cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparedness and Cancer-Related Symptom Management among Cancer Survivors in the First Year Post-Treatment

Many cancer survivors feel unprepared for the physical and psychosocial challenges that accompany the post-treatment care transition (i.e., re-entry phase), including management of cancer-related symptoms. Few studies have investigated personal and contextual factors associated with the extent of preparedness for re-entry or how they are related to cancer-related symptom management. Data from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivor Transition Study examined (1) characteristics of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors (n = 1188) within the first year of completing treatment who are most and least prepared for re-entry; and (2) how preparedness level and other characteristics are related to cancer-related symptom management. Stanton and colleagues’ [1] conceptual model of survivorship guided the selection of interpersonal/environmental, individual, and disease/treatment-related characteristics as potential contributors to levels of preparedness and cancer-related symptom management using regression tree and multivariate linear regression analyses. Survivors, on average, felt moderately prepared for the transition to post-treatment care. Lowest levels of preparedness were found among survivors with relatively high depressive symptoms, low perceived quality of oncology-provided survivorship care, and limited discussion about potential side effects with a health professional. Poorer symptom management was associated with younger age, having more comorbid conditions, and lower preparedness, social support, and spirituality. Survivors who feel unprepared for the transition to post-treatment care report poorer cancer-related symptom management. Identification of factors associated with low perceived preparedness and poor cancer-related symptom management will assist in risk stratification and development of tailored interventions to meet the needs of cancer survivors during re-entry.
A Semi-supervised Heat Kernel Pagerank MBO Algorithm for Data Classification

Abstract : We present a very efficient semi-supervised graph-based algorithm for classification of high-dimensional data that is motivated by the MBO method of Garcia-Cardona (2014) and derived using the similarity graph. Our procedure is an elegant combination of heat kernel page rank and the MBO method applied to study semi-supervised problems. The timing of our algorithm is highly dependent on how quickly the page rank can be computed; we use two different yet very efficient approaches to calculate the page rank, one of which proceeds by simulating random walks of bounded length. Overall, our method is advantageous for very big, sparse data, in which the graph has few edges, and it produces good accuracy even if the number of labeled instances is very small. In fact, the accuracy of the procedure is comparable with or better than that of state-of-the-art methods and is demonstrated on benchmark data sets. In addition to experimental results, we include a thorough comparison of our algorithm to that of Garcia-Cardona (2014) and describe the advantages of both methods.
Safety of infusing ipilimumab (ipi) over 30 minutes (min).

9046 Background: The approved dose of ipi is 3mg/kg infused over 90 min. In clinical trials, however, 10mg/kg has also been infused over 90 min. At 10mg/kg, patients (pts) receive 3mg/kg within the...
A Perspective on Optimum Resource Allocation and Planning for Technology Transfer

Abstract This work presents the methods and approaches for optimum transfer of technological knowledge. The success of transfer is described by a measured value of transferred knowledge. The problem is considered as a multi stage processing where the point of origin is the knowledge source and the final point is the receiving end of knowledge. The objective function (to be minimized or maximized) is considered as the total time and/or total cost of transfer, the value of transferred knowledge, etc. The main contribution by the work reported here is a systematic approach and a specific methods containing optimum decision steps of how the knowledge is to be transferred.
Principles of Skin Biopsies for the Family Physician

Skin biopsies provide physicians with valuable information in the evaluation of many dermatologic conditions. Before beginning the biopsy, family physicians should understand a few guidelines regarding the choice of the lesion to be sampled. These guidelines help the physician avoid unnecessary scars and ensure optimal pathologic correlation. The most common techniques include the punch, shave, excisional and incisional biopsies. Each procedure has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the dermatologic condition and the morphology of the lesion. Pigmented lesions characteristic of melanoma require special consideration. Techniques of skin preparation, tissue handling, anesthesia and equipment are presented.
Evaluating an Adjunctive Mobile App to Enhance Psychological Flexibility in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and potential efficacy of a novel adjunctive mobile app designed to enhance the acquisition, strengthening, and generalization of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) skills being taught in therapy. A sample of 14 depressed/anxious clients receiving ACT used the ACT Daily app for 2 weeks in a pre-post, open trial design. Participants reported a high degree of program satisfaction. Clients significantly improved over the 2-week period on depression and anxiety symptoms as well as a range of psychological inflexibility measures. Analyses of mobile app data indicated effects of ACT Daily skill coaching on in-the-moment measures of inflexibility and symptoms, with unique effects found for acceptance and mindfulness. Adjunctive ACT mobile apps appear promising in enhancing therapy effects on psychological inflexibility and outcomes. A tailored skill coaching approach like ACT Daily based on randomly prompted assessments may be especially promising.
Reframing for Social Justice: The Influence of Critical Friendship Groups on Preservice Teachers’ Reflective Practice:

A primary goal of teacher preparation programs should be to develop the reflective and critical problem-solving capacities of preservice teachers, especially social justice–oriented programs that p...
Body Weight and Bullying Victimization among US Adolescents.

