cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controlling the Excited-State Reaction Dynamics of a Photochromic Molecular Switch with Sequential Two-Photon Excitation

Sequential two-photon excitation increases the cycloreversion yield of a diarylethene-type photochromic molecular switch compared with one-photon excitation. This letter shows for the first time that an optimal delay of ∼5 ps between primary and secondary excitation events gives the largest enhancement of the ring-closing reaction. Pump–probe (PP) and pump–repump–probe (PReP) measurements also provide detailed new information about the excited-state dynamics. The initially excited molecule must first cross a barrier on the excited-state potential energy surface before secondary excitation enhances the reaction. The PReP experiments demonstrate that the reaction path of a photochromic molecular switch can be selectively controlled through judicious use of time-delayed femtosecond laser pulses.
Calcium Storage in Face Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Larvae for Puparium Formation

The Malpighian tubules are shown to be the main storage site for Ca and other elements for puparium formation by the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer. Calcium in the anterior Malpighian tubules is stored in the form of amorphous, layered spheres 0.4 μm to >10.0 μm in diameter. Major elements in the composition of these spheres were Ca, P, and Mg, with traces of K. The weight of the tubules' content increased during the prepupal period. A major decrease then occurred and continued through the pupal period. The decrease results from movement of mineralized elements from the spheres and corresponds with the first significant amount of Ca and P found in the cuticle of the puparium. Mineralized spheres undergo dissolution in the proximal portion of the anterior Malpighian tubules, as indicated by external shrinkage and dissolution of internal layers, probably by changes in pH or enzymatic action.
Inconsistent Detection of Bacteriuria With the Yellow IRIS Automated Urinalysis Workstation

Several investigators have demonstrated that the Yellow IRIS™ automated urinalysis workstation improves both precision and sensitivity for detection of white blood cells, red blood cells, and other large particulate material in urine. However, detection of very small particles, such as bacteria, is much more difficult since it requires interpretation of the high-power, real-timeflow display. We have evaluated the ability of an experienced operator to visually detect clinically significant bacteriuria (greater than 105 colonies per milliliter of urine) with the Yellow IRIS. In oneseries of experiments, serial dilutions of Escherichia coli in pooled urine were submitted for both quantitative culture and analysis on the Yellow IRIS. With the culture results as the reference method, the sensitivity and specificity for 100 different prepared specimens were 78% and 76%, respectively. When 300 actual patient specimens were submitted for both quantitative urine culture and visual detection of bacteria on the Yellow IRIS, the sensitivity and specificity were 55% and 77%, respectively. We have also evaluated the ability of additional Yellow IRIS parameters, such as the nitrite test and detection of abnormal numbers of white blood cells, to enhance the prediction of significant bacteriuria. The inclusion of these parameters as markers of significant bacteriuria increased the sensitivity to 84% and decreased the specificity to 51%.
What Is Vital in Christianity

I do not venture to meet this company as one qualified to preach, nor yet as an authority in matters which are technically theological. My contribution is intended to present some thoughts that have interested me as a student of philosophy. I hope that one or another of these thoughts may aid others in formulating their own opinions, and in defining their own religious interests, whether these interests and opinions are or are not in agreement with mine.
Proximity of Vital Structures to the Clavicle: Comparison of Fractured and Non-fractured Side.

Background: Previous anatomic and radiological studies have described the relationship of the clavicle to major neurovascular structures in healthy subjects. We were curious about this relationship in patients with a clavicle fracture and if it is different from non-fractured clavicles. Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients with a clavicle fracture between July 2001 and October 2013 in two level 1 trauma centers. Patients aged 18 years or greater with an acute unilateral clavicle fracture and a chest CT scan in the supine position displaying both clavicles and the complete fracture were included. Seventy patients were available for study. The distance was measured from the fracture site and from the closest clavicular cortex to the closest major artery, major vein, and inner surface of the thoracic cavity. CT data was evaluated in OsiriX DICOM viewer software with the use of three-dimensional Multiplanar Reconstruction. Results: Compared to the fractured side, the clavicle was significantly closer to the artery and vein on the non-fractured side (PP=0.0025 respectively). There was a significant difference in the median distance of the fracture site to the artery, vein, and inner surface of thoracic cavity between the different types of fractures (P<0.001). A post-hoc comparison showed significant differences in all distances between fracture types, except for the distance of proximal third compared to middle third fractures to the closest artery (P=0.41). There was no significant difference in distance when the arm is up overhead compared to down by the side of the body in computed tomography (CT) scans. Conclusions: A fracture of the clavicle changes the relationship of the clavicle to major vital structures. The minimum distance of the clavicle to the closest artery and vein is significantly less on the non-fractured side, compared to the fractured side.
Research Note: Can Knowledge of Islam Explain Lack of Support for Terrorism? Evidence from Pakistan

