cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Vaccine Hesitancy Among Expectant Mothers in Houston, Texas

Abstract Objective Nonmedical exemptions continue to rise because of increasing proportions of vaccine-hesitant parents. The proportion of expectant parents who are vaccine-hesitant is currently unknown. We assessed the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among expectant parents receiving care at an obstetrics clinic in Houston, Texas. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of expectant parents between 12 and 31 weeks gestation who received care at Texas Children's Pavilion for Women between July 2014 and September 2015. Using convenience sampling, participants completed a questionnaire that included questions on demographic items, self-assessed pregnancy risk, receipt of annual influenza vaccine, and the 15-item Parents Attitudes About Childhood Vaccines survey, a validated tool to identify vaccine-hesitant parents. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine the association of demographic characteristics, pregnancy risk, and influenza vaccine receipt with vaccine hesitancy after controlling for variables significant in univariable analyses. Results Six hundred ten expectant mothers and 38 expectant fathers completed the Parents Attitudes About Childhood Vaccines survey. Overall, 50 of 610 expectant mothers (8.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.1%–10.7%) were vaccine-hesitant. Expectant mothers were primarily non-Hispanic white, 30 years old or older, and married. The odds of being vaccine-hesitant were 2.2 times greater (95% CI, 1.2–4.1) among expectant mothers with a college level of education or less compared with those with more than a 4-year degree. The odds of being vaccine-hesitant were 7.4 times greater (95% CI, 3.9-14.0) among expectant mothers who do not receive an annual influenza vaccine compared with those who do. Conclusions Our findings suggest the need to identify and address vaccine hesitancy among expectant parents before birth.
Dielectronic recombination of Mg+ in the presence of electric fields.

Electric field mixing and ionization effects on the dielectronic recombination of Mg/sup +/ are studied within the context of the standard resonance cross-section expression. The eigenvectors for the doubly excited Rydberg states were determined by diagonalizing a Hamiltonian matrix which includes internal electrostatic, spin-orbit, and external field Stark elements. Rydberg-state ionization rates are determined using the hydrogenic formula of Damburg and Kolosov. A detailed comparison is made between theory and the recent variable-field crossed-beam measurements of Mueller e-italict-italic a-italicl-italic.
High-order harmonics from bulk and 2D crystals

We produce and analyze high-harmonics in bulk and 2D crystals. The unique features include emergence of multiple plateaus, strong angular dependence, anomalous ellipticity dependence, and even harmonics that are polarized orthogonal to the laser field. ©2016 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (320.7130) Ultrafast processes in condensed.
Potential Food Safety Hazards in Farmers Markets

Consumers often view foods sold at farmers markets as healthier and safer than foods produced and shipped long distances and sold in stores. However, outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have occurred from products sold at farmers markets. Studies in the U.S. have shown that rules regarding farmers markets and the food products allowed for sale vary from state to state. A survey of farmers market managers found that few have written food safety plans for their market, and many managers do not ask questions of growers or vendors as to how products are produced or processed. Products in U.S. markets include fresh produce and products made in small businesses, many of which may be operated in home kitchens under cottage food regulations. Studies indicate that threats to the safety of products sold in farmers markets can be categorized into threats from the environment, threats due to the infrastructure or facilities and threats from people—both vendors and customers. Observations have included a lack of handwashing and sanitation, lack of refrigeration, pets in the market, vendors eating and drinking while handling foods and other issues that could put customers at risk. Regulatory personnel and Extension food safety educators responding to a survey indicated that it is prevalent to very prevalent for owner/operators (55–74%) with whom they work to view their products as unlikely to cause illness because their businesses are small, local or organic. However, respondents noted a lack of food safety knowledge, including knowledge of allergens, required labeling and other regulatory requirements among these vendors. These and other practices could put customers in farmers markets at greater risk for foodborne illnesses.
Effect of palliative surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in stage IV pancreatic cancer.

233Background: Despite significant advances in multi-modality treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC), prognosis for stage IV PC remains poor. While reducing suffering and optimizing quality of life are the primary goals of palliative therapies, these interventions may extend overall survival. We examined the impact on survival when aggressive palliative treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation were employed in end-of-life care. Methods: The 2004-2014 National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried to identify patients with stage IV PC that did not undergo primary surgical resection. Univariate (Kaplan Meier and log-rank) and multivariable (Cox proportional hazard) analyses were used to assess the associations between patient characteristics, use of palliative therapies, and overall survival. Results: Of 72,736 patients identified with metastatic stage IV PC, 2,097 (3%) underwent surgical palliation (ST), 5,615 (8%) received palliative chemotherapy (CT), 940 (1%) received palliative radi...
Hypermetabolism and Nutritional Support in Sepsis.

