cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semiparametric Regression in Likelihood-Based Models

Abstract A weighted likelihood is used to estimate the parameters in a semiparametric model involving two covariates and allowing an association between the covariates. The development is for arbitrary but specified densities of the observations. The estimators are consistent and asymptotically normal. Hypothesis testing of the parametric component can be performed using a Wald test. Simulations and analysis of data with Bernoulli observations demonstrate the estimators' application. Speckman developed kernel estimators where the conditional density of the observations is normal with p parametric covariates. Speckman's estimators and the new estimators are asymptotically equivalent, with the bias of Speckman's estimators being smaller. As an example, we study the relationship between a binary response indicating the occurrence of an intraoperative cardiac complication (ICC) in vascular surgery patients and two risk factors: duration of the operation (OR) and ASA score, which is an evaluation of the patien...
Adhesion and Mechanical Properties of RSV Infected Human Epithelial Cells

Respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants and currently lacks an effective vaccine or treatment beyond symptom relief. The atomic force microscope is particularly well suited for imaging biological samples including cells, DNA, viruses and proteins. Analysis of fixed HEP-2 cells with the AFM after infection and incubation with RSV for periods of 0.5–24 h reveals several physical changes within the cells that may lead to a better understanding of the viral effects on living cells. Analysis of force–distance curves reveals changes in the mechanical properties of the cells throughout the infection period as well as changes in the surface chemistry, specifically in the presence of hydrophobic domains, of the cell membrane as shown by variability in the measured adhesion force. Elastic moduli of the fixed cells did not show a statistically significant trend, but hydrophobic molecular expression on the cellular surface decreased with increasing infection pe...
Comparison of anorectal manometry to endoanal ultrasound in the evaluation of fecal incontinence.

Abstract Background Fecal incontinence (FI) is a common clinical condition with a negative impact on the quality of life. Commonly performed tests to evaluate FI include anorectal manometry (ARM) and endoanal ultrasonography (EAU). Objective of our study was to compare the results of these 2 tests in a cohort of patients with FI. Methods Retrospective study of 27 patients (20 women) referred to the gastrointestinal motility clinic for FI. EAU and ARM were performed in all patients. Demographic data and information regarding etiology of FI was also recorded. Results Mean age of the patients was 56 years (range 26-87 years). Etiology of FI was obstetric trauma in 4, pelvic surgery in 9, pelvic trauma in 3, pelvic radiation in 1, and idiopathic in 8. Based on the ARM data, 14 of 27 had a weak external sphincter squeeze pressure and 3 had impaired rectal sensation, whereas with the EAU there was thinning of the external anal sphincter in 3 and complete disruption in 1, and abnormalities of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) in 7 of 27 with thinning, and defects. Overall, only 2 of 27 had normal findings by combined ARM and EAU. Conclusions Although the yield of finding major sphincter defects was low, only a small percentage of patients had a normal ARM or EAU. When there are degrees of external anal sphincter thinning or partial or complete disruption of the sphincters, a good correlation with ARM is achieved. EAU and ARM are complimentary investigations for the thorough assessment of the anal sphincter apparatus.
Effects of room reflectance and background noise on perceived auditory distance.

Perceptions of egocentric auditory distance were investigated within an environment for which the reverberation time could be systematically varied without changes in the size or shape of the room....
Fabrication of phase-shifting masks employing multilayer films

The design and fabrication of phase shifting masks using multi-layer films are summarized. Mask blanks consist of fused silica substrates coated with a top chrome layer, an SiO2 phase layer, and an etch-stop layer. The layer thicknesses are designed to give a (pi) -phase shift at 248 nm (or at 365 nm), and equal and maximal transmission at etched and non-etched regions. The chrome layer is patterned by e-beam resist and is etched by reactive ion etching (RIE) with Cl2 chemistry. The SiO2 layer is patterned by another e-beam resist in registration with first chrome pattern and is etched by RIE with CHF3 chemistry. Two materials were investigated as the etch stop layer, namely Al2O3 and HfO2, with the latter having advantageous properties. It is shown that a 20% processing window is achieved in this type of PSM for a 5 degree phase accuracy as in contrast to quartz etched PSM in which the etched depth and uniformity has to be controlled to within 2.5% for a similar phase accuracy.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
CO2 Laser Vascular Welding Of Medium Diameter (4-9mm) Canine Vessels

This article reviews the current state of the art in the field of vascular welding using the milliwatt CO 2 to repair 4 to 9 mm vessels. Previous work in arterial anastomosis and intraluminal welding is evaluated. A preliminary study in the area of venous anastomosis is presented in detail. Following the presentation of the current available data, a discussion of the field will emphasize what we know and what still must be learned. The conclusions confirm the feasibility of laser-assisted vascular repair and highlight its method of coagulative welding with resultant short and long-term effect on living tissues.
An evaluation of target specificity and sensitivity of three qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA from Northern Pike (Esox lucius)

