cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive beamsteering for search-and-track application with Cognitive Radar Network

In this paper, we introduce the concept of a Cognitive Radar Network (CRN). The goal of the radar platforms in a CRN is to cooperate in illuminating the radar channel in an efficient manner in an effort to search for moving targets. Moreover, when a detection is declared, the CRN should incorporate the tracking requirement into the illumination strategy. That is, the beamsteering strategy must exploit the radar channel uncertainty, which is a function of probabilistic representation of the channel. The radar channel uncertainty is dynamic and as such the CRN's beamsteering strategy should be dynamic. Here, we demonstrate a CRN by utilizing two static radar platforms that form a dynamic integrated search-and-track beamsteering strategy matched to the radar channel uncertainty.
The song must go on: resilience of the songbird vocal motor pathway.

Stereotyped sequences of neural activity underlie learned vocal behavior in songbirds; principle neurons in the cortical motor nucleus HVC fire in stereotyped sequences with millisecond precision across multiple renditions of a song. The geometry of neural connections underlying these sequences is not known in detail though feed-forward chains are commonly assumed in theoretical models of sequential neural activity. In songbirds, a well-defined cortical-thalamic motor circuit exists but little is known the fine-grain structure of connections within each song nucleus. To examine whether the structure of song is critically dependent on long-range connections within HVC, we bilaterally transected the nucleus along the anterior-posterior axis in normal-hearing and deafened birds. The disruption leads to a slowing of song as well as an increase in acoustic variability. These effects are reversed on a time-scale of days even in deafened birds or in birds that are prevented from singing post-transection. The stereotyped song of zebra finches includes acoustic details that span from milliseconds to seconds–one of the most precise learned behaviors in the animal kingdom. This detailed motor pattern is resilient to disruption of connections at the cortical level, and the details of song variability and duration are maintained by offline homeostasis of the song circuit.
A Unied Framework for Robust Optimization of Interplanetary Trajectories

A framework intended for robust optimization of interplanetary trajectories is described. The trajectory is divided into multiple phases, and each phase is discretized into segments. The resulting discrete problem can be solved by several state-of-the-art solvers directly integrated in the framework. In addition, a wide variety of constraints and dynamical functions are available, which makes the problem modeling highly exible. An interactive visualization capability is also included to monitor the optimization process in real time. This framework is implemented in a general-purpose trajectory optimization tool prototype, and several numerical examples from real-world mission design activities are presented.
Transrectal ultrasound and biopsy in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer

BackgroundHistorically, the prostate was evaluated for cancer by simple digital rectal examination, and biopsy to obtain a tissue diagnosis of cancer was performed blindly. The advent of ultrasound...
CUPRI system configuration for NLC-91 and observations of PMSE during Salvo A

The Cornell University Portable Radar Interferometer (CUPRI) provided nearly continuous monitoring of the mesosphere above Esrange, Sweden during the noctilucent cloud rocket and radar campaign of the summer of 1991 (NLC-91). CUPRI probed the mesosphere above Esrange from 78 to 91 km altitude with 300-meter resolution and was sensitive to the enhanced Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSE) that occur in the same altitude range as NLC formations. Out of the total of 264 hours of CUPRI observation time, PMSE were present for 140 hours. Rocket Salvo A was flown on the night of August 9-10 into an NLC event that occurred simultaneously with a thin and weakening PMSE layer. High-resolution Doppler spectrograms of this PMSE event revealed sawtooth-like discontinuities at approximately 83 km altitude, which we interpret to be a distorted partial reflection layer which was advected across the radar beam.
The risk of unintended pregnancies in users of the contraceptive patch compared to users of oral contraceptives in the UK General Practice Research Database.

Abstract Background The transdermal contraceptive patch EVRA has been marketed since 2002 as an alternative to oral contraceptives (OCs), but large follow-up studies of effectiveness are lacking. Study Design We used a cohort plus a nested case-control study to estimate rates and hazard ratios of unintended pregnancy among users of different hormonal contraceptives (HC) and to evaluate the effects of various potential predictors on unintended pregnancy. Results Rates of unintended pregnancy were all low (overall rate 0.17 per 100 women-years), though they were slightly higher in users of progestogen-only OCs and EVRA compared to users of second-generation OCs. The hazard ratios for unintended pregnancy were also higher for users of progestogen-only OCs and the patch compared to users of second-generation OCs, although these estimates may be confounded by compliance. Rates of unintended pregnancy were inversely associated with age and duration of HC use as well as with other predictors of pregnancy but not body mass index or use of antibiotics. Conclusion The rates of unintended pregnancy were low for all study HCs, and while the data on unintended pregnancy in EVRA users compared to OC users are sufficient to rule out major differences in the rate of unintended pregnancy, they are not sufficient to rule out modest ones.
Hardness for Explicit State Software Model Checking Benchmarks

