cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coping via substance use, internal attribution bias, and their depressive interplay: Findings from a three-week daily diary study using a clinical sample.

Abstract Background The relationship between depression and coping-oriented substance use is extensively documented; however, the cognitive processes moderating this bidirectional relationship are not well-understood. The present study investigated whether internal attribution bias coupled with a tendency to use drugs and/or alcohol to cope predicts increases in depression and daily-levels of general negative affectivity, sadness, and hostility. Method Sixty-seven adults diagnosed with depression were recruited from out-patient treatment settings (66% female, 81% White, Mage = 31, SDage = 13.2). Participants completed measures on substance-related coping, depression, attributional style, and daily affect over a three-week period. Results Substance use to cope predicted increases in depression among individuals with high-level internal attribution bias. Further, coping via substance use moderated the relationship between internal attribution bias and daily-level sadness, such that sadness was highest among individuals with a high internal attribution bias coupled with greater levels of coping via substance use. A modest, yet, non-significant upward trend in daily-level hostility was also observed. Conclusions Results suggested that depressed individuals who habitually perceive themselves as being responsible or blameworthy for negative life events are at an increased risk of worsening depressive symptoms and experiencing greater daily levels of sadness over a relatively brief period of time, particularly, when tending to engage in substance use as a mechanism to cope. This interaction effect can elicit greater daily-level sadness as well. Findings may aid in the identification and treatment of individuals at risk of maintaining or worsening their depressive symptoms.
Scurvy: a rare case in an adult

A 69-year-old man presented with unilateral calf pain, swelling, and erythematous rash. He was initially treated with antibiotics for suspected cellulitis. A venous duplex ultrasound, performed to exclude deep venous thrombosis, revealed multiple heterogeneous hypoechoic foci of unknown etiology throughout the calf musculature. His condition did not improve with antibiotics, instead progressing to a necrotic ulcer along the medial malleolus. Clinical suspicion of vascular insufficiency or vasculitis prompted an extensive imaging work-up. CT and MRI revealed the intramuscular abnormalities observed on previous ultrasound represented foci of intramuscular hemorrhage. Marrow signal abnormality was also noted in the proximal tibia. A punch biopsy of the skin rash ultimately demonstrated distorted hair follicles with perifollicular inflammation and hemorrhage concerning for scurvy. The diagnosis was confirmed by low vitamin C levels and dietary history. A resurgence of scurvy has occurred in the pediatric population in recent years. However, this diagnosis remains uncommon in adults, with limited reports of the potential advanced imaging findings in the current literature.
How willing are different types of landowner to supply hardwood timber residues for bioenergy

Abstract Among bioenergy feedstocks, timber and crop residues offer low marginal cost of production and low risk of indirect land use change that can boost greenhouse gas emissions. The potential economic supply depends on the willingness of producers to make residues available. Previous studies show that willingness to supply annual crop residues depends upon prices, attitudes toward bioenergy, biophysical setting, and demographic traits. For timber residues, a smaller literature on non-industrial private forest owners found similar results, but little is published about what drives the availability of timber residues from large public and commercial forests. Combining survey data on small-scale forest owners with interview data on managers of large-scale commercial, public and conservancy-owned forests, we find that willingness to provide timber residues varies by landowner type. At prices of $4-11 Mg−1, most commercial forest managers are willing to permit residue removal at timber harvest. At higher prices of $13-26 Mg−1, up to half of non-industrial private forest owners are also willing. However, among managers of large-scale public and conservancy forests, environmental conservation rules and/or insufficient motivation largely prevent the removal of timber residues at harvest. Future projections of timber residue supply should explicitly account for differences in the willingness of each type of forestland owner to supply residues as a bioenergy feedstock.
Distributed Stopping Criterion for Ratio Consensus

Distributed averaging of initial conditions held by multiple agents is a well-studied problem in context of networked systems where coordination amongst the agents is of paramount importance. The asymptotic nature of distributed averaging protocols makes it challenging to implement in practical settings as it does not lend itself to a finite-time stopping criterion that can be ascertained distributively. It is important that agents develop the ability to detect on their own when average of the initial conditions of the agents is achieved within some pre-specified tolerance and stop further computations. This article presents a distributed stopping criterion for distributed averaging using ratio consensus on a fixed interconnection topology (captured by a directed or undirected graph). The practical utility of the algorithm is illustrated through simulations.
Assessing medical student performance of Entrustable Professional Activities: A mixed methods comparison of Co-Activity and Supervisory Scales

Introduction: Observations of medical student participation in entrustable professional activities (EPAs) provide insight into the student's ability to synthesize competencies across domains and ef...
A Mullerian Cyst Resected From the Posterior Mediastinum.