In this research-note we employ the work of Wiktorowicz (2005) who suggests that knowledge of Islam may better enable persons to critically evaluate the claims of militant recruiters and ideologues and thus be more resistant to their appeals. This gives rise to an interesting research question: does knowledge of Islam reduce support for Islamist militancy? To evaluate this research question, we employ data derived from of nationally representative survey fielded among 16,279 Pakistanis in 2011. Using several survey items, we construct a “knowledge index” to measure respondents’ basic knowledge of Islam which is our principal independent variable. To operationalize support for militancy we use two survey items which query respondents’ about their support for two prominent Islamist militant groups based in and from Pakistan: the Afghan Taliban as well the sectarian group, Sipah-e-Sahaba-e-Pakistan (also known as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat). We use ordinary least squares regression to evaluate the impact of our independent variables upon support for these two groups, controlling for other relevant factors. We find that knowledge of Islam does predict less support for these two groups; however, other variables such as sectarian organization and ethnicity have greater predictive power.
Assessment and Validation of Network Security Situation Based on DS and Knowledge Fusion

Network security situation assessment process has a large number of complex and uncertain influence factors.Aiming at the problem of lack of correctness and rationality in situation assessment,the situation index identification space and evaluation criteria based on the DS evidential theory were set up.The network situation assessment method based on DS and Knowledge Fusion was proposed through expert knowledge fusion reasoning,and the situation assessment case analysis was verified,combining the computation of three-layer network host vulnerability index.Experimental results show that the method has good effect in situation assessment,and thus provides a feasible solution for situation assessment.
Effect of different concentrations of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) on microbial growth and chemical stability of soybean biodiesel during simulated storage

Abstract Biodiesel’s susceptibility to oxidation and its hygroscopic characteristics can cause chemical oxidation and microbial growth during storage, leading to fuel biodeterioration. Although a wide variety of commercial antioxidants have been used to prevent biodiesel oxidation, little is known about the effects of these agents on microbial community. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tert -butylhidroquinone (TBHQ) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) against microorganisms isolated from fuel storage tanks was investigated, and only TBHQ presented antimicrobial activity. In laboratory scale, microcosm experiments with soybean biodiesel and different TBHQ concentrations (0; 50; 100; 200; 300; and 600 ppm) incubated for 45 days at 30 °C were performed. The microbial biomass formed at the oil-water interfaces was weighted, and DNA was isolated for DGGE analysis of 16S gene. The quality of commercial biodiesel was investigated by determining oxidation stability, acid number, viscosity, water content, and ester degradation. The results showed higher oxidation stability for the samples containing 100, 300, and 600 ppm TBHQ. The highest biomass formation occurred at TBHQ concentrations of 0, 300, and 600 ppm. The highest microbial diversity was observed in both the commercial samples and those containing 100 and 200 ppm TBHQ. The addition of antioxidant to the microcosms neither inhibited nor enhanced biomass production. An increase in viscosity, acid number, and water content was observed, thus the biodiesel was out of specification for commercialization. Degradation of C16, C18, C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3 esters was not observed in all samples.
Capuzza, Jamie C., and Leland G. Spencer, eds. Transgender Communication Studies: Histories, Trends, and Trajectories

In 2009, I contacted an editor of one of the National Communication Association’s sanctioned journals to inquire about doing a literature review on transgender identities and experiences—a review t...
Safe and complete trajectory generation for robot teams with higher-order dynamics

In this work, we consider the labeled multi-robot planning problem. In this paradigm, a team of robots at fixed start positions must navigate to pre-specified and noninterchangable goal positions. While many algorithms have been proposed for finding optimal solutions to this problem, most methods assume that the robots are kinematic agents, whereas in reality, robots often have high-order dynamics that must be respected by their trajectories. Here, we propose a centralized method for generating trajectories for teams of robots with general nth-order dynamics navigating to labeled goals. Our algorithm is safe and complete and additionally allows for decoupled optimization of each robot's trajectory as a Quadratic Program with linear constraints. We present simulation results for teams of up to 20 robots.
Child fosterage and sex-biased nutritional outcomes among Namibian pastoralists.

