cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uptake of P32 and Primary Productivity in Marine Benthic Algae1

The rate of uptake of tracer P32 from normal sea water and the primary productivity of seven species of large intertidal benthic algae were measured simultaneously in light and dark bottles suspended in a running seawater aquarium under constant light and temperature. Per cent uptake of P32 per hour per gram biomass was similar in the light and dark for a given species, but markedly different between species. In the extremes of the series the relative rate of uptake was 25 times greater in Cladophora than in Fucus. Both the uptake rate and gross productivity were proportional to the surface-per-volume ratio in the series of species. These data suggested that when environmental concentration of phosphorus is low, as is usual in the sea, it is absorbed at a rate related to the inherent surface area features of the alga, high surface-to-volume ratio increasing the rate of uptake as well as increasing the ability of a given biomass of plant to fix energy under favorable light conditions. Therefore, under these conditions uptake is related to potential productivity and not to the current metabolic level.
Quantification of Large Scale Micro-X-Ray Fluorescence Elemental Images:

Niobium is commonly alloyed with uranium to prevent surface oxidation, and determining how the niobium concentration is distributed throughout a sample is useful in explaining observed material properties. The niobium concentration distribution was determined across the surface of depleted uranium samples using micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF). To date, MXRF has been employed primarily as a qualitative tool for determining relative differences in elemental concentrations across a sample surface. Here, a process was developed to convert qualitative MXRF niobium distribution images from depleted uranium samples into images displaying concentration values. Thus, MXRF was utilized to determine elemental concentrations across a surface in a manner similar to that of the established method of electron microprobe X-ray analysis (EMPA). However, MXRF can provide such information from relatively large sample areas many cm2 in size that are too large to examine by the higher spatial resolution technique of EMPA. Although the sample surfaces were polished to the same degree as the standards, little or no sample preparation should be necessary for sample systems where a high energy analyte XRF line can be used for imaging.
Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Adolescents Entering Child Protective Services

Abstract Study Objective Persons aged 15-24 years have the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Adolescents in protective services custody may be at even greater risk of acquiring STIs, but little is known about the prevalence of STIs among this population. We therefore set out to assess the prevalence of STIs among adolescents seen in the Harris County Child Protective Services Clinic. Design A retrospective chart review from January 2009 to December 2011 was conducted. Setting and Participants Patients aged 12-18 years seen for their intake physical examination at the Harris County Child Protective Services Clinic in Houston, Texas. Main Outcome Measures Main outcome measures included the number of positive tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV. Secondary measures included sexual history, use of condoms and contraception, and reports of drug and alcohol use. Results Among 437 patients, 60% were female, their mean age was 15 years, and nearly half were African American. There were 27 cases of chlamydia, 12 of gonorrhea, 3 of syphilis, and none of HIV. Three of the teenagers who reported never having sex were positive for an STI. Being female, being older than 15 years, and having had sexual intercourse at least once were significant risk factors. Conclusion The prevalence of STIs in adolescents entering foster care was comparable to national averages. Recommending routine screening of all adolescents in this population is important to ensure better detection and treatment.
A STUDY OF CHROME AND DIASPORE MIXES1

The history, development, and properties of chrome and diaspore brick are discussed. The plan for this investigation was the determination of (1) softening points of various mixes, all of which withstood cones 33 to 34, (2) workability of mixtures, wherein it was found that bars of soft mud were workable with difficulty while no trouble was experienced with dry-press, (3) porosity and shrinkage on reheating; slag action and spalling. Increasing the proportion of diaspore increased the shrinkage while the absorption remained about the same in all cases. Various slags from different sources were used in the investigation, and it was found that a small per cent of finely-ground chrome ore cut down slag action on diaspore while the addition of diaspore to chrome increased its resistance to spalling action; conversely, the addition of finely-ground chrome to diaspore increased its resistance to spalling action.
Reproductive coordination in a nonseasonally breeding primate species, Macaca silenus

Varying types of reproductive coordination among females have been described for several mammals. Among nonhuman primates, female reproductive coordination has usually been described as breeding seasonality, or in few cases, closer synchrony within the breeding or birth season. We examined birth records from a large captive colony of lion-tailed macaques, Macaca silenus, a nonseasonally breeding species, in order to determine the degree of female reproductive synchrony in this population. Births were nonrandomly distributed over the 10-year study period. Of the total of 28 births, the majority (21 or 75 %) of births occurred in cohorts, in spite of wide variations in interbirth intervals among cohort birth mothers. Cohorts consisted of two to five infants born within a 90-d period or less. Of the remaining 7 “isolated” births, four were in the three years in which only one or two births occurred. The pattern of cohort births was nonrandomly distributed according to mother's parity: three of the isolated births were to primiparous mothers, whereas only one of the 21 cohort births was to a primiparous mother. Estrous synchrony results showed that females in the longer-established of two groups exhibited greater synchrony, suggesting social facilitation of reproductive coordination. It is thus suggested that synchrony in this sample was the result of social rather than ecological mechanisms, as has been hypothesized for some other mammalian species.
Plato: a genetic algorithm approach to run-time reconfiguration in autonomic computing systems