Abstract Background: Surgical metabolism has been a founding field of investigation in surgery without which the boundaries of critical care, trauma, and surgical oncology could not have advanced. ...
Examining Bidirectional Associations Between School Engagement and Mental Health for Youth in Child Welfare

Children in contact with the child welfare system (CWS) represent a vulnerable population that is at an increased risk of poor mental health and academic outcomes. Although the majority of research has focused on the academic benefits of school engagement, studies have also found a negative association between school engagement and youth mental health outcomes. Surprisingly limited research, however, has considered the possibility of a bidirectional relationship between school engagement and youth mental health, and even fewer studies have examined this relationship in high-risk populations, such as children in contact with the CWS. The present study addresses this issue by utilizing longitudinal data from a national sample of 2633 children in contact with the CWS, the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW I), to examine the possible bidirectional relationship between school engagement and mental health symptoms. Data were collected from this sample (mean age = 10.04; 52.3% female) over three time points (18 months apart). Structural equation modeling results indicated that students’ mental health (externalizing/internalizing symptoms) predicted subsequent school engagement levels. School engagement, on the other hand, was not a predictor of mental health symptoms at later time points. Findings point to the existence of a unidirectional relationship from mental health symptoms to school engagement for children in contact with the CWS. Directions for future mental health interventions for this population are discussed.
Intestinal Microbiota Disruption Reduces Regulatory T Cells and Increases Respiratory Viral Infection Mortality Through Increased IFNγ Production.

Alterations in gastrointestinal microbiota indirectly modulate the risk of atopic disease, but effects on respiratory viral infections are less clear. Using the murine paramyxoviral virus type 1, Sendai virus (SeV), we examined the effect of altering gastrointestinal microbiota on the pulmonary antiviral immune response. C57BL6 mice were treated with streptomycin before or during infection with SeV and resulting immune response studied. Ingestion of the non-absorbable antibiotic streptomycin led to a marked reduction in intestinal microbial diversity without a significant effect on lung microbiota. Reduction in diversity in the gastrointestinal tract was followed by greatly increased mortality to respiratory viral infection (p < 0.0001). This increase in mortality was associated with a dysregulated immune response characterized by decreased lung (p = 0.01) and intestinal (p = 0.03) regulatory T cells (Tregs), and increased lung IFNγ (p = 0.049), IL-6 (p = 0.015), and CCL2 (p = 0.037). Adoptive transfer of Treg cells or neutralization of IFNγ prevented increased mortality. Furthermore, Lin-CD4+ cells appeared to be a potential source of the increased IFNγ. Together, these results demonstrate gastrointestinal microbiota modulate immune responses at distant mucosal sites and have the ability to significantly impact mortality in response to a respiratory viral infection.
Number of siblings and generalized trust

While demographers have long been concerned with population increases, recent significant declines in fertility also warrant concern. However, most researchers to date have focused on the causes of lower fertility rather than its consequences. Using General Social Survey (GSS) data, I tested the relationship between sibship size and generalized trust. I found that there is a negative relationship between sibship size and generalized trust among adults who have at least 4 siblings. These findings have implications for researchers who seek to have a better understanding of the consequences of declining sibship size.
Treatment format and external validity in international relations experiments

Political scientists use short vignettes or mock news stories to embed treatments in experimental survey designs. We investigate whether the choice of format entails a trade off between internal an...
Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on perioperative complications among patients undergoing hysterectomy: a population-based analysis.

Abstract Introduction Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known risk factor for perioperative complications in various patient cohorts data is lacking for patients undergoing hysterectomies, one of the most frequently performed surgeries among women. Using national data we therefore aimed to assess the risk in this patient group. Materials and methods We extracted data on patients who underwent a hysterectomy between 2006 and 2014 from a large nationwide database (n = 459,508). OSA patients (identified by ICD-9 CM codes) were compared to non-OSA patients regarding perioperative outcomes: cardiac, central-nervous, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, renal, respiratory, and thromboembolic complications; as well as opioid prescription, need for blood transfusion, cost of hospitalization, length of stay and ICU admission. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. Results Overall, 2.67% (n = 11,936) of patients were identified as having OSA. Compared to non-OSA patients, OSA was particularly associated with higher odds for renal (OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.70–2.32) and respiratory complications (OR 3.25; 95% CI 2.97–3.56), and ICU admission (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.77–2.94). Further, while significant, OSA was associated with modestly increased cost of hospitalization (+6.24%; P Conclusions In patients undergoing hysterectomies, OSA was associated with substantially increased risk of complications and modestly increased resource utilization. Further research is needed to assess currently used perioperative care strategies for OSA patients undergoing hysterectomies, with the goal to improve outcomes.
Job stress reduction therapies.