Objectives Across cultures, fosterage has been shown to impact child health. Contextual factors, such as the reason for fosterage and the relationship between foster parent and child, are known to magnify variance in nutritional outcomes for foster children. Another important, but less studied, factor is the role of gender. Sex-biases in physiology and cultural norms are both known to affect child nutrition, and we posit these effects might be magnified in the presence of fosterage. In this study, we investigate how sex interacts with fosterage to affect nutritional outcomes among Namibian pastoralists. Methods Anthropometrics for children and adults were collected using standard procedures, and linear models were used to predict the effects of age, sex, and fosterage on height, weight, and body mass index Z-scores. Semi-structured interviews with adults provided context for understanding sex specific reasons for fosterage and biases in investment. Results Boys in this population have lower nutritional scores than girls, and fostered boys have lower weight and BMI Z-scores than nonfostered boys. Fostered girls have lower height Z-scores and are more likely to be stunted and underweight than nonfostered girls. These effects extend into adulthood, with fostered women being shorter than their nonfostered counterparts. Conclusions Sex plays a role in the nutritional impact of fosterage among Himba children. These differences could be related to differential child labor demands, investment patterns, and the divergent reasons girls and boys are placed into fosterage. Future studies should consider how fosterage can magnify existing biases, like sex, when studying its impact on child health.
“The Filter is Kind of Broken”: Family Caregivers' Attributions About Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Objectives Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common, often challenging to manage, and may erode caregivers' well-being. Few studies have explored caregivers' perspectives of what causes these behaviors, but such attributions may be important—particularly if they negatively impact the care dyad. This study examined causal attributions about BPSD among individuals caring for a family member with dementia. Design In-depth qualitative data were obtained from family caregivers of older adults with dementia. Setting As part of a larger study (NINR R01NR014200), four focus groups were conducted with caregivers by an experienced facilitator. Participants A total of 26 family caregivers participated in the four focus groups. Measurements Caregivers reported their own attributions about the causes of their care recipient's BPSD. Sessions were audio-recorded. Data were transcribed, coded to determine relevant concepts, and reduced to identify major categories. Results Five categories were determined. Caregivers attributed BPSD to: 1) neurobiological disease factors; 2) physical symptoms or comorbid health conditions; 3) psychological reactions to dementia; 4) shifting social roles and relationships following dementia onset; and 5) environmental changes such as lack of routine and medical transitions (e.g., hospitalization). Despite this seemingly multifactorial attribution to BPSD etiology, a number of respondents also indicated that BPSD were at least partly within the care recipient's control. Conclusions Family caregivers attribute BPSD to a range of care recipient and environmental factors. Caregivers' own causal beliefs about BPSD may reflect unmet educational needs that should be considered in the development of targeted interventions to minimize caregiving stress.
African American Parents and Their High-Achieving Students: Issues of Race, Class, and Community in the College Choice Process

Although a significant body of research clearly identifies parents as one of the strongest influences in the student college choice process, researchers have limited information about the interactions between African American students and parents during this process, and about what African American parents value in institutions of higher education. African American parental behavior resonates with the general literature on parental influence and involvement; however, African American college choice criteria also reflect the racialized experiences and identities of African American families in the USA. This paper sheds light on how African American parents navigate the college choice process with their children, and it contributes to a relatively small body of knowledge focused on culturally constructed African American parental influence and school engagement.
DETERMINATION OF ELASTIC CONSTANTS OF ANISOTROPIC SOLIDS FROM GROUP VELOCITY DATA

Most determinations of elastic constants of anisotropic solids are based on acoustic wave phase velocity measurements [1,2]. The methods for recovering elastic constants from phase velocity data are fairly straightforward and well-established. For high symmetry directions certain elastic constants, or combinations thereof, can be obtained directly from individual velocity measurements [3]. When data pertaining to off-symmetry directions is used, usually an optimized fitting procedure is invoked to obtain the full set of elastic constants [4]. There is growing use of techniques that measure the group velocities of acoustic waves or phonons in solids. In an anisotropic solid the phase and group velocities do not in general coincide, even in the absence of dispersion and attenuation. Existing methods for recovering elastic constants from phase velocity data are therefore not directly applicable. The aim of this paper is to present a novel method that allows the elastic constants of an anisotropic solid to be recovered from group velocities measured in arbitrary directions in a sample. We demonstrate the method by applying it to computer generated velocity data on cubic and transversely isotropic solids and to experimental data obtained on single crystals of silicon.
Negative Direct Coombs' Tests in Narcotic Addicts Receiving Maintenance Doses of Methadone

Direct Coombs’ tests (antiglobulin tests) were performed on blood from 103 opiate users prior to methadone maintenance therapy and 67 long-term methadone maintenance patients. No positive tests were observed in either group. Drug urinalyses revealed that all of the methadone maintenance patients were, in fact, taking methadone, as well as other drugs. This result conflicts with a report in which 85% of the methadone maintenance patients had positive direct Coombs’ tests.
CCEIII: Persistent functional relationships between copepod egg production rates and food concentration through anomalously warm conditions in the California Current Ecosystem

