cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proliferative Radiation Retinopathy after Plaque Radiotherapy for Uveal Melanoma

Purpose To determine risk factors, occurrence rate, management, and outcome of proliferative radiation retinopathy (PRR) after plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma. Design Case-control study. Participants Three thousand eight hundred forty-one patients who underwent plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma were entered into the study. Methods Retrospective review of medical records. Main Outcome Measures Proliferative radiation retinopathy after plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma. Results Of 3841 eyes treated with plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma, PRR developed in 5.8% at 5 years and in 7% at 10 and 15 years using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The mean time to onset of PRR was 32 months (median, 30 months; range, 4–88 months). On univariate analysis, baseline factors predictive of PRR (P Conclusions Proliferative radiation retinopathy developed in 7% of eyes by 10 years after plaque radiotherapy for uveal melanoma. The main factors for development of PRR included young age, preexistent diabetes mellitus, and shorter tumor distance to the optic disc. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Height distributions in opened finite signals

Morphological opening operations are useful in discriminating between lengths of sequences of non-zero signal amid a zero-valued background in a signal. In order to study simple one-dimensional detection algorithms involving openings, we would like to know how a finite-extent stochastic signal changes when it is opened with a convex, zero-height structuring element. Because the opening operation is nonlinear and the model signal has some spatial structure due to its finite extent, the opened model signal is not spatially stationary. This nonstationarity is dealt with by introducing the concept of the translation class1 of signal elements to distinguish the different distributions of those elements in the opened signal. The signal height distribution for a given translation class of an opened signal is derived using an extension of the method given by Stevenson and Arce in [2] to evaluate morphological operations on infinite-length sequences.
Nitrogen Degradability and Microbial Protein Synthesis in Calves Fed Diets of Varying Degradability Defined by the Bag Technique

Abstract We compared ruminal degradability of nitrogen and dry matter measured via the nondegradable bag technique with in vivo degradation and studied the effect of varying ration degradability and physical form on ruminal microbial synthesis of protein. Steers (250kg) were fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulae. Determinations were dependent on a dual-phase flow marker system. In vivo preduodenal degradation of nitrogen averaged 7.2% more than predicted by the in situ bag technique. Increasing degradability as defined by the bag technique corresponded to increased ruminal degradation of nitrogen and dry matter. Increasing particle size also increased ruminal degradation within estimated degradabilities. Microbial nitrogen delivered to the duodenum was correlated with nitrogen degradation in the rumen. Efficiency of microbial production of nitrogen was correlated with ruminal degradation of dry matter. Equations were developed to describe both relationships. The in situ bag technique yields data on individual feedstuffs that can be used to formulate diets with defined ruminal degradability of nitrogen.
Learning to conduct teacher research: exploring the development of mediated understandings

There is a growing trend in education to advocate for the inclusion of teacher researcher voices in local, state, national and international conversations about classroom teaching and learning. While many scholars agree that teacher researchers can, do, and should make important contributions to the educational research community, much remains to be learned about how teachers learn to engage in quality reflective inquiry. Our goal in this work is to explore instances of one practicing teacher’s opportunities to learn to conduct teacher research. The practicing teacher (pseudonym, Dot) was enrolled in a university seminar that focused on learning to conduct classroom research. For this qualitative investigation we analyzed field notes taken during 13 class sessions across the semester, audiotapes of classroom interactions during class sessions, and artifacts such as written class reflections about course topics and drafts of course assignments. Results revealed that a complex set of significant instances o...
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus in bovine sera.

Abstract A specific and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established for the detection of antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in bovine sera. Polyethylene-glycol concentrated, equilibrium density gradient purified BVDV was used as test antigen at an optimal amount of 1 μg/well, whereas the optimal concentration of conjugate was at 1 2000 dilution. The standardized test encountered no non-specific reaction with test sera at a starting dilution of 1 10 . A total of 50 bovine serum samples was assayed for the presence of antibodies against BVDV by ELISA and serum neutralization test (SNT). A positive correlation between the 2 tests was found. However, ELISA could be as much as 500-fold more sensitive than SNT in detecting low levels of BVDV antibodies.
Loose abrasive lapping of optical glass with different lapping plates and its interpretation

Loose Abrasive Lapping was studied and analyzed for different lapping plates. An examination of lapping plate hardness and Preston's Coefficient showed an optimization in process efficiency with an intermediate lapping plate hardness.
Footprint and feature management using aspect-oriented programming techniques

