cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption and desorption dynamics of linear polymer chains to spherical nanoparticles : A monte carlo investigation

Dynamics of attachment/detachment processes of chains to/from spherical fillers in a polymer nanocomposite is investigated by means of numerical simulations using a chemistry-specific model for the polymer. The effects of polymer−particle interaction, chain length, chain-to-filler distance, and filler radius on the attachment/detachment processes are studied. It is found that the time a chain is in contact with a filler scales with the number of attached beads following a power law. Increasing the energetic interaction parameter between polymer and filler slows the detachment process, and the system average characteristic detachment time follows an Arrhenius law in which the activation energy is proportional to the polymer−particle energetic interaction parameter.
Orientation-independent image coding and retrieval algorithm

Recently the retrieval of an image based on its content from an efficiently compressed database has attracted significant research interest. Most of such work to data assumes that the sample image has the same orientation as the retrieved image, and performs poorly if the orientation of the observed image is different from the image in database. However, there are instances where comparisons of images with different orientations are needed. We propose a new image coding and retrieval method which allows the retrieval of images that may be oriented differently than, but otherwise similar to the sample image. In this method, we introduce the idea of using the absolute reference angle to represent the orientation of an image. An image can be coded into two separate parts: part one containing the orientation information, and part two containing the texture information which is orientation independent. Then an image retrieval algorithm which only compares the rotational invariant parts of the images is employed to achieve orientation independent retrieval. We proposed and analyzed several mathematical forms of the absolute reference angle. Application of our method in fractal coded image retrieval is discussed and demonstrated.
Evaluation of water quality threats to the endangered Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae) in East Turkey Creek on Eglin Air Force Base.

Abstract The threatened Okaloosa darter ( Etheostoma okaloosae ) is found almost exclusively on the Eglin Air Force Base in the Choctawhatchee Bay watershed of Florida. Portions of this limited habitat are threatened with soil erosion, altered hydrology, and impaired water quality. In the present study, general water quality parameters (i.e., dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, temperature, relative turbidity, and primary productivity) were characterized in East Turkey Creek, which is a body of water potentially impacted by treated wastewater sprayfields, and Long Creek, an adjacent reference stream that does not border the sprayfields. Water quality was assessed during a 30-day exposure using passive samplers for both non-polar and polar effluent parameters. Because the Okaloosa darter was listed as endangered at the time of sampling we chose a closely related species from the same creeks, the sailfin shiner ( Pteronotropis hypseleotris ) in which to measure metal body burdens. Additionally, fathead minnows ( Pimephales promelas ) were used for microarray analysis on gonad and liver tissues after 48 h exposures to water collected from the two creeks and brought into the laboratory. Waters from all sites, including reference sites, affected the expression of genes related to various biological processes including transcription and translation, cell cycle control, metabolism, and signaling pathways, suggesting that the sum of anthropogenic compounds in the site waters may cause a generalized stress response in both liver and testis, an effect that could be related to the generally low populations of the Okaloosa darter. Furthermore, effects of site waters on fish gene expression may be related to the impact of human activities other than the wastewater sprayfields, as nearby areas are closed to the public for military testing, training, and administrative activities and due to ordnance contamination.
A Construction for Infinite Families of Steiner 3-Designs

Let q be a prime power and a be a positive integer such that a?2. Assume that there is a Steiner 3-(a+1, q+1, 1) design. For every v satisfying certain arithmetic conditions we can construct a Steiner 3-(vad+1, q+1, 1) design for every d sufficiently large. In the case of block size 6, when q=5, this theorem yields new infinite families of Steiner 3-designs: if v is a given positive integer satisfying the necessary arithmetic conditions, for every non-negative integer m there exists a Steiner 3-(v(4·5m+1)d+1), 6, 1) for sufficiently large d.
Resonance Parameters and the Optical Model

We begin with a schematic review of the place of the optical model1 in reaction theory. Like all quantum mechanical computations the calculation of nuclear cross sections involves the three distinct steps shown in Fig. 1. First one must determine the Hamiltonian of the system, in this case the nuclear forces. Second, one must solve the Schrodinger equation for the wave function. In this instance only the asymptotic part of the wave function is needed. It is specified by the elements of the S-matrix. Finally, one uses the wave function to calculate the expectation values of the required observables. In this case the observables are cross sections (in units of πλ2) which are bilinear functions of the S-matrix elements (or a linear function in the case of the neutron total cross section).
Progress, sustainable development and the biotechnological society

The paper discusses several elements of the definition of sustainability and focuses on the common theme running through a number of domestic and international cases presented: the conflicting societal goals and the importance of the moral sense. The sustainable development paradigm can deepen our insights of how to explore problems of choice so that one can advance environmental policies that would be both equitable and efficient.
Molar labeling interventions: Two case studies

