cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Modeling of Coordination and Coregulation Patterns in Speech Rate during Triadic Collaborative Problem Solving

We model coordination and coregulation patterns in 33 triads engaged in collaboratively solving a challenging computer programming task for approximately 20 minutes. Our goal is to prospectively model speech rate (words/sec) - an important signal of turn taking and active participation - of one teammate (A or B or C) from time lagged nonverbal signals (speech rate and acoustic-prosodic features) of the other two (i.e., A + B → C; A + C → B; B + C → A) and task-related context features. We trained feed-forward neural networks (FFNNs) and long short-term memory recurrent neural networks (LSTMs) using group-level nested cross-validation. LSTMs outperformed FFNNs and a chance baseline and could predict speech rate up to 6s into the future. A multimodal combination of speech rate, acoustic-prosodic, and task context features outperformed unimodal and bimodal signals. The extent to which the models could predict an individual's speech rate was positively related to that individual's scores on a subsequent posttest, suggesting a link between coordination/coregulation and collaborative learning outcomes. We discuss applications of the models for real-time systems that monitor the collaborative process and intervene to promote positive collaborative outcomes.
"Southwest Effect" - Decisions and Effects of Low Cost Carriers

This paper reports the findings of an empirical study of low cost airlines. The investigation centers upon low cost strategies and organization structure of three airlines in the United States over a four year period. Results show that such strategic combinations are very influential on the entire market, resulting in increased sales for all carriers and a decrease in the average fare sold. Of particular note is the role that structure plays in low cost airlines that enables success as they continue growing and competing in new geographic markets.
The Goldilocks effect: Convergence in national income distributions, 1990-2015.

Abstract Recent work shows that national income distributions are converging, with stratified nations becoming more equal and egalitarian countries becoming more unequal. I replicate this finding using more recent data from multiple sources, drawing from 3006 observations across 152 countries from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID) and 238 observations across 46 countries from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) during the 1990–2015 period. I find that a country's initial Gini is negatively related to subsequent change in the Gini (i.e., β-convergence), with egalitarian and stratified countries both drifting towards a more moderate level of inequality. I then test several theoretical explanations for this trend, including (1) sectoral transitions, (2) economic development, (3) global diffusion, (4) public sentiment, and (5) statistical bias. Overall, the results are most consistent with the latter two accounts, indicating a public aversion to, and statistical bias against, extreme levels of (in)equality. By contrast, β-convergence is not explained by sectoral transitions, nor do development or globalization appear to accelerate the process, casting doubt on alternative interpretations. Overall, the findings suggest that scholars should begin to account for convergence dynamics when modeling income distributions within nations.
Monolithic Integration of GaN Nanowire Light-Emitting Diode With Field Effect Transistor

Gallium nitride (GaN)-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are being investigated for the next generation display technology. The persistent issue, however, has been the lack of ability to integrate transistors with LEDs for control. Here, a novel vertical integration scheme is utilized to fabricate nanowire LEDs with nanowire field effect transistors (FETs) for the first time. This approach utilizes the unintentionally doped GaN template layer which is common to LED growth for the fabrication of nanowire FETs. The demonstrated voltage-controlled light-emitting unit provides area savings, scaling, and easier fabrication due to the vertical integration. For these initial nanowire devices, light modulation is demonstrated with LED turn OFF at −10 V. Due to the nanowire approach, these devices show over two times improvement in the $I_{ \mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ to $I_{ \mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle OFF}}$ ratio compared with the alternative integration schemes.
Population Dynamics of Salmonella enterica within Beef Cattle Cohorts Followed from Single-Dose Metaphylactic Antibiotic Treatment until Slaughter.

ABSTRACT Antibiotic use in cattle can select for multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica, which is considered a serious threat by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A randomized controlled longitudinal field trial was designed to determine the long-term effects of a single dose of ceftiofur or tulathromycin on Salmonella population characteristics in cattle feces and peripheral lymph nodes and on hides. A total of 134 beef cattle from two sources were divided among 12 pens, with cattle in each of the 3-pen blocks receiving a single dose of either ceftiofur or tulathromycin or neither (control) on day 0. Fecal samples were collected before treatment (day 0) and repeatedly following treatment until slaughter (day 99+). Hide and lymph node samples were collected at slaughter age. Salmonella prevalence, phenotypic antimicrobial resistance, serotype, and phylogenetic relationships were examined. Multilevel mixed logistic regression models indicated no significant effects (P ≥ 0.218) of metaphylactic antibiotics on the prevalence of Salmonella across sample types. However, there was a significant time effect observed, with prevalence increasing from spring through the midsummer months (P IMPORTANCESalmonella is a leading bacterial foodborne pathogen, causing a significant number of human infections and deaths every year in the United States. Macrolides and 3rd-generation cephalosporins play critical roles in the treatment of human salmonellosis. Use of these antibiotics in beef cattle can select for resistant bacteria that may enter the food chain or spread from the farm via manure. There is a lack of longitudinal research concerning the long-term effects of metaphylactic antibiotic administration. Here, we assessed Salmonella population dynamics during the feeding period until slaughter following single-dose antibiotic treatment. We found no long-term effects of antibiotic use early in the cattle-feeding period on Salmonella prevalence and antimicrobial resistance at slaughter. We identified the pens in which cattle were housed as the factor that contributed most to Salmonella serotypes being shared; importantly, the dominant strain in each pen changed repeatedly over the entire feeding period.
When the Ancestors Wage War: Mystical Movements and the Ethics of War and Warfare

