cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Cancer-Related Fatigue and Physical Activity Vary by Age for Black Women With a History of Breast Cancer?

INTRODUCTION Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most uncomfortable symptom among women with a history of breast cancer. Black women are more likely than women of other racial/ethnic groups to have CRF risk factors, such as physical inactivity and obesity, yet CRF studies have not focused on black women. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to assess CRF and physical activity among black women survivors of breast cancer. METHOD In May and July of 2012, 267 members (mean age, 54 y) of the Sisters Network, Inc, completed an online survey of sociodemographic characteristics, medical characteristics, and physical activity, and a fatigue instrument (the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy [FACIT]). Multiple linear regression assessed fatigue and physical activity compliance (ie, 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week). RESULTS Participants had an average FACIT score of 32.3, Fatigue was greater (P < .001) among the 56% of women not meeting physical activity guidelines. In multivariable analysis, correlates of fatigue showed that physical activity compliance (β = 3.20, P < .001) and older age group (50-59 y: β = 3.98, P = .001; ≥60 y,: β = 3.76, P = .003) were associated with less fatigue. The interaction between age and fatigue was also significant: mean differences in fatigue by physical activity level were obvious only among women younger than 50 years. (P < .001). CONCLUSION Physical activity compliance was associated with a lower level of fatigue. However, the effect of physical activity on fatigue may differ by age. Interventions aimed at curbing CRF in black women should consider age-appropriate strategies that can be integrated into existing lifestyles.
Uprooted in Art: Contemporary Considerations of Refugee Art

The visual arts (like music and literature) have been immeasurably enriched by the contributions of artists from every land. In every nation, there is a unique story of cross-fertilization and cultural contributions by the immigrant imagination, coming from every direction of the globe. This paper will introduce historical and recent refugee art by examining imagery created by outcasts, usually in refugee camps which, by their political definition, are meant to have no history, no permanence and (like their residents), no future. These travellers, like their imagery, is meant to be forgotten.
Characteristics of Stages of Hepatocarcinogenesis

Hepatocarcinogenesis induced by chemicals may be delineated into at least two distinct stages which are analogous to those of initiation and promotion as previously defined in epidermal carcinogenesis in the mouse. Evidence is presented that the immediate clonal progeny of initiated hepatocytes can be distinguished as foci by one of four histochemical techniques. 85% of the total identifiable foci could be scored as γ-glutamyl peptidase positive together with one other histochemical parameter. With phenobarbital used as a promoting agent, incomplete carcinogens or “pure” initiators of hepatocytes have been identified. After initiation by a subcarcinogenic dose of diethylnitrosamine 24 hours following 70% partial hepatectomy, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) were found to promote the formation of both foci and hepatomas. In particular, TCDD is a millionfold more efficient, whereas BHA is significantly less efficient than phenobarbital as promoting agents.
Properties of α7-Containing Acetylcholine Receptors and Their Expression in Both Neurons and Muscle

Neurons can express a number of acetylcholine receptor genes simultaneously and assemble several receptor subtypes distinguished by subunit composition. One class of such receptors is largely extrasynaptic in location and contains the α7 gene product. It functions as a ligand-gated ion channel that is cation-selective, prefers nicotine over ACh, and rapidly desensitizes. Activation of the receptor elevates intracellular calcium levels in neurons, triggering calcium-dependent events such as neurite retraction and the release of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid, in turn, reversibly inhibits the receptors, suggesting negative feedback regulation. The α7 gene product is expressed not only in neurons but also in developing muscle, raising the possibility that such receptors mediate cholinergic regulation of calcium-dependent events in a variety of cells.
USE OF EXCIMER FLUORESCENCE TO MEASURE POLYMER-SOLVENT INTERACTIONS

ABSTRACT Excimer fluorescence is an ubiquitous photophysical phenomenon in the aromatic vinyl polymers. A nominal excimer forming site (EFS) may be generated whenever two aromatic rings lie in a coplanar sandwich arrangement. Detection of the characteristic fluorescence from the excited complex allows an estimation of the number of ring-ring contacts. In the aromatic vinyl polymers such contacts may occur intramolecularly between rings on adjacent or nonadjacent repeat units or intermolecularly between rings on different polymer coils. In this study, the effect of solvent on intramolecular (adjacent) excimer formation is examined for the polymers poly(1-vinylnaphthalene) and poly(2- vinylnaphthalene) and the model compound, 1,3-bis(2-naphthyl)propane. An homologous series of alkyl benzene solvents is used in which there is a regular increase in molar volume as well as variations in solvent structure and flexibility. The stability of the excimer and the extent of collisional interaction with the surrounding solvent shell are shown to depend critically on solvent structure, the stability decreasing both as the solvent molar volume increases and as the solvent flexibility is reduced.
EFFECT OF OPTICAL DEFOCUS ON VISUAL ACUITY IN DOGS

