cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous positive airway pressure usage in hospitalized patients with known obstructive sleep apnea: discrepancy between admission pressure settings and laboratory-determined settings.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and predictors of correctly initiated continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) settings on the initial night of hospitalization in patients with known obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Hospital records of all patients who underwent an outpatient therapeutic polysomnogram (PSG) at our institution between January 2005 and December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Data collected included initial CPAP settings on hospital admission, latency to hospitalization (from sleep study), hospital length of stay, demographic variables, and PSG variables. One hundred seventy subjects were included in the analysis: 51 % were male, average age (±SD) was 55.3 ± 13.7 years, and body mass index was 43.7 ± 10.4 kg/m2. OSAHS was generally severe (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 52.8 ± 37.3 event/h). Mean CPAP setting during in-laboratory titration was 11.1 ± 3.1 cm H2O and during the first night of hospitalization was 9.5 ± 2.8 cm H2O (p < 0.0001). Of 170 subjects, only 71 (42 %) received the correct laboratory-derived CPAP setting on the first night of hospitalization. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher body mass index (BMI), lower CPAP level determined during PSG, and shorter latency (months) between PSG and hospitalization were associated with receiving the correct CPAP setting during the first night of hospitalization: Each 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with a 7 % increase odds of receiving the correct CPAP setting during the first night of hospitalization (OR 1.07, 95 % CI 1.02–1.12), while each 1 cm H2O increase in CPAP during PSG and each 1 month longer latency between PSG and hospitalization was associated with a 15 and 7 %, respectively, decrease in the odds of receiving the correct CPAP setting during the first night of hospitalization (CPAP OR 0.85, 95 % CI 0.74–0.97 and latency OR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.90–0.97). There was no in-hospital mortality, and correct CPAP settings did not affect hospital length of stay. Among patients admitted to the hospital, a correct, laboratory-derived CPAP setting is infrequently prescribed during the first night of hospitalization. Predictors for correctly ordering CPAP include latency from the time of in-laboratory CPAP titration, BMI, and laboratory-derived CPAP level.
Cultural competency of a mobile, customized patient education tool for improving potential kidney transplant recipients’ knowledge and decision‐making

Patients considering renal transplantation face an increasingly complex array of choices as a result of the revised kidney transplant allocation system. Decision aids have been shown to improve patient decision-making through the provision of detailed, relevant, individualized clinical data. A mobile iOS-based application (app) including animated patient education and individualized risk-adjusted outcomes following kidney transplants with varying donor characteristics and DSA waiting times was piloted in two large US transplant programs with a diverse group of renal transplant candidates (N = 81). The majority (86%) of patients felt that the app improved their knowledge and was culturally appropriate for their race/ethnicity (67%-85%). Patients scored significantly higher on transplant knowledge testing (9.1/20 to 13.8/20, P < .001) after viewing the app, including patients with low health literacy (8.0 to 13.0, P < .001). Overall knowledge of and interest in living and deceased donor kidney transplantation increased. This pilot project confirmed the benefit and cultural acceptability of this educational tool, and further refinement will explore how to better communicate the risks and benefits of nonstandard donors.
The Mars Mission Challenge: A Generative, Problem-Solving School Science Environment

The Mars Mission Challenge is an extension of the anchored instruction approach (Cognition & Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1990; in press) that is designed to motivate and prime students to think about and attempt to solve the scientific problems associated with sending women and men to Mars. The theoretical background of the project and some initial empirical data on the project are reported.
The Effect of Extended Baseline Training on Positive Behavioral Contrast: Reversible and Preventable Retardation

In a prior study (Gutman, Sutterer & Brush, 1975), 53 sessions of multiple variable-interval variable-interval (mult VI VI) baseline training produced weak positive contrast effects in the multiple extinction variable- interval (mult EXT VI) condition of Phase 2. Two rats from that study received additional training in the present study and showed stronger positive contrast effects in the mult EXT VI condition of Phase 4. In addition, two naive rats received 8 sessions of mult EXT VI in Phase 2 interpolated within 53 sessions of mult VI VI in Phases 1 and 3 and showed strong positive contrast effects in the mult EXT VI condition of Phase 4; the rats reproduced these effects in the mult EXT VI conditions of Phases 6, 8, and 10. Thus, extended baseline training seems to retard the subsequent positive contrast effect, but this retardation appears to be both reversible and preventable.
Index of Suspicion in the Nursery

