cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Satisfaction in Pediatric Surgical Care A Systematic Review

ObjectiveThis study seeks to synthesize evidence-based findings related to patient satisfaction as a process measure in pediatric surgical care.Data SourcesPubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.Review MethodsWe queried 4 standard search engines (1992-2013) for studies specific to pediatric surgical fields in which patient or parent satisfaction or experience of care was a primary outcome measure. Data were systematically analyzed to determine study characteristics, setting, parent or patient focus, measure of experience, and bias. Two independent investigators independently reviewed all articles.ResultsThe initial search yielded 4748 publications (1503 duplicates), of which 170 underwent full-text review. Thirty-five were included for analysis; the majority (24/35,77%) were published in the last 5 years. Studies examined experience of the child (3/35), parent (23/35), or both (9/35). Experience and satisfaction were evaluated either by validated self-assessment ins...
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) Lobectomy: Focus on Technique

A clear definition of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is lacking in the current peer-reviewed literature. Reported cases vary from four to six incisions in number, 4.0 to 10.0 cm in length, and with and without rib spreading; in addition, they include direct visualization through a utility incision. Described is a complete standardized three-incision thoracoscopic technique that maximizes the benefits of minimally invasive surgery without compromising oncologic principles. Patients with clinically suspected stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were selected for VATS lobectomy on the basis of thoracic computed tomography. VATS lobectomies were performed using a standardized three-incision technique: a 2-cm camera port, a 2-cm posterior port, and a 4 cm utility incision without rib spreading. Hilar structures were individually ligated, fissures were completed, and lymph node dissection was performed entirely under thoracoscopic visualization. From May 2002 to December 2009, VATS lobectomy was performed successfully in more than 600 patients at our institution. There were no operative deaths, and the median length of stay was 4 days. Standardized VATS lobectomy is feasible, expeditious, and safe. This standardized three-incision technique utilizing a 4-cm utility incision without rib spreading may allow valid comparisons of conventional procedures in clinical trials.
When a truck becomes a motorcycle: the impact of sample load on a chiral capillary electrophoresis separation using mixtures of neutral and sulfated cyclodextrins.

Chiral capillary electrophoresis (CE) separations are useful for monitoring the presence of a minor isomer at low levels (e.g., <0.5%) in the presence of the major form. In order to quantitate these low levels, it is necessary to inject large amounts of sample. Separations which appear to have more than enough resolution (“big enough to drive a truck through”) for dilute, equal-concentration mixtures of isomers can become inadequately resolved when the necessary amount of sample is injected. This paper addresses some important considerations in maintaining adequate resolution at high sample loads for chiral separations involving a dual-cyclodextrin (CD) system. For hydrophobic compounds, the use of both a neutral and a sulfated CD can be helpful in achieving a chiral separation. In such a system, the migration time and resolution can be controlled by varying the ratio of neutral to charged CD concentrations. It is demonstrated here that not only the ratio, but also the total CD concentration can significantly affect the separation. In this paper, the impact of the total CD concentration in a dual-CD system (with the concentration ratio constant) is examined with respect to peak shape and resolution. The influences of temperature, capillary diameter, and current are also considered. The corresponding impact on the amount of sample which can be loaded and successfully separated determines the limit of quantitation of the minor isomer. Thus, this information is important in making such chiral separations applicable to determinations of low levels of minor isomer in the presence of large amounts of the major form.
Effect of dc biasing on YBCO/STO/LAO tunable microstrip filters

Abstract One of the critical design aspects in ferroelectric tunable microstrip filters is choosing the right bias configuration, for large tunability as well as to maintain the filter's passband characteristics. This work is based on strontium titanate (STO) ferroelectric thin-film based tunable microstrip filters for cryogenic temperature applications. Large tunability factors have been demonstrated in YBCO/STO/LAO two-layered microstrip filters when operated at or below 77 K. The effect of the dc electric field (primarily responsible for tuning) and critical design parameters such as the insertion loss, frequency tunability, return loss, and bandwidth of superconductor/ferroelectric/dielectric microstrip tunable K-band microwave filters is discussed in this work.
Inexact control variates for the iterated bootstrap

The use of control variates as a method of variance reduction in Monte Carlo integration is well known. Recently these methods have been applied to bootstrap estimates of bias and standard error. The method relies on the existence of a random variable, called a control variate, whose expected value is known or can be estimated accurately. In this paper we apply the method of control variates to the iterated bootstrap estimates of the coverage of a bootstrap confidence interval and the power of a bootstrap test. This method differs from previous applications of the control variate method to bootstrap estimates in that we use a related parametric method as the control variate. A simulation study demonstrates the substantial improvement of this method over the usual iterated bootstrap.
COLEOPTEROCORIS, AN INTERESTING NEW GENUS OF THE SUBFAMILY POTAMOCORINAE (Naucoridae: Heteroptera)