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of optical defocus (such as what develops in spontaneous myopia and subsequent to cataract extraction) on visual acuity in dogs. ANIMALS 3 young adult male Beagles. PROCEDURE The effect of optical defocus on visual acuity was determined by sweep visual evoked potential, using a within-subjects/repeated measures design in which each dog served as its own control. Dogs were positioned so that the eye being tested was 60 cm in front of the video display, and the target was centered on the area centralis. To create ametropia relative to the video screen, a series of concave and convex spherical lenses were placed 1 cm in front of the eye, and sweep visual evoked potential acuities were obtained. RESULTS Maximal acuity was 7.0 to 9.5 cycles/degree. Defocusing by 2.0 diopters reduces Beagle grating acuity approximately 1 octave. Mimicking aphakia resulted in a marked depression of acuity to 0.7 cycles/degree or less. CONCLUSIONS Even mild degrees of ametropia have appreciable impact on the resolving power of the canine visual system. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Spontaneous myopia is encountered in dogs and may be associated with impaired visual performance attributable to a reduction in visual acuity. Previous reports indicate the possibility of myopia in dogs to have a heritable component. On the basis of our results, refractive correction of aphakia is advisable, and refractive screening of dogs with demanding visual tasks (eg, service dogs, field-trial Labrador Retrievers) is recommended.
Missing Data in Surgical Data Sets: A Review of Pertinent Issues and Solutions

Incomplete data is a common problem in research studies. Methods to address missing observations in a data set have been extensively researched and described. Disseminating these methods to the greater research community is an ongoing effort. In this article, we describe some of the basic principles of missing data and identify practical, commonly used methods of adjustment relevant to surgical data sets. Through an example data set, we compare models generated through complete case analysis, single imputation (SI), and multiple imputation (MI). We also provide information on the steps to conduct MI using Stata IC. In our comparisons, we found that differences in odds ratios were greatest between the results from complete case analysis compared to the SI and MI models indicating that in this case the reduction in statistical power has a non-negligible effect on the parameter estimates. Odds ratio estimates from the SI and MI methods were largely similar. In some instances, when compared to the MI method, the SI method tended to overestimate effect sizes. While in this example the differences in odds ratios do not vary greatly between the SI and MI methods, there are clear indications supporting the use of MI over SI. By describing the issues surrounding missing data and the available options for adjustment, we hope to encourage the use of robust imputation methods for missing observations.
Life as Art, or Art as Life: Robert Filliou and the Eternal Network:

This essay focuses on the Portraits Not Made (1970) by Robert Filliou, a French artist of the postwar neo-avant-garde and a founding member of the international transdisciplinary art movement Fluxu...
Achieving Health System Wide 90 Minute Door-to-balloon Times for STEMI Transfers

Introduction Most patients experiencing STEMI present to facilities that lack interventional cardiology services, thus requiring transport to a tertiary center. The national D2B goal time for patients requiring interfacility transfer is 120 minutes or less; our previous work achieved that goal by implementing an STEMI autolaunch process. To further improve D2B times for transfer patients we took a systems level approach to develop a high reliability STEMI transfer system. The primary interventions, system changes, and results are presented. Methods This was a quality improvement project that entailed a collaboration between the Emergency Services Institute, Heart and Vascular Institute, Critical Care Transport, health system community hospitals and local emergency medical services throughout our region. Over 18 months, system changes were developed by the interdisciplinary team (Table 1), implemented, and evaluated with feedback provided to all involved on a monthly basis. Results Patients presenting to community hospital ED's experienced a 16 minute reduction in door-in-door-out time (now 44 minutes versus 60 minutes). Additionally the mean D2B times for all patients requiring transfer in the health system reduced to and remained at 90 minutes for 12 consecutive months in 2017. Reported mortality at the project start was below the 50th percentile and now exceeds the 90th percentile nationally. Conclusion Our results show that improving and maintaining D2B times for patients needing interfacility transfer requires a systems level approach that must encompass the entire healthcare system from initial patient activation through to discharge. The interventions developed can be adapted and applied in other settings.
Ca-Stimulated α-Amylase Secretion from Barley Aleurone Protoplasts

α-Amylase secretion by isolated barley aleurone layers is greatly enhanced in 1–10 mM extracellular Ca2+. This effect of Ca2+ on α-amylase secretion is rapidly reversible (< 1 minute) and peculiar to a group of a-amylase isozymes with a high isoelectric point (high pI). Secretion of α-amylase isozymes with a low isoelectric point (low pi) is not stimulated by Ca2+. It has been suggested that Ca2+ regulates secretion by altering either the cell wall or the plasma membrane. In order to determine whether the cell wall is obligatorily involved in Ca-stimulated secretion, we have prepared protoplasts from the aleurone and measured their amylase secretion in response to Ca2+ and gibberellic acid (GA3).
Hypermodernity, automated uncertainty, and education policy trajectories

This paper examines how elite transnational policy and research organizations are framing emergent technologies as a hypermodern risk. It outlines how innovations in artificial intelligence and mac...
The Pineal as a Gland and Melatonin as a Hormone

