cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Public Spheres of Skepticism: Climate Skeptics’ Online Comments in the German Networked Public Sphere

Online comment sections can be considered a public battleground for contestation where members of mainstream publics and counterpublics meet. The case of the climate skeptic counterpublic in Germany was chosen to find out where and how members of the counterpublic are speaking out and how the mainstream responds to that. I conducted a hyperlink network analysis to identify potential battlegrounds, followed by a content analysis of 10,262 user comments from different publics (four news sites, six climate blogs). The results show that the skeptic counterpublic, albeit structurally excluded, is successful in brigading mainstream comment sections and countering the mainstream narrative. The conservative comment sections are especially dominated by counterpublic voices. Mainstream users, however, respond critically to them and challenge the skeptics within their own counterpublic.
A novel method of nicotine quantification in electronic cigarette liquids and aerosols

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have emerged as popular electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDs). However, the general safety and validity of e-cigarettes for nicotine delivery efficacy are still not well understood. This study developed a new method for efficient measurement of nicotine levels in both the liquids (e-liquids) used in e-cigarettes and the aerosols generated from e-cigarettes. Protonation of the pyrrolidine nitrogen of nicotine molecules by addition of excess hydrochloric acid affords an aminium salt that is readily quantified by Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). The kinetics of nicotine protonation were studied using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Quantitative analyses of nicotine in commercial e-liquids and in the corresponding derived e-cigarette aerosols were carried out using direct infusion FT-ICR-MS. The 1H NMR study of nicotine protonation revealed a first order reaction and an activation energy of 30.05 kJ mol−1. The nicotine levels measured in the commercial e-liquids were within a wide and highly variable range of −2.94% to +25.20% around the manufacturer's stated values. The results indicated considerable differences between the measured levels and the advertised levels of nicotine in the e-liquids. The nicotine quantity measured in aerosols increased linearly both with the nicotine level in e-liquids (same number of puffs) and with the number of puffs (same e-liquids). These data show that quality control of e-liquids and use characteristics are major variables in the efficacy of nicotine delivery.
Church Autonomy in the Constitutional Order: The End of Church and State

“Separation of church and state” is right up there with Mom, apple pie, and baseball in American iconography. That George Bush had to fudge the truth about his narrow escape attests to that. At least one hopes that the young pilot’s thoughts on meeting his Maker turned to something more suitable than constitutional law. Even a Supreme Court junkie’s priorities are not that askew. But if Bush’s commitments remain partially obscured, those of his audience-the American voter-do not. Evidently, John Q. Citizen requires that the faintest whiff of a public man’s religiosity be accompanied by assurances that, of course, God and Caesar remain securely in their respective domains. This is not solely a Republican phenomenon. Greek Orthodox Church officers provided the Democratic counterpoint to Bush’s war story. They were asked about Michael Dukakis’ standing in their church. They wouldn't say, and scolded their interlocutors.
Economics of Maize Production in Aurangabad District of Maharashtra

Investigation was carried out during the year 2010-2011. Multistage sampling design was adopted for selection of district, tehsil, villages and cultivators. In all 60 cultivators were selected for present study. The techniques like mean, percentage, ratio and cost concept of Cost- A, Cost-B and Cost-C were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that use of hired human labour was more than family human labour in maize production. Per hectare net profit was Rs.18741.55. The output-input ratio was 1.46. Per quintal cost of production of maize was Rs.530.88.
Pushing the Limits of Irregular Access Patterns on Emerging Network Architecture: A Case Study

Irregular applications pose considerable challenges to modern computer systems, especially in distributed environments, where traditional high-performance networks are optimized for large message transfers. In this work, we analyze performance of an irregular application proxy benchmark running over traditional MPI/Infiniband as well as over the Data Vortex network, an emerging network architecture optimized for small packets. Our goal is to identify the challenges posed by irregular applications and explore how emerging high-performance communication networks can cope with some of them. In particular, we analyze the performance of the Data Vortex interconnection network using the HPCC RandomAccess benchmark with different look-ahead buffer sizing to simulate varying degrees of irregularity. We use multiple implementations of the HPCC RandomAccess benchmark for both MPI/Infiniband and Data Vortex networks, with various degrees of optimizations. We compare Data Vortex results to a traditional high-bandwidth Infiniband network at scale and show that Data Vortex networks provide linear scalability and high performance.
Emotional stocks and bonds: a metaphorical model for conceptualizing and treating codependency and other forms of emotional overinvesting.

Codependent behaviors are associated with an unhealthy reliance on others for meeting emotional needs. This over-reliance on others often leads to dysfunctional interpersonal relationships. This ar...
Client participation in CMHC program evaluation: increasing incidence, inadequate involvement.

