cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in anemia care in older patients approaching end-stage renal disease in the United States (1995-2010).

Importance Anemia is common in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Whereas the treatment of anemia in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has attracted considerable attention, relatively little is known about patterns and trends in the anemia care received by patients before they start maintenance dialysis or undergo preemptive kidney transplantation. Objective To determine the trends in anemia treatment received by Medicare beneficiaries approaching ESRD. Design, Setting, and Participants Closed cohort study in the United States using national ESRD registry data (US Renal Data System) of patients 67 years or older who initiated maintenance dialysis or underwent preemptive kidney transplantation between 1995 and 2010. All eligible patients had uninterrupted Medicare (A+B) coverage for at least 2 years before ESRD. Exposure Time, defined as calendar year of incident ESRD. Main Outcomes and Measures Use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA), intravenous iron supplements, and blood transfusions in the 2 years prior to ESRD; hemoglobin concentration at the time of ESRD. We used multivariable modified Poisson regression to estimate utilization prevalence ratios (PRs). Results Records of 466 803 patients were analyzed. The proportion of patients with incident ESRD receiving any ESA in the 2 years before increased from 3.2% in 1995 to a peak of 40.8% in 2007; thereafter, ESA use decreased modestly to 35.0% in 2010 (compared with 1995; PR, 9.85 [95% CI, 9.04-10.74]). Among patients who received an ESA, median time from first recorded ESA use to ESRD increased from 120 days in 1995 to 337 days in 2010. Intravenous iron administration increased from 1.2% (1995) to 12.3% (2010; PR, 9.20 [95% CI, 7.97-10.61]). The proportion of patients receiving any blood transfusions increased monotonically from 20.6% (1995) to 40.3% (2010; PR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.82-1.95]). Mean hemoglobin concentrations were 9.5 g/dL in 1995, increased to a peak of 10.3 g/dL in 2006, and then decreased moderately to 9.9 g/dL in 2010. Conclusions and Relevance Between 1995 and 2010, older adults approaching ESRD were increasingly more likely to be treated with ESAs and to receive intravenous iron supplementation, but also more likely to receive blood transfusions.
Real-valued algorithms for the FFT

Since 1965, when Cooley and Tukey published their famous paper on the radix-2 fast Fourier transform, much effort has gone into developing even more efficient algorithms. Most algorithms, however, do not directly handle real-valued data very well, and them exist several ways to solve that problem. This paper derives a new algorithm; the decimation-in-time real-valued split-radix FFT, which can transform any length N = 2Msequence but uses less operations than any other known real-valued FFF, which is the fastest Cooley-Tukey real-valued transform in use. Instead of breaking the transform down equally as in traditional algorithms, the even and odd indexed parts are broken down differently in the split-radix algorithm. This gives a significant savings in both additions and multiplications over any fixed radix Cooley-Tukey FFT. The paper compares the split-radix transform with several of the already existing methods such as the Hartley transform, the prime factor, Winograd, Cooley-Tukey etc, and shows in which cases a specific algorithm is faster than the rest.
Macrophage Dynamics in AKI to CKD Progression

Stemming from the recent and robust clinical data confirming that AKI does indeed increase the likelihood of developing CKD (reviewed by Chawla and Kimmel[1][1]), numerous preclinical studies have offered insight into how the transition from AKI to CKD occurs. However, our understanding of this
A forgotten devil; Rupture of mitral valve papillary muscle.

Background: Papillary muscle rupture is one of the catastrophic mechanical complications following myocardial infarction. Rupture leads to acute mitral valve regurgitation, pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock. Survival is dependent on prompt recognition and surgical intervention.
PREDICTIVE VALUE OF AMPLITUDE-INTEGRATED ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ON OUTCOME IN NEONATAL EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION

INTRODUCTION: The early and accurate assessment of cerebral function in neonates who undergo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may identify high-risk infants who are amenable to neuroprotective strategies or, at least, in need of more detailed neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental follow-up. OBJECTIVE: The specific aims of this study were to assess the clinical utility and long-term predictive value of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) in neonatal ECMO. METHODS: Thirty-four infants who required ECMO for respiratory failure were enrolled in the study prospectively. Serial aEEGs were recorded before, during, and after ECMO and classified by 2 independent interpreters on the basis of background pattern and amplitude criteria. Surviving infants were followed up to 18 to 22 months and assessed with a structured neurologic examination and formal developmental testing by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II. The primary outcome was death or neurodevelopmental impairment (defined as moderate-to-severe cerebral palsy and/or a Mental Developmental Index or Psychomotor Development Index score of RESULTS: Preliminary data analysis on the first 20 patients was performed. Thirteen patients survived, 3 died while on ECMO, and 4 died before discharge. All surviving infants were evaluated at follow-up. A severely abnormal aEEG predicted death or moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental impairment with a sensitivity of 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70–0.95), a specificity of 0.57 (95% CI: 0.3–0.76), a positive predictive value of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.65–0.88), and a negative predictive value of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.35–0.88). CONCLUSIONS: aEEG is a useful neuromonitoring tool during neonatal ECMO.
UPPER CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN) LAND SNAILS (GASTROPODA: STYLOMMATOPHORA) FROM WASHINGTON AND CALIFORNIA

Condonella suciensis McLellan, 1927, from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Nanaimo Group of Washington State, USA, described as a presumed marine gastropod of unknown taxonomic position and subsequently classified as an archaeogastropod, is a terrestrial pulmonate snail. Condonella McLellan, 1927, is assigned to Eucalodiidae and interpreted as a flat-coiling member of a clade in which most members are high-spired and cylindrical. Straparollus lens Gabb, 1864, from the Chico Formation (Campanian) in central California, USA, is recognized as a pulmonate land snail and assigned to Megomphicidae. A second megomphicid species from the Chico Formation, Polygyroidea hiltoni, is described as new.
Ex vivo evaluation of 4 different viscoelastic assays for detecting moderate to severe coagulopathy during liver transplantation.

Prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and its ratio are routinely used for the assessment of candidates for liver transplantation (LT), but intraoperative coagulation management of transfusion is hindered by its long turnaround time. Abnormal reaction time (R time) on thromboelastography (TEG) or clotting time (CT) of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) are presumably an alternative, but there is a paucity of clinical data on abnormal R time/CT values compared to PT during LT. After receiving institutional review board approval and informed consent, we obtained blood samples from 36 LT patients for international normalized ratio (INR), factor (F) X level, and viscoelastic tests (EXTEM/INTEM and kaolin/rapid TEG) at baseline and 30 minutes after graft reperfusion. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for INR > 1.5 and viscoelastic R time/CT thresholds to assess the ability to diagnose FX deficiency at the moderate ( 1.5) and abnormal R time/CT for TEG and ROTEM. Tissue factor (TF)-activated INR and EXTEM-CT performed well in diagnosing FX below 50%, but rapid TEG with combined TF and kaolin activators failed. Improved performance of INTEM-CT in diagnosing FX below 35% underlies multifactorial deficiency involving both intrinsic and common pathways. In conclusion, the differences among different viscoelastic tests and clinical situations should be carefully considered when they are used to guide transfusion during LT.
Information Display Speed and Noise in the Design of Computer Terminals

The variety of computer terminals is growing rapidly. Research on variables likely to have the greatest effect on operator-terminal interaction is needed to guide terminal design. Effective information on display rates for the most common tasks performed at a terminal (e.g. program debugging, typing) have not been reported in the literature. This paper investigates the variables of terminal types, display speed and display noise since these determine to a large extent the cost of terminals. The results show a strong effect due to display speed with virtually no effect due to display noise and terminal type. Operator response speed for the debugging task increased up to a speed of about 60 CPS with no further advantage gained at higher speeds (up to 240 CPS).
Extension of practical k1 limit in EUV lithography

Sub 0.3k1 regime has been widely adopted for high volume manufacturing (HVM) of optical lithography due to various resolution enhancement technologies (RETs). It is not certain when such low k1 is feasible in EUV, though most technologies are available in EUV also. In this paper, experimental results on patterning performance of line space (L/S) and contact hole (C/H) in EUV lithography will be presented. First, practical k1 value with 0.33NA EUV lithography was investigated through experiment using NXE3300 EUV tool. Patterning limit, as defined by local critical dimension uniformity (LCDU) for C/H array pattern were measured with respect to various design rules. It was evaluated that the effect of off axis illumination (OAI) mode with various illumination conditions to improve the patterning performance and to reduce k1 limit. Then the experimental results of LCDU were compared with normalized image log slope (NILS) values from simulation. EUV source mask optimization (SMO) technologies to increase NILS with FlexPupil option of EUV scanner were evaluated and possibility of further improvement was also discussed.
Newborn screening for hemoglobin abnormalities: a comparison of methods