We developed and evaluated three qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA from northern pike (Esox lucius). The assays target the cytochrome oxidase 1 (EluCOI), control region (EluCR), and cytochrome b (EluCytB) genes of the mitochondrial DNA. Target specificity, assessed using the fluorescence signal (at 45 cycles) to noise (at 1 cycle) ratio (S/N), showed strong amplification in northern pike (mean S/N = 2.62, 3.52, 2.69 for EluCOI, EluCR, EluCytB). The mean S/N estimates from fifteen non-esocid freshwater fishes were about 1.0, as expected for no amplification. EluCR showed evidence of amplification (mean S/N = 3.16) in muskellunge (Esox masquinongy). The sensitivity tests indicated EluCOI has a higher detection probability than EluCR and EluCytB at low (20 copies/reaction) copy number. The results favor using EluCOI although EluCytB and EluCR are viable assays for the detection of northern pike eDNA.
Salt balance and exchange rate for Chincoteague Bay

Chincoteague Bay is a bar-built estuary with two inlets from the Atlantic Ocean—one at Ocean City, Maryland, and the other some 30 miles southward at Chincoteague Inlet. All available salinity data collected in the years 1951 through 1956 are utilized here to evaluate the processes which control the average monthly salinity in the bay. The major features of the salt balance are satisfactorily explained by a simple model equating the rate of change of salinity to terms involving net fresh water inflow and exchange rate through the inlets. An estimation of the exchange rate is made which indicates that approximately seven percent of the volume of the bay waters are renewed each day.
Actions of (-)-baclofen on rat dorsal horn neurons.

Abstract The actions of a γ-aminobutyric acid B (GABAB) agonist, (−)-baclofen, on the electrophysiological properties of neurons and synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn (laminae I–IV) were examined by using intracellular recordings in spinal cord slice from young rats. In addition, the effects of baclofen on the dorsal root stimulation-evoked outflow of glutamate and aspartate from the spinal dorsal horn were examined by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric detection. Superfusion of baclofen (5 nM to 10 μM) hyperpolarized, in a stereoselective and bicuculline-insensitive manner, the majority (86%) of tested neurons. The hyperpolarization was associated with a decrease in membrane resistance and persisted in a nominally zero-Ca2+, 10 mM Mg2+- or a TTX-containing solution. Our findings indicate that the hyperpolarizing effect of baclofen is probably due to an increase in conductance to potassium ions. Baclofen decreased the direct excitability of dorsal horn neurons, enhanced accommadation of spike discharge, and reduced the duration of Ca2+-dependent action potentials. Baclofen depressed, or blocked, excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by electrical stimulation of the dorsal roots. Spontaneously occurring synaptic potentials were also reversibly deppessed by baclofen. Whereas baclofen did not produce any consistent change in the rat of the basal outflow of glutamate and aspartate, the stimulation-evoked release of the amino acids was blocked. The present results suggest that baclofen, by activating GABAB receptors, may modulate spinal afferent processing in the superficial dorsal horn by at least two mechanisms: (1) baclofen depresses excitatory synaptic transmission primarily by a presynaptic mechanism involving a decrease in the release of excitatory amino acids, and (2) at higher concentrations, the hyperpolarization and increased membrane conductance may contribute to the depressant effect of baclofen on excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat spinal dorsal horn.
Climate change and security: examining China's challenges in a warming world

The environment is increasingly affected by global climate change. While the causes of climate change are generated across the globe, the impacts of climate change will be highly variable at the local level. An increased scientific understanding of the potential impacts that climate change may have within China has raised new concern among China's leaders. Given that China's domestic realities inform its international policy choices, understanding how climate change may affect its population and natural resources is critical to global climate stabilization efforts. This article examines how the impacts of climate change on China, and China's response, will drive security challenges domestically, as well as in the greater Asian region and around the world. It shows that the impact of climate change on China will be significant and may have sizable adverse economic implications, particularly on vulnerable east coast economic centers. Water scarcity is a problem that already challenges China's leadership and one that will be exacerbated under projected climate impacts. In addition, the country faces the risk of international retaliation should it fail to undertake serious greenhouse gas mitigation actions. Yet China is not without options, and is already well poised to become a leader in the low-carbon technology revolution.
The Microsoft Home: Applications for the Lodging and Restaurant Industry Today and in the Future

The purpose of this article is to analyze the effects of home technologies on guestroom technologies. After analyzing the evolution of home technological innovations and the flow of these technologies into hotel guestrooms, the technologies featured in the Microsoft Home of the Future will be examined and their likelihood of making the transition into hospitality industry will be discussed. The Microsoft Home of the Future uses the latest in current and futuristic software and hardware including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), electronic wallboard, light projection devices, and voice recognition.
Michaelis-Menten mechanism reconsidered: implications of fractal kinetics

