cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathways of Oxidative Damage

The phenomenon of oxygen toxicity is universal, but only recently have we begun to understand its basis in molecular terms. Redox enzymes are notoriously nonspecific, transferring electrons to any good acceptor with which they make electronic contact. This poses a problem for aerobic organisms, since molecular oxygen is small enough to penetrate all but the most shielded active sites of redox enzymes. Adventitious electron transfers to oxygen create superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, which are partially reduced species that can oxidize biomolecules with which oxygen itself reacts poorly. This review attempts to present our still-incomplete understanding of how reactive oxygen species are formed inside cells and the mechanisms by which they damage specific target molecules. The vulnerability of cells to oxidation lies at the root of obligate anaerobiosis, spontaneous mutagenesis, and the use of oxidative stress as a biological weapon.
Micromachined gyroscope design allowing for both robust wide-bandwidth and precision mode-matched operation

This paper presents a new z-axis gyroscope design with a 2-degree of freedom (DOF) sense mode allowing interchangeable operation in either precision (mode-matched) or robust (wide-bandwidth) modes. This is accomplished using a complete 2-DOF coupled system which, unlike the previous multi-DOF design, allows for the specification of the sense mode resonant frequencies and coupling independent of frequency. The robust mode corresponds to operation between the 2-DOF sense mode resonant frequencies providing a response gain and bandwidth controlled by frequency spacing. Precision mode of operation, however, relies on mode-matching the drive to the second, anti-phase sense mode resonant frequency which can be designed to provide a gain advantage over a similar 1-DOF system. Experimental rate characterization of an SOI prototype in air for both robust and precision modes revealed scale factors of 0.282 and 0.690 mV/deg/s respectively. The improvement due to precision mode operation is increased to 27 times for operation in 500 mTorr reduced pressure.
Looking around the corner: a review of the past 100 years of frontal sinusitis treatment.

Over the past 100 years, developments in imaging studies, endoscopic evaluation, medical treatment, and surgical techniques, particularly those employing endoscopic approaches, have led to improvements in our ability to treat frontal sinusitis. Providing “around the corner” views of the frontal recess, 30° and 45° endoscopes have allowed the meticulous preservation of the mucoperiosteum and restoration of normal sinus physiology, even in difficult areas of the frontal sinus outflow tract. Rarely is it necessary to perform radical or obliterative frontal sinus procedures, although the osteoplastic flap obliteration approach advocated by Montgomery continues to be the gold standard for treatment of frontal sinusitis, which has failed medical treatment and endoscopic approaches, at least in the minds of many prominent surgeons. The endoscopic modification of Lothrop's approach has gained favor in the experience of many, however, despite its technical difficulty and failure rate of up to 20%. Technical advances, such as computer-assisted endoscopic surgery and, more recently, intraoperative imaging have shown promise and may lead to further improvement in treatment outcomes. Finally, we will all benefit from further advances in outcomes assessment, which will provide better scientific proof of our clinical observations. Laryngoscope, 2009
Doppler Profiler and Radar Observations of Boundary Layer Variability during the Landfall of Tropical Storm Gabrielle

Abstract Detailed observations of boundary layer structure were acquired on 14 September 2001, prior to and during the landfall of Tropical Storm Gabrielle. The Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS) and the Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radar (SMART-R) were collocated at the western Florida coastline near Venice, very close to the wind center at landfall. Prior to landfall, the boundary layer was rendered weakly stable by a long period of evaporational cooling and mesoscale downdrafts within extensive stratiform precipitation that started 18 h before landfall. The cool air mass was expansive, with an area within the 23°C surface isotherm of about 50 000 km2. East-northeasterly surface flow transported this cool air off the west coast of Florida, toward the convergent warm core of the Gabrielle, and promoted the development of shallow warm and cold fronts that were prominent during the landfall phase. Airflow properties of the boundary layer around the coastal zone are examined using ...
Control allocation for the X-33 using existing and novel quadratic programming techniques

Control allocation (CA) is the distribution of control effort among a set of (possibly redundant) effectors to achieve a desired objective. In the case of aerospace vehicles, CA is the selection of effector commands in order to induce a set of commanded moments (torques) on an aerospace vehicle. These moment commands are typically generated by an autopilot/attitude control law that operates in closed loop with a guidance (attitude command) law as well as a CA law and the vehicle itself. In this paper, several quadratic programming (QP) based CA laws in the context of control for an X-33 based next generation aerospace vehicle model are examined. These laws include least squares (no inequality constraints in QP), direction preserving CA, sign-preserving CA, frequency weighted CA and combinations thereof. These methods are evaluated in the context of both nominal and failed effector behavior so that reconfiguration behavior can be examined. Our simulation results to date indicate that a CA law based on frequency-weighted sign preserving QP problem provides superior performance to the other methods examined.
Eye Tracking, Attention, and Schizotypal Symptoms in Nonpsychotic Relatives of Patients With Schizophrenia