Client satisfaction surveys and client complaint systems are used by more CMHCs since the Amendments of 1975 required centers to evaluate “acceptability of service,” but clients are seldom actively involved in designing or administering these evaluations. The authors argue that greater control by clients is merited on technical and political grounds, and would increase the likelihood that program improvements would result from assessments of acceptability.
RNA editing of plastid-encoded genes

RNA editing is post-transcriptional modification to RNA molecules. In plants, RNA editing primarily occurs to two energy-producing organelles: plastids and mitochondria. Organelle RNA editing is often viewed as a mechanism of correction to compensate for defects or mutations in haploid organelle genomes. A common type of organelle RNA editing is deamination from cytidine to uridine. Cytidine-to-uridine plastid RNA editing is carried out by the RNA editing complex which consists of at least four types of proteins: pentatricopeptide repeat proteins, RNA editing interacting proteins/multiple organellar RNA editing factors, organelle RNA recognition motif proteins, and organelle zinc-finger proteins. The four types of RNA editing factors work together to carry out RNA editing site recognition, zinc cofactor binding, and cytidine-to-uridine deamination. In addition, three other types of proteins have been found to be important for plastid RNA editing. These additional proteins may play a regulatory or stabilizing role in the RNA editing complex.
Effectiveness of Athletes’ Mental Strategies in Maintaining High Heart Rate Variability: Utility of a Brief Athlete-Specific Stress Assessment Protocol

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) technology enables practitioners to analyze the physiological effects of stress. High levels of HRV are associated with improved stress management and sport performance...
Calpain Interactions with the Protein Phosphatase Calcineurin in Neurodegeneration

Dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ is a major cause of neurologic dysfunction and likely plays an important role in the pathophysiology of numerous acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions. The Ca2+-dependent protease, calpain, and the Ca2+/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM)-dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, are primary effectors of multiple deleterious functions arising from altered Ca2+ handling. Increasing evidence suggests that the calpain-dependent, irreversible conversion of calcineurin to a constitutively active phosphatase occurs in intact cellular systems as a result of injury and disease. In this chapter, a brief overview of calpain and calcineurin functions in nervous tissue is given, followed by a more in-depth discussion of calpain/calcineurin interactions in vitro and in vivo. Particular emphasis is placed on recent studies that have identified calpain proteolysis of calcineurin as a key step in neurodegeneration associated with acute neurologic insults as well as chronic terminal diseases, like Alzheimer’s.
Growth, Carcass Composition and Selected Hormone Concentrations of Restricted and Ad Libitum-Fed Pigs

Two barrows and two gilts were selected from each of five different crossbred litters and allotted to either ad libitum- or restricted-fed treatments. Pigs fed at a level of 81% ad libitum intake grew slower (P less than .05), had less tenth-rib backfat (P less than .05), more percent muscle (P less than .05), an increased growth hormone (GH) secretion in response to glucose challenge at 50 kg (P less than .05) and decreased insulin secretion in response to glucose challenge at 50 and 100 kg (P less than .05) than ad libitum fed pigs. Hormone secretion response was also significantly affected by weight, with growth hormone decreasing and insulin increasing as pigs grew from 50 to 100 kg. No sex effects of sex X treatment interactions were found for hormone response (P greater than .10). There were no differences between treatments in feed efficiency, total feed intake on test, loin eye area, dressing percentage, or carcass length (P greater than .10). Carcass composition of barrows and gilts was affected differently by restricted nutrient intake.
Multilocus Characterization, Gene Expression Analysis of Putative Immunodominant Protein Coding Regions, and Development of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Detection of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma Pruni' in Prunus avium.

Western X (WX) disease, caused by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’, is a devastating disease of sweet cherry resulting in the production of small, bitter-flavored fruits that are unmarketable. Escala...
A rose by any other name: The influence of culture on motivated behavior

This chapter transports the reader on an ethereal journey, not to faraway lands of mystery and intrigue but to a place where values, beliefs, and the meaning of knowledge are experienced only through the collective minds of the possessors. Culture, a shared system of values and customs that guide the behavior of individuals and groups, is a motivational enigma. As Juliet once debated with her lover Romeo, “the names of things do not matter, only what things are.” Many times behavioral meaning is surreptitious and obscured, not easily known or understood by the uninformed beholder. Common enactments, such displays of individualism, emotion, language, and risk, are the very soul of our existence and may vary dramatically across cultures. This chapter unravels the nuances of culture and illuminates why similar behaviors among cultures may have completely divergent and unique motivational meaning.
Abnormal Biomarkers at Rest in Individuals with Sickle Cell Trait