The Michaelis-Menten formalism assumes that the elementary steps of an enzymatic mechanism follow traditional mass-action kinetics. Recent evidence has shown that elementary bimolecular reactions under dimensionally-restricted conditions, such as those that might occur in vivo when reactions are confined to two-dimensional membranes and one-dimensional channels, do not follow traditional mass-action kinetics, but fractal kinetics. A Michaelis-Menten-like reaction operating under conditions of dimensional restriction is shown to exhibit new types of synergism and noninteger kinetic orders. These properties are likely to have an important influence on the behavior of intact biochemical systems, which is largely dependent upon the kinetic orders of the constituent biochemical reactions.
Activin A, Estradiol, and Free Insulin-Like Growth Factor I in Follicular Fluid Preceding the Experimental Assumption of Follicle Dominance in Cattle

In cattle, the two largest follicles of a wave (F1, F2) begin to deviate into a dominant follicle and a subordinate follicle when F1 is a mean of 8.5 mm in diameter. After the beginning of deviation, F1 and F2 are diameter-defined dominant and subordinate follicles. Changes associated with the conversion of F2 into a future dominant follicle were studied by ablating F1 at the expected beginning of deviation (F1, 8.5 mm; Hour 0) and assessing the follicular-fluid factors in F2. Follicles were designated F1C and F2C in controls and F2A in F1-ablated heifers. Follicular-fluid collections were made at Hours 0, 4, 8, or 12 (n 5 7 heifers per hour; fluid from F1C, F2C, and F2A; experiment 1) or at Hours 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 (n 5 9 heifers per hour; fluid from F2A; experiment 2). Postablation concentrations of circulating FSH increased (P , 0.05) between Hours 2 and 6. Diameter of F2A increased (P , 0.05) after Hour 8 in both experiments so that the diameter of F2A at Hours 10 or 12 was not different (P . 0.1) from the diameter of F1 at Hour 0. A transient elevation (P , 0.05) in follicular-fluid activin A occurred in F2A at Hour 8 in both experiments. Concentrations of estradiol (P , 0.05) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I; P , 0.1) decreased in F2C by Hour 8. In F2A, the concentrations of both factors began to increase (P , 0.05) after Hours 4 or 8 so that there was no difference (P . 0.1) between F1C and F2A at Hour 12. Concentrations of IGF-I and IGF binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) in F2A changed in opposite directions at the same hours. No differences between follicles were found for concentrations of progesterone, androstenedione, inhibin A, and inhibin B. The order of events in the conversion of a future subordinate follicle to a future dominant follicle was an increase in systemic FSH, a transient elevation in follicular-fluid activin A, and a simultaneous increase in follicular-fluid estradiol and restoration of an apparent growth-compatible balance of free IGFI and IGFBP-2. activin, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, follicular development, growth factors
Influence of Non‐Stoichiometry on the Structure and Properties of Ba(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 Microwave Dielectrics: I. Substitution of Ba3W2O9

A narrow region of Zn-vacancy-containing cubic perovskites was formed in the (1−x)Ba3(ZnNb2)O9−(x)Ba3W2O9 system up to 2 mol% substitution (x=0.02). The introduction of cation vacancies enhanced the stability of the 1:2 B-site ordered form of the structure, Ba(Zn1−x□x)1/3(Nb1−xWx)2/3O3, which underwent an order–disorder transition at 1410°C, ∼35° higher than pure Ba(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3. The Zn vacancies also accelerated the kinetics of the ordering reaction, and samples with x=0.006 comprised large ordered domains with a high lattice distortion (c/a=1.226) after a 12 h anneal at 1300°C. The tungstate-containing solid solutions can be sintered to a high density at 1390°C, and the resultant ordered ceramics exhibit some of the highest microwave dielectric Q factors (Q×f=1 18 000 at 8 GHz) reported for a niobate-based perovskite.
Learning Sparse Representations of High Dimensional Data on Large Scale Dictionaries

Learning sparse representations on data adaptive dictionaries is a state-of-the-art method for modeling data. But when the dictionary is large and the data dimension is high, it is a computationally challenging problem. We explore three aspects of the problem. First, we derive new, greatly improved screening tests that quickly identify codewords that are guaranteed to have zero weights. Second, we study the properties of random projections in the context of learning sparse representations. Finally, we develop a hierarchical framework that uses incremental random projections and screening to learn, in small stages, a hierarchically structured dictionary for sparse representations. Empirical results show that our framework can learn informative hierarchical sparse representations more efficiently.
Wally's Quest to Understand the Ocean's CaCO3 Cycle

Aspects of the production and dissolution of CaCO3 hard parts dominate the literature regarding contemporary marine chemistry and paleoceanography. During my long career I have contributed more than 200 papers related to this subject. In this prefatory article in the first volume of the Annual Review of Marine Science, I recount what I consider to be the highlights of my attempts to understand the cycle of CaCO3 in today's ocean and in oceans of the past. These studies began in the Bahamas in the early 1960s and then quickly graduated to the world ocean. Although much of my research has involved stable and radioisotopes contained in shells and coral directed toward reconstruction of the late Quaternary operation of the earth system, in this review I concentrate on carbonate chemistry and, in particular, the compensation in the deep sea for the overproduction of CaCO3 by marine organisms.
Dynamics of ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen and pH in gravesoil during the extended postmortem interval.