Background: Biological relatives of patients with schizophrenia demonstrate an increased prevalence of schizotypal personality disorder symptoms, eye tracking deficits, and attentional disturbances. We investigated whether these hypothesized components of a schizophrenia-related phenotype are associated with one another or are independent in nonpsychotic relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Eighty-three nonpsychotic first-degree relatives of 38 patients with schizophrenia and 45 control subjects without a psychiatric diagnosis underwent clinical evaluation, eye tracking evaluation, and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) of visual attention. Results: Eye tracking qualitative rating was more powerful than quantitative eye tracking measures or CPT measures in discriminating relatives of patients with schizophrenia from control subjects. Correlations between neurocognitive variables and DSM-III-R schizotypal personality disorder symptom clusters suggested that CPT errors of omission are associated with positive schizotypal symptoms. Eye tracking measures were not significantly correlated with schizotypal symptoms or CPT errors in relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions: Eye tracking deficits in the relatives of patients with schizophrenia are unrelated to CPT deficits and schizotypal symptoms. Eye tracking deficits and disturbances in visual attention may be separate components of a schizophrenia-related phenotype and should be considered as independent factors in genetic studies of schizophrenia.
Samsara: honor among thieves in peer-to-peer storage

Peer-to-peer storage systems assume that their users consume resources in proportion to their contribution. Unfortunately, users are unlikely to do this without some enforcement mechanism. Prior solutions to this problem require centralized infrastructure, constraints on data placement, or ongoing administrative costs. All of these run counter to the design philosophy of peer-to-peer systems.Samsara enforces fairness in peer-to-peer storage systems without requiring trusted third parties, symmetric storage relationships, monetary payment, or certified identities. Each peer that requests storage of another must agree to hold a claim in return---a placeholder that accounts for available space. After an exchange, each partner checks the other to ensure faithfulness. Samsara punishes unresponsive nodes probabilistically. Because objects are replicated, nodes with transient failures are unlikely to suffer data loss, unlike those that are dishonest or chronically unavailable. Claim storage overhead can be reduced when necessary by forwarding among chains of nodes, and eliminated when cycles are created. Forwarding chains increase the risk of exposure to failure, but such risk is modest under reasonable assumptions of utilization and simultaneous, persistent failure.
Ornstein-Zernike Behavior for Self-Avoiding Walks at All Noncritical Temperatures

We prove that the self-avoiding walk has Ornstein-Zernike decay and some related properties for all noncritical temperatures at which the model is defined.
Testing a rotation axis to drain a 3D workpiece

Given a triangular mesh defining the geometry of a 3D workpiece filled with water, we propose an algorithm to test whether, for an arbitrary given axis, the workpiece will be completely drained under gravity when the rotation axis is set parallel to the ground and the workpiece is rotated around the axis. Observing that all water traps contain a concave vertex, we solve our problem by constructing and analyzing a directed ''draining graph'' whose nodes correspond to concave vertices of the geometry and whose edges are set according to the transition of trapped water when we rotate the workpiece around the given axis. Our algorithm to test whether or not a given rotation axis drains the workpiece outputs a result in about a second for models with more than 100,000 triangles after a few seconds of preprocessing.
Graft-vs-host disease after solid organ transplant.

We identified 10 solid organ transplant recipients with a histologic diagnosis of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). Histologic slides were reviewed, and information on the transplant, HLA match, and blood product transfusion history was obtained. Molecular testing to evaluate the presence of donor lymphocytes (chimerism) was done in 1 case. All patients underwent at least 1 gastrointestinal biopsy; 1 patient also underwent a skin biopsy and 1 patient a liver biopsy; all specimens showed grade I to IV acute GVHD. Six patients had a diagnosis of GVHD within 3 months of blood product transfusion and/or solid organ transplantation, which is the time frame in which GVHD reportedly occurs after solid organ transplantation; 4 patients had a distant history of blood product transfusion or solid organ transplantation. In 1 patient, a molecular technique using the polymorphic marker DIS80 documented donor lymphocytes in the colonic tissue and blood (chimerism). Although histologic findings of GVHD are quite specific, they are not pathognomonic. A GVHDlike histologic pattern can be seen in other conditions such as drug reactions and viral infections. Demonstration of donor lymphocytes in the involved organ helps support the diagnosis of GVHD in questionable cases. Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), a common complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, also may be seen after solid organ transplantation and in immunocompromised people who are given nonirradiated blood products. 1-7 Billingham 8 summarized the donor and host requirements for
Momentary Predictors of Insulin Restriction Among Adults With Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorder Symptomatology

