cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Routine, empathic and compassionate patient care: definitions, development, obstacles, education and beneficiaries.

Rationale We believe that this study represents an innovative approach to clarifying the definitions of routine, empathic and compassionate health care, as well as of sympathy. We emphasize the importance of affective empathy and its intensification in the context of patient suffering (compassion), without abandoning the ideal of clinical equanimity. Methods We develop a pedagogical model for clinicians and trainees who are weaker in their empathic skills that includes four levels of growth. We clarify representative obstacles to empathic and compassionate care in education and clinical practice. We summarize the four beneficiaries of empathic and compassionate care (clinicians, patients, trainees, institutions). We suggest areas for future research, including the development of a compassion scale and conclude with a statement on how the conceptual and professional confusion we address adversely impacts patients and trainees. The article represents the consensus work of a group of health care professionals and students at Stony Brook University Hospital and School of Medicine who have been engaged in this project for several years through the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics, established in August of 2008. Conclusions We discern a shift away from concepts of clinical empathy and compassionate care that deny a significant place for an affective component and that idealize ‘detachment’.
Wound healing and its impairment in the diabetic foot

Optimum healing of a cutaneous wound requires a well-orchestrated integration of the complex biological and molecular events of cell migration and proliferation, and of extracellular matrix deposition and remodelling. Cellular responses to inflammatory mediators, growth factors, and cytokines, and to mechanical forces, must be appropriate and precise. However, this orderly progression of the healing process is impaired in chronic wounds, including those due to diabetes. Several pathogenic abnormalities, ranging from disease-specific intrinsic flaws in blood supply, angiogenesis, and matrix turnover to extrinsic factors due to infection and continued trauma, contribute to failure to heal. Yet, despite these obstacles, there is increasing cause for optimism in the treatment of diabetic and other chronic wounds. Enhanced understanding and correction of pathogenic factors, combined with stricter adherence to standards of care and with technological breakthroughs in biological agents, is giving new hope to the problem of impaired healing.
Determination of Glutethimide in Serum: An Evaluation of Thin-layer Chromatography Method Compared to Spectrophotometric Analysis *

The determination of glutethimide in biologic fluids using the spectro-photometric method of Goldbaum e t al. [1] is sensitive, specific, and accurate but requires a skilled technician and is a tim...
Mxi1, a protein that specifically interacts with Max to bind Myc-Max recognition sites

Abstract We used the interaction trap to isolate a novel human protein that specifically interacts with Max. This protein, Mxi1 (for Max interactor 1), contains a bHLH-Zip motif that is simillar to that found in Myc family proteins. Mxi1 interacts specifically with Max to form heterodimers that efficiently bind to the Myc-Max consensus recognition site. When bound to DNA by a LexA moiety in yeast, Mxi1 does not stimulate transcription. mxi1 mRNA is expressed in many tissues, and its expression is elevated in U-937 myeloid leukemia cells that have been stimulated to differentiate. These facts are consistent with a model in which Mxi1-Max heterodimers indirectly inhibit Myc function in two ways: first, by sequestering Max, thus preventing the formation of Myc-Max heterodimers, and second, by competing with Myc-Max heterodimers for binding to target sites.
Factors affecting species differences in the kinetics of metabolites of trichloroethylene

The hepatocarcinogenicity of trichloroethylene (TRI) in mice has been attributed to a metabolite, trichloroacetate (TCA). Rats of various strains appear to be resistant to TRI-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and produce lower peak concentrations of TCA. Mice, however, also form significant amounts of another carcinogenic metabolite, dichloroacetate (DCA). The present study was conducted to investigate the interspecies differences in the metabolism of TRI between the mouse, rat, and dog and to gain further insight into the role metabolic factors may play in the apparent species specificity of liver tumor induction by TRI. Fischer 344 rats and beagle dogs were dosed orally with TRI and blood was analyzed for TRI, DCA, TCA, and trichloroethanol (TCE). Data on the metabolism of TRI in mice have been previously published. Limited data are available on the metabolism of TRI in humans. Dogs produce higher peak concentrations and have a larger area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) for TCA as compared to rats given similar doses of TRI. Dichloroacetate was not found in measurable concentrations, that is, above 4 nmol/ml, the minimal quantifiable concentration, in the blood of either rats or dogs. Appreciable concentrations of DCA were found in the blood of mice administered TRI in previous studies. Trichloroethanol was found to be present in the blood, urine, and bile, primarily as the glucuronide conjugate. In all species, peak TCA concentrations were observed beyond the disappearance of TRI. The AUC for TCE glucuronide is consistent with its acting as a precursor for TCA and probably contributes to the continued increase in TCA concentration after TRI disappears from the system. Investigations into the binding of TCA to plasma constituents in the rat, dog, mouse, and human suggest that binding also plays a role in species differences in the distribution and elimination of TCA.
Making holes in leaves: promoting cell state transitions in stomatal development.

