cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ebola virus disease in southern Sudan: hospital dissemination and intrafamilial spread

Between 31 July and 6 October 1979, 34 cases of Ebola virus disease (22 of which were fatal) occurred among five families in a rural district of southern Sudan; the disease was introduced into four of the families from a local hospital. Chains of secondary spread within the family units, accounting for 29 cases resulted from direct physical contact with an infected person. Among all persons with such contact in the family setting, those who provided nursing care had a 5.1-fold increased risk of infection, emphasizing the importance of intimate contact in the spread of this disease. The absence of illness among persons who were exposed to cases in confined spaces, but without physical contact, confirmed previous impressions that there is no risk of airborne transmission. While the ecology of Ebola virus is unknown, the presence of anti-Ebola antibodies in the sera of 18% of persons who were unassociated with the outbreak suggests that the region is an endemic focus of Ebola virus activity.
Algal Layer Ratios as Indicators of Air Pollutant Effects in Parmelia sulcata

Parmelia sulcata Taylor is generally believed to be fairly pollution tolerant, and consequently it is sometimes collected in urban and/or polluted localities. The condition of these specimens, however, is not always luxuriant and healthy. This study tested the hypothesis that total thallus and algal layer thickness, and the algal layer ratio would be thinner in polluted areas, thus allowing these characters to be used a indicators of air pollutant effects. Herbarium specimens were studied from 16 different localities varying in pollution level. The thallus and algal layers and ratio were not affected by year or locality of sampling, but decreased 11, 31 and 21% respectively between low and high pollution level localities. These results agreed with earlier studies using other species, but further work is needed to clarify the effects of geography and substrate on these phenomena.
PERSONALIZED Source Selection Process: A Social Profile Adaptation Technique

The previous distributed information retrieval research based on the textual information defined new measures to improve the different process in the distributed information system, but neglected the use of the social information. From this point, we propose an approach which exploits the different social entities, to make a new profile adaptation technique, and to personalize the source selection process in a distributed information retrieval system.
Geothermal Power Plants of Indonesia

Indonesia, having a population of 254 million, is the fifth most populous country in the world, and it is the largest country comprised solely of islands, over 17,500 of them. It is strategically located amid sea lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The island arc of the Indonesian archipelago was raised by subduction of the Indian-Australian plate diving beneath the Eurasian plate. The presence of the nearby Philippine and Pacific plates creates a very active tectonic region. There are more volcanoes in Indonesia than any other country, with major volcanic activity on six islands including Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi. The Sunda Arc, comprising a continuous chain of volcanoes stretching about 3800 km in length, forms the western edge of Sumatra, south-central areas of Java, and extends all the way eastward to the island of Alor. The northernmost end of Sulawesi, some 1000 km north of the Sunda Arc, is highly volcanic, and from its tip, a string of small island volcanoes continues 200 km northward.
Boron Diffusion in Fluorine Preamorphized Silicon During Rapid Thermal Annealing

The effect of fluorine preamorphization on boron diffusion and activation during rapid thermal annealing (RTA) has been investigated. Compared with low energy B or BF2 implant into crystalline Si, F preamorphization suppressed the transient enhanced diffusion of B and increased dopant activation. Results show that the tail diffusion was absent, and thus the junction depth of the RTA annealed sample was established by the as-implanted B profile. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron micrograph results show F accumulation near the surface and at end-of-range defects. The interaction of F with defects is believed to reduce the B diffusion during RTA.
The Church and Business Practices in Late Sixteenth Century Mexico 1

Historians have long been interested in shedding light on the numerous, habitual transactions that constitute economic life at its basic level. Yet, questions about how men transact business as individuals, and how they feel about it are largely unanswered by traditional political and bureaucratic records, perhaps because these activities were so commonplace to the society, so well-known and unremarkable to contemporaries as to obviate remark in the records. A study of the extensive records of the Roman Catholic Church, however, can shed light on this, and many other aspects of Spanish colonial society in Mexico.
Altered protein kinase C activation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in mesangial cells from salt-sensitive rats.

