cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of the optical function n(λ) of vitreous silica by spectroscopic ellipsometry with an achromatic compensator

Studies of dielectric materials by rotating-element spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) are beset with a number of problems such as (1) low reflectance and hence low signal-to-noise ratio and (2) an almost zero (or 1800) change in the ellipsometric parameter A on reflection from the sample, which leads to significant errors in the measured parameters. These difficulties were overcome (1) by developing suitable procedures for correcting nonlinearity in the detection system and the deleterious effects of ambient light and (2) by incorporating an achromatic quarter-wave compensator in the SE system, respectively. A new rapid method of aligning and calibrating the compensator has also been developed. Test measurements with such an SE system on a vitreous silica sample revealed that the accuracy of measurements of Δ and Ψ are 0.03° and 0.015°, respectively, over the spectral range of 300-700 nm. The SE data were then analyzed by standard procedures with linear regression analysis to determine the optical function n(λ) (i.e., refractive index and its dispersion with wavelength) of vitreous silica and at the same time to characterize the microroughness of the surface layer of the sample. The refractive index of vitreous silica determined by this technique is within ±0.0004 of the best reported values in the literature over the spectral range of 300-700 nm. The SE data obtained on the vitreous silica sample revealed the presence of a 1.0-nm-thick microrough layer on the surface of the sample.
Influence of Dosage Form, Formulation, and Delivery Device on Olfactory Deposition and Clearance: Enhancement of Nose-to-CNS Uptake

Nose-to-central nervous system (CNS) drug delivery has shown promising results in preclinical efficacy models and exploratory human clinical trials. There are two primary limitations to direct CNS uptake of drugs following intranasal administration. Firstly, non-specific deposition in the nasal cavity leads to systemic absorption instead of CNS absorption, altering CNS bioavailability. Secondly, mucociliary clearance affects the residence time of the formulation at the site of deposition. In vivo results have demonstrated that therapeutic agents targeted to the olfactory region can translocate directly into the CNS via neuronal uptake. In this review, liquid and solid formulations are investigated for their effect on olfactory deposition and clearance based on their physical properties. The influence of delivery device and mode of administration is also reviewed. Case examples are provided to illustrate the importance of optimal deposition in olfactory region.
Disaster preparedness: a comparative study of North Carolina and Montana.

OBJECTIVE: The emergency preparedness of residents of North Carolina and Montana were compared. METHODS: General preparedness was evaluated using responses to 4 questions related to a household's 3-day supply of water, 3-day supply of nonperishable food, a working battery-operated radio, and a working battery-operated flashlight. Each positive answer was awarded 1 point to create an emergency preparedness score that ranged from 0 (minimum) to 4 (maximum). RESULTS were assessed statistically. RESULTS: The average emergency preparedness score did not differ between the 2 states (P =.513). One factor influencing higher preparedness in both states was being male. Other influencing factors in North Carolina were older age, being a race/ethnicity other than white, having an annual income of $35 000 or more, having children in the household, better (excellent/very good/good) self-reported health, and not being disabled. In contrast, other factors influencing higher emergency preparedness in Montana were having a college degree and being married or partnered. CONCLUSIONS: A divergence was found in factors influencing the likelihood of being prepared. These factors were likely a result of different sociodemographic and geographic characteristics between the 2 states. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-4). Language: en
Helping the Poor or the System? Examining My Participation: Observation in Social Service Organizations:

In this article I examine my experiences of practice and research in the social service field, which may be relevant to applied and clinical sociologists who work beyond academia, as well as academic ethnographers in general. Although the researcher as a person from a particular background profoundly impacts the data collected, examining the role of the researcher in everyday situations (at some research site) sheds light on important social processes. I provide three examples from my study of social service organizations, emphasizing how critically examining my own responses to role conflicts during ethnographic research provides crucial insight into the ways in which well-meaning social service workers end up regulating and disciplining the people they purport to serve. I conclude by urging academic sociologists to consider the benefits of applied work for sociological knowledge and encouraging applied sociologists to examine their own emotional topography in their frontline work as a research method in...
Hazard Recognition Methods in the Construction Industry

Studies have established that construction workers are more likely to be injured than workers in other industries. In the United States, the construction sector has accounted for more than a thousand fatal injuries every year between 1995 and 2008. Although injury rates have reduced substantially in the past decade, the construction industry still accounts for the most on-the-job fatal injuries of any industry. Also, it has been suggested that the observed reduction in injury rates may be attributed to fiscal constraints that resulted in 17% decline in the number of hours worked, rather than the improvement in safety performance. A large portion of construction injuries occur because new workers lack the ability to predict, identify, and respond to hazardous conditions in dynamic work environments. In order to improve workers’ situational awareness, employers often put new workers through hazard recognition training programs. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard method of hazard recognition. In an effort to identify the most promising hazard recognition programs for construction, the research team (1) conducted focus group sessions with a panel of fifteen industry experts; and (2) reviewed literature to identify hazard recognition techniques. The results of this study can be used by practitioners to strategically identify potential hazard reception programs that complement existing methods. Researchers may build on this study by further investigating the most promising strategies by testing them with active crews, measuring their effectiveness, and determining the most cost-effective methods that could potentially become industry standard.
Fiber Optics and Strain Interferometry

