cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
eBee: an electronics quilting bee and game

eBee is a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) project that combines game design, modern quilting, and e-textiles to blend the social experiences of a board game, a quilting bee, and an electronics maker community. The eBee team is developing a system consisting of a kit of pre-made components and design guidelines for producing quilting-based, electronics-enabled games. eBee merges the traditional craft of quilting, the social context of a board game, and "maker" and hacking culture to create a social experience aimed at bridging gender, ethnic, generational and social gaps associated with electronics and craft.
The indigenization of AA Interpretations from South India

With the spread of AA as a social movement and a treatment philosophy within and across nations of the world in dealing with problems of drinking, a growing sensitivity to diversity has emerged. This in turn has created a need to delve into contextually influenced responses to AA and the nuances of culture in responding to AA. The purpose of this qualitative research exercise was to explore the beginnings of AA and the unfolding of meanings of its prescriptions for recovery, as experienced and shared by members in a metropolitan city, in South India. A clear indigenization process was traced in the way AA is interpreted and applied in practice. The study also revealed selective attention to the 12 steps and the use of initiative in adapting various features to suit local beliefs.
Direct use of dissolved organic carbon by agglutinated benthic foraminifera

Foraminifera are known to obtain nutrients in a variety of ways: they are omnivores, carnivores or herbivores1–3 and some species are known to use the extracellular metabolites of their photosynthetic endosymbionts1,2,4. None, however, has previously been proven to utilize exogenous dissolved organic carbon directly, although this is well known in other marine species5,6. Knowledge of foraminiferal trophic positions is important because foraminifera are common in most marine communities1 and may be the most abundant eukaryotic organism in the extensive deep-sea benthos7–9. Our studies of benthic foraminifera from an unusual Antarctic shallow water embayment now show that certain species utilize both particulate and dissolved organic material in their nutrition.
Prevalence of glucose intolerance in patients with chronic hepatitis B or C: a prospective case–control study

SUMMARY. Despite several studies, the association of glucose intolerance with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) or C (CHC) virus infection remains controversial. We evaluated the prevalence of glucose intolerance by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in patients with CHB or CHC in comparison with matched controls. In total, 189 consecutive outpatients with CHB or CHC and 189 subjects individually matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were included. OGTT was performed in all cases, except in known diabetics, and glucose intolerance was defined as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), OGTT-diabetes or known diabetes. Most patients with abnormal OGTT had normal fasting glucose (IGT: 69.8%, OGTT-diabetes: 54.5%). Compared with their own controls, CHB patients had a higher prevalence of IGT (13.6% vs 2.5%, P = 0.018) and family history of diabetes (34.6% vs 16.0%, P = 0.011), while CHC patents had higher prevalence of glucose intolerance (37.0% vs 15.7%, R = 0.001), mostly because of more frequent IGT (21.3% vs 6.5%, R = 0.003). After age and BMI adjustment, patients with CHC compared with those with CHB had significantly higher prevalence of glucose intolerance (37.0% vs 29.6%, P = 0.037). In conclusion, increased prevalence of glucose intolerance is documented by OGTT both in CHC and CHB patients compared with age, sex and BMI matched controls. Glucose intolerance is more frequent in CHC than CHB patients, regardless of known risk factors. An OGTT might be necessary at the baseline work-up of CHB or CHC patients, as a normal fasting glucose value does not exclude IGT or OGTT-diabetes.
WE‐B‐110‐02: Diagnostic Exposure Tracking in the Medical Record

The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) represents the collection of diagnostic tests and procedural test information related to an individual patient's history of care at a health center. In the context of medicaldiagnosticimaging, this relates to the access to imaging procedures, the written diagnoses from the imaging experts, and of increasing relevance and importance, the radiationdose reports for the procedures. The EMR is also emerging as the gateway for computerized order entry for imaging exams, in which the imaging history and accumulated radiationdose will be made available for the referring physician from various imaging procedures, such as interventional radiology and cardiology, computed tomography, and nuclear medicine. Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Radiation Exposure Monitoring (REM) profile specifies how information related to dose can be extracted from modalities that are compliant with the DICOM RadiationDose Structured Report (RDSR). However, once the information is collected via the RDSR, appropriate steps must be taken to parse the data according to exam types, body area scanned, and dose metrics provided in order to apply conversion factors to estimate an effective dose for a procedure. Effective dose estimates can be considerably under or overestimated, depending on the modality, the patient size, machine calibration errors, and a host of issues that are under current investigation. In this presentation, a review of the various dose metrics for the modalities is discussed, as are current methods to calculate the effective dose. Ultimately, to post the doseinformation in the EMR, a dose‐management actor described by the IHE REM profile captures the pertinent doseinformation from each modality and study, parses the data and computes the effective dose according to defined conversion methods. Each individual dose report message transmitted to the EMR is stored in the patient dose report file defined by medical record number, which updates the dose index raw data (e.g., DAP in Interventional radiology, CTDIvol, DLP in CT), the calculated effective dose per procedure, and total cumulative effective dose for the patient. Learning objectives: 1. Understand the various dose metrics produced by the imaging modalities. 2. Determine how effective dose can be estimated for a given procedure with the dose index values provided by a modality. 3. Understand limitations of effective dose calculations, the wide range of under/over estimates that can occur for a specific procedure, and the limitations of the total cumulative patient effective dose.
Effect of Aging on the Subneuronal Distribution of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone in the Hypothalamus

