cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergency contraception for midwifery practice

Abstract Every year in the United States, there are an estimated 3.5 million unplanned pregnancies with nearly one third of these attributed to contraceptive failures. Despite the availability of effective contraceptive methods, far too many women still experience unwanted pregnancies. It has been estimated that emergency contraception, also referred to as postcoital contraception or “the morning after pill,” can reduce the risk of pregnancy after unprotected intercourse by as much as 75%. When administered within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, emergency contraception, inhibits implantation of a fertilized ovum. The most common method of emergency contraception, the administration of ethinyl estradiol and d l -norgestrel, was initially described by Yuzpe in 1977. In the past 20 years, multiple studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of commonly prescribed combination oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel. For those women in whom estrogen is contraindicated, progestin-only pills or the synthetic androgen Danazol have been used with comparable effectiveness rates. For appropriately selected women, an intrauterine device such as the Paraguard T380A (Ortho Pharmaceuticals, Raritan, NJ) also may be inserted within 5–7 days after unprotected intercourse to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy. Despite its success and safety, emergency contraception is underused by women and their health care providers. As providers of comprehensive health care, midwives should provide patients with accurate information concerning pregnancy prevention. For many women, obtaining emergency contraception is an entry into the health care system and provides them an opportunity to be educated about safer sex practices, contraception, and the importance of regular health screening. Regularly discussing emergency contraception with patients at routine health visits will enable them to participate fully in their health care decisions and diminish the physical, psychological, and societal stressors associated with unplanned pregnancy.
Direct minimization of the energy by simultaneous variation of parameters in nonorthogonal basis functions. I. Method

A direct method to optimize parameters in nonorthogonal basis orbitals is discussed. The partial derivatives of the energy of the state of interest, not necessarily the ground state, with respect to the orbital parameters are calculated analytically. The required cofactors up to third order of the overlap matrices over spin-space orbitals in pairs of Slater determinants are calculated by biorthogonalization. All parameters are varied simultaneiously in the direction of the negative gradient (steepest descent). A search logic with dynamically adjusted step-size is shown, in the example of the minimum basis Ne ground state, to find the energy minimum in an efficient manner.
Channel state prediction in cognitive radio, part I: Response delays in practical hardware platforms

Cognitive radio has been put forward to make efficient use of scarce radio frequency spectrum. Spectrum sensing is the cornerstone of cognitive radio. As a part of the effort toward building a cognitive radio network testbed, we have demonstrated real-time spectrum sensing [1]. However, current hardware platforms for cognitive radio introduce time delays that actually undermine the accuracy of spectrum sensing. The time delay, named response delay, incurred by hardware and software can be measured at the receiving antenna and the transmitting antenna co-located at a secondary user (SU). In this paper, minimum response delays are experimentally quantified and reported based on two hardware platforms, the universal software radio peripheral 2 (USRP2) and the small form factor software defined radio development platform (SFF SDR DP). In a subsequent paper, an approach for single-user prediction is proposed to combat with the response delays. This work is a part of the effort toward building a cognitive radio network testbed.
Determining the Distribution of Hydraulic Conductivity in a Fractured Limestone Aquifer by Simultaneous Injection and Geophysical Logging

A field technique for assessing the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity in an aquifer was applied to a fractured carbonate formation in southeastern Nevada. The technique combines the simultaneous use of fluid injection and geophysical logging to measure in situ vertical distributions of fluid velocity and hydraulic head down the borehole; these data subsequently are analyzed to arrive at quantitative estimates of hydraulic conductivity across discrete intervals in the aquifer. The diagnostic capabilities of the analysis were found to be constrained by the accuracy and resolution of the logging tools as well as by the hydraulic characteristics of the formation. Despite these limitations, this injection/logging technique appears to be practical and effective under the conditions encountered in this application. The results of this analysis identified the contact margin between the Anchor and Dawn Members of the Monte Cristo Limestone as being the dominant transmissive unit. This section is extensively fractured, and quantitative estimates of its hydraulic conductivity are at least two orders of magnitude larger than that of the surrounding competent rock matrix. This transmissive zone also correlates strongly with an interval where the drilling rate was reported to be quite rapid. Aquifer transmissivity was computed from the profile of hydraulic conductivity and found to be 7.6 × 105 ft2/day, a value that is in close agreement with that determined from a conventional constant-discharge test. Discrepancies between the two estimates may be scale-dependent, a function of the different formation volumes investigated by each method. The friction factor, a parameter derived from the differential pressure and velocity logs, appears to be a good indicator of borehole rugosity across intervals where fluid velocity remains virtually unchanged, and vertical flow is turbulent.
Of Mimicry and Marginality: Comments on Anna Tsing's “From the Margins”