In 1941 Doctor Robert Usinger set up the new Subfamily Potamocorinae for Potamocoris parvus Hungerford, which was described in the same issue of the Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Vol. XXXIV, pp. 1–4, Plate I. This tiny species, only 2.8 mm. long, appeared to be a most interesting discovery, and remarkably smaller, and structurally different from any Naucorid known. Recently there has come to my attention another new species of about the same size, but with characters that place it in another genus and add strength to the suggestions of Doctor Usinger and Mr. W. E. China2,3 that there is some close relationship between the Naucoridae and the Helotrephidae.
Colocalization of F‐actin and 34‐kilodalton actin bundling protein in dictyostelium amoebae and cultured fibroblasts

The Ca2+-sensitive actin-binding protein isolated from Dictyostelium discoideum, 30,000-D protein (Fechheimer and Taylor: J. Biol. Chem. 259:4514-4520, 1984;) has recently been localized in filipodia of substrate-adhered amoebae (Fechheimer: J. Cell Biol. 104:1539-1551, 1987). We have determined that this protein has a Mr of 34,000 daltons and is strictly colocalized with actin filaments in both substrate-attached Dictyostelium amoebae and cultured fibroblasts. 3T3 fibroblasts, as well as normal and virally transformed rat kidney fibroblasts (NRK) contain a 34-kilodalton (kD) protein that cross-reacts specifically with antibody to the Dictyostelium bundling protein. Mammalian 34-kD protein is colocalized with F-actin in stress fibers and the cortical cytoskeleton in substrate-adhered fibroblasts. In substrate-adhered vegetative Dictyostelium, F-actin and 34-kD protein are concentrated in regions of the cell cortex exhibiting filipodia and membrane ridges. Multiple filipodia formed after exposure to the chemoattractant folic acid stain intensely for 34-kD protein, implying participation in the assembly of actin bundles during filipod formation. The cortex of pseudopodia also contained high concentrations of bundling protein, but pseudopod interiors did not. In contrast to vegetative Dictyostelium, F-actin and 34-kD protein were not colocalized in cells that had progressed through the developmental cycle. In fruiting bodies, 34-kD protein was detected by immunofluorescence microscopy only in prespore cells, while F-actin appeared in stalk cells and spores.
Monotone method for equations describing transport phenomena in a Banach space

In this paper monotone methods have been developed for equations arising in transport processes in a Banach space. This method proves the existence of extremal solutions for such equations. The advantage of the method for such type of equations is that the successive iterates are solutions of the corresponding initial value problems.
Rich-cluster and non-cluster radio galaxies and the (P, D) diagram for a large number of FR I and FR II sources

We present a comparison of the optical and radio properties of radio sources inside and outside the cores of rich clusters from combined samples of more than 380 radio sources. We also examine the nature of FR I and FR II host galaxies, and in particular, we illustrate the importance of selection effects in propagating the misconception that FR I’s and FR II’s are found in hosts of very different optical luminosity. Given the large sample size, we also discuss the power-size (P, D) distributions as a function of optical luminosity.
Invasive crayfish Orconectes rusticus (Decapoda, Cambaridae) is a more effective predator of substrate nesting fish eggs than native crayfish (O. virilis).

Non-indigenous crayfish pose substantial threats to native species, community structure, and ecosystem function in invaded lakes across the globe. The well-documented range expansion of the rusty crayfish Orconectes rusticus is an ideal system to study potential relationships between the attributes that contribute to invasive success, and the ways in which non-indigenous species alter invaded systems. In Michigan and northern Wisconsin (U.S.A.) lakes where O. rusticus is replacing its native congener O. virilis, it is thought that O. rusticus invasion may account for decreased fish abundance. However, not all of the potential mechanisms that could drive this process have been explored. We examined the hypothesis that O. rusticus are better benthic egg predators than O. virilis, and tested the prediction that O. rusticus would consume substrate bound fish eggs at a higher rate than its native congener. Support for this hypothesis would suggest that O. rusticus may be able to access a high-energy food source better than O. virilis, and exert predation pressures that could limit the abundance of fish species which might otherwise limit crayfish populations through top-down control. In laboratory experiments, we determined that O. rusticus exhibit a positive correlation between feeding rate and carapace length not displayed by O. virilis, and that larger O. rusticus feed at a higher rate than their native congener. We also found that O. rusticus in laboratory feeding trials engaged in longer feeding events than crayfish foraging in situ in a substrate-spawning fish nest, a factor which could give O. rusticus an advantage in resource competition with its native congener O. virilis. Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that O. rusticus is a better predator of substrate bound fish eggs than O. virilis, and suggest that direct predation by crayfish may influence fish reproduction in lakes where O. rusticus replaces O. virilis.
DIETARY WHEAT GERM OIL INFLUENCES GENE EXPRESSION IN LARVAE AND EGGS OF THE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY

Changes in animal nutrition, particularly essential dietary components, alter global gene expression patterns. Our goal is to identify molecular markers that serve as early indicators of the quality of insect culture media. Markers of deficient culture media will increase the efficiency of developing optimal systems for mass rearing beneficial insects and some pest species because decisions on culture media quality can be made without waiting through one or several life cycles. The objective of our current study is to discover molecular markers of essential dietary lipid deficiency in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. We reared groups of fruit flies separately on media either devoid of or supplemented with wheat germ oil (WGO) and analyzed gene expression in third instar larvae and F1 eggs using 2D electrophoresis. Gel densitometry revealed significant changes in expression levels of genes encoding eight proteins in larvae and 22 proteins in eggs. We identified these proteins by using mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF) and bioinformatic analyses of the protein sequences. Among these, we identified one gene encoding the receptor of activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1) that increased in expression by 6.8-fold in eggs from adults that were reared as larvae on media supplemented with WGO. RACK1 is an essential component of at least three intracellular signal transduction pathways, making it a good molecular marker candidate of lipid deficiency in fruit flies and possibly many other insect species. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the relationship between conceptual schemes and behaviour reports: A closer look1

The validity of the assertion that rated and self-reported behavior is “almost entirely under the influence of preexisting conceptual schemes” is questioned. It is argued that the approach previously used to test this thesis is inadequate, and an alternative approach is described. A comparison of findings obtained using the two approaches suggests that the thesis is in need of revision: The presumed correspondence is neither as high nor as consistent as it may be thought to be. Some implications of the present findings for future research in social cognition and in personality are discussed.
Factors associated with treatment attrition for Medicaid-enrolled youth with serious emotional disturbances

Abstract Premature discontinuation from treatment is a significant problem that undermines the delivery of effective mental health services and increases the risk for relapse and poor outcomes. However, factors associated with treatment attrition in children and adolescents are not well understood. This retrospective longitudinal cohort study examines factors associated with attrition for Medicaid-enrolled youth, aged 5 to 17 with “new episodes” of ICD-9-CM diagnosed serious emotional disturbance (N = 43,122). Information on individual-level (demographic and clinical characteristics) and contextual-level variables (county socio-demographic, economic, and health care resources) were abstracted from Medicaid claim files and the Area Resource File. Multilevel modeling was used to assess the association between individual and contextual-level variables and attrition. Of the 43,122 youth in the study sample, 4056 (9.4%) discontinued treatment. The odds of treatment attrition were significantly higher for youth who were male (OR = 1.16, p p p = 0.01), and lived in a county with a larger percentage of minorities (OR = 1.02, p = 0.01). In contrast, youth diagnosed with bipolar and depressive disorders compared to ADHD (OR = 0.78, p p = 0.01, respectively), with comorbid psychiatric (OR = 0.74, p p p p = 0.05 and OR = 0.99, p = 0.03 respectively). Overall, this study suggests that a combination of individual factors, demographic and clinical, and contextual factors impact attrition in children's mental health outpatient treatment.
Nonlinear Development of the Beam-Cyclotron Instability

A theory is presented for the nonlinear evolution of the beam-cyclotron instability, together with the results of a series of computer experiments confirming the main points of the theory. We conclude that at a turbulent level which is proportional to ${(\frac{{\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\mathrm{ce}}}{{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\mathrm{pe}}})}^{2}$, a transition is made to the nonmagnetic ion acoustic instability. For small $\frac{{T}_{i}}{{T}_{e}}$, the system then evolves until the fluctuating fields become strong enough to stabilize by ion trapping.
Howling detection in hearing aids using Discrete Energy Separation Algorithm-2 and Generalized Teager-Kaiser Operator

Howling is one of the most annoying consequences of the acoustical coupling in hearing aids. In this paper, a method of howling detection is proposed applying Discrete Energy Separation Algorithm-2 (DESA-2) and Generalized Teager-Kaiser Operator (GTKO). Several GTKOs with various resolution parameters monitor the input signal to recognize the howling occurrence while DESA-2 is used to estimate the howling frequency. Performance of the proposed method is compared with two known howling detection approaches, i.e. Peak-to-Harmonic Power Ratio (PHPR) and Adaptive Notch Filter (ANF). Simulation results show the advantage of the proposed method in terms of having lower false detection and shorter detection time.
Hypolimnetic Aeration with Hollow Fiber Membranes

ABSTRACT Microporous, hollow fiber membranes have potential for use as a lake hypolimnetic aerator because oxygen is transferred without bubble formation. Thus, the large capital costs of traditional hypolimnetic aerators can be avoided. Two hollow fiber aerator designs are considered for application to hypolimnion aeration. The first was a passive design that required no external energy input other than a pressurized oxygen supply. This approach was dismissed, however, because the low velocities which exist in lake hypolimnia result in oxygen transfer rates that are too small to provide cost-effective aeration. An alternative design, in which membrane modules were rotated through the water by a mechanical motor, was also examined. Experiments were conducted to characterize fiber performance for this design as a function of relative water velocity, and examine the effects of fouling on membrane performance. The experimental results were used to assess capital and operating and maintenance (O&M) costs of a...
Analysis of trends in maximum and minimum temperature, diurnal temperature range, and cloud cover over India

[1] We assembled data at a 1° latitude by 1° longitude resolution for 285 cells across India and analyzed the seasonal trends in the maximum and minimum temperature, diurnal temperature range (DTR), and cloud cover for the time period 1931–2002. Significant increases in maximum and minimum temperature have occurred over the Deccan plateau, but in general, trends in DTR were not significant except for a decrease in northwest Kashmir in summer. The effect of cloud cover on the DTR was expectedly negative for most of the country for winter and summer seasons with significant increase in summer cloud cover in Kashmir.
On the decomposition by generations of the PLM-function.