Directed model checking algorithms focus computation resources in the error-prone areas of concurrent systems. The algorithms depend on some empirical analysis to report their performance gains. Recent work characterizes the hardness of models used in the analysis as an estimated number of paths in the model that contain an error. This hardness metric is computed using a stateless random walk. We show that this is not a good hardness metric because models labeled hard with a stateless random walk metric have easily discoverable errors with a stateful randomized search. We present an analysis which shows that a hardness metric based on a stateful randomized search is a tighter bound for hardness in models used to benchmark explicit state directed model checking techniques. Furthermore, we convert easy models into hard models as measured by our new metric by pushing the errors deeper in the system and manipulating the number of threads that actually manifest an error.
Imaging nonequilibrium atomic vibrations with x-ray diffuse scattering

We use picosecond x-ray diffuse scattering to image the nonequilibrium vibrations in the lattice following ultrafast laser excitation. We present images of nonequilibrium phonons in InP and InSb throughout the Brillouin zone which remain out of equilibrium up to nanoseconds. The results are analyzed using a Born model that helps identify the phonon branches contributing to the observed features in the time-resolved diffuse scattering. In InP this analysis shows a delayed increase in the transverse-acoustic (TA) phonon population along high-symmetry directions accompanied by a decrease in the longitudinal-acoustic phonons. In InSb the increase in TA phonon population is less directional.
Entrapment/escorting and patrolling missions in multi-robot cluster space control

The tasks of entrapping/escorting and patrolling around an autonomous target are presented making use of the multi-robot cluster space control approach. The cluster space control technique promotes simplified specification and monitoring of the motion of mobile multi-robot systems of limited size. Previous work has established the conceptual foundation of this approach and has experimentally verified and validated its use for 2-robot, 3-robot and 4-robot systems, with varying implementations ranging from automated trajectory control to human-in-the-loop piloting. In this publication, we show that the problem of entrapping/escorting/patrolling is trivial to define and manage from a cluster space perspective. Using a 3-robot experimental testbed, results are shown for the given tasks. We also revise the definition of the cluster space framework for a three-robot formation and incorporate a robot-level obstacle avoidance functionality.
APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G mRNA Levels Do Not Correlate with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Plasma Viremia or CD4+ T-Cell Count

APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G (hA3F and hA3G) are part of an innate mechanism of antiretroviral defense. The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory protein Vif targets both proteins for proteasomal degradation. Using mRNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 92 HIV-infected subjects not taking antiretroviral therapy and 19 HIV-uninfected controls, we found that hA3F (P < 0.001) and hA3G (P = 0.016) mRNA levels were lower in HIV-infected subjects and were positively correlated with one another (P = 0.003). However, we found no correlation in the abundance of either hA3F or hA3G mRNA with either viral load or CD4 counts in HIV-infected subjects.
Down to the wire: The cultural clock of physicists and the discourse of consensus

This study examines how deadlines and time limits for conference talks organize the discourse of consensus among collaborating experimental and theoretical physicists in a university laboratory Six months of videotaped observations, including two cycles of conference talk preparation, indicate that, as the date of an upcoming conference nears, several things happen (a) Co-authoring physicists usually have not achieved agreement on all aspects of the findings (b) They nevertheless direct their energies to constructing a hybrid presentation rhetoric that satisfies the co-authors and fits the talk to the official conference talk time limit (c) In the process of working through matters of rhetoric - what to say, what to display visually, what to leave out, and in what order the information should be presented - the physicists construct a working consensus on matters of physics theory and experimental data explaining the properties and dynamics of the physical universe (Scientific discourse, consensus, temporal organization, rhetoric )* Every community constructs and attends to temporal orders (Whorf 1956, Heidegger 1962, Bourdieu 1977, Zerubavel 1981, Ricoeur 1988, Avem 1989, Gell 1992), and scientific communities are no exception Career schedules, project cycles, conference deadlines, and conference talk time slots, among other temporal orders, form the cultural clock of working scientists Time is thus not only an object that scientists measure, it is also a cultural artifact that organizes their work and discourse This essay examines how the cultural clock of physicists is marshaled to achieve consensus in one research laboratory While other studies of science emphasize that coming to consensus closure on a claim depends on AVAILABILITY of resources - namely techno-scientific equipment, a large skilled laboratory staff, and funding to conduct extensive research' - the present ethnographic study
When is Peer Aggression 'Bullying?' An Analysis of Elementary and Middle School Student Discourse on Bullying at School

Many forms of peer aggression are referred to as "bullying" by students, parents and adults, and this can be a source of confusion in schools. The main purpose of this study is to explore the circumstances under which students characterize peer aggression as “bullying” incidents. A secondary goal is to examine the feelings students have about the effectiveness of reporting peer aggression to adults. Both objectives are intended to reveal information that will enhance communication about peer aggression and bullying between students and adults. Six focus groups with 54 students in grades three through eight were conducted. The groups were organized in patterns based on grade level and gender, and qualitative methods were used to analyze the results. The findings showed that although the students defined bullying in ways that are similar to the criteria in the literature, they chose different words to describe them. Younger students also expressed greater faith in the ability of adults to respond effectively to bullying situations. Older students preferred to confront a bully with equal force or to reason with a bully to stop the aggression.
Current opportunities and challenges in intradermal vaccination

