cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Students' Connections to Out‐of‐School Experiences and Factors Associated with Science Learning

This study examined the relationship between students' out‐of‐school experiences and various factors associated with science learning. Participants were 1,014 students from two urban high schools (secondary schools). They completed a survey questionnaire and science assessment describing their science learning experiences across contexts and science understanding. Using multilevel statistical modelling, accounting for the multilevel structure of the data with students (Level 1) assigned to teachers (Level 2), the results indicated that controlling for student and classroom factors, students' ability to make connections between in‐school and out‐of‐school science experiences was associated with positive learning outcomes such as achievement, interest in science, careers in science, self‐efficacy, perseverance, and effort in learning science. Teacher practice connecting to students' out‐of‐school experiences was negatively associated with student achievement but has no association with other outcome measure...
A Morphological Approach to Constructing Interatomic Potentials: An Application to Silicon.

A framework for constructing interatomic potentials is proposed and applied to the case of silicon. The construction relies on a geometrical approach in which we try to reproduce the morphology of the Born-Oppenheimer surface. In particular, we develop a new technique for constructing four body terms. It consists of building invariant coordinate systems on the configuration space of four atoms, thus allowing the choice of the four body term morphology. The potential that we develop has a two and a four body part. It is adjusted to match the only geometrical information known from the Born-Oppenheimer surface which is the position of its minimum of energy and its curvature at that point, as given by the dynamical matrix. The potential is then tested on point defects and surface structures in silicon.
Measuring Security: A Challenge for the Generation.

� Abstract—This paper presents an approach to measuring computer security understood as a system property, in the category of similar properties, such as safety, reliability, dependability, resilience, etc. First, a historical discussion of measurements is presented, beginning with views of Hermann von Helmholtz in his 19-th century work "Zahlen und Messen". Then, contemporary approaches related to the principles of measuring software properties are discussed, with emphasis on statistical, physical and software models. A distinction between metrics and measures is made to clarify the concepts. A brief overview of inadequacies of methods and techniques to evaluate computer security is presented, followed by a proposal and discussion of a practical model to conduct experimental security measurements.
Confinement of hot, hard X-ray producing electrons in solar flares

Possible thermal models for solar, hard X-ray emission, consisting of small volumes in which the electrons are rapidly heated to 400 million K, are examined to determine under what conditions such models can be more efficient than nonthermal models. The analysis is restricted to one dimension by supposing that the hot electrons are confined in a flux tube and that conduction and convection act only along the magnetic field. A conduction front, thin in relation to other length scales involved, separates the hot electrons from the relatively cold plasma. The range of conduction-front velocity is studied by systematizing the present knowledge of heat conduction and applying it first to a simple model in which convection is neglected, and then to a detailed numerical model in which convection is included. Convection in which mass motion goes to zero at the conduction front does not lead to a change in the conduction-front velocity compared to conduction alone, but does constitute another nonradiative energy loss which reduces the source efficiency.
Model based table cell detection and content extraction from degraded document images

This paper describes a novel method for detection and extraction of contents of table cells from handwritten document images. Given a model of the table and a document image containing a table, the hand-drawn or pre-printed table is detected and the contents of the table cells are extracted automatically. The algorithms described are designed to handle degraded binary document images. The target images may include a wide variety of noise, ranging from clutter noise, salt-and-pepper noise to non-text objects such as graphics and logos.The presented algorithm effectively eliminates extraneous noise and identifies potentially matching table layout candidates by detecting horizontal and vertical table line candidates. A table is represented as a matrix based on the locations of intersections of horizontal and vertical table lines, and a matching algorithm searches for the best table structure that matches the given layout model and using the matching score to eliminate spurious table line candidates. The optimally matched table candidate is then used for cell content extraction.This method was tested on a set of document page images containing tables from the challenge set of the DARPA MADCAT Arabic handwritten document image data. Preliminary results indicate that the method is effective and is capable of reliably extracting text from the table cells.
Building Adaptive Systems Using Ensemble

Trends in networking and distributed computing are creating a new generation of applications that must adapt as the environment within which they execute changes. Examples of adaptations include switching protocols to overcome a security exposure or failure mode seen only in certain setting, changing data rates to accommodate a slow link, or adapting the behavior of a high level application to match the set of participants using the application. We describe the Ensemble system, a tool for building adaptive distributed programs.
Nodal-related signals establish mesendodermal fate and trunk neural identity in zebrafish

