cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase retrieval from undersampled intensity data

An algorithm is described for incorporating symmetry information into reconstruction of an image from the amplitude of its Fourier transform. The symmetry is used to compensate for the loss of information due to sampling of the Fourier amplitude below the Nyquist density. The study is motivated by an image reconstruction problem in x-ray crystallography. Application of the algorithm to a simulated crystallographic problem shows that it converges to the correct solution, with no initial phase information, where algorithms currently used in crystallography fail. The results lend support to the possibility of ab initio phase retrieval in macromolecular crystallography when sufficient ta priori information is available.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Slow fluctuations between conjugate points in the auroral absorption of cosmic noise

Abstract The auroral absorption of cosmic radio noise is not identical at magnetically-conjugate points, but often exhibits a relative fluctuation with a period of about an hour. Sometimes the absorption is seen to alternate between conjugate points. Some statistical properties of the fluctuations are given.
Electron transfer from photoexcited singlet and triplet bacteriopheophytin.

— Nanosecond and picosecond. kinetic techniques have been used to study electron transfer from the first excited singlet state (Bph*) and the first excited triplet state (BphT) of bacteriopheophytin to p-benzoquinone. Quenching of the first excited singlet state by 40 mMp-benzoquinone results in a decrease in the lifetime of Bph* but does not lead directly to the formation of the π-cation radical (Bph†). In the presence of 8 M methyl iodide and 40 mMp-benzoquinone together, the singlet lifetime is reduced further; however, the quantum yield of BphT is enhanced due to the increased rate of intersystem crossing between Bph* and BphT. Electron transfer from BphT to p-benzoquinone leads to the formation and detection of Bph†. The results are discussed in terms of the spin-selectivity of the reverse electron transfer process within the intermediate charge transfer complexes.
ATL: an adaptive transport layer suite for next-generation wireless Internet

The next-generation wireless Internet (NGWI) is expected to provide a wide range of services including high-speed data and real-time multimedia to mobile users. To realize this expectation, a diverse set of challenges need to be addressed, which are posed by heterogeneous wireless networking environments within NGWI and the according application requirements. Furthermore, the architectural heterogeneities must be captured dynamically, while mobile users may roam during their connection duration. Current existing transport layer protocols have been developed for a specific network paradigm in mind, e.g., for wireless local area networks (WLANs), micro/macro wireless systems, or for satellite systems. Using these existing different transport layer protocols for NGWI to support global roaming of mobile users is not a practical solution due to processing and memory constraints of wireless terminals. Thus, there is a need for a unified adaptive transport layer protocol suite which can address the architectural heterogeneities for roaming mobile users and achieve the best performance for NGWI. In this paper, a unified adaptive transport layer (ATL) suite is introduced for NGWI which incorporates a new adaptive transport protocol (TCP-ATL) for reliable data transport and a new adaptive rate control protocol (RCP-ATL) for multimedia delivery in the NGWI. According to the requested service type, i.e., reliable data or multimedia, ATL selects the appropriate protocol. Both TCP-ATL and RCP-ATL, deploy a new adaptive congestion control method that dynamically adjusts the protocol configurations according to the current wireless network paradigms depending where the mobile user currently resides. Hence, the unified adaptive ATL protocol suite achieves high-throughput performance in all of underlying heterogeneous wireless architectures, i.e., WLANs, micro, macro, or satellite environments. Moreover, the developed adaptive congestion control explicitly takes fairness into consideration. Performance evaluation via simulation experiments reveals that the ATL protocol suite addresses the challenges posed by the NGWI and significantly improves the performance for reliable data and multimedia transport in NGWI.
Quantum chemical studies of protein structure

Quantum chemical methods now permit the prediction of many spectroscopic observables in proteins and related model systems, in addition to electrostatic properties, which are found to be in excellent accord with those determined from experiment. I discuss the developments over the past decade in these areas, including predictions of nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts, chemical shielding tensors, scalar couplings and hyperfine (contact) shifts, the isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings in Mossbauer spectroscopy, molecular energies and conformations, as well as a range of electrostatic properties, such as charge densities, the curvatures, Laplacians and Hessians of the charge density, electrostatic potentials, electric field gradients and electrostatic field effects. The availability of structure/spectroscopic correlations from quantum chemistry provides a basis for using numerous spectroscopic observables in determining aspects of protein structure, in determining electrostatic properties which are not readily accessible from experiment, as well as giving additional confidence in the use of these techniques to investigate questions about chemical bonding and chemical reactions.
Developmental risk associated with mutual dislike in elementary school children.

The concurrent and longitudinal risk of enemy relationships, using both nominations- and ratings-based methods of assessing enmity, were examined among elementary school children. After controlling for peer rejection, only ratings-based enemies were found to have negative developmental impact.
Susceptibilities of antiviral-resistant influenza viruses to novel neuraminidase inhibitors.