This chapter attends to the role of communal voices—both living and ancestral—in enabling or restraining violence and agency during war. How do the practices and identities of communities shape their understanding and acceptance of violence? What within the networks of communities and their relationship to the world around them facilitates war? How do interactions with the mystical shape the morality of persons and the choices they make in wartime and peacetime? Using the Mai-Mai rebel movement of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a case study, this chapter explores the moral objective of the Congolese Five-Year War (1997–2002), as well the interplay of war and mystical practice in the moral formation of local communities.
A review article on factors affecting bone loss in dental implants

Abstract The dental implant success depends on various factors but one of the essential factors is the complete osseointegration between the bone and the implant. Incomplete or weak osseointegration may cause the implant to be mobile (micro-mobility) due to peri-implant bone loss or it may get lost. A peri-implant bone loss of greater than 1 mm in the first year and greater than 0.2 mm a year after is a failure of the dental implant. The main aim of this article is to review the various factors which predominantly affect bone loss in dental implants followed by the extent to which they contribute towards success rate of implantation. These factors have been experimentally proven to affect the rate of osseointegration and the stress distribution at the bone-implant interface. Based on available literature, it was found that the following factors were mainly responsible for bone loss: Mechanical overloading, implant- abutment connection design, implant geometry, implant position, bone density, surface finish material of the implant, and micro gap. Since bone loss is the result of various combinations of factors further research utilizing proper control of factors is necessary to draw more clear conclusions.
Young adult perspectives on their respiratory health symptoms since vaping.

Vaping among young adults (YA) has been associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes. However, key gaps remain in the literature including perspectives from YA vapers on perceived respirator...
Autoimmune pancreatitis

The purpose of this review is to provide a concise view of the existing knowledge of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) for practicing clinicians.AIP is a rare disease whose recognition and understanding are evolving.It is a type of chronic pancreatitis which often presents as obstructive jaundice,has a distinctive histology and is exquisitely sensitive to steroid therapy.This form of chronic pancreatitis has a unique clinical,biochemical,and radiological profile.The term “AIP” encompasses two subtypes:type 1 and type 2.Type 1 AIP is the pancreatic manifestation of a systemic fibro-inflammatory disease called IgG4 associated systemic diseases; type 2 AIP has been shown to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease.Existing criteria are geared towards the diagnosis of type 1 AIP.At present,pancreatic histology is a requirement for the definitive diagnosis of type 2 AIP.AIP can mimic most other pancreatic diseases in its presentation,but in clinical practice it often has to be differentiated from pancreatic cancer.There are established criteria and algorithms not only to diagnose AIP but also differentiate it from pancreatic cancer.The utility of these algorithms and the approach to management are discussed here. Key words: Pancreatitis; Autoimmune; Diagnosis; Treatment
Assessment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection and Mortality Rates Among Nursing Homes With Different Proportions of Black Residents.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disproportionately impacted nursing homes (NHs) with large shares of Black residents. We examined the associations between the proportion of Black residents in NHs and COVID-19 infections and deaths, accounting for structural bias (operationalized as county-level factors) and stratifying by urbanicity/rurality. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional observational cohort study using publicly available data from the LTCfocus, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Module, and the NYTimes county-level COVID-19 database. Four multivariable linear regression models omitting and including facility characteristics, COVID-19 burden, and county-level fixed effects were estimated. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In total, 11,587 US NHs that reported data on COVID-19 to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and had data in LTCfocus and NYTimes from January 20, 2020 through July 19, 2020. MEASURES: Proportion of Black residents in NHs (exposure); COVID-19 infections and deaths (main outcomes). RESULTS: The proportion of Black residents in NHs were as follows: none= 3639 (31.4%), <20% = 1020 (8.8%), 20%-49.9% = 1586 (13.7%), ≥50% = 681 (5.9%), not reported = 4661 (40.2%). NHs with any Black residents showed significantly more COVID-19 infections and deaths than NHs with no Black residents. There were 13.6 percentage points more infections and 3.5 percentage points more deaths in NHs with ≥50% Black residents than in NHs with no Black residents (P < .001). Although facility characteristics explained some of the differences found in multivariable analyses, county-level factors and rurality explained more of the differences. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: It is likely that attributes of place, such as resources, services, and providers, important to equitable care and health outcomes are not readily available to counties where NHs have greater proportions of Black residents. Structural bias may underlie these inequities. It is imperative that support be provided to NHs that serve greater proportions of Black residents while considering the rurality of the NH setting.
Finding a Path for Segmentation Through Sequential Learning

