cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parental Management of Discharge Instructions: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT: Parents often manage complex instructions when their children are discharged from the inpatient setting or emergency department (ED); misunderstanding instructions can put children at risk for adverse outcomes. Parents’ ability to manage discharge instructions has not been examined before in a systematic review. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of the literature related to parental management (knowledge and execution) of inpatient and ED discharge instructions. DATA SOURCES: We consulted PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane CENTRAL (from database inception to January 1, 2017). STUDY SELECTION: We selected experimental or observational studies in the inpatient or ED settings in which parental knowledge or execution of discharge instructions were evaluated. DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently screened potential studies for inclusion and extracted data from eligible articles by using a structured form. RESULTS: Sixty-four studies met inclusion criteria; most ( n = 48) were ED studies. Medication dosing and adherence errors were common; knowledge of medication side effects was understudied ( n = 1). Parents frequently missed follow-up appointments and misunderstood return precaution instructions. Few researchers conducted studies that assessed management of instructions related to diagnosis ( n = 3), restrictions ( n = 2), or equipment ( n = 1). Complex discharge plans (eg, multiple medicines or appointments), limited English proficiency, and public or no insurance were associated with errors. Few researchers conducted studies that evaluated the role of parent health literacy (ED, n = 5; inpatient, n = 0). LIMITATIONS: The studies were primarily observational in nature. CONCLUSIONS: Parents frequently make errors related to knowledge and execution of inpatient and ED discharge instructions. Researchers in the future should assess parental management of instructions for domains that are less well studied and focus on the design of interventions to improve discharge plan management.
Visceral Congestion in Heart Failure: Right Ventricular Dysfunction, Splanchnic Hemodynamics, and the Intestinal Microenvironment

Visceral venous congestion of the gut may play a key role in the pathogenesis of right-sided heart failure (HF) and cardiorenal syndromes. Here, we review the role of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, visceral congestion, splanchnic hemodynamics, and the intestinal microenvironment in the setting of right-sided HF. We review recent literature on this topic, outline possible mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, and discuss potential therapeutics. There are several mechanisms linking RV–gut interactions via visceral venous congestion which could result in (1) hypoxia and acidosis in enterocytes, which may lead to enhanced sodium–hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) expression with increased sodium and fluid retention; (2) decreased luminal pH in the intestines, which could lead to alteration of the gut microbiome which could increase gut permeability and inflammation; (3) alteration of renal hemodynamics with triggering of the cardiorenal syndrome; and (4) altered phosphate metabolism resulting in increased pulmonary artery stiffening, thereby increasing RV afterload. A wide variety of therapeutic interventions that act on the RV, pulmonary vasculature, intestinal microenvironment, and the kidney could alter these pathways and should be tested in patients with right-sided HF. The RV–gut axis is an important aspect of HF pathogenesis that deserves more attention. Modulation of the pathways interconnecting the right heart, visceral congestion, and the intestinal microenvironment could be a novel avenue of intervention for right-sided HF.
Multipurpose Use of Explain Everything iPad App for Teaching Chemistry Courses

Explain Everything is an interactive, user-friendly, and easily accessible app for mobile devices. The interactive app-based teaching methods discussed here can be adopted in any STEM or non-STEM course. This app allows instructors to take advantage of both the chalkboard and PowerPoint slides on a single platform, create videos for lecture captures and flipped/online classrooms, and virtually assist upper-level students with the development of soft skills through personalized videos/PDFs. Feedback data from students highlight multiple benefits from the use of this app. This app aids better visualization of concepts, promotes ubiquitous learning opportunities for students, and provides personalized feedback on documents in seminar courses.
The art and design of genetic screens: Escherichia coli

This article summarizes the general principles of selections and screens in Escherichia coli. The focus is on the lac operon, owing to its inherent simplicity and versatility. Examples of different strategies for mutagenesis and mutant discovery are described. In particular, the usefulness and effectiveness of simple colour-based screens are illustrated. The power of lac genetics can be applied to almost any bacterial system with gene fusions that hook any gene of interest to lacZ, which is the structural gene that encodes β-galactosidase. The diversity of biological processes that can be studied with lac genetics is remarkable and includes DNA metabolism, gene regulation and signal transduction, protein localization and folding, and even electron transport.
Optimization of Split Keyboard Design for Touchscreen Devices

While many large touchscreen devices have a split keyboard option to enable two-thumb typing, there are significant differences in the design which affect users’ text entry rate. A mixed-integer pr...
“Safe Death” in the Postmodern World

Let us begin with the proposition that some deaths are better than others. A student of logic would make mince pie of this statement in no time. “You are indulging in a lazy, gross, and elementary error’ Dying is not death. People may die in a thousand ways. This does not mean that there are a thousand kinds of death. “Dying” is our word for the particular way a person lives as life approaches cessation. “Death” is the word for our ignorance regarding what happens — or does not happen — when people stop living and dying. We may have our preferences for modalities of dying, but all reach the same destination.”
Obituaries, 2011 to June 2012