Author(s): Nickels, CF; Ohman, MD | Abstract: We hypothesized that copepod egg production rates would be suppressed relative to their normal functional relationships with food availability during the NE Pacific warm anomalies of 2014–2015 and the El Nino event of 2015–2016. We also hypothesized that copepods would show increased rates of egg production and recruitment in association with ocean fronts. Three species of copepods (Calanus pacificus, Metridia pacifica, and Eucalanus californicus) were incubated at sea in simulated in situ conditions to ascertain egg production rates and egg hatching success during a sequence of 3–5 California Current Ecosystem-Long Term Ecological Research (CCE-LTER) cruises across diverse ocean conditions. Several indices of food availability were measured. The warm events had no significant effect on egg production rates measured in the experiments conducted here. Egg production and net naupliar production rates varied markedly among copepod species and across spatial gradients, but relationships with food concentration during warm events did not consistently diverge from functional relationships during El Nino-neutral conditions. Egg production was most commonly elevated inshore compared to offshore, but was not elevated within fronts. The egg production of C. pacificus was best explained by total Chl-a, while E. californicus was best explained by the g 20 size fraction of Chl-a. M. pacifica showed no relationship between egg production and any food metric tested. C. pacificus showed higher EPR than the other two species in virtually all conditions encountered, which may contribute to its numerical dominance throughout the region.
“Lamps Never Before Dim Are Being Extinguished from Lack of Olive Oil”: Deforestation and Famine in Palestine at War and in Peace Under the Late Ottoman Empire and Early British Empire, 1910–1920

The First World War has long been assumed to have triggered widespread famine and deforestation in Greater Syria, particularly in major urban centers. But Palestine, like much of the region, was predominantly rural and agrarian. This chapter focuses on the conditions and productivity of Palestinian olive groves and the fates of their cultivators in order to assess the impact of the war from a rural perspective. Drawing on a broad range of sources—including archives, diaries, and memoirs—this chapter seeks to make two crucial interventions in the study of the wartime period. First, the historical literature has assumed that the Ottomans sanctioned widespread deforestation in both Palestine and broader Syria. These claims need to be re-evaluated. Second, while Palestinians suffered myriad wartime deprivations, a number of crucial local factors helped prevent deadly famine conditions, as occurred elsewhere in Syria (particularly Mount Lebanon).
RF MEMS switch for Reconfigurable RF-Front End with Improved Hot-Switching Capabilities

This paper reviews the authors' past work on how to improve the hot-switching reliability for RF MEMS switch. Two methods have been proposed to improve the hot-switching reliability. The first method is to place a refractory sacrificial metal contact in parallel with the main low-resistance switch contact. The sacrificial contact will be actuated first to significantly lower the electric field strength across the main contact during hot-switching. Both sacrificial contact and main contact are integrated in a compact single cantilever actuator. The performance is demonstrated experimentally, by showing 100 times improvement of reliability in hot-switching cycle. The second method is to place the sacrificial contact in front of the main switch contact in shunt configuration. The sacrificial contact will be actuated first to block the incoming RF power while the main switch contact is switching. The main switch contact will be immune to hot-switching RF power damage. The proposed method is experimentally verified to yield better reliability. In addition to the improved reliability, the isolation of the switch is also improved, mainly due to the shunt sacrificial switch.
Japanese Holly: A Host for Endomycorrhizal Fungi

Landscape-grown Japanese holly (Ilex crenata Thunb. cv. ‘Helleri’) were found to be colonized by various endomycorrhizal fungi. Synthesis of Japanese holly endomycorrhizae with Glomus mosseae (Nicholson and Gerdemann) Gerdemann and Trappe, G. albidus Walker and Rhodes and other Glomus and Gigaspora spp. was accomplished under greenhouse conditions. The fungi inoculated to greenhouse-grown plants colonized roots exclusively intracellularly and produced vesicles and arbuscules typical of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae.
Glial Cells as Potassium Detectors

The membrane potential of glial cells arises from the unequal distribution of K+ across the membrane. The Nernst relation for K+, EK=RT/F ln [K+]o/[K+]i acurately predicts the membrane potential of glial cells in the mud puppy optic nerve when [K+]o is between 1.5 and 115 mEq/l (Kuffler et al., 1966; for review see Orkand, 1977). This observation has led to the use of the glial membrane potential as an indicator of changes in K+ in the extracellular clefts of the nervous system. The technique is analogous to that used by Frankenhaeuser and Hodgkin (1956) to measure the accumulation of K+ in the periaxonal space of the squid giant axon following impulse activity. They measured the change in the after-hyperpolarization of the nerve impulse with repetitive activity and compared it to the change produced by increases in bath K+. In the glial experiments, glial depolarization produced by trains of axon impulses was compared with the depolarization produced by increased [K+]o (Orkand et al., 1966). The hypothesis that K+ accumulation in the extracellular clefts depolarizes glial cells is consistent with the knowledge of the efflux of K+ from unmyelinated axons during impulse activity and the size of the extracellular space as measured from electron micrographs. The early use of K+-selective electrodes in the nervous system by Vyskocil, Křiž and Bures (1972), Lux and Neher (1973), Krnjevic and Morris (1972) and Vyklický, Sykova, Křiž and Ujec (1972) provided decisive evidence for fluctuations of [K+]o with neuronal activity.
Stress mindset: Does it (or does it not) affect cognitive performance? [University of West Florida]

