cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of urbanization on plant flowering phenology: A review

Studies of flowering and leafing phenology have dramatically increased during the last few decades because changes in plant phenology can be indicative of possible effects of climate change at multiple scales. This article reviews the available literature focusing on the effects of urbanization on flowering phenology. The literature of flowering phenology in urban environments suggests that spring-blooming plants in a variety of ecosystems in North America, Europe, and China tend to bloom earlier in the city than in the surrounding un-urbanized habitat. Moreover, ephemerals, early spring bloomers, and insect-pollinated plants in these environments tend to be more sensitive than perennials, mid- or late-spring bloomers, and wind-pollinated plants. Researchers attribute advanced flowering in urban environments to the Heat Island Effect. The potential ecological consequences of changes in flowering phenology in urbanized areas are not well understood or explicitly studied. However, studies in global biology have suggested that climate change may result in a series of important ecological consequences as well as human-related problems such as earlier and extended allergy seasons. More field-based studies are needed to elucidate this issue.
Asynchronous DS-SS CDMA random spreading code correlation statistics in the presence of timing error

We quantify the effect of timing tracking errors upon 2nd order correlation statistics of random binary spreading codes and, in so doing, fill a gap in the literature. Using a Gaussian model for timing tracking error, new expressions for autocorrelation statistics are derived. For crosscorrelations, we show that a zero mean Gaussian timing error has no effect upon 2nd order crosscorrelation statistics.
Fatty Liver Accompanies an Increase in Lactobacillus Species in the Hind Gut of C57BL/6 Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

High-fat (HF) diets can produce obesity and have been linked to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and changes in the gut microbiome. To test the hypothesis that HF feeding increases certain predominant hind gut bacteria and development of steatohepatitis, C57BL/6 mice were fed an HF (45% energy) or low-fat (LF) (10% energy) diet for 10 wk. At the end of the feeding period, body weights in the HF group were 34% greater than those in the LF group (P < 0.05). These changes were associated with dramatic increases in lipid droplet number and size, inflammatory cell infiltration, and inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase protein concentration in the livers of mice fed the HF diet. Consistent with the fatty liver phenotype, plasma leptin and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were also elevated in mice fed the HF diet, indicative of chronic inflammation. Eight of 12 pairs of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for bacterial species that typically predominate hind gut microbial ecology generated specific PCR products from the fecal DNA samples. The amount of DNA from Lactobacillus gasseri and/or Lactobacillus taiwanensis in the HF group was 6900-fold greater than that in the LF group. Many of these bacteria are bile acid resistant and are capable of bile acid deconjugation. Because bile acids are regulators of hepatic lipid metabolism, the marked increase of gut L. gasseri and/or L. taiwanensis species bacteria with HF feeding may play a role in development of steatohepatitis in this model.
Malignancy in a series of 70 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Eight of 70 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed for a median interval of 6 years and 8 months, developed malignancies. These included a case of reticulum-cell sarcoma, multiple myeloma, Bowen's carcinoma of the skin and five carcinomas of the cervix. Six of the patients had been treated with corticosteroids, in 2 cases in association with azathioprine. An increased incidence of malignancy may be present in SLE and this possibility should be explored further.
Reactivity ratios for copolymerization of vinyl chloride with 2‐methylpentyl vinyl brassylate by computerized linearization

A computerized version of the Fineman-Ross linearization procedure was used to determine reactivity ratios for copolymerization of vinyl chloride (monomer 1) and 2-methylpentyl vinyl brassylate (monomer 2). From differential refractometry data for the products of low-conversion copolymerization, the procedure gave r1 = 1.06 and r2 = 0.234. The ratios computed from chlorine contents of the same products were r1 = 1.10 and r2 = 0.239. The polarity factor (e2) and general monomer reactivity (Q2) calculated for monomer 2 from these ratios were, respectively, −0.95 to −0.98 and 0.032–0.033. The interquartile range for the copolymerization of a mixture of 60% monomer 1 and 40% monomer 2 was 1.4%. These values suggest that from suitable proportions of reactants, sufficiently homogeneous distribution of monomers can be achieved in copolymers of vinyl chloride and 2-methylpentyl vinyl brassylate to offer the possibility of effective internal plasticization.
Fracture surface energies from dynamical cleavage analysis

Abstract The model that describes the wedging open of a cleavage crack in double cantilevered specimens constrains the tip ends of the crystal to move with a constant velocity. In rapidly loaded specimens, cracks have been observed to propagate as rapidly as bending moment pulses produced by flexure waves. These bending moment pulses are generated when the ends of the crystal are deflected at a constant rate. A maximum velocity of the tip end of the specimen to ensure stable crack propagation is derived by comparing the propagation and magnitude of the dynamical bending moment pulses to the propagation of stable cracks. Fracture surface energies calculated from observations of the motion of a crack are therefore not reliable under fast loading conditions.
Ignition Evaluation of Monopropellant Blends of HAN and Imidazole-Based Ionic Liquid Fuels