The skin is an attractive site for immunization in humans and animals, owing to its resident population of dendritic cells and macrophages along with extensive vascularization by lymphatic vessels and blood capillaries. In addition to these physiological attributes, the intradermal route for vaccine delivery also presents a less-invasive alternative to conventional subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. This may offer compliance and convenience advantages for a wide range of stakeholders including patients, healthcare providers, veterinarians, animal owners and animal producers. This review discusses the current developments in intradermal vaccination for human and veterinary applications, with particular focus on the skin immunology, vaccine antigens and adjuvants and delivery systems.
Structures in the Breakdown Curves of the Quantum Hall Effect in Narrow Channel GaAs/AlGaAs Heterostructures

Measurements of the breakdown of the quantum Hall effect (Q.H.E.) have been made on single heterostructures with a narrow constriction (∼2 μm). Structures corresponding to sharp increases in dissipation were observed in both the source-drain current sweeps at constant magnetic field and the magnetic field sweeps at constant source-drain current.
Megafauna associations with deepwater corals (Primnoa spp.) in the Gulf of Alaska

Few in situ observations have been made of deepwater corals and, therefore, little is known about their biology or ecological significance. Deepwater corals (Primnoa spp.) were observed from a manned submersible at 11 sites in the Gulf of Alaska from 1989 to 1997 at depths of 161–365 m. We identified 10 megafaunal groups that associate with Primnoa to feed on the coral, use the coral branches for suspension feeding, or for protection. Predators on Primnoa polyps included sea stars, nudibranchs, and snails. Sea stars were the main predators, consuming 45% and 34% of the polyps at two sites. Suspension-feeders included crinoids, basket stars, anemones, and sponges. Most suspension-feeders observed at depths <300 m were associated with Primnoa. Protection seekers included rockfish, crab, and shrimp. Six rockfish species were either beneath, among, or above Primnoa. Shrimp were among the polyps, and a pair of mating king crabs were beneath Primnoa. These observations indicate Primnoa are important components of the deepwater ecosystem and removal of these slow-growing corals could cause long-term changes in associated megafauna.
FLOATING BREAKWATER PERFORMANCE

The Pacific Northwestern United States contains large areas of protected waters with abundant recreational boating opportunities. The area also supports many commercial fishermen who use small boats in their fishing operations . As a result, there is a large demand for sheltered moorage for all these vessels. Traditionally, this demand has been accommodated by constructing rubble-mound breakwaters for marina protection. At present, most of the sites where rubble-mound breakwater construction is economically feasible have been used. Conditions at many of the remaining areas"for marina development are unsuitable for traditional techniques of marina construction. In general, the cost is too great because the water is too deep, or the environmental degradation resulting from marina development is unacceptable. To satisfy the demand for moorage, while at the same time overcoming the other restrictions, floating breakwaters have been employed at many new marina facilities. In order to optimize the configuration of floating breakwaters and to overcome the problems which have been encountered with their use, the University of Washington has undertaken a continuing program of research. The aim of this research has been to monitor the performance of existing breakwaters and to develop a theoretical model to predict performance. Using the theoretical model supplemented with appropriate model-scale tests, a series of parametric variations will be tested to determine the effects of these variations on breakwater performance. At present, several comparisons of the theory with model tests and full-scale performance have been reported by Adee (1975a, 1975b, 1976). This report is a continuation of this effort incorporating data obtained at the Friday Harbor, Washington floating breakwater.
Clinical Implications of Cytogenetic Variants in Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia (CML)

Serial cytogenetic studies were performed on 179 chronic myelocytic leukemia patients (CML) at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health. Patients were divided into 6 groups according to cytogenetic findings: Ph1 negative (18 patients), Ph1 negative with other chromosomal abnormalities (3 patients), Ph1 positive (116 patients), Ph1 positive and negative (10 patients), Ph1 positive with other chromosomal abnormalities (24 patients), and Ph1 positive which turned to other chromosomal abnormalities (8 patients). Patients who were Ph1 negative and negative with other chromosomal abnormalities (11.8 per cent of total) had the shortest median survival, 12 to 15 months. In contrast, the median survival of patients in the Ph1 positive groups was 31 to 40 months. The development of other chromosomal abnormalities in Ph1 positive patients presaged the terminal stage of the disease.
Thin-needle Aspiration Biopsy: A Personal Experience with 469 Cases