Peripheral blood from 1,000 newborn infants of black (641) and Southeast Asian (359) ancestry were screened for hemoglobin variants. Results obtained from the combination of cellulose acetate (CAC) and citrate agar (CAG) electrophoresis were compared with isoelectric focusing (IEF) electrophoresis. There was complete agreement between the two methods on assignment of Hb S trait, Hb C trait, Hb E trait, and homozygous Hb E. IEF identified small amounts of Hb A in two newborn infants with Hb S-beta + thalassemia; the CAC and CAG electrophoretic patterns were indistinguishable from sickle cell anemia. One hundred twenty newborn infants with Hb Bart's were detected by IEF; 51 of these were found on CAC. Although IEF was more sensitive in detecting small amounts of hemoglobin, it is not clear if the improvement in detection warrants adopting this form of electrophoresis for routine screening of newborn infants.
Adult Survival and Productivity of Northern Fulmars in Alaska

The population dynamics of Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were studied at the Semidi Islands in the western Gulf of Alaska. Fulmars occurred in a broad range of color phases, and annual survival was estimated from the return of birds in the rarer plumage classes. A raw estimate of mean annual survival over a 5-year period was 0.963, but a removal experiment indicated the raw value was probably biased downward. The estimate of annual survival adjusted accordingly was 0.969. Mortality during the breeding season was less than 10% of the annual total, and postbreeding mortality of failed breeders was three to four times higher than that of successful breeders. Breeding success averaged 41% over 9 years. About 5% of experienced birds failed to breed each year due to physical destruction of their breeding sites, mate-loss, or other causes. An estimated 30% of the birds near the colony in one year were of prebreeding age. A comparison of population parameters in Pacific and Atlantic fulmars indicates that higher survival in the prebreeding years is the likely basis for population growth in the northeastern Atlantic. The correlation of breeding success and survival suggests both parameters may decline with age.
Numerical solution of reactive-diffusive systems: Part 3: time linearization and operator-splitting techniques

Four time linearization techniques and two operator-splitting algorithms have been employed to study the propagation of a one-dimensional wave governed by a reaction-diffusion equation. Comparisons amongst the methods are shown in terms of the L 2-norm error and computed wave speeds. The calculations have been performed with different numerical grids in order to determine the effects of the temporal and spatial step sizes on the accuracy. It is shown that a time linearization procedure with a second-order accurate temporal approximation and a fourth-order accurate spatial discretization yields the most accurate results. The numerical calculations are compared with those reported in Parts 1 and 2. It is concluded that the most accurate time linearization method described in this paper offers a great promise for the computation of multi-dimensional reaction-diffusion equations.
Diagnosis and treatment of diaphragmatic rupture in children

Objective To search for the characteristics of diaphragmatic rupture in children for earlier diagnosis and treatment. Methods The characteristics of diaphragmatic injuries and the diagnosis and treatment of complicated injuries were summarized. Result There were 76 diaphragmatic injuries, 56 left,15 right, 5 bilateral.Artificial pneumoabdomen can improve diagnostic rate by 90% and horizontal incision was successfully used to deal with right and bilateral diaphragmatic injuries. Conclusion If diaphragmatic injuries in children are severe, artificial pneumoabdomen and horizontal incision can be conducted in suspected sick children to improve diagnostic rate and trans-abdominal horizontal incision is worth popularizing for right and bilateral diaphragmatic ruptures.
From the Matterhorn to Molecules: The Beauty of the Interstellar Medium

Our generation is opening humanity's eyes to the electromagnetic spectrum, revealing the interstellar medium's stunning beauty and profound role in star and planet formation and cosmic evolution. The enabling technologies of this revolution also have huge impacts on the world's economy.
Enterocytes adhere preferentially to collagen IV in a differentially regulated divalent cation-dependent manner

Minor cell defects in epithelial sheets are a consequence of superficial injury in natural intestinal diseases. These defects are restored by migration of shouldering epithelial cells over the unde...
Structure of High Latitude Currents in Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Models

