cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are Coronary-Care Unit Changes in Therapy Associated With Improved Survival of Elderly Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction?

Objective To determine whether changes in coronary-care unit therapy for elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction have been associated with improved survival. Material and Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients 70 years of age or older from Olmsted County, Minnesota, who were hospitalized in a coronary-care unit in this county for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction during one of three periods: 1976 through 1978, 1987 through 1989, and 1991. The effect of aspirin, heparin, β-blockers, thrombolysis, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and coronary artery bypass grafting on these elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction was assessed. Results Improvement in 30-day survival was significant for patients 80 years of age or older (45%,69%, and 78% in 1976 through 1978, 1987 through 1989, and 1991, respectively; P = 0.01 for the trend) but not for patients 70 to 79 years of age (77%, 76%, and 81% for the three time periods, respectively; P = 0.65 for the trend). The opposite pattern was observed for survival in the period more than 30 days after the event. More intensive treatment in the hospital was associated with better 30-day survival ( P Conclusion The improved survival of the elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction in these cohorts can be accounted for by changes in the therapy they received in the coronary-care units.
Regional coronary flow and contraction after partial coronary obstruction. Comparative effects of nitroglycerin and nitroprusside.

Following partial coronary occlusion, the comparative effects of administration of nitroglycerin and nitroprusside on aortic perfusion pressure, coronary flow, local tension, and segmental length were assessed. Partial coronary occlusion decreased coronary flow from 78.9 ± 5.0 ml/gm to 40.6 ± 2.6 ml/100 gm and total tension to 76.9 ± 5.6 percent of the control value. Nitroglycerin and nitroprusside improved total tension to a similar degree with a reduction of either 10 or 20 mm Hg in systolic pressure; however, when systolic pressure was reduced by 30 mm Hg, nitroglycerin decreased total tension slightly but insignificantly, while nitroprusside significantly decreased ischemic zone tension. Changes in segment length shortening paralleled changes in total tension. Thus, in the presence of partial coronary occlusion, both nitroglycerin and nitroprusside similarly affect coronary blood flow, total tension, and systolic shortening at a decrease of 10 and 20 mm Hg in systolic pressure; however, at a decrease of 30 mm Hg, both nitroglycerin and nitroprusside decrease total tension and systolic shortening.
Covariant description of motion in general relativity

Abstract Proceeding by analogy with a covariant treatment of inertial accelerations in Newtonian kinematics, we obtain a covariant decomposition of the general relativistic inertial acceleration into its impressed, D'Alembert, Coriolis, centrifugal, Euler, and tidal gravitational components. We also develop a covariant formulation of geodesic precession, Thomas precession, the dragging of inertial frames, and the energy shift (gravitational and Doppler) of light.
Developmental Differences in Beliefs About How Alcohol and Cocaine Affect Behavior

In a study guided by both Piagetian and intuitive theories, age group differences in children's knowledge and understanding of how drugs affect behavior were examined. African-American and white children ages 5-7, 8-10, 11-14 years, and a comparison group of college students were asked about alcohol and cocaine. In descriptions of the routes drugs take in the body, mention of gastrointestinal sites decreased across age groups for cocaine but increased for alcohol; mention of vital organs peaked among 8- to 10-year olds; emphasis on peripheral body parts decreased across age groups; and emphasis on blood and brain increased. Knowledge of key elements of a physiological theory of how drugs affect behavior was greater among college students than among children. Understanding (causal complexity of explanations in a Piagetian sense) also increased with age for cocaine, though not for alcohol, and knowledge and understanding were only moderately correlated, suggesting that they represent distinct aspects of thinking about drugs. Implications for the design of drug education programs are discussed.
What can we learn from the study of twins about genetic and environmental influences on interpersonal affiliation, aggressiveness, and social anxiety?: a meta-analytic study

Over the past ten years, studies comparing monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twin pairs in terms of intelligence, personality, and social behavior have increasingly appeared in major research journals. Importantly, many of the variables examined are central constructs in communication theory. Assertiveness, social anxiety, self-monitoring, and empathy are but a few of the variables studied in the twins literature. In the present study, mean heritability estimates for three clusters (interpersonal affiliation, aggressiveness, and social anxiety) were computed. The studies selected for analysis focused on variables that have been frequently cited in mainstream reference texts and/or professional journals in communication. Conservative data analytic procedures were adopted. Specifically, (1) unless evidence of additive gene effects was absolute, nonadditive gene effects were assumed; (2) unless reliability coefficients were reported in a study, the highest reliability reported in the literatu...
Situated Learning in Science Education: Socio-Scientific Issues as Contexts for Practice.