Applications accrue features in response to the needs of all users, yet the associated code bloating and performance loss often render an application unsuitable for some users, particularly those interested in using the application in an embedded system. As a result, developers are often faced with either reinventing pieces of an application, custom tailored to their needs, or they are faced with the daunting task of refactoring an existing application to obtain an appropriate subset of that application's functionality. In either case, subsequent development, maintenance and testing of the application becomes more complex, due to the effects of future revisions on all of the derived subsets.In this paper, we report on our experience in obtaining subsets of an application's functionality, using a relatively new programming-language paradigm and tool to achieve the subsets compositionally. Instead of refactoring a large, feature-rich application, a feature can be added by including that feature's aspect in the set provided to an aspect compiler. In particular, a minimal, base implementation was developed in Java and features were added by supplying the appropriate advice to an AspectJ compiler. We describe our approach and present footprint and performance results for automatically derived subsets of an event channel.
Link-state update policies for all-optical DWDM transport networks

It has been demonstrated that advertising the availability of wavelength and converter resources in all-optical DWDM transport networks with sparse wavelength conversion capabilities can drastically improve the blocking performance of these networks thus achieving better usage of the network resources. An important aspect with consequences in network performance is when to originate the wavelength-availability and converter-availability link state advertisements (LSAs). Frequent link-state advertisements could overwhelm the network control plane with many update messages that need to be processed. On the other hand, delaying these advertisements could result in inaccurate link-state information thus degrading the network blocking performance. In this paper, we propose two different link-state update policies to advertise the availability of wavelength and converter resource in all-optical DWDM transport networks with sparse wavelength conversion capabilities. The first one is very simple and serves as our base policy for comparison. The second policy, which is very efficient in handling the dynamic nature of all-optical DWDM networks with different degrees of wavelength conversion, reduces the number of LSAs considerably while maintaining the call blocking probability.
Cause Indicator Models for the Cognitive Component of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment-Short Form

A form of criterion keying was used to examine alternative scales for cognitive development facilitation. Two cause indicator models linking the items of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment-Short Form (HOME-SF) to the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) were hypothesized. The first model was based on all of the HOME-SF items, and the second was based on the HOME-SF items comprising the Cognitive Stimulation scale of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). Evaluation proceeded with data from two waves of children, under 3 years of age, assessed in the NLSY. The two proposed models were evaluated on the first wave of data using structural equation modeling. A third model was then empirically developed by making modifications to improve model fit. The three models were reevaluated on the second wave of data. The model developed empirically fit the second wave of data relatively well.
Improved kNN Rule for Small Training Sets

The traditional k-NN classification rule predicts a label based on the most common label of the k nearest neighbors (the plurality rule). It is known that the plurality rule is optimal when the number of examples tends to infinity. In this paper we show that the plurality rule is sub-optimal when the number of labels is large and the number of examples is small. We propose a simple k-NN rule that takes into account the labels of all of the neighbors, rather than just the most common label. We present a number of experiments on both synthetic datasets and real-world datasets, including MNIST and SVHN. We show that our new rule can achieve lower error rates compared to the majority rule in many cases.
Previous Homelessness as a Risk Factor for Recovery from Serious Mental Illnesses

This paper argues that the experience of homelessness is inherently traumatic and thus has the potential to affect the manifestation of mental illness. The experiences related to being homeless might act as specific and unique sources of vulnerability. This study included 424 people diagnosed with serious mental illnesses living in supported housing programs in South Carolina. Three hierarchical regression analyses measuring the impact of homelessness on three types of outcomes revealed the following: (1) ever experiencing homelessness as well as the amount of time spent homeless were related to higher levels of psychiatric distress, (2) ever experiencing homelessness was related to higher levels of reported alcohol use, and (3) total amount of time spent homeless was related to lower perceived recovery from mental illness. These findings suggest that experiencing homelessness might contribute to psychosocial vulnerability to negative mental health outcomes. Future investigations examining this concept of risk and vulnerability as a result of homelessness are in order.
Thermophysical properties of LiFePO4 cathodes with carbonized pitch coatings and organic binders: Experiments and first-principles modeling

Abstract We report heat capacity, thermogravimetry and thermal diffusivity data for carbonized mesophase pitch coated LiFePO 4 (LFP) cathodes. The results are compared with the thermophysical properties of a conventional LFP-based electrode having a poly (vinylene) difluoride (PVDF) binder and conductive carbon diluents. The measured heat capacity of LFP as a function of temperature is in good agreement with model calculations based on first-principles methods. Thermal diffusivity data indicate that the mesophase pitch coated LFP compositions have a factor of two higher thermal diffusivity than the conventional electrode composition, suggesting that the coatings improve heat transfer. In the presence of an electrolyte mixture (1.2 M lithium hexa-fluorophosphate), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of the LFP–pitch composite and LFP–PVDF–carbon composites showed similar onset temperature and heat evolution.
Mutation in a DNA-binding protein reveals an association between DNA-methyltransferase activity and a 26,000-Da polypeptide in frog virus 3-infected cells