BELL, DANIEL, intellectual and author, d. 1-25-11. One of the leading American thinkers of the twentieth century, a member of the vaunted and largely Jewish “New York Intellectuals,” and the coiner of such phrases as “post-industrial society,” died at 91. Jacob Weisberg of Slate called Bell “one of the genuinely important American thinkers of the 20th century” and, on a personal basis, “at once a stunningly original mind, an ironic observer of the scene around him, and a genial gossip,” whose wide-ranging talks were “all spiced with Yiddishkeit wisecracking.” Bell’s influential books included: “The End of Ideology” in 1962, a collection of essays that “portrayed a non-capitalist or post-capitalist order in which the classic conditions of the market no longer existed, and in which widespread political dissatisfaction was no longer based in economics,” and was chosen by the London Times Literary Supplement as one of the 100 most influential books since World War Two; and “The Coming of Post-Industrial Society” in 1973, in which Bell predicted the emergence of the information economy, social stratification driven by expertise and “something like the Internet.”
Integrating Systems and Synthetic Biology

Research approaches to developing biofuel processes involve the integration of different aspects of biology, chemistry, and engineering. Recent developments in knowledge and technology have enabled a shift away from discovery-based, trial-and-error design to a more directed prospective design process. Systems biology and synthetic biology have contributed to this shift in methodologies in complementary ways. Systems biology provides much of the knowledge background and whole-cell modeling methods to enable cellular-level design. Synthetic biology provides DNA-level detail to design strategies and the experimental methods to directly implement proposed designs. Application of methodologies from these two fields provides a strong framework for cellular and molecular biological engineering.
Myoglobin-reactive T cell clones.

Myoglobin has been used for a considerable period of time as a “model” antigen for immunological studies. Since the sequence and crystal structure of myoglobin from sperm whale skeletal muscle are well known, myoglobin can be studied in great detail as an antigen. The immunological studies that have been done with Mb to date have provided useful information bearing on a number of important questions. We have used myoglobin as a model antigen to study via the new and powerful techniques made possible by T cell cloning. Since the T cell clones which we utilize are of the helper/inducer subset (TH, see below) and therefore occupy a central role in vivo in controlling immune responsiveness, these techniques should provide both specific and generalized information relating to the immune responses to complex protein antigens.
MULTIMODAL IMAGING OF PHOTIC MACULOPATHY FROM ARC WELDING.

Purpose Photic retinal toxicity induced by exposure to arc welding can lead to irreversible vision loss. Serial multimodal imaging is characterized in a patient with outer retinal damage secondary to welder's maculopathy. Methods A single case was retrospectively reviewed. Results Spectral domain optical coherence tomography acutely revealed disruption of the ellipsoid zone, hyperreflective bands through the outer nuclear layer, and outer retinal cavitation consistent with phototoxicity. Subsequently, disruption and hypertrophy of the subfoveal retinal pigment epithelium developed. Autofluorescence depicted central hypoautofluorescence. Conclusion We report serial multimodal imaging in welder's maculopathy to better characterize the evolution of lesions. Multimodal imaging including spectral domain optical coherence tomography in arc welding phototoxicity may share features with other forms of phototoxicity such as hand-held laser maculopathy.
Accuracy of Algorithms to Identify Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Administrative Data: A Systematic Review.

Background The diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is challenging, and there is significant overlap with the more heterogenous diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Clinical and research efforts that rely on administrative data are limited by current coding systems that do not adequately reflect the clinical classification scheme. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate current algorithms to detect PAH using administrative data and to appraise the diagnostic accuracy of these algorithms against a reference standard. Methods We conducted comprehensive searches of Medline, Embase, and Web of Science from their inception. We included English-language articles that applied an algorithm to an administrative or electronic health record database to identify PAH in adults. Results Of 2,669 unique citations identified, 32 studies met all inclusion criteria. Only four of these studies validated their algorithm against a reference standard. Algorithms varied widely, ranging from single International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to combinations of visit, procedure, and pharmacy codes. ICD codes alone performed poorly, with positive predictive values ranging from 3.3% to 66.7%. The addition of PAH-specific therapy and diagnostic procedures to the algorithm improved the diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions Algorithms to identify PAH in administrative databases vary widely, and few are validated. The sole use of ICD codes performs poorly, potentially leading to biased results. ICD codes should be revised to better discriminate between PH groups, and universally accepted algorithms need to be developed and validated to capture PAH in administrative data, better informing research and clinical efforts.
Component Voltage and Current Laws

Electric circuit analysis is the collection of methods and tools to determine the voltages and currents as well as the power consumption and generation in electric circuits and components. The relations among the electric elements depend on the elements of the circuit and their configuration or topology. That is how the circuit elements are connected together.
Euclidean Relationship between the Superior Semicircular Canal and the Arcuate Eminence.

