cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charge Carrier Tunneling Across the Passive Film on Platinum

The reduction of oxygen on platinum in 0.1M KOH has been studied at ambient temperature using a rotating ring disk electrode and two Tafel slopes are observed. The structural and electronic properties of this film were investigated over an extended temperature range (25 o C to 220 o C) using the rate of hydrogen oxidation as an experimental probe in a pressurized, controlled hydrodynamic flow channel. By combining Quantum Mechanical Tunneling (QMT) theory and the Point Defect Model (PDM), a new method was devised for determining the thickness of the extremely thin oxide film on platinum. This QMT-PDM method yields a temperature-invariant tunneling constant (which defines the blocking character of the oxide film to charge transfer) as 0.57x10 8 cm -1 and yields a barrier height of 0.31eV. Finally, the barrier oxide layer on platinum is postulated to comprise a columnar, nano crystalline structure with tetragonal unit cells oriented with the c-axis perpendicular to the metal surface.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee: disease of the popliteus tendon and posterolateral compartment.

Abstract The knee joint is the most frequent location for pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS). Within the knee, localized PVNS is most commonly situated within the anterior compartment and is rarely found in the posterior compartment. Preoperative diagnosis is often elusive but can be improved with magnetic resonance imaging. We present a case of localized PVNS within the posterolateral compartment of the knee originating from the popliteus tendon that was not found on preoperative examination or radiological imaging.
Steroid hormone content of seminal plasma influences fertilizing ability of sperm in White Leghorns

ABSTRACT Maternal and paternal influences before fertilization can significantly affect the ultimate reproductive output. In avian species, previous studies have shown that concentrations of testosterone (T) in seminal plasma vary greatly and are related to sperm quality. To our knowledge, the presence of other reproductive hormones in avian seminal plasma and their potential influences on fertility remain unstudied. We measured the concentrations of progesterone (P4), T, dihydrotestosterone, and estrogen in seminal and blood plasma collected from White Leghorn roosters. Progesterone was the most abundant hormone compared with all others measured, and concentrations of P4 in seminal plasma were significantly higher than concentrations found in circulation. Given the relatively high concentration of seminal plasma P4, we then attempted to determine its effect on fertility. Hens were inseminated with semen samples that were supplemented with either a high physiological dose of P4 or a control vehicle. Fertilization ability of all semen samples was then characterized using a perivitelline sperm hole penetration assay. Progesterone treatment significantly decreased the ability of sperm to reach and penetrate the egg, suggesting that males that deposit more P4 into seminal plasma may have a decreased capability to fertilize an egg.
Racial Differences in Medication Adherence: A Cross-Sectional Study of Medicare Enrollees

Elderly African Americans reported that they followed physician instructions on how to take medications less frequently than did elderly whites, even after adjusting for differences in demographic characteristics, health literacy, depression, and social support.
Continuous and Collaborative Validation: A Field Study of Requirements Knowledge in Agile

We present the results of our field study that describe how requirements validation was performed at an industrial software company using agile software practices. As is common in agile processes, the team did not capture requirements knowledge in a comprehensive specification document. Instead, requirements knowledge was captured in user stories, automated acceptance tests, personal notes, and conversations. Validation was performed continuously, during preiteration, iteration planning, and intra iteration using mainly conversations. Validation was also collaborative and involved all team members, including the Product Owner, programmers, and testers. The results of our field study have implications for both agile and validation methods. This successful arrangement of agile practices is instructive for agile practitioners and for researchers studying validation.
Numerical Method for Solving Two-Body Bound-State Bethe-Salpeter Equations for Unequal Constituent Masses

A theoretical technique is developed for obtaining finite-energy numerical solutions to a class of two-body, bound-state Bethe-Salpeter equations in the ladder approximation when the constituent masses are unequal. The class of equations is restricted to those for which the Bethe-Salpeter equation can be written as a differential equation and to situations where the coupling constant is real. Such equations can result when the binding force is created by the exchange of a massless quanta. The theoretical technique is tested numerically by obtaining finite-energy solutions of the partially-separated Bethe-Salpeter equation describing the unequal-mass Wick-Cutkosky model in the ladder approximation.
Estimating the Energy Density of Fish: The Importance of Ontogeny

Abstract Ontogenetic patterns in the percent dry weight (%DW) and energy density (joules per gram of wet weight) were studied in the early life stages of the subtropical estuarine and marine gray snapper Lutjanus griseus and the warm-temperate estuarine and marine spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. The %DW was variable for individuals of both species but increased significantly through larval to juvenile stages ( 50 mm). The lipid percentage, which was determined only for gray snapper, was also variable between individuals but showed significant increase with body size. Strong relationships between percent dry weight and energy density were evident for both species; however, the slopes of regressions were significantly lower than in general multispecies models, demonstrating the need for species- and stage-specific energy density data in bioenergetics models.
Curbing the Loss of Affordable Rental Housing in Florida: A Risk Assessment Approach

