cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of nanoscale carbon-based materials in heavy metal sensing and detection

This article reviews applications of nanoscale carbon-based materials in heavy metal sensing and detection. These materials, including single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers among others, have unique and tunable properties enabling applications in various fields spanning from health, electronics and the environment sector. Specifically, we highlight the unique properties of these materials that enable their applications in the sorption and preconcentration of heavy metals ions prior to detection by spectroscopic, chromatographic and electrochemical techniques. We also discuss their distinct properties that enable them to be used as novel electrode materials in sensing and detection. The fabrication and modification of these electrodes is discussed in detail and their applications in various electrochemical techniques such as voltammetric stripping analysis, potentiometric stripping analysis, field effect transistor-based devices and electrical impedance are critically reviewed. Perspectives and futures trends in the use of these materials in heavy metal sensing and detection will also be highlighted.
A positive Link Between Male Testosterone and Spacing Behavior in Pair‐Bonded California Mice

The effects of testosterone (T) on male sexual behavior are well established, but its roles in several associated social behaviors such as pair-bonding and paternal behavior are diverse. Recently, we reported that male T in response to pairing with a female predicts future paternal behavior in the monogamous and biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). Here, we examined whether T in response to pairing is also associated with spacing behavior between mates under laboratory conditions and if these behavioral patterns are continued during pup care. Pairs of California mice were observed throughout their pair bond before and again after pups were born. We found that males with higher T post-pairing remained closer to their mates in the weeks before pups were born, and pairs with higher proximity measures during the pair bond spent more time caring for pups together. Overall, these results suggest a similar mechanism for spacing behavior across distinct phases of the pair bond.
Comparative effectiveness of asthma interventions within a practice based research network

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects more than 23 million people in the United States, including 7 million children. Asthma is a difficult to manage chronic condition associated with disparities in health outcomes, poor medical compliance, and high healthcare costs. The research network coordinating this project includes hospitals, urgent care centers, and outpatient clinics within Carolinas Healthcare System that share a common electronic medical record and billing system allowing for rapid collection of clinical and demographic data. This study investigates the impact of three interventions on clinical outcomes for patients with asthma. Interventions are: an integrated approach to care that incorporates asthma management based on the chronic care model; a shared decision making intervention for asthma patients in underserved or disadvantaged populations; and a school based care approach that examines the efficacy of school-based programs to impact asthma outcomes including effectiveness of linkages between schools and the healthcare providers. This study will include 95 Practices, 171 schools, and over 30,000 asthmatic patients. Five groups (A-E) will be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of three interventions. Group A is the usual care control group without electronic medical record (EMR). Group B practices are a second control group that has an EMR with decision support, asthma action plans, and population reports at baseline. A time delay design during year one converts practices in Group B to group C after receiving the integrated approach to care intervention. Four practices within Group C will receive the shared decision making intervention (and become group D). Group E will receive a school based care intervention through case management within the schools. A centralized database will be created with the goal of facilitating comparative effectiveness research on asthma outcomes specifically for this study. Patient and community level analysis will include results from patient surveys, focus groups, and asthma patient density mapping. Community variables such as income and housing density will be mapped for comparison. Outcomes to be measured are reduced hospitalizations and emergency department visits; improved adherence to medication; improved quality of life; reduced school absenteeism; improved self-efficacy and improved school performance. Identifying new mechanisms that improve the delivery of asthma care is an important step towards advancing patient outcomes, avoiding preventable Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations, while simultaneously reducing overall healthcare costs.
Evaluation of two new immunochromatographic assays (Rapid U Legionella antigen test and SD Bioline Legionella antigen test) for detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine

We evaluated two new immunochromatographic assays for their abilities to detect Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen in urine. The results were compared with those obtained by the Binax NOW urinary antigen test. The sensitivities and specificities were estimated to be 71.2% and 96.6%, respectively, for the Rapid U test; 31.5% and 98.9%, respectively, for the SD Bioline test; and 91.8% and 100%, respectively, for the Binax NOW test.
A Natural Immunological Adjuvant Enhances T Cell Clonal Expansion through a CD28-dependent, Interleukin (IL)-2–independent Mechanism

The adoptive transfer of naive CD4+ T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic T cells was used to investigate the mechanisms by which the adjuvant lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhance T cell clonal expansion in vivo. Subcutaneous administration of soluble antigen (Ag) resulted in rapid and transient accumulation of the Ag-specific T cells in the draining lymph nodes (LNs), which was preceded by the production of interleukin (IL)-2. CD28-deficient, Ag-specific T cells produced only small amounts of IL-2 in response to soluble Ag and did not accumulate in the LN to the same extent as wild-type T cells. Injection of Ag and LPS, a natural immunological adjuvant, enhanced IL-2 production and LN accumulation of wild-type, Ag-specific T cells but had no significant effect on CD28-deficient, Ag-specific T cells. Therefore, CD28 is critical for Ag-driven IL-2 production and T cell proliferation in vivo, and is essential for the LPS-mediated enhancement of these events. However, enhancement of IL-2 production could not explain the LPS-dependent increase of T cell accumulation because IL-2–deficient, Ag-specific T cells accumulated to a greater extent in the LN than wild-type T cells in response to Ag plus LPS. These results indicate that adjuvants improve T cell proliferation in vivo via a CD28-dependent signal that can operate in the absence of IL-2.
Magnetic field dependence of resistivity minima in amorphous LaGdAu alloys with high Gd content

