cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of pH and ionic strength on microfiltration of C. glutamicum

Abstract The effects of pH and ionic strength on microfiltration of Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) were evaluated. The filtration performance was characterized by the specific cake resistance (α) calculated from measurement of dead-end filtration flux using Ruth's equation. When the pH of the cell slurry was adjusted from 6.3 to 2.0, α decreased by a factor of 5 which meant that the total flux was improved five times; the effect of ionic strength was much less. Measurements of zeta potential and hydrophobicity showed the cells to be more hydrophobic and have lower surface charge at pH 2 than at neutral pH. Microscopic observation of cross-sections of the cell cake layer showed cells aggregated at pH 2, but not at pH 5. The aggregation behavior is consistent with the reduction of surface repulsion at pH 2 and the larger voids between aggregates account for the larger flux.
Separation of the bacterial species, Escherichia coli, from mixed-species microbial communities for transcriptome analysis

Background The study of bacterial species interactions in a mixed-species community can be facilitated by transcriptome analysis of one species in the community using cDNA microarray technology. However, current applications of microarrays are mostly limited to single species studies. The purpose of this study is to develop a method to separate one species, Escherichia coli as an example, from mixed-species communities for transcriptome analysis.
Nitrogen mineralization, groundwater dynamics, and forest growth on a Minnesota outwash landscape

We measured aboveground biomass and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), groundwater depth and fluctuation, andin situ nitrogen (N) mineralization in 13 upland and 4 wetland forest stands at Cedar Creek Natural History Area (CCNHA). The area, in east central Minnesota (45°25′ N, 93°10′ W), is on well-sorted glacial outwash of very uniform fine sand. Uplands are interspersed with peadands and the area has shallow groundwater. Stands were aggregated into six ecosystem types based on overstory composition: oak, pine-oak, mesic hardwoods, northern white-cedar, lowland hardwoods, and savanna. Aboveground overstory biomass ranged from 35 to 250 Mg ha−1; lowest in the savanna and highest in the pine-oak. The ANPP ranged from about 2 to 7.5 Mg ha−1; also lowest in the savanna but highest in the white-cedar. Over all types, the annual aboveground uptake of N was poorly related to available N measured byin situ mineralization (r 2 = 0.01), but the relationship was better (r 2 = 0.88) if N availability in the wetland stands was assumed to be a fixed proportion of N in the surface soil (1.5%). Over all types,in situ N mineralization was poorly related to ANPP (r 2 = 0.05) and biomass (r 2 = 0.38). Both ANPP and overstory biomass were more closely related to groundwater fluctuation (r 2 = 0.87 and 0.28, respectively) than to depth (r 2 = 0.01 and 0.21, respectively)). The strength of all relationships varied with the inclusion or exclusion of data from the wetland types or the savanna. Total soil N and rates of mineralization were inversely related (r2 = 0.42) because of data from wetland stands. Results demonstrate that the positive relationships between aboveground productivity and measuredin situ N mineralization observed in upland forests are not valid for the landscape that includes wetland forests either becausein situ measurements do not indicate N availability in wetlands or because of the presence of other limiting factors. The north temperate landscape includes an abundance of wetland forests with potentially strong linkages to uplands. This study suggests that the commonly-used measure of N availability provides inconsistent information about controls on ecosystems processes in this diverse landscape.
Research highlights: cell separation at the bench and beyond

We highlight recent progress in applying micro- and nanotechnology enabled cell separations to life sciences and clinical use. Microfluidic systems operate on a scale that matches that of cells (10–100 μm) and therefore allow interfacing and separations that are sensitive at this scale. Given the corresponding dimensions, it is not surprising that a wide array of microfluidic cell separation technologies have been developed using hydrodynamic, electrical, magnetic and optical forces, and have been applied to a range of biological and clinical problems in sample preparation. Passive separation approaches have distinct advantages for point of care applications or when downstream cell-based therapies are envisioned. We highlight a recent approach that allows for passive hydrodynamic filtering of cells over almost two orders of magnitude in flow conditions, which allowed the researchers to interface with a standard manual pipettor, creating a “microfluidic pipette tip”. In a second work, passive separation by size yields distinct populations of mesenchymal stem cells that can be used therapeutically. The researchers report on other biophysical separations that would be expected to refine these cell populations further for the most efficacious cell-based therapies. In an intriguing twist, we highlight a creative idea in which stem cell populations could potentially also be extracted from a patient with less invasive surgeries, performing the separation using magnetic nanoparticles in vivo without bulk tissue disruption. New cell separation technologies will continue to be demonstrated, however, a major research thrust appears to be now developing these technologies to address unique application niches in point-of-care sample preparation for research and diagnostics or cell-based therapies.
Types as intervals