The purpose of these studies was to determine whether there is a defect in protein kinase C (PKC) regulation of the Na+/Ca2+exchanger in cultured mesangial cells (MC) from Dahl/Rapp salt-sensitive (S) and salt-resistant (R) rats. R and S MCs were cultured, grown on coverslips, and loaded with fura 2 for measurement of single cell cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a microscope-based photometry system. Studies were performed in cells that were exposed to serum (serum fed) and in cells that were serum deprived for 24 h. Baseline [Ca2+]ivalues measured in a Ringer solution containing 150 mM NaCl were similar between R and S MCs in both serum-fed and serum-deprived groups, although baseline [Ca2+]ivalues were uniformly higher in the serum-deprived groups. Exchanger activity was assessed by reducing extracellular Na (Nae) from 150 to 2 mM, which resulted in movement of Na+ out of and Ca2+ into these cells (reverse-mode Na+/Ca2+exchange). PKC was activated in these cells with 15-min exposure to 100 nM...
Co-registering satellite images and LIDAR DEMs through straight lines

Co-registration of optical and range data is a crucial step before they could be merged. Trustworthy correspondence between both data is determined via image registration models. These models are mainly built with points; however, with the aid of automated extraction tools for linear objects, photogrammetrists have been developing transformation models with lines. In this study, we propose to co-register satellite images and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) digital elevation models (DEMs) with straight lines. We developed a line extraction algorithm that was capable of extracting straight lines in both data sets. These lines were then utilised to register the LIDAR DEM with several high-resolution satellite images. We were able to reach one-pixel accuracy through the parallel projection transformation model and the direct linear transformation (DLT) model when geometric constraints among the lines were enforced. Our findings are similar to those reported with points and highlight the leverage of linear...
Effect of Superabsorber-Pulp Interactions on the Performance of Absorbent Structures

SUMMARY The fluid absorption of Super Absorbent Polymers was found to be less when incorporated into fluff pulp air formed fleeces, found in hygienic disposables, than their absorption in pure form. This difference was attributed to a competition for available fluid between the SAP and the capillary forces in the pores of the fluff pulp structure. Absorption of an ionic Acrylate base and a non-ionic PVA base SAP was compared in laboratory tests in pure form and in air formed felts, then in use tests in baby diapers. Diapers performance did not correlate with the laboratory tests. The difference was related to the quantity of fluid available in the tests.
Music indexing and retrieval: current problems

Academics and librarians have yet to reach a consensus on the indexing of print resources about music, nor have they developed satisfactory means of indexing sheet music. With the increasing presence of audio music on the Internet, the need to properly index MP3s and other audio files has reached a new level of urgency, and with it the need to label these items satisfactorily to enable retrieval. While the importance of these fields has been constant since the beginning of indexing and cataloguing, increased availability of sources means that there is more music available to users than ever before, but little in the way of sorting through it. Luckily studies are being undertaken with the aim of solving these problems. This article seeks to explore and explain some of these developments.
Large-scale methods in computational genomics

The explosive growth in biological sequence data coupled with the design and deployment of increasingly high throughput sequencing technologies has created a need for methods capable of processing large-scale sequence data in a time and cost effective manner. In this dissertation, we address this need through the development of faster algorithms, space-efficient methods, and high-performance parallel computing techniques for some key problems in computational genomics. The first problem addressed is the clustering of DNA sequences based on a measure of sequence similarity. Our clustering method: (i) guarantees linear space complexity, in contrast to the quadratic memory requirements of previously developed methods; (ii) identifies sequence pairs containing long maximal matches in the decreasing order of their maximal match lengths in run-time proportional to the sum of input and output sizes; (iii) provides heuristics to significantly reduce the number of pairs evaluated for checking sequence similarity without affecting quality; and (iv) has parallel strategies that provide linear speedup and a proportionate reduction in space per processor. Our approach has significantly enhanced the problem size reach while also drastically reducing the time to solution. The next problem we address is the de novo detection of genomic repeats called Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. Our algorithm guarantees linear space complexity and produces high quality candidates for prediction in run-time proportional to the sum of input and output sizes. Validation of our approach on the yeast genome demonstrates both superior quality and performance results when compared to previously developed software. In a genome assembly project, fragments sequenced from a target genome are computationally assembled into numerous supersequences called "contigs", which are then ordered and oriented into "scaffolds". In this dissertation, we introduce a new problem called retroscaffolding for scaffolding contigs based on the knowledge of their LTR retrotransposon content. Through identification of sequencing gaps that span LTR retrotransposons, retroscaffolding provides a mechanism for prioritizing sequencing gaps for finishing purposes. While most of the problems addressed here have been studied previously, the main contribution in this dissertation is the development of methods that can scale to the largest available sequence collections.
The Impact of Abdominal Contouring with Monsplasty on Sexual Function and Urogenital Distress in Women Following Massive Weight Loss

