cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning From Limited Training Data: Novel Segmentation and Ensemble Algorithms Applied to Automatic Melanoma Diagnosis

Deep learning algorithms often require thousands of training instances to generalize well. The presented research demonstrates a novel algorithm, Predict-Evaluate-Correct K-fold (PECK), that trains ensembles to learn well from limited data. The PECK algorithm is used to train a deep ensemble on 153 non-dermoscopic lesion images, significantly outperforming prior publications and state-of-the-art methods trained and evaluated on the same dataset. The PECK algorithm merges deep convolutional neural networks with support vector machine and random forest classifiers to achieve an introspective learning method. Where the ensemble is organized hierarchically, deeper layers are provided not only more training folds, but also the predictions of previous layers. Subsequent classifiers then learn and correct the previous layer errors by training on the original data with injected predictions for new data folds. In addition to the PECK algorithm, a novel segmentation algorithm, Synthesis and Convergence of Intermediate Decaying Omnigradients (SCIDOG), is developed to accurately detect lesion contours in non-dermoscopic images, even in the presence of significant noise, hair, and fuzzy lesion boundaries. As SCIDOG is a non-learning algorithm, it is unhindered by data quantity limitations. The automatic and precise segmentations that SCIDOG produces allows for the extraction of 1,812 lesion features that quantify shape, color and texture. These morphological features are used in conjunction with convolutional neural network predictions for training the PECK ensemble. The combination of SCIDOG and PECK algorithms are used to diagnose melanomas and benign nevi through automatic digital image analysis on the MED-NODE dataset. Evaluated using 10-fold cross validation, the proposed methods achieve significantly increased diagnostic capability over the best prior methods.
Zika, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Secrets Resorts: Using a viral outbreak to teach students about crisis communication

Courses: Public Relations, Organizational/Crisis Communication, Social Media in Organizations.Objective: The goal for this activity is for students to simulate an organizational response to an envi...
Learning under (1 + ϵ)-moment conditions

Abstract We study the theoretical underpinning of a robust empirical risk minimization (RERM) scheme which has been finding numerous successful applications across various data science fields owing to its robustness to outliers and heavy-tailed noises. The specialties of RERM lie in its nonconvexity and that it is induced by a loss function with an integrated scale parameter trading off the robustness and the prediction accuracy. The nonconvexity of RERM and the integrated scale parameter also bring barriers when assessing its learning performance theoretically. In this paper, concerning the study of RERM, we make the following main contributions. First, we establish a no-free-lunch result, showing that there is no hope of distribution-free learning of the truth without adjusting the scale parameter. Second, by imposing the ( 1 + ϵ ) -th (with ϵ > 0 ) order moment condition on the response variable, we establish a comparison theorem that characterizes the relation between the excess generalization error of RERM and its prediction error. Third, with a diverging scale parameter, we establish almost sure convergence rates for RERM under the ( 1 + ϵ ) -moment condition. Notably, the ( 1 + ϵ ) -moment condition allows the presence of noise with infinite variance. Last but not least, the learning theory analysis of RERM conducted in this study, on one hand, showcases the merits of RERM on robustness and the trade-off role that the scale parameter plays, and on the other hand, brings us inspirational insights into robust machine learning.
Photomediated post-fabrication modification of azlactone-functionalized gels for the development of hydrogel actuators

We report an approach for the photomediated post-fabrication modification of reactive, azlactone-containing gels using light-initiated deprotection of amines caged with 2-(nitrophenyl)propyloxycarbonyl (NPPOC). Photomediated modification of these gels can be used to generate a gradient in chemical functionality. When functionalized with tertiary amine groups, these gradient gels exhibit rapid and reversible shape deformations in response to changes in pH.
Measurement Invariance and Item Response Theory Analysis of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm

The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) is a widely used laboratory aggression task, yet item response theory analyses of this task are nonexistent. To estimate these aspects of the TAP, we combined d...
Heat transfer

Numerous new heat transfer developments have been reported in the last few years. These developments are useful for a better understanding of the basic theory and for developing improved equipment. In many cases both heat and mass transfer occur simultaneously in commercial operations.
How Complex is DNS

Motivated by recent results that show that Internet protocols can be surprisingly complex and, in particular, that BGP is Turing complete, we ask the same question for the Domain Name System (DNS). DNS is at least as pervasive and essential as BGP in the global Internet infrastructure. Besides the scientific interest, the complexity of DNS can have implications for new applications (that can utilize the unsuspected power of DNS), and for verification (to understand basic complexity limits and suggest new verification algorithms). In this paper, we show that using the power of DNAME record type, DNS can express regular languages and pushdown systems. The first result can be used to build a system for controlling domain access (of which parental control is a special case). The second result shows that verification of DNS zone files is likely to take time that is at least cubic in the number of records.
An Unintended Casualty of the War on Terror