Objective This study was aimed to better characterize the surgical anatomy of the floor of the middle cranial fossa using three dimensional Euclidean relationships between the arcuate eminence (AE), the superior semicircular canal (SSC), and the geniculate ganglion (GG). Study Design Submillimeter distances were recorded from computed tomography (CT) scans of 50 patients (100 sides). The AE, apex of the SSC, and the GG were identified and three dimensional distances measured. Setting The study was conducted at a tertiary academic teaching hospital. Main Outcome Measures In this study, Euclidean distance was obtained from AE to SSC by using a fixed anatomical landmark (GG) as the origin. Results On average, the AE is 2.1 ± 0.3 mm lateral, 2.5 ± 0.1 mm superior, and 2.1 ± 0.3 posterior to the SSC. Thirty percent (30/100) of patients had an AE that was less than 2 mm superior to SSC. The AE was medial to the SCC in 13% samples and anterior to the SSC in 18% samples. The results also show that there was no difference in mean distance between sides (1.08 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 2.67–0.52; p-value = 0.29) or gender (0.56 mm; 95% CI = − 1.34, 2.45; p-value = 0.86). Conclusions This study represents a comprehensive analysis of the relational anatomy of the floor of the middle fossa to date. In quantifying relationships between the AE, SSC, and GG, and by understanding the variability of these relationships in some planes, the middle fossa surgeon can feel more comfortable with this most challenging approach.
Forces Exerted by Hydraulic Cattle Chutes

To describe the magnitude and variability of forces generated, we measured peak forces at nine different locations in hydraulic chutes used for cattle restraint. The headgate, middle of the chute, and tailgate were each measured at 18, 34, and 48 inches from the chute floor using a 3,000 lb capacity, high accuracy S-beam load cell. Peak forces generated by hydraulic chutes ranged from a low of approximately 100 lb to a high of over 3000 lb. There were large variations in forces observed within and between facilities, with the coefficient of variation on chute forces across all chutes at approximately 50% for all positions assessed. At 34 inches from the floor, 43, 14, and 29% of chutes generated less than 600 lb of force at the headgate, middle, and tailgate, respectively, while 29, 50 and 21 % of chutes generated greater than 1000 lb of force at the headgate, middle, and tailgate, respectively. There is a large amount of variability in forces generated by hydraulic chutes used for cattle restraint. Some chutes generate forces potentially hazardous to cattle.
HELLP Syndrome: “I Need Somebody HELLP, Not Just Anybody…”

Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet (HELLP) syndrome is a complication of pregnancy with significant maternal and fetal morbidity that can occur from estimated gestational age (EGA) of 20 weeks to postpartum period. HELLP can result in rapid deterioration, but the initial presentation may be vague. Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and thrombocytopenia are its classic lab features. The only curative treatment is delivery for which the timeframe should be established as early as possible. Emergency department (ED) providers are crucial in initial recognition of the disorder, stabilization of the patient, and arrangement for definitive obstetric (OB) care.
An Experimental Study of Formula Embeddings for Automated Theorem Proving in First-Order Logic

Automated theorem proving in first-order logic is an active research area which is successfully supported by machine learning. While there have been various proposals for encoding logical formulas into numerical vectors -- from simple strings to more involved graph-based embeddings -- little is known about how these different encodings compare. In this paper, we study and experimentally compare pattern-based embeddings that are applied in current systems with popular graph-based encodings, most of which have not been considered in the theorem proving context before. Our experiments show that the advantages of simpler encoding schemes in terms of runtime are outdone by more complex graph-based embeddings, which yield more efficient search strategies and simpler proofs. To support this, we present a detailed analysis across several dimensions of theorem prover performance beyond just proof completion rate, thus providing empirical evidence to help guide future research on neural-guided theorem proving towards the most promising directions.
Forming More Effective Teams Using CATME TeamMaker and the Gale-Shapley Algorithm

Research on student preference in team formation has led to the work in progress of algorithmic integration into an existing team formation algorithm. Forming student teams that are more likely to be successful is a goal of every teacher or instructor using teams as a part of their pedagogy. CATME is a team formation and team management website tool. It contains team formation, peer evaluation and teamwork training tools to help an instructor make and manage student teams. CATME’s team building algorithms include validated teamwork research with practical constraints provided by instructors.CATME’s Team-Maker algorithm uses a heuristic score based on instructor-determined criteria to form teams that optimize the student team composition. The tool includes 20 built-in questions for the instructor to choose from with the option to create individual questions. One question type not accounted for in the current CATME algorithm is a preference ranking question.Augmenting the Team-Maker algorithm to include student project preference as a part of the heuristic score will ease the time struggle of instructors while still forming well-balanced groups. Given that the problem at hand is very similar to the stable marriage problem, the Gale-Shapely algorithm was determined as the best possible options. The Gale-Shapley algorithm, better known for its implementation in the Medical Residency Matching Program, matches entities based on ranked preference lists. Once the algorithm terminates, no two unmatched resident/residency entities prefer each other over their current assignment.This paper documents the testing of the Gale-Shapley algorithm, illustrating methods to use student/instructor/ sponsor ranked preference lists for project selections. These techniques will be used to form teams in the 2018/2019 academic year and results included in final paper versions.
Natural history and ecological niche modelling of coastal Atyphella Olliff Larvae (Lampyridae: Luciolinae) in Vanuatu