Abstract The human pineal is an unpaired midline organ, derived from and surrounded by brain tissue, which secretes a hormone, melatonin, into the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid, principally during the daily dark period. The melatonin then activates receptors on brain neurons to provide a time-signal for various circadian rhythms, to promote sleep onset, and principally, sleep maintenance during the night. The deficiency in nocturnal plasma melatonin levels that often occurs among older people, caused by the unexplained tendency of their pineals to develop progressive calcification, is a frequent cause of decreased sleep efficiency, manifest as the tendency to awaken for prolonged periods during the night. This can be treated by “hormone replacement therapy” using small doses of oral melatonin, just sufficient to raise its blood levels to what they were nocturnally earlier in life. Melatonin's synthesis starts with the 5-hydroxylation of the essential amino acid tryptophan, followed by its decarboxylation to form serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine). In the pineal, but to a very limited extent elsewhere in the body, this serotonin is converted to melatonin by enzymes that acetylate its amine nitrogen, forming N-acetylserotonin, which is then O-methylated to form the melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine). When humans and other mammals are in darkness the electrical activity of, and norepinephrine release from, the pineal's sympathetic nerves are maximal, and the intrasynaptic norepinephrine acts on pineal beta receptors, forming cyclic-AMP and activating the enzymes that will convert the serotonin to melatonin. Conversely, exposure to environmental lighting diminishes the pineal's sympathetic activity and its synthesis of melatonin. In submammalian vertebrates the pineal organ often contains photoreceptors, through which light exposure can directly affect brain. Melatonin is highly lipid soluble: hence, it circulates largely bound to albumin, and it readily diffuses across cellular membranes in the brain and elsewhere.
Reconstruction of Stellar Orbits Close to Sagittarius A*: Possibilities for Testing General Relativity

We have reconstructed possible orbits for a collection of stars located within 05 of Sgr A*. These orbits are constrained by observed stellar positions and angular proper motions. The construction of such orbits serves as a baseline from which to search for possible deviations due to the unseen mass distribution in the central 1000 AU of the Galaxy. We also discuss the likelihood that some of these stars may eventually exhibit detectable relativistic effects, allowing for interesting tests of general relativity around the 2.6 × 106 M☉ central object.
Self-Reported Quality of Life in Children on Ventricular Assist Devices: A Pedimacs Analysis

Purpose Given the paucity of data on quality of life (QOL) after ventricular assist device (VAD) implant in children, we sought to describe self-reported QOL in children on VAD support and to identify potential factors associated with impaired QOL. Methods There were 82 children (6-19 y) in the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support who completed the generic Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) +/- a VAD-specific QOL assessment pre-VAD implant (n=18), 3 months (m) post-VAD (n=62) and/or 6 m post VAD (n=38). Their QOL was compared to the general pediatric population, children with a chronic health condition, and children with severe/complex heart disease. Significantly impaired QOL is a score >1 SD below the pediatric population mean. Results The study group was 59% male, 67% Caucasian, with a primary diagnosis of cardiomyopathy in 82%, and a median age at 1st implant of 14 y (IQR 11-17). At 3 m and 6 m post-VAD, 63% and 81% were outpatient. PedsQL scores were lower than pediatric norms for physical (p 2 weeks/ongoing post-VAD (p =.04), but was not associated with age at implant, primary diagnosis, hospital length of stay, adverse events or re-hospitalizations within 3 m post-implant, or with discharge status at 3 m post-VAD. Conclusion Physical QOL is significantly impaired in the majority of patients pre- and post-VAD. However, psychosocial QOL is not significantly impaired in nearly 3/5 patients at 3 m post-VAD. While the study was limited by the small number of patients who had more than one assessment over time, group data suggest VAD implantation may improve psychosocial QOL.
Hybrid equations of motion for flexible multibody systems using quasi-coordinates

A variety of engineering systems, such as automobiles, aircraft, rotorcraft, robots, spacecraft, etc., can be modeled as flexible multibody systems. The individual flexible bodies are in general characterized by distributed parameters. In most earlier investigations they were approximated by some spatial discretization procedure, such as the classical Rayleigh-Ritz method or the finite element method. This paper presents a mathematical formulation for distributed-parameter multibody systems consisting of a set of hybrid (ordinary and partial) differential equations of motion in terms of quasi-coordinates. Moreover, the equations for the elastic motions include rotatory inertia and shear deformation effects. The hybrid set is cast in state form, thus making it suitable for control design.
Creative Conflict in African American Thought: Alexander Crummell and Southern Reconstruction