Abstract The DNA of frog virus 3 (FV3), an iridovirus, is highly methylated; more than 20% of the cytosine bases are methylated at the 5-carbon position by an FV3-induced DNA methyltransferase (DNA-mt). To determine the role of this enzyme in virus replication and regulation of gene expression, we have analyzed an FV3 mutant that lacks DNA-mt activity and is resistant to 5-azacytidine (an inhibitor of DNA-mt). Comparative polypeptide analysis, using cytoplasmic extracts from the wild-type FV3 and mutant-infected cells, revealed that a single protein of 26,000 (26K) molecular weight was altered in the mutant-infected cells. The altered polypeptide migrated faster in SDS-polyacrylamide gel as compared to the wild-type FV3 26K protein. Five spontaneous revenants derived from the mutant regained the migrational characteristic of the wild-type 26K protein, DNA-mt activity, and methylation of their DNA. We further show that the 26K polypeptide is a DNA-binding protein and that 80% of the enzyme activity can be eluted from an ssDNA affinity column. Taken together, these data support the conclusion that the 26K polypeptide is associated with DNA-mt activity.
Low pressure gas filling of laser fusion microspheres

Abstract In our laser fusion microsphere production, large, thin gel-microspheres are formed before the chemicals are fused into glass. In this transient stage, the gel-microspheres are found to be highly permeable to argon and many other inert gases. When the gel transforms to glass, the argon gas, for example, is trapped within to form argon filled, fusion target quality, glass microspheres. On the average, the partial pressure of the argon fills attained in this process is around 2 × 104 Pa at room temperature
Image Theory's Compatibility Test and Evaluations of the Status Quo

Abstract The research on image theory's concept of progress decisions about either (1) the acceptability of the status quovisa desired state or (2) the acceptability of movement toward a desired state has been limited to the laboratory. To demonstrate the feasibility of research on nonlaboratory, job-related progress decisions and to develop methods for doing it with minimal intrusion on participant work time, two experiments examined evaluations of the status quovisa desired state in the context of three organizations: a controller's office, a pretrial services office, and a chain of fast food restaurants. Experiment 1 used fairly elaborate, time consuming methods in the controller's office and pretrial services office to measure the compatibility between participants' images of desirable supervision and their images of current supervision as well as their satisfaction with both supervision and with the organization. In both cases, as compatibility decreased, satisfaction decreased, but satisfaction with the organization appeared to derive from satisfaction with supervision rather than directly from compatibility. Experiment 2 measured the same concepts in the fast food chain using simple, single-item methods, obtaining roughly the same results as Experiment 1, except that it also demonstrated that hope for change can mitigate the effects of incompatibility on satisfaction. These results provide evidence for the role of compatibility in decision making and for the feasibility of using simple methods of measuring compatibility, acceptability, and hope in nonlaboratory research.
A model for the thermodynamic properties of metallic rare earth systems with an unstable valence

Rare earth compounds and alloys were regarded for many years as classic examples of ionic magnetism in a solid. Due to the limited spatial extent of the 4f wave functions, the 4f electrons do not significantly participate in the chemical bonding, and hence retain most of their ionic character during the transition from a gas to a solid. However, recent experimental evidence on several metallic rare earth systems indicated an apparent loss of the ionic magnetic moment. Extensive measurements on these systems of the magnetic susceptibility, lattice constant, Mossbauer isomer shift, x-ray photoelectron spectrum, and heat capacity can be qualitatively understood if one postulates (as was first done by Maple and Wohlleben using a model due to Hirst) that the rare earth ion fluctuates between two ionic configurations (valence states) which differ in occupation number by one electron (4f n , 4fn−1 5d1). We propose to quantify this simple idea by assigning each valence configuration a finite lifetime atT=0. The two lifetimes τ n and τ n−1 are converted to “bands” with widthsh/τ n andh/τ n−1 . The states in each “band,” however, are forced to retain the ionic properties as determined from Hund's rules. The temperature-dependent contribution of the 4f shell to the magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and thermal expansion coefficient is then numerically computed using Fermi-Dirac statistics. By varying τ n and τ n−1 it is possible to quantitatively describe “different” types of magnetic behavior: integral valence (τ n =∞, τ n−1 =h/Δ), configuration crossover (τ n =τ n−1 ), and Kondo phenomena (τ n >τ n−1 ). The results of the model are compared to three well-studied rate earth systems with unstable valence: YbAl 3 , CePd 3 , and (LaCe)Al 2 .
Are Trials of Computerized Therapy Generalizable? A Multidimensional Meta-analysis

