cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advances in ROADM technologies and subsystems

Until recently, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) systems did not exist, their components were unselected, and their market was unclear. Today, every major system vendor has a ROADM offering, and a large number of component vendors have announced ROADM products based on a variety of technologies, some more mature than others. We review the different optical component technologies that have been developed for use in ROADM subsystems, and describe their principles of operation, designs, advantages, and challenges. The technology platforms that we cover include MEMS, liquid crystals (liquid crystal devices (LCD) and liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technologies), and monolithic and hybrid planar lightwave circuits (PLC) based on silica on silicon and polymer on silicon platforms. For each technology, we describe the corresponding ROADM subsystem architectures in terms of functionality, features, size, cost, and maturity.
Chapter 6 Interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein: A possible role in retinoid transport to the retina

2. Serum Ret inol -Binding Prote in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 2.1. General Serum Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 2.2. Vi tamin A Uptake and Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 2.3. Serum RBP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
HEMOGLOBIN CHARACTERISTICS AND THE OXYGEN AFFINITY OF THE BLOODS OF DORSET SHEEP

Two electrophoretically distinguishable hemoglobins have been identified in the bloods of pure bred Dorset sheep. The oxygen affinity of the whole blood, as judged by the oxygen pressure required to half-saturate its hemoglobin at 38° C. and pH 7·4 has been shown to be correlated with the relative proportions of the two homoglobins. Blood containing only the hemoglobin which moves the more rapidly in the electrophoretic field has a higher oxygen affinity than the one with the lower mobility. The two hemoglobins appear to differ in the amino acid sequence in the beta chain of the molecule.
Defining and measuring the patient-centered medical home

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is four things: 1) the fundamental tenets of primary care: first contact access, comprehensiveness, integration/coordination, and relationships involving sustained partnership; 2) new ways of organizing practice; 3) development of practices’ internal capabilities, and 4) related health care system and reimbursement changes. All of these are focused on improving the health of whole people, families, communities and populations, and on increasing the value of healthcare. The value of the fundamental tenets of primary care is well established. This value includes higher health care quality, better whole-person and population health, lower cost and reduced inequalities compared to healthcare systems not based on primary care. The needed practice organizational and health care system change aspects of the PCMH are still evolving in highly related ways. The PCMH will continue to evolve as evidence comes in from hundreds of demonstrations and experiments ongoing around the country, and as the local and larger healthcare systems change. Measuring the PCMH involves the following: Efforts to transform practice to patient-centered medical homes must recognize, assess and value the fundamental features of primary care that provide personalized, equitable health care and foster individual and population health.
Indomethacin blocks interleukin 1β–induced myometrial contractions in pregnant rhesus monkeys

Abstract Objective: We sought to determine whether blockade of prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin prevents interleukin 1β–induced increases in uterine contractions in a nonhuman primate model. Study Design: Maternal and fetal vascular catheters, intra-amniotic fluid pressure catheters, and fetal electrocardiographic and myometrial electromyographic electrodes were implanted in 11 rhesus monkeys at 124 ± 2 days' gestation (term, 167 days). After postsurgical stabilization (136 ± 2 days) indomethacin 50 mg was administered orally twice daily for 5 days (n = 6). On day 3 human recombinant interleukin 1β 10 μg was infused into the amniotic cavity over 2 hours. Five days after the last indomethacin dose the study was repeated without indomethacin treatment. Uterine activity was continuously monitored and quantified as the hourly contraction area (millimeters of mercury · seconds per hour) in the experimental group and a control group (n = 5) that received interleukin 1β alone. At timed intervals amniotic fluid was sampled for leukocyte counts and assayed for prostaglandin E 2 and F 2α , the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist by specific assays. Results: Uterine activity was increased severalfold from baseline after interleukin 1β infusion alone and in the absence of indomethacin treatment ( P 2 and F 2α were suppressed during indomethacin treatment but rose significantly after interleukin 1β infusion in the absence of indomethacin. Except for higher interleukin 6, cytokine levels were unaltered by indomethacin. Conclusions: After interleukin 1β infusion, indomethacin blocked the development of uterine activity. Amniotic fluid prostaglandins were suppressed by indomethacin treatment, but cytokines and leukocytes were not. These results suggest that prostaglandins or possibly other indomethacin-suppressible compounds stimulate uterine activity after interleukin 1β infusion in late-gestation rhesus monkeys or that indomethacin has direct tocolytic effects. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:173-80.)
Health Versus Disease as the Catalyst for Biomedical Research: The Science of Adipokines as a Case in Point

CATALYSTS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH A common piece of advice when mentoring biomedical researchers preparing their first grant proposals is to focus on a specific disease or narrow range of conditions. The assumption is that proposing to investigate the pathological aspects of a problem – to study deviation from homeostasis – makes for a stronger project than approaching research through the lens of physiology, the study of the homeostatic state. Using the discovery of the adipokines leptin and adiponectin as an example, I question this assumption and discuss how both approaches can generate excellent research.
Neutrophil elastase gene in lung cancer development: evidence from molecular genetics and clinical epidemiology

Neutrophil elastase gene in lung cancer development: evidence from molecular genetics and clinical epidemiology
Survival and disease patterns in C57BL/6J mice subjected to undernutrition.