As the dust of the Bush administration's war on terror settles, casualties are starting to appear on the legal battlefield. The United States' human rights reputation and the Supreme Court's international influence lay wounded in the wake of U.S. policies that flouted international law by advocating torture, suborning indefinite detention, and erecting irregular tribunals. Through declining citation, the courts of the world are telling the Supreme Court that if it does not respect international and foreign law, international and foreign courts will not respect it. Some might object that the Supreme Court should not be lumped with the Bush administration because in fact it handed down several opinions setting limitations on the administration's treatment of terror detainees. While these cases, notably Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, set forth domestic law limitations, their conspicuous effort to avoid giving the Geneva Conventions the force of law served to confirm world opinion that the Supreme Court is "out of step."
Regulation of human interferon production: II. Inhibition of interferon messenger RNA synthesis by 5,6-dichloro-1-β-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole

Abstract Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C))-induced synthesis of interferon messenger RNA in a strain of diploid human fibroblasts (FS-4) can be inhibited by 5,6-dichloro-1-β- d -ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB).
The documentation strategy process: a model and a case study

How might the archival community strengthen its ability to analyze documentation needs and address these needs more efficiently? Is there a general approach to analysis and action that can help guide such work? This article describes a model addressing these goals and provides a case study illustrating the model at work.First the authors outline the case for broad, ongoing analysis of the adequacy of archival documentation and for coordinated action to improve the identification, retention, and treatment of records of enduring value. In the second section, Hackman presents an analytic model for an Archival Documentation Strategy Process, describing the development, refinement, and implementation of documentation strategies. The model suggests broader analysis, increased communication and coordination, and more active use of a range of sources of influence to shape archival selection policies and programs. As the archival community evaluates the feasibility and potential effectiveness of documentation stra...
TIMBIR: A Method for Time-Space Reconstruction From Interlaced Views

Synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (SXCT) is increasingly being used for 3-D imaging of material samples at micron and finer scales. The success of these techniques has increased interest in 4-D reconstruction methods that can image a sample in both space and time. However, the temporal resolution of widely used 4-D reconstruction methods is severely limited by the need to acquire a very large number of views for each reconstructed 3-D volume. Consequently, the temporal resolution of current methods is insufficient to observe important physical phenomena. Furthermore, measurement nonidealities also tend to introduce ring and streak artifacts into the 4-D reconstructions. In this paper, we present a time-interlaced model-based iterative reconstruction (TIMBIR) method, which is a synergistic combination of two innovations. The first innovation, interlaced view sampling, is a novel method of data acquisition, which distributes the view angles more evenly in time. The second innovation is a 4-D model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm (MBIR), which can produce time-resolved volumetric reconstruction of the sample from the interlaced views. In addition to modeling both the sensor noise statistics and the 4-D object, the MBIR algorithm also reduces ring and streak artifacts by more accurately modeling the measurement nonidealities. We present reconstructions of both simulated and real X-ray synchrotron data, which indicate that TIMBIR can improve temporal resolution by an order of magnitude relative to existing approaches.
Managed Competition in Health Insurance

Rising healthcare costs have sparked debate about the best way to provide high-quality affordable health insurance. We discuss the potential for regulated insurance markets to outperform single-payer public insurance. We use as an example the private Medicare plans that now provide insurance to almost a third of seniors in the United States. The evidence suggests that private plans can limit costs and potentially appeal to enrollees, and that well-designed risk adjustment can mitigate market failures due to adverse selection. However, fostering competition between insurers, especially in smaller markets, is difficult. We discuss how future research might illuminate the relative advantages of public and private health insurance.
Use of Automatic Digital Data Acquisition and On-Line Computer Analysis in High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography

A computer program for the acquisition and on-line analysis of data from a high-resolution liquid chromatograph is described. Emphasis is placed on the means of designing the computer program to overcome certain problems encountered in analyzing the data, mainly as a result of noise. The areas discussed include: detection of the beginning and end of the peak, location of the peak maximum, calculation of peak area, location of inflection points, and resolution of overlapping peaks. Analytical results obtained from the computer analysis of reference compounds separated by highresolution liquid chromatography are presented. These results are compared with those obtained by manual quantitation of the chromatogram to illustrate the usefulness of the small, on-line computer as a quantitative tool in liquid chromatography.
Loss of the N-linked glycosylation site at position 386 in the HIV envelope V4 region enhances macrophage tropism and is associated with dementia

