cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiogenic shock: From ECMO to Impella and beyond

For patients in cardiogenic shock, several devices can serve as a "bridge," ie, provide circulatory support and allow the patient to live long enough to recover or to receive a heart transplant or a long-term device. Options include an intra-aortic balloon pump, TandemHeart, Impella, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and CentriMag. Which device to use depends on individual patient needs, local expertise, and anatomic and physiologic considerations.
Efficient learning of dictionaries with low-rank atoms

Sparsity-based techniques have been popular in many applications in signal and image processing. In particular, the data-driven adaptation of sparse signal models such as the synthesis model has shown promise in applications. However, dictionary learning problems are typically nonconvex and NP-hard, and the usual alternating minimization approaches for learning are often expensive and lack convergence guarantees. In this work, we investigate efficient methods for learning structured synthesis dictionaries. In particular, we model the atoms (columns) of the dictionary, after reshaping, as low-rank. We propose a block coordinate descent algorithm for our dictionary learning model that involves efficient optimal updates. We also provide a convergence analysis of the proposed method for a highly nonconvex problem. Our numerical experiments show the usefulness of our schemes in inverse problem settings, such as in dynamic MRI and inpainting.
Abstract 315: Feasibility of outpatient ambulatory ECG monitoring to screen for silent atrial fibrillation: Pilot Findings from Screening Trial for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation (STUDY-AF)

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, accounting for up to one in five strokes. Identification of silent AF could reduce the total burden of stroke...
Osteoarthritis of the Elbow

Osteoarthritis of the elbow is an infrequent but disabling disease process. It is typically seen in the dominant arm of male laborers in their 50s. Stiffness and loss of range of motion are common presenting symptoms. Radiographs are often diagnostic. Non-operative measures can be utilized initially which include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, steroid injections, gentle range of motion activities, and activity modification. Often patients experiencing osteoarthritis of the elbow have difficulty adhering to activity modification due to the nature of their job. Surgical options include arthroscopic or open ulnohumeral arthroplasty and total elbow arthroplasty. Interposition arthroplasty and arthrodesis are used sparingly as salvage procedures.
Screening for Geriatric Syndromes: Falls, Urinary/Fecal Incontinence, and Osteoporosis

The geriatric syndromes of falls, incontinence, and osteoporosis are concerns in older adults because of their potential impact on quality of life. Asking about history of falls or a fear of falling should prompt a multifactorial assessment of fall risk and targeted interventions to reduce falls. Urinary and fecal incontinence should be screened because they are common conditions that are underreported due to embarrassment and general perception that incontinence is a normal part of aging. Women over age 65, men over age 70, and younger patients with high-risk characteristics should be screened with bone mineral density testing with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
Impact of surgical waiting time on survival in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A national cancer database study.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the impact of surgical waiting time (SWT) on the survival outcome in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Materials and methods We identified patients with nonmetastatic UTUC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) between 2004 and 2013 in the National Cancer Database. The association between SWT and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. SWT was categorized into 6 groups: SWT ≤ 7 days, SWT 8 to 30 days, SWT 31 to 60 days, SWT 61 to 90 days, SWT 91 to 120 days, and SWT 121 to 180 days. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for patient, tumor, and facility-related factors. Results A total of 3,581 patients were included in the final overall cohort and 2,397 (66.9%) patients had the higher-risk disease (high-grade or ≥pT2). Multivariable Cox regressions showed that patients in the groups of SWT 31 to 60 days, SWT 61 to 90 days, and SWT 91 to 120 days had similar OS compared with patients who had SWT of 8 to 30 days in the overall cohort and higher-risk cohort. Patients with SWT 121 to 180 days had worse OS (HR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.19–2.19, P = 0.002 in the overall cohort; HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.11–2.20, P = 0.010 in the higher-risk cohort). Conclusions Increased SWT from diagnosis to RNU appears to be not associated with worse OS within 120 days after the diagnosis of UTUC but SWT>120 days may be associated with worsened survival. These findings might have important implications for trial design in the evaluation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for UTUC and future clinical practice.
Response by Shanan E. Peters for the presentation of the 2014 Charles Schuchert Award of the Paleontological Society

Thank you Michael, for your kind words, and thank you to the Paleontological Society for this recognition. It is a humbling privilege to have my name appended to such a distinguished list of previous awardees. It is also thrilling that this award bears the name of the remarkable Ohio-born paleontologist, Charles Schuchert, who began his pursuit of paleontology in much the same way that this Ohio boy did—plucking fossils from the gray slopes of the Cincinnatian. Shanan E. Peters Some eleven years ago, in his acceptance speech for this same award, Steven Holland acknowledged the Paleobiology Database and the vision of John Alroy and Charles Marshall in creating it. Steve predicted then that beyond the analysis of Phanerozoic diversity, the Paleobiology Database would become an integral part of our field programs because it would “ensure that we build upon the data of the generations that have come before us and that our data are preserved for the generations that follow.” Eleven years …
Incidence and outcomes of thoracic aortic injuries with regionalized care in a mature trauma system