The susceptibilities of five zanamivir-resistant and six oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses were assessed against four neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, including peramivir and A-315675, by a fluorometric NA activity inhibition assay. The enzyme activity of a majority of the variants was effectively inhibited by either A-315675 or both peramivir and A-315675 (50% inhibitory concentration, <10 nM). A novel oseltamivir-resistant influenza virus B variant carrying substitution at residue 198 (Asp→Asn) (N2 numbering) retained susceptibility to peramivir and A-315675. In vivo, the Asn198 variant showed no apparent fitness impairment as judged by its recovery on day 5 from the nasal washes of ferrets coinfected with equal doses of the wild-type virus and the Asn198 variant. Based on the sequence analysis of the virus in the nasal washes, oseltamivir treatment (5 mg/kg twice daily for 5 days) did not provide growth advantage to the Asn198 variant. Nevertheless, treatment with A-315675 (prodrug A-322278) reduced the number of the animals (two of seven) shedding the Asn198 variant. These studies indicate that different patterns of susceptibility and cross-resistance between NA inhibitors may prove important if antiviral resistance to zanamivir and oseltamivir were to emerge.
How Much Does a Human Environment Humanize a Chimp

Apes, Language and the Human Mind. Sue Savage Rumbaugh. Stewart G. Shanker, and Talbot J. Taylor. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. 244 pp.
Optically Addressable Ferroelectric Memory and its Applications

Abstract Thin films of perovskite titanates can be composition-tailored to exhibit ferroelectric, pyroelectric, or piezoelectric properties, in varying degree of combinations, and thereby modulating their response when illuminated with light. This paper reviews the potential applications of photoresponse from lead zirconate titanate thin films. In ferroelectric materials, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), for example, the photoresponse shows a clear dependence on remanent polarization. The main highlight of the paper is a review of the concept of optically addressed ferroelectric memory and identification of its high impact applications. Incidence of energetic laser beam pulses gives rise to two different classes of phenomena: first, a thermally triggered piezoelectric/pyroelectric response and second, an optoelectronic response. Optimizing the device geometry and selecting the illumination characteristics, one can easily control the dominating mechanism in a device. The optoelectronic effect emerges...
A Constant-Work Model for Student Attendance and Enrollment

This paper develops a model of undergraduate student attendance that relies on five parameters, one of these being a parameter of total work, w, required to complete the degree. An enrollment forecasting method consistent with these attendance patterns is developed and compared with data for the period 1961-1966 and a cohort of 2,126 and 3,298 freshmen entering in the Fall semesters of 1955 and 1960, respectively. Under the assumptions of the model, the probability of graduation is shown to be the wth power of the conditional probability of successful completion of a unit of work, given that a student drops out or attends and successfully completes a unit of work.
Birth Asphyxia in the Full-Term Infant

Some of the factors causing asphyxia at birth are described in detail in Chapter 17 on high-risk infants (HRI), but it is important to be aware of the causes that may compromise oxygenation in full-term babies: 1. Prolonged labor. 2. Cephalopelvic disproportion. 3. Mother’s exhaustion during labor. 4. Cord around the neck, a frequent cause of asphyxia during delivery. 5. Difficulties in delivery such as breech presentations. 6. Trauma of birth in large babies. 7. Eclampsia. 8. Placenta previa. 9. Abruptio placenta. 10. Syndrome of meconium aspiration.
Mindfulness: an effective coaching tool for improving physical and mental health.

AbstractPurpose:This article provides an overview of the mechanisms of action, evidence base, and practice of mindfulness, with an emphasis on how to easily incorporate this valuable skill into practice.Data sources:PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo Databases.Conclusions:Conscious attention to the present m
Anticipated Grade and Student Rating of Teacher

Before a method of teacher evaluation can be for mulated, a determination should be made concern ing who should make judgments relative to teaching effectiveness: students, faculty, and/or administrators. There are many who advocate the use of student evalu ations (Cole, 1940; Riley, 1950; Woodring, 1965; Rem mers, 1966). Other investigators contend that student evaluations are of questionable value (Writson, 1965; Phillips, 1964; Weaver, 1960). Many faculty members object to being rated by their students. Some contend that the student is not capable of judging, that he does not know what good teaching is. Others argue that because of his immaturity, the student will let extraneous matters interfere with his objectivity. Ryans (1954) declared that teachers do not like to be judged, do not look with favor upon such proposals to assess their classroom performance and that organiza tions of teachers have gone on record as opposed to per formance ratings in any form (Ryans, 1954, p. 695). The present study was undertaken to gain informa tion relative to these controversial issues, specifically to determine the relationship between the grade a stu dent anticipates making in a course and the student's judgment of his teacher's effectiveness. Do students tend to rate teachers in the direction of the grades which they receive? Several investigators using samples from vari ous populations of student raters have addressed them selves to this issue (Anikeep, 1953; Weaver, 1960; Stewart and Malpass, 1966; Bendig, 1953, Remmers, 1928; Remmers, Martin and Elliot, 1949). The subjects used in this study were 1,447 students at Lee College enrolled during the spring semester, 1967. Lee College, located at Baytown, Texas, is a community junior college with an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students. Not all students participated in the study, for not all faculty members were evaluated by their students at this time. Administrative policy at Lee College pro vides that only a portion of the faculty is to be rated each year. There were 871 ratings by m?le students and 570 by female students. Six of the students failed to indi cate sex. There were 844 ratings completed by first year students, 521 by second year students, 78 by special and postgraduate students. Eight ratings were unmarked rela tive to student classification. The characteristics of the Student sample used in this study were very similar to the characteristics of the entire student body enrolled at Lee College during the spring of 1967. Tables I and II give further information concerning characteristics of the students involved.
Rethinking the web as a personal archive

