cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal placement of droplets for UV nanoimprint lithography

Optimizing the locations and sizes of droplets are key to reduce defects and increase throughput of ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UVNIL). Previously, simulation models describing the flow and coalescence of multiple fluid drops were developed and used to predict the fluid flow during spreading and feature filling. However, the effect of small channels on the resulting capillary pressure is neglected even though the flow along small channels or grooves is encountered in UVNIL. In this study, an accurate method to estimate capillary pressure boundary conditions at the fluid-air interface is developed along with fluid simulation. A method to estimate and compute the anisotropic capillary pressure for templates with line and space patterns is presented. It is found that the droplets flow faster in the direction of the pattern not only because of anisotropic permeability but also the nanostructure of the template, which further propels anisotropic spreading of the droplets by exerting larger capillary pressure. Using the new capillary pressure boundary condition, the simulation of multidrop spreading in UVNIL is performed to study the effects of anisotropic capillary pressures caused by the template structure. A simulation approach to determine optimal droplet placement was developed. From the simulation, a general rule of thumb is developed: delaying droplet merging as much as possible and reducing the number of merging events.
Recurrent ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction from Norepinephrine-induced Coronary Vasospasm

Myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary atherosclerosis (MINOCA) is a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by evidence of myocardial infarction with normal or near-normal coronary arteries on angiography (stenosis severity < 50%). Coronary artery spasm, as seen in "variant angina," usually occurs at a localized segment of an epicardial artery. Here, we present a case of a 58-year-old male who had norepinephrine-induced coronary vasospasm which resulted in ST elevation myocardial infarction on two consecutive admissions.
Small gods, rituals, and cooperation: The Mentawai water spirit Sikameinan

Abstract Cognitive and evolutionary research has focused on the powerful deities of large-scale societies, yet little work has examined the smaller gods of animist traditions. In a study of the water spirit Sikameinan of the Mentawai people (Siberut Island, Indonesia), we address three questions: (1) Are smaller gods believed to enforce cooperation, especially compared to bigger gods in larger-scale societies? (2) Do beliefs in these deities encourage people to engage in behavior otherwise perceived as costly? and (3) Does ritual reinforce beliefs in these deities? Drawing on interview responses, data from healing ceremonies, and ethnographic observation, we show that Sikameinan is believed to punish people who violate meat-sharing norms and that people ‘attacked’ by Sikameinan pay shamans to conduct healing rituals. The public nature of rituals, involving prestigious individuals apologizing to Sikameinan for the patient's stinginess, reinforce onlookers' beliefs about Sikameinan. The most widely shared beliefs about Sikameinan are represented in rituals while beliefs not represented vary considerably, indicating that ritual may be potent for cultural transmission. These results suggest that moralizing supernatural punishers may be more common than suspected and that the trend in the cultural evolution of religion has been an expansion of deities' scope, powers, and monitoring abilities.
11C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography for detection of disease relapse in patients with history of biochemically recurrent prostate cancer and prostate-specific antigen ≤0.1 ng/ml.

Objectives The objective was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of surveillance11 C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for the detection of disease relapse in patients with a history of biochemically recurrent (BCR) prostate cancer (PCa) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤0.1 ng/ml. Materials and methods We included patients who had been treated for BCR PCa and had a surveillance11 C-choline PET/CT at serum PSA ≤0.1 ng/ml. Positive surveillance PET/CT was defined as a study that identified a new tracer-avid lesion or new tracer uptake in a previously treated lesion or both. Findings were confirmed against a composite radiologic-pathologic gold standard. Time to recurrence association analyses were performed for disease relapse risk with the use of Cox proportional hazards regression. Results In total, 13 (12.1%) of the 107 patients had positive surveillance PET/CT scans, confirmed on pathologic assessment (n = 5) and subsequent imaging (n = 8). Among these 13 patients, ten had distant metastases, two had local recurrence, and one had both. Nine of the ten patients with metastases had oligometastatic disease defined as the presence of ≤3 metastases. Serum PSA became detectable again in only seven patients with positive surveillance PET/CT, after a mean interval from surveillance PET/CT of 292 days (range: 105-543 days). We identified an association of N stage with increased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio = 3.85; P = 0.036) although this was not significant after accounting for multiple testing. Conclusions Surveillance11 C-choline PET/CT can detect early disease relapse at serum PSA ≤0.1 ng/ml in patients with a history of BCR PCa.
The “ProQuote” initiative: women journalists in Germany push to revolutionize newsroom leadership

Using standpoint epistemology and critical mass theories this study examines outcomes of the 2012 ProQuote [ProQuota] initiative in Germany demanding at least 30% women in leadership per newsroom. ...
Scholarly Argument: Linking Doctoral Research to Practice

Leveraging the approach to critical thinking advocated by Paul and Elder (2008), this precis makes a short argument for a research topic on linking doctoral research to practice to contribute new knowledge to the field and help address a real-world issue or opportunity.
Continuous Electroencephalogram and Antiseizure Medication Use in an International Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Population.