The thin-needle aspiration biopsy technic was used in 469 cases to diagnose benign and malignant tumors. The success of the technic depends upon careful examination of the lesion to be biopsied and attention to the details outlined in procuring the aspiration material and preparing the smears. The most important technical consideration is creating a simulated tissue pattern in the preparation of the smears. Routine Papanicolaou, May-Grunwald-Giemsa, metachrome B, and hematoxylin and eosin stains are all useful. Special stains may provide additional evidence for specific diagnoses. Lymph nodes were the most common tissue examined by aspiration biopsy in this series. It was possible to identify the primary tumor site from the aspiration smear in most of the cases. Forty-seven breast cancers were identified from 127 aspiration biopsies of breast lumps. Breast aspirations are the most difficult to interpret, and no deviation from classic malignant smears should be attempted. The false-negative rate for breast aspirations was 7.0%. No delay in treatment occurred because of a false-negative report. Patient acceptance of the procedure was excellent.
Multiple Exciton Generation and Dissociation in PbS Quantum Dot-Electron Acceptor Complexes

Multiple exciton generation (MEG) in quantum dots (QDs), a process by which one absorbed photon generates multiple electron–hole pairs, has provided exciting possibilities for improving the energy conversion efficiency of photovoltaic and photocatalytic devices. However, implementing MEG in practical devices requires the extraction of multiple charge carriers before exciton–exciton annihilation and the development of materials with improved MEG efficiency. In this report, using PbS QD/methylene blue complexes as a QD/electron acceptor model system, we demonstrate that the presence of electron acceptors does not affect the MEG efficiency of QDs and all generated excitons can be dissociated by electron transfer to the acceptor, achieving MEG and multiple exciton dissociation efficiencies of 112%. We further demonstrate that these efficiencies are not affected by the charging of QDs.
Contribution of regional networks to the nutrition education of physicians.

To describe the activities of existing nutrition education consortia and their efforts to support nutrition education in medical schools and residency programs.In an effort to improve nutrition education at member schools, regional consortia have: organized conferences and courses for faculty, fellows, residents, and students, developed curricula, fostered networking among faculty with shared interests, provided awards for excellence in teaching and research to faculty and students, collaborated with dieticians and non-physician faculty, prepared protocols for evaluation including formal tests, feedback techniques and preparation of Observed Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE). The structure and activities of two existing regional centers are described.Goals and objectives for nutrition education have been established, but there remains a significant need for improvements in outcome measures.Regional networks have been active in supporting nutrition education in those medical schools which have particip...
A Technique for Rearing Larvae of Medetera aldrichii (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

In studies to develop a suitable technique for rearing the larval stages of the predator Medetera aldrichii Wheeler on its host, the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctomus pseudotsugae Hopkins, 4 media were plated in glass “sandwiches”: agar, Douglas-fir sawdust, Douglas-fir beetle frass, and Douglas-fir phloem (modified). Prey and predator larvae were introduced into these sandwiches and kept at 22°C in darkened, controlled-temperature cabinets. Predator cannibalism occurred in all media. Only the phloem mixture was a successful rearing medium, with larvae surviving to the third (ultimate) instar in all tests.
Vascular access: choice and complications in European haemodialysis units

Aims European and US guidelines emphasise that permanent vascular access in the form of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) or grafts (AVG) are preferable to central venous catheters (CVC) in paediatric patients on long-term haemodialysis. We report vascular access choice and complication rates in 13 European paediatric nephrology units. Methods A survey of units participating in the European Paediatric Dialysis Working Group requesting data on type of vascular access, routine care and complications in patients on chronic haemodialysis between March 2010 and February 2011. Results There were 111 patients in 13 participating centres with a median age of 14 years (0.25-20.2 years). Central venous catheters were used in 67 of 111 (60%) patients with 42 (38%) having an AVF and 2 patients (2%) having an AVG. Choice of vascular access was significantly related to patient age with mean age of patients with AVF/AVG 14.8 years compared to 10.6 years for patients with CVCs (p Conclusions CVCs remain the predominant choice of vascular access in Europe despite problems of malfunction and infection. AVF/AVG were predominantly used in adolescents without reported complications. More regular exit site cleaning may predispose to CVC infection but this observation requires prospective evaluation.
Study on the mitigation role of physical fatigue of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium

Purpose To investigate the effect of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium on physical fatigue.Methods Cordyceps sinensis mycelium was administered daily at four different doses(125,250,750 mg/kg) to male ICR mice for 30 days.Then were measured the loaded-swimming time,blood lactic acid,hepatic glycogen and urea nitrogen after exercise.Results Cordyceps sinensis mycelium can significantly extend the loaded-swimming time(P0.05),increase the role of reserve in hepatic glycogen(P0.01),reduceing blood lactic acid concentration after exercise in mice(P0.01),and without significant effect on blood urea nitrogen in fatigue mice(P0.05).Conclusion Cordyceps sinensis mycelium can mitigate physical fatigue.
The Use of Resin-based Composite in Children: An Update