In recent years the Web has evolved substantially, transforming from a place where we primarily find information to a place where we also leave, share and keep it. This presents a fresh set of challenges for the management of personal information, which include how to underpin greater awareness and more control over digital belongings and other personally meaningful content that is hosted online. In the study reported here, we follow up on research that suggests a sense of ownership and control can be reinforced by federating online content as a virtual, single store; we do this by conducting interviews with 14 individuals about their Web-based content. Participants were asked to give the researchers a tour of online content that is personally meaningful to them; to perform a search for themselves in order to uncover additional content; and to respond to a series of design envisionments. We examine whether there is any value in an integrated personal archive that would automatically update and serve firstly, as a source of information regarding the content within it (e.g. where it is stored, who has the rights to it), and secondly, as a resource for crafting personal artefacts such as scrapbooks, CVs and gifts for others. Our analysis leads us to reject the concept of a single archive. Instead, we present a framework of five different types of online content, each of which has separate implications for personal information management.
Utilization of Alzheimer's disease community resources by Asian-Americans in California.

Alzheimer's disease is as prevalent among Asian ethnic minority groups as among Caucasians. We explored Asian groups' utilization of available Alzheimer's disease services in California, using a uniquely large sample of Asian-Americans. The Minimum Uniform Dataset includes data from nine California Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Centers. Of the 9,451 cases included in the Minimum Utilizable Dataset, 4.2% were Asian (primarily Chinese), 0.8% Filipino, 0.3% Pacific Islander, and 75.9% Caucasian. In comparison to their numbers within the nine California countries served, Asian ethnic elders were underrepresented in enrollment by approximately 50%, except at one center where all staff were bilingual. The centers referred a significantly greater proportion of Asian than Caucasian patients for financial help (47.8 vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001), case management (47.8 vs. 22.3%, P < 0.001), and to Alzheimer's disease day care (41.3 vs. 28.4%, P < 0.05). A significantly greater proportion of Asian caregivers received referrals to caregiver resource centers (32.6 vs. 61.3%, P < 0.001) and financial help (29.6 vs. 4.7%, P < 0.001). A smaller proportion of Asian patients received referrals to home health services than Caucasians (4.3 vs. 14.9%, P < 0.05). Filipino patients were also referred more frequently to financial assistance than Caucasians (P < 0.05). Asians and Pacific Islanders under-enroll at centers specializing in AD care. Bilingual staff at centers specializing in dementia care, training for community physicians who treat these patients, and establishment of caregiver support groups within Asian and Pacific Islander communities may enhance the enrollment of these elders. AD care centers in areas supporting Asian and Filipino families may need to concentrate resources on providing financial assistance in case management.
Analytic and numerical results on the chiral transition in SU(2) lattice gauge-Higgs theory with fermions

Abstract We present an analytic study of the (zero-temperature) chiral symmetry-breaking phase transition in SU(2) lattice gauge-Higgs theory with fermions, relevant to the SU(2) sector of the standard electroweak theory. The transition is found to be second-order and the critical gauge-Higgs coupling is calculated in the limit of strong gauge coupling. New Monte Carlo measurements for quenched I = 1 2 fermions are presented and found to be in excellent agreement with the analytic results, which are not limited to the quenched approximation.
Investigation of tapered multiple microstrip lines for VLSI circuits

The S-parameters of coupled, tapered microstrip lines are calculated as function of frequency using an iteration-perturbation technique. Each tapered microstrip line is analyzed by dividing the line into small segments so that each segment can be approximated as a uniform line. For each frequency, starting with the static case, the effective dielectric constant, epsilon /sub r///sub eff/, is determined. This value is then used to compute the characteristic impedance of that section of line and the S-parameters are obtained using standard microwave analysis. The S-matrix is converted into a T-matrix, and since the sections are cascaded, all T-matrices are multiplied to drive a final T-matrix. This final T-matrix is then converted into an S-matrix, which is frequency dependent, and the mismatch introduced by the taper is obtained from the S-matrix. >
Synthetic Rating on Talent Evaluation-Similarity of Subsets