Abstract Magnetoresistivity measurements have been performed in fields up to 40 kOe on some concentrated amorphous LaGdAu alloys exhibiting characteristics of a spin-glass. The negative magnetoresistivity at low temperature is found to be roughly proportional to the square of the magnetization. The resistivity minima in these alloys are attributed to a mechanism of electron scattering from magnetic clouds coupled by RKKY interactions, in qualitative agreement with analysis of our remanent magnetization data.
Mastery-approach goals and knowledge transfer: An investigation into the effects of task structure and framing instructions

Abstract Although prior work has shown that mastery-approach achievement goals are related to positive learning behaviors (e.g., more interest, perseverance, and self-regulation), less is known about how these goals interact with instruction to influence knowledge transfer. To address these issues we conducted a laboratory experiment investigating how two aspects of the instructional environment, the task structure (tell-and-practice direct instruction vs. minimally-guided open-ended invention activities) and the task framing (mastery vs. performance), affected students' task-based mastery goal adoption and transfer when learning statistics. The results showed that structure was more effective than framing in manipulating students' mastery-approach goal adoption. In addition, students' existing mastery-approach orientations for mathematics strongly predicted knowledge transfer for all of the instructional conditions except for students given invention activities with a performance framing. For these students, the relationship between mastery-approach orientation and transfer was not observed, indicating that this condition makes transfer more likely for those lower in mastery-approach orientation. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for theories of achievement goal motivation, knowledge transfer, and instruction.
The Cognitive Foundations of Humanistic Governance

ABSTRACT The debate about the kind of knowledge needed for intelligent governance is an old one, but a new perspective based on cognitive psychology has recently emerged. This perspective emphasizes evidence about the heuristics and biases that distort human judgment, particularly the so-called “availability heuristic,” in which vivid imagery leads us to overestimate the probability that a risk will actually materialize. I argue that this perspective neglects the constructive role that “availability” plays in rationality. Research in cognitive science suggests that without close attention to exactly the kind of vivid imagery that distorts probability judgments, experts may rely on an inaccurate representation of the nature of the event whose probability they seek to estimate. This essential ingredient of intelligent decision making is especially precarious in government, since public officials regularly make decisions that will affect people whose experiences they do not share. I discuss how participatory...
Influenza outbreaks in nursing homes: how effective is influenza vaccine in the institutionalized elderly?

During the 1984–1985 influenza season, outbreaks of influenza A (H3N2) occurred in three Connecticut nursing homes. Influenza vaccination rates were 67% (96 out of 144), 35% (30 out of 85) and 69% (332 out of 483), respectively. The relative risk of illness for vaccinated compared to unvaccinated residents was 1.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.6, 5.9), 1.6 (95% confidence interval, 0.8, 3.0) and 1.1 (95% confidence interval, 0.8, 1.7) for each of the three nursing homes, respectively. In the third outbreak, 22 vaccinated residents without clinical illness had a geometric mean titer of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody of 20. Although low, this titer was significantly higher than that of nine unvaccinated residents without clinical illness (12, p<.05); only three (14%) vaccinated residents had HI titers of 340. These results suggest that levels of HI antibody in vaccinated residents were not protective at the time of the third outbreak, four to five months after vaccination. In general, the study of vaccine effectiveness in nursing homes is limited by sample size and statistical power. Despite these limits, the retrospective investigation of influenza outbreaks in nursing homes is often the only practical way to evaluate influenza vaccine effectiveness in the elderly on a yearly basis.
From synaptic plasticity to spatial maps and sequence learning.

The entorhinal-hippocampal circuit is crucial for several forms of learning and memory, especially sequence learning, including spatial navigation. The challenge is to understand the underlying mecha- nisms. Pioneering discoveries of spatial selectivity in this circuit, i.e. place cells and grid cells, provided a major step forward in tackling this chal- lenge. Considerable research has also shown that sequence learning relies on synaptic plasticity, especially the Hebbian or the NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity. This raises several questions: Are spatial maps plastic? If so, what is the contribution of Hebbian plasticity to spatial map plas- ticity? How does the spatial map plasticity contribute to sequence learn- ing? A combination of computational and experimental studies has shown that NMDAR-mediated plasticity and theta rhythm can have spe- cific effects on the formation and experiential modification of spatial maps to facilitate predictive coding. Advances in transgenic techniques have provided further support for these mechanisms. Although many exciting challenges remain, these findings have brought us closer to solv- ing the puzzle of how the hippocampal system contributes to spatial memory, and point to a way forward. V C 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Calculation of the double scattering from lossy dielectric cylinders