Abstract Background: Previous meta-analyses have established that computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) is an effective, acceptable, and efficient method of delivering treatment for anxiety and depression. However, the potential generalizability of these conclusions to nonresearch settings has not yet been investigated. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multidimensional meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of cCBT for anxiety and/or depressive disorders quantifying generalizability by examining the relationship between participant exclusion and treatment outcome. Thirty-six trials of cCBT were identified through systematic searches in six databases. The number of exclusion criteria and exclusion rate served as indices of participant exclusion. Outcome variables included between- and within-group effect sizes in addition to rates of clinically significant improvement. Results: Analyses were performed for all studies, depression studies (n = 11), and anxiety studies (n = 23). Pooling...
Stray Field Reduction of ALS Eddy Current Septum Magnets

Stray field from an eddy current septum magnet adversely affects the circulating beam and can be reduced using several techniques. The stray field time history typically has a fast rise section followed by a long exponential decay section when pulsed with a half sine drive current. Changing the drive current pulse to a full sine has the effect of both reducing peak stray field magnitude by ∼ 3x and producing a quick decay from this peak to a lower field level which then has a similar long decay time constant as that from the half sine drive current pulse. A method for tuning the second half-sine (reverse) current pulse to eliminate the long exponential decay section is given. A method for halving the remaining brief peak is also given.
Presence of free haptoglobin alpha 1S-subunit in acute porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection.

The biochemical events triggered by viral infection are critical to the outcome of a host immune response. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes the most significant disease of swine worldwide. Onset of infection is insidious and subclinical. Clinical signs may not appear for days and antibodies cannot be detected for a week or more. To understand better the early pathophysiological response of swine to PRRSV infection and its inapparent onset, we examined serum samples in the first days of infection for evidence of early biochemical changes. Sera from pigs infected with various isolates of PRRSV were extracted to remove high molecular mass proteins, desalted and analysed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MS). Comparative analysis of low molecular mass serum protein profiles revealed that one protein, with an m/z value of 9244±2, appeared within 1 day of infection. The 9244±2 peak was identified as the alpha 1S (a1S)-subunit of porcine haptoglobin (Hp) by tandem MS sequencing and confirmed by immunoblotting with anti-porcine Hp antibody. Hp is an acute phase haem-binding protein consisting of a–b heterodimers that is secreted from the liver in response to stresses, including infection. However, the presence of free a1S-subunit in response to infection is novel and may provide new insights into biochemical processing of Hp and its role in disease pathogenesis, including PRRS.
The Economics of a “Free” Society: Four Essays

Introduction: The freedom-control problem involves, beyond economic science, all social science and philosophy; criteria for judging books reviewed, 641. — I. Ordeal by Planning, by John Jewkes, 645. — II. Economic Policy for a Free Society, by Henry Simons, 650. — III. Alternative to Serfdom, by J. M. Clark, 656. — IV. Democracy and Progress, by David McCord Wright, 662.
Information Technology, Privacy, and Power within Organizations: a view from Boundary Theory and Social Exchange perspectives.

Over recent years, information technology has played an increasingly important role in the monitoring and surveillance of worker behavior in organizations. In this article, we take the position that managers, workers, and information technology professionals alike see worker-related information as a valuable organizational resource and that processes of social exchange influence how this information resource is controlled. These suppositions are woven together by joining two theories, information boundary theory, a motivational framework for examining privacy at work, and social exchange theory, which provides a perspective on social networks and social power. After discussing these two frameworks and how they might be interlaced, we analyze a corpus of semi-structured interviews with 119 managers, employees, and IT professionals that explored questions of privacy, motivation, and power in six not-for-profit organizations that were undergoing technology-driven change with potential for increased monitoring and surveillance.
Harm reduction and needle exchange programmes

Sir—It is profoundly troubling that Sandra Bennett (March 14, p 839) cites as “telling indications of the failure of needle exchange programmes” (NEPs) the deaths of two proponents of NEPs from an alleged drug overdose. One of the two individuals she names was John Watters, Director of the Urban Health Study. Personally and professionally, Watters was a committed and tireless researcher whose life’s work reflected his passionate belief that public-health interventions and the search for knowledge had to be extended to those from whom society and the medical community often turned away. His contributions to HIV prevention and drug abuse research included not only evaluation of different harm reduction strategies such as street-based education, but also the development of innovative methods for communitybased sampling of a difficult to access and often hidden population. These studies included the finding that users of NEPs were less likely to engage in syringe sharing, a risk factor for HIV infection among injection drug users. Many publications and several major reports support the belief that NEPs do not promote drug abuse in a community, are associated with a reduction in high-risk drug practices, and are likely to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Contrary to Bennett’s speculations, studies indicate that NEPs are not associated with an increased risk of hepatitis C or with an increase in the number of discarded needles. The contention that Baltimore, MD (one of many metropolitan areas throughout the world with an NEP), has a high mortality rate hardly proves that one factor is causally related to the other. Identifying the most effective ways to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users throughout the world is a critical public health priority. Evidence concerning the potential harm as well as the benefit of NEPs needs to be rigorously examined and openly debated. However, lowering the level of this debate to personal innuendo and insinuation is not the way to go. The preventable death of any individual, whether well known or forgotten, is a tragedy. Exploiting these tragedies to score debating points cheapens us all.
Real-time implementation of the VSELP on a 16-bit DSP chip