By use of glass fibers as dielectric waveguides, interferometric measurements of light along the propagation path can be used as a new type of strain gauge. Two novel strain interferometers are proposed: one which uses the phenomenon of crosstalk between adjacent light pipes, and another which is a waveguide version of the Michelson interferometer. Both designs are distinguished by the possibility of digital readout and a basic simplicity. The theory of the instruments is described, and explicit estimates for the strain sensitivity are calculated. The numerical data show that, with digital readout, strains of the order of 10-8 can be resolved with a basic instrument ten meters long, and strains of the order of 10-9 can be resolved by a hundred-meter device. With the aid of various refinements, the sensitivity can be enhanced by at least another order of magnitude.
The ConSERTD effort: a control system environment for real-time decision-making

An environment developed to plan and execute decision-making strategies in real time for the control and coordination of a system comprising several mechanical subsystems is described. The tracking of planned trajectories is decoupled from the planning phase through the use of decentralized controllers which are explicitly designed for trackings. They communicate with a central processor within which resides the framework through which the control engineer can program the task and constraints. The planner uses three types of inputs to determine the control signals: the ultimate goal and the desired mode of reaching the goal which the designer must input (such as minimum time), the constraint set which is also input by the designer and transformed by the planner to linear inequality constraints in the acceleration subspace, and methods of solving the constrained problem to generate desired trajectories. Some examples are presented. The environment permits easy incorporation of other constraints which are planned for the future, such as complaint motion and force control. >
A distributed catalog for heterogeneous distributed database resources

To support a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment, an inter-system catalog protocol is needed so that remote resources can be located, used, and maintained with little human intervention. This paper describes a scalable catalog framework, which is an extension of previous work in a distributed relational DBMS research prototype called R*. This work builds on the R* concepts to accommodate heterogeneity, to handle partitioned and replicated data, to support non-DBMS resource managers, and to enhance catalog access performance and system extensibility. >
Comparative analysis of hot electron injection and induced device degradation in scaled 0.1 μm SOI n-MOSFETs using Monte Carlo simulation

A self-consistent Monte Carlo (MC) simulator is employed to investigate and compare hot electron phenomena in three competing design strategies for 0.1 /spl mu/m SOI n-MOSFETs operating under low voltage conditions, i.e., V/sub d/ considerably less than the Si-SiO/sub 2/ injection barrier height /spl phi//sub b/. Simulations of these designs reveal that non-local carrier transport effects and two-dimensional current how play a significant role in determining the relative rate and location of hot electron injection into both the front and back oxides. Specifically, simulations indicate that electron-electron interactions near the drain edge are a main source of electron energies exceeding /spl phi//sub b/. The hot electron injection distributions are then coupled with an empirical model to generate interface state distributions at both the front and back oxide interfaces. These interface states are incorporated into a drift-diffusion simulator to examine relative hot-electron-induced device degradation for the three 0.1 /spl mu/m SOI designs. Simulations suggest that both the Si layer thickness and doping distribution affect device sensitivity to hot-electron-induced interface states. In particular, the simulations show that a decrease in the channel doping results in increased sensitivity to back oxide charge. In the comparison of the heavily-doped designs, the design with a thinner T/sub Si/ experiences significantly more hot-electron-induced oxide damage in the back oxide and more degradation from the charged states at the back interface.
CartaBlanca—a pure‐Java, component‐based systems simulation tool for coupled nonlinear physics on unstructured grids—an update

This paper describes a component-based nonlinear physical system simulation prototyping package written entirely in Java using object-oriented design. The package provides scientists and engineers with a ‘developer-friendly’ software environment for large-scale computational algorithm and physical model development. The software design centers on the Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov solution method surrounding a finite-volume treatment of conservation equations. This enables a clean component-like implementation. We first provide motivation for the development of the software and then discuss software structure. The discussion includes a description of the use of Java's built-in thread facility that enables parallel, shared-memory computations on a wide variety of unstructured grids with triangular, quadrilateral, tetrahedral and hexahedral elements. We also discuss the use of Java's inheritance mechanism in the construction of a hierarchy of physics systems objects and linear and nonlinear solver objects that simplify development and foster software re-use. We provide a brief review of the Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov nonlinear system solution method and discuss how it fits into our design. Following this, we show results from example calculations and then discuss plans including the extension of the software to distributed-memory computer systems. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Language, Visual Cognition and Motor Action