Background Job stress among healthcare workers has received more attention in recent years, perhaps because these professionals are prime candidates for high stress levels. Method The immediate effects of brief massage therapy, music relaxation with visual imagery, muscle relaxation, and social support group sessions were assessed in 100 hospital employees at a major public hospital. Design The effects of the therapies were assessed using a within-subjects pre-post test design and by comparisons across groups. Results Groups reported decreases in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and confusion, as well as increased vigor following the sessions. Conclusion That the groups did not differ on these variables suggests that these particular therapies, when applied for short periods of time, are equally effective for reducing stress among hospital employees.
Slickwater hydraulic fracturing of shales

Stimulation of gas or oil shales by hydraulic fracturing requires injecting water at a very high rate into kilometre-long boreholes, in order to induce sufficient fracture width to place the proppant. Since such high rate of injection implies flow in the turbulent regime, heavy-molecular-weight polymers are added to water to reduce drag and thus drastically lessen the energy required for pumping. Lecampion & Zia (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 880, 2019, pp. 514–550) explore via modelling how the rheology of slickwater – water with a small amount of drag-reducing agents – affects the propagation of a hydraulic fracture. Theoretical models in combination with scaling arguments and numerical simulations indicate that flow in a radial fracture is inherently laminar, with the turbulent regime restricted at most to the first few minutes of injection, for plausible values of rock and fluid parameters and the injection rate.
Deep learning-based relative stopping power mapping generation with cone-beam CT in proton radiation therapy

Proton radiation therapy has shown highly conformal distribution of prescribed dose in target with outstanding normal tissue sparing stemming from its steep dose gradient at the distal end of the beam. However, the uncertainty in everyday patient setup can lead to a discrepancy between treatment dose distribution and the planning dose distribution. Conebeam CT (CBCT) can be acquired daily before treatment to evaluate such inter-fraction setup error, while a further evaluation on resulted dose distribution error is currently not available. In this study, we developed a novel deep-learning based method to predict the relative stopping power maps from daily CBCT images to allow for online dose calculation in a step towards adaptive proton radiation therapy. 20 head-and-neck patients with CT and CBCT images are included for training and testing. Our CBCT RSP results were evaluated with RSP maps created from CT images as the ground truth. Among all the 20 patients, the averaged mean absolute error between CT-based and CBCT-based RSP was 0.04±0.02, the averaged mean error was -0.01±0.03 and the averaged normalized correlation coefficient was 0.97±0.01. The proposed method provides sufficiently accurate RSP map generation from CBCT images, possibly allowing for CBCT-guided adaptive treatment planning for proton radiation therapy.
The lobbying disclosure act at 25: Challenges and opportunities for analysis

The Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) will turn 25 years old on December 19, 2020. Between 1998 and 2018, organizations and lobbying firms filed more than one million reports. These reports provide information on the activity of 47,555 organizations, 6834 lobbying firms, and 47,479 individual lobbyists. The interest group scholarly community has put the LDA data to good use over the course of a quarter century of observation. Yet, lobbying disclosures have not been fully leveraged to generate new discoveries about the politics of interest groups, advocacy, legislative studies, and public policy. In this article, we provide an overview of the lobbying disclosure process by describing the idiosyncrasies of the data’s nested and complex structure and the limitations of what information is actually reported. We then assess recent research using LDA data, provide advice on completing research at different levels of analysis, document important changes in data reliability and structure over time, and introduce replication tools to support further research. As the time horizon of lobbying disclosure panel data continues to grow, the LDA—especially when combined with other sources—is an increasingly fruitful way to observe money in politics, legislative behavior, corporate political activity, political consulting, and individual lobbyists engaged in policy advocacy.
Safety of Irradiated Homologous Costal Cartilage Graft in Cleft Rhinoplasty

Background Autologous cartilage grafts have a low risk of infection and extrusion in cleft rhinoplasty. However, harvesting autologous cartilage involves donor-site morbidity and increased time under anesthesia. Irradiated homologous costal cartilage grafts may be an effective alternative. Methods A retrospective study was performed on patients with a history of cleft lip who underwent rhinoplasty for cleft nasal deformity at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2009 to 2018. Patients were excluded if their rhinoplasty did not involve a cartilage graft. Results One hundred sixty-five cleft rhinoplasties (patient age, 2 to 72 years; 52 percent female) were performed. Median follow-up time was 256 days; 30 percent were revision operations. Ninety-six procedures (58 percent) used irradiated homologous costal cartilage grafts, with the remaining using autologous cartilage. Complications resulted from 18 procedures (11 percent), seven (10 percent) involving autologous cartilage and 11 (12 percent) involving irradiated homologous costal cartilage. Most autologous cartilage complications (86 percent) required operative intervention, versus seven of 11 (64 percent) for irradiated homologous costal cartilage. Complications associated with irradiated homologous costal cartilage included infection (n = 5), warping (n = 2), and extrusion (n = 1), while two patients with autologous cartilage experienced collapse and one each experienced resorption, warping, and hypertrophic donor-site scarring. There was no difference between groups regarding complication rate or complications requiring operative intervention (p = 0.3 and p = 0.5, respectively). Conclusions Irradiated homologous costal cartilage grafts are equally safe and effective as autologous cartilage for use in cleft rhinoplasty. These grafts are readily available and eliminate donor-site morbidity. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, III.
Gauging van der Waals interactions in aqueous solutions of 2D MOFs: when water likes organic linkers more than open-metal sites

