cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Often Are Physicians Screening for Firearms in the Home During Inpatient Pediatric Admissions for Common Diagnoses

Title How often are physicians screening for firearms in the home during inpatient pediatric admissions for common diagnoses? Purpose/Objective Firearm-related injuries remain a top cause of death in American children and adolescents. The 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics Gun Violence Policy Recommendations recommend that pediatricians incorporate questions about the presence and availability of firearms into their patient history taking and urge parents who possess guns to prevent access to these guns by children. No studies have measured rates of screening for firearms in the inpatient setting. …
Training for Channel Estimation in Nonlinear Multi-Antenna Transceivers

Recent efforts to obtain high data rates in wireless systems have focused on what can be achieved in systems that have nonlinear or coarsely quantized transceiver architectures. Estimating the channel in such a system is challenging because the nonlinearities distort the channel estimation process. It is therefore of interest to determine how much training is needed to estimate the channel sufficiently well so that the channel estimate can be used during data communication. We provide a way to determine how much training is needed by deriving a lower bound on the achievable rate in a training-based scheme that can be computed and analyzed even when the number of antennas is very large. This lower bound can be tight, especially at high SNR. One conclusion is that the optimal number of training symbols may paradoxically be smaller than the number of transmitters for systems with coarsely-quantized transceivers. We show how the training time can be strongly dependent on the number of receivers, and give an example where doubling the number of receivers reduces the training time by about 37 percent.
ESTIMATING AGE-SPECIFIC HAZARD RATES OF INFECTION FROM CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONS

Mathematical models of pathogen transmission in age-structured host populations, can be used to design or evaluate vaccination programs. For reliable results, their forces or hazard rates of infection (FOI) must be formulated correctly and the requisite contact rates and probabilities of infection on contact estimated from suitable observations. Elsewhere, we have described methods for calculating the probabilities of infection on contact from the contact rates and FOI. Here, we present methods for estimating the FOI from cross-sectional serological surveys or disease surveillance in populations with or without concurrent vaccination. We consider both continuous and discrete age, and present estimates of the FOI for vaccinepreventable diseases that confer temporary or permanent immunity.
Direct Absorption Solar Radiation Collection Systems

The present article discusses the direct (solar radiation) absorption collection system concepts. A number of different solar energy collection systems such as shallow solar ponds, volume trap, free-flow, black liquid and central receiver are reviewed. The emphasis in the discussion is on basic concepts and not on practical design and operating features of the systems. Since direct absorption collectors have received much less research and development effort than, for example, flat-plate collectors the technology is not well developed, and research needs are identified.
Mixed Motives Insider Trading

If you trade securities on the basis of careful research, then you are a brilliant and shrewd investor. If you trade on the basis of a hot tip from your brother-in-law, an investment banker, then you are a criminal. What if you trade for both reasons? There is no single answer, thanks to a three-way circuit split. Some courts would forgive you according to your lawful trading motives, some would convict you in keeping with your bad motives, and some would hand the issue to the jury. Sometimes called the “awareness/use” debate or the “possession/use” debate, the proper treatment of mixed motive traders has occupied dozens of law review articles over the last thirty years. This Article demonstrates that courts and scholars have so far followed the wrong reasons to the wrong answers. Instead, this Article takes trader motives seriously, drawing on insights and solutions from the broader jurisprudence of mixed motive. This analysis generates a new legal test and demonstrates the test’s superiority.
Oncogenetic Network Estimation with Disjunctive Bayesian Networks: Learning from Unstratified Samples while Preserving Mutual Exclusivity Relations

Cancer is the process of accumulating genetic alterations that confer selective advantages to tumor cells. The order in which aberrations occur is not arbitrary, and inferring the order of events is a challenging problem due to the lack of longitudinal samples from tumors. Moreover, a network model of oncogenesis should capture biological facts such as distinct progression trajectories of cancer subtypes and patterns of mutual exclusivity of alterations in the same pathways. In this paper, we present the Disjunctive Bayesian Network (DBN), a novel cancer progression model. Unlike previous models of oncogenesis, DBN naturally captures mutually exclusive alterations. Besides, DBN is flexible enough to represent progression trajectories of cancer subtypes, therefore allowing one to learn the progression network from unstratified data, i.e., mixed samples from multiple subtypes. We provide a scalable genetic algorithm to learn the structure of DBN from cross-sectional cancer data. To test our model, we simulate synthetic data from known progression networks and show that our algorithm infers the ground truth network with high accuracy. Finally, we apply our model to copy number data for colon cancer and mutation data for bladder cancer and observe that the recovered progression network matches known biological facts.
Algal pathway towards meeting United Nation’s sustainable development goal 6

Recent reports have pointed out that, at the current rate of development, the world will fail to meet Goal 6 of the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure the availabilit...
Simulating meteoric and mixing zone carbonate diagenesis with a two-dimensional reactive transport model