Using three resolutions of the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry global magnetosphere-ionosphere model (LFM) and the Weimer 2005 empirical model we examine the structure of the high latitude field-aligned current patterns. Each resolution was run for the entire Whole Heliosphere Interval which contained two high speed solar wind streams and modest interplanetary magnetic field strengths. Average states of the field-aligned current (FAC) patterns for 8 interplanetary magnetic field clock angle directions are computed using data from these runs. Generally speaking the patterns obtained agree well with results obtained from the Weimer 2005 computing using the solar wind and IMF conditions that correspond to each bin. As the simulation resolution increases the currents become more intense and narrow. A machine learning analysis of the FAC patterns shows that the ratio of Region 1 (R1) to Region 2 (R2) currents decreases as the simulation resolution increases. This brings the simulation results into better agreement with observational predictions and the Weimer 2005 model results. The increase in R2 current strengths also results in the cross polar cap potential (CPCP) pattern being concentrated in higher latitudes. Current-voltage relationships between the R1 and CPCP are quite similar at the higher resolution indicating the simulation is converging on a common solution. We conclude that LFM simulations are capable of reproducing the statistical features of FAC patterns.
Promoting Private Sector Participation in Agricultural Extension in Nigeria: Lessons from the New Institutional Economics

This paper discusses strategies for enhancing private sector participation in agricultural extension delivery in Nigeria using some of the arguments of the New Institutional Economics. Bearing in mind the fact that the primary motivating factor of private enterprise is profit, the paper analyses, the feasibility of private provision of extension services by examining their economic nature. The question of moral hazard in private provision is also examined. Attention is drawn to the need to develop state contracting procedures to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities to the private sector.
Survival of Streptococcus faecium in Beef loaf and Potatoes after Microwave-Heating in a Simulated Cook/Chill Foodservice System 1

This study evaluated survival of a radiation-resistant organism, Streptococcus faecium , as a potential indication of safety of beef loaf and potatoes after microwave-heating in a hospital cook/chill foodservice system. The cook/chill system was simulated in a laboratory three times for both beef loaf and potatoes. Beef loaf (15 kg) was initially cooked to 66 C in a convection oven (156 C), chilled 24 h at 6 C, cut into 100-g portions, inoculated on the external surface with S. faecium (1 × 108 CFU/g), chilled 2 h, and microwave-heated for 20, 50, 80 or 110 sec. Dehydrated potatoes (5.7 kg) were reconstituted to 79 C over direct heat, chilled to 37 C, inoculated internally with S. faecium (1 × 106 CFU/g), stored chilled 24 h at 6 C, portioned into 100 g/portion, chilled 2 h at 6 C and microwave-heated for 25, 45, 65 or 85 sec. Results indicated that increasing the time of microwave-heating for portions of beef loaf or potatoes decreased the count on KF agar regardless of internal or external inoculation procedure. Eighty or 85 sec of microwave-heating of beef loaf or potatoes resulted in portions with similar numbers of bacteria as determined by KF agar, but mean internal end temperatures ranged from 66 to 95 C.
A VLSI grammar processing subsystem for a real-time large-vocabulary continuous speech recognition system

The architecture and custom implementation of a grammar processing subsystem for a real-time large-vocabulary continuous speech recognition system using hidden Markov models are described. The prototype has 3000, words and larger vocabularies and higher throughput can be obtained by adding more grammar processors. This subsystem contains two custom VLSI chips that perform the evaluation of starting word probabilities associated with the across-word transitions in the hidden-Markov-model (HMM)-based speech recognition system. This system has a maximum computation rate of 200 MOPS and an I/O bandwidth of 265 MB/s. All circuits were silicon compiled and were working on first silicon. >
Lost in Implementation? Where is Gender in the Somali Compact for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding?:

The 2011 New Deal for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding is intended to spare the world’s poorest and most conflict-prone countries the costs associated with negotiating separate arrangements on a mul...
Stable Nonlinear Control of an Agonist-Antagonist Muscle-Driven System

Abstract We introduce an asymptotically stable nonlinear controller for a two-muscle system with an agonist-antagonist arrangement. A Hill model with series and parallel elasticity is used for each muscle. The controller is based on a combination of backstepping and algebraic virtual control matching to determine final activation control signals. Two definitions for the synthetic input used in the first backstepping stage are considered: a scalar form and a vector form. A novel feature of the vector approach is the ability to incorporate a minimum-effort optimality criterion as a way of resolve actuation redundancy. Minimum effort criteria reflect well-established biomechanical principles of human movement. The proposed approach is scalable and can serve as a “working controller” to facilitate studies in the field of human-machine interactions, including machine control systems and biomechanical state estimation.
Comparing and validating measures of non-cognitive traits: Performance task measures and self-reports from a nationally representative internet panel

