cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symmetrical directional coupler as a wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer: theory and experiment

The simulation of a symmetrical, graded-index waveguide directional coupler as a wavelength multiplexer-demultiplexer using the effective index method is presented. The design considerations in terms of the parameters associated with the fabrication of the device are considered. The modeling is used to arrive at the fabrication conditions of a demultiplexer operating at 1.32/1.56 mu m in Ag/sup +/-Na/sup +/ exchanged BK7 glass. The performance of the demultiplexer agrees very well with the modeling results. Crosstalk of -30 and -32 dB at 1.315 and 1.561 mu m wavelength, respectively, and a total insertion loss of 1.25 dB for a 14.5 mm long device with propagation loss 0.15 dB/cm have been achieved. Lowest measured cross-power ratio is less than -40 dB at 1.315 mu m. >
Uniform approximation of the distribution for the number of retransmissions of bounded documents

Retransmission-based failure recovery represents a primary approach in existing communication networks, on all protocol layers, that guarantees data delivery in the presence of channel failures. Contrary to the traditional belief that the number of retransmissions is geometrically distributed, a new phenomenon was discovered recently, which shows that retransmissions can cause long (-tailed) delays and instabilities even if all traffic and network characteristics are light-tailed, e.g., exponential or Gaussian. Since the preceding finding holds under the assumption that data sizes have infinite support, in this paper we investigate the practically important case of bounded data units 0≤ Lb≤ b. To this end, we provide an explicit and uniform characterization of the entire body of the retransmission distribution Pr[Nb > n] in both n and b. This rigorous approximation clearly demonstrates the previously observed transition from power law distributions in the main body to exponential tails. The accuracy of our approximation is validated with a number of simulation experiments. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of wisely determining the size of data units in order to accommodate the performance needs in retransmission-based systems. From a broader perspective, this study applies to any other system, e.g., computing, where restart mechanisms are employed after a job processing failure.
Differential effects of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and indole on Escherichia coli O157:H7 chemotaxis, colonization, and gene expression.

During infection in the gastrointestinal tract, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is exposed to a wide range of signaling molecules, including the eukaryotic hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, and bacterial signal molecules such as indole. Since these signaling molecules have been shown to be involved in the regulation of phenotypes such as motility and virulence that are crucial for EHEC infections, we hypothesized that these molecules also govern the initial recognition of the large intestine environment and attachment to the host cell surface. Here, we report that, compared to indole, epinephrine and norepinephrine exert divergent effects on EHEC chemotaxis, motility, biofilm formation, gene expression, and colonization of HeLa cells. Using a novel two-fluorophore chemotaxis assay, it was found that EHEC is attracted to epinephrine and norepinephrine while it is repelled by indole. In addition, epinephrine and norepinephrine also increased EHEC motility and biofilm formation while indole attenuated these phenotypes. DNA microarray analysis of surface-associated EHEC indicated that epinephrine/norepinephrine up-regulated the expression of genes involved in surface colonization and virulence while exposure to indole decreased their expression. The gene expression data also suggested that autoinducer 2 uptake was repressed upon exposure to epinephrine/ norepinephrine but not indole. In vitro adherence experiments confirmed that epinephrine and norepinephrine increased attachment to epithelial cells while indole decreased adherence. Taken together, these results suggest that epinephrine and norepinephrine increase EHEC infection while indole attenuates the process.
MORPHOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS FOR IMAGE CODING

This paper presents a method to compute a partition intended to be used in a region-based coding system where the number of regions is a design constraint. A new flat zone approach is introduced that (a) selects a subset of those flat zones (regions) that are present in the output of a multiscale connected filter, and that (b) assigns the rest of the regions to one among those selected by using flat zone merging procedures. The filters used are connected sequential alternating filters and a new connected filter recently presented. These are flat operators, invariant under anamorphosis, that act on a function by extending its flat zones exclusively. A new theoretical proposition is stated. Our segmentation approach behaves like a connected operator and it preserves the flat zone inclusion property between the input and the output partition. Moreover, regions computed at the highest resolution level can be imposed in successive coarser levels. Among the flat zones which are present at the output of a connected filter, the most significant ones with respect to several criteria are distinguished. This region selection is based solely on an ordering of the regions. Absolute thresholding is avoided, and the proposed approach computes with linear dynamic changes.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Microarray analysis of gene expression during the cell cycle

Microarrays have been applied to the determination of genome-wide expression patterns during the cell cycle of a number of different cells. Both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells have been studied using whole-culture and selective synchronization methods. The published microarray data on yeast, mammalian, and bacterial cells have been uniformly interpreted as indicating that a large number of genes are expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. These conclusions are reconsidered using explicit criteria for synchronization and precise criteria for identifying gene expression patterns during the cell cycle. The conclusions regarding cell-cycle-dependent gene expression based on microarray analysis are weakened by arguably problematic choices for synchronization methodology (e.g., whole-culture methods that do not synchronize cells) and questionable statistical rigor for identifying cell-cycle-dependent gene expression. Because of the uncertainties in synchrony methodology, as well as uncertainties in microarray analysis, one should be somewhat skeptical of claims that there are a large number of genes expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner.
The Benefits of Cord Blood Collection