Background Monsplasty treats massive weight loss (MWL) patients with redundant tissues in the mons region. Monsplasty, however, is not a routine component of abdominal contouring. Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the changes in urinary and sexual functioning in patients who undergo abdominal contouring with monsplasty vs non-operated controls. Methods A prospective study was performed of patients who underwent abdominal contouring + monsplasty or no surgery. The Urogenital Distress Inventory Short Form (UDI-6) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaires were administered to both groups at baseline and then three months later. Results The surgical ( n = 20) and nonsurgical groups ( n = 20) were similar related to patient demographics, body mass index after MWL, parity, relationship status, hormonal status, and baseline UDI-6/FSFI scores (all P values >0.05). After three months, there was a statistically significant decrease in the UDI-6 score for the surgical groups vs the nonsurgical group: median UDI-6 score = −0.01 (interquartile range [IQR], −7.65-5.55) vs 0 (IQR, 0-11.11) ( P = .03). There was no change for the Female Sexual Function Index in the surgical vs nonsurgical groups: median FSFI = 0.20 (IQR, −1.20-1.58) vs 0.95 (IQR, 0.08–2.58) ( P = .11). Conclusions Urinary dysfunction improved even at the early time point of three months following abdominal contouring procedures including monsplasty. At the early postoperative period of three months, however, there was no significant change in female sexual function. Monsplasty in conjunction with abdominal contouring is recommended in the MWL female patient. Level of Evidence 2![Graphic][1] Therapeutic [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Asymptotic Behavior of the Log-Likelihood Function in Stochastic Processes when Based on a Random Number of Random Variables

A general discrete time stochastic process is considered, and it is assumed that its probability laws are of known functioned form, except that they depend on a k-dimensional parameter θ. On the basis of a random number of random variables vn, defined on the underlying process, the log-likelihood function Λ vn is formed, and its asymptotic behavior, as n tends to (Infinity), is studied. It is shown that the asymptotic distribution of Λvn is normal, both under a fixed probability measure, as well as under certain contiguous probability measures. The same is shown to be true for a k-dimensional random vector, defined in terms of a certain quadratic mean derivative.
Veto-Proof Majorities, Legislative Procedures, and Presidential Decisions, 1981–2008:

Super-majorities have occurred frequently in Congress but have escaped scholarly attention. This paper employs new measures of positive agenda control and a unique data set of 3,407 nontrivial bills from 1981 to 2008 to answer two questions: how did legislative leaders construct veto-proof coalitions, and what did presidents do with them? Legislative leaders, we argue, deployed procedures to expand and sustain veto-proof coalitions, despite increasing polarization. The resulting history, which signaled members’ commitment to a bill, provided information to the president that reduced uncertainty about possibilities for interbranch bargaining and the likely success of a veto. We find that positive agenda control increased the probability of vote tallies of two-thirds or more, especially after the 1994 election. In addition, we demonstrate that presidents concentrated veto activity on bills with outcomes of less than two-thirds, rejected some veto-proof bills for reputational gains, and deployed signing stat...
New Nollywood: A Sketch of Nollywood's Metropolitan New Style

Recent experimentation by Nollywood producers has encouraged increas- ing differentiation of film practices as a strategy for contending with a demanding video market. "New Nollywood" refers to a select group of aesthetically sophisti- cated films intended for a new tiered distribution method, beginning with theatrical release and ending with DVD release. Nigeria's upscale multiplex cinemas are therefore a starting point for examining what is new—and not so new—in Nolly- wood. This article argues that New Nollywood films and the cinemas in which they appear appeal directly to spectators' senses by promising not only a movie and shop- ping, but also an affective experience closely bound up with global consumerism. The films exhibit a metropolitan vantage point that emphasizes subjects such as airline travel, trendy technology, consumer culture, global pop culture, lifestyle brands, high fashion, and luxury goods. These films advertise their "modernity," which is not presented as a consolidated order of knowledge and values, but rather as an assemblage of signifiers of city life. Whereas mainstream Nollywood con- tinues to produce strong narratives that resonate with its intended audience, New Nollywood—with its emphasis on images and style—is a direct expression of the cultural and economic forces shaping life in Lagos today. Resume: L'experimentation recente par les producteurs de Nollywood a encourage la differenciation croissante de pratiques de cinema en tant que strategie permettant de soutenir un marche de la video en constante evolution. "Nouveau Nollywood" fait reference a un groupe restreint de films esthetiquement sophistiques destines a une nouvelle methode de distribution a plusieurs etapes, en commencant par la
Noninitiation and Noncompletion of HPV Vaccine Among English- and Spanish-Speaking Parents of Adolescent Girls: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Objective The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for female adolescents aged 11 to 12 years, yet vaccination rates remain low. We conducted a qualitative study to understand English- and Spanish-speaking parents' reasons for noninitiation or noncompletion of the HPV vaccine series for their daughters. Methods Parents of female adolescents aged 12 to 15 years who had not initiated or not completed the HPV vaccine series were identified through administrative data in 2 large urban safety net health care systems in Colorado. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted with English-speaking parents and in-depth interviews were conducted with Spanish-speaking parents. All data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content by experienced analysts using established qualitative content analysis techniques. Results Forty-one parents participated in the study. Thirty parents participated in individual interviews and 11 parents participated in 1 of 2 focus groups. The most common reasons for noninitiation and noncompletion among English-speaking parents included a low perceived risk of HPV infection, vaccine safety concerns, and distrust of government and/or medicine. In contrast, Spanish-speaking parents most often reported that providers had either not encouraged initiation of the HPV vaccine series or had not explained the necessity of completing the series. Some noninitiating parents, particularly Spanish-speaking ones, also cited concerns that vaccination would encourage sexual activity. Conclusions The reasons for noninitiation and noncompletion of the HPV vaccine series differed substantially between English- and Spanish-speaking parents. To maximize uptake of HPV vaccine, varying approaches might be needed to effectively target specific populations.
Powerful allies: Arts educators and early childhood educators joining forces on behalf of young children