Objective We examined the association between body weight status at all levels (including underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity) and bullying victimization among US ado- lescents using a nationally representative data. Methods We used logistic regression to exam- ine the association between bullying victimization and body weight status by sex with the data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (N = 11,825), controlling for demographics, selected behavioral confounders, and complex survey design. Results We found a statistically significant U-shaped association between body weight and bullying victimization among male (p = .001) but not female students (p = .838). For girls, the prevalence of being bullied slightly increased from underweight (33.58%) to normal weight (34.36%) to obesity (36.18%) but such increases failed to reach statistical significance. For boys, being bullied was significantly associ- ated with younger age, being white, feeling hopeless, having suicidal ideation, and excessive video-game playing. Conclusions A U-shaped association between body weight and bullying victimization appears to exist in boys but not girls, partly because of the body weight stigma and sex stereotypes among US adolescents. Future studies should investigate the risk factors associated with sex-specific bullying to develop effective anti-bullying programs for youth.
Blockchain as a Foundation for Sharing Healthcare Data

Blockchain technology has the potential to transform healthcare delivery by facilitating data sharing between providers and electronic health record (EHR) systems. However, significant roadblocks stand in the way of widespread implementation of this technology across the healthcare industry. Our blockchainbased data-sharing solution addresses two of the most critical challenges associated with using blockchain for health data sharing: protecting sensitive health information and deploying and installing blockchain software across diverse hospital environments. Since transparency is a fundamental feature of blockchain, we enabled user- and group-based secret sharing by adding purpose-built software that leverages a collection of well-established cryptographic algorithms. To streamline deployment, we built a containerized solution that guarantees portability, simplifies installation, and reduces overhead maintenance costs associated with administration. To ensure ease of implementation in a hospital system, we designed our blockchain solution using a distributed microservices architecture that allows us to encapsulate core functions of our system into isolated services that can be scaled independently based on the requirements of a particular hospital system deployment. As part of this architecture, we built core components for securely handling cryptographic secrets, interacting with blockchain nodes, facilitating large file sharing, enabling secondary-index based lookups, and integrating external business logic that governs how users interact with Smart Contracts. The innovative design of our blockchain solution, which addresses critical data security, deployment, and installation challenges, provides the healthcare community with a unique approach that has the power to connect providers while protecting sensitive data. Keywords: Blockchain, Data Sharing, Data Exchange, EHR,electronic health record, Ethereum, interplanetary file system, IPFS
Adenovirus, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus infection in a lung transplant recipient.

Abstract Allograft infections post lung transplantation have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. We report a rare case of triple viral infection with adenovirus, Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in a lung transplant recipient.
Principles of Nuclear Medicine Imaging

The unique nature of nuclear imaging allows for detailed functional information lacking in other conventional imaging modalities, such as estimation of global and differential renal function, highly sensitive imaging of the renal cortex to document renal scars, evaluation of urinary drainage to aid in the diagnosis of obstruction, surveillance monitoring of vesicoureteral reflux, and evaluation of testis perfusion in cases of suspected testis torsion with equivocal ultrasound imaging.
COVERAGE OF EBOLA OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA IN THE GUARDIAN AND VANGAURD NEWSPAPERS

The study examined newspaper coverage of the Ebola Virus outbreak in Nigeria from July 20 to October 20, 2014 which was the date the EVD outbreak lasted, before the World Health Organization declared Nigeria free. The content analysis design was utilized as the research design in analyzing two national newspapers; The Guardian and the Vanguard to ascertain the frequency of coverage, the level of prominence and the nature of stories covered on the EVD outbreak in Nigeria by the newspapers. Findings from the study reveal that the rate of coverage of the Ebola Virus outbreak by the press was low as the news contents on non – Ebola virus issues were reported about seven times more often than the EVD issues within the period of the outbreak in Nigeria. The level of prominence accorded news contents on the EVD was on the average; and sufficient interpretations and in – depth analyses were not adequately carried by the columnists to sensitize the readers on the EVD outbreak within the period it lasted. It is therefore recommended that the Nigerian Press Organization should develop an editorial policy that would make it binding on different newspaper editorial boards to channel their agenda setting roles in championing massive health campaigns and advocacy that would be targeted towards educating their readers on the containment of imminent diseases such as EVD when such occur.
Robust system size reduction of discrete fracture networks: a multi-fidelity method that preserves transport characteristics