Differential diagnoses of mediastinal masses are often based on the anatomic locations. Traditionally the posterior mediastinum has been home to esophageal and neurogenic cysts, but a new entity has been found to be prevalent since its initial report in 2005: the Mullerian cyst. We present a 49-year-old with history of cough who was found to have such a mass. We will discuss the surgical outcome and the details of this interesting entity. The literature pertinent to this type of cyst will be evaluated. In all cases reported, the literature demonstrates that surgical removal results in uneventful follow-up with no evidence of malignancy or cyst recurrence.
Scalable Bayesian matrix normal graphical models for brain functional networks.

Recently, there has been an explosive growth in graphical modeling approaches for estimating brain functional networks. In a detailed study, we show that surprisingly, standard graphical modeling approaches for fMRI data may not yield accurate estimates of the brain network due to the inability to suitably account for temporal correlations. We propose a novel Bayesian matrix normal graphical model that jointly models the temporal covariance and the brain network under a separable structure for the covariance to obtain improved estimates. The approach is implemented via an efficient optimization algorithm that computes the maximum-a-posteriori network estimates having desirable theoretical properties and which is scalable to high dimensions. The proposed method leads to substantial gains in network estimation accuracy compared to standard brain network modeling approaches as illustrated via extensive simulations. We apply the method to resting state fMRI data from the Human Connectome Project involving a large number of time scans and brain regions, to study the relationships between fluid intelligence and functional connectivity, where it is not computationally feasible to apply existing matrix normal graphical models. Our proposed approach led to the detection of differences in connectivity between high and low fluid intelligence groups, whereas these differences were less pronounced or absent using the graphical lasso.
De Theory of Change van Tadros: een geïntegreerd model van structurele, narratieve en oplossingsgerichte benaderingen

Verschillende behandelmodellen voor gezinstherapie zijn bewezen effectief, maar er bestaat nog geen geintegreerde benadering van gezinstherapie die nieuw licht kan werpen op een mogelijke collectieve verandertheorie. In dit artikel beschrijven we een nieuwe benadering van verandertheorie voor gezinstherapie, waarbij ‘verandering’ wordt gedefinieerd aan de hand van de gezinsstructuur, sociaal geconstrueerde behandeldoelen, sociale locatie en de sterke punten. Doel van dit artikel is om verschillende gezinstherapieen te integreren in een coherente therapeutische aanpak. Dit doen we door uit te gaan van een conceptualisering van de gezinsstructuur, waarbij we de volgende elementen betrekken: empowerment van de narratieve opvattingen, de doelfocus van de oplossingsgerichte benadering, een multicultureel raamwerk, en het benadrukken van sterke punten (positiviteit). Doel van deze integratie is om clienten beter van dienst te kunnen zijn.
Revamping a Classic Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Experiment to Improve Student Understanding of Chemical Analysis, Method Development, Validation, and Statistics

We have revamped a classic analytical chemistry laboratory experiment, “Determination of an Unknown Acid”, to provide students an opportunity to learn about new advances in the material sciences and their applications in analytical chemistry in an effort to reinforce the key concepts of chemical analysis. Specifically, students were given the opportunity to develop their own low-cost, low-maintenance, ease-of-use, multidimensional pH sensor with intrinsically conducting polyaniline material. The students tested their polyaniline pH sensor against the traditional glass pH electrode to determine an unknown acid concentration and performed statistical tests to validate the analytical capabilities of their electrochemical polyaniline pH sensor. Thus, the revamped laboratory experiment allows for the reinforcement of several fundamental analytical chemistry lecture concepts, including chemical analysis, method development, validation, and statistical practice utilizing a more cohesive hands-on laboratory learning approach. Furthermore, this revamped lab gives students the opportunity to evaluate and compare the analytical performance of the polyaniline pH sensor, such as its sensor lifetime against the glass pH electrode, and learn polyaniline’s electrochromic properties. This laboratory experiment can be easily disseminated to advance the objective of analytical curriculum, provide students an opportunity for multidimensional learning and well-connected critical thinking in analytical chemistry, and stimulate students’ creativity in developing next generation analytical sensor technology.
Effects of Three Different Doses of Dexmedetomidine and Ropivacaine on Analgesia and the Stress Response in Hypospadias Surgery: A Randomized Trial.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the effects of three different doses of dexmedetomidine in caudal blocks on postoperative stress and pain after pediatric urethroplasty. Methods: A total of 160 children who underwent elective urethroplasty were enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into four groups: groups D1, D2, and D3, in which the patients were injected respectively with a mixed solution of 1, 1.5, or 2 μg·kg−1 of dexmedetomidine and 0.25% ropivacaine into the sacral canal; and group R, in which the patients were injected with 0.25% ropivacaine into the sacral canal. Cortisol and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels within 24 hours, the incidence of adverse events in the circulatory system during surgery, onset time of the caudal block, duration of postoperative analgesia, the incidence of agitation during recovery, and other anesthetic adverse reactions were observed and recorded. Results: Compared with group R, cortisol and IL-6 levels in groups D1, D2, and D3 decreased within 24 hours after the operation (T2–T6). The incidence of intraoperative hypertension, tachycardia, and shivering during the recovery period decreased, the onset time of the caudal block decreased, and the duration of postoperative analgesia increased (p < 0.01). Compared with group D1, the duration of postoperative analgesia increased in groups D2 and D3(p < 0.01). Compared with groups D1 and D2, the incidence of excessive sedation and bradycardia in group D3 increased (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The administration of 1.5 μg·kg−1 of dexmedetomidine appears to be most feasible in accelerating the onset of the caudal block, reducing stress and inflammation, stabilizing the circulation, increasing the duration of postoperative analgesia , and reducing anesthesia- and operation-associated adverse events.
Is Medicine Just a DREAM for DACA Students? DACA Practices and Policies Among U.S. Medical Schools.