Sequential learning techniques, such as auto-context, that applies the output of an intermediate classifier as contextual features for its subsequent classifier has shown impressive performance for semantic segmentation. We show that these methods can be interpreted as an approximation technique derived from a Bayesian formulation. To improve the effectiveness of applying this approximation technique, we propose a new sequential learning approach for semantic segmentation that solves a segmentation problem by breaking it into a series of simplified segmentation problems. Sequentially solving each of the simplified problems along the path leads to a more effective way for solving the original segmentation problem. To achieve this goal, we also propose a learning-based method to generate simplified segmentation problems by explicitly controlling the complexities of the modeling classifiers. We report promising results on the 2013 SATA canine leg muscle segmentation dataset.
Wrongful Convictions and the Role of Forensic Science

Advances in forensic technology played a central role in securing over 300 exonerations of convicts using DNA testing, and many more criminal defendants are cleared by forensic evidence in the early stages of criminal investigations. However, a careful study of what contributes to such wrongful convictions in the first place can shed light on how forensic testing and testimony can contribute accurate information to prevent errors. This chapter presents the findings of a study of the role that the presentation of forensic evidence played in the criminal trials of DNA exonerees, in order to explore the types of flawed testimony and errors that can contribute to wrongful convictions, and the lessons that can be learned from those errors in order to strengthen the use of forensic science. Keywords: forensic science; wrongful convictions; DNA; exonerees; testimony
Natural Resources and Development

The idea that there is a “resource curse”—that countries with more natural resources tend to do poorly economically and politically—has gained widespread currency in the popular press and elsewhere. Despite the paradoxical nature of the hypothesis, in some ways it seems intuitive because one can look around the world and see many resource-rich countries that are authoritarian or seem to have squandered their wealth. Nevertheless, recent research has cast doubts on whether there is actually a relationship between natural resources and economic growth or democracy, once one has controlled for other factors. And an alternative line of research argues that natural resources do affect these economic and political outcomes, but whether they do so in a positive or negative way depends on the institutions a country has in place. That is, countries with poor economic and political institutions will suffer a “curse,” but countries with better institutions will not. In this entry, I review the foundational works on natural resources and development as well as these more recent responses, analyzing the trajectory of the literature and key issues for future research. Despite two decades of intensive research, we still have much to learn about whether developing countries will suffer or benefit in an era of increasing commodity prices and resource exploration. Keywords: natural resources; oil; economic growth; democracy; authoritarian regimes; institutions; revenue; foreign aid; grants
Teatro Chicana: A Collective Memoir and Selected Plays

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Laura E. Garcia, Sandra M. Gutierrez, and Felicitas Nunez Year: 2008 Pages: 308 Publisher: University of Texas Press ISBN: 978-0-292-71744-2 (soft cover). Prices: $27.95 USD(soft cover).
Spontaneous Acetylcholine Secretion from Developing Growth Cones of Drosophila Central Neurons in Culture: Effects of cAMP-Pathway Mutations

We describe a novel bioassay system that uses Xenopus embryonic myocytes (myoballs) to detect the release of acetylcholine from Drosophila CNS neurons. When a voltage-clamped Xenopus myoball was manipulated into contact with cultured Drosophila “giant” neurons, spontaneous synaptic current-like events were registered. These events were observed within seconds after contact and were blocked by curare and α-bungarotoxin, but not by TTX and Cd2+, suggesting that they are caused by the spontaneous quantal release of acetylcholine (ACh). The secretion occurred not only at the growth cone, but also along the neurite and at the soma, with significantly different release parameters among various regions. The amplitude of these currents displayed a skewed distribution. These features are distinct from synaptic transmission at more mature synapses or autapses formed in this culture system and are reminiscent of the transmitter release process during early development in other preparations. The usefulness of this coculture system in studying presynaptic secretion mechanisms is illustrated by a series of studies on the cAMP pathway mutations, dunce ( dnc ) and PKA-RI , which disrupt a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase and the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, respectively. We found that these mutations affected the ACh current kinetics, but not the quantal ACh packet, and that the release frequency was greatly enhanced by repetitive neuronal activity in dnc, but not wild-type, growth cones. These results suggest that the cAMP pathway plays an important role in the activity-dependent regulation of transmitter release not only in mature synapses as previously shown, but also in developing nerve terminals before synaptogenesis.
GenCos' participation in the unbundled energy market