Abstract Individuals with sickle cell trait (SCT) participate in competitive athletics and/or military training. Some have vigorously trained or competed without incident, while others have encountered serious medical complications. Universal precautions are recommended to reduce the risk of exercise collapse associated with sickle cell trait (ECAST) and exertion related death (ERD). However, there remain deaths in sport and military training attributed to SCT. ECAST and/or ERD are relatively unpredictable and are accompanied by rhabdomyolysis, thrombosis, hemolysis, renal dysfunction, and inflammation. Abnormal thrombotic markers have been reported in subjects with SCT at rest. This pilot study measured total protein (myolysis/hemolysis), creatine kinase (myolysis), haptoglobin (hemolysis), D-dimer and fibrin monomers (thrombosis) at rest in four subjects with SCT and four healthy controls at four time intervals at least two weeks apart. AS subjects demonstrated lower haptoglobin, higher total protein, and higher creatine kinase levels compared to AA subjects, suggesting subclinical hemolysis and myocyte destruction at rest. D-dimer and fibrin monomer were positive in 56.3% and 12.5% respectively of SCT subjects and negative for all AA subjects. The SCT subjects demonstrated day-to-day variability of D-dimer and fibrin monomer levels with positive tests on some, but not all of the four testing occasions. These data support previous findings that SCT subjects exhibit thrombotic activity at rest and suggest the potential for hemolysis and myolysis. These abnormal biomarkers may prove useful to predict risk (baseline values), identify responders to exercise, or identify early stage onset of ECAST (during exercise) to reduce exertion-related adverse events.
Anterior versus posterior approach in peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is increasingly being used as the endoscopic treatment option for achalasia. Data are limited as to the comparative efficacy of anterior vs. posterior myotomy. Methods We searched multiple databases from inception to August 2019 to identify studies reporting on POEM. We selected studies that reported on the outcomes of POEM, along with information on myotomy approach. We performed a comparative analysis of clinical success, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and adverse events with anterior and posterior myotomy in POEM by meta-analysis. Results 1247 patients from 18 studies were analyzed: 623 patients (11 cohorts) were treated via anterior myotomy and 624 patients (12 cohorts) via posterior myotomy. The pooled rate for clinical success gave an odds ratio (OR) of 1.02 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.52 – 2.0; I 2 0; P = 0.9); for GERD by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was OR 1.02 (95 %CI 0.62 – 1.68; I 2 0; P = 0.9), and for GERD by pH was OR 0.98 (95 %CI 0.59 – 1.63; I 2 34; P = 0.9). The individual pooled rates of clinical success at 12 months and > 12 months, GERD (by symptoms, EGD, pH), and adverse events (mild, moderate, severe) were comparable. The pooled total procedure time with anterior myotomy was 82.7 minutes (95 %CI 69.0 – 96.4; I 2 98) and with posterior myotomy was 62.1 minutes (95 %CI 48.5 – 75.7; I 2 90). Conclusion Anterior and posterior myotomy in POEM seem comparable to each other in terms of clinical success, GERD, and adverse events. The total procedure time with posterior myotomy seems to be shorter than with anterior myotomy.
Magnetic properties of undoped C60.

The Heisenberg antiferromagnet, which arises from the large-{ital U} Hubbard model, is investigated on the C{sub 60} molecule and other fullerenes. The connectivity of C{sub 60} leads to an exotic classical ground state with nontrivial topology. We argue that there is no phase transition in the Hubbard model as a function of {ital U}/{ital t}, and thus the large-{ital U} solution is relevant for the physical case of intermediate coupling. The system undergoes a first-order metamagnetic phase transition. We also consider the {ital S}=1/2 case using perturbation theory. Experimental tests are suggested.
Strategies for High-Performance Solid-State Triplet-Triplet-Annihilation-Based Photon Upconversion

Photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) has achieved high efficiencies in solution and within polymer matrices that support molecular migration systems. It has diverse potential applications including bioimaging, optical sensors, and photovoltaics. To date, however, the reported performance of TTA in rigid solid-state systems is substantially inferior, which may complicate the integration of TTA in other solid-state devices. Here, solid-state loss mechanisms in a green-to-blue upconversion system are investigated, and three specific losses are identified: energy back transfer, sensitizer aggregation, and triplet-charge annihilation. Strategies are demonstrated to mitigate energy back transfer and sensitizer aggregation, and a completely dry-processed solid-state TTA upconversion system having an upconversion efficiency of ≈2.5% (by the convention of maximum efficiency being 100%) at a relatively low excitation intensity of 238 mW cm-2 is reported. This device is the first demonstration of dry-processed solid-state TTA comparable to solution-processed solid-state systems. The strategies reported here can be generalized to other upconversion systems and offer a route to achieving higher-performance solid-state TTA upconversion devices that are compatible with applications sensitive to solvent damage.
The Role of Fetal MRI for Suspected Anomalies of the Posterior Fossa