A description is given of a real-time implementation of the vector sum-excited linear predictive (VSELP) speech coder, which has been chosen as the digital cellular standard in North America and Japan. This real-time implementation of the VSELP algorithm is realized using a 16-bit general-purpose digital signal processor (GPDSP) with an onchip codec. The principles of the VSELP algorithm and the real-time implementation of the algorithm on the GPDSP chip are addressed. Also discussed are the finite word length effects and possible methods to reduce the effects. >
The Effects of a Stress Management Program on Knowledge and Perceived Self-efficacy among Participants from a Faith Community: A Pilot Study

Educational programs can be an effective intervention for anticipatory guidance and health promotion across the lifespan. A particular concern for health care providers in rural areas is how to access high-risk populations and then provide programs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. In recent years, religious congregations (faith communities) have been identified as an effective way to reach hidden and vulnerable populations in rural as well as urban settings. This article presents a pilot study describing an educational intervention related to stress management with participants who were accessed through a faith community. Both quantitative and qualitative tools were used the measure the dependent variables. Quantitative data were obtained with pencil and paper assessment tools measuring levels of self-efficacy and knowledge about stress. Qualitative data helped determine types of stress participants experienced and if stress management techniques learned in the course were used to manage day-to-day stressful situations. While the setting for this study was urban, the findings are highly relevant to nurses who provide care to rural and other underserved populations with limited access to health care.
Diffraction condition dependence of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) dampening during molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE)growth

RHEED oscillations were studied for GaAs growth for azimuthal angles of 0 degree(s) and 15 degree(s) as the angle of incidence was changed between 0.4 degree(s) and 1.7 degree(s). The angle of incidence was then held constant while the azimuthal angle was varied from 0 degree(s) to 85 degree(s). From the recorded oscillations the static surface intensity, oscillation intensity, oscillation phase, and dampening were extracted. The static surface intensity was found to change with angle and displayed a trend very similar to that reported in the literature. The intensity of the oscillations was found to vary periodically with angle of incidence and thus supported the theory that interference between layers of different height is one source of the oscillations. However, the phase of the oscillations deviated from that predicted by a simple, kinematic-scattering interference model. The dampening of the oscillations was found to vary strongly with angle of incidence. There existed a range of angles of incidence over which the phase was close to that expected for a simple interference model and for which the dampening was essentially constant.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Investigation of Child Restraint System (CRS) Compatibility in the Vehicle Seat Environment

Objective: Child restraint system (CRS) misuse is common and can have serious consequences to child safety. Physical incompatibilities between CRS and vehicles can complicate the installation process and may worsen CRS misuse rates. This study aims to identify the most common sources of incompatibility between representative groups of CRS and vehicles.Methods: Detailed dimensional data were collected from 59 currently marketed CRS and 61 late model vehicles. Key dimensions were compared across all 3,599 theoretical CRS/vehicle combinations and the most common predicted incompatibilities were determined. A subset of 34 physical installations was analyzed to validate the results.Results: Only 58.2% of rear-facing (RF) CRS/vehicle combinations were predicted to have proper agreement between the vehicle's seat pan angle and the CRS manufacturers’ required base angle. The width of the base of the CRS was predicted to fit snugly between the vehicle's seat pan bolsters in 63.3% of RF CRS/vehicle combinations and...
¿Es posible encontrarle un nomos al pensamiento? María Zambrano, las confesiones, los delirios y el mito de Antígona

Este ensayo trata de definir la singularidad del pensamiento de Zambrano. Para ello se usan dos procedicimientos. El primero se centra en el estudio de los diferentes generos discursivos que privilegia Zambrano. A Zambrano le interesan los generos filosoficos en los que la vida para tener acceso a la verdad tiene que ser seducida y disciplinada por ella. Esta actitud, como demostro Foucault, va a contrapelo del intento de la filosofia moderna de crear un corte definitivo entre la espiritualidad y la filosofia donde las condiciones de acceso a la verdad son metodologicas y no espirituales. El segundo de estos procedimientos tiene como su eje central el estudio del concepto de nomos, que se recupera de Hobbes y Carl Schmitt. Segun este concepto, las normas, las leyes, los ideales, los paradigmas, el sentido contienen en su prehistoria un anclaje terrenal concreto; el gesto politico primigenio: circunscribir un territorio, definir unas fronteras, distinguir entre lo nativo y lo foraneo. Antes que se postule ...
Transcriptional regulation of murine Slc22a1 (Oct1) by peroxisome proliferator agonist receptor-α and -γ

