cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soil Moisture Effects on Entomopathogenic Nematodes

The effect of soil moisture on entomopathogenic nematode virulence was examined in the laboratory. Objectives were to determine the virulence of several species and isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes at various soil moisture contents and temperatures, and after fluctuations in soil moisture. Studies included up to five isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Oswego and Tuscarora strains), Steinernema glaseri (Steiner) (NC1 strain), S. feltiae (Filipjev) (Biosys 369 strain), and S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (NY001 strain). Nematodes were applied to sandy loam soils ranging in soil moisture content from below the permanent wilting point of plants to near saturation. In all experiments, a rainfall or irrigation event was simulated by adding water to rehydrate soils to high moisture levels (near saturation). Nematode virulence was evaluated periodically by measuring insect mortality in Galleria mellonella (L.) larval bioassays, before and after rehydration. Nematode virulence increased with soil moisture content for all species and isolates tested. Our studies demonstrated that the virulence of entomopathogenic nematodes in low moisture conditions could be restored by rehydrating the soil. Insect mortality was generally low in low-moisture, nematode-infested soils before rehydration, but increased to high levels posthydration. Moisture effects were evident from the onset of each experiment, whereas the effect of soil temperature on nematode-induced insect mortality was delayed and nonsignificant until 14 wk after the initiation of the third experiment.
Heavy-Ion Identification Using Detector Telescopes

One of the most powerful methods of heavy-ion physics involves the study of products produced by the collision of high-energy ions with target nuclei. The products include a substantial range of isotopic species whose variety increases both as the energy of the incident ions and the mass of the colliding nuclei increase. Determining the isotopic composition of the reaction products is an important part of such studies. In this chapter we will consider identification methods that utilize the ionization signals produced when ions pass through one or more detectors. The signals contain amplitude and time information and the methods discussed here utilize one or both types of information. Other methods of identification, particularly using the deflection of charged particles in magnetic fields, are often used either independently or in conjunction with the ionization technique. These methods will not be discussed here; the interested reader is referred to more extensive reviews (Go 75).
U.S. Government Efforts to Build Global Food Defense Capacity

Today’s world is smaller and everything, including food, is shared amongst people in many countries. With the increase of international trade and the growing food import and export industry, it is even more important that we all take measures to ensure that the food we consume is safe from contamination – both unintentional and intentional. The chapter summarizes the U.S. Government’s efforts to build global food defense capacity through cooperation and collaboration with international partners.
Accounting for Oneself: Worth, Status and the Social Order in Early Modern England

By now, it is uncontroversial to note that English society became markedly more unequal, even ‘polarized,’ over the course of the early modern period. But these have arguably become historiographic...
The effects of hemorrhagic shock on the heart.

It has become abundantly clear that shock produced by hemorrhage, as well as by other means, is a multisystem disease involving cells of many organs (1). It is apparent, therefore, that no one organ system need be implicated as the “weak link” which, if strengthened, would prevent irreversibility after transfusion since there are many alternative vicious cycles that can lead to death. However, it is our contention that the heart is significantly damaged during the course of a shock episode, and that this damage is severe enough to lead to a functional defect. There is impressive physiologic and anatomic evidence that this probably is a major contributing factor to irreversibility in most instances.
Aerothermodynamic Characteristics in the Hypersonic Continuum-Rarefied Transitional Regime

Stagnation pressure and heating for cylinders and spheres representative of wing leading edges and nose sections for small-scale space transportation vehicles are presented for various Knudsen numbers at Earth entry conditions that bridge from the free molecular to continuum regimes. CFD, DSMC, and collisionless DSMC are used to span Knudsen numbers from 0.001 to 100 with the CFD/DSMC overlap at a Knudsen number of 0.01 and the DSMC/collisionless DSMC overlap at 10. The present results include density contours, density and temperature along the stagnation streamline for all cases, and stagnation pressure and heat transfer coefficient as a function of Knudsen number.
What is the appropriate initial dose of corticosteroids to treat giant cell arteritis

A lower dose than traditionally used may be enough to control symptoms and prevent blindness while minimizing adverse effects.
Basic Concepts: A Step-by-Step Guide to Viral Infection

Viral pathogenesis seeks to understand how a virus interacts with its host at multiple levels. Key questions include the source (an infected human, animal, or insect vector), the transmission mechanism, and how the virus is shed and transmitted. Following transmission, pathogenesis is governed by the initial site of replication, whether the virus disseminates within the host, and its tropism for specific tissues and organs. In turn, these steps are dictated by the structure and replication strategy of the virus. In addition to utilizing selected synthetic biochemical pathways in the host cell, viruses frequently reprogram host cells by inducing intracellular signaling pathways that render the cell more permissive. Host–virus interactions also control whether the infection is acute, chronic, latent, or transforming; how the virus interacts with the immune system; and the consequent pathophysiological response of the host. This chapter provides an overview of these basic concepts of viral pathogenesis, with emphasis on the interactions of viruses with their host cells and organisms.
CRACK BRANCHING IN LAYERED COMPOSITES: TESTS AND INTERPRETATIONS