Estimating the postmortem interval of skeletal remains is difficult, as few tools exist to do so. To address this problem, we conducted a field experiment to measure the chemistry of swine (Sus scrofa domesticus Linnaeus) gravesoil after 1 year and 3 years postmortem. Carcasses were placed on the soil surface of a pasture during June in a cold (Dfa) climate. Significant (p < 0.05) increases in ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen, pH, total nitrogen, and nitrate in gravesoil were detected 1 year postmortem. Significant differences in gravesoil chemistry were not detected 3 years postmortem. These observations coincided with gaps in plant growth 1 year postmortem and the development of lush vegetation 3 years postmortem. We conclude that these phenomena can be used to assist the decision-making process regarding the allocation of resources during the early stages of a death investigation.
Anonymizing user profiles for personalized web search

We study the problem of anonymizing user profiles so that user privacy is sufficiently protected while the anonymized profiles are still effective in enabling personalized web search. We propose a Bayes-optimal privacy notion to bound the prior and posterior probability of associating a user with an individual term in the anonymized user profile set. We also propose a novel bundling technique that clusters user profiles into groups by taking into account the semantic relationships between the terms while satisfying the privacy constraint. We evaluate our approach through a set of preliminary experiments using real data demonstrating its feasibility and effectiveness.
Soft drink intake and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

Objectives: We examine the prospective association of soft drink consumption with radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: This study used data from the osteoarthritis initiative (OAI). Participants: In OAI, 2149 participants with radiographic knee OA and having dietary data at baseline were followed up to 12, 24, 36 and 48 months. Measures: The soft drink consumption was assessed with a Block Brief Food Frequency Questionnaire completed at baseline. To evaluate knee OA progression, we used quantitative medial tibiofemoral joint space width (JSW) based on plain radiographs. The multivariate linear models for repeated measures were used to test the independent association between soft drink intake and the change in JSW over time, while adjusting for body mass index and other potential confounding factors. Results: In stratified analyses by gender, we observed a significant dose–response relationship between baseline soft drink intake and adjusted mean change of JSW in men. With increasing levels of soft drink intake (none, ≤1, 2–4 and ≥5 times/week), the mean decreases of JSW were 0.31, 0.39, 0.34 and 0.60 mm, respectively. When we further stratified by obesity, a stronger dose–response relationship was found in nonobese men. In obese men, only the highest soft drink level (≥5 times/week) was associated with increased change in JSW compared with no use. In women, no significant association was observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that frequent consumption of soft drinks may be associated with increased OA progression in men. Replication of these novel findings in other studies demonstrating the reduction in soft drink consumption leads to delay in OA progression is needed.
Sexually dimorphic levels of color trait integration and the resolution of sexual conflict in Lake Malawi cichlids.

East African cichlids are renowned for their propensity to radiate, and variation in color patterns accounts for much of endemic cichlid diversity. Sexual dimorphism in color among cichlid species likely represents the outcome of different selective regimes acting on each sex, and is a classic example of sexual conflict. It is generally assumed that this conflict has been mitigated through the evolution of sex-linked color polymorphisms. Here, we propose that the evolution of sex-specific differences in levels of color trait integration may represent an additional mechanism through which sexual conflict has been resolved in this group. Specifically, we predict: (1) that general patterns of integration are influenced by early developmental events and thus conserved across sexes and (2) that male color is less integrated than females, and thus more evolvable in terms of producing an elaborate palette (i.e., in response to sexual selection), whereas female color is more integrated, facilitating wholesale shifts in color for background matching (i.e., in response to natural selection for crypsis). We tested these hypotheses using an F2 design to compare the segregation of male and female color patterns. Both exploratory methods and hypothesis-driven analyses of integration demonstrate that the covariance structure of color traits in males and females is distinct, and that males are significantly less integrated than females. We suggest that the ability of species to promote different levels, and to a lesser extent patterns, of phenotypic integration between males and females may have contributed to the evolutionary success of this group. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 318:268–278, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Commanding The Room In Short Skirts Cheering as the Embodiment of Ideal Girlhood