We propose a multi-fidelity system reduction technique that uses weighted graphs paired with three-dimensional discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling for efficient simulation of subsurface flow and transport in fractured media. DFN models are used to simulate flow and transport in subsurface fractured rock with low-permeability. One method to alleviate the heavy computational overhead associated with these simulations is to reduce the size of the DFN using a graph representation of it to identify the primary flow sub-network and only simulate flow and transport thereon. The first of these methods used unweighted graphs constructed solely on DFN topology and could be used for accurate predictions of first-passage times. However, these techniques perform poorly when predicting later stages of the mass breakthrough. We utilize a weighted-graph representation of the DFN where edge weights are based on hydrological parameters in the DFN that allows us to exploit the kinematic quantities derivable a posteriori from the flow solution obtained on the graph representation of the DFN to perform system reduction and predict the later stages of the breakthrough curve with high fidelity. We also propose and demonstrate the use of an adaptive pruning algorithm with error control that produces a pruned DFN sub-network whose predicted mass breakthrough agrees with the original DFN within a user-specified tolerance. The method allows for the level of accuracy to be a user-controlled parameter.
Tomorrow’s Backhaul: Comparative Analysis of Backhaul Cost for Policy Decisions

Despite forecasted quadratic growth of cellular traffic over the next several years, no in-depth analysis of brownfield and greenfield Long Term Evolution (LTE) backhaul deployment over different local access network options has been published. The models in this paper integrate engineering with economic analysis of the backhaul to support LTE mobile broadband networks using digital subscriber line (DSL), cable (DOCSIS), fiber, or microwave networks for the backhaul network. The results of the model allow a regulator to determine which backhaul solution to support depending upon traffic load and spectrum allocation. The model results indicate that the Net Present Value (NPV) do favor fiber passive optical network (PON) for a greenfield deployment, while brownfield DOCSIS or PON is favored depending on population density. The model demonstrates that demand for the next ten years can be met with the deployment of small cells and picocells with an increase in available frequencies. The model also demonstrates fifth generation (5G) picocells delays expansion of backhaul.
Circuit Design Tools for Exploratory Understanding

Effective circuit design and debugging require developing an intimate understanding of the behaviors of a complex system. In my work, I've distilled barriers to such understanding to three fundamental challenges of circuit design: transparency, malleability, and modelability. In turn, my research contributes tools that address these challenges through novel changes to the circuit design workflow: Pinpoint improves transparency and malleability in the debugging of printed circuit boards (PCBs) by augmenting board connections with automatic instrumentation and reconfigurable connectivity. Scanalog similarly improves transparency and malleability in prototyping by providing an interactively reprogrammable platform on which to design and tune fully instrumented mixed-signal circuits. My ongoing work addresses issues in modelability through tools that generate empirically-derived fault models and highlight causal relationships between components in a circuit. By evaluating these interactions, my research examines the role of exploratory understanding in circuit design, asking, "How can tools promote understanding of a circuit by facilitating exploration and reflection?"
Harbingers of unrest in Baltimore: racial and spatial cleavages in satisfaction with quality of life before the 2015 Uprising

The 2015 Baltimore Riots, which occurred following clashes between residents and police during anti-police brutality protests, were the most widespread acts of civil unrest to grip the city since 1...
Characterization of infections and hypogammaglobulinemia treated with the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab

We update a patient series that reported a high incidence of infection with Gram-positive cocci in women treated with the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab and further characterize this clinical problem. Treating physicians and advanced practice partners identified women who developed infections while on treatment with pertuzumab and trastuzumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy and enrolled them onto this registry trial. Between March, 2014 and May, 2017, 48 patients with HER2-positive breast cancers were reported to have 59 individual infections. The median age was 48 years. Twenty-four patients received neoadjuvant therapy, 17 were treated for metastatic disease, and 7 were treated in the adjuvant setting. Pertuzumab and trastuzumab were combined with carboplatin and docetaxel in 24 (49%) patients, docetaxel in 10 (21%), nab-paclitaxel in 12 (24%), and without other agents in 2 (4%). Granulocyte growth factors were administered in 24 (49%) patients and no patients were documented to be neutropenic. Folliculitis developed in 25 (52%) patients and was counted as a single infection. Abscesses developed at a number of sites in 24 (49%) patients, including a septic knee requiring total knee replacement. Paronychia occurred in 7 (15%) patients, and 5 (10%) developed cellulitis. When cultures were obtained, Gram-positive cocci were consistently identified. Hypogammaglobulinemia was documented in 14 (36%) of the 33 patients tested. Our data continue to support an increased risk of infections with Gram-positive cocci as a potentially serious adverse event in women treated with pertuzumab and trastuzumab.
Pediatric Surgery Simulation-Based Training for the General Surgery Resident

