cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responsiveness to loop diuretics in heart failure.

This editorial refers to ‘Diuretic response in acute heart failure: clinical characteristics and prognostic significance’[†][1], by M.A.E. Valente et al. , on page 1284 Loop diuretics are the most commonly used drugs in the management of pulmonary and systemic congestion in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), as well as chronic congestive HF. The diuresis results from blockade of the Na+–K+–Cl− co-transporter in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle. The pharmacodynamics of loop diuretics are illustrated in Figure 1 , and are best described as an S-shaped curve.1 The first few i.v. administrations to patients with HF and congestion cause a brisk diuresis with accompanying weight loss. Although loop diuretics may be life saving in patients with ADHF and pulmonary oedema, they have not been shown definitively to extend survival in patients with chronic HF, although they do play a critically important role in the reduction of oedema and dyspnoea. Figure 1 Dose–response curves for loop diuretics. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a rightward shift consequent to a reduction in the secretion of the diuretic. Patients with heart failure (HF) who have received multiple doses of a loop diuretic exhibit both a rightward shift and depression of the peak (maximal response reduced). Not shown is the elevation of the natriuretic threshold which further limits the response to orally administered diuretics. Reprinted with permission from Ellison DH. Diuretic therapy and resistance in congestive heart failure. Cardiology 2001; 96 :132–143. S. Karger AG. Unfortunately, drug resistance develops frequently with repeated administration of loop diuretics2,3 and, as a consequence, fluid retention and congestion recur. Loop diuretic resistance is likely to be due to the operation of several counter-regulatory processes, which cause fluid retention. These include: (i) activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS); … [1]: #fn-2
Some properties of the afferent pathway in the frog corneal reflex.

Abstract An electrophysiological method was used to examine the neurological basis of stimulus specificity in the frog corneal reflex. Anesthetized frogs possessing an intact corneal reflex were stimulated in a variety of ways and source density maps were constructed from the synaptic potentials recorded in the medulla oblongata at the level of the abducens nucleus. These maps, considered in relation to the effectiveness of the various stimuli for producing an eye retraction, suggest a set of characteristic physiological properties for the afferent nerve fibers which lie in the frog corneal reflex pathway. There appears to be a 100-μ separation in the medulla between the sites of termination of two groups of afferent myelinated nerve fibers. One group, consisting of the fastest conducting fibers, terminates medially, while the other group, consisting of fibers having a slower conduction velocity and a higher electrical threshold, terminates laterally. Two results further suggest that the frog corneal reflex may involve only those fibers which terminate in the lateral locus. First, the reflex motor cell response which follows an effective stimulation of the snout does not occur until 1 or 2 msec after the appearance of lateral activity, in spite of the much greater medial activity which occurs 2 msec before the lateral activity. Secondly, the activity following corneal stimulation is completely confined to the lateral locus. These results also suggest that the stimulus specificity of the frog corneal reflex rests simply on the relatively high density of small diameter fibers terminating peripherally in the cornea and centrally in the lateral locus. Finally, it is shown how ischemia could account for the abnormal eye reflexes which have been induced in amphibia by transplantation.
Evaluating the long-term impacts of promoting “green” agriculture in the Amazon

Frontier development in the Brazilian Amazon has created vast areas of largely deforested landscapes. Conservation efforts in these post-frontier zones seek to protect the remaining forest fragments and promote sustainable agricultural practices that absorb labor, meet market demand, and generate ecosystem services. Assessments of these efforts often find that rates of sustained uptake are disappointingly low and that impacts are difficult to discern, but this could be due to the short-time frames of both the efforts themselves and their evaluation. We investigate the impacts of participation in an internationally sponsored farmer association that for 15 years promoted sustainable agricultural practices in the heavily deforested state of Rondonia, Brazil. Using data from a georeferenced four-period panel survey of farmers in combination with remote sensing data on land use spanning the life of the association, we apply matching methods to estimate the impacts of participation. We find that membership resulted in more diversified production systems, including more land allocated to agroforestry. Members also deforested less of their farms, but this difference is not statistically significant after we control for selection bias in membership.
The Acute and Long-Term Adverse Effects of Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) has proven to be a highly effective treatment for the removal of kidney stones. Shock waves (SWs) can be used to break most stone types, and because lithotripsy is the only noninvasive treatment for urinary stones, SWL is particularly attractive. On the downside SWL can cause vascular trauma to the kidney and surrounding organs. This acute SW damage can be severe, can lead to scarring with a permanent loss of functional renal volume, and has been linked to potentially serious long-term adverse effects. A recent retrospective study linking lithotripsy to the development of diabetes mellitus has further focused attention on the possibility that SWL may lead to life-altering chronic effects. Thus, it appears that what was once considered to be an entirely safe means to eliminate renal stones can elicit potentially severe unintended consequences. The purpose of this review is to put these findings in perspective. The goal is to explain the factors that influence the severity of SWL injury, update current understanding of the long-term consequences of SW damage, describe the physical mechanisms thought to cause SWL injury, and introduce treatment protocols to improve stone breakage and reduce tissue damage.
Depression in the first year of stay for elderly long-term nursing home residents in the U.S.A.