The mathematical study of exponentially growing cell populations and in particular of the PLM-function, which was made by Trucco & Brockwell (1968) is continued. In the present paper labeled mitotic cells are classified according to their number of labeled ancestors. This leads to a decomposition by generations of the PLM-function into a sequence of waves. It has been proposed by Mendelsohn and Bresciani that the area under the initial wave (which can often be observed experimentally) be used to estimate the mean duration, D2, of DNA synthesis. By first determining the Laplace transform of the vth wave of labeled mitoses (v = 0, 1, 2,…) we are able to show that the area under any wave is in general not D 2 ( = ∞ ∫ 0 a δ 2 ( a ) d a ) but instead Z 2 ( = [ ∫ 0 ∞ a e − c a δ 2 ( a ) d a ] / [ ∫ 0 ∞ e − c a δ 2 ( a ) d a ] ) Here δ2 denotes the probability density of the duration of DNA synthesis and c denotes the specific growth rate of the population (i.e. if N(t) is the population size at time t then N(t) = K ect where K is constant). If c = 0 or if the variance of the probability density δ2 is zero then D2 = Z2. Moreover it seems that in practical situations Z2 and D2 are very close, so that the area under the initial wave is a reasonably good estimator of D2. Some illustrations of wave-decompositions are given, and comparisons are made of D2 with the area estimates. The analysis also casts new light on the physical interpretation of the so-called “carrier distributions” and relates our work to that of Barrett (1966) . Finally the question of upper and lower bounds for the specific growth rate, c, of a cellular population in a steady state of exponential growth is examined, leading to the relations (53) to (56) of the text.
The Exu approach to safe, transparent and lightweight interoperability

Exu is a new approach to automated support for safe, transparent and lightweight interoperability in multilanguage software systems. The approach is safe because it enforces appropriate type compatibility across language boundaries. It is transparent since it shields software developers from the details inherent in low-level language-based interoperability mechanisms. It is lightweight for developers because it eliminates tedious and error-prone coding (e.g., JNI) and lightweight at run-time since it does not unnecessarily incur the performance overhead of distributed, IDL-based approaches. The Exu approach exploits and extends the object-oriented concept of meta-object, encapsulating interoperability implementation in meta-classes so that developers can produce interoperating code by simply using meta-inheritance. An example application of Exu to the development of Java/C++ (i.e., multilanguage) programs illustrates the safety and transparency advantages of the approach. Comparing the performance of the Java/C++ programs produced by Exu to the same set of programs developed using IDL-based approaches provides preliminary evidence of the performance advantages of Exu.
Implementing practice-linked pre-visit electronic journals in primary care: Patient and physician use and satisfaction

Electronic health records (EHRs) and EHR-connected patient portals offer patienteprovider collaboration tools for visit-based care. During a randomized controlled trial, primary care patients completed pre-visit electronic journals (eJournals) containing EHR-based medication, allergies, and diabetes (study arm 1) or health maintenance, personal history, and family history (study arm 2) topics to share with their provider. Assessment with surveys and usage data showed that among 2027 patients invited to complete an eJournal, 70.3% submitted one and 71.1% of submitters had one opened by their provider. Surveyed patients reported they felt more prepared for the visit (55.9%) and their provider had more accurate information about them (58.0%). More arm 1 versus arm 2 providers reported that eJournals were visit-time neutral (100% vs 53%; p<0.013), helpful to patients in visit preparation (66% vs 20%; p¼0.082), and would recommend them to colleagues (78% vs 22%; p¼0.0143). eJournal integration into practice warrants further study.
Examining the continuity of type-1 and interval type-2 fuzzy logic systems

This paper studies the continuity of the input-output mappings of fuzzy logic systems (FLSs), including both type-1 (T1) and interval type-2 (IT2) FLSs. We show that a T1 FLS being an universal approximator is equivalent to saying that a T1 FLS has a continuous input-output mapping. We also derive the condition under which a T1 FLS is discontinuous. For IT2 FLSs using Karnik-Mendel type-reduction and center-of-sets defuzzification, we derive the conditions under which continuous and discontinuous input-output mappings can be obtained. Our results will be very useful in selecting the parameters of the membership functions to achieve a desired continuity (e.g., for most traditional modeling and control applications) or discontinuity (e.g., for hybrid and switched systems modeling and control).
HIV-Positive Mothers’ Communication About Safer Sex and STD Prevention With Their Children:

Mothers play an important role in promoting the sexual health of their adolescent children. Fifty-seven HIV-positive mothers with adolescent children participated in an in-depth, qualitative interview regarding whether they have talked to their children about safer sex and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, including at what age they began such discussions and what messages they gave to their children. The majority of mothers (95%) had talked with their child about safer sex; some began such discussions when the children were as young as 6 years old, but most began when the children were around 12 years old. Mothers’ messages fell into the following areas: (a) protecting oneself from STDs; (b) giving factual information regarding STDs, including HIV; (c) avoiding pregnancy; (d) empowering and respecting oneself; and (e) communicating with sexual partners. The mothers’ own HIV status affected the discussions with their children. Content of mothers’ messages, child reactions, and child outcomes ...
Dependence of the Bluff Body Wake Structure on Flame Temperature Ratio

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the wake and flame characteristics of a bluff body stabilized flame. Prior investigations have clearly shown that the wake structure is markedly different at “high” and “low” flame density ratios. This paper describes a systematic analysis of the dependence of the flow field characteristics and flame sheet dynamics upon flame density ratio, ρu/ρb, over the range 1.7< ρu/ρb <3.4. This paper shows that two fundamentally different flame/flow behaviors are observed – characterized here as Kelvin-Helmholtz and Von-Karman vortex street dominated - at high and low ρu/ρb values, respectively. These are interpreted here as a transition from a convectively to absolutely unstable flow. This transition manifests itself in several ways with decreasing ρu/ρb values, including (1) the spectrum of the flame motion and flow field transitions from a distributed to a narrowband peak at St~0.24, and (2) the correlation between the two flame front branches monotonically increases. Finally, the intermittent nature of the flow field is emphasized, with the relative fraction of the two different flow/flame behaviors monotonically varying with ρu/ρb.
Naïve and experienced judgments of stimulus-response compatibility: implications for interface design.

Many design guidelines encourage maintaining stimulus—response compatibility whenever possible. Payne found that naive judgments for different stimulus—response (S—R) mappings were not very accurate, and suggested that designers may not be able to predict whether a particular display-control configuration will lead to better performance than another. Three experiments were conducted to determine whether naive judgments for two-choice tasks in which stimuli and responses involve left—right spatial information are sensitive to (a) the influence of S—R mode relations and (b) pure versus mixed presentation of compatible and incompatible mappings. Initial performance judgments for these conditions were not very accurate, nor were those for four-choice tasks of the type studied by Payne, but subjects' estimates of performance improved with relatively little experience using the different S—R configurations.
pICln Inhibits snRNP Biogenesis by Binding Core Spliceosomal Proteins

The U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) form essential components of spliceosomes, the machinery that removes introns from pre-mRNAs in eukaryotic cells. A critical initial step in the complex process of snRNP biogenesis is the assembly of a group of common core proteins (Sm proteins) on spliceosomal snRNA. In this study we show by multiple independent methods that the protein pICln associates with Sm proteins in vivo and in vitro. The binding of pICln to Sm proteins interferes with Sm protein assembly on spliceosomal snRNAs and inhibits import of snRNAs into the nucleus. Furthermore, pICln prevents the interaction of Sm proteins with the survival of motor neurons (SMN) protein, an interaction that has been shown to be critical for snRNP biogenesis. These findings lead us to propose a model in which pICln participates in the regulation of snRNP biogenesis, at least in part by interfering with Sm protein interaction with SMN protein.
Fast protocol for equilibration of entangled and branched polymer chains

Direct brute-force equilibration of well-entangled polymers is beyond the reach of the modern computational power because of slow reptation dynamics exhibited by high molecular weight chains. We have introduced a fast protocol to prepare well-equilibrated entangled polymer melts of various architectures. A soft, DPD-like potential is used to quickly equilibrate the melt at intermediate length-scale following with a replacement of the DPD potential with Lennard–Jones potential. The equilibrated structure is then subjected to a short MD simulation run that relaxes the melt configuration at the short length-scale. The topological characteristics of the final melt structure are excellent, and the method found to be computationally competitive to other state-of-the-art equilibration techniques.
Stability of solitary waves for the vector nonlinear Schrödinger equation in higher-order Sobolev spaces

Abstract In this manuscript, a sharp form of orbital stability for the Schrodinger system, also known as the vector NLS, i ∂ ∂ t u j + ∂ 2 ∂ x x u j + 2 ∑ i = 1 m | u i | 2 u j = 0 , where u j are complex-valued functions of ( x , t ) ∈ R 2 , j = 1 , 2 , … , m , is established in L 2 -based Sobolev classes of arbitrarily high order. The result means practically that not only does the bulk of what emanates from the perturbed solitary wave stay close in shape and propagation and phase speeds to the original solitary wave, but emerging residual oscillations must also be very small and not only in the energy norm.
Space-time precoding for mean and covariance feedback: application to wideband OFDM