This article reviews linguistic, brain-imaging, and behavioral evidence for the role of sensorimotor representations and processes in language comprehension. It is argued that this evidence is consistent with an embodied view of cognition in general and of language processing in particular, and not with the traditional disembodied view of cognition. Some challenges for current theories of embodied cognition are outlined.
American Girl Place and Actors' Equity Association: A Tale of Tenacious Thespians and How Their Legitimate Right to Join the Union Received Reluctant, But Just, Recognition

In today's turbulent economic landscape it may often seem that unions, not management, are the power brokers. Certainly, loyal television and theatre fans may have recently wondered what happened to the good old adage "the show must go on." For example, on November 10, 2007, just in time for the holiday season, members of Local One went on strike for the first time in the union's 121-year history against the League of American Theatres and Producers. Local One is the union that represents the hundreds of carpenters, electricians, props workers, lighting and sound technicians that make sure the curtain rises on Broadway. Almost all of the thirty-nine Broadway theaters are members of the League of American Theaters and Producers. Consequently, the strike left most of Broadway dark, shuttering 27 shows. Despite such occurrences, it is important to remember that the drama created by the interaction between a union and management does not often fall within the parameters of a simple morality play. Real life efforts to unionize do involve risk and personal sacrifice, though not always major or dramatic events. The desire to join a union often lives in the hearts of people who are simply trying to make a decent living. The purpose of this essay is to tell the story of one small group of actors and stage managers who had the courage and determination to exercise their right to unionize. Specifically, the goal of this piece is to serve as a reminder that regardless of the ultimate outcome, those who strive to improve their lot in life by exercising their legal right to join a union and who strike as a result of unfair labor practices, should always be cast as heroes. In the end, while it may have been a limited engagement in terms of the length of the Equity run at American Girl Place, the struggle of this group of tenacious thespians was not for naught. They received the security and a certain level of "validation" which joining Equity provides its members. As members of the union, these actors and stage managers are now arguably part of a world of professional theatre consisting of "the best of the best." Most importantly, their right to unionize received its just recognition.
At a Crossroads: Will Aquaculture Fulfill the Promise of the Blue Revolution?

There is now little doubt that the world’s fisheries are in crisis. Mounting scientific evidence points to dramatic declines in global catches. Increasingly, many are making the case that farming fish offers a solution to meeting the growing demand for seafood that catching fish cannot provide. Aquaculture now accounts for roughly one-third of the world’s total supply of food fish and undoubtedly the contribution of aquaculture to seafood supplies will increase in the future. Aquaculture has the potential to become a sustainable practice that can supplement capture fisheries and significantly contribute to feeding the world’s growing population. However, instead of helping to ease the crisis in wild fisheries, unsustainable aquaculture development could exacerbate the problems and create new ones, damaging our important and already-stressed coastal areas. The vast majority of aquaculture takes place in Asia. In 2002, over 70% of worldwide aquaculture production was in China alone. Most farmed fish and shellfish are grown in traditional small-scale systems that benefit local communities and minimize the environmental impact. Utilizing simple culture technologies and minimal inputs, these systems have been used for centuries. The net contribution of these traditional aquaculture systems can be great as they offer many benefits, including food security in developing nations. However, as happened with the “green revolution” of agriculture in the last century, the current “blue revolution” of aquaculture is becoming an industrial mode of food production. An emerging trend is toward the increased development of farming high-value carnivorous fish species using environmentally and socially damaging systems. Farming fish on an industrial scale, especially carnivorous fish is rapidly expanding; the number of different species farmed and geographic regions where they are farmed increases continually. Largely controlled by multinational corporations, industrialized farming of carnivorous fish such as salmon requires the intensive use of resources and exports problems to the surrounding environment, often resulting in environmental impacts and social conflicts. Some segments of the aquaculture industry are long overdue for reform. What is required is a paradigm shift in how we think about aquaculture, particularly its interaction with natural and social systems. This new paradigm should be based on sustainable development — “the management and conservation of the natural resource base, and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner to ensure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. Such development conserves land, water, plant and genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technologically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.” Sustainable aquaculture must consider the ecological, social, and economic aspects of development.
Measuring Relationship among Dialects: DOC and Related Resources

This paper is a synthesis of the past studies in measurements of dialect relationships. The phonological data of 17 Chinese dialects that were computerized in the late 1960s have been utilized for measurements of dialect distance. In addition, a file of over 6,400 lexical variants in 18 dialects was also used to quantify dialect affinity. This writing first explains the nature, the organization, and the coding of these files. A series of steps illustrate how the phonological file was processed to derive the needed information for calculation of correlation coefficients. The coefficients are considered as indices of dialect affinity. The dialects are then grouped by the average linking method of cluster analysis of the coefficients. The appropriateness of the correlation method to the data is then discussed. Recent work on calculation of dialect mutual intelligibility is presented to indicate the future direction of research.
Enhancement of striatum-dependent memory by conditioned fear is mediated by beta-adrenergic receptors in the basolateral amygdala.