The leaves and stems of land plants are covered with a waxy cuticle that prevents water loss but also causes a problem for gas exchange. To cope with this problem, land plants have evolved pores, or stomata, in the epidermis. A stoma consists of two symmetrically opposed guard cells: specialized
Molecular recognition. I. Automatic identification of topographic surface features

The phenomenon of molecular recognition depends strongly on surface complementarity between associating molecular units, analogous to the assembly of a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The driving force for association is solvent entropy, which increases when protrusions of the irregular surface of one subunit fit snugly into invaginations of the other, squeezing out intervening water. To model this process, an algorithm is presented that automatically finds the prominent topographic surface features of rigid α-helices in proteins of known structure. When the algorithm was applied to two interacting helices from flavodoxin, only a small number of such features were found, and they accounted for the observed complementarity. Using this algorithm, molecular docking can be reduced to a tractable problem by a docking strategy based on exhaustive trial of combinations of surface features.
Protein kinase C: poised to signal

Nestled at the tip of a branch of the kinome, protein kinase C (PKC) family members are poised to transduce signals emanating from the cell surface. Cell membranes provide the platform for PKC function, supporting the maturation of PKC through phosphorylation, its allosteric activation by binding specific lipids, and, ultimately, promoting the downregulation of the enzyme. These regulatory mechanisms precisely control the level of signaling-competent PKC in the cell. Disruption of this regulation results in pathophysiological states, most notably cancer, where PKC levels are often grossly altered. This review introduces the PKC family and then focuses on recent advances in understanding the cellular regulation of its diacylglycerol-regulated members.
The Retreat From Inquiry and Knowledge in Special Education

Postmodern and cultural relativist doctrines have long been a part of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. However, relatively little critical attention has been paid to postmodern intellectual currents in special education. This article describes postmodern and cultural relativist ideas in some of their forms, provides examples of how the adoption of these doctrines are dangerous and destructive to students with special needs, and explores possible resolutions.
Comparative profiles of women with PTSD and comorbid cocaine or alcohol dependence

This study examined differences in substance abuse severity, trauma history, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and psychiatric comorbidity among treatment-seeking women (N=74) with PTSD and either comorbid cocaine or alcohol dependence. Women in the cocaine/PTSD group, compared with the alcohol/PTSD group, demonstrated greater occupational impairment (e.g., greater severity on the employment subscale of the Addiction Severity Index, less monthly income, fewer days worked in past month), more legal problems (e.g., greater number of months incarcerated and arrests for prostitution), and greater social impairment (e.g., fewer number of close friends, less likely to be married). Women in the alcohol/PTSD group evidenced higher rates of exposure to serious accidents, other situations involving serious injury, and other extraordinarily stressful life events. Rates of major depression and social phobia were higher among the alcohol/PTSD group than the cocaine/PTSD group. Women in the alcohol/PT...
Attributional and relational processing in pigeons

Six pigeons were trained using a matching-to-sample procedure where sample and rewarded comparisons matched on both attributional (color) and relational (horizontal or vertical orientation) dimensions. Probes then evaluated the pigeons’ preference to comparisons that varied in these dimensions. A strong preference was found for the attribute of color. The discrimination was not found to transfer to novel colors, however, suggesting that a general color rule had not been learned. Further, when color could not be used to guide responding, some influence of other attributional cues such as shape, but not relational cues, was found. We conclude that pigeons based their performance on attributional properties of but not on relational properties between elements in our matching-to-sample procedure. Future studies should look at examining other attributes to compare attributional versus relational processing.
Using interactive blackboard chats to promote student learning in physics

The Blackboard Learning System/spl trade/ is widely used on many college and university campuses today. This paper will explore the use of this system as a teaching and learning tool in introductory physics. Particular emphasis will be placed on the online chat feature available through blackboard. During the fall 2002 pilot semester, students enrolled in an introductory physics course for non-majors at American University made extensive use of live, interactive, online chats when completing homework assignments. These chats were peer-led and instructor-moderated. A Socratic dialogue approach was utilized to help promote deeper understanding of key topics and concepts. To address, in part, the question of whether deeper understanding was actually achieved, results from the force concept inventory (FCI), a widely used multiple-choice, survey-type instrument to assess student understanding of basic mechanics concepts in physics, was used. Pre-/post-test gains are compared for active participants in the online chats and the class as a whole to help ascertain student understanding. In addition, links to student learning styles are explored to determine whether learning style may be a factor in terms of active participation in the online discussions. Highlights of student perceptions regarding the use of blackboard technologies, particularly the online chats was shared.
The women's health objective structured clinical exam: A multidisciplinary collaboration