This paper presents situated learning as a theoretical framework for conceptualising new ways to approach science education. Key constructs associated with this framework, including communities of practice, Discourse and identity, are introduced. I advance an argument to develop classroom communities of practice based on engaged citizenship relative to the negotiation of socio‐scientific issues (SSI). The aim of this approach would be student development of practices and dispositions that better prepare them for active participation in society, particularly in the context of science‐related social issues. Extant literature regarding the effects of SSI interventions is reviewed and synthesised to explore the extent to which the articulated vision has been enacted and to better understand affordances and constraints associated with this enactment. Twenty‐four studies are examined that meet criteria including recency, a focus on empirical investigations of SSI interventions and research rigor. The results of...
On the causes of gradients in tropical tree diversity

1 The number of woody species in tropical forests tends to increase with precipitation, forest stature, soil fertility, rate of canopy turnover and time since catastrophic disturbance, and decrease with seasonality, latitude, altitude, and diameter at breast height (d.b.h.). 2 A model is presented to account for these trends. Novel hypotheses include how increased rainfall and substrate fertility, and decreased seasonality, might (i) increase attacks by natural enemies, and thus the overall level of density-dependent plant mortality; (ii) increase shade tolerance, canopy turnover, and stem density of the species-rich understorey; and (iii) increase reliance on relatively sedentary forest-interior birds for seed dispersal, fostering high rates of speciation in understorey genera. 3 High rainfall and low seasonality in the tropics favour two key groups of natural plant enemies – insects and fungi – that are directly responsible for promoting high rates of density-dependent plant mortality. Lower rainfall, greater seasonality, soil infertility, or unfavourable rooting conditions favour greater allocation to anti-herbivore defences, and thus lead to lower rates of such mortality and thence to lower tree diversity. The increased number of individuals on rainier sites is a minor contributor to increased tree diversity, accounting for only about 17% of the 8.3-fold increase with rainfall in the lowland Neotropics. 4 Predictions of the model are consistent with many ecological patterns of variation in tropical tree diversity within regions, and may help explain the decrease in tree diversity with elevation and the accompanying decrease in horizontal patchiness (within-habitat β diversity). 5 Random drift over evolutionary time in the relative effectiveness of density-dependent control of individual tree species by specialized natural enemies may better account for the observed distribution of tropical tree abundance than a random walk of species abundance through ecological time.
Parental monitoring trajectories and gambling among a longitudinal cohort of urban youth

Aim To test the strength of the association between parental monitoring trajectories throughout early adolescence (ages 11–14) and gambling behaviours by young adulthood (age 22). Design Longitudinal cohort design. Setting Baltimore, Maryland. Participants The sample of 514 participants with gambling data between ages 16–22 and parental monitoring data between ages 11–14 were predominantly African American and received subsidized lunches at age 6. Measurements The South Oaks Gambling Screen and South Oaks Gambling Screen–Revised for Adolescents collected self-reports on annual gambling and gambling problems between ages 16–22. The Parental Monitoring Subscale of the Structured Interview of Parent Management Skills and Practices–Youth Version collected self-reports on annual parental monitoring between ages 11–14. Findings General growth mixture modelling identified two parental monitoring trajectories: (i) ‘stable’ class (84.9%) began with a high level of parental monitoring at age 11 that remained steady to age 14; (ii) ‘declining’ class (15.1%) began with a significantly lower level of parental monitoring at age 11 and experienced a significant to through age 14. The declining class had increased significantly unadjusted (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.59, 2.23; P ≤ 0.001) and adjusted (aOR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.24, 1.99; P = 0.01) odds of problem gambling compared with non-gambling. Conclusion Low and/or declining parental monitoring of children between the ages of 11 and 14 is associated significantly with problem gambling when those children reach young adulthood.
Acute ventilatory failure in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and its response to 3,4-diaminopyridine

Respiratory failure is a common manifestation of myasthenia gravis but is infrequent in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), where it is often related to the use of paralytic agents or intercurrent pulmonary pathology. Therapies that are effective acutely in myasthenia gravis are usually of minimal benefit in LEMS. We describe a patient with respiratory failure secondary to LEMS who responded to 3,4-diaminopyridine and review the 12 previously reported cases of ventilatory failure in LEMS.
A rate and history-preserving resampling algorithm for neural spike trains

Resampling methods are popular tools for exploring the statistical structure of neural spike trains. In many applications, it is desirable to have resamples that preserve certain non-Poisson properties, like refractory periods and bursting, and that are also robust to trial-to-trial variability. Pattern jitter is a resampling technique that accomplishes this by preserving the recent spiking history of all spikes and constraining resampled spikes to remain close to their original positions. The resampled spike times are maximally random up to these constraints. Dynamic programming is used to create an efficient resampling algorithm.
Promoter-dependent roles for the Srb10 cyclin-dependent kinase and the Hda1 deacetylase in Tup1-mediated repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The Tup1-Ssn6 complex has been well characterized as a Saccharomyces cerevisiae general transcriptional repressor with functionally conserved homologues in metazoans. These homologues are essential...
The use of tolerance intervals in the characterization of semiconductor devices

