cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control of Activated Sludge Circulation and of Secondary Settling Tank Hydraulics

The directives issued by the German Waste Water Association (ABWASSERTECHNISCHE VEREINIGUNG (ATV)) and by the British WATER RESEARCH CENTRE (WRC) in respect of the rating and control of activated sludge circuits and of the loading of secondary settling tanks of biological waste water treatment plants were studied for their applicability to papermill effluents. To this end, several years' testing was carried out on an activated sludge pilot plant and on various industrial plants. These tests revealed that secondary settling tanks of papermill effluent treatment plants may safely be rated in accordance with ATV up to a sludge volume index (SVI) of 300 ml/g and a sludge return rate of 3. If SVI values are low, the WRC process permits excessive surface loadings and is thus only practicable for high SVI levels. If sedimentation properties of the activated sludge are poor, load capacity limits are indicated more correctly by the WRC method. A simplified settling velocity method derived from the WRC process gives reliable information on the load capacity of secondary settling tanks and may readily be used for sludge circulation control.
Natural piety in the Dialogues

Selon l'A., le souci principal de Hume dans ses Dialogues sur la religion naturelle n'est pas la theologie, mais l'autre aspect neglige de la religion naturelle, la piete. Tous les personnages des Dialogues considerent la piete plus importante que n'importe quel argument theologique, et quant a Cleanthes et Philo, leur piete est une maniere de vivre qui permet et encourage la tolerance ; leur desaccord theologique est possible seulement a cause de leur accord sur la piete, et leur pitie les rend capables de profiter «des deux plus grands et plus purs plaisirs de la vie, l'etude et la societe».
Learning how to ask: The setting: Mexicano society and Córdova, New Mexico

The data were collected in Cordova, a community of about 700 inhabitants in the mountains of northern New Mexico. The residents are Mexicanos , with the exception of one recent Mexican immigrant, two middle-aged Anglo-Americans who have married Cordovans, and occasionally a few transient Anglo-American youths. Mexicanos are descendants of primarily Spanish and Mexican citizens who settled in New Mexico and southern Colorado during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Their ancestry includes a significant Native American element, but the Mexicanos consider themselves to be culturally Hispanic. Cordova lies in the extreme southeast corner of Rio Arriba County (see map, Figure 1). The foothills area that includes the community is bordered on the east by the Sangre de Cristo mountain range; Cordova lies at the base of the highest peak in this section of the range, the Truchas Peak, which stands at 13,102 feet of elevation. The foothills extend some fourteen road miles to the west, where they are severed by the area's major water course–the Rio Grande. Cordova is situated in a small enclosed canyon, the Quemado Valley. The valley, which runs roughly east and west, is 6,800 feet above sea level. The surrounding hillsides can boast only sparse range grasses, cacti, and small trees, primarily pinons and junipers. The scarcity of arable land and the harshness of the environment are compounded by the scant and variable rainfall–an average of ten to fifteen inches per year (Maker, Folks, Anderson, and Link 1973:6–7).
Per-Litter Analyses for Studies of Developmental Toxicity

An important concern in statistical analyses of developmental toxicity studies involves evaluation of the teratogenic or heritable mutagenic potential of the experimental stimulus. If the experimental design is directed at analysis of pre-natal malformations, deaths, or other detrimental characteristics incurred by the fetus after in utero exposure (McLachlan et al., 1987), the endpoint is by nature teratogenic (Gad and Weil, 1986, §11; Manson and Kang, 1989). Alternatively, if the experimental design is directed at identification of developmental damage to the gametes, resulting in toxic effects passed on from parent to offspring, the endpoint is a (heritable) genotoxic one. An example of such a genotoxicity assay is the Dominant Lethal test performed with male mice (Epstein et al., 1972; Ehling et al., 1978).
Handling Baseline Differences and Missing Items in a Longitudinal Study of HIV Risk Among Runaway Youths

Many longitudinal studies in field settings present challenges due to selection bias and incomplete data. A motivating example is provided by an intervention study aimed at preventing HIV transmission among runaway youths housed at shelters in New York City. Two shelters with 167 youths received the intervention, and two shelters with 144 youths received the control treatment. The number of unprotected sexual acts in the prior three months for each youth was assessed at a baseline interview and (to the extent possible) at five follow-up time points. Among observed items, there is strong evidence of a lack of balance on baseline characteristics between the intervention and control groups; meanwhile, beyond occasional missing items among participants interviewed at baseline, there were three items about baseline characteristics added after the study began, resulting in a few items being missing on a large percentage of the study sample. Here, we outline two strategies for handling the complexities of this data set, both of which make use of propensity scores to address the imbalances across treatment groups. One approach relies on available cases and ad hoc choices to simplify the steps leading up to a linear mixed model analysis in SAS PROC MIXED; the other approach uses multiple imputation strategies to reflect uncertainty due to missing values in an analogous linear mixed model analysis. Ultimately we did not find substantial qualitative differences in this setting between the available-case and imputed-data approaches. But in both cases, we find that the considerable imbalance on covariates between treatment arms constrains the ability to draw inferences about the intervention effect, suggesting the importance of evaluating propensity-score distributions in quasi-experimental intervention research.
Cataract surgery outcomes in the very elderly.