AbstractPurpose: To determine the preliminary benefits of a Women’s Health Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) which integrates psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology principles into communication-focused doctor-patient paradigms.Method: The authors extracted medical student survey data from pre- and post-OSCE program evaluations (n = 193). Using McNemar’s tests, the authors compared pre- and post-OSCE proportions of students reporting comfort levels with interactions involving terminally diagnosed patients, domestic violence, breast feeding, and other areas relevant to women’s health.Results: The proportion of students reporting comfort with each communication domain increased between pre- and post-OSCE assessments. The greatest improvements were observed for discussions related to domestic violence (41% gain), terminal illness (37% gain) and postpartum depression/psychosis (23% gain). Ninety-four percent felt that this Women’s Health OSCE was a valuable learning experience.Conclusion: The author...
Protochordate immunity. I. Primary immune response of the tunicate Ciona intestinalis to vertebrate erythrocytes.

Abstract Serum from the tunicate Ciona intestinalis contains a low titer, natural agglutinin for a variety of vertebrate erythrocytes. Primary injections of 8.5 × 103 human erythrocytes or 7.0 × 102 duck erythrocytes into the tunic tissues or perivisceral cavity were agglutinated and then cleared by phagocytosis within 24 hr. Higher concentrations of human or duck erythrocytes injected into the tunic tissues were encapsulated. Concomitant with clearance or encapsulation, serum agglutinin levels decreased and then returned to normal within 24 hr. Tunicates are classified taxonomically with the vertebrates in the phylum Chordata. Since phagocytosis and encapsulation reactions are typical of most invertebrates, the results of this study suggest that tunicate internal defense mechanisms are more closely allied to invertebrates than to vertebrates.
Online semidefinite programming for power system state estimation

Power system state estimation (PSSE) constitutes a crucial prerequisite for reliable operation of the power grid. A key challenge for accurate PSSE is the inherent nonlinearity of SCADA measurements in the system states. Recent proposals for static PSSE tackle this issue by exploiting hidden convexity structure and solving a semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation. In this work, an online PSSE algorithm based on SDP relaxation is proposed, which enjoys a similar convexity advantage, while capitalizing on past measurements as well for improved performance. An online convex optimization technique is adopted to derive an efficient algorithm with strong performance guarantees. Numerical tests verify the efficacy of the proposed approach.
Attenuated adiposopathy in perivascular adipose tissue compared with subcutaneous human adipose tissue

Abstract Background We hypothesized that human perivascular and subcutaneous adipose tissues hold distinct phenotypic signatures. We also evaluated the impact of clinical parameters on the adipose phenotype. Our overall goal is to understand the determinants of adipose biology so that this tissue can be manipulated therapeutically to lessen peripheral vascular disease. Methods Perivascular and subcutaneous adipose tissues were collected from patients undergoing lower-extremity amputation (n = 27) and protein assayed for proinflammatory mediators (ie, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, leptin, tumor necrosis factor α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and resistin), atheroprotective adiponectin, and the fibrinolysis inhibitor plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Results Leptin (2.7-fold, P = .015), TNF-α (2.2-fold, P = .013), MCP-1 (1.5-fold, P = .047), and adiponectin (1.8-fold, P = .004) were more abundant in subcutaneous vs perivascular adipose tissue. Age positively correlated with perivascular adipose tissue PAI-1 expression (β = .64, P = .042), and hyperlipidemia negatively correlated with perivascular adiponectin (β = −1.18, P = .039). Conclusions Human perivascular and subcutaneous adipose tissues hold distinct phenotypic signatures. In amputation patients, the subcutaneous adipose tissue proinflammatory phenotype was relatively attenuated in perivascular adipose tissue.
Temporal subharmonic amplitude and phase behaviour in a jet shear layer: wavelet analysis and Hamiltonian formulation

Fourier and wavelet transformation techniques are utilized in a complementary manner in order to characterize temporal aspects of the transition of a planar jet shear layer. The subharmonic is found to exhibit an interesting temporal amplitude and phase variation that has not been previously reported. This takes the form of intermittent π-shifts in subharmonic phase between two fixed phase values. These phase jumps are highly correlated with local minima of the subharmonic amplitude. In contrast, the fundamental amplitude and phase show no such behaviour. The temporal phase behaviour of the subharmonic has the effect of intermittently disrupting the phase lock with the fundamental. A dynamical systems model is developed which is based on a classic vortex representation of the shear layer. The Hamiltonian formulation of the problem is shown to provide remarkable agreement with the experimental results. All the essential aspects of the temporal amplitude and phase behaviour of the subharmonic are reproduced by the model including amplitude-dependent effects. The model is also shown to provide a dynamical systems based explanation for time-averaged amplitude and phase behaviour observed in these as well as earlier experiments. The results of experiments involving both bimodal forcing at fundamental and subharmonic frequencies with prescribed initial effective phase angle as well as experiments involving only fundamental excitation over an amplitude range extending two orders of magnitude are presented. The temporal subharmonic amplitude and phase behaviour is observed in bimodal forcing experiments in those regions of the flow characterized by subharmonic mode suppression and vortex tearing events (even if the forcing amplitudes are quite large). In addition, temporal subharmonic amplitude and phase behaviour is the rule in experiments involving low-amplitude forcing of the fundamental and the natural development of the subharmonic.
Wound complications of autogenous subcutaneous infrainguinal arterial bypass surgery: Predisposing factors and management