Background: Understanding the prevalence, incidence and cofactors of depression among long-term elderly nursing home (LTNH) residents domiciled for eight months or more may help optimize depression treatment in this vulnerable group. We quantified first year depression in American LTNH residents and the associations between depression and resident/facility characteristics.Methods: Data were obtained from the Minimum Data Set and Online Survey Certification and Reporting for 634,060 LTNH residents admitted from 1999 to 2005 in 4,216 facilities. Depression first diagnosed at admission and at subsequent quarterly intervals through the first year of stay was examined. Logistic regressions modeled correlates of newly identified depression in each time-period.Results: Recorded depression at admission and during the first year increased from 1999 to 2005. By 2005, 54.4% of LTNH residents had depression diagnosed over the first year; 32.8% at admission and a further 21.6% later during the first year. Antidepressant use was reported prior to depression diagnosis for 48% of those first identified depressed after admission. Men, non-Hispanic blacks, never married, and severely-cognitively impaired LTNH residents were less often identified with depression, particularly at admission. Pain and physical comorbidity were positively associated with depression identified throughout the first year. Prior institutionalization was associated with depression at admission, but not new depression after admission. Facility characteristics had weaker associations with depression.Conclusions: High depression rates at admission and during the first year indicate a need to monitor and treat large numbers of American LTNH residents for depression. Reduced associations between demographics and depression as stays progress suggest other factors have increased roles in depression etiology.
Image-guided tumor ablation for the treatment of recurrent non-small cell lung cancer within the radiation field.

Abstract Purpose The treatment options for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that recurs after irradiation are limited. Image-guided percutaneous thermal ablation is an effective option in treating NSCLC that may provide an alternative to reirradiation. The purpose of this paper is to determine the survival and palliative benefit of image-guided percutaneous thermal ablation in the treatment of NSCLC that recurred within the treatment field of prior external beam radiation therapy. Methods Twenty patients, median age 70, who had NSCLC recurrences following irradiation were treated with image-guided thermal ablation. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to assess survival benefit and subjective pain reports were used to investigate pain relief. Results The median survival time was 13.1 ± SE 1.4 months and the median survival time without local recurrence was 8.5 ± 1.6 months. Eight patients (40%) recurred locally after a median of 3.3 months. Seven out of ten patients (70%) presenting with significant pain had decreased pain at initial post-ablation evaluation. Following the 25 ablations, there were no Grade IV or V, 1 Grade III, 3 Grade II, and 23 Grade I complications. Conclusion Thermal ablation offers a potential survival benefit compared with other available modalities for the treatment of NSCLC recurring within a previously irradiated field. This promising technique has a good safety profile and may also be useful in providing symptomatic relief.
Reducing the effects of linear channel distortion on continuous speech recognition

Linear channel compensation in speech recognition typically involves estimating an additive shift in the cepstral domain. This paper explores both Bayesian and maximum likelihood techniques to transform either the features or the model parameters. Experiments on the Macrophone corpus show error rate reductions of up to 16% over cepstral mean subtraction for short utterances.
Tissue-Specific Induction of Mouse ZIP8 and ZIP14 Divalent Cation/Bicarbonate Symporters by, and Cytokine Response to, Inflammatory Signals:

Mouse Slc39a8 and Slc39a14 genes encode ZIP8 and ZIP14, respectively, which are ubiquitous divalent cation/(HCO3-)2 symporters responsible for uptake of Zn2+, Fe2+, and Mn2+ into cells. Cd2+ and other toxic nonessential metals can displace essential cations, thereby entering vertebrate cells. Whereas Slc39a8 encodes a single protein, Slc39a14 has 2 exons 4 which, via alternative splicing, give rise to ZIP14A and ZIP14B; why differences exist in cell type-specific expression of ZIP14A and ZIP14B remains unknown. Inflammatory stimuli have been associated with upregulation of ZIP8 and ZIP14, but a systematic study of many tissues simultaneously in a laboratory animal following inflammatory cytokine exposure has not yet been reported. Herein, we show that C57BL/6J male mice--treated intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide or the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interleukin-6 (IL6)--exhibited quantatively very different, highly tissue-specific, and markedly time-dependent up- and downregulation of ZIP8, ZIP14A, and ZIP14B messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in 12 tissues. The magnitude of inflammatory response was confirmed by measuring the proinflammatory cytokine TNF, IL6, and interleukin-1β mRNA levels in the same tissues of these animals. Our data suggest that most if not all tissues use ZIP8, ZIP14A, and/or ZIP14B for Zn2+ uptake, some tissues under basal conditions and others moreso when inflammatory stressors are present; collectively, this might lead to substantial alterations in plasma Zn2+ levels due to Zn2+ redistribution not just in liver but across many vital organs. In the context of cadmium-mediated toxicity, our data suggest that tissues other than liver, kidney, and lung should also be considered.
Effect of loading rate on endplate and vertebral body strength in human lumbar vertebrae