IntroductionThoracic aortic injury is a leading cause of death after blunt trauma, but the effect of trauma system organization on outcomes is undefined. This was an analysis of thoracic aortic inj...
Association of Contact Lens Adherence With Visual Outcome in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Although contact lenses have been used for decades to optically correct eyes in children after cataract surgery, there has never been a prospective study looking at contact lens adherence in children with aphakia, to our knowledge. Objective To evaluate contact lens adherence and its association with visual outcome in a cohort of children treated for unilateral cataract surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of 57 infants born from August 22, 2004, to April 25, 2008, who were randomized to 1 of 2 treatments and followed up to age 5 years. Data analysis was performed from August 9, 2016, to December 7, 2017. Interventions Unilateral cataract extraction and randomization to implantation of an intraocular lens vs contact lens to correct aphakia. Main Outcomes and Measures Contact lens adherence was assessed by a 48-hour recall telephone interview that was administered every 3 months starting 3 months after surgery to age 5 years. A traveling examiner assessed visual acuity in patients at aged 4.5 years. Adherence to prescribed contact lens use was estimated as the mean percentage of waking hours as reported in 2 or more interviews for each year of life. Results Of 57 infants who were randomized to contact lens treatment, 32 (56%) were girls, and 49 (86%) were white. A total of 872 telephone interviews were completed. In year 1, a median of 95% participants wore their contacts lenses nearly all waking hours (interquartile range [IQR], 84%-100%); year 2, 93% (IQR, 85%-99%); year 3, 93% (IQR, 85%-99%); year 4, 93% (IQR, 75%-99%); and year 5, 89% (IQR, 71%-97%). There was a tendency for poorer reported adherence at older ages ( F = 3.86, P P = .08). Conclusions and Relevance These results confirm that it is possible to achieve a high level of aphakic contact lens adherence over a 5-year period in children. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00212134
Is Greece a Failing Developed State? Causes and Socio-economic Consequences of the Financial Crisis

Is the Greek crisis an isolated case or the first of a series of future failing developed states? The Greek financial crisis is not on the front page of the Financial Times anymore, but it is far from over. The financial crisis did not manifest itself in Greece alone. Ireland has also sought an equally large EU-IMF rescue plan. Portugal and Spain have been under the microscope of the media and credit rating institutions. Such other instances in the Eurozone’s periphery have repercussions for the currency as a whole as well as for the EU (Straubhaar, 2010). Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are members of the Eurozone area, which means that they share the same currency with economic giants such as Germany and France.
Creating a participatory learning environment in large lecture classes using pen-based computing

Although large lectures are a reality of formal learning organizations, particularly in nation's research universities, limited research looks at how we can improve learning within them. Most learning sciences research focuses on small or medium classes or informal learning leaving a gap in our understanding of learning related issues in large lectures. In this paper we present a theoretical investigation of the use of pen-based computing in large lectures (>150 students). In particular, through this case study we examined how the combined use of Tablet PCs and the interactive software DyKnow creates a learning environment that is conducive to student participation and learning. We argue that these technologies enable participation by facilitating creation, sharing, recording, and reflecting of representations. Although the ideas presented in this paper are primarily theoretical, we do find supporting evidence through in-class (N=100 to 250) and online surveys (N = 525) of engineering freshmen at Virginia Tech.
Sex differences in hippocampal cytokines after systemic immune challenge