Abstract Emotional arousal can have a profound impact on various learning and memory processes. For example, unconditioned emotional stimuli (e.g., predator odor or anxiogenic drugs) enhance dorsolateral striatum (DLS)-dependent habit memory. These effects critically depend on a modulatory role of the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA). Recent work indicates that, like unconditioned emotional stimuli, exposure to an aversive conditioned stimulus (CS) (i.e., a tone previously paired with shock) can also enhance consolidation of DLS-dependent habit memory. The present experiments examined whether noradrenergic activity, particularly within the BLA, is required for a fear CS to enhance habit memory consolidation. First, rats underwent a fear conditioning procedure in which a tone CS was paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus. Over the course of the next five days, rats received training in a DLS-dependent water plus-maze task, in which rats were reinforced to make a consistent body-turn response to reach a hidden escape platform. Immediately after training on days 1–3, rats received post-training systemic (Experiment 1) or intra-BLA (Experiment 2) administration of the β-adrenoreceptor antagonist, propranolol. Immediately after drug administration, half of the rats were re-exposed to the tone CS in the conditioning context (without shock). Post-training CS exposure enhanced consolidation of habit memory in vehicle-treated rats, and this effect was blocked by peripheral (Experiment 1) or intra-BLA (Experiment 2) propranolol administration. The present findings reveal that noradrenergic activity within the BLA is critical for the enhancement of DLS-dependent habit memory as a result of exposure to conditioned emotional stimuli.
Nitrosamine Formation in the Desorber of Tertiary Alkanolamine-Based Carbon Dioxide Capture Systems

Tertiary amines are being considered as absorption solvents for post-ombustion CO2 capture, but their potential to form harmful byproducts nitrosamines is yet to be evaluated. This study investigated the factors influencing the formation of nitrosamines from tertiary alkanolamines under simulated desorber conditions and the effects of amine structural characteristics. Total nitrosamine formation from tertiary alkanolamine was determined to be first-order with respect to nitrite concentration and the absorbed CO2, but was zero-order with respect to amine concentration in the range of 0.5–2.5 M. Tertiary alkanolamines formed less nitrosamine than their secondary amine analogues. For tertiary alkanolamines with the same number of 2-hydroxyethyl groups, smaller steric hindrance resulted in more nitrosamine formation and higher yields based on nitrite consumption. The analysis of specific nitrosamines revealed that the cleavage of 2-hydroxyethyl group was preferred over demethylation, but comparable to de-ethy...
Time in Urban Hydrology

An analysis of lag time (defined as time between centroids of effective precipitation and runoff) from nine small urban watersheds shows that lag time variability is small and that lag time is not correlated with storm intensity. Effective precipitation can be routed through storage by the Muskingum method to accurately reproduce an observed runoff hydrograph. Effective precipitation is separated from total precipitation by the phi-index. Precipitation loss on a watershed is closely represented by a linear relationship between total storm precipitation and total storm runoff. On impervious watersheds, precipitation loss seems to be related to watershed slope. Instrumentation requirements for adequate data collection on urban watersheds include synchronization of precipitation and runoff records, use of at least two rain-gages, and accurate runoff measurement at high and low flows. Watershed selection is important for successful data collection.
A Comparison of the Autocorrelation and Variance of NFL Team Strengths Over Time using a Bayesian State-Space Model

Professional sports leagues are motivated to promote competitive balance in order to maintain fan interest. The National Football League (NFL) has taken several steps to promote competitive balance, most notably free agency and the salary cap, which were instituted prior to the 1994 season. Previous research into competitive balance in sports focused on the variability of team strengths but ignored the year-to-year autocorrelation in team strengths. We present a Bayesian state-space model for paired comparisons that allows regression on the variance parameters. By modeling the variance parameters in a regression framework, we are able to simultaneously compare the variance and autocorrelation in team strengths over time. The autocorrelation of NFL team strengths has decreased over time while there has been little change in the variance in teams strengths since the 1970s.
Effect of Dispersed Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of Alumina/Non-Oxides Composites