One day after a “routine” circumcision, an otherwise healthy 3-day-old term neonate presents with swelling, ecchymosis, and oozing from the circumcision site. There are no petechiae or other bruises. Pregnancy and delivery had been uncomplicated. His vital signs and growth parameters are normal. Results of his neurologic examination are normal, and he has no skeletal abnormalities or dysmorphic features. He is the third of three male children born to a nonconsanguineous couple. The two older brothers had normal perinatal courses, including uncomplicated circumcisions. There is no family history of hemophilia. Laboratory work reveals a platelet count of 9.0×103/mcL (9.0×109/L), white blood cell count of 15.0×103/mcL (15.0×109/L), hemoglobin of 17.6 g/dL (176 g/L), and hematocrit of 45.8% (0.458). Review of the blood smear shows no platelet clumps. Ultrasonography of the head shows no intraventricular hemorrhage. The mother has no history of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and her platelet count is normal. A platelet transfusion is ordered. One hour after the transfusion, a platelet count is 18.0×103/mcL (18.0×109/L). Four hours later, the platelet count is 10.0×103/mcL (10.0×109/L). Further evaluation of the parents yields the diagnosis. The differential diagnosis of severe neonatal thrombocytopenia can be categorized broadly into disorders of increased platelet consumption or decreased production (Table⇓). Included in these categories are congenital viral infection, sepsis, perinatal asphyxia, placental insufficiency, maternal ITP, and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). In addition, a variety …
Studies of human uveal melanocytes in vitro: isolation, purification and cultivation of human uveal melanocytes.

Purpose. To develop the methods for isolation and cultivation of human uveal melanocytes (UM) from adult donor eyes. Methods. After removal of the pigment epithelium, the uvea was pretreated in trypsin solution at 4°C overnight, incubated at 37°C with trypsin for 1 hr, then incubated with collagenase for 3 hr. Released cells were collected each hour during the incubation and cultured with F12 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum, basic fibroblast growth factor, isobutylmethylxanthine and cholera toxin. Contaminant cells were eliminated by adding a selective cytotoxic agent, geneticin, when necessary. Results. These methods provide pure melanocyte cultures with high cell yields, good viability, and rapid growth rates. UM isolated and maintained using these methods can be passaged 23 limes for a period of 7 mo for more than 35 population doublings. This is comparable to results obtained with cultured neonatal dermal melanocytes and exceeds results obtained with adult dermal melanocytes cultured in media supplemented with phorbol ester, isobutylmethylxanthine, and cholera toxin. Conclusion. A method for isolation and cultivation of UM has been developed that yields satisfactory results. Cultured UM may be useful in in vitro studies of UM physiology and may allow development of in vitro models of the pathogenesis of uveal malignant melanoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1993;34:2210-2219. LJveal melanocytes (UM) are involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of eye diseases, the most important of which is malignant melanoma, the most common intraocular tumor. UM also contribute to the pathogenesis of sympathetic ophthalmia and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome.
Hypothesis Testing Methods and Confidence Regions

In this chapter we examine general methods for defining tests of statistical hypotheses and associated confidence intervals and regions for parameters or functions of parameters. In particular, the likelihood ratio, Wald, and Lagrange multiplier methods for constructing statistical tests are widely used in empirical work and provide well-defined procedures for defining test statistics, as well as for generating rejection regions via a duality principle that we will examine.
Targeted drug delivery for boron neutron capture therapy

Purpose. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a form of radiochemotherapy that is becoming increasingly important for the treatment of malignant gliomas, malignant melanomas and other forms of cancer. Targeted delivery of boron to tumors is a critical prerequisite for successful BNCT. Methods. Strategies that involve synthetic chemical approaches and biochemical and biophysical approaches are employed to meet this requirement. Compounds developed for targeting to tumors include borocaptate sodium (BSH) and p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) which are currently in clinical use. Results. Boronated porphyrins, nucleosides, nucleotides and other boronated compounds show potentials as targeting molecules. Conjugation of boron compounds to macromolecules such as monoclonal antibodies, epidermal growth factor and dextran is also employed for active or passive tumor targeting. Conclusions. Boron delivery via microparticulate carriers such as liposomes, high density lipoproteins and microcapsules is also attractive for its potential application in BNCT.
Treatment Effects of Incisor Positioning on Anterior Tooth Display

TREATMENT EFFECTS OF INCISOR POSITIONING ON ANTERIOR TOOTH DISPLAY By Scott J. Eberle, DMD A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Comn~onwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Steven J. Lindauer, DMD, MDSc Chair of the Department of Orthodontics The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of changes in maxillary incisor position on anterior tooth display (ATD) in adult (n = 21) and adolescent (n = 38) orthodontic patients. The effects of anterior-posterior, vertical, and angular changes of the maxillary central incisor position during orthodontic treatment were evaluated relative to changes in the amount of ATD measured from pretreatment (TI) and posttreatment (T2) lateral cephalometric radiographs of existing patient records. vii Results showed a significant relationship between starting ATD and ATD change during treatment for both adults (P = ,006) and adolescents (P < .0001). In adults, there were significant correlations between vertical (P = .047) and angular (P = .017) changes and ATD, but no significant relationship between anterior-posterior movement and ATD. No correlation was found between maxillary incisor anteriorposterior, vertical or angular changes and ATD in adolescents. CHAPTER
Novel Imidazole and Methoxybenzylamine Growth Inhibitors Affecting Salmonella Cell Envelope Integrity and its Persistence in Chickens