In this issue of NeoReviews, Dr Diaz-Rossello offers an interesting international perspective on the timing of cord clamping for stem cell donation. To extend the discussion of this issue, this commentary reviews the biology of early hematopoiesis and neonatal anemia, the current literature on cord blood, and cord blood collection procedures. Fetal hematopoiesis begins at 2 weeks of human embryogenesis and originates from mesenchymal cells in the yolk sac. This process overlaps at 6 weeks with liver hematopoiesis in migrated pluripotent stem cells from the yolk sac. By 10 weeks, yolk sac hematopoiesis (mostly erythropoiesis) becomes undetectable, and the liver becomes the major site of blood formation during mid-gestation. Finally, at 20 weeks, medullary hematopoiesis begins with migration of pluripotent stem cells from the liver to the bone marrow. During this phase of blood formation, granulocyte and megakaryocyte production becomes significant. Liver hematopoiesis begins to slow, stopping completely right before birth. (1) Although studied in a variety of animal and laboratory models, we still do not fully understand the triggers for changes in fetal hematopoiesis. (2) Many believe it involves changes in the hematopoietic microenvironment and the interaction of various cytokines. (3) Following delivery, hematopoiesis shifts completely to medullary sites, including the vertebrae, ribs, sternum, pelvis, scapulae, skull, and extremities. After childhood, blood formation gradually shifts to the extremities (proximal humerus and femur), with continued hematopoiesis in the axial marrow sites. Different congenital or acquired hematologic diseases may reactivate earlier sites of blood formation. Human infants are born plethoric, ie, with an abundance of red blood cells. Immediately at birth, the neonatal blood volume is between 80 and 95 mL/kg, depending on the time of cord clamping. Within 4 hours, volume contracts as much as 25%. At term birth, the normal hemoglobin (Hgb) ranges from 14 to 20 g/dL …
Frequency of Feeding Alfalfa as a Protein Supplement

Abstract An alfalfa-prairie hay-corn ration was fed to dairy steers in a 4×4 Latin-square design with the alfalfa fed four, two, or one time daily, or every second day. Protein digestibility was significantly less for the every-other-day alfalfa feeding than for other treatments, but other digestibilities and nitrogen balances were not significantly different.
Interpretive Barriers to Successful Product Innovation in Large Firms

The development of commercially viable new products requires that technological and market possibilities are linked effectively in the product's design. Innovators in large firms have persistent problems with such linking, however. This research examines these problems by focusing on the shared interpretive schemes people use to make sense of product innovation. Two interpretive schemes are found to inhibit development of technology-market knowledge: departmental thought worlds and organizational product routines. The paper describes in some depth differences among the thought worlds which keep innovators from synthesizing their expertise. The paper also details how organizational routines exacerbate problems with learning, and how successful innovators overcome both interpretive barriers. The main implication of the study is that to improve innovation in large firms it is necessary to deal explicitly with the interpretive barriers described here. Suggestions for practice and research are offered.
A Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Social workers have worked with colleagues from other disciplines since the early days of the profession; yet, they were without clear models to guide this interdisciplinary work. The author uses multidisciplinary theoretical literature and conceptual and research pieces from social work literature to support the development of such a model. First, current trends relevant to interdisciplinary practice are noted to emphasize its importance. The article describes a two-part model. Part one of the model consists of five components that constitute interdisciplinary collaboration between social workers and other professionals: interdependence, newly created professional activities, flexibility, collective ownership of goals, and reflection on process. Part two of the model consists of four influences on collaboration: professional role, structural characteristics, personal characteristics and a history of collaboration. Implications for social work practice are discussed.
Mono- and diquaternary ammonium cellulose cottons prepared in nonaqueous media†

Mono- and diquaternary ammonium cellulose anion exchangers in fabric form were prepared in nonaqueous media by reacting diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cotton with an alkyl halide, RX, or a dihaloalkane, X(CH2)nX, respectively. The alkyl group was varied from CH3 to C18H35, and n varied from 5 to 10 in the dihaloalkanes. Electron emission spectroscopy for chemical analyses (ESCA) showed that approximately 70% of the amino groups in the original DEAE-cotton were free amines. ESCA data showed that highest degree of quaternization of the free amine groups was obtained with CH3I but that diiodo and dibromo pentanes and decanes were also effective. Diquaternary ammonium cellulose exchangers of high nitrogen content had high wet and conditioned wrinkle recoveries, whereas the monoquaternary ammonium cellulose exchangers showed no improvement in wet or conditioned wrinkle recoveries. The monoquaternaries, like unmodified cottons and DEAE-cottons, were soluble in cupriethylenediamine hydroxide (cuene), and cross sections of their fibers expanded when subjected to layer expansion techniques. All diquaternaries were insoluble in cuene, and their cross sections did not layer.
Catastrophic Interference in Human Motor Learning