Previous studies have implied that increases in loading rate resulted in changes in vertebral mechanical properties and these changes were causative factors in the different fracture types seen with high-speed events. Thus many researchers have explored the vertebral body response under various loading rate conditions. No other study has investigated the role of the endplate in high-speed vertebral injuries. The current study determined changes in the endplate and vertebral body strength with increases in displacement rate. The endplate and vertebral body failure loads in individual lumbar vertebrae were documented for two displacement rates: 10 and 2500 mm/s. Using cross-sectional areas from the endplate and vertebral body, failure stresses for both components were calculated and compared. Both the endplate and vertebral body failure loads increased significantly with increased loading rate (p 0.35). In addition, the endplate and vertebral strengths were not significantly different under high-speed loading (p>0.60), which inhibits possible predictions as to which bony component would fail initially during a high-speed injury event. It is possible that load distribution may contribute more to the fracture patterns seen at high speeds over vertebral component strength.
Bisphenol A and the primate ovary

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics found in many household items (1). Human exposure is so ubiquitous that 0.2–20 ng/mL of BPA (2) is circulating in the body at any given time. Research has shown evidence that exposure to BPA is associated with problems such as anxiety (3), short-term memory loss (4), obesity (5), diabetes (6), and cardiovascular disease (7). However, critics of these studies have pointed out, among other things, that many of these studies were done in nonprimate laboratory animals whose physiology may differ from humans (8). In PNAS, Hunt et al. (9) provide evidence in the rhesus macaque monkey (Macaca mulatta) that prolonged maternal exposure to BPA has a direct influence on the process of meiosis in the fetal ovaries of a primate, the consequences of which are not seen for a generation. It is thus fair to say that BPA may be viewed as the only known aneugen, a chemical whose ingestion can produce oocytes, and thus embryos, with the wrong number of chromosomes (a condition known as aneuploidy) by disrupting the meiotic process. As aptly noted in 2003 by Hunt et al.: “BPA, a man-made substance with estrogenic properties, induces both a dramatic increase in congression failure and meiotic aneuploidy” (10).
Discrimination of three whitefly species (Homoptera, Aleyrodidae) by electrophoresis of non-specific esterases

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to detect non-specific esterase isoenzymes in adults of 3 species of whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Trialeurodes abutilonea (Haldeman) and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). Based on the mobilities of the isoenzyme, the esterase loci can be used to differentiate between two of the species, B. tabaci and T. abutilonea. Trialeurodes vaporariorum produced no esterase bands under the conditions of this study. A relative increase in the intensity of some of the isoenzymes was observed as development proceeded. Malate dehydrogenase and phosphoglucomutase patterns that were observed in the adults cannot be used to discriminate the 3 species. None of the adults of the 3 species from the populations tested exhibited intraspecific genetic variability. Zusammenfassung Identifikation dreier Mottenschildlausarten (Homoptera, Aleyrodidae) mittels Elektrophorese unspezifischer Esterasen Unspezifische Esterase-Isoenzyme wurden fur verschiedene Entwicklungsstadien von Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Trialeurodes abutilonea (Haldeman) und Trialeurodes vaporaiorum (Westwood) mittels Polyacrylamid-Gelelektrophorese aufgetrennt. Die Isoenzyme von B. tabaci und T. abutilonea konnten aufgrund ihrer unterschiedlichen Mobilitat zur Unterscheidung dieser Arten verwendet werden, wahrend unter den hier beschriebenen Versuchsbedingungen T. vaporaiorum keine Esterase-Bandcn produzierte. Die Intensitat einiger Isoenzymbanden nahm mit fortschreitender Entwicklung zu. Fur die adulten Formen wurden daruber hinaus auch Malatdehydrogenase- und Phosphoglucomutase-Muster untersucht, sie erwiesen sich jedoch zur Unterscheidung der drei Arten als ungeeignet. Intraspezifische Variabilitat wurde in den Adultstadien der hier untersuchten Populationen fur keine der drei Arten festgestellt.
INTEGRATED CIVIL ENGINEERING CURRICULUM: FIVE-YEAR REVIEW

An integrated curriculum, which draws material from different areas to teach students about design and problem-solving, offers civil engineering educators an option for accommodating new topics without increasing the number of courses. Freshman engineering and the senior capstone course are two examples of integrated courses, and the writers present a 5-year perspective on an approach that extends the concept of integration to six additional courses, comprised of an 8-course, integrated civil engineering core curriculum. Drawing on their combined experiences with the courses and assessment in a review by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the writers conclude that the curriculum offers a useful vehicle by which to add material to the 4-year program without increasing the number of credit hours, and offers flexible courses to meet goals of professional groups. The paper describes lessons learned, challenges that remain, and current approaches to improvement.
High resolution images of the breast.