Abstract Background Surgical simulation-based training (SBT) can increase resident confidence and improve performance. SBT in pediatric surgery is in its infancy and often geared toward training pediatric surgery fellows. Since case volume for various pediatric surgery–specific procedures can be low based on the rarity of the pathology involved and the level of care provided by the institution, our aim was to create a pediatric surgery simulation-based curriculum for general surgery residents to address this need. Materials and methods We performed an institutional needs assessment consisting of 4 pediatric surgeons' and 28 general surgery residents’ confidence in resident ability to independently perform pediatric surgery–specific tasks and procedures using a Likert-scaled survey. These included the placement of a silastic silo for gastroschisis, a percutaneous drain for perforated necrotizing enterocolitis, and completion of a laparoscopic pyloromyotomy for pyloric stenosis. Models simulating these pathologies and curriculum for performing each procedure were generated. Results We successfully created a model and SBT curriculum to teach general surgery residents how to place a silastic silo for patients with gastroschisis, a percutaneous drain for patients with perforated necrotizing enterocolitis, and how to complete a laparoscopic pyloromyotomy for patients with pyloric stenosis. These were deemed high fidelity models based on a survey of our pediatric surgeons. Conclusions We created a pediatric surgery SBT curriculum for general surgery residents, which can be used to supplement learning of various high-acuity, low-occurrence procedures. Assessment of residents and validation of scores is underway.
Ultrasfast Wide-field Photoacoustic Microscopy of Small-animal Models

We present our recent progress on a super-fast photoacoustic microscopy with an ultra-wide field of view. By using a novel polygon mirror scanner that can be immersed in water, we have achieved a B-scan frame rate of 2000 Hz with a scanning range of at least 7 mm. Hemodynamic responses in the whole mouse brain and ear were imaged on many small disease models.
Gradient plasticity in gradient nanocrystalline metals: Extra toughness from dislocation migration

Abstract Gradient nanocrystalline (GNC) metals exhibit an unprecedented combination of high strength and high ductility. In this study, GNC copper was obtained using ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM), and its plasticity mechanism was investigated using tensile tests. It was found that UNSM treatment can grant copper superior yield strength and ductility which is beyond the capacity of conventional cold-working. Moreover, the UNSM-treated copper has a reduced strain-hardening capacity which does not lead to early necking and deteriorated ductility. The strain energy analysis shows that the yield strength of GNC material can be estimated using the root mean square of yield strengths of the coarse-grained (CG) layer and the gradient structure (GS) layer. The strain energy analysis also predicted a strong interaction between GS layer and CG layer during tensile deformation. Furthermore, a dislocation-based constitutive model was applied to understand the interaction between CG layer and GS layer. The migration of dislocations from the CG layer to the GS layer was proposed to explain the interaction. The migration of dislocations induces strain softening and, thus, releases internal strain energy. The proposed mechanism is supported by our experimental observations: the reduction in strain-hardening capacity is positive-related to the depression in strain localization in UNSM-treated GNC copper. The improved ductility is attributed to the depressed strain localization and the refreshed capacity for dislocation accumulation, both resulted from dislocation migration from the CG layer to the GS layer.
Women's Understanding of Windows of Susceptibility and the Role of the Environment in Breast Cancer Risk.

Emerging evidence suggests women who are exposed to harmful environmental exposures, especially during certain critical periods across the lifespan, may increase their breast cancer risk. Such windows of susceptibility (WoS) occur throughout a woman’s lifetime, during which she is especially vulnerable to the effects of harmful environmental exposures. This interaction makes the reduction of harmful environmental toxicants during those time periods a priority for community health promotion. Communicating about environmental exposures and their impact on women’s health requires an assessment of sense-making around, and understanding of, the link between breast cancer and the environment. To that end, focus groups were conducted to assess the themes that emerge when women make sense of (a) their own breast cancer risk, (b) the environment-cancer connection, and (c) WoS. Results provide insight into how women understand these issues which can inform messaging strategies focused on reducing harmful environmental exposures. Implications are discussed within the context of communication efforts tailored to educate women, particularly mothers with daughters in the prepubertal and pubertal WoS who are particularly vulnerable to harmful environmental exposures.
'Marco Polo Economics' and Narrative in the NBER Soviet Growth Study

In his 1962 NBER volume, Growth of Industrial Production in the Soviet Union, Warren Nutter writes about how the study of the Soviet economy was hamstrung by official secrecy and misinformation. Western economists were forced to rely on what Nutter called “Marco Polo economics” or “travelers’ tales” to replace or interpret quantitative data. Nutter’s book is littered with these tales of Soviet economic activity from Soviet emigres, foreign visitors, and reports of Soviet citizens. The tales provide a narrative grounding for Growth of Industrial Production in the Soviet Union by outlining the flow of data through the Soviet statistical bureaucracy, establishing the reliability of Soviet data, and aiding in the interpretation of difficult to measure concepts like product quality or military production.
A more compact photoacoustic imaging system to detect periodontitis