Biological sensorimotor systems are not static maps that transform input (sensory information) into output (motor behavior). Evidence from many lines of research suggests that their representations are plastic, experience-dependent entities. While this plasticity is essential for flexible behavior, it presents the nervous system with difficult organizational challenges. If the sensorimotor system adapts itself to perform well under one set of circumstances, will it then perform poorly when placed in an environment with different demands (negative transfer)? Will a later experience-dependent change undo the benefits of previous learning (catastrophic interference)? We explore the first question in a separate paper in this volume (Shadmehr et al. 1995). Here we present psychophysical and computational results that explore the question of catastrophic interference in the context of a dynamic motor learning task. Under some conditions, subjects show evidence of catastrophic interference. Under other conditions, however, subjects appear to be immune to its effects. These results suggest that motor learning can undergo a process of consolidation. Modular neural networks are well suited for the demands of learning multiple input/output mappings. By incorporating the notion of fast- and slow-changing connections into a modular architecture, we were able to account for the psychophysical results.
Heterotrimetallic sandwich complexes supported by sulfonamido ligands

CoII complexes bearing sulfonamido ligands derived from tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (H6tren) assemble into complex architectures in the presence of Group II ions through interactions between the Group II ion and the sulfonyl oxygens. Novel ligands where the sulfonyl groups bear tert-butyl substituents afford well-defined isostructural heterotrimetallic sandwich complexes where two anionic [LCoII]− fragments are bridged by a Group II metal ion (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, or Ba2+). Solution studies on these novel sandwich complexes by cyclic voltammetry and electronic absorption spectroscopy indicate that these structures are not dramatically altered in solution, opening the door to the exploration of reactivity at CoII that is modified by Group II ions.
Ethical Considerations in Perioperative Orthopedic Medicine

Ethics is the study and application of moral reasoning in human endeavor. Arising as a consequence of advances in medical knowledge and technology, medical ethics has become a distinct domain of medicine that enables health care professionals and their institutions confront the formidable array of ethically charged dilemmas arising in everyday medical practice. This chapter is a consideration of the ethics of the perioperative period. After a review of the fundamental concepts that guide ethical analysis, this chapter reviews the important ethical challenges arising in this clinical setting.
Assessment and Implications of NCEP Stage IV Quantitative Precipitation Estimates for Product Intercomparisons

AbstractThe National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) stage IV quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) are used in many studies for intercomparisons including those for satellite QPEs. An overview of the National Weather Service precipitation processing system is provided here so as to set the stage IV product in context and to provide users with some knowledge as to how it is developed. Then, an assessment of the stage IV product over the period 2002–12 is provided. The assessment shows that the stage IV product can be useful for conditional comparisons of moderate-to-heavy rainfall for select seasons and locations. When evaluating the product at the daily scale, there are many discontinuities due to the operational processing at the radar site as well as discontinuities due to the merging of data from different River Forecast Centers (RFCs) that use much different processing algorithms for generating their precipitation estimates. An assessment of the daily precipitation estimates is prov...
Placenta accreta; report of eight cases.

Abstract The subject of placenta accreta is reviewed in all essential aspects. A course of action is proposed for the treatment of placenta accreta. It is believed that this plan of treatment is in accord with present-day concepts of good obstetrical and surgical practice. Eight previously unpublished cases of placenta accreta occurring in seven different women are reported. Three cases were treated conservatively with one death, a mortality rate of 33.3 per cent. Five cases were treated by hysterectomy with no deaths. The over-all mortality rate in this group of cases was therefore 12.5 per cent.
Measuring Two Different-Color Ultrashort Pulses by Double Blind Polarization Gate Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating

Two independent ultrashort pulses at very different center wavelengths (400nm and 800nm) are measured simultaneously on a single shot using Double Blind Polarization Gate Frequency-Resolved Optical Gating.
Fusobacterium Nucleatum: Atypical Organism of Pyogenic Liver Abscess Might be Related to Sigmoid Diverticulitis.