As of 2020, 75 accredited institutions with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) are described as "DACA-friendly" and welcome undocumented students to apply under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. However, there is wide variation in their DACA policies, complicating an already demanding application process. Herein, we discuss this process and the common challenges for DACA-recipients. From September 2018 to July 2019, a three-item survey was emailed to admissions representatives at DACA-accepting institutions. While all participating universities were familiar with DACA, only 58% of representatives were aware of their institutional policies. Further, less than 10% of schools reserved funds for DACA-recipients; some required proof of payment for all 4 years prior to matriculation. The number of “DACA-friendly” institutions having enrolled DACA students is limited. Open promotion of institutional DACA policies may increase the number of recipients that successfully complete US medical training.
Investigation of arbitrary large spatial dimensions in anisotropic Bianchi Type-I cosmologies with variable gravitational and cosmological parameters

In order to highlight time-varying constants such as the universal gravitation constant and to elucidate the effects of higher dimensions on cosmological parameters in the universe, we developed a toy cosmological model based upon an anisotropic n-dimensional spatial universe within an (n + 1)-dimensional spacetime. A dynamical power law model for dark energy is considered. The observational parameters of this cosmology are predicted and discussed. Considerable attention is devoted to the application of the extra-dimensional n-dimensional anisotropic cosmology model resulting in a universe consistent with current observations.
Uncertainty Analysis of Curing-Induced Dimensional Variability of Composite Structures Utilizing Physics-Guided Gaussian Process Meta-modeling

Abstract Composite manufacturing process involves a suite of complex and inter-related procedures that span across multiple physics domains and scales. A variety of uncertainties that inevitably exist may degrade the quality of composites produced. Quantitatively characterizing the effect of uncertainties in such process hence becomes critically important. In this study, we establish a systematic framework for uncertainty analysis of composite manufacturing process. A finite element processing model has been developed to characterize the multi-physics and multi-scale nature of composite manufacturing process, based upon which a Gaussian process (GP) meta-model has been synthesized for efficient uncertainty quantification . By leveraging the well-trained GP meta-model, an importance ranking analysis of uncertainties was then carried out using a series of metrics, i.e., Pearson coefficient, Sobol index and Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Since the physics-based processing model involves several simplifying assumptions and empirical relations, modeling errors were also considered in the uncertainty analysis. Comprehensive case studies, which aim at elucidating the causes of composite spring-in angles, were conducted to examine the feasibility and validity of this new framework. Specifically, the mean error of GP predictions is smaller than 2%, and the uncertainty importance ranking can be obtained with high confidence in both cases with and without modeling errors.
Developing concise measures of childhood activity limitations.

Objectives: Although several national health surveys have implemented data collection efforts to identify and characterize disability among children, the large number of items these surveys have required to measure childhood disability prohibit their use in general population surveys. Using a conceptually based approach, we examine whether concise sets of survey items—feasible for use in general population surveys—can be used to measure functional limitations in activities among children. Methods: We analyze three nationally representative population surveys that contain detailed questions on childhood activity limitations. We first examine the full set of survey items and then eliminate survey items, one by one, exploring different combinations and examining the results of each successive elimination. Results: Across the three surveys, we consistently demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the number of survey items needed to measure childhood activity limitations and still produce comparable estimates. Concise sets of measures may contain as few as six items, making it possible to include in general population surveys. However, our concise sets of measures do not produce comparable estimates across surveys, which reflects differences in the types of questions and differences in the wording of questions found in the original survey instruments. Conclusions: On the basis of our findings, we reemphasize the importance of the wording of survey questions, the importance of validating survey questions, and finally, we recommend a concise set of items that can be used to measure childhood activity limitations in general population surveys.
Base-pairing configurations between purines and pyrimidines in the solid state. V. Crystal and molecular structure of two 1:1 hydrogen-bonded complexes, 1-methyluracil: 9-ethyl-8-bromo-2,6-diaminopurine and 1-ethylthymine: 9-ethyl-8-bromo-2,6--diaminopurine.