Electrographic seizures are frequent and associated with worse outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite this, the use of continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) remains low. Our study describes cEEG usage and treatment dosing antiseizure medications (ASMs) in an international pediatric TBI population, hypothesizing that children monitored with cEEG have an increased rate of treatment ASMs because of electrographic seizure detection, compared with children who are not monitored with cEEG. This subanalysis of the TBI cohort of the international PANGEA study included children, 7 days to 17 years of age, with acute neurological insults admitted to pediatric intensive care units. We analyzed demographics, injury severity, and therapies including prophylactic or treatment ASMs. We evaluated the relationships between cEEG use, seizure frequency, and receipt of treatment ASMs. $$\chi^{2}$$ or Fisher’s exact test was used to analyze categorical variables, and the Kruskal–Wallis or Mann–Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables. Multivariable analysis for treatment ASM use was performed using logistic regression. One hundred-twenty-three of 174 patients with TBI were included. Twenty-seven patients (21.9%) underwent cEEG at any point during pediatric intensive care unit admission. Preexisting seizure disorder (18.2% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.014) and neuromuscular blockade use (52.4% vs. 24.1%, p = 0.011) were more frequently observed in the group monitored on cEEG when compared with those that were not. Presenting median Glasgow Coma Scale score was worse in the cEEG group (7 vs. 9, p = 0.044). There was no significant difference in age, use of intracranial pressure monitoring, or hyperosmolar therapy between the cEEG monitored and nonmonitored groups. Patients who were monitored on cEEG were more likely to receive a treatment dose ASM than those without cEEG monitoring (66.7% vs. 28.1%, p = 0.0002). When compared with those without treatment ASM, the treatment ASM group had more electrographic seizures on their first electroencephalogram following injury (51.6% vs. 4%, p = 0.0001) and more clinical seizures (55.8% vs. 0%, p < 0.0001). Children monitored with cEEG after TBI have an increased prescription of treatment ASMs and clinical and electrographic seizures. The increased rate of treatment ASMs in the cEEG group may indicate increased recognition of electrographic seizures.
The chemistry and structure of collagen.

Publisher Summary Collagen is the major protein constituent of a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate species and it occurs in diverse tissues such as bone, skin, tendon, cornea, and basement membrane. It has been implicated in morphogenesis and various complex regulatory mechanisms during growth and wound healing that the role of collagen in mature tissue is primarily structural. It fulfills this function by means of a distinctive molecular conformation arising from special regularities in its amino acid sequence. This chapter describes these various levels of structural organization in collagen and their chemical basis. The triple-stranded, coiled-coil structure of collagen as determined by X-ray diffraction is widely accepted. Its rodlike shape and dimensions of about 3000 X 15 A are also well established. However, the physical evidence says that in cross section the collagen molecule must contain three polypeptide chains. It does not indicate whether the chains are parallel or antiparallel, whether there are many short ones or perhaps one long chain folded back on it twice, or whether they are identical or nonidentical.
Semiclassical Behavior in the NLS Equation: Optical Shocks - Focusing Instabilities

We consider the semiclassical limit of the non-linear Schroedinger equation in both the defocusing and the focusing cases. We review the theory of the defocusing case, and verify it with numerical experiments. We also point out an application of that theory to the physical problem of optical shocking in fibers. Following that we consider the focusing case. We argue that the the failure of the existing theory is a result of the modulational instability. We consider the weakly nonlinear case and make an ansatz that allows the modulational instability to express itself. We derive from this ansatz a set of equations we claim are valid prebreaking. These equations succesfully treat the modulational instability, describe an interaction between the laboratory scale and the intermediate scale of the instability, and allow for the generation of oscillations on the shortest scale. We begin to test the validity of these equations with a series of numerical experiments.
‘From the time he took on the form of a servant’: The Christ's Pilgrimage of Faith

Addressing the pistis christou debate in New Testament studies, this article argues that in the eternal life of the perfect God, the divine Son pleases the Father in the Spirit and, therefore, the divine Son trusts the Father by the Spirit's power during his earthly pilgrimage. It roots soteriology in Christology and shows that the christological account flows forth from the eternal relations of the Trinity. The article concludes by noting implications for dogmatics and exegesis.
Glycine potentiates strychnine-induced convulsions: role of NMDA receptors