Context: Pyogenic liver abscesses (PLAs) are the most common form of liver abscesses in the United States. Most cases are caused by enteric bacteria and anaerobes. We report a case of PLA caused by a rare pathogen, Fusobacterium nucleatum, from an unusual primary site of infection. Case Report: A 60-year-old male presented with subacute fever. Initial work-up revealed leukocytosis and elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Dental examination and Panorex x-ray were normal. Imaging of the liver with abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a 5.5 cm abscess in the right lobe of the liver. Culture of the aspirate grew Fusobacterium nucleatum. He improved with abscess drainage and antibiotic therapy with moxifloxacin and metronidazole. Colonoscopy performed a few weeks later, demonstrated sigmoid ulceration most likely from the previous diverticulitis. Conclusion: PLAs can be a complication of sigmoid diverticulitis and as a result of occult dental disease as well. The clinical presentation of Fusobacterium infection is diverse and can be fatal if diagnosis is delayed. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing serious complications.
Turnover Intentions of Marketing Managers

The purpose of the current study was to test how procedural justice and role stress impact pay satisfaction, promotional satisfaction, supervisor satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Overall, the results indicate that procedural justice and role stress play an important role in the intent to turnover process and needs to be investigated further.
200 UNDERDIAGNOSIS OF DEPRESSION AMONG LOW-INCOME, PREDOMINANTLY LATINO, TYPE 2 DIABETICS.

Background Comorbid depression affects approximately 20% of diabetics and is associated with poor glycemic control, poor adherence to diet and medications, increased risks of diabetic complications, and greater mortality rates, especially among Latinos, contributing to increased health care costs. Underdiagnosis of depression is established in Caucasian diabetics; however, only a few studies have shown that Latino diabetics are less likely to discuss or have depression assessed by their physician. Objective This pilot study examines the prevalence of a clinical diagnosis of depression in low-income, predominantly Latino, type 2 diabetic patients who score positive on a depression screen. Methods One hundred sixty adult family medicine patients at Mid Valley Comprehensive Health Center were randomly selected and screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Of these patients, a subset of type 2 diabetic patients who scored greater than or equal to 10 on the PHQ-9 were selected for the study sample. Retrospective chart abstraction was performed to determine patient demographics, HbA1c within 6 months of PHQ-9, and if a clinical diagnosis of depression was documented. Results Thirty-two diabetic patients had a total PHQ-9 greater than or equal to 10. Only 47% were clinically diagnosed with depression. There was no statistical difference in the average HbA1c of patients clinically diagnosed with depression (average HBA1c = 8.3, range 6.2-13.7) compared with patients not diagnosed (average HbA1c = 8.1, range 5.6-13.4). Conclusion Low-income, predominantly Latino, type 2 diabetic patients who have symptoms of at least moderate depression are underdiagnosed with depression by their provider.
Investment Strategies Using Options on ETFs

As exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have grown in popularity, several of these funds have also become optionable. Like futures on ETFs, options on ETFs provide a fast and cost-efficient way of controlling portfolio risk, especially in down markets or particularly volatile markets like those we have been experiencing since the beginning of the decade.
Understanding the Privacy Implications of ECS

The edns-client-subnet ECS is a new extension for the Domain Name System DNS that delivers a "faster Internet" with the help of client-specific DNS answers. Under ECS, recursive DNS servers recursives provide client network address information to upstream authorities, permitting topologically localized answers for content delivery networks CDNs. This optimization, however, comes with a privacy penalty that has not yet been studied. Our analysis concludes that ECS makes DNS communications less private: the potential for mass surveillance is greater, and stealthy, highly targeted DNS poisoning attacks become possible. Despite being an experimental extension, ECS is already deployed, and users are expected to "opt out" on their own. Yet, there are no available client-side tools to do so. We describe a configuration of an experimental recursive tool to reduce the privacy leak from ECS queries in order to immediately allow users to protect their privacy. We recommend the protocol change from "opt out" to "opt in", given the experimental nature of the extension and its privacy implications.
Observations on the Activation of Amino Acids and the Biosynthesis of Peptide Bonds

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the activation of amino acids and the biosynthesis of peptide bonds. Formation of the peptide bond is initiated by a reaction involving the carboxyl group of one reactant, an enzyme, a metal ion (Mg ++ ), and adenosine 5’-tri-phosphate to form an enzyme-bound intermediate, which can react with a specific acceptor to yield another carboxyl-activated intermediate, or to form a peptide bond. The intermediate reacts with an acceptor in the absence of an external source of energy. In contrast to the synthesis of glutamine, the synthesis of phenylacetylglutamine and benzoylglycine involve participation of acyl adenylate intermediates. The formation of phenylacetyl glutamine requires both the presence of enzyme and of coenzyme A. Acyl adenylates are intermediates in the activation of fatty acids and in the synthesis of benzoylglycine and phenylacetylglutamine. When enzyme, ATP, Mg ++ , and amino acid are incubated with relatively high concentrations of hydroxylamine, the corresponding amino acyl hydroxamate is formed.
The synergic control of multi-finger force production: stability of explicit and implicit task components