The prevalence of very elderly patients (aged 85 years and older) with visually significant cataracts continues to rise in the United States. We conducted a focused review of literature using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to investigate the impact of very old age on cataract surgery outcomes. The studies suggest that very elderly patients, relative to their younger counterparts, had similar complication rates after adjusting for their higher rates of age-related ocular and systemic comorbidities. In addition, most very elderly patients gained improvement in visual acuity, enjoyed increased quality of life, and had survival rates that extend beyond 1 year after surgery. Although many of the studies were small and lacked statistical power to exclude clinically important differences in outcome, findings generally supported cataract surgery in the very elderly. Further studies are required to augment evidence-based surgical decision-making in elderly persons with ocular comorbidities and visually significant cataracts.
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards: Co-Benefits and the Courts in U.S. Cost-Benefit Analysis

In April 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington DC agreed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to delay indefinitely a lawsuit over the Agency’s regulation governing mercury pollution from power plants. Lawyers for the EPA argued that they needed time to evaluate the status of the lawsuit, due to “the recent change in Administration.” The case, Murray v. EPA , centers on the Agency’s analysis of the benefits of reducing mercury pollution. Key to that litigation is the EPA’s treatment of co-benefits—the incidental reductions to pollutants aside from mercury. As of this writing, the Agency has still not decided how to proceed. This case summarizes the EPA’s 2011 Regulatory Impact Analysis at the heart of the legal dispute. 1
Identifying Barriers in the Home Environment among Urban Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Functional Difficulty: A Multi-Method Pilot Study

Homes in dense urban areas can present unique challenges to community-dwelling older adults. This multi-method pilot study explored home environment barriers among lower-income urban community-dwel...
Investor Sentiment and Flows into Treasury Funds

The author compares the relative response of Treasury fund flows to the sentiment-prone Michigan Survey of Inflation Expectations and to the Blue Chip Survey of Financial Forecasts, a professional forecast of inflation. The Treasury market is an ideal subject for examining whether or not sentiment affects flows: it is highly liquid, making it unlikely that it is hard to arbitrage, and inflation is the primary factor affecting its returns. Using mutual fund inflows into TIPs and Treasury mutual funds that occurred between January 1991 and June 2011, the author finds that the Michigan Survey is insignificantly related to flows into inflation-indexed TIPs and is positively related to flows into nominal Treasury funds. The Blue Chip Survey does not have incremental explanatory power. The evidence is consistent with a combination of a hedging motive and a flight to liquidity triggered by information in the Michigan Survey about households’ perception of financial market risk. The two motives reinforce each other in driving flows into nominal Treasury funds when the Michigan forecast of inflation is high, while they appear to cancel each other out in determining flows into the illiquid TIPS market.
From Warm Center to Ragged Edge: The Erosion of Midwestern Literary and Historical Regionalism, 1920–1965

Review of: "From Warm Center to Ragged Edge: The Erosion of Midwestern Literary and Historical Regionalism, 1920–1965," by Jon K. Lauck.
Discrepancies in diagnostic records of military service members with self-reported PTSD: Healthcare use and longitudinal symptom outcomes

Abstract Objective The study compared healthcare utilization and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom trajectories of active duty service members (ADSM) with self-reported PTSD based on whether they had a PTSD diagnosis in the electronic health record (EHR). Methods ADSM meeting study criteria for self-reported PTSD (N = 470) were grouped according to EHR-PTSD diagnostic status. Participants completed PTSD symptom assessments over a 12 month period. We used log binomial regression and linear mixed model to examine predictors of receiving an EHR-PTSD diagnosis and to analyze healthcare utilization and symptom trajectories based on diagnostic status. Results Thirty percent of ADSM with study-identified PTSD had an EHR-PTSD diagnosis. Combat exposure and PTSD severity predicted EHR-PTSD diagnosis. ADSM without the diagnosis were more likely to have an adjustment disorder diagnosis. Participants with an EHR-PTSD diagnosis utilized more healthcare and reported worse PTSD symptoms over 12 months. Conclusions Findings suggest providers are more likely to record PTSD diagnoses for more severe, complex cases. While less severe cases may be less likely to receive a PTSD diagnosis, they may still access and benefit from care. Findings have implications for use of EHRs to describe health patterns and inform practices and policy in the Military Health System.
Foundations of social work practice in the field of aging: a competency-based approach. 2nd Edition.