Toward the end of her paper, Anna Tsing takes up the debate between Marshall Sahlins and Gananath Obeyesekere around Captain Cook's encounter with the Hawaiians and asks what difference gender might make in reframing what has been a largely androcentric discussion. Her response is to cite the Meratus shaman, Uma Adang, responding to a debate on circumcision by saying, "As for me, I can't really tell the difference" (p. 293). Which, among other things, means that she can tell the difference that arises whenever a gendered subject speaks in a discursive terrain where gender differences have been so mystified as to make such differences seem normal. A Meratus woman's voice is thus
THE ROCHESTER SCHOOL: The Origins of Positive Political Theory

▪ Abstract The Rochester school of political science, led by William H Riker, pioneered the new method of positive political theory. Positive political theory, or rational choice theory, represents the attempt to build formal models of collective decision-making processes, often relying on the assumption of self-interested rational action. This method has been used to study such political processes as elections, legislative behavior, public goods, and treaty formation and diplomatic strategy in international relations. In this article, we provide a retrospective account of the Rochester school, which discusses Riker's theoretical synthesis and his institution building in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. We discuss some of the most important Rochester school contributions related to spatial models of voting, agenda setting, structure-induced equilibria, heresthetics, game theory, and political theory. We also briefly situate positive political theory within the larger context of political science and economics.
A catalytic antibody against cocaine prevents cocaine’s reinforcing and toxic effects in rats

Cocaine addiction and overdose have long defied specific treatment. To provide a new approach, the high-activity catalytic antibody mAb 15A10 was elicited using a transition-state analog for the hydrolysis of cocaine to nontoxic, nonaddictive products. In a model of cocaine overdose, mAb 15A10 protected rats from cocaine-induced seizures and sudden death in a dose-dependent fashion; a noncatalytic anticocaine antibody did not reduce toxicity. Consistent with accelerated catalysis, the hydrolysis product ecgonine methyl ester was increased >10-fold in plasma of rats receiving mAb 15A10 and lethal amounts of cocaine. In a model of cocaine addiction, mAb 15A10 blocked completely the reinforcing effect of cocaine in rats. mAb 15A10 blocked cocaine specifically and did not affect behavior maintained by milk or by the dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion. This artificial cocaine esterase is a rationally designed cocaine antagonist and a catalytic antibody with potential for medicinal use.
Unfolded protein response in a Drosophila model for retinal degeneration

Stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress) and its cellular response, the unfolded protein response (UPR), are implicated in a wide variety of diseases, but its significance in many disorders remains to be validated in vivo. Here, we analyzed a branch of the UPR mediated by xbp1 in Drosophila to establish its role in neurodegenerative diseases. The Drosophila xbp1 mRNA undergoes ire-1-mediated unconventional splicing in response to ER stress, and this property was used to develop a specific UPR marker, xbp1-EGFP, in which EGFP is expressed in frame only after ER stress. xbp1-EGFP responds specifically to ER stress, but not to proteins that form cytoplasmic aggregates. The ire-1/xbp1 pathway regulates heat shock cognate protein 3 (hsc3), an ER chaperone. xbp1 splicing and hsc3 induction occur in the retina of ninaEG69D−/+, a Drosophila model for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP), and reduction of xbp1 gene dosage accelerates retinal degeneration of these animals. These results demonstrate the role of the UPR in the Drosophila ADRP model and open new opportunities for examining the UPR in other Drosophila disease models.
A Novel Self-aligned and Maskless Process for Formation of Highly Uniform Arrays of Nanoholes and Nanopillars

Fabrication of a large area of periodic structures with deep sub-wavelength features is required in many applications such as solar cells, photonic crystals, and artificial kidneys. We present a low-cost and high-throughput process for realization of 2D arrays of deep sub-wavelength features using a self-assembled monolayer of hexagonally close packed (HCP) silica and polystyrene microspheres. This method utilizes the microspheres as super-lenses to fabricate nanohole and pillar arrays over large areas on conventional positive and negative photoresist, and with a high aspect ratio. The period and diameter of the holes and pillars formed with this technique can be controlled precisely and independently. We demonstrate that the method can produce HCP arrays of hole of sub-250 nm size using a conventional photolithography system with a broadband UV source centered at 400 nm. We also present our 3D FDTD modeling, which shows a good agreement with the experimental results.
Chirality inversion in the bilirubin molecular exciton

The bichromophoric pigment bilirubin acts as a molecular exciton in its UV-visible and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. In both polar and nonpolar solvents, an optically active analog, (beta R,beta 'R)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIII alpha (1), exhibits intense bisignate CD Cotton effects in the region of its long wavelength UV-vis absorption near 400 nm: Delta epsilon(434)(max) + 337, Delta epsilon(389)(max) - 186 (CHCl(3)), and Delta epsilon(431)(max) + 285, Delta epsilon(386)(max) - 177 (CH(3)OH). However, introduction of an amine into a CHCl(3) solution of 1 causes the Cotton effect signs to become inverted, e.g., after addition of NH(3), Delta epsilon(433)(max) - 345, Delta epsilon(389)(max) + 243, and after addition of ethylene diamine, Delta epsilon(435)(max) - 420, Delta epsilon(390)(max) + 299. The sign inversions imply inversion of molecular chirality of the bilirubin and the phenomenon appears to be general for amines, including alpha,omega-diamines. 1,8-Diaminooctane was found to be more effective than longer or shorter chain analogs in producing CD sign inversion.
Adsorption dynamics and kinetics of CO2 on Fe/FeOx nanoclusters supported on HOPG