Strychnine poisoning leads to seizures that have traditionally been attributed to competitive antagonism of glycine receptors in the spinal cord. Although glycine is thought to act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, a strychnine-insensitive glycine (Gly2) receptor has been recently described in cultured mouse neurons that is thought to be allosterically linked to the excitatory amino acid NMDA receptor. The present study demonstrates that intrathecally administered glycine, in contrast to other putative inhibitory transmitters, potentiates rather than inhibits strychnine-induced convulsions in mice. The seizure-potentiating effects of glycine are blocked by aminophosphonovaleric acid, an NMDA antagonist. In addition, in animals pretreated with a subconvulsive dose of strychnine to block strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors (Gly1), glycine enhances, rather than inhibits, NMDA-induced convulsions. Together, these results indicate that the seizure-potentiating effects of glycine involve activation of NMDA receptors. This study provides the first evidence that glycine is capable of modulating the activity of NMDA receptors in the spinal cords of adult animals. In light of the elevated concentrations of glycine found in epileptogenic brain foci, these data also suggest that glycine may be a positive modulator in the production of epileptic seizures.
Inhibition of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated lysis and cellular proliferation by isoquinoline sulfonamide protein kinase inhibitors. Evidence for the involvement of protein kinase C in lymphocyte function.

The effects of the isoquinoline sulfonamides, a class of synthetic protein kinase inhibitors, namely 1-(5-isoquinoline sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H7), N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide dihydrochloride (H8), N-(2-aminoethyl)-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide dihydrochloride (H9), and N-(2-guanidinoethyl)-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide hydrochloride (HA1004), on the lytic activity of in vivo-produced (H-2b anti-H-2d alloimmune) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were investigated. The hierarchy of inhibition of lysis shown by these compounds resembled that of their inhibition of Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme (protein kinase C). H7 has the highest affinity for protein kinase C (Hidaka, H., Inagaki, M., Kawamoto, S., and Sasaki, Y. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 5036–5041) and gave the greatest inhibition of lysis by CTL. HA1004 has the weakest affinity for protein kinase C and gave very little inhibition of lysis, whereas H8 and H9 showed intermediate inhibition of lysis. In addition, the effect of the isoquinoline sulfonamides on cellular proliferation was examined. Interestingly, the pattern of inhibition observed for both lymphocytes and tumor cells closely mimicked the effects of these compounds on protein kinase C activity. These results demonstrate that modulation of an early biochemical signal affects both short-term (e.g. CTL-mediated lysis) and long-term (e.g. cellular proliferation) events. These data provide further evidence for the integral role of protein kinase C in the activation of the lytic signal in CTL. In addition, suggestive evidence is provided that protein kinase C, or some other enzyme with similar sensitivity to the isoquinoline sulfonamides, plays an important role in cellular proliferation.
Fine-scale, large area piezoelectric fiber/polymer composites for transducer applications

Several methods of forming piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composites for possible transducer applications were demonstrated. These methods include the replication technique, tape casting, honeycomb dicing, and ceramic fiber weaving. In the replication technique, activated carbon fibers or fabrics are soaked in a PZT precursor solution and then arranged into desired structures. The soaked structures are dried and fired, yielding a ceramic relic with the same structure. Three types of structures were developed: shells, combs, and weaves. The highest d/sub 33/ of 290 pC/N was found in the shell structure, and the d/sub h/g/sub h/ of both the shell and weave designs were about 5000/spl times/10/sup -15/ m/sup 2//N. The results of scaling-up the weave structure from 2.5/spl times/2.5 cm/sup 2/ to 10/spl times/10 cm/sup 2/ are reported. The feasibility of producing larger area samples using relic tile arrays is also discussed. In the tape casting technique, 2-2 and 1-3 structures were formed using thin PZT tapes. The tapes are stacked, with spacers separating the layers, and the stack is embedded in polymer. Dicing the stack results in a composite with 1-3 connectivity. The thin tape technique can be used to develop composites with ceramic or polymer volume gradients and multifunctional ceramics. Dicing of PZT honeycombs yields 1-3 composites with uniquely shaped rods. Shapes included "+"s, "T"s, and "L"s. In the ceramic fiber weaving technique, green PZT fibers are woven through a PZT honeycomb support structure. The structure is fired to sinter the PZT fibers, and embedded with polymer to yield 1-3 composites. All 1-3 composites showed high and uniform piezoelectric coefficients across the electroded area.
Back to the future: using historical climate variation to project near‐term shifts in habitat suitable for coast redwood