The subcellular distribution and accumulation of LHRH in hypothalamic neurons of female rats were studied as a function of age (1-24 months). Hypothalami were homogenized in isoosmotic sucrose solution, and a 900 × g supernatant fluid was prepared. Free granules and synaptosomes containing LHRH were separated by means of continuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Homogenization and subcellular fractionation were carried out at 4 or 25 C. In the homogenates, LHRH was found to be associated with free granules and with two types of synaptosome-like particles: rigid synaptosomes (the presence of which was evident after homogenization and fractionation were carried out at 4 as well as 25 C) and fragile synaptosomes (the presence of which was evident only after homogenization and fractionation at 25 C). The amount of LHRH recovered in rigid synaptosomes prepared from hypothalami of 1.5-month-old rats was significantly (P < 0.01) greater than that in rigid synaptosomes prepared from 1-month-old animals....
Real-Time Divisible Load Scheduling with Different Processor Available Times

Providing QoS and performance guarantees to arbitrarily divisible loads has become a significant problem for many cluster-based research computing facilities. While progress is being made in scheduling arbitrarily divisible loads, some of proposed approaches may cause inserted idle times (IITs) that are detrimental to system performance. In this paper we propose a new approach that utilizes IITs and thus enhances the system performance. The novelty of our approach is that, to simplify the analysis, a homogenous system with IITs is transformed to an equivalent heterogeneous system, and that our algorithms can schedule real-time divisible loads with different processor available times. Intensive simulations show that the new approach outperforms the previous approach in all configurations. We also compare the performance of our algorithm to the current practice of manually splitting workloads by users. Simulation results validate the advantages of our approach.
Mixture Modeling Methods for the Assessment of Normal and Abnormal Personality, Part I: Cross-Sectional Models

Over the past 75 years, the study of personality and personality disorders has been informed considerably by an impressive array of psychometric instruments. Many of these tests draw on the perspective that personality features can be conceptualized in terms of latent traits that vary dimensionally across the population. A purely trait-oriented approach to personality, however, might overlook heterogeneity that is related to similarities among subgroups of people. This article describes how factor mixture modeling (FMM), which incorporates both categories and dimensions, can be used to represent person-oriented and trait-oriented variability in the latent structure of personality. We provide an overview of different forms of FMM that vary in the degree to which they emphasize trait- versus person-oriented variability. We also provide practical guidelines for applying FMM to personality data, and we illustrate model fitting and interpretation using an empirical analysis of general personality dysfunction.
Partition Triples

Data sets discussed in this paper are presented as tables with rows corresponding to examples (entities, objects) and columns to attributes. A partition triple is defined for such a table as a triple of partitions on the set of examples, the set of attributes, and the set of attribute values, respectively, preserving the structure of a table. The idea of a partition triple is an extension of the idea of a partition pair, introduced by J. Hartmanis and J. Stearns in automata theory. Results characterizing partition triples and algorithms for computing partition triples are presented. The theory is illustrated by an example of an application in machine learning from examples.
Development of the Online Assessment of Athletic Training Education (OAATE) Instrument

Objective: To establish the validity and reliability of an online assessment instrument’s items developed to track educational outcomes over time. Design and Setting: A descr iptive st udy of the v alidation arguments and reliability testing o f the a ssessment items. The instrument is available to graduating students enrolled in entry-level Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEPs). Methods: Validity was established w ith t he creation of a national advisory board of Athletic Training educators. Construct validity was established with the creation of a test blueprint to guide the development of items for the knowledge exam. Internal reliability estimates for each d omain w ere calculated. A single scale reliability analysis was conducted using all items. An item analysis was conducted by calculating difficulty and discrimination indexes for each item. Results: The internal reliability estimates ranged from .23 to .44 suggesting that individual domain scores for this draft of the instrument were not reliable. The single scale total score reliability however, produced an alpha = .84 suggesting a high level of reliability. Difficulty index scores ranged from .03 to .99 (mean = .74 ± .25). Discrimination index scores ranged from -.01 to .41 (mean = .21 ± .09). Conclusions: While the individual domain reliability was low, the o verall single scal e scor e i s accep table. Difficulty and discrimination index scores allowed the removal and revision of items to increase the overall reliability of the test bank.
Temporal Outlier Detection in Vehicle Traffic Data

Outlier detection in vehicle traffic data is a practical problem that has gained traction lately due to an increasing capability to track moving vehicles in city roads. In contrast to other applications, this particular domain includes a very dynamic dimension: time. Many existing algorithms have studied the problem of outlier detection at a single instant in time. This study proposes a method for detecting temporal outliers with an emphasis on historical similarity trends between data points. Outliers are calculated from drastic changes in the trends. Experiments with real world traffic data show that this approach is effective and efficient.
Computer-Assisted Career Guidance: Improving the Design and Use of Systems.