The authors discuss statistical intervals and provide an application of tolerance intervals to parametric characterization of semiconductor devices during the development cycle. Specifically, a methodology for computing two-sided tolerance intervals for a one-way random-effects model from a normal population is presented. The proposed approach is relevant to any industry in which batch processing exists. >
Design techniques for testable embedded error checkers

Design techniques to ensure the testability of embedded checkers that cannot be tested by scan-path bistables are presented. The discussion covers: types of error detectors; parity checkers and self-testing circuits; two-rail checkers; M-out-of-N checkers; and equality checkers. The techniques outline guarantee single stuck fault testability. >
Social sensitivity and acne: the role of personality in negative social consequences and quality of life.

Background:Acne affects a majority of adolescents and a substantial number of adults. The adverse social impact of acne is well documented. Negative social consequences, however, are likely to be determined by personality features as well as acne severity.Purpose:To determine whether a personality trait—dispositional social sensitivity—is associated with the adverse social impact of acne.Methods:A survey of 479 acne sufferers between the ages of 16 and 62 was conducted in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, United States. Respondents were classified as either high or low social sensitivity and compared on demographic, disease characteristics, and quality of life. Main and interaction effects were evaluated for acne severity and social sensitivity in relation to global and intimate social concerns and social interference.Results:Greater acne severity was significantly associated with poorer social outcomes and quality of life (ps < 0.05). For women, higher social sensitivity was independently associated...
CSAL: A Cloud Storage Abstraction Layer to Enable Portable Cloud Applications

One of the large impediments for adoption of cloud computing is perceived vendor lock-in with respect to both low-level resource management and application-level storage services. Application portability is essential to both avoid lock-in as well as leverage the ever-changing landscape of cloud offerings. We present a storage abstraction layer to enable applications to both utilize the highly-available and scalable storage services provided by cloud vendors and be portable across platforms. The abstraction layer, called CSAL, provides Blob, Table, and Queue abstractions across multiple providers and presents applications with an integrated namespace thereby relieving applications of having to manage storage entity location information and access credentials. Overall, we have observed minimal overhead of CSAL on both EC2 and Windows Azure.
Stochastic collocation and mixed finite elements for flow in porous media

The aim of this paper is to quantify uncertainty of flow in porous media through stochastic modeling and computation of statistical moments. The governing equations are based on Darcy’s law with stochastic permeability. Starting from a specified covariance relationship, the log permeability is decomposed using a truncated Karhunen–Loeve expansion. Mixed finite element approximations are used in the spatial domain and collocation at the zeros of tensor product Hermite polynomials is used in the stochastic dimensions. Error analysis is performed and experimentally verified with numerical simulations. Computational results include incompressible and slightly compressible single and two-phase flow.
On the Capacity of Precision-Resolution Constrained Systems

Arguably, the most famous constrained system is the (d, k)-RLL (run-length limited), in which a stream of bits obeys the constraint that every two 1's are separated by at least d 0's, and there are no more than k consecutive 0's anywhere in the stream. The motivation for this scheme comes from the fact that certain sensor characteristics restrict the minimum time between adjacent 1's or else the two will be merged in the receiver, while a clock drift between transmitter and receiver may cause spurious 0's or missing 0's at the receiver if too many appear consecutively. The interval-modulation scheme introduced by Mukhtar and Bruck extends the RLL constraint and implicitly suggests away of taking advantage of higher-precision clocks. Their work however, deals only with an encoder/decoder construction. In this work we introduce a more general framework which we call the precision-resolution (PR) constrained system. In PR systems, the encoder has precision constraints, while the decoder has resolution constraints. We examine the capacity of PR systems and show the gain in the presence of a high-precision encoder (thus, we place the PR system with integral encoder, (p=1, alpha, thetas)-PR, which turns out to be a simple extension of RLL, and the PR system with infinite-precision encoder, (infin, alpha, thetas)-PR, on two ends of a continuum). We derive an exact expression for their capacity in terms of the precision p, the minimal resolvable measurement at the decoder alpha, and the decoder resolution factor thetas. In an analogy to the RLL terminology these are the clock precision, the minimal time between peaks, and the clock drift. Surprisingly, even with an infinite-precision encoder, the capacity is finite
Learning from Demonstration