Studies that model the effect of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems often use climate projections from downscaled global climate models (GCMs). These simulations are generally too coarse to capture patterns of fine-scale climate variation, such as the sharp coastal energy and moisture gradients associated with wind-driven upwelling of cold water. Coastal upwelling may limit future increases in coastal temperatures, compromising GCMs' ability to provide realistic scenarios of future climate in these coastal ecosystems. Taking advantage of naturally occurring variability in the high-resolution historic climatic record, we developed multiple fine-scale scenarios of California climate that maintain coherent relationships between regional climate and coastal upwelling. We compared these scenarios against coarse resolution GCM projections at a regional scale to evaluate their temporal equivalency. We used these historically based scenarios to estimate potential suitable habitat for coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens D. Don) under 'normal' combinations of temperature and precipitation, and under anomalous combinations representative of potential future climates. We found that a scenario of warmer temperature with historically normal precipitation is equivalent to climate projected by GCMs for California by 2020-2030 and that under these conditions, climatically suitable habitat for coast redwood significantly contracts at the southern end of its current range. Our results suggest that historical climate data provide a high-resolution alternative to downscaled GCM outputs for near-term ecological forecasts. This method may be particularly useful in other regions where local climate is strongly influenced by ocean-atmosphere dynamics that are not represented by coarse-scale GCMs.
Privatizing Health Services in Africa

Privatizing Health Services in Africa. Meredeth Turshen. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1999. xvi. 185 pp.
Second-Order Sliding Mode Strategy for Air–Fuel Ratio Control of Lean-Burn SI Engines

Higher fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions for spark-ignition engines depend significantly on precise air–fuel ratio (AFR) control. However, the presence of large time-varying delay due to the additional modules integrated with the catalyst in the lean-burn engines is the primary limiting factor in the control of AFR. In this paper, the engine dynamics are rendered into a nonminimum phase system using Pade approximation. A novel systematic approach is presented to design a parameter-varying dynamic sliding manifold to compensate for the instability of the internal dynamics while achieving desired output tracking performance. A second-order sliding mode strategy is developed to control the AFR to remove the effects of time-varying delay, canister purge disturbance, and measurement noise. The chattering-free response of the proposed controller is compared with conventional dynamic sliding mode control. The results of applying the proposed method to the experimental data demonstrate improved closed-loop system responses for various operating conditions.
Cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitors CIP1 (p21) and KIP1 (p27) in ovarian cancer

Purpose: Deregulation of the cell cycle is one of the important prerequisites for cancer development. p21 and p27 are both universal inhibitors of cyclin-dependant kinases and can therefore influence cell cycle or tumor progression. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of p21 and p27 expression on survival and chemotherapy response. Methods: 165 patients with ovarian cancer have been examined for p21 and p27 expression by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using the monoclonal primary antibody WAF1 (Oncogene Science) and KIP1 (Transduction Laboratories). Results: High p21 expression (>50%) correlates only with early tumor stage (P=0.04). There was no correlation found between p21 and p27 expression. Patients with high p27 expression (>25%) had a longer DFS (disease free survival) in both univariate and multivariate analysis (P=0.05 and P=0.043) than patients with low p27 expression. A longer overall survival (OS) could only be proven for the group of high p27 expression in univariate analysis (P=0.03). Conclusion: p27 is an independent prognostic factor for ovarian cancer for DFS though this was not true for OS.
Antithyroid Effect of Barbarin (Phenylthiooxazolidone), A Naturally-Occurring Compound from Barbarea.

SummaryThe antithyroid potency of barbarin, a phenylthiooxazolidone obtained from various species of Barbarea and Reseda luteola, was assayed by its inhibition of raioiodine uptake in rat and man. In both species it was found to be approximately 50% as active as goitrin (vinylthiooxazolidone).
HD + photodissociation in the scaled coordinate approach

The scaled coordinate approach is applied to the problem of $\mathrm{H}{\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ photodissociation in a short, intense, infrared laser pulse. Two- and three-dimensional models for the molecule aligned in the field of a linearly polarized laser are studied. Scaling allows substantial improvements in the numerical accuracy and provides a simple way to calculate the fragments' energy spectra.
Oxidised LDL decreases VEGFR-1 expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages

Abstract Monocyte infiltration followed by differentiation into macrophages and accumulation of oxidised LDL (oxLDL) comprise early stages of atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is upregulated by oxLDL, may contribute to atherogenesis through monocyte recruitment, increased vascular permeability and promotion of intraplaque vessels. The VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1/Flt-1) mediates monocyte migration towards VEGF and regulates the levels of available VEGF through ligand-entrapment. In this study we investigated the effect of oxLDL on VEGFR-1 expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. mRNA expression was estimated using RT-PCR, protein secretion was measured with ELISA and the amount of membrane-bound VEGFR-1 was analysed using flow cytometry analysis. Binding of transcription factors to the promoter was studied with EMSA. Incubation with oxLDL decreased VEGFR-1 mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner, followed by a subsequent decrease in protein secretion of VEGFR-1 and a reduction of the amount of receptor expressed on the cell surface. Furthermore, the PPARγ agonists 9-hydroxy-( S )-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-HODE) and darglitazone also decreased VEGFR-1 mRNA expression. Incubation of macrophages with oxLDL or 9-HODE decreased binding of the transcription factor AP-1 (c-jun/ATF-2) to the VEGFR-1 promoter. Together, these data suggest that oxLDL decreases VEGFR-1 expression in macrophages, probably through a PPARγ-dependent reduction in the AP-1 transcriptional activity. This implies that oxLDL has effects on the biological availability of VEGF, besides its direct effect on VEGF expression.
The measurement selection of inventory control