Abstract The vertebrate body plan arises during gastrulation, when morphogenetic movements form the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In zebrafish, mesoderm and endoderm derive from the marginal region of the late blastula, and cells located nearer the animal pole form the ectoderm [1]. Analysis in mouse, Xenopus , and zebrafish has demonstrated that Nodal-related proteins, a subclass of the TGF-β superfamily, are essential for mesendoderm development [2], but previous mutational studies have not established whether Nodal-related signals control fate specification, morphogenetic movements, or survival of mesendodermal precursors. Here, we report that Nodal-related signals are required to allocate marginal cells to mesendodermal fates in the zebrafish embryo. In double mutants for the zebrafish nodal-related genes squint ( sqt ) and cyclops ( cyc ) [3–5], dorsal marginal cells adopt neural fates, whereas in wild-type embryos, cells at this position form endoderm and axial mesoderm. Involution movements characteristic of developing mesendoderm are also blocked in the absence of Nodal signaling. Because it has been proposed [6] that inhibition of Nodal-related signals promotes the development of anterior neural fates, we also examined anteroposterior organization of the neural tube in sqt;cyc mutants. Anterior trunk spinal cord is absent in sqt;cyc mutants, despite the presence of more anterior and posterior neural fates. These results demonstrate that nodal -related genes are required for the allocation of dorsal marginal cells to mesendodermal fates and for anteroposterior patterning of the neural tube.
Special-needs adoption☆

Abstract In the last 15 years there has been a change in adoption patterns toward the adoption of children with special needs. A major problem with this type of adoption is the disruption rate. The purpose of this study is to provide multivariate analysis on the characteristics of families and the characteristics of children that can be utilized to predict successful adoptions of these children. Data were collected from a private, nonprofit agency in a large southwestern city that specializes in special-needs adoption by analysis of home study reports, supervision reports, and information accompanying a child for families that have adoption finalized or disrupted by this agency (N = 91). Several factors were found to influence adoption outcome, including age of the child, presence of other children in the home, placement number, age of the woman, family income, and type of placement. The reasons for these findings and their implications are briefly discussed.
Neutrino induced waves in degenerate electron plasmas: a mechanism in supernovae or gamma ray bursts?

Abstract We consider a process related to the inverse of photon/plasmon decay to neutrino–antineutrino pairs; the stimulated emission of photons and plasmons by the intense flux of neutrinos and antineutrinos present during the neutrino burst of a core collapse supernova. We find physically insignificant emission and plasma heating unless a magnetic field is present, with strength >1015 G. For plasma electron temperatures ∼1 MeV, a population of waves enhanced over thermal levels in the postshock plasma is also required. The magnetic field is consistent with recent theory and observations concerning highly magnetic pulsars, known as magnetars. The status of this field is briefly reviewed, and the possibility that this instability might also apply to models of gamma ray bursts is also explored.
Quality of survival reporting in chemotherapy and surgery trials in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND Patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma (MCC) to the liver receive conflicting management recommendations because of the lack of prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) clarifying the optimal management in this disease. The oabjective of the current study was to evaluate the reporting of prognostic factors in MCC from chemotherapy and surgery trials and evaluate the ability to compare these results across treatments. METHODS RCTs and retrospective series of greater than 75 MCC patients published between 1980–2004 were reviewed to identify 10 critical prognostic elements of overall survival reported in both types of journals. RESULTS A review 92 RCTs and 116 retrospective reports with 64,898 patients analyzed found 7 (3%) reporting all prognostic factors, with both studies demonstrating no difference in the success of reporting criteria met. The only criterion that was universally reported among both chemotherapy and surgery trials was the mortality rates of the study. All remaining prognostic factors in the evaluation of overall survival were significantly different between both chemotherapy and surgical studies. Considerable variation was observed in the disease-free interval, number of hepatic metastases, size of hepatic metastases, and performance status, and were significantly different among some of the most significant factors for patients evaluating treatment: complication reporting, surgical margin evaluation, and overall response rate. CONCLUSIONS The reporting of results in MCC in chemotherapy trials and surgical reports is limited to general outcomes, with a paucity of prognostic factors, which hinders any ability to compare results across treatments. A mandatory reporting criteria of all metastatic colorectal trials is imperative to optimally manage these patients in both academic and community centers. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Influence of dikegulac-sodium, Off-Shoot-O and manual pinching on rhododendrons

Abstract Foliar application of 0.22%–0.68% of sodium 2,3:4,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α-L-xylo-2-hexulofuranosonic acid (Dikegulac-sodium) and Off-Shoot-O (40, 200 p.p.m.) were applied to a number of cultivars of both newly planted and established rhododendron. Treatment with a foliar spray of Dikegulac-sodium increased branching/stem of most cultivars, without affecting shoot length, after 7 weeks. Treatment of Off-Shoot-O was generally not as effective as Dikegulac-sodium. Dikegulac-sodium caused chlorosis of foliage located near the apex after 2 weeks, but this disappeared within 7 weeks after treatment.
Dipolar spin-lattice relaxation in water containing oxygen