Resin-based composites are an integral component of contemporary pediatric restorative dentistry. They can be utilized effectively for preventive resin restorations, moderate Class II restorations, Class III restorations, Class IV restorations, Class V restorations, and strip crowns. Tooth isolation to prevent contamination is a critical factor, and high-risk children may not be ideal candidates for resin-based composite restorations. Important factors to consider during composite placement are isolation, polymerization shrinkage, and extent of restoration. When utilized correctly, resin-based composites can provide excellent restorations in the primary and permanent dentition. The purpose of this paper was to update previous publications that addressed the use of resin-based composites in children with accepted recommendations through a Pediatric Restorative Dentistry Consensus Conference.
Iron and the anemia of chronic disease: Vindication for the non-essential role of iron supplementation

It is somewhat ironic (no pun intended) that a review whose title, “Iron and the Anemia of Chronic Disease,” suggests content more appropriate to a hematology journal than one devoted to oncology, has been found to have lasting value by practicing oncologists.
Sources and kinetics of bilirubin formation in vivo.

To our knowledge bilirubin is derived entirely from the degradation of heme. Most of this heme is present in hemoglobin in red blood cells but there are other hemoproteins in all tissues, for example in the cytochromes, enzymes such as catalase and peroxidase, and myoglobin in muscle. Studies with isotopic precursors of heme, and hence also of bilirubin, have shed much light on the sources of bilirubin formation in vivo. Three broad phases of bilirubin formation are found in studies with labeled glycine: an early-labeled fraction which is formed during the first few days after glycine administration; a large late peak of bilirubin production which is maximal at 120 days in man; and a prolonged “plateau” phase between the early and late fractions. The probable sources of these different fractions of bilirubin production are listed in Table 1. We still do not understand the metabolic and physiologic processes which account for some of these fractions, and Table 1 in part represents speculation which is based on an assessment of the fats that are currently available.
Pheresis: Principle, Applications and Clinical Considerations

Pheresis is a useful therapeutic tool available to the immunohematologist. Pheresis techniques and applications are developing rapidly. Evaluation of improvements in the diseases treated by pheresis and protection of the health and safety of both the patient and the normal donor are important considerations. The history of the pheresis procedure and the applications of pheresis at one medical center are described.
CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis of a DMR6 ortholog in tomato confers broad-spectrum disease resistance

Pathogenic microbes are responsible for severe production losses in crops worldwide. The use of disease resistant crop varieties can be a sustainable approach to meet the food demand of the world's growing population. However, classical plant breeding is usually laborious and time-consuming, thus hampering efficient improvement of many crops. With the advent of genome editing technologies, in particular the CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9) system, we are now able to introduce improved crop traits in a rapid and efficient manner. In this work, we genome edited durable disease resistance in tomato by modifying a specific gene associated with disease resistance. Recently, it was demonstrated that inactivation of a single gene called DMR6 (downy mildew resistance 6) confers resistance to several pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana. This gene is specifically up-regulated during pathogen infection, and mutations in the dmr6 gene results in increased salicylic acid levels. The tomato SlDMR6-1 orthologue Solyc03g080190.2 is also up-regulated during infection by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Phytophthora capsici. Using the CRISPR/Cas-9 system, we generated tomato plants with small deletions in the SlDMR6-1 gene that result in frameshift and premature truncation of the protein. Remarkably, these mutants do not have significant detrimental effects in terms of growth and development under greenhouse conditions and show disease resistance against different pathogens, including P. syringae, P. capsici and Xanthomonas spp.
Quality Improvement in Surgery

Surgeons can no longer afford to distance themselves from quality improvement (QI) initiatives given external pressures and disincentives from governing agencies as well as public demand for transparency and outcomes reporting. Multiple needs exist for conducting successful QI including higher quality and more sufficient evidence to guide care, better understanding of effective and context-sensitive implementation strategies, improved metrics with which to gauge successes and failures, and more resources and QI training for surgeons. Furthermore, surgeons face unique challenges in terms of assuming individual responsibility for outcomes that are a result of team-based care, measuring and adjusting for technical skill, and balancing technological and technical innovations with patient safety concerns. Despite these challenges, surgeons are leading the way in terms of the development of robust clinical registries with which to inform and drive QI, formation of local collaboratives to identify and drill down on variations in care and their impact on outcomes, and innovation in interventions to improve both individual and team-level outcomes such as video-based coaching and simulation-based training.
What's new is old : comments on (more) archaeological evidence of one-million-year-old fire from South Africa : news and views

The essential roles of fire in human evolution and in humanity's technological mastery of the natural world are disproportional to our understanding of its earliest domestication. Archaeologists researching relatively recent occurrences of fire, only after ∼0. Ma and mostly in Europe, are particularly critical of earlier archaeological claims of fire from African sites older than 1.0 million years old. The problem is that the initial harnessing of fire was such an extraordinary accomplishment that any claim of that achievement requires extraordinary evidence for its acceptance. Unfortunately, ancient fire lacks the tangibility of prehistoric stone tools, the oldest of which are 2.6 million years old but that are also still readily accessible to us by sight and by touch. Fire - even when employed in the most evolutionarily important of ways (e.g. to cook food, provide nocturnal illumination and ward off carnivores) - is ephemeral; it burns itself out. Thus, the occurrence of fire in the deep past left only trace evidence, if any at all.
Perceived stress and poly-tobacco product use across adolescence: Patterns of association and gender differences.