In this document we analyze market producers' participation in the new unbundled energy market. The electricity market is in the process of unbundling the ancillary services. In a fully unbundled electricity market more extensive analysis needs to be performed given that market participation is not restricted to electricity production. Ancillary services were bundled within the integrated generation and transmission services in the vertical integrated industry. Instead of being bundled with generation and transmission, the individual services are now uniquely identified in the competitive markets. In this new market environment, the decision making process can be seen as an activity analysis problem. Market participants will need to determine the most probable and profitable future market actions based on the last known market data and market projection.
Dielectric bifocal lenses

A study has been made of the scanning properties of solid dielectric bifocal lenses. In two dimensions, a bifocal lens is a two-surface lens, symmetric about an axis, designed to collimate the rays from a primary point source lccated at either of two conjugate off-axis positions into plane waves making angles +\alpha and -\alpha respectively with the axis. A point-by-point technique used in computing the lens surfaces is discussed. Three-dimensional polystyrene lenses, each about 50 wavelengths in diameter and with \alpha = 20\deg , were built by rotating two-dimensional designs about their axes. The optical aberrations and the radiation patterns of three such lenses are described.
A LATENT VARIABLE MODEL FOR DISCRETE MULTIVARIATE PSYCHOMETRIC WAITING TIMES

A version of the discrete proportional hazards model is developed for psychometrical applications. In such applications, a primary covariate that influences failure times is a latent variable representing a psychological construct. The Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is studied as a method for performing marginal likelihood inference on the item parameters. The model is illustrated with a real data example that relates the age at which teenagers first experience various substances to the latent ability to avoid the onset of such behaviors.
Acute congestive heart failure. The need for aggressive therapy.

PREVIEWRegardless of its cause, acute congestive heart failure requires immediate treatment that centers on reducing myocardial oxygen demand and augmenting forward blood flow. In many patients, use of diuretics and vasodilators is insufficient to rapidly reverse the course of the disease. In this article, Dr Levin describes aggressive therapy using diuretics, vasodilators, catecholamines, and mechanical intervention, the combination of which may prove lifesaving.
Sympatho-adrenal hyperreactivity to footshock stress but not to cold exposure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract No significant differences in plasma levels of catecholamines were found in blood obtained via an indwelling tail artery catheter from awake, undisturbed spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) or NIH Sprague-Dawley rats. Although the blood pressures of SHR rats increased between 4 and 10 months of age, there were no changes in basal plasma catecholamine levels. Exposure to cold for 20 or 240 min resulted in significant increments in plasma catecholamine levels which were similar in SHR and WKY rats. In contrast, exposure to 5 min of inescapable footshock (2.5 mA, 0.4 sec duration, every 5 sec) produced striking increments in plasma catecholamines that were greater in SHR rats than in normotensive WKY or NIH Sprague-Dawley rats. SHR rats also exhibited greater levels of plasma corticosterone than WKY rats at 15 min after termination of footshock. Our results demonstrate that SHR rats are hyperadrenergic in their responses to some but not all forms of stressful stimulation.
Depositional and Structural Architecture of the Northwest Gulf Coast Tertiary Continental Platform: ABSTRACT

The northwestern margin of the Gulf of Mexico is a broad depositional platform constructed in the Cenozoic by terrigenous clastic sediment derived from the continental interior of North America. This platform was built onto transitional crust fringing a deep oceanic basin. Cooling and loading of stretched transitional crust by sediment infill induced flexural subsidence, producing a total Tertiary sequence exceeding 6.5 km in thickness. The large-scale depositional architecture of the platform is characterized by offlap. Successive continental margins cumulatively prograded basinward approximately 350 km from the Mesozoic margin. The combination of offlap depositional geometry and flexural subsidence produced a primary depositional unit resembling a highly flattened sigmoid, which is thickest at the position of its contemporary paleomargin. Depositional geometry and consolidation history of the continental margin and slope lead to a predictable distribution of tensional and compressional stress regimes. Mobilization of thick Jurassic salt complicates this relatively simple structural pattern along the Quaternary margin. Source terranes for this tremendous sediment influx included the southern and central cordillera and adjacent high plains, as well as the continental interior and adjacent volcanic and epeirogenic uplands. Depocenters shifted from the Houston to the Rio Grande and finally to the Mississippi embayments, reflecting contemporary tectonic events of the western North American craton. Large-scale offlap pulses recorded Laramide (late Paleocene-early Eocene) deformation of the southern cordillera, late Paleogene uplift and volcanism, and Neogene extension and epeirogenic uplift of the Rockies and adjacent high plains. Offlap of the continental platform was episodic, and most of the depositional episodes encompassed two or more depocenters. Each major offlap unit consists of several principal depositional elements, including one or more fluvial/deltaic systems and wave-dominated shore-zone systems, along with a shelf system, offlap slope sequence, and localized onlap submarine canyon and fan complexes. The correspondence of episodes with the proposed worldwide eustatic curve is relatively good in the late Neogene, when glacial eustasy became increasingly likely. However, relationships of Oligocene episodes to eustatic events are confused at best. Eustatic correlation in the older Paleogene section appears poor. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2044------------
Changes in children's social skills performance as a function of preassessment experiences