Abstract There are many topics about rating individuals, animals, places, things, or abstract ideas that are actively researched. When rating about an object is needed to form an opinion it is often given by an expert in the field. These ratings vary from one individual expert's rating to another due to the subjective nature of the evaluation process. How can we evaluate the ratings? How can we find the correlations and similarities among these sets? How can we provide a mathematical modelling for a rating problem? This paper provides a procedure for the extension of fuzzy synthetic rating modelling on a sample to the entire data set and introduces a k -means clustering method to check the level to which there exist similarities among the subsets and classify the dataset automatically for a rating problem. The related synthetic rating and an example to illustrate the modelling is given in this work.
Transient Seepage Flow toward Two Parallel Drains

The method of conformal mapping is applied to the analysis of transient seepage flow toward two parallel drains in a semi-infinite aquifer taking into consideration the nonlinear boundary condition on the free surface. The mapping function is expressed as the power function of time and the seepage domain is mapped onto a domain of an auxillary complex variable in such a manner that the free surface will always remain the real axis. The solution is first obtained to a single drain by neglecting the terms of the fourth on higher order. Then the solution is extended to two parallel drains by using the method of images. Calculations are carried out for different ratios of drain depth to drain spacing using various drain diameter to drain depth ratios.
Brute-Force k-Nearest Neighbors Search on the GPU

We present a brute-force approach for finding k-nearest neighbors on the GPU for many queries in parallel. Our program takes advantage of recent advances in fundamental GPU computing primitives. We modify a matrix multiplication subroutine in MAGMA libraryi?ź[6] to calculate the squared Euclidean distances between queries and references. The nearest neighbors selection is accomplished by a truncated merge sort built on top of sorting and merging functions in the Modern GPU libraryi?ź[3]. Compared to state-of-the-art approaches, our program is faster and it handles larger inputs. For instance, we can find 1000 nearest neighbors among 1 million 64-dimensional reference points at a rate of about 435 queries per second.
Does abortion increase women's risk for post-traumatic stress? Findings from a prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Objective To prospectively assess women9s risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and of experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over 4 years after seeking an abortion, and to assess whether symptoms are attributed to the pregnancy, abortion or birth, or other events in women9s lives. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort study which followed women from approximately 1 week after receiving or being denied an abortion (baseline), then every 6 months for 4 years (9 interview waves). Setting 30 abortion facilities located throughout the USA. Participants Among 956 women presenting for abortion care, some of whom received an abortion and some of whom were denied due to advanced gestational age; 863 women are included in the longitudinal analyses. Main outcome measures PTSS and PTSD risk were measured using the Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD). Index pregnancy-related PTSS was measured by coding the event(s) described by women as the cause of their symptoms. Analyses We used unadjusted and adjusted logistic mixed-effects regression analyses to assess whether PTSS, PTSD risk and pregnancy-related PTSS trajectories of women obtaining abortions differed from those who were denied one. Results At baseline, 39% of participants reported any PTSS and 16% reported three or more symptoms. Among women with symptoms 1-week post-abortion seeking (n=338), 30% said their symptoms were due to experiences of sexual, physical or emotional abuse or violence; 20% attributed their symptoms to non-violent relationship issues; and 19% said they were due to the index pregnancy. Baseline levels of PTSS, PTSD risk and pregnancy-related PTSS outcomes did not differ significantly between women who received and women who were denied an abortion. PTSS, PTSD risk and pregnancy-related PTSS declined over time for all study groups. Conclusions Women who received an abortion were at no higher risk of PTSD than women denied an abortion.
Discourses of desire : sexuality and christian women's visionary narratives

This article compares and contrasts two autobiographical accounts by seventeenth-century Italian religious women: Benedetta Carlini of Pescia, and Maria Domitilla Galluzzi of Pavia. Both were visionaries, highly regarded by their communities, but subject to suspicion and close scrutiny by ecclesiastical authorities. The trial records of Benedetta Carlini relate a series of sexual contacts with her young assistant, while no overt sexual expression is evident in the life of Maria Domitilla Galluzzi. This article questions the relationship between the categories of scholars and the sexual self-understanding of figures in their own historical context. It suggests that "lesbian nun" is too simplistic a dichotomy, and that in comparison to the life of Maria Domitilla, Benedetta Carlini's sexuality revolved around an elaborate organic connection between the spiritual and the sensual.
Genomic sequencing of DPC4 in the analysis of familial pancreatic carcinoma

A first-degree relative with pancreatic cancer is found in 5% to 10% of patients with pancreatic carcinomas, suggesting an inherited predisposition for this neoplasm. The recently identified DPC4 tumor suppressor gene is a strong candidate for the gene responsible for the familial form of pancreatic
Effects of lovastatin and chenodiol on bile acid synthesis, bile lipid composition, and biliary lipid secretion in healthy human subjects