Increasingly, applications need to be able to self-reconfigure in response to changing requirements and environmental conditions. Autonomic computing has been proposed as a means for automating software maintenance tasks. As the complexity of adaptive and autonomic systems grows, designing and managing the set of reconfiguration rules becomes increasingly challenging and may produce inconsistencies. This paper proposes an approach to leverage genetic algorithms in the decision-making process of an autonomic system. This approach enables a system to dynamically evolve target reconfigurations at run time that balance tradeoffs between functional and non-functional requirements in response to changing requirements and environmental conditions. A key feature of this approach is incorporating system and environmental monitoring information into the genetic algorithm such that specific changes in the environment automatically drive the evolutionary process towards new viable solutions. We have applied this genetic-algorithm based approach to the dynamic reconfiguration of a collection of remote data mirrors, demonstrating an effective decision-making method for diffusing data and minimizing operational costs while maximizing data reliability and network performance, even in the presence of link failures.
PSA response to finasteride challenge in men with a serum PSA greater than 4 ng/ml and previous negative prostate biopsy: preliminary study

Abstract Objectives. To determine, in a prospective study, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response to finasteride challenge in men with a serum PSA greater than 4 ng/mL who had undergone previous biopsy. Patients with a serum PSA level greater than 4 ng/mL who have undergone repeated prostate biopsy with prostate cancer (CaP) that was not detected present a diagnostic dilemma. The magnitude of PSA reduction after administration of finasteride has been well documented. In addition, doubling of the PSA value after 1 year of finasteride has been touted to be a more useful paradigm for diagnosing CaP than PSA alone. Methods. Thirty-eight men with a baseline serum PSA level greater than 4 ng/mL and a normal digital rectal examination who had been previously biopsied a minimum of two times, with CaP not detected, were given 5 mg finasteride daily. The PSA level was measured at 6 and 12 months with repeat transrectal ultrasonography and biopsy (12 cores) performed at 1 year. Changes in prostate volume, serum PSA, PSA density, and the incidence of CaP at 1 year were assessed. Results. The mean age of the group was 60.5 years (±7.6). For the group, the average number of previous biopsies performed was 2.9 (range 2 to 6). The baseline PSA level for the entire group was 6.32 ng/mL (±3.2), and the baseline prostate volume was 37.3 cm 3 (±12.4). At 1 year, the PSA level had decreased to 3.73 ng/mL (−41.0%), and the prostate volume had decreased to 30.4 cm 3 (−18.5%). In the 11 men (29%) in whom CaP was detected, the serum PSA decreased from 7.3 to 5.2 ng/mL (−28.8%) and the prostate volume decreased from 37.3 to 32.3 cm 3 (−13.4%). CaP was detected in 0 of 10 men with a serum PSA decrease of 50% or higher, in 6 (32%) of 19 men with a PSA decrease between 33% and 50%, and in 5 (56%) of 9 men who had a PSA decrease of less than 33%. Conclusions. The data in this preliminary study suggest that the magnitude of change in serum PSA after 1 year of finasteride challenge may be useful in diagnosing CaP in patients with elevated PSA levels and prior negative prostate biopsy.
Smooth Contact Mode Capacitive Pressure Sensor with Polyimide Diaphragm

Capacitive (C) pressure sensors typically sense a quadratic change in C as a pressure difference (P) deflects a flexible conducting membrane near a rigid ground plane. Touch-mode capacitive pressure (C-P) sensors, where the conducting membrane touches a dielectric coated ground plane, often show a more linear response, but at the expense of a lower sensitivity, particularly at low-P. Initial contact of the membrane often occurs at a critical P, and until reached, the sensitivity is typically too low for accurate measurements. Two different types of electrode shapes with "parabolic" and "donut" cavities, have been designed, fabricated and tested to achieve high-sensitivity at low pressures, which is critical for many emerging BioMEMS applications. Both cavity shapes permit initial contact at a zero pressure differential. The sensitivity obtained in these sensors is ~25 pF/kPa for pressure less than 1 kPa, and ~3 pF/kpa for pressure larger than 10 kPa, which is several order magnitudes higher than standard C-P sensors.
Entry, Descent, and Landing Operations Analysis for the Stardust Re-Entry Capsule

On the morning of January 15, 2006, the Stardust capsule successfully landed at the Utah Test and Training range in northwest Utah returning cometary samples from the comet Wild-2. An overview of the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) trajectory analysis that was performed for targeting during the Stardust Mission Navigation Operations Phase upon final approach to Earth is described. In addition, how the predicted landing location and the resulting overall 99 percentile landing footprint ellipse obtained from a Monte Carlo analysis changed over the final days and hours prior to entry is also presented. The navigation and EDL operations effort accurately delivered the entry capsule to the desired landing site. The final landing location was 8.1 km from the target, which was well within the allowable landing area.
Schema for Motor Control Utilizing a Network Model of the Cerebellum