OBJECTIVE Individuals with type 1 diabetes who restrict insulin to control weight are at high risk for diabetes-related complications and premature death. However, little is known about this behavior or how to effectively intervene. The aim of the current study was to identify predictors of insulin restriction in the natural environment that might inform new treatment directions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Eighty-three adults with type 1 diabetes and a range of eating disorder symptomatology completed 3 days of ecological momentary assessment. Participants reported emotions, eating, and insulin dosing throughout the day using their cellular telephone. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the effects of heightened negative affect (e.g., anxiety) before eating and characteristics of the eating episode (e.g., eating a large amount of food) on the risk of insulin restriction. RESULTS Individuals who reported greater-than-average negative affect (general negative affect and negative affect specifically about diabetes) during the study period were more likely to restrict insulin. Momentary increases in anxiety/nervousness and guilt/disgust with self before eating (relative to an individual’s typical level) further increased the odds of restricting insulin at the upcoming meal. Insulin restriction was more likely when individuals reported that they broke a dietary rule (e.g., “no desserts”). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that insulin restriction might be decreased by helping patients with type 1 diabetes respond effectively to heightened negative affect (e.g., anxiety, guilt) and encouraging patients to take a less rigid, punitive approach to diabetes management.
Language Features for Object-Oriented Implementation

Many modern programming language features can be divided into two parts: basic features that are essential to use the programming paradigm and supporting concepts that are needed to facilitate the construction of more complex systems. So far, we have covered core language issues for the object-oriented paradigm, such as classes, inheritance, interfaces, and so on.
Contacts and Vias

Contacts and vias are required in integrated circuits for metallization purposes. Without these connections, electronic devices will not be able to function. This article presents a review on how contacts and vias are made, basic working principles of contacts and vias in semiconductors and the materials used in making these contacts and vias.
Analgesia after total knee replacement: local infiltration versus epidural combined with a femoral nerve blockade: a prospective, randomised pragmatic trial

In a randomised controlled pragmatic trial we investigated whether local infiltration analgesia would result in earlier readiness for discharge from hospital after total knee replacement (TKR) than patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) plus femoral nerve block. A total of 45 patients with a mean age of 65 years (49 to 81) received a local infiltration with a peri-articular injection of bupivacaine, morphine and methylprednisolone, as well as adjuvant analgesics. In 45 PCEA+femoral nerve blockade patients with a mean age of 67 years (50 to 84), analgesia included a bupivacaine nerve block, bupivacaine/hydromorphone PCEA, and adjuvant analgesics. The mean time until ready for discharge was 3.2 days (1 to 14) in the local infiltration group and 3.2 days (1.8 to 7.0) in the PCEA+femoral nerve blockade group. The mean pain scores for patients receiving local infiltration were higher when walking (p = 0.0084), but there were no statistically significant differences at rest. The mean opioid consumption was higher in those receiving local infiltration. The choice between these two analgesic pathways should not be made on the basis of time to discharge after surgery. Most secondary outcomes were similar, but PCEA+femoral nerve blockade patients had lower pain scores when walking and during continuous passive movement. If PCEA+femoral nerve blockade is not readily available, local infiltration provides similar length of stay and similar pain scores at rest following TKR. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:629–35.
Negotiating knowledges and expertise in refugee resettlement organizations

AbstractInterviews with both refugees and organizational staff in two nonprofit refugee resettlement organizations in the United States reveal the ways in which knowledge(s) and expertise are crafted, threatened, and understood in refugee organizations. Refugee-participants described the need for knowledgeable communication, barriers to the communication of knowledge, and processes of negotiating whose expertise is involved. Organizational staff participants described the duty of communicating expert knowledge, the limits of knowledge as expertise, and alternative communications of expertise. These tensions surrounding “knowing” in refugee resettlement organizations highlights the need for a more complex theoretical understanding of the processes of knowing present in refugee resettlement. These tensions also suggest areas in which refugee resettlement agencies and other nonprofit staff can make on-the-ground changes to better facilitate refugee resettlement processes.
Precursor and oxygen dependence of the unidirectional, seeded growth of CdSe nanorods.

It was recently shown that, by controlling the O2 concentration, the seeded-growth of CdSe nanocrystals (NC) can be manipulated to proceed either unidirectionally (from the (0001) facet) or three-dimensionally. In this contribution, we investigate two new Se precursors (i.e., SeO2 and NaHSe) and compare them with Se obtained from etching of smaller NC seeds. Under anaerobic conditions, both precursors led to successful three-dimensional (3D) NC growth. At high O2 concentrations, the seeded growth of rods was enhanced by the NaHSe precursor, while impeded by the use of SeO2. Mechanistic studies showed that the reduction of SeO2 to Se2– produces an excessive amount of O2. This leads to rod fragmentation due to etching as well as the production of deep traps that quench their luminescence. These new precursors, along with a heightened understanding of oxygen’s role, expand the synthetic repertoire of the redox-assisted, seeded-growth of CdSe and better position this low temperature (125 °C) methodology towar...
Reinstatement: An attempt at replication