Meteoric and mixing-zone diagenesis can dramatically alter the geochemical signatures of shallow marine carbonates. Most preserved pre-Cretaceous carbonates were deposited in shallow marine environments and thus may have been susceptible to meteoric and mixing-zone diagenesis. However, a quantitative understanding of how the geochemical composition of carbonates changes during diagenesis still requires further development. Here, we present a new two-dimensional (2D) reactive transport model coupled with a 2D coastal hydrology model to simulate carbonate diagenesis and provide insights into its impact on the isotopic and elemental compositions of carbonates in the geological record. Using this model, we have simulated the stratigraphic trends and relationship between isotopic records (for example, δ13C and δ18O values) observed in modern (Recent-Miocene) sections where the impact of meteoric diagenesis has been clearly characterized. Our model can also reproduce anomalous Neoproterozoic carbonate geochemical profiles where the effects of meteoric diagenesis have been debated. Further, our model indicates that linear carbonate C-O isotope co-variations can either be generated in the mixing zone between freshwater and marine pore waters, or in the freshwater phreatic zone with a downward decrease in recrystallization (with no net carbonate dissolution or precipitation) rate. In addition, numerous processes were observed to decouple δ18Ocarb values from other isotopic and elemental signatures during carbonate diagenesis, indicating that a lack of linear correlation between δ18Ocarb values and other geochemical variables does not necessarily suggest limited meteoric alteration. Sensitivity analyses show that the steady-state timescale is controlled by compositional differences between fluid endmembers, the calcite-water element distribution coefficient, the recrystallization rate, porosity, and the groundwater discharge rate. Given that reactive transport models have proven to be powerful theoretical tools in many disciplines of Earth sciences, our hope is that this model will promote a more quantitative understanding of meteoric and mixing zone diagenesis of marine carbonates.
Undergraduate Student Led Research: An Applied Anthropology Course as a Community-Based Research Firm

Increasingly, undergraduate students desire hands-on learning experiences to prepare them for life after graduation. Research experience at the undergraduate level unlocks a key skill set students need and desire in terms of its anthropological value and also the value of transferable, critical thinking skills. This article explores the creation and continued development of my Applied Anthropology course which relies heavily on community-engaged research and community-engaged pedagogy. The course is structured as if participants are an independent, community-based research “firm” that has been contracted by a local community agency to undertake research on their behalf. Students manage every aspect of the project including developing data collection tools, seeking Institutional Review Board ethics approval, collecting and analyzing data, and ultimately preparing a technical report, policy recommendations, and presentation for the client. In addition, I will discuss the benefits to both students and community partners (including practical research experience and, in some cases, already implemented policy suggestions) as well as some of the challenges to this approach including time, capacity, and commitment. I conclude by reflecting on my role as mentor during this process and provide suggestions for those who would like to create a similar research experience for their own students.
Prospect of Direct Benefit in Pediatric Trials: Practical Challenges and Potential Solutions.