This work addresses how input-output pairing is related to stability of inventory control systems. Input-output pairing divides the process dynamics into a measured subset and an unmeasured subset. The unmeasured dynamics are called the zero dynamics. We demonstrate that if the input-output pairing is chosen so that the zero dynamics are stable, then the overall stability of the system is guaranteed. Otherwise, the unmeasured inventories do not converge to setpoints due to the instability of internal dynamics. A system with stable zero dynamics is called a minimum phase system. The impact of different input-output pairings on the stability of the overall system is illustrated with two typical examples characterized by nonlinearities. The capability of inventory control is illustrated with an industrial solar grade silicon production process.
Asymptomatic Osseous Loose Body in the Cervical Spine : A Case Report

Loose bodies, or osteochondral fragments, are commonly found in human joints. They are presumed to arise from trauma, joint disintegration (for example, degenerative changes), or synovial proliferation1. The natural history of loose bodies in synovial joints is slow enlargement with deposition of additional surface layers. However, if the loose body becomes trapped and reattaches to the synovium, it is then generally reabsorbed. Neuropathic or degenerative joints with hyperemic or inflamed synovium are particularly prone to the development of loose bodies, but they also tend to rapidly reabsorb them2. Histological studies have generally demonstrated varying amounts of osseous, cartilaginous, and fibrous tissue with living and dead osteocytes, chondrocytes, osteoclasts, and osteoblasts found in the tissue layers. No blood supply nourishes these loose bodies; therefore, they derive sustenance from the synovial fluid alone3. We report the case of a patient with an asymptomatic, osseous loose body lying in the spine canal. To our knowledge, this is the first time this condition has been reported in the literature. An eighty-seven-year-old female restrained driver was involved in a low-speed motor-vehicle accident and sustained an open left tibiotalar fracture-dislocation. She had no loss of consciousness and had no pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck and/or the upper extremities. She reported no previous history of neck pain or upper-extremity radicular symptoms. Examination revealed no tenderness of the paraspinal tissues or the spinous processes; neurological examination of all four limbs was normal. There was full painless range of motion of the cervical spine, with no Hoffmann sign. The left ankle wound was irrigated, the fracture-dislocation was reduced, and the ankle was placed in a splint in the emergency department. Routine trauma radiographs, including radiographs of the …
Web-based technologies for teaching and using molecular simulation

Abstract Computing power and molecular simulation methodology have improved dramatically over the past decade, and for some systems molecular models are reaching a point where they can provide information that approaches or surpasses the quality of real experimental data. Molecular simulation can also be a potent tool for developing qualitative understanding, and this feature suggests widespread use of molecular simulation as a tool for teaching. Broader use of molecular simulation for these purposes requires tools that promote understanding and application of simulation software. We present an “object-oriented” view of molecular simulation that can help conceptualize and organize its elements, and discuss software development tools that we have constructed that enable non-experts in simulation or graphical programming to create instructive molecular simulations. We finish with an example of one such simulation applet, which we have used in the classroom. Tools described here are available on the web at www.ccr.buffalo.edu/etomica .
Distinguishing artifacts made of native copper

Various features considered to be diagnostic in the identification of native copper in artifact form are examined. Through analytical studies of unworked native copper, native copper artifacts and objects made of worked, smelted copper, it is determined that no adequate criteria exist for distinguishing artifacts of native copper from those of worked and recrystallized smelted copper of high purity.
The Effect of Relationship Experiences and Parents' Attitudes on Young Adults' Views of Divorce