Illness or injury causes an inflammatory state consisting of activation of immune cells and increased production of cytokines in the periphery and in the brain, resulting changes in physiological processes, behavior, and cognition. The immune and neuroimmune response consist of a tightly controlled activation and resolution of cytokine networks, the precise patterns of which are determined, in part, by the immune stimulus. Importantly, the pattern of cytokines, rather than the presence of any individual cytokine, determines the functional outcome of immune signaling. In this project, we hypothesized that given sex differences in behavioral responses to immune challenge, the patterns of cytokine activation induced in the hippocampus after a systemic immune challenge differ between males and females. We examined 32 cytokines in the hippocampus and periphery of male and female mice 2, 6, 24, 48, and 168 hours after an acute systemic injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS; 250μg/kg). All animals showed resolution of the neuroimmune response 168 hours after immune challenge Males and females differed in the specific cytokines activated in the hippocampus, the magnitude of elevation, and the timecourse of activation and resolution of neuroimmune signaling. Briefly, male-specific elevations included IFNɣ, CSF1 (M-CSF) and CSF2 (GM-CSF), and the regulatory cytokine IL-10, whereas female-specific activation included the IL-2 family and the regulatory IL-4. Females showed rapid elevation and resolution of the hippocampal immune response, with cytokine levels peaking at 2 and 6 hours after immune challenge. In contrast, males showed slower and more persistent activation, with peaks at 6-24 hours. These findings demonstrate that sex differences in neuroimmune response are not limited to the intensity of the cytokine response, but more importantly differs in the cytokine networks activated. These findings suggest that delineating the broad, sex-specific patterns of cytokine activity in the brain is critical for understanding of the role of neuroimmune signaling in neural function.
Maternal hypertension and hypospadias in offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Several studies have reported an association between maternal hypertensive disorders and hypospadias in offspring; however there is still debate on the role of maternal hypertension and preeclampsia on this relatively common congenital malformation. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between these frequent maternal conditions and hypospadias in offspring. Methods Fifteen articles meeting the eligibility criteria were identified in our search and included in the analysis. A meta-analysis was conducted and pooled odds ratio (OR) estimates were calculated separately for hypertension and preeclampsia using meta-analysis. We also conducted several secondary analyses, including (a) studies conducted before versus after January 1, 1998; (b) studies in United States versus other countries; and (c) studies that accounted for ≥3 versus fewer or no potential confounders, among others. Results Significant positive associations were observed between hypertension and hypospadias (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.46-1.93), as well as preeclampsia and hypospadias (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.63-2.91). The direction and magnitude of effect was comparable for the majority of secondary analyses conducted. Conclusions Our results indicate that maternal hypertensive disorders are positively associated with hypospadias in offspring. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms involved, and to ultimately develop public health strategies geared toward prevention of hypospadias.
Multiple Job Holding and Mental Health among Low-Income Mothers.

Abstract Purpose Studies have found considerable heterogeneity in the links between employment and mental health, finding that certain work conditions, such as nonstandard schedules and low job quality, are linked with poorer mental health. One largely overlooked facet of work is multiple job holding. In this article, we examine the link between multiple job holding and mental health among low-income mothers. Methods We used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 7,844 person-wave observations), a longitudinal cohort study (1999–2016) of mostly low-income mothers in 20 large U.S. cities, to examine the link between multiple job holding and maternal depression and life dissatisfaction. Results Across a number of different model specifications, we find that multiple job holding is associated with higher probabilities of depression (3–4 percentage points higher). We also find some weaker evidence that multiple job holding is associated with life dissatisfaction (2–4 percentage points higher). When we include measures of job quality and intensity, we continue to see an independent association between multiple job holding and mental health. We also find that the associations between multiple job holding and depression/life dissatisfaction are strongest for mothers who also work 45 hours or more per week, work nonstandard schedules, and have lower earnings. Conclusions Our study suggests that multiple job holding is associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing depression and somewhat associated with greater life dissatisfaction and should be considered by mental health practitioners and researchers seeking to understand drivers of depression.
Is Damp Heat Degradation of c-Si Modules Essentially Universal?

Solar panel degradation has been the subject of careful research for many years in academic, national, and industrial laboratories. Unfortunately, the accelerated test data have been collected with different stress conditions and stress duration and interpreted and projected to the use condition by different reliability models, giving the appearance of reliability phenomena that are actually controlled by manufacturing variability, rather than intrinsic degradation parameters. In this paper, we demonstrate a simple and powerful new algorithm that can be used to interpret the existing (and widely scattered) experimental data within a common framework. The universal scaling shows that despite the manufacturing variability, the degradation modes in modern c-Si modules are essentially universal. The physical parameters extracted from the universal model provide deep insights into the degradation mode. More importantly, the approach will facilitate exchange/comparison/reuse of reliability information among various laboratories, help develop new characterization protocols, and allow accurate prediction of module lifetime.
Possible nicotine-related health effects from electronic nicotine delivery system use by teens: Reports to the Food and Drug Administration

Purpose: Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identify electronic cigarettes as the tobacco products most commonly used by youth. In 2016, more than 2 million US middle and high school students had used electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in the past 30 days. The role of ENDS in the initiation of nicotine use by youth is a serious concern; nicotine can harm the developing brain and is addictive. Research demonstrates ENDS use also increases the risk that youth and young adults will subsequently try cigarettes. FDA’s …
LGBTQ-Parent Families in Community Context

LGBTQ parents and their children live in every type of community; differences in location are linked to intersections of race, class, gender, and place-based attachments and identities. Residential communities vary in their social climate for LGBTQ issues, and community climate variations have an impact on the health and well-being, as well as the political engagement, of LGBTQ parents and their children. In this chapter, we describe what is known about the climate within local legal, political, religious, educational, and employment contexts that LGBTQ parents and their children traverse in daily living. We summarize the research on how this climate impacts their quality of life. Also, we discuss the importance of understanding communities as ever-changing, in part due to the efforts of LGBTQ parents and their children. Finally, we discuss the importance of future research focused on transgender parents and their children and the need for a more global perspective.
Reproducibility of Survey Results: A New Method to Quantify Similarity of Human Subject Pools