Thousands of Floridian families in need of affordable housing rely on privately-owned multifamily rental apartments that were constructed under federal government programs in the 1960s through 1980s. The terms of the subsidy programs and the age of the structures now cause many units to be faced with a high risk of loss to the affordable housing stock. Units are lost as a result of conversion to market-rate housing upon the prepayment or maturity of a subsidized mortgage, or the expiration of a rental assistance contract or use restriction. Units are also lost through physical deterioration and mortgage default. Preservation of affordable housing has been hampered by a lack of multifamily housing research and data. This paper describes the creation of an assisted housing inventory and the analysis of property characteristics as an approach to identify properties most at risk of loss and to steer preservation policy and funding. This risk assessment approach is applied to Florida’s assisted housing stock. For units at risk by 2015, it found that the majority receives project-based rental assistance, that all population groups are impacted by the potential loss, that almost half have non-profit ownership, and that only four counties house almost 50 percent of atrisk units. Rent restructuring, debt restructuring, additional funding programs and property tax relief are described as preservation strategies.
Novel Metal-Ceramic Joining for Planar SOFCs

We are investigating a new method of ceramic-to-metal joining, referred to as reactive air brazing (RAB), as a potential method of sealing planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In the present study, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and FeCrAlY were selected as subject materials in order to simulate the cell-to-frame seal in planar SOFC. YSZ plates were joined with FeCrAlY foils, using various CuO-Ag and CuO-Ag-TiO2 braze compositions. Metallographic analysis revealed that a majority of the CuO in the braze preferentially migrates to the braze/FeCrAlY interface, indicating a stronger affinity and interaction between the CuO and the alumina scale that had formed on the FeCrAlY than with the YSZ substrate. The addition of TiO2 to the braze appeared to have no significant effect on the microstructure or mechanical properties of the YSZ/FeCrAlY joints, unlike what had been observed previously in YSZ/YSZ joining. Four-point bend tests indicated that joint strength improves with increasing CuO content up to 8 mol% CuO, the maximum concentration of copper oxide tetsed, likely due to the concomitant improvement in braze wettability. A maximum bend strength of 101 MPa was achieved using the 8 mol% CuO braze composition, demonstrating the feasibility of this joining technique for sealing planarmore » SOFCs.« less
pH‐responsive polyzwitterions: A comparative study of acrylamide‐based polyampholyte terpolymers and polybetaine copolymers

A comparative study of pH-responsive polyzwitterions (PZs) with polyampholyte or polybetaine architectures was conducted with well-defined model polymer systems. Low-charge-density PZs, including ampholytic terpolymers composed of acrylamide (AM), sodium 3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate, and (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride and carboxybetaine copolymers composed of AM and 3-(3-acrylamidopropyldimethylammonio)propionate, were prepared via free-radical polymerization in 0.5M NaCl to yield ter- and copolymers with random termonomer and comonomer distributions. Sodium formate was used as a chain-transfer agent during the polymerizations to eliminate the effects of the monomer feed composition on the degree of polymerization (DP) and to suppress gel effects and broadening of the molecular weight distributions. The polymer compositions were determined via 13C-NMR spectroscopy, and the residual counterion content was determined via elemental analysis for Na+ and Cl−. The molecular weights (MWs) and polydispersity indices (PDIs) were determined via size exclusion chromatography/multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC–MALLS); the polymer MWs ranged from 1.4 to 1.5 × 106 g/mol, corresponding to DPs of 1.6–1.9 × 104 repeat units, with all the polymers exhibiting PDIs less than or equal to 2.1. The intrinsic viscosities determined from SEC–MALLS data and the Flory–Fox relationship agreed with the intrinsic viscosities determined via low-shear dilute-solution viscometry. Data from the SEC–MALLS analysis were used to analyze the radius of gyration/molecular weight (Rg–M) relationships and the Mark–Houwink–Sakurada intrinsic viscosity/molecular weight ([η]–M) relationships for the PZs. The Rg–M and [η]–M relationships and viscometric data revealed that under size exclusion chromatography conditions, the poly[acrylamide-co-3-(3-acrylamidopropyldimethylammonio)propionate] betaine copolymers had more open, random-coil conformations and greater polymer–solvent interactions than the ampholytic poly[acrylamide-co-sodium 3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate-co-(3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride] terpolymers. The pH- and salt-responsive dilute-solution viscosity behavior of the PZs was examined to assess the effects of the polymer structure and composition on the solution properties. The polyampholyte terpolymers had greater solution viscosities and more pronounced stimuli-responsiveness than the polybetaine copolymers because of their stronger intramolecular interactions and increased chain stiffness. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 24–39, 2004
Rendering Implicit Flow Volumes