High spatial resolution is advantageous for lesion characterization in breast MRI as depiction of fine lesion morphology can help to distinguish a lesion as benign or malignant. In particular, increased spatial resolution may be beneficial in the case of ancillary enhancing foci that can greatly complicate the efficacy of breast MRI [1,2]. In fact, currently, many radiologists do not even attempt to diagnose ancillary enhancing foci of less than 5mm due to the lack of lesion characterization information available for lesions of this size. While a number of methods have been developed that improve spatial resolution or provide a means to improve spatial resolution, two factors must be incorporated for these methods to be clinically accessible. First, improved spatial resolution must be achieved while maintaining clinically feasible scan times and second, improved spatial resolution must be achieved across all contrast mechanisms that are routinely utilized for lesion characterization. In this article we describe our work to achieve high spatial resolution across three contrast mechanisms (T1-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE), T2-weighted, and Diffusion-weighted) while maintaining clinically feasible scan times.
A design procedure for classical offset dual reflector antennas with circular apertures

A geometrical optics procedure for designing electrically optimized classical offset dual reflector antennas with circular apertures is presented. Equations are derived that allow the size and spacing of the main and subreflectors of the antenna system, along with the feed horn subintended angle, to be used as input variables of the design procedure. The procedure, together with these equations, yields an optimized design, starting from general system requirements. The procedure is demonstrated by designing both an offset Cassegrain and an offset Gregorian antenna, and is validated by analyzing their radiation patterns using physical optics surface current integration on both the main and subreflectors. >
BILL CLINTON'S BUDGET: taxes, spending, gimmicks and snake oil

Will President Clinton's budget help to maintain the recovery of the American economy? Daniel Mitchell, of the Heritage Foundation, argues that it is a recipe for bigger government, more debt and slower growth.
Financial Regulatory Reform and Private Funds

This white paper comments on the Obama administration's June 2009 proposal for the regulation of hedge fund investment advisers.
The volterra functional series is a viable alternative to kinetic models for synaptic modeling -calibration and benchmarking

Synaptic transmission is governed by a series of complex and highly nonlinear mechanisms and pathways in whichthe dynamics have a profound influence on the overall signal sent to the postsynaptic cell. In simulation, these mechanisms are often represented through kinetic models governed by state variables and rate law equations. Calculations of such ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in kinetic models can be computationally intensive, and although algorithms have been optimally developed to handle ODEs efficiently, simulation of numerous, large and complex kinetic models requires a prohibitively large amount of computational power. Here we present an alternative representation of ionotropic glutamatergic receptors AMPAr and NMDAr kinetic models consisting of input-output surrogates of the receptor models which can capture the nonlinear dynamics seen in the kinetic models. We benchmark this Input-Output (IO) synapse model and compare it with kinetic receptor models to evaluate the simulation time required when using either synapse model, as well as the number of time steps each model needs for simulation. While remaining faithful to the original dynamics of the model, our results indicate that the IO synapse model requires less simulation time than the kinetic models under conditions which elicit normal physiological responses, thereby improving computational efficiency while preserving the complex non-linear dynamics of the receptors. These IO surrogates therefore constitute an appealing alternative to kinetic models in large scale networks simulations.
Oviposition Rhythm Studies in Crambus topiaries (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Crambinae)

An afternoon oviposition rhythm in the field was found in Crambus topiarius Zeller. Oviposition began 15–18 hr following onset of darkness during different artificial photoperiods. Oviposition was circadian in constant darkness.
Building Assets in Children and Youths through an Experiential Project

(2000). Building Assets in Children and Youths through an Experiential Project. Journal of Health Education: Vol. 31, No. 5, pp. 306-309.
Sustainable Consumption Through Innovative Use: Marke Eigenbau in the Former East Germany