Potential dual-mode monopropellant/electrospray capable binary mixtures of hydroxyl ammonium nitrate with ionic liquid fuels [Bmim][NO3] and [Emim][EtSO4] are synthesized and tested for monopropellant ignition capability in a micro reactor setup. The setup is benchmarked using 30% hydrogen peroxide solution decomposed via silver catalyst. Results show similar trends, but variance in the quantitative data obtained in literature. A parametric study on the geometry of the sample holder that contains the catalyst material in the reactor shows a large variance leading to the conclusion that quantitative data may only be compared to the exact same geometry. Hydrazine decomposition was conducted on unsupported iridium catalyst. The same trends in terms of pressure rise rate during decomposition (~160 mbar/s) are obtained with unsupported catalyst, but at 100 o C instead of room temperature for tests conducted on supported catalysts in literature. Two catalyst materials were tested with the novel propellants: rhenium and iridium. For the [Bmim][NO3]/HAN propellant, rhenium preheated to 160 o C yielded a pressure slope of 26 mbar/s, compared to 14 mbar/s for iridium and 12 mbar/s for no catalyst at the same temperature. [Emim][EtSO4]/HAN propellant shows slightly less activity at 160 o C preheat temperature, yielding a pressure slope of 20 mbar/s, 4 mbar/s, and 2.5 mbar/s for injection onto rhenium, iridium, and the thermal plate, respectively. Final results indicate that desirable ignition performance may potentially be obtained by using a supported rhenium catalyst, since the pressure slopes obtained with the new propellants on unsupported catalyst lie between that of hydrazine on iridium at 50 o C and room temperature.
Linking financial distress to marital quality: The intermediary roles of demand/withdraw and spousal gratitude expressions

This study investigates demand/withdraw communication and spousal expressions of gratitude as intervening variables in the association between financial distress and marital quality. With a sample of 468 married individuals, dual-mediation models revealed demand/withdraw transmitted the effect of financial distress onto 3 different marital outcomes; in most instances, this indirect effect occurred through total couple demand/withdraw and not one spouse-specific pattern. In moderated mediation models, spousal gratitude exerted main effects on all marital outcomes and, for a subset of outcomes, protective effects for couples with high levels of demand/withdraw. Results elucidate how demand/withdraw patterns link financial distress to marital outcomes and highlight spousal gratitude expressions as a promising, yet understudied, process within couples that promotes and protects marital quality. The deleterious effect of financial distress on spouses and their marriage is well documented, with higher levels of financial distress commonly associated with lower levels of observed and self-reported marital interaction and marital quality (see Conger et al., 1990; Falconier & Epstein, 2011a; Williamson, Karney, & Bradbury, 2013). With this effect established, research attention shifts to understanding the mechanisms and contingencies for this phenomenon (Hayes, 2012). In other words,
Enhancements to the next generation collision avoidance system: opportunities for greater safety and efficiency

The next generation of the airborne collision avoidance system, TCAS IV, will improve upon the present TCAS II in several respects. In making use of accurate satellite-based position data and air-to-air data link of intent, TCAS IV will support superior collision threat detection and resolution. Operational applications making use of cockpit-displayed traffic information should facilitate more efficient and flexible flight.
Cancer-related fatigue and its associations with depression and anxiety: a systematic review.

Background Fatigue is an important symptom in cancer and has been shown to be associated with psychological distress. Objective This review assesses evidence regarding associations of cancer-related fatigue with depression and anxiety. Method Database searches yielded 59 studies reporting correlation coefficients or odds ratios. Results The combined sample size was 12,103. Almost all studies showed a correlation of fatigue with depression and with anxiety. However, 31 different instruments were used to assess fatigue, suggesting a lack of consensus on measurement. Conclusion This review confirms the association of fatigue with depression and anxiety. Directionality needs to be better delineated in longitudinal studies.
Programmer-Friendly Refactoring Errors

Refactoring tools, common to many integrated development environments, can help programmers to restructure their code. These tools sometimes refuse to restructure the programmer's code, instead giving the programmer a textual error message that she must decode if she wishes to understand the reason for the tool's refusal and what corrective action to take. This paper describes a graphical alternative to textual error messages called Refactoring Annotations. It reports on two experiments, one using an integrated development environment and the other using paper mockups, that show that programmers can use Refactoring Annotations to quickly and accurately understand the cause of refactoring errors.
Potential-based volume integral equations