This paper outlines a schema for movement control based on two stages of signal processing. The higher stage is a neural network model that treats the cerebellum as an array of adjustable motor pattern generators. This network uses sensory input to preset and to trigger elemental pattern generators and to evaluate their performance. The actual patterned outputs, however, are produced by intrinsic circuitry that includes recurrent loops and is thus capable of self-sustained activity. These patterned outputs are sent as motor commands to local feedback systems called motor servos. The latter control the forces and lengths of individual muscles. Overall control is thus achieved in two stages: (1) an adaptive cerebellar network generates an array of feedforward motor commands and (2) a set of local feedback systems translates these commands into actual movements.
A microscopic study of the marmoset claw and nail

W. E. Le Gros Clark concluded in his study of the problem of the primate claw that the essential difference between claw and nail is the presence of a terminal matrix associated with a deep layer in the claw, whereas neither terminal matrix nor deep layer exists in the nail. He demonstrated that the marmoset claw (which tips every digit except the hallux) has a thin deep layer and a recognizable terminal matrix. The present paper reports and discusses evidence that the marmoset nail also has a deep layer and terminal matrix. Although the importance of these structures in the claw is not disputed, it appears that these can no longer be considered absolute differences between claw and nail. On the basis of this evidence, it cannot be claimed that the presence of the deep layer and terminal matrix determines the distinctive shape of the claw as opposed to the nail.
Flower tracking in hawkmoths: behavior and energetics

As hovering feeders, hawkmoths cope with flower motions by tracking those motions to maintain contact with the nectary. This study examined the tracking, feeding and energetic performance of Manduca sexta feeding from flowers moving at varied frequencies and in different directions. In general we found that tracking performance decreased as frequency increased; M. sexta tracked flowers moving at 1 Hz best. While feeding rates were highest for stationary flowers, they remained relatively constant for all tested frequencies of flower motion. Calculations of net energy gain showed that energy expenditure to track flowers is minimal compared to energy intake; therefore, patterns of net energy gain mimicked patterns of feeding rate. The direction effects of flower motion were greater than the frequency effects. While M. sexta appeared equally capable of tracking flowers moving in the horizontal and vertical motion axes, they demonstrated poor ability to track flowers moving in the looming axis. Additionally, both feeding rates and net energy gain were lower for looming axis flower motions.
Batch Throughput Efficiency of ADCCP/HDLC/SDLC Selective Reject Protocols

The batch throughput efficiency is studied for three variants on selective reject protocols that operate in a full duplex asynchronous response mode and that adhere to the common architectural features of ADCCP, HDLC, and SDLC. In these architectures, the receiver of information frames may use the REJ supervisory frame to request the sender of information frames to back up to an earlier point in the send sequence. Alternatively, the receiver of information frames may issue the SREJ supervisory frame, which requests resending of a single previous information frame followed by continuation of the ongoing send sequence. The first protocol discussed here uses SREJ as the principle method for recovering lost frames but reverts to REJ recovery if certain combinations of errors occur. The second protocol uses SREJ as the only means for recovery. The third protocol uses SREJ for "isolated" frame losses; if a second frame loss occurs within a specified time after the first, then recovery of the first loss is done by REJ. Results plotted for transmission via satellite at 1.544 Mbits/s show that the selective reject protocols permitted by the current versions of ADCCP, HDLC, and SDLC outperform the simpler REJ protocol only for bit error rates in a narrow range. Thus, it may be worthwhile to consider modifications to these architectures that will permit more flexible selective reject protocols.
Alleviation of Histone H1-Mediated Transcriptional Repression and Chromatin Compaction by the Acidic Activation Region in Chromosomal Protein HMG-14

Histone H1 promotes the generation of a condensed, transcriptionally inactive, higher-order chromatin structure. Consequently, histone H1 activity must be antagonized in order to convert chromatin to a transcriptionally competent, more extended structure. Using simian virus 40 minichromosomes as a model system, we now demonstrate that the nonhistone chromosomal protein HMG-14, which is known to preferentially associate with active chromatin, completely alleviates histone H1-mediated inhibition of transcription by RNA polymerase II. HMG-14 also partially disrupts histone H1-dependent compaction of chromatin. Both the transcriptional enhancement and chromatin-unfolding activities of HMG-14 are mediated through its acidic, C-terminal region. Strikingly, transcriptional and structural activities of HMG-14 are maintained upon replacement of the C-terminal fragment by acidic regions from either GAL4 or HMG-2. These data support the model that the acidic C terminus of HMG-14 is involved in unfolding higher-order chromatin structure to facilitate transcriptional activation of mammalian genes.
Further evidence of low baseline cortisol levels in suicide attempters