Traditional flow volumes construct an explicit geometrical or parametrical representation from the vector field. The geometry is updated interactively and then rendered using an unstructured volume rendering technique. Unless a detailed refinement of the flow volume is specified for the interior, information inside the underlying flow volume is lost in the linear interpolation. These disadvantages can be avoided and/or alleviated using an implicit flow model. An implicit flow is a scalar field constructed such that any point in the field is associated with a termination surface using an advection operator on the flow. We present two techniques, a slice-based three-dimensional texture mapping and an interval volume segmentation coupled with a tetrahedron projection-based renderer, to render implicit stream flows. In the first method, the implicit flow representation is loaded as a 3D texture and manipulated using a dynamic texture operation that allows the flow to be investigated interactively. In our second method, a geometric flow volume is extracted from the implicit flow using a high dimensional iso-contouring or interval volume routine. This provides a very detailed flow volume or set of flow volumes that can easily change topology, while retaining accurate characteristics within the flow volume. The advantages and disadvantages of these two techniques are compared with traditional explicit flow volumes.
More than meets the eye: Morandi's art and analytic listening.

This study of Giorgio Morandi, the great twentieth-century Italian painter, departs from the model of Freud’s essay on Leonardo, in which he creates a psychodynamic hypothesis by linking the art with facts and conjecture about the artist’s life. Because personal information about Morandi is remarkably scarce, we can make few connections between his art and his individual psychology. But Morandi’s works can inform psychoanalysis and enhance analytic listening when we reflect on the paintings themselves, our responses to them, and the responses of art critics. This approach to his art evokes core principles of clinical theory, demonstrates the overlap between the creative process in art and analysis, and exemplifies the value of interdisciplinary study for analytic education.
Enterobacter Cloacae Bacteremia in Children: A Review of 30 Cases in 12 Years

A review was performed of the 30 cases of pediatric Enterobacter cloacae (EBC) bacteremia which occurred at our institution during a 12-year period. These 30 cases represented 88% of all cases in which EBC was isolated by blood culture (four other instances were considered contaminants); the rate of isolation of this organism relative to all positive blood cultures was 0.6%. There were 14 patients less than 12 months of age, with 10 less than 2 months of age. Infection was nosocomially-acquired in 17 cases. At the time the positive blood culture was obtained, 5 patients were afebrile, and 8 patients (five immunocompromised) had been receiving parenteral antibiotic therapy to which the organism exhibited in-vitro sensitivity for at least 24 hours. EBC was a constituent of polymicrobial bacteremia in 6 cases; in 5 instances the associated organisms were also gram-negative bacteria. There were a total of 33 underlying medical conditions or foci of infection associated with EBC bacteremia identified in 27 patients, the most common of which were immune-deficiency state (17) and gastrointestinal tract lesions (6). There were 3 patients who died. EBC bacteremia is a relatively rare pediatric infection. It is commonly nosocomially-acquired, and afflicts children who are younger-aged or compromised by underlying medical problems.
Power Differences in the Construal of a Crisis: The Immediate Aftermath of September 11, 2001

In this research, we examine the relationship between power and three characteristics of construal—abstraction, valence, and certainty—in individuals’ verbatim reactions to the events of September 11, 2001, and during the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks. We conceptualize power as a form of social distance and find that position power (but not expert power) was positively associated with the use of language that was more abstract (vs. concrete), positive (vs. negative), and certain (vs. uncertain). These effects persist after controlling for temporal distance, geographic distance, and impression management motivation. Our results support central and corollary predictions of Construal Level Theory (Liberman, Trope, & Stephan, 2007; Trope & Liberman, 2003) in a high-consequence, real-world context, and our method provides a template for future research in this area outside of the laboratory.
Isolation and characterization of a calpain activator in chicken skeletal muscle

Abstract The calpains (E.C. 3.4.22.17) and calpastatin constitute an ubiquitous, intracellular, Ca2+-dependent protease/inhibitor system. This system has been implicated as a principal regulator of myofibrillar protein degradation in both ante-mortem and postmortem muscle. Although proteolytic activity of the calpains is primarily controlled through interaction of calpain and calpastatin, evidence for an activator(s) has been limited and the reported characteristics varied. The function of the activator has not been elucidated. A putative calpain activator has been isolated from the Pectoralis muscle of broiler breeders (Cobb x Cobb). The activator elutes from an ion-exchange column at approximately 200 mM NaCl. Addition of activator increased apparent m-calpain activity to a level demonstrating a fourfold increase in proteolysis. The activator/calpain complex maintains a requirement for Ca2+ for proteolytic activity. Under physiological conditions, presence of the activator negates the ability of calpastatin to inhibit m-calpain. Additionally, the activator alone does not demonstrate proteolytic activity. Effect of the activator is pH-dependent; in a physiological pH range, the activator enhances m-calpain proteolytic activity but at pH less than 6.75 the effect is to inhibit m-calpain. The activator's ability to modulate m-calpain activity and eliminate calpastatin's effect provides a further means of regulating this important enzyme system.
Erythrocyte-Modifying Capacity and Serological Reactivity of Cell Components of Human Mycoplasma (PPLO) Strains.