The Foundations of Social Work Practice in the Field of Aging: A Competency-Based Approach is a timely and practical guide for emerging gerontological social workers and educators in the United Sta...
Gallstone Pancreatitis: Admission Versus Normal Cholecystectomy-a Randomized Trial (Gallstone PANC Trial).

Introduction:Early cholecystectomy shortly after admission for mild gallstone pancreatitis has been proposed based on observational data. We hypothesized that cholecystectomy within 24 hours of admission versus after clinical resolution of gallstone pancreatitis that is predicted to be mild results
Aberrant Salience? Brain Hyperactivation in Response to Pain Onset and Offset in Fibromyalgia

Objective While much brain research on fibromyalgia (FM) focuses on the study of hyperresponsiveness to painful stimuli, some studies suggest that the increased pain-related brain activity often reported in FM studies may be partially explained by stronger responses to salient aspects of the stimulation rather than, or in addition to, the stimulation's painfulness. Therefore, this study was undertaken to test our hypothesis that FM patients would demonstrate elevated brain responses to both pain onset and offset-2 salient sensory events of opposing valences. Methods Thirty-eight FM patients (mean ± SD age 46.1 ± 13.4 years; 33 women) and 15 healthy controls (mean ± SD age 45.5 ± 12.4; 10 women) received a moderately painful pressure stimulus to the leg during blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging. Stimulus onset and offset transients were analyzed using a general linear model as stick functions. Results During pain onset, higher BOLD signal response was observed in FM patients compared to healthy controls in dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC and VLPFC, respectively), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), frontal pole, and precentral gyrus (PrCG). During pain offset, higher and more widespread BOLD signal response was demonstrated in FM patients compared to controls in frontal regions significantly hyperactivated in response to onset. In FM patients, some of these responses were positively correlated with pain unpleasantness ratings (VLPFC, onset; r = 0.35, P = 0.03), pain catastrophizing scores (DLPFC, offset; r = 0.33, P = 0.04), or negatively correlated with stimulus intensity (OFC, offset; r = -0.35, P = 0.03) (PrCG, offset; r = -0.39, P = 0.02). Conclusion Our results suggest that the increased sensitivity exhibited by FM patients in response to the onset and offset of painful stimuli may reflect a more generalized hypersensitivity to salient sensory events, and that brain hyperactivation may be a mechanism potentially involved in the generalized hypervigilance to salient stimuli in FM.
Justice & its motives: On Peter Vanderschraaf’s Strategic Justice

Peter Vanderschraaf’s Strategic Justice is a powerful elaboration and defense of what he calls ‘justice as mutual advantage’. Vanderschraaf opens Strategic Justice by observing that ‘Plato set a te...
Racial Disparities In Outcomes After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: An Analysis of National Inpatient Sample

Background Previous studies of patients undergoing various cardiac surgeries demonstrated worse outcomes among African American (AA) patients. It remains unclear if race is a predictor of outcomes among Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) recipients. Methods Patients who underwent LVAD implantation between 2010 and 2017 were identified using the national inpatient sample (NIS). Race was classified as Caucasians vs. AA vs. Hispanics, and endpoints were in-hospital outcomes, length of stay and cost. Procedure-related complications were identified via ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding and analysis performed via mixed effect models. Results A total of 27,132 adults (5,114 unweighted) underwent LVAD implantation in the U.S. between 2010 and 2017, including Caucasians (63.8%), AA (23.8%) and Hispanics (6%). The number of LVAD implantations increased in both Caucasians and AA during the study period. AA LVAD recipients were younger, with higher rates of females and most comorbidities, but lower rates of coronary artery disease, and bypass grafting compared to Caucasians and Hispanics. Medicaid and median income at the lowest quartile were more frequent among AA LVAD recipients. We did not identify differences in stroke, bleeding complications, tamponade, infectious complications, acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis and in-hospital mortality among racial groups. AA LVAD recipients had lower rates of routine discharge than Caucasians and Hispanics, longer length of stay than Caucasians but similar cost of hospitalization. After adjustment for clinical comorbidities, race was not a predictor of in-hospital mortality. Conclusion We identified differences in clinical characteristics but not in in-hospital complications among LVAD recipients of different race.
Capitalizing on Catastrophe: Short Selling Insurance Stocks Around Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

We develop several hypotheses regarding short‐selling activity around Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We find that abnormal short selling does not increase until 2 trading days after the landfall of Katrina and that short‐selling activity is much more significant around Rita. We find a substantial increase in short‐selling activity in the trading days prior to the landfall of Rita and relatively less short‐selling activity in the trading days after landfall. There is little evidence that suggests that traders short insurance stocks with more potential exposure in the Gulf region than other insurance stocks in the days before landfall.
Relationship Between Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Utilization and Biopsychosocial Characteristics Among Homeless Shelter Adolescents