Clinical research in pediatric patients is necessary to develop safe and effective medicines for children. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) human subject protection regulations (21 Code of Federal Regulations 50, subpart D) require that, with limited exceptions, research in children that exceeds a defined level of risk must offer a prospect of direct benefit to the individual child that is sufficient to justify those risks. Growing attention to the merits of initiating pediatric clinical trials earlier in the drug and biological product development process has led the FDA to look more closely at the meaning of the regulatory term prospect of direct benefit. In collaboration with the FDA, the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy convened a workshop with leading experts in the fields of biomedical ethics, pediatric clinical research, and pediatric product development, as well as patient representatives, to discuss the FDA’s approach to characterizing prospect of direct benefit in the context of scientific advances in product development. Workshop topics included the extrapolation of adult efficacy data to children, use of nonclinical models of disease, use of modeling and simulation to support pediatric dosing, and reliance on biomarkers and surrogate end points in clinical research. Discussion from the workshop is provided herein to communicate the challenges that investigators, industry sponsors, regulators, and institutional review boards face when evaluating pediatric research and to outline several approaches to maximize prospect of direct benefit, minimize unnecessary risks and burden, and facilitate timely access to safe and effective medicines for children.
Abstract LB134: The rexinoid MSU-42011 enhances dendritic-T cell cross talk in a HER2 positive model of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) was considered an immunologically silent tumor, however recent findings suggest that immune cells present in the tumor microenvironment play important roles in tumor growth. Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are a subclass of nuclear receptors that act as ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate a variety of cellular processes including proliferation and differentiation. Rexinoids are synthetic molecules that bind and activate RXRs. Bexarotene (Targretin®) is the only rexinoid approved by the FDA and is used for the treatment of refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Other more potent rexinoids have been synthesized, such as LG100268 and LG101506, which will not be tested in clinical trials because of intellectual property issues. Because recent studies have suggested that RXRs are involved in immune regulation, we synthesized novel rexinoids and selected MSU-42011 as a lead compound. MMTV-neu mice with tumors approximately 32 mm3 in volume were treated with control diet or MSU-42011 (100 mg/kg diet) for 10 days. Rexinoid treatment significantly (p=0.0069) reduced tumor fold change normalized to initial volume from 8.33 in controls to 4.80 on treatment. Analysis of the tumor by flow cytometry showed no significant differences in the major immune populations, such as T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. However, expression of PDL1 was increased in CD11c+, MHC-II+ dendritic cells (5484 vs 7140 MFI, p=0.0456), suggesting engaged dendritic cells in activating cytotoxic T cells. To further elucidate the cross talk between dendritic and T cells, cytokines associated with T cell recruitment and activation were analyzed by RT-PCR. Tumor treated with MSU42011 had a 38.5 fold increase in IL12a expression (p=0.011, n=4), and a 20.8 fold increase in CCL9 (p=ns, n=4), suggesting that dendritic cells are actively recruiting and activating T cells. The activation of cytotoxic T cells was confirmed by a 75.5 fold increase in interferon gamma (p=0.0026, n=4) and a decrease of FOXP3 expression (p=ns, n=4). To test if the effects seen in tumor reduction were dependent on the presence of T cells, CD4 and CD8 were depleted. Depletion of CD4 alone, but not CD8, reversed the tumor reduction induced by MSU-42011. These results show that RXR agonists can be used to modulate immune cell populations in the tumor microenvironment, specifically by recruiting and activating dendritic cells that then activate cytotoxic T cells. We thank the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for support of these studies. Citation Format: Ana Sofia Leal, Sarah Carapellucci, Karen T. Liby. The rexinoid MSU-42011 enhances dendritic-T cell cross talk in a HER2 positive model of breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr LB134.
Near-Complete Response to Combined Pembrolizumab and Platinum-Doublet in a Patient With STK11/KRAS Mutated Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma

Clinical Practice Points • STK11 has been recently reported to be associated with primary resistance to PD-(L1)1 axis inhibitors. • We report a case of near-complete response to first-line pembrolizumab/platinum-doublet regimen in a patient with KRAS/STK11-mutant advanced lung adenocarcinoma. • Our case highlights that STK11 should not be used to select patients for PD(L)-1 blockade therapy, especially with used together with chemotherapy until further prospective validation and clarification of interactions with other biomarkers such as TMB and PD-L1.
Towards improving sustainability of rail transport by reducing traffic delays at level crossings: A case study for the State of Florida

Abstract Rail transport makes a significant contribution to the economy of many geographical locations around the globe. Along with numerous merits, rail transport has some demerits as well, such as traffic delays and safety issues at level crossings. Traffic delays at level crossings have various negative impacts, including economic losses, increasing number of violations because of delays, queue spillbacks at the adjacent intersections, and environmental impacts. This study reviews a number of level crossing delay estimation approaches found in the literature. Based on the state-of-the-art review and practical considerations, a new approach for estimation of the overall traffic delay per day at level crossings with the existing warning devices is proposed to improve the sustainability of rail transport. Moreover, in order to assist with the selection of countermeasures for level crossing upgrades, the proposed approach can be also used to estimate the overall traffic delay per day at level crossings after implementation of countermeasures. A case study is conducted for the public and private level crossings in the State of Florida, considering the countermeasures commonly used in the United States. It was revealed that traffic delays were higher at the public level crossings than at the private level crossings, both before and after implementation of the candidate countermeasures. The case study also indicated that low-cost countermeasures could be more advantageous in terms of safety effectiveness and traffic delays as compared to many high-cost conventional countermeasures. Furthermore, certain attributes of the level crossings in Florida with the highest traffic delays were investigated.
Homological characterization of bounded F2-regularity

Abstract Semi-regular sequences over F 2 are sequences of homogeneous elements of the algebra B ( n ) = F 2 [ X 1 , . . . , X n ] / ( X 1 2 , . . . , X n 2 ) , which have as few relations between them as possible. It is believed that most such systems are F 2 -semi-regular and this property has important consequences for understanding the complexity of Grobner basis algorithms such as F4 and F5 for solving such systems. In fact even in one of the simplest and most important cases, that of quadratic sequences of length n in n variables, the question of the existence of semi-regular sequences for all n remains open. In this paper we present a new framework for the concept of F 2 -semi-regularity which we hope will allow the use of ideas and machinery from homological algebra to be applied to this interesting and important open question. First we introduce an analog of the Koszul complex and show that F 2 -semi-regularity can be characterized by the exactness of this complex. We show how the well known formula for the Hilbert series of a F 2 -semi-regular sequence can be deduced from the Koszul complex. Finally we show that the concept of first fall degree also has a natural description in terms of the Koszul complex.
Monitoring of Ion Purity in High-energy Implant via RBS