Smart Connected Communities (SCCs) is a novel paradigm that brings together multiple disciplines, including social-sciences, computer science, and engineering. Large-scale surveys are a fundamental tool to understand the needs and impact of new technologies to human populations, necessary to realize the SCC paradigm. However, there is a growing debate regarding the reproducibility of survey results. As an example, it has been shown that surveys may easily provide contradictory results, even if the subject populations are statistically equivalent from a demographic perspective. In this paper, we take the initial steps towards addressing the problem of reproducibility of survey results by providing formal methods to quantitatively justify apparently inconsistent results. Specifically, we define a new dissimilarity metric between two populations based on the users answers to non-demographic questions. To this purpose, we propose two algorithms based on submodular optimization and information theory, respectively, to select the most representative questions in a survey. Results show that our method effectively identifies and quantifies differences that are not evident from a purely demographic point of view.
General Ordinary and Fractional Approximation with Positive Sublinear Operators

Here we consider the ordinary and fractional approximation of functions by sublinear positive operators with applications to generalized convolution type operators expressed by sublinear integrals such as of Choquet and Shilkret ones.
Evidence for preadipocyte proliferation during culture of subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissues from Angus and Wagyu crossbred steers.

The primary objective of this study was to provide evidence for preadipocyte proliferation during culture of adipose tissue explants; a secondary objective was to compare the lipogenic activity and cellularity of adipose tissues from American Wagyu crossbred steers. Subcutaneous (s.c.) and intramuscular (i.m.) adipose tissues were obtained at slaughter from the 2nd to 6th lumbar region of the loin from Angus (n = 10) and Wagyu crossbred steers (n = 10) that had been fed for 552 d by typical Japanese production standards. Adipose tissue explants were incubated 36 h with [3H]thymidine in the absence and presence of aphidicolin (a specific inhibitor of genomic DNA replication). Adipocytes were liberated by collagenase treatment and [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was measured. Whereas there were no significant differences between adipose tissue depots, Wagyu s.c. and i.m. preadipocytes and stromal-vascular cells exhibited greater (P < .05) [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA than adipocytes from Angus steers. Intramuscular adipose tissue from both breeds exhibited lower (P < .05) rates of lipogenesis from acetate both before and after long-term (36-h) incubation than s.c. adipose tissue. Furthermore, i.m. adipocytes were smaller (P < .05) than s.c. adipocytes. The activities of fatty acid synthetase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were greater (P < .05) in Wagyu s.c. adipose tissue and less in Wagyu i.m. adipose tissue than in corresponding Angus tissues. There were no differences between breed types (P = .17) in rates of lipogenesis from acetate, either before or after explant culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Heat Transfer Coefficient Estimation from Thermal Shock Data

Thermal shock and thermal fatigue can induce significant damage in structural, electronic, optical ceramics as well as in bioceramics. Such damage can limit the use of ceramics in a variety of applications that involve rapid changes in the ambient temperature. The surface heat transfer coefficient, h, is a key parameter in estimating thermal stresses that a component experiences during thermal shock. A method is discussed for using data on the critical quench temperature difference to estimate h.
Thermal Conductivity of InAs/GaSb Type II Superlattice

The cross-plane thermal conductivity of a type II InAs/GaSb superlattice (T2SL) is measured from 13 K to 300 K using the 3ω method. Thermal conductivity is reduced by up to two orders of magnitude relative to the GaSb bulk substrate. The low thermal conductivity of around 1 W/m K to 8 W/m K may serve as an advantage for thermoelectric applications at low temperatures, while presenting a challenge for T2SL interband cascade lasers and high-power photodiodes. We describe a power-law approximation to model nonlinearities in the thermal conductivity, resulting in increased or decreased peak temperature for negative or positive exponents, respectively.
How Are We Doing? Predicting Evolutionary Algorithm Performance

Given an evolutionary algorithm for a problem and an instance of the problem, the results of several trials of the EA on the instance constitute a sample from the distribution of all possible results of the EA on the instance. From this sample, we can estimate, non-parametrically or parametrically, the probability that another run of the EA, independent of the initial ones, will identify a better solution to the instance than any seen in the initial trials. We derive such probability estimates and test the derivations using a genetic algorithm for the traveling salesman problem. We find that while the analysis holds promise, it should probably not depend on the assumption that the distribution of an EA’s results is normal.
Labor market distortions and China's WTO accession package:

Abstract The economic implications of China's accession to the World Trade Organization have been analyzed using applied general equilibrium techniques. We explore the consequences of trade reform in the presence of labor market distortions. A formal model of imperfect labor mobility is incorporated into a large-scale, stochastic applied general equilibrium framework with which the consequences of China's trade reform for net welfare are considered. The simulations suggest that distortions in China's labor market, including imperfect labor mobility, rural-urban migration, dual urban markets and surplus rural labor, have significant effects on trade liberalization outcomes and in some cases produce unexpected second-best results. Journal of Comparative Economics 31 (4) (2003) 774–794.
Libertad negativa como estrategia deconstructora de deseos y temores en el materialismo antropológico de Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes explica en Leviathan que el estado de naturaleza, privado de gobierno, de instituciones politicas o sociales, de leyes y hasta de contratos legalmente establecidos, otorga libertad absoluta a los individuos, al tiempo que los condena a una guerra perpetua entre ellos, que se ven obligados a vivir siempre con gran inseguridad y miedo a una muerte violenta. Dicho pensador enumera diversas razones por las que los hombres sienten enemistad entre si en el estado de naturaleza, entre las que incluye los conflictos que proceden de las pasiones, especialmente, del egoismo, la vanagloria, el deseo de superioridad frente a los demas y el apetito incontrolable por poseer los mismos bienes que no pueden ser divididos o disfrutados de comun acuerdo. Mediante el uso de la fuerza se decide que tales bienes sean poseidos por los mas fuertes. Ahora bien, la igualdad existente entre los hombres para matarse mutuamente provoca un sentimiento de miedo que llega a sustituir al deseo dirigido a prevalecer, de un modo u otro.
A Photoluminescence Technique for Detection of Gunshot Residue

Rapid, convenient detection of gunshot residue on the hands of a suspect, following a shooting, can be accomplished by the photoluminescence determination of the presence of lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb), which originate in the cartiridge primer. Following the firing of a gun, the backs of both hands are washed in a stream of distilled water. Each hand washing is filtered, and the residue collected on a membrane filter is dissolved in hydrochloric acid. Lead(II)and Sb(III) form chloride ion complexes with the acid, which luminesce strongly upon selective ultraviolet excitation at low temperature. Upon excitation, the Pb and Sb complexes emit light with maxima at wavelengths characteristic for the two metallic elements. By the use of this procedure, it is possible to detect as little as 1.0 ng of Pb and 10 ng of Sb. The total time for sample collection and analysis is less than 30 min.
Limited Predictive Utility of Admissions Scores and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for APPE Performance

Objective. To examine the relationship between admissions, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) scores. Methods. Admissions, OSCE, and APPE scores were collected for students who graduated from the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program in spring of 2012 and spring of 2013 (n=289). Pearson correlation was used to examine relationships between variables, and independent t test was used to compare mean scores between groups. Results. All relationships among admissions data (undergraduate grade point average, composite PCAT scores, and interview scores) and OSCE and APPE scores were weak, with the strongest association found between the final OSCE and ambulatory care APPEs. Students with low scores on the final OSCE performed lower than others on the acute care, ambulatory care, and community APPEs. Conclusion. This study highlights the complexities of assessing student development of noncognitive professional skills over the course of a curriculum.
Porous silica microspheres for high-performance size exclusion chromatography

Abstract Rapid and precise high-performance gel permeation chromatography of polymers has been accomplished with columns of 6–9-μm trimethylsilyl-modified porous silica microspheres with narrow pore-size distributions over the range 60–3500 A. A 60-cm, five-column combination of this pore-size range exhibited a plate count of 2.5-104 for a totally permeating solute (toluene) and 104 plates for a 105 molecular weight polystyrene. This column set has an overall fractionation range of 102->7·106 for polystyrene, and its high resolution permits the determination of molecular weights in a 15-min analysis with an accuracy of about ± 2%, without peak dispersion corrections. The high resolving power of the microspheres, coupled with excellent mechanical strength and high purity, provides superior systems for rapidly characterizing both high-molecular-weight polymers and mixtures of small molecules by the size exclusion method.
Anomalous magnetic field dependence of the T 1 spin lifetime in a lightly doped GaAs sample

The ${T}_{1}$ spin lifetime of a lightly doped $n$-type GaAs sample has been measured via time-resolved polarization spectroscopy under a number of temperature and magnetic field conditions. Lifetimes up to $19\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$ have been measured. The magnetic field dependence of ${T}_{1}$ shows a nonmonotonic behavior, where the spin lifetime first increases, then decreases, then increases again with field. The initial increase in ${T}_{1}$ is understood to be due to correlation between electrons localized on donors. The decrease in ${T}_{1}$ is likely due to phonon-related spin-orbit relaxation. The final increase in ${T}_{1}$ with $B$ indicates a suppression of the spin-orbit relaxation that may involve a level-crossing related cusp in the Rashba or Dresselhaus contributions to relaxation, or may arise from an unknown source.
Elemental analysis of particles in fungal zoospores

The elemental composition of gamma particles in zoospores ofAllomyces macrogynus andBlastocladiella emersonii was determined by use of energy dispersive X-ray analysis of glutaraldehyde fixed, thin section zoospores. Isolated preparations of gamma particles were also examined. Gamma particles contained no detectable elements. Similar sized, globular, electron dense cytoplasmic inclusions contained phosphorus and calcium. We suggest that previous studies assigning calcium and phosphorus to gamma particles may have been based on confusion of these two types of cytoplasmic inclusions.
A rate theory of gustatory stimulation.