We consider optimization of the capacity of a multi-input single-output wideband cellular "downlink," in which the base station has estimates of the statistics of the spatial channel. Our main focus is on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed (OFDM) systems, although some of our results apply to single-carrier systems, as well. Prior work has shown that estimates of the channel spatial covariance can be obtained without overhead for both frequency-division duplex (FDD) and time-division duplex (TDD) systems by suitably averaging uplink measurements. In this paper, we investigate the benefits of supplementing this "free" covariance feedback with mean feedback, where the latter refers to estimates of the spatial channel realization in each subcarrier. Mean feedback can be obtained using reciprocity for TDD systems, and requires explicit feedback for FDD systems. We first devise strategies for using both covariance and mean feedback, mainly restricting attention to beamforming, which is optimal or near-optimal for many outdoor channels with narrow spatial spread. Second, since mean feedback degrades rapidly with feedback delay for mobile channels, we develop quantitative rules of thumb regarding the accuracy required for the mean feedback to be a useful supplement to the already available, and robust, covariance feedback. Our results validate the following intuition: the accuracy requirements for mean feedback to be useful are more relaxed for channels with larger spatial spread, or for a larger number of transmit elements.
Development and validation of transtheoretical model measures for Bulgarian adolescent non-smokers.

The goal of this study was to develop, translate, and evaluate measures for decisional balance and situational temptations for Bulgarian adolescent nonsmokers and to test the predicted relationships with stages of change. Students in the last grades of high school (15–19 years old) recruited in 12 randomly selected schools participated in the study. Data from the 369 nonsmokers (61.8% female, mean age 16.4 years, 97.1% Bulgarian) were used in the measurement development. A two-factor model for decisional balance (CFI =. 94) and a hierarchical three-factor model for temptations (CFI =. 90) demonstrated the best fit. The predicted crossover pattern for decisional balance and decreasing trend for temptations across the stages of change was verified. Both measures demonstrated tau-equivalent invariance across gender, in addition to good psychometric properties. These results, with the caveat of the noted limitations, support the cross-cultural validity of these transtheoretical model (TTM) constructs and indi...
Mass balance and life cycle assessment of biodiesel from microalgae incorporated with nutrient recycling options and technology uncertainties

This article presents mass balances and a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) for energy and greenhouse gases (GHGs) of a simulated microalgae biodiesel production system. Key parameters of the system include biomass productivity of 16 and 25 g m−2 day−1 and lipid content of algae of 40% and 25% for low and normal nitrogen conditions respectively. Based on an oil extraction efficiency from wet biomass of 73.6% and methane yields from anaerobically digested lipid-extracted biomass of 0.31 to 0.34 l per gram of volatile solids, the mass balance shows that recycling growth media and recovering nutrients from residual biomass through anaerobic digestion can reduce the total demand for nitrogen by 66% and phosphorus by 90%. Freshwater requirements can be reduced by 89% by recirculating growth media, and carbon requirements reduced by 40% by recycling CO2 from biogas combustion, for normal nitrogen conditions. A variety of technology options for each step of the production process and allocation methods for coproducts used outside the production system are evaluated using LCA. Extensive sensitivity and scenario analysis is also performed to provide better understanding of uncertainty associated with results. The best performing scenario consists of normal nitrogen cultivation conditions, bioflocculation and dissolved air flotation for harvesting, centrifugation for dewatering, wet extraction with hexane, transesterification for biodiesel production, and anaerobic digestion of biomass residual, which generates biogas used in a combined heat and power unit for energy recovery. This combination of technologies and operating conditions results in life cycle energy requirements and GHG emissions of 1.02 MJ and 71 g CO2-equivalent per MJ of biodiesel, with cultivation and oil extraction dominating energy use and emissions. Thus, even under optimistic conditions, the near-term performance of this biofuel pathway does not achieve the significant reductions in life cycle GHG emissions hoped for from second-generation biofuel feedstocks.
Sleep Disturbance Among Older Adults in Assisted Living Facilities

Objectives To evaluate whether objectively and subjectively measured sleep disturbances persist among older adults in assisted living facilities (ALFs) and to identify predictors of sleep disturbance in this setting. Design Prospective, observational cohort study. Setting and Participants A total of 121 residents, age ≥ 65 years, in 18 ALFs in the Los Angeles area. Measurements Objective (actigraphy) and subjective (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) sleep measures were collected at baseline and 3- and 6-month follow-up. Predictors of baseline sleep disturbance tested in bivariate analyses and multiple regression models included demographics, Mini-Mental State Examination score, number of comorbidities, nighttime sedating medication use, functional status (activities of daily living; instrumental activities of daily living), restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea risk. Results Objective and subjective sleep measures were similar at baseline and 3- and 6-month follow-up (objective nighttime total sleep [hours] 6.3, 6.5, and 6.4; objective nighttime percent sleep 77.2, 77.7, and 78.3; and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score 8.0, 7.8, and 7.7, respectively). The mean baseline nighttime percent sleep decreased by 2% for each additional unit increase in baseline comorbid conditions (measured as the number of conditions), and increased by 4.5% for each additional unit increase in baseline activities of daily living (measured as the number of activities of daily living), in a multiple regression model. Conclusions In this study, we found that objectively and subjectively measured sleep disturbances are persistent among ALF residents and are related to a greater number of comorbidities and poorer functional status at baseline. Interventions are needed to improve sleep in this setting.
The rcbA gene product reduces spontaneous and induced chromosome breaks in Escherichia coli