The adsorption dynamics and kinetics of CO2 on FeOx clusters have been studied using thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and molecular beam scattering. According to AES data, even at good vacuum conditions, the vapor-deposited Fe clusters oxidize readily. An ensemble of metallic and oxidized Fe clusters form. Three structures at 120 K, 160 K, and 500 K are seen in CO2 TDS, which are assigned to physisorbed CO2 and carbonate decomposition. The latter structure is only present for large Fe exposures, χFe. The initial adsorption probabilities, S0, decrease with increasing impact energy. S0 increases with adsorption temperature, Ts, which is discussed in the framework of the capture-zone model (CZM). Small effects of the cluster size on the initial adsorption probabilities, S0, as well as its coverage dependence, S(Θ), have been seen. The coverage dependence of the adsorption probabilities obeys the Kisliuk precursor model, as predicted by the CZM. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A digital micro-mirror device-based system for the microfabrication of complex, spatially patterned tissue engineering scaffolds.

Our ability to create precise, pre-designed, spa- tially patterned biochemical and physical microenviron- ments inside polymer scaffolds could provide a powerful tool in studying progenitor cell behavior and differentiation under biomimetic, three-dimensional (3D) culture condi- tions. We have developed a simple and fast, layer-by-layer microstereolithography system consisting of an ultra-violet light source, a digital micro-mirror masking device, and a conventional computer projector, that allows fabrication of complex internal features along with precise spatial distri- bution of biological factors inside a single scaffold. Photo- crosslinkable poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylates were used as the scaffold material, and murine bone marrow-derived cells were successfully encapsulated or seeded on fibronectin- functionalized scaffolds. Fluorescently-labeled polystyrene microparticles were used to show the capability of this sys- tem to create scaffolds with complex internal architectures and spatial patterns. We demonstrate that precisely con- trolled pore size and shapes can be easily fabricated using a simple, computer-aided process. Our results further indicate that multi-layered scaffolds with spatially distributed fac- tors in the same layer or across different layers can be efficiently manufactured using this technique. These micro- fabricated scaffolds are conducive for osteogenic differenti- ation of marrow-derived stem cells, as indicated by efficient matrix mineralization. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 77A: 396 - 405, 2006
9-11 information failures: a semiotic approach

The events leading to 11 September 2001 seem to indicate an interaction of oversights, which, in concert, compromised security. Here, we use a semiotic model to explain some of what went wrong prior to 9-11. Semiotics involves the study of signs and symbols to better understand their meaning and contextual relation. We begin with so-called information. For information to be useful, it must be necessary; and to be necessary, it must be universal in the same way as a mathematical expression is understandable by mathematicians worldwide, regardless of their native language. Current systems literature provides little that addresses what is necessary and why there is a requirement for universality in information representation and processing. Our semiotic model, adapted from the existing domain of semiotic models, provides such a universal model, defining it in five levels.
Evidence for an endothelial cell-derived factor which stimulates the growth of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Abstract Evidence is provided which demonstrates that conditioned media of cultured endothelial cells derived from human umbilical veins contained a factor which stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell [ 3 H]thymidine uptake. A dose-dependent response in peripheral blood mononuclear cell [ 3 H]thymidine uptake was obtained when cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of supernatant of endothelial cell cultures. Studies on temporal kinetics demonstrated that stimulatory activity was evident when mononuclear cells had been incubated with endothelial cell supernatant for 120 hr or more. Preliminary characterization showed the growth immunoregulatory factor to have a molecular weight > 100,000 Da.
Experience-based deductive learning

A method of deductive learning is proposed to control deductive inference. The goal is to improve problem solving time by experience, when that experience monotonically adds knowledge to the knowledge base. Accumulating and exploiting experience are done by the schemes of knowledge migration and knowledge shadowing. Knowledge migration generates specific (migrated) rules from general (migrating) rules and accumulates deduction experience represented by specificity relationships between migrating and migrated rules. Knowledge shadowing recognizes rule redundancies during a deduction and prunes deduction branches activated from redundant rules. Three principles for knowledge shadowing are suggested, depending on the details of deduction experience representation. >
African American Fathers in Low Income, Urban Families: Development, Behavior, and Home Environment of Their Three-Year-Old Children.