Abstract 9-Ethyl-8-bromo-2,6-diaminopurine forms 1:1 complexes with 1-methyluracil and with 1-ethylthymine. Both structures have been determined by three-dimensional X-ray diffraction methods and refined by block diagonal least squares. The first complex, 9-ethyl-8-bromo-2,6-diaminopurine: 1-methyluracil, exhibits a Watson-Crick type base-pairing configuration, while the second complex, 9-ethyl-8-bromo-2,6-diaminopurine: 1-ethylthymine, involves a “reversed” Watson-Crick type hydrogen-bonded configuration. Finding these two different base-pairing configurations in different lattice environments suggests that the energy difference between them is small, probably indicating similar strengths for these associations in solution prior to co-crystallization. These findings are discussed in relation to previous findings in this series of studies.
INFERENCE OF PROPERTIES OF THE EARTH FROM SATELLITE MEASUREMENTS OF INFRARED EMISSION

Planet atmosphere and surface properties from satellite measurement of intensity and spectral variation of IR emission, noting earth example
Control of ovulation time and cycle length with clomiphene citrate

Abstract A significant segment of our population is strongly motivated to practice the rhythm method of family planning. Clomiphene citrate, 50 mg. daily for 5 days beginning on the fifth day of the menstrual cycle was administered to 120 patients. Approximately 98 per cent of the patients exhibited a predictable ovulatory pattern not exceeding a 3 day variation in ovulation, making the rhythm method of family planning more effective in preventing conception.
IMPACT OF METRICATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

A thorough discussion is presented concerning the desirability of national metrication and the present status of this important matter. The advantages to be gained by such a move and the role played by engineering standards in the overall conversion process are also included. Metrication alternatives are considered, leading to the conclusion that nothing short of complete and genuine metrication can provide the maximum benefit. A necessary point of beginning for metrication of the construction industry as a whole is the familiarization of large numbers of people with the metric system. It is additionally determined that metrication of the construction industry must necessarily proceed simultaneously within each of its four elements: (1) design; (2) material and equipment production; (3) contractors; and (4) labor. The ramifications of metrication as they apply to each of these four areas are discussed and specific problems are identified.
The effects of seizures on the hippocampus of the immature brain.

Publisher Summary Complex partial seizures most often originate from the temporal lobe. The temporal lobe comprises rhinencephalic (limbic) structures, such as the hippocampus and amygdala located in the mesial surface of the lobe and neocortical structures located laterally. The syndrome of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common cause of complex partial seizures. This syndrome has specific historical features and characteristic pathology termed mesial temporal sclerosis. The characteristic pathological changes associated with intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy often occur within the hippocampus and are referred to as hippocampus sclerosis. Hippocampal sclerosis is found in 50 to 70% of the cases of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy who undergo temporal lobectomy. The hippocampal neuronal loss is often accompanied by reorganization of the mossy fiber system into the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, leading to the formation of new synaptic contacts. The functional significance of this synaptic reorganization remains unclear; however, its existence may indicate that there is a lesion in the hippocampus and its interconnecting structures, which may not be apparent with conventional anatomical techniques. The immature brain also has a greater susceptibility to the development of prolonged provoked seizures in response to environmental stimuli, such as fever, infection, and head trauma. Consequently, it is quite likely that the initial precipitating injury may be associated with a seizure and, particularly a febrile seizure. Thus, it is assumed that these early seizures may lead to the development of mesial temporal sclerosis and subsequent temporal lobe epilepsy.
No Child Left Behind and the Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965–2005 by Patrick J. McGuinn

Patrick J. McGuinn, No Child Left Behind and the Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965–2005 (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2006).In 2001, Congress introduced the first major ...
Surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the United States from 1997 to 2012: an analysis of 20,346 patients.

OBJECT Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can cause substantial morbidity and may require surgical intervention. In this study, the authors aimed to evaluate US trends in operative AIS as well as patient comorbidities, operative approach, in-hospital complications, hospital length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges in the US for the period from 1997 to 2012. METHODS Patients with AIS (ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes 737.30) who had undergone spinal fusion (ICD-9-CM procedure codes 81.xx) from 1997 to 2012 were identified from the Kids' Inpatient Database. Parameters of interest included patient comorbidities, operative approach (posterior, anterior, or combined anteroposterior), in-hospital complications, hospital LOS, and hospital charges. RESULTS The authors identified 20, 346 patients in the age range of 0–21 years who had been admitted for AIS surgery in the defined study period. Posterior fusions composed 63.4% of procedures in 1997 and 94.1% in 2012 (r = 0.95, p < 0.01). The mean number of comorbiditie...
Bulimic symptoms: Prevalence and ethnic differences among college women.