Abstract Using a national, longitudinal data set that includes information from men, women, and their adult offspring, this paper addresses two questions: (1) How do young adults' own relationship experiences influence their views of divorce? (2) Do young adults' relationship experiences reduce the influence of parents' attitudes toward divorce on offsprings' attitudes? Results indicate that young adults' experiences with cohabitation, marriage, divorce proneness, and separation do influence their views of divorce. However, the effect of cohabitation and marriage depend on gender. Furthermore, controlling for offsprings' relationship experiences does little to reduce the effect of parents' attitudes on young adults' views of divorce.
Pelvic Examination Training for Interns: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic examination training for internal medicine interns conducted by instructors who also serve as models for the examination. METHOD In 2001, 80 interns from three university internal medicine residencies completed questionnaires about their experiences with pelvic examinations. Interns who were available for training underwent baseline assessment of their pelvic examination skills and were randomized to training or to a control group that received only educational literature. Skills were assessed with a 29-item checklist at baseline and at follow-up by evaluators blinded to group assignment, and interrater agreement was estimated by review of audiotapes. RESULTS Seventy-two interns were randomized and underwent baseline skills assessment. Seventy interns returned for follow-up assessment after approximately 14 weeks (range, 10-17 weeks). The 39 interns randomized to training and 33 randomized to the control group did not differ with respect to age, gender, or prior pelvic examination training. In both groups there was substantial variability in skills at baseline, with graduates of U.S. medical schools scoring significantly higher than did graduates of non-U.S. medical schools (0.66 versus 0.41, p < 10(-5)). Interns randomized to training had significantly higher scores at follow-up than did interns in the control group (0.79 versus 0.57, p < 10(-6)). For seven items verifiable by audiotape, interrater agreement was good (overall kappa, 0.54; range among items, 0.3-0.85). CONCLUSION Specialized trainers can reliably evaluate and improve the pelvic examination skills of interns, and improvements are demonstrable three months after training. Further research is needed to ascertain whether training efficiency can be improved and to measure the impact of training on patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes.
Genetic AI: Translating Piaget into LISP

This report presents a constructivist model of human cognitive development during infancy. According to constructivism, the elements of mental representation---even such basic elements as the concept of physical object---are constructed afresh by each individual, rather than being innately supplied. I propose a (partially specified, not yet implemented) mechanism, the Schema Mechanism. This mechanism is intended to achieve a series of cognitive constructions characteristic of infants'' sensorimotor- stage development, primarily as described by Piaget. In reference to Piaget''s ``genetic epistemology,'''' I call this approach genetic AI of genes, but in the sense of genesis: development from the point of origin. I present a hypothetical scenario in which the Schema Mechanism, starting with a set of sensory and motor primitives as its only representational vocabulary, invents for itself an approximation to the idea of external, persistent, perception-independent physical objects. This invention progresses through several levels of refinement, which parallels infants'' development of the physical-object concept from Piaget''s first through fifth sensorimotor stages.
Preparing Preservice Teachers to Use the Systems Approach.

The premise underlying this paper is that one of the best ways of improving education in the United States, short of totally restructuring the public schools, is to teach pre-service teachers how to use systems approach principles and to work to insure that they employ those principles when they become teachers. The paper begins with a rationale for this premise and goes on to describe the systems approach principles likely to be most rel evant to teachers. A detailed examination of the real world of teacher planning and the factors likely to influence teachers' planning activities is also presented. In light of those factors, the authors suggest a number of steps that can be taken in order to increase the likelihood that future teachers will employ systems approach principles as they engage in instructional planning.
Sex differences in incidental recall for words and pictures

Abstract A series of 5 experiments was carried out to investigate sex differences in incidental recall across multiple recall trials for words and pictures following an irrelevant task which was either meaningful or meaningless. Subjects were in two age groups: 16–18 years and 8–9 years. A strong female advantage was observed in all but two conditions: Written recall for pictures in the older age group, and when drawing from memory in the younger age group. In each of these two exceptions, males and females performed equally. Younger children and older males had better recall for pictures than words, whereas older females had better recall for words. All subjects showed an increase in net recall over trials (hypermnesia) for words and pictures rated in a meaningful way.
Psychoanalytic concepts of the etiology of severe mental illness.

In this paper I challenge some prevalent psychoanalytic concepts of the etiology and pathogenesis of severe mental illness which I believe to be in need of revision. There is insufficient evidence ...
Social Norms on Deviations from Prescriptive Handoff Practices

Numerous quality improvement projects on patient handoffs have been conducted in the last decade. Most of these projects intervene with a prescriptive model for conducting handoffs. This exploratory pilot study re-analyzed an existing repository of de-identified field notes on handoffs to answer the question: How do healthcare personnel react when deviations from prescriptive handoff practices are detected? We discuss how these findings suggest that prescriptive interventions may fail without having clear expectations for peer-to-peer positive feedback for appropriate deviations during contingencies and negative feedback when deviations increase risks to what is judged to be an unacceptable level.
Defining and describing capacity issues in U.S. Doctor of Nursing Practice programs