The control of Salmonella from farm to fork is challenging due to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant isolates and the limited effects of current control methods. Advanced chemical technologies have made accessible a wide range of uncharacterized small molecules (SMs) with encouraging chemical properties for antimicrobial treatment. Of the 4,182 SMs screened in vitro, four cidal SMs were effective at 10 µM and higher against several serotypes, antibiotic-resistant, and biofilm embedded Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Typhimurium by altering cell membrane integrity. The four SMs displayed synergistic effects with ciprofloxacin, meropenem and cefeprime against Salmonella. Further, the SMs were not pernicious to most eukaryotic cells at 200 μM and cleared internalized Salmonella in infected Caco-2, HD11, and THP-1 cells at 6.25 µM and higher. The SMs also increased the longevity of Salmonella-infected Galleria mellonella larvae and reduced the population of internalized Salmonella Typhimurium. Two of the SMs (SM4 and SM5) also reduced S. Typhimurium load in infected chicken ceca as well as its systemic translocation into other tissues, with minimal impact on the cecal microbiota. This study demonstrated that SMs are a viable source of potential antimicrobials applicable in food animal production against Salmonella.
Ultrasound-guided thoracostomy site identification in healthy volunteers

Traditional landmark thoracostomy technique has a known complication rate up to 30%. The goal of this study is to determine whether novice providers could more accurately identify the appropriate intercostal site for thoracostomy by ultrasound guidance. 33 emergency medicine residents and medical students volunteered to participate in this study during routine thoracostomy tube education. A healthy volunteer was used as the standardized patient for this study. An experienced physician sonographer used ultrasound to locate a site at mid-axillary line between ribs 4 and 5 and marked the site with invisible ink that can only be revealed with a commercially available UV LED light. Participants were asked to identify the thoracostomy site by placing an opaque marker where they would make their incision. The distance from the correct insertion site was measured in rib spaces. The participants were then given a brief hands-on training session using ultrasound to identify the diaphragm and count rib spaces. The participants were then asked to use ultrasound to identify the proper thoracostomy site and mark it with an opaque marker. The distance from the proper insertion site was measured and recorded in rib spaces. The participants correctly identified the pre-determined intercostal space using palpation 48% (16/33) of the time, versus the ultrasound group who identified the proper intercostal space 91% (30/33) of the time. On average, the traditional technique was placed 0.88 rib spaces away (95 CI 0.43–1.03), while the ultrasound-guided technique was placed 0.09 rib spaces away (95 CI 0.0–0.19) [P = 0.003]. The ability to accurately locate the correct intercostal space for thoracostomy incision was improved under ultrasound guidance. Further studies are warranted to determine if this ultrasound-guided technique will decrease complications with chest tube insertion and improve patient outcomes.
The tenuous link between classroom perceptions and motivation: A within-person longitudinal study.

Understanding how classrooms influence a student’s motivation and engagement is a persistent concern in the field of educational psychology. Social–cognitive theories postulate that individual students’ perceptions of their environment influence their motivation and subsequent behavior. However, empirical research directly testing the core tenets of this supposition—that changes in an individual’s perceptions lead to changes in their motivation or behavior—is sparse, largely because of normative methodological approaches focusing on between-person rather than within-person comparisons. Using data from 3 time points (fall, winter, and spring) within 1 academic year in a sample of 910 middle and high school students in 68 classrooms, we modeled the bidirectional effects of within-person changes in students’ perceptions of their classroom’s autonomy support and academic press on their mastery goal orientation and behavioral engagement. Contrary to prior research, classroom climate perceptions were unrelated to a student’s motivation and engagement. However, increases in individual students’ behavioral engagement positively influenced their subsequent mastery goal orientation, and bidirectional associations between students’ perceptions of autonomy support and academic press were found. This pattern of results suggests that changes in individual students’ perceptions of autonomy support influence their perceptions of academic press, and vice versa, but changing perceptions are unrelated to a student’s changing motivation and engagement. Results are discussed in terms of methodological considerations in testing existing theory and recent interventions to change students’ motivation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Van de Hulst essay: Multiple scattering of waves by discrete scatterers and rough surfaces

Abstract This essay is on the theories of multiple scattering of waves by discrete scatterers and rough surfaces. Applications of the theories are illustrated with emphasis on the remote sensing of the earth. A historical background is provided. The basic theories are based on solving Maxwell equations. We describe the physical results, analytical approaches and numerical approaches of the work of the author and his collaborators.
Food Availability and Access in Lesser-Industrialized Societies: A Test and Interpretation of Neo-Malthusian and Technoecological Theories