Manipulating objects with the hands requires the accurate production of resultant forces including shear forces; effective control of these shear forces also requires the production of internal forces normal to the surface of the object(s) being manipulated. In the present study, we investigated multi-finger synergies stabilizing shear and normal components of force, as well as drifts in both components of force, during isometric pressing tasks requiring a specific magnitude of shear force production. We hypothesized that shear and normal forces would evolve similarly in time and also show similar stability properties as assessed by the decomposition of inter-trial variance within the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. Healthy subjects were required to accurately produce total shear and total normal forces with four fingers of the hand during a steady-state force task (with and without visual feedback) and a self-paced force pulse task. The two force components showed similar time profiles during both shear force pulse production and unintentional drift induced by turning the visual feedback off. Only the explicitly instructed components of force, however, were stabilized with multi-finger synergies. No force-stabilizing synergies and no anticipatory synergy adjustments were seen for the normal force in shear force production trials. These unexpected qualitative differences in the control of the two force components—which are produced by some of the same muscles and show high degree of temporal coupling—are interpreted within the theory of control with referent coordinates for salient variables. These observations suggest the existence of two classes of neural variables: one that translates into shifts of referent coordinates and defines changes in magnitude of salient variables, and the other controlling gains in back-coupling loops that define stability of the salient variables. Only the former are shared between the explicit and implicit task components.
Long-term outcomes of liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C infection are not affected by HCV positivity of a donor.

The use of HCV-positive livers for HCV-positive recipients is becoming more common. Our aim is to evaluate long-term outcomes in liver transplant recipients transplanted with HCV antibody-positive organs. From the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (1995–2013), we selected all adult liver transplant recipients with HCV, and cross-sectionally compared long-term graft loss and mortality rates between those who were transplanted from HCV antibody-positive (HCV+) vs. HCV antibody-negative donors. We included 33,668 HCV+ liver transplant recipients (54.0 ± 7.7 years old, 74.1% male, 71.0% white, 23.6% with liver malignancy). Of those, 5.7% (N = 1930) were transplanted from HCV+ donors; the proportion gradually increased from 2.9% in 1995 to 9.4% in 2013. Patients who were transplanted from HCV+ positive donors were more likely to be discharged alive after transplantation (95.4% vs. 93.9%, p = 0.006), but this difference was completely accounted for by a greater proportion of HCV+ donors in more recent study years (p = 0.10 after adjustment for the transplant year). After transplantation, both mortality in HCV patients transplanted from HCV+ donors (12.5% in 1 year, 24.2% in 3 years, 33.0% in 5 years) and the graft loss rate (2.2% in 1 year, 4.8% in 3 years, 7.5% in 5 years) were similar to those in HCV patients transplanted from HCV-negative donors (all p > 0.05). Over the past two decades, the use of HCV+ organs for liver transplantation has tripled. Despite this, the long-term outcomes of HCV+ liver transplant recipients transplanted from HCV+ donors were not different from those who were transplanted with HCV-negative organs.
FDG PET/CT May Overestimate Red Bone Marrow Volume

Abstract 4405 Sambuceti, et al. (Eur. J. Nuclear Med Mol Imaging, Aug, 2012. 39: 1326–1338) used a computational FDG PET/CT model to estimate the volume of the bone marrow space and specifically “Red” or actively hematopoetic marrow in 102 nonmetastatic melanoma patients. 34.9 percent of all marrow space was estimated to be populated by “Red” Marrow. There was no associated pathologic bone marrow or peripheral blood count correlation of this FDG PET/CT model. In an attempt to define pathologic correlation of the findings of Sambuceti et al., 102 consecutive pathologic samples of femoral hip replacements were evaluated for their “Red” Marrow content and correlated with the patient9s peripheral blood counts. The patients reviewed did not have active carcinoma or recent exposure to chemotherapeutic agents. 48/104(47.1%) of the samples obtained contained active “Red” Marrow”upon microscopic evaluation of femoral head and shaft samples stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Of these samples “Red9 Marrow averaged 5.05 percent of the pathologic sample volume (range 0–40%) as opposed to 20–30 percent of the estimated bone marrow segmental space calculated to be populated by “Red” Marrow heads of long bones as defined by the FDG PET/CT model. In this study patient gender, height, BMI, weight, red marrow cellularity, peripheral white blood cell counts, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, creatinine did not predict the extent of “Red” Marrow volume. Many variables may affect the results of these studies including: spotty metabolic activity of the marrow, clinical inflammatory effects of bone marrow in long bone heads, pathologic sampling errors, low study power, sample preparation and patient selection. Although there was no clear explanation for this overestimation of pathologic-FDG PET signal, the age of the populations were significantly different (55.9 years old in Sambuceti et al and 62.4 years old in this study). Age was found to have a significant correlation with “Red “Marrow volume in the Sambuceti et al study. The FDG PET scan evaluation may overestimate metabolic activity of “Red” Marrow and thus run the risk of obscuring other bone pathology. Therefore, prospective PET/CT-pathologic-clinical correlation studies are warranted in light of the prognostic, therapeutic, and diagnostic importance of “Red“Marrow activity in FDG PET/CT clinical staging of oncologic disease. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Effects of solutes on dislocation nucleation from grain boundaries