ABSTRACTArts educators and early childhood educators espouse similar philosophies and purposes surrounding young children's educational lives, yet continue to function in largely separate worlds. This article calls for the creation of intentional alliances between the two disciplines, by first recognizing and embracing these alignments. In addition, this article provides recommendations for arts educators and early childhood educators to consider as they join forces to ensure that all young children have access to high-quality arts-based education.
Timing of rehabilitation on length of stay and cost in patients with hip or knee joint arthroplasty: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective To investigate the role of early initiation of rehabilitation on length of stay (LOS) and cost following total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Data sources Electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, Pedro, Embase, AMED, and the Cochrane Library were searched in July 2016. Five additional trials were identified through reference list scanning. Study selection Eligible studies were published in English language peer-reviewed journals; included participants that had undergone total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty reported clearly defined timing of rehabilitation onset for at least two groups; and reported at least one measure of LOS or cost. Inclusion criteria were applied by 2 independent authors, with disagreements being determined by a third author. Searching identified 1,029 potential articles, of which 17 studies with 26,614 participants met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction Data was extracted independently by 2 authors, with disagreements being determined by a third author. Methodological quality of each study was evaluated independently by 2 authors using the Downs and Black checklist. Pooled analyses were analyzed using a random-effects model with inverse variance methods to calculate standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals for LOS. Data synthesis When compared with standard care, early initiation of physical therapy demonstrated a decrease in length of stay for the 4 randomized clinical trials (SMD = -1.90; 95% CI -2.76 to -1.05; I2 = 93%) and for the quasi-experimental and 5 prospective studies (SMD = -1.47; 95% CI -1.85 to -1.10; I2 = 88%). Conclusion Early initiation of rehabilitation following total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is associated with a shorter LOS, a lower overall cost, with no evidence of an increased number of adverse reactions. Additional high quality studies with standardized methodology are needed to further examine the impact of early initiation of physical therapy among patients with joint replacement procedures.
NMME-based hybrid prediction of Atlantic hurricane season activity

A hybrid dynamical–statistical model is pursued for prediction of Atlantic seasonal hurricane activity driven by output of the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME). This is an updated version of a proven multiple linear regression method conditioned on forecast vertical wind shear from the Climate Forecast System and observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs). The method pursued for prediction utilizes August–October (ASO) Main Development Region (MDR; 10–20°N, 20–80°W) vertical wind shear and observed North Atlantic (NATL; 55–65°N, 30–60°W) SST averaged over the 3 months preceding the forecast in conjunction with the full hurricane climatology. NMME forecasts improve upon representations relative to individual members. The NMME multi-model mean better reproduces vertical wind shear distributions over the MDR and captures the observed relationships between SST and vertical wind shear with hurricane trend and interannual variability despite occasionally poor reproductions by individual members. Cross-validation reveals the multi-model average of the hybrid model outputs from the individual NMME members yields forecast errors 10–30% less than the individual members, while correlations with observed hurricane-related activity typically improve. The NMME methodology is shown to be competitive with official outlooks from Colorado State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over recent years.
Systematic Risk in the Macrocosm

The stock market fares poorly as an economic indicator. The reverse relationship—the impact of macroeconomic events on stock returns—often proves no less ambiguous. Closer examination of discount-rate effects, however, reveals the circumstances under which bonds decouple from stocks in a reversal of their usual positive correlation. Bad news for the broader economy often lifts stock prices, but not invariably. Negative macroeconomic news, in addition to signaling potential monetary intervention to lower interest rates, also conveys bad times ahead for corporate cash-flow and broader uncertainty about economic conditions. The potential impact of macroeconomic information on asset prices is often so contested that bonds and stocks move more upon the release of scheduled macroeconomic news than they respond to the substantive content of those announcements. Ultimately, uncertainty over a potential investor’s ability to maintain the ratio of consumption to aggregate wealth, especially labor income drawn from vulnerable and irreplaceable human capital, elevates investment risk in ways that can be understood only in light of macroeconomic risk over the course of the individual life-cycle as well as the broader economy’s business cycle.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Megakaryocytes and Platelets for Disease Modeling and Future Clinical Applications