To assess the relationship between cholesterol synthesis and feedback inhibition of bile acid synthesis, we studied seven normal human subjects taking three different doses of chenodiol, 0, 5, and 15 mg/kg per day: once while taking no lovastatin and again while taking lovastatin 80 mg/day. Lovastatin and both doses of chenodiol significantly lowered bile acid synthesis measured by the 14CO2 method, but there was no significant interaction between the perturbations. Both also lowered cholesterol saturation index of gallbladder bile without appreciable interaction, and the combination was distinctly more effective than either medication alone. Lovastatin and low-dose chenodiol both lowered biliary cholesterol secretion without affecting bile acid secretion. Increasing the dose of chenodiol did not further lower cholesterol secretion, but did further reduce saturation index because of an increase in secretion of bile acid and phospholipid. These studies indicate that there is no interaction between cholesterol synthesis and feedback return of bile acid in the enterohepatic circulation with respect to either bile acid synthesis or biliary lipid secretion; that the combination of chenodiol and lovastatin is better than either alone for improving biliary cholesterol saturation; and that the mechanism by which chenodiol lowers cholesterol saturation is dose-dependent.
Analysis of Kentucky’s Law Protecting the Rights of Schoolchildren With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Application of Kingdon’s Policy Stream Model

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic, life-threatening disorder that affects children of all ages. Based on data from 2008 to 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in...
Longitudinal Split Tears of the Ulnotriquetral Ligament

A tear of the ulnotriquetral (UT) ligament can be a troubling source of pain for the athlete, especially those participating in racquet and batting sports. The UT ligament originates from the TFCC and ulnar styloid and is typically injured when an axial load is applied to an extended wrist with forearm supination. The diagnosis is based on physical exam, specifically the ulnar fovea sign. The stability of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) differentiates a longitudinal split tear of the UT ligament from a TFCC foveal tear. The utility of radiographic imaging is primarily to rule out other causes of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Once a UT ligament tear has been suspected by history and examination, the diagnosis can be confirmed arthroscopically, and one or two sutures are typically sufficient for repair. Arthroscopic repair leads to excellent results with return to full athletic participation.
The gap between clinically assessed physical performance and objective physical activity in liver transplant candidates

Frailty with sarcopenia in cirrhosis causes liver transplant wait-list attrition and deaths. Regular physical activity is needed to protect patients with cirrhosis from frailty. We subjectively assess physical performance in selecting patients for transplant listing, but we do not know whether clinical assessments reflect the extent of activity patients actually perform. To investigate this question, 53 wait-listed patients self-assessed their performance of ordinary physical tasks using the Rosow-Breslau survey, and clinicians assessed their physical performance status with the Karnofsky index. We compared these assessments with actual activity measured using an accelerometer/thermal sensing armband worn from 4 to 7 days. We found that their measured activity was among the lowest reported in chronic disease, similar to that of patients with advanced chronic pulmonary disease or renal failure. Their percentages of waking hours spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-vigorous activity were 75.9% ± 18.9%, 18.9% ± 14.3%, and 4.9% ± 6.9%, respectively. Higher mean sedentary and lower mean moderate-vigorous activity was significantly associated with 9 wait-list deaths (P = 0.004). Compared with a range of 7000-13,000 steps/day in healthy adults, patients' mean steps/day were 3164 ± 2842. Both their activity percentage and step data were typical of other severely inactive populations. Neither their Rosow-Breslau scores (mean 2.3 ± 0.8, maximum 3.0) nor their Karnofsky scores (mean 79 ± 12, maximum 100) suggested major impairment or showed a correlation with patients' actual physical performance. In conclusion, physical activity in patients with cirrhosis wait-listed for transplantation is highly sedentary. Self-assessments and provider assessments of physical activity do not reliably indicate actual performance. Whether the gap between assessed and actual performance may be favorably modified by interventions to improve activity and ameliorate frailty merits further study. Liver Transplantation 22 1324-1332 2016 AASLD.
Enhanced efficacy of a novel atmospheric non-thermal microplasma brush for surface sterilization

The application of non-thermal plasmas for surface sterilization is of particular interest due to the increase of secondary infections in hospitals by drug resistant strains of bacteria. Traditional sterilization methods are often too harsh for sensitive equipment and surfaces, and non-equilibrium plasma has been investigated as an alternative. This work details the development and improved efficacy of an atmospheric non-thermal plasma brush for the surface inactivation of bacteria. The plasma brush, driven by 145 ns 9.5 kV pulses at a repetition rate of 2 kHz, consists of 11 microplasma plumes that are 12 mm long, 1.5 mm wide and 0.11 mm thick each. Bacterial inactivation studies were performed on two common nosocomial pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus, inoculated to laminate plates. At a flow rate of 1 slpm of helium and a 5 mm nozzle to surface distance, only 0.2 log (37%) reduction was achieved on a dry laminate surface for a treatment time of 5 minutes. Application of a thin layer of water to the treatment surface increased the reduction by 100-fold (2.2 log reduction, 99.4%) compared to the treatment for a dry surface. Addition of water vapor to the helium flow was also able to improve the inactivation efficacy. Bacterial inactivation was maximized at 1.1 log (92%) for He/(1.4%)H2O with the plasma jet applied to dry laminate surfaces. Optical emission spectroscopy was performed for the plasma brush at various conditions to determine the changes in the production of electronically excited species in the presence of water at the treatment surface and in the feed gas.
Organizing the Evidence for Healthcare Design Projects.