Electromagnetic potential-based volume integral equations (VIEs) for the efficient analysis of large-scale problems are presented. Different from the conventional VIEs the proposed approach is based on scalar and vector potential unknowns. A VIE and the Lorentz gauge equations constitute a complete required set. The introduced potential VIEs (PVIEs) allow using scalar interpolatory nodal basis functions, do not require any surface integrals (both for homogeneous or inhomogeneous domains), and do not involve any hyper-singular integrals. This method works from very low- to high-frequency regimes, does not have high-density mesh breakdowns, requires a significantly reduced number of quadrature nodes as compared to methods based on vector basis functions, and is easy to implement for low- and high-order basis functions. The method is coupled with fast interpolation based techniques implemented on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to allow for the rapid analysis of complex structures.
Myoelectric Motility Patterns Following Open Versus Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

ABSTRACT Laparoscopic surgery is associated with a lack of postoperative ileus. To determine if differences exist in postoperative motility patterns, 8 dogs were instrumented with bipolar electrode...
16.4 A flexible EEG acquisition and biomarker extraction system based on thin-film electronics

EEG is an important modality for many medical purposes. However, the low-amplitude of signals (10-to-100µV) and large number of channels (∼20) raise numerous challenges, including electrode setup (correct placement, skin preparation, sanitation), patient comfort (number of channels, skin abrasion), and robust acquisition (electrode/wire motion artifacts, wire stray coupling). The recent emergence of low-cost, single-use, flexible, pre-gelled electrode arrays, as in Fig. 16.4.1, delivers significant advantages [1]. Today, these are passive, requiring connection to external readout electronics via a many-channel cable. We present the system in Fig. 16.4.1, having similar flexible form factor, but with the following enhancements: (1) embedded low-noise chopper-stabilized amplifiers using amorphous-silicon (a-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) compatible with flexible substrates (i.e. low-temperature-processed, 20 EEG channels onto a single interface using TFT scanning circuits, to substantially ease connection with an embedded IC; and (3) an algorithm whereby spectral-energy features, a generic EEG biomarker, are derived directly from the compressed signals (by a conventional CMOS IC). Seizure detection from the extracted features is demonstrated via analog replay of patient EEG through the system.
Optimizing Solute-Solute Interactions in the GLYCAM06 and CHARMM36 Carbohydrate Force Fields Using Osmotic Pressure Measurements

GLYCAM06 and CHARMM36 are successful force fields for modeling carbohydrates. To correct recently identified deficiencies with both force fields, we adjusted intersolute nonbonded parameters to reproduce the experimental osmotic coefficient of glucose at 1 M. The modified parameters improve behavior of glucose and sucrose up to 4 M and improve modeling of a dextran 55-mer. While the modified parameters may not be applicable to all carbohydrates, they highlight the use of osmotic simulations to optimize force fields.
The experience of certified peer specialists in mental health

ABSTRACTCertified peer specialists (CPS) are mental health consumers in recovery from their illness who received special training enabling them to work as paid mental health staff to support other consumers not as advanced in their recovery. This research sought to understand the barriers and facilitators of effective CPS work using a qualitative approach. The CPS that were interviewed reported that the major barriers to effective work are agencies that are not sufficiently recovery oriented, and professional providers who do not understand the CPS role. CPS reported that facilitators included a sense that the work was rewarding, and that the organizations and supervisors were supportive.
Simulation game on the relation between an analytical chemical laboratory and process control

A simulation game is developed in which players can obtain insight into the connection between analytical chemical methods and the use of these methods for specific purposes, e.g. process control. The analytical methods are characterised by e.g. reproducibility, dead-time and staff- and instrument requirements. The external conditions of the played situation, e.g. sampling frequency, time, money and available staff also play a role in the game.
Extinguishing the Invisible Fire: The Eradication of Smallpox

In honor of the tenth anniversary of the declaration of the global eradication of smallpox, a brief review of the eradication program is presented within the historical context of the disease. Like plague and typhus, variola has killed hundreds of millions of people and undoubtably affected the course of human history. Smallpox is the only infectious disease to be eradicated worldwide and represents the single most significant public health triumph of the 20th century.
The Effects of Individual Differences on Vigilance Training and Performance in a Dynamic Vigilance Task

Efforts to mitigate the vigilance decrement include training with feedback in the form of knowledge of results (KR). However, the influences of individual differences on vigilance training and performance are not well understood. Based on previous studies on individual differences in vigilance, the present study investigates the impact of feedback, as well as six individual differences variables (i.e. Attentional Control, Boredom Proneness, Cognitive Failures, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism) on several performance measures. Results indicated that, in general, individual differences did not affect performance or training effectiveness. Hence, KR training may be effective for most operators confronted with monitoring tasks.
Humoral regulation of erythropoiesis. VII. Shortened survival of erythrocytes produced by erythropoietine or severe anemia.