This paper presents and analyzes recommendations developed by system developers, policy makers, researchers/evaluators, and practitioners for improving the design and use of computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) systems.
High-throughput profiling of amino acids in strains of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion collection.

The measurement of small molecule metabolites on a large scale offers the opportunity for a more complete understanding of cellular metabolism. We developed a high-throughput method to quantify primary amine-containing metabolites in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the use of capillary electrophoresis in combination with fluorescent derivatization of cell extracts. We measured amino acid levels in the yeast deletion collection, a set of ∼5000 strains each lacking a single gene, and developed a computational pipeline for data analysis. Amino acid peak assignments were validated by mass spectrometry, and the overall approach was validated by the result that expected pathway intermediates accumulate in mutants of the arginine biosynthetic pathway. Global analysis of the deletion collection was carried out using clustering methods. We grouped strains based on their metabolite profiles, revealing clusters of mutants enriched for genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, urea cycle enzymes, and vacuolar ATPase functions. One of the most striking profiles, common among several strains lacking ribosomal protein genes, accumulated lysine and a lysine-related metabolite. Mutations in the homologous ribosomal protein genes in the human result in Diamond-Blackfan anemia, demonstrating that metabolite data may have potential value in understanding disease pathology. This approach establishes metabolite profiling as capable of characterizing genes in a large collection of genetic variants.
Physically based information science of magnetic recording. II. Physical sources of medium noise

For pt. I. see O'Sullivan et al (Proc. 30th Allerton Conf. on Comm., Cont. and Comp., pp. 792-798, 1992). A physically based model for a magnetic recording medium is augmented by the simulation of reading with a standard head model. The medium noise generated by this model comprises a repeatable component and a non-repeatable component. The repeatable component of medium noise is partially statistically characterized. The non-repeatable component of medium noise is shown to depend on the intrinsic properties of the recording medium in a manner consistent with the medium's computed storage capacity bound. >
Two-dimensional measurement of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in children: can it substitute for an m-mode assessment?

Background Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion measured by M-mode (MM-TAPSE) has been validated as a marker of right ventricular systolic performance. A similar measurement by 2D imaging (2D-TAPSE) can be obtained. We sought to determine the correlation and strength of agreement between MM-TAPSE and 2D-TAPSE in children. Methods Echocardiographic studies performed for clinical indications were reviewed retrospectively. All consecutive subjects ≤18 years of age were included. The cohort was divided into those with normal echocardiographic findings and those with disorders affecting the right ventricle. Digitally recorded images were analyzed for both MM-TAPSE and 2D-TAPSE. Measurements of 2D-TAPSE were made in an apical four-chamber view, from the tricuspid valve annulus to a consistent point at the apex of the imaging sector at end-diastole and end-systole, with the difference representing the 2D-TAPSE value. Results A total of 329 subjects (mean age 9.0 ± 6.1 years) met entry criteria. Correlation coefficient between MM-TAPSE and 2D-TAPSE was 0.90. Bland–Altman analysis showed agreement between the two methods to be within 1.2 ± 2.6 mm (mean percentage difference of 6.5%). About 1 mm difference between MM-TAPSE and 2D-TAPSE was consistently observed in all diagnostic subgroups, and across all age categories. Conclusion MM-TAPSE and 2D-TAPSE correlate strongly, with 2D-TAPSE being consistently about 1 mm less than values obtained by the M-mode technique. We conclude that 2D-TAPSE can provide a reliable alternative to MM-TAPSE to quantitatively measure right ventricular systolic function and may be especially useful in situations where retrospective comparisons are sought.
Comparison of Fully Automated Computer Analysis and Visual Scoring for Detection of Coronary Artery Disease from Myocardial Perfusion SPECT in a Large Population