By now it is widely accepted that learning a task from scratch, i.e., without any prior knowledge, is a daunting undertaking. Humans, however, rarely attempt to learn from scratch. They extract initial biases as well as strategies how to approach a learning problem from instructions and/or demonstrations of other humans. For teaming control, this paper investigates how learning from demonstration can be applied in the context of reinforcement learning. We consider priming the Q-function, the value function, the policy, and the model of the task dynamics as possible areas where demonstrations can speed up learning. In general nonlinear learning problems, only model-based reinforcement learning shows significant speed-up after a demonstration, while in the special case of linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problems, all methods profit from the demonstration. In an implementation of pole balancing on a complex anthropomorphic robot arm, we demonstrate that, when facing the complexities of real signal processing, model-based reinforcement learning offers the most robustness for LQR problems. Using the suggested methods, the robot learns pole balancing in just a single trial after a 30 second long demonstration of the human instructor.
Wavelet Approach in Noise Enhancement of Balance Control

This paper aims to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the postural sway measurements, the curves of the velocity and acceleration of the postural sway measurements were used. The curves of smoothed velocity and acceleration were got through the filter of Haar wavelet packet decomposing function. At the increasing of age, the velocity and acceleration of the postural sway measurements are increasing, but they decrease when the noise are introduced. For those non-stochastic signals of certain physical explanation, the context method is suitable for analyzing the status of dynamic system
Proteins of the mammalian mitotic spindle: phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of MAP-4 during mitosis.

The phosphoprotein composition of isolated CHO spindles was analyzed using the MPM-1 and MPM-2 antibodies, which are reactive with a phosphorylated epitope enriched in mitotic cells and present on the centrosome, kinetochores, midbody and fibers of the mitotic spindle. Several high molecular weight phosphorylated spindle proteins were detected on immunoblots, including species of 410 × 10(3) Mr, 350 × 10(3) Mr, a 230–240 X 10(3) Mr doublet, 210 × 10(3) Mr and 120 × 10(3) Mr. The temporal and spatial distribution of the MPM-reactive phosphoproteins was determined by examining spindle structures isolated from cells at various stages of mitosis. The susceptibility of the staining pattern to extraction with salt, a procedure known to remove most microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), was also examined. The phosphorylated 210 × 10(3) Mr species was identified as MAP-4 and localized to the spindle fibers using (1) a polyclonal antibody raised against this species, that reacted with known MAPs, and (2) established MAP-4 antibodies that reacted with the spindle 210 × 10(3) Mr MPM-reactive proteins. The comparative immunoblot and immunofluorescence analysis establishes a cycle of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of MAP-4 upon entry and exit from mitosis. Regarding the other MPM-reactive proteins, comparative immunofluorescence staining and immunoblot analysis of isolated spindle samples before and after salt extraction indicate that they may be constituents of the centrosome, kinetochores or midbody, but their definitive identification awaits the production of monospecific antibodies.
Factors Associated With Daily Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among Adult Patients at Four Federally Qualified Health Centers, Bronx, New York, 2013

Introduction Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. This study examined the relationships between SSB consumption and demographic, health behavior, health service, and health condition characteristics of adult patients of a network of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in a low-income, urban setting. Methods Validated, standardized self-reported health behavior questions were incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR) and asked of patients yearly, at 4 FQHCs. We conducted cross-sectional analysis of EHR data collected in 2013 from 12,214 adult patients by using logistic regression. Results Forty percent of adult patients consumed 1 or more SSBs daily. The adjusted odds ratios indicated that patients who consumed more than 1 SSB daily were more likely to be aged 18 to 29 years versus age 70 or older, current smokers versus never smoking, eating no servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily or 1 to 4 servings daily versus 5 or more servings daily, and not walking or biking more than 10 blocks in the past 30 days. Patients consuming 1 or more servings of SSBs daily were less likely to speak Spanish than English, be women than men, be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes versus no diabetes, and be diagnosed with hypertension versus no hypertension. Conclusion SSB consumption differed by certain demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and health conditions. Recording SSB intake and other health behaviors data in the EHR could help clinicians in identifying and counseling patients to promote health behavior changes. Future studies should investigate how EHR data on patient health behavior can be used to improve the health of patients and communities.
Careers, curricula, and the future of liberal learning: A program for action

A program developed by a sociology department is offered as a model by which other liberal arts disciplines can reassert those values and goals that serve the intellectual and artistic development of men and women. The program, involving the combination of career with academic counseling, internships, and other features, has been grafted on to an existing, intellectually demanding curriculum.
On-line adaptation algorithm for RBF kernel based FS-SVM

The performance of Fixed-Size least squares support vector machines (FS-SVM) has been illustrates on the large-scale modeling problem. This paper presents an adaptive RBF kernel based FS-SVM and an on-line adaptation algorithm for time-varying nonlinear systems. The key feature of this algorithm method is the direct approach used for formulating the training target. Based on the feature of RBF kernel, the error (objective) function between actual active model and target model is formulated and can be minimized by Gradient descent algorithm. The proposed algorithm is capable of maintaining the accuracy of learned patterns even when a large number of aged patterns are replaced by new ones through the adaptation process. The simulation results show the effectiveness of this architecture for adaptive modeling.
Titanium with controllable pore fractions by thermoreversible gelcasting of TiH2