A self-report measure of bulimia, validated by interviews, was used to survey the eating habits of 689 college women. The results revealed (1) a continuous dimension of “problem eating” defined as weight concern, dieting, and binge eating; (2) high base rates of bulimic symptoms with 40% of women binge eating at least once a month; (3) ethnic differences, with Caucasian women scoring higher on “problem eating” than Asian-American women; and (4) a range of 6-14% of the Caucasian women with a diagnosis of bulimia. An additional measure of eating patterns was administered to 102 women. On the basis of the eating measures and degree of overweight, four groups of women were identified: Bulimic, Snacking Overweight, Non-snacking Overweight, and Sensible Eaters. Eating habits of the four groups were compared. Bulimic symptoms are discussed in the context of normative eating habits among college women.
Differential phosphorylation of rat liver nuclear non-histone proteins invitro

Summary An in vitro incubation system for rat liver slices is employed to study the kinetic incorporation of [ 32 P] into non-histone proteins. The phosphate incorporation reaches a stable maximum after two hours of incubation and is shown to represent the phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues. The kinetic phosphorylation is found to be molecular weight dependent with the smaller molecular weight non-histone proteins (about 10,000–22,000) preferentially phosphorylated before the larger molecular weight non-histone proteins (about 22,000–160,000). In addition, the data suggest that more than one type of phosphate may be present in the non-histone proteins.
Improving the performance of power plant cooling ponds

A study was conducted on the effectiveness of using vertical baffles to improve the thermal performance of power plant cooling ponds. A small scale physical model of a rectangular cooling pond was used. A base case was established using traditional horizontal baffles to create a serpentine flow pattern through the pond. The horizontal baffles were then replaced by a series of underflow weirs that spanned the pond. An improvement in cooling of over 30% was realized.
Towards pervasive connectivity in mobile computing settings

Pervasive computing scenarios often assume pervasive connectivity. Yet, because of different communication technologies that are integrated into different devices (e.g., IrDA or Bluetooth), because of different high-level communication protocols (e.g., IPv4 vs. IPv6), and because of security and networking constraints (e.g., firewalls and NATs) pervasive connectivity is an illusion in most real-world environments. This is especially true for scenarios involving mobile users because there is no prior knowledge about the devices and users present. This paper presents a novel approach for dealing with these connectivity restrictions in environments where groups of people need to cooperate with each other in an ad-hoc fashion. The core idea is to establish an overlay among group members that is used to share information about the current network environment. This information is conveyed in the form of dynamically generated tag sequences that are displayed and captured by the digital cameras integrated into an increasing number of mobile devices. Users who want to invite others to a group invoke an application that displays multiple, dynamically generated tags on their mobile device's screen. People, who want to join the group, then point the camera integrated into their handheld devices to the other device's screen. Thus, the displayed tag sequence is captured and decoded in real time; and the information contained therein can be used to securely and robustly join the group. By transmitting information about the group, group participants, and communication parameters within a sequence of tags, it is possible to provide ad-hoc connectivity in various mobile computing settings.
Enhanced Reactivity of Cationic vs Neutral Hafnocene Complexes in Stoichiometric and Catalytic σ-Bond Metathesis Reactions Involving Si−H and Si−C Bonds

A comparison of the cation-like complex CpCp*HfH(μ-H)B(C6F5)3 with the neutral analogue CpCp*HfHCl reveals increased activity toward σ-bond metathesis for the more electrophilic, cationic complex. A catalytic transformation of PhSiH3 to Ph2SiH2 and SiH4 by CpCp*HfH(μ-H)B(C6F5)3 appears to occur by σ-bond metathesis of the Si−C bond, which occurs concurrently with dehydropolymerization to highly cross-linked polysilanes.
Effects of external pH on hormonally regulated ovarian follicle maturation and ovulation in Atlantic croaker.