SummaryLiquid cultures of several mycoplasma strains were harvested and packed cells subjected to fractionation procedures. Recovery of fractions from alkaline hydrolysis yielded small quantities of material capable of modifying erythrocytes for specific agglutination in homologous PPLO antiserum. Fractions capable of sensitizing erythrocytes were also active in adsorbing specific PPLO antibody reacting in an inmmunofluorescent test. Hemagglutinin titers of PPLO antisera were compared to agglutinin and indirect fluorescent antibody titers.
NONLINEAR MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL BASED ON SEQUENTIAL MONTE CARLO STATE ESTIMATION

Abstract Formulating the nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) problem using nonlinear differential equations has been gaining attention recently, with the promise of improved performance. NMPC requires a knowledge of the states, which are rarely available directly. Hence, the role of a state estimator is crucial to provide state information from noisy process measurements. Earlier attempts to combine variants of the Kalman filter with NMPC met with limited success due to debilitating effects of linearization. Currently, moving horizon estimation (MHE) is the most popular choice since it is seen as a dual to the control problem. However, MHE typically makes simplifying assumptions about the nature of stochastic variables and lacks an efficient recursive formulation. Most importantly, MHE is an optimization burden in addition to the regulation problem to be solved online. We propose using the sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) filter for state estimation in NMPC since it is significantly faster and at least as accurate as MHE. More accurate and fast estimation results in faster control optimization for realtime use of NMPC and improves the performance. In this paper a comparison of NMPC performance is detailed with MHE and SMC state estimation in a nonlinear CSTR simulation study.
Evaluation of a Qualitative Hemagglutination Test for Antibodies to Treponema pallidum

Initial reports on a hemagglutination test for the serodiagnosis of syphilis, which used pathogenic Treponema pallidum as the antigen, generated much interest [1, 2]. Recently, a quantitative, automated, microhemagglutination test was used for the detection of antibodies to T. pallidum in sera from animals experimentally infected with that spirochete [3]. An evaluation of the clinical usefulness of the automated procedure has also been published [4]. The present study pertains to an evaluation of a qualitative macrohemagglutination test for antibodies to T. pallidum (TPHA) that utilizes the same reagents as those used for the automated, microhemagglutination procedure. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the macrohemagglutination test were determined with 340 preselected sera.
Advances in diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

OBJECTIVE To review the current state of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETS)Methods: The literature published between 2005 and 2014 in PUBMED, Medline, Google Scholar, Cochrane reports, and ClinicalTrials.gov was examined for relevance to the topic. RESULTS PNETS have an incidence <1 per 100,000 individuals and may functionally secrete biologically active substances or be nonfunctional (NF-PNETs). PNETs occur both sporadically and in patients with various inherited disorders. Pathology and staging range from benign, well-differentiated to metastatic and dedifferentiated and are dependent on the mitotic and Ki67 indices of cell proliferation. Bone alkaline phosphatase and N-terminal telopeptide (N-telopeptide) are markers of osteoblasts and osteoclast activation, and pancreastatin, neurokinin A (NKA), chromogranin A (CgA) and neuron-specific enolase are used to determine response to therapy and prognosis. Surgical resection of the primary tumor is recommended, even when there are metastases. New techniques are being developed for tumor localization (68Ga-tetra-azacyclododecane tetra-acetic acid-octreotate [DOTATATE] positron emission tomography [PET] scans). Somatostatin (SST) that binds to SST receptors (SSTRs) 2 and 5 partially controls symptoms and tumor growth. Two new agents have been approved for treating PNETs: a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor that increases progression-free survival (PFS). An exciting addition is the use of peptide receptor radiotherapy (PRRT) using SST as the peptide with a carrier such as 68Gallium (68Ga) for localization or 177Lutetium (177Lu) or 99Yttrium (99Y) for therapy. CONCLUSION There have been advances in PNET diagnosis, tumor localization, and therapies in the last decade, and increased understanding of their pathophysiology is likely to be rewarded with new and emerging treatments for PNETs in the not too distant future.
Historical Underpinnings of Bipolar Disorder Diagnostic Criteria

Mood is the changing expression of emotion and can be described as a spectrum. The outermost ends of this spectrum highlight two states, the lowest low, melancholia, and the highest high, mania. These mood extremes have been documented repeatedly in human history, being first systematically described by Hippocrates. Nineteenth century contemporaries Falret and Baillarger described two forms of an extreme mood disorder, with the validity and accuracy of both debated. Regardless, the concept of a cycling mood disease was accepted before the end of the 19th century. Kraepelin then described “manic depressive insanity” and presented his description of a full spectrum of mood dysfunction which could be exhibited through single episodes of mania or depression or a complement of many episodes of each. It was this concept which was incorporated into the first DSM and carried out until DSM-III, in which the description of episodic mood dysfunction was used to build a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Criticism of this approach is explored through discussion of the bipolar spectrum concept and some recent examinations of the clinical validity of these DSM diagnoses are presented. The concept of bipolar disorder in children is also explored.
Convergence Analysis of the Spectral Expansion of Stable Related Semigroups