More than 3.5 million people participate in cheerleading in the United States, with 97 percent being female. A staple of American schools, American life, and popular culture, the cheerleader, however, has received scant attention in scholarly research. In this article, the authors argue that a feminist poststructuralist reading of cheerleading situates cheerleading as a discursive practice that has changed significantly in the past 150 years to accommodate the shifting and often contradictory meanings of normative femininity. They maintain that the ideal girl of the new millennium embodies both masculinity and femininity and that cheerleading offers a culturally sanctioned space for some girls to embody ideal girlhood. They argue that cheerleading is a gendered activity representing in some ways a liberatory shift in reconstituting normative femininity while simultaneously perpetuating a norm of femininity that does not threaten dominant social values and expectations about the role of girls and women in ...
Measuring surface charge with a noncontacting voltmeter

The problem of using a noncontacting electrostatic voltmeter to measure surface charge is addressed. By design a noncontacting voltmeter enforces a zero-field condition at its probe by adjusting its own probe potential. When an isolated charge distribution is measured, the field around the probe is shown to consist of two superimposed components, one equal to the field caused by the measured charge distribution and a grounded probe, and the other equal to the field of the energized probe with the charge distribution absent. The resulting probe potential is shown to depend on the magnitude of the measured charge, its physical geometry, the geometry of the probe, and the position of the probe relative to the charge distribution. A method for interpreting the reading of a noncontacting voltmeter based on these factors is presented and experimentally verified. >
Predictors of depression symptoms among low-income women exposed to perinatal intimate partner violence (IPV)

Women experiencing perinatal intimate partner violence (IPV) may be at increased risk for depression. Baseline data was analyzed from 239 low-income pregnant women participating in an intervention study designed to reduce exposure to IPV. Depression risk was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and IPV factors were measured with the Conflict Tactics Scale-Revised (CTS-2). Stepwise regression was conducted to identify predictors of risk for depression. Race (p = 0.028), psychological IPV (p = 0.035) and sexual IPV (p = 0.031) were strongly associated with risk for depression. Regression results indicated that women experiencing severe psychological IPV were more likely to develop depression (OR 3.16, 95 % CI 1.246, 8.013) than those experiencing severe physical or sexual IPV. Experiencing severe psychological IPV during pregnancy is strongly linked to risk for depression. Routine screening for psychological IPV may increase identification and treatment of women at high risk for depression during pregnancy.
Written Testimony on the Credit Card Industry Before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the House Committee on Financial Services, April 26, 2007

This written testimony was presented on April 26, 2007, at a hearing on "Credit Card Practices: Current Consumer and Regulatory Issues," before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services. The testimony discussed the adverse effects on consumers resulting from (1) increased consolidation in the credit card industry, (2) rapid growth in credit card service fees and penalty charges, and (3) federal preemption of state consumer protection laws, including the impact of preemptive regulations issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC"), the federal regulator of national banks. The testimony also described the OCC’s failure to provide adequate protections for consumers against abusive lending practices involving national banks. This testimony has been cited by a number of other scholars and policy analysts.To ensure that the testimony will remain publicly available, I am posting it on the Social Science Research Network.
A Submarine Landslide Source for the Devastating 1964 Chenega Tsunami, Southern Alaska

Abstract During the 1964 Great Alaska earthquake ( M w 9.2), several fjords, straits, and bays throughout southern Alaska experienced significant tsunami runup of localized, but unexplained origin. Dangerous Passage is a glacimarine fjord in western Prince William Sound, which experienced a tsunami that devastated the village of Chenega where 23 of 75 inhabitants were lost – the highest relative loss of any community during the earthquake. Previous studies suggested the source of the devastating tsunami was either from a local submarine landslide of unknown origin or from coseismic tectonic displacement. Here we present new observations from high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and seismic reflection surveys conducted in the waters adjacent to the village of Chenega. The seabed morphology and substrate architecture reveal a large submarine landslide complex in water depths of 120–360 m. Analysis of bathymetric change between 1957 and 2014 indicates the upper 20–50 m (∼0.7 km3) of glacimarine sediment was destabilized and evacuated from the steep face of a submerged moraine and an adjacent ∼21 km2 perched sedimentary basin. Once mobilized, landslide debris poured over the steep, 130 m-high face of a deeper moraine and then blanketed the terminal basin (∼465 m water depth) in 11 ± 5 m of sediment. These results, combined with inverse tsunami travel-time modeling, suggest that earthquake-triggered submarine landslides generated the tsunami that struck the village of Chenega roughly 4 min after shaking began. Unlike other tsunamigenic landslides observed in and around Prince William Sound in 1964, the failures in Dangerous Passage are not linked to an active submarine delta. The requisite environmental conditions needed to generate large submarine landslides in glacimarine fjords around the world may be more common than previously thought.
EM Talk: communication skills training for emergency medicine patients with serious illness