Abstract In vitro studies of ovarian follicle maturation and ovulation in teleost fishes typically are conducted within a narrow range (7.5–7.8) of constant external (medium) pH, although there is evidence that pH can influence ovulation. Therefore, this study with Atlantic croaker investigated the effects of external pH on hormonally regulated in vitro maturation and ovulation as well as changes in the pH of ovarian fluid during in vivo maturation and ovulation. For the in vitro experiments, follicles were first incubated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce maturational and ovulatory competencies, and then with maturation-inducing hormone (MIH) to induce completion of maturation and ovulation. At a constant external pH within the range of 7.0–8.2, the lower pH levels (7.0–7.3) generally inhibited or slowed down hormonally induced maturation and ovulation whereas higher pH (7.6–8.2) facilitated these processes. When ovarian follicles were incubated at a constant pH of 7.6 during the priming incubation with hCG, changing the external pH during the incubation with MIH had relatively little effect on oocyte maturation or ovulation. Thus, the inhibitory effect of constant low levels of external pH (7.0–7.3) on maturation and ovulation may be primarily due to disruptions in the gonadotropin-dependent acquisition of maturational and ovulatory competencies. The pH of ovarian fluid remained constant at 8.5 during in vivo ovarian follicle maturation and ovulation. Subsequent in vitro tests showed that external pH of 8.5 enhances hormonally induced maturation and ovulation relative to pH of 7.6. These observations suggest that attention should be paid to the pH of incubation media used in basic research and in biotechnological applications relying on in vitro maturation and ovulation in teleosts. Further, an understanding of the physiological significance of the enhancing effect of alkaline pH on maturation and ovulation will require determination of the intrafollicular pH around the oocyte during the periovulatory period.
A 1x2 MIMO Multi-Band CMOS Transceiver with an Integrated Front-End in 90nm CMOS for 802.11a/g/n WLAN Applications

This paper presents preliminary results of a radio chip design, implemented in a standard 90 nm CMOS process, which provides significant platform cost reduction by fully integrating the LNAs and high efficiency Class-AB PAs (and their matching networks) in a 1x2 scheme for 802.11a/g/n protocols.
Necessity of aromatic carboxylate anions to be planar to induce growth of cationic micelles.

It is well-known that some aromatic anions have the ability to induce viscoelastic transformation in aqueous solutions of cationic surfactants even at added salt concentrations as low as 10−20 mM. ...
Keynote symposium: "Tomorrow's Poultry: Sustainability and Safety" introduction and welcome.

Abstract The title of the Keynote Symposium at the 2012 Poultry Science Association Meeting at the Georgia Center in Athens, Georgia, was “Tomorrow's Poultry: Sustainability and Safety.” The purpose of the symposium was to provide members and guests of the Poultry Science Association an opportunity to be updated on the recent developments in enhancing the safety of poultry foods and also to interact with an internationally recognized group of speakers who are pursuing novel strategies for increasing the safety and sustainability of US poultry production. These are very exciting times in poultry science. The poultry industry is one of the fastest growing animal food industries globally. Over the past 50 yr, through a combination of improved breeding, nutrition, management, and advances in disease control, commercial poultry industry has made monumental gains in production efficiency. Success also comes with challenges. Modern birds have weakened immune systems, increased disease susceptibility, and dependence on in-feed antibiotics. Consumers have voiced a concern about the widespread use of in-feed antimicrobials. Such concerns have led to the tremendous increase in organic poultry production in recent years. However, such antibiotic-free production systems also face bacterial disease challenges such as necrotic enteritis resulting in reduced growth rate, poor feed efficiency, and increased contamination. It is imperative that today's poultry industries be proactive in improving the safety of poultry foods. Addressing these challenges requires an increased input of knowledge about production systems and expertise to develop integrative systems that maximize animal health and product safety in a sustainable manner. Such measures include improvement of diet, use of biocontrol measures to enhance bird health, and novel processing and packaging strategies to enhance safety of food products. These measures must also be cost-effective for the continued viability of the industry. It is essential to understand these different strategies in order to successfully plan for the future of poultry production and food security in the United States. The objectives of 2012 Keynote Symposium were to provide a direct interaction and collaboration among food/feed scientists, nutritional immunologists, microbiologists, and veterinarians who are working in the areas of bird health, feed, and food safety. Such a dialogue will foster cross-fertilization of ideas and stimulate the development of innovative strategies to enhance food safety and the sustainability of US poultry food systems. To address these, the topics selected for the symposium covered a considerable spectrum of areas of emphasis in immune nutrition, gut ecology, plant-derived antimicrobials, antimicrobial peptides, processing, and packaging aspects. Health challenges from the perspective of a veterinarian related to organic production were also addressed.
Determination of the primary metabolite of central nervous system norepinephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenethyleneglycol, in mouse brain and brain perfusate by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Assays are described for the determination of picomole levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenethyleneglycol (MHPG) in mouse brain and in the perfusate of an intact mouse brain. High-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection yielded a MHPG detection limit of 0.37 pmol. This technique offers a sensitive and inexpensive alternative to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of pentaborane(9) derivatives

Abstract From NMR data obtained for pentaborane, ethylpentaboranes, and 13C-enriched methylpentaboranes, estimates of cage-boron charge differences and electronegativities are made.
High resolution imaging of vascular function in zebrafish.