Stress is widely perceived as debilitating, which is a negative stress mindset, while the helpful aspects of stress, from a positive stress mindset, are often overlooked. Stress mindset can either be a positive, stress-is-enhancing mindset, or a negative, stress-is-debilitating mindset. Previous research has shown that having a positive mindset lowers stress levels and generates better self-reported work performance. Thus, this study focuses on the effects of manipulated stress mindset on objective cognitive performance, which has not been studied before. During each of our three stages (baseline, stress induction, and mindset manipulation), we measured participants’ current subjective stress levels, objective stress levels using a pulse oximeter, stress mindset with the Stress Control Mindset Measure and an implicit association task, and cognitive performance with the Stroop task and Trail Making Task. To induce stress, we informed the participants that they must give a public speech if they did not improve their reaction time and accuracy on the cognitive tasks. Then we manipulated their mindset using a randomly assigned video to convince the participant that stress is either enhancing or debilitating. Our first hypothesis is that the Positive Mindset group will have self-improved accuracy and decreased reaction time in the cognitive tasks as compared to the Negative Mindset group. Our second hypothesis is that the stress levels of the Positive Mindset group will be reduced/mitigated after mindset manipulation as compared to the Negative Mindset group. The between-subjects design will be used to explore the effect of stress mindset (Positive, Negative) on change in stress level and cognitive performance.
Addressing Child Custody Concerns of Parents with Life-Limiting Illness

Introduction: Custody concerns are a major source of psychosocial distress among single parents with life-limiting illness. Although children are increasingly living in diverse household structures, the current health care system is not designed to meet the unique needs of single parents or nontraditional families. Patients with unaddressed custody concerns can experience psychological suffering during treatment and at the end of life. Lack of clarity and resolution regarding guardianship may also result in additional hardship for their grieving children. Case Description: We present the case of a 36-year-old-female with metastatic breast cancer, who was the single mother of four children. Despite significant concerns about her children's well-being, the patient did not complete legal guardianship processes. She experienced immense distress at the end of her life due to an unresolved custody plan. Discussion: This case demonstrates the need for addressing custody and guardianship concerns with seriously ill patients early in the illness trajectory. While clinicians need not become experts on custody and guardianship themselves, understanding the impact of custody concerns-and the barriers to their resolution-can substantially improve end-of-life care for patients and better equip surviving family for the changes that lie ahead.
The Hard Truth About Soft Digital Transformation

Those who sit in C-Suites are responsible for revenue growth and profitability. They are responsible for strategy, marketing, governance, and the management of their lines of business–regardless of the vertical industries they occupy. They are responsible for talent and technology–especially technology, which is often focused on “digital transformation,” which–when done right–is about as holistic an endeavor a corporation can pursue. But what is “digital transformation”? Why is it so controversial? Why are there so many books, articles, short courses, consultants, and pundits that focus on digital transformation? Why is it the objective of just about every C-Suite executive? And why do so many digital transformation projects fail?
Knee Arthrofibrosis following Tibial Plateau Fracture Treated with Arthroscopic Lysis of Adhesions with Manipulation

Posttraumatic arthrofibrosis is a common problem encountered in the orthopaedic setting for which there is no agreement on the optimal management strategy. The literature does not optimally describe the efficacy of arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for arthrofibrosis following tibial plateau fracture. The purpose of this study is to quantify the efficacy of arthroscopic lysis of adhesions with manipulation for the treatment of arthrofibrosis of the knee in patients who previously underwent surgical management of tibial plateau fracture. All patients who underwent arthroscopic lysis of adhesions from a single surgeon since 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by flexion, extension, and range of motion (ROM) preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively at intervals of 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and any additional long-term follow-up. A total of 28 patients who had developed arthrofibrosis following surgical management of a tibial plateau fracture and failed nonsurgical management of knee stiffness were included in this study. There were significant improvements in total ROM following intervention at all time points compared with preoperative values (p < 0.001), with mean improvements of 59.3 degrees intraoperatively, 32.9 degrees (1 week), 37.1 degrees (4 weeks), 41.5 degrees (8 weeks), and 47.6 degrees (12 weeks). There were significant improvements in degrees of knee flexion following intervention at all time points compared with preoperative values (p < 0.001), with mean improvements of 50.8 degrees intraoperatively, 27.3 degrees (1 week), 36.0 degrees (4 weeks), 38.3 degrees (8 weeks), and 43.9 degrees (12 weeks). There were significant increases in degrees of knee extension intraoperatively (8.5 degrees) and at 1 week postoperatively (5.9 degrees) compared with preoperative values (p <0.01). At 12 weeks postoperatively, those who had previously undergone external fixation had significantly greater increases in ROM (p = 0.048). Arthroscopic lysis of adhesions for knee arthrofibrosis following surgical management of tibial plateau fracture significantly improves knee ROM.
Improving MPI Collective I/O for High Volume Non-Contiguous Requests With Intra-Node Aggregation