221 Objectives Overexpression of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) has been shown in prostate cancer. More hydrophilic peptides can increase the receptor mediated binding affinity. Three derivatives of F-18 bombesin, with 0, 1, and 2 PEG groups were synthesized and evaluated in vivo to determine the GRPR binding potential in PC-3 tumor-bearing mice. Methods The GRPR-binding peptides F-ALK-BBN, F-ALK-BBN-PEG, and F-PEG-BBN-PEG were prepared from their azide-modified precursors by the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition conjugation to the acetylene-bearing 2-[18F]fluoropyridines ([18F]FP5yne and PEG-[18F]FPyKYNE). Binding affinity (Ki) of the peptides was measured by competition binding assays using PC-3 cells. Biodistribution and µPET imaging studies were performed on PC-3 tumor-bearing mice with and without blocking. Results Excellent Ki of 0.2 nM was attained for PEGylated derivatives, which showed an improved binding affinity compared to 19F-ALK-BBN. Low tumor and pancreas uptake was seen in biodistribution studies of [18F]F-ALK-BBN, whereas both PEGylated derivatives showed an improved uptake in tumors and pancreas. The %ID/g of tumors at 15, 30 and 60 min post injection were 2.0 ± 0.3, 1.4 ± 0.5 and 1.0 ± 0.1 in [18F]F-ALK-BBN-PEG, and 2.0 ± 0.1, 1.9 ± 0.4 and 1.1 ± 0.5 in [18F]F-PEG-BBN-PEG. However, tumor to blood ratio of [18F]F-ALK-BBN-PEG at 1h post injection was 2 folds higher than that of [18F]F-PEG-BBN-PEG. Uptake of pancreas was 1.7 folds higher in [18F]F-PEG-BBN-PEG. In blocking studies uptake of both pancreas and tumor were significantly reduced. Conclusions An improved GRP receptor-mediated tumor uptake was achieved in both PEGylated F-18 labeled bombesin derivatives and less hepatobiliary excretion was observed. Slower blood elimination was observed in [18F]F-PEG-BBN-PEG. However [18F]F-ALK-BBN-PEG showed better tumor visualization in µPET imaging with higher tumor to blood ratios.
Model-based estimation of ultrasonic echoes. Part II: Nondestructive evaluation applications

For Part I see ibid., vol.48, no.3, pp.787-802 (2001). Accurate estimation of the ultrasonic echo pattern leading to the physical property of the object is desirable for ultrasonic NDE (nondestructive evaluation) applications. In Part I of this study, we have presented a generalized parametric ultrasonic echo model, composed of a number of Gaussian echoes corrupted by noise, and algorithms for accurately estimating the parameters. In Part II of this study, we explore the merits of this model-based estimation method in ultrasonic applications. This method produces high resolution and accurate estimates for ultrasonic echo parameters, i.e., time of flight (TOF) amplitude, center frequency, bandwidth, and phase. Furthermore, it offers a solution to the deconvolution problem for restoration of the target response, i.e., ultrasonic reflection and transmission properties of materials, from the backscattered echoes. The model-based estimation method makes deconvolution possible in the presence of significant noise. It can also restore closely spaced overlapping echoes beyond the resolution of the measuring system. These properties of the estimation method are investigated in various ultrasonic applications such as transducer pulse-echo wavelet estimation, subsample time delay estimation, and thickness sizing of thin layers.
Few favorable associations between fruit and vegetable intake and biomarkers for chronic disease risk in American adults.

Abstract Using 24-hour dietary recall data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 to 2006, the possible link between fruit and vegetable intake and chronic disease risk was assessed. C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin were selected as biomarkers for chronic disease risk. It is hypothesized that individuals who consume more fruits and vegetables will have reduced chronic disease risk because of the healthful benefits of these foods. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption on selected biomarkers for chronic disease risk. Although some associations were significant for FPG, HDL-C, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in some of the models, no trend was present. After adjusting for demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle factors, body mass index, total energy intake, and the presence of at least 1 of our 5 predetermined comorbidities, no associations of reduced or increased risk were observed in any quartiles of combined fruit and vegetable intake. Fruit and vegetable intakes were weakly associated with an increased HDL-C level and decreased FPG, glycosylated hemoglobin, and C-reactive protein levels in some of the models; however, no association was observed in the final model. Because selected biomarkers of future disease risk remained in reference ranges at both high and low intake and no significance was observed in the final model, no protective association was observed between fruit and vegetable intake and biomarkers for chronic disease risk. However, fruit and vegetable consumption is recommended as part of an overall healthy diet and to displace other energy-dense foods for weight maintenance, which can lead to a decrease in future disease risk.
Amorphous silicon deposition diagnostics using coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy

This paper reports on an in situ silicon deposition process diagnostics, using CARS performed at state-of-the-art a-Si:H film deposition conditions in a reactor designed for a-Si:H solar cell fabrication. The diagnostics procedure measures the silane depletion in an RF plasma as a function of the silane flow rate (where the relationship is linear between 50-percent depletion, at a flow rate of 5.6 sccm, and about 8-percent depletion, at 80 sccm) and the RF power (where the silane depletion is linearly dependent on the RF power in the region of 4 to 12 W). The linear RF power dependence of the silane depletion is considered to be consistent with the mechanism of silane decomposition primarily by electron impact dissociations, while the flow rate dependence is interpreted in terms of the residence time of the SiH4 molecules in the glow discharge region, where an increase of the residence time at a low flow rate results in a high depletion ratio.
Mean-field control for energy efficient buildings

