cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The “Wrong Kind” of Immigrants: Pre-migration Trauma and Acculturative Stress Among the Undocumented Latinx Community

There has been an increase in Latinx immigration to the United States as citizens of Mexico and Central America move to escape perilous situations in their countries of origin. These immigrants’ traumatic experiences may include gang violence, political oppression, war, and physical or sexual abuse, among other experiences, many related to increased drug trafficking activity. While Latinx immigrants often experience acute acculturative stress, particularly if they are undocumented, it is frequently overlooked that the experience of acculturation will be worse if they suffered traumas in their countries of origin prior to immigration. Additionally, prevalent anti-immigration rhetoric in the United States can heighten acculturative stress, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. This paper will review the literature relevant to the relationship between pre-migration trauma, mental health, and immigration status in the Latinx population. A case example illustrating the accumulation of acculturative stress as a result of pre-migration trauma will also be discussed. Recommendations about best clinical practices in working with this population will be offered.
From #MeToo to #MeTooIndia: News Domestication in Indian English Language Newspapers

This study examines news domestication in an Indian context by analyzing the press coverage of the global #MeToo movement in India. The findings were based on the textual analysis of 641 news artic...
In situ characterization of calcium fluxes in astrocytic mitochondria from the mouse striatum and hippocampus

Astrocytes govern critical aspects of brain function via Ca2+ signals, the majority of which associate with mitochondria. However, little is known with regard to in situ sources, kinetics or mechanisms of Ca2+ influx in astrocytic mitochondria. To address this knowledge gap, we expressed the genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP6f within the mitochondrial matrix of adult mouse astrocytes in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) and hippocampus (HPC). We found spontaneous Ca2+ events in astrocytic mitochondria with subcellular differences between somatic, branch, and branchlet mitochondria, as well as inter-regional differences between astrocytes in the DLS and HPC. We also found a strong dependency of spontaneous mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes on endoplasmic reticulum stores, the surprising lack of a major role for the mitochondrial calcium uniporter, MCU, and dual mitochondrial Ca2+ responses with multiple neurotransmitter agonists. Together, our findings provide a foundational understanding of mechanisms for Ca2+ influx in astrocytic mitochondria within disease-relevant brain regions.
Implications of Subject Matter Expertise as a Requirement for Debriefing: A Randomized Control Trial:

Introduction. Healthcare certification standards do not mention subject matter expertise. This research answers the question: Is there a difference in participant perception of simulation effective...
Using the peer review process to educate and empower emerging nurse scholars

Peer review, in various forms, is fundamental to research-based fields and scholarly publication. The integrity of the publication process is necessary to advance nursing science and support clinical nursing practice. The peer review process undergirds publication and grant funding. In theory, peer review should occur in a process that is unbiased with results providing a fair assessment of the scientific merit and credibility of the work being reviewed. The purpose of peer review is lost if reviewer comments are unprofessional. Budding nurse scholars may be demoralized and discouraged to revise and resubmit their work after receiving review feedback they perceive unprofessional and lacking constructive recommendations on how to improve their work. This "incivility" in the peer review process may discourage nursing authors from revising and resubmitting their work, thus robbing nursing of potentially meaningful contributions to nursing science. Often beginning doctorate nursing students have little or no experience in having their scholarly works evaluated and receiving feedback via the peer review process. Peer review provides an opportunity to educate emerging nurse scholars on ways to improve their writing skills and ways to receive and respond to constructive, meaningful feedback. This article aims to discuss: 1) peer review process, 2) challenges with peer review, 3) impact of unprofessional peer review comments and incivility in nursing peer review process can have on a budding scientists and nurse scholars, 4) ways the peer review process can be used to educate and empower emerging nurse scholars, 5) implications for nursing scholarship, 6) recommendations to address bias and how to provide supportive and constructive feedback and 7) finally provide readers with available resources where they can learn more about how to conduct a peer review.
Enabling Robot to Assist Human in Collaborative Assembly using Convolutional Neural Networks

Human-robot collaborative assembly consists of humans and automated robots, who cooperate with each other to accomplish complex assembly tasks, which are difficult for either humans or robots to accomplish alone. There has been some success in statistics-based and optimization-based approaches to realize human-robot collaboration. However, they usually need a set of complex modeling and setup efforts and the robots usually need to be programmed by a well-trained expert. In this paper, we take a new approach by introducing convolutional neural networks (CNN) into the teaching- learning-collaboration (TLC) model for collaborative assembly tasks. The proposed approach can alleviate the need for complex modeling and setup compared to the existing approaches. It can collect and automatically label the data from human demonstrations and then train a CNN-based robot assistance model to make the robot assist humans in the assembly process in real-time. We have experimentally verified our proposed approach on a human-robot collaborative assembly platform and the results suggest that the robot can successfully learn from human demonstrations to automatically generate right actions to assist human in accomplishing assembly tasks.
GPUs: A Closer Look: As the line between GPUs and CPUs begins to blur, it’s important to understand what makes GPUs tick.

A gamer wanders through a virtual world rendered in near- cinematic detail. Seconds later, the screen fills with a 3D explosion, the result of unseen enemies hiding in physically accurate shadows. Disappointed, the user exits the game and returns to a computer desktop that exhibits the stylish 3D look-and-feel of a modern window manager. Both of these visual experiences require hundreds of gigaflops of computing performance, a demand met by the GPU (graphics processing unit) present in every consumer PC.
Software Tools for Energy Storage Valuation and Design

As the application space for energy storage systems (ESS) grows, it is crucial to valuate the technical and economic benefits of ESS deployments. Since there are many analytical tools in this space, this paper provides a review of these tools to help the audience find the proper tools for their energy storage analyses. There are many software tools for valuating ESS. These tools can be classified into two groups: (1) power system simulation and planning tools for analyzing the technical contributions of ESSs, and (2) techno-economic analysis tools for valuating the economic benefits of ESS deployment and specifying the optimal design of energy systems that include ESSs. While many of the tools, developed by the national laboratories, are free to use, the commercial tools are also of great importance in meeting the customers’ specific needs. This paper provides a review of software tools for ESS valuation and design. A review of analysis tools for evaluating the technical impacts of energy storage deployments is also provided, as well as a discussion of development trends for valuation and design tools.
Sensitivity of the simulation of passive neutron emission from UF6 cylinders to the uncertainties in both 19F(α,n) energy spectrum and thick target yield of 234U in UF6

Abstract Interest in safeguards verification measurements using passive thermal neutron counting to assay 235U content in large 30B UF6 canisters has grown in recent years. The prohibitively high cost and impracticality of using reference 30B calibration cylinders extensively will likely make accurate simulations of increasing interest. Accuracy of the simulated response will define the confidence in the predicted response and the extent to which simulations can reasonably be relied upon. With 234U driven 19F( α , n) reactions being the main neutron source in low enriched UF 6 the uncertainties of the 19F( α , n) energy spectrum and the thick target yield of 234U in UF6 propagate into the uncertainty in the predicted response and represent a major influence of basic nuclear data. Here sensitivity of the simulated total (Singles) and coincidence (Doubles) count rates are assessed for the Passive Neutron Enrichment Meter using six potential 19F( α , n) neutron energy spectra over a range of enrichments and material distributions. The results indicate that variations in the Singles and Doubles due to simulated ( α , n) neutron spectrum are less than 1.5% for this set of simulated neutron spectra, with dependence varying inversely with enrichment. Singles uncertainty is only slightly less than that of the thick target 19F( α , n) yield corresponding to the primary neutron source, whereas the 19F( α , n) yield dependence of the Doubles is reduced by the non-negligible 238 U(SF) coincident neutron emissions . Based on available thick target 19F( α , n) yield estimates the uncertainty is on the order of 5%, establishing this as the main nuclear data limitation when simulating thermal neutron detectors response for 30B UF 6 storage cylinders. Based on these findings, it appears that the measurement and evaluation of the thick target 19F( α , n) yield for uranium hexafluoride is due.
Handling Background Noise in Neural Speech Generation

Recent advances in neural-network based generative modeling of speech has shown great potential for speech coding. However, the performance of such models drops when the input is not clean speech, e.g., in the presence of background noise, preventing its use in practical applications. In this paper we examine the reason and discuss methods to overcome this issue. Placing a denoising preprocessing stage when extracting features and target clean speech during training is shown to be the best performing strategy.
Profiles for Success: Examining the Relationship between Student Profiles and Clerkship Performance Using Latent Profile Analysis

Learning is a complex phenomenon in which learners can vary in their learning orientation, learning approaches, and perception of the learning environment. Learners may be characterized as mastery ...
Experimental Determination of the Dynamic Forces Acting on Non-Rigid Bodies

This method uses a sum of weighted acceleration signals to experimentally predict the external force which excites a mechanical system. The method is shown to yield excellent results in experiments conducted on a mass-loaded, free-free, steel beam. Random vibration was used to excite the beam in preliminary tests conducted to determine the optimal distribution of the weighting factors which can be associated with an equivalent mass at each accelerometer location. The system dynamic degrees of freedom (reflecting an upper frequency limit) are directly related to the number of independent acceleration measurements. Follow-on experiments demonstrate how the technique can be used to correctly predict an unknown force-time signature. Alternate techniques for determining the weighting factors are discussed. The technique does not appear to be overly sensitive to variations in the mass matrix.
Development of a fluropolymer board technology

Multichip Modules (MCM's) have been offered as the chip to chip interconnect technology which will not degrade the intrinsic electrical performance of the assembled die. For the most part the die assembled to a MCM are unpackaged.
Infinite-Dimensional Multiplicity-Free Spaces I: Limits of Compact Commutative Spaces

We study direct limits \((G,K) = \underline{lim} (G_{n}, K_{n})\) of compact Gelfand pairs. First, we develop a criterion for a direct limit representation to be a multiplicityfree discrete direct sum of irreducible representations.
The medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive-aged women

In the treatment of women with abnormal uterine bleeding, once a thorough history, physical examination, and indicated imaging studies are performed and all significant structural causes are excluded, medical management is the first-line approach. Determining the acuity of the bleeding, the patient's medical history, assessing risk factors, and establishing a diagnosis will individualize their medical regimen. In acute abnormal uterine bleeding with a normal uterus, parenteral estrogen, a multidose combined oral contraceptive regimen, a multidose progestin-only regimen, and tranexamic acid are all viable options, given the appropriate clinical scenario. Heavy menstrual bleeding can be treated with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system, combined oral contraceptives, continuous oral progestins, and tranexamic acid with high efficacy. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may be utilized with hormonal methods and tranexamic acid to decrease menstrual bleeding. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists are indicated in patients with leiomyoma and abnormal uterine bleeding in preparation for surgical interventions. In women with inherited bleeding disorders all hormonal methods as well as tranexamic acid can be used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding. Women on anticoagulation therapy should consider using progestin-only methods as well as a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist to treat their heavy menstrual bleeding. Given these myriad options for medical treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, many patients may avoid surgical intervention.
Modeling the activity pattern of the constellation of cardiac chambers in echocardiogram videos

A novel approach is presented for modeling the complex activity pattern of the heart in echocardiogram videos. In this approach, the heart is represented by the constellation of its chambers, where the constellation is modeled by pictorial structure at each instance in time. Pictorial structure is then extended to the temporal domain to simultaneously capture the evolution pattern of the appearance of each chamber, the evolving spatial relationships between them, and the topological transformations in their constellation due to phase transitions. Inference and learning algorithms are presented for the model. The problem of correspondence is solved at each stage of the inference process, by matching the evolving model of the complex activity pattern to the observed constellations. The model, which is trained using examples of normal echocardiogram videos is shown to be efficient in temporal segmentation of the content of echocardiogram videos into different phases during one cycle of heart activity.
Delawyering the Corporation

This article shows how in-house lawyers' role has evolved to address the high cost of legal services and the traditional information asymmetry between lawyers and clients. The first stage of this evolution involved the expanding role of in-house counsel from intermediary between corporate executives and the corporation's outside law firm to the corporation's purchasing agent in a broader market for legal services. The second stage could see legal work distributed among employees with and without legal expertise throughout the corporation. The article also shows how evolving legal information technology could facilitate corporations' full-fledged integration of legal information into business decisions. These developments have potential implications for the corporate and general markets for legal services and for legal education.
Effect of P2-purinoceptor antagonists on hemolysate-induced and adenosine 5'-triphosphate-induced contractions of dog basilar artery in vitro.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that the vasoactive effects of hemolysate of dog erythrocytes on dog basilar artery in vitro are caused by adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP). METHODS Dog erythrocyte hemolysate was assayed for ATP by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Dog basilar arteries were cut into rings and studied under isometric tension to determine the effects of the P2-purinoceptor antagonists suramin, pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid, and reactive blue 2 on contractions induced by hemolysate, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), KCl, uridine 5'-triphosphate, and ATP. RESULTS Dog erythrocyte hemolysate contained 34 mumol/L of ATP. Hemolysate produced concentration-dependent contractions of dog basilar artery. Suramin (100 mumol/L) significantly inhibited contractions to hemolysate, ATP, and uridine 5'-triphosphate but not to PGF2 alpha and KCl (P < 0.05). Pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid (100 mumol/L) caused a small but significant reduction of the contractions to hemolysate and did not affect contractions to PGF2 alpha and KCl. Reactive blue 2 (30 mumol/L) produced significant inhibition of contractions to hemolysate and PGF2 alpha but did not affect contractions to KCl. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that ATP mediates a smooth muscle contractile response of hemolysate on dog basilar artery. Because erythrocyte cytosol is known to be important in the pathogenesis of vasospasm, these results suggest that ATP may contribute to the vasoconstriction that occurs in vasospasm.
What was the Volatile Composition of the Planetesimals that Formed the Earth

Is there an asteroid type or meteorite class that best exemplifies the materials that went into the Earth? Carbonaceous chondrites were once the objects of choice, and in the minds of many this choice is still valid. However, the origin of primitive chondritic meteorites is unclear. At the extremes they could either be fragments of very small parent bodies that never became hot enough to undergo geochemical modification other than mild lithification, or remnants of the uppermost layers of a body that had undergone a significant degree of internal differentiation, while the top layers remained cool due to radiative heat loss or loss of volatiles to space. This latter case is problematic if one considers these objects as precursors to the Earth since the timescale for the evolution of such a small body could be longer than the timescale for the accretion of the Earth. Large-scale circulation of materials in the primitive solar nebula could greatly increase the diversity of materials near 1 AU while also making the entire inner solar system both more homogeneous and much wetter than previously expected. The total mass of the nebula is an important, but poorly constrained factor controlling the growth of planetesimals. There is also a selection effect that dominates our sampling of the planetesimals that may have existed 4.5 billion years ago; namely, small fragile bodies are more likely to be lost from the system or ground down by collisions between small bodies, yet these are precisely those that may have dominated the population from which the Earth accreted. The composition of these aggregates could have played a very important role in the early chemical evolution of the Earth. In particular, the Earth may have been much wetter and richer in hydrocarbons and other reducing materials than previously suspected.
Correlation between plastic deformation parameters and radiation detector quality in HgI2

Mercuric iodide radiation detectors of various grades of quality were subjected to shearing forces in the (001) crystallographic planes using a specially designed micromechanical shear testing fixture. Experimental measurements were made of (001) shear stress versus shear strain. Each of the stress-strain curves was described by two empirically determined deformation parameters, s0 and σ, where s0 is a measure of “bulk yielding” and σ indicates the “sharpness of yielding” during plastic deformation. It was observed that the deformation parameters of many HgI2 single crystal samples fit the relation s0 = 8σ23 and that significant deviation from this relation, with s0 > 8σ23, indicates poor detector quality. Work hardening by prior plastic deformation was also found to cause s0 to depart (in an increasing manner) from the 8σ23 relation. For good quality material that has not previously been plastically deformed, the deformation parameter sc≡s0−2σ<19 psi; this parameter can be interpreted as the “onset of plastic yielding.” The results are discussed in terms of dislocation mechanisms for plastic deformation, work hardening, and recovery of work hardening.
Diffusion of strontium ion in silver chloride

Abstract The activation energy for diffusion of Sr 2 in AgCl has been found to be 0-98 eV, by means of a standard sectioning technique. The results are consistent with a vacancy mechanism and corroborate the hypothesis that ions with no outer d -shell electrons diffuse almost entirely substitutionally in silver halides.
Thermodynamics of natural and industrial waters

The most effective general formulations of thermodynamic equations of multicomponent aqueous solutions are discussed with respect to various ranges of temperature, pressure, and composition, with emphasis on solutes important in natural or industrial waters. A familiar equation for excess Gibbs energy is very successful at temperatures up to 573 K and ionic strength 6 mol·kg-1, and can often be extended to 623 K or above at high pressure and in favorable cases to ionic strength 12 mol·kg-1 or even 20 mol·kg-1. Alternated methods valid to higher solute compositions, even to pure fused salts, are described. A more difficult situation arises near the critical point of water where the compressibility becomes infinite and a Helmholtz energy basis must be adopted. Existing equations for this range and still higher temperatures and pressures are considered and possible improvements discussed.
Incidence of respiratory complications following Spinal Cord Injury

From 1985 to 1990 five Model Regional Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Care Systems participated in a collaborative effort to prospectively document the occurrence of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), aspiration, atelectasis, bronchitis, bronchospasm, lung abscess, pleural effusion, pneumonia, pneumo/hemothorax, pulmonary edema, pulmonary thromboembolism, tracheitis, upper respiratory infection, and ventilatory failure in patients admitted within 48 hours of SCI with a level of C1-T12 and Frankel Grade A, B, or C. The mean, standard deviation and range was calculated for the time of onset and duration of each complication. Of the 261 patients who entered the study, 175 (67%) experience 544 respiratory complications with atelectasis being the most common (36.4%) followed by pneumonia (31.4%) and ventilatory failure (22.6%). These complications occurred on the average of 17.7 days, 24.5 days and 4.5 days postinjury and lasted 12.8 days, 15.5 days, and 35.9 days, respectively. Twenty-two percent, 47%, and 31% had injury levels at C1-4, C5-8, T1-12, respectively with the majority being Frankel Grade A (78%). Eighty-four percent of C1-4, 60% of the C5-8, and 65% of the T1-12 had respiratory complications. Statistical analysis revealed complications to be significantly greater (p < .05) and of longer duration (p < .05) for the C1-4 group. Ventilatory failure and aspiration were the earliest to occur (at 4.5 days) for all SCI patients. Surprisingly, however, complications overall occurred significantly sooner (p < .05) in the T1-12 group. In conclusion, patients who sustain SCI have a high incidence of respiratory complications; however, some occur earlier and more frequently depending on the level of injury.
Ion exchange properties of natural clinoptilolite, ferrierite and mordenite: 1. Sodium—ammonium equilibria

Abstract As a precursor to some detailed studies on the selectivity of the minerals clinoptilolite, ferrierite and mordenite for lead and cadmium, the equilibrium properties of the ammonium/sodium exchange have been studied in all three zeolites. With no zeolite was full replacement of sodium by ammonium ion observed, a result which conflicts with earlier work on clinoptilolite. In natural mordenite, only 50% of the sodium ions were replaced by ammonium; this shows a significant difference in properties between natural and synthetic mordenite. In ferrierite, the exchange was found to be ternary in nature, involving sodium, ammonium and potassium. Substantial quantities of calcium were found in solution after equilibrations of sodium/ammonium with either natural clinoptilolite or mordenite. This calcium arose however primarily through dissolution of calcite, and the exchange in these cases appeared to be primarily binary in nature.
Transient gastroparesis associated with cutaneous herpes zoster.

We report a patient who developed delayed gastric emptying with vomiting and weight loss simultaneously with herpes zoster in the sixth right thoracic dermatome. Sequential radionuclide solid egg meal gastic emptying studies were used to document gastroparesis, the response to metoclopramide and its transient nature. We present a possible explanation for this phenomenon within the context of the known pathophysiology of varicella-zoster infection.
The Pilot Missouri Health Effect Study

St. Louis University School of Medicine was pleased to assist in a pilot epidemiolog~c study of the health effects of TCDD contamination in Missouri.- We worked directly with the Centers for Disease Control and the Missouri Division of Health plus St. Joseph Hospital to design and execute this study of the health effects of dioxin victims in Missouri.
Exercise that induces substantial muscle glycogen depletion impairs subsequent anaerobic capacity.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model of muscle glycogen depletion and to study the effect of this model on aerobic and anaerobic capacity of horses. The maximal rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max), maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD), muscle glycogen concentration and blood lactate concentration of 6 fit Standardbred horses were measured on 3 occasions 7 days apart (Trials 1, 2 and 3). Between Trials 2 and 3, strenuous exercise intended to deplete muscle glycogen was performed by exercising horses on the treadmill on 3 consecutive days. Strenuous exercise resulted in reduction of muscle glycogen concentration by at least 55% (from mean +/- s.e. 155.1 +/- 5.6 mmol/kg, wet weight, before Trial 2 to 55.4 +/- 5.5 mmol/kg before Trial 3; P < 0.05). VO2max was similar in Trials 2 and 3 (140.4 +/- 5.4 ml O2/kg bwt and 141.8 ml +/- 6.2 ml O2/kg, respectively). Run time to fatigue during a single high-speed exercise test (253.9 +/- 33.3 s and 153.8 +/- 16.4 s, P < 0.05), accumulated oxygen deficit (95 +/- 13.2 ml O2/kg and 35 +/- 13.9 ml O2/kg, P < 0.05) and blood lactate concentration at the end of the sprint (17 +/- 1.2 mmol/l and 10.5 +/- 1.1 mmol/l, P < 0.05) were less during Trial 3 than Trial 2. These data suggested that repeated strenuous exercise that causes muscle glycogen depletion results in impairment of anaerobic, but not aerobic, metabolism.
The use of melanosomal proteins in the immunotherapy of melanoma

Clinical observations in the interleukin (IL) 2-based immunotherapies suggest that T cells play a central role in the rejection of melanoma. Using cDNA expression cloning, we have isolated genes encoding melanoma antigens recognized by tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes. These antigens are categorized as (a) melanocyte-specific melanosomal proteins (MART-1/melan A, gp100. tyrosinase. TRP-1, and TRP-2), (b) tumor-specific mutated proteins (β-catenin), and (c) others (p15). A variety of mechanisms has been identified for the generation of T cell epitopes on tumor cells. Some of the HLA-A2 binding epitopes from the melanosomal antigens appear to be subdominant self-determinants with relatively low major histocompatibility complex binding affinity. The effectiveness of adoptive transfer into patients of cytotoxic T lymphocytes recognizing the melanosomal antigens, the significant correlation between vitiligo development and clinical response in patients receiving IL-2-based immunotherapies, and the sporadic tumor regressions observed in some patients following immunization with the MART-1 or gp100 peptides in incomplete Freund's adjuvant or recombinant viruses expressing the MART-I antigen suggest that these epitopes may represent tumor rejection antigens. Phase I immunization trials using peptides or recombinant viruses containing genes encoding the melanosomal antigens MART-I or gp 100, with or without co-administration of cytokines such as IL-2, IL-12, or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, are being conducted in the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute. These studies may demonstrate the feasibility of using melanosomal proteins for the immunotherapy of patients with melanoma.
Adaptive Beam Shaping using Photothermal Effects

We present an experimental demonstration of adaptive beam shaping via heat induced photothermal effects in optical elements. One application of the proposed system is for correction of astigmatic thermal aberrations in high power laser systems.
Suffering and Ethical Caring: incompatible entities

Ethical problems are continuing to expand in health care due to conflicts of technology and value. This study investigated what kind of ethical problems nurses face in clinical situations and what process they use in deciding on actions to take. Ethical theories in justice and caring were explored. Qualitative research was used and ethnographic analysis was conducted with six staff nurses from three clinical areas. An analysis of the data yielded an overarching theme of ‘Suffering and ethical caring: incompatible entities’. Six domains were identified: informant definitions, preceding conditions, actions taken, intervening variables, risks and recommendations. Future research is needed in the field of client and family suffering and pain.
Lower cretaceous calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy of the Great Valley Sequence, Sacramento Valley, California

The calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy of four sections in the Great Valley Sequence of the Sacramento Valley, California, has been investigated in detail. The ages of these sections, which have independently been studied by ammonite, pelecypod and radiolarian biostratigraphers, range from Berriasian to Albian. Nannofossil stratigraphy is more directly comparable to that of stratotype sequences in Europe than are the other fossil groups, but the ages given are generally similar. Two major discrepancies do exist, however. The results of this study indicate that the pelecypod, Buchia aff. B. okensis Zone is Berriasian in age, and not Tithonian as previously believed and that the B. pacifica Zone is partly Berriasian and not entirely Valanginian. Nannofossil data provide useful age calibrations for ammonite stratigraphy. The study illustrates that nannofossil biostratigraphy can be effectively used to date sediments deposited in convergent margin settings. One new species, Nannoconus paskentaensis, is described.
Measurements of the 235U mass in a large volume multiplated fission ionization chamber

The mass of 235U contained in a large-volume multideposit fission ionization chamber used for neutron cross section experiments was measured relative to the National Bureau of Standards reference deposit 25S-2-1. The mass ratio utilized the thermal neutron induced fission reaction in a uniform 25 cm diameter neutron beam from the thermal column of the NBS reactor. The mass was independent of the geometrical area and areal density variation of the deposits, absolute neutron flux, thermal neutron energy distribution, and neutron cross sections. The 235U mass in the chamber is 170.9 × 10−3 g with a one standard deviation uncertainty of 1.2%.
Prevalence and Predictors of Vitamin D Deficiency in Healthy Adults

ABSTRACT Objective Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in high-risk patient populations, but the prevalence among otherwise healthy adults is less well-defined. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in healthy younger adults. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 634 healthy volunteers aged 18-50 years performed between January, 2006 and May, 2008. We measured serum 25(OH) D and parathyroid hormone and recorded demographic variables including age, sex, race, and use of multivitamin supplements. Results Thirty-nine percent of subjects had 25(OH)D ≤ 20 ng/mL and 64% had 25(OH)D ≤ 30 ng/mL. Predictors of lower 25(OH)D levels included male sex, black or Asian race, and lack of multivitamin use (P Conclusion Low 25(OH)D levels are prevalent in healthy adults and may confer risk of skeletal disease. Black and Asian adults are at increased risk of deficiency and multivitamin use appears partially protective. Our models predicting low 25(OH)D levels may guide decision-making regarding whom to screen for vitamin D defi ciency. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:914-923)
LU Factorization of Small Matrices: Accelerating Batched DGETRF on the GPU

Gaussian Elimination is commonly used to solve dense linear systems in scientific models. In a large number of applications, a need arises to solve many small size problems, instead of few large linear systems. The size of each of these small linear systems depends on the number of the ordinary differential equations (ODEs) used in the model, and can be on the order of hundreds of unknowns. To efficiently exploit the computing power of modern accelerator hardware, these linear systems are processed in batches. To improve the numerical stability, at least partial pivoting is required, most often accomplished with row pivoting. However, row pivoting can result in a severe performance penalty on GPUs because it brings in thread divergence and non-coalesced memory accesses. In this paper, we propose a batched LU factorization for GPUs by using amulti-level blocked right looking algorithm that preserves the data layout but minimizes the penalty of partial pivoting. Our batched LU achieves up to 2.5-fold speedup when compared to the alternative CUBLAS solution on a K40c GPU.
Efficient design of the diaphragm: distribution of blood flow relative to mechanical advantage

The mammalian diaphragm is composed of two separate muscles (costal and crural) connected by a central tendon that serves as a piston head for drawing air into the lungs. The two muscles are described as having different embryological origins, segmental innervations, and mechanical functions [De Troyer A, Sampson M, Sigrist S, and Macklem PT. Science 213: 237-238, 1981; De Troyer A, Sampson M, Sigrist S, and Macklem PT. J Appl Physiol 53: 30-39, 1982]. On the basis of regional blood flow measurements, the two muscles appear to be nonuniformly recruited at rest, but we anticipated that the two muscles would become uniformly recruited at heavy exercise to efficiently support the high energy requirements of ventilation. We used fluorescent microspheres to measure regional blood flow within the two muscles as an index of muscle recruitment from rest to heavy treadmill exercise in well-trained foxhounds. However, the heterogeneity of blood flow at rest persisted as exercise workloads were increased. Blood flow per gram of muscle remained twofold greater in ventral than dorsal regions of both muscles from rest to heavy exercise. This pattern was matched by a twofold greater regional mechanical advantage in ventral than dorsal regions of the two muscles measured anatomically. Hence blood flow was preferentially and efficiently distributed to those regions capable of generating the greatest inspiratory power independent of muscle mass. The two muscles were recruited from rest to heavy exercise as a single functional unit, not as two muscles under separate control.
Meloidogyne incognita nematode resistance QTL in carrot

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are major pests attacking carrots (Daucus carota) worldwide, causing galling and forking of the storage roots, rendering them unacceptable for market. Genetic resistance could significantly reduce the need for broad-spectrum soil fumigants in carrot production. In this study, genetic resistance to Meloidogyne incognita was mapped. Three diverse sources of resistance, from Syria (HM), Europe (SFF) and South America (Br1091), were identified. Two F2 mapping populations were developed using these parents, (Br1091 × HM1) and (SFF × HM2), as well as a segregating population derived from the self-pollination of a HM plant (HM3). Analysis revealed four QTLs conditioning resistance in Br1091 × HM1, three in SFF × HM2, and three in HM3. A consensus genetic map of the three populations revealed five non-overlapping QTLs for M. incognita resistance, one each on carrot chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9. One QTL was present in all three populations, in the same region of chromosome 8 as Mj-1 which imparts resistance to M. javanica.
VIBRIOS FROM CALVES AND THEIR SEROLOGICAL RELATION TO VIBRIO FETUS

The calf vibrios thus far studied include one strain serologically distinct from the fetal strains. The others are closely related to the fetal strains though not identical with them. The pathogenic characters of the calf vibrios, either as possible descendents of Vibrio fetus , or as independent factors in the production of enteritis have not been demonstrated.
Variability in human sensitivity to 1,3-butadiene: Influence of the allelic variants of the microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene.

The carcinogenic effects of 1,3-butadiene (BD), a chemical widely used in the rubber industry, are thought to be due to its epoxide metabolites. In humans, these epoxides are detoxified predominantly by hydrolysis, a reaction mediated by the microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) enzyme. The mEH gene is polymorphic and the most common mEH coding-region variants detected in human populations are the two amino acid polymorphisms Tyr113His and His139Arg. Polymorphic amino acid substitutions at residues 113 and 139 in the human mEH protein can associate in four distinct combinations: Tyr113/His139, Tyr113/Arg139, His113/His139, and His113/Arg139. In vitro studies have shown that each of these genotypes has a unique mEH protein level that can affect net mEH enzymatic activity. In the current study, we examined the relationships among the genotypes involving these two polymorphisms and the mutagenic responses associated with occupational exposure to BD. We studied 49 nonsmoking workers from two styrene-butadiene rubber facilities in southeast Texas using the autoradiographic HPRT mutant lymphocyte assay as a biomarker of genotoxic effect. We genotyped the study participants simultaneously for both polymorphisms, using a multiplex PCR assay developed in our laboratory, and the subjects were assigned to a specific group based on the predicted mEH activity associated with their genotypes (low, intermediate, and high). In the study population, 67% were exposed to low BD levels of 150 ppb (mean 2,244 ppb). In the BD low-exposure group, the mEH genotypes had no significant effect on the HPRT variant (mutant) frequency (Vf). In the high-exposure group (BD > 150 ppb), individuals with genotypes associated with low mEH activity had a significant (P < 0.05) 3-fold increase in HPRT Vf (Vf +/- SEM = 13.95 +/- 2.15 x 10(-6)) compared to high-activity individuals (4.41 +/- 1.19 x 10(-6)), and a 2-fold increase in Vf compared to intermediate-activity individuals (6.44 +/- 2.09 x 10(-6)). Our results indicate that mEH genotypes may play a significant role in human sensitivity to the genotoxic effects of exposure to BD.
Separating antiviral and GVHD activities of donor T cells prior to bone marrow transplantation

Approaches to speed immune reconstitution following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or peripheral-blood hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) could markedly reduce morbidity and mortality, particularly following partially major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched related donor (PMRD) transplants. However, it is critical to simultaneously eliminate the subpopulation of donor T cells that are alloreactive with the recipient and may produce graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). In this article, we discuss a number of promising cellular engineering approaches that could be applied to this problem, including the use of veto cells, regulatory T-cell subsets, and psoralen-treated donor lymphocytes. Emphasis is placed on whether these approaches can simultaneously transfer broad-spectrum immunity to the recipient without producing GVHD.
A NEW PENICILLIN WITH ANTI-KLEBSIELLA ACTIVITY: 3-(5-TETRAZOLYL) PENAM

The in vitroactivity of a new semi-synthetic penicillin, CP-35, 587, 3-(5-tetrazolyl) penam, was investigated against 496 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli and 113 clinical isolates of gram-positive cocci. All of the gram-positive cocci were sensitive to CP-35, 587 except penicillin G resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. This antibiotic inhibited a majority of isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiellaspp. and Proteus mirabilisat a concentration of 6.25 μg/ml. Also, approximately half of the isolates of Serratia marcescensand Enterobacterspp. were inhibited at a concentration of 12.5μg/ml. CP-35, 587 was inactive when high concentrations of organisms were used as inocula. CP-35, 587 was more active than mezlocillin, azlocillin, amoxicillin, ticarcillin and carbenicillin against isolates of K. pneumoniae, but otherpenicillins were more active than CP-35, 587 against other species of gram-negative bacilli.
Urban Heat and Climate Justice: A Landscape of Thermal Inequity in Pinellas County, Florida

The combined effects of two global trends, urbanization and climate change, have generated considerable concern regarding their adverse and disproportionate impacts on the health of urban populatio...
Design and calibration of field deployable ground-viewing radiometers

Three improved ground-viewing radiometers were built to support the Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) developed by the Remote Sensing Group (RSG) at the University of Arizona. Improved over previous light-emitting diode based versions, these filter-based radiometers employ seven silicon detectors and one InGaAs detector covering a wavelength range of 400–1550 nm. They are temperature controlled and designed for greater stability and lower noise. The radiometer systems show signal-to-noise ratios of greater than 1000 for all eight channels at typical field calibration signal levels. Predeployment laboratory radiance calibrations using a 1 m spherical integrating source compare well with in situ field calibrations using the solar radiation based calibration method; all bands are within ±2.7% for the case tested.
Some thoughts on reconciling various character set proposals

Recently there have appeared several proposals for expanded character sets. In general, these differ in the following respects: the number of characters in the expanded set,the characters selected,card and/or tape code representation, andsuperscripting and subscripting techniques.Currently, it seems to be popular to talk in terms of establishing a “standard expanded character set.” In the opinion of the author, this will prove to be extremely difficult in practice and undesirable in theory. This does not mean, however, that there should be no attempt to achieve “minimal standard character subsets” for communication purposes and “universal languages.”
GPU-Based Visualization Techniques for 3D Microscopic Imaging Data

Three-dimensional (3D) microscopic imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy have become a common tool in measuring cellular structures. While computer volume visualization has advanced into a sophisticated level in medical applications, much fewer studies have been made on data acquired by the 3D microscopic imaging techniques. To optimize the visualization of such data, it is important to consider the data characteristics such as thin data volume. It is also interesting to apply the new GPU (graphics processing unit) technology to interactive volume rendering of the data. In this paper, we discuss several texture-based techniques to visualize confocal microscopy data by considering the data characteristics and with support of GPU. One simple technique generates one set of 2D textures along the axial direction of image acquisition. An improved technique uses three sets of 2D textures in the three principal directions, and creates the rendered image via a weighted sum of the images generated by blending the individual texture sets. In addition, we propose a new approach based on stencil such that textures are blended based on a stencil control. Given the viewing condition, a texel needs to be drawn only when its corresponding projection on the image plane is inside a stencil area. Finally, we have explored the use of multiple-channel datasets for flexible classification of objects. These studies are useful to optimize the visualization of 3D microscopic imaging data.
Deformation Twins Formed in Nanocrystalline Materials

Deformation twins have been oberved in nanocrystalline (NC) Al synthsized by cryogenic ball-milling and in NC Cu processed by high-pressure torsion under room temperature and at a very low strain rate. They were found formed by partial dislocations emitted from grain boundaries. This paper first reviews experimental evidences on deformation twinning and partial dislocation emissions from grain boundaries, and then discusses recent analytical models on the nucleation and growth of deformation twins. These models are compared with experimental results to establish their validity and limitations.
Solute accumulation in the deep-sea bacterium Photobacterium profundum.

The identity and amounts of intracellular solutes in the deep-sea bacterium Photobacterium profundum strain SS9 were studied using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. P. profundum strain SS9, a moderate piezophile which grows optimally at 20–30 MPa primarily accumulated glutamate and betaine, with lesser amounts of alanine, β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) and oligomers composed of the β-HB units when grown at 0.1 MPa to early stationary phase. When grown at the optimal pressure, the cells preferentially increased intracellular concentrations of β-HB and β-HB oligomers, while the amino acid pools remained relatively constant. Since the organic solutes increased with increasing external NaCl in the medium, they are functioning as osmolytes. The β-HB molecules represent a novel class of osmolytes, termed 'piezolytes,' whose cellular levels responded to hydrostatic pressure as well as osmotic pressure. Factors such as cell growth stage and temperature were also examined for their effect on the solute distribution in these cells.
The Voltera model and its relation to the Toda lattice

Abstract An integrable system associated with a lattice deformation of the Virasoro algebra is studied. It is shown that this system, known as the Volterra model, is dynamically and algebraically equivalent to the finite non-periodic Toda lattice.