HIV infects macrophages and microglia in the central nervous system (CNS). Mechanisms that enhance HIV macrophage/microglial tropism are not well understood. Here, we identify an HIV Env variant in the V4 region of gp120, Asp 386 (D386), that eliminates an N-linked glycosylation site at position 386, enhances viral replication in macrophages, and is present at a higher frequency in AIDS patients with HIV-associated dementia (HAD) compared with non-HAD patients. D386 enhances HIV entry and replication in macrophages but not in microglia or peripheral blood mononuclear cells, possibly due to differential glycosylation in these cell types. A D386N mutation in the UK1br Env, which restores the N-linked glycan site, reduced neutralization sensitivity to the IgG1b12 (b12) monoclonal antibody, which recognizes a conserved neutralization epitope that overlaps the CD4 binding site. Molecular modeling suggested that loss of the glycan at position 386 increases exposure of the CD4 and b12 binding sites on gp120. Loss of a glycan at 386 was more frequent in Envs from HAD patients (26%; n=185) compared with non-HAD patients (7%; n=99; p<0.001). The most significant association of these Env variants with HAD was in blood or lymphoid tissue rather than brain. These findings suggest that increased exposure of the b12 epitope overlapping the CD4 binding site via elimination of a glycan at position 386 is associated with enhanced HIV macrophage tropism, and provide evidence that determinants of macrophage and microglia tropism are overlapping but distinct.
Developing a Pediatric Palliative Care Program: Addressing the Lack of Baseline Expenditure Information:

An estimated 500 000 children annually cope with life-limiting conditions expected to lead to premature death, but little is known about their health care expenditures at the end of life. This information is crucial for health planners to propose pediatric palliative care programs. This study aims to estimate predicted health care expenditures for Medicaid-eligible infants and children across several health service categories. Across these categories, infants and children were predicted to spend about US$110 000 and US$62 000 at the end of life, respectively. About 5% of infants and 8% of children incurred hospice expenditures. Results from the multivariate models suggest that black, non-Hispanic children are less likely than white, non-Hispanic children to use hospice care. Baseline expenditure information from this study can be used to develop integrated pediatric palliative care models. Our findings also suggest that many more children could potentially benefit by using hospice care at the end of life.
Trends and prospects in scanning electron microscopy.

SUMMARY Scanning electron microscopy is developing towards increased analytic capabilities such as characteristic X-ray analysis as a routine adjunct to the topographic image. At the same time improved instrumentation will make higher resolution possible for both ultra-thin and bulk specimens. Some of the newer techniques for specimen preparation are also noted.
Growth of Molgula complanata Alder and Hancock, 1870 Attached to Test Panels in the Cape Cod Canal1

The rate of increase in diameter of the rare tunicate, Molgula complanata, on wooden panels is presented. Specimens as large as 26.0 mm were recorded which exceeds the maximum size previously reported in the literature. The first colonizing group settled in July 1966, first released larvae during mid-October, and continued to produce larvae through May 1967. A linear transformation of the diameter of M. complanata by month gave a growth rate of 1.76 mm per month. The growth rate calculated for the second settling population, 0.89 mm per month, was confounded by several variables. Heterogeneous variance existed between months (x2 = 5.313*) caused by the continuous settlement of larvae. Factors controlling size and abundance may include temperature, predation, competition, location and preparation of the artificial substrate.
Redescription of the goby genus Gobiosoma (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Gobiosomatini), with the synonymy of the genus Enypnias

Previous classifications of the American gobiid genus Gobiosoma (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Gobiosomatini) have rendered the genus polyphyletic or paraphyletic based on our current understanding of the Gobiosomatini phylogeny. We offer a new definition for Gobiosoma that renders the genus monophyletic. Our new classification synonymizes the genus Enypnias with Gobiosoma and provides characters to distinguish Gobiosoma from allied genera, including Elacatinus and Tigrigobius. Redescriptions and colour photographs of the poorly known species Gobiosoma aceras (formerly Enypnias aceras) and Gobiosoma seminudum (formerly Enypnias seminudus) are provided.
Development Communication The State of Research in an Era of ICTs and Globalization

/ Through the technique of meta-analysis, this study investigates the scholarly articles appearing in peer-reviewed online and offline journals that address the topic of communication and developme...
Identification of Elements Essential for Transcription in Brugia malayi Promoters

Little is known concerning promoter structure in the filarial parasites. Recently, transient transfection methods have been developed for the human filarial parasite Brugia malayi. These methods have been employed to localize the promoter for the 70 kDa heat shock protein (BmHSP70) to a region extending 394 nt upstream from the initiating codon of the BmHSP70 open reading frame. Replacement mutagenesis was used to define the elements necessary for BmHSP70 promoter activity in detail. Four domains, ranging in size from six to 22 nucleotides, were found to be necessary for full promoter activity. The two most distal domains encoded a binding site for the heat shock transcription factor and a putative binding site for the GAGA transcription factor, motifs that are found in many other HSP70 promoters. However, none of the essential domains contained sequences typical of cis elements that are usually found in the core domain of a eukaryotic promoter. The largest essential domain was located at positions −53 to −32, and included the splice leader addition site. These data suggest that the regulatory domains of the BmHSP70 promoter were similar to those found in other eukaryotes, but that the core promoter domain exhibited features that appeared to be distinct from those found in most other well-characterized eukaryotic promoters. An analysis of two additional promoters of B. malayi highly transcribed genes suggests that they also lack features commonly found in most eukaryotic core promoters, suggesting that the unique features of the BmHSP70 core promoter are not confined to this gene.
Transcription of the genome of pseudorabies virus (A herpesvirus) is strictly controlled