Platelets, derived from megakaryocytes, are anucleate cytoplasmic discs that circulate in the blood stream and play major roles in hemostasis, inflammation, and vascular biology. Platelet transfusions are used in a variety of medical settings to prevent life-threatening thrombocytopenia because of cancer therapy, other causes of acquired or inherited thrombocytopenia, and trauma. Currently, platelets used for transfusion purposes are donor derived. However, there is a drive to generate nondonor sources of platelets to help supplement donor-derived platelets. Efforts have been made by many laboratories to generate in vitro platelets and optimize their production and quality. In vitro-derived platelets have the potential to be a safer, more uniform product, and genetic manipulation could allow for better treatment of patients who become refractory to donor-derived units. This review focuses on potential clinical applications of in vitro-derived megakaryocytes and platelets, current methods to generate and expand megakaryocytes from pluripotent stem cell sources, and the use of these cells for disease modeling.
Optical Density of Subretinal Fluid as a Predictive Biomarker for Eyes With Chronic Central Serous Retinopathy Treated With Eplerenone

Purpose:To investigate how the optical density ratio (ODR) of subretinal fluid (SRF) obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in eyes with chronic central serous retinopathy (CSR), defined as...
Cytokine-mediated inflammation mediates painful neuropathy from metabolic syndrome

Painful neuropathy (PN) is a prevalent condition in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the pathogenic mechanisms of metabolic syndrome-associated painful neuropathy (MetSPN) remain unclear. In the current study, high-fat-fed mice (HF mice) were used to study MetSPN. HF mice developed MetS phenotypes, including increased body weight, elevated plasma cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance in comparison with control-fat-fed (CF) mice. Subsequently, HF mice developed mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in hind paws after 8 wk of diet treatment. These pain behaviors coincided with increased densities of nociceptive epidermal nerve fibers and inflammatory cells such as Langerhans cells and macrophages in hind paw skin. To study the effect of MetS on profiles of cytokine expression in HF mice, we used a multiplex cytokine assay to study the protein expression of 12 pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in dorsal root ganglion and serum samples. This method detected the elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β as well as reduced anti-inflammatory IL-10 in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (LDRG) of HF mice. Intraperitoneal administration of IL-10 reduced the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and alleviated pain behaviors in HF mice without affecting MetS phenotypes. Our findings suggested targeting HF-induced cytokine dysregulation could be an effective strategy for treating MetSPN.
Entangled Belongings: Reimagining Transnational Biographies of Black and Global African Diasporic Kinship

Abstract Purpose – Based on auto/biographical and ethnographic narratives and conceptual theories, this chapter explores the Global African Diaspora as a racialized space of belonging for African diasporas in the United States, the United Kingdom and – more recently – the clandestine migration zones from Africa to southern Europe Methodology/Approach – Both auto/biographical as well as conceptual theoretical approaches are used to illustrate the author’s roots, routes and detours interpretive paradigm highlighting the interconnectedness across time and space of differential African diasporas. This methodology also illuminates shifting conceptions of blackness as forms of transnational kinship and solidarity. Findings – This analysis reveals the messiness of complex racialized conceptualizations of belonging in the specific diasporic spaces of England, the United States and the clandestine migration zones of southern Europe. At the same time, the chapter highlights transnational modalities of black and Global African Diasporic kinship, consciousness and solidarity engendered by shared lived experiences of institutionalized racism, structural inequalities and violence. Originality/Value – Using the author’s interpretive framework entitled roots/routes/detours, this chapter moves away from prior theoretical simplifications of the Global African Diaspora towards an engagement with its conceptual complexities. In particular, this chapter critically explores social, political and historical formations of African diasporas in the United States, the United Kingdom and the more recent clandestine migration zones between continental Africa and southern Europe as their formulations collide with shifting conceptions of blackness as forms of transnational kinship and solidarity.
The Immunoimaging Toolbox.