Recent calls to expand the number of U.S. Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNPs) raises questions about programs' capacities, content and requirements, and their ability to expand. This paper aims to describe (1) key aspects of DNP program capacities that may provide direction for DNP program expansion plans, the timing of such expansion and program QI efforts; and (2) the impact of the DNP on faculty resources for research doctoral programs. A survey of all U.S. DNP programs (n = 130; response rate 72%) was conducted in 2011 based on previously tested items. Reviews of Web sites of nonresponding schools provided some data from all programs. Ratios of students to faculty active in advanced practice (AP) and in QI (QI) were high (AP 11.0:1, SD 10.1; QI 20.2:1, SD 17.0 respectively). There was wide variation in scholarly requirements (0-4: 50% of program had none) and program committee composition (1-5; mode=2). Almost all responding schools that offered PhD and DNP programs reported assigning research-active or potentially research-active faculty in both programs. The ability to expand programs while maintaining quality may be compromised by capacity issues. Addressing demand issues through the alignment of program requirements with societal and employment requirements may provide directions for addressing current DNP capacity issues.
Figures Circumscribing Circles

1. INTRODUCTION. The centroid of the boundary of an arbitrary triangle need not be at the same point as the centroid of its interior. But we have discovered that the two centroids are always collinear with the center of the inscribed circle, at distances in the ratio 3 : 2 from the center. We thought this charming fact must surely be known, but could find no mention of it in the literature. This paper generalizes this elegant and surprising result to any polygon that circumscribes a circle (Theorem 6). A key ingredient of the proof is a link to Archimedes’ striking discovery concerning the area of a circular disk [4, p. 91], which for our purposes we prefer to state as follows: Theorem 1 (Archimedes). The area of a circular disk is equal to the product of its semiperimeter and its radius. Expressed as a formula, this becomes A = 1 Pr, (1)
Effects of Crown Scorch on Ponderosa Pine Resistance to Bark Beetles in Northern Arizona

We conducted a study linking mechanistic relationships among fire injury, tree physiological condition, and bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) susceptibility. Crown scorch of 40 Pinus ponderosa trees was estimated in a naturally regenerated stand that was thinned and prescribed burned in winter and early spring 2000. Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of undamaged foliage was higher in heavily and severely than moderately and lightly scorched trees. This trend was more pronounced in the dry season (June) than the wet season (August). This suggests the mechanism underlying the increase in Pn was an improvement in water relations. This was also supported by differences observed in predawn water potential and stomatal conductance (gs). Constitutive resin volume did not differ among crown scorch classes in June, but was negatively related to crown scorch intensity in September. This suggests that constitutive resin was formed and stored before fire injury, and therefore not strongly affected by crown scorch levels in June. Induced resin production (resin produced after depletion of constitutive resin) generally decreased with increasing crown scorch in both June and September. Induced resin appeared to be related to carbon available for resin synthesis. The proportion of successful colonization attempts by Ips spp. and Dendroctonus spp. was low throughout the season. Colonization of Ips sp. and Dendroctonus spp. was not spatially separated in host trees. Colonization attempts were generally positively related to intensity of crown scorch in both pheromone and no-pheromone treatments. This finding suggests that pheromones attracted insects to the tree, but host physiological condition or other factors ultimately determined host colonization. Our results also suggest that intensity of crown scorch may affect colonization attempts of Ips and Dendroctonus spp. on P. ponderosa trees.
The mutual climatic range method of palaeoclimate reconstruction based on insect fossils: New applications and interhemispheric comparisons

Abstract The Mutual Climatic Range (MCR) method of palaeoclimate reconstruction has been employed in Europe for the last decade. A quantitative, calibrated method, MCR has many advantages over qualitative methods. More recent applications deal with eastern and central North America, and the method is also being developed for desert and arctic faunas. The climate envelopes for North American beetles have been compiled using a 25-km gridded North American climate database that pairs climate parameters with modern collection sites. Modern tests of the reliability of the MCR method for North American species yielded similar results to prior European tests. Linear regressions of predicted on observed values yielded equations used to calibrate the MCR estimates. Work is under way to develop MCR estimates of mean annual precipitation for fossil assemblages from the desert southwest, where moisture conditions may play a more important role in determining beetle species' ranges. An examination of British and North American mean July temperature reconstructions during the Late Wisconsinan glacial interval compares and contrasts three sets of records. The North American records show no indication of the Younger Dryas cooling that is clearly marked in records from northwest Europe. The MCR method adds vigour to our reconstructions, and allows us to compare between regions and with other palaeoenvironmental methods.
Measurement of progression in Alzheimer's disease: a clinician's perspective.

Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their families must confront two fundamental truths. First, AD is a uniformly progressive disease that ultimately results in debilitating cognitive impairment. Second, although there is now evidence that some medications may produce transient improvement or possibly even slowing of disease progression, there is currently no way to halt the progression of AD. Consequently, patients and their families consistently ask the following questions: 1. What new management issues can be anticipated, and when? 2. What clinical developments are atypical and merit evaluation for a superimposed problem? 3. Is the current treatment working? These questions can only be answered by referring to the natural course of AD, and specifically, information regarding measures of functional impairment and how they change over time. The information that is currently available on this topic is limited and often embodies implicit assumptions that have not been adequately tested. This information will be reviewed, and directions for future research will be outlined.
Chemoselective Ligation in the Functionalization of Polysaccharide-Based Particles

Despite the promise of precisely targeted or otherwise functionalized polymeric particulate drug delivery vehicles, typical biocompatible particles are generally not amenable to facile and selective surface modification. Herein, we report the development of a simple, mild, and chemoselective strategy for the conjugation of biologically active molecules to the surface of dextran-based microparticles. Alkoxyamine-bearing reagents were used to form stable oxime conjugates with latent aldehyde functionality present in reducing carbohydrate chain ends. We demonstrate the functionalization of dextran-based microparticles with a fluorophore as well as a cell-penetrating peptide sequence, which facilitated the delivery of cargo to nonphagocytic cells leading to a 60-fold increase in the expression of a reporter gene when plasmid DNA-loaded particles were used.
Age-structured effects and disease interference in childhood infections

Recent studies have demonstrated that ecological interference among some childhood diseases may have important dynamic consequences. An interesting question is, when would we expect the interference effect to be pronounced? To address the issue, here we develop a seasonally forced two-disease age-structured model, using empirically derived age-specific force of infection (ASFOI) for numerous infections of childhood. Our comparative numerical analysis shows that when the ASFOIs for the two diseases largely overlap, the dynamics predicted by the two-disease model are generally different from those predicted by the analogous single-disease model, suggesting strong fingerprints of disease interference. When the ASFOIs overlap less, on the other hand, both diseases behave as predicted by the single-disease model, suggesting weak interference. We conclude that age structure is an important factor that should be taken into account in order to explore the underlying mechanisms of disease interference.
TRACE/PARCS analysis of out-of-phase power oscillations with a rotating line of symmetry

Abstract A study of BWR out-of-phase oscillations has been performed with the TRACE/PARCS coupled code system. Unstable power oscillations with a time-dependent, rotating line of symmetry have been successfully simulated using input models from two different BWRs and applying simple Anticipated Transient Without Scram (ATWS) scenarios. The λ-modes of the neutron flux were calculated using an implicitly-restarted Arnoldi solver, and the time-dependent amplitudes of the fundamental, first azimuthal, and second azimuthal power modes were determined for each simulation. After progressing in an irregular, sporadic fashion, the oscillations appeared to transition into a clear “rotating mode” that was sustained indefinitely with a fixed phase shift between modes of roughly 90°. Because the phase shift did not gradually change over time, despite each mode having a different natural frequency in the linear range, the conclusion was made that a nonlinear interaction mechanism was active between the first and second subcritical azimuthal modes to maintain the constant phase shift during the limit cycle. An additional study was performed which found that a small perturbation is capable of drastically affecting the development of oscillations in a simulation when both modes (in-phase and out-of-phase) are unstable; when one of the models was modified to include a small-amplitude noise source on the first azimuthal mode, purely out-of-phase oscillations were observed, whereas the oscillations had been purely in-phase for the first 55 s when no noise signal was included. Because most ATWS event calculations involve mostly in-phase perturbations to the BWR core, it is recommended to add a small out-of-phase perturbation in simulations where both the in-phase and out-of-phase modes may be unstable.
Control of Electric Motor Systems Considering Input/Output Saturation

Input saturation is a well-known nonlinearity in mechanical control systems; it constrains the maximum acceleration, which results in a limitation of the system response time. Input saturation has been considered in controller design in various ways, e.g., anti-windup control. In addition to the input, the state variables of mechanical systems are often subject to saturation. For example, the maximum angular velocity of electric motor systems is limited by the maximum voltage provided for the motor. In the case of electronically commutated motors (i.e. brushless DC motors) the maximum speed is additionally constrained by limitations of the servo amplifier output. If gears are utilized, further constraints are introduced due to resonances in ball bearings and/or velocity dependent friction. Although such factors are significant in practice, they have not been fully considered in controller design. This paper investigates the input and output saturations and presents how they may be considered in the controller design; a Kalman filter, a PID controller, and a disturbance observer are designed in view of input/output saturations. A case study is provided to verify the proposed methods.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
THE ADHESION ENERGY BETWEEN POLYMER THIN FILMS AND SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS

A superlayer test has been adapted for the measurement of the fracture energy between epoxy thin films and self-assembled monolayers (SAM’s) on Au/Ti/Si substrates. The “arrest” mode of analysis has been shown to provide consistent results, particularly when relatively wide lines are used to encourage lateral decohesions. The fracture energy, Γi, of the interface between the monolayer and the epoxy is varied by adjusting the ratio of COOH/CH3 terminal groups. Connections among Γi, the surface energies, and the inelastic deformations occurring in the epoxy are explored upon comparison with interface crack growth simulations.