Abstract Background Many, but not all studies of suicide attempters' cortisol response to stress-either social stress or pharmacological challenge-report an exaggerated response. Recent studies of resting baseline cortisol in past suicide attempters, however, have found lower baseline levels. Methods In this study, baseline salivary cortisols were obtained prior to a stress procedure from adults with lifetime diagnoses of a mood disorder ( N =69), 31.9% of whom had made a prior suicide attempt. Data were collected during the piloting of this stress procedure, at various times of day and with/without an additional confederate in the room. Results Adjusting for procedural, demographic and clinical variables that affect salivary cortisol levels-including time of day of sampling, order of procedure with respect to other assessments, past alcohol abuse, current medication use, and bipolar diagnosis-past suicide attempters had lower baseline cortisol levels compared to non-attempters. Limitations This is a pilot study with modest sample sizes using statistical, rather than experimental control of numerous variables affecting salivary cortisol levels. Conclusions Results confirm previous studies. Low baseline cortisol levels have been associated with childhood adversity and externalizing disorders, suggesting a potential role in reducing inhibitions for risky and dangerous behaviors. Further research is needed to more fully characterize these associations and their role in suicidal behavior risk.
Multiple Arterial Coronary Bypass Grafting: Likely Better, But Not Yet a Mandate.

There is increasingly compelling evidence of the advantages of multiple arterial bypass grafting compared with the use of a single arterial conduit [(1–4)][1]. In this issue of the Journal , Habib et al. [(5)][2] have made another contribution to the weight of this evidence. There are, however,
Chapter IV A Roll Tube Method for Cultivation of Strict Anaerobes

Publisher Summary This chapter presents factors that are considered in developing stringently anaerobic techniques and in describing the procedure and rationale of roll-tube method. A roll-tube method was developed in which agar medium was distributed as a thin layer over the internal surface of test tubes charged with an anaerobic atmosphere for the isolation of obligately anaerobic bacteria of the rumen. In the roll-tube method, exposure of bacteria and culture medium to air is avoided by displacing the air in the culture vessel with an oxygen-free gas, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, or mixtures of these gases. Carbon dioxide is the gas of choice because it is heavier than air, relatively cheap, and valuable in buffering. Vessels are stoppered under conditions preventing access of air. The cultures require no special incubators and can be removed and examined with no anaerobic precautions if kept stoppered. If opened, anaerobiosis can be continuously maintained during necessary manipulations, and the culture again closed without exposure to oxygen.
Phylogeography and evolution of the Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber)

Phylogeographic studies frequently result in the elevation of subspecific taxa to species given monophyly, or the synonymy of subspecies that are not monophyletic. However, given limited or incongruent datasets, retention of subspecies can be useful to describe hypothesized incipient species or to illustrate interesting biological phenomena driving morphological diversity. Four subspecific taxa have been used to describe largely allopatric geographic variation within the species Pseudotriton ruber, a plethodontid salamander occupying stream and spring habitats across eastern North America: P. r. vioscai occurs in lowland Coastal Plain habitats, while P. r. ruber, P. r. nitidus, and P. r. schencki occupy upland regions in and around the Appalachian Mountains. Pseudotriton ruber co-occurs through its distribution with the aposematic newt Notophthalmus viridescens, and both species are hypothesized to be part of a Mullerian mimicry complex. In this study, we sequenced regions of two mitochondrial (cytochrome b, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2) and one single copy nuclear protein-coding gene (pro-opiomelanocortin) from individuals sampled across much of the distribution of P. ruber and then used maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference to test the monophyly of subspecies, reconstruct biogeographic history, and make inferences about morphological evolution. Phylogeographic hypotheses from mitochondrial and nuclear datasets described structure among populations of P. ruber which separated Coastal Plain and upland Appalachian populations, but subspecies were not monophyletic. Biogeographic reconstruction estimated the ancestor of all populations to have occupied and initially diverged in the Coastal Plain during the Pliocene (∼3.6mya), before one lineage subsequently invaded upland areas of Appalachia. Bold bright coloration of high elevation subspecies P. r. nitidus and P. r. schencki appears to have evolved twice. We hypothesize that the Mullerian mimicry complex with N. viridescens and P. ruber may provide a selective mechanism driving the co-evolution of striking bright and dull morphological variation among populations of both species. While P. ruber subspecies were not consistent with our criteria for diagnosing species (monophyly) and therefore could not be elevated to species, we advocate for the retention of subspecies because they describe hypotheses about an incipient species (P. r. vioscai) and how Mullerian mimicry may shape morphological diversity of species.
Efficient embedded learning for IoT devices