Abstract To identify factors predisposing to wound infection and necrosis complicating in situ or other subcutaneous autogenous lower extremity vein bypass procedures, we retrospectively analyzed all such cases performed in our hospital between July 1983 and July 1988. Among 163 subcutaneous autogenous bypass grafts, wound complications developed in 28 (17%). According to progressive depth of involvement as defined in the text, 10 patients had grade I complications, six had grade II, and 12 had grade III complications with threatened or actual graft exposure. Factors significantly associated with wound morbidity were female gender, chronic steroid therapy, in situ bypass grafting, use of continuous incision (all p ≤ 0.05, chi square); diabetes mellitus, ipsilateral limb ulcer, limb salvage indication (all p p
The 80-hour workweek.

The 80-hour workweek is a concept that has rapidly developed over the past 2 decades in the medical education community. Under increasing pressures from state and local officials, their own governing bodies, and even the public sector, residency directors are facing a crisis on how best to train residents, maintain standards of educational integrity, and still remain compliant with the newly mandated guidelines set forth by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Traditionally, surgical residency programs have been the most grueling, with weekly hours averaging 100 to 120. Trying to cut hours by almost a third in face of nationwide hospital budget cutbacks is a monumental task. To fully comprehend this challenge and the implications that change will have, the history of surgical residency training from Halsted to the death of Libby Zion, which led to work hour reforms in New York, is reviewed. The reactions to the reforms that have led to further changes, including recently proposed legislature, are also discussed, as are the effects on residency training and future implications. In the United States, surgical residency sprung forth from barbershop apprenticeships. During its infancy, these positions were unstructured and unregulated, with a wide variation in quality. Students would attach themselves to a practitioner for an unspecified number of years. They would leave to start working independently when the practitioner deemed it acceptable or they felt like leaving. This apprenticeship structure transitioned into the hospitals in the 19th century but, as Halsted stated in his 1904 Yale address (1), these students would often not receive adequate training time or
A solvable class of quadratic Diophantine equations with applications to verification of infinite-state systems

A k-system consists of k quadratic Diophantine equations over nonnegative integer variables s1, ..., sm, t1, ..., tn of the form: Σ 1≤j≤l B1j(t1, ..., tn)A1j(s1, ..., sm) = C1(s1, ..., sm) Σ 1≤j≤l Bkj(t1, ..., tn)Akj(s1, ..., sm) = Ck(s1, ..., sm) where l, n, m are positive integers, the B's are nonnegative linear polynomials over t1, ..., tn (i.e., they are of the form b0+b1t1+...+bntn, where each bi is a nonnegative integer), and the A's and C's are nonnegative linear polynomials over s1, ..., sm. We show that it is decidable to determine, given any 2-system, whether it has a solution in s1, ..., sm, t1, ..., tn, and give applications of this result to some interesting problems in verification of infinite-state systems. The general problem is undecidable; in fact, there is a fixed k > 2 for which the k-system problem is undecidable. However, certain special cases are decidable and these, too, have applications to verification.
Part 1 – Coronary angiography with gadofosveset trisodium: a prospective feasibility study evaluating injection techniques for steady-state imaging

The purpose of this study was to define an optimal injection protocol for 5–10 min duration navigator-based coronary MR angiography using an intravascular gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA), which is better suited for steady-state coronary MR angiography than conventional GBCAs. Using projections from pharmacokinetic models of the intravascular concentration of gadofosveset, a dual-injection protocol was formulated and tested on 14 healthy human subjects. Modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequences were used for T1 mapping at 3 Tesla to evaluate the concentration of tracer in the aorta over the scanning interval. Pharmacokinetic models for a bolus plus slow infusion technique at a 5, 10, and 15 min steady state intravascular concentration was compared to single bolus curves. The 70 %/30 % bolus/slow infusion technique resulted in the highest intravascular concentration over a 5 min scan duration. Similarly, the 60 %/40 % bolus/slow infusion technique was projected to be ideal for image acquisition duration of 5–10 min. These models were confirmed with T1 maps on normal volunteers. Arterial-venous mixing of contrast was achieved within 90 s of the beginning of the bolus. Gadofosveset injection is optimized for the lowest intravascular T1 time for 5–10 min duration MR angiography by bolus injection of 60–70 % of the total dose followed by slow infusion of the remainder of the total dose. This protocol achieves rapid and prolonged steady state intravascular concentrations of the GBCA that may be useful for prolonged image acquisition, such as required for navigator-based coronary MR angiography at 3 Tesla. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01130545 NCT01130545 , registered as of May 25, 2010.
Suspended Droplet Polymerization in an Unstable, Vibrating Shallow-Bed Reactor