Abstract Background Posterior fossa anomalies can be diagnostic dilemmas during the fetal period. The prognosis for different diagnoses of the posterior fossa varies widely. We investigated whether fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and prenatal neurology consultation led to an alternate prognosis for fetuses referred due to concern for a fetal posterior fossa anomaly and concordance between pre- and postnatal diagnoses. Methods This is a retrospective study of cases referred to the Prenatal Pediatrics Institute at Children’s National Hospital from January 2012 to June 2018 due to concern for posterior fossa anomaly. Each encounter was scored for change in prognosis based upon clinical and fetal MRI report. Postnatal imaging was compared with prenatal imaging when available. Results In total, 180 cases were referred for fetal posterior fossa anomalies based on outside obstetric ultrasound and had both fetal MRI and a neurology consultation. Fetal MRI and neurology consultation resulted in a change in fetal prognosis in 70% of cases. The most common referral diagnosis in our cohort was Dandy-Walker continuum, but it was not often confirmed by fetal MRI. In complex cases, posterior fossa diagnosis and prognosis determined by fetal MRI impacted choices regarding pregnancy management. Postnatal imaging was obtained in 57 (47%) live-born infants. Fetal and postnatal prognoses were similar in 60%. Conclusions Fetal diagnosis affects pregnancy management decisions. The fetal-postnatal imaging agreement of 60% highlights the conundrum of balancing the timing of fetal MRI to provide the most accurate diagnosis of the posterior fossa abnormalities in time to make pregnancy management decisions.
Effect of treatment disparities on survival in disadvantaged black and white patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC).

13Background: Non-Hispanic Black patients (NHBs) and low socioeconomic status (SES) non-Hispanic White patients (NHWs) have worse cancer outcomes. In most cancers, the relative importance of treatm...
Slow and Deliberate Cooperation in the Commons

We test how fast and slow thought processes affect cooperation for sustainability by manipulating time pressure in a dynamic common-pool resource experiment. Sustainable management of shared resources critically depends on decisions in the current period to leave enough stock so that future generations are able to draw on the remaining limited natural resources. An intertemporal common-pool resource game represents a typical dynamic for social dilemmas involving natural resources. Using one such game, we analyse decisions throughout time. We find that people in this context deplete the common resource to a greater extent under time pressure, which leads to greater likelihood of stock collapse. Preventing resource collapse while managing natural resources requires actively creating decision environments that facilitate the cognitive capacity needed to support sustainable cooperation.
Strong Language: Mathew Carey, Sensibility, and the American State, 1819–1835

Mathew Carey promoted the high tariff as a political expression of humane sentiments that relieved American workers of the misery caused by low wages and unemployment. This made him an early example of a state-builder working outside the state itself, building ideological frames and using emotional appeals to promote the expansion of state capacity. Although other aspects of his protectionism appealed to the republican tradition, Carey meshed his sentimental appeal with the liberalism. Later reformers integrated sensibility with liberalism by reference to the rights of vulnerable parties, but Carey added an appeal to an enlightened self-interest that allowed American manufacturers to profit while protecting workers. Although he became a well-known advocate for the organized provision of social welfare, his continued opposition to the widespread distribution of outdoor relief also suggests that he viewed the policy as a circumscribed federal social-welfare measure providing work rather than direct aid.
Robust diagnostic classification via Q-learning

Machine learning (ML) models have demonstrated the power of utilizing clinical instruments to provide tools for domain experts in gaining additional insights toward complex clinical diagnoses. In this context these tools desire two additional properties: interpretability, being able to audit and understand the decision function, and robustness, being able to assign the correct label in spite of missing or noisy inputs. This work formulates diagnostic classification as a decision-making process and utilizes Q-learning to build classifiers that meet the aforementioned desired criteria. As an exemplary task, we simulate the process of differentiating Autism Spectrum Disorder from Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder in verbal school aged children. This application highlights how reinforcement learning frameworks can be utilized to train more robust classifiers by jointly learning to maximize diagnostic accuracy while minimizing the amount of information required.
Applying Machine Learning Approaches to Suicide Prediction Using Healthcare Data: Overview and Future Directions

Objective. Early identification of individuals who are at risk for suicide is crucial in supporting suicide prevention. Machine learning is emerging as a promising approach to support this objective. Machine learning is broadly defined as a set of mathematical models and computational algorithms designed to automatically learn complex patterns between predictors and outcomes from example data, without being explicitly programmed to do so. The model’s performance continuously improves over time by learning from newly available data. Method. This concept paper explores how machine learning approaches applied to healthcare data obtained from Electronic Health Records (EHRs), including billing and claims data, can advance our ability to accurately predict future suicidal behavior. Results. We provide a general overview of machine learning concepts, summarize exemplar studies, describe continued challenges, and propose innovative research directions. Conclusion. Machine learning has potential for improving estimation of suicide risk, yet important challenges and opportunities remain. Further research can focus on incorporating evolving methods for addressing data imbalances, understanding factors that affect generalizability across samples and healthcare systems, expanding the richness of the data, leveraging newer machine learning approaches, and developing automatic learning systems.
Early initial video-electro-encephalography combined with variant location predict prognosis of KCNQ2-related disorder.