This study reports survival and disease patterns in a long-lived mouse strain subjected to undernutrition. Four cohorts were studied, each composed of two or more groups of mice, each normally-fed or restricted either pre- and/or postweaning. Restriction prior to weaning was effected by limiting access to the mother. animals restricted postweaning received a nutritionally complete diet, including a normal complement of vitamins and salts, but were fed only 4 portions/week vs 7 portions/week for those animals normally fed—hence the term under-nutrition to differentiate between this and malnutrition. Comparisons of disease patterns among groups revealed that the incidence of lymphoma, the most prevalent tumor, was uniformly decreased in the groups restricted postweaning, with or without preweaning restriction. In the last cohort, deaths of animals with lymphoma were shifted to later ages in the restricted groups, compared with the normally-fed controls. Whereas the lymphoma pattern was considerably modified by undernutrition, the effect on overall survival did not seem as dramatic. Gompertzian parameters for survival past 120 weeks were not statistically different, although with one exception, maximum survival and one of the Gompertzian parameters was consistently greater in groups restricted postweaning, compared with those restricted preweaning only, or not at all. Maximum survival is a parameter not unduly influenced by environmental factors such as infectious disease; consequently, this represents a meaningful effect of undernutrition. Statistically, more significant differences in tumor patterns than in survival suggests that the former are more sensitive to undernutrition than is the latter—at least in this strain of mouse. Greater lifespan prolongation in the restricted animals may be possible through better “fine tuning” of the diet, including improved portion control, particularly in the early postweaning period, to prevent rapid weight gain, and possibly through changes in dietary composition. Finally, it is suggested that undernutrition may exert its effects through an alteration in gene expression.
Quantum chemical calculation of possible forms of electronic-vibrational coupling for FH(CN−) defects

Analyse du mecanisme possible du transfert d'energie par le calcul des energies electroniques des systemes couples entre F/CN − en utilisant les methodes de chimie quantique
Adenosine and Verapamil‐Sensitive Ventricular Tachycardia Originating From the Left Ventricle: Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation

A ventricular tachycardia (VT) with right bundle branch block (RBBB) QRS morphology and left axis originating from the inferoapical segment of the left ventricle is described in a 49-year-old man without structural heart disease. This VT could be initiated during isoproterenol infusion and was terminated with intravenous administration of adenosine and verapamil. Radiofrequency ablation eliminated the tachycardia. Previous reports have suggested reentry as the mechanism for a verapamil-sensitive VT with this ECG morphology, while cAMP-mediated triggered activity has been proposed as a mechanism for VTs sensitive to adenosine. The latter more typically arise in the right ventricular outflow tract. The electrophysiological and electropharmacological characteristics of the tachycardia in this patient suggest that this VT morphology is not specific for a mechanism but rather for the location of the site of origin.
Optimization of Fiber Coatings for Transverse Performance: An Experimental Study

In this manuscript we use a concentric cylinder model to determine the stresses in a composite material subjected to transverse loading. After selecting a failure criterion, it is possible for us to determine a fiber coating which optimizes the strain to failure of the composite material. Experimental results are presented for a model composite system and the results are compared to the analytical predictions. The model is shown to give reasonable agreement with the experimental data.
In vivo effects of human recombinant transforming growth factor β on bone turnover in normal mice

Reports of the effects of TGF-β on bone cells are conflicting and controversial. Different cell culture and organ culture models for both osteoblasts and osteoclasts have given different responses. In some the effects are dependent on prostaglandin synthesis, and in others they are prostaglandin independent. To determine the effects of TGF-β on osteoblasts and osteoclasts in vivo and the role of prostaglandins in mediating these effects, we injected 2.5–5 μg TGF-β into the subcutaneous tissue overlying the calvariae of normal mice for 2–5 days and compared the morphologic responses in underlying calvarial bone with those in mice injected with vehicle alone. TGF-β treatment had no effect on plasma calcium concentration. However, TGF-β caused a marked increase in periosteal thickness (fivefold) and cellularity, morphologic changes in osteoblasts, and new mineralized bone formation. These effects were localized to the site of injection and were partially inhibited by concomitant indomethacin treatment. There was a parallel increase in osteoclast numbers in adjacent marrow spaces, and the osteoclasts formed were unusually large. In contrast, no increase in the numbers of osteoclasts was seen in indomethacin-treated animals. These data show that TGF-β has powerful effects on local bone cell function in vivo and that these effects may be mediated, in part, by prostaglandin generation.
Optimal image correlation in experimental mechanics