On May 30, 1885, Alexander Crummell addressed the graduating class of Storer College at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. Alexander Crummell – tall, black, regal, erudite, dramatic, but overshadowed by Frederick Douglass on this as on other occasions – so handsome, so romantic, so glamorous and eloquent was Douglass! The conflict between them – always respectful, but never to be denied – was one of images and personalities, as well as ideologies. On that occasion, as usual, Crummell voiced his perpetual suspicions regarding mass democracy, although, ironically, he had always worked more intimately with the grassroots than Douglass had done or cared to do. Although born free and provided a classical education by long-suffering and devoted parents, Crummell had devoted his youthful energies to poor, unlettered black congregations in several American cities and in African frontier settlements, although in his later years he worked, very testily and with much turmoil, among Washington's “aristocrats of color.” Douglass was born a slave and had an instinctive “feel” for folklore and folkways that many anthropologists never master, but – although putatively a man of the people – he had moved beyond all that. He became a “public intellectual.” He had a comfortable house in Anacostia. His best friends, and most faithful admirers, were middle-class white women. He had recently married one of them and was about to embark on a honeymoon in Europe. Douglass made it clear that he had no taste for toiling among the masses.
Intrastream variability in solute transport: Hydrologic and geomorphic controls on solute retention

[1] Hydrologic fluctuations and geomorphic heterogeneity are expected to produce substantial variability in solute transport within rivers. However, this variability has not been sufficiently explored due to the limited availability of solute injection data in most rivers. Here, we analyzed 81 tracer injection breakthrough curves (BTCs) along Stringer Creek, a 5.5 km2 watershed in Montana. BTC measurements were obtained for three baseflow conditions at 27 reaches along a 2600 m stream channel. BTCs in upstream reaches (first 1400 m) had receding tails with shallow slopes, indicating high solute retention. Conversely, BTCs in downstream reaches (1400 to 2600 m) had receding tails with steeper slopes, indicating low solute retention relative to upstream reaches. Difference in BTC tails along the stream channel coincided with changes in channel morphology and bedrock geology. Specifically, channel slope increases from 5–6% (upstream) to 9% (downstream), channel sinuosity decreases from a maximum of 1.32 (upstream) to 1.02 (downstream), and the underlying bedrock changes from sandstone (upstream) to granite-gneiss (downstream). Importantly, intrastream differences in BTC tails were distinctly observable only during the two lowest baseflow conditions. Spatial variability of BTC tail-slopes was most sensitive to changes in local discharge at low flow, and to changes in channel sinuosity at high flow. BTC tail-slopes varied temporally with local discharge and velocity at upstream reaches, but not at downstream reaches. These results suggest that local interactions between channel morphology and solute retention vary with hydrologic conditions, and that solute retention becomes more homogeneous at higher stream discharge.
Improving and sustaining a reduction in iatrogenic pneumothorax through a multifaceted quality-improvement approach.

BACKGROUND The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has adopted iatrogenic pneumothorax (IAP) as a Patient Safety Indicator. In 2006, in response to a low performance ranking for IAP rate from the University Healthsystem Consortium (UHC), the authors established a multidisciplinary team to reduce our institution's IAP rate. Root-cause analysis found that subclavian insertion of central venous catheterization (CVC) was the most common procedure associated with IAP OBJECTIVE Our short-term goal was a 50% reduction of both CVC-associated and all-cause IAP rates within 18 months, with long-term goals of sustained reduction. DESIGN Observational study. SETTING Academic tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS Consecutive inpatients from 2006 to 2014. INTERVENTION Our multifaceted intervention included: (1) clinical and documentation standards based on evidence, (2) cognitive aids, (3) simulation training, (4) purchase and deployment of ultrasound equipment, and (5) feedback to clinical services. MEASUREMENTS: CVC-associated IAP, all-cause IAP rate. RESULTS We achieved both a short-term (years 2006 to 2008) and long-term (years 2006 to 2008–2014) reduction in our CVC-associated and all-cause IAP rates. Our short-term reduction in our CVC-associated IAP was 53% (P = 0.088), and our long-term reduction was 85% (P < 0.0001). Our short-term reduction in the all-cause IAP rate was 26% (P < 0.0001), and our long-term reduction was 61% (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A multidisciplinary team, focused on evidence, patient safety, and standardization, can use a set of multifaceted interventions to sustainably improve patient outcomes for several years after implementation. Our hospital was in the highest performance UHC quartile for all-cause IAP in 2012 to 2014. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Acute lysine supplementation does not improve hepatic or peripheral insulin sensitivity in older, obese individuals (1161.7)

Context: Lysine supplementation may have a positive influence on the regulation of glucose metabolism but it has not been evaluated in older individuals. Objective: We evaluated the impact of acute lysine supplementation using three randomized experimental scenarios: 1) oral glucose alone (control), 2) oral glucose and low-dose lysine (2 g), and oral glucose and high dose lysine (5 g) lysine in 7 older (66±1 years/age), overweight (BMI = 31±2 kg/m2) individuals. Methods: We utilized a dual tracer technique (ie., [1-13C] glucose oral ingestion and [6,6-2H2] glucose infusion) during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to examine differences in hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity under all three scenarios. Results: Plasma glucose and insulin data were not different between the control, 2 g lysine and 5 g of lysine trials. The results of the Matsuda index were also not different between the three trials. As an index of hepatic insulin sensitivity, there were no significant differences in the endogeno...
Regionalizing Labor Policy Through NAFTA: Beyond President Bush’s Temporary Worker Proposal