Molecular dynamics simulations combined with periodic electronic structure calculations are performed to decipher structural, thermodynamical and dynamical properties of the interfaced vs. confined water adsorbed in hexagonal 1D channels of the 2D layered electrically conductive Cu3(HHTP)2 and Cu3(HTTP)2 metal-organic frameworks (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene and HTTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexathiotriphenylene). Comparing water adsorption in bulk vs. slab models of the studied 2D MOFs shows that water is preferentially adsorbed on the framework walls via forming hydrogen bonds to the organic linkers rather than by coordinating to the coordinatively unsaturated open-Cu2+ sites. Theory predicts that in Cu3(HTTP)2 the van der Waals interactions are stronger which helps the MOF maintain its layered morphology with allowing very little water molecules to diffuse into the interlayer space. Data presented in this work are general and helpful in implementing new strategies for preserving the integrity as well as electrical conductivity of porous materials in aqueous solutions.
Intrinsic chemistry of [OUCH]+: reactions with H2O, CH3CN and O2

We report the first experimental study of the intrinsic chemistry of a U-methylidyne species, focusing on reaction of [OUCH]+ with H2O, O2 and CH3CN in the gas phase. DFT was also used to determine reaction pathways, and establish the mechanism by which [OUCH]+ is formed through collision-induced dissociation of [UO2(CCH)]+.
Imipramine and olanzapine block apoE4-catalyzed polymerization of Aβ and show evidence of improving Alzheimer’s disease cognition

Abstract The apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele confers the strongest risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) besides age itself, but the mechanism(s) underlying this risk are debated. The critical test of any proposed AD mechanism is whether it leads to effective treatments. We developed a high-throughput assay to identify inhibitors of apoE4-catalyzed polymerization of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide into neurotoxic fibrils. Screening a human drug library, we identified five non-toxic, blood-brain-barrier-permeable hit compounds that reduced apoE4-promoted Aβ and tau neuropathology in cultured neurons. Two hit compounds, imipramine and olanzapine, but not other (non-hit) antipsychotics or antidepressants, when prescribed to AD patients for their normal clinical indications, led to improvements in cognition and clinical diagnosis. Imipramine and olanzapine have no structural, functional, or clinical similarities other than their ability to inhibit apoE4-catalyzed Aβ polymerization, thus identifying this mechanism as an essential contribution of apoE4 to AD. One Sentence Summary High-throughput drug screens, studies in Alzheimer’s disease cell culture models, and analyses of human clinical data identified inhibitors of the apoE4-Aβ interaction as a novel class of Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics.
Why are SNAREpins rod-shaped?

SNARE proteins are the core components of the cellular machineries that fuse membranes for neurotransmitter or hormone release and other fundamental processes. Fusion is accomplished when SNARE proteins hosted by apposing membranes form SNARE complexes called SNAREpins, but the mechanism of fusion remains unclear. Computational simulations of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion are challenging due to the millisecond timescales of physiological membrane fusion. Here we used ultra-coarse-grained (UCG) simulations to investigate the minimal requirements for a molecular intracellular fusogen, and to elucidate the mechanisms of SNARE-mediated fusion. We find fusion by simple body forces that push vesicles together is highly inefficient. Inter-vesicle fusogens with different aspect ratios can fuse vesicles only if they are rodlike, of sufficient length to clear the fusogens from the fusion site by entropic forces. Simulations with rod-shaped SNAREpin-like fusogens fused 50-nm vesicles on ms timescales, driven by entropic forces along a reproducible fusion pathway. SNARE-SNARE and SNARE-membrane entropic forces cleared the fusion site and pressed the vesicles into an extended contact zone (ECZ), drove stalk nucleation at the high curvature ECZ boundary, and expanded the stalk into a long-lived hemifusion diaphragm in which a simple pore completed fusion. Our results provide strong support for the entropic hypothesis of SNARE-mediated membrane fusion, and implicate the rodlike structure of the SNAREpin complex as a necessity for entropic force production and fusion.
Anal carcinoma

Carcinoma of the anus is a rare malignancy that usually is diagnosed at an advanced stage, in spite of being easily visible and accessible. Its treatment has evolved from being mainly surgical to one consisting of chemotherapy (with fluorouracil and mitomycin) and radiation (megavoltage linear accelerator therapy delivering between 40 to 50 Gy). Local surgical excision is most often performed for either carcinoma in situ or microinvasive lesions of the anal margin. Radical resection is indicated for patients with residual disease following chemoradiation or for recurrent disease.
MeIQx regulates bcl-3 expression in human-derived hepatocellular carcinoma cells