A piston-driven shallow bed reactor (5.9 cm high) was used to conduct suspension polymerization under unstable flow conditions, which produced excellent mixing and droplet breakage. The instability started at the air/solution interface and carried through to the complete solution volume. The liquid interfacial instability described in the classic paper on this subject [T. B. Benjamin and F. Ursell, Proc. R. Soc. London A, Math. Phys. Sci. 1954, 225, 505–515] leads to a set of Mathieu equations, which map out regions of instability to guide the selection of amplitude and frequency. The current work operated exclusively in the half-frequency region of the instability curves. The performance was compared with a conventional impeller reactor. Both reactors operated in the power range of 0.3–20 W/kg. Only the piston reactor was capable of producing microparticles smaller than the Komolgorov scale, for the amine-initiated Michael addition of a trithiol to a triacrylate. The Hinze breakage model was used to corr...
Media tables: an extensible method for developing multi-user media interaction platforms for shared spaces

As digital entertainment applications evolve, there is a need for new kinds of platforms that can support sociable media interactions for everyday consumers. This thesis demonstrates an extensible method and sensing framework for real-time tracking of multiple objects on an interactive table with an embedded display. This tabletop platform can support many different applications, and is designed to overcome the commercial obstacles of previous single purpose systems. The approach is supported through the design and implementation of an acoustic-based sensing system that provides a means for managing large numbers of objects and applications across multiple platform instances. The design requires precise and dynamic positioning of multiple objects in order to enable real-time multi-user interactions with media applications. Technical analysis shows the approach to be robust, scalable to various sizes, and accurate to within a few millimeters of tolerance. A qualitative user evaluation of the table within a real-world setting illustrates its usability in the consumer entertainment space for digital media browsing and game play. Our observations revealed different ways of mapping physical interaction objects to the media space, as either generic controls or fixed function devices, and highlighted the issue of directionality on visual displays that are viewable from different sides. The thesis suggests that by providing a general purpose method for shared tabletop display platforms we give application designers the freedom to invent a broad range of media interactions and applications for everyday social environments, such as homes, classrooms and public spaces. Contributions of the thesis include: formulation of an extensible method for media table platforms; development of a novel sensing approach for dynamic object tracking on glass surfaces; a taxonomy of interface design considerations; and prototype designs for media content browsing, digital storytelling and game play applications. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Effect of epinephrine on alveolar liquid clearance in the rat

Endogenous epinephrine has been found to increase alveolar liquid clearance (ALC) in several pulmonary edema models. In this study, we infused epinephrine intravenously for 1 h in anesthetized rats...
Relationship Between Epibenthic Invertebrate Species Assemblages and Environmental Variables in Boston Harbor's Intertidal Habitat

Abstract The Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area has an extensive intertidal zone, with 47% of the area composed of mixed-coarse substrate. Given anticipated climate-change impacts such as sea-level rise and ocean warming, and other stressors associated with the urban environment, the critical ecosystem functions (i.e., species habitat, food-web support) provided by this dominant mixed-coarse habitat of Boston Harbor, and elsewhere throughout the Northeast, have been and will likely be further altered. To evaluate the present-day epibenthic invertebrate communities and to determine what environmental factors of the mixed-coarse substrate affect community structure, we used a stratified random design to sample epibenthic macroinvertebrates along with various physical and environmental variables from the intertidal zone. Epibenthic macroinvertebrate species assemblages and diversity differed significantly between wave-exposed and wave-protected sites, with higher diversity present at protected si...
Experimental Study of Nitinol Wire Arrangements as Servo-Biomimetics for Facial Muscles