Abstract Thermoreversible gelcasting, a near-net-shape processing technique, is demonstrated here for titanium. The gelcasting system is composed of TiH2 particles suspended in a triblock copolymer gel that behaves as a viscous liquid above 56 °C and an elastic solid at room temperature, a temperature-dependent transition that is fully reversible when solvent is present. Organic pyrolysis to remove the gel followed by vacuum sintering to densify the Ti powders (produced by decomposition of the hydride) results in titanium with near full density and low contamination. Incorporation of polypropylene and poly(methyl methacrylate) space-holder particles into the gel results in titanium with controlled porosities up to 44 vol.% and with low contamination. These foams exhibit tailorable stiffness and strength, together with excellent compressive ductility and energy absorption.
The Stranger Effect: The Rejection of Affective Deviants

What happens when affective displays deviate from normative expectations? In this study, participants evaluated target individuals displaying flat, incongruent, or congruent expressions seemingly in response to pictures eliciting positive, neutral, or negative affect. Relative to targets who displayed normative reactions, those who violated affective norms (affective deviants) were rated more negatively on various dimensions of social judgment. Participants also preferred greater social distance from affective deviants, reported more moral outrage in response to them, and inferred that these targets did not share their moral values. Incongruent affect resulted in more negative social judgment than did flat affect, and this relationship was moderated by stimulus valence. Finally, the relationship between targets' affective expressions and participants' avoidant intentions was mediated by the extent to which participants thought the targets shared their moral values. These findings demonstrate the interpersonal costs of affective deviance, revealing the pervasiveness and force of affective norms.
Assessing a coalition for outreach and enrollment in Minnesota’s health insurance exchange

Using a case-study approach, representatives of the Insure Duluth coalition were interviewed in order to evaluate processes, strengths, challenges and outcomes associated with using a coalition approach to community outreach and enrollment in health insurance via the new state marketplace, which is part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Overall, interview participants cited numerous strengths to the coalition approach as well as technical challenges with enrolling persons in health insurance. They also felt such challenges had the unintended effect of strengthening the relationships between coalition organizations. Community level outcomes were identified as being associated with the coalition’s work. Participants also discussed key contextual factors supporting the coalition. The coalition approach appears to be a promising tactic to increase health insurance access. States can provide funding for and foster policies to assist coalitions expand health insurance access. Keywords: Coalitions, Health Insurance, Health Care Access, Affordable Care Act, Interviews, Case-Study Community coalitions have become a widespread and accepted means for addressing
The Development of an Instrument to Measure Preservice Teachers' Attitudes about Discourse in the Mathematics Classroom

This study explored the themes that comprise preservice teachers' attitudes regarding discourse in the K-12 mathematics classroom. The initial development of the theory underlying preservice teachers' attitudes regarding mathematical discourse is documented through the development of a 5-point Likert instrument. Analysis of the Preservice Teachers' Attitudes About Discourse in the Mathematics Classroom (PADM) Instrument (N – 277) resulted in three reliable factors: Promoting Mathematical Reasoning (α1= .85), Examining Complex Mathematical Concepts (α2= .81), and Valuing Students' Mathematical Ideas (α3= .85). These results suggest a framework that mathematics educators can employ to address preservice teachers' attitudes regarding discourse in an effort to support their implementation of reform-based discourse in the teaching of mathematics in their future classrooms.
Origins of the European Economy: Time under way

H ow long did it take to move from point A to point B? The speed of travel has usually attracted scholars seeking to understand and reconstruct particular events. But its implications are critical for evaluating the economic significance of communications patterns around the inland sea: the velocity of circulation of people and things is essential to their economic potential. Once we detect the speed, or speeds, of travel, we can ask whether they changed. Moreover, the speed of travel and communications sheds indirect light on other important matters, such as the state of the infrastructure. But it is not an easy issue. Direct, explicit early medieval evidence on travel times is scarce and scattered. So much so that Liudprand of Cremona's valuable Mediterranean testimony has served the discussion of nautical speeds in the very different cultural, climatic, and navigational setting of the northern seas. Of even more consequence to analysis is the fact that both the evidence which has long been known and the new data made possible by this study are very disparate. This makes a few distinctions essential, since the kind of travel described might affect both speed and routes. Between ships, for instance, pilgrims did not necessarily follow the same schedules as merchants, and we have already seen that reasons of state compelled officials to take seasonal travel risks that merchants might have avoided.
ssDNA Functionalized Nanoceria: A Redox Active Aptaswitch for Biomolecular Recognition