Rabbit kidney cells infected with pseudorabies virus in the presence of cycloheximide synthesize RNA complementary only to a restricted part of the viral genome. This immediate-early (IE) RNA is complementary to 10% of the viral genome as determined by hybridization in solution. Blot hybridization showed that IE RNA accumulating in the cells during a 5-hr labeling period hybridizes only to the ends of the inverted repeat regions of the viral DNA. IE RNA synthesized during a 13-min labeling period in intact cells or a 2-min labeling period in nuclear monolayers also hybridized to these regions of the genome only, indicating that an unstable class of viral RNA is not made and subsequently degraded in cycloheximide-treated, infected cells. Synthesis of IE RNA is detectable by 30 min post-infection during the normal course of infection and continues until about 50 min post-infection. Early RNA is first transcribed at 40 min postinfection and transcription continues thereafter. A switch in the transcriptional program from the synthesis of IE RNA to that of early RNA has been also demonstrated following removal of cycloheximide. Late RNA labeled from 6–9 hr postinfection or RNA synthesized in nuclear monolayers during a 5-min pulse at 6 hr postinfection yields practically identical blot hybridization patterns, indicating that extensive selective degradation of some viral RNA transcripts does not occur at late times after infection. These results show that controls operate at the transcriptional level in Pr virus-infected RK cells.
Is sub-occipital padding necessary to maintain optimal alignment of the unstable spine in the prehospital setting? A preliminary report.

Abstract Background As prehospital emergency rescuers prepare cervical spine-injured adult patients for immobilization and transport to hospital, it is essential that patients be placed in a favorable position. Previously, it was recommended that patients with cervical spine injuries be immobilized in a slightly flexed position using pads placed beneath the head. However, it is unknown how neck flexion created with pad placement affects the unstable spine. Objective To determine the effects of three different head positions on the alignment of unstable vertebral segments. Methods Five cadavers with a complete segmental instability at the C5 and C6 level were included in the study. The head was either placed directly on the ground (or spine board) or on foam pads. Three conditions were tested: no pad; pads 2.84 cm thick; and pads 4.26 cm thick. Pads were positioned beneath the head to determine their effect on spinal alignment. Anterior-posterior translation, flexion-extension motion, and axial displacement across the unstable segment were compared between conditions. Results Although statistical tests failed to identify any significant differences between pad conditions, some meaningful results were noted. In general, the “no pad” condition aligned the spine in a position that best replicated the intact spine. Conclusions Because the goal of emergency rescuers is to conserve whatever physiologic or structural integrity of the spinal cord and spinal column that remains, the outcome of this study suggests that this goal may be best achieved using the “no pad” condition. However, it is recommended that more research be conducted to confirm these preliminary findings.
Symbols of menarche identified by African American females.

This study was conducted to identify and describe symbolic themes of menarche. The qualitative case study design was used with a purposive sample of 30 participants (15 mothers and their 15 daughters) in answering 2 questions: (a) How do 9- and 10-year-old African American girls view the meaning of their menarcheal flow?, and (b) How do African American mothers view the meaning of menarche? Data were collected through interviews 2 to 5 days after completion of menarche. A cross-case comparison analysis of the interviews revealed 4 themes: (a) vaginal bleeding, (b) sexual maturation, (c) premenarcheal sexual activity, and (d) sexual payback to fathers. With the exception of the latter, all themes were supported in earlier studies of Euro-American girls. These findings indicate the need for further research addressing self-concept at menarche, impact of menarche on family relationships, and views of fathers about sexual pay-back as a symbol of menarche.
Ezrin and its emerging role in tumor progression: response.

The recent Letter to the Editor entitled “Ezrin and its emerging role in tumor progression”, Shailendra Kapoor points out that ezrin expression may be causally important to the development, metastases, and virulence of many human cancers. While comparing human cancer to hypothermic organ preservation injury mechanisms may sound disjointed, the parallelisms are actually strong and reciprocal. In these two cases, the same molecular mechanisms (stress response signaling through ezrin phosphorylation) represent opposite sides of the same coin. Our hypotheses has always been that recalibration of stress response signaling in normal cells, tissues, and organs increases the tolerance of these cells to the stresses of hypothermic preservation injury, which remain an important strategy in improving cold preservation of donor organs. Activation of Rho, Rac, and Akt kinases modify ezrin phosphorylation at key control points [1], which enhance molecular binding configurations necessary for membrane protection and suppress mitochondrial apoptosis pathways necessary for survival. These attributes are salutary in preventing injury in cold stored organs and their inactivation causally contributes to preservation injury. Conversely, activation of ezrin protects cells from preservation injury by increasing tolerance to membrane and mitochondrial injury [2,3]. Activation of these same ezrin pathways in normal cells, however, may causally contribute to malignant phenotypes such as motility and adhesion (metastases), and anti-apoptotic growth responses (tumor development). Therefore, one strategy in combating hypothermic preservation injury has been to understand molecular signaling in cancer biology because activation of some of these same pathways in organs harvested for transplantation will afford the same pro-survival signaling needed to induce tolerance to preservation stress. It’s all about context. In one case ezrin activation causes disease and in the other it causes stress protection and organ preservation. Understanding when and how to turn these pathways on and off is a key in managing both conditions.
Identification of Threshold Prostate Specific Antigen Levels to Optimize the Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer by Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound Fusion Guided Biopsy