BACKGROUND The clinical features of KCNQ2-related disorders range from benign familial neonatal seizures 1 to early infantile epileptic encephalopathy 7. The genotype-phenotypic association is difficult to establish. OBJECTIVE To explore potential factors in neonatal period that can predict the prognosis of neonates with KCNQ2-related disorder. METHODS Infants with KCNQ2-related disorder were retrospectively enrolled in our study in Children's Hospital of Fudan University in China from Jan 2015 to Mar 2020. All infants were older than age of 12 months at time of follow-up, and assessed by Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (BSID-III) or Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence-fourth edition (WPPSI-IV), then divided into three groups based on scores of BSID-III or WPPSI-IV: normal group, mild impairment group, encephalopathy group. We collected demographic variables, clinical characteristics, neuroimaging data. Considered variables include gender, gestational age, birth weight, age of the initial seizures, early interictal VEEG, variant location, delivery type. Variables predicting prognosis were identified using multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 52 infants were selected in this study. Early interictal video-electro-encephalography (VEEG) (β = 2.77, 1.20 to 4.34, P = 0.001), and variant location (β = 2.77, 0.03 to 5.5, P = 0.048) were independent risk factors for prognosis. The worse the early interictal VEEG, the worse the prognosis. Patients with variants located in the pore-lining domain or S4 segment are more likely to have a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS The integration of early initial VEEG and variant location can predict prognosis. An individual whose KCNQ2 variant located in voltage sensor, the pore domain, with worse early initial VEEG background, often had an adverse outcome.
The Distribution of Ethanol in Postmortem Blood Specimens

Ethanol was determined by gas chromatography in a variety of tissues and body fluids secured at autopsy in 61 cases. The specimens tested included right and left heart blood, femoral blood, pericardial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous humor, urine, stomach contents, and brain. Statistical analysis of the cases revealed no significant differences among the various blood sites tested. However, the variations in blood ethanol concentrations among the various sampling sites within each case were as follows: 40 cases showed differences of less than 25%; 16 cases revealed variability between 25% and 50%, 4 cases had differences exceeding 50%. In one case, satisfactory blood analyses could not be accomplished. The larger variances occurred especially in those instances in which stomach alcohol concentration was 0.50% or greater. In one case, the variability amongst the different blood sites exceeded 400% (femoral blood--0.043%, right atrium--0.070%, root of aorta--0.156%); the brain was 0.050%, and the stomach contents was 1.2%. For all 61 cases, variances in blood alcohol content among the different sampling sites in a single cadaver ranged from 1.8 to 428%.
The Lateral Craniographic Method of Facial Reconstruction

Fifty-four lateral cephalographs with clear soft tissue profiles of American Caucasians (17 males, ages 14 to 36; 37 females, ages 14 to 34) were traced and measured to establish the ranges and means of midline soft tissue depths and facial angles. With these data it is possible to reconstruct “approximate” profiles over X-ray tracings of unidentified skulls. The lateral craniographic method of facial reconstruction requires four steps: (1) a cephalometric analysis is first made to determine the facial proportions and individual skull type; (2) the mean soft tissue thicknesses and angles are then plotted against the basic midline anthropometric points to establish the average dimensions of the nose, lips, and chin; (3) the points are connected and “harmonized” in accordance with the known anthropological data (sex, age, race); and (4) the profile is finally “humanized” by adding tone, a stylized eye, hair patterns, age lines, and any other features that can be determined from an anatomic examination of the skull. The validity of the method is illustrated with three study cases of living orthodontic patients.
Political and Social Violence: Health Effects

Political and social violence includes cultural, economic, and structural subtypes. Social violence includes discrimination, domestic violence, rape, and murder. Economic or structural violence keeps groups entrenched in poverty or limits their ability to improve their working and living conditions. Cultural violence prevents people from perpetuating their cultural heritage. Political violence includes denial of citizenship, wrongful detention, enslavement, forced eviction, and statelessness. The health effects of political violence are extensive: death, disability, adverse birth outcomes, infectious and chronic diseases, mental illness, and damage to healthcare systems. Violent environments can be healed through accountability, reconciliation, and a commitment to human rights.
Contexts for the study of the economic influence of nursing diagnoses on patient outcomes.