Abstract When grain sizes are reduced to the nanoscale, grain boundaries (GB) become the dominant sources of the dislocations that enable plastic deformation. We present the first molecular dynamics (MD) study of the effect of substitutional solutes on the dislocation nucleation process from GBs during uniaxial tensile deformation. A simple bi-crystal geometry is utilized in which the nucleation and propagation of dislocations away from a GB is the only active mechanism of plastic deformation. Solutes with atomic radii both larger and smaller than the solvent atomic radius were considered. Although the segregation sites are different for the two cases, both produce increases in the stress required to nucleate a dislocation. MD simulations at room temperature revealed that this increase in the nucleation stress is associated with changes of the GB structure at the emission site caused by dislocation emission, leading to increases in the heats of segregation of the solute atoms, which cannot diffuse to lower-energy sites on the timescale of the nucleation event. These results contribute directly to understanding the strength of nanocrystalline materials, and suggest suitable directions for nanocrystalline alloy design leading toward structural applications.
Other Sources of Evidence

This is the last chapter in the section on best available evidence. Evidence-based practice requires access to evidence. Although systematic reviews represent the least-biased form of evidence, bias can enter the process of systematic reviews so they are not perfect forms of evidence. In addition, real-world clients are often more complicated and live in more complex situations than research participants. Evidence-based practitioners manage this gap between research ideals and reality by examining multiple sources of evidence. This chapter describes the value of using narrative reviews, practice guidelines, scientific principles of human behavior, client history, and current client data as sources of evidence when selecting treatments. The strengths and limitations of each approach are briefly examined.
Civil and uncivil places: The moral geography of College Republicans

In this paper, I explore the spatial logic of othering. This perspective helps link a strong cultural program with microlevel analyses of small groups. Using ethnographic and interview data of College Republicans at a mid-sized public university, I report on the ways members mapped out boundaries to the civil order through ideological performances involving profane narratives about place. In talking about a wide range of topics, the College Republicans in this study constructed a moral geography of contemporary America – one that relegated urban areas into the realm of the uncivil. In studying the spatial logic of othering, the resonance of campaign rhetoric like “real America” and “New York values” come into sharper focus. Cultural research into inequality and political discourse can benefit from the analysis of how perceptions of the material world interrelate with identity and morality.
Maintaining Respondent Trust and Protecting Their Data

One factor that influences respondent willingness to participate in surveys is the perception that both individually identifying information and the substance of their responses to the survey will be protected. Respondent concerns about the privacy and security of their data can be a barrier to participation, particularly if researchers are unable to assure them that their responses will be kept confidential. Another issue for researchers is the risk of social desirability bias for some questions. This chapter outlines these concerns and risks and suggests best practices for how to handle confidentiality and anonymity in the survey context.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Postpartum Depression in Home Visiting Programs: Prevalence, Association, and Mediating Mechanisms

Objectives In this study, we examined the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and its association with select demographic factors and antenatal conditions. We also investigated whether greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with PPD, and if antenatal conditions mediate the ACE-PPD relationship. Methods Data were collected from 735 low-income women receiving home visiting services. Descriptive and bivariate analyses provided estimates of PPD and its correlates, and nested path analyses were used to test for mediation. Results We found that rates of PPD were high compared to prevalence estimates in the general population. Sample rates of antenatal depression were even higher than the rates of PPD. Omnibus tests revealed that PPD did not vary significantly by maternal age or race/ethnicity, although Hispanic women consistently reported the lowest rates. American Indian women and non-Hispanic white women reported the highest rates. PPD was significantly associated with increased exposure to ACEs. Nested path models revealed that the effects of ACEs were partially mediated by three antenatal conditions: intimate partner violence (IPV), perceived stress, and antenatal depression. Conclusions for Practice Supporting prior research, rates of PPD appear to be high among low-income women. ACEs may increase the risk of antenatal IPV and psychological distress, both of which may contribute to PPD. The findings have implications for screening and assessment as well as the timing and tailoring of interventions through home visiting and other community-based services.
Psoas Morphology Differs between Supine and Sitting Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lumbar Spine: Implications for Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Study design Retrospective radiological review. Purpose To quantify the effect of sitting vs supine lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and change in anterior displacement of the psoas muscle from L1-L2 to L4-L5 discs. Overview of literature Controversy exists in determining patient suitability for lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) based on psoas morphology. The effect of posture on psoas morphology has not previously been studied; however, lumbar MRI may be performed in sitting or supine positions. Methods A retrospective review of a single-spine practice over 6 months was performed, identifying patients aged between 18-90 years with degenerative spinal pathologies and lumbar MRIs were evaluated. Previous lumbar fusion, scoliosis, neuromuscular disease, skeletal immaturity, or intrinsic abnormalities of the psoas muscle were excluded. The anteroposterior (AP) dimension of the psoas muscle and intervertebral disc were measured at each intervertebral disc from L1-L2 to L4-L5, and the AP psoas:disc ratio calculated. The morphology was compared between patients undergoing sitting and/or supine MRI. Results Two hundred and nine patients were identified with supine-, and 60 patients with sitting-MRIs, of which 13 patients had undergone both sitting and supine MRIs (BOTH group). A propensity score match (PSM) was performed for patients undergoing either supine or sitting MRI to match for age, BMI, and gender to produce two groups of 43 patients. In the BOTH and PSM group, sitting MRI displayed significantly higher AP psoas:disc ratio compared with supine MRI at all intervertebral levels except L1-L2. The largest difference observed was a mean 32%-37% increase in sitting AP psoas:disc ratio at the L4-L5 disc in sitting compared to supine in the BOTH group (range, 0%-137%). Conclusions The psoas muscle and the lumbar plexus become anteriorly displaced in sitting MRIs, with a greater effect noted at caudal intervertebral discs. This may have implications in selecting suitability for LLIF, and intra-operative patient positioning.
The Psychology of Clinical Decision Making — Implications for Medication Use