Purpose: Prostate specific antigen sensitivity increases with lower threshold values but with a corresponding decrease in specificity. Magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound targeted biopsy detects prostate cancer more efficiently and of higher grade than standard 12-core transrectal ultrasound biopsy but the optimal population for its use is not well defined. We evaluated the performance of magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound targeted biopsy vs 12-core biopsy across a prostate specific antigen continuum.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of all patients enrolled in a prospective trial who underwent 12-core transrectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound targeted biopsies from August 2007 through February 2014. Patients were stratified by each of 4 prostate specific antigen cutoffs. The greatest Gleason score using either biopsy method was compared in and across groups as well as across the population prostate specific antigen range. Clinically significant prostate cancer was...
The Thrifty Microbiome: The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Obesity in the Amish

Emerging evidence that the gut microbiota may contribute in important ways to human health and disease has led us and others to hypothesize that both symbiotic and pathological relationships between gut microbes and their host may by key contributors to obesity and the metabolic complications of obesity. Our “Thrifty Microbiome Hypothesis” posits that gut microbiota play a key role in human energy homeostasis. Specifically, constituents of the gut microbial community may introduce a survival advantage to its host in times of nutrient scarcity, promoting positive energy balance by increasing efficiency of nutrient absorption and improving metabolic efficiency and energy storage. However, in the presence of excess nutrients, fat accretion and obesity may result, and in genetically predisposed individuals, increased fat mass may result in preferential abdominal obesity, ectopic fat deposition (liver, muscle), and metabolic complications of obesity (insulin resistance, hypertension, hyperlipidemia). Furthermore, in the presence of excess nutrients, a pathological transition of the gut microbial community may occur, causing leakage of bacterial products into the intestinal lymphatics and portal circulation, thereby inducing an inflammatory state, further aggravating metabolic syndrome traits and accelerating atherosclerosis. This pathological transition and the extent to which antimicrobial leakage occurs and causes inflammatory and other maladaptive sequelae of obesity may also be influenced by host factors, including genetics. In the proposed study, we will directly test the Thrifty Mirobiome Hypothesis by performing detailed genomic and functional assessment of gut microbial communities in intensively phenotyped and genotyped human subjects before and after intentional manipulation of the gut microbiome. To address this hypothesis, we will enroll three age- and sex-matched groups from the Old Order Amish: (i) 50 obese subjects (BMI > 30 kg/m2) with one or more dysmetabolic manifestations (malignant obesity), (ii) 50 obese subjects (BMI > 30 kg/m2) without any dysmetabolic manifestations (benign obesity), and (iii) 50 nonobese subjects (BMI < 25 kg/m2) without any features of the metabolic syndrome and characterize the architecture of the gut microbiota from the subjects enrolled in this study by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. These studies will provide a deeper understanding of the role of gut microbes in terms of ‘who’s there?’, ‘what are they doing?’, and ‘how are they influencing host energy homeostasis, obesity and its metabolic complications?’
A high-resolution surface vector wind product for coastal oceans: Blending satellite scatterometer measurements with regional mesoscale atmospheric model simulations

[1] A 2-dimensional variational method is used to blend the satellite scatterometer measured (QuikSCAT) and regional mesoscale atmospheric model simulated (COAMPS) surface vector winds for coastal central California. The approach is distinct from existing methods in that it considers errors from both measurements and models. When compared with independent in situ observations, the blended wind product shows consistently higher correlation and smaller RMS errors than QuikSCAT or COAMPS winds. The proposed algorithm can be implemented over any part of the world ocean. It should be a valuable tool for describing small-scale atmospheric processes in coastal zones and for forcing high-resolution coastal ocean models.
POST-DISCHARGE MORTALITY AND READMISSION IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WITH PRESERVED, BORDERLINE, AND REDUCED LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION

Outcomes among hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients with preserved (pEF), borderline (bEF), and reduced (rEF) ejection fraction have not been well studied. We sought to characterize post-discharge mortality and readmission in HF patients by EF group in the modern era. Get With The Guidelines-HF
FRED (A Framework for Reconstructing Epidemic Dynamics): an open-source software system for modeling infectious diseases and control strategies using census-based populations

