cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CaM kinase kinase β-mediated activation of the growth regulatory kinase AMPK is required for androgen-dependent migration of prostate cancer cells

While patients with advanced prostate cancer initially respond favorably to androgen ablation therapy, most experience a relapse of the disease within 1-2 years. Although hormone-refractory disease is unresponsive to androgen-deprivation, androgen receptor (AR)-regulated signaling pathways remain active and are necessary for cancer progression. Thus, both AR itself and the processes downstream of the receptor remain viable targets for therapeutic intervention. Microarray analysis of multiple clinical cohorts showed that the serine/threonine kinase Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ) is both highly expressed in the prostate and further elevated in prostate cancers. Using cellular models of prostate cancer, we have determined that androgens (a) directly increase the expression of a CaMKKβ splice variant and (b) increase functional CaMKKβ protein levels as determined by the phosphorylation of both CaMKI and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), two of CaMKKβ's primary substrates. Importantly, inhibition of the CaMKKβ-AMPK, but not CaMKI, signaling axis in prostate cancer cells by pharmacological inhibitors or siRNA-mediated knockdown blocks androgen-mediated migration and invasion. Conversely, overexpression of CaMKKβ alone leads to both increased AMPK phosphorylation and cell migration. Given the key roles of CaMKKβ and AMPK in the biology of prostate cancer cells, we propose that these enzymes are potential therapeutic targets in prostate cancer.
Human EEG and microwave radiation from cell phones

The effects of exposure to microwave radiation from cellular mobile telephones on human brain wave potentials or electroencephalograms have been studied. In particular, a large number of small, metallic electrodes typically are placed upon a subject's scalp, with electrically conducting paste or a glue-like substance to hold them in place. Low voltage signals (< 500 /spl mu/V) are amplified by the electronics in the EEG recording system. The resulting polygraphic display is then read by unaided visual inspection, followed by spectral analysis.
Acute stroke units

In December of 1996, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) sponsored a national symposium on Rapid Identification and Treatment of Acute Stroke. 1 One of the basic messages taken from this meeting was that every hospital that cares for patients with acute stroke needs a stroke plan. This plan should cover stroke care from prehospital recognition through rehabilitation and recovery and should also address secondary prevention issues. During the acute phase of stroke, an acute stroke unit (ASU) provides the necessary infrastructure for optimal care of stroke patients delivered by a multidisciplinar y team. An ASU serves as a critical link in the continuum of care by providing the necessary setting in which to continue the emergency brain resuscitation efforts 2 begun in the emergency department (ED). In an ASU, stroke critical pathways facilitate an efficient diagnostic evaluation for stroke patients and help execute timely decisions regarding management issues and disposition plans. Generally, standard hospital delivery systems for acute stroke care are inadequate compared with systems for state-of~the-art emergency cardiac care. The ASU was initially developed in the 1960s to try to replicate the success of coronary care units. 3 The mission of ASU care has changed over the past three decades. The initial goal of reduction in mortality was deemphasized because there was no proven effective treatment for this complicated and often devastating disorder. Instead, ASU care evolved into a multidisciplinar y team approach to stroke diagnosis, aggressive management of the neurological and medical complications of stroke, secondary prevention of stroke, patient and family education, and early involvement of rehabilitation specialists and services.
General algorithm to optimize the diffraction efficiency of a phase-type spatial light modulator

We present a general approach for optimizing the diffraction efficiency of a phase-type spatial light modulator (SLM). While the SLM displays a one-dimensional phase grating, the phase shift of one pixel in the grating is varied and the first-order diffraction efficiency is measured. This is repeated pixel-by-pixel to find the optimum phase encoding for the device that maximizes the diffraction efficiency. This method compensates for nonlinearity of the modulator phase response and is especially useful for optimizing modulators with less than 2π phase shift.
Green roof vegetation for North American ecoregions: A literature review

A green roof is a vegetated roof or deck designed to provide urban greening for buildings, people, or the environment. Made popular across Europe over the past few decades, green roofs are now becoming more familiar to North Americans as some cities have built green roof pilot projects and adopted incentives for using green roofs or even require their use. Green roof standards and guidelines are also emerging to be used for governance and project specification. Although much is known about the application of green roofs across Europe, much less is known about their application across North America's diverse ecological regions. When considering the many decisions required in applying green roof technology to a specific place, there are few choices more critical to their success than the selection of appropriate vegetation. We conducted a review of green roof research to investigate what is known about the application of plants on green roofs across North America and their ecological implications. Results indicate that investigation sites across ecoregions begin to reveal differences in plant survival. Although ecological investigations are limited, their results show improved plant performance and ecological services with diverse green roofs. We conclude that as green roofs continue to become regulated and adopted in policy, further development of standards and guidelines is needed. To date, there is no common ground for reporting of green roof research, and we make recommendations for facilitating such efforts for improved research, policy development and their management across North America's diverse ecological regions.
Self-organization of autonomous swarms via Langevin equation