The emergency department visit for a patient with serious illness represents a sentinel event, signalling a change in the illness trajectory. By better understanding patient and family wishes, emergency physicians can reinforce advance care plans and ensure the hospital care provided matches the patient's values. Despite their importance in care at the end of life, emergency physicians have received little training on how to talk to seriously ill patients and their families about goals of care. To expand communication skills training to emergency medicine, we developed a programme to give emergency medicine physicians the ability to empathically deliver serious news and to talk about goals of care. We have built on lessons from prior studies to design an intervention employing the most effective pedagogical techniques, including the use of simulated patients/families, role-playing and small group learning with constructive feedback from master clinicians. Here, we describe our evidence-based communication skills training course EM Talk using simulation, reflective feedback and deliberate practice.
Parameter Setting for Yunnan-Guangdong DC System’s Power Limitation Function Responding to the AC Low Voltage

According to the islanded operation characteristics of Yunnan-Guangdong ±800 kV transmission project,this paper calculates and analyzes the generator impedance variation,time constant,excitation model,speed of DC power lowering as well as the influence of target power on the system stability,arrester’s absorption energy and over-voltage level,resulting in a conclusion that at the viewpoint of over-voltage,the speed of power lowering should not exceed 4 000 MW/s,and 3 000 MW/s is recommended while 2 000 MW is recommended for the target power under low-voltage current limiting function.
Systematic Classification of Morphic (& “Meric”) Relationships and Morphizations (& “Merizations”) in Carbogenic Molecules. Applications of the HEDAN Classification

This chapter presents the application of the HEDAN classification to pairs of molecules/molecular states M 1 , M 2 (morphicity) (and the corresponding pair of molecular ensembles X 1 , X 2 (“mericity”)) and the HEDAN classification to interconversions between pairs of molecules /molecular states M 1 ⇌ M 2 (morphization) (and to the corresponding molecular ensembles X 1 ⇌ X 2 (“merization”)). The shape of a given non-linear molecule/molecular states M can be represented by a geometric figure G. This figure, presumed to be hollow, encompasses the molecule and provides the tightest balloon fit for that molecule, which fits snugly in the geometric figure. The shape of molecule M and that of the geometric figure G superimpose perfectly. There is a one-to-one correspondence between M and the (planar or solid) geometric figure G that represents it. The HEDAN classification of M 1 ,M 2 , can be extended to define the parallel HEDAN scheme for classifying morphizations, that is interconversions between molecules M 1 ⇌ M 2 . If two molecules M 1 and M 2 are equimorphic with respect to each other, their interconversion is termed an eqiumorphization and if the molecules bear a nonequimorphic relationship, their interconversion constitutes a nonequimorphization.
The Method of Spherical Harmonics ( PN -Approximation)

For a gray medium (or on a spectral basis) with known temperature distribution (or for the case of radiative equilibrium), the general problem of radiative transfer entails determining the radiative intensity from an integro-differential equation in five independent variables—three space coordinates and two direction coordinates—a prohibitive task. The method of spherical harmonics provides a vehicle to obtain an approximate solution of arbitrarily high order (i.e., accuracy), by transforming the equation of transfer into a set of simultaneous partial differential equations (PDEs). The approach was first proposed by Jeans [1] in his work on radiative transfer in stars. Further description of the method may be found in the books by Kourganoff [2], Davison [3], and Murray [4] (the latter two dealing with the closely related neutron transport theory). The spherical harmonics method is identical to the moment method described in Chapter 15, except that moments are taken in such a way as to take advantage of the orthogonality of spherical harmonics.
Experimental and thermodynamic evaluation of La1−xSrxMnO3±δ and La1−xSrxCo1−yFeyO3−δ cathodes in Cr-containing humidified air

Abstract Chemical and structural stability of strontium doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) and lanthanum cobalt ferrite (LSCF) cathodes in Cr-containing humidified air has been studied by a combination of experimental and thermodynamic approaches. During 100 h tests performed in flowing air (3% H2O) at 1023 K, the electrochemical performance of LSM/yttria doped zirconia (YSZ)/Pt half-cells exhibited a relatively faster degradation in current (I–t) at 0.5 V applied bias than the LSCF/gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC)/Pt half-cells. Cr species from the gas phase deposited predominantly at LSM/YSZ interface while LSCF showed mainly surface deposition throughout the electrode. Raman spectra indicate SrCrO4 formation on the post tested LSCF cathode but not on the post tested LSM cathode. The polarization resistance of the LSM cathode also increased significantly compared to that of the LSCF cathode. A linear programming approach coupled with first-principles thermodynamics suggests that the stoichiometric LSM remains stable and unreacted for the whole range of experimental PCrO3 and temperature conditions whereas the formation of SrCrO4 on LSC cathode is energetically favored at 1023 K supporting the experimental findings.
Erratum to: Increasing Routine Cancer Screening Among Underserved Populations Through Effective Communication Strategies: Application of a Health Literacy Framework.