The integration of optimization techniques for use in digital image correlation problems in experimental mechanics is discussed. Stereo sets of images of a speckle pattern on a loaded body are correlated using four types of optimization routines. The results obtained using the gradient-based first-order method and nongradient-based pattern search, simplex, and Powell's methods compare extremely well with the original experimental results. The effectiveness and accuracy of these different optimal image processing techniques have also been analyzed and found suitable for this example
The Molecular Volcano Revisited: Determination of Crack Propagation and Distribution During the Crystallization of Nanoscale Amorphous Solid Water Films

Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) is utilized to determine the length distribution of cracks formed through amorphous solid water (ASW) during crystallization. This distribution is determined by monitoring how the thickness of an ASW overlayer alters desorption of an underlayer of O2. As deposited, ASW prevents desorption of O2. During crystallization, cracks form through the ASW and open a path to vacuum, which allows O2 to escape in a rapid episodic release known as the "molecular volcano". Sufficiently thick ASW overlayers further trap O2 resulting in a second, higher temperature, O2 desorption peak. The evolution of this trapping peak with overlayer thickness is the basis for determining the length distribution of crystallization-induced cracks spanning the ASW. Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and TPD of multicomponent parfait structures of ASW, O2, and Kr indicate that a preponderance of these cracks propagate down from the outer surface of the ASW.
Gender and aggression I: Perceptions of aggression

To investigate how gender and ethnicity influence evaluation, perceptions, and stereotyping of aggression, two studies were conducted with 115 college students (56% male; 50% Anglo and 26% Hispanic) and 79 individuals (72% male; 92% Anglo) who worked on a military base. Participants were asked to respond to four scenarios depicting aggressive interactions in which the gender of the protagonists varied, give their perceptions of 25 potentially aggressive incidents, and answer questions concerning stereotypes of gender related to these incidents and personal aggressive behaviors. Consistent with previous research on gender and aggression, both studies found that the aggressor, target, and respondent all affected perceptions of aggression and likelihood of aggressive behaviors. Aggression from a male and aggression directed towards a female were particularly likely to be evaluated negatively. Age and educational level were both negatively related to tolerance for aggression, and Anglo vs. Hispanic ethnicity was also associated with perceptions of aggression.
TLD measurements of in vivo mammographic exposures and the calculated mean glandular dose across the United States

An analysis is presented of the exposures received by TLDs placed on the breasts of 4400 women obtaining mammograms at 170 institutions across the United States. Mean glandular dose and exposure were examined as a function of compressed breast thickness. The exposure and mean glandular dose were found to increase linearly with breast thickness. The mean glandular dose typically delivered by the institutions was well below the limit of 3.0 mGy for the 4.5-cm breast. However, some institutions tend to uniformly give higher doses. In such institutions approximately 25% of 4.5-cm-thick breasts received a mean glandular dose exceeding 3.0 mGy.
Personality Traits in Adolescence as Predictors of Religiousness in Early Adulthood: Findings from the Terman Longitudinal Study

The authors examined the associations of the Big Five personality factors with religiousness in adulthood for a 19-year longitudinal sample of 492 adolescents age 12 to 18. Among the Big Five, Conscientiousness in adolescence was uniquely related to higher religiousness in early adulthood. For adolescents high in Emotional Stability, the link between strength of religious upbringing and religiousness in adulthood was weaker than it was for adolescents who were less emotionally stable. These findings replicate the work of others demonstrating the importance of Conscientiousness as a predictor of religiousness and suggest that emotionally unstable adolescents might be more likely to adopt levels of religiousness that are similar to those of their parents.
Decoupling and disturbance decoupling of a class of homogeneous polynomial systems-A subspace approach

We consider control systems of the type x = f(x) + ?i=1 m biui + ?j k = djwj,x?Rn,f(x) is a homogeneous polynomial vector field, bi, dj are constant vectors and the outputs are linear functions of states. We show that the well known subspace theory for linear systems on decoupling, disturbance decoupling etc. extend in a natural way to this class yielding algorithms which are direct generalizations of the corresponding algorithms in the linear theory. These computations are much more simple than the more general algorithms required in the geometric theory of nonlinear systems as found in [11] for example.
A fully integrated surface micromachined magnetic microactuator with a multilevel meander magnetic core

A fully integrated magnetic microactuator using surface micromachining techniques is presented. To achieve this device, low-resistance meander conductors located in a single plane were interwoven with multilevel meander magnetic cores. This 'wrapped' solenoid (with the core wrapped around the conductor) was fabricated in a fully integrated fashion. A magnetic microactuator was realized by incorporating a surface micromachined nickel-iron cantilever beam as part of the magnetic circuit of the core. The nickel-iron cantilever beam was 2.5 mu m thick, 25 mu m wide, and 780 mu m long, and the magnetic circuit contained seventeen turns of meander-type solenoid coils. Cantilever beam tip deflection of 6 mu m in the vertical direction was achieved when a DC voltage less than 1 V (and resulting drive current of 800 mA) was applied to the coils. This fully integrated multilevel topology offers advantages in a variety of micromagnetic applications, where actuators can be fabricated on the same substrate with an integrated circuit and actuated with low voltages. >
Degradation of porcine dermal connective tissue by collagenase and hyaluronidase.