Two-phase I/O is a well-known strategy for implementing collective MPI-IO functions. It redistributes I/O requests among the calling processes into a form that minimizes the file access costs. As modern parallel computers continue to grow into the exascale era, the communication cost of such request redistribution can quickly overwhelm collective I/O performance. This effect has been observed from parallel jobs that run on multiple compute nodes with a high count of MPI processes on each node. To reduce the communication cost, we present a new design for collective I/O by adding an extra communication layer that performs request aggregation among processes within the same compute nodes. This approach can significantly reduce inter-node communication contention when redistributing the I/O requests. We evaluate the performance and compare it with the original two-phase I/O on Cray XC40 parallel computers (Theta and Cori) with Intel KNL and Haswell processors. Using I/O patterns from two large-scale production applications and an I/O benchmark, we show our proposed method effectively reduces the communication cost and hence maintains the scalability for a large number of processes.
Prenatal exposure to mercury and precocious puberty: a prospective birth cohort study

Study question Is in utero exposure to mercury associated with the risk of precocious puberty? Summary answer Prenatal exposure to high levels of mercury was associated with increased risk of precocious puberty, which was strengthened by concomitant maternal cardiometabolic conditions and adverse birth outcomes. What is known already The developing fetus is sensitive to mercury, a well-known endocrine disruptor which impacts the endocrine and reproductive system. Study design, size, duration This study included 1512 mother-child pairs from the Boston Birth Cohort, a longitudinal cohort which recruited at birth and followed prospectively up to 21 years of age. Participants/materials, setting, methods Mother-child pairs, from a predominantly urban minority population, were enrolled from 2002 to 2013. Prenatal exposure was assessed by maternal mercury concentration in red blood cells (RBCs) collected at 1-3 days after delivery. Precocious puberty was defined based on International Classification of Disease codes. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to the association between maternal mercury concentrations and the risk of precocious puberty. Main results and the role of chance The median (interquartile range) of maternal mercury concentrations among children with and without precocious puberty were 3.4 (1.9-4.6) µg/l and 2.0 (1.0-3.7) µg/l, respectively. Compared to those in the lowest tertile for mercury, the highest tertile was associated with increased risk of precocious puberty, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.41, 95% CI: 1.16-5.03. In addition, concomitant maternal cardiometabolic conditions and adverse birth outcomes strengthened the effects of mercury on the risk of precocious puberty. The highest risk of precocious puberty was observed among children who had adverse birth outcomes and whose mothers had high RBC-mercury concentrations along with cardiometabolic conditions, with an HR of 4.76 (95% CI: 1.66-13.60) compared to children with favorable profiles of all three risk factors. Limitations, reasons for caution Precocious puberty was defined based on medical records, not on a direct assessment, which may have led to underdiagnosis and the inability to make a subclassification. The study included a predominately urban, low-income, minority population and as such our findings may not be widely generalizable. Wider implications of the findings Prenatal Hg exposure was associated with an increased risk of precocious puberty. This risk was strengthened by concomitant maternal cardiometabolic conditions during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. Study funding/competing interest(s) This study was funded by the NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Trial registration number N/A.
Conflict Resolution and Interpersonal Strategies

In modern healthcare, where individuals of diverse training backgrounds are required to collaborate to perform highly complex tasks, the potential for conflict is inevitable. Unresolved or unsatisfactorily resolved conflict may impair team morale, communication, and efficiency, which can translate into poor patient outcomes in a clinical care setting. Given these crucial consequences, conflict resolution skills are of vital importance for the developing physician. In this chapter, we discuss the origins of conflict in the healthcare setting and its natural progression, emphasizing opportunities for intervention to mitigate its negative outcomes. Conflict management styles and models for conflict resolution are reviewed, with focus on strategies to achieve successful collaboration, including the consolidation of communication skills and emotional intelligence. As radiation oncologists may assume leadership roles, guidance is provided for the physician as leader with a view that conflict should be considered as a natural occurrence and a potential source of productivity and unity necessary in the delivery of high-quality patient care.
Time Step Restrictions for Strong-Stability-Preserving Multistep Runge–Kutta Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