The purpose of this note is to carry out a convergence analysis of the spectral representation, derived recently in Patie and Savov (Spectral expansions of non-self-adjoint generalized Laguerre semigroups, submitted, 2015), of some non-self-adjoint Markovian semigroups related to spectrally negative α-stable Levy processes conditioned to stay positive. More specifically, we start by performing an error analysis for the spectral type series expansions. Moreover, these semigroups are closely related to a class of invariant semigroups, whose speed of convergence to equilibrium has been studied in Patie and Savov (Spectral expansions of non-self-adjoint generalized Laguerre semigroups, submitted, 2015). Our second aim is to carry out a numerical analysis on the convergence rate which is illustrated with two examples.
Fluoride Therapy for Osteoporosis

Publisher Summary Like all trace elements, fluoride demonstrates biphasic actions in the organism; intakes below the recommended daily dose result in growth and development retardation, while high intakes, such as those associated with long exposure to fluoride from endemic or industrial sources, result in skeletal sclerosis. Pharmacologic doses, 20 to 100 mg/day, cause significant increases in skeletal mass. These observations, along with the recognition that the consequences of osteopenia could be reduced in people who had been exposed to fluoride, led to the suggestion that fluoride could be of therapeutic value in osteoporosis. This chapter reviews and discusses the clinical use of fluoride for established osteoporosis. Fluoride is the only orally active bone formation agent in clinical trials. It causes a large increase in spinal bone density, which is needed to restore bone density to a normal within a reasonable time frame. It increases bone formation at trabecular, as well as corticalendosteal, bone sites, which are sites of bone loss in osteoporosis, and it does not increase bone resorption. Moreover, fluoride acts through a unique mechanism—it inhibits a specific osteoblastic fluoride-sensitive PTP, which leads to potentiation of the osteogenic actions of endogenous bone cell growth factors. Thus, fluoride, in effect, may be considered an inexpensive, orally active, bone-specific growth factor therapy. Accordingly, fluoride therapy would be an attractive anabolic therapy for established osteoporosis. On the other hand, fluoride treatment has several undesirable side effects that significantly reduce its benefit-to-risk profile and, thereby, diminish its therapeutic value. Although most of the side effects of fluoride therapy are manageable, two of these side effects, that is, calcium deficiency and high fluoride deposition, could have detrimental effects on the architectural integrity and mechanical strength of the bone. Consequently, fluoride therapy is a highly controversial therapy for osteoporosis.
Mobile app user guide: Hipbone to sync personal health data

Hipbone. Health and Fitness. iOS 8.0 or later. (Updated 15 March 2016: current V.0.2.1; size 19.3 MB. Documented from: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hipbone/id994965999?mt=8.) Free. The Hipbone app is offered by Open mHealth (New York, New York, USA; https://hipboneapp.com/), a non-profit start-up seeking to increase the clinical relevance and usage of self-generated health information.1 Since Apple's release of the iOS 8 operating system in September 2014, iPhone users have been able to collect and curate a variety of their own health data using the native Health application. A signification limitation, however, is that self-generated data, while appreciable in the Health app dashboard, are only stored on the device. Extraction of these data for archiving, conducting analyses or sharing with …
Targeting Infections to Reduce Malnutrition

The Millennium Summit held in New York in 2000 at the United Nations was attended by 147 heads of state or government. The Assembly called for the alleviation of extreme poverty, disease and environmental degradation using the existing wealth, the modern technology and the global awareness that we have, as we enter the twenty-first century. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed o strong conviction that the UN represents not only the governments of 191 member states, but more importantly the world's people who have rights and responsibilities that have a global reach.
Chaos in the pressure generated by laser absorption by microparticles

We present initial results showing chaotic behavior in the pressure signals generated by laser absorption by a microparticle. Specifically, the system of a melanosome immersed in water is investigated. We describe how the system manifests chaos, and the implications for causing damage to the surrounding material. We also find that a characteristic acoustic time of the absorber, the time it takes a sound wave to traverse the absorber, known as the stress confinement time, defines an important time scale for laser pulse duration. For pulse durations shorter than the stress confinement time, the pressure response is periodic, while for pulse durations greater than the stress confinement time, chaotic pressure transients are observed.
Investigating student engagement in blended learning settings using experience sampling and structural equation modeling