This study examined the relationship between paternal roles, regardless of residence, and the well-being of 175 3-year-old children from low income, African American families. There were no differences in children's cognition, receptive language, behavior, or home environment related to father presence. Fathers (or father figures) were identified in 73% of the families, and 64% participated in an interview and videotaped observation. The relationships between paternal roles (parenting satisfaction, economic support, nurturance during play, child care, and household responsibilities) and children's cognitive skills, receptive language, behavior, and home environment were examined. After controlling for maternal age, education, and parenting satisfaction, there were significant relationships between paternal roles and each index of children's well-being, suggesting that fathers' contributions were unique. Fathers who were satisfied with parenting, contributed financially to the family, and were nurturant during play had children with better cognitive and language competence; fathers who were satisfied with parenting and employed, had children with fewer behavior problems; and when fathers were living with the child, the home was more child-centered. Neither the biological relationship of the father nor the parents' marital status entered into the models. These findings support ecological theories linking paternal involvement with children's well-being and argue for the institution of family-oriented policies that promote positive father involvement.
Relationship between bone mineral density and myocardial infarction in US adults.

Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis have several common risk factors, and quite a few studies suggest a relationship between them. The objective of the present study was to explore the relationship between cardiovascular disease risk factors and bone mineral density in association with having had a previous myocardial infarction in a general population. This cross-sectional study was conducted using data for 5,050 women and men aged 50–79 years who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Race/ethnic and gender-specific mean BMD values for young adults were used to determine race/ethnic and gender-specific T -scores to define osteoporosis and low BMD. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that subjects self-reporting a previous myocardial infarction had significantly higher odds (odds ratio 1.28, [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01 to 1.63] p =0.04) of having low bone mineral density, when adjusting for cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis risk factors. Self-reported myocardial infarction was not significantly associated with low bone mineral density in women, (odds ratio 1.22, [95% CI, 0.80 to 1.86] p =0.37), but was significant in men, (odds ratio 1.39, [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.87] p =0.03). These findings demonstrate that male survivors of myocardial infarction have low bone mineral density. The pathophysiologic connection between the atherosclerotic and the osteoporotic processes needs further elucidation. It is also of importance to study the processes in both men and women.
A phase II study of Doxil (liposomal doxorubicin): Lack of activity in poor prognosis soft tissue sarcomas

Summary Background Liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx, Doxil) delivers doxorubicin to a tumor, but has a vastly altered pharmacology and attenuated acute and chronic toxicities. Therefore, its efficacy in soft tissue sarcomas is worth exploring. Patients and methods Sixteen patients with recurrent or metastatic soft tissue sarcomas who had not failed prior doxorubicin were accrued into this phase II study. Patients were treated with Doxil at a dose of 50 mg/m2 every four weeks. Results No responses were seen but three patients were removed from study after only one cycle of treatment. Moreover, leiomyosarcoma was the most common histology and most patients had low grade, and bulky, disseminated tumors. Treatment was well tolerated with no episodes of grade 4 toxicity and only five episodes of grade 3 toxicities: two episodes of neutropenia and one each of stomatitis, dermatologic toxicity and nausea and vomiting. Conclusions Doxil’s lack of activity in this study of patients with adult soft tissue sarcoma may be related to the poor prognostic features of our population. We confirm its favorable toxicity profile and suggest that additional studies be done in patients with other characteristics.
Hierarchical Mahalanobis Distance Clustering Based Technique for Prognostics in Applications Generating Big Data

In this paper, a Mahalanobis Distance (MD) based hierarchical clustering technique is proposed for prognostics in applications generating Big Data. This technique is shown to have the ability to overcome certain challenges concerning Big Data analysis. In this technique, Mahalanobis Taguchi Strategy is utilized to organize the MD values into a tree and hierarchical clustering approach is then applied to obtain an overall MD value. This overall MD value is trended over time for prediction. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed technique.
Immigration Effects on Violence Contextualized: The Role of Immigrant Destination Type and Race/Ethnicity

This study examines the relationship between Latino immigration and violence in the context of the geographic diversification of immigrants to emerging destinations. Drawing on research on immigration and literature on assimilation and place stratification, I identify circumstances in which immigration may either increase or decrease violence. I use 2001–2004 arrest data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and the crime reporting programs of California, New York, and Texas to evaluate these circumstances. Most notably, I examine whether effects of immigration on violent offending of specific racial/ethnic groups (Latino, white, black) vary depending on whether the movement of immigrants is into established or emerging immigrant destinations and whether immigration’s effects vary by race/ethnicity within particular destinations. Findings suggest that immigration’s influence on black and Latino violence is contextualized by destination type; immigration has violence-reducing effects on Latinos...
A Note on the Partitioning of a Single Product Market into Territories of Outlets

Distribution of a good or a service is an essential activity of every business. Distribution means transportation of goods from their source, the manufacturing plant or the warehouse, to their destination, the customer. In this article we are interested in the effect of transportation costs on the size and shape of the area that any particular outlet serves. Several outlets offer the same product to a customer at some given location. We assume that, for a given outlet, price is a function of the distance between outlet and customer, and the customer accepts the offer with the lowest price. First, the concept is illustrated by determining the territories of two outlets with linear cost functions. Then the results are generalized for n outlets and arbitrary monotonic cost functions. Possible applications of the results are outlined.
Monoamine oxidase activity in human tissues and intestinal biopsy specimens.