This paper examines the implementation of Nitinol wire as a complex-shape actuation source specifically targeted for low-power muscle biomimetics. Nitinol is a type of shape memory alloy (SMA) which recovers its original shape after experiencing large deformation when heated above an austenite finish temperature. Previous preliminary work by the authors demonstrated successful closed-loop force control (i.e., recovery stress) using a simple proportional controller. The work presented in this paper builds upon the previous work by demonstrating closed-loop position control of various wire arrangements in the presence of inertial loads. A predeformed NiTi (4% pre-strain) wire is energized via Joule heating (martensite to austenite) and de-energized by conductive cooling (austenite to martensite). The experimental setup consists of a horizontally arranged NiTi wire (or wire bundle) fixed at one end and connected to a hanging weight through a pulley on the opposite end. The angular displacement of the pulley is measured with a non-contact magnetostrictive angle sensor, thereby providing the control feedback signal for the wire displacement. Successful closed-loop position control is demonstrated, and the relative ease of control is assessed for increasing weights. Given the dynamic loading of the moving wire, a proportional controller alone is insufficient to obtain stabilized responses. Therefore, PID with anti-windup method is employed. Although PID requires some trial and error and is quite sensitive to varying conditions, it appears to be stable and sufficiently precise when properly tuned. The effect of bundling wires on the speed of response is experimentally characterized, and different bundling arrangements are designed and examined in order to increase the geometric rate of convective heat transfer. Increasing the rate of heat transfer is particularly important during the forward (austenite-to-martensite) transformation, since its speed relies solely on passive cooling of the wires. Limitations in controlled load capabilities are discussed in the context of wire diameter, bundle size and controller tuning. A repeatability study of a properly tuned PID controller is also carried out by comparing the first few and last few samples of a 50,000-cycle test. In addition, it is shown that identical wires, when swapped, do not require re-tuning of the PID gains. Finally, this paper shows some preliminary actuator designs that can mimic complex muscle movement. Various geometric arrangements of Nitinol wires are embedded into a curable elastomer with skin-like flexibility and durometer. The potential facial muscle movements from these arrangements are shown and discussed.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Resilience Among Medical Students: The Role of Coping Style and Social Support

ABSTRACTTheory: Although medical students begin medical school with better mental health than their peers, during medical school students have a higher prevalence of psychological distress. Medical students often do not seek help for mental health concerns. The use of approach coping strategies and social support has been shown in other populations to be related to mental health resiliency. Hypotheses: The rates of depression and burnout in this medical student population are expected to be high, with the majority not seeking help for their psychological distress in accordance with studies of medical students across the nation. Perceptions of stigma are hypothesized to be a potential source of this lack of care-seeking behavior. Approach coping strategies and social support are speculated to have an inverse relationship with the prevalence of depression and burnout in the medical student population. Method: Validated measures of depression and burnout along with items pertaining to diagnosis and treatment...
Test of Reliability of Perception of Parental and Childhood Illness Behavior

This report details the reliability of perceived parental and childhood illness behavior. Three versions of the Illness Behavior Inventory were created to assess perceived illness behavior of one's mother, father, and oneself as a child. The measures were administered twice to 32 students of linguistics at a major university with a 2-wk. interval between administrations. Each measure across administrations correlated highly and significantly (.98 to .99). It was concluded that perceptions of parental and childhood illness behavior are reliable over time but their sensitivity to actual historical events remains an empirical question.
The 'other' sexually transmitted diseases. Chlamydial, herpes simplex virus, and human papillomavirus infections.

PreviewRecognition and understanding of sexually transmitted diseases have improved dramatically during the past few years. Unfortunately, control of these infections continues to be a serious problem, and many of them are still on the increase. Dr Sargent discusses the challenges associated with identifying subclinical infections, which may unknowingly be spread to sexual partners.
Drug Usage Evaluation (DUE) Activity in PSAOs

Summary To describe PSAO drug usage evaluation (DUE) activity during DUE's developmental stages, the authors surveyed 44 state PSAOs and one independent DUE program. Of those surveyed, 23 were operating DUE programs, 16 of which had been operational for less than 3years. All identified their most important goal to be that of reducing costs. This was closely followed by the goal of reducing and preventing inappropriate prescribing and dispensing. AU programs reported intervening when potential problems are identified. The DUE programs provide extensive information on drug use and provider behavior which is expected to have a profound impact on future pharmacy practice. It is likely that mnst PSAOs will eitheradd such a program or revise the current one.
Austrian Banks in the Period of National Socialism

This book is the English translation of Gerald D. Feldman's contributions to the multi-author, two-volume study Osterreichische Banken und Sparkassen im Nationalsozialismus und in der Nachkeriegszeit, which was originally published in German by C. H. Beck in 2006. Austrian Banks in the Period of National Socialism focuses on the activities of two major financial institutions, the Creditanstalt-Wiener Bankverein and the Landerbank Wien. It details the ways the two banks served the Nazi regime and how they used the opportunities presented by Nazi rule to expand their business activities. Particular attention is given to the role that the Creditanstalt and Landerbank played in the 'Aryanization' of Jewish-owned businesses. The book also examines the two banks' relations with their industrial clients and considers the question of whether bank officials had any knowledge of their client firms' use of concentration camp prisoners and other forced laborers during World War II.
A Portability Environment for Communication Software