Objective:This methodology column provides project leaders with helpful tools to organize the evidence analysis for healthcare design projects.Background:Searching the evidence to support a design ...
From the Cover: Coagulation-Driven Hepatic Fibrosis Requires Protease Activated Receptor-1 (PAR-1) in a Mouse Model of TCDD-Elicited Steatohepatitis

Emerging evidence supports a role for environmental chemical exposure in the pathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disease process tightly linked to increased activity of the blood coagulation cascade. Exposure of C57BL/6 mice to the persistent environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) recapitulates features of the NAFLD spectrum, including steatosis, hepatic injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. We assessed coagulation cascade activation, and determined the role of the thrombin receptor protease activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) in experimental TCDD-elicited NAFLD. Chronic exposure to TCDD (30 µg/kg every 4 days for 28 days) was associated with intrahepatic coagulation, indicated by increased plasma thrombin-antithrombin levels and hepatic fibrin(ogen) deposition. PAR-1 deficiency diminished TCDD-elicited body weight loss and relative liver weight was reduced in TCDD-exposed PAR-1-/- mice compared with TCDD-exposed wild-type mice. PAR-1 deficiency did not affect TCDD-induced hepatic steatosis or hepatocellular injury, as indicated by serum alanine aminotransferase activity. Despite a lack of effect on these 2 features of NAFLD pathology, PAR-1 deficiency was associated with a reduction in hepatic inflammation evident in liver histopathology, and reflected by a reduction in serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6. Moreover, TCDD-driven hepatic collagen deposition was markedly reduced in PAR-1-deficient mice. These results indicate that experimental TCDD-elicited steatohepatitis is associated with coagulation cascade activation and PAR-1-driven hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.
Lead Selenide Nanostructures Self-Assembled across Multiple Length Scales and Dimensions

A self-assembly approach to lead selenide PbSe structures that have organized across multiple length scales and multiple dimensions has been achieved. These structures consist of angstrom-scale 0D PbSe crystals, synthesized via a hot solution process, which have stacked into 1D nanorods via aligned dipoles. These 1D nanorods have arranged into nanoscale 2D sheets via directional short-ranged attraction. The nanoscale 2D sheets then further aligned into larger 2D microscale planes. In this study, the authors have characterized the PbSe structures via normal and cryo-TEM and EDX showing that this multiscale multidimensional self-assembled alignment is not due to drying effects. These PbSe structures hold promise for applications in advanced materials—particularly electronic technologies, where alignment can aid in device performance.
An Updated Checklist of Bryophytes of the Shawangunk Mountains, New York

Abstract.Our general collecting of bryophytes in the northern Shawangunks, NY (Ulster County) revealed 125 new species records (93 new mosses and 32 new liverworts), which also marks the first published records of liverworts for the area. Incidental to our bryophyte work, we found seven lichen species new to the area. These records combined with prior research makes for a total of 177 mosses (36 families), 36 liverworts (19 families), and 70 lichens (20 families) known from the area. New moss records include the NY State rare mosses Pohlia lescuriana and Coscinodon cribrosus. These additional rare moss species found here, coupled with prior records of new moss habitats and rare species, indicate that the northern Shawangunks is a notable location for cryptogams.
Hemostasis in Hypothyroidism and Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders

Context There are contradictory results on the effect of hypothyroidism on the changes in hemostasis. Inadequate population-based studies limited their clinical implications, mainly on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). This paper reviews the studies on laboratory and population-based findings regarding hemostatic changes and risk of VTE in hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disorders. Evidence acquisition A comprehensive literature search was conducted employing MEDLINE database. The following words were used for the search: Hypothyroidism; thyroiditis, autoimmune; blood coagulation factors; blood coagulation tests; hemostasis, blood coagulation disorders; thyroid hormones; myxedema; venous thromboembolism; fibrinolysis, receptors thyroid hormone. The papers that were related to hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disorder and hemostasis are used in this review. Results Overt hypothyroidism is more associated with a hypocoagulable state. Decreased platelet count, aggregation and agglutination, von Willebrand factor antigen and activity, several coagulation factors such as factor VIII, IX, XI, VII, and plasminogen activator-1 are detected in overt hypothyrodism. Increased fibrinogen has been detected in subclinical hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease rendering a tendency towards a hypercoagulability state. Increased factor VII and its activity, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 are among several findings contributing to a prothrombotic state in subclinical hypothyroidism. Conclusions Overt hypothyroidism is associated with a hypocoagulable state and subclinical hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disorders may induce a prothrombotic state. However, there are contradictory findings for the abovementioned thyroid disorders. Prospective studies on the risk of VTE in various levels of hypofunctioning of the thyroid and autoimmune thyroid disorders are warranted.
Call Center Employees’ Intent to Quit: Examination of Job Engagement and Role Clarity

