Health Organization recently issued strategic plans. Therapeutic countermeasures (eg, vaccines and antiviral medications) and nonpharmaceutical interventions (eg, infection control, social separation, and quarantine) form the 2 principal strategies for prevention and response. This Commentary focuses on the medical countermeasures.
The initial course of in-stent restenosis influences the response to vascular brachytherapy.

Abstract Background: Vascular brachytherapy (VBT) reduces the rate of recurrence of in-stent restenosis (ISR) by inhibiting intimal proliferation. However, the rate of cell proliferation, reflected by the speed of ISR development, is variable in ISR lesions and might influence the responsiveness of ISR to radiation. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the initial ISR course on the clinical outcome of patients undergoing VBT. Methods: In 1165 patients treated for ISR with VBT in the WRIST studies, we determined the time for ISR (time between initial stent implantation and restenosis), the time for VBT treatment (time between stent implantation and VBT), and previous ISR treatment with conventional strategies. Target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6 months was available in all patients. Results: Previous ISR treatment did not influence the result of VBT (TLR was 17% vs. 16% without previous angioplasty). Time to ISR influences the outcome of patients undergoing VBT; TLR decreased when ISR occurred later. TLR was 18.2%, 16.7%, and 11.1% when time to ISR was 270 days, respectively, P =.03. Early ISR (time for ISR P P Conclusion: The course of ISR development affects the long-term efficacy of VBT. Early restenosis remains a factor of treatment failure in the VBT era. Delaying VBT beyond 90 days after stent implantation reduces the rate of subsequent revascularization in these patients.
Scanning electrochemical microscopy. 35. Determination of diffusion coefficients and concentrations of Ru(NH3)63+ and methylene blue in polyacrylamide films by chronoamperometry at ultramicrodisk electrodes

Abstract The chronoamperometric response at an ultramicrodisk electrode (diameter = 25 μ m) inserted into polyacrylamide (PAAM) gel films containing reducible electroactive species [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+ and methylene blue (MB)] was used to determine the diffusion coefficients ( D ) and concentrations ( C ) of these species using a previously proposed treatment of the ratio of transient and steady-state currents. The diffusion coefficients obtained in film were slightly smaller (75–95%) than the values for the same species in solution, demonstrating that the film environment is mainly an aqueous one contained within large polymer pores. The calculated concentrations were in good agreement with those used to cast the films. Complexes of MB with DNA were also examined in solution and in a PAAM film. The diffusion coefficients in both cases were significantly smaller (~23%) than those of MB alone. The results indicate that, with some limitations, the chronoamperometric response of films probed with an SECM tip can be used to determine both D and C with knowledge of only the ultramicrodisk radius.
Persistence of Late Carboniferous tropical vegetation during glacially driven climatic and sea-level fluctuations

Abstract The Late Carboniferous glaciation reached its peak during the latter part of the Westphalian (late Desmoinesian). In the tropical Illinois basin this was the time of deposition of the Carbondale and lower Modesto Formations, characterized by the cyclic repetition of major coal deposits, black shales, limestones, gray shales and sandstones. These lithological changes evidence repeated major fluctuations in climate and sealevel. Fossil floras from the tropical ever-wet to seasonally wet terrestrial lithofacies, coals and shales above coals, remain compositionally similar throughout the 1–1.5 m.y. time interval. Floras from coals, known from coal balls and palynology, characteristically were composed of three major plant communities: the wettest sites were dominated by monocarpic lycopsids, intermediate sites were dominated by polycarpic lycopsids, and areas subject to fires and intermittent flooding were dominated by medullosans and the small lycopsid Paralycopodites. Clastic-substrate environments were dominated by ferns and pteridosperms and conform to a single biozone, indicating their compositional unity and distinctness from earlier and later assemblages. The composition of lowland floras is poorly known from times between the deposition of coals and associated terrestrial rocks, intervals during which most of the lowlands were flooded and marine rocks were being deposited. Consequently, the temporally intermittent recurrence of lowland floras despite repeated, widespread environmental disruption may be explained either by vegetational persistence and migration of floras, or repeated disruption and reassembly. Several lines of evidence suggest persistence as a likely explanation.
Emerging lifestyles and proactive options for successful ageing

Maintenance of functional health and high quality of late life are crucial concerns for gerontologists and health researchers, as rapidly growing numbers of very old adults face the challenges and opportunities of increasing longevity and frailty in the twenty-first century (Atchley, 1995; Institute of Medicine [IOM], 1991). The present formulation outlines how older adults of tomorrow can enhance their own quality of life through a broad array of proactive adaptations. By recognizing and accepting older adults’ right to, and preference for, proactive involvement in shaping their own destiny, we can make important strides toward facilitating elders’ successful ageing. Successful ageing, based on our model, is an attainable goal within reach of even those aged traditionally relegated to ranks of passive and stigmatized recipients of care.
National trends in the utilization of emergency medical services for acute myocardial infarction and stroke.

Introduction: The emergency medical services (EMS) system plays a crucial role in the chain of survival for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke. While regional studies have shown underutilization of the 911 system for these time-sensitive conditions, national trends have not been studied. Our objective was to describe the national prevalence of EMS use for AMI and stroke, examine trends over a six-year period, and identify patient factors that may contribute to utilization. Methods: Using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey-ED (NHAMCS) dataset from 2003-2009, we looked at patients with a discharge diagnosis of AMI or stroke who arrived to the emergency department (ED) by ambulance. We used a survey-weighted χ2 test for trend and logistic regression analysis. Results: In the study, there were 442 actual AMI patients and 220 (49.8%) presented via EMS. There were 1,324 actual stroke patients and 666 (50.3%) presented via EMS. There was no significant change in EMS usage for AMI or stroke over the six-year period. Factors independently associated with EMS use for AMI and stroke included age (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.12-1.31), Non-Hispanic black race (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.16-2.29), and nursing home residence (OR 11.50; 95% CI 6.19-21.36). Conclusion: In a nationally representative sample of ED visits from 20003-2009, there were no trends of increasing EMS use for AMI and stroke. Efforts to improve access to care could focus on patient groups that underutilize the EMS system for such conditions. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(7):–0.]