4373 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered a solid tumor and is one of the ten most common human carcinomas in the world. Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) is well described as a potent transcription factor that is involved in immunity and cancer cell survival. However, abnormal activation of NF-kappaB is linked with many types of diseases, including HCC. A recent study by Cusack and colleagues (2003) has shown that solid tumors expressing NF-kappaB can resist cell death. There are several risk factors for HCC including diabetes, smoking, chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), alcoholism, aflatoxin, obesity and dietary carcinogen consumption. Our interest is in the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazole [4,5,] quinoxaline (MeIQx). Previously our studies have shown that MeIQx can induce NF-kappaB in HepG2 cells. Since many studies have shown expression of the NF-kappaB regulated gene Bcl-3, we hypothesize that MeIQx can regulate the expression of Bcl-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. We examined the effect of MeIQx exposure on Bcl-3 expression in HepG2 cells. Our studies indicate that MeIQx exposure regulated Bcl-3 expression in HepG2 cells in a time-dependent manner. These results support a model where HepG2 cells that are MeIQx stimulated can lead to cell death resistance and therefore cell survival. Supported in part by a Faculty Grant, Department of Biological Sciences,College of Arts and Sciences, NCAT State University(MHM), and Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center (OARDC, Seed grant),HATCH grant(USDA)(MHM).
A Biographical Account to Culture and History

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt by Kasia Szpakowska focuses on the times and experiences of a young girl, Hedjerit, and her middle-class family, all of whom lived in the town of Lahun in Late Middle Ki...
Severe Cerebrovascular Dysfunction in a Hypertensive Heart Failure Model

The spontaneously hypertensive, heart failure-prone rat (SHHF) is a preclinical model of heart failure, and is available in both lean/hypertensive (SHHF-L) and obese/hypertensive (SHHF-Ob) strains....
A Screening Method for the Isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Ground Beef.

A screening method was developed for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from raw ground beef. Suspensions at a 1:10 dilution of beef were made in a modified EC broth with novobiocin (mEC+n; EC broth with 1.12 g/L instead of 1.5 g/L Bile salts #3 and novobiocin at 20 mg/L). The samples were macerated in a Stomacher for 2 min and either shaken at 37°C (100 RPM) for 6 h, or incubated static at 35°C for 24 h. Appropriate dilutions of the cultures were then spread plated on 150×15 mm plates of MacConkey sorbitol agar (MSA). The MSA plates were incubated at 42°C overnight. A set of two plates consisting of a deep (40 ml/plate) phenol red sorbitol agar plate with 4-methylumbelliferyl s-D-glucuronide (PRS-MUG), and a Levine EMB agar plate with added agar for a final concentration of 3%, were gridded into 12 numbered sections. Sorbitol negative colonies were picked from the MSA plates, spread on the appropriate section of the EMB, and stabbed into the corresponding section on the PRS-MUG plate. Those cultures that were sorbitol negative and MUG negative on PRS-MUG and were typically E. coli on EMB were confirmed biochemically and serologically. By this procedure O157:H7 was isolated from 5 of 10 meat samples inoculated at 0.6 organisms/g, and 10 of 10 samples at the 5/g level using the 6 h shaken method. With the 24 h static incubation method, O157:H7 was isolated from 8 of 10 samples at the 0.6/g level and 10 of 10 at the 5/g level. Thirteen strains of O157:H7 inoculated at levels between 0.4 and 0.6/g were tested and 9 of the 13 were isolated with the 6 h method, and 13 of the 13 with the 24 h method. The method is reliable and simple enough to be used in large screening programs.
Development of the parietal bone of young mice

The fine structure of developing bone was studied in frozen-dried preparations of parietal bones of 1–2-week old mice. Particular attention was given to the particles of bone mineral. Some occur in amorphous form or as subelectron microscopic crystals, as confirmed by electron diffractograms. Some occur as 30 × 50 A crystals clearly related to bands and sub-units of the collagen fibrils. Some occur as elongated crystals (50 × 175 A), the dimensions being nearly the same as those derived from electron diffractograms. The morphologic changes observed in the bone mineral are arranged tentatively in a developmental sequence related to the osteoblast, the osteoid, and the first appearance and the structure of collagen fibrils.
Re-targetting manufacturing technologies in multichip module layout

The author describes how a multichip module (MCM) may be retargeted from one manufacturing technology to another during the physical layout. Some of the differences in manufacturing techniques of the MCM-C, MCM-L, and MCM-D and the effects that they have on the layout task are discussed. MCM-L uses a laminated circuit board process, MCM-C is a cofired ceramic process, and MCM-D is similar to an IC manufacturing process in which conductive material is deposited on to a silicon substrate. The system consists of both design and analysis tools. Automatic routing up to 48 signal layers and electrical analysis for reflections, crosstalk, and simple thermal analysis are described. >
Influence of weight loss on musculoskeletal pain: Potential short-term relevance

Objective: With the recent trend of increasing obesity in the United States, more immediate health outcomes such as reduced musculoskeletal pain may be more effective in encouraging compliance. The study objective was to investigate the relationship between weight loss and changes in musculoskeletal pain. Participants: Thirty-five females who recently enrolled into a weight loss program were enrolled into the study. Methods: The impact of weight loss on musculoskeletal pain in the short-term was assessed by tracking pain and weight loss during bi-weekly visits to a weight loss clinic. During a 12-week prospective study, the pain ratings in 9 body regions measured during the bi-weekly weigh-ins at the clinic. Results: A significant association was found between weight loss and reduction of pain in the elbow, upper back, lower back, and hip regions as well as overall pain. Conclusions: The significant trends between weight loss and corresponding reduction in pain provide support to weight-loss management providers that may have more immediate relevance - a quick impact on pain may encourage compliance with weight loss programs. While the trends for weight and pain are intriguing, future research will need to indentify the underlying mechanism for the reduced pain. One potential mechanism may be that a reduction of weight reduces the biomechanical stress on the load bearing joints, reducing pain responses.
The ∇-calculus. functional programming with higher-order encodings