Rationale The role of the endothelium in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease is an emerging field of study, necessitating the development of appropriate model systems and methodologies to investigate the multifaceted nature of endothelial dysfunction including disturbed barrier function and impaired vascular reactivity. Objective We aimed to develop and test an optimized high-speed imaging platform to obtain quantitative real-time measures of blood flow, vessel diameter and endothelial barrier function in order to assess vascular function in live vertebrate models. Methods and Results We used a combination of cutting-edge optical imaging techniques, including high-speed, camera-based imaging (up to 1000 frames/second), and 3D confocal methods to collect real time metrics of vascular performance and assess the dynamic response to the thromboxane A2 (TXA2) analogue, U-46619 (1 µM), in transgenic zebrafish larvae. Data obtained in 3 and 5 day post-fertilization larvae show that these methods are capable of imaging blood flow in a large (1 mm) segment of the vessel of interest over many cardiac cycles, with sufficient speed and sensitivity such that the trajectories of individual erythrocytes can be resolved in real time. Further, we are able to map changes in the three dimensional sizes of vessels and assess barrier function by visualizing the continuity of the endothelial layer combined with measurements of extravasation of fluorescent microspheres. Conclusions We propose that this system-based microscopic approach can be used to combine measures of physiologic function with molecular behavior in zebrafish models of human vascular disease.
Mammary uptake of energy metabolites in dairy cows fed fat and its relationship to milk protein depression

Abstract Mechanisms of change in milk composition in response to dietary fat supplementation were examined by measurement of plasma metabolite arteriovenous differences across the udders of cows fed fat. Four primiparous cows fitted with ruminal cannulas were assigned to a factorial arrangement of treatments: two diets and two casein infusion sites in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Diets were formulated with yellow grease at 0 or 4% of DM. An 8% sodium caseinate solution was infused continuously at 5.04 kg/d into the rumen or abomasum during the last 5 d of each 21-d period. Plasma acetate concentration and mammary uptake were not affected significantly by added dietary fat, but plasma triacylglycerol concentration and uptake were increased, which resulted in milk with a greater fat percentage and a higher proportion of long-chain fatty acids. Reduced lipogenesis from acetate and increased β-hydroxybutyrate uptake spared glucose for lactose synthesis, allowing increased milk yield with reduced mammary blood flow rate. Increased energy supply to mammary tissue, resulting from changes in patterns of plasma metabolites with added dietary fat, was implicated in the reduction of mammary blood flow rates.
Residential radon exposure and lung cancer: Variation in risk estimates using alternative exposure scenarios

The most direct way to derive risk estimates for residential radon progeny exposure is through epidemiologic studies that examine the association between residential radon exposure and lung cancer. However, the National Research Council concluded that the inconsistency among prior residential radon case-control studies was largely a consequence of errors in radon dosimetry. This paper examines the impact of applying various epidemiologic dosimetry models for radon exposure assessment using a common data set from the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study (IRLCS). The IRLCS uniquely combined enhanced dosimetric techniques, individual mobility assessment, and expert histologic review to examine the relationship between cumulative radon exposure, smoking, and lung cancer. The a priori defined IRLCS radon-exposure model produced higher odds ratios than those methodologies that did not link the subject's retrospective mobility with multiple, spatially diverse radon concentrations. In addition, the smallest measurement errors were noted for the IRLCS exposure model. Risk estimates based solely on basement radon measurements generally exhibited the lowest risk estimates and the greatest measurement error. The findings indicate that the power of an epidemiologic study to detect an excess risk from residential radon exposure is enhanced by linking spatially disparate radon concentrations with the subject's retrospective mobility.
A Visual Method of Program Balance and Evaluation

A visual method is presented for providing an over-view of the symbolic program of the Diamond Ordnance Fuze Laboratories. The display indicates relative emphasis of effort at the various levels in the laboratories and permits comparison between fields and specialities.
Postinfarction Risk Stratification: Is Preventive War Winnable?

On August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union exploded its first nuclear bomb. Advocates of "preventive war"—including such luminaries as Bertrand Russell and John von Neumann— argued that an eventual armed confrontation with the Soviets was inevitable, and that the United States should therefore seize the opportunity to launch a pre-emptive first strike. To those who countenanced a more cautious wait-and-see attitude, von Neumann responded, "If you say why not bomb them tomorrow, I say why not today? If you say today at five o'clock, I say why not one o'clock?" 1 See also p 2379. The medical counterpart of preventive war is currently being waged under the pseudonym "risk stratification." Risk stratification strategies are based on the tacit assumption that physicians can accurately predict the unfavorable outcome of individual patients and that they possess effective ways to mitigate that unfavorable outcome. If so, the sooner one intervenes, the better. Indeed,
Ion trap mass analysis at high pressure: A theoretical view