SummaryRed cells formed in response to erythropoietine or severe anemia have a substantially shortened life span. The possibility is proposed that this is related to the macrocytic character of the cells. The results are in agreement with the hypothesis that erythropoietine is not the sole regulator of red cell production.
Pheromone Traps for Moths: Evaluation of Cone Trap Designs and Design Parameters

Cone-orifice traps were found more suitable than sticky traps for capture of 4 moth species with sex attractant lures. Single-cone wind-directional traps were as efficient overall as double-cone fixed traps of similar dimensions. The best orifice diam for capture and retention of 5 species equaled ca. 2× the thorax width of the males; radical departures from this optimum resulted in greatly decreased capture totals. Up to a limiting value trap catches were proportional to the cross-sectional air flow diam of the trap.
The islanding effect: post-disaster mobility systems and humanitarian logistics in Haiti:

Natural disasters bring to the fore the astounding interdependence and fragility of the complex mobility systems and infrastructural moorings that make up contemporary transnational geographies. Cities – and especially entire islands – suffering catastrophic events are illustrative of how the dynamic intertwining of transportation, communication, provisioning, and scheduling systems can rapidly unravel. Through an analysis of the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, this article examines how natural disasters demobilize and remobilize; how they strike at mobility systems and trouble mobility justice; and also engender their own unique mobilities (and immobilities). Through an analysis of the uneven network capital expended as humanitarian mobility into post-earthquake Port-au-Prince (with comparison to post-hurricane New Orleans) it is shown how post-disaster logistics simultaneously produce disconnections, limit capabilities for mobility, and introduce what is theorized as an ‘islanding eff...
Teacher Ratings of Instructional and Setting Demands in Vocational Education Classes

There is an urgent need for support services for teachers and for interventions for students in vocational education mainstreaming programs. Development of appropriate and specific interventions for use in these classes requires precise descriptions of instructional demands and teacher expectations in the technical, home economics, and business areas of vocational education. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the instructional setting demands and teacher expectations of vocational education classes with those found in regular academic classes. Results were mixed and not significantly different for instructional grouping and instructional materials and methods. Teachers in academic and vocational classes also held similar expectations for behaviors necessary for success in their courses. However, significant differences were found in the demands of physical setting, method of instruction, class requirements, and allowed accommodations. In addition, significant differences were found between t...
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Interactions at the Interface Between Functionalized Carbon Nanofibers and Polymer Resins

The discovery of vapor grown carbon nanofibers has created a significant opportunity to develop high performance and cost-effective nanocomposite materials. However, significant challenges in the development of such composite materials lie in the poor dispersion of carbon nanofibers into polymer resins and the weak interfacial bonding between carbon nanofibers and polymer resins. These critical issues have to be addressed by chemical functionalization of carbon nanofibers. Understanding molecular interactions between functionalized carbon nanofibers and polymer resins is a crucial step towards their potential use in nanocomposites. In this work, the effects of surface functional groups on the molecular interactions between carbon nanofibers and polymer resins have been studied by using molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that chemical functionalization of vapor grown carbon nanofibers increased the amount of surface functional groups which disturbed the original smooth graphitic planes of carbon nanofibers. The functionalization of vapor grown carbon nanofibers decreased the amount of π-bonds on the nanofiber surface, which resulted in the weaker interaction with polymer resins. The simulation results provided fundamental information for the rational functionalization of vapor grown carbon nanofibers to manipulate their nanoscale properties in a predicative manner.© 2006 ASME
Glucocorticoid selection for pediatric ALL

In this issue of Blood, Moricke et al report findings from the Associazione Italiana di Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica–Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (AIEOP-BFM) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) 2000 clinical trial that substituting dexamethasone for prednisone during induction chemotherapy for children and adolescents with ALL improved event-free survival (EFS), but had no impact on overall survival (OS).1
Research progress of All-Solid-State sum-frequency lasers

Nonlinear sum-frequency technology increases the number of laser wavelengths and provides many new and useful laser for many application fields.In this paper,generation of intra-cavity dual-wavelength and the optimum condition of sum-frequency conversion efficiency lasers are analyzed,especially the current research status of All-Solid-State yellow and blue lasers are introduced.Nonlinear-optical methods of sum-frequency mixing yellow lasers and blue lasers were compared.Then the research situation and the ways of Sum-frequency ultraviolet lasers are presented simply.Finally,the developing tendency of All-Solid-State sum-frequency lasers in future is pointed out.
A non-modal approach to integrating dialogue and action

We have developed and demonstrated an experimental authoring and run-time tool, called Disco for Games, that supports the creation of games in which dialogue and action are integrated without the need for changing modes. This tool is based on collaborative discourse theory and hierarchical task networks, in which utterances are treated as actions, and has a number of additional benefits including better modeling of interruptions, automatic dialogue generation, plan recognition and automatic failure retry.
Current Concepts in Management of Obstetric Problems for Pediatricians: I. Monitoring the High-Risk Fetus

Modern pediatric/neonatal practice demands an understanding of fetal monitoring. Biochemical techniques have given way to biophysical and ultrasonographic modalities in an attempt to improve both sensitivity and specificity. Simple techniques such as fetal movement counts show promise and are being investigated.
Functions of stress-activated MAP kinases in the immune response