An attempt was made to replicate Campbell & Jaynes’ (1966) demonstration of the reinstatement effect. The replication did find effects attributable to reinstatement. However, inconsistencies between the two experiments were sufficient to question the pervasive importance originally attributed to the concept of reinstatement. It was suggested that age, shock level, and their interaction be fully explored.
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IS ASSOCIATED WITH WORSE TAVR OUTCOMES INDEPENDENT OF COPD: REPORT FROM THE TVT REGISTRY

We report the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on patients undergoing transcatheter valve replacement (TAVR), evaluating the interaction of PH due to primary lung disease. A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients who underwent TAVR from 2010 to 2015 from the TVT registry.
Understanding system structural tensions to support complex system governance development methodology

Tensions arise from the structure of complex systems along the interrelated viability dimensions of control, change, and design. Unique system properties and performance emerge from system structure, that is, from the constitute functions and interrelationships comprising the complex system. Tensions are balanced in well-performing complex systems, but are potentially unbalanced when system performance is not meeting expectations, and implies that deficiencies exist in the underlying system structure. Systems theory propositions and management cybernetic principles provide a foundation to support the construct of system tensions and their evaluation. An understanding of system tensions can support the emerging paradigm of complex system governance and associated complex system governance development methodology through advancing of approaches that identify and quantify the potential degree of tension imbalance. Such approaches could provide systems practitioners with new ways to evaluate the cause of inadequate performance in complex systems in terms of inadequacies in underlying system structure and related system pathologies.
Analysis of the five Hepatitis B test and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels among personnel of food industry and public place in Xinshao county from 2006 to 2009

Objective:The purpose of the study is to understand the distribution of HBsAg,HBsAb,HBeAg,HBeAb,HBcAb and the abnormity of ALT among personnel of food industry and public place to provide scientific evidence for Prevention and cure of Hepatitis B.Methods: The five test for Hepatitis B were detected by ELISA and ALT with Reitman-Frankel test.Results: There were 8271 personnel tested in 2006-2009,From 2006 to 2009,ratio of infection decreased from 9.47% to 6.03%.In age group from 17 to 25 、26 to 40、41 to 55,ratio of infection was 5.21%,6.91%,10.60% respectively.Ratio of abnormal ALT is 5.45% among the combined positives of HBsAg,HBeAg,HBcAb,is 4.32% among the combined positives of HBsAg,HBeAb,HBcAb.There is not significant statistical difference with P-value(0.05).Conclusion: Ratio of infection of Hepatitis B had a tendency for decreasing but keep on a higher proportion in personnel of food industry and public place,the measure of epidemic prevention should be taken in further.
Extensible and scalable network monitoring using OpenSAFE

Administrators of today's networks are highly interested in monitoring traffic for purposes of collecting statistics, detecting intrusions, and providing forensic evidence. Unfortunately, network size and complexity can make this a daunting task. Aside from the problems in analyzing network traffic for this information--an extremely difficult task itself--a more fundamental problem exists: how to route the traffic for network analysis in a robust, high performance manner that does not impact normal network traffic. Current solutions fail to address these problems in a manner that allows high performance and easy management. In this paper, we propose OpenSAFE, a system for enabling the arbitrary direction of traffic for security monitoring applications at line rates. Additionally, we describe ALARMS, a flow specification language that greatly simplifies management of network monitoring appliances. Finally, we describe a proof-of-concept implementation that we are currently undertaking to monitor traffic across our network.
Structural Equation Modeling of Export Behavior

Exporting has assumed increasing importance as a viable market development strategy. Research in the area of firms’ export behavior has centered both on contextual-enviornmental factors as well as on individual-firm factors as explanatory variables that affect exporting decisions.
Using Phenology to Optimize Timing of Mowing and Grazing Treatments for Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)☆

ABSTRACT The invasive annual grass medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) poses a substantial threat to the health and function of rangelands across the western United States. On rangelands containing other desirable annual grasses, selective control of medusahead is difficult as this invasive species has traits similar to those of desired species. One key trait that differs between medusahead and other annual grasses is the rate and timing of phenological development. In this study we define management states for medusahead on the basis of the patterns of variation of forage palatability and susceptibility of seed production to defoliation over phenological stages. We integrate these management states with field observations to model the rates and timing of phenology-based management states to identify when targeted grazing or mowing treatments are most appropriate using Dirichlet regression and multistate modeling. While defoliation at any phenological stage from V3 (boot) to R8 (milk stage...
Tourism Competitiveness, Government and Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) Model: The Evaluation of Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras

The objective is to investigate the role government plays in tourism competitiveness and understand the relationship based on the Tourism Area Life Cycle model. We argue that tourism competitiveness is influenced not only by the governments' decisions but also by the stage of tourism development of the country. Countries characterized as tourism-dependent will demonstrate higher levels of government engagement than those less dependent on tourism. Case study was employed, utilizing time-series analysis. The results indicate that the role government plays in tourism competitiveness may depend not only on the level of freedom provided (proxy for government) but also on the stage of destination development. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlocal Sediment Transport on Steep Lateral Moraines, Eastern Sierra Nevada, California, USA