Abstract The proton spin-lattice relaxation times at 28 and 4 MHz in water containing dissolved paramagnetic molecular oxygen have been interpreted in terms of a simple dipolar translational diffusion model. Use is made of independently measured O 2 H 2 O diffusion data in the interpretation.
INFORMATION PROCESSING MODELS OF PEER NOMINATIONS

This paper describes the development of an information processing theory of the judgmental process in which individuals engage while rating their peers. Using protocol tracing methods, decision process models were constructed of how individuals rate their peers on seven widely used sociometric questions. The protocols revealed that individuals evaluate their peers along five primary behavior categories: (1) Mutual Influencing, (2) Categorizing/Summarizing, (3) Social-Directive, (4) Quantity of Verbal Communication, and (5) Listening. Models for each sociometric question were tested by comparing model predictions with actual group peer ratings. Using linear models only, high Spearman rank correlations (r8 range to 1.00) were obtained between predicted and actual peer rankings. Findings have implications for research in person perception and the attribution of leadership.
The Effect of Dietary Aflatoxin on Semen Characteristics of Mature Broiler Breeder Males

Abstract Aflatoxin (20 p.p.m.) incorporated into the feed of mature broiler breeder males for four weeks caused clinical aflatoxicosis as evidence by a significant (P
Production of fast drift bursts.

THREE kinds of fast drift radio bursts from the Sun, with frequency changes corresponding to outward velocities of 105 km/sec, are observed: type III bursts, produced by even quite small solar flares; “herringbone structure”, produced by type II slow drift bursts; and “inverted U bursts”, in which a fast drift burst starts outward and turns back down.
Passive heat removal experiments for an advanced HTR-module reactor pressure vessel and cavity design

In the search for further reducing the residual risks of possible major reactor pressure vessel failure during and in the aftermath of severe accidents of modular HTRs, an alternative RPV has been designed and a sample vessel already fabricated by the firm Siempelkamp, Krefeld, FRG. This alternative RPV design is made of high quality, ductile sphero cast iron with axial and circumferential wire or more recently circumferentially flat band prestressing. This specific Siempelkamp design has been tested and qualified already on behalf of a series of experiments in the sample test vessel. Also, this design was used for the control gas vessel in the THTR under operational service conditions. In order to demonstrate reliable decay heat removal under most severe conditions, a 1:1 scale, 20° sector of the vessel/cavity, termed INWA-facility (inactive decay heat removal) was fabricated and tested at Siempelkamp. The cavity was cooled by natural circulation of water flowing in tubes embedded into the cast iron structure of the cavity. A total of 5 experiments were performed with this setup examining a variety of changes in constructive details, surface and cooling conditions. Each experiment was performed both for operational conditions and depressurization transient, typical for a 200 MWth HTR-module. Experimental test times ranged up to 1000 hours. Pre- and post-test predictions with the TOPAZ-code accompanied the INWA test series. The paper describes the INWA-facility and reports some of the experimental results as well as the predictive capability of TOPAZ by comparing the data with computational results. The INWA-results qualify the pre-stressed cast iron vessel together with the natural circulation cooled cavity even for the worst of severe accident conditions. Even in case of total failure of all cooling capabilities in or at the cavity structure the vessel surface temperature remains below critical values.
Cognitive neuroscience: decision amid uncertainty.

Choosing whether to stick to a belief or to abandon it in the face of uncertainty is central to human behaviour. Modelling implicates brain chemicals called neuromodulators in adjudicating this essential decision.
Massage therapy attenuates right frontal EEG asymmetry in one-month-old infants of depressed mothers

Massage therapy attenuated right frontal EEG asymmetry in one-month-old infants of depressed mothers. Right frontal EEG asymmetry (a pattern associated with depression) decreased during and immediately following the massage session, indicating that massage therapy reduced EEG asymmetry and might possibly reduce symptoms of depression.
Characterization of the murine immune response to the murine TSH receptor ectodomain: induction of hypothyroidism and TSH receptor antibodies

The thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) is the major autoantigen of human Graves' disease. In order to define the antigenicity of the TSHR in a defined model, we examined the immune response of BALB/c mice to immunization with a new bioactive, recombinant preparation of the ectodomain of the murine TSHR (mTSHR-ecd). Mice (n = 10) were immunized with 25-50 microg of insect cell expressed, purified and refolded, mTSHR-ecd in alum adjuvant containing pertussis toxin, on days 0, 21, 36, 50 and 70. Control mice received wild-type baculovirus-infected insect cell protein lysate, in a similar way. After 28 days, murine serum contained high titres of antibodies specific to mTSH-ecd and their titres continued to increase over 90 days. Antibody epitope mapping, using 26 peptides spanning the human TSHR-ecd, showed that a variety of regions of the ectodomain were antigenic. The earliest epitope included aa 22-41, but later two regions of reactivity were noted clustered towards the mid portion and carboxyl terminus of the ectodomain. The murine TSHR autoantibodies (TSHR-Abs) inhibited up to 78% of the binding of labelled TSH to native TSHR, demonstrating the presence of antibodies capable of blocking the native TSHR. We showed that these TSHR antibodies acted, in vitro, as TSH blocking antibodies, inhibiting TSH-induced generation of cyclic AMP in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the hTSHR. Hence, the antibody response to mTSHR-ecd was potentially antagonistic in its influence on the TSHR. Assessment of thyroid function in the immunized mice showed a fall in serum total T3 by 90 days and markedly elevated murine TSH levels (from 64.0 to 239.6 ng/ml), confirming the onset of thyroid failure. However, thyroid histology remained grossly normal. These data demonstrate that mTSHR-ecd is a potent antigen with three major immunogenic regions. The induced mTSHR-Abs blocked TSH action in vivo and reduced murine thyroid function.
Planning curvature-constrained paths to multiple goals using circle sampling

We present a new sampling-based method for planning optimal, collision-free, curvature-constrained paths for nonholonomic robots to visit multiple goals in any order. Rather than sampling configurations as in standard sampling-based planners, we construct a roadmap by sampling circles of constant curvature and then generating feasible transitions between the sampled circles. We provide a closed-form formula for connecting the sampled circles in 2D and generalize the approach to 3D workspaces. We then formulate the multigoal planning problem as finding a minimum directed Steiner tree over the roadmap. Since optimally solving the multi-goal planning problem requires exponential time, we propose greedy heuristics to efficiently compute a path that visits multiple goals. We apply the planner in the context of medical needle steering where the needle tip must reach multiple goals in soft tissue, a common requirement for clinical procedures such as biopsies, drug delivery, and brachytherapy cancer treatment. We demonstrate that our multi-goal planner significantly decreases tissue that must be cut when compared to sequential execution of single-goal plans.
Accuracy of the oxygen cylinder duration calculator of the LTV-1000 portable ventilator.

BACKGROUND: Resource planning is essential for successful transport of the mechanically ventilated patient. Mechanically ventilated patients require adequate oxygen supplies to ensure transport is completed without incident. The LTV-1000 portable ventilator utilizes a program to calculate oxygen cylinder duration, based on cylinder size, fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2), and current minute ventilation. We evaluated the accuracy of the cylinder-duration algorithm in a laboratory setting. METHODS: The LTV-1000 was attached to a test lung. Lung compliance was set at 0.04 L/cm H2O, and airway resistance was 5.0 cm H2O/L/s. We tested 7 different combinations of ventilator settings a minimum of 2 times each. With each setting, minute ventilation was kept at 10 L/min. Breath type, positive end-expiratory pressure, and FIO2 were varied to evaluate the accuracy of the algorithm across a range of clinical scenarios. The cylinder-duration calculation from the ventilator program and manual calculation was determined at each setting and compared to the actual cylinder duration. RESULTS: The ventilator algorithm and the manual calculation underestimated the actual cylinder duration by 12 ± 3% with each test. The range of differences between calculated and actual cylinder duration was 2-26 min across the 7 conditions. CONCLUSION: Actual cylinder duration averaged 12% longer than the cylinder duration estimated by the algorithm of the LTV-1000. One explanation is that the E cylinders may contain more liters of oxygen than indicated by the sticker on the side of the tank. Additionally, the bias flow during expiration is affected by inspiratory-expiratory ratio and respiratory rate. Clinicians should be aware of these differences when planning for patient transport.
Spare parts expense management system [semiconductor manufacturing]

The reporting and understanding of materials spending is essential for a cost-effective manufacturing facility. At IBM in Essex Junction, Vermont, a Spare Parts Expense Management System is being used to manage and control spending. The system goes beyond simply reporting spare parts spending. Combined with a cost model developed by the same team, this system results in an integrated approach that provides first-order analysis and metrics of spending by part number and tool. The system also provides aggregate analysis and metrics showing spending by tool group and process type. Second-order analysis of spending provides an understanding of spending by wafer type or "technology". This second-order data also enables dynamic target setting. Data is communicated via daily meetings, e-mail reports, and a web-based reporting tool. This approach ensures active engagement of the entire maintenance team, from technician through senior management, and provides the team with the analytical tools necessary to isolate opportunities for spending reduction.
Porous Titanium by Electro-chemical Dissolution of Steel Space-holders†

Titanium powders are densified together with steel spheres, wires or wire meshes which are subsequently removed by electrochemical dissolution, creating porosity that replicates the steel space-holders. Interdiffusion between steel and titanium is prevented by formation of a TiC diffusion barrier. Without this barrier, a Fe-containing titanium zone adjacent to the space-holder is formed which can be removed electrochemically, thus increasing the size and volume fraction of the pores.
New tricks for metastasis-associated macrophages