The stress-activated protein kinases (SAPK) represent one group of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that are activated by antigen receptors, Toll-like receptors, cytokine receptors, and physical-chemical changes in the environment. The SAPK are established to be important mediators of intracellular signaling during both adaptive and innate immune responses. Here, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of two sub-groups of SAPK – cJun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK.
Evaluation of treatment of hip subluxation in myelomeningocele by intertrochanteric varus derotation femoral osteotomy

SUMMARY A retrospective study of 27 subluxed hips was carried out in 18 patients with myelomeningocele treated by varus derotation intertrochanteric osteotomy. Twenty-three of the 27 hips were stable at follow-up review. The causes of failure were related to the presence of pelvic obliquity secondary to scoliosis or to a dysplastic acetabulum (acetabular index above 25 to 30 degrees). Transfer of the iliopsoas tendon was not found to be necessary in order to achieve stable reduction.
Clinical predictors in the evaluation of a pelvic mass.

Objective: To determine the frequency by age of ovarian malignancies in women with a pelvic mass and to assess preoperative indicators for ovarian cancer. Methods: Inpatient charts from June 1, 1990, to August 30, 1992, were reviewed with preoperative diagnoses of a pelvic mass. Preoperative evaluation, surgical procedure, and pathologic diagnoses were recorded. Comparisons were made using the Fisher exact test. Results: In patients with ovarian disease, benign masses were found more commonly than malignancies (72 versus 13%, respectively). Ovarian malignancies were more common in patients over age 50 than in patients younger than 50 (25.6 versus 5.1%; p < 0.001). Preoperative platelet count, CA 125, and ultrasound findings did not identify patients with ovarian malignancy. Conclusions: Ovarian malignancies are uncommon in young women, but the risk of malignancy increases with age. Elevated CA 125 levels may prove to be helpful in evaluating pelvic masses in postmenopausal women.
Substance Use Among College Students

Emerging adulthood has heightened risk for substance use. College students experience unique challenges, making them prone to use of alcohol, marijuana, and nonmedical use of prescription drugs. This article reviews rates of college students' substance use, risk factors, and populations at elevated risk. Consequences include legal, academic, and mental health problems; engagement in other risky behaviors; increased rates of injury; and death. Researchers, clinicians, and university administrators must identify those at greatest risk and provide prevention and intervention programs. Despite broad evidence supporting such programs, many students fail to access appropriate treatment. Future research should elucidate treatment barriers.
Food Intimacy: A Parental Perspective of Eating Behaviors in Obese Youth

Disordered eating behaviors are implicated in the development and persistence of obesity in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The purpose of this study was to provide a qualitative perspective...
Formalization of Habanero phasers using Coq

Abstract Phasers pose an interesting synchronization mechanism that generalizes many collective synchronization patterns seen in parallel programming languages, including barriers, clocks, and point-to-point synchronization using latches or semaphores. This work characterizes scheduling constraints on phaser operations, by relating the execution state of two tasks that operate on the same phaser. We propose a formalization of Habanero phasers, May-Happen-In-Parallel, and Happens–Before relations for phaser operations, and show that these relations conform with the semantics. Our formalization and proofs are fully mechanized using the Coq proof assistant, and are available online.
Anchored Personalization in Managing Goal Conflict between Professional Groups: The Case of U.S. Army Mental Health Care:

Organizational life is rife with conflict between groups that pursue different goals, particularly when groups have strong commitments to professional identities developed outside the organization....
Sexual Violence Victimization Among College Females: A Systematic Review of Rates, Barriers, and Facilitators of Health Service Utilization on Campus:

To date, little work specifically addresses empirical studies concerning barriers and facilitators to health service use among college female sexual violence victims. The following objectives were addressed: (1) analyze studies of college-aged women who have been victims of sexual violence to examine the frequency and moderating characteristics of utilization of university-based resources available, (2) identify inconsistencies and gaps in the literature concerning sexual victimization and service utilization, and (3) provide next steps for researchers and clinical care coordinators. Six electronic databases were searched from 1990 to May 2016. Inclusion criteria for the review were (1) university or college setting or sample, (2) empirical design, and (3) inclusion of some discussion or measurement of health service use. Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) procedures, 22 articles were identified for the review. Although prevalence rates of sexual victimization were high (4.7-58%), rates of service utilization were lower (0-42%). There were significant discrepancies between hypothetical use of services and actual rates of service use. Identified barriers included feelings of shame, guilt and embarrassment, not wanting friends and family to find out, and thinking the victimization was not serious enough to report. Identified facilitators included acknowledging the sexual violence victimization as a crime, receiving encouragement from friends and family to utilize health services, and receiving a positive response during the initial informal disclosure. Finally, measurement of victimization was inconsistent across studies. Recommendations are offered for college campus prevention programming and future research.
Quantitative Approaches to Sensory Information Encoding by Bat Noseleaves and Pinnae