Background Mathematical and computational models provide valuable tools that help public health planners to evaluate competing health interventions, especially for novel circumstances that cannot be examined through observational or controlled studies, such as pandemic influenza. The spread of diseases like influenza depends on the mixing patterns within the population, and these mixing patterns depend in part on local factors including the spatial distribution and age structure of the population, the distribution of size and composition of households, employment status and commuting patterns of adults, and the size and age structure of schools. Finally, public health planners must take into account the health behavior patterns of the population, patterns that often vary according to socioeconomic factors such as race, household income, and education levels.
The nature and timing of caldera collapse as indicated by accidental lithic fragments from the AD ∼1000 eruption of Volcán Ceboruco, Mexico

One way to determine the mechanics of caldera formation is through quantitative component analysis of accidental lithic fragments in pyroclastic deposits erupted before and during caldera collapse. All previous studies of this sort, however, are based on pyroclastic deposits from large-volume (>10 km3) caldera eruptions. In this study, we use quantitative component analysis of lithic fragments to determine the mechanics of the AD ∼1000 small-volume (3–4 km3 DRE) caldera eruption of Volcan Ceboruco, located in western Mexico. During this eruption, caldera collapse occurred in such a way that lithic fragments of decreasing depths were preferentially erupted with time. Prior to caldera collapse, deep-origin lithics (∼6 km depth) and vent-derived lithics were erupted. Deposits emplaced during collapse, however, contain a distinctly different population of lithic fragments, such as lithics from mid-depth origin (∼1 km depth) and from the vent. By the end of the eruption, the total amount of lithic material in the deposits had increased from <15 wt% before collapse to as much as 90 wt%, yet this material contains essentially no lithics of deep origin. This suggests that collapse resulted in the obstruction of both deep-origin lithics and magma from reaching the surface. Based on these data, we suggest that collapse occurred as a result of the fracturing and subsequent failure of the overlying magma reservoir roof that occurred along inward dipping faults. The collapse forced the fragmentation depth and progressive erosion of lithic material from deep to shallow depths, which subsequently sealed the conduit, stopping the eruption.
Kempen, G. De taalgebruiker in de mens. Een uitzicht over de taalpsychologie

La jena libreto konsistas el tri partoj: generala enkonduko, kiu analizas la lingvon kiel komunikad-sistemon; speciala parto, kiu aplikas la generalan principaron de la psikolingvistiko al la lernado de la denaska lingvo kaj de duaj lingvoj; kaj vortaro de la bazaj teknikaj terminoj de lingvistiko kaj psikolingvistiko. La intenco de la libro estas klare pedagogia. Oni prezentas la nunan teoriaron en klara, konciza, neargumenta maniero, ellasante detalojn, sed kun rekomendoj en zorge elektita bibliografio. Sed eble la libro ne multe helpos lernantojn, pro troa koncizeco. Krome, la verko prezentas la teoriaron de Chomsky en maniero generale ne plu akceptata en la jaro de eldono.
Design and Construction of an X-ray Diffraction Cell for Hydrate Studies at Elevated Pressures

This work describes the setup and operation of an X-ray diffraction (XRD) cell for hydrate studies at elevated pressures (hereon we call it ‘‘high-pressure cell’’ for convenience). Most hydrate XRD measurements have been performed at low temperatures to ensure hydrate stability at atmospheric pressure. As a result, extrapolation has been required to determine hydrate volume at in situ conditions. With high pressure capabilities, however, this system can extend current structural knowledge without extrapolation, leading to less error in predictive modeling and a more accurate view of in situ hydrates. The cell has both low- and high-temperature capabilities, operating from 77 to 300 K using liquid nitrogen boil-off as a means of refrigeration, and can maintain pressures from 14 kPa to 7 MPa. Preliminary measurements of carbon dioxide hydrates at in situ conditions have been obtained and lattice parameters are comparable to those in the literature.
Correlation of general anesthetic potency with solubility in membranes.

Abstract Recently (Franks, N.P. and Lieb, W.R. (1978) Nature 274, 339–342) it has been claimed that the traditional correlation between anesthetic potency and vegetable oil solubility breaks down when the alkanols are compared to other volatile anesthetics. Lately, however, new information on the partitioning of anesthetics into lipid bilayers has become available. In this report the potency of twenty-one structurally diverse anesthetic agents is shown to correlate well with their ability to partition into phosphatidylcholine bilayers. Thus the original Meyer-Overton oil solubility hypothesis accomodates a wider range of anesthetics, including alkanols, volatile and gaseous agents, and barbiturates, when lipid bilayer solubility is substituted for oil solubility.
Linking Ethical Principles With Community Practice