PURPOSE To examine the historical, legal/organizational, informatics, clinical, economic, and policy contexts underlying economic consequences of nursing diagnoses on patient outcomes. DATA SOURCES Published literature, online material. DATA SYNTHESIS Nursing diagnoses influence diagnostic-specific patient outcomes and other outcome variables such as length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. CONCLUSIONS Examination of the economic ramifications of nursing diagnosis on patient outcomes can be facilitated using standardized language and databases containing nursing-sensitive measures.
Qualitative Differences Among Rural and Urban Intimate Violence Victimization Experiences and Consequences: A Pilot Study

Relatively little is known about rural women's intimate violence experiences in comparison to urban women's experiences, partly because of the difficulty in accessing rural women. This pilot study used a protective order sample of 23 women (15 urban and 8 rural), which provides an access point that is relatively similar for comparisons across rural and urban areas. The number of participants is low and, therefore, results are preliminary. However, several significant findings emerged. Rural women reported significantly less social support, less education, less income, more physical abuse in the preceding year, more childhood physical and sexual abuse, and worse overall health and mental health, as well as encountering abuse earlier in the relationship. Both groups reported higher rates of illegal drug and cigarette use than those among the general population. The findings highlight some overall important themes in examining rural and urban intimate violence victims by suggesting that rural and urban intimate violence victims have different victimization experiences and service needs. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed.
A Quick Guide for the SLP on Vestibular and Balance Disorders in the Elderly

The complaint of dizziness and balance disorders is among the most common reasons for visits to health care professionals by geriatric patients. As part of a multi-disciplinary approach to health c...
Exchange of various phospholipids and of cholesterol between liposomes in the presence of highly purified phospholipid exchange protein.

The soluble fraction from beef heart homogenate is known to stimulate phospholipid exchange between cell membrane fractions. A purification procedure, consisting of pH adjustment to 5.1, gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, and isoelectric focusing between pH 4 and 6, yielded two fractions with high phospholipid exchange activities per mg of protein. The fraction with the highest specific activity focused at pH 5.5 and showed only one minor contaminant on polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. The other fraction, which focused at pH 4.7, exhibited a major band on disc gel electrophoresis, and several minor bands. Upon elution from the polyacrylamide gel only the major bands yielded eluates that stimulated phospholipid exchange. The highly purified as well as the crude fractions were used to measure the simultaneous exchange of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and sphingomyelin between antigen-sensitized and nonsensitized liposomes. In all instances phosphatidylcholine exchanged much faster than sphingomyelin, but the amount of sphingomyelin exchanged compared to that of phosphatidylcholine did not differ for the most highly purified and the cruder fractions from beef heart supernatant. This suggests that the exchange of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin may be catalyzed by the same protein or by two proteins which were not separated by the procedures employed here. Little or no exchange of phosphatidylethanolamine was observed with any of the beef heart fractions at various stages of purification. Exchange of cholesterol between liposomes was more rapid than that of phosphatidylcholine in the absence of phospholipid exchange protein. The soluble fraction of beef heart homogenate adjusted to pH 5.1 did not stimulate cholesterol exchange.
A graph based design environment

A graph representation of the design effort called a TAO-graph is introduced, and a design environment (FORS) that uses it as the main representation model is described. Each design graph consists of design tools, which are programs distributed over the whole network, and design aspects, which are the models to which the tools are applied. The system's communication and exchange of data is based on distributed problem-solving techniques. The main objective is to develop mechanisms for collaboration between the different tools. In addition, the system provides an icon-based interface that is self-explanatory, allows for the dynamic reconfiguration of the design graph, and maintains libraries of records, tools, and aspects. The addition and the deletion of tools is easy since the user has the ability to access information and data from old design efforts. FORS has been used in the mechanical design of a car-window regulator, and implementation in the area of power systems is in progress. >
Global Risk Management

Industries that deal with hazardous systems are faced with the task of managing a spectrum of risks within resource contraints. They have essentially two options that can be combined in a global risk-management strategy: insurance (loss sharing) and risk mitigation through technical and organizational measures. In this article, global risk-management strategies based on probabilistic risk analysis and its extension to include management factors are described. Some issues and solutions are illustrated through practical examples, drawn mostly from the recent research of the Industrial Engineering Risk Research Group at Stanford (the tiles of the U.S. Space Shuttle, offshore platforms, marine pipelines, and anesthesia in modern hospitals).
Measurements of line intensities and half-widths in the 10-μm bands of 14NH3

Abstract We present measurements of the absolute intensities and collision-broadened half-widths of spectral lines in the 10 μm bands of 14 NH 3 . H2-broadened, N2-broadened, and O2-broadened half-widths of lines aP(6,5)–aR(8,8) have been measured at 200, 255, and 296 K . Air-broadened and self-broadened half-widths are presented at 296 K . The variation of linewidths with the temperature and with the rotational quantum numbers J and K is examined. A polynomial function of m and K which fits the observed linewidths accurately is presented.
Self-Reported Functional Status: An Important Predictor of Health Outcomes Among End-Stage Renal Disease Patents