The recent clinical success of cancer immunotherapy has renewed interest in the development of tools to image the immune system. In general, immunotherapies attempt to enable the body’s own immune cells to seek out and destroy malignant disease. Molecular imaging of the cells and molecules that regulate immunity could provide unique insight into the mechanisms of action, and failure, of immunotherapies. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art immunoimaging toolbox with a focus on imaging strategies and their applications toward immunotherapy.
Trichiasis and Distichiasis

Trichiasis is a condition of abnormal eyelash growth with misdirection posteriorly. Distichiasis is an abnormality of a second row of lashes emanating from meibomian glands. In both conditions the lid margin is in a normal position. Involutional entropion is an eyelid malposition with secondary trichiasis. These conditions can cause significant keratopathy. This chapter explores treatment modalities.
Analyzing strongly ordered textures

The central theme of this book is to provide symbols that will serve as a descriptive vocabulary for textures. The emphasis is on borrowing existing terminology from other disciplines, and then defining computational strategies to automatically extract these terms.
Engineering the petawatt laser into Nova

The engineering process of integrating the Petawatt (10{sup 15} watts) laser system into the existing 30 kJ (UV) Nova laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is described in detail. The nanosecond-long, chirped Petawatt laser pulse is initially generated in a separate master oscillator room and then injected into one of Nova`s 10 beamlines. There, the pulse is further amplified and enlarged to {approximately}{phi}60 cm, temporally compressed under vacuum to <500 fs using large diameter diffraction gratings, and then finally focused onto targets using a parabolic mirror. The major Petawatt components are physically large which created many significant engineering challenges in design, installation and implementation. These include the diffraction gratings and mirrors, vacuum compressor chamber, target chamber, and parabolic focusing mirror. Other Petawatt system components were also technically challenging and include: an injection beamline, transport spatial filters, laser diagnostics, alignment components, motor controls, interlocks, timing and synchronization systems, support structures, and vacuum systems. The entire Petawatt laser system was designed, fabricated, installed, and activated while the Nova laser continued its normal two-shift operation. This process required careful engineering and detailed planning to prevent experimental downtime and to complete the project on schedule.
Engaging Coalitions in Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Interventions: A Mixed Methods Assessment.

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity prevention interventions have engaged coalitions in study design, implementation, and/or evaluation to improve research outcomes; yet, no systematic reviews h...
Ophthalmic Conditions Associated with Inpatient Falls among Veterans.

Significance Efforts to describe the relationship between pathological visual impairment and fall risk are typically confined to community dwellers. Among admitted patients, however, the associations are less understood. Fall risk assessment tools are used in some clinical settings, but most do not capture the suspected importance of ophthalmic pathologies in predicting the likelihood of an inpatient fall. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the association between ophthalmic conditions and inpatient falls at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (MEDVAMC), where vision and ophthalmic conditions are not considered when assessing fall risk. Methods This is a population-based, retrospective case-control study of 805 patients admitted to the MEDVAMC in January 2014 who had also visited the MEDVAMC Eye Clinic within 1 year of admission. The patients' eye examinations, ophthalmic diagnoses, and other indicators of constitutive health were compared between 60 patients who experienced an inpatient fall ("cases") and 749 patients who did not ("controls"). Significant differences between the cases and the controls were determined using logistic regression models. Results Baseline demographics were similar among the two groups. Ophthalmic conditions associated with an increased incidence of inpatient falls included age-related macular degeneration (odds ratio, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 9.9; P = .008) and a presenting visual acuity of worse than 20/40 in the better-seeing eye (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 4.1; P = .04). Those without falls demonstrated a better mean presenting visual acuity in the better-seeing eye compared with those who fell (logMAR, 0.12 ± 0.23 vs. 0.28 ± 0.49, P Conclusions In this population, age-related macular degeneration and poor presenting visual acuity in the better-seeing eye are associated with increased incidence of inpatient falls. An assessment of visual function and ophthalmic diagnoses may be warranted upon admission to the hospital for increased prevention of inpatient falls.
Spectral tilt underlies mathematical problem solving