Nurses must frequently make arduous decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas that occur in clinical practice. Utilizing ethical principles for analyzing and reflecting on the issues may ease this difficult task. In addition, the nurse involved may experience less anxiety and uncertainty over whether or not the correct decision was made. The purpose of this article is to present a case study that involves the allocation of a scarce resource that posed an ethical dilemma for a nursing instructor and her students in a community health setting. Toulmin's framework is utilized for analyzing this dilemma.
Prioritized Random Access with dynamic access barring for RAN overload in 3GPP LTE-A networks

The rapid growth in the number of machine-type communications (MTC) devices causes the radio access network (RAN) to overload when a large number of MTC devices try to access the radio resources in a very short period. A Prioritized Random Access (PRA) scheme is proposed to efficiently solve the RAN overload problem and provide quality-of-service (QoS) for different classes of MTC devices in 3GPP LTE-A networks. This is achieved by pre-allocating random access channel (RACH) resources for different MTC classes with class-dependent backoff procedures and preventing a large number of simultaneous RACH attempts by using dynamic access barring (DAB). Simulation results show that, unlike Extended Access Barring (EAB) and the current LTE-A medium access control (MAC) scheme, the proposed PRA architecture with the DAB scheme guarantees QoS, i.e., high success rate and low access delay, even under the worst case RAN overload in LTE-A networks.
Computer simulation of laser backscattering from fiber surfaces

The application of laser backscattering to fiber surface characterization was studied theoretically. Computer simulations were employed to investigate the theoretical influence of root-mean-square fiber surface roughness, fiber cross-sectional shape, fiber diameter, and surface asperity shape on scattering patterns. Results from this work indicate that laser backscattering may be useful for obtaining fiber structural information in a variety of applications.
Low-Energy Biphasic Waveform Defibrillation: Evidence-Based Review Applied to Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidelines A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association Committee on Emergency Cardiovascular Care and the Subcommittees on Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Resuscitation

Researchers have only recently conducted out-of-hospital human studies that document outcomes of transthoracic defibrillation using a low-energy biphasic waveform shock. The American Heart Association Committee on Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) and its subcommittees included prepublication reports of these studies in this review of transthoracic biphasic waveform defibrillation. The writing group and a panel of invited experts have diligently attempted to assess the quality of the studies reviewed here by using a formal evidence-based template, which is summarized in this statement. The experts most familiar with defibrillation technology and assessment are often recipients of research support from manufacturers of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Several of the authors and expert reviewers of this report have signed disclosure statements acknowledging training or research support from one or more AED manufacturers. However, in every case, support was administered through the academic institutions employing those individuals. No one has disclosed receiving personal salary support or consultant’s fees from any AED manufacturer, nor has anyone disclosed that they are or were a shareholder, paid advisor, or member of an advisory board of an AED manufacturer. The same is true of ECC Committee members with one exception, an employee of an AED manufacturer who abstained from discussions of the reviewed material and this statement. The final statement was reviewed and approved by the AHA Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee, 2 ECC science advisors, and 2 AHA vice presidents. These reviewers were familiar with the comments and recommendations of the expert reviewers and their disclosure statements. It was the opinion of the final reviewers that statements by the writing group and reviewers were objective, balanced, and based on known scientific facts and did not appear influenced by the disclosed possible conflicts of interest. This report addresses important clinical questions regarding newly developed AEDs that deliver impedance-compensating, fixed, low-energy …
Developmental programming: reproductive endocrinopathies in the adult female sheep after prenatal testosterone treatment are reflected in altered ontogeny of GnRH afferents.

The GnRH system represents a useful model of long-term neural plasticity. An unexplored facet of this plasticity relates to the ontogeny of GnRH neural afferents during critical periods when the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is highly susceptible to perturbation by sex steroids. Sheep treated with testosterone (T) in utero exhibit profound reproductive neuroendocrine dysfunctions during their lifespan. The current study tested the hypothesis that these changes are associated with alterations in the normal ontogeny of GnRH afferents and glial associations. Adult pregnant sheep (n = 50) were treated with vehicle [control (CONT)] or T daily from gestational day (GD)30 to GD90. CONT and T fetuses (n = 4–6/treatment per age group) were removed by cesarean section on GD90 and GD140 and the brains frozen at −80°C. Brains were also collected from CONT and T females at 20–23 wk (prepubertal), 10 months (normal onset of puberty and oligo-anovulation), and 21 months (oligo-anovulation in T females). Tissue was analyzed for GnRH immunoreactivity (ir), total GnRH afferents (Synapsin-I ir), glutamate [vesicular glutamate transporter-2 (VGLUT2)-ir], and γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA, vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-ir] afferents and glial associations (glial fibrillary acidic protein-ir) with GnRH neurons using optical sectioning techniques. The results revealed that: 1) GnRH soma size was slightly reduced by T, 2) the total (Synapsin-I) GnRH afferents onto both somas and dendrites increased significantly with age and was reduced by T, 3) numbers of both VGAT and VGLUT inputs increased significantly with age and were also reduced by T, and 4) glial associations with GnRH neurons were reduced (<10%) by T. Together, these findings reveal a previously unknown developmental plasticity in the GnRH system of the sheep. The altered developmental trajectory of GnRH afferents after T reinforces the notion that prenatal programming plays an important role in the normal development of the reproductive neuroendocrine axis.
Attitudes and Practices of College Students Regarding Dietary Supplement Use