Alumina with SiC or TiC particles was hot-pressed at 1500°C for 2h in N2 under a pressure of 40MPa, and the effect of the size and volume fraction of dispersed particles on mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. Compared with monolithic alumina, the flexural strength of both composites increased when the dispersed particle size was small. The fracture toughness of Al2O3/SiC composites increased with a decrease in particle size. However, a maximum fracture toughness was observed for Al2O3/TiC composites when the particle size was 4-6μm. These results are explained as follows. The increase in fracture toughness is caused by microcracks originated by thermal expansion mismatch between the matrix and the dispersed particle. In the case where the thermal expansion mismatch and the size of dispersion particles are both large, cracks develop spontaneously during cooling, releasing thermal stress, and thus hindering the operation of the microcracking mechanism that would increase the fracture toughness of the composites. It is concluded that each system has a suitable size of dispersed particles. On the other hand, the increase in strength is caused by the increase in fracture toughness and by the decrease in the length of pre-existing flaws due to suppression of abnormal grain growth of the matrix.
Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition that causes high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (sometimes referred to as bad cholesterol) from birth. FH means high cholesterol that runs in a family. FH is caused by specific DNA changes that are passed on from parents to their children. It is not caused by lifestyle factors such as a high-fat diet or lack of exercise. There are 2 main types of FH, homozygous and heterozygous, that have different symptoms, risks, and treatments. In this Cardiology Patient Page, we focus on heterozygous FH, which we will call FH. FH affects 1 in 200 to 300 people. FH is usually inherited from 1 parent in an autosomal dominant pattern. This means a parent with FH has a 50% chance of passing it on to each child, regardless of sex. This also means all first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) of a person with FH have a 50% chance to have FH, and a 50% chance to not have FH. Healthcare providers and the general public lack awareness about FH. Therefore, it is underdiagnosed and undertreated. A person with FH who is not treated is 20 times more likely to develop coronary artery disease than a person without FH. Coronary artery disease can lead to heart attacks and other major cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and sudden cardiac death. However, early diagnosis with universal lipid screening, cascade screening in families, and appropriate treatment with statins and other medications can reduce this risk. Most people with FH will not have any symptoms until complications of untreated high cholesterol arise years later. Rarely, patients may have visible signs of extremely high cholesterol, such as a corneal arcus or tendon xanthomas. A corneal arcus is a yellowish ring along the edge of the colored part of one or both …
Acute scrotal swelling.

Acute scrotal swelling is a potential emergency. The differential diagnosis includes torsion of the testis or one of the testicular appendages, hydrocele, varicocele, trauma, tumor, idiopathic scrotal edema, and Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Imaging studies, such as radionuclide scanning and color Doppler ultrasonography, are helpful in equivocal cases.
Mode of Formation of “Ablation Hollows” Controlled by Dirt Content of Snow

A contradiction has existed in the literature as to the conditions favoring formation of “ablation hollows” (“suncups”) on a melting snow surface. Some experiments find that these features grow under direct sunlight and decay in overcast, windy weather; whereas others find just the opposite result, that they grow best under cloudy, windy conditions and decay if exposed to direct sunlight. We find that the hidden variable in past experiments, which acts as a switch to determine which mode of formation can operate, is the absence or abundance of dark insoluble impurities in the snow. Direct sunlight causes ablation hollows to grow in clean snow and to decay in dirty snow (for dirt content below a critical value), because the dirt migrates to the ridges between the hollows, lowering the albedo at the ridges. By contrast, when ablation is dominated by turbulent heat exchange, the presence of dirt favours development of ablation hollows because the dirt migrates to the ridges and insulates them; albedo reduction has a negligible effect on ablation. This hypothesis is supported by an experiment which showed that the presence of a thin layer of volcanic ash on the snow inhibited formation of ablation hollows under direct sunlight.
Earning and Spending

Commerce is concerned with the adult world of producing, earning and spending in which the school-leaver will spend his working life.
Effect of Process Temperature on Virus Inactivation during High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing of Contaminated Fruit Puree and Juice

ABSTRACT High pressure processing (HPP) can inactivate pathogens and retain fruit qualities. Elevated HPP pressure or time increases virus inactivation, but the effect of temperature is not consistently observed for norovirus and hepatitis A virus. In the present study, the effectiveness of HPP holding temperatures (<40°C) and pressures were evaluated for inactivating surrogates (murine norovirus [MNV] and MS2 coliphage) in pomegranate and strawberry juices and strawberry puree using a 24-liter HPP system. The holding temperature was established by setting the HPP initial temperature via pretrials. All trials were able to arrive at the designated holding pressure and holding temperature simultaneously. MNV inactivation in juices was conducted at 300 MPa for 3 min with various holding temperatures (10 to 30°C). A regression equation was derived, Y = −0.08 × X + 2.6 log PFU, R2 = 0.96, where Y is the log reduction and X is the holding temperature. The equation was used to predict a 2.6-log reduction in juic...
Behavioral Community Psychology Strategies and Tactics for Teaching Community Skills to Children and Adolescents