Higher-order encodings use functions provided by one language to represent variable binders of another. They lead to concise and elegant representations, which historically have been difficult to analyze and manipulate. In this paper we present the $\nabla$-calculus, a calculus for defining general recursive functions over higher-order encodings. To avoid problems commonly associated with using the same function space for representations and computations, we separate one from the other. The simply-typed λ-calculus plays the role of the representation-level. The computation-level contains not only the usual computational primitives but also an embedding of the representation-level. It distinguishes itself from similar systems by allowing recursion under representation-level λ-binders while permitting a natural style of programming which we believe scales to other logical frameworks. Sample programs include bracket abstraction, parallel reduction, and an evaluator for a simple language with first-class continuations.
VLSI Arrays with Reconfigurable Buses

In this paper we consider mesh connected computers with reconfigurable buses. The architecture consists of N1/2 × N1/2 PEs, with PEs in each row and column connected to a shared bus. The buses are partitionable using N1/2-1 switches embedded on each bus. This provides efficient global communication patterns for a variety of partitions of the mesh connected computer. We illustrate the suitability of the architecture by demonstrating efficient parallel solution to several graph problems and low level vision problems which have low interprocessor communication requirements. Compared to known reconfigurable architectures and other parallel architectures such as mesh of trees and pyramids, the proposed organization has low area requirement and simple switch control while providing fast parallel solutions to several problems.
Beobachtung von nahezu fehlerfreien Metallkristallen und von Punktdefekten im Feldionenmikroskop

Die Vollkommenheit der Oberflache der im Tieftemperatur-Feldionenmikroskop feldverdampften Metallkristalle hangt nur von der Vollkommenheit und Reinheit des Kristallinnern ab. Damit eine Flache mit einem hohen Miller Indexh ausgebildet werden kann, mus die Konzentration von storenden Verunreinigungen kleiner als h−3 sein. Feldverdampfte Kristalle von hochreinem Pt und W sowie von gewohnlichem Re, Pd und Ni werden gezeigt. Statistisch verteilte Flecke im Bild eines Rhodiumkristalles werden als Sauerstoffatome in Zwischengitterplatzen gedeutet. In Platin werden durch Gluhen und Abschrecken Gitterleerstellen erzeugt und einzeln sichtbar gemacht. Aus ihrer direkt beobachtbaren Konzentration und der Abschrecktemperatur ergibt sich eine Bildungsenergie von 1,15 eV.
Fabrication and characterization of solid PbI2 nanocrystals

Lead iodide nanoparticles are synthesized in reverse micelle solution of AOT/H2O/n-heptane. Optical absorption spectra and TEM analysis indicated the formation of crystalline particles with an average radius of 1.5 nm, which is less than the Bohr radius of the exciton (1.9 nm) in bulk PbI2. Using theoretical models and optical spectra of quantum confined PbI2 nanoparticles, a radius of 1.5 nm and a thickness of 1.7 nm was calculated, which are in full agreement with the TEM results. Particles were isolated from the dispersed medium and were analysed by powder XRD and Raman spectroscopy, indicating the formation of a predominantly 2H-PbI2 polytype. This work presents the first case of fully isolated, fully characterized solid nanoparticles of PbI2. It also presents XRD and Raman spectrum for the first time for PbI2 nanoparticles of intermediate quantum confinement.
Growth and Value Stock Indices under the EDA Microscope

In this paper, the author uses geometrical and topological aspects of Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) to examine Standard and Poor’s (S&P), MSCI’s and Thomson Reuters’ (TRI) ways of determining which stocks are growth and which are value. The results of the analysis are that two of the firms - S&P and TRI - do a very good job of determining what S&P calls “pure growth” and “pure value” stocks. This is found to be true to a large extent because their respective point cloud data tends to fall into linear clusters and hence is amenable to their respective linear separation techniques. A lack of linearity in MSCI’s point cloud data is more often than not foiling their linear methodologies so “the jury is still out” on MSCI’s ability to effectively separate growth and values stocks. The techniques used to arrive at these conclusions include the use of ggobi (a “grand tour” data visualization system), isomaps (a nonlinear data reduction tool), model-based clustering and multiresolution bootstrap resampling. The paper also shows that the “core” designation that has been put forward by such firms as Lipper and Morningstar and individuals such as Ron Surz is a true classification, at least if one uses TRI’s fundamental factors to separate growth and value. As to correctly identifying the value effect, i.e., those times when the Fama-French value benchmark outperforms its growth benchmark, only TRI growth and value indices consistently demonstrate the value effect
Smoothening of (001) and (111) Cu films epitaxially grown on Si substrates