Perceived stress-an endophenotype indicative of the tendency to appraise stress as frequent, unpredictable and unmanageable-is associated with adolescent cigarette smoking. It is unclear whether this association: (1) extends to alternative tobacco products, like electronic cigarettes and hookah (tobacco water pipe), which are increasingly popular among youth, and (2) differs by gender. In this report, data were drawn from a population-based longitudinal cohort of youth in Southern California. Perceived stress was assessed at baseline (7th or 8th grade; 2010). Electronic cigarette, hookah, combustible cigarette, and cigar use were assessed at a 4-year follow-up (11th or 12th grade; 2014). After adjusting for confounders, polytomous logistic regressions showed that a standardized baseline perceived stress score (M = 0, SD = 1) predicted electronic cigarette, hookah, combustible cigarette, and cigar use and a poly-tobacco use index at the 4-year follow-up in the overall sample. Interactions between perceived stress and gender were also observed (Interaction Ps < 0.05), which demonstrated that the association of perceived stress with tobacco product use and poly-use were stronger in females (ORs for current use range: 1.47 to 1.72) than males (ORs range: 0.93 to 1.31). Adjusting for baseline perceived stress, the change in perceived stress from baseline to follow-up was also positively associated with use and poly-use of most tobacco products in females and in males to some extent. In the current era in which teen use of alternative tobacco products is increasingly common, adolescent tobacco use and poly-use research and prevention strategies should address gender-specific origins of tobacco product use risk and consider perceived stress and other emotional endophenotypes in such risk pathways.
Spatially-resolved isotopic study of carbon trapped in ∼3.43 Ga Strelley Pool Formation stromatolites

The large isotopic fractionation of carbon associated with enzymatic carbon assimilation allows evidence for life’s antiquity, and potentially the early operation of several extant metabolic pathways, to be derived from the stable carbon isotope record of sedimentary rocks. Earth’s organic carbon isotope record extends to the Late Eoarchean-Early Paleoarchean: the age of the oldest known sedimentary rocks. However, complementary inorganic carbon reservoirs are poorly represented in the oldest units, and commonly reported bulk organic carbon isotope measurements do not capture the micro-scale isotopic heterogeneities that are increasingly reported from younger rocks. Here, we investigated the isotopic composition of the oldest paired occurrences of sedimentary carbonate and organic matter, which are preserved as dolomite and kerogen within textural biosignatures of the ∼3.43 Ga Strelley Pool Formation. We targeted least-altered carbonate phases in situ using microsampling techniques guided by non-destructive elemental mapping. Organic carbon isotope values were measured by spatially-resolved bulk analyses, and in situ using secondary ion mass spectrometry to target microscale domains of organic material trapped within inorganic carbon matrixes. Total observed fractionation of 13C ranges from −29 to −45‰. Our data are consistent with studies of younger Archean rocks that host biogenic stromatolites and organic–inorganic carbon pairs showing greater fractionation than expected for Rubisco fixation alone. We conclude that organic matter was fixed and/or remobilized by at least one metabolism in addition to the CBB cycle, possibly by the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway or methanogenesis-methanotrophy, in a shallow-water marine environment during the Paleoarchean.
Octopuses in wild and domestic relationships

People commonly interact with terrestrial domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, horses, cattle and goats, and birds. Thereby individuals of different species form animal–human bonds. We are now ...
Financing investment spikes in the years surrounding World War I.

Abstract In the period surrounding World War I, US firms sharply increased investment in fixed assets and working capital to accommodate large increases in demand associated with the war. Concurrently, the US adopted an excess profits tax, which created a tax bias in favor of equity financing. Despite this tax bias, firms in need of external funds largely issued debt, not equity, to finance investment spikes when the excess profits tax was in effect. Further, we find these firms systematically reduced debt after the war, whereas other firms did not. The results support models that link the dynamics of firms’ financing decisions with the dynamics of their investment opportunities and are inconsistent with models that emphasize taxes as a primary determinant of financing decisions.
Primary carcinoma of the adrenal cortex: An institutional surgical perspective