The pervasiveness of IoT devices will usher an unprecedented growth in the amount of digital data produced and consumed. Realizing the rich class of applications enabled by IoT devices requires large-scale machine learning systems to analyze, organize and draw inferences from data. State-of-the-art machine learning algorithms are highly compute and data intensive, posing significant computational challenges across the spectrum of computing devices, from low-power client devices to the cloud. As benefits due to semiconductor technology scaling diminish, addressing the computational gap requires identifying new sources of computing efficiency. We highlight 3 approaches viz. machine learning accelerators, approximate computing and post-CMOS technologies that demonstrate significant promise in bridging the efficiency gap. Such technologies may be instrumental in enabling machine learning based IoT applications to enter the mainstream.
Thermodynamics of Hydrogen Solution and Diffusion in Oxidized and Unoxidized Pd–W Alloys

Equilibrium hydrogen isotherms have been measured from 423 to 523 K for two fcc Pd–W alloys, Pd0.98W0.02 and Pd0.96W0.04, over H content ranges available up to pH2 ≈ 0.10 MPa. ΔHH and ΔSH values have been determined from the H2 isotherms as a function of the H content of the alloys. After measurement of the isotherms, the Pd0.98W0.02 and Pd0.96W0.04 alloys were internally oxidized. The H2 solubilities in the internally oxidized alloys were measured and evidence is given for the formation of H-bronzes, HxWO3, from the nanosized WO3 precipitates within the Pd matrix. Pd–W alloy membranes prepared for H diffusion measurements were partially internally oxidized in order to improve their resistance toward gaseous contaminants. An equation has been derived to obtain the H diffusion constant for the inner, unoxidized alloy layer within the three layer membrane resulting from internal oxidation. This equation has been applied to data for the two internally oxidized Pd–W alloys. Activation energies and pre-exponen...
An Ovarian Ascorbic Acid Depletion Factor in Starch Gel Preparations Following Electrophoresis.

SummarySupernatant suspensions from homogenized starch gel used in electrophoresis had significant ovarian ascorbic acid depletion (OAAD) activity when injected into immature, pseudopregnant, female rats. Heating of the suspension increased the OAAD activity. The possibility of interference to the OAAD assay for LH by other OAAD-active substances is considered.
Computationally efficient Toeplitz-constrained blind equalization based on independence

Bussgang algorithms for blind equalization (BE) are well-known techniques that use known constellation properties of the source symbols. BE has also been based on independent component analysis (ICA) methods, where independence of the symbols is exploited. When channel outputs are processed in blocks, as in the ICA algorithms, extra computational cost is incurred for matrix operations. In this paper we propose a computationally efficient Toeplitz-constrained BE algorithm based on independence. We show how the FFT can be applied for computation efficiency, and also how blockwise sample cross-correlation computations can be efficiently approximated. For sources with independent I/Q components this constraint can be imposed for phase recovery. Our proposed algorithms yield relatively fast convergence without high computational cost.
What did Sundaria read? Hindi books from Bareilly, c. 1870

The Rohilkhand Literary Society, Bareilly, a voluntary association comprising Muslims and Hindus, printed seven instructional books for women in the 1870s. The Bareilly books are a measure of the v...
Role of the endothelium in modulating the vascular response to sepsis.

Sepsis and its associated syndromes (Table 1, Fig. 1) represent a potentially devastating systemic inflammatory response estimated to occur in 1% of hospitalized patients, 10-20% of whom die. Mortality approaches 60-90% in those who develop septic shock [l-31, a figure that has changed little since intensive care was first developed, despite improvements in monitoring and supportive techniques. Recent re-evaluation of the clinical definitions of sepsis has emphasized the importance of the host response to the insult rather than the virulence of an infecting organism. This constellation of clinical and haematological findings occurring in critically ill patients is associated with positive identification of an infecting causative agent in less than 50% of cases [4]. The term systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) has therefore emerged as a useful definition of the resulting clinical state [S]. Apart from redefining sepsis, recent clinical investigations have emphasized the central role of sepsis-induced circulatory failure in the pathophysiology of multiple organ failure (MOF) (Table 2), which carries an especially poor prognosis [6, 71. Our aim is to highlight the part played by the endothelium in this process. Oxygen is the most supply-dependent substrate in the circulation, but stores relative to consumption are the lowest of any metabolite. This knowledge, combined with technology allowing invasive haemodynamic monitoring and measurement of blood oxygen saturation, has led to the use of oxygen transport variables (Table 3) as indices of cardiovascular and metabolic function [8]. In critically ill patients with sepsis [9] there is thought to be an abnormal relationship between oxygen uptake ( VO,) and delivery (DO,), resulting in a state of pathological ‘supply-dependency’ [lo] (Fig. 2). Patients admitted to an intensive care unit who demonstrate this pattern of supply-dependency have a higher mortality than those who do not [ l l , 121. This tendency and the apparent inability of the peripheral tissues to extract oxygen has led a number of investigators to advocate active manipulation of Do, to achieve pre-determined target levels of VO,. It has subsequently been shown [13, 141 that critically ill patients in whom supraphysiological targets for cardiac output (CO), Do, and VO, are attained have a lower incidence of MOF and mortality. Pathophysiological mechanisms that may account for impaired peripheral oxygen uptake associated with sepsis include: loss of microvascular control with shunting, tissue oedema, compression of capillaries and microembolization [l5, 161. One major problem with the strategy of increasing DO, in order to increase VO, is that regional differences in blood flow probably occur [17, 181. Hence the expected increase in VO, in areas with the greatest oxygen debt may be prevented by a disrupted microcirculation. The effects of failure of the functional and structural integrity of the endothelium that characterize SIRS are most obvious in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which complicates up to
Therapeutic use of colony stimulating factors for established neutropenic fever