To accommodate polymorphic data types and operations, several computer scientists--most notably MacQueen, Plotkin, and Sethi--have proposed formalizing types as ideals. Although this approach is intuitively appealing, the resulting type system is both complex and restrictive because the type constructor that creates function types is not monotonic, and hence not computable. As a result, types cannot be treated as data values, precluding the formalization of type constructors and polymorphic program modules (where types are values) as higher order computable functions. Moreover, recursive definitions of new types do not necessarily have solutions. This paper proposes a new formulation of types--called intervals--that subsumes the theory of types as ideals, yet avoids the pathologies caused by non-monotonic type constructors. In particular, the set of interval types contains the set of ideal types as a proper subset and all of the primitive type operations on intervals are extensions of the corresponding operations on ideals. Nevertheless, all of the primitive interval type constructors including the function type constructor and type quantifiers are computable operations. Consequently, types are higher order data values that can be freely manipulated within programs. The key idea underlying the formalization of types as intervals is that negative information should be included in the description of a type. Negative information identifies the finite elements that do not belong to a type, just as conventional, positive information identifies the elements that do. Unless the negative information in a type description is the exact complement of the positive information, the description is partial in the sense that it approximates many different types--an interval of ideals between the positive information and the complement of the negative information. Although programmers typically deal with total (maximal) types, partial types appear to be an essential feature of a comprehensive polymorphic type system that accommodates types as data, just as partial functions are essential in any universal programming language.
ADMISSIONS SELECTIVITY AND SHIFTING ENROLLMENTS AT MISSOURI COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

In 1991, the Missouri Business and Education Partnership presented the state's Department of Higher Education with a plan of “differentiated institutional missions,” with the goal of improving public four-year colleges and universities in terms of student success, institutional effectiveness, and system wide efficiency. The objective was to have each institution identify its unique areas of expertise and determine the appropriate degree of admissions selectivity necessary to execute its mission. From the time the initiative was adopted, questions about access and enrollment shifting plagued the effort. Millions of dollars in special mission enhancement funding were appropriated during the past decade, but most Missouri institutions of higher education continue to remain out of compliance with their own self-selected admission standards. This paper discusses the effects of this tiered system of selective admissions on enrollment patterns at public four-year colleges and universities, public community colle...
Angular distribution of epitaxial gold nuclei on a molybdenite substrate as a function of substrate temperature and nucleus size

Abstract Gold was evaporated in ultra-high vacuum (~5 × 10 −9 torr) onto molybdenite substrates so as to produce thin films with a thickness gradient, ranging from very small discontinuous nuclei to a continuous layer. The angular misorientation of small gold nuclei, of radius ~20 A, containing between 30 and 60 atoms, was determined by moire fringe techniques, and was compared with the misorientation of larger nuclei (radius ~80 A) as well as that of semi-continuous areas. Two substrate temperatures were employed, 100°C and 300°C, while the evaporation rate was kept constant at ~200 A/min. The alignment of the smallest nuclei was found to be better at 100°C than at 300°C, but the alignment of the larger nuclei and of the thicker, almost continuous parts of the deposits, was much better when the substrate temperature was 300°C than when it was 100°C. The results could be explained consistently on the basis of a semi-quantitative analysis, employing the nucleation theory by Hirth and Pound in conjunction with recent calculations on interfacial energies between nuclei and substrates as a function of equilibrium strain as well as misalignment, due to the authors. The size of the critical nuclei in perfect alignment at 100°C and 300°C was calculated to be close to 4 A and 6 A, respectively.
The development and validation of the readiness to engage in self-management after acute traumatic injury questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: Although the management of acute traumatic injury has improved, long-term functional outcomes remain poor. Data suggest major improvements in outcome will require comprehensive, self-management (SM) interventions. However, little is known about trauma survivors' willingness to participate in such interventions. The goal of this study was to create and validate an instrument based on the stages of change (SOC) framework to assess readiness to engage in SM programs following acute traumatic injury. METHOD: The Readiness to Engage in Self-Management after Acute Traumatic Injury (RESMATI) was developed based on SOC theory. Participants (N = 150) were admitted to a Level I trauma center for treatment of severe trauma and completed the RESMATI 3 to 12 months postinjury. A random sample (n = 60) completed a reassessment 1 month later to determine item stability. A principal components analysis and an exploratory factor analysis were conducted. RESULTS: The analyses of the 34 RESMATI items yielded a 5-factor model, collapsed into 3 domains based on SOC theory. Two factors were classified as "precontemplation," 2 factors were classified as "contemplation," and 1 factor was classified as "action/maintenance." All 3 domains had good internal consistency reliability (.71 to .92) and moderate test-retest reliability (.56 and .73). CONCLUSIONS: The exploratory factor analysis yielded 3 domains that were consistent with the SOC model. Two notable exceptions were the lack of a "preparation" domain and lack of distinction between the action and maintenance stages. The RESMATI is a reliable instrument that requires further testing to establish validity and utility in identifying individuals' readiness to engage in SM following acute traumatic injury. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
The Keepers: An Introduction to the History and Culture of the Samaritans