Population pressure and human adaptation to food security demands through technology have been a dominant concern of researchers and policymakers alike in international development. This paper examines neo-Malthusian and technoecological determinants of food security in lesser-industrialized societies between 1970 and 1990 using an OLS regression of food security change. Findings reveal that population pressure and overurbanization concerns are indeed valid for food availability, having negative implications, while adaptive measures such as the application of fertilizer technologies, land-use intensification, infrastructural development, and the internationalization of food markets help balance these negative effects. Interestingly, such technological improvements operate net of increased food availability and economic growth. Thus, Green Revolution technologies and the internationalization of global food systems have confronted population pressure in the developing world. However, findings are less conclusive for food access, indicating that improvement in availability does not necessarily translate into meeting distribution needs, thus challenging the ability of these two theories to comprehensively explain the complexities of food security. Questions therefore remain with regard to future food security concerns.
Working Apart, Together: The Challenges of Co-Work

Attracting contingent workers, teleworkers, small start-up teams and the self-employed, co-working spaces have grown from corner coffee shops and internet cafes, to business empires with thousands of members in urban locations. Yet the rise of co-working in the twenty-first century has received only limited attention in CSCW, despite co-workers' copious use of distributed collaborative tools. CSCW has more frequently addressed the challenges of working together, apart - that is, how we might support or otherwise transpose rich collocated interactions into distributed environments. This paper explores the challenges of working alone and apart, yet together, based on observational study and interviews at three large co-working spaces in New York City. Using a sociomaterial approach, we identify and explore core tensions visible in the site between participation in a distributed work team and in a distinct, collocated community, which we label the co-working paradox. This includes local configurations of digital and physical materials that shift locus of participation, that blend work and home, and manage employer visibility. We use these themes to suggest a generative return to certain core concepts in studies of distributed work - namely, common ground, workspaces, and placefulness - to further study and design for the growth of these unique environments.
Identifying properties of low-loaded CoOX/CeO2 via X-ray absorption spectroscopy for NO reduction by CO

Abstract The speciation and catalytic activity of ceria supported transition metal oxides synthesized via incipient wetness impregnation are highly dependent on synthesis parameters such as the choice of metal precursor and the concentration of defects such as oxygen vacancies in the support. Here, cobalt oxide domains were synthesized on cerium oxide nanorods and commercial nanopowder via incipient wetness impregnation of cobalt (II) nitrate hexahydrate, cobalt (II) acetate, cobalt (III) acetylacetonate, and disodium cobalt (II) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid at surface densities below monolayer coverage. Their reactivity was tested in the catalytic reduction of NO by CO. The steady-state deNOx activity at 250 °C of the catalyst prepared with cobalt (III) acetylacetonate and ceria nanorods was nearly three times greater than that of the control catalyst. From X-ray absorption spectroscopy it was seen that as-deposited cobalt precursors on a nanorod support were more highly coordinated than were cobalt precursors on comparable commercial ceria nanoparticles, possibly indicating anchoring at defects on the nanorods. A relationship was found between catalyst activity and the cobalt oxidation state of the fully calcined catalysts that suggests that deNOx activity is separately dependent on the cobalt oxide distribution and the presence of defects in the support. Overall, here it is shown that the two critical synthesis parameters of ligand choice and defected supports combine additively to improve reactivity of the supported cobalt oxide.
New Gerbera Daisy Varieties for Large Containers and Flower Gardens

Gerbera daisy is one of the most popular flowers in the United States. Recently, interest has increased in growing gerberas in large containers for indoor or outdoor use. ‘Funtastic™ Tangerine Eye’ and ‘Funtastic™ Golden Eye’ have been selected and tested specifically for use in large containers. These cultivars produce large, powdery mildew-resistant plants and large, attractive flowers in orange-red or yellow-orange that complement the existing Funtastic™ series of gerbera cultivars. This 8-page fact sheet was written by Zhanao Deng, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, September 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep482
Topological Edge States at a Tilt Boundary in Gated Multilayer Graphene

Calculations show that topological states induced by structural defects may be responsible for the well-known subgap conduction in multilayer graphene that limits its use in applications.
Evaluation of Bond Strength of Joints in Hybrid UHPC and SCC Members