Abstract We investigated activity-level student engagement in blended learning classes at the university level. We used intensive longitudinal methodology to collect activity level engagement data throughout a semester for 68 students enrolled in six blended courses across two universities. We used structural equation modeling to gain a holistic understanding of learning environments, including the influence of personal characteristics, course design, and student perceptions of the learning experience on in-the-moment cognitive and emotional engagement. To investigate longitudinal relationships between emotional and cognitive engagement, we employed cross-lagged modeling techniques. Findings showed that course design and student perception variables had a greater influence on engagement than individual student characteristics and that student multitasking had a strong negative influence on engagement. Students' perceptions of the importance of the activity had a strong positive influence on both cognitive and emotional engagement. An important outcome of engagement was the students' perceptions that they were learning and improving.
42 Creating focus: the fire service organisational culture of safety survey

Purpose Safety climate is a strong predictor of occupational near-misses, injuries, and line of duty deaths. Safety climate is the measurable aspect of organisational safety culture and is used by industries such as healthcare, construction, and manufacturing to gauge and improve safety performance. The FOCUS (The Fire Service Organisational Culture of Safety) survey was developed to assess baseline and longitudinal safety climate assessment, enabling intervention development and evaluation. Methods An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Ten focus groups and 63 interviews totaling 120 participants in 13 US fire departments were conducted. From coding of the resulting transcripts, 70 candidate safety climate items were field-tested in a geographically-stratified random sample of 130 fire departments with over 780 stations and 10 000 respondents. The results were psychometrically validated through structural equation modelling and factor analysis. Results Through examination of focus group and interview language, survey items were made relevant for the fire service. The psychometric evaluation of the survey results yielded a two-factor solution. Differences in climate perception between leaders and followers were observed. The FOCUS instrument was predictive of safety outcomes such as injuries, as well as burnout, job satisfaction, and engagement. Conclusions The use of a mixed method study design ensured accurate climate measurement and appropriate survey construction. FOCUS will advance fire service injury prevention efforts through use of a validated tool to understand, maintain, or change the culture that creates safety. Significance Injury prevention has traditionally focused on passive methods to reduce injuries. However, we know that a portion of achieving lower injury rates must address human behaviour. Injury training has not introduced its practitioners to the role that climate assessment (aka ‘culture’) plays in injury risk. Integrating methods from occupational health psychology and organisational science can move the needle on injury outcomes.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Using Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles to Reduce Unjustified Antibiotic Prescribing in Children Admitted With an Asthma Exacerbation

OBJECTIVE Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) ensure appropriate antibiotic use, reduce health care costs, and minimize antibiotic resistance. National asthma guidelines do not recommend antibiotics during an exacerbation unless the child has an infection or comorbidities. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) established a benchmark for unjustified antibiotic use at 6.6%.9 A retrospective study at our institution showed that 7.8% of antibiotics were prescribed without justification in children admitted for asthma. The purpose of this study was to reduce unjustified antibiotic use at our institution by 25% in children through an ASP directed toward asthma. METHODS The study period lasted from November 2015 to March 2016. Children 6 months to 17 years of age, admitted for an asthma exacerbation, were included while those with comorbidities were excluded. A multidisciplinary team from pediatric pharmacotherapy, pulmonology, emergency department (ED), infectious diseases, and quality improvement was...
Estrogen Receptors: New Directions in the New Millennium

Nineteen years have passed since our previous review in this journal in 1999 regarding estrogen receptors. At that time, we described the current assessments of the physiological activities of estrogen and estrogen receptors. Since that time there has been an explosion of progress in our understanding of details of estrogen receptor-mediated processes from the molecular and cellular level to the whole organism. In this review we discuss the basic understanding of estrogen signaling and then elaborate on the progress and current understanding of estrogen receptor actions that have developed using new models and continuing clinical studies.
Case-based similarity assessment: estimating adaptability from experience

Case-based problem-solving systems rely on similarity assessment to select stored cases whose solutions are easily adaptable to fit current problems. However, widely-used similarity assessment strategies, such as evaluation of semantic similarity, can be poor predictors of adaptability. As a result, systems may select cases that are difficult or impossible for them to adapt, even when easily adaptable cases are available in memory. This paper presents a new similarity assessment approach which couples similarity judgments directly to a case library containing the system's adaptation knowledge. It examines this approach in the context of a case-based planning system that learns both new plans and new adaptations. Empirical tests of alternative similarity assessment strategies show that this approach enables better case selection and increases the benefits accrued from learned adaptations.
Abstract 2399: Loss of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18) destabilizes the regulator of thermogenesis uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and represses lung cancer growth

USP18 is the ISG15 (Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15) deconjugase that removes ISG15 from substrate proteins. We found USP18 null mice are markedly cold sensitive versus their wild-type littermates. USP18 null mice had significantly (P Citation Format: Xi Liu, Yun Lu, Weiguo Hu, Zibo Chen, Lisa M. Mustachio, Jason Roszik, Lin Zheng, Masanori Kawakami, Yulong Chen, Sarah J. Freemantle, Ethan Dmitrovsky. Loss of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18) destabilizes the regulator of thermogenesis uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and represses lung cancer growth [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2399.
THE ZOLLINGER-ELLISON SYNDROME. REPORT OF A CASE WITH PROTEIN STUDIES ON THE GASTRIC JUICE.