Abstract Education researchers and labor economists are increasingly focusing on skills such as conscientiousness, grit and emotional stability. This is part of a larger research program that sees “non-cognitive skills” as drivers of educational attainment and labor market outcomes. However, data on these important non-cognitive traits is not always available and, when available, researchers have raised concerns on potential biases in self-reported measures. In this paper, we use data collected from the Understanding America Study, a nationally representative internet panel, to study the validity of measures of non-cognitive traits, including novel measures based on survey effort. We propose that surveys can be viewed as performance tasks and that respondents provide meaningful information about relevant non-cognitive traits based on the effort they put forward in completing them. In particular, we examine the extent to which respondents provide careless answers or intentionally skip questions. We compare self-reported measures of grit, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and other personality traits, with survey-effort measures. We study the relationship of survey effort measures to these self-reported measures, educational attainment, and labor-market outcomes. Our results show that measures of careless answering in surveys show promise for use as proxies of traits related to conscientiousness and neuroticism.
A novel millimeter wave MMIC Hadar transceiver for expendable applications

A unique millimeter wave MM1C transceiver design which includes a high pcwer transmitter and ow noise figure receiver, has been developed. The fully functional and highly integrated transceiver uses MIMIC transmitter and receiver chips developed under the ARPA MIMIC program to perform all radar functions. The chip design is based on 0.25 micon pseudomorphic In gaAs HEMT technology with ail circuit types fabricated on the same wafer. A unique and vorsatilo chip carrier ciQsign is used to ensure maximum measurement flexibility while maintaining high performance in the integrated transceiver architecture. The transceiver is specifically directed toward !ow cost, expendable applications.
Hell Gate: The Implications of Representations of Human Trafficking in Popular Culture

When the thriller Taken was released in 2008, many anti-human trafficking advocates were cautiously optimistic that the film would be useful in raising awareness of human trafficking. Until we saw ...
Craig M. Koslofsky, The Reformation of the Dead: Death and Ritual in Early Modern Germany, 1450–1700. (London: Macmillan, 2000. xiii + 223 pp.).

“In the myddest of our lyvynge / Death compaseth us rounde about.” These lines from a popular medieval hymn, transmitted in eleventh-century St. Gallen, serve as a fitting epigram to Craig Koslofsky's study on The Reformation of the Dead. In this well-argued, stimulating book, the author traces the fate of the dead in early modern Germany from the eve of the Reformation to the eighteenth century. He approaches “the history of death” (Philippe Aries) from the social order of the living. Drawing on the anthropology of ritual, Koslofsky explores the art of dying, funeral rites, and the topography of burial places. In a series of fascinating episodes Koslofsky skillfully applies the insight that “liminality” provides an “opportunity” to act (p. 8). In Leipzig in 1536, for instance, various urban groups clashed over what was perceived as a threat to traditional burial practice when Duke George of Saxony mandated that, for the sake of hygiene, the dead were to be interred outside the city walls. This ordinance instigated varied responses and severe resistance. University professors insisted on their right to be buried intramurally. Mendicant monasteries expressed fears of losing control over religious life in the city. The whole dispute occurred in an atmosphere of heightened confessional strife. Burial in places other than the churchyard signified either a dead person's dishonorable status or allegiance to Reformation ideas (though Duke George was Catholic). A tenuous settlement was reached when the Duke granted privileges to professors and required the payment of extra fees for city burials.
Global Humanitarian Organizations and African Goals: The Case of Médecins Sans Frontières in South Africa

How do international institutions, and in particular global humanitarian organizations, help or hinder African goals? This chapter examines this question through a case study of Medecins Sans Frontieres’ activities in South Africa.
Amyloid-β interrupts canonical Sonic hedgehog signaling by distorting primary cilia structure

Primary cilia are small non-motile microtubule and cell membrane protrusions expressed on most vertebrate cells, including cortical and hippocampal neurons. These small organelles serve as sensory structures sampling the extracellular environment and reprogramming the transcriptional machinery in response to environmental change. Primary cilia are decorated with a variety of receptor proteins and are necessary for specific signaling cascades such as the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. Disrupting cilia structure or function results in a spectrum of diseases collectively referred to as ciliopathies. Common to human ciliopathies is cognitive impairment, a symptom also observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). One hallmark of AD is accumulation of senile plaques composed of neurotoxic Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. The Aβ peptide is generated by the proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). We set out to determine if Aβ affects primary cilia structure and the Shh signaling cascade. We utilized in vitro cell-based assays in combination with fluorescent confocal microscopy to address our study goals. Shh signaling and cilia structure was studied using two different cell lines, mouse NIH3T3 and human HeLa cells. To investigate how Aβ levels affect Shh signaling and cilia structure in these cells, we utilized naturally secreted Aβ as well as synthetic Aβ. Effects on Shh signaling were assessed by luciferase activity while cilia structure was analyzed by fluorescent microscopy. Here, we report that APP localizes to primary cilia and Aβ treatment results in distorted primary cilia structure. In addition, we demonstrate that Aβ treatment interrupts canonical Shh signal transduction. Overall, our study illustrates that Aβ can alter primary cilia structure suggesting that elevated Aβ levels, like those observed in AD patients, could have similar effects on neuronal primary cilia in the brain. Additionally, our study suggests that Aβ impairs the Shh signaling pathway. Together our findings shed light on two novel targets for future AD therapeutics.
Chapter 11 - The Solar-Stellar Connection