This paper describes a portability environment, which has been developed for a portable network operating system. The environment has to support methods of structuring communication software in multiple threads and has to provide access to lower level communication services in a uniform, guest system independent way. In order to save the users investments in communication-equipment and -software a method is introduced, which integrates multiple networks into a global net. The requirements of a portability environment are analyzed and the developed design concepts are derived. Furthermore alternatives of its implementation in guest systems are discussed. Finally experiences are presented, which have been gained during its portation from the development system to other guest systems.
The Cost of Secured Intraday Overdraft Facilities

The provision of intraday credit to an RTGS system can also take the form of secured overdraft facilities. This is a way to increase the possibility for the participating banks to get intraday liquidity by allowing them to overdraw their account at the central bank against collateral without countervailing the recommendation (rules) contained in the statute of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB).1 This approach to overdraft facilities seems to stem from the assumption that collateralisation has beneficial effects particularly in terms of risk reduction, despite the ample literature about the shortcomings of collateralisation as a means of securing risks in financial markets in presence of asymmetric information [Jaffee and Modigliani (1969); Azzi and Cox (1976); Bester (1985); Stiglitz and Weiss (1981, 1986)]. In the Appendix to this chapter, it is shown how collateral requirements might affect banks’ attitude towards risks and, hence, their probability of default.
Trends and Outcomes of Coronary Angiography and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Associated With Ventricular Fibrillation or Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia

Importance The 2015 cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines recommend performing coronary angiography in resuscitated patients after cardiac arrest with or without ST-segment elevation (STE). Objective To assess the temporal trends, predictors, and outcomes of performing coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients resuscitated after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with initial rhythms of ventricular tachycardia or pulseless ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF). Design, Setting, and Participants An observational analysis of the use of coronary angiography and PCI in 407 974 patients hospitalized after VT/VF OHCA from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2012, from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Multivariable analysis was used to assess factors associated with coronary angiography and PCI use. Data analysis was performed from December 12, 2015, to January 5, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Temporal trends of coronary angiography, PCI, and survival to discharge in patients with VT/VF OHCA. Results Among the 407 974 patients hospitalized after VT/VF OHCA, 143 688 (35.2%) were selected to undergo coronary angiography. The mean (SD) age of the total population was 65.7 (14.9) years, 37.9% were female, and 74.1% were white, 13.4% black, 6.8% Hispanic, and 5.7% other race. Use of coronary angiography increased from 27.2% in 2000 to 43.9% in 2012 (odds ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 2.25-2.71; P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend P for trend Conclusions and Relevance Coronary angiography, PCI, and survival to discharge have increased in VT/VF OHCA survivors from event to hospitalization. However, a significant proportion of patients with VT/VF OHCA, especially those without STE, do not undergo coronary angiography and revascularization. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether this limitation has a survival effect.
Rapid production of bispecific antibodies using off-the-shelf IgG

A current bispecific antibody platforms require antibody engineering and cloning up front to generate each new formulation. While made to order genes, advanced expression systems and new high efficiency cloning techniques can simplify and accelerate this process; the final products will frequently exhibit a loss of specificity, aggregation, light chain swapping, heterogeneity, etc. For many academic labs, this creates a barrier to entry into the field of bispecifics and for industry this limits the throughput of bispecific antibody production. Recently, we developed a simple method to site specifically and covalently attach an anti-CD3 single chain variable fragment (scFv) to any off-the-shelf, full length human Immunoglobulin G (IgG). This approach to making bispecific antibodies does not require antibody engineering, cloning or modifications. As a result, we can prepare libraries of bispecific antibodies with high purity in just a few hours. As proof of principal, we created a small library of eight bispecific antibodies simultaneously. IgG binding affinity was not affected by attachment of scFv to each heavy chain and T-cell mediated cell lysis assays confirmed potencies that were comparable to other bispecific antibody platforms.
Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Simulated Milk Cooling Systems

Survival of Listeria monocytogenes under conditions that might be found in milk cooling systems was studied. Sterile solutions of 0.1 and 0.01% peptone, 0.1 and 0.01% nonfat dry milk (NFDM), 30% propylene glycol, and 30% propylene glycol with 0.01 % NFDM were inoculated with 6000 L. monocytogenes Scott A/ml and were incubated at 4°C. The temperature was increased to 7°C when little growth was observed. At 7°C, populations approached 109 organisms/ml in NFDM and peptone. Growth was greater in the higher concentrations of each, and there was limited survival in the glycol media. Growth in minimal media, 0.01% peptone, 0.01% NFDM, 30% propylene glycol with 0.01% NFDM, and 1 % tryptic soy broth (TSB), was studied. These media were inoculated with 3500 L. monocytogenes Jalisco cheese/ml. At 4°C, more growth was observed in the NFDM than in the peptone, no survival was seen in the glycol media, and the most growth was observed in the TSB. Growth in sterile 10, 20, and 30% propylene glycol solutions (with 0.1 % NFDM) was studied by inoculation with 8800 L. monocytogenes Jalisco cheese/ml and incubation at 4°C. Growth in the 10% solution was observed. However, there was survival in the 20 and 30% solutions with no increase in numbers apparent over the time studied. Presence of L. monocytogenes in milk cooling systems may pose a hazard, especially in sweet water systems that might contain a small amount of milk.
Building bridges with art