Recent studies on breast cancer lung metastasis have identified a new mechanism of tumor cell survival via signaling provided by metastasis-associated macrophages. Targeting these specialized host immune cells and their specific signals provides an attractive and potential therapeutic approach for treating the disease.
Analysis of bilateral coplanar waveguides printed on anisotropic substrates for use in monolithic MICs

The spectral-domain method is applied to the analysis of bilateral (double-sided) coplanar waveguides that are printed on electric and/or magnetic anisotropic substrates. A nondecoupling approach is used to solve the coupled differential equations for the transverse propagation constants inside the substrate. The dyadic admittance Green's function is derived for both open and shielded bilateral coplanar waveguides, taking into account the anisotropy of the material. Finally, numerical results, describing the propagation characteristics of these structures, are presented for both electric and magnetic wall symmetries. >
A genome scan for serum triglyceride in obese nuclear families

Serum triglyceride (TG) levels are increased in extremely obese individuals, indicating abnormalities in lipid metabolism and insulin resistance. We carried out a genome scan for serum TG in 320 nuclear families segregating extreme obesity and normal weight. Three hundred eighty-two Marshfield microsatellite markers (Screening Set 11) were genotyped. Quantitative linkage analyses were performed using family regression and variance components methods. We found linkage on the 7q36 region [D7S3058, 174 centimorgan (cM), Logarithm of Odds (LOD) = 2.98] for log-transformed TG. We also found suggestive linkages on chromosomes 20 (D20S164, 101 cM, LOD = 2.34), 13 (111 cM, LOD = 2.00), and 9 (104 cM, LOD = 1.90) as well as some weaker trends for chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, and 22. In 58 African American families, LOD scores of 3.66 and 2.62 were observed on two loci on chromosome 16: D16S3369 (64 cM) and MFD466 (100 cM). To verify the 7q36 linkage, we added 60 nuclear families, and the LOD score increased to 3.52 (empirical P < 0.002) on marker D7S3058.
Sex Differences in Mate Choice in a Monogamous Biparental Fish, the Midas Cichlid (Cichlasoma citrinellum)

The Midas cichlid is strongly monogamous and requires biparental care in the wild to raise any young to independence. We predicted that male and female Midas cichlids would select mates with qualities correlating with good parental caretaking ability. Adults were given choices of prospective mates varying systematically in one of three qualities: size, aggressiveness and reproductive experience. The subject expressed its choice, if any, by the amount of courtship shown to the various alternatives. Females selected large males over small ones, aggressive males over unaggressive ones and experienced males over inexperienced ones. Large, aggressive and experienced males should enhance the likelihood of brood survival. In contrast, males showed no consistent choice among females of any level of the three variables. This lack of consistent choice by the males, coupled with earlier findings of greater overall parental investment by females, indicates that the breeding system in the Midas cichlid is driven by female choice and that males either may not have the option of being selective or may not benefit from choosing.
SCRIPTAID AND SUBEROYLANILIDE HYDROXAMIC ACID ARE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS WITH POTENT ANTI–TOXOPLASMA GONDII ACTIVITY IN VITRO

Toxoplasma gondii is a well-recognized cause of disease in congenitally infected and immunocompromised individuals. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) comprise a family of enzymes that participate in the regulation of chromatin structure, gene expression, and cell signaling in eukaryotes. Toxoplasma gondii expresses a HDAC Class I enzyme homologous to human hdac3. Previous work showed that the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDI) apicidin and valproic acid inhibit T. gondii infections in vitro. The present study compares the activity of hydroxamic-acid histone deacetylase inhibitors against the RH strain of T. gondii growing in HS68 human foreskin fibroblast cells. Nanomolar concentrations of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), suberic bishydroxamic acid (SBHA), scriptaid, and trichostatin A (TSA) inhibited T. gondii tachyzoite proliferation. Scriptaid was the most potent hydroxamic acid inhibitor (IC50 = 39 nM). In comparison, the carboxylate histone deacetylase inhibitors sodium valproate, sodium butyrate,...
Ultra-compact multipass laser absorption spectroscopy platform for distributed sensor networks

A prototype three-node wireless sensor network of portable, battery-powered spectroscopic trace-gas sensors equipped with custom 24-pass Herriott cells has been developed. Individual sensor performance and sensor network localization of a gas plume will be reported.
Nervous System Defects of AnkyrinB (−/−) Mice Suggest Functional Overlap between the Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 and 440-kD AnkyrinB in Premyelinated Axons