Elevated levels of DnaA cause excessive initiation, which leads to an increased level of double-strand breaks that are proposed to arise when newly formed replication forks collide from behind with stalled or collapsed forks. These double-strand breaks are toxic in mutants that are unable to repair them. Using a multicopy suppressor assay to identify genes that suppress this toxicity, we isolated a plasmid carrying a gene whose function had been unknown. This gene, carried by the cryptic rac prophage, has been named rcbA for its ability to reduce the frequency of chromosome breaks. Our study shows that the colony formation of strains bearing mutations in rep, recG, and rcbA, like recA and recB mutants, is inhibited by an oversupply of DnaA and that a multicopy plasmid carrying rcbA neutralizes this inhibition. These and other results suggest that rcbA helps to maintain the integrity of the bacterial chromosome by lowering the steady-state level of double-strand breaks.
Intussusception Reduced by Barium Enema Outcome and Short-term Follow-up

A retrospective study was performed of 88 consecutive cases of intussusception that occurred during a 3-year period. Forty-eight patients experienced hydrostatic reduction of intussusception with barium enema and 40 patients required surgical correction of intussusception when barium enema reduction was unsuccessful. Patients with fever or duration of symptoms greater than 24 hours, or ileo-ileocolic type of intussusception had a significantly greater rate of unsuccessful hydrostatic reduction (p less than 0.001). Of 48 cases of intussusception hydrostatically reduced by barium enema, 47 patients received repeat physical examination after reduction, 45 having normal findings. Oral feeding was tolerated in these 47 patients within 12 hours after reduction. All 41 hospitalized patients were discharged within 24 hours of reduction without developing complication; of seven non-hospitalized patients, six reported no complications during the initial 24 hour post-reduction period. The single complication that occurred was recurrence of intussusception (ileo-ileocolic type) in a patient 6 hours after initial reduction; this was the only case in which neither post-reduction physical examination nor trial of feeding had been performed. Children with intussusception hydrostatically reduced by barium enema are at low risk for complication during the subsequent 24 hour post-reduction period. When the pre-reduction course has been relatively uncomplicated, the post-reduction physical examination does not reveal abnormalities, and the patient is able to tolerate oral feeding, close outpatient monitoring appears to be safe.
Polyploidy and the Evolutionary History of Cotton

Abstract The cotton genus ( Gossypium ) includes approximately 50 species distributed in arid to semi-arid regions of the tropic and subtropics. Included are four species that have independently been domesticated for their fiber, two each in Africa–Asia and the Americas. Gossypium species exhibit extraordinary morphological variation, ranging from herbaceous perennials to small trees with a diverse array of reproductive and vegetative characteristics. A parallel level of cytogenetic and genomic diversity has arisen during the global radiation of the genus, leading to the evolution of eight groups of diploid ( n =13) species (genome groups A–G, and K). The evolutionary history of the genus included multiple episodes of trans-oceanic dispersal, invasion of new ecological niches, and a surprisingly high frequency of natural interspecific hybridization among lineages that are presently both geographically isolated and intersterile. Recent investigations have clarified many aspects of this history, including relationships within and among the eight genome groups, the domestication history of each of the four cultivated species, and the origin of the allopolyploid cottons. Data implicate an origin for Gossypium 5–15 million years ago (mya) and a rapid early diversification of the major genome groups. Allopolyploid cottons appear to have arisen within the last million years, as a consequence of trans-oceanic dispersal of an A-genome taxon to the New World followed by hybridization with an indigenous D-genome diploid. Subsequent to formation, allopolyploids radiated into three modern lineages, including those containing the commercially important species G. hirsutum and G. barbadense . Genome doubling has led to an array of molecular genetic interactions, including inter-locus concerted evolution, differential rates of genomic evolution, inter-genomic genetic transfer, and probable alterations in gene expression. The myriad underlying mechanisms are also suggested to have contributed to both ecological success and agronomic potential.
IS MELANIN A DEFENSE AGAINST FEATHER-FEEDING LICE?