The genus Atyphella Olliff includes several coastal species with larvae that were collected on coastal rock within the intertidal zone. Recent fieldwork in Vanuatu has expanded the distribution of ...
An Elusive Prize: Transcutaneous Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS) Monitoring of the Liver.

Introduction: We postulate a relationship between a transcutaneous hepatic NIRS measurement and a directly obtained hepatic vein saturation. If true, hepatic NIRS monitoring (in conjunction with the current dual-site cerebral-renal NIRS paradigm) might increase the sensitivity for detecting shock since regional oxygen delivery changes in the splanchnic circulation before the kidney or brain. We explored a reliable technique for hepatic NIRS monitoring as a prelude to rigorously testing this hypothesis. This proof-of-concept study aimed to validate hepatic NIRS monitoring by comparing hepatic NIRS measurements to direct hepatic vein samples obtained during cardiac catheterization. Method: IRB-approved prospective pilot study of hepatic NIRS monitoring involving 10 patients without liver disease who were already undergoing elective cardiac catheterization. We placed a NIRS monitor on the skin overlying liver during catheterization. Direct measurement of hepatic vein oxygen saturation during the case compared with simultaneous hepatic NIRS measurement. Results: There was no correlation between the Hepatic NIRS values and the directly measured hepatic vein saturation (R = -0.035; P = 0.9238). However, the Hepatic NIRS values correlated with the cardiac output (R = 0.808; P = 0.0047), the systolic arterial blood pressure (R = 0.739; P = 0.0146), and the diastolic arterial blood pressure (R = 0.7548; P = 0.0116). Conclusions: Using the technique described, hepatic NIRS does not correlate well with the hepatic vein saturation. Further optimization of the technique might provide a better measurement. Hepatic NIRS does correlate with cardiac output and thus may still provide a valuable additional piece of hemodynamic information when combined with other non-invasive monitoring.
Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Peroneus Brevis Reconstruction With Hamstring Tendon Autograft.

Background:Peroneal tendon injuries are a common cause of lateral ankle pain and instability. While the use of hamstring autograft has been proposed as a viable surgical option for peroneus brevis ...
Averaged norms

A method to construct an equivalent norm with both a rotundity and a smoothness property in a Banach space having two different equivalent norms, one with the rotundity and one with the smoothness property.
Globalization Backlash in Developing Countries: Broadening the Research Agenda:

This special issue explores why the globalization backlash is roiling rich industrialized countries. But why is the backlash less salient in developing ones? In this piece, we challenge scholars to...
Role of imaging for patients with colorectal hepatic metastases: what the radiologist needs to know

Surgical resection of colorectal metastatic disease has increased as surgeons have adopted a more aggressive ideology. Current exclusion criteria are patients for whom a negative resection margin is not feasible or a future liver remnant (FLR) of greater than 20% is not achievable. The goal of preoperative imaging is to identify the number and distribution of liver metastases, in addition to establishing their relation to relevant intrahepatic structures. FLR can be calculated utilizing cross-sectional imaging to select out patients at risk for hepatic dysfunction after resection. MRI, specifically with gadoxetic acid contrast, is currently the preferred modality for assessment of hepatic involvement for patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer, to include those who have undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Employment of liver-directed therapies has recently expanded and they may provide an alternative to hepatectomy in order to obtain locoregional control in poor surgical candidates or convert patients with initially unresectable disease into surgical candidates.
The changing geomorphology of the Atchafalaya River, Louisiana: A historical perspective