The present investigation examined the extent to which the assessment of children's social skills could be influenced by a positive affect induction experience. Thirty‐two psychiatric inpatient children, ages 6 to 12, completed behavioral and self‐report measures of social skills on two separate occasions. Prior to the second assessment, half of the children engaged in a laboratory task, unrelated to social skills, that provided a success experience designed to induce positive affect. The other half of the children were tested under standard assessment conditions without the positive‐induction experience. Children who received the positive‐induction experience showed significantly higher levels of social skills, as reflected in concrete responses (e.g., number of words spoken, motor movements) and molar behaviors (e.g., making requests, responding to provocation) and self‐reported confidence in their social behavior. The results suggest that social skills performance can be readily altered as a function o...
The Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern on Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Dietary patterns influence cardiovascular disease by inhibiting or promoting atherogenesis. Certain nutrients play key roles at different stages of this process, and the combined nutrients of a Mediterranean-style diet offer a significant source of primary and secondary disease prevention. Although current evidence does not support recommendations for or against single-nutrient supplementation, a Mediterranean-style diet should be recommended to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Current nutrition recommendations and mechanisms by which a Mediterranean-style diet impacts cardiovascular risk are described in this article.
Reservoir transport equations by compositional approach

The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the fundamental equations governing transport phenomena in compressible reservoirs. A general mathematical model is presented for important thermo-mechanical processes operative in a reservoir. Such a formulation includes equations governing multiphase fluid (gas-water-hydrocarbon) flow, energy transport, and reservoir skeleton deformation. The model allows phase changes due to gas solubility. Furthermore, Terzaghi's concept of effective stress and stress-strain relations are incorporated into the general model. The functional relations among various model parameters which cause the nonlinearity of the system of equations are explained within the context of reservoir engineering principles. Simplified equations and appropriate boundary conditions have also been presented for various cases. It has been demonstrated that various well-known equations such as Jacob, Terzaghi, Buckley-Leverett, Richards, solute transport, black-oil, and Biot equations are simplifications of the compositional model.
What should be one's moral response to the HHS "contraceptive mandate"?

AbstractThis article asks how one should morally respond to the HHS contraceptive mandate which is now law and part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This article first presents the historical background of the Obama Administration altering the government's ‘final rule’ for providing health services and protecting conscience rights. The mandate compels individuals and religious groups to provide insurance coverage for contraceptive, abortifacient, and sterilization services even though they are contrary to their values, and it narrowly defines what constitutes a religious group so fewer of them can claim exemption. Hence, the question is: Can individuals and religious groups obey the law without acting against their moral values or denying their religious identity? Using Church documents, the article answers that one cannot formally cooperate in evil but under certain conditions one can materially cooperate. The article uses the Summa Theologiae of Aquinas to explain what constitutes form...
SU-E-T-633: Predictive Factors Influencing Low-Dose Conformality in Lung SBRT

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of PTV volume, lung density, PTV shape, and proximity of an organ at risk (OAR) on lungSBRT low‐dose conformality. Methods: A phantom study was performed in the Phillips Pinnacle treatment planning system by varying the above parameters and calculating a low‐dose conformality metric, V50/V100 (ratio of the volume of the 50% isodose to the prescription isodose). To ensure consistency between data, the high‐dose conformality index (ratio of the volume of the prescription isodose to the PTV volume) was held fixed at 1.00 +\− 0.05. Seven equally‐weighted coplanar beams were delivered to a cylindrical phantom with a centrally located PTV (unit density ITV with 5mm margin). The spherical PTV volumes varied from 13–163 cc and lung density varied from 0.10–0.30 g/cm3. To assess the influence of a non‐spherical PTV shape on V50/V100, the study was repeated with elliptically‐shaped PTVs (aspect ratios ranging from 1:2 to 2:1 in the superior/inferior direction) while holding the PTV volume constant at 50 cc. Finally, the effect of a non‐spherical dose distribution on V50/V100 was evaluated by applying unequal beam weights as would be used to protect adjacent OARs. Results: V50/V100 shows strong negative correlation with mean lung density and PTV volume. Non‐ spherical PTVs and dose distributions show weaker correlation to V50/V100 except at extreme aspect ratios and low lung densities. A quantitative predictive model for low‐dose conformality was developed based on a combination power law model for PTV volume and linear model for lung density. Conclusion:. This work confirms that, in addition to known effects of PTV volume, lung density also plays a significant role in determining low‐dose conformality for lungSBRT. Future investigations on aggregate clinical data will likely observe a similar predictive model.
921-72 Catheter Management of Stenotic Fontan Baffles & Conduits