A contemporary focus on outcomes assessment has provided affirmation that patient functional status is both an important outcome of medical care and an important predictor of longer term outcomes such as morbidity and/or mortality. Monitoring functional status among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients is particularly critical because the cycle of physical deconditioning experienced by renal patients is both insidious and malignant. Over the past several years, patient self-report instruments have been used with increasing frequency to assess functioning. Among ESRD patients, such self-reports have reliably predicted mortality and some morbidity. Additionally, renal patients' self-reported functioning is also correlated with the results of several commonly performed laboratory tests. Based on these findings, measures of self-reported functional status might be considered a practical adjunct to regular patient assessments. They could be routinely used for purposes that might include: identifying the particular areas of functioning and well-being that need improvement; screening for subtle changes in health status; establishing physical status baselines; and corroborating the effectiveness of physical activity interventions. Overall, ESRD patients' self-report of their functioning appears to secure, synthesize, and standardize data about patient health status that is unavailable through any other mechanism. Such information may be essential to medicine's primary missions of promoting health and preserving life.
Scaling effects on grain boundary diffusivity; Au in Cu

Abstract This work quantifies the effect of grain size on grain boundary diffusivity. Diffusion of Au into Cu thin films of varying grain size is measured using secondary ion mass spectroscopy depth profiles. Appropriate models for fitting the composition profiles to analytical solutions to diffusion equations are identified by characterizing the microstructure both before and after the diffusion anneal. Finite-element numerical simulations are also employed to extract the diffusion coefficients directly from fits to experimental data. The results indicate that factors such as non-columnar grains, migrating grain boundaries, dislocations and stress gradients must be appropriately accounted for in order to obtain meaningful results. Overall, a strong scaling effect is not observed, which suggests that the atomic structure of boundaries in nanocrystalline thin-film materials probably resembles that of their coarse-grained counterparts.
Comparative studies of reptilian and avian adenosine deaminases

Abstract 1. 1. Hepatic adenosine deaminases have been studied in thirty species of reptiles involving a wide variety of turtles, snakes and lizards and in two species of the order Crocodilia. In general, activities were very low, with two notable exceptions, i.e. poisonous snakes and the alligator. Sufficient activity was present in at least one organism in each major group to allow Sephadex patterns to be run and compared. Hepatic adenosine deaminases in three species of birds representing three different orders were also compared. 2. 2. C type adenosine deaminases (35,000 mol. wt.) were present in all species studied. However, B type enzymes were absent in all snakes and in both species of Crocodilia examined. Of the three lizards examined in detail, two had B enzyme and one did not. All four species of turtles used had B enzyme present. 3. 3. It seems likely that the terrestrial vertebrates evolved from animals containing both B and C enzyme and that the B enzyme has been lost independently in a number of evolving lines.
Oral administration of somatostatin reduces postprandial plasma triglycerides, gastrin and gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity

Abstract The present study was designed to determine if orally administered somatostatin can reduce the postprandial rise in plasma triglycerides, gastrin, gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity (GLI) and the pancreatic hormones insulin and glucagon. Ten overnight fasted dogs were fed a fat-protein meal with or without 2 mg synthetic somatostatin, followed by another 2 mg somatostatin 90 min later. After the meal with somatostatin, postprandial plasma triglyceride levels were significantly lower for 5 hours, GLI levels for 3.5 hours and gastrin levels for 1 hour compared to the controls. Plasma insulin, glucagon and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity was not different from the control experiments. It is concluded that orally administered somatostatin lowers the postprandial levels of triglycerides, GLI and gastrin in dogs. This may have therapeutic implications for the management of gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders.
RECURRENT NOSOCOMIAL POLYMICROBIAL SEPSIS SECONDARY TO CHILD ABUSE

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a rare form of child abuse that can cause great diagnostic difficulties. We treated an 8-year-old boy who had recurrent polymicrobial sepsis over 6 years. An extensive evaluation to determine the infectious focus and to exclude immunodeficiency was carried out before it was determined that his mother had repeatedly introduced material containing faecal or vaginal bacterial flora into his intravenous lines. Language: en
Investigation of image feature extraction by a genetic algorithm

We describe the implementation and performance of a genetic algorithm which generates image feature extraction algorithms for remote sensing applications. We describe our basis set of primitive image operators and present our chromosomal representation of a complete algorithm. Our initial application has been geospatial feature extraction using publicly available multi-spectral aerial-photography data sets. We present the preliminary results of our analysis of the efficiency of the classic genetic operations of crossover and mutation for our application, and discuss our choice of evolutionary control parameters. We exhibit some of our evolved algorithms, and discuss possible avenues for future progress.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Sildenafil for the Treatment of Preeclampsia