In this paper, we consider the problem of distributed set-point temperature regulation in a large building. With a large number of zones, the problem becomes intractable with standard control approaches due to the large state space dimension of the dynamic model. To mitigate complexity, we develop here a mean-field control approach applicable to large-scale control problems in buildings. The mean-field here represents the net effect of the entire building envelope on any individual zone. Rather than solving the large-scale centralized problem, we explore distributed game-theoretic solution approaches that work by optimizing with respect to the mean-field. The methodology is illustrated with a numerical example in a simulation environment.
MOLECULAR GROWTH REQUIREMENTS OF SINGLE MAMMALIAN CELLS : III. QUANTITATIVE COLONIAL GROWTH OF SINGLE S3 CELLS IN A MEDIUM CONTAINING SYNTHETIC SMALL MOLECULAR CONSTITUENTS AND TWO PURIFIED PROTEIN FRACTIONS

Two purified serum protein fractions, fetuin and serum albumin, will replace whole or dialyzed serum in supporting the growth of single S3 HeLa cells in an otherwise chemically defined nutrient solution. In the serum-free medium, single S3 cells will form macroscopic colonies with essentially 100 per cent efficiency. The generation time of S3 cells in the serum-free medium is approximately 50 per cent greater than that observed in an optimal, serum-containing medium. All components of the serum-free medium are available commercially, except fetuin, which can easily be prepared in substantial quantities. The problem of the purity of the protein preparations and of their possible roles in promoting cell growth is discussed.
Interaction of some pharmaceuticals with macromolecules I. Effect of temperature on the binding of parabens and phenols by polysorbate 80 and polyethylene glycol 4000

A quantitative evaluation of the effect of temperature on the interaction of methyl, propyl, and butylparaben, phenol and p-chlorophenol with polysorbate 80 was obtained with an equilibrium dialysis technique utilizing a plexiglas dialysis cell and a semipermeable membrane. Interactions of parabens with polyethylene glycol 4000 have been studied by the solubility method. The binding affinity of polysorbate 80 for the parabens employed decreased with increase in temperature, whereas that of polyethylene glycol 4000 showed an increase. There was no evidence of temperature dependency of the binding of phenol and p-chlorophenol with polysorbate 80. Parachlorophenol showed a greater tendency to interact with polysorbate 80 than with phenol. The significance of these results relative to the possible mechanism of these interactions is considered.
Between harm reduction, loss and wellness: on the occupational hazards of work

Those working in the fields of harm reduction, healthcare, and human services must cope with a range of stresses, including post traumatic stress and vicarious trauma. Pain and loss are just a part of the job. So is dealing with premature death as a result of HIV, hypertension, and even overdose. Faced with a range of challenges, some workers in the field even turn to self-medication. For some, it is about pleasure; for others it is about alleviating suffering. In recent years, several leaders in the AIDS and harm reduction fields have died ahead of their time. Some stopped taking their medications; others overdosed. Rather than weakness or pathology, French sociologist Emile Durkheim saw self-destructive behavior as a byproduct of social disorganization and isolation, as a way of contending with a breakdown of social bonds and alienation. There are any number of reasons why such behavior becomes part of work for those involved with battling the dueling epidemics of Hepatitis C, HIV, and related concerns. Forms of stress related to this work include secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, organizational conflict, burnout, complications of direct services, and lack of funding. Faced with day-to- day struggles over poverty, punitive welfare systems, drug use, the war on drugs, high risk behavior, structural violence, and illness, many in the field are left to wonder how to strive for wellness when taking on so much pain. For some, self-injury and self-medication are ways of responding. Building on ethnographic methods, this reflective analysis considers the stories of those who have suffered, as well as a few of the ways those in the field cope with harm and pain. The work considers the moral questions we face when we see our friends and colleagues suffer. It asks how we as practitioners strive to create a culture of wellness and support in the fields of harm reduction, healthcare, and human services. Through a brief review of losses and literature thereof, the essay considers models of harm reduction practice that emphasize health, pleasure and sustainability for practitioners.
Resonance Localized Surface Plasmon Spectroscopy: Sensing Substrate and Inhibitor Binding to Cytochrome P450

A sensing method based on resonance localized surface plasmon spectroscopy was developed for low molecular weight substrate and inhibitor molecules binding to heme proteins. Cytochrome P450 proteins have Soret and Q absorption bands in the visible wavelength region. The coupling between the molecular resonance of P450 and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of functionalized silver nanoparticles leads to a highly wavelength-dependent LSPR response. Binding of substrate (e.g., camphor) or inhibitor (e.g., imidazole) molecules to a cytochrome P450 causes the absorption band of cytochrome P450 shift to shorter or longer wavelengths, respectively. By monitoring the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the nanosensors, the binding of camphor/imidazole to a nanoparticle whose surface is modified with cytochrome P450 protein leads to a wavelength-dependent blue/red shift in the LSPR. The magnitude of the LSPR shift induced by camphor or imidazole is consistent with the Soret band wavelength shift observed in P450 in solution.
Elastic Properties of Several Silicon Nitride Films