"The Keepers" describes the remarkable history and survival of the Samaritans and the unique oppression and grace that have shaped their culture and religion. It is a history whose antagonists have included Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and it has contributed to arguments between Roman Catholics and Protestants over the text of the Bible. The threads of the story disappear at times into Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but ultimately succeed in affirming the unique Samaritan identity. Popularly associated with phrases like The Lost Ten Tribes of Israel and The Good Samaritan, many are surprised to learn that the Samaritans have a rich history and culture that includes a contemporary chapter. This history is illuminated by stories in the Hebrew Bible and documents from Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic sources.
Esophageal reflux in simple heartburn.

Summary 1. Reflux of hydrochloric acid into the esophagus was demonstrated by esophageal intubation in approximately 50 per cent of individuals who were suffering from frequent heartburn. The same phenomenon was encountered in less than 5 per cent of control patients. 2. Esophageal reflux was demonstrable only infrequently by radiologic technique in patients with simple heartburn. 3. Factors which permit esophageal reflux appear to be present in individuals who suffer from heartburn. The possible mechanisms are discussed.
Pesticide safety behaviors in Latino farmworker family households

Background Studies to assess pesticide exposure of individuals living in agricultural settings suggest that farmworkers create a “take-home” pathway from the fields to the home that increases exposure risk for non-farmworker household members. Methods A survey was conducted with 142 Latino women in farmworker family households in North Carolina to identify predictors of adherence to pesticide safety behaviors that may affect take-home exposure risk. Behaviors included changing work clothes before entering the house, storing and washing contaminated work clothes separately from family clothing, and showering upon returning home. Results The number of farmworkers in the household was negatively associated with adherence to recommended changing, storing, and showering behaviors. Most workers followed recommended laundry procedures for work clothes. Conclusions Results support existing evidence for a take-home pathway for pesticide residues in homes with several farmworkers. Pesticide safety education needs to reinforce behaviors that reduce take-home exposure in farmworker households. Am. J. Ind. Med. 49:271–280, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Method for proposing sort screen thresholds based on modeling etest/sort-class in semiconductor manufacturing

We propose a novel method of using machine learning algorithm for modeling and selecting important features, and a novel gradient threshold scheme for suggesting sort thresholds for filtering units that are likely to fail at class in a semiconductor manufacturing environment. Using machine learning such as gradient boosting tree enables the sort and class data to be modeled such that the effect input parameters could be ranked based on importance and each single input factor can be considered by the auto-screening algorithm. This is different from conventional statistical methods such as one-way plots, ANOVA analysis etc. which do not efficiently address the problem of confounding effect from multiple factors. The method employs the maximum gradient algorithm to select the threshold and then simulate the yield, overkill (potential good units being killed at sort) and underkill (potential bad units escaping sort screen).
A Quick Approximation for Modified Bond Duration and Convexity

A bond pricing formula introduced by Arnold [2014] and Arnold and Earl [2014] is used as the basis for calculating bond duration and convexity. By calculating a present value annuity using the coupon rate as the discount rate, approximations for bond duration and convexity emerge that are much less calculation intensive and are reasonably accurate.
Enhancing academic performance in a classroom serving students with serious emotional disturbance: interdependent group contingencies with randomly selected components

A modified multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate the effects of an interdependent group contingency program with randomly selected contingency components on the academic pe...
An energy harvester for rotating environments using offset pendulum dynamics