A new approach to self-organization of autonomous swarms is presented based on the Langevin equation. The motion of each mobile node is determined jointly by the gradient of a global potential function, evaluated locally, and by a decaying Wiener process (continuous annealing). The motivation of this work is to achieve global swarming goals without being trapped at local minima of the potential energy. However, dictated by the local computability and interaction requirements, the potential function is typically not differentiable. This results in a discontinuous drift in the stochastic differential equation, and presents challenges in the analysis of the asymptotic swarm distribution. We introduce the notion of a relaxed solution into the current context, and establish the existence of relaxed solutions which converge weakly to the Gibbs distribution under a fixed annealing temperature. This provides the first step towards understanding the Langevin equation with nonsmooth potential and proving the optimality of the asymptotic configuration under annealing. Design of local interaction rules and practical implementation issues are also considered in this paper.
The Arabidopsis Aux/IAA Protein Family Has Diversified in Degradation and Auxin Responsiveness

Rapid, auxin-responsive degradation of multiple auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) proteins is essential for plant growth and development. Domain II residues were previously shown to be required for the degradation of several Arabidopsis thaliana Aux/IAA proteins. We examined the degradation of additional full-length family members and the proteolytic importance of N-terminal residues outside domain II using luciferase (LUC) fusions. Elimination of domain I did not affect degradation. However, substituting an Arg for a conserved Lys between domains I and II specifically impaired basal degradation without compromising the auxin-mediated acceleration of degradation. IAA8, IAA9, and IAA28 contain domain II and a conserved Lys, but they were degraded more slowly than previously characterized family members when expressed as LUC fusions, suggesting that sequences outside domain II influence proteolysis. We analyzed the degradation of IAA31, with a region somewhat similar to domain II but without the conserved Lys, and of IAA20, which lacks domain II and the conserved Lys. Both IAA20:LUC and epitope-tagged IAA20 were long-lived, and their longevity was not influenced by auxin. Epitope-tagged IAA31 was long-lived, like IAA20, but by contrast, it showed accelerated degradation in response to auxin. The existence of long-lived and auxin-insensitive Aux/IAA proteins suggeststhat they may play a novel role in auxin signaling.
Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT): Concurrent Validity of Fluid Ability for Preadolescents and Adolescents with Central Nervous System Disorders and Scholastic Concerns:

Fifty preadolescents and adolescents (33 with scholastic concerns and 17 with central nervous system disorders) were assessed with a battery that included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), the Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT) Fluid subtests, and individually administered achievement tests. The KAIT Fluid IQ (FIQ) demonstrated acceptable concurrent validity with WISC-III IQ and with various achievement subtests, although an anticipated stronger association with Performance IQ than with Verbal IQ did not occur. Among subjects with scholastic concerns, KAIT FIQ was higher than WISC-III Full Scale IQ (100.6 vs. 90.3), and when KAIT FIQ was used as a predictor of achievement, more students with severe IQ/achievement discrepancies were identified (KAIT = 58%; WISC-III = 30%). Subjects with CNS disorders scored more poorly than their counterparts with scholastic concerns on the KAIT Fluid subtests but not on the WISC-III.
Parallel algorithms for balancing threaded binary search trees

Parallel algorithms for balancing any threaded binary search tree of 2/sup n-1/-1<N<or=2/sup n/-1 nodes are developed. A shared-memory model is used for the proposed algorithm. The number of processors used in the algorithms is reduced from (2/sup n/-1) to the number of nodes in the tree. The developed parallel algorithms have constant time complexity and require O(N) additional space.
New developments in niobium titanium superconductors

After a very active period of niobium titanium superconductor strand development in the mid 1980s, progress slowed as the SSC scaled up for production and emphasis moved towards guaranteeing, rather than enhancing performance. However, this period also produced several advances in the understanding of flux pinning in niobium titanium alloys and in the fabrication of composites containing artificial pinning centers (APC). This paper reviews some of this progress and attempts to assess its implications for future accelerator conductors.
The effects of occlusion of the venae cave, aorta, and pulmonary artery on the dog ballistocardiogram☆

Abstract 1. 1. No significant changes in the temporal relationships of the systolic ballistocardiographic waves were observed upon occlusion of the venae cavae in fifteen experiments on nine dogs. The amplitudes of the G-H upstroke and the H-I downstrokes were unchanged also, while the I-J upstroke and the J-K downstroke were diminished in amplitude. There was an increase in the amplitudes of all systolic waves in two dogs upon occlusion of the venae cavae. 2. 2. Occlusion of the arterial outflow preceded by occlusion of the venae cavae also resulted in a persistence of the ballistocardiographic pattern in nine observations. Diminution in amplitudes of the I-J upstroke and the J-K downstroke was less marked here than with the occlusion of the venae cavae alone. 3. 3. Occlusion of the aorta and pulmonary artery followed by occlusion of the venae cavae resulted in an increase in the I-J and the J-K amplitudes in two dogs while five dogs showed decrease in these amplitudes, but to a less extent than when the venae cavae were occluded first. 4. 4. These observations indicate that the process of ventricular contraction may be an important determinant of the G-H-I-J-K sequence of the ballistocardiogram, apart from the forces of impact and flow of blood in the aorta and pulmonary artery.
The potential of TOF PET-MRI for reducing artifacts in PET images.