The objective of the current paper is to present experimental data of cracks branching out of an interface in layered Glass/Epoxy and Graphite/Epoxy composites under static (Mixed Mode Bending) and cyclic compressive loads. The specimens considered in the current study are 90 deg. plates and cross-ply plates. In both types of specimens and types of tests, there has been crack growth from the initial delamination (simulated as a Teflon sheet inserted in the plate) followed by branching of the crack through the thickness of the plate. cracks) are traction free. The whole procedure is based on Muskhelishvili’s l2 complex variables approach for elastic isotropic materials, and it has been utilized for an infinitesimally small crack [He and Hutchinsons]. As far as anisotropic materials, very few papers dealt with kinked cracks in an anisotropic medium, for example Chiang l3 and Obata, Nemat-Nasser and Goto I4 : the first considers very small kink angles, the second shows the procedure for any type of kink and presents results only for infinitesimally small kinks. They are centered on Lekhnitskii’s15 complex variables approach for anisotropic materials. A formulation to analyze and predict this behavior using the dislocation technique approach is outlined. This tool has been applied in the past to the problem of crack kinking out of the interface between two isotropic materials. Several simplifications have been adopted to seek the solution to the more complex problem described in this paper. A discussion of the model under development is presented. In a paper by Gupta, Argon and Suo 16, an analysis of a crack perpendicular to the interface between two orthotropic media was done using the dislocation technique. This is apparently the examination that was closer to solving the problem of crack kinking at the interface between two orthotropic systems. The objective of the current paper is to present experimental data and compare these with a tentative analysis of crack kinking in composites.
Community policing in Canada

In Canada, community policing has replaced professional crime control policing as the dominant ideology and organizational model of progressive policing (Murphy, 1988b). What is interesting about Canadian policing — but not unique to it — is that despite the relative lack of external pressures1 for police reform the country has gradually adopted a shift towards community policing. With heavy reliance on ‘US-tested and proven’ police innovations, technologies and strategies, Canadian policing is argued to have used ‘innovation through imitation’. Possibly this took place due to the proximity to the American experience and the growing readiness on the part of police chiefs and administrators to adopt strategies and tactics that seemed to work for their southern neighbour. This, in turn, was perceived as encouraging a wholesale and uncritical import of policing philosophies and technologies — mostly from the country’s American neighbour — which are not always appropriate to Canadian policing (Murphy, 1988b). At the same time, Canada is also not less influenced by the tradition and heritage of British policing and is following developments there quite closely. In fact, a recent community policing conference (organized by Loree and Murphy, 1986) dedicated a greater portion of its proceedings to developments in the London Metropolitan Police Force than to other relevant US advances in community policing.
Vascular Access for Hemodialysis and Value-Based Purchasing for ESRD.

Successful treatment of ESRD with maintenance hemodialysis is inextricably dependent on a reliable access to the bloodstream several times every week. Indeed, although the principles of extracorporeal treatment had been developed earlier, it was only with the introduction of the arteriovenous shunt
Prevalence of Certain Harmful Health and Safety Misconceptions among Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Children

Abstract In this study an instrument was constructed and evaluated for determining the prevalence of certain harmful health and safety misconceptions among fifth and sixth grade children. The instrument was used to determine the prevalence of 216 harmful health and safety misconceptions among 2,210 fifth grade children and 1,881 sixth grade children in six urban and suburban communities in Eastern Massachusetts representing both industrial and residential areas. The analysis of the results revealed that many harmful health and safety misconceptions were subscribed to by the fifth and sixth grade children participating in this investigation.
¿Herpes Labial? ¿Alma Fría? Una examinación del herpes orolabial en el cine

The sociocultural phenomenon of herpes is attributed to two strains of the herpes simplex virus: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) causes orolabial cold sores while herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is typically identified in genital lesions, though both viruses may cause clinically similar signs and symptoms anywhere in or on the body. While these infections are extremely prevalent and typically benign, media sources such as film have perpetuated a negative public perception of the disease. Thus, a large portion of society continues to associate these conditions with sexual misconduct and moral failing. Despite decades of available antiviral therapy to shorten and suppress outbreaks, movies continue to exploit herpes for degradation and for humor. Portrayal of genital herpes in films is avoided in order to avert unnecessary and grotesque nude scenes, so depictions of cold sores are preferred. This article analyzes the use of orolabial herpes lesions in selected English language films released from 1984-2012.
Safety and preliminary activity of hydroxychloroquine and aldesleukin in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC): A cytokine working group study.