SUMMARY Selective destruction of connective tissue may be a useful therapeutic tool in conditions associated with abnormal deposition of scar tissue. We have investigated intradermal injections of clostridial collagenase and bovine testicular hyaluronidase alone and in combination in Yucatan miniature hairless pigs. Collagenase in combination with hyaluronidase was quite efficient at destroying the connective tissue matrix, although elastic tissue appeared to be completely spared. Collagenase alone at higher doses degraded collagen, but hyaluronidase had little effect on connective tissue architecture.
Implementation of a Generalized Multibody Approach for Analysis of Dynamic Systems

Conventional, maximum coordinate set implementations of multibody systems analysis rely on sophisticated computational algorithms to solve large systems of nonlinear, differential-algebraic equations; and, as a consequence, often lack sufficient robustness to solve certain classes of problems. Hamilton’s Weak Principle (HWP) offers an alternative implementation that results in a large set of nonlinear, algebraic equations. A general-purpose, threedimensional implementation of HWP for systems of rigid bodies and joints has been created and tested. Analytical simulations of ballistic bodies and a simple pendulum are compared to exact and reference solutions obtained from ordinary differential equations (ODE) in minimum coordinate set form. Results presented show that the HWP solutions are comparable in accuracy, robustness, and stability to the ODE solutions.
Design of a Silicon Micromachined Artifact for Hybrid Dimensional Measurement.

We are developing calibration artifacts for mesoscale metrology (especially vision probing) by using silicon bulk micromachining. We evaluate these artifacts on both high accuracy coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and on typical production vision-based measurement systems. This will improve the accuracy of vision-based measurement equipment used in production. Successful realization of these mesoscale artifacts will enhance both production metrology capabilities and reduce manufacturing costs.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Bladder neck prop using vaginal wall island for intrinsic sphincteric deficiency in elderly patients: a new technique

Abstract Objectives. A simple new technique, using a trapezoid island of vaginal wall, is described for elderly female patients undergoing transvaginal pelvic prolapse repair and suffering from stress urinary incontinence secondary to intrinsic sphincteric deficiency. Methods. Fifteen elderly women underwent bladder neck prop in association with other pelvic prolapse surgery. The mean follow-up period was 20 months. Results. Twelve of 14 patients (85.7%) were dry. One patient was lost to follow-up. Conclusions. Bladder neck prop provided urethral and bladder neck compression and support. The major advantage of this approach is avoiding extensive dissection and/or abdominal incision in elderly female patients.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Afghani refugees

Four Afghani refugees with cutaneous leishmaniasis presented to the dermatology clinic at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide. Three of the patients had biopsy-proven cutaneous leishmaniasis that was treated initially with topical and then oral ketoconazole, without success. Intralesional sodium stibogluconate was then used for these patients with good results. The fourth patient had several plaques of biopsy-proven cutaneous leishmaniasis, for which cryotherapy was used. This was quite efficacious; however, a small area of recurrence required re-treatment. Leishmaniasis is rarely seen in Australia, but an index of suspicion is warranted when treating persons with typical clinical features who are from endemic regions.
The use of instructor's feedback and grading in enhancing students' participation in asynchronous online discussion

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of grades and instructor's feedback in enhancing students' participation in the asynchronous online discussion on Blackboard. Fifty-five undergraduate students from two sections of the same class were involved in this study. A discussion question was posted on the blackboard discussion board under two different treatments. The result showed that the use of grading students' performance successfully enhanced students' participation in the asynchronous online discussion. In addition, the result also indicated a pattern of the students' participation in the online discussion on blackboard.
Parameterizations of single scattering properties of frozen hydrometeors at millimeter-wave frequencies