The problems of over-consumption, environmental degradation, and depletion of resources have initiated research in the area of sustainable consumption. The basic premise of sustainable consumption seeks to address the negative impacts of dominating consumption patterns in affluent countries and their need to substantially reduce their consumption to achieve sustainability (Schrader and Thorgersen, 2011). With this macro-level problem in mind, researchers have focused on the roles and responsibilities of both companies and consumers. On the consumer side, two perspectives prevail. First, consumers can choose environmentally friendly products and ‘green’ consumption (Moisander, 2007). The second perspective is that consumers can consume less or even choose not to consume. These perspectives entail a moral obligation and personal commitment to downscale consumption to reduce or eliminate negative externalities on people and the environment (Press and Arnould, 2009). Consumer-centric and company-centric viewpoints are both necessary. With this research, we take a consumer-centric approach. More specifically, we are interested in consumption that is less wasteful. We look back in time to the days of the former East Germany and examine behavior commonly known as Marke Eigenbau (loosely translated as ‘Do-It-Yourself Brand’). Recent discussions have highlighted Marke Eigenbau as a movement against mass production, however, research has not realized Marke Eigenbau to its fullest potential, and thus we analyze Marke Eigenbau in the light of sustainable consumption and the lessons that can be learned from a society with limited resources.
A comparison of canine distemper and measles viruses.

SummaryComparisons of certain physical properties of canine distemper (CDV) and measles (MV) viruses have yielded data compatible with the hypothesis that they belong to the same group. Ultrafiltration of CDV indicated a particle size between 115 and 160 mμ. a value similar to that previously reported for measles. Both viruses were inactivated by ultraviolet light at a rate of 4.5 log units per erg/cm2 × 105 Irradiation with 105 roentgens of gamma particles reduced the titer 0.4 log unit at −70° and 1.0 log unit at O°C for both CDV and MV.
Evaluation of management quality of 31 central sterile supply departments in Chengdu

OBJECTIVE To investigate the current status of quality management in central sterile supple department(CSSD).METHODS On-site evaluations were conducted in 31 CSSD by using the evaluation criteria based on the industry standards issued by the ministry of healthy department.RESULTS The eligible rate of management quality of 31 CSSD was 87% and the total average score was 88.The highest scoring of average rate was the basic equipment and arrangement(90.0%) among the total average score,and the lowest was the related section management(84.0%).The qualified rate of the regional pressure gradient was the lowest index(0),the indexes with the lower qualified rates included the micro climate(6.5%),disinfection and supply of endoscopes(22.6%),building materials and decoration(29.0%),and packaging operations(32.3%).CONCLUSION Most of the CSSD of municipal hospitals meet the specification standards,however,it is necessary to further strengthen the management of department involved,personnel training,resources allocations,and the administrative supervision,meanwhile,the regional CSSD should be established to meet the need of the sterilization and supply of the grass-roots medical institutions.
Exploring historical and future urban climate in the Earth System Modeling framework: 2. Impact of urban land use over the Continental United States

Using a newly developed urban canopy model (UCM) coupled to the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) land model LM3 (LM3-UCM), this study examines the urban land use impacts over the Continental United States (CONUS) under the present-day climate and two future scenarios. Using natural (undisturbed) vegetation systems as references where no land use has occurred, the LM3-UCM simulations show that the spatial pattern of summer (June, July, and August) temperature differences between urban and natural vegetation systems is primarily controlled by the spatial pattern of differences in evapotranspiration, which further depends on the spatial distribution of precipitation. The magnitude of temperature differences generally increases as the summer precipitation amount increases and then levels off when the total summer precipitation amount exceeds 400 mm, which is broadly consistent with previous studies but with significant variability. In winter (December, January, February), the magnitude of temperature differences is more controlled by the building heating than the precipitation amount. At high latitudes where snow is an important factor in radiative balance, the magnitude is also affected by a larger net shortwave radiation input for urban areas due to the lower albedo of cities. Although both urban and natural vegetation temperatures increase as the climate warms, their increasing rates are different and hence their differences change with time. It is found that the multidecadal trend of summer temperature difference is negligible. However, the winter temperature difference shows a strong negative trend, which is caused by reduced building heating requirements under a warming climate.
The properties of air and gases

This chapter discusses the basic properties of air and gases. The chapter is widened further to include brief description of the properties of airborne contaminant gases and vapors as a basis for recognizing the similarities and differences between aerosol and gaseous contaminants. Air is a mixture of gases, the main constituents being nitrogen and oxygen, with a variety of other trace gases including argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. It is a colourless, odorless gas of density 1.29 kg m -3 at a standard temperature and pressure (STP) of 20°C (293°K) and pressure of 1.01 x 10 5 undergo perfect collisions with one another in which no energy is lost.
A Model for Entropy of Parallel Execution

In this paper we develop a theory of visualizing a parallel execution by the entropy of the phase space induced by its traces. This metric is then shown to be able to both theoretically and practically find program issues, such as starvation due to data in one of its threads.
News Zero: The New York Times and the Bomb by Beverly Ann Deepe Keever Monroe, ME: Common Courage Press, 2004. 300 Pp.