We present an energy harvester for environments that rotate through the earth's gravitational field. Example applications include shafts connected to motors, axles, propellers, fans, and wheels or tires. Our approach makes use of the unique dynamics of an offset pendulum along with a nonlinear bi-stable restoring spring to improve the operational bandwidth of the system. We apply our approach to a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that is mounted on a car rim. Simulation and experimental test results show that the prototype generator is capable of directly powering an RF transmission every 60 seconds or less over a speed range of 6 to 95 mph.
Quantitative Inheritance of Crop Timing Traits in Interspecific Hybrid Petunia Populations and Interactions with Crop Quality Parameters

The leaf unfolding rate (i.e., development rate) and the number of nodes forming prior to floral initiation are 2 factors determining production times for floriculture crops. Wild relative species of the cultivated petunia (Petunia x hybrida Vilm.) that exhibited faster development rates than modern cultivars and may therefore be useful genetic sources to develop cultivars with decreased production time were identified. Three interspecific F(2) families, Petunia exserta Stehmann x P. axillaris (Lam.) Britton et al., P. x hybrida 'Mitchell' x P. axillaris, and P. axillaris x P. integrifolia (Hook.) Schinz & Thell. all exhibited transgressive segregation for development rate and node number below the first flower. Development rate and time to flower segregated independently in all families. Leaf number below the first flower was positively correlated with leaf unfolding rate in all families except P. axillaris x P. integrifolia. Time to flower was positively correlated with flower bud number in the P. x hybrida 'Mitchell' x P. axillaris and P. axillaris x P. integrifolia families only. Based on these results, wild Petunia germplasm should be useful for developing petunia cultivars with reduced crop production times, but some negative effects on crop quality parameters may need to be overcome.
“The Nighttime Might be the Right Time” for Cardiovascular Event Prediction

See related article, pp 34–42 The ability to ascertain circadian variability of blood pressure (BP) via ambulatory recording devices has led investigators to evaluate the importance of the components of the 24-hour profile, including the overall 24-hour mean, as well as the awake and sleep periods. For ≈30 years, BP monitoring researchers have become fascinated with the shape of the 24-hour curve and have classified patients according to the “dip” in the curve during sleep. Clinical terms such as “dipper,” “nondipper,” and “reverse dipper” (or “riser”) have evolved to include those people who decline by ≥10% during sleep, those who decline <10% but still have some reduction compared with their awake BP, and those who actually have a higher BP during sleep and/or supine periods than while awake.1 These defined patterns of circadian BP variation have also been related to target organ involvement in cross-sectional studies,2,3 as well as to cardiovascular outcomes in longitudinal cohort analyses.4,5 Two patterns of circadian BP variability have evolved as markers of excessive cardiovascular risk, those with higher than expected nocturnal BP (nondippers and reverse dippers)4–6 and those with a large early morning surge in BP, particularly in older people.7,8 In isolation, the findings from both patterns make pathophysiologic sense. A high nocturnal BP versus a lower nocturnal BP increases the BP burden in …
Characterizing the canopy gap structure of a disturbed forest using the Fourier transform

Abstract Diseases and other small-scale disturbances alter spatial patterns of heterogeneity in forests by killing trees. Canopy gaps caused by tree death are a common feature of forests. Because gaps are caused by different disturbances acting at different times and places, operationally determining the locations of gap edges is often difficult. In this study, digital image analysis using aerial photos was used to formulate an operational definition of gaps and to compare spatial attributes of canopy gap structure in previously unharvested and harvested stands of ponderosa pine forests in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Fourier transforms of monochrome images of the study areas were edited to sequentially remove higher frequency spatial data implementing a type of moving window analysis where window sizes varied over a range of 1–1300 m2. Boolean thresholds were chosen such that the mean gap size approximated the window size for each original image. Plots of mean gap size, mean fractal dimension, double log fractal dimension, and gap size density all versus window size showed distinct differences between treated and untreated plots.
The Revenue Consequences of Using Formula Apportionment to Calculate U.S. and Foreign-Source Income: A Firm-Level Analysis

This paper examines the 1989–1993 publicly available financial reports of 46 U.S.-based multinationals to estimate the revenue implications of implementing a U.S. federal formula apportionment system. Ignoring behavioral responses, we estimate shifting to an equal-weighted, three-factor formula would have increased their U.S. tax liabilities by 38 percent, with an 81 percent increase for oil and gas firms. We find the firms report a lower percentage of their worldwide profits as American profits than their American share of assets, sales, or payroll. The results may be attributed to more profitable foreign operations, tax-motivated income shifting, or measurement error.
Electronic cigarette use among Korean adolescents: a cross-sectional study of market penetration, dual use, and relationship to quit attempts and former smoking.