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) sought to create an expanded and secure market for the goods and services produced in its member territories. It represented huge improvements in the freedom of goods, services, and investments to move between member nations, but remained silent on the issue of freedom of movement of labor. The major objection to unrestricted movement of labor within NAFTA was the concern of permanent immigration from Mexico into, mainly, the United States. In early 2004, President George W. Bush introduced a proposal to allow, unilaterally, freer movement of temporary laborers into the United States. This Note argues that the President’s proposal is oawed because it fails to seek a multilateral agreement for the freedom of movement beyond that which oows into the United States, and especially ignores U.S. citizens seeking employment abroad. Rather than the United States acting unilaterally, this Note argues for a re-consideration of movement of labor within NAFTA.
Microspaces: a compact javaspaces alternative for teaching net-centric computing in Java

We introduce MicroSpaces, an Open Source project we develop and support for teaching net-centric computing in Java. A Linda system, MicroSpaces is virtually identical to JavaSpaces at the API level yet MicroSpaces is simpler to manage, more compact, and better suited to one-semester projects, study of network programming principles, and supervised research. We describe the MicroSpaces goals, architecture, and applications for teaching purposes.
“Frenemies, Fraitors, and Mean‐em‐aitors”: Priming Effects of Viewing Physical and Relational Aggression in the Media on Women

Past research has shown activation of aggressive cognitions in memory after media violence exposure, but has not examined priming effects of viewing relational aggression in the media. In the current study, 250 women viewed a video clip depicting physical aggression, relational aggression, or no aggression. Subsequent activation of physical and relational aggression cognitions was measured using an emotional Stroop task. Results indicated priming of relational aggression cognitions after viewing the relationally aggressive video clip, and activation of both physical and relational aggression cognitions after viewing the physically aggressive video clip. Results are discussed within the framework of the General Aggression Model.
Inactivation of Bovine Glutamate Dehydrogenase by Carbamyl Phosphate and Cyanate

Abstract By kinetic studies and the identification of the labeled peptide of the [14C]KNCO-modified protein, the inactivation of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase by potassium cyanate can be attributed to the carbamylation of the e-amino group of lysine-97. Although the e-amino group of lysine-97 is the major site of carbamylation by cyanate, the α-amino group of alanine-1 and e-amino group of lysine-85 are also sites of carbamylation. Kinetic experiments indicate that the apparent pKa of the reactive amino group is 7.7, a value which is in good agreement with the apparent pKa of 8.0 ± 0.3 obtained by studies of the inactivation of the enzyme by reaction with pyridoxal and pyridoxal phosphate. Experimental evidence suggests that the previously reported inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase by carbamyl phosphate can be attributed to the cyanic acid which is formed by the decomposition of carbamyl phosphate.
Literacies: Functional literacy pedagogy

Overview Functional approaches to literacy focus on students learning the texts that enable them to succeed at school and to participate in society. Their aim is for learners to understand the reasons why texts exist and how this affects the shape of texts. Unlike didactic approaches to literacy, which break language into its parts in order to learn formal rules, functional approaches start with the question, ‘What is the purpose of this whole text?’ and then move on to the next question, ‘How is the whole text structured to meet these purposes?’ Reading and writing are closely linked activities and learners explore the ways different kinds of texts work to make different meanings in the world. To show the ways in which functional approaches to literacy learning work, this chapter explores one example: the ‘genre’ approach.
Altaira: A Rule-based Visual Language for Small Mobile Robots

Abstract Altaira is a visual language intended for the control of small mobile (e.g. LEGO) robots. It is a rule-based language, combining information from sensors, navigation, and current state to determine actions to be taken by the robot and changes required in the system state. The language is simple enough to be used by children to develop simple robotic behaviors, but powerful enough to have been used to solve the compulsory and impromptu problems used in the 1997 Visual Programming Challenge, as well as to implement a standard Turing Machine demonstration algorithm (unary addition). The language is novel in its explicit, separate representation of local and global state, and in its uniform treatment of state and sensor inputs, and of state and actuator outputs, in a visual environment.
Models of flexible polymers in good solvents: relaxation and coil–stretch transition

We analyze the impact of solvent quality on relaxation dynamics and the coil–stretch transition (CST) using Brownian dynamics simulations of a new bead–spring model. A new spring force relation, which can represent the polymer in theta to good solvent, is developed to obtain the force–extension (FE) behavior of molecules. Due to different regions of the FE curve, we find that the relaxation and CST behavior are altered. A simple force balance is used to explain different regions of the flow and relaxation behavior. Using a model that neglects conformation dependent drag, it is found that some molecules will have two different exponential decays in relaxation and the CST will be modified for others.
The atomic 2s12−1s12 transition

Abstract The relativistic 2 s 1 2 −1 s 1 2 X-ray transition has been observed in Tm. Its strength was found to be (0.29 ± 0.015)×10−3, with respect to the 2 p 3 2 −1 s 1 2 transition, in good agreement with the calculate relativistic M1 rate by Rosner and Bhalla.
Religion and suicide: A reanalysis