A numerical Fresnel Double Scattering (FDS) method is presented in this paper to accurately calculate the bistatic cross sections due to double scattering between two lossy dielectric cylinders in the Fresnel zone of each other. The cylinders have a comparable size to the wavelength for L band frequencies. It is demonstrated that the FDS results reduce to the far field results when the scatterers are sufficiently far apart. The FDS method can be employed to study the double scattering effects between tree branches in microwave forest scattering models.
Renal function, aldosterone, and vasopressin excretion following repeated long-distance running

Renal and endocrine responses were studied in 10 male runners during a 20-day 500-km race. Overnight urine and prerun blood samples were taken prior to running on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 14, 17, and 20. Day 13 followed 70 h of rest. Urine flow rate, osmotic clearance, tubular free water reabsorption, urinary vasopressin excretion rate, and body weight were not significantly changed. Creatinine clearance was constant except for an elevation on day 5. Plasma osmolality was elevated on days 2, 14, and 17. Plasma sodium was increased (P less than 0.05) on days 2 and 13 but reduced on day 20. The percentage of filtered sodium excreted was significantly reduced on all nights following running and elevated on recovery day 13. Urinary aldosterone excretion rate was significantly elevated 162, 117, and 97% on days 5, 8, and 20 and returned to control levels on day 13 after 70 h of rest. These data suggest that in response to repeated long-distance running normal fluid balance is regained within 12 h. However, it is necessary to conserve sodium for at least 24 h after exercise as evidenced by the decrease in the percent filtered sodium excreted and continued elevation of aldosterone excretion.
International Organizations and the Future of Education Assistance

Education began to be included as a component of foreign assistance in the early 1960s as it is a principal ingredient of development. A number of multilateral and bilateral agencies were established around this time to implement various types of aid programmes; however, their effectiveness is constantly being questioned and challenged due to a variety of problems. This paper reviews the past and current activities of bilateral, multilateral organizations and private donors in education aid, examines their effectiveness, discusses major problems in implementing educational programmes and suggests ways to improve aid in education.
The Protection of Rubber against Atmospheric Ozone—Cracking

Abstract The cracking of rubber by atmospheric ozone is now a well-known phenomenon and for a number of years rubber scientists and technologists have devoted considerable effort to combating it. While the differences of opinion and the confusion of data in this work are sometimes more conspicuous than the successes, nevertheless, there has been considerable success. In spite of the existence of large areas of uncertainty, much progress has been made. A new word, “antiozonant”, has been added to the vocabulary of the rubber man. The substances so designated, together with waxes already well known, enable the compounder to protect natural and synthetic rubbers against both static and dynamic exposure to a fair degree, and this in spite of the fact, now recognized, that certain urban atmospheres may contain much higher concentrations of ozone than were formerly considered normal. In addition, the synthetic polymer chemist has made available a number of commercial rubbers which, because they are saturated, a...
MANAGING SOCIAL CAPITAL AND DIVERSITY FOR PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

Managers concerned with the performance of their organizations will exploit available social, administrative, and human capital resources. However, extant theory and mixed empirical evidence leave the effect of social capital on performance unclear. The gains from these norms of reciprocity, participation, networking, and trust may disproportionately benefit only some of their clients, leading to disparities in outcomes among diverse clienteles. We argue that in such contexts, management will put in place policies to counter these disparities. Indeed, our empirical evidence from the management of public education supports the expectation that an institutional commitment to diversity successfully mitigates the uneven effects of social capital on organizational performance. This finding carries important implications for public management and equity in public policy outcomes and may be of particular relevance to management of outcomes relying on co-production.
Could the PI3K canonical pathway be a common link between chronic inflammatory conditions and oral carcinogenesis

The association between chronic inflammatory disorders and oral carcinogenesis has been both a source of interest and contention. Based upon its central importance in oral carcinogenesis, the finding that the PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway is activated in oral lichen planus, chronic graft-versus-host disease, and chronic oral candidiasis suggests that it may provide a link between benign and malignant oral conditions. Here, we discuss a possible mechanistic rationale that addresses the activation of this important signaling pathway and its downstream events, while correlating it with the carcinogenic potential of chronic oral disorders.
Nonlinear spectroscopy with time- and frequency-gated photon counting: A superoperator diagrammatic approach