Here we evaluated the potential of TOF PET/MRI to reduce various PET image artifacts, by comparing the images to non-TOF PET/MRI, TOF PET/CT and non-TOF PET/CT.
H∞ collocated control of structural systems : An analytical bound approach

Abslrmi-The paper examines the H" norm analysis and output feedback control synthesis problems for structural systems with collocated sensors and actuators. Using a particular solution of the Bounded Real Lemma for an open loop collocated structural system we obtain an explicit expression to compute an upper bound on the H" norm of such systems. Then, for the corresponding output feedback H" control synthesis problem we obtain an explicit parametrization of the output feedback control gains that achieve the proposed H" norm hound. These results have obvious computational advantages for large scale systems where standard H" analysis and control design methods are computationally intractable. Computational examples demonstrate the advantages of the proposed results.
Fully integrated CMOS power amplifier design using the distributed active-transformer architecture

A novel on-chip impedance matching and power-combining method, the distributed active transformer is presented. It combines several low-voltage push-pull amplifiers efficiently with their outputs in series to produce a larger output power while maintaining a 50-/spl Omega/ match. It also uses virtual ac grounds and magnetic couplings extensively to eliminate the need for any off-chip component, such as tuned bonding wires or external inductors. Furthermore, it desensitizes the operation of the amplifier to the inductance of bonding wires making the design more reproducible. To demonstrate the feasibility of this concept, a 2.4-GHz 2-W 2-V truly fully integrated power amplifier with 50-/spl Omega/ input and output matching has been fabricated using 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS transistors. It achieves a power added efficiency (PAE) of 41 % at this power level. It can also produce 450 mW using a 1-V supply. Harmonic suppression is 64 dBc or better. This new topology makes possible a truly fully integrated watt-level gigahertz range low-voltage CMOS power amplifier for the first time.
Findings in surgery for chronic otitis media. A retrospective data-analysis of 2225 cases followed for 2 years.

Data on middle ear disease and follow-up was recorded and analysed in 2225 ears operated on for chronic otitis media between 1958 and 1975. The closure rate of tympanic membrane perforations (70–80%) was not influenced by the presence of otorrhoea, but it was significantly lower in patients aged below 15 or over 40 yr and especially when tympanic membrane homograft had been used. For all types of tympanoplasty the mean improvement in air-conduction threshold was most marked at the lower frequencies, being some 10 dB in Type I, 15 dB in Type II and 8 dB in Type III and IV and it decreased by some 3 dB per octave. The combination of cholesteatoma and tympanosclerosis appeared to be rare. The post-operative incidence of otorrhoea was 10–15% after modified radical mastioidectomy and 20–25%, after radical mastoidectomy.
The effects of neuromodulation on human-robot interaction in games of conflict and cooperation

Game theory has been useful for understanding risk-taking, cooperation, and social behavior. However, in studies of the neural basis of decision-making during games of conflict, subjects typically play against an opponent with a predetermined strategy [1–3]. In the present study, human subjects played Hawk-Dove games against a neural agent, both simulated and robotic, with the ability to assess the potential costs and rewards of its actions and adapt its behavior accordingly. The neural agent's model was based on the assumption that the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems track expected rewards and costs, respectively [4]. The study consisted of two experimental days, one in which subjects' serotonin levels were lowered through acute tryptophan depletion (ATD), where human subjects played against neural agents whose simulated serotonin systems were altered as well. When the neural agent's serotonergic system was compromised, by turning off neural activity in its raphe nucleus, the neural agent tended towards aggressive behavior, due to its inability to assess the cost of its actions [4]. When subjects played against an aggressive neural agent, there was a significant shift in their strategy from Win-Stay-Lose-Shift (WSLS) to Tit-For-Tat (T4T). This shift to a T4T strategy may be similar to the rejection of unfair offers in the Ultimatum Game [2]. A T4T strategy, which is strategically less advantageous than WSLS, could send a message to another player that the subject believes he is being treated unfairly. In other studies, ATD led to increased defections in the Prisoner's Dilemma [3] and more rejections of offers in the Ultimatum Game [1]. In contrast, we did not observe a decrease of cooperativeness in our subjects due to ATD, but rather the emergence of a strongly significant shift in strategies based on opponent type. It may be that iterative interactions with a responsive, adaptive agent outweighed the effects of ATD in our human subjects. Additionally, the physical instantiation of the neural agent did not evoke stronger responses from subjects than did the simulated neural agent. We suggest that both the simulated and embodied versions of the neural agent evoked strong responses in subjects because of the neural agent's adaptive behavior. These results highlight the important interactions between human subjects and an agent that can adapt its behavior. Moreover, they reveal neuromodulatory mechanisms that give rise to cooperative and competitive behaviors.
Light Sterile Neutrino Effects at theta_13-Sensitive Reactor Neutrino Experiments