Since Durkheim, religion has been viewed as a source of social integration which decreases the likelihood of suicide. In particular, Catholics have been viewed as less suicidal than Protestants. However, recent changes in the attitudes and beliefs of Catholics in America indicate that the differences between Catholics and Protestants have diminished considerably and from this we would anticipate a decrease in the salience of religious affiliation in explaining variations in suicide rates. The present study investigates the relationship between suicide and Catholicism using data from all the fifty United States in 1970. Whereas a negative zero order correlation was found between Catholicism and suicide incidence, a multiple regression analysis indicates that this difference disappears once we control for the differential incidence of divorce. The results suggest that Catholicism does not significantly affect suicide independent of its negative association with divorce. The Catholic Church's impact on divorce must be taken into account when analyzing the effects of religion on suicide rates. Sociological investigations of the problem of suicide have followed different leads such as social integration, anomie, and industrialization (Durkheim, 1966; Henry and Short, 1954; Porterfield, 1952; Stack, 1978, 1979). A prevailing perspective on suicide has been Durkheim's (1966) social integration paradigm which he viewed as the common denominator to thirty or more specific empirical propositions involving variables such as including the family, religious, and political institutions. Much of Durkheim's well-known analysis centered on the institutions of the family and religion. With respect to the latter institution, Catholics were viewed as less suicidal than Protestants. While much of the data for Durkheim's period and the early to mid-twentieth century support this contention, recent trends in the attitudes and beliefs of Catholics and Protestants show signs of convergence and the associated differential in suicide rates may also be diminishing. The present paper explores the relationship between indicators of Catholicism and the rate of suicide with recent data for the 50 states.
Sustained hypoxia leads to the emergence of cells with enhanced growth, migratory, and promitogenic potentials within the distal pulmonary artery wall

All forms of chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH) are characterized by structural remodeling of the pulmonary artery (PA) media, a process previously attributed solely to changes in the phenotype of resident smooth muscle cells (SMC). However, recent experimental evidence in both systemic and pulmonary circulations suggests that other cell types, including circulating and local progenitors, contribute significantly to this process. The goal of this study was to determine if hypoxia-induced remodeling of distal PA (dPA) media involves the emergence of cells with phenotypic and functional characteristics distinct from those of resident dPA SMC and fibroblasts. In vivo, in contrast to the phenotypically uniform SMC composition of dPA media in control calves, the remodeled dPA media of neonatal calves with severe hypoxia-induced PH comprised cells exhibiting a distinct phenotype, including the expression of hematopoetic (CD45), leukocytic/monocytic (CD11b, CD14), progenitor (cKit), and motility-associated (S100A4) cell markers. Consistent with these in vivo observations, primary cell cultures isolated from dPA media of hypertensive calves yielded not only differentiated SMC, but also smaller, morphologically rhomboidal (thus termed here “R”) cells that transiently expressed CD11b, constitutively expressed the mesenchymal cell marker type I procollagen, expressed high mRNA levels of progenitor cell markers cKit, CD34, CD73, as well as for inflammatory mediators, IL-6 and MCP-1, and, with time in culture, gained expression of a myofibroblast marker, α-SM-actin. R cells exhibited highly augmented proliferative, migratory, invasive, and potent promitogenic capabilities, which were due, at least in part, to the production of PDGFs, SDF-1/CXCL12, and S100A4. These data suggest that the cellular mechanisms of dPA remodeling include the emergence of cells with phenotypic and functional characteristics markedly distinct from those of resident dPA cells.
Mechanisms of hypoalbuminemia in hemodialysis patients

Mechanisms of hypoalbuminemia in hemodialysis patients. Hypoalbuminemia is the most powerful predictor of mortality in end-stage renal disease. Since protein-calorie malnutrition can decrease albumin synthesis it is assumed that hypoalbuminemia results principally from malnutrition in these patients, but albumin synthesis may also be decreased as part of the acute-phase response, and hypoalbuminemia can also result from redistribution of albumin pools or from albumin losses. We measured albumin synthesis, fractional catabolic rate, and distribution from the turnover of [ 125 I] human albumin in six hemodialysis patients with plasma albumin less than 35 mg/ml and in six patients with plasma albumin greater than 40 mg/ml. Patients with liver disease, HIV, or other infection were excluded. Both groups were maintained with high-flux polysulfone dialyzers for more than three months. Kt/V urea and PCR were measured during each dialysis (N = 12 to 18/patient). A four-day calorie and protein intake was determined by dietary history and long-term nutritional status was determined anthropometrically. Measured variables included serum urea, creatinine, transferrin, and the positive acute-phase proteins α 2 -macroglobulin, C-reactive protein, ferritin, and IGF-1. Albumin synthesis was significantly reduced in the low albumin group. There were no differences in dietary intake, body composition, PCR, BUN, creatinine, or Kt/V urea . Plasma albumin concentration correlated negatively with ferritin, C-reactive protein and α 2 -macroglobulin. Albumin synthesis rate correlated negatively with both α 2 -macroglobulin and Kt/V urea . Both plasma albumin concentration and synthesis rate correlated positively with IGF-1, and both were independent of PCR and all other nutrition-related variables. Hypoalbuminemia was due to decreased albumin synthesis. The data suggest that albumin concentration and synthesis were primarily determined by non-nutritional factors in this well-dialyzed population, and that both were reduced partially as part of the acute-phase response.
Lymphomatoid granulomatosis. A clinicopathologic study of four cases