Quantification of biomolecular binding events is a critical step for the development of biorecognition assays for diagnostics and therapeutic applications. This paper reports the design of redox-active switches based on aptamer conjugated nanoceria for detection and quantification of biomolecular recognition. It is shown that the conformational transition state of the aptamer on nanoceria, combined with the redox properties of these particles can be used to create surface based structure switchable aptasensing platforms. Changes in the redox properties at the nanoceria surface upon binding of the ssDNA and its target analyte enables rapid and highly sensitive measurement of biomolecular interactions. This concept is demonstrated as a general applicable method to the colorimetric detection of DNA binding events. An example of a nanoceria aptaswitch for the colorimetric sensing of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and applicability to other targets is provided. The system can sensitively and selectivity detect as low as 0.15 × 10(-9) m OTA. This novel assay is simple in design and does not involve oligonucleotide labeling or elaborate nanoparticle modification steps. The proposed mechanism discovered here opens up a new way of designing optical sensing methods based on aptamer recognition. This approach can be broadly applicable to many bimolecular recognition processes and related applications.
A Demonstration Program for Campus Infant Care

In the United States, the need for programs for infant care outside the home as well as interventions within the infant’s home is increasing rapidly. There are numerous reasons why the field of infant care is burgeoning. With the advent of Hunt’s book Intelligence and Experience (1961) the laissez-faire attitude toward the education of the young child began to change rapidly. Programs such as Head Start and Home Start have become as much a part of our educational system as public kindergartens. The results of research on these innovation programs suggest that intervention earlier than when children are 3 or 4 years of age may be important for children’s later outcomes in terms of cognitive and social emotional development. Therefore, many intervention programs for infants have been developed.
EPR : conception du cœur et combustible

Dans la partie conception du coeur de cet article, nous presentons les caracteristiques principales du coeur de l'EPR, du controle de la reactivite, de l'instrumentation incore et du pilotage, en comparant souvent ces caracteristiques a celles du N4. Puis, nous presentons les principaux objectifs assignes a l'assemblage de combustible, ses principales caracteristiques et atouts.
Effectiveness of Carbaryl and Thuricide 16-B on a Population of Larval Lambdina athasaria pellucidaria

A field experiment was conducted at Cape Cod, Mass., to determine the efficacy of carbaryl aerially applied at the rate of 1 qt AI/acre and of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Thuricide 16-B®) at the rate of 1 and 2 qt AI/acre on Lambdina athasaria pellucidaria (Grote and Robinson). Results of a single aerial application of all insecticides indicate that Thuricide 16-B at 2 qt/acre was most effective compared to either the 1 qt/acre applications of the Thuricide or carbaryl in lowering the population levels of the L. athasaria pellucidaria . Carbaryl was least effective; Thuricide 16B at 1 qt/acre was intermediate in effectiveness.
Analysis of hand foot and mouth disease surveillance in Leshan from 2010 to 2011

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease(HFMD) in Leshan City and to explore the scientific strategies and measures for the prevention and control of HFMD.Methods Sentinel hospitals suspected HFMD cases and censorship within the jurisdiction of throat swab specimens were monitored weekly,virus types were identified by quantitative PCR.Results 436 cases were reported in the whole city from May in 2010 to 2011.They were mainly concentrated in the 1-5 age group,accounting for 95.41%,ratio of male to female was 1.36∶1,this disease was mainly in children(44%)and preschool children in the diaspora(46%),and pathogen of HFMD had no obvious advantage in epidemic type in Leshan,each of EV71 type and CoxA16 type almost had 50%.Conclusion Enhancing the epidemicmonitoring,reinforcing the public education and developing good hygiene habits are the critical preventive measures for HFMD disease.
Analysis on the Epidemic situation of infectious diseases in Jiulongpo District, Chongqing City in 1957-2012

Objective To analyze the occurrence, development and alteration rule of Class-A and Class-B infectious diseases in Jiulongpo District, Chongqing City during 1957 to 2012, and to provide scientific evidence for developing preventive and control measures. Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted according to the reported data on Class-A and Class-B infectious diseases in Jiulongpo District during 1957 to 2012. Results A total of 357,152 cases of 25 kinds of Class-A and Class-B infectious diseases were reported in 1957-2012, leading to 896 deaths due to 19 kinds of infectious diseases. The annual incidence rate was 1,213.27/l00,000. The annual mortality rate was 3.04/l00,000. And the case fatality rate was 0.25%. The incidence rates and mortality rates of the infectious diseases showed a decreasing trend. Class-A and Class-B infectious diseases were mainly composed of respiratory communicable diseases in the 1950s-1970s, which accounted for 58.18%-64.03%. Intestinal infectious diseases became prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, accounting for 50.44%-66.07%. In the 21st century, blood diseases and STDs became the main infectious diseases, accounting for 37.01%. The epidemic situation of most infectious diseases, such as Class-A infectious diseases, insect-borne infectious diseases and zoonotic infectious diseases, had been effectively controlled. Conclusions Remarkable effect has been obtained in prevention and control of the infectious diseases in Jiulongpo District, but the epidemic situation of the diseases shows new characteristics and is still severe. It is necessary to formulate and improve prevention and control strategies, strengthen basic construction of prevention work, and promote prevention and monitoring of the infectious diseases.
The activity of gemcitabine in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Gemcitabine is a new active drug in the treatment of advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is validated that the response rate of the single agent gemcitabine was consistently above 20%, median survival was 34 weeks and it could improve the disease related symptoms with well toleranced toxicities by many clinical studies. This report reviews the clinical studies of gemcitabine in the patients with advanced NSCLC.
Activation and Function of Small GTPases Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 During Gastrulation