440Background: Aldesleukin (recombinant human interleukin-2) has been an FDA-approved treatment for mRCC since 1992, based on a 5-10% rate of durable complete remissions. Autophagy is a protective mechanism that enables cells to survive the metabolic stress of cancer therapy. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) inhibits cellular autophagy and has shown synergy with interleukin-2 in animal tumor models. We hypothesized that this combination would be tolerable and active in patients with mRCC. Methods: The Cytokine Working Group initiated a study of high-dose aldesleukin in combination with oral HCQ for patients with mRCC. Subjects receive up to 6 cycles of aldeskleukin, 600,000 International Units per kg, on a standard schedule. HCQ is administered orally starting 2 weeks prior to the first dose of aldesleukin and continuing up to one year. The initial HCQ dose was 600 mg daily, with a planned dose escalation to 1200 mg daily after safety was demonstrated in five subjects. Subjects were monitored for safety and toler...
Clinical characteristics of NSCLC harboring ALK 2p23 translocation at Cleveland Clinic.

e18085 Background: The ALK 2p23 translocation, ALK(+), is an important druggable target in 5-7% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the break-part FISH assay is labor-intensive. Better ...
Effect of valgus knee alignment on gait biomechanics in healthy women

The purpose of this study was to compare lower extremity kinematics and kinetics between women with greater or lesser degrees of valgus knee alignment during gait. Nine women with greater valgus knee alignment (11.9±1.6°) were compared to nine women with lesser valgus knee alignment (6.6±2.4°). Participants completed a biomechanical assessment of overground walking for the right limb. Dependent variables included sagittal and frontal plane joint angles and moments for the hip, knee, and ankle at peak vertical ground reaction force, along with knee abduction angular impulse. Sagittal and frontal plane excursions for the hip, knee, and ankle were calculated from heel strike to the peak angle for each variable. The greater valgus alignment group demonstrated lower knee abduction moment (p=0.007), lower knee adduction angle (p 0.05). Less knee adduction angle and excursion coupled with lower knee abduction moment and angular impulse in women with greater knee valgus indicates these individuals may be experiencing biomechanics which promote lateral tibiofemoral joint loading.
Tools and methods for quality improvement and patient safety in perinatal care

The quality of health care is now recognized to vary widely in all medical specialties, including perinatal medicine. A national focus on quality improvement (QI) and patient safety is prompting providers to change and improve the care given to patients. All QI and safety efforts require the use of an improvement model to manage the complex process of improving care. This article reviews the most common frameworks in use today, including the Model for Improvement, Six Sigma, and Lean. Specific tools such as affinity, key driver and fishbone diagrams, process maps and statistical process control, as well as checklists are reviewed, with examples from the perinatal literature to illustrate their use in perinatal QI efforts.
Mechanisms of resistance against NITD-916, a direct inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis InhA.

Abstract Isoniazid inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis InhA and is a key component of drug regimens that treat tuberculosis. However, the high rate of resistance against isoniazid is a contributing factor to the emergence of multi-drug resistance strains of M. tuberculosis . The 4-hydroxy-2-pyridine NITD-916 is a direct inhibitor of M. tuberculosis InhA that has comparable efficacy to isoniazid in mouse models of TB infection but a lower frequency of resistance. To characterize resistance mechanisms against NITD-916 we isolated resistant mutants in H37Rv (Euro-American lineage) and HN878 (East-Asian lineage) strains of M. tuberculosis . The resistance frequency was similar in both strains. Mutations were identified in residues within or near to the active of InhA or in the fabG1inhA promoter region. All mutants were resistant to NITD-916 but were not cross resistant to isoniazid, despite homology to SNPs identified in isoniazid resistant clinical isolates.
The role of emotional intelligence and empathy in compassionate nursing care

Abstract Compassionate patient relationships can be deeply rewarding, but continuous exposure to emotionally charged situations can also tax clinicians’ emotional resources and lead to exhaustion and burnout. A better understanding of factors that relate to clinicians’ ability to manage the emotional demands of the profession is needed. Hence, this study examined the relationships between emotional intelligence, empathy, and job-related compassion and burnout in 92 direct-care registered nurses in the United States. Results showed that whereas higher levels of emotional intelligence, empathy for others’ positive emotions, and empathy for others’ negative emotions were associated with greater compassion satisfaction, only higher levels of emotional intelligence and empathy for positive emotions were associated with reduced fatigue and burnout. The results have implications for clinicians as they provide foundational information to help determine appropriate strategies, supports, and solutions to reduce compassion fatigue and burnout while increasing compassion satisfaction.
The Ethics Across Campus Program at the Colorado School of Mines

By taking the Ethics Across Campus Program (EAC) at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) as an example, this paper discusses how institutional, social, and policy contexts provide opportunities—and challenges—for ethics centers and programs to create effective moral learning experiences for students. This paper begins by depicting the historical background and institutional context within which this EAC program was founded and has evolved. It then introduces the major campus programs and curricular initiatives (e.g., the Daniels Fund Faculty Fellows Program) that aim to enhance students’ learning opportunities. Finally, this paper reflects on some major challenges faced by the program, including how to bridge physical and intellectual distances between faculty, and how to best cultivate an ethical climate for STEM education and research.
Employment exit and entry among U.S. adults with and without arthritis during the Great Recession. A longitudinal study: 2007-2009, NHIS/MEPS.