One of the major barriers to the use of UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete) in the precast industry is the high cost relative to conventional concrete. Often, the properties of UHPC are not fully utilized throughout a member. One solution is to create a hybrid member with UHPC in zones of high or unpredictable stresses while filling the rest of the section with a conventional concrete. Constructing such a member will require innovative techniques to achieve a successful bond between the two different materials. This paper is unique in that it investigates the bond behavior when both materials are in the fresh state. Several specimens of 2 × 2 × 17 inches (50x50x431 mm) were fabricated for direct tension tests. These specimens were fabricated with half UHPC and half SCC (self-consolidating concrete). The interface between the two types of concrete was perpendicular to the tensile force so that the bond was in direct tension. All materials were placed immediately after mixing and were separated by a removable barrier. Time dependency of the bond strength was controlled by removing the barrier at different times after placing. The quality of the bond strength between fresh UHPC and fresh SCC was compared to the tensile strength of the SCC. The results were used to determine a maximum allowable time by which both concretes can be combined while maintaining an acceptable bond strength.
Serum copeptin and NT-proBNP is associated with central aortic stiffness and flow hemodynamics in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A pilot study

Abstract Aims Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of mortality in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Biomarkers, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and copeptin have been linked with measures of CVD, but their relationship in adolescents with T1D remains incompletely understood. Accordingly, we examined the associations between NT-proBNP and copeptin and hemodynamic markers of central aortic stiffness in adolescents with T1D. Methods In this pilot study, forty-nine pubertal adolescents with T1D (mean age 17 ± 2 years, median [Q1-Q3] Tanner Stage 5 [5, 5] and HbA1c 8.5 ± 1.5%), from the EMERALD study, were assessed for copeptin and NT-proBNP, and indices of central aortic stiffness non-invasively assessed by MRI. Pearson correlations and generalized linear regression models, adjusting for confounders, were applied to examine the relationships between biomarkers and vascular measures. Results Copeptin correlated independently with both ascending aortic (AA) (β ± SE: −4.28 ± 1.87, p = 0.03) and descending aortic (DA) relative area change (RAC) (−3.41 ± 1.55, p = 0.04). NT-proBNP was independently associated with DA time-averaged wall shear stress (WSSTA) (0.87 ± 0.25, p = 0.001) and DA maximum wall shear stress (WSSmax) (2.45 ± 1.00, p = 0.02). Conclusions Serum copeptin and NT-proBNP may be associated with central aortic stiffness and elevated WSS in youth with T1D, potentially offering a non-invasive way to identify and monitor the development of early CVD in an at-risk population.
Race, ethnicity, and the incorporation experiences of Hmong American young adults: insights from a mixed-method, longitudinal study

Through the lens of racialized incorporation, this paper draws upon three decades of surveys and interviews to analyze the initial experiences of young adult Hmong migrants in the United States. Th...
Community dynamics in a university environment.

Scholars have characterized academic communities of faculty, administration, and students in U.S. universities as “organized anarchies.” In contrast, we offer evidence that the community structures of two representative public university systems are notably systematic by applying empirical phase-diagram techniques from the nonlinear dynamics literature to reconstruct low-dimensional deterministic behavior from historic data on the coevolution of faculty, administration, and student populations in each system. Ecological community models, fit with population data for each university, reproduce the essence of this behavior. The models offer novel explanations of how university resources obtained from enrollments and other sources are systematically partitioned among faculty, administration, and student populations interacting in shifting and well-defined community roles. This work offers empirical evidence that ecological principles, typically reserved for characterizing nonhuman interactions in biological systems, can shed light on human interactions in social systems.
Structure and magnetism in CePt 2 + x

Neutron diffraction results for ${\mathrm{CePt}}_{2+x}$ alloys with $0l~xl~1,$ combined with low resolution room temperature x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy, confirm that the alloys are single phase. The data can be fit for all $x$ with nearly equal agreement factors by structural refinements in either the $C15$ $({\mathrm{MgCu}}_{2})$ phase or the $C15b$ $({\mathrm{AuBe}}_{5})$ structure. Observation of small peaks in the diffraction pattern for ${\mathrm{CePt}}_{3}$ that are forbidden in $C15$ suggest that $C15b$ is the correct structure for this composition (and possibly for the other alloy compositions); and application of Hamilton's test indicates that the $C15b$ structure is preferred over the $C15$ to the 95% confidence level. Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements indicate that the cerium is essentially localized and trivalent for all $x.$ The antiferromagnetism observed for ${\mathrm{CePt}}_{2}$ may be absent in the alloys, which behave as typical nonmagnetic cerium heavy fermion compounds with Kondo temperature ${T}_{K}\ensuremath{\approx}2\mathrm{K}.$
The nature of Neptune’s increasing brightness: evidence for a seasonal response

Abstract Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations in August 2002 show that Neptune’s disk-averaged reflectivity increased significantly since 1996, by 3.2 ± 0.3% at 467 nm, 5.6 ± 0.6% at 673 nm, and 40 ± 4% in the 850–1000 nm band, which mainly results from dramatic brightness increases in restricted latitude bands. When 467-nm HST observations from 1994 to 2002 are added to the 472-nm ground-based results of Lockwood and Thompson (2002, Icarus 56, 37–51), the combined disk-averaged variation from 1972 to 2002 is consistent with a simple seasonal model having a hemispheric response delay relative to solar forcing of ∼30 years (∼73% of a full season).
Online health information search and evaluation: observations and semi-structured interviews with college students and maternal health experts.