Gastrulation is comprised of a series of cell polarization and directional cell migration events that establish the physical body plan of the embryo. One of the major ligand-based pathways that has emerged to play crucial roles in the regulation of gastrulation is the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway. This aspect of Wnt signaling is comprised of a number of signaling branches that are subsequently integrated for the regulation of changes to the actin cytoskeleton during cell polarization and cell migration during vertebrate gastrulation. The Rho family of small GTPases are activated and required for non-canonical Wnt signaling during gastrulation, and in this chapter, we describe biochemical assays for the detection of Wnt-mediated activation of Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 in both mammalian cells and Xenopus embryo explants.
Engaging Amateurs in the Design, Fabrication, and Assembly of Electronic Devices

This paper explores personal fabrication as a means of engaging new audiences in the creation of electronic devices, which play an ever-increasing role in our lives but which most people have little involvement in creating. We describe a six-session workshop in which eight participants made wifi-connected devices through the design and fabrication of custom printed circuit boards. We explore the implications of using components and processes analogous to those in commercial products, as opposed to the limited set of higher-level building blocks found in toolkits for hobbyist electronics. We highlight unique advantages and challenges of a personal fabrication approach. We explore the role of attitudes in identifying a suitable audience for these activities. We discuss insights into commercial electronic products offered by personal fabrication and explore its role in a world of mass-produced electronic devices. Finally, we suggest opportunities for future tools and technologies.
The Elderly Healthcare Consumer: A Critical Review of Information Source Use and Advertising Recommendations:

A critical review of the literature is undertaken to examine the state of the art and degree of articulation of theories, methods, and findings between health care marketing and the traditional “generic” marketing literature as related to knowledge of information use by and advertising to the elderly consumer. Evaluative criteria suggestive of scientific rigor are applied to this domain as consistencies, discrepancies, and gaps are identified.Recommendations for future research are advanced.
Managed care and the reorganization of navy medicine

Reports completed in 1988 by the Navy Inspector General and a Blue Ribbon Panel evaluated Navy medicine. They found serious problems and expressed dissatisfaction with both the organization and effectiveness of management. These findings formed the basis for a reorganization that was recommended to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. A program of managed care was proposed to help control costs. The reorganization establishes a partnership between line officers, who will have command over medical facilities, and a more specialized healthcare establishment that will focus on resource planning and providing quality care.
Pediatric interventional radiology

Paediatric interventional radiology (IR) is a rapidly developing subspecialty, seeking to meet the increasing demand for image-guided minimally invasive procedures. The wide range of procedures performed and the conditions treated reflect the varying ages and complexity of the patient population. This article reviews the various interventional procedures performed and the unique challenges faced in paediatric IR. Conditions, such as vascular anomalies, that are primarily treated by paediatric interventional radiologists are highlighted. The requirements for establishing a paediatric IR practice are reviewed, as are the challenges facing the future development of the specialty. Keywords: pediatric interventional radiology
Acute Pulmonary Edema in an Eclamptic Pregnant Patient: A Rare Case of Takotsubo Syndrome

BACKGROUND Acute pulmonary edema in a pregnant patient is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Takotsubo syndrome, or stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a rare cause of acute pulmonary edema in a pregnant patient, especially prior to delivery of the fetus. CASE REPORT We describe a case of a pregnant patient who presented with acute pulmonary edema and eclampsia and was found to have Takotsubo syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, eclampsia as a precipitating factor for Takotsubo syndrome has not been described in literature. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians taking care of pregnant patients should be aware of the potential link between eclampsia and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Prompt correction of the precipitating cause along with supportive management as described is the key to a successful outcome.
Acute traumatic coagulopathy: pathophysiology and resuscitation