Four cases of lymphomatoid granulomatosis were studied. One case, previously reported, has had a prolonged remission of 8 years' duration. In one case, the course was rapid and progressive, and the patient died 2 months after the onset of the disease. In two other patients, the disease appears to be arrested effectively, both clinically and radiographically, by administration of corticosteroids. In the fatal case, postmortem examination revealed a typical angiocentric and destructive polymorphous lymphoreticular infiltrate in the lungs, kidneys, and adrenal glands. The diagnosis was made on specimens obtained from three patients by open thoracotomy. An adequate specimen is mandatory for diagnosis and thoracotomy is indicated. To be considered in the differential diagnosis are Wegener's granulomatosis, the limited form of Wegener's granulomatosis, lymphoma, allergic granulomatosis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, plasma cell granuloma, and infectious granuloma.
Resuscitation of the newborn infant

Perinatal asphyxia may occur prior to or at the time of birth, leading to hypoxia and acidosis with persistence of the fetal circulatory pattern. Resuscitation facilitates transition to the adult circulatory pattern by restoring normal oxygenation, ventilation, and perfusion. Assessment of the degree of asphyxia should utilize the Apgar score, and resuscitation should proceed in a stepwise fashion to an extent determined by the degree of depression. Aspects of resuscitation unique to the newborn are reviewed, in addition to situations requiring specific intervention.
ACQUISITION OF BLENDING SKILLS: COMPARISONS AMONG BODY-CODA, ONSET-RIME, AND PHONEME BLENDING TASKS

Following research on phonological awareness development, this study explores children's acquisition of blending skills using three types of stimuli: body-coda, onset-rime, and phonemes. The results demonstrated that kindergarten children consistently gained proficiency for blending body-coda stimuli prior to onset-rime stimuli and phonemes. The results are interpreted to support an instructional process where blending is treated as a generalizable skill, and children work with the simplest material first. Thus, our proposition is that children be trained to blend body-codas first, then progress to more phonologically difficult blending tasks such as onset-rimes and phonemes.
Afterbody flowfield computations at transonic and supersonic Mach numbers

The flowfield around various axisymmetric afterbody configurations is computed with a finite-volume NavierStokes code, incorporating a total variation diminishing implicit upwind-biased scheme for high accuracy and using alternatively the k-e or the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model. Computations are done for both solid plume simulators and real jet flows. Results for two geometries at several combinations of jet and freestream conditions are shown. Agreement with the experimental data is very good.
Empirical analysis of adopters of economic value added

Abstract Economic Value Added is a new measure of performance that is purported to better align managers’ incentives to that of the shareholders. Accordingly, firms that experience higher agency conflicts should be more inclined to use this performance evaluation system. Additionally, the organizational strategy of the firm should influence the likelihood of employing EVA. Prospector firms are defined as firms that apply a differentiation strategy while defender firms focus on being cost-leaders. Firms identified as prospectors should be less likely to use EVA. One hundred and fifteen firms were identified as being adopters of EVA. Logistic regression was performed to contrast these firms to a control group of 1271 non-adopters. The results indicate that firms using EVA exhibit a higher percentage of institutional ownership and a lower percentage of insider ownership than non-adopters. Prospector firms as defined by a higher ratio of research and development to sales tend to use EVA less than defender firms. Accounting adjustments are a focal point of the EVA formulation and the results presented in this study suggest that providing appropriate incentives may be more complex than the developers of EVA imply.
Nanopore Detection of Copper Ions using a Polyhistidine Probe

We report a stochastic nanopore sensing method for the detection of Cu(2+) ions. By employing a polyhistidine molecule as a chelating agent, and based on the different signatures of the events produced by the translocation of the chelating agent through an α-hemolysin pore in the absence and presence of target analytes, trace amounts of copper ions could be detected with a detection limit of 40 nM. Importantly, although Co(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+) also interacts with the polyhistidine molecule, since the event residence times and/or blockage amplitudes for these metal chelates are significantly different from those of copper chelates, these metal ions do not interfere with Cu(2+) detection. This chelating reaction approach should find useful application in the development of nanopore sensors for other metal ions.
Model selection and change detection for a time-varying mean in process monitoring