Abstract The efficacy of molar labeling interventions, a novel cognitive-behavioral approach to the treatment of emotionally disturbed children, was investigated in two case studies. In Study I, supervised paraprofessional childcare workers employed the experimental intervention in a short-term residential treatment center. In Study II, parents were taught to employ the experimental treatment to alter the within-home behavior of their child. Both studies evidenced rapid treatment effects on multiple target behaviors and generalization to non-target responses. In Study II, there was some evidence of 4-month maintenance of treatment effects as well as generalization to extra-therapeutic settings. In sum, these initial investigations provided promising, though preliminary, demonstrations of treatment efficacy.
Decentralizing semiconductor capacity planning via internal market coordination

Semiconductor capacity planning is a cross-functional decision that requires coordination between the marketing and manufacturing divisions. We examine the main issues of a decentralized coordination scheme in a setting observed at a major US semiconductor manufacturer: marketing managers reserve capacity from manufacturing based on product demands, while attempting to maximize profit; manufacturing managers allocate capacity to competing marketing managers so as to minimize operating costs while ensuring efficient resource utilization. This cross-functional planning problem has two important characteristics: (i) both demands and capacity are subject to uncertainty; and (ii) all decision entities own private information while being self-interested. To study the issues of coordination we first formulate the local marketing and the manufacturing decision problem as separate stochastic programs. We then formulate a centralized stochastic programming model (JCA), which maximizes the firm's overall profit. JCA...
Purification, Characterization and Properties of an NADH Oxidase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough) and Its Coupling to Adenylyl Phosphosulfate Reductase

Abstract An NADH oxidase was purified from Desulfovibrio vulgaris . This FMN-containing enzyme reacts with oxygen forming hydrogen peroxide with a specific activity of 0.21 μmoles·min −1 ·mg −1 . The molecular weight of the protein was determined to be 65 kDa on 12.5% SDS/PAGE. It shows very low NADH: rubredoxin oxidoreductase activity specifically towards the rubredoxin from the same organism. However, adenylyl phosphosulfate reductase can be fully reduced by NADH with the purified enzyme, suggesting that NADH could be an electron donor for respiratory sulfate reduction.
What type of information is needed to inform mental health policy

The most valuable research integrates from thre levels of investigation: clinical efficacy, "real life" effectiveness (including cost-effectiveness) and policy research. Successful applications of systematic reviews have largely been limited to clinical efficacy questions. The contribution of systematic reviews/meta-analyses to effectiveness and economic questions in mental health has been very minor and their contribution to inform policy is negligible. The latter is unlikely to change due to the different type of information that policy makers need.
How to say 'Grandma': the problem of developing phonological representations

Theories of early child phonology disagree as to the form of representations in children's lexicons; this issue is made more complex by the unusual patterns that some children display. Data are presented from one child, 1;6 to 2;0, who formed three idiosyncratic hypotheses: (1) she developed a template for word shapes which consisted of [CVCN] with loud nasal plosion; (2) she treated English as if it had distinctive tone; (3) she developed an anterior-posterior obstruent ordering constraint which in some cases involved metathesis. It is argued: first that the [CVC N] template had its origins in her favourite babbling patterns; second, that treating English as a tone language originated in her reliance on the pitch cue for lexical stress in adult models; and third, that the metathesis pattern was based on a production strategy whereby segments which are simpler to produce are located at word onsets. It is shown that an 'enriched single-lexicon' model is optimal for characterizing this child's phonological ...
Changes in femoral morphology during egg-laying in Alligator mississippiensis.

Birds and many reptiles are egg-layers. Birds provide calcium for the formation of eggshells by resorbing medullary bone, which is laid down before ovulation. Turtles do not possess this mechanism and resorb structural bone to form eggshells. Femora from three groups of alligators (egg-laying females; quiescent, immature, or barren females; and males) were examined to determine if alligators, which are closely related to birds in evolution, resorb structural bone during the formation of eggshells as do turtles. Microradiographs of cross sections from femoral mid-shafts were analyzed for porosity, and the robusticity index of each femur was determined. Scanning electron micrographs of anorganic endosteal and periosteal femoral surfaces were analyzed to determine numbers of entrances of vascular canals, numbers of lacunae of osteoblasts, and types of femoral surfaces. Femora from egg-laying females were significantly less robust than those of other females or males, and sections of bone from the egg-layers were significantly more porous than those of the other groups. Scanning electron microscopy of anorganic femoral endosteal surfaces from egg-laying females revealed significantly more resorption areas when compared with males or non egg-laying females. Periosteal surfaces from egg-layers had significantly more resting and less bone-forming surface than those from the other groups. Results indicated that apposition of periosteal bone may have been reduced in egg-layers and that egg-laying alligators, like turtles, resorb endosteal structural bone, which may be used as a source of calcium for the formation of eggshells.
TCF7L2 genetic variants modulate the effect of dietary fat intake on changes in body composition during a weight-loss intervention