Abstract The adaptive basis of plumage color has received much attention, including the finding that color can reveal information about parasite loads to potential mates. A related possibility, that color may be a direct defense against parasites, has received less attention. Melanin makes feathers tough and more resistant to wear and tear. Melanin may also make feathers more difficult for feather-feeding parasites to eat. We explored the role of melanin as a possible ectoparasite defense using Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) and their feather-feeding lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera). Rock Pigeons are an ideal species for such work because of the extreme variation in the feathers of different color morphs, ranging from melanin-rich black to melanin-free white individuals. We tested the effect of melanin on lice in several ways. First, we compared the natural louse loads of free-ranging pigeons to see whether the more melanistic color morphs had fewer lice. We also did laboratory assays in which we measured the s...
The Structure of Ill-Structured (and Well-Structured) Problems Revisited

In his 1973 article The Structure of ill structured problems, Herbert Simon proposed that solving ill-structured problems could be modeled within the same information-processing framework developed for solving well-structured problems. This claim is reexamined within the context of over 40 years of subsequent research and theoretical development. Well-structured (puzzle) problems can be represented by a problem space consisting of well-defined initial and goal states that are connected by legal moves. In contrast, the initial, goal, and intermediate states of ill-structured (design) problems are incompletely specified. This article analyzes the similarities and differences among puzzles, insight puzzles, classroom problems, and design problems within Gick’s (Educational Psychologist, 21, 99–120, 1986) theoretical framework consisting of representation construction, schema activation, and heuristic search. The analysis supports Simon’s (Artificial Intelligence, 4, 181–201, 1973) claim that information-processing principles apply to all problems but apply differently as problems become more ill structured.
Orthodox vs. Reform Judaism

Judaism has been perhaps the most influential religion in the annals of history. Nonetheless, in terms of numbers, it is perhaps the least populous of the high religions. Critics of Judaism have claimed that the reason why they have not exploded with growth like Christianity and Islamic tradition is because of their rigorous rituals and their proclivity toward exclusivity. Today, this assertion is arguably false because the majority of Jews in modern times are members of Reform synagogues. Thus, this paper will explore the Reform movement as it compares with the old Orthodox ways of observing Jewish ritual and law.
Invisible Markets Netting Visible Results: When Sub-Prime Lending Becomes Predatory

In this article, I argue that Ellison's metaphor of social invisibility - the societal undervaluing of minorities - is analogous to economic invisibility - the denial of fair access to credit to minorities. I then use the metaphor of invisibility as a basis for understanding the contemporary legal problem of predatory lending, or making credit available to borrowers at unreasonably high interest rates. Disguised as credit access to high-risk, underserved borrowers, predatory lending helps to create risk by offering borrowers products that do not adequately measure risk and that are not fairly priced.
Ghost Interruption

Ghost Interruption combines animation, contemporary dance choreography, and computer engineering to create an installation-type performance in which real-time interaction among animation, dancers, and viewers becomes a central part of the progression of the piece.
Radiative Capture of Protons by C 13

The reaction ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{N}}^{14}$ has been studied experimentally for proton bombarding energies between 0.4 and 2.7 MeV. Targets of carbon enriched in the isotope ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$ were prepared, and thick and thin target excitation functions obtained. Five resonances were found, corresponding to excited states of ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}$ at 8.05, 8.62, 8.70, 9.18, and 9.49 Mev. The radiation spectrum from these levels was found to involve several branches of decay and transitions cascading through intermediate levels.
A Search for Sovereignty: Sovereignty at Sea

Reflect how close by now we were, to defeat, emaciated by hunger, exhausted by storms, by climates And seas beyond all our experience, So weary of promises dashed, So often driven to despair beneath Heavens with scarcely one familiar star And hostile to the kind of men we are! Our provisions were thoroughly rancid; To consume them made our bodies worse While nothing brought any comfort, In pursuing such fleeting hopes! Would you believe that had our company Of soldiers not been Portuguese, They would have remained so long obedient To their king and to me, their king's agent? – Luis de Camoes, The Lusiads Oceans have become the quintessential metaphor for globalization. People, ideas, germs, plants, and capital move in transnational and crossregional currents, while global trends and migrants arrive on shore in waves. Behind this choice of language is the image of the sea as a conduit for exchange but not a place of significance independent of those flows. The idea of the ocean as a backdrop for movement informs a narrative of globalization as a story of increasing interconnectedness. It begins with European transoceanic trade and moves through successive transportation revolutions, each enhancing the supposedly frictionless, undifferentiated nature of ocean space. A narrative about the law of the sea has run parallel to this story. From Grotius on, the law of the sea has featured prominently in the history of international law.
The Formation of Silicon-Rich Silicides

Diffusion studies of mono and bilaycrs of transition-metal films on silicon showed that the formation ofη′ —Cu3Si lowers the formation temperature of subsequently forming ReSi2 by 400°C. This is due to the creation of a large amount of silicon self-interstitials accompanying the formation of the copper suicide, which lowers the activation energy for silicon diffusion. The generalization of this result - stating that the formation of all suicides, in which the volume density of silicon is much larger than in elementary silicon injects silicon self-intcrstitials into the silicon lattice - gives new insight into suicide formation, silicide-cnhanccd dopant diffusion and the self-diffusion of silicon itself6.