Cancer prevention and control efforts serve as national priorities, as cancer is the second leading cause of death in the USA. In addition, cancer disparities exist, with racial/ethnic minority, low-income, and uninsured populations suffering the greatest burden. The goal of this paper is to describe the role that effective health communication can play in increasing routine cancer screening among medically underserved populations, thus decreasing persistent health disparities. For this paper, we applied Sorenson’s integrated model of health literacy as a framework for identifying communication gaps and opportunities that can help improve cancer screening specifically at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). This integrated model consists of four interrelated dimensions: access, understand, appraise, and apply. Employing communication strategies across this health literacy framework has the potential to facilitate improved decision making and cancer screening outcomes among the most underserved populations.
Casting a Wider Net: Rational Synthesis Design of Low-Dimensional Bulk Materials.

ConspectusThe discovery of novel magnetic and electronic properties in low-dimensional materials has led to the pursuit of hierarchical materials with specific substructures. Low-dimensional solids are highly anisotropic by nature and show promise in new quantum materials leading to exotic physical properties not realized in three-dimensional materials. We have the opportunity to extend our synthetic strategy of the flux-growth method to designing single crystalline low-dimensional materials in bulk. The goal of this Account is to highlight the synthesis and physical properties of several low-dimensional intermetallic compounds containing specific structural motifs that are linked to desirable magnetic and electrical properties.We turned our efforts toward intermetallic compounds consisting of antimony nets because they are closely linked to properties such as high carrier mobility (the velocity of an electron moving through a material under a magnetic field) and large magnetoresistance (the change in res...
Cortical and Trabecular Bone

Eighty percent of the skeleton consists of cortical bone, while twenty percent is trabecular; the percentages are of the wet or dry weight of the bone and do not include the soft-tissue or marrow spaces that make up part of the bone, particularly the trabecular or spongy bone. Evaluation of skeletal status, therefore, should be made on samples of bone in which the two types are present in approximately these two proportions. The majority of bone biopsy procedures include only trabecular bone and for this reason the quantitative results must be expected to be different from analyses which include both cortical and trabecular bone.
Nonrandom Association of Free Iron With Membranes of Sickle and β-Thalassemic Erythrocytes

To further define the nature of abnormal iron deposits on the membranes of pathologic red blood cells, we have used sickle cell anemia (HbSS), HbSC, and beta-thalassemic erythrocytes (RBCs) to prepare inside-out membranes (IOM) and insoluble membrane aggregates (AGGs) containing coclustered hemichrome and band 3. Study of IOM from HbSC and thalassemic patients showed that amounts of heme iron and, especially, free iron were much higher in patients who had undergone surgical splenectomy. The membrane AGGs from HbSS and beta-thalassemic RBCs contained much more globin than heme, with this discrepancy being variable from patient to patient. Although these AGGs were enriched (compared with the ghosts from which they were derived) for heme, as expected, less than 10% of total ghost heme was recovered in them. Remarkably, these AGGs also were enriched for nonheme iron, markedly so in some patients. Iron binding studies showed that the association of free iron with these hemichrome/band 3 AGGs is explained by the fact that free iron binds to denatured hemoglobin. These results document that free iron is nonrandomly associated with the membranes of sickle and beta-thalassemic RBCs. Whether this plays a causative role in the premature removal of such cells from the circulation remains to be seen.
Power MEMS Materials and Structures

The favorable scaling of the strength of brittle materials at small scales has the potential to enable a new class of devices: power MEMS. In this paper the effect of scale on the structural design of such devices is discussed with particular reference to the MIT microengine project. The initial goal of this project is to produce a turbine generator by deep reactive ion etching single crystal silicon. The design and fabrication of such a device offers significant challenges and opportunities. The major structural challenges arise from the very high stress levels (~ 1 GPa) required to achieve acceptable turbomachinery performance and the associated need to measure accurately the material properties. The task is further complicated by the need to achieve a good structural design within the constraints imposed by microfabrication processes. The major opportunities arise from the use of silicon at very small lengthscales. In particular, the use of microfabrication techniques offers the potential to control the processing-induced flaw size such that very high strengths can be obtained.
THE EFFECT OF HOT ALCOHOL ON PURIFIED ANIMAL PROTEINS