Abstract The UAlbany Dynamitron is used for high-energy ion implantation as well as for routine materials analysis. Its ion source can be run using any one of fourteen different gases, leading to concerns of contamination during an implantation. The system has the usual well-calibrated mass-separation using a magnetic analyzer. A pre- or post-implant mass spectrum through this analyzer can give a useful understanding of unintended ions within the source beam, but it does not provide direct identification for such ions as CO or diatomic nitrogen-14 when implanting silicon-28. Since these possible components have the same momentum and charge (i.e. +1), the beamline mass separator will transmit them all. Because backscattered ions from the mass-separated beam will have only atomic scattering, this allows for element detection following the breakup of any molecular ion components. The verification system consists of a back-angle particle detector along with a movable temporary target consisting of a very thin film of gold on a carbon or silicon substrate. The backscattered spectrum can then be analyzed for the presence of unwanted elements. While this does not provide for removal of the unwanted components, it does provide for the identification and measurement of the problem. We show the physical layout, software and extra details necessary for successful use of the technique.
Heparin Cofactor IIOslo: Mutation of Arg-189 to His Decreases the Affinity for Dermatan Sulfate

Abstract Heparin and dermatan sulfate increase the rate of inhibition of thrombin by heparin cofactor II (HCII) approximately 1000-fold by providing a catalytic template to which both the inhibitor and the proteinase bind. A variant form of HCII that binds heparin but not dermatan sulfate has been described recently in two heterozygous individuals (Andersson, T.R., Larsen, M.L., and Abildgaard, U. (1987) Thromb. Res. 47, 243-248). We have now purified the variant HCII (designated HCIIOslo) from the plasma of ne of these individuals. HCIIOslo or normal HCII (11 nM) was incubated with thrombin (9 nM) for 1 min in the presence of heparin or dermatan sulfate. Fifty percent inhibition of thrombin occurred at 26 micrograms/ml dermatan sulfate with normal HCII and greater than 1600 micrograms/ml dermatan sulfate with HCIIOslo. In contrast, inhibition of thrombin occurred at a similar concentration of heparin (1.0-1.5 micrograms/ml) with both inhibitors. To identify the mutation in HCIIOslo, DNA fragments encoding the N-terminal 220 amino acid residues of HCII were amplified from leukocyte DNA by the Taq DNA polymerase chain reaction and both alleles were cloned. A point mutation (G----A) resulting in substitution of His for Arg-189 was found in one allele. The same mutation was constructed in the cDNA of native HCII by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant HCIIHis-189 reacted with thrombin in the presence of heparin but not dermatan sulfate, confirming that this mutation is responsible for the functional abnormality in HCIIOslo.
Cognitive Absorption: Its antecedents and effect on user intentions to use technology

Information Technology represents a substantial investment for many corporations and constitutes a significant aspect of organizational work. However, its value is realized only when information systems are utilized by their intended users in a manner that contributes to the strategic and operational goals of the firm. Although there has been a plethora of studies done on the centrality of beliefs in outcomes such as attitudes and usage, few studies examined how these beliefs are formed. Towards this effort, this paper examines the effect of cognitive absorption on information technology usage. A theoretical model is developed which extends the cognitive absorption model by including normative influence as an additional antecedent of cognitive absorption. This model was then empirically tested on students using Microsoft Access application.
Child, Family, State, and Gender Equality in Religious Stances and Human Rights Instruments: A Preliminary Comparison

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recently began its third decade. Why has the United States still not ratified the CRC, celebrated as the most widely ratified international human rights treaty in history? Once again, this question is on the table: Congressional resolutions that President Obama should not transmit the CRC to the Senate for advice and consent rapidly followed intimations that the Obama Administration had some qualms about the U.S. keeping company only with Somalia in not ratifying it. Some scholars contend that enlisting the unique resources of religions would help to ground a culture of human rights and address the paradox of impressive human rights declarations coupled with gross violations. If enlisting religion as a resource could close the gap between rhetorical declarations and children’s lives, then this chapter identifies one stumbling block. Prominent conservative religious organizations vehemently oppose the CRC because it threatens, rather than reinforces, religious conceptions of the natural family and of the proper ordering of child, family, and state - and of gender. The CRC and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, they hold, threaten parental, cultural, religious, and national sovereignty and deny sex difference. This chapter focuses on how the normative vision of the natural family held by several conservative Christian organizations in the United States - Concerned Women for America, the Heritage Foundation, the Family Research Council, the Howard Center, and the World Congress of Families - shapes this opposition, even as they praise earlier human rights declarations for recognizing the protection that society and state owe the family. Strikingly, this vision also clashes with contemporary political and constitutional values of sex equality. As one step in a larger comparative project, I compare the stance articulated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which converges with these groups in some respects but diverges notably in others.
Large-Scale Social Surveys, Analysis of