(2005). News Zero: The New York Times and the Bomb by Beverly Ann Deepe Keever Monroe, ME: Common Courage Press, 2004. 300 Pp. American Journalism: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 115-116.
A Static-Reconfigurable Systolic Architecture using Barrel Shifters for High Speed Digital Signal Processing

The throughput in high speed digital signal processing (DSP) applications is limited by both the processing speed of the processor employed for number-crunching operations and the capacity of the supporting communications link. Systolic arrays are special forms of multiprocessor architectures that partly overcome the memory band-width problem by allowing multiple computations for each memory access. In systolic arrays proposed so far, the computational element includes a multiplier and an accumulator. The multiplier in the basic cell requires either a large chip area if high speed is desired or becomes slower if serial architecture is used. A high speed programmable computational architecture without the multiplier is proposed in this paper. The new computational architecture is composed of basic cells consisting of a barrel-shifter and an accumulator. A throughput data rate which is inversely proportional to the delay in a single cell is achieved in the new architecture. The architecture is static reconfigurable to make use of the fact that the precision needed for coefficients in any filter or from one filter to another varies considerably. Hence the number of basic cells to implement multiplication by any coefficient is minimal and will depend upon the value of that coefficient only.
Determining the Fate of a Non-Heme Iron Oxidation Catalyst Under Illumination, Oxygen, and Acid.

We analyze the stability of the non-heme water oxidation catalyst (WOC), Fe(bpmcn)Cl2 toward oxygen and illumination under nonaqueous and acidic conditions. Fe(bpmcn)Cl2 has been previously used as a C–H activation catalyst, a homogeneous WOC, and as a cocatalyst anchored to WO3 for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. This paper reports that the ligand dissociates at pH 1 with a rate constant k = 19.8(2) × 10–3 min–1, resulting in loss of catalytic activity. The combination of UV–vis experiments, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry confirm free bpmcn and Fe2+ present in solution under acidic conditions. Even under nonaqueous conditions, both oxygen and illumination together show slow oxidation of iron over the course of a few hours, consistent with forming an Fe3+–O2– intermediate as corroborated by resonance-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, with a rate constant of k = 3.03(8) × 10–3 min–1. This finding has implications in both the merits of non-heme iron complexes as WOCs as well as cocatalysts in ...
EcoSmart Fire as Structure Ignition Model in Wildland Urban Interface: Predictions and Validations

EcoSmartFire is a Windows program that models heat damage and piloted ignition of structures from radiant exposure to discrete landscaped tree fires. It calculates the radiant heat transfer from cylindrical shaped fires to the walls and roof of the structure while accounting for radiation shadowing, attenuation, and ground reflections. Tests of litter burn, a 0.6 m diameter fire up to 250 kW heat release under a Heat Release Rate (HRR) hood, with Schmidt-Boelter heat flux sensors in the mockup wall receiving up to 5 kW/m2 radiant flux, in conjunction with Fire Dynamic Simulator (FDS) modeling verified a 30% radiant fraction, but indicated the need for a new empirical model of flame extinction coefficient and radiation temperature as function of fire diameter and heat release rate for use in ecoSmartFire. The radiant fluxes predicted with both ecoSmartFire and FDS agreed with SB heat flux sensors to within a few percent errors during litter fire growth. Further experimental work done with propane flame heating (also with 30% radiant fraction) on vertical redwood boards instrumented with embedded thermocouples validated the predicted temperature response to within 20% error for both models. The final empirical correlation for flame extinction coefficient and temperature is valid for fire diameters between 0.2 and 7.9 m, with heat release rates up to 1000 kW. From the corrected radiant flux the program calculates surface temperatures for a given burn time (typically 30 s) and weather conditions (typically dry, windy, and warm for website application) for field applications of many trees and many structural surfaces. An example was provided for a simple house exposed to 4 burning trees selected on a Google enhanced mapping that showed ignition of a building redwood siding. These temperatures were compared to damage or ignition temperatures with output of the percentage of each cladding surface that is damaged or ignited, which a homeowner or a landscaper can use to optimize vegetation landscaping in conjunction with house exterior cladding selections. The need for such physics-based fire modeling of tree spacing was indicated in NFPA 1144 for home ignitability in wildland urban interface, whereas no other model is known to provide such capability.
Sex and Race/Ethnicity Differences in Following Dietary and Exercise Recommendations for U.S. Representative Sample of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

This study examined sex by race/ethnicity differences in medical advice received for diet and exercise with corresponding health behaviors of a U.S. representative sample of adults with type 2 diab...
Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness, and Fearlessness about Death: Associations With Suicidal Ideation among Female Veterans Exposed to Military Sexual Trauma.