We report an in-situ study of the MBE growth of Cu films on hydrogen-terminated Si (001) and (7×7) reconstructed Si(111) substrates. Using correlated RHEED and STM data, we find a dramatic smoothing of epitaxial Cu(001) surfaces by annealing the as- grown films in the 120-160oC temperature range and somewhat less so for the Cu (111) films. Our measurements reveal a lower activation energy (0.40 ± 0.04 eV) for inter- terrace mass transport in Cu(001) than for Cu(111) (1.10 ± 0.03 eV) the former possibly influenced by the presence of hydrogen. Scaling analysis of the subsequent Cu growth on the annealed smooth surfaces yields a coarsening exponent of 1/4 for the (001) oriented films while this exponent is 1/3 for the (111) films, providing for the first time experimental data for the same system in these two orientations.
Effect of Opportunistic Illness on Risk of Death in HIV Disease

Objective:To assess the impact of opportunistic diseases on survival in patients with HIV disease.Methods:A cohort of 2081 patients followed for a mean of 30 months was studied. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed using incident opportunistic diseases and CD4 cell counts as independent variables.Results:During follow-up, 730 (35%) patients died. The occurrence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease, Candida esophagitis, Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), dementia, wasting, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis were all significantly associated with death, independently of CD4 cell count (all P<0.001 for opportunistic diseases controlling for CD4 cell count). The magnitude of increased risk was greatest for lymphoma (relative hazard [RH], 7.2), PML (RH, 3.9), MAC (RH, 3.0) and CMV (RH, 2.2). Cryptococcosis (RH, 0.94) and herpes zoster (RH, 0.85) were not associated with death. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, MAC (RH, 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-3.1), CMV (RH, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.1-2.1), toxoplasmosis (RH, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6), PCP (RH, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.1-1.1), and CD4 cell count were significantly associated with death. Patients who had opportunistic diseases had significantly greater monthly declines in CD4 counts (−11 × 106/L per month) than those who did not (−6 × 106/L per month; P<0.001).Conclusion:Most opportunistic diseases increase the risk of death independently of CD4 cell count. These data support the hypothesis that opportunistic diseases enhance HIV pathogenesis and further underscore the importance of prophylaxis.
High temperature corrosion of a thermowell in an incineration plant

Abstract The thermowell inside the post combustion chamber in an incineration plant failed due to severe high temperature oxidation. The failure was caused by deep intergranular oxidation attack and surface scaling of the component. The intergranular oxidation attack is more damaging to the material integrity. Inconel 600 was improperly used as the thermowell material due to insufficient Cr content for formation of a continuous protective Cr 2 O 3 layer on the alloy surface, and the high operating temperature 950 °C nearly approaching its upper temperature limit (1000 °C). Replacement of Inconel 600 by more corrosion- and heat-resistant materials is strongly recommended.
Decade in review—urinary incontinence: Advances in female urology and voiding dysfunction

Over the past decade, management of common urological problems has metamorphosed in the field of female urology and voiding dysfunction; from treatment of routine stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with synthetic sling placement, to management of refractory overactive bladder (OAB) with neuromodulation.
Highlights of Recent Research on Chemosterilants for the Control of Insects of Medical and Veterinary Importance

Entomologists have known for many years that insects could be sterilized by exposure to X-rays or gamma radiation, but nothing was done to explore the possibilities of practical insect control by sterilization. This idea was apparently first proposed about 1938 by Knipling (1960) for controlling the screw-worm fly ( Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)). Subsequent studies by Bushland and Hopkins (1951, 1953) demonstrated that the screw-worm was easily sterilized by X-rays or gamma radiation. They found also that sterilized males mated readily with normal females and that these mated females produced only nonviable eggs. Theoretically, therefore, the release of a preponderance of sterile males in a natural screw-worm population could eventually result in eradication of the species. That such a feat could be accomplished was demonstrated by the eradication of the screw-worm on Curacao and later in Florida and the Southeastern States (Lindquist 1959; Knipling 1960).
Right ventricular dysplasia in an asymptomatic young man: An uncommon case with biventricular involvement and no known family history

Abstract A 33-year-old man had cardiomegaly on a routine x-ray examination. He was asymptomatic with no history of infarction, syncope, or palpitations. There was no family history of congenital heart disease or sudden death. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated marked enlargement of the right atrium and ventricle with severely depressed right and left ventricular function that was consistent with right ventricular dysplasia. The patient was treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and did well for 6 months, but then developed symptomatic left-sided congestive heart failure. Short-term improvement was obtained with intravenous inotropic therapy, but he continued to have progressive symptoms of heart failure. Approximately 7 months after his initial presentation, the patient underwent orthotopic heart transplantation for intractable congestive heart failure. Pathologic examination of the explanted heart established the diagnosis of right ventricular dysplasia with left ventricular involvement. This is an uncommon presentation of right ventricular dysplasia with biventricular involvement and no known family history. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2001;14:317-20.)
Responses of people with coronary artery disease to common lawn-care tasks