BACKGROUND Negative employment consequences of arthritis are known but not fully understood. Examining transitions in and out of work can provide valuable information. OBJECTIVE To examine associations of arthritis with employment during the Great Recession and predictors of employment transitions. METHODS Data were for 3,277 adults ages 30-62 years with and without arthritis from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey followed in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2008-2009. Employment (working vs. not working) was ascertained at baseline and five follow-ups. We estimated Kaplan Meier survival curves with 95% confidence intervals (CI) separately for time to stopping work (working at baseline) and starting work (not working at baseline) using Cox proportional hazards regression models with hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS Arthritis was significantly associated with greater risk of stopping work (HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3-2.2; adjusted HR= 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.0) and significantly associated with 40% lower chance of starting work (HR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4-0.8), which reversed on adjustment (HR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.2). Employment predictors were mixed by outcome. CONCLUSIONS During the Great Recession, adults with arthritis stopped work at higher rates and started work at lower rates than those without arthritis.
Pediatric Oncologic Emergencies

Pediatric patients with cancer, although rarely, do present to emergency departments for first-time diagnosis, as well as for complications of treatment. The presenting symptoms can be vague, so emergency physicians must maintain a high index of suspicion and be aware of guidelines to help direct appropriate care after an initial diagnosis. It is also necessary to know the complications of treatment. Although these patients often seek care in the institution where they receive treatment, many live far from these locations and may present to any emergency department in extremis.
SOLAR POWERED VIDEO SYSTEM FOR VILLAGE TRAINING AND PRODUCTION

ABSTRACT Because of the heavy expense and economics of scale involved in providing technical training and technical and managerial assistance to the many scattered and isolated rural communities world wide, the solar powered video system can boast this process. This paper deals with the design and operation of a video system powered by solar cells and appropriate for small village communities based on field experience in the Basaisa village, Egypt, over the past ten years. The proposed system will be useful for NGO's, governments, national and international organizations in the fields of rural education training for income generating activities, farming co-ops, small scale and cottage industries, appropriate farming technologies, health and family planning, marketing, as well as other environmental and developmental issues.
A basis for crash dummy skull and head geometry

As an essential step toward improving the repeatability and reproducibility of crash dummy head response to impact events, the geometric configuration of dummy heads must be more completely defined. If these dummy heads are to be used for assessment of human head injury hazard, then their geometric characteristics should be based on human anthropometry. Measurements of a large number of human heads have been previously published, but these measurements alone are not sufficient for location of landmarks and determination of contours of the human head. Also previously published are measurements of a small number of human skulls which are sufficient for location of significant skull landmarks and construction of a skull model which represents an average American male skull. The location of skull landmarks and the construction and configuration of this skull model are documented in this report. By adding reasonable skin and flesh thicknesses to the skull model, a second model was constructed which represents the external configuration of the human head and not only agrees with head dimensions from a large number of subjects but also correctly locates the features of human head. These features include anatomically correct headform coordinate axes, head-neck articulation, cranial contours, and facial structure. In using the information presented here, it is important to realize that duplication of human structural geometry in dummy head design is not sufficient to insure similarity of human and dummy responses.
Poster und Materialien

Zum Abschluss der zehnjahrigen Begleitung der okologischen Entwicklung der Valley View University (VVU) wurden wichtige Masnahmen in Postern zusammengefasst und an den Standorten der Masnahmen als standige Schautafeln aufgestellt. Die Poster erlautern u.a. das Baobab Center for Ecological Studies, die Regenwassersammlung, Erhalt von Vegetation und deren Neuanlage, Wasseraufbereitung und Sachetwasserproduktion. Weitere Materialien zur Evaluation von Siedlungsokosystemen stammen aus einem EU-ECOCITY-Projekt.
Optimal Design of Return Policies

Quota-based and partial-refund return policies abound in practice between manufacturers and their resellers. While the literature has provided insights into the design of the partial-refund policy,...
TERT promoter mutations and telomerase expression in melanoma in adolescents and young adults.