Dear Editor,Samangaya and her colleagues are to be commended for having the courage to have “… safely conducted a clinical trial of a drug not routinely used during pregnancy” (1). They have thus t...
Evolution of helmet-mounted display requirements and Honeywell HMD/HMS systems

This paper discusses the changing requirements for helmet mounted display (HMD) and helmet mounted sight (HMS) system from the early 1960s through the present. Honeywell has pioneered HMD and HMS development for military applications and has been the only production source of HMDs used on the USA's military fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft to date. Honeywell is continuing to pursue HMD and HMS opportunities in the world marketplace and has recently begun to apply its HMD systems expertise to HMD systems for ground vehicles and the dismounted soldier.
Numerical Study of Gravity Currents in a Channel

Abstract A three-dimensional primitive-equation model was used to study gravity currents produced by instantaneous releases of a buoyant fluid in a rectangular channel. Without rotation, the gravity current passes through two distinct phases: an initial adjustment phase in which the front speed is constant, and an eventual self-similar phase in which the front speed decreases with time. With rotation, the gravity current is confined to the right-hand wall, forming a coastal jet. The initial front-speed is constant; however, the front speed decreases rapidly due to strong mixing at the horizontal edge of the gravity current. Also, with rotation, part of the buoyant fluid is trapped near the source region, forming an anticyclonic vortex.
Parents’ Goals for Adolescents Diagnosed with Developmental Delays in Early Childhood

Parents' developmental goals for their children were investigated in a 12-year study of middle-class European American families of children diagnosed with an early developmental delay of unknown etiology. The relation of parents' developmental goals for children at child age 13 and child characteristics at ages 3, 7, and 11 were examined. Results showed that parents' developmental goals at adolescence were associated with a range of child characteristics. Early child characteristics also were stronger predictors of par-ents' goals at adolescence than parents' goals for children at earlier ages. These findings indicated that parents adjust their goals over time in response to children's functioning and abilities. Findings from this study could contribute to early intervention efforts by helping practitioners anticipate parents' goals for their adolescent children based on children's functioning at earlier ages.
A 667-Mb/s operating digital DLL architecture for 512-Mb DDR SDRAM

This paper describes an all-digital delay-locked loop (DLL) architecture for over 667 Mb/s operating double-data-rate (DDR) type SDRAMs, which suppresses skews and jitters. Two novel replica adjusting techniques are introduced, in which timing skews caused by the clock input and data output circuits are reduced by a hierarchical phase comparing architecture and a replica check method with slow tester. Further, an improved phase interpolating method suppresses jitters caused by a boundary of the fine and coarse delays. A 512-Mb test device is fabricated using a 0.13-/spl mu/m DRAM process technology, in which skew and jitter suppressed 667-Mb/s (333-MHz) DDR operation has been verified.
Abstract 1137: Expression of specific apoptotic mediators predicts sensitivity to combined MEK and PI3K inhibition in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer according to TP53 mutational status.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer death world-wide. Though targeted therapies have been developed for NSCLC with activating EGFR mutations or the EML4-ALK translocation, no highly effective targeted therapies exist for cancers harboring activating KRAS mutations. We previously observed that concomitant use of MEK and PI3K inhibitors (MEKi/PI3Ki) led to tumor regressions in a mouse model of KRAS mutant NSCLC, and clinical trials investigating this strategy are underway. However, KRAS mutant NSCLCs are a heterogeneous group of cancers, and the molecular determinants of sensitivity to MEKi/PI3Ki are unknown. Here we report that human KRAS mutant NSCLC cell lines exhibit variability in responsiveness to MEKi/PI3Ki resulting from differential apoptotic responses. We identified key pro- and anti-apoptotic regulators regulators of the apoptotic response induced by MEKi/PI3Ki. Loss of the apoptotic response due to down-regulation of pro-apoptotic mediators was associated with acquired resistance to MEKi/PI3Ki. The responsiveness of KRAS mutant NSCLCs to combined MEKi/PI3Ki could be predicted by the relative expression levels of specific apoptotic regulators, depending on TP53 mutational status. These results reveal genotype-specific mechanisms of apoptosis necessary for responsiveness to targeted therapies and suggest biomarkers for predicting responsiveness of KRAS mutant NSCLC to MEKi/PI3Ki. Citation Format: Aaron Hata, Anthony Faber, Alan Yeo, Zhao Chen, Kwok-Kin Wong, Jeffrey Engelman. Expression of specific apoptotic mediators predicts sensitivity to combined MEK and PI3K inhibition in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer according to TP53 mutational status. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1137. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1137