We have measured the internal friction (Q{sup -1}) of amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN{sub x}) films prepared by a variety of methods, including low-pressure chemical-vapor deposition (LPCVD), plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition (PECVD), and hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition (HWCVD) from 0.5 K to room temperature. The measurements are made by depositing the films onto extremely high-Q silicon double paddle oscillator substrates with a resonant frequency of {approx}5500 Hz. We find the elastic properties of these a-SiN{sub x} films resemble those of amorphous silicon (a-Si) films, demonstrating considerable variation which depends on the film growth methods and post deposition annealing. The internal friction for most of the films shows a broad temperature-independent plateau below 30 K, characteristic of amorphous solids. The values of Q{sup -1}, however, vary from film to film in this plateau region by more than one order of magnitude. This has been observed in tetrehedrally covalent-bonded amorphous thin films, like a-Si, a-Ge, and a-C. The PECVD films have the highest Q{sup -1} just like a normal amorphous solid, while LPCVD films have an internal friction more than one order of magnitude lower. All the films show a reduction of Q{sup -1} after annealing at 800 C, even for the LPCVD films whichmore » were prepared at 850 C. This can be viewed as a reduction of structural disorder.« less
Wafer preparation and iodine-ethanol passivation procedure for reproducible minority-carrier lifetime measurement

We have determined that mechanisms of irreproducibility in measurement of lifetime arise from two sources: (i) improper wafer cleaning, and (ii) instability of I-E solution when in contact with a Si wafer. This paper describes a sequential optical oxidation and chemical cleaning procedure that can reproducibly yield the correct values of bulk lifetime. We have observed that surface passivation is optically activated, which often causes an initial increase in the measured lifetime. This initial activation time can be greatly reduced by exposing the wafer in the bag to higher intensity light such as a solar simulator for 5–10 minutes. This procedure yields reproducible, very low recombination surfaces, suitable for measuring tb as high as 2 ms. We will discuss why this cleaning procedure is necessary and propose mechanism of instability in the passivation of I-E/Si.
Fabrication of Flexible Transducer Arrays With Through-Wafer Electrical Interconnects Based on Trench Refilling With PDMS

Flexible transducer arrays are desired to wrap around catheter tips for side-looking intravascular ultrasound imaging. We present a technique for constructing flexible capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays by forming polymer-filled deep trenches in a silicon substrate. First, we etch deep trenches between the bottom electrodes of CMUT elements on a prime silicon wafer using deep reactive ion etching. Second, we fusion-bond a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer to the prime silicon wafer. Once the silicon handle and buried oxide layers are removed from the back side of the SOI wafer, the remaining thin silicon device layer acts as a movable membrane and top electrode. Third, we fill the deep trenches with polydimethylsiloxane, and thin the wafer down from the back side. The 16 by 16 flexible 2-D arrays presented in this paper have a trench width that varies between 6 and 20 ; the trench depth is 150 ; the membrane thickness is 1.83 ; and the final substrate thickness is 150 . We demonstrate the flexibility of the substrate by wrapping it around a needle tip with a radius of 450 (less than catheter size of 3 French). Measurements in air validate the functionality of the arrays. The 250- by 250- transducer elements have a capacitance of 2.29 to 2.67 pF, and a resonant frequency of 5.0 to 4.3 MHz, for dc bias voltages ranging from 70 to 100 V.
Weight and blood pressure reduction among participants engaged in a cancer awareness and prevention program.

Objectives African–Americans consume a diet high in fat, salt and sugar; such dietary habits increase the risks of cancer and other chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to engage rural communities in a nutrition and physical activity behavior modification program to promote cancer awareness and risk reduction.
The Adaptation of Gunda Ulvae to Salinity II. The Water Exchange

1. The effect of fresh waters and dilute solutions on the behaviour and water exchange of the estuarine flatworm, Gunda ulvae , has been studied. 2. In Plymouth tap water which contains little dissolved substances the majority of the worms die within 48 hours. While immersed in this water the worms swell rapidly during the first hour to about double their volume in sea water, the volume falling slightly after this. The effect is reversible. 3. In dilute sea water the worms swell to a greater extent the greater the dilution. At great dilutions the swelling is much less than would be expected if the worm behaved as though it were covered with a perfectly semi-permeable membrane. 4. In water from the stream which normally flows over the Gunda at low tide the swelling of the worms is much less than in Plymouth tap water or in distilled water. This stream-water is rich in CaCO 3 . 5. The effects of distilled water and of solutions of NaCl, NaHCO 3 , glycerol, CaCl 2 and of Cambridge tap water are compared with the effects of Plymouth tap water and the stream water. It is found that the beneficial effects of the stream water can be imitated only by the solutions containing calcium. 6. The mode of action of calcium is discussed. It is suggested that it acts primarily by lowering the permeability of the worms to water.
More Guns, More Time: Using Add-on Gun Laws to Estimate the Deterrent Effect of Incarceration on Crime