9561Background: Melanoma incidence in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) (between the ages of 15 and 29 years) is increasing more rapidly than other cancers in the U.S. Progression of melanoma to ...
The Ultimate Cliffhanger: Campaign Strategies and Extreme Drinking Rituals for Turning 21

This qualitative study examined the drinking ritual of 21st birthday celebrations among college student binge drinkers to gain insights that can lead to more effective campaign strategies. Through ...
The Impact of Lymphovascular Invasion on Risk of Upstaging and Lymph Node Metastasis at the Time of Radical Cystectomy

Abstract Background Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer is associated with a poor prognosis when identified from radical cystectomy (RC) specimens. However, LVI is not clearly emphasized in any risk models to guide clinical decision-making. The impact of LVI on the risk of lymph node (LN) metastasis after a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) specimen is less understood. Objective The goal was to describe the impact of LVI and the risk of LN metastasis at each clinical stage of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UC). Design, setting, and participants The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with bladder cancer who underwent RC with LN dissection from 2004 to 2014. Patients with non-bladder primary, non-UC histology, clinical metastatic disease, and having received chemotherapy/radiation were excluded. Pathologic LN positive rates at RC were determined. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis The primary outcome was pathologic upstaging at RC and pathologic node positivity. Secondary outcomes included determining overall survival (OS). All hypotheses testing were two-sided and a p value of Results and limitations A total of 3007 patients with UC underwent RC with pelvic LN dissection. In patients with LVI, the risk of LN metastasis was significantly higher at each clinical stage as was the rate of pathologic upstaging. Patients with LVI on TURBT had worse OS stage for stage in pure UC (p Conclusions Patients with UC with LVI had worse OS and are at higher risk for LN-positive disease and pathologic upstaging at surgery than patients without LVI. Patient summary In this report we examined the impact of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) at transurethral resection of bladder tumor on pathologic upstaging and lymph node metastasis at radical cystectomy using the National Cancer Database. We identified LVI as being prognostic at each stage of urothelial carcinoma.
A Procedure for Detecting Complement-fixing Antibody to Rinderpest Virus in Heat-inactivated Bovine Serum

SUMMARY Complement-fixing antibody to rinderpest virus was demonstrated in heat-inactivated cattle sera. The method used an extract of rinderpest-infected bovine lymph nodes as antigen, increasing concentrations of guinea-pig complement, and overnight fixation. By this procedure, specific complement-fixing antibody was demonstrated from 5 days after fever peak or 10 days after inoculation through at least 50 days. Sera were obtained from the cattle inoculated with lapinized Nakamura III, Kabete attenuated goat, and tissue culture attenuated Kabete O and Pendik strains of the virus. Cattle showing complement-fixing antibody resisted challenge with virulent rinderpest virus
Strategies to improve antibiotic use in the neonatal ICU.

Purpose of review Neonates are at a high risk of infection and may have nonspecific signs of sepsis. Accordingly, they are heavily exposed to antimicrobials. Neonates are also uniquely at risk of both short-term and long-term complications from antibiotic exposure. This review discusses advances in antibiotic stewardship in the neonatal population. Recent findings Antimicrobial utilization is highly variable among NICUs in excess of case-mix variation. Rates of early-onset sepsis because of Group B Streptococcus have decreased substantially with the introduction of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Recent epidemiologic studies have created evidence-based tools to more accurately estimate a newborn's risk of early-onset sepsis. Antibiotic selection and duration for late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis are variable among centers, with inadequate evidence to guide practice. Novel diagnostic methods and biomarkers are increasingly used to assist with diagnosing infection, but inadequate specificity in many cases may result in excess antibiotic exposure. Published antimicrobial stewardship experiences in the neonatal inpatient setting have largely been successful and well tolerated. Summary Recent publications have identified many ways to safely reduce antimicrobial exposure and developed strategies to implement antimicrobial stewardship in the neonatal inpatient setting. However, new approaches are needed to further improve antibiotic use and to implement these interventions more universally in NICUs.
Objectification in Heterosexual Romantic Relationships: Examining Relationship Satisfaction of Female Objectification Recipients and Male Objectifying Perpetrators

Sexual objectification is one of most the common manifestations of discrimination against women in Western societies; however, few studies have examined objectification in the context of romantic relationships. The primary aim of the present research was to bring the study of objectification phenomena into the setting of heterosexual romantic relationships. The present set of studies examined the relation between sexual objectification and relationship satisfaction for both the sexual objectification recipient (Study 1) and the sexual objectification perpetrator (Study 2). The results of the first study with 206 U.S. undergraduate female students in committed romantic relationships replicated a previously identified negative association between feeling dehumanized by one’s partner and intimate relationship satisfaction. Moreover, this link was mediated by greater body dissatisfaction and decreased sexual satisfaction. The second study with 94 U.S. undergraduate male students in committed romantic relationships demonstrated a negative association between sexual objectification perpetration and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, this negative relation was mediated by greater partner objectification and lower sexual satisfaction. Results of both studies demonstrated the effect of sexual objectification (as recipient or perpetrator) on global intimate relationship health. Additionally, the results highlight poor sexual satisfaction as a key dyadic mechanism linking objectification processes to intimate relationship outcomes.
Tapping Out: Influence of Organoleptic and Perceived Health Risks on Bottled Versus Municipal Tap Water Consumption Among Obese, Low Socioeconomic Status Pediatric Patients