Photoacoustic imaging has shown value in periodontal disease, but the large size of conventional photoacoustic transducers prevents imaging of more posterior teeth, i.e., molars. Here, we report a clinical "hockey stick"-style transducer repurposed for photoacoustic (PA) via an integrated fiber bundle. The shape of the hockey stick transducer facilitates imaging of the 1st pre-molars in contrast to conventional photoacoustic transducer designs. This tool was then deployed for photoacoustic imaging of periodontal disease and the periodontal pocket via a food-grade contrast agent (cuttlefish ink). We characterized the resolution and imaging range and then validated the system with a swine model and human subjects. We could image four additional teeth per quadrant with the smaller design versus a commercial photoacoustic transducer. Three raters evaluated the performance of the hockey stick transducer. The measurements between the probing and the PA methods were blinded, but the outcomes were highly correlated. We showed a bias of [~]0.3 mm for the imaging-based technique versus conventional probing. In addition, the inter-reliability was over 0.60 for three different raters of varying experience suggesting that this approach to evaluating dental health is teachable and reproducible. Finally, we demonstrated the utility in a human subject and can image teeth much more posterior in the mouth than with conventional photoacoustic transducers.
Changing Treatment Patterns of ROP at a Tertiary Medical Center Between 2002 and 2012.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To clinically correlate and evaluate the screening and treatment patterns of retinopathy of prematurity by a single physician at a tertiary care center between 2002 and 2012. PATIENTS AND METHODS A group of 10,924 newborns screened for ROP between 2002 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed in a consecutive case series. Records of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Jackson Memorial Hospital/Bascom Palmer Eye Institute were reviewed to identify patients clinically diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity who underwent treatment. RESULTS Laser photocoagulation was used to treat 231 of 10,924 (2.1%). Of these 231 patients, 176 (76.2%) were included in the study (55 infants were excluded because they were referred from outside institutions for advanced ROP). Of the 176 treated patients, 89 (50.6%) were male and 87 (49.4%) were female. The average birth weight was 687.3 g. The mean gestational age was 24.8 weeks. The mean time between birth and treatment was 3 months. Of the 176 patients, 31 required re-treatment with laser photocoagulation. The rates of treatment and retreatment significantly declined with the experience of the treating physician ( P < .01). Retinal detachment occurred in two of 176 patients (1.1%). CONCLUSION Experience is essential in delivering optimal care in a complex disease such as ROP. Between 2002 and 2012, the rate of treatment and retreatment significantly decreased. Possible reasons include improvements in neonatal care, but it is more likely that the rate of treatment and re-treatment is inversely proportional to the ophthalmologist's experience with and comfort in managing ROP.
Thermodynamic performance of ceramic tritium breeding blanket material

Thermodynamic calculations have been made to compare the thermochemical performance of three candidate breeder blanket materials, Li/sub 2/O, LiAlO/sub 2/, and Li/sub 4/SiO/sub 4/. These calculations were done for the temperature range of 900 to 1300/sup 0/K and the oxygen activity range of 10/sup -25/ to 10/sup -5/. Oxygen activity is an influential variable for these materials and must be considered in the diffusion of tritiated species, determining the chemical form of the released tritium, and retention of tritium in the condensed phase. Surface adsorption may also act as a strong contributor to tritium inventory. In general, LiAlO/sub 2/ appears better than Li/sub 2/O and Li/sub 2/O, in turn, appears better than Li/sub 4/SiO/sub 4/.
Distributed network control through sum product algorithm on graphs

Sum product algorithm on graphs is a general message passing algorithm that unifies many algorithms in channel coding, signal processing, Bayesian inference, and statistical physics. We show that, by extending the underlying algebraic and graphical structures of sum product algorithm, it also provides a unifying perspective for important distributed algorithms in communication networks. Examples treated here include Bellman-Ford (1957, 1962) routing, traffic shaping, wireless network power control, and congestion control. Through local message passing in the form of sum product algorithm on graphs, each of these network control algorithms solves a corresponding global optimization problem. This common framework also leads to new distributed algorithms, such as joint optimization of power control and utility maximization through distributed gradient descent.
Filemaker pro 7 : Easy to use relational database management system

Abstract Libraries and information agencies may solve their information organization tasks through solutions as simple as spreadsheets or as complex as full blown object oriented databases. FileMaker Pro fits into a niche between the non-relational simplicity of spreadsheets and simple file systems and more complex systems like Microsoft Access and Oracle. This article describes the strengths and weaknesses of the program. It is easy to use but not as powerful or flexible as other relational systems. Although avoiding the jargon and theory of relational database management, it is a relational system with the ability to combine data from several tables to create forms and report that reflect those relationships. An interesting security system based on “privilege sets” is described.
The effective antenna noise figure Fa for a vertical loop antenna and its application to extremely low frequency/very low frequency atmospheric noise

[1] Expressions tabulated for the effective antenna noise figure Fa usually assume an electric field antenna, since most measurements of radio noise are made on the electric field of the noise. Furthermore, the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) noise model predictions for Fa are made only for electrically short grounded vertical monopoles over a perfect ground. However, at frequencies lower than those traditionally used for communications, i.e., at extremely low frequencies (ELF; frequencies in the range 3 Hz to 3 kHz) and very low frequencies (VLF; frequencies in the range 3–30 kHz), it is common for magnetic field loop antennas to be used, and the tabulated expressions for Fa do not apply. This communication reports the derivation of an expression for Fa as measured by a small vertical magnetic loop antenna and its subsequent application to ELF/VLF radio noise measurements made at a variety of locations around the world. There is good agreement between the measured Fa values and estimates of maximum and minimum Fa values for the ELF/VLF range published by Spaulding and Hagn in 1978, but an improved fit to the measurements can be obtained by making moderate adjustments to the maximum and minimum values at both the low (10–100 Hz) and high (8–32 kHz) frequency limits.
Laboratory Detection of Five New Linear Silicon Carbides: SiC3, SiC5, SiC6, SiC7, and SiC8