ABSTRACTCall centers have become a valuable resource for hotels in managing customer experiences and relationships, yet they have also developed a reputation for being a stressful job which has made it a significant challenge to retain employees. Given high turnover rates among call center employees, it is important for hospitality firms to understand the factors influencing their intentions to quit. This study focuses on job engagement and role clarity to examine hotel call center employees’ intent to quit. The survey results of call center employees at a large resort hotel suggest that job engagement significantly influences the hotel call center employees’ intent to quit after accounting for job satisfaction and organizational support. Role clarity, however, is not related to intent to quit. Managerial implications and recommendations for increasing employee job engagement are discussed.
Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of neurosteroid photoaffinity ligands.

Abstract Neuroactive steroids are potent positive allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors (GABAAR), but the locations of their GABAAR binding sites remain poorly defined. To discover these sites, we synthesized two photoreactive analogs of alphaxalone, an anesthetic neurosteroid targeting GABAAR, 11β-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoyloxy)allopregnanolone, (F4N3Bzoxy-AP) and 11-aziallopregnanolone (11-AziAP). Both photoprobes acted with equal or higher potency than alphaxalone as general anesthetics and potentiators of GABAAR responses, left-shifting the GABA concentration – response curve for human α1β3γ2 GABAARs expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and enhancing [3H]muscimol binding to α1β3γ2 GABAARs expressed in HEK293 cells. With EC50 of 110 nM, 11-AziAP is one the most potent general anesthetics reported. [3H]F4N3Bzoxy-AP and [3H]11-AziAP, at anesthetic concentrations, photoincorporated into α- and β-subunits of purified α1β3γ2 GABAARs, but labeling at the subunit level was not inhibited by alphaxalone (30 μM). The enhancement of photolabeling by 3H-azietomidate and 3H-mTFD-MPAB in the presence of either of the two steroid photoprobes indicates the neurosteroid binding site is different from, but allosterically related to, the etomidate and barbiturate sites. Our observations are consistent with two hypotheses. First, F4N3Bzoxy-AP and 11-aziAP bind to a high affinity site in such a pose that the 11-photoactivatable moiety, that is rigidly attached to the steroid backbone, points away from the protein. Second, F4N3Bzoxy-AP, 11-aziAP and other steroid anesthetics, which are present at very high concentration at the lipid-protein interface due to their high lipophilicity, act via low affinity sites, as proposed by Akk et al. (Psychoneuroendocrinology 2009, 34S1, S59-S66).
Discrepancy in caregiving expectations predicts problematic alcohol use among caregivers of trauma injury patients six months after ICU admission

This prospective study examined the influence of caregiving variables on the development of problematic alcohol use among family members of patients admitted to an urban Level I trauma center. Data were collected from 124 caregivers 48 hrs after initial hospitalization of their family member. The final sample included 81 participants (24.6% male; Mage = 47.8) who completed their follow-up assessment at 6 months. Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses assessed increases in consumption and odds of a positive screen for problematic alcohol use in association with caregiver burden, actual time spent in the caregiving role, and caregiving differential (i.e., anticipated time spent caregiving at baseline in relation to actual time caregiving at 6 months). At 6 months, 24.7% of caregivers screened positive for problematic alcohol use. Results uniquely highlighted caregiving differential as a significant predictor of both increases in general alcohol consumption (ΔR2 = .06, p < .01) and odds of screening positive for problematic alcohol use at 6 months (Odds Ratio = 1.05, 95% CI [1.02-1.09]). More specifically, our adjusted model found that providing 10% more time caregiving, relative to expectations at baseline, was associated with an increase in the probability of problematic alcohol use by 22% (95% CI: 8-37%) at 6 months. These results suggest that a discrepancy in expectations regarding anticipated time caregiving and actual time caregiving, rather than solely the amount of caregiving or perceived caregiver burden, may be an important predictor of caregiver alcohol use 6 months after a family member's ICU hospitalization. (PsycINFO Database Record
Comparative analysis of different fidelity fuel performance models for fuel temperature predictions