A variety of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including some known to be obesogenic, can be found in household wastewater. Many are only partially treated by wastewater treatment and drinking water purification systems and can enter municipal drinking water supplies. We evaluated drinking water consumption habits in a cohort of obese pediatric patients to determine the percentage that might avoid exposure to EDCs from drinking municipal tap water. Obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) children presenting to an obesity clinic serving a largely poor and rural population were studied. Self-reported race/ethnicity, insurance status and details concerning type and volume of water consumed were obtained from their medical records. Most homes were supplied with municipal, rather than private well water (90.6% vs. 9.4%, respectively). A majority (76.4%) of patients with municipal water as their water supply only drank bottled water. "Taste" and "Health Concerns" were the most commonly endorsed reasons for eschewing tap water. Bottled water consumption among low socioeconomic status patients may reduce their risk for exposure to EDCs in municipal tap water. Further studies are needed to confirm the generalizability of this observation.
The Use of Concurrent Home Hospice for Pediatric Heart Failure Patients Awaiting Heart Transplant on Milrinone and/or Ventricular Assist Device

Purpose Pediatric patients (pt) awaiting heart transplantation (HTX) are among the most fragile patients, even more so when on continuous milrinone infusion or ventricular assist device (VAD). These pt are often in the hospital for very long periods of time rather than at home where there is improved quality of life and less exposure to hospital acquired infections. In our state pt Methods We now refer all pt Results Pediatric HH has made it possible for pt on chronic inotropic support and/or VAD, who previously may have been waiting in the hospital for HTX, the opportunity for d/c home, even several hours away from their HTX center. It limits the time the pts need to spend in outpatient labs, clinics and ED's as the HH team is able to provide services in their homes. In addition, families have to travel less, saving them time and money. Conclusion Pediatric HH has provided our pt awaiting HTX on milrinone and/or VAD with well-rounded medical care and support in the home. HH staff provide the HTX team with information to help determine need for hospital admission, closer follow-up, and even de-escalating care. As our numbers grow we will evaluate the effects on all-cause hospital re-admissions, utilization of the ED/clinics, waitlist mortality and overall pt/family satisfaction.
Analysis of preservice teachers' lesson plans to determine the extent of transfer of argumentation

Argumentation research often addresses the nature of argumentation as a complex set of procedures that can aid learning of complex scientific knowledge and practices. Thus, studies might look at tr...
Retrospective analysis on children infected with human metapneumovirus at Suzhou area

Objective To explore the epidemiology of human metapneumovirus at Suzhou area Methods 17 827 nasopharynx secretion specimens of children with respiratory tract infection cases were collected in six years past,human metapneumovirus RNA were detected by real time RT-PCR,retrospective analysis the epidemiology of human metapneumovirus in Suzhou area.Results Among all nasopharynx secretion specimens 1184 (6.44％) cases were positive for human metapmeumovirus,the positive rate of male and female children were 6.79％ and 6.38％ repectively.Conclusion There is no significant difference in the infection rate between the boys and girls,the preschool children had higher rate than schoolage children. Key words: Child, hospitalized; Metapneumovirus; Epidemiology
Regulating the Foregoing of Artificial Nutrition and Hydration: First, Do Some Harm

This editorial argues that many state statutes involving the foregoing of artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH), although generally well-intended, frequently exert the practical effect of clouding and confusing the legally permissible boundaries of end-of-life care and thus harming rather than helping the patient and those who must live through and carry on after the dying process. The author speculates about why the current state statutory landscape often adversely affects clinical practice and patients' rights regarding the use and limitation of ANH. Recommendations are offered for the correction or at least amelioration of prevalent present deficiencies in the inception, drafting, and interpretation and explanation of state ANH statutes.
Cruelty against Animals’ Welfare (CAAW) Violations: a Study of Animal Welfare Act and Horse Welfare Act Enforcement Actions in the US, 2010–2014

Green criminology has stimulated criminological examinations of crimes against wildlife, discussions of nonhuman animals as victims of crime, and expanded conceptualization of animal rights. In rec...
HIFIR: Hybrid Incomplete Factorization with Iterative Refinement for Preconditioning Ill-conditioned and Singular Systems.