Fontan conduit or baffle stenosis may lead to elevated right sided pressures, poor exercise tolerance, chronic effussions and/or atrial arrhythmias (AA). Since these findings may also occur independently post Fontan, we report a group of 14 patients who underwent balloon dilation (BD) and/or stent placement (SP) of stenotic Fontan conduits or baffles. From 1/87 to 6/94, 18 procedures (10/18 SP; 8/18 BD) were performed in 14 patients (pts) with Fontan baffle or conduit stenosis, aged 1.3 to 39.4 years (21.6 ± 11.8 y). Diagnoses were tricuspid atresia (12/14), single ventricle (1/14) and ma laligned complete atrioventricular canal (1/14). The previous Fontan procedures included a right atrium (RA) to pulmonary artery (PA) conduit in 11, atriopulmonary anastomosis (APA) in 2 and a lateral tunnel (LT) Fontan in 1. All pts had decreased cardiac index (CI) and poor exercise tolerance; 7/14 had AA; 1/14 had chronic effussions. At catheterization, 4 pts underwent BD only. Ten pts had 13 iliac stents (30 mm) placed (12 in conduits and 1 in a stenotic APA). The balloonlvessel ratio was 3.0 ± 1.2. There was no mortality with the procedure. One pt died 1.6 y later following conversion to a LT Fontan. Complications were AA requiring cardioversion (3/14), migration of a stent to the RA (1/14) which was retrieved in the cath lab and misplacement of a stent in the proximal left PA. Following BD and/or SP: 1) mean vessel diameter increased from 7.4 mm ± 3.6 mm to 11.7 ± 4.4 (p l 0.01); 2) the mean gradient at stenotic baffle or conduit changed from 7.9 ± 6 mmHg to 2.6 mmHG ± 3.39 (p l 0.005); 3) the mixed venous saturation changed from 51% ± 11 to 59% ± 12 (p l 0.01); 4) mean RA pressures changed from 20 ± 6 mmHg to 16.6 ± 4 (p l 0.01); 5) CI changed from 1.8 ± 0.6 I/min/m2 to 2.5 ± 1.1 I/min/m2 (p l 0.06). At follow up (1.3 ± 1.1 y) 4 pts had no symptomatic improvement and underwent conduit change (1), conversion to a LT (2) and Fontan take-down (1). Eight pts had symptomatic improvement, with 2/14 lost to follow-up. Conclusion BD and/or stent placement of stenotic Fontan baffles or conduits improves hemodynamics and often provides short term symptomatic benefit.
A genotyping exercise for pharmacogenetics in pharmacy practice.

Objective. To develop a genotype exercise to improve pharmacy students’ comprehension of pharmacogenetic principles that apply to patient care. Design. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was collected during class from 10 student volunteers and subjected to genotype analysis. The results were presented to the class and discussed in the context of a patient genetic counseling session. Students completed a survey instrument regarding their attitudes toward this learning experience. Assessment. Students indicated that the exercise engaged them with the course content and would positively influence their ability to apply pharmacogenetic principles to patient care. Conclusion. An applied genotype exercise enhanced learning of pharmacogenetic principles. Based on these findings, conducting a genotype exercise in a large classroom setting is feasible in terms of time and expense, and meaningful in terms of student satisfaction.
Cathodoluminescence of thorium in the presence of O2, CO and gas mixtures of CO-O2 and CO-H2

Abstract The cathodoluminescence (2–6 keV incident electrons) observed from thorium (111) and (533) crystal faces was recorded and analyzed for surfaces produced under various conditions. The blue luminescence observed in the presence of a partial oxygen pressure ∼ 133 μPa (∼10-6 Torr) was found to consist of a broad asymmetric major band that peaked around 468 nm on which weak bands or lines were superimposed at approximately 433, 489, 502, and 534 nm. The emission was almost totally extinguished in the presence of a partial CO pressure ∼ 133 μPa (∼10-6 Torr). The thorium-oxygen cathodoluminescence (CL) is interpreted as arising from the formation of ThO2 and the excitation of luminescence centers by the incident electron beam and their subsequent decay. The major luminescence at 468 nm arises from F centers in ThO2. The weak bands at 433 and 534 nm may arise from surface F+ and F centers designated as F+s and Fs. The former may also be due to an OH luminescence center. The two longer wavelength lines (489, 502 nm) superimposed on the broad major band at approximately 468 nm are interpreted as arising from Pr3+ impurities in the thorium lattice that gave rise to fluorescence emission. The line at 468 nm also may be due in part to the fluorescence of ThO. The cathodoluminescence spectra observed in the presence of CO, and (CO+O2) and (CO+H2) gas mixtures were consistent with an interpretation that O2 in the gas phase was required in order to obtain ThO2 on and below the surface to produce significant luminescence. Auger spectroscopy showed that exposure to CO left approximately as much oxygen on the surface as in the case of O2 but did not produce appreciable cathodoluminescence.
Interferometric contrast between resonant coherent anti-Stokes Raman sattering and nonresonant four-wave mixing

Utilizing interferometry, we distinguish between resonant CARS and nonresonant four wave mixing, a pernicious problem of CARS microscopy. An optical parametric amplifier creates a coherent reference beam to demodulate the temporal CARS signal from acetone, sensitive to its concentration.
Deficient lung surfactant apoproteins in amniotic fluid with mature phospholipid profile from diabetic pregnancies.