The biosonar systems of horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) and Old World round leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae) incorporate a pervasive dynamic at the interfaces for ultrasound emission (noseleaves) an...
Parents’ Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities

This qualitative study was designed to understand parents’ perceptions of their children’s participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme in the United States. Ten parents and one caregiver w...
Temperature dependence of exchange bias in (NiFe/IrMn)n multilayer films studied through static and dynamic techniques

The in-plane temperature dependence of exchange bias was studied through both dc magnetometry and ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy in a series of [NiFe/IrMn]n multilayer films, where n is the number of layer repetitions. Major hysteresis loops were recorded in the temperature range of 300 K to 2 K to reveal the effect of temperature on the exchange bias in the static regime while temperature-dependent continuous-wave ferromagnetic resonance for frequencies from 3 to 16 GHz was used to determine the exchange bias dynamically. Strong divergence between the values of exchange bias determined using the two different types of measurements as well as a peak in temperature dependence of the resonance linewidth were observed. These results are explained in terms of the slow-relaxer mechanism.
The Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Rates of Chronic Symptomatic Illness in 202 Gulf War Veterans.

Introduction Although not a "signature injury" of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (i.e., Gulf War, GW), some GW veterans have a history traumatic brain injury (TBI). For example, a previous study found that 12.2% of the GW veterans from the Fort Devens Cohort Study had self-reported TBIs. The present study sought to build upon this finding by examining the relationship between TBI and chronic symptomatic illness in a different sample of GW veterans. Materials and methods Participants were 202 GW veterans recruited from 2014 to 2018 at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center as part of a VA-funded study on the effects of predicted exposure to low levels of sarin and cyclosarin on brain structure and function. The Ohio State University TBI identification method was used to determine lifetime history of TBI. The Kansas Gulf War Military History and Health Questionnaire was used to assess symptoms and to determine cases of Kansas Gulf War Illness (GWI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chronic Multisymptom Illness (CMI). Results Nearly half (47%) the sample had a history of TBI, but only 7% of the TBIs were sustained in injuries that occurred during the GW. Most of the TBIs were sustained in injuries that occurred prior to (73%) or after (34%) the GW. History of TBI was not associated with higher rates of symptomatic illness when it was narrowly defined (i.e., Kansas GWI cases or cases of severe CMI). History of TBI was only associated with higher rates of symptomatic illness when it is broadly defined (i.e., CDC CMI or mild-moderate CMI). There was suggestive evidence that veterans who sustained TBIs during the GW (only seven in the present sample) have poorer functional outcomes compared with GW veterans with non-GW related TBIs. Conclusions While TBIs were uncommon during the GW, many GW veterans sustained TBIs prior or after the GW. Because TBI and GWI/CMI share some overlapping symptoms, history of TBI may appear to be associated with increased rates of chronic symptomatic illness in GW veterans if chronic symptomatic illness is defined broadly (i.e., CDC CMI or mild-moderate CMI). History of pre-GW TBI did not affect the veterans' response to exposures/experiences from the GW; however, there was suggestive evidence that veterans who sustained TBIs during the GW may have poorer functional outcomes that GW veterans without TBI or even GW veterans with non-GW-related TBIs. Future, better powered studies with randomly and systematically select participants from the larger population of GW veterans will need to confirm this finding.
PAIN: A Prelude

We must all die. But that I can save him from daysof torture, that is what I feel as my great and evernew privilege. Pain is a more terrible lord ofmankind than even death itself.ALBERT SCHWEITZER Pain has long been feared. The quotation from Albert Schweitzer is probably representative of the feelings of most patients and physicians alike. Management of pain in the critically ill patient demands extreme dedication to the provision of analgesia that is appropriate for the specific clinical situation. An intensivist's challenge is vast, and lies in understanding the mechanisms of nociception, understanding the influences of stress responses evoked during surgery or non-surgical critical illness, understanding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, understanding the influences of drugs on changes in volume of distribution or organ dysfunction, possessing a mastery of techniques which may be indicated under certain clinical circumstances and finally trying to ensure the appropriate level of analgesia many times under conditions when direct patient feedback is unattainable. As one might expect, the challenges are many and complex. The causation of pain is generally multifactorial in the critical care unit. Depending on the setting, patients may possess immense surgical wounds or experience pain emanating from nonsurgical sources. Most patients will have catheters of some classification inserted, for example Foley catheters, pulmonary artery catheters, central venous catheters, or arterial catheters, and a vast array of drains. Tubes inserted may include endotracheal, nasogastric, Dobhoff, and thoracostomy tubes. In addition to surgical trauma, pain may originate as a result of nonsurgical etiologies and may include myocardial ischemia and/or infarction, pancreatitis, a sickle cell anemia crisis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, nephrolithiasis, or cholecystitis, all of which require medical attention and, if deemed serious, could mandate admission to the critical care unit. This article will attempt to review briefly what is understood and what is not understood about pain and its management. Topics include pain assessment, knowledge of analgesia administration, the physiologic influences of pain (both surgical and non-surgical), and the impact of pain on patient outcome.
Assessing Recent Firesetting Behavior and Taking a Firesetting History