Abstract Process monitoring (PM) for nuclear safeguards sometimes requires estimation of thresholds corresponding to small false alarm rates. Threshold estimation is an old topic; however, because possible new roles for PM are being evaluated in nuclear safeguards, it is timely to consider modern model selection options in the context of alarm threshold estimation. One of the possible new PM roles involves PM residuals, where a residual is defined as residual=data−prediction. This paper briefly reviews alarm threshold estimation, introduces model selection options, and considers several assumptions regarding the data-generating mechanism for PM residuals. Four PM examples from nuclear safeguards are included. One example involves frequent by-batch material balance closures where a dissolution vessel has time-varying efficiency, leading to time-varying material holdup. Another example involves periodic partial cleanout of in-process inventory, leading to challenging structure in the time series of PM residuals. Our main focus is model selection to select a defensible model for normal behavior with a time-varying mean in a PM residual stream. We use approximate Bayesian computation to perform the model selection and parameter estimation for normal behavior. We then describe a simple lag-one-differencing option similar to that used to monitor non-stationary times series to monitor for off-normal behavior.
Scaling a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid System to Meet a Range of Power Demand

In recent years there has been significant interest in using the heat generated from the normal operation of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to supplant the normal combustion process of a gas turbine system. By doing this a gas turbine fuel cell hybrid power generation system is formed. Because the heat produced by a SOFC is utilized by the turbine to produce work, the hybrid system can have an overall system efficiency that greatly exceeds those of either the stand alone SOFC system, or the stand alone gas turbine system. One of the most critical problems that must be addressed in gas turbine fuel cell hybrid technology is temperature control. A hybrid system that is designed to operate efficiently for a given base load may not be easily extended to accommodate peek load. In this paper a simple hybrid system configuration using a standard SOFC and a single compressor-turbine pair is presented. This simple system is used to establish the effect that key configuration parameters have on system temperatures. The configuration model is then scaled over a range of fuel input and power output to show the limitations of the system. The system is modeled using the ASPEN PLUS ® simulation software with special modules to calculate fuel cell performance.
Preterm delivery among first-time Mexico-born mothers: a binational population-based comparison of deliveries in California and Mexico

Background While studies have attributed the favourable birth outcomes of Mexico-born mothers in the USA to a ‘healthy immigrant effect’ that confers protection to immigrants, a comparison of immigrants with the source population in Mexico has been lacking. We compared preterm delivery (PTD) rates of Mexico-born immigrants who delivered in California with Mexico-born women who delivered in Mexico (WIMX) and with a subgroup who delivered in the five top immigrant sending states in Mexico. Methods Using 2009 birth records, we selected all live-born singletons of primiparous WIMX (699 129) and immigrants in California (33 251). We examined the unadjusted and adjusted association between place of delivery and any PTD ( Results PTD rates were higher among immigrants in California (6.7%) than WIMX (5.8%) and compared to women in the sending states (5.5%). The unadjusted risk of any PTD (RR=1.17 (1.12 to 1.22)), early/moderate PTD ( Conclusions We found no evidence of a ‘healthy immigrant effect’. Further research must assess the comparability of gestational-age data in Mexican and Californian birth certificates.
Heavy ion physics at the LHC

The ion-ion center of mass energies at the LHC will exceed that at RHIC by nearly a factor of 30, providing exciting opportunities for addressing unique physics issues in a completely new energy domain. Some highlights of this new physics domain are presented here. We briefly describe how these collisions will provide new insights into the high density, low momentum gluon content of the nucleus expected to dominate the dynamics of the early state of the system. We then discuss how the dense initial state of the nucleus affects the lifetime and temperature of the produced system. Finally, we explain how the high energy domain of the LHC allows abundant production of ''rare'' processes, hard probes calculable in perturbative quantum chromodynamics, QCD. At the LHC, high momentum jets and b{bar b} bound states, the {Upsilon} family, will be produced with high statistics for the first time in heavy ion collisions.
Design and Validation of a Checklist to Aid in Choosing Word Processor Software

A checklist was designed to evaluate software usability. Then, to determine whether it was possible to collect the required data, the checklist was used to evaluate two different word processors. Finally, users of those two word processors were interviewed to determine whether their views of the strengths and weaknesses of each word processor matched the strengths and weaknesses indicated by the evaluation checklist. It was concluded that the checklist is both useful and usable.
The effect of anti-L on ouabain binding to sheep erythrocytes

Binding of3H-ouabain was studied in high potassium (HK) and low potassium (LK) sheep red cells. In particular, we investigated the effect of anti-L, an antibody raised in HK sheep against L-positive LK sheep red cells, on3H-ouabain binding and its relation to K+-pump flux inhibition in LK cells. HK cells were found to have about twice as many3H-ouabain binding sites and a higher association rate for3H-ouabain than homozygous LL-type LK cells. The number of3H-ouabain molecules bound to heterozygous LM-type LK cells is lower than that on LL cells, but the rate of ouabain binding is between that of HK and LL red cells. A close correlation was observed between the rates of3H-ouabain binding and fractional K+-pump inhibition. Exposure of LM and LL cells to anti-L did not affect the number of3H-ouabain molecules bound at saturation, but increased the rates of glycoside binding and K+-pump inhibition proportionately, so that for LK cells in the presence of anti-L, the rates of the two processes approximate those of HK cells. These data exclude the possibility that anti-L generates entirely new pump sites in LK sheep red cells, but suggest that the antibody increases the affinity of the existing Na+−K+ pumps for the glycoside.