Objective: To determine whether biopsychosocial factors are associated with sexual activity and contraceptive utilization among homeless shelter adolescents. Methods: A retrospective study of 440 adolescents at a shelter in Pennsylvania between February 2015 and September 2019 was conducted. The cohort was evaluated to determine what relationship age, gender identity, substance use, and trauma history have with sexual activity and contraceptive utilization. Results: Sexual activity was significantly related to age (mean 15.8+1.4 years in sexually active vs. 14.7+1.6 years in abstinent youth, p<0.001); remote history of self-harm behavior (relative risk ratio (RR) 1.23 [95% CI 1.03-1.46]; p=0.02), history of aggressive behavior (RR 1.21 [95% CI 1.01-1.46]; p=0.04), history of trauma (RR 1.24 [95% CI 1.04-1.48]; p=0.03), and substance use (RR 2.27 [95%CI 1.86-2.77]; p<0.001). There were 55.7% sexually active females vs. 42.50% males reporting contraception use (p=0.01). After adjustment, older age and substance use remained significantly associated with sexual activity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.58 [95% CI 1.36-1.83]; p<0.001 and AOR 5.18 [95% CI 3.28-8.18]; p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Females self-reported sexual activity using contraception more than males. After adjustment, older age and substance use were associated with sexual activity. By better understanding the impact these factors can have on contraceptive utilization, informed policy and practice interventions can be developed and implemented to help increase safe sex practices in spaces where homeless adolescents access healthcare.
Effects of ATP1A3 Mutations on Default Mode Network Connectivity (N1.002)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of ATP1A3 gene mutations of rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) and alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) on brain default mode network (DMN) connectivity, which has been implicated in other forms of dystonia. We hypothesized that ATP1A3 gene mutations would be associated with decreases in DMN connectivity compared to controls. Background: ATP1A3 is in the P2 family of ion transport ATPases that establish and maintain electrochemical gradients for Na+ and K+ across the plasma membrane. Little is known about brain network connectivity associated with ATP1A3 disease phenotypes, including RDP and AHC. Design/Methods: Twenty-three patients with ATP1A3 mutations of RDP or AHC, as well as seven age/sex matched controls were recruited for this IRB approved study. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from all participants, including 10-minutes of resting-state BOLD data. Image pre-processing included file conversion to NIFTI format, brain segmentation, head motion correction, and artifact removal from functional MRI time-series data. BOLD data were then co-registered to structural T1 images, and a DMN seed created from the orthogonal slices of spatial cross-correlation of independent component analysis spatial maps, which were used to extract individual DMNs for estimating changes in connectivity strength. T-tests were conducted to examine between-group differences. Results: There were statistically significant (p Conclusions: Differences between patients with ATP1A3 mutations and controls in DMN connectivity suggest disruption of integrated functional brain circuitry, and reveal similarities with other forms of dystonia. Non-invasive neuroimaging allows quantitative measurement of brain function that may provide insights into brain phenotypes of ATP1A3-related disease, and lead to the development of imaging biomarkers for future treatment or prevention trials. Disclosure: Dr. Whitlow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jung has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cook has nothing to disclose. Dr. Snively has nothing to disclose. Dr. Haq has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sweadner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ozelius has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brashear has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Ipsen and Revance. Dr. Brashear has received research support from Wake Forest.
The timing of intermittent hypoxia differentially affects macronutrient intake and energy substrate utilization in mice.

Pairing repeated hypoxic episodes to a mouse’s resting phase during the day preferentially decreases carbohydrate intake and results in a switch to metabolic fat oxidation. These data indicate that...
Confined buckling in thin sheets and its correlation to ripplocations: A deformation mechanism in layered solids

Recently, we have established that, when loaded in compression, edge-on, atomic layers in layered solid can fail by buckling. The resulting structure is termed a ripplocation. When more than one layer buckles, they outline standing waves with boundaries that we labeled ripplocation boundaries that are nearly fully recoverable. In this paper, we examine buckling of layers at the centimeter level to explore continuum buckling theory and its applicability to atomic layers. Specifically, we examine buckling by confining and cyclically loading thin steel sheets, edge-on, determining that increasing confining pressure, sheet thickness, and/or decreasing the number of layers increases the buckling load. Concomitantly, the resulting wavelengths and amplitudes are reduced. A nonlinear, folding mechanics model, which accounts for frictional bending and foundation energies, is adapted and verified on our experimental results. We also demonstrate that Coulombic friction between the layers can account for the energy dissipated per cycle. The predicted values of buckling nucleation loads and number of modes from the model are in good agreement---at low levels of confinement---with continuum and atomistic scale results. The wavelength estimates from the model correlate surprisingly well with the continuum buckling results; however, likely due to the complex mechanics at the lower length scales and limiting theoretical assumptions in the derivation, the accuracy decreases at the atomistic scale and at higher confining pressures.
Objectively measured sleep and physical function: Associations in low-income older adults with disabilities.