Available for download is the author's version of the paper. The final, publisher's version is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2017JF004325 The dataset DOI is https://doi.org/10.15695/vudata.cee.1
Authentication of synthetic environmental contaminants and their (bio)transformation products in toxicology: polychlorinated biphenyls as an example

Toxicological studies use "specialty chemicals" and, thus, should assess and report both identity and degree of purity (homogeneity) of the chemicals (or toxicants) under investigation to ensure that other scientists can replicate experimental results. Although detailed reporting criteria for the synthesis and characterization of organic compounds have been established by organic chemistry journals, such criteria are inconsistently applied to the chemicals used in toxicological studies. Biologically active trace impurities may lead to incorrect conclusions about the chemical entity responsible for a biological response, which in turn may confound risk assessment. Based on our experience with the synthesis of PCBs and their metabolites, we herein propose guidelines for the "authentication" of synthetic PCBs and, by extension, other organic toxicants, and provide a checklist for documenting the authentication of toxicants reported in the peer-reviewed literature. The objective is to expand guidelines proposed for different types of biomedical and preclinical studies to include a thorough authentication of specialty chemicals, such as PCBs and their derivatives, with the goal of ensuring transparent and open reporting of scientific results in toxicology and the environmental health sciences.
Fast Thermoresponsive Optical Membrane Using Hydrogels Embedded in Macroporous Silicon

We have fabricated a temperature-sensitive hydrogel through copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylamide inside a macroporous silicon structure and demonstrated fast thermal response compared to its bulk structure. The presented method allows physical arrangement of microsized hydrogels within a predefined arrayed structure. Static and dynamic temperature responses of the fabricated structure are successfully demonstrated through optical transmission measurement. The measured temporal response reveals that the presented structure can allow fast response time of the implemented hydrogels. Furthermore, a spatial thermo-distribution pattern can be observed through pixel-like, arrayed macropores, which indicates a potential for addressing individual or single-channel hydrogel sensors or actuators through temperature stimulation.
Development and Implementation of Bone Health Protocol (BHP) in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) (P1.119)

Objective: To Develop/Implement BHP for DMD. Background: Vitamin D (25OHD) deficiency, reduced bone mineral density (BMD) scores (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-DXA), and vertebral compression fractures (VFs) are common in DMD. Design/Methods: We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 148 DMD boys for 25OHD, DXA scan frequency and scores, VFs and vitamin D therapies. Prospectively, use of the BHP in 2016 included obtaining 25OHD levels at 6 month intervals and DXA combined with spine radiographs (for those with spinal Z-score Results: At baseline, 72% (107) DMD boys had one or more 25OHD levels available with 65% (70) having insufficient ( Conclusions: Although preliminary, we find that a BHP will, indeed, improve surveillance for vitamin D deficiency, decreased BMD and VFs in DMD boys. Using a uniform treatment approach we will assess effects of vitamin D/dietary calcium supplementation on the above measures. The inclusion of bisphosphonate treatment in subpopulations of boys with DMD is anticipated. Disclosure: Dr. Otto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Loechner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Verma has nothing to disclose.
Should Clinicians Challenge Faith-Based Institutional Values Conflicting with Their Own

Catholic health care organizations generally prohibit their employees from prescribing contraceptives for the purpose of birth control. This restriction might go against a clinician's own beliefs and the explicit wishes of a patient. In this case, Dr. N is being asked by a patient, Ms. K, to code oral contraception as treatment for acne, a noncontraceptive benefit of birth control pills, although both parties know Ms. K's primary desire is to prevent pregnancy. We examine the legal and moral arguments surrounding contraceptive provision in this case and offer guidance for how Dr. N and Ms. K might work to find a tenable solution.
Massenspektroskopie in der Drogenanalyse

Die Massenspektren von Barbitursaurederivaten spiegeln die hohe Stabilitat des Malonsaureureidsystems wider, so das Fragmentierung bei aliphatisch substituierten Derivaten bevorzugt in den Substituenten erfolgt, wahrend aromatisch substituierte Vertreter Aufspaltung des Barbitursaureringes unter Ausbildung stabiler konjugierter Systeme zeigen. Diese Beobachtungen erlauben die leichte Identifizierung derartiger Verbindungen. Die hohe Empfindlichkeit der Massenspektrometer (Mikrogrammmengen) zusammen mit modernen Trennmethoden (Dunnschichtund Gaschromatographie) last somit die Massenspektroskopie als wichtige Methode fur die forensische Analyse erscheinen.
Introduction: Speculations Concerning the Origins of the Self