When behavior analysis emerged from the operant laboratories in the 1950s and 1960s, its initial applications quickly took root in the problems that traditional psychological approaches had found so resistant to change. These problems, consisting primarily of the behavior disorders of children in institutional wards, in classrooms, and in homes, continue to represent most of the applications of behavior analysis (Kazdin, 1975). Recently, however, behavior analysis has become more ambitious. Its leading edge (see “Behavioral Community Psychology,” Briscoe, Hoffman, & Bailey, 1975) has embraced a repertoire of behavior whose significance among children is universal. This repertoire encompasses health, safety, nutrition, ecology, literacy, interpersonal relationships, and other classes of behavior whose development is fundamental to the quality of life not only for every child but for the entire community. Indeed, it appears that behavior analysis has never before encountered a repertoire whose development has greater implications for the survival of a culture (Skinner, 1971).
The Candida albicans Biofilm Matrix: Composition, Structure and Function

A majority of infections caused by Candida albicans-the most frequent fungal pathogen-are associated with biofilm formation. A salient feature of C. albicans biofilms is the presence of the biofilm matrix. This matrix is composed of exopolymeric materials secreted by sessile cells within the biofilm, in which all classes of macromolecules are represented, and provides protection against environmental challenges. In this review, we summarize the knowledge accumulated during the last two decades on the composition, structure, and function of the C. albicans biofilm matrix. Knowledge of the matrix components, its structure, and function will help pave the way to novel strategies to combat C. albicans biofilm infections.
Ethical Decision-Making: A Global Perspective

This technical note on ethics builds on and further develops the conversation about ethics. It provides background, language, and concepts to identify and analyze managerial problems from an ethics perspective. The focus of our use of these tools is to help managers understand the ethical dimensions of their decisions and to make defensible choices. Part 1 provides a brief summary of four traditions in ethics that are a key starting point for discussing what ethics is and how it works. Part 2 takes the broad summary from Part 1 and uses it to form four "decision rules" that are focused on application and used by managers to understand the moral dimensions of a given case. Part 3 highlights some of the key moral dimensions of thinking about ethics in a global context and provides a number of useful resources. Part 4 presents a series of tools for pushing decision-making in order to foster better choices and to limit the tendency to "rationalize" decisions. Excerpt UVA-E-0380 Rev. May 21, 2018 Ethical Decision-Making: A Global Perspective Introduction This technical note on ethics will build on, and further develop, familiar ways to talk about ethics. It provides background, language, and concepts to analyze managerial problems from an ethics perspective. The focus of our use of these tools is to help managers understand the ethical dimensions of their decisions and to use that information to make responsible choices that managers can defend. Use this note as a reference guide and pay special attention to “Decision Rules” (Part 2) and “Guides to Help Avoid Rationalizations” (Part 4) because both will be used for the case analysis we will do in class. Focus of business ethics . . .
Donor Lymphocyte Infusions Used to Treat Mixed-Chimeric and High-Risk Patient Populations in the Relapsed and Nonrelapsed Settings after Allogeneic Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies Are Associated with High Five-Year Survival if Persistent Full Donor Chimerism Is Obtained or Maintained

Abstract Mixed chimerism (MC), a persistent or increasing number of host cells after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), is a predictor of disease relapse. Donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) have the potential to enhance the graft-versus-malignancy (GVM) effect, reducing the risk of relapse in patients with MC. Hence, in addition to utilizing DLI in the relapsed setting, there is a motivation to pursue pre-emptive DLI for patients in complete remissions after HSCT. To assess the safety and efficacy of DLI, records of 86 patients who received DLI between 2003 and 2015 at a single institution were studied retrospectively. Patients who received DLI included 50 patients with relapsed/residual (RR) disease, 29 patients with emerging MC without detectable disease, and 7 patients in an "other" cohort who had neither RR disease nor emerging MC after HSCT. DLI were administered using a dose-escalation protocol. After DLI, 93% of MC patients converted to full donor chimerism (FDC). Nonrelapsed patients (MC and other) reported high overall survival (OS) at 1 and 5 years (83% at 1 year, 70% at 5 years for MC; 86% at 1 year, 69% at 5 years for other) and was statistically superior to 5-year OS for RR patients (nonrelapsed 69% versus RR 28%; P = .00032). Improved survival correlated with successful conversion to FDC after DLI for RR and MC cohorts: 71% 2-year OS for patients converted to FDC versus 13% for patients who failed to achieve FDC (P
Vox populi, vox Dei: Catalina de San Juan, ‘la Niña Santa’ de la Angelópolis (India, 1605? – Puebla de los Ángeles, México, 1688)