The transport and metabolism of organic cationic endobiotics, nutrients, and drugs are essential hepatic functions. Slc22A1 is the basolateral liver transporter mediating the uptake of organic cati...
EXPRESS PALLET AS AN ENGINEERING TEST BED FOR SPACECRAFT TECHNOLOGY

The EXPRESS Pallet (EP), a facility f or attaching external payloads on the International Space Station (ISS), allows the ISS to function uniquely as a test bed for engineering advanced spacecraft technology. The Spacecraft Technology Center, a NASA Research Partnership Center at Texas A&M Un iversity, has worked with a number of industry partners to design potential engineering research and technology development (ERTD) payloads for the EXPRESS Pallet. This paper describes examples of six EP payloads addressing the following technologies: rem ote sensing, communications, thermal management, power, inflatable structures, and propulsion. Specific research objectives for these payloads, which can only be achieved by testing in space, are identified for each example. The expected products from the se ERTD experiments on the EP will benefit NASA as well as other government and commercial customers.
Active control of combustion instabilities with real time operation of unstable combustor modes

The theoretical foundation and performance of an active control system that rapidly characterizes and damps combustor instabilities whose characteristics are not known in advance are presented. The heart of this control system is an observer that uses, for example, a measured combustor pressure to determine the frequencies, phases and amplitudes of the combustor modes in real time. This information is input into a controller that provides each mode with a gain and a phase shift prior to sending a signal to an actuator that injects an oscillating fuel stream into the combustor. The paper uses numerical simulations to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed controller. First, it is shown that the developed observer can determine the frequencies and amplitudes of oscillating modes without having any prior knowledge about their characteristics. Next, it is shown that this controller can identify and control instabilities involving several modes in linearly unstable systems. Finally, the ability of the developed controller to rapidly damp a nonlinear, shock-wave like, instability in a rocket combustor by controlling the fundamental mode and its harmonics is demonstrated.
The Effects of Timber Harvesting on Breeding Birds in a Mixed-Coniferous Forest

within a year and in three years the numbers of both species and individuals had increased. The purpose of our investigation was to determine differences in individual avian species densities, species occurrence, and diversity values in a virgin mixed-coniferous forest and in a recently harvested forest. In the logged portion of the study area most of the trees forming the forest canopy were removed. We wanted to determine whether selective
Small science: radical innovation.

B. Alberts' recent Editorial, “The end of ‘small science’?” (28 September, p. [1583][1]), resonated with me. I think many of his conclusions apply not only to biology, but to other fields of science and engineering. One example from the late 1960s was Multics, a joint effort of MIT and Bell
Nitric oxide production is intensely and persistently increased in tissue by thermal injury

NO is a major messenger molecule which regulates immunity and vascular tone, serves as a neurotransmitter and participates in wound healing. It has also been known to be increased in vivo by thermal injury. Urinary nitrate excretion and tissue levels of NO synthase activity were measured after a non-lethal thermal injury. Urinary nitrate excretion decreased by 90% 24-48 h after injury, but dramatically increased by 10-fold thereafter for 30-40 days after injury and remained elevated until the wound healed. This response was inhibited by a competitive inhibitor of NO synthase. These rates of urinary nitrate excretion suggest that NO production is dramatically affected by injury in a pattern that is distinct from that observed after lipopolysaccharide administration. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the hyperdynamic cardiovascular and hypermetabolic responses seen to continue weeks after thermal injury could be a result of the autocrine and paracrine effects of NO generated locally within the tissues in addition to that generated by inflammatory cells.
The problem of genotype-environment correlation in the estimation of heritability from monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

It is commonly, but incorrectly, assumed that the presence of genotype × environment covariance must necessarily reduce the heritability (h2) as estimated from twin data, when the formula used to obtain h2 makes no assumption about G × E covariance or assumes that it is zero. But, in fact, G × E covariance does not always reduce the genetic variance, and it can be shown under some conditions, an increase in the G × E covariance implies a greater genetic variance. The effect of G × E covariance on h2 as estimated from data on MZ and DZ twins, depends jointly upon the degree of assortative mating and the degree of environmental correlation between MZ twins and between DZ twins. A method, based on the solution of a pair of simultaneous quadratic equations, is proposed for estimating the range of h2 from twin data under varying assumed values for assortative mating, the environmental correlations between MZ and DZ twins, and the G × E covariance. The solution of three simultaneous equations permits direct estimation of the genetic variance, environmental variance, and G × E covariance, under varying reasonable assumed values for assortative mating and the MZ and DZ environmental correlations. Examples of the method are based on intelligence tests scores of MZ and DZ twins.
A tale of two formats: Direct comparison of matching situational and behavior description interview questions