The primary purpose of the present study was to determine oxygen uptake (\(\dot VO_2\)) and heart rate (HR) responses of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to common lawn-care activities. The study was conducted in three phases. In phase I, 8 men with CAD performed 30 min of push motorized lawn mowing at a self-paced rate. In phase II, 9 men with CAD performed push (no power) mowing, trimming (power and manual), and raking for 8 min each. In phase III, age-matched men and women with and without CAD (9–11 per group) performed self-propelled motorized mowing and push motorized mowing. In phase I,\(\dot VO_2\) averaged 17.3 (SEM 3.8) ml · kg−1 · min−1 during 30 min of mowing. Relative effort was 68 (SEM 1) and 76 (SEM 4)% of treadmill maximal\(\dot VO_2\) (\(\dot VO_{2max}\)) and HR, respectively. In phase II, mean\(\dot VO_2\) ranged from 8.6 (SEM 0.4) with grass trimming to 22.2 (SEM 1.6) ml · kg−1 · min−1 with push manual mowing. With self-propelled mowing at three speeds in phase III, mean\(\dot VO_2\) of the CAD groups ranged from 9.5 (SEM 0.3) to 13.8 (SEM 1.4) ml · kg−1 · min−1 and represented 37%–62%\(\dot VO_{2max}\). The results indicated that lawn mowing is often performed at an exercise intensity recommended for aerobic exercise training; patients who achieve a treadmill peak capacity of 4 times resting metabolic rate (4 METs) should be able to perform self-propelled motorized lawn mowing (slow speed) and grass trimming at less than 80% peak\(\dot VO_2\); and\(\dot VO_2\) demands of lawn mowing can be adjusted by equipment selection and/or pace.
Sensor scheduling for target tracking in sensor networks

We study the problem of sensor-scheduling for target tracking to determine which sensors to activate over time to trade off tracking performance with sensor usage costs. We approach this problem by formulating it as a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), and develop a Monte Carlo solution method using a combination of particle filtering for belief-state estimation and sampling based Q-value approximation for lookahead. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we consider a simple sensor scheduling problem involving multiple sensors for tracking a single target.
The mind, the lab, and the field: Three kinds of populations in scientific practice.

Scientists use models to understand the natural world, and it is important not to conflate model and nature. As an illustration, we distinguish three different kinds of populations in studies of ecology and evolution: theoretical, laboratory, and natural populations, exemplified by the work of R. A. Fisher, Thomas Park, and David Lack, respectively. Biologists are rightly concerned with all three types of populations. We examine the interplay between these different kinds of populations, and their pertinent models, in three examples: the notion of “effective” population size, the work of Thomas Park on Tribolium populations, and model-based clustering algorithms such as Structure. Finally, we discuss ways to move safely between three distinct population types while avoiding confusing models and reality.
Nonohmic conductivity in Bi88Sb12

Abstract Self magnetic field effects have been observed in Bi 88 Sb 12 at 4.2°K. A carrier multiplication is proposed to explain a decreasing resistivity at higher electric fields.
Accuracy of references in nursing journals

The purpose of this study was to quantify and classify errors in reference lists of randomly selected, recently published issues of nursing journals (n = 17) and to assess whether these errors prevented retrieval of the cited documents. Randomly selected references, 65 from clinical journals and 47 from non-clinical journals, were compared to the original sources for accuracy. Errors were classified as minor (not preventing retrieval) and major (preventing retrieval). Errors occurred more frequently in references in clinical journals, 38.4% of those reviewed, as compared to 21.3% in of non-clinical journals. Additionally, 4.6% of the clinical references contained major errors, but no major errors were located in references from the non-clinical journals. These findings have implications for all readers.
Laurence Stybel's Reaction to Jay Finkelman's Comments

Professor Finkelman could not be more clear about his rejection of the ideas in the article: “For a wide variety of reasons (strategic, psychometric, ethical, legal) it makes no sense to even consi...
Issues related to wireless application testing

Accompanied by the explosion usage of wireless network, the quality of wireless application is becoming a major concern today. Software testing is one of the most effective and efficient ways to guarantee the quality of software. This paper describes testing issues related to characteristics of wireless applications and proposes new steps in testing procedure.
Why liberals should accept financial incentives for organ procurement.

Free-market libertarians have long supported incentives to increase organ procurement, but those oriented to justice traditionally have opposed them. This paper presents the reasons why those worried about justice should recon- sider financial incentives and tolerate them as a lesser moral evil. After consider- ing concerns about discrimination and coercion and setting them aside, it is sug- gested that the real moral concern should be manipulation of the neediest. The one offering the incentive (the government) has the resources to eliminate the basic needs that pressure the poor into a willingness to sell. It is unethically ma- nipulative to withhold those resources and then offer payment for organs. Nev- ertheless, the poor have been left without basic necessities for 20 years since the passage of the prohibition on incentives. As long as the government continues to withhold a decent minimum of welfare, liberals should, with shame, cease op- posing financial incentives for organ procurement.