Knowing the magnitude of the deterrent effect of incarceration on crime is crucial to optimal policy setting. In this paper I make use of sentence enhancements in gun robbery sentence lengths caused by add-on gun laws to attempt to estimate this impact. Since defendants subject to add-ons would be incarcerated in the absence of the law change, the short-term effect will be solely deterrent. I take advantage of the temporal variation in the passage of these laws in different states to identify the causal impact of the law change. I find that add-on gun laws result in a significant reduction in gun robberies, approximately 5% within the first three years of passage, for the average add-on gun law. The results are robust to a number of tests, and do not appear to be due to a large spillover to other types of crime.
Heart attack on a plate

Although millions of dollars are spent annually on the drug development process, many drugs still fail because of deadly side effects on the heart. A major reason for these unexpected side effects is that preclinical testing methods used in drug discovery fail to provide sufficient functional data about drug effects on human cardiac tissue, according to Stancescu et al . To address this shortcoming, the team set out to develop a human cell-based system that would enable rapid, high-throughput acquisition of a large amount of data related to cardiac function. Previous attempts at engineering human cardiac tissue assumed that a three-dimensional structure was critical, limiting the potential for high-throughput applications. In contrast, the team reasoned that the most clinically relevant functions of the heart—electrical conduction and contractile force generation—could be measured from cells cultured in just two dimensions. Human stem cell–derived cardiac cells were patterned onto multielectrode arrays (MEA), allowing the recording of electrophysiological data including rhythm generation and action-potential waves as the cells beat spontaneously or in response to electrical stimulation. The cells also were cultured directly on micro-scale cantilevers, allowing the measurement, via atomic force microscopy, of the tiny forces produced during contraction. To achieve interassay precision, the team developed methods to culture the cells in the absence of animal serum, which is highly variable but typically considered essential for cell survival in the artificial conditions of the lab. Remarkably, the system accurately predicted the effects, at clinically relevant doses, of three drugs that are widely used in patients to treat cardiac dysfunction—norepinephrine, sotalol, and verapamil. The main advantages of this system include the ability to measure both electrophysiological function and contractile force generation, the use of human cells, the potential for high-throughput screening, and the ability to determine the effects of drugs over several weeks. However, the system still must be validated to determine whether it can predict side effects of drugs that are not typically used to treat cardiac dysfunction, as well as the therapeutic effects of drugs on diseased cardiac tissue. Nonetheless, this system represents an important initial step toward the development of more accurate assays to accelerate the pace of drug discovery. M. Stancescu et al ., A phenotypic in vitro model for the main determinants of human whole heart function. Biomaterials 60 , 20–30 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961215003907
Free Vibration Analysis of an Orthotropic Circular Cylindrical Shell of Laminated Composite

Based on the dynamic von Karman-type equations governing the free flexural vibration of a shell, the weighted residual method is adopted. A new method for the free vibration analysis of an orthotropic circular cylindrical shell of laminated composite is obtained. The result is in good agreement with Werner Soedal’s method. In this chapter, the method is applied to the numerical calculations and the validity of it is assessed by comparing with the natural frequencies in three types of pipe.
Substrate Effects on Glass Transition and Free Surface Viscoelasticity of Ultrathin Polystyrene Films

We describe results from experiments in which spontaneous embedment of 20 nm silica particles was used to probe under-layer effects on the free surface dynamics and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of polystyrene. Both 13 and 20 nm thick polystyrene (PS) films were prepared and placed on different under-layer substrates, which in turn were supported on a silicon wafer (Si) substrate. The under-layer substrates used were PS, poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with thicknesses ranging from 13 to 350 nm. The particle height change during the embedment was monitored using an atomic force microscope. For the PS films supported on the PS and P2VP under-layers, experimental temperatures varied from Tg – 10 K to Tg + 5 K. In the case of the PMMA under-layer, experimental temperatures varied from Tg – 10 K to Tg + 10 K. The Hutcheson and McKenna model [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 94 (7)] was applied to the particle embedment depth to obtain the surface rheological temperatures [Eur....
Realizing Microbial Evolution

Genome sequences have become the new phenotype for microbial evolutionists. The patterns of diversity revealed in the first 100 bacterial genomes fostered development of a comprehensive framework that can explain their contents, organization, and evolution.
Discrete Populations Derived by Interspecific Hybridization and Selection in Nicotiana