1. A case report of a patient with gastric hypersecretion, islet cell adenomata of the pancreas, and multiple endocrinopathies (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome) is presented.
Design of an Advanced Inlet Liner for the Quiet Technology Demonstrator 3

The utilization of advanced fan designs (including higher bypass ratios) and shorter engine nacelles has highlighted a need for increased fan noise reduction over a broad frequency range. Thus, improved broadband liner designs must account for these constraints and take advantage of novel liner configurations. With these observations in mind, the development and assessment of a broadband acoustic liner optimization process has been pursued through a series of design and experimental studies. In this work, an advanced inlet liner was designed for a Boeing 737MAX-7 to reduce drag and to improve the broadband noise reduction relative to conventional liners in use today. Specifically, a three layer liner was designed, fabricated, and flight tested as part of the Quiet Technology Demonstrator 3 flight test program. Initial tonal predictions captured the behavior of the measured data very well and both prediction and measurements show an increased acoustic benefit at larger observer angles, particularly at the takeoff condition. Ultimately, flight test results showed the three degree-of-freedom liner to provide a 3.2 EPNdB cumulative inlet component benefit and a 0.7 EPNdB cumulative airplane benefit over the production liner. This excellent result provides valuable validation of the broadband liner design process, as well as the enhancements made to the overall approach. It also illustrates the value of the design process in concurrently evaluating various liner designs (i.e., SDOF, MDOF, etc.) and their application to various locations. Thus, the design process may be applied with further confidence to investigate novel liner configurations in future design studies.
“A Ray of Sunshine on French Tables”: Citrus Fruit, Colonial Agronomy, and French Rule in Algeria (1930–1962)

The French citrus industry in Algeria grew rapidly in terms of land area and fruit production from the 1930s until Algerian Independence in 1962. This article contends that technical expertise regarding citrus cultivation played a role in colonial control of Algeria’s territory, population, and economy. The French regime enrolled Algerian fruit in biopolitical interventions on rural ways of life in Algeria and urban standards of living in France. Technical manuals written by state-affiliated agronomists articulated racial distinctions between French settlers and Algerian peasants through attention to labor practices in the groves. A complex legal, technological, and administrative infrastructure facilitated the circulation of citrus fruit across the Mediterranean and into metropolitan France. This nexus of scientific research, economic profit, and racial hierarchy met criticism during the Algerian War for Independence. In the aftermath, expert discussions about citrus production reflected uncertainties and tensions regarding Algeria’s future. Citrus’ place in scientific, technological, and economic changes in twentieth-century Algeria illuminates the politics of technical expertise under colonialism and during decolonization.
Prescription Opioid Distribution After the Legalization of Recreational Marijuana in Colorado, 2007-2017

Abstract Importance Opioid related overdoses and overprescribing continue to be an ongoing issue within the United States. Further consideration of nonopioid alternatives as a substitute to treat chronic noncancer pain and in the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) is warranted. Objective To examine the association between the legalization of Colorado’s recreational marijuana and prescription opioid distribution trends. Two states that have not legalized recreational marijuana were selected for comparison. Methods The United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Report and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) was used to examine nine pain medications: oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, tapentadol, codeine, meperidine and two OUD medications: methadone and buprenorphine from 2007-2017 in Colorado, Utah, and Maryland. The drug weights were extracted, examined, and graphed. Medications were converted to their oral morphine milligram equivalents (MME) using standard conversion factors. Results Colorado reached a peak of pain MME weight in 2012 and had an −11.66% reduction from 2007 to 2017. During the same interval, Utah had a +9.64% increase in pain medication distribution and Maryland, a −6.02% reduction. As for medications used for OUD, Colorado, Utah, and Maryland had +19.42% increase, −31.45% reduction, and +66.56% increase, respectively. Analysis of the interval pre (2007-2009) versus post (2013-2017) marijuana legalization was completed. Statistically significant changes were observed for Colorado (P=0.033) and Maryland (P=0.007), but not Utah (P=0.659) for pain medications. Analysis of the OUD medications identified significant changes for Colorado (P=0.0003) and Maryland (P=0.0001), but not Utah (P=0.0935). Over the decade, Colorado’s opioid distribution was predominantly (72.49%) for pain with one-quarter (27.51%) for an OUD. Utah distributed 61.00% for pain and 39.00% for OUD. However, Maryland was one-third (37.89%) for pain but over-three-fifths (62.11%) for an OUD. Conclusion There has been a significant decrease in the prescription opioid distribution after the legalization of marijuana in Colorado. This finding was particularly notable for opioids indicated predominantly for analgesia such as hydrocodone, morphine and fentanyl. Colorado had a larger decrease in opioid distribution after 2012 than Utah or Maryland. Therefore, marijuana could be considered as an alternative treatment for chronic pain and reducing use of opioids. Also, when combined with other novel research, it may also reduce the overdose death rate. Additional research with more comparison states is ongoing.
Bioinspired Synthesis of Quasi-Two-Dimensional Monocrystalline Oxides