Background: While the Internet is a popular source of health information, health seekers’ inadequate skills to locate and discern quality information pose a potential threat to their healthcare decision-making. Objectives: We aimed to examine health information search and appraisal behaviours among young, heavy users of the Internet. Methods: In study 1, we observed and interviewed 11 college students about their search strategies and evaluation of websites. In study 2, three health experts evaluated two websites selected as the best information sources in study 1. Results: Familiarity with health websites and confidence in search strategies were major factors affecting search and evaluation behaviours. Website quality was mostly judged by aesthetics and peripheral cues of source credibility and message credibility. In contrast to users’ favourable website evaluation, the experts judged the websites to be inappropriate and untrustworthy. Conclusion: Our results highlight a critical need to provide young health seekers with resources and training that are specifically geared toward health information search and appraisal. The role of health seekers’ knowledge and involvement with the health issue in search effort and success warrants future research.
Monocular Vision System for Fixed Altitude Flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The fastest and most economical method of acquiring terrain images is aerial photography. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been investigated for this task. However, UAVs present a range of challenges such as flight altitude maintenance. This paper reports a method that combines skyline detection with a stereo vision algorithm to enable the flight altitude of UAVs to be maintained. A monocular camera is mounted on the downside of the aircraft’s nose to collect continuous ground images, and the relative altitude is obtained via a stereo vision algorithm from the velocity of the UAV. Image detection is used to obtain terrain images, and to measure the relative altitude from the ground to the UAV. The UAV flight system can be set to fly at a fixed and relatively low altitude to obtain the same resolution of ground images. A forward-looking camera is mounted on the upside of the aircraft’s nose. In combination with the skyline detection algorithm, this helps the aircraft to maintain a stable flight pattern. Experimental results show that the proposed system enables UAVs to obtain terrain images at constant resolution, and to detect the relative altitude along the flight path.
Progress in Determining the Space Orientation of Stars

The theory for determining the space orientation of the rotation axis of certain stars has previously been outlined, and we investigate here the precision and observational procedure with which this theory can be tested. Presently available data is presented, and observing stars are outlined. The importance of this determination to the methods of detecting extrasolar planetary systems is further developed, and a few examples are given.
Using Causal Discovery Algorithms to Learn About Our Planet’s Climate

Causal discovery is the process of identifying potential cause-and-effect relationships from observed data. We use causal discovery to construct networks that track interactions around the globe based on time series data of atmospheric fields, such as daily geopotential height data. The key idea is to interpret large-scale atmospheric dynamical processes as information flow around the globe and to identify the pathways of this information flow using causal discovery and graphical models. We first review the basic concepts of using causal discovery, specifically constraint-based structure learning of probabilistic graphical models. Then we report on our recent progress, including some results on anticipated changes in the climate’s network structure for a warming climate and computational advances that allow us to move to three-dimensional networks.
Excessive Masturbation of Childhood: A Symptom of Tactile Deprivation?

Five cases of excessive masturbation are presented. All cases represent adequate parent-child relationships altered by parental change of behavior toward the child. Upon reinstitution of affectionate tactile contact by the parents, the excessive masturbation ceased. Theoretical considerations are discussed.
Vascular adaptations for heat conservation in the tail of Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris).

Although Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) have relatively low basal metabolic rates for aquatic mammals of their size, they maintain normal mammalian core temperatures. We describe vascular structures in the manatee tail that permit countercurrent heat exchange (CCHE) to conserve thermal energy. Approximately 1000 arteries juxtaposed to 2000 veins are found at the cranial end of the caudal vascular bundle (CVB); these numbers decrease caudally, but the 1 : 2 ratio of arteries to veins persists. Arterial walls are relatively thin when compared to those previously described in vascular countercurrent heat exchangers in cetaceans. It is assumed that CCHE in the CVB helps manatees to maintain core temperatures. Activity in warm water, however, mandates a mechanism that prevents elevated core temperatures. The tail could transfer heat to the environment if arterial blood delivered to the skin were warmer than the surrounding water; unfortunately, CCHE prevents this heat transfer. We describe deep caudal veins that provide a collateral venous return from the tail. This return, which is physically outside the CVB, reduces the venous volume within the bundle and allows arterial expansion and increased arterial supply to the skin, and thus helps prevent elevated core temperatures.
Impact of Intrinsic Channel Scaling on InGaAs Quantum-Well MOSFETs