With mathematicians having an annual get-together to talk about maths and art, Pangratios Papacosta argues that it is time physics followed suit.
Building a dataset for possessions identification in text

Just as industrialization matured from mass production to customization and personalization, so has the Web migrated from generic content to public disclosures of one’s most intimately held thoughts, opinions and beliefs. This relatively new type of data is able to represent finer and more narrowly defined demographic slices. If until now researchers have primarily focused on leveraging personalized content to identify latent information such as gender, nationality, location, or age of the author, this study seeks to establish a structured way of extracting possessions, or items that people own or are entitled to, as a way to ultimately provide insights into people’s behaviors and characteristics. In order to promote more research in this area, we are releasing a set of 798 possessions extracted from blog genre, where possessions are marked at different confidence levels, as well as a detailed set of guidelines to help in future annotation studies.
Lay perceptions of interrogation techniques: Identifying the role of Belief in a Just World and Right Wing Authoritarianism

False confessions due to overtly coercive interrogation techniques have led to the development of more ethically-minded alternative techniques. Several studies have surveyed the public about their perceptions of confession-oriented techniques (e.g., Leo & Liu, 2009), although none have examined the use of information gathering and strategic interviewing techniques or individual differences in such perceptions. Thus, the current study assessed public perceptions of a wide variety of techniques by recruiting a total of 332 participants. Results indicated that our participants would rather risk releasing a guilty person than convicting an innocent. Overall, confession-oriented techniques were rated the least acceptable and effective across participants. However, perceptions of these techniques varied as a function of Belief in a Just World (BJW; Lipkus, 1991) and Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA; Zakrisson, 2005). Specifically, those higher in these two individual differences found confession-oriented techniques to be both more acceptable and effective than those scoring lower on these measures. The results speak to the importance of individual differences and the potential for such differences to bias juror decision-making when interrogation evidence is at stake.
Ensemble Habitat Suitability Modeling to Guide Conservation of Black-Backed Woodpeckers

Conservation of black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus), a burned-forest specialist, is challenged by the unpredictable availability of suitable habitat. Habitat models calibrated with data from previous wildfires can be used to predict habitat suitability in newly fire-affected areas. Predictive accuracy of habitat models depends on how well statistical relationships reflect actual ecological relationships. We predicted habitat suitability for Black-backed Woodpecker at Montana post-wildfire forests (≤ 6 years postfire) east of the continental divide using models calibrated with nest location data from wildlfire locations in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We developed 6 habitat models, including one partitioned Mahalanobis model, two Maxent models, and 3 weighted logistic regression models with combinations of seven environmental variables describing burn severity, topography, and pre-fire canopy cover. We converted continuous habitat suitability indices (HSIs) into binary predictions (suitable or unsuitable) and combined predictions using and ensemble approach; we compiled the number of models (0–6) predicting locations (30×30-m pixels) as suitable. Habitat models represented different hypotheses regarding true ecological relationships, making inferences from ensemble predictions robust to uncertainties in the form of these relationships. Thirty-five percent of the area burned by eastside Montana wildfires was predicted suitable by either all seven habitat models or none of them (i.e. complete agreement among models). We recommend conservation of areas (e.g., exclusion of post-fire salvage logging) that were consistently predicted suitable by most models, e.g., 32 percent of burned areas predicted suitable by ≥ 5 models. Additionally, we recommend surveying areas where models disagree to help validate and refine models.
Integrating material engineering with module design optimization: A new design concept for thermoelectric generator

Abstract A new thermoelectric (TE) module design concept and a related TE composite are presented in this work to minimize or even to eliminate heat loss between the hot and the cold junctions, to lower the effective thermal conductivity of the composite, and thus, to enhance the module performance. An analytical thermoelectric model is formulated based on the TE energy transport equation, the heat balance equation at the junctions, and Ohm's law to determine TE module performance and the difference in performance between the new and the traditional module designs. Different TE composites and parameters that affect the performance of the TE module were examined using the TE model. Comparing to the traditional module design, the new TE module design can enhance the power generation by 8–30% and the efficiency by 40–60%. When the transport properties of the TE composite is optimized to have higher electrical conductivity than its thermal conductivity, the effective figure of merit (Z) of the composite becomes higher than the Z of the hosting TE materials of the composite such that the module performance can surpass the upper bound set forth by the figure of merit of the hosting TE materials in the traditional module design.