The temporal course of the neural gustatory response suggests that the excitatory process is determined by the rate of stimulus adsorption rather than by the number of occupied sites. Description of the neural response by this rate theory is not limited to the steady-state response, but extends to description of response transients, post-excitatory depression, adaptation and cross-adaptation. This formulation also gives insights to the nature of water responses, cross-enhancement, and temperature sensitivity in the neural taste response. Relationships between response transients in neural records and psychophysical data are indicated, and the suggestion is advanced that the code for gustatory quality may be transmitted in the transient responses of individual neurons.
The effect of chair massage on stress perception of hospital bedside nurses

Summary Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a 10 min chair massage on the stress perception of hospital nurses in comparison to a routine “coffee break” during a working shift. Methods Eighty-two bedside nurses, ( M = 4 ; F = 7 8 ), mean age of 34.77±9.32, within a small, suburban hospital, participated in this study to determine the effect a 10-min on-site chair massage ( n = 4 1 ) had on their stress perception in comparison to a 10-min “coffee break” ( n = 4 1 ). The feasibility of incorporating a massage into their workload during a shift was also considered. Using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), stress perception was assessed in an experimental pre-test–post-test design and analyzed using t-tests for dependent samples. Results Stress perception was significantly lower in the massage group ( P . 0 5 ) and was not significantly changed in the control group. Also, 86% of the nurses scheduled to participate in the study were able to do so within their normal workday. Conclusion Incorporating chair massage into a nurse's hospital shift is feasible and a 10 min session reduces the stress perception of the nurse more so than the standard “coffee break”. This study focused on a one-time intervention for the 82 nurses enrolled. Further study on the longer term feasibility and effects of chair massage on this population and others in high stress professions is warranted.
CONFORMAL INVARIANCE OF EXTENDED SPINNING PARTICLE MECHANICS

Howe, Penati, Pernici and Townsend have recently considered a mechanics action with extended, local, one-dimensional supersymmetry. We show this action is conformally invariant in arbitrary spacetime dimensions, and derive the corresponding quantum mechanical restriction on the Lorentz representations it describes.
Acute urinary retention caused by a large hydrosalpinx

Urinary retention is a rare condition in women. We report a case of intermittent retention associated with severe anterior displacement of the uterus and cervix caused by a large hydrosalpinx. We also highlight the possibility of a falsely elevated post-void residual as measured by a bladder scan due to hydrosalpinx. Resolution of the patient's symptoms was documented following salpingectomy.
The History of Adolescent Medicine

The field of adolescent medicine is unique as a subspecialty in that the practice of providing care to teenagers has always been viewed historically as a responsibility of generalists. Scientific advances in subspecialty fields such as endocrinology, gynecology, gastroenterology, infectious disease, and sports medicine were incorporated with considerable success into the general practices of not only pediatricians but also internists and family practitioners. However, societal changes in the past century began to shape the way health professionals thought about adolescents and their families and significantly influenced the practice of providing health care to adolescents. The most notable change, however, was the shift from the traditional role of providing anticipatory guidance to parents toward a reduction of risk-taking behaviors aimed directly at the adolescent. The subspecialty of adolescent medicine thus emerged as an amalgam of researchers, clinicians, and educators, who, through a variety of settings, hoped to advance science, moderate public and social policy, improve health care, and stimulate health promotion to this special population of patients.
Interprocedural pointer alias analysis

We present practical approximation methods for computing and representing interprocedural aliases for a program written in a language that includes pointers, reference parameters, and recursion. We present the following contributions: (1) a framework for interprocedural pointer alias analysis that handles function pointers by constructing the program call graph while alias analysis is being performed; (2) a flow-sensitive interprocedural pointer alias analysis algorithm; (3) a flow-insensitive interprocedural pointer alias analysis algorithm; (4) a flow-insensitive interprocedural pointer alias analysis algorithm that incorporates kill information to improve precision; (5) empirical measurements of the efficiency and precision of the three interprocedural alias analysis algorithms.
Human rights, transitional justice, public health and social reconstruction

Abstract Mass violence, armed conflict, genocide, and complex humanitarian emergencies continue to create major social and public health disasters at the dawn of the 21st Century. Transitional justice, a set of policies designed to address the effects of war on traumatized communities and bring justice, lies at the nexus of public health, conflict, and social reconstruction. Despite the paucity of empirical evidence, advocates of transitional justice have claimed that it can alleviate the effects of trauma, deter future violence, and bring about social reconstruction in war-affected communities. Empirical evidence – including new data and analyses presented in this article – suggests a link between trauma, mental health and attitudes towards and responses to transitional justice programs, but there has been little theoretical discussion about the intersection between public health and transitional justice, and even less empirical research to generate discussion between these two fields. Yet, public health professionals have an important role to play in assessing the impact of transitional justice on communities affected by mass violence. In this paper, we offer a conceptual model for future research that seeks to examine the relationship between transitional justice programs and their potential value to the fields of medicine and public health and discuss the methodological issues and challenges to a comprehensive evaluation of this relationship. To illustrate the discussion, we examine new data and analyses from two cases of contemporary conflicts, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and northern Uganda.
Cell Cycle Molecular Targets in Novel Anticancer Drug Discovery