Abstract Neural activity associated with successful cognition appears as a tilt in the power spectrum of the local field potential, wherein increases in high-frequency power accompany decreases in low frequency power. Whereas this pattern has been shown in a wide range of memory tasks, it is unknown whether this increased spectral tilt reflects underlying memory-specific processes or rather a domain-general index of task engagement. To address the question of whether increased spectral tilt reflects increased attention to a cognitive task, we collected intracranial recordings from three hundred thirty neurosurgical patients as they performed a mathematical problem solving task. We used a mathematical problem solving task, because it allowed us to decouple task-specific processes with domain-general attention in a novel way. Using a statistical model to control for inherent problem complexity, we classified individual math problems based on whether a subject performed faster than predicted (high-attention or fast) or slower than predicted (low-attention, or slow) based on residual response times. In contrast to the domain-general attentional account, problems that took longer than predicted produced stronger evidence for the spectral tilt: widespread increases in high frequency (31–180 Hz) power and decreases in low frequency (3–17 Hz) power across frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices. The pattern emerged early within each trial and was sustained throughout the response period but was not observed in the medial temporal lobe. The data show that engaging in mathematical problem solving leads to a distributed spectral tilt pattern, even when accounting for variability in performance driven by the arithmetic demands of the problems themselves, and suggest that broadband changes in the power spectrum reflect an index of information processing in the brain beyond simple attention to the cognitive task.
The Experience of Chemotherapy Teaching and Readability of Chemotherapy Educational Materials for Women with Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for women with breast cancer. While chemotherapy is often effective, managing side effects can be challenging. Chemotherapy education is critical in assisting patients to manage side effects and to improve the treatment experience. However, materials are often not thoroughly assessed for readability and format which could be problematic for patients learning self-care while in treatment. We used a mixed-method design to illuminate chemotherapy teaching and focused on readability and format of education materials. We scored the materials using three readability assessments: (1) Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), (2) Flesch-Kincaid (F-K), and (3) a Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). We evaluated the format of the materials using Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) guidelines. Lastly, we used thematic analysis to describe the experience of 37 women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy education. The mean readability of the materials ranged from "difficult" to "fairly difficult" based on the FRE scoring, and the material was written on a 9th- to 13th-grade reading level. Most of the materials scored as "adequate" using SAM guidelines but lacked incorporation of graphics or illustrations. The thematic analysis revealed three major findings: (1) finding control in learning, (2) receiving unexpected support, and (3) learning in unforeseen ways. Nurses need to supplement chemotherapy education materials with individualized teaching to ensure comprehension. Additionally, nurses and website developers may want to consider implementing culturally appropriate information and use videos to combat challenging readability.
When are you too old to get a kidney transplants

Purpose of reviewWith the increasing incidence and prevalence of ESRD in the elderly, we are now transplanting more elderly patients. Although we know from previous reports that transplantation provides increased survival advantage and/or quality of life when compared to being on dialysis, we also k
Histological Investigation of the Digestive System and SEM Study of Radula in Fusinus nicobaricus (Gastropoda: Fasciolariidae)

In the present study, histological studies of the digestive system and SEM study of radula of Fusinus nicobaricus was evaluated. The digestive system contains proboscis, oesophagus, stomach, hepatopancreas, intestine, rectum and anus. The digestive tract of Fusinus nicobaricus encloses a buccal mass at the anterior region which contains a chitinous radula. The oesophagus leaved the buccal mass dorsally and passed the food into an extensible stomach. A pair of salivary gland lied with mid-oesophagus region. Digestive gland secreted digestive enzymes into the lumen of the stomach into mid region. Intestine was thin walled, usually long and possess loop through the digestive gland tissue and leaves as short rectum. Hepatopancreas was also implicated in storage and excretion of inorganic reserves, lipids and carbohydrate metabolites. Radula, a specific character and part of the appendices of digestive system of majority of molluscs. It was observed that the type of radula in F.n is rachiglossate with radular formula of 1+R+1.
Measurements of a Mach 3.4 turbulent boundary layer using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry

Experiments were performed within the Rutgers University Mach 3.4 supersonic wind tunnel to quantify the turbulent boundary layer in the test section, using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV). Seeding of the tunnel was accomplished using atomized mineral oil, resulting in a Stokes number of 0.09. The Reynolds number based on momentum thickness and the friction-velocity Reynolds number were 64,000 and 4320, respectively, marking this as a high Reynolds number boundary layer. SPIV measurements were capable of resolving the mean velocity profile, along with turbulence quantities, permitting comparison against the known literature. Furthermore, the convection of vorticity concentrations representing hairpin vortices was observed within instantaneous vector fields. The resulting Reynolds stresses demonstrate that the boundary layer had typical values of anisotropy, while comparing well with data obtained within a slightly adverse pressure gradient. This was particularly noticeable from the trends in the Reynolds stresses, which exhibited higher-than-expected peak levels. These data provide a unique measurement of a supersonic turbulent boundary layer at Reynolds numbers not often encountered within existing data sets.
Proton Relay Network in the Bacterial P450s: CYP101A1 and CYP101D1