We introduce a software package called HIFIR for preconditioning sparse, unsymmetric, ill-conditioned, and potentially singular systems. HIFIR computes a hybrid incomplete factorization, which combines multilevel incomplete LU factorization with a truncated, rank-revealing QR factorization on the final Schur complement. This novel hybridization is based on the new theory of approximate generalized inverse and $\epsilon$-accuracy. It enables near-optimal preconditioners for consistent systems and enables flexible GMRES to solve inconsistent systems when coupled with iterative refinement. In this paper, we focus on some practical algorithmic and software issues of HIFIR. In particular, we introduce a new inverse-based rook pivoting into ILU, which improves the robustness and the overall efficiency for some ill-conditioned systems by significantly reducing the size of the final Schur complement for some systems. We also describe the software design of HIFIR in terms of its efficient data structures for supporting rook pivoting in a multilevel setting, its template-based generic programming interfaces for mixed-precision real and complex values in C++, and its user-friendly high-level interfaces in MATLAB and Python. We demonstrate the effectiveness of HIFIR for ill-conditioned or singular systems arising from several applications, including the Helmholtz equation, linear elasticity, stationary incompressible Navier--Stokes equations, and time-dependent advection-diffusion equation.
gamma rays from neutralino annihilation.

We calculate the flux of cosmic \ensuremath{\gamma} rays expected from the annihilation of neutralinos in the galactic halo. Our calculation of the annihilation cross section to two photons improves the existing calculations by inclusion of exact one-loop diagrams for the amplitudes involving Higgs boson and chargino states as well as those involving fermion and sfermion states. A survey of supersymmetric parameter space shows that numerous models would be observable at the 3\ensuremath{\sigma} level with an air Cherenkov telescope with an exposure of ${10}^{4}$ ${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ yr.
A Functional Explanation for Patterns of Norditerpenoid Alkaloid Levels in Tall Larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi)

Concentrations of norditerpenoid alkaloids vary among larkspur (Delphinium) species, locations, and years, but environmental stresses seem to have little effect on alkaloid levels. There is a need for a functional hypothesis of alkaloid synthesis and metabolism to explain the observed trends in concentration and to predict the toxicity of larkspur populations. This study was replicated at two locations over two years in the mountains of central Utah. Ten tall larkspur (D. barbeyi) plants were marked at each location, and a single stalk was harvested from each plant at weekly intervals throughout the growing season. Concentrations of toxic and total alkaloids were measured by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and alkaloid pools were calculated by multiplying the alkaloid concentration by the dry weight of the plant to determine the amount of alkaloids in the stalk. Alkaloid pools in the stalks increased for the first three weeks, leveled off, and then declined to low levels as the plants began to senesce. Concentrations of alkaloids declined through the season, as the alkaloids were diluted in the increasing biomass as the plants grew. These patterns will be used to predict potential toxicity of larkspur populations.
Group Work in Graduate Social Work Education: The Price of Neglect

Abstract Although social work practice with groups is on the rise, social work education has neglected to prepare students for group work practice. The results of a 1991 survey show that graduate education has practically eliminated group work as a specialized area of study. Most schools offer group work only as an elective, and few students graduate with a course in this subject. Additionally, students in foundation courses learn little about group work theory and have limited or no group field work experience in which to develop practice skills. The authors discuss the consequences of this lack on student learning, faculty development, field education, and the social work curriculum. They make recommendations for schools and CSWE to revitalize group work in the curriculum.
Capturing real-time power system dynamics: Opportunities and challenges

The power grid evolves towards a new mix of generation and consumption that introduces new dynamic and stochastic behaviors. These emerging grid behaviors would invalidate the steady-state assumption in today's state estimation - an essential function for real-time power grid operation. This paper examines this steady-state assumption and identifies the need for estimating dynamic states. Supporting technologies are presented as well as a proposed formulation for estimating dynamic states. Metrics for evaluating methods for solving the dynamic state estimation problem are proposed, with example results to illustrate the use of these metrics. The overall objective of this paper is to provide a basis that more research on this topic can follow.
Amplifying left-handed transmission line media

Using a one-dimensional structure as the basis for our studies, we have demonstrated that the left-handed nonlinear transmission line (LH NLTL) that we developed for slightly different applications can also, under the correct design conditions, be used for parametric amplification, by which energy in a pump wave at one frequency is transferred to energy in a weak signal wave at another frequency. Our approach could be scaled from its current X-band (10 GHz) form into THz, infrared, or ultimately visible form.
Framework for load apportioning and interactive force control using a Hopfield neural network