Defining the operative ideology of the biological sciences is in the midst of re-assessment. Confidence in the chemo-mechanical reductive model is in continued debate, and the issue appears to focus on the organism, which has fallen between two seemingly crushing spheres of thought—molecular/cellular biology, on the one hand, and behavioral/ecological biology, on the other. As a physician, I participate in this discussion with the least well-defined discipline at his calling. Medicine at the end of the 20th century relies on contributions from technology, physics, chemistry, psychology as integral to its practice as the biological sciences. As a result, we do not possess a well-defined theory of medicine, a self-contained system of its own principles, by which it exclusively pursues expansion of its knowledge base or regulates its intellectual and practical activities. It borrows from everywhere, and in the process appears as a patchwork quilt, in places highly developed and precisely effective, and in others, painfully devoid of any reasonable hypothesis or therapy [1]. Success in areas amenable to mechanical models (i.e. orthopedics, cardiovascular surgery) or military metaphor (antimicrobial therapy) has been staggering. But such principles are not necessarily applicable to more complex systems based on hierarchical construction, such as the immune or nervous systems, or in developing strategies against cancer or AIDS.
An investigation of the distinguishing characteristics of exemplary trainers in business and industry in Zimbabwe

This study investigated the demographic, psychological, interpersonal, and attitude and belief characteristics that distinguished exemplary business and industrial trainers (N = 18) and other trainers (N = 70) in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the study investigated whether work experience, academic ability, creativity, trainee-content orientation, and self-perception between the ttainers grouped as business, technical, and management trainers significantly differentiated between the groups of trainers. Usable data collected from 88 business and industrial trainers through the Adult Personality Inventory (API), the Attitude and Belief Inventory (ABI), the Trainee-Content Training inventory (T-CT), and the Training Job Competence (TJC) rating scale were analyzed through discriminant analysis and hierarchical linear models. The findings were: 1. Work experience, a demographic variable, was the single largest factor that distinguished exemplary trainers from the rest of the trainers. Exemplary trainers had mean work experience of 16.72 years while the rest of the trainers had a mean of 12.3 years. 2. Creativity was the second best distinguishing factor, and the only psychological factor that significantly differentiated between the two groups of trainers. 3. Trainee-content orientation and attitude towards self were the third and fourth highest distinguishing factors differentiating exemplary trainers from the rest. 4. Academic ability was the fifth best predictor of job performance among the trainers.
Molecular cloning of the rat IL-13 alpha 2 receptor cDNA and its expression in rat tissues

The interleukin 13 alpha 2 receptor (IL-13Ralpha2) is highly expressed in human glioma cells. As a consequence this receptor has been proposed as a potential target for immunotherapeutic approaches for treating brain tumors. In developing animal models that may utilize the IL-13Ralpha2 receptor as an immunotherapeutic target, only the murine gene sequence has thus far been elucidated. The purpose of the present study, therefore, was to determine the gene sequence and tissue distribution of IL-13Ralpha2 in the rat. A search of the NCBI expressed sequence tag (EST) database with human and mouse IL-13Ralpha2 gene sequences identified a rat EST with high homology to the human and mouse IL-13Ralpha2 conserved region. Based on the sequence information, a 1917 bp rat IL-13Ralpha2 cDNA was cloned using the 5' and 3' RACE PCR technique. The cloned rat IL-13Ralpha2 cDNA contains a full-length 1158 bp open reading frame. The deduced protein is 91.2% and 54.2% homologous to mouse and human IL- 13Ralpha2, respectively, at the amino acid level. Analysis shows that the rat IL-13Ralpha2 is structurally conserved and similar to human and mouse. It has a very short cytoplasmic domain, an extracellular domain containing an N-terminal fibronectin type III domain, four putative N-glycosylation sites, and a growth factor and cytokine receptor family motif WSEWS. Using RT-PCR techniques, the mRNA of rat IL-13Ralpha2 was detected in rat brain, spleen, liver, thymus, stomach, testis, and three rat glioblastoma cell lines C6, A15A5 and 9L. The cloning of rat IL-13Ralpha2 may be helpful to establish a rat model for IL-13Ralpha2 related glioma therapies.
High-Speed On-Chip Signaling: Voltage or Current-Mode?

In this paper, we investigate several on-chip signaling schemes. Specifically, we compare different voltage-mode (VM) and current-mode (CM) signaling schemes considering power, performance, and rob...
Neutron Transfer in N 14 (N 14 ,N 13 )N 15 at Low Energies

Formulas concerned with approximate quantum-mechanical corrections to the semiclassical treatment of the neutron transfer reaction previously contained or implied in the literature are extended and put in a more convenient form for application. New data of McIntyre, Jobes, and Becker in the laboratory energy range 9.0 to 18.0 Mev are compared with theoretical expectation. The accuracy of a previous discussion of 18-Mev, data is improved. At 18 and at 12.6 Mev reasonable agreement with experimental angular distributions is found close to 90 deg in the c.m. system. At smaller angles thc experimental values of the cross section are below those calculated at 18 Mev, in agreement with the influence of absorption on the recoils suggested for this case by McIntyie and Jobes; at 12.3 Mev the experimental values are somewhat smaller than the theoretical as would be the case in the presence of virtual Coulomb excitation (VCE). Total transfer cross sections show a systematic increase over expectation by a factor of about 2.9 between 9.0 and 12.8 Mev- as though some VCE were present. The calculated ratio of the 90 deg cross section at 18 Mev to that at 12.6 Mev is about 10 times that observed. Possible explanations ofmore » this discrepancy are discussed. (auth)« less
The Impact of Advance Care Planning on End-of-Life Care: Do the Type and Timing Make a Difference for Patients With Advanced Cancer Referred to Hospice?