Controllable synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) monocrystalline oxide nanomaterials beyond van der Waals solids is intriguing but very challenging. Inspired by the biomineralization processes that commonly implement organic templates with both positive and negative charges for regulating the crystal nucleation and growth, we adapted mix-charges amphiphilic monolayer to the ionic layer epitaxy and enabled the growth of monocrystalline 2D nanosheets. In situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and ex situ crystal and elemental analyses revealed that mixing charge in the template is able to tune the 2D crystal nucleation rate and promote the growth of monocrystalline domains. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that mixing charges could yield a stable, flatter, and more ordered monolayer template with a nonuniform distribution of charges, which are favorable for the growth of monocrystalline nanosheets. Designing the mixed amphiphilic monolayers resulted in the creation of ultrathin nanosheets from vario...
Power Distribution Noise and Physical Design Methods

In the previous chapter, we introduced our work and in this chapter, we continue by laying the foundation for our research. There are several design aspects affecting power distribution and we begin by describing the design problem traits characteristic of the analog portion of analog or mixed-signal ASICs. Then, we discuss and illustrate the commonly used physical design styles in these ASICs. Next, we describe key design concerns associated with analog power distribution and highlight previous synthesis methods used to automate part of this design task. We complete this chapter by evaluating how well the previous synthesis methods support design styles and address the critical physical design and electrical issues.
Possible New Symptoms of Tobacco Withdrawal III: Reduced Positive Affect-A Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction Most descriptions of tobacco withdrawal have not changed in >30 years despite new research. This meta-analysis tested whether abstinence leads to decreased positive affect (PA) because abstinence-induced symptom changes are a core feature of the tobacco withdrawal syndrome. In addition, we examined whether reduced PA was due to withdrawal (ie, temporary decrease in a "U-shaped" curve) or offset (ie, return to baseline) effect. Methods Our main inclusion criterion was a prospective within-participant test of change in PA during abstinence conditions among people who smoke cigarettes daily who were not using a cessation medication. Our search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and personal libraries yielded a total of 32 tests with 2054 participants. Results There was a medium effect size indicating an overall decrease in PA following abstinence from cigarettes (Cohen's d = -0.40, 95% CI = -0.30 to -0.49). There was large heterogeneity (I2 = 70.7%). Most (79%) of the 24 trials that conducted significance tests reported that reduction in PA was significant. Seven tests were adequately designed to detect a withdrawal versus offset effect. Over half (57%) displayed a U-shaped curve for abstinence-induced change in PA indicative of a withdrawal symptom rather than offset effect. Conclusions Abstinence from cigarettes is associated with a decrease in PA. Whether low PA should be added to withdrawal measures and diagnostic criteria requires replication of the time-course of change in PA and tests of whether abstinence-induced changes in PA and negative affect occur independently. Implications Though there was substantial heterogeneity among trials, our findings suggest that (1) abstinence from cigarettes decreases positive affect and (2) this decrease may represent a withdrawal effect (vs. an offset effect). However, it is unclear whether abstinence-induced losses in positive affect are independent from increased negative affect.
Slow and steady wins the race: precision medicine for low risk endometrial cancer.

In general, women with early stage, low grade endometrioid endometrial cancer can be cured with surgery alone. If patients experience recurrence outside of the vagina, however, their likelihood of death is as high as patients with stage IV disease.[1][1] Historically, histologic characteristics,
Preliminary Results from a Prototype Ocean-Bottom Pressure Sensor Deployed in the Mentawai Channel, Central Sumatra, Indonesia

We analyze data retrieved from an ocean floor pressure sensor continuously operated for 48 days in the Mentawai Strait during the Spring of 2016, as part of Project Hazard SEES. Initial processing through systematic spectrogram analysis has identified ten distant earthquakes recorded through the variation of pressure accompanying the passage of seismic waves on the bottom of the ocean. The analysis of the corresponding wavetrains allows the recovery of the standard magnitude $$M_s$$ of seven of the events (two more being intermediate depth, and the tenth antipodal) with a residual not exceeding 0.3 logarithmic units. We also show that the classical energy-to-moment ratio computation can be successfully adapted by defining a response function of the pressure sensor to teleseismic P waves. In addition, six local earthquakes, occurring at distances of 58–670 km from the sensor, but with moment magnitudes less than 5.7, were also recorded. We show that an estimate of the seismic energy radiated by these events can be obtained from a simple integration of the square of the pressure signal. Thus our results indicate that meaningful quantitative estimates of the source characteristics of both teleseismic and regional events can be obtained through robust methods based on single-station pressure recordings on the ocean floor.