Background: TCF7L2 gene variants have been associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and higher adiposity. Observational studies and short-term trials have suggested that macronutrients may modify these effects. However, to our knowledge, this has yet to be verified in long-term interventions. Objective: In a long-term intervention setting, we investigated the effects of TCF7L2 polymorphisms rs7903146 and rs12255372 and dietary total fat on changes in body composition and subsequent glycemic control. Design: Data were analyzed for 591 participants in the Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies (Pounds Lost) trial, which is a 2-y weight-loss randomized clinical trial of diets that differed in macronutrient proportions. Adjusted means for changes in body composition at 6 and 24 mo were obtained for gene main effects and interactions with a low-fat diet (20% from energy) compared with a high-fat diet (40% from energy). Interactions with protein and carbohydrate intakes were also tested. Predicted changes in glycemic control from changes in adiposity were determined by genotype and diet type. Results: Significant interactions were observed for rs12255372 TT (risk genotype) and fat intake for changes in BMI, total fat mass, and trunk fat mass (all P/q , 0.05) at 6 mo, with nonsignificant larger decreases for TT carriers on a low-fat diet. No significant associations were observed at 24 mo or for other macronutrients. Changes in body composition for TT carriers predicted reductions in plasma glucose and insulin only on the low-fat diet. Conclusions: Individuals with the TCF7L2 rs12255372 risk genotype may reduce body adiposity by consuming a diet lower in total fat. These reductions may induce better glycemic control for such individuals predisposed to type 2 diabetes. The Pounds Lost trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00072995. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.038125.
How Helen Keller used syntactic semantics to escape from a Chinese Room

A computer can come to understand natural language the same way Helen Keller did: by using "syntactic semantics"--a theory of how syntax can suffice for semantics, i.e., how semantics for natural language can be provided by means of computational symbol manipulation. This essay considers real-life approximations of Chinese Rooms, focusing on Helen Keller's experiences growing up deaf and blind, locked in a sort of Chinese Room yet learning how to communicate with the outside world. Using the SNePS computational knowledge-representation system, the essay analyzes Keller's belief that learning that "everything has a name" was the key to her success, enabling her to "partition" her mental concepts into mental representations of: words, objects, and the naming relations between them. It next looks at Herbert Terrace's theory of naming, which is akin to Keller's, and which only humans are supposed to be capable of. The essay suggests that computers at least, and perhaps non-human primates, are also capable of this kind of naming.
A fully-integrated CMOS RF front-end for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

A fully-integrated CMOS RF front-end for ISM band applications is presented. The RF front-end is designed in a 0.18 /spl mu/m RF CMOS technology and used in a zero-IF Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b WLAN) and low-IF Bluetooth receiver. The RF front-end provides dual gain mode, 25 dB or 15 dB, to alleviate the linearity requirements of the following stages such as analog baseband filters and variable-gain amplifiers. It also presents low noise figure and high linearity. Noise figure, IIP3, and IIP2 are 4.1 dB, -11.6 dBm, 43.2 dBm for high gain mode, and 10.1 dB, -3.5 dBm, 55.2 dBm for low gain mode, respectively. The power consumption of the RF front-end is significantly reduced by using zero-IF/low-IF receiver architectures and only 22.7 mW from a 1.8 V supply voltage. The corner frequency of the flicker noise is only 46 kHz. The bondpad and package parasitics are also taken into account for the design and simulation.
The EpiCanvas infectious disease weather map: an interactive visual exploration of temporal and spatial correlations.

Advances in surveillance science have supported public health agencies in tracking and responding to disease outbreaks. Increasingly, epidemiologists have been tasked with interpreting multiple streams of heterogeneous data arising from varied surveillance systems. As a result public health personnel have experienced an overload of plots and charts as information visualization techniques have not kept pace with the rapid expansion in data availability. This study sought to advance the science of public health surveillance data visualization by conceptualizing a visual paradigm that provides an ‘epidemiological canvas’ for detection, monitoring, exploration and discovery of regional infectious disease activity and developing a software prototype of an ‘infectious disease weather map’. Design objectives were elucidated and the conceptual model was developed using cognitive task analysis with public health epidemiologists. The software prototype was pilot tested using retrospective data from a large, regional pediatric hospital, and gastrointestinal and respiratory disease outbreaks were re-created as a proof of concept.
A simple and efficient random walk solution of multi-rate mobile/immobile mass transport equations