Abstract The Atchafalaya River in south-central Louisiana is of geomorphic interest because of the large volumes of flow and sediment transported and its role as a major floodway for the lower Mississippi River, notwithstanding its potential to become an avulsion pathway at Old River. Since its origin in the sixteenth century, it has undergone many transformations and currently receives flow from the Red River and partial flow of the Mississippi River through multiple pathways. Flow increased progressively beginning in the mid-1800s and continued until concerns of diversion spurred placement of engineering structures to regulate flows at the juncture between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers in 1963. Prior studies, that looked at reaches or six to seven rangelines or cross sections on hydrographic surveys document areal, width, and depth increases in the uppermost 80 km (50 mi) of the Atchafalaya River from 1880 to 1974. This study assesses how channel geometry of the Atchafalaya River has changed with flow variations since the 1880s by evaluating instantaneous discharge measurements that document change at superior temporal resolution and differences in thalweg values from coupled modern hydrographic surveys which document change at better spatial resolution than prior works. While structures have regulated and limited flow into the Atchafalaya since 1963, the highest values of discharge, cross-sectional area, and width at Simmesport (upstream) follow river regulation. Associated geometry data at Simmesport and Morgan City (downstream) document that mean bed and thalweg elevations have risen. Comparison of thalweg elevations on hydrographic surveys from 1963 and 2006 show pronounced local variability in bed elevation change but also reaches dominated by degradation (including the Red River and uppermost section of the Atchafalaya) near the Old River diversion. Aggradation occurs in the lower Atchafalaya, a zone where along-channel lakes are filling, flow and sediment quantities are changing in part caused by the constructed Wax Lake Outlet, and deltas have been growing in Atchafalaya Bay. Findings are relevant to river engineering and flood management, especially navigation, and help in better understanding the evolution of large distributaries and the role of human impacts.
Dog eat dogma.

It is human nature to inflate one's ideas and contributions. It is also human nature to hang onto one's ideas long after they have outlived their usefulness, in much the same way that a parent will still support a child who has grown up to be a menace to society. Both traits are at work whenever a scientist makes sweeping statements. The more general one's insight or discovery can be claimed to be, the greater its seeming importance. And having gone out on that proverbial limb, a scientist will do much to avoid conceding that it may be less than it was thought to be, which is why so many outdated concepts have more lives than a cat.
Composite valved apico-aortic conduits for left ventricular outflow obstruction.

Problems related to the left ventricular outflow tract are not always amenable to conventional surgical methods, and in some cases may be solved with the creation of a double outlet left ventricle, using a composite rigid pyrolite left ventricular apex outlet prosthesis and a fabric valve-containing conduit. The primary indication for apico-aortic conduits is severe left ventricular outlet obstruction that is not correctable by conventional surgical techniques. Failure to relieve ventricular hypertension causes persistent physiologic derangements that include increased left ventricular work and oxygen consumption. decreased cardiac output, and compromise of coronary perfusion. Our clinical experience in excess of 18 months with valved apicoaortic conduits for primary or recurrent left ventricular outflow tract obstructions has been promising and is described in this report.
Proteins and Glycoproteins of Paramyxoviruses: a Comparison of Simian Virus 5, Newcastle Disease Virus, and Sendai Virus

The polypeptides of three paramyxoviruses (simian virus 5, Newcastle disease virus, and Sendai virus) were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Glycoproteins were identified by the use of radioactive glucosamine as a carbohydrate precursor. The protein patterns reveal similarities among the three viruses. Each virus contains at least five or six proteins, two of which are glycoproteins. Four of the proteins found in each virus share common features with corresponding proteins in the other two viruses, including similar molecular weights. These four proteins are the nucleocapsid protein (molecular weight 56,000 to 61,000), a larger glycoprotein (molecular weight 65,000 to 74,000), a smaller glycoprotein (molecular weight 53,000 to 56,000), and a major protein which is the smallest protein in each virion (molecular weight 38,000 to 41,000).
The Ecological Context of Challenging Behavior in Young Children with Developmental Disabilities

Publisher Summary This chapter examines how challenging behavior impacts the child with developmental disabilities and their family, the larger ecological context within which these challenging behaviors occur, and how interventions for these children may be planned, recognizing the ecological context of the child and family. The efficacy of early intervention is founded on the notion that changing the child's interactive experience with the environment alters developmental progression. Concerning the development of challenging behaviors, clearly preventing problems is preferable to the effort required to alter established behavior problems. Understanding the source of challenging behaviors has practical implications for the design of interventions to reduce the development of avoidable secondary behavior problems that may have detrimental effects on learning, family stress, and opportunities for social inclusion. Challenging behavior in young children with developmental disabilities is an exemplar of the perpetual quandary of the contribution of nature versus nurture to developmental outcomes.
Regulated Expression of BAFF-Binding Receptors during Human B Cell Differentiation