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by E. Zanutto, A. Gelman, volume 12, pp. 8386–8392, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Feasible Center of Mass Dynamic Manipulability of humanoid robots

Locomotion stability of a humanoid robot is closely related to the capacity to regulate its Center of Mass (CoM) motion. In this paper, the Feasible Center of Mass Dynamic Manipulability (FCDM) is introduced and analyzed as a measure of this capacity. The effects of posture, joint velocities and gravity on the torque-bounded dynamic manipulability ellipsoid are first analyzed on an n-DOF planar humanoid robot with single-foot support. The ellipse orientation has a linear relationship with the ankle angle, and its shape is independent on the ankle angle. Furthermore, three common and important ground-contact constraints - the unilateral contact-force constraint, the friction constraint, and the Center of Pressure constraint - are incorporated in the derivation of FCDM. It shows geometrically how each of the three constraints shrinks the original torque-bounded manipulability polytope and affects the maximum achievable CoM acceleration in different directions. Finally, a push recovery task was simulated to show that a robot's posture affects the feasible range of the CoM acceleration in a specific direction.
The FrameNet tagset for frame-semantic and syntactic coding of predicate-argument structure

This paper presents the syntactic and semantic tags used to annotate predicate-argument structure in the Berkeley FrameNet Project. It briefly explains the theory of frame semantics on which semantic annotation is based, discusses possible applications of FrameNet annotation, and compares FrameNet to other prominent lexical resources.
Believable Victims: Asylum Credibility and the Struggle for Objectivity

Asylum adjudication is often the invisible frontline in the struggle by oppressed groups to gain recognition for their plights. Through this process, individual people must tell their stories and try to show that they are genuine victims of persecution rather than simply illegal immigrants attempting to slip through the system. In 2002, because the world had not yet acknowledged the nature of the calamity from which they were escaping, many Darfurian asylum cases would have relied on the ability of each individual to convince government offices to believe their stories. They would have had to be deemed “credible,” or they would be in danger of being sent home. Today, a similar process is playing out for youths fleeing gang violence in Central America. The 2014 State Department Human Rights Report on Guatemala, for instance, includes three sentences about gangs recruiting “street children.” But recent arrivals pleading to stay in the U.S. have described a far more dire situation.Human rights problems are often sources of public controversy because it is often debatable – at least at first – whether claims of persecution are real, or if they are exaggerated to serve a particular agenda. But while these debates play out in the media and in official statements, they also play out with individual lives on the line. Individual lives are affected as government officials decide whether to accept the claims of persecution submitted by migrants trying to avoid deportation. These adjudications are typically hidden from public view, and have long been typified by a highly subjective approach. Implicit assumptions about how foreign countries work and, most importantly, how a genuine victim would act or talk can lead to inconsistent, unreliable decisions with grave consequences for people in danger.
Implementing signal processing functions on ternary encoded delta-modulated pulse streams

The authors investigate the possibility of processing analog signals directly in delta-modulated pulse stream format. They demonstrate a class of linear operations on data represented as a ternary delta-modulated pulse stream (X/sub n/) corresponding to the analog quantity x(t). These functions make it possible to implement a set of DSP (digital signal processing) algorithms directly on the delta-modulator output data. A method for ternary delta multiplier synthesis is presented and illustrated by a DM filter example. It is concluded that the proposed multiplier can conveniently implement a FIR (finite impulse response) filter structure. >
Levisticum officinale Koch. (Garden Lovage): Micropropagation and the Production of Essential Oils

Levisticum officinale Koch, i.e., garden lovage (Fig. 1), a member of the Umbelliferae, is a perennial herb, 100–160 cm high, main root large, leaves di-tridigitatopinnate, flowers yellow-green compound umbel. Fruit ovoid or elliptic, lateral angular thick pinnation and back angular lower blunt pinnation, rarely long, one oil tube within angular trough (Cheng Lu-sheng 1965b; How Foon-chew 1982).
Prediction of outcome in behaviorally based insomnia treatments

Factors related to successful behavioral intervention for individuals with insomnia are not well understood. In this study we employed the Neuroticism, Extraversion and Openness (NEO) Personality Inventory, to predict successful treatment outcome. Two behavioral treatments for insomnia, sleep restriction therapy (SRT) and relaxation training (RT) were employed in 32 elderly insomniacs. Following two baseline weeks, subjects underwent four weeks of individual treatment. Daily telephone call-ins generated data on sleep times and sleep latency. Follow-up occurred three months after the end of treatment. Results indicated that subjects showing the greatest improvement in total sleep time with both treatments were more traditional, conventional and rigid. Improvement in sleep onset latency was unrelated to NEO Scores. SRT appeared to be more effective for increasing total sleep time in these older subjects.
Effects of as-deposited CdTe microstructure on solar cell performance