Purpose:This study aimed to determine the impact of advanced care planning (ACP) on potentially avoidable hospital admissions at the end of life (EOL) among a sample of hospice-referred patients wi...
Effects of Basel III Framework on Capital Adequacy of Commercial Banks in Kenya

Purpose:The purpose of the study was toassess the effects of Basel III framework on capital adequacy requirement in commercial banks in Kenya. The study sought to address the following research questions: why are capital adequacy regulations important in commercial banks in Kenya? What challenges are commercial banks facing in the implementation of capital adequacy requirement? What measures have commercial banks taken to ensure compliance with the capital adequacy requirement?Methodology:A descriptive survey design was applied to a population of 43 commercial banks operating in Kenya. The target population composed of the 159 management staff currently employed at the head offices of the various commercial banks in Kenya. The population was composed of Senior, Middle and Junior or Entry level Management staff. A sample of 30% was selected from within each group.Primary data was gathered using questionnaires which were dropped off at the bank’s head offices and picked up later when the respondents had filled the questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze quantitative data while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data.Results:The findings show that capital adequacy requirement is important in commercial banks because it leads financial stability in the Kenyan economy, improves credit risk management techniques as poor credit risk management requires more capital and leads to reduced vulnerability to liquidity shocks due to the sound capitalization policies being implemented under the Basel III framework. Findings also revealed that capital adequacy affected the balance sheet structure of the commercial banks in Kenya.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommends that banks should continue the pursuit of various strategies to ensure that they are in compliance with Basel III requirements and the Central Bank of Kenya’s Prudential Guidelines. The staff of this committee should be drawn from mainly the finance, legal, compliance and treasury departments. Compliance with the capital requirements will lead to a safety net for all commercial banks as the additional capital will act as a cushion that absorbs losses in case of distress in the commercial banking sector.
Do people know how they’ve changed? A longitudinal investigation of volitional personality change and participants’ retrospective perceptions thereof

Abstract Prior research has found that most people want to change their personalities. Moreover, these change goals predict trait growth. The present study extended this by examining both actual change in self-report traits and people’s perceptions of how they have changed across 16 weeks. Results indicated moderate alignment between trait growth and perceived change (average r = 0.49)—with 39% of responses indicating perceived changes in the opposite direction of trait growth. Moreover, change goals predicted trait growth holding perceptions constant, and both trait growth and perceptions independently predicted well-being. These data elucidate how people perceive the process of volitional change. Moreover, these data suggest people change in desired ways, even if they do not perceive those changes.
A simplified continuum damage mechanics based modeling strategy for cumulative fatigue damage assessment of metallic bolted joints

Abstract Fatigue damage and consequent failure account for the majority of the failure in metallic bolted joints of aerospace and mechanical engineering applications. In this paper, we present a cumulative fatigue damage evaluation approach for metallic bolted joints based on a combined continuum damage mechanics (CDM) theory and the critical plane approach. The analysis approach is applicable to both proportional and non-proportional multiaxial loading conditions. A cycle jumping based algorithm with a fixed damage evolution rate is adopted for efficient numerical approximation. To further increase the computational efficiency, a simplified modeling strategy is developed to avoid the expensive calculation of the full loading-unloading cyclic stress history. The proposed approach is established based on the assumption that a linear relation can be established between the minimum and maximum stress tensors in high-cycle fatigue analysis and is thus only dependent on the maximum stress states. A set of examples including a notched specimen and a metallic bolted joint with pre-tension are simulated to demonstrate the simplified approach.
Development of the Anne Sullivan Macy Service for Deaf-Blind Persons:

The Industrial Home for the Blind, in cooperation with the United States Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, has launched a demonstration and research project providing for the development of a re...
Ytterbium doped multicore fiber saturable absorber for high energy ultrafast fiber lasers (Conference Presentation)

The key advantages of ultrafast fiber lasers compared to their bulk competitors are their small footprints, low costs and nearly diffraction limited beam quality. The pulse energy of fiber based ultrafast oscillators is still inferior comparted to ultrafast bulk oscillators. In the last decade substantial effort has been devoted to overcome this hurdle, including the development of novel saturable absorber schemes. In this work, we discuss the pulse energy scaling potential of all normal dispersion (ANDI) fiber lasers utilizing Ytterbium doped multicore fiber as saturable absorber.
Electro-optically-Q-switched Nd:YVO4 microchip lasers