We study the impact of very light sterile neutrinos ($\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{\mathrm{new}}^{2}\ensuremath{\in}[1,10]\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{eV}}^{2}$, ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{new}}l{10}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) on analyses of upcoming ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$-driven reactor antineutrino experiments like Double CHOOZ and Daya Bay. Oscillations driven by these values of $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{\mathrm{new}}^{2}$ affect data in the near and far detectors differently and hence potentially modify the capability of these experimental setups to constrain and measure ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$. We find that the hypothesis ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{new}}\ensuremath{\ne}0$ negatively impacts one's ability to place an upper bound on ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ in the advent of a no-oscillation signal or to measure ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ if a ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$-driven signal is observed. The impact of sterile neutrino effects, however, depends dramatically on one's ability to measure the recoil positron energy spectrum. If ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{new}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, upcoming ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$-driven reactor antineutrino experiments should be able to measure ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{new}}$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{m}_{\mathrm{new}}^{2}$, along with ${sin﻿}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$, as long as one is sensitive to distortions in the recoil positron energy spectrum in the near (and far) detectors.
Species abundances influence the net biodiversity effect in mixtures of two plant species

Species abundances (evenness or identity of the dominant species in mixtures) usually are not rigorously controlled when testing relationships between plant production and species richness and may be highly dynamic in disturbed or early successional communities. Changes in species abundances may affect the yield of mixtures relative to yields expected from species monocultures [the net biodiversity effect (NBE)] by changing how species that differ in function are distributed in the plant community. To test the prediction that variation in species abundances affects the NBE via changes in the expression of functional differences among species (the complementarity effect), we grew perennial grasses and forbs in field plots in central Texas, USA, as equal-density monocultures and two-species mixtures in which relative abundances of species were varied. Function should differ more consistently between species of different growth forms than of the same growth form. We predicted, therefore, that the complementarity effect and influence of species abundances on the NBE would be more pronounced in grass/forb mixtures than in mixtures with species of the same growth form (grass/grass and forb/forb mixtures). The NBE varied with species evenness in two of the six species pairs studied and with identity of the dominant species in a third species combination. The NBE was sensitive to species proportions in both grass/grass and grass/forb assemblages. In all combinations in which the NBE differed with either evenness or identity of the dominant species, the variation resulted largely from change in the complementarity effect. Our results suggest that the NBE of mixtures is sensitive to effects of species ratios on complementarity.
Female students assess software tutors more positively than male students

In an earlier study reported at FIE 2006, we found that there was no statistically significant difference between female and male students on their assessment of the usability, ability to learn from and the usefulness of our software tutors, except on the only two negatively worded likert-scale statements with which female students disagreed significantly more than male students. In order to find out whether this difference was simply an artifact of the negative wording of the statements or whether female students assess software tutors more positively than male students, we conducted a follow-up study using a feedback form that contained an even number of positively- and negatively-worded likert-scale statements. We found that female students agreed with positively-worded statements and disagreed with negatively-worded statements significantly more than male students. We conclude that female students assess our software tutors more positively than male students and this is not an artifact of the (positive versus negative) wording of the feedback statements.
The Alaska earthquake of July 10, 1958: Movement on the Fairweather fault and field investigation of southern epicentral region

ABSTRACT The Fairweather fault is recognizable as a geologic and geomorphic feature from Palma Bay on the southeast at least as far northwest as Nunatak Fiord east of Yakutat Bay, a distance of 200 kilometers along the surface trace. The earthquake of July 10, 1958, was caused by movement on much or all of that segment of the fault: a 10-foot or larger right-lateral offset occurred at Palma Bay where the surface trace trends southeastward under the ocean, and fresh scarps were formed on the south shore of Nunatak Fiord. A displacement in which the southwest side moved relatively northwest 21 1/2 feet and up 3 1/2 feet was measured at one point on the fault just east of the north end of Crillon Lake. Continuity of breakage between Palma Bay and Nunatak Fiord cannot be demonstrated positively because ice and water conceal the ground surface in the fault zone along about 80 per cent of that distance. Extensive minor faulting in bedrock east of the center of Crillon Lake was observed on flat areas on both sides of the Fairweather fault. These systems of minor faults were similar in general appearance to those formed on the Nunatak at Nunatak Fiord both in this earthquake and in the Yakutat Bay earthquakes of 1899. A wide variety of geological effects other than faulting was observed throughout a broad area along the Pacific coast from Cape Spencer to Mount St. Elias. Among these were earth and rock avalanches, snow and ice avalanches, earth slumps, earth lurches, and sandblows from craterlets and fissures.
Equivalence and Perpendicularity of Local Field Gaussian Measures