Objective Military sexual trauma (MST) is prevalent among female Veterans and is associated with increased risk for suicidal self-directed violence. Yet research examining processes which contribute to suicidal ideation and attempts among MST survivors has been sparse, focusing primarily on psychiatric symptoms or diagnoses, rather than employing a theory-driven approach. The interpersonal-psychological theory (Joiner, 2005) is a leading theory of suicide that may be particularly relevant for understanding suicidal ideation among female Veterans who have experienced MST. We examined whether constructs derived from the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and fearlessness about death; Joiner, 2005) were associated with suicidal ideation among female Veterans who had experienced MST, when adjusting for known risk factors for suicide. Method Ninety-two female Veterans with a history of MST completed the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale - Fearlessness about Death Scale, and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation. Results Perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and fearlessness about death were each associated with suicidal ideation in the past week, adjusting for prior suicide attempts, current depressive symptoms, and current symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. When including all three interpersonal-psychological constructs in the model, only perceived burdensomeness and fearlessness about death were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Conclusion These findings provide knowledge regarding interpersonal processes that may contribute to suicidal ideation among this high-risk, yet understudied, population. These results also underscore the importance of assessing for interpersonal-psychological constructs–particularly perceived burdensomeness and fearlessness about death–when working with female Veterans who have experienced MST.
How to Determine the Corank and Noise Level of a System

Abstract The essence of identification of a linear system from inexact data is the determination of its corank, i.e. the number of linear relations of the system. Three approaches to the noisy realization problem using only data covariance matrices as inputs are described: 1.) the Frobenius-Kalman test, based on the work by Koopmans, Reiersol and Kalman. The test determines if the corank is equal or greater than unity, 2.) the Reiethiol tree search procedure. It determines the upperbound on the corank supportable by the inexact data; and 3.) Wilson's inequality (or Ledermann bound). This imposes an exact upperbound on the corank, if a Frisch diagonal noise matrix is presumed. This paper illustrates these findings with an empirical example drawn from the US economy to demonstrate their viability. It also presents for the first time the complete and exact algebraic solution for the Frisch (4, 2) scheme, i.e. for four variables and two relations, and provides thereby the definitive answer to this algebraic identification problem already formulated by Wileon and Worcester in 1934.
Legislation governing tobacco use in Ontario's retirement homes.

ABSTRACTLegislation banning smoking in public places is a key component of comprehensive tobacco control programs, yet residential facilities for aging adults are often exempt from such legislation. In Ontario, Canada, provincial legislation does not comprehensively safeguard retirement homes’ residents and staff from tobacco-related health and safety concerns. This study provides a descriptive analysis of municipal-level bylaws in order to begin understanding the regulatory context of tobacco use in retirement homes in the Province. A stratified random sample of retirement homes (n = 75) was selected. A rubric was developed highlighting various components that a model policy would include, to allow for the independent review of municipal-level bylaws governing these 75 homes. Results indicate that 75% of retirement homes were located in areas without municipal-level tobacco legislation that addressed retirement homes. The remaining 25% (n = 19 retirement homes) were governed by eight different municipal-...
Interfacial Charge Contributions to Chemical Sensing by Electrolyte-Gated Transistors with Floating Gates

The floating gate, electrolyte-gated transistor (FGT) is a chemical sensing device utilizing a floating gate electrode to physically separate and electronically couple the active sensing area with the transistor. The FGT platform has yielded promising results for the detection of DNA and proteins, but questions remain regarding its fundamental operating mechanism. Using carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) exposed to solutions of different pH, we create a charged surface and hence characterize the role that interfacial charge concentration plays relative to capacitance changes. The results agree with theoretical predictions from conventional double-layer theory, rationalizing nonlinear responses obtained at high analyte concentrations in previous work using the FGT architecture. Our study elucidates an important effect in the sensing mechanism of FGTs, expanding opportunities for the rational optimization of these devices for chemical and biochemical detection.
Let’s Meet at the Picnic Table at Midnight

The author provides background about women’s outdoor trips using examples of early women’s expeditions, research, and observation. She describes differences in the aims of men and women as they designed boys’ and girls’ camps, respectively, from the late 1800s into the early 1900s. The author explains how women’s trips designed by women are often different from co-ed trips and why some women choose to go on all-women trips. Stereotypes of outdoor women and women’s outdoor trips are explored, and the concept and effects of lesbian baiting are discussed. The value of giving voice to more perspectives and ways of being in the outdoors is presented.
The Veterans Health Administration's Traumatic Brain Injury Screen and Evaluation: Service Delivery Insights.