Abstract The primary purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the psychometric properties of situational interview (SI) and behavior description interview (BDI) questions written to assess the same set of job attributes. Using a final dataset of 29 coefficients ( N = 8148), we found an observed mean correlation of 0.40 (0.47 corrected) between construct-matched SI and BDI questions. In terms of moderators, even lower correspondence resulted when (1) both question types had lower internal consistency, (2) there were more questions per format, (3) probing was not allowed in either format or when allowed in one format but not in the other, and (4) the purpose of the interview was for research (vs. employment). Given that their correspondence can be quite low under some moderator combinations, an important implication is that SI and BDI questions should not automatically be assumed to be interchangeable, even when written deliberately to assess the same attributes, and that incremental validity is very possible. Further, results suggest that SIs have higher overall mean validity compared to BDIs for predicting job performance (0.23 vs. 0.18, respectively). Results also indicated a slightly stronger relationship with cognitive ability measures for BDIs than SIs (0.11 vs. 0.09, respectively).
Trends in Outcomes and Hospitalization Costs among Pediatric Myasthenia Gravis Patients in the United States. Data from Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) 1997-2009 (P02.207)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of new therapeutic strategies on the outcome and cost of hospitalization among pediatric patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) in the United States. BACKGROUND: Advances in understanding of MG has led to the development of more effective therapeutic strategies including pulmonary support and mechanical ventilation. DESIGN/METHODS: We determined the rates of occurrence, in-hospital outcomes, and mean hospital charges for pediatric patients hospitalized with MG from 1997 to 2009 using Kids9 Inpatient Database (KID). RESULTS: There was a steady increase in the number of MG patients from 1997 (144) to 2009 (319). The average patient age varied significantly, with a minimum of 11.9±5.7 years in 1997 and a maximum of 14.1±5.8 years in 2000 (p=0.014). Female predominance was observed in all time periods. The average length of stay was not significantly different from 1997 to 2009. The maximum average length of stay was 6.3±6.5 days in 1997 and the minimum was 4.7±5.4 days in 2003 (p=0.22). The vast majority of patients were discharged to home in all studied time periods. During the studied time periods there was only one death, which occurred in 2006. There was a significant increase in average hospital charges over time: $24,382±42,678 in 1997 and $51,109±68,370 in 2009 (p CONCLUSIONS: There was a steady increase in the number of pediatric MG patients from 1997 to 2009. There was a significant increase in in-hospital charges of patients admitted for MG from 1997 to 2009, but without any significant variation in average length of stay, death rate, or disposition status. Disclosure: Dr. Sander has received personal compensation for activities with Grifols, Baxter, IPRO, and IMEDECS as speaker, scientific advisory board and independent peer review. Dr. Elenein has nothing to disclose. Dr. He has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sheikh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Al Qudah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Souayah has received personal compensation for activities with Walgreens and Grifols. Dr. Souayah has received research support from Talecris.
Exploring Mindfulness and Meditation for the Elementary Classroom: Intersections Across Current Multidisciplinary Research

Mindfulness and meditation programs, and their associated benefits for education, can be examined within three related disciplines: psychology, elementary education, and exceptional education. A re...
Optical Nanoscopy using Swimming Spherical Lens

We introduce a new nondestructive imaging method based on untethered chemically powered microrobots, made of high-refractive-index microsphere lenses and powered by local catalytic, as autonomous probes for subdiffraction optical scanning and imaging.
A Bayesian Approach to Determine the Composition of Heterogeneous Cancer Tissue

Cancer Tissue Heterogeneity is an important consideration in cancer research as it can give insights into the causes and progression of cancer. It is known to play a significant role in cancer cell survival, growth and metastasis. Determining the compositional breakup of a heterogeneous cancer tissue can also help address the therapeutic challenges posed by heterogeneity. This necessitates a low cost, scalable algorithm to address the challenge of accurate estimation of the composition of a heterogeneous cancer tissue. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to tackle this problem by utilizing the data of accurate, but high cost, single cell line cell-by-cell observation methods in low cost ensemble observation method for heterogeneous cancer cell mixtures to obtain their composition in a Bayesian framework. The algorithm is analyzed and validated using synthetic data and experimental data obtained from mixtures of cancer cell lines.
Ferric Heme-Nitrosyl Complexes: Kinetically Robust or Unstable Intermediates?