The effect of heat or alcohol extraction on the nutritive value of proteins continues to be an interesting problem. Most of the current work on it has been summarized in several recent papers (l-3). Heat treatment usually lowers the nutritive value, although soy bean protein seems to be modified in the opposite direction (4). In long time feeding experiments the possibility of thermal destruction of unidentified accessories had to be reckoned with but short time balance experiments have left no doubt that the protein itself is changed in a manner such that either it is less digestible or its amino acid fragments after digestion are less utilizable than is the case with the native protein. The latter view is the more generally accepted, although no chemical evidence has been offered which would indicate any alteration or destruction, especially of lysine or histidine, the amino acids held to be the first limiting nutritional factors in heat-treated proteins. Indeed, Block, Jones, and Gersdorff (5) found no difference between the lysine content of heated casein and that of the unheated. The work to be reported here had its origin in the observations of Seegers and Mattill (6) that beef liver, carefully dried at temperatures below 60”, suffered considerable loss of its value as a source of protein for growth and maintenance by being heated at 120” for 72 hours or by extraction with 95 per cent alcohol for 130 hours at the boiling point. When the two treated proteins and the untreated were hydrolyzed by acid, the resulting amino
Two-electron oxidation of a homoleptic U(III) guanidinate complex by diphenyldiazomethane

Reaction of the first homoleptic U(III) guanidinate complex with diphenyldiazomethane results in two-electron oxidation of U(III) to U(V) and isolation of a U(V) hydrazido complex. Corresponding U(V) imido, U(V) oxo, and U(IV) azido complexes were also synthesized for structural comparison.
Frequent double ovipositions in two flocks of laying hens.

ABSTRACT Laying hens have been selected over generations for maximal reproductive efficiency. As a result, the incidences of abnormal eggs and abnormal laying patterns are relatively low for these strains. While double ovulations, resulting in the production of double-yolked eggs, does occur on occasion in young birds just entering reproductive maturity, these double ovulations almost never result in 2 fully formed eggs, and are rare in hens that have reached peak reproductive productivity. However, there appears to be an increasing number of anecdotal accounts of backyard hens that lay more than 1 egg per day (hereafter called double oviposition). We hypothesized that double ovipositions in modern strains of laying hens are more common than previously thought. To test this, we observed a flock of Hy-Line W36 hens for 2 consecutive weeks, recording the time of oviposition for each hen on each day. We found that 13% of hens produced a double oviposition at least once during this 2-wk observation period, often producing a second egg within 2.5 h of the first. One hen produced double ovipositions on 3 d during this short period. We then monitored a second flock of hens for 6 wk, collecting eggs that were part of a double oviposition and, on one day, all eggs that were part of double ovipositions. Eggs that were part of double ovipositions showed no external shell abnormalities, and were similar in size, weight, and specific gravity to single ovipositions, suggesting that laying hens can, and do, produce 2 fully formed eggs within hours of one another. We suggest that this may represent selection for maximal reproductive performance in a modern strain of laying hens.
Advancing Intercultural Learning in World Language Education: Recent Developments in Pre-Service Teacher Education in the U.S.

Intercultural understanding is increasingly prioritized in the teaching and learning of world languages. Empirical evidence reveals the ways in which an intercultural communicative approach to foreign language instruction can foster learners’ intercultural competence (Garrett-Rucks, 2016). Yet, in the U.S., there remains a disconnect in the distribution of federal funds for internationalization efforts to foster learners’ intercultural understanding and the support given for world languages study, in which enrollment continues to fall (MLA, 2018). This position paper is intended to raise awareness of the crucial role of foreign language (FL) learning in fostering learners’ intercultural understanding in order to put into question the underestimated role of FL learning in U.S. educational policies and internationalization efforts. Despite the lack of financial, political and educational policy support, current World Language teacher certification practices in the U.S. require candidates to provide evidence of their intercultural approach to language instruction. This paper describes the emphasis on cultural reflection in current U.S. World Languages teacher certification practices and provides a review of meaningful culture learning projects to encourage all language instructors to take an intercultural communicative approach to their instruction.
Characteristics of a Bottomland Hardwood Forest at Arcadia Lake, Edmond, Oklahoma, with Special Emphasis on Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall)

We characterized the structure and tree species composition of bottomland hardwood forest at Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. Additionally, we quantified the age structure of Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall (green ash) at the study site in order to establish a baseline dataset in the event that Agrilus planipennis (emerald ash borer) invades F. pennsylvanica stands in central Oklahoma. Three species, Salix nigra Marshall (black willow), F. pennsylvanica , and Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall (cottonwood) accounted for over 98% of importance values. These three species were also common in the understory. We found that 95% of F. pennsylvanica established following Arcadia Lake reaching pool conservation status in 1987. Arcadia Lake has experienced five sustained flooding events since 1995 that have likely played a role in regeneration at the study site. In particular, we showed that the 1995 event resulted in reduced radial growth in seedlings of F. pennsylvanica . Two biotic stressors appear to be influencing F. pennsylvanica overstory trees, Castor canadensis (American beaver) and Hylesinus spp. (ash bark beetle), which will likely enhance the establishment of A. planipennis at the study site. We recommend expanding the study of Fraxinus spp. forest stands in Oklahoma. Baseline data on Fraxinus species prior to an A. planipennis range expansion to central Oklahoma can enhance strategies for control and management of this invasive insect by identifying the traits of surviving ash following the invasion.