This paper considers the control of two robotic manipulators jointly graspingwith no slippagea rigid object. Two conflicting control problems are addressed: Adaptively apportioning the object load between the manipulators and application of commanded interactive forces (or bias forces) to the object. By controlling the interactive forces damage to the manipulators and/or the object can be prevented. Additionally a desired tension torsion or cornpression can be applied to the object. Adaptive load apportioning (sharing) increases the carrying capacity of the system by using possible mechanical advantage. The Hopfleld net is used to minimize a quadratic energy function in the joint torques. The results are the optimal joint torques required to drive the load and supply the commanded bias force. Simulations are presented that show effective control of interactive forces while sharing the load in an optimal fashion.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The biology of infertility: research advances and clinical challenges

Reproduction is required for the survival of all mammalian species, and thousands of essential 'sex' genes are conserved through evolution. Basic research helps to define these genes and the mechanisms responsible for the development, function and regulation of the male and female reproductive systems. However, many infertile couples continue to be labeled with the diagnosis of idiopathic infertility or given descriptive diagnoses that do not provide a cause for their defect. For other individuals with a known etiology, effective cures are lacking, although their infertility is often bypassed with assisted reproductive technologies (ART), some accompanied by safety or ethical concerns. Certainly, progress in the field of reproduction has been realized in the twenty-first century with advances in the understanding of the regulation of fertility, with the production of over 400 mutant mouse models with a reproductive phenotype and with the promise of regenerative gonadal stem cells. Indeed, the past six years have witnessed a virtual explosion in the identification of gene mutations or polymorphisms that cause or are linked to human infertility. Translation of these findings to the clinic remains slow, however, as do new methods to diagnose and treat infertile couples. Additionally, new approaches to contraception remain elusive. Nevertheless, the basic and clinical advances in the understanding of the molecular controls of reproduction are impressive and will ultimately improve patient care.
Antenna pattern correction procedures for the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer /SMMR/

Procedures for correcting antenna temperature measurements and retrieving the true brightness temperatures are developed for the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) flown on the Seasat-A and Nimbus-G satellites. These procedures are necessary to meet the measurement accuracies required for deriving sea surface temperatures and wind speeds. It is shown that sidelobe contributions and polarization cross-coupling are major effects to be accounted for, in addition to some unique features of the SMMR instrument such as integration times and antenna scan characteristics. Methods are presented for data averaging and data reformatting, these are to be used with geophysical parameter retrieval algorithms.
Formation of equiaxed alpha in TiB reinforced Ti alloy composites

Abstract This paper discusses the influence of TiB precipitates on the nucleation, growth, and morphology of the α phase precipitated during the solid-state β → α + β transformation in α/β Ti alloy composites. Slow cooling from above the β-transus temperature forms equiaxed α precipitates within the β matrix in these composites.
Tradeoffs in helical CT: the effects of collimation and pitch on dose, noise, and slice sensitivity profiles

To investigate the tradeoffs that occur in helical CT scanning due to the different combinations of pitch and collimation available. These tradeoffs affect patient dose, image noise and slice sensitivity profiles. For both a single and dual detector helical CT scanners, different combinations of pitch and collimation were investigated. For each combination, patient dose was estimated using calculations from TLD measurements made with a standard CTDI phantom. Noise was measured using a homogeneous water phantom. Slice sensitivity profiles were measured using phantoms approximating impulse functions. For each scanner, the effects on noise, slice thickness and radiation dose of variations in pitch and collimation were reported. In addition, the tradeoffs between combinations of pitch and collimation that utilize the same table speed were examined. As an example, the single helical scanner can obtain a table speed of 10 mm/s using either: (1) a collimation of 10 mm and a pitch of 1, or by (2) collimating to 5 mm and using a pitch of 2. Assuming a constant mA, the radiation dose decreases from 1.2 rad at the center to .71 rad at the center, when going from the first to the second technique. The image noise increases from a standard deviation of 4.1 to 5.7; and the slice sensitivity profile decreases from 10.46 mm to 6.55 mm. Results for other pitch and collimation combinations are reported as well as the results for the dual helical scanner. For a fixed table movement speed, thinner slices with higher pitches give better z-axis resolution and lower patient dose while increasing image noise.
Hexagon pattern convection for Benard-Marangoni problem

Abstract Finite amplitude convection with hexagonal pattern is investigated in a horizontal fluid layer with poorly conducting boundaries. Effects of both buoyancy and surface tension are included. A perturbation technique based on a small parameter which is a measure of the ratio of the vertical to horizontal dimensions of the convective cells is developed which allows for the first time expansion of flow variables about many wave numbers of convective modes whose amplitudes can be of order unity. Stability of hexagon pattern convection is investigated with respect to three dimensional disturbances. Depending on the Marangoni number, up-hexagons (where motion is upward at the cells' centers) or down-hexagons (where motion is downward at the cells' centers) can be preferred. The wavelengths of the convective modes increase with their amplitudes, and there is a tendency for the preference of the larger wavelength modes. In particular, sufficiently long wavelength modes are always stable.