One way of thinking about Gaussian measures is that they are the class of probability measures that naturally arise when we seek measures with properties that are intimately linked to the linearity and orthogonality structure of the spaces on which the measures are defined.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Heart Health

Lifestyle intervention such as consistent aerobic exercise and a diet high in fruits and vegetables promotes cardiovascular health. A heart-healthy lifestyle decreases the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack. Although it may seem intuitive that dietary fat is bad for the heart and that it must be avoided, certain unsaturated fats are heart healthy, and other saturated fats are not good for the heart. These heart-healthy unsaturated fats are known as omega-3 fatty acids. The 3 main omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial for cardiovascular health are α-linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is primarily found in plant-based foods such as olive, soybean, canola, walnut, and flaxseed oils, and in walnuts and flaxseeds, as well. EPA and DHA are primarily found in marine-based foods that include the variety of fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, halibut, and cod. This Cardiology Patient Page will present the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids …
Tissue damage volume predicts organ dysfunction and inflammation after injury

Abstract Background Multiply injured patients (MIPs) are at risk to develop multiple-organ failure (MOF) and prolonged systemic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS). It is difficult to predict which MIPs are at the highest risk to develop these complications. We have developed a novel method that quantifies the distribution and physical magnitude of all injuries identified on admission computed tomography scanning called the Tissue Damage Volume (TDV) score. We explored how individualized TDV scores corresponded to MOF and SIRS. Materials and methods A retrospective study on 74 MIPs measured mechanical TDV by calculating injury volumes on admission computed tomography scans of all injuries in the head/neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Regional and total TDV scores were compared between patients that did or did not develop MOF or sustained SIRS. The magnitude of organ dysfunction was also stratified by the magnitude of TDV. Results Mean total and pelvic TDV scores were significantly increased in patients who developed MOF. Mean total, chest, and abdominal TDV scores were increased in patients who developed sustained SIRS. The magnitude of organ dysfunction was significantly higher in patients who sustained large volume injuries in the pelvis or abdomen, and in patients who sustained injuries in at least three anatomic regions. Conclusions A novel index that quantifies the magnitude and distribution of mechanical tissue damage volume is a patient-specific index that can be used to identify patients who have sustained injury patterns that predict progression to MOF and SIRS. The preliminary methods will need refinement and prospective validation.
What lies beneath: an eco-historical view of high andes water pollution

This article in two parts provides a sketch of the Suma Quta (in Aymara language, "Beautiful Lake") Project, an experiment in "bottom-up science" begun in the Lake Titicaca basin in Peru in 2009. The article explores the question of why water resource and fisheries management has fallen into crisis in what has been in millennial terms one of the world's most meticulously managed hydroscapes. It argues that post-Conquest patterns of village autonomy and militant self-management of natural resources have rendered rural villages highly vulnerable to pollution from extractive industries and subsequent informal urbanization. Civil society initiatives on water quality are therefore most likely to succeed where they enable communities to collect watershed data and take action independently while maintaining contact with other communities in a horizontal, leaderless network.
Computational Analysis and Optimization of Blockerless Engine Thrust Reverser Concept

The aim of this investigation was to perform a parametric computational study of the Blockerless Engine Thrust Reverser System (BETR) concept. Early experimental investigations had revealed that injection flow rates of the order of 3% of the fan flow were needed to divert the entire fan flow out through the cascade opening. For a high bypass ratio engine, this amount was too much to be bled from the compressor. This study performs a more detailed evaluation of the concept and covers cases which could not be tested during the experimental investigation due to the limitations of experimental facility. Numerical model simulating the experimental setup was constructed and effects of various design parameters such as injection location, injection angle, injection thickness, cascade opening and operational parameters such as fan flow and injection flow rates were studied using trajectory based analysis. The results suggest that injection location and injection angle have a profound effect on the performance, and injection flow rates of less than 1.5% could easily divert the entire fan flow through the cascade opening by optimizing parameters of interest.
Influence of Structure and Chemistry on Piezoelectric Properties of Pzt in a Mems Power Generation Application