Physical approaches in microwave remote sensing to measure nonspherical frozen hydrometeors are frequently parameterized as spherical particles, assuming either dielectric mixing approximation or equivalent spheres, to make Mie-theory applicable. However, the applicability of those simplified approximations in millimeter-wave radar and radiometric remote sensing of frozen hydrometeors need to be evaluated. To seek a parameterization to represent the electromagnetic (EM) properties of frozen hydrometeors at millimeter-wave frequencies, this study analyzes the Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA) method calculated single scattering from nonspherical snow crystals at millimeter-wave frequencies (95, 140, 183, 220, and 340 GHz). Sizes, shapes, density, and refractive indices for five snow crystal models (hexagonal column, hexagonal plate, sector plate, planar rosette:, and spatial rosette) employed in this study are described in Kim et al. (2004). The results shown in this study assume that all particles are randomly oriented. By comparing with the DDA calculated single scattering properties, this study evaluates fast parameterization methods to represent the EM properties of snow at millimeter-wave frequencies. Dielectric mixing theory, which is widely used by the microwave remote sensing community, and the equivalent sphere approach, which is commonly used by infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) remote sensing community are considered. In addition, equivalent cylinders and equivalent ellipsoids are also tested to examine how much the single scattering properties depend on the detailed shapes of ice crystals.
Cation Metabolism in Relation to Cell Size in Synchronously Grown Tissue Culture Cell

In randomly grown tissue culture cells (mouse leukemic lymphoblast, L5178Y) the number, volume, and Na+ and K+ content increase as an exponential function with a doubling time of 11.3 hr. In synchronously grown cells the volume increase of the population and of single cells follows the same exponential function as in randomly grown cells. In contrast, the cation content fluctuates during a single cell cycle. About 1½ hr after the cell division burst (at the beginning of the S period), a net loss of K+ occurs for a period of about 1 hr amounting to about 20% of the total K. Over the next 5 to 6 hr, the deficit in K+ is eliminated. The Na+ content shows a double fluctuation. It falls during the cell division burst, rises when the K+ content decreases, falls again when K+ content rises, and then increases again before the next cell division burst. The net fluxes of both Na+ and K+ are very small compared to the unidirectional fluxes (less than 5%), thus small changes in the balance of influx and efflux account for the changes in cation content during the growth cycle. Both unidirectional fluxes increase dramatically (by a factor of two) about 2 hr after the cell division burst, and then remain constant until after the next cell division. The pattern of electrolyte regulation during cell division does not follow a simple function such as cell number, cell surface, or cell volume, but must be related to specific internal events in the cell.
Teaching New Words to Children With Specific Language Impairment Using Interactive Book Reading

This article will review the evidence base for interactive book reading to facilitate new word learning for preschool and school age children. Methods from an ongoing clinical trial of interactive book reading will be described to illustrate how this treatment approach can be delivered at a high intensity to children with specific language impairment (SLI). Preliminary results from this clinical trial indicate that children with SLI need a modified intensity that is three times higher than their same-age peers.
Solitary pulmonary nodule: CT evaluation of enhancement with iodinated contrast material - A preliminary report

The authors hypothesized that the degree of contrast material enhancement of a pulmonary nodule, measured with computed tomography (CT), may indicate the likelihood of malignancy. Fifty-two patients with uncalcified solitary pulmonary nodules (diameter, 6-30 mm) were studied. Five single serial thin-section CT scans were obtained at 1-minute intervals after injection of 100 mL of nonionic contrast material. Twenty-two patients were excluded because the diagnosis was not clearly established: The observation period was less than 2 years, or the examination was technically inadequate. Malignant nodules were identified in 23 of the 30 remaining patients, and benign nodules were identified in seven. Within the first 2 minutes after the injection, all the malignant nodules had enhanced by 20 HU or greater (only one benign nodule had that degree of enhancement). The authors conclude that the degree of contrast material enhancement of pulmonary nodules as measured with CT may indicate the likelihood of malignancy.
Using recurrent neural networks for blind equalization of linear and nonlinear communications channels

A recurrent neural network (RNN) equalizer for blind equalization of linear and nonlinear communication channels is proposed. RNNs have the ability to learn dynamical mappings of arbitrary complexity and therefore present a natural choice for implementing equalizers for communication channels. In several cases the nonlinear nature of a communication channel is too severe to ignore, and at the same time no nonlinear channel model can account sufficiently for the nonlinearities that are inherently present in the channel. In those cases a neural network equalizer is preferable over a conventional one. The real-time recurrent learning (RTRL) algorithm is used to train an RNN, and its performance is compared with that of a conventional equalizer based on the constant-modulus algorithm. >
Database-assisted design methodology to predict wind-induced structural behavior of a light-framed wood building

This study investigates the applicability of the database-assisted design (DAD) methodology to predict structural reactions in a light-framed wood structure subjected to fluctuating wind pressures. Structural influence functions were determined on a 1/3-scale light-frame wood structure, which was then subjected to a wind flow, while the surface pressures and structural reactions at roof-to-wall and wall-to-foundation connections were simultaneously recorded. There was a good agreement between the DAD-predicted structural reactions and experimentally measured reactions, confirming that the DAD method is suitable for predicting the structural reactions in light-frame wood buildings. Subsequently structural reaction time histories at several connections within the building were generated using a 1:50 scale wind tunnel model of the structure and the peak structural reactions determined using the DAD method and previously obtained influence functions. When the DAD-estimated reactions were compared with reactions predicted by the ASCE 7-05 main wind force resisting system (MWFRS) method, they showed the ASCE 7 reactions were highly non-conservative(i.e. smaller than the DAD method predictions), by as much as 39% at the gable end truss. The components and cladding method showed reasonable agreement with the DAD method for the gable end and first interior truss reactions but it too underestimated the reaction loads at the second and third interior trusses by 30% and 12% respectively.
Nature, culture, and sexual inequality: A look at causal logic