Abstract Objective Late-life sleep health has been tied to physical function, but little is known about these associations among socially disadvantaged populations. Design We determined cross-sectional associations of sleep with physical function in low-income, predominantly Black older adults with disabilities. Participants One hundred thirty-six older adults (mean age 76.0 years, 83.8% women, 82.4% Black). Measurements Primary predictors were actigraphic total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and subjective sleep complaints. Outcomes were objective physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)) and participant-reported difficulties in basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs and IADLs). Results In regression models adjusted for potential confounders, both longer TST and greater WASO were associated with lower SPPB scores and increased IADL difficulty. Participants with a mean TST in the longest (>7.5 hours) vs. intermediate (6.3-7.5 hours) tertile had 27% higher odds of additional IADL difficulty (incident rate ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 1.58). Each additional 10 minutes of WASO was associated with 0.13 point lower SPPB scores (B = −0.13, 95% CI −0.25, −0.01) and increased IADL difficulty (B = 0.02, 95% CI 0.0003, 0.04). Sex moderated the associations of WASO with IADL and ADL difficulties: associations were stronger for males. Subjective sleep complaints were not statistically significantly associated with function. Conclusions Among disabled, low-income, mostly Black older adults, objective measures of long sleep and greater WASO are associated with poorer physical function. Effect sizes for the associations were modest; however, findings may have important implications given the significant consequences of decreased function on quality of life and caregiving demands.
The circadian clock gene Per1 modulates context fear memory formation within the retrosplenial cortex in a sex-specific manner.

Abstract Context memory formation is a complex process that requires transcription in many subregions of the brain including the dorsal hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex. One critical gene necessary for memory formation is the circadian gene Period1 (Per1), which has been shown to function in the dorsal hippocampus to modulate spatial memory in addition to its well-documented role in regulating the diurnal clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We recently found that alterations in Per1 expression in the dorsal hippocampus can modulate spatial memory formation, with reduced hippocampal Per1 impairing memory and overexpression of Per1 ameliorating age-related impairments in spatial memory. Whether Per1 similarly functions within other memory-relevant brain regions is currently unknown. Here, to test whether Per1 is a general mechanism that modulates memory across the brain, we tested the role of Per1 in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a brain region necessary for context memory formation. First, we demonstrate that context fear conditioning drives a transient increase in Per1 mRNA expression within the anterior RSC that peaks 60 m after training. Next, using HSV-CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of Per1, we show that reducing Per1 within the anterior RSC before context fear acquisition impairs memory in both male and female mice. In contrast, overexpressing Per1 with either HSV-CRISPRa or HSV-Per1 before context fear acquisition drives a sex-specific memory impairment; males show impaired context fear memory whereas females are not affected by Per1 overexpression. Finally, as Per1 levels are known to rhythmically oscillate across the day/night cycle, we tested the possibility that Per1 overexpression might have different effects on memory depending on the time of day. In contrast to the impairment in memory we observed during the daytime, Per1 overexpression has no effect on context fear memory during the night in either male or female mice. Together, our results indicate that Per1 modulates memory in the anterior retrosplenial cortex in addition to its documented role in regulating memory within the dorsal hippocampus, although this role may differ between males and females.
Readability levels and thematic content analysis of online and printed lead poisoning informational materials

Background Lead poisoning prevention efforts include preparing and disseminating informational materials such as brochures and pamphlets to increase awareness of lead poisoning, lead exposures and lead poisoning prevention. However, studies have demonstrated that patient education materials for diseases and health conditions are prepared at a reading level that is higher than the recommended 7th-8th grade reading level. This study, therefore, aims to assess the reading levels of lead poisoning informational materials. Methods Lead poisoning materials (N = 31) were accessed from three states; Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. The readability levels of the materials were assessed using the Flesh Kincaid Grade Level readability test. The Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to determine if the readability levels differed between the materials obtained from the different states. Thematic content analyses were carried out to assess the inclusion of four themes; definition of lead poisoning, risk factors and exposures, testing and referral and prevention covering 12 subtopics. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to examine if there was a difference in the number of subtopics by readability level (dichotomized to >8th grade and Results The median readability level of the informational materials was 6.7 (IQR: 5.1-8.1). However, there was variability in the readability levels of the materials (range 3.5 to 10.6); materials obtained from Michigan had the highest median reading level of 8.1 (IQR: 6.9-9.0) followed by Pennsylvania. Heterogeneity was observed in the content of the materials. Most of the materials (80%) from Michigan focused on water as a source of lead poisoning, whereas materials from New York and Pennsylvania focused on lead-based paint and other sources. The materials prepared at >8th grade reading level contained fewer topics than materials prepared at Conclusions We find that the materials were often prepared at reading levels lower than the recommended 8th grade reading level. However, there is variability in the reading levels and in the content of the materials. While the materials met the general readability guidelines, they did not necessarily meet the needs of specific groups, especially groups at risk.
Prognostic uncertainty in multiple sclerosis: A concept analysis.