We extend the particle-tracking method to simulate general multi-rate mass transfer (MRMT) equations. Previous methods for single-rate equations used two-state Markov chains and found that the time a particle spends in the mobile state between waiting time epochs is random and exponentially distributed. Using Bochner’s subordination technique for Markov processes, we find that the random mobile times are still exponential for the stochastic process that corresponds to the MRMT equations. The random times in the immobile phase have a distribution that is directly related to the memory function of the MRMT equation. This connection allows us to interpret the MRMT memory function as the rate at which particles of a certain age, measured by residence time in the immobile zone, exit to become mobile once again. Because the exact distributions of mobile and immobile times are known from the MRMT equations, they can be simulated very simply and efficiently using random walks.
Polymeric nanoparticle drug delivery technologies for oral delivery applications

Introduction: Many therapeutics are limited to parenteral administration. Oral administration is a desirable alternative because of the convenience and increased compliance by patients, especially for chronic diseases that require frequent administration. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are one technology being developed to enable clinically feasible oral delivery.Areas covered: This review discusses the challenges associated with oral delivery. Strategies used to overcome gastrointestinal (GI) barriers using polymeric NPs will be considered, including mucoadhesive biomaterials and targeting of NPs to transcytosis pathways associated with M cells and enterocytes. Applications of oral delivery technologies will also be discussed, such as oral chemotherapies, oral insulin, treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, and mucosal vaccinations.Expert opinion: There have been many approaches used to overcome the transport barriers presented by the GI tract, but most have been limited by low bioavailability. Recent s...
Is Gold a Zero-Beta Asset? Analysis of the Investment Potential of Precious Metals

Gold shows the characteristics of a zero-beta asset. It has approximately the same mean return as a Treasury Bill and bears no market risk. Silver also bears no market risk but has returns inferior to Treasury Bills. Both gold and silver show evidence of inflation-hedging ability, with the case being much stronger for gold. The prices of both metals are cointegrated with consumer prices, showing additional evidence of hedging ability.
Comparison of accelerated partial breast irradiation via multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy versus whole breast radiation

Brachytherapy as adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer has become widely available and offers patients an expedited treatment schedule. Given this, many women are electing to undergo brachytherapy in lieu of standard fractionation radiotherapy. We compare outcomes between patients treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) via multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy versus patients who were also eligible for and offered APBI but who chose whole breast radiation (WBI). Patients treated from December 2002 through May 2007 were reviewed. Selection criteria included patients with pTis-T2N0 disease, ≤ 3 cm unifocal tumors, and negative margins who underwent breast conservation surgery. Local control (LC), cause-specific (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. 202 patients were identified in the APBI cohort and 94 patients in the WBI cohort. Median follow-up for both groups exceeded 60 months. LC was 97.0% for the APBI cohort and 96.2% for the WBI cohort at 5 years (ns). Classification by 2010 ASTRO APBI consensus statement categories did not predict worse outcomes. APBI via multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy provides similar local failure rates compared to WBI at 5 years for properly selected patients. Excellent results were seen despite the high fraction of younger patients (< 60 years old) and patients with DCIS.
Near-Bottom Acoustic Observations of Abyssal Topography and Reflectivity

A deeply towed instrument system has made near-bottom geophysical surveys of patches of the abyssal sea floor. The acoustic instrumentation includes a narrow beam 40 kHz echo sounder, a 110 kHz side-looking sonar system, a 4 kHz seismic profiling system, and an acoustic transponder system for precision navigation. These sensors have provided us with an abundance of qualitativedata on the considerable small-scale variability of sea floor topography, acoustic backscattering, and acoustic reflectivity, from a wide range of abyssal environments. A capability for digital processing of 4 kHz seismic profiler data has recently been added: preliminary quantitative results from the northern Samoan Passage region suggest spatial variations (in 4 kHz bottom reflectivity) of over 10 dB for distances as small as 100 m.
Bank Regulatory Reform In The United States: The Case Of Goldman And The Volcker Rule

This case is an ethics case. The focus is on corporate governance in a major Wall Street bank, Goldman Sachs. The case discusses what Congress has done in the past and what it may do in the future to prevent breaches in ethics relating to proprietary trading. In response to the current financial crisis, Congress has proposed many changes for the banking industry and the proposals have gained momentum because of the SEC’s accusation of fraud at Goldman Sachs. One piece of proposed legislation, endorsed by President Barack Obama and former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Paul Volcker, is based on the Volcker Rule. This rule would return the banking industry to the decades of the Glass-Steagall provisions of the Banking Act of 1933. The Volcker Rule would reinstitute the separation of commercial and investment banking.
Mining Large Heterogeneous Cancer Data Sets Using Boolean Implications

Boolean implications (if-then rules) provide a conceptually simple, uniform and highly scalable way to find associations between pairs of random variables. In this paper, we describe their usage in mining associations from large, heterogeneous cancer data sets. Next, we illustrate how Boolean implications were used to discover a new causal association between a mutation and aberrant DNA hypermethylation in acute myeloid leukemia as well as the therapeutic implications of this discovery. We conclude with a brief description of how Boolean implications can be extracted from a given data set.
Within-Plant Distribution of Tetranychid Mites on Cotton