The rotational spectra of five highly polar linear silicon-carbon chains SiCn, n = 3 and 5-8, were detected by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in a supersonic molecular beam among the products of a gas discharge through silane and diacetylene; SiC3 was detected as well by conventional millimeter-wave absorption spectroscopy in a large glow discharge through silane and acetylene. The electronic ground state was found to be X1Σ+ for those with even n and X3Σ- for those with odd n, in agreement with recent ab initio calculations. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of all five molecules were determined to high accuracy, as were the spin-spin and spin-rotation coupling constants for triplet SiC3, SiC5, and SiC7. A fairly steep increase in the magnitude of the spin-spin constant with chain length, similar to that found previously for the Cn and CnO chains, was observed for the present silicon carbides. Of the five new silicon carbides, SiC3 is of particular astronomical interest because radio emission lines of the isomeric ground state, a compact rhomboidal ring, have recently been detected in IRC+10216 and because this chain is calculated to possess a large dipole moment of 4.8 D and to lie only 5 kcal mol-1 above ground. From the laboratory data, the most intense transitions of SiC3 can now be calculated to better than 1 km s-1 in equivalent radial velocity at frequencies up to 300 GHz.
Being in Being: The Collected Works of Skaay of the Qquuna Qiighawaay.

Being in Being: The Collected Works of Skaay of the Qquuna Qiighawaay. Robert Bringhurst. ed. and trans. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001. 397 pp.
Integration of multiple domains in a two-component sensor protein: the Bordetella pertussis BvgAS phosphorelay.

Abstract BvgS and BvgA, a two-component system, regulate virulence gene expression in Bordetella pertussis. BvgS is a transmembrane sensor protein that can autophosphorylate and phosphorylate BvgA. Phosphorylated BvgA activates transcription of virulence genes. The cytoplasmic region of BvgS contains three domains separated by alanine/proline-rich sequences--the transmitter, receiver and C-terminus. We report that the C-terminal domain, like the transmitter and receiver, is an essential part of the phosphorelay from BvgS to BvgA. The BvgS C-terminal domain is phosphorylated in trans via a phosphotransfer mechanism by the cytoplasmic portion of BvgS, and trans-phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain requires both the transmitter and receiver. We also demonstrate that phosphorylated, purified C-terminal domain alone is sufficient for phosphotransfer to BvgA. A point mutation in the C-terminal domain (His1172-->Gln) abolishes BvgS activity in vivo and eliminates detectable phosphorylation of BvgA in vitro. Activity of BvgS His 1172-->Gln could be restored by providing the wild-type C-terminal domain in trans. Our results indicate an obligatory role for an alternate phosphodonor module in the BvgAS phosphorelay.
The hemopexin locus: its assignment to linkage group I in the laboratory rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and evidence for a fourth allele.

Summary The hemopexin locus phenotypes were determined for 450 animals with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the presence of a fourth allele at this locus was revealed. Of the 19 mating types segregating at this locus, 17 demonstrated segregation ratios consistent with the hypothesis of a four allele, codominant, autosomal system. Studies of three of our largest inbreeding lines indicated that fixation at this locus has occurred in two of them. Linkage studies showed that the Hx locus is located between the color locus, c, and the Hq blood group locus; therefore it is assigned to Linkage Group I of the rabbit.
l-glutaminase activity of soils

Abstract l -Glutaminase [ l -glutamine amidohydrolasc, EC 3.5.1.2] catalyzes the hydrolysis of l -glutamine to produce ammonia and l -glutamic acid. We have detected this enzyme in soils. A simple, precise, rapid and sensitive method to assay its activity is described, which involves determination of the NH+4 released by l -glutaminase activity when soil is exposed to l -glutamine, Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THAM) buffer and toluene at 37°C for 2 h. The NH+4-N released is determined by treatment of the soil sample with 2.5 m KCl containing a l -glutaminase inhibitor (Ag2SO4) and steam distillation of an aliquot of the resulting soil suspension. The optimum pH for NH+4-N released by l -glutaminase activity in soils was 10. l -Glutaminase was saturated with 50 m m l -glutamine and the reaction essentially followed zero-order kinetics. The d -isomer of glutamine was hydrolyzed in soils at only 7% of the activity of the l -isomer at saturating concentrations of the substrate. The l -glutaminase reaction in soils was not inhibited by the presence of 5m m NH+4 or l -glutamic acid. The optimal temperature for soil l -glutaminase activity was at 50°C and denaturation began at 55°C. The activation energy values of this enzyme, calculated from the Arrhenius plot, ranged from 20.3 to 39.9 (av. = 32.4) kJ mol−1. Application of three linear transformations of the Michaelis-Menten equation showed that the Km values of l -glutaminase in nine soils ranged from 8.2 to 38.6 (av. = 21.7) m m and the Vmax values ranged from 43 to 854 μg NH+4-N released g−1 of soil 2h−1. The Q10 values ranged from 1.19 to 1.85 (av. = 1.49). Among the various treatments that affected l -glutaminase activity in soils, autoclaving (121°C, 1h), formaldehyde (1ml 5 g−1 soil), dimethytsulfoxide (1 ml 5g−1 soil) and NaF (5m m ) reduced the activity by 92, 96, 78 and 14%, respectively. l -Glutaminase activity was greater in toluene treated soils than in untreated soils. The use of sulfhydryl reagents indicated that a free sulfhydryl moiety was required to maintain the active enyzme. Both Ca2+ and Mg2+ (5m m ) activated l -glutaminase activity in soils by an average of 4 and 12%, respectively.
Gap timing and the spectral timing model