A number of potential molecular targets for novel anticancer drug discovery have been identified in cell cycle control mechanisms. Prominent among these are the regulatory proteins, cyclins and their effector counterparts the cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs). Aberrant expression of these proteins, particularly cyclins involved in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, namely the D and E cyclins, has been associated with a variety of human cancers, including breast and colorectal cancer, B-lymphoma, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer. Inhibition of CDK kinase activity has turned out to be the most productive strategy for the discovery and design novel anticancer agents specifically targeting the cell cycle. Other potentially useful cell cycle areas for exploration include cyclin-CDK interactions, Cdc25 activation of cyclin-CDK complexes, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of cyclins, cell cycle check point kinases like Chk1, and recently identified oncogenic cell cycle-related aurora and polo-like kinases. Potent specific inhibitors have been identified that bind to the ATP site of CDKs, mainly cyclin B-CDK1, cyclin A-CDK2, and cyclin D-CDK4 complexes, and inhibit kinase activity. X-ray crystallographic data of CDKs, and their complexes with inhibitors have played a major role in the success of drug discovery efforts. Combinatorial chemistry, highthroughput screening, functional genomics and informatics have also contributed. CDK inhibitors currently under investigation include flavopiridol, olomoucine, roscovitine, puvalanol B, the dihydroindolo[3,2-d][1]benzazepinone kenpaullone, indirubin-3 -monoxime and novel diaminothiazoles such as AG12275. The anticancer therapeutic potential of CDK inhibitors has been demonstrated in preclinical studies, and Phases I and II clinical trials in cancer patients are currently underway.
More Like Us: The Effect of Immigrant Generation on College Success in Mathematics†

This article investigates the impact of immigrant generation on students performance in college calculus courses and examines the extent to which the observed patterns corroborate or contradict various assimilation theories. It goes beyond past studies of the relationship between immigrant generation and mathematics achievement that focused primarily on middle and high school students and typically excluded foreign students. Our principal finding is that foreign students and the 1.25 generation earned the highest grades, on average, even after controlling for race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Our findings provide partial support for the immigrant advantage theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Chromatographic Method Validation: A Review of Current Practices and Procedures. III. Ruggedness, Re-Validation and System Suitability

Abstract Validation of analytical methodologies is an important aspect of their development/utilization and is widely required in support of industrial product development and registration. In this manuscript, ruggedness as a validation parameter is considered in terms of its definition, appropriate evaluation procedures and acceptance criteria. Additionally, the re-validation of analytical methods is discussed, strategies for the effective development and utilization of system suitability tests are described and the term “stability indiating” is defined.
Converse results on existence of sum of squares Lyapunov functions

Despite the pervasiveness of sum of squares (sos) techniques in Lyapunov analysis of dynamical systems, the converse question of whether sos Lyapunov functions exist whenever polynomial Lyapunov functions exist has remained elusive. In this paper, we first show via an explicit counterexample that if the degree of the polynomial Lyapunov function is fixed, then sos programming can fail to find a valid Lyapunov function even though one exists. On the other hand, if the degree is allowed to increase, we prove that existence of a polynomial Lyapunov function for a homogeneous polynomial vector field implies existence of a polynomial Lyapunov function that is sos and that the negative of its derivative is also sos. The latter result is extended to develop a converse sos Lyapunov theorem for robust stability of switched linear systems.
Sensitive electrochemical immunosensor for matrix metalloproteinase-3 based on single-wall carbon nanotubes

A novel electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), a cancer biomarker protein, based on vertically aligned single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) arrays is presented. Detection was based on a sandwich immunoassay consisting of horseradish peroxidase (14–16 labels) conjugated to a secondary antibody and/or a polymer bead loaded with multi-enzyme labels. Performance was optimized by effective minimization of non-specific binding (NSB) events using Bovine serum albumin (BSA), Tween-20 and optimization of the primary antibody and secondary antibody concentrations. Results provided a detection limit of 0.4 ng mL−1 (7.7 pM) for the 14–16 label sensor protocol and 4 pg mL−1 (77 fM) using a multiply enzyme labeled polymeric bead amplification strategy in 10 µL of calf serum. This immunosensor based on SWCNT arrays offers great promise for a rapid, simple, cost-effective method for clinical screening of cancer biomarkers for point-of-care diagnosis.
Effect of carbon monoxide or hypoxia on CCl4 hepatotoxicity

Abstract The exposure of rats to carbon monoxide concomitant with CCl4 vapor significantly enhanced the rise in SGPT and SGOT activities observed 24 hr after exposure to CCl4 vapors (4400 ppm) alone. However, exposure of rats to a hypoxic atmosphere (7.5% oxygen) with CCl4 vapor did not alter these parameters of CCl4 hepatotoxicity. Serum enzyme activity was not enhanced by exposure to carbon monoxide or hypoxia alone.
Effects of low temperature and terminal membrane potential on quantal size at frog neuromuscular junction.