All of the leaves and the fruit from a total of 360 Cotton plants were examined for tetranychid mites over the 1976 growing season in experimental plots near Five Points, Calif. Records were kept of the number of eggs, immatures, and adults by nodal position and leaf type (or fruit) on each plant. The within-plant mite distributions revealed the following: (i) up to 25% of per plant mite populations colonized fruit bracts in midseason. However, less than 10% were normally found on fruit in early and late season; (ii) the proportion of the per-plant populations found on primary branch leaves was highly variable throughout the season, ranging from 0 to 100% in June and July and from around 25 to 75% in August; (iii) by focusing on the subpopulations colonizing the single primary branch leaves at individual mainstem nodes, it was found that females appeared to usually found colonies about midway up the plant; (iv) by late season, the majority of the subpopulations on the primary branch leaves at all nodal levels consisted of immature and adult mites, with almost no eggs on any of the leaves.
Some remarks on the Boolean algebra of nervous nets in mathematical biophysics.

Recent demonstration by the author has shown that the fundamental equations of the mathematical biophysics of the central nervous system can be considered as describing the behavior of very large numbers of neurons, of which each one follows discontinuous laws, such as discussed by W. S. McCulloch and W. Pitts. In that light some of the old problems are discussed. The comparative merits of the “microscopic” and “macroscopic” approaches are discussed for the problem of the point to point correspondence between the retina and the cortex, with the number of connecting fibers much less than the number of cells. Some aspects of discrimination of intensities are also discussed. Finally, a few generalizations of the McCulloch-Pitts treatment are suggested, and a nervous network is constructed which illustrates some aspects of the perception of numbers.
Simple Models for Particle Aggregation, Deposition and Segregation

Most conventional and experimental methods for the formation of ceramic objects involve the manipulation of small particles and/or structures comprised of these particles. Consequently, a better understanding of the physics and chemistry of small particles could contribute to the development of better ceramics. Here the results of some recent computer simulation studies of processes such as particle aggregation, deposition and segregation are surveyed. More realistic models are needed to represent accurately the behavior of most real systems.
Undergraduate Double Majors' Perceptions of Performer and Teacher Identity Development.

The purpose of this research was to investigate music performer/music teacher identity by examining double majors in various stages of their programs of study aspiring to become a performer and music educator. Unlike their single-major peers, double majors cope with additional challenges as they simultaneously develop both identities, determining who they are and who they hope to become. Using individual and focus group interviews and e-mail prompts, I investigated the experiences of five undergraduate students majoring in music education and music performance. Participants expressed various degrees of blended musician identity. Although they described similar socialization processes, training as performers and teachers—in conjunction with challenging schedules—enhanced and exacerbated those processes. Participants identified performer and teacher qualities influencing self-perceptions and described conflict between performance and music education majors within studios and university. Music teacher educat...
Postmortem Tricyclic Antidepressant Concentrations: Assessing Cause of Death Using Parent Drug to Metabolite Ratio

In 9 of 13 medical examiner cases in which death was caused by tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) overdose, the mean postmortem liver and blood concentrations were 200 micrograms/g and 4.0 micrograms/mL, respectively. In comparison, in 4 of 13 cases in which the causes of death were not TCA related but involved therapeutic doses of TCA, the mean liver and blood levels were 29.0 micrograms/g and 1.3 micrograms/mL, respectively. The parent drug to major metabolite ratio in liver was 6.3:1 in overdose cases and 0.5:1 in therapeutic cases. The ratio in blood was greater than 1.0 in both overdose and therapeutic ingestions. We concluded that liver TCA concentrations should be quantitated to specify manner of death. For cases in which the manner of death was ambiguous, the liver parent drug to major metabolite ratio aided in the decision process.
Full Atom Simulations of Spin Label Conformations.

Interpretation of EPR measurables from spin labels in terms of structure and dynamics requires knowledge of label behavior. General strategies were developed for simulation of labels used in EPR of proteins. The criteria for those simulations are (a) exhaustive sampling of rotamer space, (b) consensus of results independent of starting points, and (c) inclusion of entropy. These criteria are satisfied only when the number of transitions in any dihedral angle exceeds 100 and the simulation maintains thermodynamic equilibrium. Methods such as conventional MD do not efficiently cross energetic barriers, simulated anealing, Monte Carlo or popular Rotamer Library methodologies are potential energy based and ignore entropy (in addition to their specific shortcomings: environment fluctuations, fixed environment, or electrostatics). The Simulated scaling method avoids the above flaws by modulating the force fields between a reduced (allowing crossing energy barriers) and full potential (sampling minima). Spin label diffuses on this surface while remaining in thermodynamic equilibrium. Simulations show that (a) adopting a single conformation is rare, often there are two to four populated rotamers and (b) position of the NO varies up to 16 A. These results illustrate necessity for caution when interpreting EPR signals in terms of molecular structure. For example, the 10-16 A distance change in DEER should not be interpreted as a large conformational change, it can well be a flip about Cα-Cβ bond. Rigorous exploration of possible rotamer structures of a spin label is paramount in signal interpretation. We advocate use of bifunctional labels, motion of which is restricted 10,000-fold and the NO position is restricted to 2-5 A.
A thin-film pressure transducer for implantable and intravascular blood pressure sensing