We present a diagrammatic technique for calculating quantum-detected nonlinear optical signals using loop diagrams that act in the joint matter plus field space. This formalism, which is based on time-ordered superoperators keeps track of the entangled matter plus field state, making it most suitable for spectroscopy applications. Photon counting is recast as a time and frequency convolution of a bare signal, which is given by a correlation function of matter, and a gating spectrogram.
Another Look at Differentiation

fail in their understanding of the "delta" process. As an aid to understanding the former situation, we sketch a graph so that we can "see" how the function assumes a sequence of values with 6 as a limit, if the independent variable takes on a sequence of values having 3 as a limit. Thus the limit value is exactly the value the function would have were it continuous at x=3, i.e., were the hole "filled in." Conventionally, we fail to make the corresponding explanation for the derivative. The purpose here is to exploit the analogy between the "limit" that appears in (1) and the "limit" that appears in
Topology exploration and control of a filter-less Z-source inverter

This paper proposes a new Z-source inverter architecture that does not require filtering at the output side to generate smooth ac voltages. Also, it provides a control strategy based on the concept of Model Predictive Control (MPC) for the proposed inverter. Since each switch of the proposed inverter makes a specific impact on the output of the inverter, MPC is a proper method to control the proposed inverter. The proposed system can generate a wide range of ac voltages at various frequencies. Simulation results are provided to validate the operation of the proposed inverter.
Assessing Perceptions of the Integrative Justice Model Propositions A Critical Step Toward Operationalizing a Macro Model

Propositions underlying the theoretical tenets of the Integrative Justice Model (IJM), a normative, ethical framework for engaging in impoverished markets, are investigated for reliability in appli...
Linear Quadratic Tracking Control of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements

Conventional feedback control models of the oculomotor system fail to account for the destabilizing effects of neural transmission delays. To address this shortcoming, a linear quadratic tracking algorithm used to control smoothly pursuing eye movements of various target trajectories is presented. Based on the type of input to the system, it is shown that stability, in the presence of large motor feedback delays, can be maintained by modulating weighting factors intrinsic to the model. Conditions, such as the initial orientation of the eye relative to the location of where a target first becomes salient and the possible oscillatory nature that the reference trajectory may present, play important roles in determining the optimal cost to go motor control strategy at the onset of a tracking movement.
Changes in scenic quality after harvest: A decade of ratings for six silviculture treatments

Scenic beauty is one attribute that foresters consider when planning a silviculture treatment. To better understand how scenic quality changes in the years following a harvest, six sites on Oregon State University's research forest were evaluated annually for 11 years. Regression analysis was used to describe the change in average ratings over time. Initially there were differences between sites, but as stand development continued those differences diminished substantially.
Triaxial family classification: a proposal.

Abstract A triaxial family classification system is proposed. The first axis concerns family development and categorizes family dysfunction at different stages of family development. The second axis refers to family member interaction and disorders are divided by marital, parent-child, and sibling subsystems. The third axis focuses on the family group as a system and its possible dysfunction as a whole.
Improving the Detection of Foot Abnormalities in Patients With Diabetes

Diabetes, the most common metabolic disorder in primary care, is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, renal failure, retinopathy, and lower-extremity amputations (1). Diabetic foot abnormalities, including ulcers and lower-extremity amputations, are associated with substantial morbidity, loss of quality of life, and disability and are very costly for the individuals affected, their families, and society as a whole (2). Approximately 84% of nontraumatic major amputations in individuals with diabetes are preceded by foot abnormalities such as an ulceration (3). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States was $245 billion in 2012, with the majority of costs attributed to a high occurrence of hospital admissions, including $9 billion associated with foot ulcers alone (2). Diabetes is a treatable condition, yet it is the seventh leading cause of death in South Carolina. South Carolina ranks tenth highest in the nation in the percentage of population with diabetes (4). In 2013, South Carolina had the fourth highest prevalence of diabetes in the United States, with ∼25,000 diabetes-related hospitalizations and emergency visits, costing $367 million. The cost of diabetes care in South Carolina is expected to exceed $3 billion in 2016 and to hit $4 billion by 2020 (5). Many of the costs associated with diabetes could be reduced with preventive intervention in the primary care setting, where diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder encountered. However, gaps occur in the care and management of diabetes, especially in the area of foot care. In 2012, an Institute for Preventive Foot Health/National Purchase Diary survey revealed that only 46% of patients with diabetes reported ever having foot screenings with their primary care provider (6). Foot complications, specifically ulcers and amputations, are the number one reason for hospitalization in patients with diabetes …
Transposing the Tradition: Providing Embedded Reference Service to Music Students

This article describes a project designed to improve reference service to music students at a large metropolitan university. When faced with student and faculty complaints that the library and its ...
Private-well stewardship among a general population based sample of private well-owners

Private well stewardship, including on-going testing and treatment, can ensure private well users are able to maintain source-water quality and prevent exposures to potentially harmful constituents in primary drinking water supplies. Unlike municipal water supplies, private well users are largely responsible for their own testing and treatment and well stewardship is often minimal. The importance of factors influencing regular testing, and treatment behaviors, including knowledge, risk perception, convenience and social norms, can vary by geography and population characteristics. The primary goals of this study were to survey a general statewide population of private well users in Wisconsin in order to quantify testing and treatment patterns and gather data on motivations and barriers to well stewardship. The majority of respondents reported using and drinking well water daily but only about one half of respondents reported testing their wells in the last ten years and of these, only 10% reported testing in the last 12months. Bacteria and nitrates were contaminants most often tested; and, a private laboratory most often conducted testing. The most commonly reported water treatment was a water softener. Living in a particular geographic region and income were the most significant predictors of water testing and treatment. Iron and hardness, which influence water aesthetics but not always safety, were the most commonly reported water quality problems. Health concerns or perceived lack thereof were, respectively, motivators and barriers to testing and treatment. Limited knowledge of testing and treatment options were also identified as barriers. Results confirm previous findings that well stewardship practices are minimal and often context specific. Understanding the target population's perceptions of risk and knowledge are important elements to consider in identifying vulnerable populations and developing education and policy efforts to improve well stewardship.
Controlling social dynamics with a parametrized model of floor regulation

Turn-taking is ubiquitous in human communication, yet turn-taking between humans and robots continues to be stilted and awkward for human users. The goal of our work is to build autonomous robot controllers for successfully engaging in human-like turn-taking interactions. Towards this end, we present CADENCE, a novel computational model and architecture that explicitly reasons about the four components of floor regulation: seizing the floor, yielding the floor, holding the floor, and auditing the owner of the floor. The model is parametrized to enable the robot to achieve a range of social dynamics for the human-robot dyad. In a between-groups experiment with 30 participants, our humanoid robot uses this turn-taking system at two contrasting parametrizations to engage users in autonomous object play interactions. Our results from the study show that: (1) manipulating these turn-taking parameters results in significantly different robot behavior; (2) people perceive the robot's behavioral differences and consequently attribute different personalities to the robot; and (3) changing the robot's personality results in different behavior from the human, manipulating the social dynamics of the dyad. We discuss the implications of this work for various contextual applications as well as the key limitations of the system to be addressed in future work.
Mechanical Behavior of Molybdenum Disilicide-Based Alloys

We have investigated the mechanical behavior of the following single-phase polycrystalline alloys with the MoSi{sub 2} body-center tetragonal structure: MoSi{sub 2} alloyed with {approximately}2.5 at.% Re, MoSi{sub 2} alloyed with 2 at.% Al, MoSi{sub 2} alloyed with 1 at.% Nb, and MoSi{sub 2} alloyed with 1 at.% Re and 2 at.% Al. Several anomalies in the mechanical behavior of alloyed materials were observed. For example, (1) addition of only {approximately}2.5 at. % Re results in an order of magnitude increase in compressive strength at 1600 C, (2) additions of Nb and Al cause solution softening at near-ambient temperatures, and (3) quaternary MoSi{sub 2}-Re-Al alloys show strengthening at elevated temperatures and reduction in flow stress with enhanced plasticity at near-ambient temperatures in compression. The mechanisms of anomalous solution hardening and softening are discussed.
Ten Theses on the Subject of Biology and Politics: Conceptual, Methodological, and Biopolitical Considerations

In this chapter, I develop a set of concepts and methodological principles that researchers might draw on as they try to elucidate the processes by which the engagement of humans with their social worlds, material environments, and historical cultures results in the formation of a self in subject, corporeal, and biological dimensions. I forge a conceptual language and rules for analysis that may enable scholars to negotiate converging accounts of how the social norms, lived environments, and power relations through which people develop a sense of self are bound up with processes through which biological organisms compose and recompose themselves over time.
Chiral Bis(Phospholane) PCP Pincer Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, and Nickel-Catalyzed Asymmetric Phosphine Alkylation

A known ligand precursor, prepared by an improved method from 1,3-bis(bromomethylbenzene), a base, and (R,R)-2,5-dimethylphospholane-borane, was deprotected with DABCO and used to prepare chiral m-xylene-based PCP pincer complexes. Reaction with Ni(DME)Br2 and NEt3 gave square planar Ni(DuPinPhos)(Br) (9), which was crystallographically characterized. Heating with [Ir(COE)2Cl]2 yielded the dinuclear hydride complex [Ir(DuPinPhos)(H)(Cl)]2(μ-C6H4(CH2-dimethylphospholanyl)2] (10), which contained both pincer chelates and a bridging bis(phospholane). Nickel complex 9 was a catalyst precursor for enantioselective alkylation of secondary phosphines with 2-bromomethylnaphthalene using the base NaOSiMe3. The dynamic behavior of a catalytic intermediate, the P-stereogenic terminal phosphido complex Ni(DuPinPhos)(PPhIs) (Is = 2,4,6-(i-Pr)3C6H2), was characterized by variable temperature NMR spectroscopy.
Spatial selective attention biases are shaped by long-term musical experience and short-term exposure to tones.