The hematopoietic growth factors granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are approved only for prophylaxis of infectious complications secondary to the use of chemotherapy, yet both are often used off-label therapeutically in conjunction with antibiotics following the onset of neutropenic fever. Several recent trials have evaluated the use of CSFs as adjuncts to antibiotic therapy for the management of patients presenting with neutropenic fever following chemotherapy administration. Statistically significant reductions in days of neutropenia by one or two days were observed in some trials but the clinical significance of these results is uncertain. Most trials demonstrated no reductions in duration of hospitalization, number of days of fever, or mortality. Given the current lack of data supporting the use of CSFs as adjuncts to antibiotic therapy in patients presenting with neutropenic fever, and given the high cost of these drugs, their use for this indication is not recommended at this time.
Recent applications of liquid metals featuring nanoscale surface oxides

This proceeding describes recent efforts from our group to control the shape and actuation of liquid metal. The liquid metal is an alloy of gallium and indium which is non-toxic, has negligible vapor pressure, and develops a thin, passivating surface oxide layer. The surface oxide allows the liquid metal to be patterned and shaped into structures that do not minimize interfacial energy. The surface oxide can be selectively removed by changes in pH or by applying a voltage. The surface oxide allows the liquid metal to be 3D printed to form free-standing structures. It also allows for the liquid metal to be injected into microfluidic channels and to maintain its shape within the channels. The selective removal of the oxide results in drastic changes in surface tension that can be used to control the flow behavior of the liquid metal. The metal can also wet thin, solid films of metal that accelerates droplets of the liquid along the metal traces .Here we discuss the properties and applications of liquid metal to make soft, reconfigurable electronics.
The feasibility and acceptability of a chaplain-led intervention for caregivers of seriously ill patients: A Caregiver Outlook pilot study.

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is one of the chronic diseases that have an increasing prevalence, and ALS patients are dependent on others and nursed by their relatives at home rather than at a hospital. The aim of this study was to determine the home-care needs and life quality of the patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the care-burden and quality of life of caregivers, and the efficacy of nursing education given to caregivers in line with their needs. Methodology: Thirty patients and thirty caregivers participated in the study. This study employed a single-group, quasi-experimental, pretest–posttest design with repeated measures. The data of the study were gathered through Daily Living Activities Scale (ADL Scale), Duke Health Profile (DUKE), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and a demographic data form. The educational needs of caregivers were determined through the use of the cards prepared by the method of card sorting. The relationship between the variables was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Diagnostic group differences in variables were assessed using student t-test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post Hoc test. Cluster analysis was done in order to evaluate the questions on the cards. Results: The mean CBI scores of the caregivers participated in the study were found between 60.13 ± 23.93 and 53.23 ± 25.12, and their mean DUKE scale scores were found between 18.07 ± 5.97 and 20.07 ± 4.07. The mean ADL scale scores of the patients and caregivers ranged from 20.13 ± 10.34 to 20.07 ± 4.07. 76.7% of the patients were male, 90.0% of the caregivers were female. Conclusion: It was found that the training given on the subjects of patient care for which a need was felt by caretakers does not decrease the high burden of care.
Visual Loss and Other Visual Disturbances

Visual loss, though frequently due to primary ophthalomologic problems, has many important neurologic causes. Localization of visual loss requires detailed knowledge of the neuroanatomy of the visual system. Key sites in the visual pathways include the retina, optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, optic radiations, and occipital cortex. The important components of examination are measurement of visual acuity, pupillary reactions, visual fields, and funduscopy. These data allow definition of visual loss as monocular, bitemporal, homonymous, or complete. Disorders discussed in this chapter include optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathies, and posterior cerebral artery infarction. In addition, visual-behavioral syndromes including alexia without agraphia, Anton syndrome, Balint syndrome, and the visual agnosias are reviewed.
Using Decomposition Kinetics to Model the Removal of Mine Water Pollutants in Constructed Wetlands

Although numerous mathematical models have been used to describe decomposition, few, if any, have been used to model the removal of pollutants in constructed wetlands. A steady-state model based on decomposition kinetics and reaction stoichiometry has been developed which simulates the removal of ferrous iron entering wetlands constructed for mine drainage treatment. Input variables for the model include organic matter concentration, reaction rate coefficient, porosity and dry density, and hydraulic detention time. Application of the model assumes complete anaerobic conditions within the entire substrate profile, constant temperature, no additional organic matter input, and subsurface flow only. For these ideal conditions, model simulations indicate that wetlands constructed with readily decomposable substrates rich in organic carbon are initially capable of removing far greater amounts of iron than wetlands built with less biodegradable substrates. However, after three to five years of operation this difference becomes negligible. For acceptable long-term treatment performance, therefore, periodic additions of decomposable organic matter will be required.
Quantification of Blood Pressure Changes in the Vascular Compartment When Using an Anti-Reflux Catheter during Chemoembolization versus Radioembolization: A Retrospective Case Series.