We have determined a convenient method for the bulk synthesis of high-purity ferric heme-nitrosyl complexes ({FeNO}6 in the Enemark–Feltham notation); this method is based on the chemical or electrochemical oxidation of corresponding {FeNO}7 precursors. We used this method to obtain the five- and six-coordinate complexes [Fe(TPP)(NO)]+ (TPP2– = tetraphenylporphyrin dianion) and [Fe(TPP)(NO)(MI)]+ (MI = 1-methylimidazole) and demonstrate that these complexes are stable in solution in the absence of excess NO gas. This is in stark contrast to the often-cited instability of such {FeNO}6 model complexes in the literature, which is likely due to the common presence of halide impurities (although other impurities could certainly also play a role). This is avoided in our approach for the synthesis of {FeNO}6 complexes via oxidation of pure {FeNO}7 precursors. On the basis of these results, {FeNO}6 complexes in proteins do not show an increased stability toward NO loss compared to model complexes. We also prepare...
Social Determinants of Health: A Missing Link in Emergency Medicine Training

The health of a population depends upon several factors, including disease, public health initiatives, and the social determinants of health (SDH). These factors often converge in the emergency department (ED) where the impact of social conditions such as homelessness, low-literacy, and poverty lead to recidivism and may contribute to provider burnout. Inclusion of SDH topics in EM residency curricula can provide needed background information and effective strategies for coping with these patients in the clinical setting. Exercises that simulate poverty, the development of and familiarity with meaningful community partnerships, and inclusion of SDH topics in standard ED conferences (e.g., mortality and morbidity conference) can promote understanding and outline a detailed plan for treating patients facing these challenges. By incorporating educational interventions aimed at identifying and intervening on issues of SDH in the ED we may be able to better serve those patients who need us the most.
Cough in Ambulatory Immunocompromised Adults: CHEST Expert Panel Report

Background Cough is a common symptom prompting patients to seek medical care. Like patients in the general population, patients with compromised immune systems also seek care for cough. However, it is unclear whether the causes of cough in immunocompromised patients who are deemed unlikely to have a life-threating condition and a normal or unchanged chest radiograph are similar to those in persons with cough and normal immune systems. Methods We conducted a systematic review to answer the question: What are the most common causes of cough in ambulatory immunodeficient adults with normal chest radiographs? Studies of patients ≥ 18 years of age with immune deficiency, cough of any duration, and normal or unchanged chest radiographs were included and assessed for relevance and quality. Based on the systematic review, suggestions were developed and voted on using the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodology framework. Results The results of the systematic review revealed no high-quality evidence to guide the clinician in determining the likely causes of cough specifically in immunocompromised ambulatory patients with normal chest radiographs. Conclusions Based on a systematic review, we found no evidence to assess whether or not the proper initial evaluation of cough in immunocompromised patients is different from that in immunocompetent persons. A consensus of the panel suggested that the initial diagnostic algorithm should be similar to that for immunocompetent persons but that the context of the type and severity of the immune defect, geographic location, and social determinants be considered. The major modifications to the 2006 CHEST Cough Guidelines are the suggestions that TB should be part of the initial evaluation of patients with cough and HIV infection who reside in regions with a high prevalence of TB, regardless of the radiographic findings, and that specific causes and immune defects be considered in all patients in whom the initial evaluation is unrevealing.
Quantization of acoustic-phonon modes in Siedel-White type waveguide nanostructures

Abstract Acoustic phonon modes in a rectangular nanoscale waveguide deposited on a substrate (Siedel-White type waveguide) are analyzed analytically in terms of the elastic continuum model and the modes are quantized under the dimensional confinement assumption. The rectangular isotropic overlay structure is assumed to be deposited on a substrate with larger area compared to the overlay, and perfectly rigid. The displacement field inside the rectangular overlay structure is described for structures with nanometer dimensions. The frequency dependence of the modes has been studied along with the modal profiles for different overlay dimensions. The phonon occupation number has been evaluated for a range of dimensions and temperatures and the frequency-quality factor (f.Q) product has been theoretically discussed and evaluated using the parameters for silicon.
Draft Genome Sequence of Xenophilus sp., a Novel Bacterium Isolated from the Skin of a Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala) in Florida, USA.

ABSTRACT We report here the draft genome sequence of a novel Xenophilus species cultured from the skin of a southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala). Compared to previously sequenced bacterial genomes, our novel isolate showed the most significant homology with Xenophilus azovorans. The assembled genome is 3,978,285 bp, with 3,704 predicted genes and one predicted plasmid.