Coupled-cavity electro-optically-Q-switched microchip lasers1 were constructed from 440-μm-long pieces of 1.1-wt.% Nd:YVO4 bonded to 900-μm-long pieces of LiTaO3, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Both materials were polished flat and parallel on the two faces normal to the cavity axis and were oriented with their c axes parallel to each other, orthogonal to the cavity axis. Electrodes were deposited on the faces of the LiTaO3 normal to the c axis, with an electrode spacing of ~1 mm. The pump-side faces of the Nd:YVO4 were coated dielectrically to transmit the pump light and to be highly reflective at the oscillating wavelength (1.064 μm). Greater than 90% of the incident 808-nm pump light from a butt-coupled fiber was absorbed by the gain medium.
A state-of-the-art integrative approach to studying neck biomechanics in vivo

Neck injuries are significant causes of morbidity and mortality, and their chronic forms due to repetitive or sustained physical acts (e.g., prolonged use of mobile phone with a dropped head) are becoming increasingly more prevalent. Many injuries are preventable but the prevention and control requires a clear basic understanding of the neck biomechanics. In this paper, we describe a first-of-its-kind study that integrates a gamut of state-of-the-art imaging modalities (dynamic radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) and biodynamic measurements (motion capture, electromyography (EMG), force sensing), thereby investigating holistically the in vivo responses of the neck and its various interconnected musculoskeletal components during functional activities. We present a sample of findings to illustrate how the integrations at multiple levels can enable creating truly subject-specific neck musculoskeletal models and attaining novel insights that otherwise would be unattainable by a singular or subset of approaches.
Managing the spread of disease with mobile phone data

While human mobility has important benefits for economic growth, it can generate negative externalities. This paper studies the effect of mobility on the spread of disease in a low-incidence setting when people do not internalize their risks to others. Using malaria as a case study and 15 billion mobile phone records across nine million SIM cards, this paper quantifies the relationship between travel and the spread of disease. The estimates indicate that an infected traveler contributes to 1.66 additional cases reported in the health facility at the traveler's destination. This paper develops a simulation-based policy tool that uses mobile phone data to inform strategic targeting of travelers based on their origins and destinations. The simulations suggest that targeting informed by mobile phone data could reduce the caseload by 50 percent more than current strategies that rely only on previous incidence.
Targeted sequence design within the coarse-grained polymer genome

The chemical design of polymers with target structural and/or functional properties represents a grand challenge in materials science. While data-driven design approaches are promising, success with polymers has been limited, largely due to limitations in data availability. Here, we demonstrate the targeted sequence design of single-chain structure in polymers by combining coarse-grained modeling, machine learning, and model optimization. Nearly 2000 unique coarse-grained polymers are simulated to construct and analyze machine learning models. We find that deep neural networks inexpensively and reliably predict structural properties with limited sequence information as input. By coupling trained ML models with sequential model-based optimization, polymer sequences are proposed to exhibit globular, swollen, or rod-like behaviors, which are verified by explicit simulations. This work highlights the promising integration of coarse-grained modeling with data-driven design and represents a necessary and crucial step toward more complex polymer design efforts.
Solidification crack propagation and morphology dependence on processing parameters in AA6061 from ultra-high-speed x-ray visualization

Abstract Solidification or hot cracks are commonly observed defects in a number of metal alloys and may lead to deterioration of additively manufactured parts quality. In this study, ultra-high-speed x-ray radiography experiments enable the observation and characterization of bundles of hot-cracks that form in monobloc AA6061 substrate. The crack bundles are related to meltpool characteristics and pore formation. Crack propagation rate is also presented for the case of a crack that initiates from a pore. Two types of relevant pore formation are also described, namely keyhole porosity and crack-remelting porosity. The results of this study are expected to facilitate the validation of theoretical and numerical models of solidification cracking.
Glass Transitions in Hydrated Polyelectrolyte Complexes

The spontaneous association of oppositely charged natural or synthetic polyelectrolytes in solution has evoked a great deal of interest from chemical, physical, and biological perspectives. The polymer-dense phases resulting from this phase separation are termed polyelectrolyte complexes or coacervates, PECs. PECs exhibit a range of properties and morphologies, from liquidlike to solidlike states. Though PECs have high water contents, a few of them are known to exhibit a glass transition near room temperature. In this work, the library of glassy PECs is substantially expanded with compositions that exhibit glass transition temperatures, Tg, over the entire working range of aqueous solutions between 0 and 100 °C. A radiochemical method of measuring the volume of pores that usually form in glassy PECs enabled a comparison of Tg with PEC phase water volume fraction, ϕH₂O,PEC. Tg correlated weakly with ϕH₂O,PEC only for a series of PECs in which one of the polyelectrolytes was held constant. In general, Tg was poorly correlated with ϕH₂O,PEC. On the other hand, time–temperature superposition of linear viscoelastic responses provided a classical estimate of fractional free volume of PECs, which correlated well with Tg.