Este articulo contribuye a destacar el capital simbolico que encarno en la Colonia la vida de Catalina de San Juan, natural del reino del Gran Mogol e hija espiritual de la Compania de Jesus. Si bien la autora profundiza en la figura hagiografica de la beata y aclara algunos errores esbozados por la critica, su aporte principal radica en las Actas de Cabildo de Puebla del siglo XVII. Estos documentos son prueba fehaciente de la concertada participacion de las autoridades civiles en lo que se esperaba fuera el proceso testimonial para una pronta causa de beatificacion. Aunque la Santa Sede no la canonizara, Catalina de San Juan fue proclamada santa por un pueblo que vio en ella los Prodigios de la Omnipotencia, glosados teatralmente por la pluma de sus confesores. La luz que muchos atestiguaron ver al final de sus dias ilumina por siempre la historia novohispana con el misterio de su leyenda.
Altering histone modifications in the RARΒ2 promoter can reverse ATRA-resistance in colon cancer by restoring expression despite dense promoter DNA methylation

4166 All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has differentiation and apoptotic effects on a variety of cancer cells. However, a high percentage of colon cancer cells are ATRA-resistant, and this has been attributes to DNA hypermethylation and silencing of RARΒ2 gene. In the present study, we investigated ways to render ATRA-resistant cells sensitive to ATRA. Five colon cancer cell lines (RKO, LoVo, SW48, HCT116, and SW480) were studied for epigenetic RARΒ2 promoter alteration using Methylation Specific PCR (MSP), sequencing of bisulfite-treated DNA, and Chromatin Imunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. All cancer cell lines examined showed loss of RARΒ2 expression by promoter hypermethylation. Three cell lines showed relative growth inhibition after 10 days of treatment with 1 uM ATRA but the cell lines SW480 and RKO showed complete resistance with 0% growth inhibition. The two resistant cells (SW480 and RKO) also showed no induction of RARΒ2 expression after treatment with 1 uM ATRA. However, when the cells were pretreated with a 200 nM trichostatine A (TSA), a histone deacetylation inhibitor, followed by 1 uM ATRA for 24 h, strong restoration of RARΒ2 expression was seen. There was no restoration of expression of RARΒ1 and TIG1, two other silenced retinoid-induced genes with the same treatment. The restored expression of RARΒ2 by combined TSA-ATRA treatment, but not with each agent separately was associated with significant growth inhibition after 5 days (> 90%, P
Adoption of Sacubitril/Valsartan for the Management of Patients With Heart Failure

Background: The US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of sacubitril/valsartan in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in July 2015. We aimed to assess the adoption and prescription drug costs of sacubitril/valsartan in its first 18 months after Food and Drug Administration approval. Methods and Results: Using a large US insurance database, we identified privately insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who filled a first prescription for sacubitril/valsartan between July 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016. We compared them to patients treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker. Outcomes included adoption, prescription drug costs, and 180-day adherence, defined as a proportion of days covered ≥80%. A total of 2244 patients initiated sacubitril/valsartan. Although the number of users increased over time, the proportion of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients taking sacubitril/valsartan remained low ( Conclusions: Adoption of sacubitril/valsartan after Food and Drug Administration approval has been slow and may be associated with the high cost.
Association Between Hypothyroidism and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

BACKGROUND Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy (TC), also called transient left ventricular (LV) ballooning syndrome, resembles myocardial infarction and is characterized by LV dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease. Hypothesis described for TC has been an intense social stressor, pheochromocytoma, thyrotoxicosis among others. We performed this study to analyze the association of hypothyroidism with TC. METHODS We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample which represents 20% of all the United States hospital data for our study. We identified TC and hypothyroidism through their respective ICD9. Codes for years 2006-2012. SAS 9.4 was used to perform a chi-square analysis to find any statistical significance and p < 0.05 used to determine statistical significance. Significant differences were identified using odds ratio (OR) estimates. RESULTS A total of 19,713 cases with TC were identified of which 17,340 (87.96%) were females and 2,373 (12.04%) were males. 3,272 patients with TC had diagnosis of hypothyroidism. There is statistically significant evidence of an association between TC and hypothyroidism (OR 2.21 (95% CI: 2.11- 2.31); p<0.0001). There is evidence of increased statistical significance of females having TC 5.24 (95% CI: 4.96-5.53; (p<0.0001)) compared to males, with an increased statistically significance of females with hypothyroidism having TC, OR 6.65 (95% CI: 5.57-7.93; p< 0.001) compared to males. CONCLUSION There is an increased association of hypothyroidism, especially hypothyroidism for females with TC.
Dendrimersomes Exhibit Lamellar-to-Sponge Phase Transitions