In this study, two series of CdTe thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering and analyzed in-situ using real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE). One series consists of CdTe thin films deposited at substrate temperatures ranging from 188°C to 304°C at a fixed Ar sputtering pressure of 18 mTorr, and the other consists of films deposited at pressures ranging from 2.5 to 50 mTorr at a fixed temperature of 230°C. The RTSE data provide detailed information on nucleation and coalescence, as well as on the long term surface roughness development for these films. The results show that for films deposited at T s ≥ 267°C and p Ar Ar > 10 mTorr, clustering occurs before any bulk-like layer forms. This behavior is consistent with trends observed at the end of the deposition to the extent that the final surface roughness is observed to decrease monotonically with temperature over the full range and to increase with pressure over the range from 2.5 to 18 mTorr. Trends identified by RTSE were confirmed through scanning electron and atomic force microscopies.
Detection of internalized Rhizobium trifolii in plant cell protoplasts using fluorescence microscopy

Summary Fluorescently stained cells of Rhizobium trifolii grown in 0.2% fluorescein or 0.2% rhodamine B were used in uptake experiments with protoplasts of Trifolium repens. Internalized bacteria that had been grown in either fluorochrome were easy to identify by fluorescence microscopy. This method of identifying protoplasts which contain internalized bacteria following polyethylene glycol- or polyvinyl alcohol-induced uptake is simple, rapid and allows observation of living bacteria.
FcγRI is required for TGFβ2-treated macrophage-induced tolerance.

Macrophages treated with TGFβ2 (TGFβ2-Mϕ) and antigen are highly tolerogenic in vivo, and induce antigen-specific and long-lasting tolerance in both naive and primed mice via induction of suppressor/regulatory T cells. In this study, we examined the molecular pathways, including the requirements for Smad-dependent signaling, that are involved in the induction and function of tolerogenic TGFβ2-Mϕ. Treatment of murine macrophages with TGFβ2 induced translocation of Smad2/3 to the nucleus, and impairment of Smad3-, but not Smad2-, dependent signaling inhibited the tolerogenic function of a TGFβ2-treated murine macrophage cell line. Gene expression in murine macrophages treated with TGFβ2 was evaluated by microarray analysis. The FcγRI gene was one of a number of immune-related genes differentially expressed in TGFβ2-Mϕ, and appeared to be critical for tolerance in this system, since TGFβ2-Mϕ from FcγRI deficient mice were unable to induce tolerance. The role that FcγRI plays in TGFβ2-Mϕ-mediated tolerance is currently unclear. The results of this study provide important information about the factors that are critical for the induction of TGFβ2-Mϕ-mediated tolerance, and a better understanding of these mechanisms could lead to the development of more effective tolerance-inducing strategies for the treatment of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases.
Piezoceramic actuated aperture antennas

Recently, it has been demonstrated that aperture antennas can have their performance improved by utilizing PVDF as a shape controlling actuator. Since PVDF is a polymer with limited control authority, these antennas can only be employed in space based applications. This study examines more robust antenna structures devised of a thick metalized substrate with surface bonded piezoceramic (PZT) actuators. In this work, PZT-actuated adaptive antennas of cylindrical- cut shape are studied. First, the PZT-actuated antenna surface is modeled based on the classical curved beam theory and Newton's method. Second the Voltage vs. Deflection relationship is experimentally verified. Third, the resulting far field radiation pattern is simulated on computer.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Anticipatory Guidance and Violence Prevention: Results From Family and Pediatrician Focus Groups

OBJECTIVES: Anticipatory guidance is a cornerstone of modern pediatric practice. Recent American Academy of Pediatrics policies related to violence prevention, notably those that advocate firearms safety and the use of alternatives to corporal punishment, seem to be discrepant with common parenting practices. To develop more effective anticipatory guidance, we sought the opinions of parents and pediatricians on how best to communicate these messages. DESIGN: Focus groups were conducted to elicit parent and provider opinions. SUBJECTS: Forty-nine parents participated in a total of 9 90-minute focus groups that were held in 3 cities. Twenty-six pediatricians participated in 3 focus groups that were held at a single national meeting. PROCEDURES: Participants were read summaries of current American Academy of Pediatrics policies and led through a systematic discussion of how these policies might best be communicated. The group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed. Common themes heard in multiple groups are reported. RESULTS: Parents provided specific feedback about corporal punishment and firearms and also raised a number of general issues. Pediatricians reported that anticipatory guidance was important to them but cited cultural and reimbursement issues as barriers to practice. They also reported the need for additional training and support to make anticipatory guidance more effective. DISCUSSION: Focus groups provide insight into doctor-patient communications and can inform efforts to improve primary prevention in the clinical setting. Anticipatory guidance that consists of authoritative useful information, offered in a supportive manner that communicates respect for parental decision-making, may be effective in improving parenting practices.
Adaptive system for detecting stationary targets with real-aperture radar