An enzyme-linked immunoassay to quantitate lung surfactant apoproteins (15 to 250 ng/ml) in human amniotic fluid is described. The immunoassay was used to quantify lung surfactant in 72 samples of amniotic fluid, for which lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios, lecithin and phosphatidylglycerol concentrations, and foam stability indices were also available. The results obtained with the immunoassay were in general agreement with those of the other methods. Measurement of the apoproteins, however, may be a better predictor of fetal lung immaturity and of respiratory distress syndrome than the L/S ratio and the concentration of lecithin. This conclusion is based on the data obtained in the analyses of samples of amniotic fluid from four diabetic and five nondiabetic pregnancies, the infants of which developed respiratory distress. In all cases, the apoprotein concentration was
Abridgment of lightning investigation on transmission lines

The surge voltage investigations, 1926 and 1927, are briefly reviewed, and data given for 1928 and 1929. The cathode ray oscillograph has played a prominent part in the last two year's work, and about 115 oscillograms have been obtained. The following new instruments were introduced in 1929: Lightning stroke recorders; field intensity recorder; and rate of change of field intensity recorder. A vast amount of progress has been made in the solution of the lightning problem. Personnel, equipment, and technique are available for the complete solution of the problem by means of field and laboratory studies, carried on simultaneously and supplementing each other.
Abnormal properties of creatine kinase in Alzheimer's disease brain: Correlation of reduced enzyme activity and active site photolabeling with aberrant cytosol-membrane partitioning

The report shows that Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain creatine kinase (CK) is modified such that the nucleotide binding site of CK is blocked and that abnormal partitioning of CK between the soluble and pellet fractions occurs. First, CK activity was 86% decreased in AD brain homogenates in comparison to age-matched controls. Secondly, over a 23.5 fold greater 32P photoincorporation of [alpha 32P]8N3ATP was observed into CK of control vs. AD samples. Also, a 7.4-fold increase of enzyme induced 32P incorporation was observed in controls vs. AD samples by incubation with [gamma 32P]ATP. Thirdly, Western blot analysis showed that CK copy numbers in the AD homogenate were decreased by less than 14% in comparison to controls. However, analysis showed that control supernatant and pellet fractions contained 10.3 and 0.4 times the CK copy number found in the corresponding AD fractions. 32P incorporation by both photolabeling and enzyme catalyzed incorporation of radiolabel followed CK activity and not CK copy number. Further, [alpha 32P]ADP and [gamma 32P]ATP incorporated 32P into control brain and purified brain CK equally well, indicating that a mechanism different from gamma-phosphoryl transfer is involved in the enzymatic incorporation of radiolabel. Also, the level of abnormal partitioning of CK into AD brain pellet correlated with the decreased [32P]8N3GTP photolabeling and abnormal partitioning of beta-tubulin, a protein known to be aberrantly modified in the AD brain. This indicates that a common chemistry is affecting both CK and tubulin in AD.
Evaluation and differential diagnosis of marked, persistent eosinophilia

Hyperosinophilic syndromes (HES) are a group of heterogeneous disorders many of which remain ill-defined. By definition, the HES must be distinguishedfrom other disorders with persistently elevated eosinophilia with a defined cause. Although marked eosinophilia worldwide is most commonly caused by helminth (worm) infections, the diagnostic approach must include noninfectious (nonparasitic) causes of marked eosinophilia as well.
Safety considerations for fixed-line and wireless network service

For the majority of the last century single service fixed-line based networks were the primary means of communications. Over the past few decades, we have seen tremendous change to the traditional fixed-line model including the introduction of wireless networks and a shift in focus from single-service to multi-service networks. These newer multiservice networks are designed to provide broadband via both fixed-line and wireless connections. All of this rapid change has resulted in very complex network management organizations and safety issues that are distinct to each network type. This paper will provide a survey and discussion of the safety issues that relate to fixed-line, fiber optics and wireless networks. It will examine how the infrastructure service model is drastically different between traditional fixed-line service providers and wireless service providers. Finally, it will explore issues and regulations relating to buried telecommunications plant.
The dynamics and internal geometry of the three-city noxious location problem

A logarithmic potential function is used to model the noxious facility location problem and a closed-form solution (in terms of radicals) is given for locating a noxious facility within the convex hull of three cities. The location of the facility is chosen to coincide with the critical (or saddle-) points of the logarithmic potential function. Since the logarithmic potential function is harmonic, the maximum and minimum solutions will lie on the boundary of the region under consideration and will not coincide with the critical points of the function. It is shown that only in the three-city case can an exact formula be obtained for the critical points; i.e., determining the critical points within four or more cities will necessarily lead to an approximate solution. Algorithmic procedures to solve for the n-city problem, however, are available and are discussed. The geometry of the critical points associated with the logarithmic potential is examined in detail for the three-city case. Using a classical result on the geometry of complex zeros, a constructive approach is used to parameterize the conic sections associated with these points. A computer implementation of the parameterization is given, and by varying certain ''coefficients of toxicity'' associated with each city point, the behavior of the complex zeros are examined.
Raman-excited spin coherences in nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond

Raman-excited spin coherences were experimentally observed in nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) diamond color centers by means of nondegenerate four-wave mixing and electromagnetically induced transparency. The maximal absorption suppression was found to be 17%, which corresponds to 70% of what is possible given the random geometric orientation of the N-V center in diamond. In the context of quantum computing in solids, this level of transparency represents efficient preparation of quantum bits, as well as the ability to perform arbitrary single-quantum-bit rotations.
Reflections, spinors, and projections on a Minkowski space underlie Dirac's equation

Abstract Reflections and spinors on a Minkowski space are obtained by the methods of Cartan. The group of all such reflection transformations has as its subgroup the Poincare group of Lorentz transformations. Two types of spinors are shown to exist for a Minkowski space. Spinor reflections and Lorentz transformations exist for both types of spinors. Associated with these spinors are two Hermitian, orthogonal projection operators which together spectrally resolve the identity operator of a two-dimensional complex vector space. These spinors and their associated projection operators are applied to find the structure of a 4 × 4 matrix G which is equivalent to the relativistic conservation law of the energy and momentum of a single moving particle. These spinor-calculus procedures demonstrate that G is singular of rank 2, and as a consequence the solutions of G θ = 0 consists of all bispinor elements of the null space of G. This equation and its solutions are equivalent to those of Dirac's quantum-mechanical equation of an electron in the Fourier domain of frequency and wavenumber. Finally some properties of 2-spinors and 4-spinors found herein are shown to extend naturally to n dimensions.
Ascertaining activities in a subject area through bibliometric analysis. Application to library literature

A combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses were used on the journal articles indexed in one vollume of Library Literature. Findings include: the dispersion of articles among journals followed a Bradford-type distribution except for a “collapse” at the end, possibly showing low level of interaction of librarianship with other fields; considerable proportion of articles was of news-type; administration was the largest single subject covered. The methodology may be appropriate for analysis of activities in other fields.
Recruiting and engaging smokers in treatment in a primary care setting: developing a chronic care model implemented through a modified electronic health record.

Almost 35 million U.S. smokers visit primary care clinics annually, creating a need and opportunity to identify such smokers and engage them in evidence-based smoking treatment. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a chronic care model of treating tobacco dependence when it is integrated into primary care systems using electronic health records (EHRs). The EHR prompted primary care clinic staff to invite patients who smoked to participate in a tobacco treatment program. Patients who accepted and were eligible were offered smoking reduction or cessation treatment. More than 65 % of smokers were invited to participate, and 12.4 % of all smokers enrolled in treatment—30 % in smoking reduction and 70 % in cessation treatment. The chronic care model developed for treating tobacco dependence, integrated into the primary care system through the EHR, has the potential to engage up to 4.3 million smokers in treatment a year.
Probing interfacial chemistry of single droplets with field-induced droplet ionization mass spectrometry: physical adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ozonolysis of oleic acid and related compounds.

The recently developed technique of field-induced droplet ionization (FIDI) is applied to study interfacial chemistry of a single droplet. In a new variation of the FIDI method, 1−2-mm-diameter droplets hang from a capillary and undergo heterogeneous reactions between solution-phase analytes and gas-phase species. Following a specified reaction time, the application of a high electric field induces FIDI in the droplet, generating fine jets of highly charged progeny droplets that are characterized by mass spectrometry. Sampling over a range of delay times following exposure of the droplet to gas-phase reactants, the spectra yield the temporal variation of reactant and product concentrations. We illustrate the technique with three examples: the adsorption of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon naphthalene into a water−methanol droplet, the ozonolysis of oleic acid, and localization of the carbon−carbon double bond within a lysophosphatidic acid. Gas-phase naphthalene reacts with 80% methanol−20% water drop...
Addressing Controversies in Science Education: A Pragmatic Approach to Evolution Education.

Science education controversies typically prove more intractable than those in scientific research because they involve a wider range of considerations (e.g., epistemic, social, ethical, political, and religious). How can educators acknowledge central issues in a controversy (such as evolution)? How can such problems be addressed in a way that is ethically sensitive and intellectually responsible? Drawing in part on pragmatic philosopher John Dewey, our solution is politically proactive, philosophically pragmatic, and grounded in research. Central to our proposal is (1) steps toward creating a philosophical “total attitude” that is democratic, imaginative, and hypothetical; (2) a deeper understanding of how scientific theories can be pragmatically true; and (3) an assessment of differing pedagogical approaches for teaching evolution in the classroom.