Purpose As elsewhere, in South Korea electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are marketed, in part, as a smoking cessation aid. We assessed the prevalence of e-cigarette use among Korean adolescents and the relationship between e-cigarette use and current (past 30-day) smoking, cigarettes/day, attempts to quit conventional cigarettes, and ceasing to use cigarettes.
Prevention of Lung Cancer: Future Perspective with Natural Compounds.

Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. About 80~90% of cases are smoking-related and smoking cessation programs are of great importance in reducing lung cancer risk. However, the lifetime risk for lung cancer remains elevated even in ex-smokers. Chemoprevention holds the promise to further reduce this risk and thus to decrease lung cancer incidence and mortality. Over the last decades, most chemoprevention trials for lung cancer have yielded negative outcomes. Population-based studies suggest that high intake of certain foods such as soy, red wine or green vegetables may be associated with decreased cancer risk. Because of these observations and their general safety, a plethora of natural compounds is currently being studied for the chemoprevention of cancer. In this review we discuss promising in vitro and in vivo data of novel natural compounds, their interference with molecular mechanisms responsible for lung cancer development and potential implications for their further preclinical and clinical investigation.
Manual matching of perceived surface orientation is affected by arm posture: evidence of calibration between proprioception and visual experience in near space

Proprioception of hand orientation (orientation production using the hand) is compared with manual matching of visual orientation (visual surface matching using the hand) in two experiments. In experiment 1, using self-selected arm postures, the proportions of wrist and elbow flexion spontaneously used to orient the pitch of the hand (20 and 80%, respectively) are relatively similar across both manual matching tasks and manual orientation production tasks for most participants. Proprioceptive error closely matched perceptual biases previously reported for visual orientation perception, suggesting calibration of proprioception to visual biases. A minority of participants, who attempted to use primarily wrist flexion while holding the forearm horizontal, performed poorly at the manual matching task, consistent with proprioceptive error caused by biomechanical constraints of their self-selected posture. In experiment 2, postural choices were constrained to primarily wrist or elbow flexion without imposing biomechanical constraints (using a raised forearm). Identical relative offsets were found between the two constraint groups in manual matching and manual orientation production. The results support two claims: (1) manual orientation matching to visual surfaces is based on manual proprioception and (2) calibration between visual and proprioceptive experiences guarantees relatively accurate manual matching for surfaces within reach, despite systematic visual biases in perceived surface orientation.
Making epistemological trouble: Third-paradigm HCI as successor science

Epistemological issues have long been debated by feminist philosophers aiming to answer the question, ''what difference does it make to take gendered points of view seriously in the construction of knowledge?'' Coming out of this history, a strand of work in feminist science studies has argued for the necessity of ''successor science:'' new forms of science based in standpoint epistemology, i.e. a recognition of the necessarily situated points of view of scientific knowledge-makers. In this paper, we argue that such a successor science has already come into being within the field of HCI, though it is perhaps not recognized as such by its practitioners. In particular, we identify a cluster of research we term the 'third paradigm.' This cluster of research cuts across HCI research areas as typically organized by topic area. Instead, this research shares an underlying epistemological orientation closely aligned with standpoint epistemology, focused around an acknowledgment of the social, cultural, and physical situatedness of both users and analysts. Feminist philosophers of science argue that a logical outcome of standpoint epistemology is the need for science to reflexively grapple with the limitations of its own ways of knowing; we conclude such an outcome may also be in store for the third paradigm.
An ultrasound beamformer using oversampling

Oversampled analog to digital converters (delta-sigma A/Ds) have been proposed to radically reduce the size, cost and power consumption of digital ultrasound beamformers. Simply replacing conventional A/Ds with single bit oversampled versions, however, produces significant image artifacts for a dynamic focus system. In addition, spectral Doppler measurements are severely compromised. Here, the authors disclose a complete beamformer exploiting oversampling principles on both transmit and receive that doesn't suffer from these problems. The architecture preserves the simplicity of an oversampled design, yet produces high quality B-scan and color flow images, as well as sensitive spectral Doppler measurements. Here, the authors present simulations and emulations using actual array data, to demonstrate the capabilities of the system.
Configurable event communication in Cadena