Background During the decades 1960 to 1980, we surgically treated 62 patients with primary adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). In that study, operative mortality was 9.7% and the 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival 19%. In the decade 1981 to 1990, we have treated 31 patients with ACC. Methods A retrospective review of these more recent patients was undertaken in an attempt to answer 3 questions: Has: 1) the operative mortality been reduced? 2) the distribution of stages changed at operation? and 3) adjuvant therapy with mitotane (OPDD) been beneficial? 14 men and 17 women with a mean age of 51 years were retrospectively studied. 16 patients (52%) were placed on postoperative mitotane in a nonrandomized fashion with no difference in the distribution of stages between those patients receiving and those not receiving mitotane. Results Operative mortality was 9.7%. More patients in the current study had stage II disease (52 versus 32%) and fewer patients stage IV disease (35 versus 53%) at operation. 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival was 39%. 18 patients died more than 30 days following operation secondary to metastatic ACC, and 5 of the 10 patients currently living have metastatic disease. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall survival of the group treated versus the group not treated with mitotane (p=0.55), nor in the survival of treated versus non-treated stage II patients (p=0.16). Conclusions Although survival in the more recent study has improved, ACC remains a lethal disease. Operative mortality remains high with a large number of patients being operated upon with stage IV disease. The earlier promise of benefits from adjuvant therapy with mitotane are not substantiated.
Synapse Formation in the Mammalian Central Nervous System

Synapses are highly organized molecular complexes at which neurons communicate with each other in the brain. To form a functional synapse, hundreds of molecules need to be organized at the contact site between the axon and its target in the developing brain. Converging evidence now suggests that several families of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) play important roles in differentiation, maturation, and maintenance of synapses. In this chapter, we will describe the structure of synapses, pre- and postsynaptic scaffolding molecules, steps of synapse formation, and synaptogenic molecules, including CAMs, in the mammalian central nervous system.
Science and Wonder

In all the years that I have been pursuing physics as a career, I have never found the subject dull, nor exhausted the multifarious store of interesting questions to investigate. Maybe it is lack of imagination on my part, but I have rarely felt the desire to change fields, for I could think of nothing else as deeply satisfying. Poincare has aptly depicted the source of such feeling when he wrote (with perhaps only a modicum of exaggeration)1 The Scientist does not study nature because it is useful to do so. He studies it because he takes pleasure in it; and he takes pleasure in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing and life would not be worth living...
Comparing suppository mold variability which can lead to dosage errors for suppositories prepared with the same or different molds

Suppository molds must be properly calibrated to ensure accurate dosing. There are often slight differences between molds and even in the cavities within a mold. A method is presented for the calibration of standard aluminum 6-, 12-, 50-, or 100-well suppository molds. Ten different molds were tested using water for volume calibration, and cocoa butter for standardization involving establishing the density factor. This method is shown to be straightforward and appropriate for calibrating suppository molds.
Abstract and imaginary objects

The classification of abstract and imaginary objects is a major source of contradictions among philosophers, who mistakenly believe that these objects are non-physical. Descartes thought that there were fundamental differences between physical and mental objects, and many of his contemporary philosophers also believed in supernatural spiritual objects. In contrast, the outstanding mathematician Gottlob Frege postulated that numbers belong to an abstract realm that has only negative properties. He acerbically criticized John Stuart Mill for confusing pure arithmetical propositions with the practical use of arithmetic. However, the written and archeological evidence from early arithmetic and geometry, and the developmental studies of Piaget, contradict Frege’s ideas. In addition, neuroscience has demonstrated that abstract, imaginary, and metaphysical objects are the product of abstraction, which is physically realized in the frontal lobes of the brain.
Case 11: Zone III Open Globe Injury from Fall

An 80-year-old woman presented with a Zone III open globe injury of the right eye with associated suprachoroidal hemorrhage and total retinal detachment from a fall. The patient initially presented with 360-degree bullous subconjunctival hemorrhage and dense vitreous hemorrhage prompting surgical exploration and identification of the posterior rupture. The patient underwent repair of this open globe injury and then followed up for a retinal evaluation. Subsequently, the patient underwent drainage of the suprachoroidal hemorrhage and repair of the total retinal detachment.
Discharge Delay in Head and Neck Free Flap Surgery: Risk Factors and Strategies to Minimize Hospital Days.

ObjectiveLength of stay (LOS) includes time medically necessary in the hospital and time waiting for discharge (DC) afterward. This DC delay is determined in head and neck free flap patients. Reaso...
A Note on Srivastava’s Characterization of the Exponential Distribution Based on Record Values

Let R1,R2,… be the sequence of record values corres-ponding to a random sample drawn from distribution F. When F is absolutely continuous, R. C. Srivastava has shown that independence of Rj+n − Rj and Rj with j and n fixed positive integers is a characteristic property of the exponential distribution. Srivastava further conjectures that the characterization remains valid assuming only continuity of F. This note proves the conjecture to be true.
Comments on the traits of a leader.