The nature‐culture issue in recent exemplary cross‐cultural works is examined from a causal modeling viewpoint. The causal models in most current explanations do not depart radically from those of the 1950s. The recent models mostly continue to emphasize the interaction of biological and sociocultural factors in producing sexual inequality. In all of the theories examined, economic production is singled out as important in the sociocultural realm. Some researchers sidestep the nature‐culture issue by dealing solely with variation, or by translating conceivably biological factors into social causes. Biosocial writers have produced the most novel causal model—one which incorporates the effect of culture on biology. These findings suggest that we need to pay attention to the causal networks of theories, rather than dichotomizing them into “biological” and “sociological” explanations.
Origin of some derivatives of retinoic acid found in rat bile.

After the intraportal injection of retinoic acid- 15J4C into rats, all-trans methyl retinoate, a cis isomer of methyl retinoate, retinoyl @-glucurono-y-lactone, retinoic acid, and retinoyl @-glucuronide were isolated from methanol ex- tracts of rat bile by chromatography on anion-exchange resin and silicic acid columns and characterized on thin-layer plates of Silica Gel G. On the other hand, when bile was extracted with n-butanol or analyzed directly by thin-layer chromatog- raphy, only retinoyl p-glucuronide and a very small amount of retinoic acid could be detected. Butanol extracts of the liver and the intestine, however, still contained a small radio- active nonpolar fraction. When retinoyl @-glucuronide was incubated with an anion-exchange resin in the presence of methanol, several nonpolar products appeared. Apparently the methyl retinoate, retinoyl @-glucurono-y-lactone, and most of the retinoic acid previously found in bile after retinoic acid administration are produced from retinoyl g (b) an acidic fraction (IIa), which contained retinoic acid; and (c) an acidic polar fraction (IIb), which was eluted before the glucuronides. In investigating the chemical nature of these fractions, we observed that the presence of several components depended on the isolation procedure employed. Major components of fraction I have now been tentatively identified as retinoyl 0-glucurono-y-lactone (Ia) and as cis (Ib) and trans (IC) isomers of methyl retinoate. These compounds apparently are formed from retinoyl 0-glucuronide during isolation in the presence of meth- anol and anion-exchange resins, but not in the presence of n-butanol and ammonium sulfate. The possible rela- tionship between these artifacts and other reported metabolites of retinoic acid is discussed.
Ephemeral Development Agendas and the Process of Priority Shifts in Malawi

Drawing on 70 interviews with civil society staff in Malawi, I argue that when development trends and issues in the country change, at donors’ wishes, organizations proactively strategize to vie fo...
Blocking CRT: How the Emotionality of Whiteness Blocks CRT in Urban Teacher Education.

Although Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been applied to teacher education, it has yet to be meaningfully integrated into the core of urban teacher education programs. The reticence to embrace CRT is largely due to the overwhelming presence of Whiteness, despite Sleeter's (2001) demand for diversification. This theoretically interpretative article employs CRT's methodology of counterstorytelling to interrogate how Whiteness manifests itself in emotional ways, like fetishism and sentimentalization, and how such emotions are the root of resistance toward CRT in teacher education. Drawing from Black feminism and Critical Whiteness Studies, we utilize emotionally-based theories to illustrate the importance of CRT in teacher education, to identify barriers to CRT, and to recommend how teacher education can more genuinely reinvest in antiracism.
American Gurus: From Transcendentalism to New Age Religion, by Arthur Versluis, New York: Oxford University Press, 2015, vii + 297 pp. ISBN: 978-0-199-36813-6, US$ 74.00 (hardback)

In American Gurus, Arthur Versluis focuses on ‘immediatism,’ that is, the ‘religious assertion of spontaneous, direct, unmediated spiritual insight into reality (typically with little or no prior t...
Spectroscopy of the Lowest Two-Photon Transition for Molecules in Solution by Automated DFWM

We use degenerate four-wave mixing with wavelength-tunable picosecond pulses to study the second hyperpolarizability of molecules in solution. The full dispersion of both real and imaginary parts of the polarizability can be obtained using a semi-automated method
Susceptibility of the Gulf Coast tick (Acari: Ixodidae) to acaricides.