Abstract A survey was designed to determine college students' (1) beliefs regarding the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements and (2) frequency of supplement use. The survey was administered to students enrolled in an introductory nutrition course at a large, mid-Atlantic university. Thirty-seven students completed the survey (a response rate of 88%). The results of the survey showed that the strongest consensus among the students (68%) was that supplements do not facilitate weight loss. The weakest consensus was observed in the belief that supplements are required by law to be proven safe for consumer use. Forty percent of the class (15 students) used dietary supplements at least once per week. This rate of supplement use was similar to other survey studies conducted with college students and the adult population. However, with the rapid expansion of the supplement market during the current decade, the types of supplements used differed from previous survey studies. The most popular supplements used were multivitamin/mineral supplements, vitamin C, Echinacea, and calcium, respectively. Sixty percent of supplement users (nine students) used herbal supplements in conjunction with conventional vitamin and/or mineral supplements. This preliminary study demonstrates areas for further research to measure students' perceptions as dietary supplement consumers and the rates of conventional and unconventional supplement use. Further studies may also examine the influence of an introductory nutrition course on these variables.
Effect of divalent cations on cyclic AMP formation in human mononuclear leukocytes.

Abstract Ca2+ (1–5 mM) increases cyclic AMP formation in control and PGE1-stimulated mononuclear leukocytes. In contrast, Ca2+ inhibits cyclic AMP formation in cells that are simultaneously treated with 1 μM ionophore A23187. On the other hand, Mg2+ (1–20 mM) decreases cyclic AMP production in the PGE1-treated mononuclear leukocytes but ionophore A23187 addition reverses the effect of Mg2+ and a stimulation of cyclic AMP formation is observed. The action of Ca2+ and Mg2+ is dose dependent. The findings are consistent with the concept that Ca2+ and Mg2+ play a dual role on cyclic AMP formation in human mononuclear leukocytes. The stimulatory or inhibitory effect depends on their extra- or intracellular location.
Interactions between bed forms: Topography, turbulence, and transport

[1] Results are presented examining the interaction between two sandy bed forms under low–sediment transport conditions in a small laboratory flume. The initial artificially made bed forms were out of equilibrium with the flow field. Temporal evolution of bed forms was monitored using time-lapse photography in order to characterize bed form adjustment to the imposed flow. Velocity measurements were collected using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter to characterize both mean flow and turbulence associated with different bed form geometries. Sandy bed forms all had identical initial geometries; however, the initial distance between bed form crests was varied between experiments. Overall deformation of the bed varied as a function of initial bed form spacing; however, bed forms evolved unpredictably as periods of relatively slow change were punctuated by periods of rapidly changing geometry. Subtle changes in bed form trough geometry were found to have a strong influence on turbulence and therefore sediment transport. Comparison with field studies suggests that the mechanisms described herein are active in natural systems.
Aspartate Aminotransferase Activity in Fiber Tracts of the Rat Brain

: Activity of aspartate aminotransferase, an enzyme which catalyzes the interconversion of the excitatory transmitter candidates, glutamate and aspartate, has been measured in fiber tracts of rat, with an emphasis on sensory and motor systems of the brain. Most tracts had significantly higher activities than the cholinergic facial nerve root, consistent with the possibility that a component of aspartate aminotransferase activity might serve as a marker for neurons using glutamate and/or aspartate as neurotransmitter. Highest activity was in the auditory nerve root. On the other hand, a close correlation was found between aspartate aminotransferase and malate de-hydrogenase activities in the fiber tracts, raising the question whether aspartate aminotransferase activity may be more closely related to energy metabolism than to transmitter metabolism.
The Impact of Object and Gesture Imitation Training on Language Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose Reciprocal imitation training (RIT) is a naturalistic behavioral intervention that teaches imitation to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within a social–communicative context. R...
Work–family linkages among self-employed women and men.

Abstract Through 30 in-depth interviews with self-employed women and men, this study examines how people with considerable control over their work lives construct and experience work-family connections. I find that, even among those who create their own jobs, family intrudes more on work among women, and work intrudes more on family among men. Though all of those interviewed enjoy considerable flexibility, the women tend to emphasize the importance of that flexibility for balancing work and family lives. Provider status and parental identity are key influences shaping how work fits with family. The life stage of the family and the business are also important. Gender is deeply embedded in all of the processes identified, as women and men confront or confirm their gender identities in constructing the linkages between their work and family lives.