Abstract The mm-scale of micromachined pressure transducers limits numerous cardiovascular applications, including implantable pressure sensing. Here, a pressure transducer is presented which adds approximately 15 μm to the surface of an intravascular device, potentially enabling low profile implantable devices with pressure sensing functionality. The capacitive transducer consists of a polyimide diaphragm which can be transferred to an arbitrary substrate, including cardiovascular catheters, stents, or other intravascular devices. The transducer has good static and dynamic characteristics for cardiovascular applications, including pressure sensitivity of 2.5% over 400 mmHg and an estimated flat frequency response of 500 Hz. Additionally, good waveform fidelity was demonstrated in a flow loop relative to a research grade cardiovascular pressure transducer.
Pesticides, Migrant Farm Workers, and Corporate Agriculture: How Social Work Can Promote Environmental Justice

ABSTRACTSince Rachel Carson’s expose on harmful pesticides in the 1960s, the use of these contaminants has multiplied. In a neoliberal system of agriculture, corporate agriculture dominates the cultivation and production of most foods available for purchase and consumption. With profit being the primary goal, environmental and human concerns are not priorities. This article discusses the consequences of pesticide use, both for the environment and for migrant farm workers who cultivate most crops in the United States. Social work concerns are discussed in relation to social and environmental justice, and alternative approaches are considered that are consistent with ecological social work principles.
The stability spectrum for elliptic solutions to the focusing NLS equation

Abstract We present an analysis of the stability spectrum of all stationary elliptic-type solutions to the focusing Nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLS). An analytical expression for the spectrum is given. From this expression, various quantitative and qualitative results about the spectrum are derived. Specifically, the solution parameter space is shown to be split into four regions of distinct qualitative behavior of the spectrum. Additional results on the stability of solutions with respect to perturbations of an integer multiple of the period are given, as well as a procedure for approximating the greatest real part of the spectrum.
Clinical and molecular analyses of norovirus-associated sporadic acute gastroenteritis: the emergence of GII.17 over GII.4, Huzhou, China, 2015

Noroviruses (NoVs) are the most common cause of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in all age groups worldwide. The NoVs circulating in Huzhou over the past 7 years were predominantly GII.4 genotypes. In the winter of 2014–2015, a novel variant of NoV GII.17 emerged and became predominant. We report the epidemiological patterns and genetic characteristics of NoV after the appearance of GII.17 in Huzhou City, Zhejiang, China. Between January and December 2015, 746 stool specimens collected from patients with acute gastroenteritis were screened for NoV. Real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) was performed for NoV detection. RT-PCR was used for genomic amplification and sequencing. Genogroups and genotypes were assigned using an online NoV typing tool ( http://www.rivm.nl/mpf/norovirus/typingtool ). Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using MEGA (ver. 6.06). In total, 196 (26.3%) specimens were identified as NoV-positive. NoV infection was found in all age groups tested (≤5, 6–15, 16–40, 41–60, and ≥60 years), with the 16–40-year age group having the highest detection rate (117/196, 59.7%). Of the 196 NoV-positive specimens, 191 (97.5%) viruses belonged to GII, and 4 (2.0%) to GI; one sample showed GI and GII co-infection. Overall, 117 (59.7%) viruses were sequenced, and new GII.P17/GII.17 variants were the dominant genotype, accounting for 75.2%, followed by GII.Pe/GII.4 Sydney 2012 strains (11.11%). AGE patients infected with the GII.P17/GII.17 genotypes almost all had abdominal pain and watery stools. We report the epidemiological patterns and genetic characteristics of the emergence GII.17 over the GII.4 in Huzhou between January and December 2015. After the emergence of GII.17 in October 2014, it steadily replaced the previously circulating GII.4 Sydney 2012 strain, and continued to be dominant in 2015.
Assessing Pain and Unmet Need in Patients with Advanced Dementia: The Role of the Serial Trial Intervention (STI)