In the laboratory, engorged female Gulf Coast ticks, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, were dipped in water dilutions of commercially available formulations of 15 acaricides. Effects on estimated reproduction (ER) (ER = g eggs per g females x estimated percentage hatch of eggs x 20,000) were determined. Percent inhibition of ER was subjected to probit analysis. Concentrations that inhibited 50% of ER (IC50) ranged from 0.000804% for chlorfenvinphos to 2.16% for ronnel. The rankings of the IC50 and IC90 values for 13 acaricides for A. maculatum were highly significantly correlated to the ran kings of these same values for Amblyomma americanum (L.), A. cajennense (F.), Anocentor nitens (Neumann). Boophilus annulatus (Say), B. microplus (Canestrini), and Dermacentor albipictus (Packard).
Investigation on burden of food-bourne non-typhoidal Salmonella infections in Jiangsu Province

Objective To estimate incidence of non-typhoidal Salmonella infections and disease burden in Jiangsu Province.Methods Based on active monitoring in sentinel hospitals and in-home survey of acute gastroenteritis in communities in Jiangsu Province in 2013,burden of Non-typhoidal Salmonella infections was calculated based on disease pyramid.Results A total of6 775 diarrhea infection samples were collected in 2013,113 strains of Non-typhoidal Salmonella were identified,positive rate was 1.67%.Among 10 802 cases in-home survey,acute gastroenteritis monthly incidence was 4.43%,annual incidence was0.59time/person year.Treatment rate was 45.09%and specimen collection rate was 45.37%.Expected burden of food-borne non-typhoidal Salmonella infections was 454 614 cases in Jiangsu Province in 2013.Conclusion Non-typhoidal Salmonella strains were important food borne pathogens,which could cause heavy disease burden.
The 1857 Indian Uprising and the British Empire

Situating the 1857 Indian uprising within an imperial context, Jill C. Bender traces its ramifications across the four different colonial sites of Ireland, New Zealand, Jamaica, and southern Africa. Bender argues that the 1857 uprising shaped colonial Britons' perceptions of their own empire, revealing the possibilities of an integrated empire that could provide the resources to generate and 'justify' British power. In response to the uprising, Britons throughout the Empire debated colonial responsibility, methods of counter-insurrection, military recruiting practices, and colonial governance. Even after the rebellion had been suppressed, the violence of 1857 continued to have a lasting effect. The fears generated by the uprising transformed how the British understood their relationship with the 'colonized' and shaped their own expectations of themselves as 'colonizer'. Placing the 1857 Indian uprising within an imperial context reminds us that British power was neither natural nor inevitable, but had to be constructed.
Spirals of the Zeta Function I

Assuming RH, it is shown that the curve \(\zeta (1/2 + it)\) spirals in the clockwise direction for all sufficiently large t, in the sense that its curvature is negative.
A technique for parathyroid surgery.

The basis for sound parathyroid surgery is the necessity for gross and histologic identification of all four glands whenever possible. The authors’ technique of parathyroidectomy is reviewed, based on a personal experience of more than 320 cases and the gross and histologic observations of about 1100 parathyroid glands.
Evaluation of a functional treatment for binge eating associated with bulimia nervosa.

Binge-eating disorders (BED) are a common problem affecting up to 5 percent of the American population in any given 6-month period. Currently, the most widely accepted treatment is some variation of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, although the abstinence rates following this type of treatment are only around 50%. A recent study by Bosch et al. (1) explored the effects of extinction with four women who engaged in binge-eating behavior associated with BED and bulimia nervosa (BN). The treatment was successful, with three of the four participants obtaining abstinence. To date, this has been the only study examining this procedure. The purpose of the current study was to further evaluate extinction of binge eating with four young women who met diagnostic criteria for BN. The results showed that the treatment decreased binge eating to zero for all four women, although one dropped out of the study shortly after beginning the intervention.
Divergent species richness and vocal behavior in avian migratory guilds along an elevational gradient

Climate change is expected to disrupt the distribution and behavior of montane birds. Monitoring these impacts will be essential because the ecological effects of climate change are likely to be complex. Hiking trails that traverse montane regions provide an opportunity to efficiently survey bird diversity along elevation and other ecological gradients, and these data can be used to model climate-related vulnerabilities of avian communities. In 2010, we surveyed a 697-km segment of the Pacific Crest Trail in northern California, USA. We conducted point counts of birds at 404 sites during the breeding season when birds were readily detected by song and other vocalizations. To bolster our sampling effort, we left automated recorders at approximately half of the sites to make recordings for later interpretation of bird vocalizations. Using a multispecies occupancy model, we investigated how relationships between richness and elevation and between vocal activity and daily temperature differed among three migratory guilds—residents, altitudinal migrants, and Neotropical migrants. We found that richness decreased with increasing elevation for residents and Neotropical migrants, whereas it increased for altitudinal migrants. As temperature increased, residents and altitudinal migrants curtailed their vocal activity, but Neotropical migrants did not reduce vocal activity even though this behavior is energetically expensive on hot days. We also found that total species within each of three elevation zones was greatest at middle elevations (1200–1900 m). Altogether, these findings suggest that as global temperature rises there may be greater competition among birds previously separated by elevation and that Neotropical migrants may be at greater risk of heat stress during the breeding season. Furthermore, the conservation of structurally complex, middle-elevation forests could provide birds a refugium to the impacts of climate change.
Lean intervention improves patient discharge times, improves emergency department throughput and reduces congestion.