BAFF plays a central role in B-lineage cell biology; however, the regulation of BAFF-binding receptor (BBR) expression during B cell activation and differentiation is not completely understood. In this study, we provide a comprehensive ex vivo analysis of BBRs in human B-lineage cells at various stages of maturation, as well as describe the events that drive and regulate receptor expression. Our data reveal that B-lineage cells ranging from naive to plasma cells (PCs), excluding bone marrow PCs, express BAFF-R uniformly. In contrast, only tonsillar memory B cells (MB) and PCs, from both tonsil and bone marrow tissues, express BCMA. Furthermore, we show that TACI is expressed by MB cells and PCs, as well as a subpopulation of activated CD27 neg B cells. In this regard, we demonstrate that TACI is inducible early upon B cell activation and this is independent of B cell turnover. In addition, we found that TACI expression requires activation of the ERK1/2 pathway, since its expression was blocked by ERK1/2-specific inhibitors. Expression of BAFF-R and B cell maturation Ag (BCMA) is also highly regulated and we demonstrate that BCMA expression is only acquired in MB cells and in a manner accompanied by loss of BAFF-R expression. This inverse expression coincides with MB cell differentiation into Ig-secreting cells (ISC), since blocking differentiation inhibited both induction of BCMA expression and loss of BAFF-R. Collectively, our data suggest that the BBR profile may serve as a footprint of the activation history and stage of differentiation of normal human B cells.
Quantum cascade emission in the III-nitride material system designed with effective interface grading

We report the realization of quantum cascade (QC) light emission in the III-nitride material system, designed with effective interface grading (EIG). EIG induces a continuous transition between wells and barriers in the quantum confinement, which alters the eigenstate system and even delocalizes the states with higher energy. Fully transverse-magnetic spontaneous emission is observed from the fabricated III-nitride QC structure, with a center wavelength of ∼4.9 μm and a full width at half maximum of ∼110 meV, both in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. A multi-peak photo-response spectrum is also measured from the QC structure, which again agrees well with theoretical calculations and verifies the effects of EIG.
Tempo mediates the involvement of motor areas in beat perception

Increasing evidence shows that the neural circuits involved in beat perception overlap with motor circuitry even in the absence of overt movement. This study investigated effects of tempo on beat-based processing by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging with a perceptual timing paradigm where participants made simple temporal judgments about short rhythmic sequences. Of central interest were judgments about ambiguous test rhythms where the perceived direction of a timing deviation ("speeding up" vs. "slowing down") depended on the induction of an implied beat. Successful beat induction was reduced when the implied beat was at a slower tempo (1,500 ms) than when it was at a faster tempo (600 ms). Decreased beat induction was accompanied by decreased functional activity in the basal ganglia, premotor and supplementary motor regions, and thalamus. Findings support the conclusion that rhythms presented at a slow tempo reduce involvement of a striato-thalamo-cortico network in beat-based processing.
A success story: HIV prevention for injection drug users in Rhode Island.

Background New HIV diagnoses related to injection drug use (IDU) have declined in the United States. Access to clean syringes and decreasing HIV transmission among injection drug users have been HIV prevention priorities of the Rhode Island (RI) HIV community. To examine trends in IDU-related new HIV diagnoses in RI, we performed a retrospective analysis of new HIV diagnoses according to HIV risk factor from 1990–2003.
Pancreatic islet cell toxicity of amylin associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus

The 37-amino-acid polypeptide amylin is the principal constituent of the amyloid deposits that form in the islets of Langerhans in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, but its role in the pathogenesis of this disease is unresolved. In view of the fact that the beta-amyloid protein that forms fibrils in Alzheimer's disease is toxic to neurons, we have investigated whether amylin fibrils could be toxic to pancreatic islet cells. We show here that human amylin is toxic to insulin-producing beta-cells of the adult pancreas of rats and humans. This toxicity is mediated by the fibrillar form of the amylin peptide and requires direct contact of the fibrils with the cell surface. The mechanism of cell death involves RNA and protein synthesis and is characterized by plasma membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation, indicating that amylin induces islet cell apoptosis. These findings indicate that amylin fibril formation in the pancreas may cause islet cell dysfunction and death in type-2 diabetes mellitus.
Robust classification and regression using support vector machines

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the theoretical aspects of robust classification and robust regression using support vector machines. Given training data ( x 1 , y 1 ), … , ( x l , y l ), where l represents the number of samples, x i ∈ R n and y i ∈ {−1, 1} (for classification) or y i ∈ R (for regression), we investigate the training of a support vector machine in the case where bounded perturbation is added to the value of the input x i ∈ R n . We consider both cases where our training data are either linearly separable and nonlinearly separable respectively. We show that we can perform robust classification or regression by using linear or second order cone programming.
Responsibility, capability, and Active SETI: Policy, law, ethics, and communication with extraterrestrial intelligence

Abstract With recently growing interest in the Active Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), in which humankind would send intentional signals to extraterrestrial civilizations, there have been increased concerns about appropriate policy, as well as the role of space law and ethics in guiding such activities. Implicit in these discussions are notions of responsibility and capability that affect judgments about whether humans or other civilizations should initiate transmissions. Existing protocols that guide SETI research address transmissions from Earth, but there is debate over whether these guidelines should inform de novo transmissions as well. Relevant responsibilities to address include (1) looking out for the interests of humankind as a whole, (2) being truthful in interstellar messages, and (3) benefiting extraterrestrial civilizations. Our capabilities as a species and a civilization affect how well we can fulfill responsibilities, as seen when we consider whether we will be able to reach consensus about message contents (and whether that would be desirable), and whether we have the capacity to decode messages from beings that rely on different sensory modalities. The interplay of these responsibilities and capabilities suggests that humankind should place increased emphasis on Active SETI.
Two-element refracting system for annular Gaussian-to-Bessel beam transformation