SummaryThe distribution of monoamine oxidase activity in human tissues was surveyed. The significance of this distribution and the differences between humans and various animal species were discussed. Direct assay of MAO activity in specimens of jejunal mucosa obtained from human subjects by peroral biopsy was shown to be feasible. In a series of normal subjects studied in this fashion the range of variation is sufficiently narrow to make this a useful procedure for detection of spontaneous and induced variations of MAO activity.
Effects of Moisture Before and After Laboratory Spray Application of Insecticides to Western Spruce Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Under laboratory greenhouse conditions, moisture on Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga Menziesii (Mirbel) Franco, foliage at the time of spray application enhanced toxicity of acephate, carbaryl, methomyl, sulprofos, and thiodicarb to western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, approximately 2 to 14 times at LC50. Toxicity of acephate increased the most (14.2 times). Possibly, moisture permitted a more even distribution of toxicant so that the probability of all larvae receiving a lethal concentration increased. When a precisely estimated LC90 (wet) of each of the five chemicals was applied to misted foliage and subjected to 0.76 cm of simulated rainfall at 0, 3, 7, or 14 d after spray application, time of rainfall application was not a significant factor in resultant mortality. Rainfall seemed to decrease mortality by the same average amount regardless of time of application. These results suggest that the application of sprays early in the morning when dew is present on foliage may be advantageous compared with applications to totally dry foliage.
Comparison of 3 + 1 and 2 + 2 Medical Technology Educational Approaches Using Certification Examination Performance

Performances on the American Society of Clinical Pathologists' medical technologist certification examination by graduates of the “3 + 1” and “2 + 2” medical technology educational programs were compared. The sample population consisted of eight 3 + 1 programs and eight 2 + 2 programs, with a total of 226 graduates. The nine subscores of the certification examination were redefined as five dependent variables: chemistry, hematology, immunology, microbiology, and professional skills. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance showed that variation in performance between educational approaches was not significant. Variations between schools within the educational programs according to univariate analysis were significant. The discriminant analysis, however, indicated that the school's positioning on the discriminant functions was not a function of (1) being a 3 + 1 or 2 + 2 educational pattern, (2) being a hospital-based or university-based school, (3) the geographic location of the program, or (4) a specific graduate class size
Auctioning the Forest: A Qualitative Approach to Exploring Stakeholder Responses to Bidding on Forest Ecosystem Services

The loss of private forestland diminishes ecosystems, including wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration and clean water. The emergence of new markets for forest ecosystem services offers one solution for private forestland financing while having the potential to increase the provision of forest ecosystem services. The general public’s willingness to participate in an auction mechanism for private forest ecosystem services was assessed for a regionally representative forest in Washington State using focus group methodology. The auction mechanism utilizes cost-effective management scenarios that stakeholders competitively bid on. Participants exhibited preferences for specific management plans while also making trade-offs in order to ensure that a plan would win. Participants expressed clear preferences for recreational access, mature forest habitat, aesthetic amenities, and improved water quality. Participants were receptive to the auction mechanism while maintaining concerns over viability, transparency, and local stakeholder involvement.
Radiographic changes in lung of patients treated with stereotactic ablative body radiation therapy: low-dose volumes as the driving force for radiographic change

To describe radiographic evidence of radiation pneumonitis (rRP) and fibrosis (rRF) and determine what dosimetric parameters correlate with rRP and rRF after stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) to the lung. Ninety-eight follow-up computed tomography (CT) scans from 32 patients treated by SABR were retrospectively reviewed for CT appearance of rRP and rRF determined by the Ikezoe (≤6 months) and Koenig (≥7 months) systems. The dosimetric correlations for rRP, rRF, and fibrotic volume were analyzed. There was a 55 % incidence of rRP and 59 % incidence of rRF with a median follow-up of 10 months. Only the low-dose parameters V 2.5, V 5, V 7, and V 10 (the volume of lung receiving more than 2.5, 5, 7, and 10 Gy of radiation, respectively) were correlated to the development of rRP (p < 0.05). No parameter correlated with rRF, but V 5, V 7, and V 10 trended toward significance. The absolute fibrotic volume was correlated with the planning target volume (p = 0.01) and V 7 (p = 0.02). The development of rRP and the fibrotic volume after SABR was correlated with the volume of lung that received lower doses of radiation.
Spasm or transformation? Advanced practice psychiatric nursing education in the United States