ABSTRACTObjective: To determine if a lean intervention improved emergency department (ED) throughput and reduced ED boarding by improving patient discharge efficiency from a tertiary care children’s hospital.Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care children’s hospital to study the impact lean that changes made to an inpatient pediatric service line had on ED efficiency. Discharge times from the general pediatrics’ service were compared to patients discharged from all other pediatric subspecialty services. The intervention was multifaceted. First, team staffing reconfiguration permitted all discharge work to be done at the patient’s bedside using a new discharge checklist. The intervention also incorporated an afternoon interdisciplinary huddle to work on the following day’s discharges. Retrospectively, we determined the impact this had on median times of discharge order entry, patient discharge, and percent of patients discharged before noon. As a marker of ED throughput, we determined median h...
Efficiency measurement of white LED devices

This paper presents two methods for the efficiency measurement of a white light emitting diode (LED) without optical sensors for measuring light intensity. The proposed methods are based on the measurement of the power loss of a white LED. Because all the power loss of a white LED is transferred into heat, it is possible to evaluate the power loss by measuring the temperature of the heat sink attached to the LED. The first method is referred to direct method, in which the precise thermal characteristics of the heat sink were required for the evaluation of the power loss of an LED. The second method is referred to differential method, in which two same heat sinks were used. One was installed with the LED to be measured and the second one was installed with a power MOSFET as a heater. A temperature control system was developed for the second heat sink with the heater so that the temperature was controlled equal to the heat sink with LED. In steady state, the power loss of an LED was evaluated based on the power consumption of the heater. The two methods were tested to measure the efficiency of a 9 W Cree© XLamp white LED. The experiments show that the differential method is more effective to provide accurate measuring results.
CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas: a single-institution experience

OBJECTIVE Symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas (SVHs) are a very rare pathology that can present with persistent pain or neurological deficits that warrant surgical intervention. Given the relative rarity and difficulty in assessment, the authors sought to present a dedicated series of SVHs treated using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to provide insight into clinical decision making. METHODS A retrospective review of a single institution's experience with hypofractionated radiosurgery for SVH from 2004 to 2011 was conducted to determine the clinical and radiographic outcomes following SRS treatment. The authors report and analyze the treatment course of 5 patients with 7 lesions, 2 of which were treated primarily by SRS. RESULTS Of the 5 patients studied, 4 presented with a chief complaint of pain refractory to conservative measures. Three patients reported dysesthesias, and 2 reported upper-extremity weakness. Following radiosurgery, 4 of 5 patients exhibited improvement in their primary symptoms (3 for pain and 1 for weakness), achieving a clinical response after a mean period of 1 year. In 2 cases there was 20%-40% reduction in lesion size in the most responsive dimension as noted on images. All treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS SRS for SVH is a safe and feasible treatment strategy, comparable to prior radiotherapy studies, and in select cases may successfully confer delayed decompressive effects. Additional investigation will determine future patient selection and how conformal SRS treatment can best be administered.
Identification of Macroscopic Sarcocysts of Sarcocystis cameli from One-Humped Camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Iraq

Abstract There is considerable confusion concerning the identity of macroscopic Sarcocystis species in camels. Currently 2 species, Sarcocystis cameli and Sarcocystis ippeni, are recognized from 1-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius), and sarcocysts of both species are microscopic. Here, we report the identity of macroscopic sarcocysts from the C. dromedarius in Iraq as S. cameli. Five sarcocysts from the muscle of 2 adult camels collected in 1999 and stored in 10% formalin were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Sarcocysts were 1.5–5.0 mm long and 200–400 μm wide. By TEM, all 5 sarcocysts had thin sarcocyst walls. Ultrastructurally, the sarcocyst wall had “type 9j” villar protrusions similar to those of S. cameli. This is the first confirmation of macroscopic sarcocysts from 1-humped camel as S. cameli.
Care of Infectious Conditions in an Observation Unit

Infectious conditions such as skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), Urogenital infections and peritonsillar abscesses frequently require care beyond emergency stabilization and are well-suited for short term care in an observation unit. SSTIs are a growing problem, partly due to emergence of strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Antibiotic choice is guided by the presence of purulence and site of infection. Purulent cellulitis is much more likely to be associated with MRSA. Radiographic imaging should be considered to aid in management in patients who are immunosuppressed, have persistent symptoms despite antibiotic therapy, recurrent infections, sepsis or diabetes.