Using a novel gate-last process scheme that affords precise channel thickness control, we have fabricated self-aligned InGaAs quantum-well (QW) MOSFETs. Devices with a channel thickness between 3 and 12 nm, and a gate length between 40 nm and 5 $\mu \text{m}$ are fabricated on a heterostructure that includes a composite InGaAs/InAs QW and an InP barrier. It is observed that channel thickness has a strong impact on the device characteristics. In general, a thick channel is beneficial to ON-state figures of merit, including transconductance and effective carrier mobility. However, a thin channel is beneficial to OFF-state metrics, such as subthreshold swing and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL). The InAs composition and effective mass that electrons experience in the channel emerges as a factor that significantly affects channel mobility and presumably the transport characteristics of these devices. The subthreshold swing and DIBL are found to follow a classic scaling behavior. This suggests that the InGaAs QW MOSFETs are at the limit of scaling around $L_{g}=50$ nm.
Testing of NASA LaRC Materials under MISSE 6 and MISSE 7 Missions

The objective of the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) is to study the performance of novel materials when subjected to the synergistic effects of the harsh space environment for several months. MISSE missions provide an opportunity for developing space qualifiable materials. Two lasers and a few optical components from NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) were included in the MISSE 6 mission for long term exposure. MISSE 6 items were characterized and packed inside a ruggedized Passive Experiment Container (PEC) that resembles a suitcase. The PEC was tested for survivability due to launch conditions. MISSE 6 was transported to the international Space Station (ISS) via STS 123 on March 11. 2008. The astronauts successfully attached the PEC to external handrails of the ISS and opened the PEC for long term exposure to the space environment. The current plan is to bring the MISSE 6 PEC back to the Earth via STS 128 mission scheduled for launch in August 2009. Currently, preparations for launching the MISSE 7 mission are progressing. Laser and lidar components assembled on a flight-worthy platform are included from NASA LaRC. MISSE 7 launch is scheduled to be launched on STS 129 mission. This paper will briefly review recent efforts on MISSE 6 and MISSE 7 missions at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).
Resistance of Ni nanowires fabricated by STM-CVD

We have developed a technique of fabricating nanoscale metallic wires by using STM-assisted local CVD. By using this technique, nickel wires as narrow as 18 nm and up to 6 micrometers long can be fabricated routinely. However, due to difficulties in making contact with the leads the electrical properties of these nanowires have rarely been successfully characterized. Here we report the successful fabrication and measurement of nickel nanowires with a four-probe configuration using a H-terminated Si (111) surface for the substrate. The samples are prepatterned with metal contact pads, which can be severely damaged by the tip during writing due to the high electric field at the tip-sample junction. After considerably experimentation we now use tungsten silicide contact pads with a silicon-rich stoichiometry; these pads work quite successfully. The wires we measured are typically tens of nanometers wide, 10 - 20 nm high, and a few microns long. We measured their resistance as a function of temperature from 4.2 to approximately 225 K. At higher temperatures the resistance drops linearly with decreasing temperature, indicating metallic behavior. At lower temperatures (<EQ 40 K) however the smaller wires' resistance increases, while that of the larger ones becomes constant. We believe the resistance rise of the smaller wires may indicate the onset of weak localization. We have also fabricated wires using e- beam lithography with a contamination resist followed by ion milling, and compare our data for the two techniques. Our results show a promising way of fabricating nanoscale electronic devices.
Properties of the exciton inner ring at ultra-low temperatures and high magnetic fields

We report on the properties of the exciton inner ring in coupled quantum wells at ultra-low temperatures (T bath = 175 mK) and in high magnetic fields.
SU-E-T-670: Toward Real-Time Monte Carlo Simulation Using a Commercial Cloud Computing Infrastructure

Purpose: Monte‐Carlo methods are the gold standard for modeling photon and electron transport in heterogeneous medium; however, their computational cost prohibits their routine use in the clinic. Cloud computing, wherein computing resources are allocated on‐demand from a third party, is a new practical approach for performing ultra‐fast Monte Carlo calculation in radiation therapy. Methods: We deployed the EGS5 Monte‐Carlo package in a commercial cloud environment. Launched from a single local computer with Internet access, a python script allocates a remote virtual cluster. A handshaking protocol designates master and worker nodes. The EGS5 binaries and the simulation data are initially loaded onto the master node. The simulation is distributed among independent worker nodes via the Message Passing Interface (MPI), and the results aggregated on the local computer for display and data analysis. Our novel approach is evaluated for pencil‐beams and broad beams of high‐energy electrons and photons. Results: The output of the cloud‐based Monte‐Carlo simulation is identical to that produced by the single‐threaded implementation. For 1 million electrons, a simulation that takes 2.58 hour on a local computer can be executed in 3.3 minutes on the cloud, a 47X speed‐up. Simulation time scales inversely with the number of parallel nodes. The parallelization overhead is also negligible for large simulations. Conclusion: Cloud computing is a promising platform for Monte Carlo simulation. In addition to the significant speed up, cloud computing builds a layer of abstraction for high performance parallel computing, an abstraction that may change the way dose calculations are performed and radiation treatment plans are completed. Problems of a parallel nature can be solved efficiently using cloud computing.
Plasma catecholamines in fetal and neonatal rats