Aim To report an analysis of the concept of prognostic uncertainty in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Background The complexity and ambiguity involved in a diagnosis of MS lead to the occurrence of prognostic uncertainty among patients. A concept analysis is presented that analyses what prognostic uncertainty means to those experiencing the transition between relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Design Concept analysis. Data sources PubMed, Ovid Medline, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases were searched for literature published within the last 10 years using combinations of the terms prognostic and diagnostic uncertainty, and multiple sclerosis along with archival referencing. Methods The Walker and Avant method was used to analyse the concept of prognostic uncertainty in patients with MS. Results The defining attributes identified that provide additional context to prognostic uncertainty are illness uncertainty, intolerance of uncertainty and progressive dwindling. Related, contrary, model and borderline cases are presented to further discuss the application of the key attributes to the concept. Conclusion There are limited data on prognostic uncertainty and multiple sclerosis; however, patients and physicians express uncertainty in understanding one's disease trajectory and determining when a patient with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis has entered the secondary progressive multiple sclerosis disease course leading to ineffective communication and frustration. Relevance to clinical practice Genetics and genomics have the potential to provide a prognostic factor for addressing the concept of uncertainty as it relates to persons with multiple sclerosis. Moving beyond the concept analysis, a case is made for nurse involvement in genetic and genomic research to conduct trials, translate, and apply these findings to clinical practice and nursing curricula, addressing the uncertainty experienced by those afflicted with chronic illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis.
Heat transfer implications in the first MEMS fabricated thermal transiration-driven vacuum pump for gases

The success of NASA's future space missions and the development of portable, commercial instrument packages will depend greatly on miniaturized components enabled by the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
Adolescent body size and flexibility.

(1977). Adolescent Body Size and Flexibility. Research Quarterly. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 797-799.
An Efficient Multiprocessor Architecture for Image Processing in VLSI

Image processing generally requires to manipulate a large number of data of small granularity. In this paper a multiprocessor architecture which allows an efficient image processing in VLSI is proposed. The proposed network is as efficient as hypercube using O(n1/2log n) less chip area when n is the number of nodes in the network. The effectiveness of the proposed design is verified by studying some important image processing algorithms developed for hypercube network. The proposed architecture is also simple and modular, and thus it is relatively easier to develop efficient fault tolerance designs.
Belief and Preference in Decision Under Uncertainty

Most decisions in life are gambles. Should I speed up or slow down as I approach the yellow traffic light ahead? Should I invest in the stock market or in treasury bills? Should I undergo surgery or radiation therapy to treat my tumor? From mundane choices rendered with scarcely a moment's reflection to urgent decisions founded on careful deliberation, we seldom know in advance and with certainty what the consequences of our choices will be. Thus, most decisions require not only an assessment of the attractiveness of potential consequences, but also some appraisal of their likelihood of occurrence. Virtually all decision theorists agree that values and beliefs jointly influence willingness to act under uncertainty. However, there is considerable disagreement about how to measure values and beliefs, and howto model their influence on decisions. Our purpose in this chapter is to bring into sharper focus the role of values and beliefs in decision under uncertainty and contrast some recent developments in the descriptive modeling of choice under uncertainty with the classical normative model.
Observational study of accuracy in compounding i.v. admixtures at five hospitals

Rates of errors in i.v. admixture compounding at five U.S. hospital pharmacies were studied. Pharmacy staff members at five hospitals representing each U.S. geographic region were observed as they compounded sterile products in order to record the medication, dose, base solution, and other details. Intravenous admixtures, antineoplastic preparations, parenteral nutrient solutions, and ready-to-use products were included. Observations took place for five days at each pharmacy. The observers' notes were checked against the labels used to prepare the doses; any deviation was considered an error. The clinical importance of each error was assessed for its potential to affect a patient adversely. The mean error rate for the five hospitals combined was 9% (145 errors for 1679 doses), excluding ready-to-use products. Mean error rates for individual pharmacies ranged from 6% to 10%. Wrong-dose errors were the most common type of error. Parenteral nutrient solutions had the highest error rates-37% for manual preparation and 22% for preparation that was partly automated. Of every 100 errors, 2 were judged to be potentially clinically important. In five U.S. hospital pharmacies, the observed error rate for compounding i.v. admixtures was 9%.
Vasopressin is important for restoring cardiovascular homeostasis in fetal lambs subjected to hemorrhage.