A hypothesized mechanism underlying gap timing was implemented in the Spectral Timing Model [Grossberg, S., Schmajuk, N., 1989. Neural dynamics of adaptive timing and temporal discrimination during associative learning. Neural Netw. 2, 79-102] , a neural network timing model. The activation of the network nodes was made to decay in the absence of the timed signal, causing the model to shift its peak response time in a fashion similar to that shown in animal subjects. The model was then able to accurately simulate a parametric study of gap timing [Cabeza de Vaca, S., Brown, B., Hemmes, N., 1994. Internal clock and memory processes in aminal timing. J. Exp. Psychol.: Anim. Behav. Process. 20 (2), 184-198]. The addition of a memory decay process appears to produce the correct pattern of results in both Scalar Expectancy Theory models and in the Spectral Timing Model, and the fact that the same process should be effective in two such disparate models argues strongly that process reflects a true aspect of animal cognition.
The value of conducting door-to-door surveys

This paper argues that door-to-door surveys are a valuable tool for collecting information about health and the environment in urban areas in a manner consistent with community-based participatory research principles. We describe in detail how a door-to-door survey on food shopping and physical activity was conducted with the primary food shopper in 514 households on 30 randomly selected blocks in West and Southwest Philadelphia over seven weeks during the summer of 2010. We identify the elements of our door-to-door protocol that had benefits for the quality of the data collected, flow of data collection, the perceived safety of interviewers and residents, and that informed subsequent phases of this multimethod four-year study of urban food and physical activity environments. We conclude that door-to-door surveys are appropriate and valuable in certain research contexts, when spending time in a community, conducting observations and building relationships are central to the goals and success of a study.
Observations on the ascogenous stage of Septoria tritici in Texas.

Ascospores of Mycosphaerella graminicola , the sexual stage of Septoria tritici , were observed in a wheat field in Northcentral Texas during the fall of 1989 and winter of 1990. This was the first time the ascogenous stage was found in the State. Ascospores germinated on agar by hyphae that subsequently produced conidia similar to the conidia derived from pycnidiospores. Wheat seedling inoculations with ascospores, and conidia derived from ascospores, resulted in the development of typical symptoms and signs of septoria tritici blotch. Disease development on detached leaves initiated by ascospores required a longer incubation period and produced fewer pycnidia than disease initiated by conidia. We discuss some of the implications of these findings on epidemiological studies of septoria tritici blotch in Texas.
The influence of electric field and mobility profile on GaAs MESFET characteristics

Analytical approximations for the drain I-V relationship, including the mobility profile and field distribution in the channel from the drain to the source, and GaAs MESFETs are derived. The model includes the extended depletion from the gate to the drain for nonself-aligned devices. The calculation of the electric field along the channel is in very good agreement with existing analytical models and a two-dimensional numerical simulation. Experimentally, the authors fabricated and tested tilted angle lightly doped drain (LDD) GaAs MESFETs. It was found that the LLD MESFET structure suppresses the peak electric field under the gate near the drain region. A lower output conductance and higher drain-to-source breakdown were observed as expected. In addition to the electric field, the mobility profile is another factor that influences the performance of the devices. The accuracy of describing the low-field transconductance is strongly dependent on the mobility profile. Moreover, the mobility profile modifies the electric field along the channel and also influences the shape of the drain I-V curves. It is found that more accurate I-V curves can be obtained once the mobility profile is taken into account. >
Electromechanical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene) networks

Random copolymers of 65% vinylidene fluoride and 35% trifluoroethylene were reacted with an organic peroxide, in combination with a free-radical trap, to yield networks of high crosslink density. Crystallization subsequent to the crosslinking yielded ferroelectric materials exhibiting large electrostrictive strains. The magnitude of the electromechanical response increased with an increasing degree of crosslinking, even though this reduced the crystallinity. For the most crosslinked sample, longitudinal (thickness) strains as high as 12% were induced at an electric field of 9 MV/m. This electrostrictive performance exceeded that obtained to date with any poly(vinylidene fluoride) material. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1975–1984, 2002
Temperature determination of a recovering spark channel from conductivity probe measurements