Discontinuous Galerkin finite element spatial discretizations are often used in a method-of-lines approach with an ordinary differential equation solver to step the solution forward in time. Explicit strong-stability-preserving time steppers are a popular choice because they provably preserve the nonlinear stability properties of the forward Euler method applied to discontinuous Galerkin semi-discretized equations, subject to a time step constraint. While nonlinear stability is guaranteed by strong-stability-preservation, a separate condition for linear stability of the combined scheme must also be satisfied. In this work, we assess the linear stability properties of discontinuous Galerkin spatial discretizations with a set of strong-stability-preserving multistep Runge–Kutta methods. We find that, in all cases, the constraint for linear stability is more strict than that for strong-stability-preservation. For each order, from the set of multistep Runge–Kutta methods, we select an optimal time stepper that requires the fewest evaluations of the discontinuous Galerkin operator. All methods are tested for convergence in application to both a linear and a nonlinear partial differential equation, and all methods are found to converge in both cases using the maximum stable time step as determined by the stability constraints found in this paper.
Effect of Steel Composition on the Scale Layer Composition in Continuous Casting

Scale formation during continuous casting is visible in the areas of secondary cooling and strand discharge. To reveal a clear dependency of scale layer composition on the steel composition, under H2O-N2 atmosphere, the phase stability diagrams of iron oxide and its intermediate compound with other metal oxides are established from 750°C-1300°C, and the oxide phase composition within scale layer for different type and content of alloying elements are investigated. At higher H2O partial pressure, the stable oxide phases are FeO or FeO and a spinel (or silicate) phase with the increase of alloying element content in steel composition, whereas only the spinel (or silicate) phase is stable for any alloying element content at lower H2O partial pressure. For alloyed steel, a spinel or silicate phase can be formed inside the scale layer in addition to wustite during continuous casting.
An Integrated Model for Curriculum-Based Assessment.

A conceptual framework is presented for conducting curriculum-based assessment (CBA) which links together several models of CBA. The integrated model begins with an assessment of the academic envir...
Sticks and Stones Can Break Your Bones But Names Can Really Hurt You: Justifying the Use of Force as a Defense Against 'Mere Words'

Words hurt! Beginning in the 1950's, courts have recognized that words, by their very utterance, can inflict injury and harm. The law redresses those who suffer injury from harmful speech through a series of seemingly innocuous remedies including financial remuneration or retribution through minimal criminal penalties. The law stops, however, at granting individuals the right to use any type of force to prevent against the use of harmful words. In other words, legislatures and courts have been unwilling to elevate an actor's use of harmful words, or a victim's defense against them, to the same jurisprudential echelon as they do the use of physical force. But new scientific studies confirm that a word or some types of emotional harm can inflict as much pain as a punch. Biological and neurochemical studies are rapidly advancing our understanding of human behavior. New knowledge supports the conclusion that one can experience physical pain in response to a tone or particular words. The law's failure to excuse those defending against harmful words is unjustified in light of these recent neuroscience findings. This paper will propose that the criminal law should extend the self-defense doctrine to permit one to protect him or her self from an imminent threat of bodily harm even if that bodily harm is inflicted through verbal or psychic abuse.
Retrograde aortic dissection during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Femoral artery perfusion for cardiopulmonary bypass is still employed for reoperation, procedures involving the thoracic aorta, and partial bypass in critical patients. Retrograde aortic dissection is the most significant complication of femoral perfusion. The reported incidence is from 0.6% to 14% with a mortality of 66%. Most of the deaths occurred in patients in whom the dissection was not recognized , or in whom the dissection was recognized but not treated appropriately. Our experience with retrograde dissection totals six patients of 640 (0.9%) in whom femoral inflow was used. Four of the six patients survived the dissection. Sudden increase in extracorporeal line pressure shortly after beginning cardiopulmonary bypass associated with decreased venous return, dampened radial arterial pressure, and the abrupt appearance of a bluish, bulging ascending aorta establishes the diagnosis. Survival is enhanced if cardiopulmonary bypass is promptly discontinued, aortic cannulation established, and bypass reinstituted with the induction of profound hypothermia. Circulatory arrest may then be employed to repair the false passage. In this series the proposed operation was completed in all six patients.
Meal-Induced Changes in Lipoprotein Lipase Activity in Brown Fat and Other Tissues of Rats

Brown fat thermogenesis is increased after a single test meal. This study was conducted to determine whether lipoprotein lipase activity is higher in brown adipose and other tissues after a single large meal. Rats were trained to eat two large meals per day. Two hours after consuming a test meal, lipoprotein lipase activity was measured in interscapular brown adipose tissue, retroperitoneal and epididymal white adipose tissue, gastrocnemius and soleus skeletal muscles and heart. After a high carbohydrate test meal, lipoprotein lipase activity in white adipose tissue pads was higher (P less than 0.05) and that in brown adipose tissue was lower (P less than 0.05) than in these tissues from the meal-deprived group. Muscle lipoprotein lipase did not change significantly. A high fat test meal did not significantly alter lipoprotein lipase activity in brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, gastrocnemius or soleus when compared to the meal-deprived control, but heart lipoprotein lipase activity was significantly elevated. These findings indicate that after a single test meal lipoprotein lipase activity in brown adipose tissue is not higher than that from the meal-deprived group and therefore, lipoprotein lipase may not play a rate-limiting role in moving free fatty acids into this tissue in the postprandial state.
CORROSION INHIBITOR FORMULATED WITH CALCIUM NITRITE FOR USE IN REINFORCED CONCRETE