Lamellar to nonlamellar membrane shape transitions play essential roles in key cellular processes, such as membrane fusion and fission, and occur in response to external stimuli, including drug treatment and heat. A subset of these transitions can be modeled by means of thermally inducible amphiphile assemblies. We previously reported on mixtures of hydrogenated, fluorinated, and hybrid Janus dendrimers (JDs) that self-assemble into complex dendrimersomes (DMSs), including dumbbells, and serve as promising models for understanding the complexity of biological membranes. Here we show, by means of a variety of complementary techniques, that DMSs formed by single JDs or by mixtures of JDs undergo a thermally induced lamellar-to-sponge transition. Consistent with the formation of a three-dimensional bilayer network, we show that DMSs become more permeable to water-soluble fluorophores after transitioning to the sponge phase. These DMSs may be useful not only in modeling isotropic membrane rearrangements of bi...
Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment and Infectious Disease Transmission Modeling of Waterborne Enteric Pathogens

Waterborne enteric pathogens remain a global health threat. Increasingly, quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) and infectious disease transmission modeling (IDTM) are used to assess waterborne pathogen risks and evaluate mitigation. These modeling efforts, however, have largely been conducted independently for different purposes and in different settings. In this review, we examine the settings where each modeling strategy is employed. QMRA research has focused on food contamination and recreational water in high-income countries (HICs) and drinking water and wastewater in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). IDTM research has focused on large outbreaks (predominately LMICs) and vaccine-preventable diseases (LMICs and HICs). Human ecology determines the niches that pathogens exploit, leading researchers to focus on different risk assessment research strategies in different settings. To enhance risk modeling, QMRA and IDTM approaches should be integrated to include dynamics of pathogens in the environment and pathogen transmission through populations.
Geological Significance of Marine Biogenic Sedimentary Structures

The “geological significance” of traces encompasses a huge range of topics; to survey the field even briefly would require an entire book and probably multiple authors. Fortunately a major review volume was published within the last decade (Frey, 1975), and a diversity of topics were addressed. In addition, the revised Volume W of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology (Hantzschel, 1975), which covers the systematics of trace fossils, also appeared recently. These two books have served to provide a solid base for research in trace fossils in terms of current systematics and concepts of classification, how traces are made and preserved, and the relation of traces to sedimentology, biostratigraphy, paleontology, and paleoecology.
Feelings as Information

Feelings convey meaningful information about the state of our internal milieu and our relationship with the external world. Feelings are subjective qualities we attribute to the objects and events we perceive, since there is nothing inherently good or bad (or right or wrong, ugly or beautiful, etc.) about the patterns of energy and matter we detect. The various types of feelings we experience include qualia, somatic sensations, mental state appraisals, moral sentiments, esthetic feelings, and emotions. Emotions convey qualitative types of evaluative information about the world around us, which helps us navigate our way through it. All living creatures have a built-in imperative to behave in ways that maximize pleasant feeling states and minimize unpleasant ones in order to promote their own and their species’ survival.
Uncertainty Quantification in Nanoscale Impact Experiment in Energetic Materials

Finite element method is extensively used for the analysis of impact response in complex materials. The prediction from finite element model may exhibit significant difference from that of experiments due to uncertainties in model, experimental measurements, and parameters that are derived based on experiments for model development. The quantification of parametric uncertainties, such as parameters in constitutive relation, associated with the numerical model is an important aspect that needs to be investigated for a credible computational prediction. This work considers uncertainty quantification in finite element modeling of nanoscale dynamic impact problems. A viscoplastic power law constitutive model is obtained from nanoscale impact experiments on Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)-Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) samples. The constitutive model is used in a finite element model to simulate impact experiments. The measured response from impact experiment and FEM simulation is used to quantify the parametric uncertainties in the constitutive model for the analyzed HTPB-AP sample.
Worming into the Plant Chromatin: A Nematode Effector Influences Host Histone Acetylation.

Plants encounter myriad invaders, including bacteria, fungi, insects, and other parasites. These pathogens generally deliver effector proteins into plants, increasing their virulence and targeting various host processes ([Toruno et al., 2016][1]). Although advances in the past two decades have led
From sensing to intervention for mental and behavioral health

Advances in mobile, wearable and embedded sensing technology have created new opportunities for research into a variety of health conditions. This has led to the field of mobile health (mHealth), which covers a full spectrum of works, including but not limited to disease surveillance, treatment support, epidemic outbreak tracking, and chronic disease management. An important sub-field which has been rising in the past years is the application of mHealth technology in the field of mental and behavioral health, enabling researchers to study stress, depression, mood, personality change, schizophrenia, physical activity and addictive behavior, among other things.