Abstract Thermal-hydraulics subchannel models have proven to give an acceptable compromise between modeling fidelity and computational efficiency in coupled multi-physics steady state, depletion, and transient calculations. The accuracy in modeling both gas-gap conductance and fuel thermal conductivity is of significant importance for fuel temperature prediction, which, in turn, is crucial for calculation of Doppler feedback on power. A comparative analysis of fuel performance models of different fidelity was performed using the sub-channel code CTF, and the higher fidelity fuel performance codes FRAPCON and BISON. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the predictive accuracy of the informed fuel rod model in CTF, thus the potential to inform this model using data from higher fidelity fuel performance models. Excellent agreement was found between CTF and FRAPCON, and between CTF and BISON with respect to inside clad temperature as well as to fuel surface and fuel centerline temperatures when the CTF gap conductance was set to the BISON and FRAPCON calculated gap conductance values. With respect to the CTF and FRAPCON comparison, the maximum temperature difference between the two codes for a given power level and burnup value was below 2 degree Kelvin for clad inner surface and fuel surface temperature. For fuel centerline temperature, the maximum temperature difference was found to be below 7 degree Kelvin at the highest power level and burnup value. Similarly, the CTF and BISON comparison resulted in maximum temperature differences less than 5 degree Kelvin for the fuel centerline temperature. These results demonstrate that, if the gap conductance, dimensions, and radial power distribution is correctly set in CTF, the CTF-predicted rod temperature distribution will match closely with higher fidelity tools and licensed industry level fuel performance codes for normal operating conditions.
System reliability prediction with shared load and unknown component design details

In many system designs, it is a challenging task for system designers to predict the system reliability due to limited information about component designs, which is often proprietary to component suppliers. This research addresses this issue by considering the following situation: all the components share the same system load, and system designers know component reliabilities with respect to the component load, but do not know other information, such as component limit-state functions. The strategy is to reconstruct the equivalent component limit-state functions during the system design stage such that they can accurately reproduce component reliabilities. Because the system load is a common factor shared by all the reconstructed component limit-state functions, the component dependence can be captured implicitly. As a result, more accurate system reliability can be produced compared with traditional methods. An engineering example demonstrates the feasibility of the new system reliability method.
Coevolution of a multilayer node-aligned network whose layers represent different social relations.

We examine the coevolution of three-layer node-aligned network of university students. The first layer is defined by nominations based on perceived prominence collected from repeated surveys during the first four semesters; the second is a behavioral layer representing actual students’ interactions based on records of mobile calls and text messages; while the third is a behavioral layer representing potential face-to-face interactions suggested by bluetooth collocations. We address four interrelated questions. First, we ask whether the formation or dissolution of a link in one of the layers precedes or succeeds the formation or dissolution of the corresponding link in another layer (temporal dependencies). Second, we explore the causes of observed temporal dependencies between the layers. For those temporal dependencies that are confirmed, we measure the predictive capability of such dependencies. Third, we observe the progress towards nominations and the stages that lead to them. Finally, we examine whether the differences in dissolution rates of symmetric (undirected) versus asymmetric (directed) links co-exist in all layers. We find strong patterns of reciprocal temporal dependencies between the layers. In particular, the creation of an edge in either behavioral layer generally precedes the formation of a corresponding edge in the nomination layer. Conversely, the decay of a link in the nomination layer generally precedes a decline in the intensity of communication and collocation. Finally, nodes connected by asymmetric nomination edges have lower overall communication and collocation volumes and more asymmetric communication flows than the nodes linked by symmetric edges. We find that creation and dissolution of cognitively salient contacts have temporal dependencies with communication and collocation behavior.
Inactivation of Salmonella in grape tomato stem scars by organic acid wash and chitosan-allyl isothiocyanate coating

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate inactivation of inoculated Salmonella enterica on grape tomato stem scars exploiting integrated treatment of organic acid wash (AW) followed by chitosan-allyl isothiocyanate (CT-AIT) coating. The treatment effect on microbial loads and fruit quality during 21 days storage at 10 °C was also determined. A bacterial cocktail containing three serotypes of Salmonella enterica was used for this study based on their association with produce-related outbreaks. Tomatoes were spot inoculated on stem scars and then immersed in an organic acid solution (700 ml) containing 0.5% (v/v) each of acetic (AA) and formic acid (FA) to wash under mild agitation for 1 min at ambient temperature (22 °C) followed by 1 min dipping in a coating solution containing 6 ml AIT/g CT. AW in 0.5% organic acid (AA + FA) for 1 min reduced Salmonella population by 2.7 log CFU/g from an initial load of 7.8 log CFU/g, while additional coating treatment of AW tomatoes reduced the pathogens on stem scars to undetectable levels ( 7 log CFU/g reduction for the pathogen. Although the populations of Salmonella in the controls (approx. 7.8 log CFU/g stem scar) did not change significantly during 21 days of storage at 10 °C, the populations were reduced to undetectable level in the integrated (AW plus CT-AIT) treated stem scars on day 1 and no regrowth was observed during storage. The treatment significantly (p
Peri-Operative Pain Management in Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures are known to cause acute postoperative pain. Effective management of acute postoperative pain is critically important for physiological and psychological stability. The goal of effective postoperative pain management is to reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort with a minimum of side effects. Inadequate management of acute postoperative pain is a potential source of complications and a significant cause of decreased quality of life. Preemptive and perioperative medication administration and multimodal postoperative therapy have been shown to be effective in postoperative acute pain management following oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures.