cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diffraction modeling of optical pickup and media

Computer simulations that combine ray-tracing, diffraction calculations, and accurate solutions of Maxwell’s equations can model the entire optical path, from light source to detectors. We present our simulation results for some state-of-the-art optical recording systems.
Hyponatremia, fluid-electrolyte disorders, and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion: diagnosis and treatment options.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the types and causes of hyponatremia and examine the various strategies for treatment of this disorder. Methods A systematic review of the current literature is provided, targeting endocrinology clinicians who consult with hospital medical and surgical staff when managing patients with hyponatremia. Treatment for euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia with arginine vasopressin receptor antagonists is presented, which provides a new treatment option for patients with disorders of water metabolism. Results Hyponatremia is recognized as the most common electrolyte disorder encountered in the clinical setting and is associated with a variety of conditions including dilutional disorders, such as congestive heart failure and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, and depletional disorders, such as diarrhea and vomiting or blood loss. Most cases of mild hyponatremia can be treated effectively. Acute, severe hyponatremia that is untreated or treated ineffectively, however, can lead to serious neurologic outcomes or death. With the poor prognosis for morbidity and mortality in patients with severe hyponatremia, hospital-based clinicians must identify those at risk for hyponatremia and suggest appropriate treatment intervention. A new class of drugs, the arginine vasopressin receptor antagonists, targets receptors on collecting duct cells of the nephron and causes aquaresis, the excretion of free water. This therapy leads to the restoration of sodium-water homeostasis in patients with euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia. Conclusion With many hospitalized patients at risk for hyponatremia, especially elderly patients in critical care and postsurgical units, identification of involved patients, recommendation of appropriate treatment, and awareness of new therapeutic options are critical. (Endocr Pract. 2006;12:446-457)
Equilibration in the aftermath of the lunar-forming giant impact

Abstract Simulations of the moon-forming impact suggest that most of the lunar material derives from the impactor rather than the Earth. Measurements of lunar samples, however, reveal an oxygen isotope composition that is indistinguishable from terrestrial samples, and clearly distinct from meteorites coming from Mars and Vesta. Here we explore the possibility that the silicate Earth and impactor were compositionally distinct with respect to oxygen isotopes, and that the terrestrial magma ocean and lunar-forming material underwent turbulent mixing and equilibration in the energetic aftermath of the giant impact. This mixing may arise in the molten disk epoch between the impact and lunar accretion, lasting perhaps 10 2 –10 3 yr. The implications of this idea for the geochemistry of the Moon, the origin of water on Earth, and constraints on the giant impact are discussed.
Biochemical consequences of synaptic stimulation:: The regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity by multiple transmitters

Abstract Neurotransmitters are generally viewed as functioning by changing the electrophysiological properties of the cells on which they act. These changes can be the direct consequence of the transmitter binding to its receptor, such as in the case of acetylcholine acting on a nicotinic receptor 1 . Alternatively, they can involve the production of a second messenger inside the target cell leading to the activation of an intracellular kinase and perhaps to the covalent modification of an ion channel (e.g. Ref. 2). However, neurotransmitters are now known to produce biochemical effects in postsynaptic cells that are unrelated to such changes in membrane permeability. These biochemical changes are only beginning to be explored, but they may well form the molecular basis for many aspects of neural plasticity seen both in the developing and adult organism.
Expression and stability of foreign tags inserted into nsp2 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

The nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the single largest protein produced during infection. The cDNA of the pCMV-129 infectious PRRSV clone was modified for accepting foreign tags by first creating unique Mlu I and SgrA I restrictions sites at nucleotide (nt) positions 3219 and 3614, respectively, within the C-terminal region of nsp2. cDNAs encoding oligo- and polypeptide tags, including FLAG, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and luciferase were inserted into the newly created restriction sites. The results showed that only the EGFP-containing genomes were properly expressed and produced virus. EGFP fluorescence, but not EGFP immunoreactivity, was lost during passage of recombinant EGFP viruses in culture. Sequencing of a fluorescent-negative EGFP virus showed that the EGFP remained intact, except for the appearance of arginine to cysteine mutation at position 96, which may interfere with chromophore formation or function.
Toward a conceptual understanding and definition of executive coaching.

This article succinctly reviews the recent literature available on executive coaching, demonstrating that there has been very little empirical research that has focused on these methods when used by consultants with managers and leaders in organizations. Within the frame work of a 17-dimensional mod
Investigating the Quartz (101̅0)/Water Interface using Classical and Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics

Two different terminations of the (1010) surface of quartz (α and β) interacting with water are simulated by classical (CMD) (using two different force fields) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and compared with previously published X-ray reflectivity (XR) experiments. Radial distribution functions between hydroxyl and water show good agreement between AIMD and CMD using the ClayFF force field for both terminations. The Lopes et al. (Lopes, P. E. M.; Murashov, V.; Tazi, M.; Demchuk, E.; MacKerell, A. D. J. Phys. Chem. B2006, 110, 2782–2792) force field (LFF), however, underestimates the extent of hydroxyl–water hydrogen bonding. The β termination is found to contain hydroxyl–hydroxyl hydrogen bonds; the quartz surface hydroxyl hydrogens and oxygens that hydrogen bond with each other exhibit greatly reduced hydrogen bonding to water. Conversely, the hydroxyl hydrogen and oxygens that are not hydrogen bonded to other surface hydroxyls but are connected to those that are show a considerable amount of ...
Conservation rates: the best ‘new’ source of urban water during drought

In the United States, water conservation-oriented rates (WCOR) are an increasingly vital tool for promoting water conservation and mitigating urban drought. Our models prove that one type of WCOR, drought demand rates (DDR), can produce with minimal regulation the quadruple objectives of conservation rates: (1) improving efficiency; (2) providing revenue neutrality; (3) assuring distributional equity and (4) guaranteeing the conservation of water. We demonstrate that such rates can also reduce days that urban streams drop below ‘critical flow’ levels, providing a voice for nature. Our study is situated in northern New Castle County (NCC), Delaware (DE), USA, and the lessons garnered have relevance for industrialized communities seeking a ‘soft-path’ to drought mitigation.
Proteasome inhibitors lactacystin and MG132 inhibit the dephosphorylation of HSF1 after heat shock and suppress thermal induction of heat shock gene expression.

Recently, we have shown that two proteasome inhibitors, MG132 and lactacystin, induce hyperphosphorylation and trimerization of HSF1, and transactivate heat shock genes at 37 degrees C. Here, we examined the effects of these proteasome inhibitors and, in addition, a phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A (CCA) on the activation of HSF1 upon heat shock and during post-heat-shock recovery, with emphasis on HSF1 hyperphosphorylation and the ability of HSF1 to transactivate heat shock genes. When lactacystin, MG132, or CCA was present after heat shock, HSF1 remained hyperphosphorylated during post-heat-shock recovery at 37 degrees C. Failure of HSF1 to recover to its preheated dephosphorylated state correlated well with the suppression of the heat-induced hsp70 expression. In vitro, HSF1 from heat-shocked cells, when dephosphorylated, showed an increase in HSE-binding affinity. Taken together, these data suggest that phosphorylation of HSF1 plays an important role in the negative regulation of heat-shock response. Specifically, during post-heat-shock recovery phase, prolonged hyperphosphorylation of HSF1 suppresses heat-induced expression of heat shock genes.
Peripheral blood stem cells harvested during marrow recovery from disease-specific chemotherapy shorten duration of neutropenia in patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation.

A total of 41 patients who underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation without the use of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were retrospectively evaluated to determine whether the infusion of peripheral blood stem cells collected during the period of recovery of bone marrow from previous disease-specific chemotherapy could shorten the time to bone marrow engraftment after transplantation. Of the 41 patients, 24 patients received bone marrow only (group 1), 8 patients received bone marrow plus steady-state peripheral blood stem cells (group 2) and 9 patients received bone marrow plus rebound peripheral blood stem cells collected during the period of recovery from disease-specific chemotherapy (group 3). Infusion of rebound peripheral blood stem cells (group 3) accelerated recovery of white blood cells and neutrophils and resulted in a white blood cell count of 109/L by day 15 compared with day 25 in group 1,P 0.0001), and a neutrophil count of < 0.5 × 109/L by day 16 versus day 26 in gr...
Feature extraction from speech spectrograms using multi-layered network models

The authors propose a method for capturing speaker-invariant features from speech spectrograms using artificial neural network (ANN) models. Feature extraction was carried out using the recognition network model, a biologically based pattern recognition system capable of recognizing images that are distorted or shifted in position. It is a three-layer network system. The initial layer of the network extracts small features; each advancing layer looks for larger and larger features. As pattern information progresses through the network, slight distortions and shifts in position are allowed. The proposed network model was used to learn vowel features from six different vowel and diphthong sounds in English. Initial test results show that the network model is capable of learning all important features that are present in the pattern studied. >
Studies in experimental hypertonicity. II. Hypertonicity of body fluids as a cause of acidosis.

Hypertonicity of body fluids was induced in 23 rabbits by the intravenous injection of solutions of sodium chloride, sodium chloride and bicarbonate, sucrose, or urea at concentrations of about 2,000 mOsm/l. The results obtained suggest that (1) hypertonicity of body fluids can cause disturbances in cellular metabolism, resulting in the formation and release of large quantities of hydrogen ion and the development of severe extracellular metabolic acidosis; (2) with restoration of osmolality toward normal by rehydration, the acidosis is improved; and (3) there is no correlation between the values for plasma pH and the values for sodium and chlorides in plasma, total body water, extracellular and intracellular water, and blood volume.
Effects of low-energy electron irradiation on formation of nitrogen–vacancy centers in single-crystal diamond

Exposure to beams of low-energy electrons (2-30keV) in a scanning electron microscope locally induces formation of NV-centers without thermal annealing in diamonds that have been implanted with nitrogen ions. We find that non-thermal, electron-beam-induced NV-formation is about four times less efficient than thermal annealing. But NV-center formation in a consecutive thermal annealing step (800 C) following exposure to low-energy electrons increases by a factor of up to 1.8 compared to thermal annealing alone. These observations point to reconstruction of nitrogen-vacancy complexes induced by electronic excitations from low-energy electrons as an NV-center formation mechanism and identify local electronic excitations as a means for spatially controlled room-temperature NV-center formation.
Exploring 2D tensor fields using stress nets

In this article we describe stress nets, a technique for exploring 2D tensor fields. Our method allows a user to examine simultaneously the tensors' eigenvectors (both major and minor) as well as scalar-valued tensor invariants. By avoiding noise-advection techniques, we are able to display both principal directions of the tensor field as well as the derived scalars without cluttering the display. We present a CPU-only implementation of stress nets as well as a hybrid CPU/GPU approach and discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Stress nets have been used as part of an investigation into crack propagation. They were used to display the directions of maximum shear in a slab of material under tension as well as the magnitude of the shear forces acting on each point. Our methods allowed users to find new features in the data that were not visible on standard plots of tensor invariants. These features disagree with commonly accepted analytical crack propagation solutions and have sparked renewed investigation. Though developed for a materials mechanics problem, our method applies equally well to any 2D tensor field having unique characteristic directions.
Three-Body Calculations at Los Alamos

Approximately seven years ago the Los Alamos-Iowa collaboration[1] began its program of investigating the trinucleon systems by solving the Faddeev equations in configuration space. This work was motivated by four goals: (1) By working in configuration space, where intuition is greatest, investigate graphically those trinucleon properties which are determined by specific features of wave functions; (2) Produce benchmark calculations against which new techniques and numerical methods can be measured; (3) Investigate the effect of the Coulomb interaction between the two protons in 3He and in the p-d system; (4) Systematically investigate the various trinucleon observables. Configuration space is particularly well-suited for investigating the Coulomb problem. The singularity and discontinuity problems associated with the Coulomb (momentum space) tmatrix are transformed into boundary condition problems in configuration space. One simply adds the Coulomb potential to the strong interaction. In order to produce accurate numerical solutions powerful techniques were adopted which have not frequently been used in nuclear physics. These spline methods together with collocation techniques combine the power of Gaussian quadrature procedures with the flexibility and strength of finite element approaches to solving partial differential equations. Further details are given by G. L. Payne in his contribution to this workshop[2]. The union of these methods allows one to calculate wavefunctions at the same qualitative level of accuracy as the eigenvalues. Observables can therefore be calculated with considerable confidence.
Simultaneous remote measurements of atmospheric temperature and humidity using a continuously tunable IR lidar.

The possibility of accurate remote measurements of temperature and humidity using a three-wavelength differential absorption technique is discussed. Selection of water vapor absorption lines for the measurement promises highest accuracy for temperature measurements and also allows the simultaneous determination of absolute humidity. Preliminary measurements of average temperature and humidity over a 775-m long path using a continuously tunable infrared lidar are reported. For the temperature measurements a relative accuracy of 1.4°C was observed. The absolute error, however, is presently ~5°C due to inaccuracies in the wavelength selection of the lidar transmitter. Humidity was measured with a 1.5% relative error limited by return signal fluctuations. The method is feasible for depth resolved measurements of temperature and humidity.
LDPC-Coded OFDM for Heterogeneous Access Optical Networks

In this paper, we propose a heterogeneous optical access networking scenario, in which communication links between source and destination nodes are heterogeneous, composed of free-space optical, plastic optical fiber (POF), and indoor infrared (IR) links. To deal with bandwidth limitations of POF and IR links, a power-variable rate-adaptive low-density parity-check (LDPC)-coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme is used, while to deal with atmospheric turbulence, the spatial diversity is used. The rate-adaptive LDPC codes are designed using a modified progressive edge-growth (MPEG) algorithm. We show that with the proposed heterogeneous communication systems, we can deliver a high-speed optical signal (40 Gb/s and beyond) to an end-user.
Developing an Integrated Finance and Marketing MBA Core Course

In recent years, the business community has placed an increasing demand on universities to develop students who can think holistically. One way that universities have responded to this challenge is...
The Environmental Fate and Safety of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates

80% of the total APE volume. Formulated products for fiber sizing, spinning, weaving, fabric dyeing, scouring and washing commonly contain NPEs. Water-based paints, inks and adhesives are also likely to contain NPEs. NPEs are manufactured by a basecatalyzed reaction of ethylene oxide with nonylphenol (NP). NP is produced from phenol and “nonene” using acid catalysis and consists almost entirely of the para positional isomer. Nonene is a branched C, olefin made by trimerizing propylene and consists of many isomers.’.* The generic NF’E structure is depicted in Fig. 1. The average number of moles of ethylene oxide per mole of NP (n) ranges from 1 to 100. Relative amounts of the indisurfactants commonly used in textile manufacture as Well as in industrial
Voluntary Childlessness: Toward a Theoretical Integration

Despite the recent proliferation of research on the topic of voluntary childlessness, a substantive theory has yet to be developed. A major objective of this article is to undertake such a theoretical formulation. A focus on social structural variables, that is, female education and employment, has led demographers and others to predict a phenomenal increase in voluntary childlessness. That this macro-level theory is incomplete is evidenced by the fact that it cannot account for the decline or leveling off in the voluntary childless rate since 1975, despite continuing increases in women's educational achievements and labor force participation. A missing link in this formulation is the cultural component. An individual decision-making model is necessary to show how social structural factors mesh with cultural components in influencing fertility decisions, in this case voluntary childlessness. Unless there is an effort to understand the micro-level processes that distort the macro-level patterns, a comprehe...
Free vibration analysis of laminated plates using a layerwise theory

Reddy's layerwise theory is used. The results obtained from this theory are compared with those obtained from a full-fledged three-dimensional elasticity analysis and various equivalent single-layer theories that are available. These include the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT), the first-order shear deformation laminated plate theory (FSDPT), and the third-order shear deformation plate theory (THSDPT). The elasticity equations are solved by utilizing the state space variables and the transfer matrix
Lorentz-violating electrodynamics and the cosmic microwave background

Possible Lorentz-violating effects in the cosmic microwave background are studied. We provide a systematic classification of renormalizable and nonrenormalizable operators for Lorentz violation in electrodynamics and use polarimetric observations to search for the associated violations.
Plant Diversity, Production, Stability, and Susceptibility to Invasion in Restored Northern Tall Grass Prairies (United States)

This study investigated the relationship among plant diversity, production, stability, and susceptibility to invasion in restored northern tall grass prairies (United States). The experiment consisted of 50 species mixtures fertilized with N or P, at high or low levels. Results from the past 5 years were as follows: (1) aboveground biomass increased and year-to-year variability declined with increases in plant species and functional form richness, mostly as a result of substantial increases in minimum biomass (maximum biomass was unaffected). (2) Aboveground biomass and biomass stability increased when the species in the mixture had: (a) high relative growth rates, root density, root surface area per unit of root biomass, uptake rates of N or P per unit of root surface area, and N use efficiency and (b) low root to shoot ratio. (3) Invasion of nonseeded species declined with increases in plant species and functional form richness. (4) The results from this experiment did not provide a single specific criterion for selecting an optimal species mixture. However, if the objectives of the restoration were simply to achieve an aboveground biomass variability that is less than that of growing-season precipitation, then the seed mixtures need to have a minimum of nine species and three functional forms.
Dichroism of Photosensitive Pigment in Rhabdoms of the Crayfish Orconectes

Microspectrophotometric measurements of isolated crayfish rhabdoms illuminated transversely show that their photosensitive absorption exhibits a dichroic ratio of 2 in situ. The major absorption axis matches the axial direction of the closely parallel microvilli comprising the receptor organelle. Since these microvilli are regularly oriented transversely in about 24 layers, with the axes of the microvilli at 90° in alternate layers, transverse illumination of a properly oriented rhabdom displays alternate dichroic and isotropic bands. Because all the microvilli from any one cell share the same orientation, the layers of microvilli constitute two sets of orthogonal polarization analyzers when illuminated along the normal visual axis. Furthermore, since the dichroic ratio is 2 and transverse absorption in isotropic bands is the same as that in the minor absorbing axis of dichroic bands, the simplest explanation of the analyzer action is that the absorbing dipoles of the chromophores, as in rod and cone outer segments, lie parallel to the membrane surface but are otherwise randomly oriented. The rhabdom's functional dichroism thus arises from its specific fine structural geometry.
Autoerotic Asphyxiation: Secret Pleasure—Lethal Outcome?

Objective: Voluntary asphyxiation among children, preteens, and adolescents by hanging or other means of inducing hypoxia/anoxia to enhance sexual excitement is not uncommon and can lead to unintended death. This study addresses autoerotic asphyxiation (AEA) with the intent of increasing pediatricians' knowledge of the syndrome and awareness of its typical onset among young patients. AEA is characteristically a clandestine and elusive practice. Provided with relevant information, pediatricians can identify the syndrome, demonstrate a willingness to discuss concerns about it, ameliorate distress, and possibly prevent a tragedy.
Neprilysin Inhibition in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Clinical Review

There has been a 10-year hiatus in the approval of a new pharmacotherapy for patients with chronic heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Combining an angiotensin receptor blocker, valsartan, with sacubitril, an inhibitor of neprilysin, results in increasing levels of natriuretic peptides that counterbalance high circulating levels of neurohormones in HFrEF. This has resulted in the development of a new agent, LCZ696. A comprehensive overview of LCZ696, its pharmacology, its role in the pathophysiology of HFrEF, completed and future clinical trial information, specific critical issues, and the place of LCZ696 in HFrEF therapy are presented.
Flight Test Results of Adaptive Controllers in Presence of Severe Structural Damage

rst is a proven MRAC based method employing a single hidden layer NN. The second is the recently introduced Derivative Free MRAC (DFMRAC) method. The results establish the feasibility of these methods for ensuring safe autonomous ight in presence of severe structural faults.
A Beautiful Pageant: African American Theatre, Drama, and Performance in the Harlem Renaissance, 1910–1927. By David Krasner. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002; pp. 370. $35 cloth; Stories of Freedom in Black New York. By Shane White. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002; pp. 260. $27.95 cloth.

In “Writing the Absent Potential: Drama, Performance, and the Canon of African-American Literature,” Sandra Richards argues that scholars largely ignore the African-American contribution to theatre and performance. She suspects that most critics regard “drama as a disreputable member of the family of literature” (65). Even African Americanists neglect dramatic literature; indeed, the Norton Anthology of African American Literature includes only a scant number of plays. Both David Krasner and Shane White effectively redress this oversight and shift the focus from African-American literature to blacks on stage in their recent monographs about early nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century drama.
Lipid metabolism and secondary forms of dyslipoproteinemia in children

Abstract Abnormalities of lipids and lipoproteins are associated with the development of coronary artery disease [1] . There are numerous forms and numerous causes of dyslipidemia. A primary cause of abnormal lipids and lipoproteins is genetic. There are also a number of secondary causes of lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities. These secondary causes include endocrine problems, the metabolic syndrome, certain pharmacologic agents and infection. Body composition is another important factor, which influences lipid metabolism [4] . In this article, an overview of lipid metabolism is presented with discussion of the relationship of disease entities, which can result in abnormalities of lipids and lipoproteins.
Status and prospects of high power RF tube amplifier devices for high-data-rate communication

Vacuum tube RF amplifiers are used in a wide variety of microwave systems. Their operating frequency ranges from the UHF to the submillimeter-wave (THz) bands. Through continuous development, they remain the technology of choice for high power applications providing high efficiency and wide bandwidth with increased reliability and reduced cost. New emerging systems at the millimeter-wave frequencies will further elevate the importance of tube amplifiers. This paper presents an overview of the current status of this type of amplifiers with the emphasis being on communication applications. Devices to be covered include traveling wave tube amplifiers, microwave power modules and klystrons.
A single-inductor 7+7 ratio reconfigurable resonant switched-capacitor DC-DC converter with 0.1-to-1.5V output voltage range

This paper demonstrates the first 7-ratio resonant switched capacitor (SC) converter using only a single inductor, realizing the widest resonant operating range reported in CMOS. A frequency-scaled gear train SC topology is introduced that enables soft-charging of all flying capacitors through one inductor at any arbitrary binary ratio by eliminating the inter-stage decoupling required in prior-art. Gear ratio modulation is proposed to control the resonance Q-factor, and hence the regulator can be gracefully transitioned from a resonant converter to a fully-capacitive SC, enabling > 24,000x output current range. For the same footprint, the converter achieves up to 14.4% and 12% efficiency improvements over co-fabricated SC and 3-level buck converters, respectively, while operating with a peak efficiency of 73.3% and current density of 0.14 A/mm2 in 0.18 μm bulk.
Sound Lets You See: A Phenomenology of Hearing Screen Media

This phenomenological investigation of ocularcentrism in screen media proceeds deductively. First, the significance of screen media is demonstrated. Next, synaesthetic merging of human senses is shown to begin with the body and to produce ready substitutions of seeing and hearing. The final deduction explores apperception – “seeing with” – a foundation of the phenomenological method. Sounds emanating from beyond the screen edge stimulate an expanded experience – a window to a wider world. This marginal consciousness has surprising power to dictate the audiovisual impact. In summary, off-screen sounds, combined with visual closure of objects partially hidden by the frame edge, stimulate in screen sense the apperception of a co-extensive world beyond the picture frame. Sound lets you see.
High Performance Liquid Chromatography of Carbohydrates in Cucumber Nectar

SummaryTechniques were developed for the collection and storage of microquantities of floral nectar and their analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Multiple sampling of nectar droplets of individual flowers from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) demonstrated that rapid and reproducible determination of nectar carbohydrate composition was possible. No significant deterioration was observed in nectar samples stored up to 23 months at −22°C.
Feeding effects of postlarval red abalone, Haliotis rufescens (Mollusca: Gastropoda) on encrusting coralline algae

Abstract Detailed examinations of an algal-microherbivore symbiosis have revealed mutualistic components of such herbivore-plant interactions. High-resolution photomicroscopy and experimental analyses in the field and laboratory were used to evaluate effects of foraging by Haliotis rufescens (red abalone) postlarvae ˜ 200 μm in length, on their encrusting red algal hosts, Lithothamnion (=Lithothamnium) californicum, Lithophyllum lichenare, and Hildenbrandia rubra (=H. prototypus). We have quantified the microscopic food availability, postlarval foraging behaviour, changes in stomach and faecal contents, growth, and mutualistic effects of grazing. Host algae were found to benefit both from a reduction in coverage by epiphytic algae, and from enhancement of vegetative growth.
Towards Thermoplastic Lignin Polymers: Progress in the Utilization of Kraft Lignin for the Synthesis of Heat Stable Polymer Melts

Copyright: © 2013 Argyropoulos DS, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Towards Thermoplastic Lignin Polymers: Progress in the Utilization of Kraft Lignin for the Synthesis of Heat Stable Polymer Melts
Development of a Long-Range Small UAV for Atmospheric Monitoring

*A small low-cost all-composite Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was developed to carry atmospheric monitoring instrumentation on long endurance (30+ hour) missions. The design process was initiated by determining the payload size and weight requirements, and then selecting an engine that would provide the needed power and fuel economy for the flight duration. The fuselage was designed to carry the payload, flight hardware (auto-pilot, Iridium satellite communication) equipment, engine, landing gear, and required fuel tank. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package (FLUENT/GAMBIT) was used to shape the fuselage and tail configuration followed by quarter-scale wind-tunnel testing. The resulting aircraft was fabricated using the RTM and VRTM process using carbon/epoxy composite materials. The aircraft is flying and the performance properties were measured.
Performance assessment of a remotely readable graphite oxide (GO)-based tamper-evident seal

Tamper-evident seals are commonly used for non-proliferation applications. A properly engineered tamper-evident seal enables the detection of unauthorized access to a protected item or a secured zone. Tamper-evident seals must be susceptible to malicious attacks. These attacks should cause irreversible and detectable damage to the seals. At the same time, tamper-evident seals must demonstrate robustness to environmental changes in order to minimize false-positive and false-negative rates under real operating conditions. The architecture of the tamper-evident seal presented in this paper features a compressive sampling (CS) acquisition scheme, which provides the seal with a means for self- authentication and self-state of health awareness. The CS acquisition scheme is implemented using a micro-controller unit (MCU) and an array of resistors engraved on a graphite oxide (GO) film. CS enables compression and encryption of messages sent from the seal to the remote reader in a non-bit sensitive fashion. As already demonstrated in our previous work through the development of a simulation framework, the CS non-bit sensitive property ensures satisfactory reconstruction of the encrypted messages sent back to the reader when the resistance values of the resistor array are simultaneously affected by modest changes. This work investigates the resistive behavior of the reduced GO film to changes in temperature and humidity when tested in an environmental chamber. The goal is to characterize the humidity and temperature range for reliable operation of a GO-based seal.
Multi-scale Computational Model of Epithelial Cell Proliferation and Mechanics

Epithelia are sheets of tightly adherent, asymmetrically organized cells that provide a protective barrier for organs. The close association of epithelial cells through physical interactions and active adhesion leads to tightly packed cellular networks. Several computational models have been developed to simulate the dynamics of cell growth, division and neighboring cell-cell interactions and shape changes, which drive tissue morphogenesis. However, cells are typically approximated as polygons to simplify computation effort, resulting in poor descriptions of many morphogenetic processes including mitotic rounding.
Transmission of α-synucleinopathy from olfactory structures deep into the temporal lobe.

α-synucleinopathy emerges quite early in olfactory structures such as the olfactory bulb and anterior olfactory nucleus (OB/AON) in Parkinson's disease. This may contribute to smell impairments years before the commencement of motor symptoms. We tested whether α-synucleinopathy can spread from the OB/AON to regions of the limbic telencephalon that harbor connections with olfactory structures. α-synuclein fibrils were infused into the OB/AON. Inclusions containing pathologically phosphorylated α-synuclein (pSer129) were observed three months later in the piriform and entorhinal cortices, amygdala, and hippocampal formation. The retrograde tract-tracer FluoroGold confirmed the existence of first-order afferents at these sites. Some sites harbored FluoroGold+ neurons but no inclusions, suggestive of selective vulnerabilities. Multiple areas close to the injection site but not connected with the OB/AON remained free of inclusions, suggesting a lack of widespread uptake of fibrils from interstitial diffusion. Two independent pSer129 antibodies revealed the same labeling patterns and preadsorption control experiments confirmed a loss of pSer129 staining. Dense total α-synuclein (but not pSer129) staining was apparent in the OB/AON 1.5 h following fibril infusions, suggesting that pSer129+ staining did not reflect exogenously infused material. Waterbath sonication of fibrils for 1 h improved α-synucleinopathy transmission relative to 1 min-long probe sonication. Electron microscopy revealed that longer sonication durations reduced fibril size. The Thioflavin stain labeled cells at the infusion site and some, but not all inclusions contained ubiquitin. Three-dimensional confocal analyses revealed that many inclusions ensconced NeuN+ neuronal nuclei. Young and aged mice exhibited similar topographical spread of α-synucleinopathy. 1) α-synucleinopathy in this model is transmitted through some, but not all neuroanatomical connections, 2) pathology is largely confined to first-order afferent sites at three months and this is most parsimoniously explained by retrograde transport, and 3) transmission in aged animals is largely similar to that in young control animals at three months post-infusion.
Trade-offs in high-volume primary care practice

Background With today's emphasis on reducing costs and increasing efficiency, primary care physicians are under pressure to increase patient volume. This study was undertaken to (1) identify factors associated with differences in physician volume, and (2) test for differences in selected clinical outcomes and time use during patient visits. Methods Research nurses directly observed consecutive patient visits during 2 separate days in the offices of 108 community family physicians. Data on the content of 3893 outpatient visits were collected using direct observation, patient and physician questionnaires, and medical record review. Physicians with high-, medium-, and low-volume practices were compared in the rates of preventive services delivery, patient satisfaction, and time use during patient visits as measured with the Davis Observation Code. Results High-volume physicians had visits that were 30% shorter, scheduled one third fewer patients for well care, and were more likely to own their practice and to be male than were low-volume physicians. Time use during patient visits was remarkably similar for high- and low-volume physicians. However, after controlling for relevant patient characteristics, patients of high-volume physicians had lower up-to-date rates of preventive services and scored lower on measures of satisfaction and the doctor-patient relationship. Conclusions Physicians with high-volume practices are more efficient than those with low-volume practices in providing similar services in a shorter amount of time. This greater apparent efficiency may come at a cost of lower rates of preventive services delivery, lower patient satisfaction, and a less positive doctor-patient relationship. Health care plans and physicians setting productivity goals should consider the trade-offs inherent in high-volume practice.
Enabling direct silicene integration in electronics: First principles study of silicene on NiSi2(111)

Silicene on metal silicides poses promise for direct integration of silicene into electronic devices. The details of the metal silicide-silicene interface, however, may have significant effects on the electronic properties. In this work, we investigate the electronic properties of silicene on NiSi2(111) and hydrogenated NiSi2(111) (H:NiSi2) substrates, as well as hydrogenated silicene (H:silicene) on a NiSi2(111) substrate, from first principles. The preferred Si surface termination of NiSi2 was determined through surface energy calculations, and the band structure and density of states (DOS) were calculated for the two-dimensional silicene and H:silicene layers. Hydrogenating NiSi2 lowered the binding energy between silicene and the substrate, resulting in partial decoupling of the electronic properties. Relaxed silicene on H:NiSi2 showed a small band gap opening of 0.14 eV. Silicene on H:NiSi2 also had a calculated electron effective mass of 0.08m0 and a Fermi velocity of 0.39 × 106 m/s, which are simil...
The Natural History and Treatment of EBV Infections and Their Nonmalignant Complications

EBV causes a wide spectrum of acute and chronic infections in normal and immunocompromised people (1). Most such infections are asymptomatic or sufficiently mild as to warrant no or only symptomatic treatments. For the more serious infections and their complications, there is a need for both supportive and specific therapies. Unfortunately, our understandings of which severe infections can be treated and which of a limited menu of therapies to select in each instance are still rather primitive. The following is a survey of these issues with particular emphasis on the few bright prospects that presently tantalize us.
Democracies in Conflict: The Role of Public Opinion, Political Parties, and the Press in Shaping Security Policy

The vast literature on the impact of democratic political institutions on foreign policy behavior has yielded some of the most important developments in our understanding of violence and war over the past thirty years. The Journal of Conflict Resolution has played a prominent role in this growth and development. Critics of the democratic peace have dismissed this literature as a correlation in search of an explanation. However, I argue that the democratic peace literature and its various descendants represent a surprisingly productive example of an empirically focused and puzzle-oriented research program that has produced cumulative scientific knowledge regarding our understanding of international politics. This sustained investigation of democracy and foreign policy has yielded an increasingly robust and sophisticated model of democratic constraint that is the consequence of a progressive research program that compares favorably to earlier research programs that emphasized clashing paradigms of internati...
Performing a different narrative: museum theater and the memory-work of producing and managing slavery heritage at southern plantation museums

AbstractIn the southeastern United States, operators of plantation museums have traditionally engaged in a selective and romanticised remembrance of the antebellum past that has regrettably silenced and marginalised the historical experiences and struggles of enslaved African people. More recently, some plantation managers have sought to engage in the ‘memory-work’ using artistic practices to reconstruct and interpret slavery heritage for visitors. Our study explores museum theatre as a form of memory-work and suggests that theatrical performances of the memories of enslavement are an increasingly important but not yet fully understood strategy for recovering, embodying, and representing a different and hopefully more just narrative about enslaved Africans. We visit three plantation museums where managers hosted a theatrical performance of enslaved oral histories and explore the motivations and experiences of managers and the director of the slave performance. Realising the power and efficacy of theatrica...
Traveler to Uganda

A 25-year-old, otherwise healthy woman traveled to Uganda. Two weeks after her return, she complained of dyspnea on exertion and cough. Several people who traveled with her displayed similar symptoms, and she suspected that she had an infection.
P-224 Thematic analysis of referral control upon the nature of community service response visits

Aims To determine whether the introduction of refined referral limitations, including daily triage, influenced the nature of the response visits undertaken by the community ‘Hospice at Home’ team, with particular attention being paid to the type of care requested and provided and the condition of the patient. Methods The research was conducted in the form of a thematic analysis (see Braun & Clarke, 2006; Seal, 2016) using the community clinical records which documented the community service response visits. A sample of three groups was selected from patients who had requested and received response visits in June, September and December of 2016, with June acting as the pre-change control group. The encounter records were then fed through a predetermined coding matrix, focusing upon the source of the request, the reason for the request, the condition in which the attended patient was found to be in, the emotional state of the family or carers and the actions undertaken. Results It was found that while the introduction of refined referral parameters and daily triage meetings did not influence the need for supplementary tasks, such as personal care or psychological support for the patient or family/carers, or the documented levels of distress amongst family or carers, several transitional themes became apparent. Increased restrictions to referral acceptance amplified the ratio presence of patients who were at the very end of life, with activities subsequently becoming much more focused upon those associated with end of life care and reducing the presence of actions less associated with palliative conditions. Conclusions The evidence compiled suggests that, whilst more refined referral criteria may at first assessment risk a detrimental impact upon response visits in the community, greater control over the referral process helps with prioritisation and improves responsiveness towards patients with more urgent palliative needs.
The Ethics of Sharing Religious Faith in Psychotherapy

Classical psychoanalysis has stated that religion is a delusion, a view not shared by the majority of the American public. If religion is a delusion, then to share a delusion with a patient or to i...
Social Competence Treatment After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial of Interactive Group Treatment Versus Noninteractive Treatment.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a replicable group treatment program for improving social competence after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing 2 methods of conducting a social competency skills program, an interactive group format versus a classroom lecture. Setting Community and veteran rehabilitation centers. Participants Civilian, military, and veteran adults with TBI and social competence difficulties (N=179), at least 6 months postinjury. Interventions The experimental intervention consisted of 13 weekly group interactive sessions (1.5h) with structured and facilitated group interactions to improve social competence, and the control consisted of 13 traditional classroom sessions using the same curriculum with brief supplemental individual sessions but without structured group interaction. Main Outcome Measures Profile of Pragmatic Impairment in Communication (PPIC), an objective behavioral rating of social communication impairments after TBI. LaTrobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ), Goal Attainment Scale (GAS), Satisfaction with Life Scale, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-C (PCL) civilian version, Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), Scale of Perceived Social Self-Efficacy (PSSE). Results Social competence goals (GAS) were achieved and maintained for most participants regardless of treatment method. Significant improvements in the primary outcome (PPIC) and 2 of the secondary outcomes (LCQ and BSI) were seen immediately posttreatment and at 3 months posttreatment in the alternative treatment arm only; however, these improvements were not significantly different between the group interactive structured treatment and alternative treatment arms. Similar trends were observed for PSSE and PCL-C. Conclusions Social competence skills improved for persons with TBI in both treatment conditions. The group interactive format was not found to be a superior method of treatment delivery in this study.