Abstract Selective attention is a dynamic process that rapidly shifts processing resources to information that is most relevant to our goals. Although individuals often show spatial biases in attention, these biases can be modified by both long-term factors, such as musical training, or by momentary changes in the auditory context. The present study used a visual search task to examine the influence of these factors on spatial attention biases while increasing demands on selective attention. Experiment 1 examined the effects of musical experience on baseline spatial selective attention biases during search. Individuals with little musical experience showed a typical leftward response bias that became stronger as the number of distractors increased. However, those with more musical experience showed similar responses to targets on the left and right sides, indicating an attenuation of the typical leftward spatial attention bias. Experiment 2 examined whether the addition of low- and high-frequency tones dynamically influenced participants’ spatial attention biases during visual search. Participants showed increased orienting to and scanning of left-side distractor locations in response to low-frequency tones regardless of musical experience. The present results demonstrate that spatial attention biases are dynamic and can be shaped by both long-term experiences and momentary contextual effects.
The Rank of a Direct Power of a Small-Cancellation Group

We construct an example of a finitely generated $$C'\left( {\frac{1}{6}} \right)$$ group G∞ such that rank((G ∞)n)=2 for all n≥1. For each n, we construct a finitely presented $$C'\left( {\frac{1}{6}} \right)$$ group G n such that rank((G n )n)=2. We conjecture that if G is a word-hyperbolic group then rank(G n )→∞ as $ n→∞. For each m we give an example of a residually finite $$C'\left( {\frac{1}{6}} \right)$$ group K m such that K m has exactly two relators, but K m has no proper subgroups of index $ ≤m. We construct a finitely generated $$C'\left( {\frac{1}{6}} \right)$$ group D such that there is an epimorphism D→D×D.
Polymer-Supported Tetranuclear Bimetallic Cluster Catalysts

Supported metal clusters with unique structures have been prepared by phosphine-phosphine ligand exchange between the parent molecular metal clusters and phosphine-functionalized poly(styrene-divinylbenzene). The polymers incorporating clusters with open butterfly framework structures ([ClAuOs 3 (CO) 10 ([Ph 2 P- )] and [Co 2 Pt 2 (CO) 8 (Ph 2 P- ) 2 ]) were active catalysts for ethylene hydrogenation at 1 atm and temperatures ≤100°C, whereas polymers incorporating clusters with closed tetrahedral framework structures ([HAuOs 3 (CO) 10 (Ph 2 P- )] and [H 2 PtOs 3 (CO) 10 (Ph 2 P- ) 2 ]) had immeasurably low activity. It is inferred that the former metal clusters themselves provided the catalytic sites by virtue of their coordinative unsaturation, whereas metal-metal, or metal-ligand bond cleavage would be required for catalytic activity of the clusters with closed tetrahedral frameworks.
Analysis of LAZ3 (BCL-6) status in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: results of rearrangement and gene expression studies and a mutational analysis of coding region sequences.

The LAZ3 gene encodes a novel zinc-finger protein that shares homology with several Drosophila transcription factors. This gene was identified by its disruption in translocations involving chromosome 3q27 in diffuse large-cell lymphomas. To assess the frequency and role of this gene9s involvement in lymphomagenesis and tumor progression, we examined a series of 170 cases of non-Hodgkin9s lymphomas of B-cell lineage for LAZ3 gene rearrangement, expression, and mutation. The cases included 35 de novo diffuse aggressive lymphomas (DAL; 19 large-cell, 4 mixed-cell, and 12 large-cell immunoblastic), 52 transformed aggressive lymphomas derived from follicular lymphomas (TFL), 42 indolent follicular lymphomas (FL), 14 mantle cell lymphomas (MCL), and 27 small noncleaved cell lymphomas (SNCL). LAZ3 rearrangements were found in 10 DAL (28.6%), 9 TFL (17.3%), and 6 FL (14.3%), but not in any of the SNCL or MCL. LAZ3 rearrangement was not exclusive of bcl-2 rearrangement. Most rearrangement breakpoints mapped to a 10-kb BamHI-Xba I fragment located 5′ to the LAZ3 coding sequence, consistent with previously reported breakpoint locations. Northern analysis of both rearranged and nonrearranged B-cell lymphoma cases showed similar levels of a transcript of approximately 3.8 kb, indicating that LAZ3 is broadly expressed in B-cell tumors and is not confined to rearranged cases. To investigate whether mutation of the LAZ3 gene might contribute to a potential role for this gene in lymphomagenesis, we screened the coding sequences of 13 rearranged cases, 6 nonrearranged cases, and 13 hematopoietic tumor cell lines. Although three probable polymorphisms were identified, mutations were detected in only 2 rearranged cases. Only 1 of these resulted in an amino acid substitution. Two cell lines (SU-DHL4 and Molt-4) also contained mutations; only one resulted in an amino acid substitution. We conclude (1) that LAZ3 rearrangements occur in a significant fraction of de novo DAL as well as in a smaller subset of indolent and transformed follicular lymphomas; (2) that LAZ3 message is expressed in both rearranged and nonrearranged B-cell lymphomas; and (3) that mutation of the LAZ3 gene does not contribute to its putative oncogenic role in most 3q27 translocated B-cell lymphomas.
Time Varying Covariance Equivalent Realizations