Trained algorithms are required for detecting stationary targets with practical real-beam radars. The parameters of these algorithms are unique to each site or clutter class. A problem arises when an algorithm trained on one clutter class is applied, perhaps inadvertently, to another class. In this case, the performance of the system can degrade to an unacceptable level. We have developed a system that adapts, online, the parameters of the algorithm to the encountered clutter type. This system consists of two neural networks - one for adapting the coefficients of the algorithm and the other for adapting the threshold level.
THE TREATMENT OF UNDESCENDED TESTES WITH ANTERIOR PITUITARY-LIKE SUBSTANCE1

Clinical findings, beginning with those of Cushing and his co-workers (1) and of Aschner (2) about 25 years ago, and the more recent experimental results of Zondek (3), Smith (4), Smith and Engle (5), Evans and Long (6), Moore and co-workers (7), in animals, furnish clear cut evidence of the effect of the anterior lobe of the pituitary on the growth and function of the gonads. While extensive observations on animals were being carried out by various investigators on the effects of the pituitary, Aschheim and Zondek (8) noted the presence in the urine of pregnant women of a substance that stimulated the sex glands. Shortly afterward, the production of genital growth and testicular descent with this material was reported by Schapiro (9) in a large percentage of boys and young men with hypogenitalism and cryptorchidism. Since then several reports have appeared, most of which give high percentages of successful results. To some surgeons familiar with the finding at operation of anatomical factors making desce...
Promoting a Deliberative and Active Citizenry: Developing Traditional First Year College Student Political Engagement

In this study, we examine the impact of a curriculum designed to increase first year college student political engagement. We used a staggered implementation design in which eight classes of traditional first year college students in were taught a political engagement curriculum by two instructors. The results confirm the positive impact of the political engagement curriculum above and beyond a rhetoric and composition curriculum for traditional first-year college students on important political indicators such as internal political efficacy and attentiveness and interest in politics. Further, participants exhibited significant post-intervention differences with regard to their comfort level joining political conversations as well as employing important conversational strategies to strengthen democratic dialogue. These results support the use of this curriculum to increase first year college students’ political engagement and underscore the impact that classroom curriculum and instruction can have promoti...
Structural organization of a {ruthenium[tris(bipyridyl)]} 2+ complex by strong π–π stacking of a tethered 1,8-naphthalimide synthon: Impact on electrochemical and spectral properties

Abstract The new ligand N-(5-methyl-2,2′-bipyridyl)-1,8-naphthalimide has been prepared by the reaction of 1,8-naphthalimide, 5-(bromomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine and potassium carbonate in refluxing acetone. Reaction of this ligand and bis(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) dichloride in refluxing ethanol followed by anion exchange with ammonium hexafluorophosphate produces {ruthenium[bis(bipyridyl)][N-(5-methyl-2,2′-bipyridyl)-1,8-naphthalimide]}(PF6)2 (1). In both the solid state (X-ray analysis) and in solution (shown by PGSE-NMR analysis), the 1,8-naphthalimide synthon organizes the cationic metal units into dimers with a strong, directionally oriented (head to tail) π–π stacking interaction. UV–VIS, fluorescence spectroscopy and electrochemical studies indicate that even with the strong interactions of the 1,8-naphthalimide groups, it does not have a significant influence on the properties of the [Ru(bipy)3]2+ core.
The Listening Practices of Exemplary Physicians

Young doctors in training and experienced physicians alike have come to recognize that effective listening is essential to forming a successful relationship with patients. Fourteen winners of the American Medical Association Foundation Pride in the Profession Award (from 2002–2008) were interviewed to learn about the role of listening in their medical practice. Transcripts of the interviews were reviewed and approved by the participants. The physicians all agreed that listening is at the heart of good medicine. The doctors' testimonies indicate a commitment to receptivity and two-way communication that undergirds their approach to professional relationships.
Viscosity of picoliter volumes measured by nondegenerate two-wave mixing

Abstract Using nondegenerate two-wave mixing in colloidal suspensions we measure the viscosity of liquids with as little as 20 picoliters of volume. In addition, changes in the frequency signature with intensity are observed which are interpreted in terms of self-focusing effects.
Effects of lead-contaminated sediment and nutrition on mallard duckling behavior and growth.