A refracting system consisting of two lenses is designed to transform an annular Gaussian laser beam into a circular Bessel beam. The slopes of the input and output surfaces fit well with a sixth-order polynomial. A smooth variation of the radii of curvature of the resulting aspheric surfaces is very attractive for easy machining of the surfaces. The diffraction-free length for the designed system is 59.4735 m at 633 nm.
Methanol Adsorption on the Clean CeO2(111) Surface: A Density Functional Theory Study

Molecular and dissociative adsorption of methanol at various sites on the stoichiometric CeO₂(111) surface have been studied using density functional theory periodic calculations. At 0.25 monolayer (ML) coverage, the dissociative adsorption with an adsorption energy of 0.55 eV is slightly favored. The most stable state is the dissociative adsorption of methanol via C-H bond breaking, forming a coadsorbed hydroxymethyl group and hydrogen adatom on two separate O₃C surface sites. The strongest molecular adsorption occurs through an O-Ce₇subC connection with an adsorption energy of 0.48 eV. At methanol coverage of 0.5 ML, the dissociative adsorption and the molecular adsorption became competitive. The adsorption energy per methanol molecule for both adsorption modes falls into a narrow range of 0.46-0.55 eV. As methanol coverage increases beyond 0.5 ML, the molecular adsorption becomes more energetically favorable than the dissociative adsorption because of the attractive hydrogen bonding between coadsorbed methanol molecules. At full monolayer, the adsorption energy of molecular adsorption is 0.40 eV per molecule while the adsorption energy for total dissociative adsorption of methanol is only 0.17 eV. The results at different methanol coverages indicate that methanol can adsorb on a defect-free CeO₂(111) surface, which are also consistent with experimental observations. This research wasmore » performed using the Molecular Science Computing Facility in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, which is a U.S. Department of Energy national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington. Computing time was made available under a Computational Grand Challenge “Computational Catalysis”. This work also financially supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development project of PNNL.« less
Non-alcoholic beverage and caffeine consumption and mortality: the Leisure World Cohort Study

Abstract Objective. To examine the effects of non-alcoholic beverage and caffeine consumption on all-cause mortality in older adults. Methods. The Leisure World Cohort Study is a prospective study of residents of a California retirement community. A baseline postal health survey included details on coffee, tea, milk, soft drink, and chocolate consumption. Participants were followed for 23 years (1981–2004). Risk ratios (RRs) of death were calculated using Cox regression for 8644 women and 4980 men (median age at entry, 74 years) and adjusted for age, gender, and multiple potential confounders. Results. Caffeine consumption exhibited a U-shaped mortality curve. Moderate caffeine consumers had a significantly reduced risk of death (multivariable-adjusted RR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99 for 100–199 mg/day and RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85, 0.94 for 200–399 mg/day compared with those consuming Conclusions. Moderate caffeine consumption appeared beneficial in reducing risk of death. Attenuation in the observed associations between mortality and intake of tea and milk with adjustment for potential confounders suggests that such consumption identifies those with other mortality-associated lifestyle and health risks. The increased death risk with consumption of artificially sweetened, but not sugar-sweetened, soft drinks suggests an effect of the sweetener rather than other components of the soft drinks, although residual confounding remains a possibility.
On a bakable evaporation apparatus, and throughput gauge

Abstract a vacuum evaporation apparatus is described which consists of an all-metal bell jar, fitted with two observation windows, connected through a liquid-air trap to a mercury diffusion pump unit which is fitted with a dry ice trap at the throat of the pump. The bell jar and liquid-air trap can be placed in an oven for baking out up to a temperature of 160°C. A McLeod gauge joined to a trap which, in turn, is connected via a stopcock to the backing line of the diffusion pump can be used for the measurement of the throughput of gases and vapours during and after baking. The apparatus facilitated the production of silver films with an exceptionally low absorption. A discussion of the performance of the plant is added.
Comparing the effectiveness of video-assisted oral debriefing and oral debriefing alone on behaviors by undergraduate nursing students during high-fidelity simulation