Abstract During the last day of gestation, dopamine was higher in fetal than in maternal plasma whereas norepinephrine and epinephrine were similar. Immediately after birth, plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine fell to 10% of their levels in term fetuses, remained low in the second day of life and reached adult levels within one to two weeks. Plasma dopamine, however, did not reduce much after birth. The data are consistent with the predominance of the extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue in the fetus, its postnatal involution, and the delayed maturation of the adrenal medulla in the newborn.
Behaviours of psychotropic substances in indoor and outdoor environments of Rome, Italy

The intensive campaign conducted in March 2013 in Rome, Italy, at one coffee bar, one primary school and two homes revealed that in indoor environments, drugs can reach concentration levels exceeding orders of magnitude those recorded outdoors, even when the same substances are not consumed there. At homes, the gross average of cocaine reached 0.13 ng/m3 indoors and 0.09 ng/m3 outdoors (ratio ~ 1.6); Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol was 6.6 ng/m3 indoors and 1.1 ng/m3 outdoors (ratio ~ 7); cannabidiol reached 0.30 and 0.07 ng/m3, respectively (ratio ~ 6); and cannabinol 2.3 ng/m3 indoors and 0.7 ng/m3 outdoors (ratio ~ 3). At the coffee bar, the average drug burdens were even higher, namely 0.33, 4.7, 14.3 and 2.5 ng/m3, respectively, for cocaine, cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol. The school presented a special behaviour: the indoor/outdoor concentration ratios of cocaine, cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol accounting for ~1.5, ~0, ~4 and ~0.5, in the order. Cocaine was more abundant on weekdays at all sites except one home indoors, whilst total cannabinoids prevailed on weekends at the other home and the school. Using the regional network stations as reference, all indoor locations except one were more contaminated by cocaine by a factor ≥1.5, whilst cannabinoids were, aside from the school, up to 100 times higher.
Development of a Thermal Model for Photovoltaic Modules and Analysis of NOCT Guidelines

The temperature of a photovoltaic module is typically required as an input to models that predict the module’s performance. Some common models use the nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT), as by the manufacturer. This paper develops a thermal model and uses it to analyze NOCT testing standards. Specifically, the standard correction factor charts found in the ASTM E1036 and IEC 61215 standards are evaluated. Results show that the correction charts were likely created assuming laminar flow correlations, while validation efforts and the fact that wind is often characterized by turbulence even at low wind speeds suggest that turbulent flow models may be more appropriate. In addition, the results presented in this paper show that the standard NOCT charts do not account for the backside insulation of photovoltaic (PV) arrays. These results suggest that the standard correction charts are inaccurate for any mounting types that differ from the open rack configuration. The paper concludes with recommendations to improve the usefulness of the NOCT. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4005340]
Out with Impairment, in with Professional Competence Problems: Response to Commentary by Collins, Falender, and Shafranske

Given their significant contributions to the field, the time and attention given by Collins, Falender, and Shafranske to review this article (Schwartz-Mette, 2009) and offer comments are much appre...
Non-metastatic locally advanced cancer of the breast treated with radiation.

Abstract One hundred forty-seven female patients with retrospectively classified (AJCCS 1977) Stage III and nonmetastatic noninflammatory Stage IV breast carcinoma from June 1958 to December 1978 were studied to determine the effects of primary radiation on local recurrence and survival. Fifty-one patients recurred in the breast; 24 patients recurred in the local-regional area of breast and draining lymphatics and 15 patients recurred in the axilla only. Distant metastases developed in 97 patients. The 5 year actuarial survival was 24%. Decreased recurrence rates were associated with megavoltage and higher doses of radiation (34% vs. 65%); with smaller tumors (27% vs. 57%); with total extirpation of gross tumor (33% vs. 53%); and with those tumors that were given a “boost dose” (26% vs. 58%). The addition of systemic treatment did not appreciably alter either local-regional recurrence or survival. However, most of the patients received endocrine ablation or single-agent chemotherapy. Polyagent chemotherapy was used late in the series, making its true impact on survival difficult to evaluate.
The use of processed pericardial tissue in anterior ocular segment reconstruction.

Purpose To report the use of processed pericardial tissue in reconstructing the anterior ocular segment. Method Three case reports. Result Processed pericardial tissue was found to be a helpful adjunct in providing tectonic support and promoting epithelialization in the cases described. Conclusion Processed pericardial tissue has potential application to a variety of anterior ocular segment conditions.