Abstract To determine if the posterior pituitary hormone vasopressin is important for maintaining fetal cardiovascular homeostasis during hypovolemic stress, in seven chronically catheterized fetal lambs we induced hemorrhage of 20% of estimated blood volume in the presence and in the absence of a potent antagonist to the pressor effects of vasopressin. The study was a paired crossover design with at least 48 hours separating experiments in the same animal. Injection of the vasopressin antagonist did not alter basal fetal heart rate or arterial blood pressure, but hemorrhage of 2% of estimated fetal blood volume per minute for 10 minutes produced a greater fall in blood pressure (13 ± 2 versus 10 ± 2 torr, p
Clarifying the Scope of Conceptual Transfer

This article clarifies the purposes of research on conceptual transfer by defining it as cross-linguistic influence in the expression and interpretation of conceptual meaning and by discussing what conceptual meaning entails and how conceptual meaning and conceptual transfer relate to the pursuits of linguistic relativity research, on the one hand, and traditional research on cross-linguistic influence on the other. I focus on three general questions that span the scope of conceptual transfer research, and I discuss the types of empirical evidence they call for. I also explore a case of meaning-related transfer whose specific causes have not yet been identified, and I describe how a combination of types of evidence can be used to determine whether learners from different language backgrounds rely on different conceptual considerations when deciding how to refer to a particular spatial relationship. The article concludes with a summary of the purposes and importance of this line of inquiry.
Nonparametric Welfare Analysis

Exact consumer's surplus and deadweight loss are the most widely used welfare and economic efficiency measures. These measures can be computed from demand functions in straightforward ways. Nonparametric estimation can be used to estimate the welfare measures. In doing so, it seems important to account correctly for unobserved heterogeneity, given the high degree of unexplained demand variation often found in applications. This review surveys work on nonparametric welfare analysis, focusing on work that allows for general heterogeneity in demand, such as that of Hausman & Newey (2016).
Explicit and Implicit Methods for Design Sensitivity Analysis of Nonlinear Structures Under Dynamic Loads

Explicit and implicit methods for design sensitivity analysis of nonlinear structures subjected to transient dynamic loads are described. The direct differentiation method is used to calculate the sensitivities. Elastic and elasto-plastic problems undergoing large deformation are treated in the formulation. The explicit method is quite straightforward to implement for analysis as well as design sensitivity analysis: knowing all the quantities at time t, one updates the quantities for the next time point without solution of any linear system of equations, or any iterations. For the implicit method, the effective stiffness matrix for the sensitivity equation is different from that for the analysis phase due to inclusion of large deformation in the formulation. A numerical procedure to integrate the equation is proposed which uses the symmetric effective stiffness matrix from the analysis phase. Although the sensitivity analysis problem is linear, the procedure requires iterations for sensitivity calculations at each time step, as for the analysis phase. The implicit method is implemented using the pre-conditioned conjugate gradient iterative solution scheme. Numerical results for sensitivities indicate the implicit method to be more accurate than the explicit method for transient elastoplastic problems. However, the explicit method is substantially more efficient than the implicit method.
A smoothing regularizer for feedforward and recurrent neural networks

We derive a smoothing regularizer for dynamic network models by requiring robustness in prediction performance to perturbations of the training data. The regularizer can be viewed as a generalization of the first-order Tikhonov stabilizer to dynamic models. For two layer networks with recurrent connections described by the training criterion with the regularizer is where Φ = {U, V, W} is the network parameter set, Z(t) are the targets, I(t) = {X(s), s = 1,2,..., t} represents the current and all historical input information, N is the size of the training data set, is the regularizer, and λ is a regularization parameter. The closed-form expression for the regularizer for time-lagged recurrent networks is where || || is the Euclidean matrix norm and γ is a factor that depends upon the maximal value of the first derivatives of the internal unit activations f(). Simplifications of the regularizer are obtained for simultaneous recurrent nets (τ → 0), two-layer feedforward nets, and one layer linear nets. We have successfully tested this regularizer in a number of case studies and found that it performs better than standard quadratic weight decay.
Forearm vascular α1-adrenergic blockade by verapamil

With use of direct brachial artery infusion and measurement of forearm blood flow and vascular resistance by strain gauge plethysmography, the effect of verapamil on phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction was determined. Seven healthy men (age range, 19 to 47 years; weight range, 68 to 108 kg; mean blood pressure, 74 to 100 mm Hg; five nonsmokers) were systemically β-blocked with intravenous administrations of 10 mg propranolol. Each subject then received ascending doses of phenylephrine (0.191 to 7.6 μg/min) alone and with concurrent verapamil (19.1 μg/min) by brachial arterial infusion. Dose-ratio during verapamil infusion compared with control was 8.1 (p < 0.05). No change in slope of the phenylephrine dose-response curve was noted; however, consistent with the dose ratio, verapamil shifted the curve to the right with a decrease in the y intercept determined by linear regression (60.0 versus 40.3 mm Hg ml/100 ml forearm volume/min; p < 0.05). Verapamil-induced attenuation of forearm vasoconstriction elicited by phenylephrine indicates that, in humans, in vivo verapamil forearm vasodilating effects are, in part, a result of α1-adrenergic blockade. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1990) 47, 755–759; doi:10.1038/clpt.1990.104
Internal cardiac defibrillation: Histopathology and temporal stability of defibrillation energy requirements