Non stationary generalizations of the Q-Markov Covariance equivalent system realizations from input-output experimental data are presented. For applications involving the stabilization of a mechanical system about a nominal trajectory, model identification of departure motion dynamics from data involves the realization of a time varying system. Specifying the covariance properties of the time varying departure motion dynamics model, this paper develops an approach to derive discrete time varying plant models directly from the data. The utility of using second order information in identification of system matrices comes from the fact that the state error covariance can be obtained simultaneously from the data. The model error characterization properties afforded by the larger degrees of design freedom provided by the time varying covariance equivalent system realizations are discussed in the paper.
A Qualitative Study of Women's Recall of Content and Skills Developed in Group Prenatal and Well-Baby Care 2 Years Later

Introduction Group prenatal and well-baby care is a system of health care visits that occur in a group setting. Each individual session lasts approximately 2 hours, allowing more time for education and support than can occur in an individual visit. Compared with individual care, research suggests that group care is associated with similar or better short-term outcomes, but no studies have yet examined potential long-term benefits beyond one year postpartum. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to elicit women's recall about content covered in group prenatal and well-baby care and whether they were or were not continuing to use skills discussed during group prenatal and well-baby care 2 or more years after their group ended. Methods Eligible women participated in group prenatal and/or well-baby care between 2008 and 2012, were aged at least 18 years, and were English-speaking. Of the 127 eligible women, 32 were reached and 17 agreed to participate. Women were interviewed on average 3 years after group prenatal or well-baby care ended using a semistructured interview guide. Transcripts were reviewed and coded by each team member. Final codes and themes were identified using an iterative review process among the research team. Results Three themes were identified: sustained change, transferable skills, and group as a safe haven. All women were still using strategies discussed during group and had made sustained improvements in nutrition, stress management, and/or in the quality of their interactions with their children, partner, or families. The group environment was described as a safe haven: a respectful, nonjudgmental space that allowed women to share and support each other while learning new skills. Discussion This is the first study to document that group prenatal and well-baby care is associated with long-term benefits in areas not yet reported in the literature: nutrition, family communication, and parenting.
Characterizing a novel scintillating glass for application to megavoltage cone-beam computed tomography.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a prototype electric portal imaging device (EPID) with a high detective quantum efficiency (DQE) scintillator, LKH-5. Specifically, image quality in context of both planar and megavoltage (MV) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is analyzed. Methods Planar image quality in terms of modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and DQE are measured and compared to an existing EPID (AS-1200) using the 6 MV beamline for a Varian TrueBeam linac. Imager performance is contextualized for three-dimensional (3D), MV-CBCT performance by measuring imager lag and analyzing the expected degradation of the DQE as a function of dose. Finally, comparisons between reconstructed images of the Catphan phantom in terms of qualitative quality and signal-difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR) are made for 6 MV images using both conventional and LKH-5 EPIDs as well as for the kilovoltage (kV) on-board imager (OBI). Results Analysis of the NPS reveals linearity at all measured doses using the prototype LKH-5 detector. While the first zero of the MTF is much lower for the LKH-5 detector than the conventional EPID (0.6 cycles/mm vs 1.6 cycles/mm), the normalized NPS (NNPS) multiplied by total quanta (qNNPS) of the LKH-5 detector is roughly a factor of seven to eight times lower, yielding a DQE(0) of approximately 8%. First, second, and third frame lag were measured at approximately 23%, 5%, and 1%, respectively, although no noticeable image artifacts were apparent in reconstructed volumes. Analysis of low-dose performance reveals that DQE(0) remains at 80% of its maximum value at a dose as low as 7.5 × 10-6 MU. For a 400 projection technique, this represents a total scan dose of 0.0030 MU, suggesting that if imaging doses are increased to a value typical of kV-CBCT scans (~2.7 cGy), the LKH-5 detector will retain quantum noise limited performance. Finally, comparing Catphan scans, the prototype detector exhibits much lower image noise than the conventional EPID, resulting in improved small object representation. Furthermore, SDNR of H2 O and polystyrene cylinders improved from -1.95 and 2.94 to -15 and 18.7, respectively. Conclusions Imaging performance of the prototype LKH-5 detector was measured and analyzed for both planar and 3D contexts. Improving noise transfer of the detector results in concurrent improvement of DQE(0). For 3D imaging, temporal characteristics were adequate for artifact-free performance and at relevant doses, the detector retained quantum noise limited performance. Although quantitative MTF measurements suggest poorer resolution, small object representation of the prototype imager is qualitatively improved over the conventional detector due to the measured reduction in noise.
Abstract # 2073 Cytokine expression and sickness behavior following lipopolysaccharide stimulation in the Fmr1 knockout mouse