Abstract Purpose To assess whether blood pressure changes in the downstream vascular compartment are greater with transarterial chemoembolization than transarterial radioembolization (TARE) when using an anti-reflux catheter. Materials and Methods The Surefire Infusion System (Surefire Medical, Inc, Westminster, Colorado) was used for lobar and sublobar administration in 51 drug-eluting embolic transarterial chemoembolization and 55 TARE procedures (22 with resin microspheres [TARE/resin] and 33 with glass microspheres [TARE/glass]). Of patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization and TARE/glass, 97% had hepatocellular carcinomas; 87% of patients receiving TARE/resin had metastases. The absolute (mm Hg) and relative (%) changes in the systemic-hepatic arterial pressure difference (SHAPD) were calculated from simultaneous blood pressure measurements obtained from the femoral artery vascular sheath and the antireflux catheter before, after, and, when feasible, during transarterial chemoembolization or TARE. Results Transarterial chemoembolization was associated with a significant reduction in SHAPD compared with TARE (13 mm Hg ± 1.7 vs −4.3 mm Hg ± 1.5; P P = .0035). Conclusions Hepatic arterial pressures in the treated vascular compartment increased more after transarterial chemoembolization than after TARE, suggesting that transarterial chemoembolization resulted in more embolic obstruction of the targeted vascular compartment than TARE.
Dual-Task Does Not Increase Slip and Fall Risk in Healthy Young and Older Adults during Walking

Dual-task tests can identify gait characteristics peculiar to fallers and nonfallers. Understanding the relationship between gait performance and dual-task related cognitive-motor interference is important for fall prevention. Dual-task adapted changes in gait instability/variability can adversely affect fall risks. Although implicated, it is unclear if healthy participants' fall risks are modified by dual-task walking conditions. Seven healthy young and seven healthy older adults were randomly assigned to normal walking and dual-task walking sessions with a slip perturbation. In the dual-task session, the participants walked and simultaneously counted backwards from a randomly provided number. The results indicate that the gait changes in dual-task walking have no destabilizing effect on gait and slip responses in healthy individuals. We also found that, during dual-tasking, healthy individuals adopted cautious gait mode (CGM) strategy that is characterized by reduced walking speed, shorter step length, increased step width, and reduced heel contact velocity and is likely to be an adaptation to minimize attentional demand and decrease slip and fall risk during limited available attentional resources. Exploring interactions between gait variability and cognitive functions while walking may lead to designing appropriate fall interventions among healthy and patient population with fall risk.
Why majority-minority cities form: non-White municipal incorporation in the United States, 1990–2010

Forty-four majority-minority cities formed in the United States between 1990 and 2010. Why did these cities form in Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native-American majority and other non-White communities?...
Discrimination among pre-school children: Field experimental evidence

Social scientists for years have documented the pervasiveness of discrimination in product and labor markets. While the literature has recently attempted to measure the nature of such discrimination, much less work has been done exploring the origins of discrimination. We make a modest step in this direction by reporting data from a field experiment attempting to measure discrimination amongst 3–5 year olds. Using a design that isolates discriminatory behaviors in economic games, we find that both White and Hispanic children send more resources to Black children than White children, whereas black children send equal amounts. This provides a first glimpse that suggests preferences amongst the young do not show similar patterns as preferences of adults.
How Reliable Are Raman Spectroscopy Measurements of Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) has garnered attention for its tunable chemical, electrical, and optical properties. An integral part of the efforts to manipulate and improve the performance of GO is the ability to reliably characterize its complex structure. Raman spectroscopy and confocal Raman mapping are widely used for insight into the extent of GO’s nanoscale graphene-like domains, the degree of lattice order, and its sheet stacking structure. It has also been reported, however, that laser sources, similar to those used for Raman spectroscopy, can be used to intentionally reduce and ablate GO. In light of this, it is unclear how invasive Raman measurements of GO are and how reliable published Raman data is. In this study, we employ Raman laser doses spanning 4 orders of magnitude to investigate the impact of Raman measurements on GO structure. We find that GO undergoes reduction at all practical laser doses, with the degree of reduction increasing with dose. Lattice damage and ablation dominate at high laser do...
David Oliver: Junior doctors' working conditions are an urgent priority.