The automatic implantable cardioverter/defibrillator is tested intraoperatively to ensure effectiveness by performing a number of induced fribrillation-defibrillation trials. The temporal stability of defibrillation energy requirements and the histopathologic effects of multiple defibrillating shocks were studied in 12 dogs chronically instrumented with an internal spring-patch lead system identical to that used in humans. Dogs were studied on days 1, 11, 18, 25 and 32. Data were analyzed by logistic regression and the energy required for 50% (E50) and 80% (E80) success was compared. On day 32 the dogs were killed and the heart was removed for gross and microscopic pathologic examination. There was a significant decrease in energy requirements from day 1 to day 11, as the E50decreased from 6.9 ± 4.5 to 4.9 ± 2.5 J (p Therefore, the energy requirements for successful defibrillation decrease during the first 11 days after testing at implantation, and then remain stable. Also, multiple, closely spaced defibrillating shocks applied through the spring-patch electrode system do not cause myocardial damage or changes other than those associated with the implantation.
Industrial Transformation and Proletarianization in Taivvan

The rapid industrialization that has occurred in Taiwan over the past three decades has been accompanied by an extraordinary scale and pace of proletarianization. This paper analyzes the pattern of Taiwan's proletarianization and examines the demographic and social characteristics of the newly emerged working class in Taiwan. Distinctive features of Taiwan's industrialization are its geographically dispersed pattern of development and the predominance of small-scale enterprises. This has helped the first generation of Taiwan's industrial workers adapt smoothly to industrial work but also has retarded the development of strong worker identity and the working-class movement.
Teaching School Counselors and School Psychologists To Work Collaboratively.

Counselor education programs have the responsibility to prepare school counseling graduates adequately for effective partnerships, consultation, and collaboration with other school professionals. Current practices as well as theory should inform preparation. This study was conducted to determine current collaborative efforts of practicing school counselors and school psychologists in 1 southeastern state. Implications for educators and 1 training model that distinctly accentuates collaboration are presented.
NEONATAL HIGH-FREQUENCY VENTILATION: Past, Present, and Future

High-frequency ventilation has become established as an effective treatment modality in a variety of clinical situations. The laboratory and clinical investigations of these techniques have contributed tremendously to our understanding of the pathophysiology of respiratory failure and the important concept of maintaining adequate lung volume. Clinicians have come to appreciate better the factors involved in lung injury and the potential for damage to distant organs. The place of HFV in the therapeutic armamentarium will undoubtedly continue to evolve in the years to come. Of particular interest is the advent of advanced modes of fully synchronized and volume-targeted conventional mechanical ventilatory modes, along with the trend to use smaller tidal volumes and higher levels of PEEP with conventional ventilation. With these developments there seems to be a certain convergence of HFV and tidal ventilation that is the logical result of our improved understanding of respiratory pathophysiology. The available controlled trials of HFV versus tidal ventilation do not clearly differentiate whether improved outcomes are the result of HFV per se, or a reflection of the effects of optimizing lung volume, a benefit that may not be unique to HFV.
Applications of a novel hemodynamic model to functional brain studies with fNIRS and fMRI

We report time-domain applications of a new hemodynamic model by Fantini [1] that yields analytic expressions for signals that are measurable with hemodynamic-based neuroimaging techniques such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We show how the model can be used to predict the perturbations in cerebral blood volume (CBV), blood flow (CBF), and metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) that account for the initial dip and post-stimulus undershoot that have been reported in the fMRI and fNIRS literature. Furthermore, we have used data from the literature to perform a comparison between measured fNIRS and fMRI signals and the corresponding signals predicted by the new hemodynamic model. Results showed an excellent agreement between the model predictions and the reported measured data.
Interaction of bovine heart lactate dehydrogenase with erythrocyte lipids.

Abstract The interaction between bovine heart lactate dehydrogenase and erythrocyte lipid suspension as a function of pH, NAD, NADH, lipid and salt concentration was studied by ultracentrifugation. In the presence of erythrocyte lipid liposomes the enzyme forms two kinds of complex: lactate dehydrogenase adsorbed to liposomes and soluble lactate dehydrogenase-phospholipid complexes. The two complexes reveal different dependence of their stability on pH values. Lactate dehydrogenase decreases its specific activity when it binds to the phospholipid molecules. Efficient adsorption of lactate dehydrogenase to liposomes occurs in their pH range 6.0–8.0 and at low ionic strength. The adsorption is diminished in the presence of NAD + but it is not influenced by NADH. Possible mechanisms of the interaction and implications for the function in vivo are discussed.