The temperature of a recovering high current (25 kA) spark channel in the afterglow period from 0·2 ins to 5 ms after spark initiation has been derived from conductivity probe measurements. The model of a weakly ionized gas is used for calculating the conductivity of the recovering plasma. Temperature decay was obtained for an air spark formed between 6·4 mm tungsten electrodes spaced at 5 mm apart at 1 torr pressure at radial distances of 2 cm, 5 cm and 10 cm from the centre of the spark channel. The results are compared with temperature recovery characteristics obtained in similar air spark channels at atmospheric pressure.
The Genital Capsule of the Rhopalidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreoidea)

The genital capsules of most or all of the Rhopalidae may be characterized thus: the ventral rim and its infolded region are excised, there are a pair of lateral and of paralateral lobes arising usually from the lateral rim, a setiferous ridge occurs externally on the capsule’s ventral wall, the inner margin of the lateral rim’s infolding is strengthened, the anterior opening of the capsule is tilted dorsally, and the 8th sternum is extended below the capsule. These are synapomorphies of the Rhopalidae. In addition, the Rhopalini and the Niesthreini are linked via several synapomorphies, but other relationships within the family are ambiguous when the genital capsule alone is considered.
Suspected pulmonary metastases: correlation of chest x-ray, whole lung tomograms, and operative findings

Chest x-rays, whole lung tomograms, and operative findings were correlated in 152 patients with an extrathoracic malignancy who underwent 182 thoracotomies for the evaluation of pulmonary nodules. Among 25 patients with a normal chest x-ray but one or more pulmonary nodules demonstrated by whole lung tomography, 19 had metastatic disease documented at thoracotomy. Of 64 patients with unilateral nodules seen on conventional chest x-ray, 10 of 32 with sarcoma, 2 of 7 with melanoma, but only 2 of 25 with carcinoma had bilateral nodules demonstrated by tomography. At thoracotomy, 8 of 38 patients in whom a solitary nodule was present on both chest x-ray and on tomogram had multiple nodules. Similarly, 35 of 48 patients with more nodules seen on the tomograms than on the chest x-ray had even more extensive metastatic disease demonstrated by operation. Among patients who had resection of all metastatic pulmonary nodules, 50% of those with carcinoma and 32% of those with sarcoma who underwent resection of a solitary nodule approached that of patients with carcinoma. These findings suggest that whole lung tomograms contribute to the determination of the extent of pulmonary metastasis in patients with solid malignancies, even in the presence of a negative chest x-ray. The improved long term survival achieved by resection of these metastases may be partially attributed to this screening procedure.
The ultrastructure of oral tumors

Abstract 1. 1. The literature concerning the ultrastructure of a group of tumors consisting of an ameloblastoma, nasopharyngeal carcinomas and granular-cell myoblastomas, Warthin's tumor, and oncocytomas has been reviewed. 2. 2. The findings of the electron microscopic examination of a formalin-fixed oncocytoma have been described.
Removal of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus fecalis, coliphage MS2, poliovirus, and hepatitis A virus from oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and hard shell clams (Mercinaria mercinaria) by depuration

Filter-feeding bivalve mollusks (shellfish) can bioaccumulate pathogenic microorganisms in up to 1000-fold higher levels than overlying waters, and therefore disease risks are associated with consuming raw or partially cooked shellfish. Many of these shellfish-borne diseases are due to enteric bacteria and viruses associated with fecal contamination. To control shellfish-borne diseases, guidelines for shellfish harvest waters and shellfish meat have been devised, which include cleansing of contaminated shellfish by depuration in controlled systems, heat pasteurization, or relay to clean waters. This study examines the depuration of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and hard shell clams (Mercinaria mercinaria) in a flow-through depuration system under variable temperature (12 °C, 18 °C, and 25 °C), salinity (8 ppt, 18 ppt, and 28 ppt), turbidity ( E. coli>E. faecalis>poliovirus>HAV, and in clams depuration rates from greatest to least were: E. coli>E. faecalis>HAV>MS2>poliovirus. Because E. coli and E. faecalis were removed at faster rates than HAV and poliovirus, these fecal bacteria appear to be poor process indicators of the virological quality of depurated oysters and hard shell clams.
A Method for Ipsilateral Rotational Autokeratoplasty

Rotational ipsilateral penetrating autokeratoplasty is useful in the treatment of certain nonprogressive corneal scars. The procedure alleviates difficulties with the availability of donor tissue and with graft rejection. A method is presented for determining the maximum clear central corneal area that can be obtained by rotational autokeratoplasty and the most appropriate trephine size and placement. Two dimensions must be obtained either at the slit lamp or from photographs: the diameter of the largest circle of clear cornea and the shortest distance from the edge of this circle (edge of the scar) to the center of the cornea. An illustrative case is presented.