Psychiatric nursing graduate programs are in precipitous decline in the United States, leading many advanced practice psychiatric nurses to question the viability of their field. This article examines the current crisis in advanced practice psychiatric nursing education in the United States by identifying core concerns and exploring the reasons for these concerns. Suggestions for securing the future of this practice area are also discussed. These suggestions include identifying a more clearly focused role for advanced practice psychiatric nurses, development of realistic educational expectations, achievement of greater uniformity in curricula, and the establishment of a strong and rigorous process of accreditation.
The Impact of Concomitant Left Ventricular Non-compaction with Congenital Heart Disease on Perioperative Outcomes

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a heterogeneous myocardial disorder characterized by prominent trabeculations and inter-trabecular recesses which may occur in association with congenital heart disease (CHD). To date, few studies have been performed to assess whether the concomitant diagnosis of LVNC affects the outcomes of CHD surgery. A retrospective review of patients with LVNC with CHD (LVNC-CHD), 0–5 years of age, was conducted. Patients with CHD without LVNC (CHD-only) and 0–5 years of age with similar diagnosis distribution were selected for comparison. Perioperative data, including CHD diagnosis, operative course, and postoperative complications were collected and compared between groups. LVNC-CHD was diagnosed in 26 children. Of the 26 with LVNC-CHD, 20 underwent surgery and these patients were compared with 276 CHD-only controls. Median total length of stay in the hospital was 12.5 days (IQR 5.5–63 days) in LVNC-CHD compared to 5 days (IQR 3–10 days) in CHD-only (p < 0.005). Postoperative death, cardiac arrest, or need for ECMO or transplantation occurred in 6/20 (30 %) of the LVNC-CHD patients compared to 3/276 (1 %) of the CHD-only group (p < 0.0001). LVNC-CHD patients had significantly longer hospital length of stay and higher perioperative complications compared to CHD-only patients without myocardial abnormalities. Pediatric cardiac care teams should be cognizant of the possibility of the increased perioperative risk associated with concomitant LVNC. Future prospective studies are warranted.
Hormones and Brain Mechanisms of Vocal Behaviour in Non-Vocal Learning Birds

Vocalization is an integral component of the behaviour of birds. The complexity and extent to which vocalizations are used in the life cycle of birds varies among species. Nevertheless, vocalizations generally serve a communicatory role, most visibly observed in courtship, agonistic, and territorial contexts.
Heat-sensitive Inhibitor(s) Produced in Poor Quality Raw Milk

As bacterial numbers in raw milk increased to millions and pH decreased to 6.3 and lower, inhibitory substances were produced that gave positive tests by the Bacillus subtilis disc assay and Sarcina lutea cylinder plate method. These substances were inactivated by heat treatment. The inhibitor was not lactic acid. Results of our study emphasized that all laboratories that test raw milks for antibiotics must be certain to heat samples before reporting a positive test result for inhibitor. If a heat-sensitive inhibitor is found in raw milk, one should evaluate the quality control program.
Local Government Leaders' Views on Drinking Water and Water Supply Infrastructure in Michigan Communities

This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of issues related to the provision of drinking water in their communities, including threats to water safety, the condition of infrastructure, challenges regarding shared local drinking water systems, funding of these systems, and governmental oversight of them. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Spring 2016 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
Interaction of p190A RhoGAP with eIF3A and Other Translation Preinitiation Factors Suggests a Role in Protein Biosynthesis

The negative regulator of Rho family GTPases, p190A RhoGAP, is one of six mammalian proteins harboring so-called FF motifs. To explore the function of these and other p190A segments, we identified interacting proteins by tandem mass spectrometry. Here we report that endogenous human p190A, but not its 50% identical p190B paralog, associates with all 13 eIF3 subunits and several other translational preinitiation factors. The interaction involves the first FF motif of p190A and the winged helix/PCI domain of eIF3A, is enhanced by serum stimulation and reduced by phosphatase treatment. The p190A/eIF3A interaction is unaffected by mutating phosphorylated p190A-Tyr308, but disrupted by a S296A mutation, targeting the only other known phosphorylated residue in the first FF domain. The p190A-eIF3 complex is distinct from eIF3 complexes containing S6K1 or mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and appears to represent an incomplete preinitiation complex lacking several subunits. Based on these findings we propose that p190A may affect protein translation by controlling the assembly of functional preinitiation complexes. Whether such a role helps to explain why, unique among the large family of RhoGAPs, p190A exhibits a significantly increased mutation rate in cancer remains to be determined.
Hands-On Physics Programs for Middle Level Students