Background In recognition of the incidence of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has, since 2007, examined returning U.S. service members for symptoms of TBI, a pre-condition for VA treatment of TBI. This study characterizes "Traumatic Brain Injury screen" service delivery, according to the barrier and facilitator viewpoints of those experiencing the delivery. Methods The purposeful sample comprised both Veteran patient and VA staff participants in the TBI screen program (n = 64), including patients (n = 14), health care providers (n = 38), and key informants (n = 12). Telephone interviews were conducted per standardized, semi-structured interview scripts; respondent narratives recorded and transcribed verbatim; natural emergence of key themes of discourse fostered through conventional content analysis; themes coded by meaning and meaning units organized by nature of influence on service delivery. Results A wide variety of structural, administrative, and communications barriers impede TBI screen service delivery, and certain case management and other functions promote delivery. Conclusions The value of VA TBI screen service delivery is appreciated by its participants, but delivery is perceived as vulnerable to failure; the extent of such failure and short- and long-term effects on patient health and well-being outcomes is incompletely understood and merits investigation. Evaluating VA TBI screen service delivery under alternate modes of delivery, e.g., one-stop visits, expanded hours of delivery, shared appointment sessions, telehealth, and intensified case management is suggested.
How have US banks adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Level 3 fair value disclosure rules?

We examine how banks have complied with the Financial Accounting Standards Board's disclosure rules on Level 3 recurring fair value measurements. We document widespread noncompliance with the basic disclosure requirements. We also find that the noncompliant banks are smaller in size and are associated with lower audit quality, lower institutional ownership and less effective internal controls. Our results should be of use to regulators, auditors and audit committees in the United States, Australia and other countries for assessing the likelihood of noncompliance with fair value disclosure rules and improving the quality of fair value disclosures provided to investors.
Patient information organization in the intensive care setting: expert knowledge elicitation with card sorting methods

Introduction Many electronic health records fail to support information uptake because they impose low-level information organization tasks on users. Clinical concept-oriented views have shown information processing improvements, but the specifics of this organization for critical care are unclear.
An R package for EPANET simulations

Abstract The EPANET software for modeling piping networks is widely used for the design and analysis of water systems. This short communication describes epanet2toolkit, a package for accessing the EPANET simulation engine and application programming interface from the R environment for computing and graphics. Users of the package may run extended period simulations of hydraulics and water quality or create custom applications using the data exploration, visualization, and analysis capabilities of R. epanet2toolkit enables interactive use of EPANET on a variety of computing platforms, provides integrated error checking, and contributes a publicly available test suite. The package is available through the Comprehensive R Archive Network and GitHub.com .
Integrating a real-world scheduling problem into the basic algorithms course

In the shifts assignment problem a collection of shifts (consecutive intervals of positive integers) and a set of positive load requirements over the hours of a day are given. A solution either assigns integer quantities to shifts so that the load requirements are exactly met throughout the day or reports that there is no feasible solution. The shifts assignment problem is a very simple yet crucial in practice problem. It can be posed as integer linear programming over a 0, 1 matrix so that the 1 are consecutive in columns. The problem admits a simple and basic solution via a reduction to the maximum flow problem. The reduction to the max-flow problem is elementary yet not apparent on first viewing. We present a way to integrate teaching this real-world scheduling problem in the basic algorithms course. Such a problem provides for students an illustrative example of the importance and usefulness of the graph theory, flow algorithms, integer linear programming, and more generally linear algebra in real-world applications. Finally, we note that the presented problem is drawn from the recent research.
DD64: Menschenbewertungen, das perfekte Dinner und das Subjekt Inferior (Mai 2008)

Im Fernsehen gibt es jetzt Kochsendungen – auf allen Kanalen. Damit sich normale Deutsche uberhaupt so etwas ansehen mogen, muss nach jedem Menu immer festgestellt werden, wie gut gekocht wurde. Wir mussen ja beckmessern, wer am besten war, oder? Es gibt bis zu zehn Punkte! „Ich mag wegen Schneckenphobie nur Dosengemuse, deshalb null Punkte fur den ekelhaft frischen Salat.“ Was wird da eigentlich bewertet?
INTERSECTING A RAY WITH AN ELLIPTICAL TORUS

This chapter analyzes intersection of a ray with an elliptical torus. An elliptical torus can be generated by sweeping an ellipse about a given axis. The chapter illustrates the resulting cross section of an elliptical torus that has been swept about the y axis. The cross section consists of two ellipses of radii a and b , centered at x = ± r , y = 0. By sweeping the ellipses circularly about the y axis, a torus of radius r and centered at the origin is formed. This chapter presents the mathematics and computations required for determining the points of intersection between a ray and a torus. It highlights that to intersect a ray with a torus that has been arbitrarily positioned and oriented, the ray base and direction cosines must be transformed into the coordinate system of a torus positioned at the origin and oriented in the x – z plane. This can be done by use of a coordinate transformation matrix established from the orthonormal basis created from the axis of rotation and the local x axis. The chapter also presents an efficient bounding method for tori.