One approach toward understanding genetic systems that differentiate populations and their evolutionary potentialities is to produce experimental populations and to study them under conditions of controlled culture, mating, and selection. An advantage of this method over that of analyzing existing natural populations is that the variables which influence gene frequency are controlled and accessible. An obvious disadvantage is that it is hazardous to make direct analogy or to transfer unqualified interpretation to evolution in nature. In spite of this limitation, some of the most significant contributions to the study of evolution are being made by manipulating genetic systems of populations under artificial experimental conditions. In the investigation reported here, a study was made of the effect of selection following interspecific hybridization on morphological divergence and genetic isolation at two levels of ploidy.
Decision Processes and Determinants of Hospital Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place During Hurricane Sandy.

CONTEXT: Evacuation and shelter-in-place decision making for hospitals is complex, and existing literature contains little information about how these decisions are made in practice. OBJECTIVE: To describe decision-making processes and identify determinants of acute care hospital evacuation and shelter-in-place during Hurricane Sandy. DESIGN: Semistructured interviews were conducted from March 2014 to February 2015 with key informants who had authority and responsibility for evacuation and shelter-in-place decisions for hospitals during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Interviewees included hospital executives and state and local public health, emergency management, and emergency medical service officials from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Interviewees identified decision processes and determinants of acute care hospital evacuation and shelter-in-place during Hurricane Sandy. RESULTS: We interviewed 42 individuals from 32 organizations. Decisions makers reported relying on their instincts rather than employing guides or tools to make evacuation and shelter-in-place decisions during Hurricane Sandy. Risk to patient health from evacuation, prior experience, cost, and ability to maintain continuity of operations were the most influential factors in decision making. Flooding and utility outages, which were predicted to or actually impacted continuity of operations, were the primary determinants of evacuation. CONCLUSION: Evacuation and shelter-in-place decision making for hospitals can be improved by ensuring hospital emergency plans address flooding and include explicit thresholds that, if exceeded, would trigger evacuation. Comparative risk assessments that inform decision making would be enhanced by improved collection, analysis, and communication of data on morbidity and mortality associated with evacuation versus sheltering-in-place of hospitals. In addition, administrators and public officials can improve their preparedness to make evacuation and shelter-in-place decisions by practicing the use of decision-making tools during training and exercises. Language: en
Prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which has not been well described previously. METHODS The rates of IBD among patients with and without ASD were measured in 4 study populations with distinct modes of ascertainment: a health care benefits company, 2 pediatric tertiary care centers, and a national ASD repository. The rates of IBD (established through International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes) were compared with respective controls and combined using a Stouffer meta-analysis. Clinical charts were also reviewed for IBD among patients with ICD-9-CM codes for both IBD and ASD at one of the pediatric tertiary care centers. This expert-verified rate was compared with the rate in the repository study population (where IBD diagnoses were established by expert review) and in nationally reported rates for pediatric IBD. RESULTS In all of case-control study populations, the rates of IBD-related ICD-9-CM codes for patients with ASD were significantly higher than that of their respective controls (Stouffer meta-analysis, P < 0.001). Expert-verified rates of IBD among patients with ASD were 7 of 2728 patients in one study population and 16 of 7201 in a second study population. The age-adjusted prevalence of IBD among patients with ASD was higher than their respective controls and nationally reported rates of pediatric IBD. CONCLUSIONS Across each population with different kinds of ascertainment, there was a consistent and statistically significant increased prevalance of IBD in patients with ASD than their respective controls and nationally reported rates for pediatric IBD.
Medical Savings Accounts: Lessons from Singapore

In the Spring 1995 issue of Health Affairs Mark Pauly and John Goodman outlined their proposal for medical savings accounts (MSAs) supplemented with tax credits to purchase insurance and encourage ...
A tale of two Purtscher's retinopathy.

PURPOSE To characterize the outcome in two cases of unilateral traumatic Purtscher's retinopathy that developed after blunt head trauma. METHODS Observational case series of two patients diagnosed at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with Purtscher's retinopathy following blunt head trauma. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, which included best corrected visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy, dilated fundus exam, and retinal imaging fundus photography and high-definition Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (HD-SDOCT). RESULTS Two cases of Purtscher's retinopathy after blunt head trauma were diagnosed between July 2011 and December 2011. Case 1 was involved in a motor vehicle accident and underwent observational management with no change in initial baseline vision (20/400) after follow-up of 4 months. Case 2 fell from a 16-foot high deer-stand and managed with systemic steroids, wherein vision improved after one month from 20/60 (initial presentation) to 20/25; vision remained stable after follow-up of 4 months. CONCLUSION Purtscher's retinopathy can have different visual outcomes depending on the initial and final degree of injury to the retinal architecture. Steroids may help limit damage and improve the overall outcome in patients with Purtscher's retinopathy.