We describe a series of three female-targeted extracurricular physics programs that we have developed over the last ten years. The programs explore fundamental concepts of physics, relate them to applications, and culminate in student-built devices. Exploring Physics, an eight-session program for female students in grades 5-7, has eight units that explore different concepts in physics, and is used by about 300 students annually throughout Missouri. FEST, Families Exploring Science and Technology is a four-session program for grades 6–7, where students and parents work together to combine physics and engineering principles and build a movable drawbridge. Saturday Scientist is a three-Saturday program in collaboration with local industries, where 8-9 grade students visit industrial sites and learn about applied scientific principles and careers. We also describe evaluation results, related publications, and teacher development institutes. These programs were developed with NSF funding, and are currently working toward being self-sustaining.
Phenotypic Variability and mTOR Pathway Gene Aberrations in Familial Tuberous Sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder that demonstrates variable severity, such that affected family members may have mild or severe disease. We performed exome and RNA sequencing of blood leukocytes from mild and severe cases across four families to identify mTOR pathway aberrations that may underlie phenotypic variability. In each family, we identified TSC1/TSC2 aberrations along with different mTOR pathway gene alterations, including base substitutions, deletions, and skewed allelic frequencies. Here, we describe the first reported DNA and RNA analysis of TSC families demonstrating mTOR pathway aberrations in mild and severe forms of the disease.
Firm Performance in the Face of Fear: How CEO Moods Affect Firm Performance

ABSTRACTThe authors use facial emotion recognition software to quantify CEO mood. Anger or disgust motivates a CEO to work harder to improve his or her situation; thus firm profitability improves in the subsequent quarter. Happy CEOs are less likely to work on hard or unpleasant tasks; thus profitability decreases in the subsequent quarter. In the short term, fear explains the firm's announcement period market performance. However, fear is transient and performance improvement is short term.
Translational/Clinical Studies in Children and Adults with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Despite considerable challenges, the management of children and adults with NF1 has rapidly entered the therapeutic era. A multitude of new agents are available which could potentially benefit patients, and a clinical trial infrastructure is now in place to more effectively and expeditiously study new therapies. Almost all of the clinical manifestations of neurofibromatosis type 1 are therapeutic targets. Preclinical testing offers the possibility of identifying agents which are most likely to positively alter clinical outcome. Such preclinical work has already been translated into therapeutic trials for children and adults with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas, gliomas, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, and even neurocognitive disorders. Clinical trials are also being proposed for skeletal dysplasia and dermal neurofibromas. The potential benefits of such trials need to be carefully balanced against the potential long-term toxicity caused by such interventions and the realization that many manifestations of NF1 are lifelong conditions that may require chronic treatment.
Wavelets on the Interval

The aim of this paper is to give an introduction to some approaches by which the well-known concept of a multiresolution analysis of L 2 (ℝ) can be adapted to a bounded interval. The two approaches of Meyer and Cohen-Daubechies-Vial to adapt Daubechies scaling functions and wavelets to L 2 [0, 1] are outlined, as well as the B-spline approach by Chui-Quak together with related algorithmic considerations of Quak-Weyrich.
Unsupervised camera localization in crowded spaces

Existing camera networks in public spaces such as train terminals or malls can help social robots to navigate crowded scenes. However, the localization of the cameras is required, i.e., the positions and poses of all cameras in a unique reference. In this work, we estimate the relative location of any pair of cameras by solely using noisy trajectories observed from each camera. We propose a fully unsupervised learning technique using unlabelled pedestrians motion patterns captured in crowded scenes. We first estimate the pairwise camera parameters by optimally matching single-view pedestrian tracks using social awareness. Then, we show the impact of jointly estimating the network parameters. This is done by formulating a nonlinear least square optimization problem, leveraging a continuous approximation of the matching function. We evaluate our approach in real-world environments such as train terminals, where several hundreds of individuals need to be tracked across dozens of cameras every second.
The Statutory Case Against Off-Label Promotion

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) does not expressly prohibit companies from marketing or promoting drugs for unapproved, "off-label" uses. The FDA itself acknowledges that off-label promotion is not a "prohibited act" under the statute, or an element of any such act. Instead, the FDA uses off-label promotion as evidence of other statutory violations. This Article engages in perhaps the most thorough statutory construction analysis of the FDCA on this question, finding that the statute does support the FDA's functional ban on off-label promotion. Using various tools of construction, I find that several sections of the FDCA assume or expressly contemplate a ban on off-label promotion, and that the FDCA's regulation of medical products, as a whole, depends on such a ban.
Trends in Omalizumab Utilization for Asthma: Evidence of Suboptimal Patient Selection.