Sediment ingestion has become a recognized exposure route for toxicants in waterfowl. The effects of lead-contaminated sediment from the Coeur d’Alene River Basin (CDARB) in Idaho were evaluated on mallard (Anas platyryhnchos) duckling behavior and growth over a 5-wk period using time–activity budgets. Day-old ducklings received either a clean sediment (24%) supplemented control diet, CDARB sediment (3449 μg/g lead) supplemented diets at 12% or 24%, or a positive control diet (24% clean sediment with equivalent lead acetate to the 24% CDARB diet). Ten different behaviors were recorded for nine ducklings per treatment as time spent: resting, standing, moving, drinking, dabbling, feeding, pecking, preening, bathing, and swimming. Contaminated sediment (24% CDARB) and lead acetate significantly decreased the proportion of time spent swimming. There were also problems with balance and mobility in the 24% CDARB and the lead acetate groups. With a less optimal diet (mixture of two-thirds corn and one-third stan...
Control of polymer topology through late-transition-metal catalysis

In this article, recent examples are reviewed of late-transition-metal catalysis applied to polymer topology control. By the judicious selection or design of late-transition-metal catalysts, polymers with a broad range oftopologies, including linear, short-chain-branched, hyperbranched, dendritic, and cyclic topologies, have been successfully synthesized. A distinctive advantage of the catalyst approach is that polymers with complex topologies can be prepared in one pot from simple commercial monomers. A fundamental difference of the catalyst approach with respect to other approaches is that the polymer topology is controlled by the catalysts instead of the monomer structure. In our own laboratory, we have successfully used two strategies to control the polymer topology with late-transition-metal catalysts. In the first strategy, hyperbranched polymers are prepared by the direct free-radical polymerization of divinyl monomers through control of the competition between propagation and chain transfer with a cobalt chain-transfer catalyst. In the second strategy, polyethylene topology is successfully controlled by the regulation of the competition between propagation and chain walking with the Brookhart Pd I I -α-bisimine catalyst.
Relation of whole blood n-3 fatty acid levels to exercise parameters in patients with stable coronary artery disease (from the heart and soul study).

Dietary intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events. Mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood but may include beneficial effects on physical conditioning and vagal tone. We investigated the association of n-3 fatty acid levels to exercise parameters in 992 subjects with stable coronary artery disease. Cross-sectional associations of heart rate recovery time, treadmill exercise capacity, and exercise time with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels were evaluated in multivariable linear and logistic regression models adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, co-morbidities, self-reported physical activity, medication use, and left ventricular function. After multivariable adjustment, n-3 fatty acid levels (DHA + EPA) were strongly associated with heart rate recovery (beta 2.1, p = 0.003), exercise capacity (beta 0.8, p 0.1 for all comparisons). In conclusion, an independent association exists between n-3 fatty acid levels and important exercise parameters in patients with stable coronary artery disease. These findings support the hypothesis that n-3 fatty acids may increase vagal tone and physical conditioning.
Properties And Applications Of Infrared Transparent And Electrically Conductive In2O3 Thin Film

High quality infrared (1-12μ) transparent and electrically conductive thin films based on thermally evaporated In903 have been developed. Optical constants of these films have been obtained by the use or an iteration technique, which involves the formulas for multiple transmition and reflection. The details of the film deposition process and the theoretical foundation leading to its development are discussed in this paper. It has been found that the transparency and conductivity of these films is primarily due to high electron concen-tration and mobility. A multilayer design of a bandpass filter has been developed and implemented on ZnS and ZnSe substrates for the wavelength range of 8 to 12 μp. Typical transmittance of 65 to 80% with a film sheet resistance of 20 to 50 Ω/sq. has been achieved. Such a design is applicable to forward looking infrared (FLIR) systems where a window having both high electromegnetic (RF and microwave) shielding effectiveness and good in-frared transparency are required. The properties of these films lend themselves to many other potential applications.
The amino acid composition of turnip yellow mosaic virus and the associated abnormal protein

Abstract Amino acid analyses of two preparations each of the “top” and “bottom” components of turnip yellow mosaic virus preparations show them to be parallel in composition. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the “top” component is actually virus protein and the “bottom” component complete virus consisting of this same protein combined with nucleic acid.
Demo: Sensor Relocation with Mobile Sensors

Mobile sensors are useful in many environments because they can move to increase the sensing coverage. In this paper, we present a mobile sensor prototype in which the Mica2 sensor node is used to control the movement of the robot built with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. We use a sensor relocation application to demonstrate the feasibility of our design. In the sensor relocation application, after a sensor node failure creates a coverage hole, a mobile sensor node is relocated to cover the hole in a timely and energy-efficient way.
Hardware Implementation of COTS Avionics System on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platforms

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can serve as low cost and low risk platforms for flight testing in Aeronautics research. The NASA Exploration Aerial Vehicle (EAV) and Experimental Sensor-Controlled Aerial Vehicle (X-SCAV) UAVs were developed in support of control systems research at NASA Ames Research Center. The avionics hardware for both systems has been redesigned and updated, and the structure of the EAV has been further strengthened. Preliminary tests show the avionics operate properly in the new configuration. A linear model for the EAV also was estimated from flight data, and was verified in simulation. These modifications and results prepare the EAV and X-SCAV to be used in a wide variety of flight research projects.