To satisfy the stringent QoS requirements of distributed real-time embedded (DRE) systems, middleware services customized to the specific needs of the application may be needed. This problem is often attacked by reimplementing all or large portions of an existing middleware service, which can be a time-consuming and an error prone task. In this paper, we propose a model-driven approach for middleware customization. To enable this approach, we propose event communication framework (ECF), a customizable middleware framework which provides a number of different options for implementing various features of event communication. To determine when to exercise each option, we have performed experiments to identify the application contexts in which each ECF mechanism performs better than the others. Heuristics from these experiments have been incorporated into algorithms which analyze high-level specifications of application scenarios to identify where ECF customizations can be applied. We provide configuration tools that generate customized push paths for event notifications using a combination of code synthesis, weaving and transformation techniques. We have applied our approach to the application scenarios in the Boeing BoldStroke system.
517 Pre-Transplant Strength of Circulating Antibody as Expressed in the Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody Score Predicts Antibody-Mediated Rejection after Heart Transplant

Pre-Transplant Strength of Circulating Antibody as Expressed in the Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody Score Predicts AntibodyMediated Rejection after Heart Transplant M. Kittleson, J. Patel, M. Kawano, Z. Goldstein, M. Rafiei, J. Moriguchi, N. Reinsmoen, E. Reed, A. Hage, A. Trento, J. Kobashigawa. Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA; University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.
Study of near‐surface disorder and surface residues after reactive Ion etching of Silicon

Helium ion channelling, nuclear reaction profiling and x-ray photoemission measurements of CF4/X%H2 (0≤X≤40) and CCIF3/50%H2 dry etched Si surfaces are reported. It is shown that plasma exposure of a clean Si surface leads to the deposition of a thin (∼30∼50) A thick C,F-containing film (or C,F, C1-containing in the case of CC1F3/H2 etching). A subsurface Si carbide layer is formed during reactive ion etching. The near-surface region (∼30∼50 A) of the Si substrate is heavily disordered as found by ion channeling. A modified, less damaged layer containing a high concentration of hydrogen is formed in the case of the H2 containing gases (as shown by nuclear reaction profillin) and extends more than 250 A from the surface. It is found that heating the plasma exposed substrates to 400°C in dry O2 for 30 min is efficient in recovering good quality Si surfaces.
Beating nyquist through correlations: A constrained random demodulator for sampling of sparse bandlimited signals

Technological constraints severely limit the rate at which analog-to-digital converters can reliably sample signals. Recently, Tropp et al. proposed an architecture, termed the random demodulator (RD), that attempts to overcome this obstacle for sparse bandlimited signals. One integral component of the RD architecture is a white noise-like, bipolar modulating waveform that changes polarity at a rate equal to the signal bandwidth. Since there is a hardware limitation to how fast analog waveforms can change polarity without undergoing shape distortion, this leads to the RD also having a constraint on the maximum allowable bandwidth. In this paper, an extension of the RD, termed the constrained random demodulator (CRD), is proposed that bypasses this bottleneck by replacing the original modulating waveform with a run-length limited (RLL) modulating waveform that changes polarity at a slower rate than the signal bandwidth. One of the main contributions of the paper is establishing that the CRD, despite employing a modulating waveform with correlations, enjoys some theoretical guarantees for certain RLL waveforms. In addition, for a given sampling rate and rate of change in the modulating waveform polarity, numerical simulations confirm that the CRD, using an appropriate RLL waveform, can sample a signal with an even wider bandwidth without a significant loss in performance.
Effect of intensive handwashing in the prevention of diarrhoeal illness among patients with AIDS: a randomized controlled study.

Patients with AIDS frequently develop diarrhoeal illness. In this randomized, controlled study, 260 patients were screened for those who had not had diarrhoea in the preceding 3 months and who had received a stable highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen for at least 6 weeks prior to the study enrolment. A total of 148 patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled: 75 patients were randomly assigned to an intensive handwashing intervention (i.e. handwashing after defecation, after cleaning infants who had defecated, before preparing food, before eating, and before and after sex) and 73 patients were randomly assigned to the control group. Patients in both groups were called weekly by telephone to determine compliance with handwashing and to determine the number of diarrhoeal episodes for the preceding week. Patients were observed for 1 year. Patients assigned to the intensive handwashing intervention group washed their hands more frequently compared with the control group (seven vs four times a day, respectively; P <0.05) and developed fewer episodes of diarrhoeal illness (1.24±0.9 vs 2.92±0.6 new episodes of diarrhoea, respectively; P <0.001) during the 1 year observation. The most common pathogens identified in both groups in patients who developed diarrhoeal illness were Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica and Shigella flexneri. These data suggest that intensive handwashing reduces diarrhoeal illness in patients with AIDS.
Neonatal hematuria and proteinuria.