Complex healthcare, less resources, high-level medical equipment, and fewer available clinical settings have led many health professionals to use simulation as a method to further augment educational experiences for nursing students. While debriefing is recommended in the literature as a key component of simulation, the optimal format in which to conduct debriefing is unknown. This pre- and posttest two-group randomized quasi-experimental design compared the effectiveness of video-assisted oral debriefing (VAOD) and oral debriefing alone (ODA) on behaviors of 48 undergraduate nursing students during high-fidelity simulation. Further, this study examined whether roles (e.g., team leader, medication nurse), type of scenarios (i.e., pulmonary and cardiac scenarios), and student simulation team membership (i.e., VAOD and ODA groups) influenced these behaviors. Behaviors observed in this study related to patient safety, communication among team members, basic- and problem-focused assessment, prioritization of care, appropriate interventions, and delegation to healthcare team members. Both human patient simulator practice and guidance using video-assisted oral debriefing and oral debriefing alone appeared to be comparable regarding behaviors, regardless of roles, type of scenarios, and student simulation team membership. These findings suggest that nurse educators may use either video-assisted oral debriefing or oral debriefing alone to debrief undergraduate nursing students during high-fidelity simulation.
Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms associated with celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal artery occlusive disease: Methods and analysis of results in 271 patients

Abstract Two hundred seventy-one of 1509 patients who underwent thoracoabdominal aortic repairs had either celiac or superior mesenteric or renal artery occlusive disease. These latter patients were treated by endarterectomy or bypass between June 20, 1960 and Jan. 10, 1991. After 1987, the 30-day survival rate was 93% (79 of 85) compared with 90% (245 of 271) before 1988. Multivariate predictors of death were age, postoperative reoperation for bleeding, and cardiac complications ( p p p p p p = 0.08). We conclude that endarterectomy or bypass of occlusive visceral disease reduces the risk of renal failure after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, does not decrease early or late survival, and does not increase the risk of gastrointestinal complications. (J Vasc Surg 1992;16:378–90.)
Reproductive Biology of Biosteres arisanus (Sonan), an Egg Larval Parasitoid of the Oriental Fruit Fly

Abstract Biosteres arisanus (Sonan) is an internal egg-larval parasitoid candidate for biological control programs directed against several fruit fly pests of the family Tephritidae. To facilitate development of mass production methods, basic biological data pertaining to the reproductive activity of B. arisanus were collected. Daily progeny production for the cohort-age interval 6-20 days was found to be optimum, and a discard age of 21 days is recommended. The overall mean progeny production per day (50.4 ± 4.2 parasitoids) was doubled to 105.4 ± 23.2 when parasitoids were increased from 50 to 100 ♀♀/cage. In parasitoid cages of 200 ♀♀, mean progeny production per day peaked at 297.1 ± 43.8 parasitoids at age interval 6-10 days. Mean progeny yield/cage was 1309, 2433, and 3401 parasitoids when the initial cohort density was 50, 100, and 200 ♀♀, respectively. An oviposition exposure period of 6 h was optimum to minimize rates of host mortality or superparasitism. Unparasitized host puparia of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) from parasitoid exposure cages can be efficiently separated by the size of host puparia. Up to 99.5% of the total B. arisanus emerged from pupal size class 1 (maximum width = 1.7 mm, maximum length = 4.1 mm) to size class 4 (maximum width = 2.1 mm, maximum length = 4.9 mm). Most of the unparasitized adult flies (80.6%) emerged from pupal sizes larger than size class 4. Furthermore, 97.6% of B. arisanus that emerged from size class 1 were males. Percentages of male parasitoid progeny declined significantly as the host puparial size increased (≍ 3% ♂♂ emerged from class 4 and 5 puparia).
A Microprocessor CCTV Conitroller for Safeguards Applications

An integral part of a state of the art Alarm Display and Assessment System is the closed circuit television (CCTV) subsystem. It is in this portion of the system where all video signals are switched, recorded, and replayed for surveillance and assessment purposes. This paper presents the implementation of one such CCTV subsystem. This implementation incorporates two Motorola H6809 microprocessors as video controllers that collectively have the capability of initiating the recording of multiple "alarm" scenes, switching any live or recorded video from any camera to any one of the assessment monitors, annotating or identifying all video scenes, verifying the presence of video on all cameras, and reporting critical component failures to a "host" LSI-11/23 system computer. Included in this system are: a rigid video disc recorder, a video routing switcher, character generators for annotation, a video presence detector, and manual switchers.
Gender Differences in Fundamental Motor Skill Development in Disadvantaged Preschoolers From Two Geographical Regions

Abstract This study examined the influence of gender and region on object control (OC) and locomotor skill development. Participants were 275 midwestern African American and 194 southwestern Hispanic preschool children who were disadvantaged. All were evaluated on the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (Ulrich, 2000). Two, 2 Gender (girls, boys) x 2 Region (midwest, southwest) analyses of variance were conducted on OC and locomotor percentile rank. Both midwestern and southwestern preschoolers were developmentally delayed in locomotor and OC skills (< 30th percentile). There was a significant difference for gender (p < .0001) and Gender x Region interaction (p = .02) for OC skills. Boys outperformed girls in the midwestern and southwestern regions. For locomotor skills, there was a significant difference for region (p < .001), with midwestern preschoolers having better locomotor skills.