Background Utilization trends of omalizumab, a first-in-its-class asthma biologic approved in 2003 for individuals not controlled by inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs), may reveal lessons in patient selection. Objective To describe utilization patterns for omalizumab since its introduction in 2003, with a focus on patient-level characteristics of patients for whom omalizumab was initiated. Methods Using a large US database of administrative claims, we identified privately insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with asthma between 2003 and 2015. Characteristics of incident (no omalizumab use in the previous 12 months) and prevalent users of omalizumab for asthma were described and omalizumab use trends graphed. A comparison cohort (1:5 matching proportion) of nonomalizumab users was compared with incident omalizumab users on demographic characteristics, medication adherence (medication possession ratio [MPR]) for ICSs and/or ICS/long-acting β-agonist (ICS-LABA), exacerbation frequency, and asthma control in the 6 months before omalizumab initiation. Results We identified 7,658 prevalent and 3,399 incident omalizumab users. Omalizumab incidence peaked in the second quarter of 2004 at 0.65 per 1,000 individuals with asthma, whereas prevalence peaked in the fourth quarter of 2006 at 3.22; as of fourth quarter 2015, rates were 0.14 and 1.96, respectively. In the 12 months before omalizumab initiation, 72.5% had low adherence (MPR ≤ 0.75) and 48.6% had very low adherence (MPR ≤ 0.5) to ICSs and/or ICS-LABA. In the period 2003 to 2015, the mean number of exacerbations in the 12 months before incident use ranged from 1.50 to 2.11 and the proportion that had poor asthma control (≥3 rescue inhalers dispensed) ranged from 54% to 67%. Incident omalizumab users were less likely to have good asthma control than the matched cohort of nonusers (adjusted odds ratio, 0.53 [0.48-0.59]). Conclusions Omalizumab use for asthma has been gradually decreasing following a peak shortly after its market availability. Many omalizumab users have low or very low adherence rates for ICSs and/or ICS-LABA in the 12 months before omalizumab initiation.
Panic disorder in schizophrenia.

Objectif: Determiner la frequence des crises de panique et du trouble de panique chez les patients souffrant de schizophrenie chronique ou de trouble schizo-affectif. Methode: Cinquante-trois patients externes masculins satisfaisant aux criteres du Manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (DSM-IV) relatifs a la schizophrenie chronique ou au trouble schizo-affectif ont repondu en partie a l'entrevue clinique structuree pour le DSM-IV (SCID). Si des crises de panique etaient declarees, on interrogeait les patients sur le traitement et sur le debut de la crise relativement aux symptomes psychotiques. Resultats : Quarante-neuf patients etaient suffisamment organises pour participer a l'evaluation. Vingt et un patients (43 %) ont eu des crises de panique, et 16 (33 %) avaient un trouble de panique passe ou actuel. Parmi ces 16 souffrant de trouble de panique, 8 (50 %) avaient ete traites. La toxicomanie n 'etait pas associee au fait d'avoir des crises de panique ou un trouble de panique passe ou actuel. Les patients souffrant de schizophrenie paranoide etaient plus susceptibles que les patients atteints de trouble schizo-affectif ou de schizophrenie indifferenciee d'avoir des crises de panique (57% et 20 %, x 2 =6,0, P<0,02) ou un trouble de panique (47% et 10%, x 2 = 6,9, P < 0,01). Conclusion: Les crises de panique et le trouble de panique sont repandus chez les hommes souffrant de schizophrenie ou de trouble schizo-affectif. Le trouble de panique peut etre un diagnostic comorbide neglige chez les patients souffrant de schizophrenie.
Effects of Amplitude Variations on Deformation and Damage Evolution in SnAgCu Solder in Isothermal Cycling

Although apparently simpler than in thermal cycling, the behavior of SnAgCu (SAC) solder joints in cyclic bending or vibration is not currently well understood. The rate of damage has been shown to scale with the inelastic work per cycle, and excursions to higher amplitudes lead to an apparent softening, some of which remains so that damage accumulation is faster in subsequent cycling at lower amplitudes. This frequently leads to a dramatic breakdown of current damage accumulation rules. An empirical damage accumulation rule has been proposed to account for this, but any applicability to the extrapolation of accelerated test results to life under realistic long-term service conditions remains to be validated. This will require a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. The present work provides experimental evidence to support recent suggestions that the observed behavior is a result of cycling-induced dislocation structures providing for increased diffusion creep. It is argued that this means that the measured work is an indicator of the instantaneous dislocation density, rather than necessarily reflecting the actual work involved in the creation of the damage.
Quality Differentiation Under Mixed Competition in Hospital Markets

We use a Hotelling-type model of two hospitals, one for-profit (FP) and the other not-for-profit (NFP) using quality to compete for patients. In an equilibrium that constrains the NFP to zero profits, the NFP share of the market decreases as fixed costs or patient’s marginal utility of quality increase, or as transportation and marginal quality costs decrease, conditions that make quality a more effective tool for attracting patients, improving the ability of the FP to compete for market share. We show that an NFP hospital cannot take the entire market without significant fundraising ability. The market shares predicted by our model are consistent with what is presently observed in Europe and the US.
Quality Assurance in Diagnostic Ultrasound

This chapter is written primarily for those personnel responsible for ultrasound, whether physician or technologist, in the clinical laboratory. Its purpose is to impart an understanding of the basic facts concerning procedures for the use of ultrasound B-scan equipment that will assure a high level of day-to-day performance.