The Psychology of Clinical Decision Making Richard Thaler recently won the Nobel Prize in Economics for demonstrating that our once-neat model of human decision making is far too simple to explain reality. His work has profound implications for clinical practice, which is all about making the right choices.
The C-terminus of Ubl4A is critical for pro-death activity and association with the Arp2/3 complex.

Abstract Ubl4A is a small ubiquitin-like protein involved in diverse cellular functions. We have shown that Ubl4A is critical for survival of the starvation-mediated cell death in vivo. The underlying mechanism for this is through interaction with the actin-related protein Arp2/3 complex and promotion of actin branching. Interestingly, “put-back” of Ubl4A to Ubl4A-deficient cells also results in cell death. Removal of the Ubl4A N-terminus significantly enhances its cytotoxicity, indicating that the pro-death activity of Ubl4A is mainly from its C-terminal region. In vitro protein pull-down assays show that the C-terminal region of Ubl4A can directly interact with the Arp2/3 complex. The single point mutation of an aspartic acid to alanine (D122A) in the Ubl4A C-terminus abolishes its ability to bind the Arp2/3 complex. This mutation also destabilizes Ubl4A proteins susceptible to protease degradation. Importantly, ectopic expression of wild-type Ubl4A can induce cell death in colon cancer cells, but such pro-death activity is diminished in the D122A mutant. These data suggest that Ubl4A C-terminus, especially D122, is critical for Ubl4A-Arp2/3 interaction and its pro-death function.
Lessons Learned from Two Elementary School Collapses during the May 20, 2013 Moore Tornado

AbstractThe Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF5) tornado that hit the city of Moore, Oklahoma on May 13, 2013 caused over $2 billion in damages and tragically claimed the lives of 25 individuals. Briarwood ...
Leading in the Present: Mindfulness for Library Leadership

Mindfulness is the deliberate, non-judgmental awareness of what one is experiencing in the present moment. Mindfulness helps library leaders be more present, improve self-awareness and management, and provide mental replenishment. Mindful library leaders are better at dealing with stress and responding to the numerous demands of their job. Our brains are always working, scanning the environment for dangers, which can put us in a constant state of stress. Mindfulness allows us to break a thought pattern and return to the present moment, thereby helping to alleviate stress. Mindfulness is cultivated through various practices including deep breathing, mindful moments, and meditation.
New-Onset Post-Transplant Diabetes Mellitus after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Celltransplant Is Initiated By Insulin Resistance, Not Iatrogenesis

The mortality rate triples for the 50% of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients diagnosed new-onset post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM). Calcineurin inhibitors and corticosteroids are assumed the cause for hyperglycemia, however patients developing PTDM have elevated fasting C-peptide levels before HCT. We tested the hypotheses that an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) would predict new-onset PTDM and that PTDM progresses from established insulin resistance present before HCT. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were quantified with OGTTs and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps before and 90 days after matched related donor peripheral blood HCT in 20 patients without diabetes. PTDM was diagnosed by a weekly fasting BG ≥126mg/dL or random BG ≥200mg/dL from day 0 to day+100. PTDM was diagnosed in 11 (55%) patients at a median of 22 days post-HCT (range, 0-88 days). Table 1 outlines patient characteristics and OGTT results. PTDM preceded grade 2-4 acute GVHD or corticosteroids in 9 (82%) and 11 (100%) patients, respectively. Pre-transplant 2-hour, post-prandial OGTT plasma glucose values did not discriminate between patients developing PTDM and those maintaining euglycemia after HCT. However, fasting pre-transplant glucose and C-peptide levels were elevated in patients developing PTDM. All 5 patients with impaired fasting glucose (100-125mg/dl) compared to 6 out of 15 individuals with normal fasting glucose levels ( PTDM risk is dependent on pre-transplant insulin resistance and independent of immunosuppression. Impaired fasting glucose levels identified PTDM susceptibility. Peripheral insulin resistance could be targeted for the prevention/treatment of PTDM.
Teaching for Engagement: Innovative Perspectives to Get Your Students More Involved