PZT films between 1 and 3 μm thick were grown using solution deposition techniques to study the effects of crystal structure, orientation, chemistry and PZT/PZT crystallization interfaces on the piezoelectric output of these films. By varying the chemistry of the film from Zr-rich to Ti-rich the film orientation increased towards {h00}. PZT with 60 wt% Ti exhibited tetragonality and produced greater electrical output at a given strain than the rhombohedral films with concentrations less than 50 wt% Ti. Multiple steps of solution deposition left identifiable PZT/PZT interfaces within the film. TEM, FESEM, and Auger spectroscopy were used to characterize these interfaces, which form upon crystallization of the amorphous PZT film. Internal PZT interfaces are associated with both structural defects (voids) as well as chemical variations such as Pb deficiencies.
Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price School Meals and Fruit and Vegetable Intake at Home and at School

ABSTRACTIn this cross-sectional study, the frequency of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption was assessed in Washington State middle school students eligible for free and reduced price meals (FRPM). Though students eligible for FRPM had lower rates of FV consumption at home compared to noneligible children (χ2 value = 17.46, df = 1, P < .001), at school children who were eligible for FRPM had higher rates of FV consumption (χ2 value = 14.76, df = 1, P < .001). In logistic regression analysis, students eligible for FRPM had 1.35 greater odds of FV consumption at school (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.55; P < .001) than those from higher income families. Away from school, students eligible for FRPM had lower odds of FV consumption at 0.65 (95% CI, 0.48 to 0.89; P = .006) compared to students from higher income families. Among Washington State seventh graders, students who had the opportunity to eat school meals at low or no cost had a greater likelihood of FV consumption at school compared to other...
Intensity statistics of very high frequency sound scattered from wind-driven waves.

The interaction of vhf 100–1000 kHz underwater sound with the ocean surface is explored. The bistatic forward scatter of 300 kHz sound is measured in a wind driven wave channel. Fluctuations in arrival amplitude are described by the scintillation index (SI) which is a measure of arrival intensity variance. SI initially increases with wind speed but eventually saturates to a value of 0.5 when the root-mean-square (rms) roughness is 0.5 mm. An adjusted scintillation index (SI*) is suggested that accounts for the multiple arrivals and properly saturates to a value of 1. Fluctuations in arrival time do not saturate and increase proportionately to the dominant surface wave component. Forward scattering is modeled at frequencies ranging from 50 to 2000 kHz using the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral with surface wave realizations derived from wave gauge data. The amplitude and temporal statistics of the simulated scattering agree well with measured data. Intensity saturation occurs at lower wind speeds for higher frequency sound. Both measured and modeled vhf sound is characterized by many surface arrivals at saturation. Doppler shifts associated with wave motion are expected to vary rapidly for vhf sound however further analysis is required.
Coagulation factors in renal adenocarcinoma.

AbstractCoagulation factors, including plasma fibrinogen, serum fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products, platelet counts and prothrombin times, were studied in patients with renal adenocarcinoma. Plasma fibrinogen levels were elevated and correlated with tumor stage, disease activity and therapy. Fibrinogen-fibrin degradation product levels also were elevated, although such elevations did not correlate with other parameters. Platelet counts and prothrombin times were normal. Fibrinogen may be a valuable marker of disease activity in patients with renal carcinoma. In addition, since significant intratumoral fibrin deposits have been demonstrated anticoagulants or fibrinolytic agents may enhance cytotoxic therapy and should be considered in adjunctive chemotherapeutic protocols.
Historical and recent seismic activity in South Carolina

The seismic history of South Carolina is dominated by the great Charleston earthquake of August 31, 1886. In addition to having several unusual aspects (region essentially free from shocks for preceding 200 years, large felt area, dual epicenter points, “low intensity zone” in West Virginia), that intensity X event seriously perturbed the seismic regime of the area for at least the following 30 years. Of 438 earthquakes reported to have occurred in the state between 1754 and 1971, 402 have been in the Charleston-Summerville area. The remaining 36 shocks form a southeasterly-trending zone of activity that is transverse to the structural grain of the Appalachians. For the 60 shocks assigned an intensity value (1886-1971), a recurrence relationship between the number of earthquakes “ N ” of maximum intensity “I” was found to be log N = 0.52-0.31 I for IV ≦ I ≦ VIII. This corresponds to a “ b ” value of 0.5 ± 0.1 in log N versus M relationship assuming M = 1 + (2/3) I . These data suggest a frequency of seismic activity comparable to that reported for the New Madrid seismic zone. Three months of microearthquake monitoring in the Charleston area during the summer of 1971 yielded 505 hr of low-noise data. Sixty-one earthquakes, primarily in swarm occurrence, were recorded. An h value of 1.8 ± 0.5 was determined for these microshock events. This value is similar to that previously observed for a swarm sequence in New Jersey. Four shocks occurred in the state during 1971. Three of these events (May 19, July 31, August 11) were in the central part of the state near Orangeburg, while the third event (July 13) was near Seneca in northwestern South Carolina. All three events had 3.0 < ML < 4.0. Similar episodes of three or four shocks in 1 year happened in 1956 and again in 1965. The Orangeburg area had, according to historical data, been previously free of earthquake epicenters.
Improving South African third graders’ reading skills: Lessons learnt from the use of Guided Reading approach

This professional development project, known as Literacy Leadership Project, enabled four Foundation Phase teachers in South Africa to implement the Guided Reading approach. Developed by American researchers Fountas and Pinnell (1996), Guided Reading helps elementary students strengthen their phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency in small group activities. Over an 8-month period, lessons learnt came from data collected from this professional development included workshop activities, classroom observations, teachers’ group discussions and students’ artefacts. Results indicated improvement in students’ literacy engagement and motivation because of the use of levelled books, oral reading and group activities Keywords: Guided Reading programme; foundation phase; childhood literacy; teacher professional development; literacy leadership; South Africa
The Nantucket Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): A Literature Review with Management Implications

The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), an important pest of intensively-managed loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., was first noted in the scientific literature in 1879. This pest gained notoriety with the establishment of loblolly pine monocultures throughout the southeastern United States during the 1950s. Current intensive forest management practices have led to increasing interest in managing this insect. Herein we review all Nantucket pine tip moth literature (1879-2002) by addressing the following subjects: biology and life history, natural enemies, sampling methodologies, site and stand influences, economic impact, and management strategies. Further, we provide management recommendations in the form of a decision chart that is based upon the best available information to date and our collective experience.
The Solitary Player in Klinger's Early Dramas

(1970). The Solitary Player in Klinger's Early Dramas. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 83-93.
Mini Black Holes

Around the time that the Large Hadron Collider first turned on in 2008, they were a series of dramatic headlines claiming that the Large Hadron Collider could produce mini black holes and that these black holes would then eat up the Earth! These stories were all over the internet, including sites that you would’ve thought were more reliable, serious sources. For example, the National Geographic News on September 10, 2008, had the following headline: “Worst Case: Collider Spawns Planet-Devouring Black Hole.” (Fig. 8.1).
A Qualitative Analysis of Employers’ Experiences with Visually Impaired Workers:

This article reports the results of interviews with nine employers who have hired, accommodated, and trained workers with visual impairments in competitive positions. On the basis of the results of...
Trigger warning: Empirical evidence ahead.

Abstract Background and objectives Trigger warnings notify people of the distress that written, audiovisual, or other material may evoke, and were initially used to provide for the needs of those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since their inception, trigger warnings have become more widely applied throughout contemporary culture, sparking intense controversy in academia and beyond. Some argue that they empower vulnerable individuals by allowing them to psychologically prepare for or avoid disturbing content, whereas others argue that such warnings undermine resilience to stress and increase vulnerability to psychopathology while constraining academic freedom. The objective of our experiment was to investigate the psychological effects of issuing trigger warnings. Methods We randomly assigned online participants to receive (n = 133) or not receive (n = 137) trigger warnings prior to reading literary passages that varied in potentially disturbing content. Results Participants in the trigger warning group believed themselves and people in general to be more emotionally vulnerable if they were to experience trauma. Participants receiving warnings reported greater anxiety in response to reading potentially distressing passages, but only if they believed that words can cause harm. Warnings did not affect participants' implicit self-identification as vulnerable, or subsequent anxiety response to less distressing content. Limitations The sample included only non-traumatized participants; the observed effects may differ for a traumatized population. Conclusions Trigger warnings may inadvertently undermine some aspects of emotional resilience. Further research is needed on the generalizability of our findings, especially to collegiate populations and to those with trauma histories.
Predictors of discharge destination in patients with major traumatic injury: Analysis of Oklahoma Trauma Registry.

Abstract Background The ability to predict the need for discharge of trauma patients to a facility may help shorten hospital stay. This study aimed to determine the predictors of discharge to a facility and develop and validate a predictive scoring model, utilizing the Oklahoma Trauma Registry (OTR). Methods A multivariate analysis of the OTR 2005–2013 determined independent predictors of discharge to a facility. A scoring model was developed, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were evaluated for 2014 patients. Results 101,656 patients were analyzed. The scoring model included age≥50 years, lower extremity fracture, ICU stay≥5 days, pelvic fracture, intracranial hemorrhage, congestive heart failure, cardiac dysrhythmia, history of CVA or TIA, and ISS≥15, spine fracture, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Applying the model to 2014 patients, PPV for predicting discharge to a facility was 84.9% for scores≥15, and NPV was 90.5% for scores Conclusion A scoring model including age, trauma severity, types of injury, and comorbidities could predict discharge of trauma patients to a facility. Further studies are needed to refine the efficacy of the model.
Inferring fuel areal density from secondary neutron yields in laser-driven magnetized liner inertial fusion