An approach to the study of infants with hematuria and proteinuria is offered so that renal impairment can be effectively recognized and treated.
Catholics, Calvinists, and Rational Control: Further Explorations in the Weberian Thesis

Contemporary studies of the Weberian thesis are found wanting through their vulgarization of the concept of rationality in the Western world. A comparison of Catholics and Calvinists, using Seeman's Personal Powerlessness Scale as a measure of rational control, shows differences opposite from those suggested by the Protestant Ethic; possible explanations of this finding are discussed.
Offsetting the Principal in the New Social Security Accounts

The President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security suggests three plans for reforming Social Security. These plans divert various amounts of the payroll tax to a personal account if the worker chooses to participate in the account. In return, Social Security benefits are offset using accounts with real returns ranging from 2% to 3.5%. When personal accounts are mentioned, most people think of accounts that are in some sense separate and shielded from the uncertainties of the Social Security System. That is not the case for the personal accounts proposed by the Commission. Participating in the account does not shield the individual from the political risk of being in the Social Security System. Because of the way the benefit offset is structured, if in the future Social Security benefits are further reduced, the basic benefit will be reduced by the same dollar amount whether one has chosen to participate in the individual account or not. The offset to the plan essentially taxes away the principal in the account, but leaves intact the full Social Security benefit, so that any change in retirement income due to the account reflects the difference in interest earned on the portfolio beyond a stated real rate of interest offset. Thus our analysis describes the account as a financial instrument equivalent to a bet that the real return will exceed the level of offset specified in the plan, ranging from 2 percent to 3.5 percent real. As a result, the reduction in political risk fostered by the Commission's proposals comes mainly from the improvement in the financial status of the system fostered by other provisions of the recommended plans.
Operator dependent factors implicated in failure of non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) for respiratory failure

Background Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) is employed for the management of acute respiratory failure and studies have shown that it can prevent the need for endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation and associated complications. Given limited studies evaluating the factors, other than those related patient or underlying disease severity, that may lead to NIPPV failure, we performed this study to gain insight into current practices in terms of utilization of NIPPV and operator dependent factors that may possibly contribute to failure of NIPPV. Method After institutional board review approval a retrospective chart review was performed of consecutive patients who were initiated on and failed NIPPV between January 2009 and December 2009. Data was recorded regarding baseline demographics, admission diagnosis, indications for NIPPV, presence of contraindications, type of NIPPV and initial settings, ABG analysis before and after initiation, whether a titration of the settings was performed or not, operator related factors that may have contributed to failure of NIPPV and clinical outcomes. Results Among 1095 patients screened, 111 failed NIPPV. The mean age was 60 years with 59% males. The most frequent indication for initiating NIPPV was COPD exacerbation (N = 27) followed by pneumonia (N = 26). CPAP was used in 5(6%) patients. Median inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) setting were 10 and 5 cm of H2O respectively. Three most common reasons for failure were an inappropriate indication (33%), Progression of underlying disease (30%) and lack of titration (23%). Overall mortality was 22%. Mortality was higher when NIPPV failure was seen among patients with an inappropriate indication or an overlooked contraindication compared to those with an appropriate indication (27% vs 17%). Conclusions Excluding progression of underlying disease, operator dependent factors linked to NIPPV failure are; inappropriate indication, lack of adequate titration and an overlooked contraindication. Inappropriate utilization of NIPPV in respiratory failure is associated with higher mortality.
The tragedy of the waves

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationship between the number of waves a surfer will catch, the surfer’s characteristics, and the surf conditions; and utilize this relationship to explain wave allocation strategies chosen by surfers. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a discrete event simulation to model surfers at a well-known surf break in Southern California. Several experimental designs were implemented in the simulation to measure the effect of a surfer’s characteristics and surf conditions on waves caught; and compare different wave allocation strategies. Findings – The number of waves that a surfer will catch is largely dependent upon the surfer’s skill level and the wave allocation strategy used at the surf break. Common wave allocation strategies fail with large crowds. Originality/value – This study is the first to model the entire lineup at a surf break, providing quantitative insights into why surfers choose different wave allocation strategies.
The roles of shock motion and deformation in generation of shock noise