Publisher Summary Understanding the history and pattern of the firesetting behavior is crucial in devising an effective intervention. Just as a careful history is crucial in treating a clinical condition, one need to document and understand the history of firesetting in children and adolescents if one is going to effectively address this behavior. If the child has set a fire that necessitated a response from the fire department, the first place to begin is by securing a copy of the cause and origin report. Cause and origin reports are standard reports written by a fire department describing when the fire was reported, how the department responded, how the fire was extinguished, the actions taken at the scene, and the probable cause and origin of the fire. These reports are readily available and in most jurisdictions are public records, except where a fire is still under investigation or where there are court proceedings underway involving the person who might have set a fire. However, an official fire scene report coupled with the insight and expert opinion of an arson investigator reveals a version of events with very little room for interpretation. The fact that a distinct fire occurred with a fire department response and subsequent investigation serves to set the tone for an interview regarding the child's firesetting behavior.
Coal Conversion in Carbon Monoxide–Water Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the conversions of bituminous coals in water systems and several aspects of the process, including the kinetics and mechanism of the conversions. The mineral matter in coals includes abundant quantities of silica, several aluminosilicates, pyrite (FeS2) as the major sulfide, and smaller quantities of oxides and carbonates. Conversion in H2/H2O systems is very sensitive to the mineral content of the coal, with the conversion falling in the absence of the mineral material. FeS2, a major component in coal mineral matter, can be very reactive under hydrothermal conditions. The effectiveness of the CO/water system in conversion has been discussed in the chapter. The increase in the level of ultimate coal conversion upon switching to D2O as the medium shows that the interplay of subtle kinetic features of the reducing system can substantially affect the convertibility of a given coal.
The Body in Pain, The Ideals in Vein

Cuba: My Revolution, a graphic novel by Inverna Lockpez (2010) and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2000) depict the story of the Cuban and Iranian Revolutions through the eyes of their respective female protagonists. The semi-autobiographical or roman a clef Cuba: My Revolution portrays Sonya’s life, a seventeen years old girl, in the revolutionary Cuba. Sonya, torn between her advocacy for the revolution and her dreams of becoming an artist, decides to become a surgeon to “serve the people”. The biographical novel of Satrapi narrates her own childhood as a ten-year-old girl in Iran of 1980s. The reader, in two volumes (hereafter Persepolis I and Persepolis II), witnesses Marji’s transformation to an adult alongside with political changes of the country. Although in the first place the two characters, particularly Sonya, greet the above motioned changes with optimism, soon the revolutionary illusion is replaced with disenchantment. The so-called disillusion is depicted in dialogues and the illustrations, inter alia. However, this paper aims to analyze the transformation of body of main female characters as a way in which failure of revolutionary ideals are shown. Indeed, the body as a major source of perception, allows Marji and Sonya to understand their countries and come to grips with the changing ideals as well as reality. I shall unfold the decline of the revolution from the angle of bodily transformation. It is my intention to consider the bodily basis of dystopia as a primary approach toward a painstaking study of the Cuban and Iranian Revolutions.
Regression-based formulas for predicting change in memory test scores in healthy older adults: Comparing use of raw versus standardized scores

Introduction: Standardized regression based (SRB) methods can be used to determine whether meaningful changes in performance on cognitive assessments occur over time. Both raw and standardized scor...
Sarcoidosis Associated Pulmonary Hypertension: Correlation of Cascular Morphologic Changes with Hemodynamic Data in Explanted Lungs