The L1 CAM family of cell adhesion molecules and the ankyrin family of spectrin-binding proteins are candidates to collaborate in transcellular complexes used in diverse contexts in nervous systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. This report presents evidence for functional coupling between L1 and 440-kD ankyrinB in premyelinated axons in the mouse nervous system. L1 and 440-kD ankyrinB are colocalized in premyelinated axon tracts in the developing nervous system and are both down-regulated after myelination. AnkyrinB (−/−) mice exhibit a phenotype similar to, but more severe, than L1 (−/−) mice and share features of human patients with L1 mutations. AnkyrinB (−/−) mice exhibit hypoplasia of the corpus callosum and pyramidal tracts, dilated ventricles, and extensive degeneration of the optic nerve, and they die by postnatal day 21. AnkyrinB (−/−) mice have reduced L1 in premyelinated axons of long fiber tracts, including the corpus callosum, fimbria, and internal capsule in the brain, and pyramidal tracts and lateral columns of the spinal cord. L1 was evident in the optic nerve at postnatal day 1 but disappeared by postnatal day 7 in mutant mice while NCAM was unchanged. Optic nerve axons of ankyrinB (−/−) mice become dilated with diameters up to eightfold greater than normal, and they degenerated by day 20. These findings provide the first evidence for a role of ankyrinB in the nervous system and support an interaction between 440-kD ankyrinB and L1 that is essential for maintenance of premyelinated axons in vivo.
Outcomes research in Helicobacter pylori infection.

While the medical community has accepted the role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease, confusion persists among clinicians regarding when and on which patients to attempt H. pylori eradication. Thus, the objective for outcomes research in H. pylori is to help clinicians identify which patients benefit from H. pylori eradication and to determine the cost-effective strategies for their diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care. Economic evaluation of the impact of H. pylori infection has focused primarily on assessment of patient with documented peptic ulcer disease, with particular attention to costs of pharmaceuticals. However, drug costs are only one portion of the total costs of management for patients with acid-related disorders and therefore must be put in the appropriate context. Additional aspects of patient benefit (e.g. patient satisfaction) and health-care expenditures (e.g. over-the-counter medications, specialist visits, hospitalizations) must be included in an evaluation of the value of a particular diagnostic test, treatment, clinical guideline or disease management strategy. As a result of the high quality and quantity of data emerging, it can be safely said that H. pylori eradication is cost-effective in selected patient populations: newly documented peptic ulcer disease; history of peptic ulcer disease and taking maintenance therapy; and suspected peptic ulcer disease using a serological test to guide initial treatment. The role of eradication in other areas, for example, patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and screening to prevent gastric cancer, remains to be seen. In addition to the performance of rigorous studies, researchers must respond to the ‘information overload’ on busy clinicians, by effectively disseminating their findings. If data generated from outcomes research are not integrated into everyday clinical practice, the enormous benefits associated with H. pylori eradication will not be achieved.
Theory of Measurement of Flow Birefringence by Use of the Sénarmont Compensator

The mathematical theory of the operation of the Senarmont compensator for measuring flow birefringence is developed. Equations are obtained for the motion and intensity of the cross of isocline. It is shown that the equation used by Rich is good for small values of the retardation but does not describe accurately the behavior of the cross of isocline for large retardations. In particular it is found that the collapse of the cross occurs when the analyzer is at an angle less than 12δ. The angle 12δ is the position of the analyzer at which the darkness of the already collapsed cross is a maximum.
Printed module interconnects

Monolithic interconnects in photovoltaic modules connect adjacent cells in series, and are typically formed sequentially involving multiple deposition and scribing steps. Interconnect widths of 500 µm every 10 mm result in 5 % dead area, which does not contribute to power generation in an interconnected solar panel. This work expands on previous work that introduced an alternative interconnection method capable of producing interconnect widths less than 100 µm. The interconnect is added to the module in a single step after deposition of the photovoltaic stack, eliminating the need for scribe alignment. This alternative method can be used for all types of thin film photovoltaic modules. Voltage addition with copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cells using a 2-scribe printed interconnect approach is demonstrated. Additionally, interconnect widths of 250 µm are shown.
Ecological Factors Predict Transition Readiness/Self-Management in Youth With Chronic Conditions

Abstract Purpose Health care transition readiness or self-management among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic conditions may be influenced by factors related to their surrounding environment. Methods Study participants were AYA diagnosed with a chronic condition and evaluated at pediatric- and adult-focused subspecialty clinics at the University of North Carolina Hospital Systems. All participants were administered a provider-administered self-management/transition-readiness tool, the UNC TRxANSITION Scale. Geographic area and associated characteristics (ecological factors) were identified for each participant's ZIP code using the published U.S. Census data. The Level 1 model of the hierarchical linear regression used individual-level predictors of transition readiness/self-management. The Level 2 model incorporated the ecological factors. Results We enrolled 511 AYA with different chronic conditions aged 12–31 years with the following characteristics: mean age of 20± 4 years, 45% white, 42% black, and 54% female. Participants represented 214 ZIP codes in or around North Carolina, USA. The Level 1 model showed that age, gender, and race were significant predictors of transition readiness/self-management. On adding the ecological factors in the Level 2 model, race was no longer significant. Participants from a geographic area with a greater percentage of females (β = .114, p = .005) and a higher median income (β = .126, p = .002) had greater overall transition readiness. Ecological factors also predicted subdomains of transition readiness/self-management. Conclusions In this cohort of adolescents and young adults with different chronic conditions, ecological disparities such as sex composition, median income, and language predict self-management/transition readiness. It is important to take ecological risk factors into consideration when preparing patients for health self-management or transition.
Darwinian Methodology and the Theory of Insect Herbivore Population Dynamics