People with dementia experience painful conditions such as osteoarthritis and neuropathic disorders at rates commonly seen in the older adult population. There is ample evidence that those with dementia are less likely to be assessed or treated for these conditions. Because of impaired verbal skills, people with moderate to severe dementia commonly communicate pain and other problems through behaviors. Needs are often left unmet because of misinterpretations of these behavioral symptoms. This chapter describes a clinical intervention for recognizing and treating pain and other unmet needs in people with advanced dementia. The Serial Trial Intervention is a decision support tool with three core components: behavior change identification, serial assessment, and serial treatment. The intervention was found to be highly effective as a treatment for discomfort in a randomized controlled trial conducted in 14 nursing homes (effect size 0.89). Research regarding lack of physical assessment, delayed identification of changes in physical condition, and analgesic use is also presented with recommendations for the future.
Project Management Theory and Practice

Although there are numerous project management resources available, most are either too academic, focus too heavily on IT, or provide silver-bullet, quick-fix advice without the theory required to understand why the solutions work. Following and expanding on PMIs Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), Project Management Theory and Practice provides students with a complete overview of project management theoryin language they can easily understand. This classroom-tested resource translates the abstract model vocabulary and processes from A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Fourth Edition into accessible discussions complete with contemporary views and projections for the future. The text integrates the organizational environment that surrounds a project to supply students with the well-rounded knowledge of theories, organizational issues, and human behavior needed to effectively manage real-world projects. Providing a clear picture of the state of the art in project management, it details numerous project-related frameworks, including: Enterprise project management (EPM) Project portfolio management (PPM) Work breakdown structures (WBS) Earned value management (EVM) Professional responsibility Project team productivity The text reaches beyond traditional core project management topics to include discussions on enterprise maturity, virtual and outsourced organizations, project management offices, operational governance, and multi-project management. Filled with numerous end-of-chapter questions, scheduling and budgeting problems, scoping projects, and sample worksheets that illustrate various analytical tools and management decisions, this is the ideal text for classroom use and essential reading for anyone seeking project management certification.
Mortality after endovascular versus open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm in the elderly

Abstract Background Age is a well-known risk factor for postoperative death in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), and the efficacy of open aneurysm repair (OAR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) remains controversial in the elderly population. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of 30-d mortality after AAA repair in elderly population. Methods Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program vascular-targeted database (2011-2014), we identified all patients aged >70 y who underwent OAR and EVAR for nonruptured AAA. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were implemented to examine postoperative mortality adjusting for patient demographics and characteristics. Results A total of 4229 nonruptured AAA repairs were performed (OAR: 360 [8.5%] versus EVAR: 3869 [91.5%]). Most patients were males (79 %) and White (81%) with a mean age of 78 ± 6 y. Obesity was more prevalent in EVAR group (31% versus 24%, P = 0.008). Whereas, smoking was more likely to be seen in patients undergoing an OAR (35% versus 22%, P Conclusions This study reflects contemporary real world outcomes of nonruptured AAA repair in the elderly. Open repair was associated with almost fivefold increase in mortality compared with endovascular repair. Elderly patients who are functionally dependent are less likely to benefit from AAA repair, whether OAR or EVAR. Further prospective studies are required to better understand the predictors of mortality after AAA repair in the geriatric population which could guide decision-making and improve outcomes in this population.
Non-surgical and Surgical Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in the Older Woman

Purpose of Review Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition that can adversely affect quality of life in older women. With the current trend in longevity, the number of women with this problem will exceed the availability of subspecialists in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. The purpose of this paper is to aid primary care physicians, geriatricians, and general gynecologists in the evaluation, referral, and treatment of women with POP. Women can be quickly evaluated and offered therapy prior to referral to a subspecialist.
Vision: These retinas are made for walkin'.

Measurements of the activity of neurons called direction-selective ganglion cells in the mouse retina explain how visual motion encoded by the eye maps onto body movements such as walking. See Article p.492 The local wiring that allows some retinal neurons to detect motion direction in visual stimuli has been well studied, but how their ensemble encodes optic flow more generally has not. Now David Berson and colleagues have performed a global mapping of direction preferences in mouse direction-sensitive ganglion cells (DSGCs) and show that they align with just two ethologically relevant axes: the body axis and the gravitational axis. Relative activation of the sixteen resulting channels, that is four cardinal directions multiplied by two DSGC types (ON vs ON-OFF) for two eyes, allows for the unique encoding of every translation and rotation associated with the animal's self-motion. This creates a visual feedback that complements the bio-mechanical vestibular system in controlling image stabilization and balance.
Simple model for time-dependent bond transfer in pretensioned concrete using draw-in data