Purpose Sarcoidosis associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) is classified as WHO Group V according to the 2018 WHO classification system. Previous case series have demonstrated efficacy of pulmonary vasodilators in treating severe PH in sarcoidosis. We present a series of patients with sarcoidosis associated PH and describe correlation between the pre-transplant hemodynamic data from a right heart catheterization (RHC) and vascular morphologic changes in the native explanted lungs. Methods Patients with sarcoidosis who underwent lung transplantation at Loyola University Medical Center were analyzed from 2014-2018. We collected demographic data, RHC data, NYHA functional class data, and echocardiogram. Pathology was reviewed to assess for presence and severity of fibrosis, presence or absence of granulomas in lung parenchyma and lymph nodes, and vascular morphologic changes using Heath Edwards PH classification. We evaluated PH changes in arterioles, muscular arteries of 1mm and 3mm caliber, and elastic arteries. These findings were correlated to RHC data. Results Seven patients who had a RHC prior to lung transplantation were identified and had a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 25 mmHg. All of the patients had well-formed granulomas except two cases that showed ill formed granulomas. 5 of 7 cases had lymph nodes involved and 5 of 7 had fibrosis. Medial hypertrophy of 1 and 3mm arteries was observed in all cases. 3 of 4 patients with severe PH (NYHA Class IV) and RV dysfunction on echocardiogram were on parenteral prostacyclin therapy at the time of transplant and had grade 3 changes in the 1 mm arteries and grade 2 changes in the 3 mm arteries. Only 2 of 7 cases showed arteriolar changes, which correlated with higher pressures. No plexiform lesions were seen in any of the patients. Conclusion In our series of sarcoidosis patients with PH who underwent lung transplant or transplantation, vascular morphologic changes at the level of the 1 mm and arterioles correlated with the presence of severe PH (NYHA Class IV) and RV dysfunction on echocardiogram. These patients lack the plexiform lesions typically seen in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Our study may identify a subset of sarcoid patients who have significant vascular remodeling and possibly explains the recently observed favorable response to vasodilator therapy.
A phase 2 trial of N-Acetylcysteine in Biliary atresia after Kasai portoenterostomy.

Abstract Background Biliary atresia (BA) is a life-threatening liver disease of infancy, characterized by extrahepatic biliary obstruction, bile retention, and progressive liver injury. The Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) is BA's only nontransplant treatment. Its success is variable and depends on restoration of hepatic bile flow. Many adjunctive therapeutics have been studied to improve outcomes after the KP, but none demonstrate effectiveness. This study tests if N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor to the choleretic glutathione, improves bile flow after KP. Methods This report describes the design of an open-label, single center, Phase 2 study to determine the effect of NAC following KP on markers of bile flow and outcomes in BA. The intervention is intravenous NAC (150 mg/kg/day) administered continuously for seven days starting 0–24 h after KP. The primary outcome is normalization of total serum bile acid (TSBA) concentrations within 24 weeks of KP. The secondary objectives are to describe NAC therapy's effect on other clinical parameters followed in BA for 24 months and to report adverse events occurring with therapy. This study follows the “minimax” clinical trial design. Discussion This is the first clinical trial to test NAC's effectiveness in improving bile flow after KP in BA. It introduces three important concepts for future BA therapeutic trials: (1) the “minimax” study design, a pertinent design for rare diseases because it detects potential effects quickly with small subject size; (2) the more sensitive bile flow marker, TSBAs, which may correlate with positive long-term outcomes better than traditional bile flow markers such as serum bilirubin; and (3) liver enzyme changes immediately after KP, which can be a guideline for potential drug-induced liver injury in other BA peri-operative adjunctive therapeutic trials.
Lateral Root and Nodule Transcriptomes of Soybean

Symbiotic legume nodules and lateral roots arise away from the root meristem via dedifferentiation events. While these organs share some morphological and developmental similarities, whether legume nodules are modified lateral roots is an open question. We dissected emerging nodules, mature nodules, emerging lateral roots and young lateral roots, and constructed strand-specific RNA sequencing (RNAseq) libraries using polyA-enriched RNA preparations. Root sections above and below these organs, devoid of any lateral organs, were used to construct respective control tissue libraries. High sequence quality, predominant mapping to coding sequences, and consistency between replicates indicated that the RNAseq libraries were of a very high quality. We identified genes enriched in emerging nodules, mature nodules, emerging lateral roots and young lateral roots in soybean by comparing global gene expression profiles between each of these organs and adjacent root segments. Potential uses for this high quality transcriptome data set include generation of global gene regulatory networks to identify key regulators; metabolic pathway analyses and comparative analyses of key gene families to discover organ-specific biological processes; and identification of organ-specific alternate spliced transcripts. When combined with other similar datasets, especially from leguminous plants, these analyses can help answer questions on the evolutionary origins of root nodules and relationships between the development of different plant lateral organs.
An Index with Caching Mechanism for Real-time Processing System

Real-time processing mode is becoming a mainstream technology in many domains. For example, real-time monitoring system can effectively improve the power engineering or the efficiency of the transport sector. On behalf of a data structure to accelerate retrieval, indexing plays a vital role in data processing. That is because a well-designed index can reduce the time complexity of retrieval from O(n) to O(log n) or even O(1). Generally speaking, index, such as B-tree and R-tree, are designed for the speed of data retrieval rather than data update. To keep the real-time data, a large number of data updating tasks need to be performed in real-time processing system. However, the update speed of these indexes cannot meet the requirement of real-time processing system. In this paper, we present a caching mechanism before the updates of the index. In particular, we change the mode of index's update from one-by-one to batch operation by maintaining an inserting cache and a deleting cache. Our experiments show that this caching mechanism can effectively improve the index update speed by using the data of power grid system, while it has little impact on the speed of index retrieval.