In his approach to the development of theory, Darwin set an example from which we can learn in our endeavors to develop a theory of insect herbivore population dynamics. Darwin was an accomplished naturalist; he relied on empirical observations and developed a factually based theory, building from the detection of pattern in nature to hypotheses on mechanisms accounting for pattern. Emulating Darwin's approach, patterns in plant, insect herbivore, and carnivore relationships, based on empirical observations, are summarized, arguing for recognition of strong influences passing up through trophic webs, from plants to herbivores to carnivores, and of pattern imposed by a landscape represented by all stages of ecological succession. Hypotheses accounting for linkage among the empirical patterns are erected in the form of flow diagrams of influence. Unanswered questions and the need for further testing of hypotheses are discussed in the hope of fostering more concentrated effort in the development of a theory on insect herbivore population dynamics.
Remedy on Vibration of Turbogenerator Due to Thermal-caused Bending of Rotor

After testing and analyzing the reasons of rotor vibration of #9 generator set,It was concluded that the sudden vibration was caused by thermal-caused bending of rotor. According to the results of detecting and analyzing, relevant eliminating measures were adopted and the vibration of the generator set was reduced effectively.
Determination of risk for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Purpose of review The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus, have increased greatly over the past 40 years and continue to rise. This report summarizes the most recent data on the risk factors for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Recent findings Other factors, highly correlated with increasing trends for obesity, are the dominant driver of the increase in incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, interacting with gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Abdominal obesity, independently of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms, is associated with increased risk of Barrett's esophagus and this association is likely mediated by high levels of leptin and insulin. Use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, and proton pump inhibitors are associated with a reduced risk of Barrett's esophagus as well as lower risk of neoplastic progression in patients with Barrett's esophagus. An increasing number of genetic loci have been associated with risk of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Summary Recent advances in identifying risk factors and reporting of more precise estimates of effect for the main risk factors will positively impact clinical risk stratification efforts for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Large pooling studies are underway to derive and validate reliable clinical risk models.
Dissociated functional significance of decision-related activity in the primate dorsal stream

During decision making, neurons in multiple brain regions exhibit responses that are correlated with decisions. However, it remains uncertain whether or not various forms of decision-related activity are causally related to decision making. Here we address this question by recording and reversibly inactivating the lateral intraparietal (LIP) and middle temporal (MT) areas of rhesus macaques performing a motion direction discrimination task. Neurons in area LIP exhibited firing rate patterns that directly resembled the evidence accumulation process posited to govern decision making, with strong correlations between their response fluctuations and the animal's choices. Neurons in area MT, in contrast, exhibited weak correlations between their response fluctuations and choices, and had firing rate patterns consistent with their sensory role in motion encoding. The behavioural impact of pharmacological inactivation of each area was inversely related to their degree of decision-related activity: while inactivation of neurons in MT profoundly impaired psychophysical performance, inactivation in LIP had no measurable impact on decision-making performance, despite having silenced the very clusters that exhibited strong decision-related activity. Although LIP inactivation did not impair psychophysical behaviour, it did influence spatial selection and oculomotor metrics in a free-choice control task. The absence of an effect on perceptual decision making was stable over trials and sessions and was robust to changes in stimulus type and task geometry, arguing against several forms of compensation. Thus, decision-related signals in LIP do not appear to be critical for computing perceptual decisions, and may instead reflect secondary processes. Our findings highlight a dissociation between decision correlation and causation, showing that strong neuron-decision correlations do not necessarily offer direct access to the neural computations underlying decisions.
Administrative Cohesion and Anti-Corruption Reforms in Georgia and Ukraine

AbstractPrevious studies of former communist countries have linked decentralisation of power to a greater likelihood of reform. An analysis of the anti-corruption drives in Georgia and Ukraine after their respective ‘colour revolutions’, however, suggests that Georgia’s greater centralisation was integral to its success in enacting anti-corruption measures. In explaining why this contradictory result happened, this article argues that a centralised government can be more effective at implementing reforms than a decentralised one as long as the background and preferences of the ruling administration are conducive to change.
An algorithm for the compensation of short-period errors in optical encoders