Acute Traumatic Coagulopathy occurs immediately after massive trauma when shock, hypoperfusion, and vascular damage are present. Mechanisms for this acute coagulopathy include activation of protein C, endothelial glycocalyx disruption, depletion of fibrinogen, and platelet dysfunction. Hypothermia and acidaemia amplify the endogenous coagulopathy and often accompany trauma. These multifactorial processes lead to decreased clot strength, autoheparinization, and hyperfibrinolysis. Furthermore, the effects of aggressive crystalloid administration, haemodilution from inappropriate blood product transfusion, and prolonged surgical times may worsen clinical outcomes. We review normal coagulation using the cell-based model of haemostasis and the pathophysiology of acute traumatic coagulopathy. Developed trauma systems reduce mortality, highlighting critical goals for the trauma patient in different phases of care. Once patients reach a trauma hospital, certain triggers reliably indicate when they require massive transfusion and specialized trauma care. These triggers include base deficit, international normalized radio (INR), systolic arterial pressure, haemoglobin concentration, and temperature. Early identification for massive transfusion is critically important, as exsanguination in the first few hours of trauma is a leading cause of death. To combat derangements caused by massive haemorrhage, damage control resuscitation is a technique that addresses each antagonist to normal haemostasis. Components of damage control resuscitation include damage control surgery, permissive hypotension, limited crystalloid administration, haemostatic resuscitation, and correction of hyperfibrinolysis.
Internalities and Their Applicability for Organizational Practices

ABSTRACTThe economic concept of externalities was introduced to the field of behavior analysis (BA) by Biglan (2009). Since then, practitioners of BA have been able to apply this economic concept to behavior analytic theory, and create strategies to improve organizational practices. A similar economic concept to the externality is the internality, a cost imposed on an individual that is not taken into account when the person consumes the good or service. This paper will introduce the concept of internalities and discuss how it can be integrated into existing behavior analytic literature. Practices that produce “organizational internalities” will be analyzed using meta and macrocontingencies, with a discussion on how positive internalities can be promoted by an organization’s leadership. It will conclude with a discussion on how strategies regarding Organizational Behavior Management and Behavioral Systems Analysis can use the concept of organizational internalities to mitigate the negative outcomes of int...
Effect of anesthetics on microglial activation and nanoparticle uptake: Implications for drug delivery in traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health problem, often with devastating consequences for patients and their families. Affordable and timely therapies can have a substantial impact on outcomes in severe TBI. Despite the common use of sedatives and anesthetics in the acute phase of TBI management, their effect on glial cells is not well understood. We investigated the effect of a commonly used sedative, pentobarbital, on glial cells and their uptake of nanoparticles. First, we studied how pentobarbital affects BV2 mouse microglial cells in culture. The cell morphology was imaged by confocal microscopy and analyzed. Our results suggest that microglia change to a more swollen, ‘activated’ shape with pentobarbital (cell area increased by approximately 20%, p
Rapid acceptance testing of modern linac using on-board MV and kV imaging systems.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a novel process for using on-board MV and kV Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPIDs) to perform linac acceptance testing (AT) for two reasons: (a) to standardize the assessment of new equipment performance, and (b) to reduce the time to clinical use while reducing physicist workload. Methods and materials In this study, Varian TrueBeam linacs equipped with amorphous silicon-based EPID (aS1000) were used. The conventional set of AT tests and tolerances were used as a baseline guide. A novel methodology was developed or adopted from published literature to perform as many tests as possible using the MV and kV EPIDs. The developer mode on Varian TrueBeam linacs was used to automate the process. In the EPID-based approach, most of mechanical tests were conducted by acquiring images through a custom phantom and software tools were developed for quantitative analysis to extract different performance parameters. The embedded steel-spheres in a custom phantom provided both visual and radiographic guidance for beam geometry testing. For photon beams, open field EPID images were used to extract inline/crossline profiles to verify the beam energy, flatness and symmetry. EPID images through a double wedge phantom were used for evaluating electron beam properties via diagonal profile. Testing was augmented with a commercial automated application (Machine Performance Check) which was used to perform several geometric accuracy tests such as gantry, collimator rotations, and couch rotations/translations. Results The developed process demonstrated that the tests, which required customer demonstration, were efficiently performed using EPIDs. The AT tests that were performed using EPIDs were fully automated using the developer mode on the Varian TrueBeam system, while some tests, such as the light field versus radiation field congruence, and collision interlock checks required user interaction. Conclusions On-board imagers are quite suitable for both geometric and dosimetric testing of linac system involved in AT. Electronic format of the acquired data lends itself to benchmarking, transparency, as well as longitudinal use of AT data. While the tests were performed on a specific model of a linear accelerator, the proposed approach can be extended to other linacs.
The Regionalization of Climatic Change in Western North America

Although displacement of atmospheric circulation patterns is a common and attractive explanation for climatic change, some recent paleoclimatic records from western North America indicate that although relative strengths have changed, the positions of some major circulation features have remained the same during the late Quaternary.