Cytochrome P450s are among nature's most powerful catalysts. Their ability to activate molecular dioxygen to form high-valent ferryl intermediates (Compounds I and II) enables a wide array of chemistries ranging from simple epoxidations to more complicated C-H bond oxidations. Oxygen activation is achieved by reduction of the ferrous dioxygen complex, which requires the transfer of an electron from a redox partner and subsequent double protonation to yield a water molecule and a ferryl porphyrin π-cation radical (Compound I). Previous studies of the CYP101 family of cytochrome P450s demonstrated the importance of the conserved active site Asp25X residue in this protonation event, although its precise role is yet to be unraveled. To further explore the origin of protons in oxygen activation, we analyzed the effects of an Asp to Glu mutation at the 25X position in P450cam and in CYP101D1. This mutation inactivates P450cam but not CYP101D1. A series of mutagenic, crystallographic, kinetic, and molecular dynamics studies indicate that this mutation locks P450cam into a closed, inactive conformation. In CYP101D1, the D259E mutant changes the rate-limiting step to reduction of the P450-oxy complex, thus opening a window into the critical proton-coupled electron transfer step in P450 catalysis.
Indoor environmental quality factors that matter to workplace occupants: an 11-year-benchmark study

Post-occupancy evaluations (POE) have been often used to study user satisfaction with office environments. More recently, POEs have been recognized for documenting occupant well-being and responses...
Implementation of low-dose CT screening in two different health care systems: Mount Sinai Healthcare System and Phoenix VA Health Care System

Implementation of lung screening (LS) programs is challenging even among health care organizations that have the motivation, the resources, and more importantly, the goal of providing for life-saving early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer. We provide a case study of LS implementation in different healthcare systems, at the Mount Sinai Healthcare System (MSHS) in New York City, and at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Phoenix, Arizona. This will illustrate the commonalities and differences of the LS implementation process in two very different health care systems in very different parts of the United States. Underlying the successful implementation of these LS programs was the use of a comprehensive management system, the Early Lung Cancer Action Program (ELCAP) Management SystemTM. The collaboration between MSHS and PVAHCS over the past decade led to the ELCAP Management SystemTM being gifted by the Early Diagnosis and Treatment Research Foundation to the PVAHCS, to develop a "VA-ELCAP" version. While there remain challenges and opportunities to continue improving LS and its implementation, there is an increasing realization that most patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of annual LS can be cured, and that of all the possible risks associated with LS, the greater risk of all is for heavy cigarette smokers not to be screened. We identified 10 critical components in implementing a LS program. We provided the details of each of these components for the two healthcare systems. Most importantly, is that continual re-evaluation of the screening program is needed based on the ongoing quality assurance program and database of the actual screenings. At minimum, there should be an annual review and updating. As early diagnosis of lung cancer must be followed by optimal treatment to be effective, treatment advances for small, early lung cancers diagnosed as a result of screening also need to be assessed and incorporated into the entire screening and treatment program.
An Analysis of Extremes: Semiparametric Efficiency in Regression

Let Y denote a response variable and X denote a covariate. We consider statistical inferences in semiparametric regression models, where the parameter of interest is the upper boundary \(\theta (x)=g(x \beta )\) of the support \([0, \theta (x)]\) of the conditional distribution of Y, given \(X=x\), where the boundary structure \(g(\cdot )\) is known. By extending Le Cam’s theory of limits of experiments to include semiparametric models, we construct estimators of the boundary parameter \(\theta (x)\), with bias correction. The risk of each estimator reaches a lower bound for the one-sample problem, two-sample problem, and one continuous covariate (predictor) case. When \(g(\cdot )\) is unknown with one continuous predictor X, we propose a selection method for the boundary structure \(g(\cdot )\) under regularity conditions. This yields consistent estimators of \(g(\cdot )\) and \(\beta \), although efficiency is not proved under this general model. We conclude with a real-data study on the longevity of lung cancer patients.
Introducing the First Special Issue on COVID-19 and Older Adults.

Dear Readers,I am very excited to introduce the first special issue of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work focused on COVID-19 and older adults; a second special issue featuring articles addr...
Population structure and mating system in Tachigali versicolor , a monocarpic neotropical tree

Patterns of genetic differentiation among six populations of Tachigali versicolor (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama were investigated. Average gene diversity within any one population (He) was 0.073 (SD 0.010), and He over all populations was 0.080. Populations showed relatively little genetic differentiation (mean GST=0.069), suggesting high levels of gene flow. A direct estimate of pollen flow indicated that 21% of the pollen received by a cluster of five trees had travelled at least 500 m. Genetic analyses of the mating system showed complete outcrossing (tm=0.998, SE±0.054; mean ts=1.001, SE±0.063). Estimates of F at different life stages showed a slight deficiency of heterozygotes in the six population samples, a slight excess among the 25 flowering adult trees, and no significant deviation in heterozygosity in progeny arrays. These differences may reflect the monocarpic life history of T. versicolor, in which adults flowering in a given year represent a temporal genetic bottleneck, producing a Wahlund effect in genotype frequencies in the overall population. This interpretation of genetic structure in T. versicolor suggests the overriding importance of ecological factors and life history on genetic processes in natural populations.