We present a simple way to collect data from an optical position-or-angle encoder with a readout that interpolates values between the optical features, and to process these data to determine the short-range errors that arise from an interpolation process. This is commonly known as generating the compensation function for such an encoder. This process allows the user of data from an encoder to make this correction without relying on undocumented internal algorithms which may be provided by the encoder manufacturer. It can also be used to test built-in algorithms by measuring the residual error when internal algorithms are used. We apply the algorithm to a commercial angular encoder, installed in a goniometer, as an example. The determination of this function on an encoder is critical to provable angle or position metrology efforts.
Examination of Kerr effects of non-uniform electric fields

The Kerr effect has been used for many years to study space charge variation and make electrical measurements, Measurements are normally made with two parallel plates surrounded with nitrobenzen, or other suitable Kerr liquid. The plate to separatien size ratio is normally kept large to assure uniform fields for measurement.
Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Migraine

The initiation of migraine may be a central or peripheral process. In favor of a peripheral process are the discovery of neuronal pathways from scalp to dura and meninges to cortex, the inhibition in rats of cortical activation by botulinum toxin via Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and Transient Receptor Potential cation channel, subfamily A, member 1 (TRPA1) receptors, and the profoundly effective migraine prevention seen rapidly with anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mABs), which do not cross the blood–brain barrier and therefore have only initial peripheral effects. In favor of a central process are the activation of central neuromodulatory pathways and nuclei, specifically in the dorsal pons. The genesis of aura is activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) glutamate receptors and cortical spreading depression (CSD). The ability to suppress CSD is associated with acute and preventive effects by drugs and neuromodulation devices, but whether this suppression alone is sufficient for either clinical effect is unresolved. Migraine pain is due to both meningeal vasodilation and neurogenic inflammation. Presynaptic release of CGRP, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P (SP), neurokinin A, and likely, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide-38 (PACAP-38) results in these processes. Triptans and ergots prevent release of CGRP, reverse CGRP-induced vasodilation, and interfere with return of the pain signal from periphery to brainstem. Anti-CGRP drugs and biologics can terminate migraine acutely (gepants) or prevent migraine (monoclonal antibodies). A trigemino-parasympathetic or trigeminal autonomic reflex arc involves efferents from the superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) synapsing in the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), and then post-synaptic neurons proceeding to sinus, ocular, and nasal organs. Activation of this reflex, which involves VIP, results in sinus-like symptoms or cranial autonomic symptoms and signs in migraine, and nociceptive afferents return signals to the brain via the first division of the trigeminal nerve or ophthalmic nerve. The exit of parasympathetic efferents via the SPG allows for targeting of this ganglion for acute and preventive treatment of migraine via blocks, ablation, or neuromodulation.
Quality of Patient Decisions About Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy.

Importance Breast reconstruction has the potential to improve a person’s body image and quality of life but has important risks. Variations in who undergoes breast reconstruction have led to questions about the quality of patient decisions. Objective To assess the quality of patient decisions about breast reconstruction. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective, cross-sectional survey study was conducted from June 27, 2012, to February 28, 2014, at a single, academic, multidisciplinary oncology clinic among women planning to undergo mastectomy for stage I to III invasive ductal or lobular breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, or prophylaxis. Exposures Mastectomy only and mastectomy with reconstruction. Main Outcome and Measures Knowledge, as ascertained using the Decision Quality Instrument; preference concordance, based on rating and ranking of key attributes; and decision quality, defined as having knowledge of 50% or more and preference concordance. Results During the 20-month period, 214 patients were eligible, 182 were approached, and 32 missed. We enrolled 145 patients (79.7% enrollment rate), and received surveys from 131 patients (72.0% participation rate). Five participants became ineligible. The final study population was 126 patients. Among the 126 women in the study (mean [SD] age, 53.2 [12.1] years), the mean (SD) knowledge score was 58.5% (16.2%) and did not differ by treatment group (mastectomy only, 55.2% [15.0%]; mastectomy with reconstruction, 60.5% [16.5%]). A total of 82 of 123 participants (66.7%) had a calculated treatment preference of mastectomy only; 39 of these women (47.6%) underwent mastectomy only. A total of 41 participants (32.5%) had a calculated treatment preference of mastectomy with reconstruction; 36 of these women (87.8%) underwent mastectomy with reconstruction. Overall, 52 of 120 participants (43.3%) made a high-quality decision. In multivariable analysis, white race/ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 2.72; 95% CI, 1.00-7.38; P = .05), having private insurance (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.35-1.93; P P = .02), having a college degree (vs some college) (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.53-2.49; P BRCA carriers) (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.25-7.85; P = .01) were independently associated with making a high-quality decision. Conclusions and Relevance A minority of patients undergoing mastectomy in a single academic center made a high-quality decision about reconstruction. Shared decision making is needed to support decisions about breast reconstruction.