1. Two mechanisms proposed for the quantal release of acetylcholine (ACh) are: (i) that the quanta are pre-packaged in vesicles and released by exocytosis and (ii) that the ACh is released from the cytoplasm of the nerve terminal by the opening of an ACh channel. Our experiments were designed to test aspects of these hypotheses. 2. Miniature end-plate currents (m.e.p.c.s) were reversibly decreased in amplitude and increased in duration as the temperature was decreased between 15 and 6 °C. The amplitude decreased with a Q10 of 2·4 between 15 and 11 °C, and then with a Q10 of 3 between 11 and 6 °C. The half-decay time increased with a Q10 between 4 and 5 over the entire temperature range. 3. The effect of temperature on the end-plate current (e.p.c.) in response to ionophoretically applied ACh was also studied. The e.p.c. in response to a set, sustained dose of ACh was 30% larger at 11 °C than at 15 °C, and about 10% larger at 6 °C than at 15 °C. 4. The difference in the end-plate response to brief pulses of ACh (m.e.p.c.s) and to sustained application of ACh was analysed by Dionne & Stevens (1975). The amplitude of the sustained response depends on both the number of channels opened in the end-plate, and the length of time they stay open. When our temperature data are analysed in this way, it appears that the amount of ACh/quanta acting on the end-plate is altered by less than 25% over the temperature range 15-6 °C. 5. From the experiments in which the nerve terminal membrane potential was shifted by external currents it was concluded that miniature end-plate potential amplitude was independent of the terminal membrane potential (Cooke & Quastel, 1973). This conclusion was confirmed by measuring m.e.p.c.s in low Ca2+ Ringer solution containing 2·0 and 22·0 mM-KCl; there was no consistent change in m.e.p.c. amplitude. 6. The effects of both temperature and terminal membrane potential are more readily interpreted by the vesicle than by the channel hypothesis, since for the channel hypothesis the duration of channel opening should be temperature-sensitive and the efflux of ACh+ through the terminal membrane should be potential-dependent.
Estimating the survival curve when new is better than used of a specified age

Abstract Suppose that the survival function S of a random variable X is a member of the new-better-than-used-at-age-t 0 (NBU-{t 0}) class. As defined by Hollander, Park, and Proschan (1986), S must satisfy the condition S(x + t 0) ≤ S(x)S(t 0) for all x ≥ 0. Given a random sample from S, an estimator is sought that itself belongs to the NBU-{t 0} class and has the same asymptotic optimality properties as the empirical survival curve S n . The estimator S of S, given implicitly by S(x) = min[S n (x), Ŝ(t 0)Ŝ(x - t 0)] when x ≥ t 0, with Ŝ(x) = S n (x) for x ≤ t 0, is studied. A closed-form representation for Ŝ is derived. Ŝ is shown to be a strong uniformly consistent NBU-{t 0} estimator of S that converges to S at the best possible (pointwise and mean squared) rates. The asymptotic distribution theory of Ŝ is discussed and is derived explicitly for functions S for which S(x + t 0) ≤ S(x)S(t 0) for all x > 0. Confidence procedures based on Ŝ are discussed. The final section describes the results of a simul...
Suppression of Soybean Yield Potential in the Continental United States by Plant Diseases from 2006 to 2009

Research must focus on management of diseases that cause extensive losses, especially when funds for research are limited. Knowledge of the losses caused by various soybean diseases is essential when prioritizing research budgets. The objective of this project was to compile estimates of soybean yield potential losses caused by diseases for each soybean producing state in the United States from 2006 to 2009. This data is of special interest since the 4-year period summarized in this report, permits an examination of the impact of soybean rust that was first reported in the United States in 2004. Thus, in addition to the goal of providing this information to aid funding agencies and scientists in prioritizing research objectives and budgets, an examination of the impact of soybean rust on soybean yield losses relative to other diseases is warranted. Yield losses caused by individual diseases varied among states and years. Soybean cyst nematode caused more yield losses than any other disease during 2006 to 2009. Seedling diseases, Phytophthora root and stem rot, sudden death syndrome, Sclerotinia stem rot, and charcoal rot ranked in the top six of diseases that caused yield loss during these years. Soybean yield losses due to soybean rust and Sclerotinia stem rot varied greatly over years, especially when compared to other diseases.