Abstract Time evolution of prestress loss and bond transfer length holds vital information concerning long-term performance of pretensioned prestressed concrete. In this paper, it is proposed to utilize long-term measurements of strand draw-in to extract this time-varying information, which could be more effectively obtained than concrete or strand surface strain measurements. Theoretical investigations combined with numerical studies of experimental data are carried out for this purpose. This study builds on Guyon’s boundary value problem (BVP) model which quantifies draw-in for instantaneous elastic response. A one-dimensional linear viscoelastic standard solid model is employed to model the creep of concrete, which is a simple but effective model of the time-dependent response of concrete. Guyon’s BVP model is generalized to include time dependence and then combined with an existing initial value problem (IVP) model for post-tensioned concrete leading to a new mixed model for time-dependent prestress loss and bond transfer in pretensioned concrete. Analysis is undertaken in this study to (i) quantify long-term prestress loss and bond-transfer behaviors by applying the proposed model and directly utilizing measured draw-in time history data, (ii) validate the proposed quantitative analysis by using scaled pretensioned concrete beams with different types of aggregates and strengths of concrete - among other factors, and (iii) offer discussion of future work. For example, introducing concrete drying shrinkage into the proposed simple model seems promising and is necessary to provide an improved representation of the time-dependent behavior of prestressed concrete.
Failure in Structural Systems

Failure in a structural system can arise from a number of causes such as excessive flexibility or unacceptable dynamic response, but an important cause of structural failure is material failure. In previous chapters the failure of different structural materials under a variety of loading conditions is described. The focus in this chapter is on how material failure leads to the failure of a structural system. This, will be examined by the use of three different examples. The first example analyzes failure of a simple planar truss due to either brittle or time independent ductile metal failure, while the second example analyzes failure of a beam due to time independent ductile metal failure. The third example investigates time dependent ductile or creep buckling in an axially constrained column.
The hypothalamic control of the menstrual cycle and the role of endogenous opioid peptides.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study involving a rhesus monkey that demonstrates changes in the arcuate oscillator caused by ovarian steroids during the menstrual cycle. The chapter discusses the role of endogenous opioid peptides in the central modulation of gonadotropin secretion by ovarian steroids. The modulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and consequently luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatile secretion by ovarian steroids involves to a certain degree an interaction with the hypothalamic opioid peptide network. β-endorphin secretion into the hypophyseal portal circulation—a reflection of hypothalamic β-endorphin secretory activity—fluctuates cyclically and in accordance with the endocrine milieu. The stimulatory action of naloxone on GnRH and LH release parallels that of endogenous opioid secretion. The sequential acceleration and deceleration of the GnRH oscillator during the menstrual cycle, brought about by cyclic β-endorphin variations, are important determinants of menstrual cyclicity as experimental disturbance of this sequence results in acyclicity for a prolonged period of time.
SOME THREE-DIMENSIONAL TOPOLOGY

This chapter discusses three-dimensional topology and the orientability of three-dimensional manifolds. By analogy to the two dimensional case, the following is required: (1) the polyhedral solids intersect only in faces, edges, and vertices; (2) the edges and vertices of the polyhedral solids are identified only to the extent required by the face identifications; (3) at most two polyhedral solids share any particular face; (4) for any partition of the set of polyhedral solids into two subsets, there is always one polygon that is a face of a solid from each subset. A space formed in this way from a finite number of polyhedral solids is called a three-dimensional pseudo-manifold, whereas a surface is called a two-dimensional manifold. A manifold is distinguished from a pseudo-manifold by the requirement that all points, except boundary points, have a neighborhood topologically equivalent to a spherical solid (a ball) in a Euclidean space of the same dimension as the manifold.
Hospital pharmacy-based, computer-generated Tikosyn (dofetilide) physician order protocol

Tikosyn (dofetilide) is a Class III antiarrhythmic agent used for the conversion or maintenance of patients with either atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Tikosyn is excreted predominantly by the renal system. Proper dosing, which involves the estimation of creatinine clearance rates, is critical in preventing the cardiac arrhythmia torsades de pointes. The pharmacy department of Charlton Memorial Hospital developed a Tikosyn physician order form - using the Excel computer spreadsheet program - that prints estimated creatinine clearance rates and proper dofetilide dosages. Using the same spreadsheet concept, other institutions can develop physician order forms in an efficient manner.
Three validation studies of the personality assessment inventory short form.

Objective We examined the psychometric properties of the Personality Assessment Inventory-Short Form (PAI-SF). Method Study 1 compared single-session short and full form PAI profiles of 200 outpatients, Study 2 examined PAI forms of 107 nonclinical adults across two administrations, and Study 3 compared correlations between full and short form scales and extratest variables. Results Study 1 correlations between short and full form scales ranged from 0.85 to 0.95 (Mdn = 0.91), with lower correlations, ranging from 0.59 to 0.86 for clinical scales (Mdn = 0.82), in Study 2. In Study 3 only 4 of 34 correlations differed significantly between extratest variables and the PAI versus the PAI-SF. Conclusions These results indicate favorable psychometric properties of the PAI-SF.