DURING MY PARTICIPATION in the most recent Coalition for Allied Health Leadership workshops, I looked around the room at the other participants and wondered, "Why this group of individuals? What characteristics do these individual possess that indicates leader?" We completed leadership styles inventories and had our coworkers do so as well, so apparently I'm not the only one with that question. Robert W Lear,1 chairman of the advisory board of Chief Executive magazine, listed the traits that 25 executives mentioned as desirable in a leader. After 3 years, he had a list of 41 traits. Can the traits be defined cynically, as by Scott Adams in the comic strip Dilbert? In one strip, Dogbert is teaching a seminar on leadership. Leaders, he explains, start in a company as morons, attracted to meetings like moths to a porch light. They have the highest bladder-to-brain ratio and endure because they are impervious to logic and caffeine. These, he points out, are the characteristics of leadership. Leadership, he concludes, is nature's way of removing nonproducers from the ranks of the workers. Many other businessmen and researchers have joined in and contributed to the literature on leadership traits. Blumenthal2 cited 11 imperatives for today's leaders. Winters3 put together a composite definition of a leader: A leader must "have the audacity to stand on an unpopular, never-heard-of, creative position for the good of the organization, empowers other people to be a part of the vision, and has the faith and stamina to make it happen simply because it is the right thing to do." That sounds a bit like a description of Cervantes' hero Don Quixote. Nevertheless, many in the business world believe that the quality of standing up for what is right for the good of the organization is one of the key ingredients of a leader. Stanley4 described this trait as assertiveness. Although assertiveness can be confused easily as overbearing or being pushy, it more clearly means the ability to pursue the path that seems the best for the organization. Charisma is another term used by many to describe a key characteristic of a leader. Lear1 pointed out that the most common term used to describe a leader is charismatic. Drucker, the eminent management theorist, was quoted as saying that the one thing he found in common was a total lack of charisma. I'm not sure I agree with Drucker. Moses, Christ, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and even Adolf Hitler had charisma. Maybe charisma is not present in 100% of our leaders (George S. Patton comes to mind), but it certainly is a common attribute. Is there a common list of leadership traits that are identifiable? I would offer that the making of a leader is a combination of traits as unique as the DNA that comprises an individual. Perhaps we should stop looking for a number of common traits and analyze the three basic qualities outlined by Dergen.5 Based on his experiences, he lists three key qualities: character, vision and political capacity. Character gives one the strength to be that Don Quixote and to march on for that heavenly cause. …
Optical manipulation with an optothermal surface bubble for ultrasensitive sensing

We report an optical manipulation method based on an optothermal surface bubble. Nanogap-rich structures that are fabricated with this method are used to detect chemical substance down to femtomolar concentrations.
Risk Factors for Positive Follow-Up Blood Cultures in Gram-Negative Bacilli Bacteremia: Implications for Selecting Who Needs Follow-Up Blood Cultures.

Background The value of follow-up blood cultures (FUBCs) to document clearance of bacteremia due to Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) has not been well established. Although previous studies suggested that the yield of FUBCs for GNB bacteremia is low, it remains to be elucidated for whom FUBC may be beneficial and for whom it is unnecessary. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed at 4 acute care hospitals to identify risk factors for positive FUBCs with GNB bacteremia and to better guide clinicians' decisions as to which patients may or may not benefit from FUBCs. Participants included adult patients with GNB bacteremia who had FUBCs and were admitted between January 2017 and December 2018. The primary outcomes were the factors associated with positive FUBCs and the yield of FUBCs with and without the factors. Results Of 306 patients with GNB bacteremia who had FUBCs, 9.2% (95% confidence interval, 6.2%-13.0%) had the same GNB in FUBCs. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, intravascular device, and bacteremia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase or carbapenemase-producing organism were identified as independent predictors of positive FUBCs with GNB bacteremia. Approximately 7 FUBCs and 30 FUBCs were needed for patients with ≥1 or no risk factors, respectively, to yield 1 positive result.SummaryThis multi-site retrospective cohort study found that among patients with gram-negative bacilli (GNB) bacteremia, having ESRD on hemodialysis, intravascular devices, or bacteremia due to multi-drug resistant GNB were each independently associated with having a positive follow-up blood culture. Conclusions Follow-up blood culture may not be necessary for all patients with GNB bacteremia and has the highest yield in patients with 1 or more risk factors.
Developing leadership in early childhood education and care through the integration of theory, policy engagement, and advocacy

Using a constructivist approach to teacher education, the present study compared the learning outcomes of students in two child development courses infused with instruction in how early education a...
Perspectives and Interventions

Timothy, a dark-haired child with large brown eyes, is noticeably small for nine years of age. He rarely smiles, does not have friends, and according to his mother, “will never be Mr. Popular.” In addition to problems at school and difficulties sleeping, Timothy has ulcerative colitis. Like thousands of other children, Timothy suffers from one of many forms of childhood psychopathology.