Loeb is author of Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in Challenging Times, The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizenâ€™s Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear (named the #3 political book of 2004 by the History Channel and the American Book Association), Generation at the Crossroads: Apathy and Action on the American Campus, Nuclear Culture, and Hope in Hard Times. Both The Impossible and Soul won the Nautilus Award for best social change books of their respective publication years. Loeb has written on social involvement for The New York Times,Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, AARP Bulletin, Boston Globe, Psychology Today, Utne Reader, Redbook, Parents magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Mother Jones, Salon, The Village Voice, National Catholic Reporter, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and International Herald Tribune. He has been interviewed on CNN, NPR, PBS, C-SPAN, NBC TV, the BBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, American Urban Radio, Voice of America, and national German and Australian radio. He has lectured on 400 college campuses and at numerous national conferences. His January 2002 talk at the annual provostâ€™s conference of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities helped inspire what is now a 200-campus American Democracy Project. In 2008, Loeb worked with Campus Compact to create and coordinate the Campus Election Engagement Project, helping colleges and universities in 15 states engage their students in the election. He participated in the Department of Educationâ€™s 2011 roundtable on higher education and civic engagement and blogs regularly at Huffington Post.
Energy Metabolism Regulates Stem Cell Pluripotency.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are characterized by their unique capacity for both unlimited self-renewal and their potential to differentiate to all cell lineages contained within the three primary germ layers. While once considered a distinct cellular state, it is becoming clear that pluripotency is in fact a continuum of cellular states, all capable of self-renewal and differentiation, yet with distinct metabolic, mitochondrial and epigenetic features dependent on gestational stage. In this review we focus on two of the most clearly defined states: "naive" and "primed" PSCs. Like other rapidly dividing cells, PSCs have a high demand for anabolic precursors necessary to replicate their genome, cytoplasm and organelles, while concurrently consuming energy in the form of ATP. This requirement for both anabolic and catabolic processes sufficient to supply a highly adapted cell cycle in the context of reduced oxygen availability, distinguishes PSCs from their differentiated progeny. During early embryogenesis PSCs adapt their substrate preference to match the bioenergetic requirements of each specific developmental stage. This is reflected in different mitochondrial morphologies, membrane potentials, electron transport chain (ETC) compositions, and utilization of glycolysis. Additionally, metabolites produced in PSCs can directly influence epigenetic and transcriptional programs, which in turn can affect self-renewal characteristics. Thus, our understanding of the role of metabolism in PSC fate has expanded from anabolism and catabolism to include governance of the pluripotent epigenetic landscape. Understanding the roles of metabolism and the factors influencing metabolic pathways in naive and primed pluripotent states provide a platform for understanding the drivers of cell fate during development. This review highlights the roles of the major metabolic pathways in the acquisition and maintenance of the different states of pluripotency.
Safer Prescribing for Hospitalized Older Adults with an Electronic Health Records-Based Prescribing Context.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Hospitalized older adults are at risk of receiving potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) doses, driven in part by age-independent dose defaults used by electronic health records (EHRs), leading providers to prescribe for older adults as they do for younger adults. We studied whether an automated EHR-based medication support tool would reduce PIM dosing for hospitalized older adults. DESIGN Pre-post study design. SETTING Tertiary care, level 1 trauma, academic medical center in Oregon. PARTICIPANTS Hospitalized adults 75 years and older in the inpatient, nonemergency setting prescribed medications with geriatric-specific dose considerations. INTERVENTION An EHR-based, automated set of evidence-based, age-specific dose and frequency defaults called the Geriatric Prescribing Context (GPC). MEASUREMENTS The process measure is percentage of orders consistent with geriatric dose recommendations, and outcome measures are average dose (AD) in milligrams and total daily dose (TDD) in milligrams in the 12 months before and after implementation. RESULTS Use of recommended geriatric doses with the context improved for all 10 of the most commonly ordered medications. In the year after implementation, there was a trend toward decreasing TDD and AD across all drug classes. CONCLUSION The GPC is a simple, elegant, and effective means to align prescribing practices with safety standards for older adults, improving prescribing safety for all. It works within the current prescriber workflow without triggering alert fatigue and requires minimal resources for development and maintenance.