The scarcity of good aggregate in Japan led to an investigation of the use of a corrosion inhibitor for reinforced concrete. The results showed that the introduction of calcium nitrite diminishes the corrosion of reinforcing steel in the presence of admixed sodium chloride. Long-term tests on large specimens partially immersed in saturated sodium chloride solution indicate that admixed calcium nitrite can prevent the open circuit potential of reinforcing steel from entering the active region. Calcium nitrite was found to enhance the strength of concrete. The use of a calcium-based admixture is expected to sidestep the issue of alkali-aggregate reactions and subsequent deterioration of concrete.
Archaerhodopsin variants with enhanced voltage-sensitive fluorescence in mammalian and Caenorhabditis elegans neurons

Probing the neural circuit dynamics underlying behaviour would benefit greatly from improved genetically encoded voltage indicators. The proton pump Archaerhodopsin-3 (Arch), an optogenetic tool commonly used for neuronal inhibition, has been shown to emit voltage-sensitive fluorescence. Here we report two Arch variants with enhanced radiance (Archers) that in response to 655 €‰nm light have 3-5 times increased fluorescence and 55-99 times reduced photocurrents compared with Arch WT. The most fluorescent variant, Archer1, has 25-40% fluorescence change in response to action potentials while using 9 times lower light intensity compared with other Arch-based voltage sensors. Archer1 is capable of wavelength-specific functionality as a voltage sensor under red light and as an inhibitory actuator under green light. As a proof-of-concept for the application of Arch-based sensors in vivo, we show fluorescence voltage sensing in behaving Caenorhabditis elegans. Archer1s characteristics contribute to the goal of all-optical detection and modulation of activity in neuronal networks in vivo.
The Hirsute Woman: Challenges in Evaluation and Management

ABSTRACT Objective To review the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic approach, and management of hirsutism. Methods We discuss the clinical course of hirsutism and provide our recommendations on the various treatment options available. Results Hirsutism is a common clinical problem characterized by the presence of increased terminal hair growth in androgen-dependent areas of the skin. The development of hirsutism depends on the presence of the pilosebaceous unit, which is genetically determined, as well as the presence of the androgen receptor and intracellular 5α-reductase activity, which converts testosterone to its more active metabolite, dihydrotestosterone. A detailed history and physical examination and the following laboratory tests can diagnose most causes of hirsutism: early-morning follicular phase measurement of total testosterone, testosterone not bound to sex hormone-binding globulin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, 17-hydroxypro- gesterone, prolactin, and thyrotropin levels. Oral contraceptive preparations may be effective monotherapy for mild hirsutism. For the treatment of more severe hirsutism, oral contraceptive pills combined with spironolactone are as effective as oral contraceptive pills containing cyproter- one acetate, which are not available in the United States. Because of teratogenicity, spironolactone should be used with caution in premenopausal women when it is administered without an oral contraceptive pill. Metformin is an alternative therapy for hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome who have other indications for metformin use. Metformin is not as effective as antiandrogens for the management of hirsutism. The use of glucocorticoids, finasteride, or flutamide is not recommended. Conclusions Hirsutism can be evaluated with a detailed history and physical examination and a limited number of hormonal tests. Serious disorders presenting as hirsutism are rare and can be excluded with the recommended evaluation. Treatment is targeted at reducing the production and bioavailability of testosterone, as well as blocking target tissue androgen action. (Endocr Pract. 2011;17:807-818)
Precipitation out of dual solid solutions of carbon and nitrogen in alpha-iron

Abstract The problem of precipitation in dual solid solutions of C and N2 in α-iron was examined experimentally. The internal friction of these solutions was found to be a useful property with which to study this change of phase. The effect of either of these elements is to speed up the aging of the one with the slower rate to equal that of the faster. This is interpreted to be an effect of easier nucleation. The structure of the precipitate resulting from aging of this dual solution is unknown. Magnetic coercive force measurements have been made during aging; these are more difficult to interpret than internal friction data. This is thought to be caused by a pronounced particle size effect on the coercive force.
Insertion and the multiplication of rational Schur functions

Abstract A scheme to insert one arbitrary rational tableau into another is introduced. Schensted row and column insertion are shown to be, in a sense, complementary. This fact is used to demonstrate that the insertion scheme generalizes those of Stembridge and Thomas and models the multiplication of rational Schur functions combinatorially. New tableaux that index the irreducible summands of the product of rational Schur functions are presented.