A health service is nothing without its clinical workforce. The biggest existential threat to the NHS is a failure to retain existing clinicians or attract enough new ones. This damages morale, burns out those who stay, and compromises care quality.1 For junior doctors, the workforce crisis is becoming critical. We must act now to tackle it or reap the consequences for years. The length of training means that there’s no reserve of ready replacements. Juniors are a precious human resource that we shouldn’t casually alienate or squander. Their intellect, skills, and UK training are eminently exportable—right out of the NHS. Fewer trainees today means fewer GPs or consultants tomorrow, and we are already failing to fill many consultant …
Some task demands induce collapsing bounds: Evidence from a behavioral analysis

Traditional models of choice-response time assume that sensory evidence accumulates for choice alternatives until a threshold amount of evidence has been obtained. Although some researchers have characterized the threshold as varying randomly from trial to trial, these investigations have all assumed that the threshold remains fixed across time within a trial. Despite decades of successful applications of these models to a variety of experimental manipulations, the time-invariance assumption has recently been called into question, and a time-variant alternative implementing collapsing decision thresholds has been proposed instead. Here, we investigated the fidelity of the collapsing threshold assumption by assessing relative model fit to data from a highly constrained experimental design that coupled a within-subject mixture of two classic response time paradigms—interrogation and free response—within a random dot motion (RDM) task. Overall, we identified strong evidence in favor of collapsing decision thresholds, suggesting that subjects may adopt a dynamic decision policy due to task characteristics, specifically to account for the mixture of response time paradigms and motion strengths across trials in the mixed response signal task. We conclude that time-variant mechanisms may serve as a viable explanation for the strategy used by human subjects in our task.
THE ISOPEROXIDASES OF CUCURBITA PEPO L.

ABSTRACT. Using a technique for the simultaneous separation of anodic and cathodic isozymes in polyacrylamide gel slabs, 351 accessions of Cucurbita pepo squash were surveyed for peroxidase differences. At pH 9 four different anodic and three different cathodic banding patterns were observed involving a total of 14 different isoperoxidase bands. Three of the anodic patterns were found to be due to combinations of two codominant alleles designated Px 1 1 and Px 1 2 . The Px 1 2 allele produced a single peroxidase band while Px 1 1 produced a cluster of four. None of the isoperoxidase differences were associated with detectable morphological differences.
Patterns of disaster commemoration in long‐term recovery

The postdisaster landscape is replete with memorials that help communities collectively remember destructive events and recover psychologically. Although commemoration is intrinsic to all stages of...
Highlights from the scientific and educational abstracts presented at the ASER 2013 Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course.

The American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) 2013 Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course offered dedicated learning sessions, oral presentations, and digital exhibits on a broad spectrum of topics in emergency radiology, including traumatic and nontraumatic emergencies, quality, communication, education, and technology. This article highlights the scientific and educational abstracts presented at the meeting (Emergc Radiol 20:345–378, 2013).
Positive Correlation between P Wave Analysis and Severity of Heart Failure with Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction

Purpose Two separate studies by Morris et al. in 1964 and then He at al in 2017 were able to show a direct relationship between P wave analysis and valvular heart disease and ischemic stroke, respectively. We hope to continue this progress by establishing a relationship between P wave morphology, duration, PR interval, and P wave terminal force with the severity of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction in our patient population. Methods We retrospectively analyzed a specific subset of patients who were admitted to the hospital for decompensated heart failure. These patients were classified into either the HFpEF or the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) group after transthoracic echos were reviewed, with Syngo, using the current ASE guideline for diastolic dysfunction. Their admission ECGs were also reviewed, using MUSE, with specific attention paid to P wave analysis. We manually measured their p wave duration in sec, PR interval in sec, P wave morphology, and P wave height. The P wave terminal force was then calculated for each patient. All these patients were then compared to patient without any systolic or diastolic dysfunction (control group). Results Our analysis showed a statistically significant correlation with specific P wave analysis in the each subgroup of heart failure patients, when compared to our control group. Patient's with HFpEF had a higher incidence of a parabolic p wave shape (p=0.04), while patient's with HFrEF had a higher incidence of bifid p wave shape (p=0.045). We also noted a significantly higher terminal force by over 11% in both our analysis group compare to control (HFpEF 11.9% vs HFrEF 11.3%; p=0.05). The terminal force cut off for each subgroup was higher than previously noted in prior studies. Subanalysis also yielded a direct correlation with terminal force and severity of heart failure in both HFpEF and HFrEF with a strong, positive, relative linear relationship (Pearson Correlation of 0.609 and r of 0.63) likely suggesting more severe remodeling of the atria as LV function declines. Conclusion Our retrospective analysis suggests another non-invasive diagnostic tool via P wave analysis from an EKG to help diagnose different forms of heart failure, such as HFpEF and HFrEF. Concurrently, calculation of the p wave terminal force can also help determine the severity of both systolic and diastolic heart failure.