This paper investigates two mechanisms fundamental to sound generation in shocked flows: shock motion and shock deformation. Shock motion is modeled numerically by the interaction of a sound wave with a shock. The numerical approach is validated by comparison with results obtained by linear theory for a small disturbance case. Analysis of the perturbation energy using Myers' energy corollary demonstrates that both acoustic and entropy energies are generated by the interaction of acoustic disturbances with shocks, and suggests that shock motion is the source of the disturbance energy. Shock deformation is modeled numerically by the interaction of a vortex ring with a shock. The numerical simulations demonstrate the generation of both an acoustic wave and contact surfaces. The acoustic wave spreads cylindrically, the sound intensity is highly directional, and the sound pressure increases with increasing shock strength. The numerically determined relationship between the sound pressure and Mach number is found to be consistent with experimental observations of shock noise, and implies that a dominant physical process in the generation of shock-noise is modeled in this study.
Timing of Defoliants and Desiccants to Reduce Populations of the Pink Bollworm in Diapause

Diapause in the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), is under photoperiodic control and does not generally occur in populations near College Station, Texas, until mid-September. The termination of growth of cotton plants with chemical defoliants or desiccants before this date caused a reduction of almost 90% in the number of diapause larvae. Defoliation or desiccation of plants in early October, when most of the larvae were in diapause, was not nearly so effective in reducing the potential overwintering population as the earlier application. Results emphasized the importance of early maturity and early defoliation or desiccation of infested fields.
Pre-treatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts tumor pathology in newly diagnosed renal tumors

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) predicts adverse outcomes after surgical treatment for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, its ability to distinguish aggressive from indolent renal tumors remains unknown. We therefore evaluated the association between NLR and pathologic outcomes at nephrectomy. From 1995 to 2008, 2402 patients underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for localized renal tumors. Of these, 2039 had an NLR within 90 days prior to surgery. Comparisons of NLR by tumor size, histologic subtype, and nuclear grade were evaluated. Benign renal masses had a significantly lower NLR than malignant tumors (median 2.92 vs. 3.12; p = 0.037) with the greatest difference noted among renal lesions >7 cm (median 2.79 vs. 3.87; p 4 but ≤7 cm = 3.09 and >7 cm = 3.95) and nuclear grade (G1 = 2.68, G2 = 2.87, G3 = 3.48, and G4 = 5.18) was associated with greater NLR (p < 0.001). An elevated NLR is associated with RCC pathology, higher-grade tumors, and more aggressive histologic subtypes at the time of nephrectomy. Therefore, NLR appears to be a preoperative marker of biologically aggressive RCC and may be useful in predicting malignancy and guiding management among patients with suspicious renal tumors.
Care of the aged skin.

Physiologic, biochemical and microscopic changes in the aged skin are due to past environment, heredity and the aging process. These factors and the response of aging skin to the elements and to physical or chemical trauma cause degenerative processes which produce cutaneous lesions.Lesions most frequently seen in the aged are keratoses, skin tags, epitheliomas, lentigines, senile angiomas and purpuric eruptions of the legs. Some of these may be treated merely for cosmetic reasons, while others, such as epithelioma, may cause death if ignored.Aging skin should be protected from physical and chemical irritants.
Safety, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation After Single and Multiple Ascending Doses of a Novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator in Healthy Subjects.

Abstract Purpose Tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK), and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of single ascending doses (SADs) and multiple ascending doses (MADs) of PF-06260414, a novel selective androgen receptor modulator, were assessed after oral administration in healthy subjects. Methods Range of SAD and MAD levels tested were 1 to 400 mg and 3 to 100 mg BID, respectively (n = 8 per cohort). In addition, a 60-mg once-daily (n = 8) cohort and a Japanese cohort receiving 30 mg BID (n = 7) also received PF-06260414. Plasma was collected to study PK properties and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormones. Tolerability was evaluated from adverse events (AEs), physical examinations, vital signs, ECGs, and clinical laboratory results. Findings PF-06260414 was well tolerated with no serious AEs. The most frequently reported AEs were increase in alanine aminotransferase and headache, which were reported by 7 and 3 subjects, respectively. PF-06260414 had fast absorption (median T max , approximately 1–2 hours), a mean t ½ of approximately 6.9 to 12.8 hours, time-independent PK properties and dose proportionality. C max and AUC τ geometric means in Japanese subjects were 98.6% and 79.5% higher than in Western subjects, respectively, but had similar HPG axis modulation. Changes in HPG axis hormones monitored in SADs were similar to placebo. Maximum placebo-corrected modulations were observed for total testosterone and sex hormone–binding globulin in the MAD 100-mg BID regimen. Implications This study was the first to compare a number of different factors of PF-06260414, including tolerability, PK and PD properties, and ethnic differences between Japanese and Western healthy subjects. PF-06260414 had favorable PK properties and found that sex hormone–binding globulin, total testosterone, and HDL were most sensitive to modulation. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02070939.