A technique to infer the areal density ρR of compressed deuterium (D) in cylindrical implosions from the ratio of secondary D–T (deuterium–tritium) neutrons to primary D–D neutrons is described and evaluated. For ρR to be proportional to the ratio of D–T to D–D yield, the increase in the D–T fusion cross-section with collisional slowing down of the tritium must be small, requiring ρR≪15T keV3/2 mg/cm2, where TkeV is the electron temperature in keV. The technique is applied to the results from laser-driven magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) targets on OMEGA, where ρR is certainly less than 4 mg/cm2. OMEGA MagLIF targets do not achieve a sufficiently high, radially integrated, axial magnetic field BR to confine the tritium, as occurs in Z MagLIF targets, because they are ∼10× smaller in radius. The inferred areal densities show that fuel convergence is reduced by preheating, by an applied axial magnetic field, and by increasing the initial fuel density, which are key features of the MagLIF scheme. The results are compared with 1-D and 2-D magnetohydrodynamic simulations for nominal laser and target parameters, which predict areal densities 2× to 3× higher than the measurements.A technique to infer the areal density ρR of compressed deuterium (D) in cylindrical implosions from the ratio of secondary D–T (deuterium–tritium) neutrons to primary D–D neutrons is described and evaluated. For ρR to be proportional to the ratio of D–T to D–D yield, the increase in the D–T fusion cross-section with collisional slowing down of the tritium must be small, requiring ρR≪15T keV3/2 mg/cm2, where TkeV is the electron temperature in keV. The technique is applied to the results from laser-driven magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) targets on OMEGA, where ρR is certainly less than 4 mg/cm2. OMEGA MagLIF targets do not achieve a sufficiently high, radially integrated, axial magnetic field BR to confine the tritium, as occurs in Z MagLIF targets, because they are ∼10× smaller in radius. The inferred areal densities show that fuel convergence is reduced by preheating, by an applied axial magnetic field, and by increasing the initial fuel density, which are key features of the MagLIF scheme. T...
Defined Contribution Plans and the Challenge of Financial Illiteracy

Retirement investing in the United States has changed dramatically. The classic defined-benefit (DB) plan has largely been replaced by the defined contribution (DC) plan. With the latter, individual employees’ decisions about how much to save for retirement and how to invest those savings determine the benefits available upon retirement. We analyze data from the 2015 National Financial Capability Study to show that people whose only exposure to investment decisions is by virtue of their participation in an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan are poorly equipped to make sound investment decisions. Specifically, they suffer from higher levels of financial illiteracy than other investors. This lack of financial literacy is critical both because of the financial consequences of poor financial decisions and because of a legal structure that relies on participant choice to limit the fiduciary obligations of the employer with respect to the structure and options provided by the retirement plan. In response to this concern, we propose mandated employer-provided financial education to address limited employee financial literacy. We identify and discuss three requirements that a financial education program should incorporate – a self-assessment, minimum substantive components, and timing. Formalizing the employer role in evaluating and increasing financial literacy among plan participants is a key step in providing retirement plan participants with the resources necessary to manage important decisions regarding retirement planning and, ultimately, for enhancing the financial security of American workers.
Computerized Operator Support System for Nuclear Power Plant Hybrid Main Control Room

A Computerized Operator Support System (COSS) is an operator assistive technology that aids operators in monitoring processes to detect off-normal conditions, diagnose plant faults, predict future ...
Attenuation of Murine Collagen-Induced Arthritis by Targeting CD6

OBJECTIVE CD6 is an important regulator of T cell function that interacts with the ligands CD166 and CD318. To further clarify the significance of CD6 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we examined the effects of targeting CD6 in the mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), using CD6-knockout (CD6-KO) mice and CD6-humanized mice that express human CD6 in lieu of mouse CD6 on their T cells. METHODS We immunized wild-type (WT) and CD6 gene-KO mice with a collagen emulsion to induce CIA. For treatment studies using CD6-humanized mice, mice were immunized similarly and a mouse anti-human CD6 IgG (UMCD6) or control IgG was injected on days 7, 14, and 21. Joint tissues were evaluated for tissue damage, leukocyte infiltration, and local inflammatory cytokine production. Collagen-specific Th1, Th9, and Th17 responses and serum levels of collagen-specific IgG subclasses were also evaluated in WT and CD6-KO mice with CIA. RESULTS The absence of CD6 reduced 1) collagen-specific Th9 and Th17, but not Th1 responses, 2) the levels of many proinflammatory joint cytokines, and 3) serum levels of collagen-reactive total IgG and IgG1, but not IgG2a and IgG3. Joint homogenate hemoglobin content was significantly reduced in CD6-KO mice with CIA compared to WT mice with CIA (P < 0.05) (reduced angiogenesis). Moreover, treating CD6-humanized mice with mouse anti-human CD6 monoclonal antibody was similarly effective in reducing joint inflammation in CIA. CONCLUSION Taken together, these data suggest that interaction of CD6 with its ligands is important for the perpetuation of CIA and other inflammatory arthritides that are T cell driven.