The mass-selective manipulation of ions at elevated pressure, including mass analysis, ion isolation, or excitation, is of great interest for the development of mass spectrometry instrumentation, particularly for systems in which ion traps are employed as mass analyzers or storage devices. While experimental exploration of high-pressure mass analysis is limited by various difficulties, such as ion detection or electrical discharge at high-pressure, theoretical methods have been developed in this work to study ion/neutral collision effects within quadrupole ion traps and to explore their performance at pressures up to 1 Torr. Ion trapping, isolation, excitation, and resonance ejection were investigated over a wide pressure range. The theoretically calculated data were compared with available experimental data for pressures up to 50 mTorr, allowing the prediction of ion trap performance at pressures more than 10 times higher.
Experimenting with real time simulation parameters for fluid model of soft bodies

In soft body simulation with fluid modeling, smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is one of the most efficient methods to simulate the soft body for real time applications. In this paper, we introduce a general model of soft bodies with SPH fluid modeling as one of the components for interaction among particles. The fluid force in SPH depends on the density of neighboring fluid particles in the kernel of the considered particle. The fluid force is related to fluid attributes such as fluid density, fluid pressure, and fluid viscosity. Computation becomes faster if the neighboring fluid particles are known during the computations of the fluid attributes. In our simulation of soft body model, the kernels of the fluid attributes are identical, and hence we use the same neighboring fluid particles to evaluate the fluid attributes. In this paper we introduce partitioning and hashing schemes to identify the neighboring fluid particles for SPH to compute the fluid force in the soft body simulation. The suitable parameters for the partitioning and hashing schemes are presented for the modeling. Experimental results show that the grid based scheme can reduce time computation in SPH for fluid modeling in real time applications. We also present a result of a soft body in which the model includes all forces.
Optimizing the involvement of language interpreters during the clinical encounter.

To the Editors:—Johnson et al. write in their Comment1 about creating a continuum of language interpreter participation in physician–patient interactions. We fully support this notion. Our novel, self-guided, medical Spanish curriculum,2 which empowers residents to flexibly improve their medical Spanish skills, utilizes medical interpreters as teachers both in the classroom and in the exam room, fostering a relationship that enables the team to function along this continuum. Since its establishment in 2010, over 100 residents from at least 12 graduate medical education training programs at our hospital have participated, and the course has grown to offer advanced, intermediate and beginner level instruction.3 One aspect of this multi-faceted course involves the participation of Spanish language medical interpreters from the hospital’s Office of Interpreter Services, who facilitate monthly group sessions. Our interpreters serve not only as instructors, reviewing material learned during the independent portions of the course, but they also serve as standardized patients, allowing residents to practice clinical encounters in Spanish based on the particular system of the body reviewed that month. During these interactions, learners have the opportunity to gain confidence in both their medical Spanish skills and also their familiarity interacting with interpreters. It is not uncommon for the residents to work with these interpreters around the hospital during a typical day, participating together in actual patient encounters. These varied interactions in different settings help to build a better working relationship, one that is founded in teaching, flexibility and familiarity. So too, it allows the resident to more effectively function along the continuum of medical Spanish skills, at times feeling more comfortable in the interpreter’s presence to take charge in speaking Spanish directly with the patient, and at other times seeking additional interpretation help. One of the goals of our medical Spanish course is to allow residents to become proficient enough with their Spanish skills to be certified by the Office of Interpreter Services as independent speakers of Spanish during patient encounters. This is the same exam that the interpreters themselves would be given, and can help our residents gain yet another layer of understanding about the role and qualifications of medical interpreters. Keeping the authors’ suggestions in mind, we may be able to more formally use our already established framework to evaluate the logistics and feasibility of utilizing medical interpreters along a continuum, thus fully optimizing our ability to effectively communicate with patients.
Gromov invariants of S2-bundles over 4-manifolds

Abstract We study the Gromov invariants of the total space W of a symplectic fibration π :W→M , where (M,ω) is a symplectic 4-manifold and the fiber is equal to S2. We find a relation between the Gromov invariants of W and those of M, for the homology classes A such that π( A )≠0 . As an application we construct infinitely many symplectic structures on W for M=E(n), the simply connected minimal elliptic surface.
TVOC and CO2 Concentrations as Indicators in Indoor Air Quality Studies

This article reviews the sources, levels, and interpretation of CO2 and VOC concentrations in buildings. The use of an enrichment factor to identify emission sources and potential IAQ problems is suggested. The indicator is evaluated by collecting concentration data in two office buildings and by reviewing recent air-quality studies in the literature. Results show that bioeffluent and occupant-related emissions often account for a large share of VOC emissions; the suggested indicator clearly shows when other sources are significant. Several issues that influence the interpretation of IAQ indicators are discussed, including the use of pollutant surrogates, temporal and spatial variability in large buildings, VOC measurement technique, and outdoor pollutant levels.