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a single genetic mutation in the Fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene. In addition to behavioral and physiological symptoms, evidence has suggested that individuals with FXS may have altered immune function. In the present study, we investigated how Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice would respond to an innate immune stimulus by administering a single injection of the bacterial mimetic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.33mg/kg, i.p.) or 0.9% physiological saline. Four hours after injections, brains were dissected, followed by RNA isolation and qRT-PCR on hippocampal tissue. As expected, we found LPS significantly increased proinflammatory cytokines in Fmr1 KO and wild type (WT) mice (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, MCP-1), with no effect on anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Additionally, Fmr1 KO mice given LPS had trending elevations in proinflammatory cytokine expression compared to WT LPS mice. A separate cohort of mice were tested in a burrowing paradigm with a single injection of LPS or saline prior to the testing phase, however, no differences were detected between genotypes in the behavioral sickness response following an immune stimulus. Twenty-four hours following injections, we examined cytokine expression again to determine whether differences detected at 4hr. post-LPS injections were similarly altered at 24hrs. This study provides insight into whether dysregulated immunity could be playing a broader role in the pathophysiology of FXS.
Cell mediated immune responses elicited in volunteers following immunization with candidate live oral Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A attenuated vaccine strain CVD 1902.

Abstract The incidence of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A (PA) infection is on the rise and no licensed vaccines are available. We evaluated cell mediated immune (CMI) responses elicited in volunteers following immunization with a single dose (109 or 1010 cfu) of a novel attenuated live oral PA-vaccine strain (CVD 1902). Results showed increases in PA-lipopolysaccharide-specific IgG- and/or IgA B-memory cells and production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-23 and RANTES following stimulation with PA-antigens by peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained 28 days post immunization. Flow cytometry assays revealed that vaccine elicited PA-specific CD8+ and/or CD4+ T effector/memory cells were predominantly multifunctional concomitantly expressing CD107a and/or producing IFN-γ, TNF-α and/or IL-2. Similar proportions of these MF cells expressed, or not, the gut homing marker integrin α4β7. The results suggest that immunization with CVD 1902 elicits CMI responses against PA supporting its further evaluation as a potential vaccine candidate against paratyphoid A fever.
Which strategy for bifurcation lesions? Provisional or two stent: A dilemma

Bifurcation lesions are synonymous with unfavorable angiographic and clinical outcomes. We present a case of a bifurcated lesion in the left anterior descending artery diagonal. She was managed by implanting a single stent using the proximal optimizing technique (POT), side branch inflation, and final POT (POT-side-POT technique), without final kissing balloon.
Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of patients regarding interdental deplaquing devices: A mixed-methods study.

Objectives This mixed-methods study assessed patients' oral health literacy, motivation level and barriers regarding interdental plaque control. Methods Participants (n = 49) from a study comparing the use of Glide® Pro-Health Floss Original (F) or GUM® Curved Soft-Picks® Advance (SP) completed daily diaries and questionnaires regarding motivation, tiredness, confidence and satisfaction for their deplaquing method. The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test was utilized. Data were also collected from 19 participants who attended focus group discussions regarding their oral health habits, knowledge, motivators and barriers with interdental plaque control. Discussions were digitally recorded, transcribed and imported into ATLAS.ti 7.5.15 to identify themes. Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in relation to age, sex or ethnicity. F users reported statistically significant higher agreement about ability to remove food/debris (P = 0.01), cleaning thoroughly (P = 0.02) and clean feeling of the mouth (P = 0.01). SP users reported higher ease/efficiency of use (P = 0.01), convenience (P = 0.003), easy to hold (P = 0.0001) and easy use away from home (P = 0.008). Daily diaries revealed higher motivation and compliance/ease of use (SP). During the focus groups, some reported that they did not feel clean unless they deplaqued interdentally; however, most reported that they lacked motivation due to constraints on time, no desire due to lack of immediate or tangible rewards, and lack of knowledge on proper use of interdental devices or the benefits of using them. Conclusion This study showed that the lack of compliance may be due to poor literacy and lack of motivation in patients due to gaps in patient education.
SU ( 2 ) geometric phase induced by a periodically driven Raman process in an ultracold dilute Bose gas

We propose a practical protocol to generate and observe a non-Abelian geometric phase using a periodically driven Raman process in the hyperfine ground-state manifold of atoms in a dilute ultracold gas. Our analysis is based upon recent developments and application of Floquet theory to periodically driven quantum systems. The simulation results show the non-Abelian gauge transformation and the noncommuting property of the $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ transformation operators. Based on these results, we propose a possible experimental implementation with an ultracold dilute Bose gas.