Abstract This chapter discusses the Sun compared with other stars that have the common property of an outer convective envelope. We have vastly more detailed information on the Sun than for any other star; it is the only one with the advantages of spatial imaging (at a wide variety of wavelengths) and extensive time coverage. Information on the unresolved properties of other stars is slowly beginning to catch up, and the Sun often provides a point of reference in interpreting these observations. The chapter discusses photometry, spectroscopy, magnetic activity, heated regions of the atmospheres, and mass and angular momentum loss. Observing other stars provides a window into the behavior of solar-type stars with a wide range of masses, ages, rotation rates, and other stellar properties. This allows us to build a full picture of solar-type stellar atmospheres and put the Sun into a larger context.
Design Guidelines for a Technology-Enabled Nutrition Education Program to Support Overweight and Obese Adolescents: Qualitative User-Centered Design Study.

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity are major health challenges in the United States. One of the recommendations to combat obesity is to maintain a healthy diet, which is often best supported by eating home-cooked meals to control cooking methods, ingredients, and portions. Diet control through home cooking is challenged because of the decline in culinary skills in the population and a paucity of effective culinary nutrition education (CNE) programs. Providing technology-enabled CNE (CNE-tech) to overweight and obese adolescents can equip them with life skills that can assist them in the future. Such skills can facilitate saving money, eating healthier, and creating social environments. In addition, CNE builds cooking confidence and food literacy that in turn can build adolescent self-efficacy, particularly toward managing their health behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to inform functionalities, design requirements, and the context of use for CNE-tech that could enhance overweight and obese adolescents’ healthy food literacy, cooking confidence, and general self-efficacy with regard to self-management to ultimately promote healthy lifestyle management. Methods: The design science study was completed in 2 distinct phases engaging overweight and obese adolescents, parents of overweight and obese adolescents, and the health care providers that treat adolescents with these conditions. Phase 2, our primary source of data, involved user-centered design methods including the following: (1) early stage prototype usability analysis, (2) semistructured interviews with 70 overweight or obese adolescents engaged in a healthy behavior program, and (3) semistructured interviews with 10 health care providers. Data were analyzed using constant comparison analysis to identify functionalities, design requirements, and inform the context of use of CNE-tech. Results: Data revealed specific desired functionalities for the CNE-tech related to building cooking skills, populating a healthy recipe database, suggesting healthy alternatives, supporting the construction of a healthy plate, and the ability to share healthy recipes and cooking accomplishments. Moreover, the adolescents provided design requirements pertaining to the presentation (eg, vivid colors, semirealistic images, and cooking sounds), use of multimedia, and gaming. Data further revealed contextual factors, such as shared experiences with family members and enhanced continued use. Conclusions: We demonstrate the potentiality of creating CNE-tech that could effectively lead to better self-care and induce sustainable behavioral change as it facilitates skill building, self-efficacy, and a pathway that enables overweight and obese adolescents to influence cooking habits in their family home and future dwellings. Our CNE-tech–proposed solution aligns with the goals of overweight and obese adolescents and also reflects existing theories about behavioral change.
Nanocarving process: Selective and anisotropic gas phase etching of bulk TiO2 crystal into oriented arrays of nanofibers

A simple, inexpensive gas phase reaction termed as “nanocarving process” converts TiO2 grains into arrays of single crystal nanofibers by selective and anisotropic etching. This process is conducted by exposing dense polycrystalline TiO2 to a hydrogen-bearing environment. This article reviews the syntheses, properties, and kinetic mechanisms of TiO2 nanofibers via nanocarving process.
Ten new species in the southern African genus Heliophila (Brassicaceae; Cruciferae)

Ten new South African species of Heliophila (H. astyla, H. biseriata, H. clarkii, H. crassistyla, H. goldblattii, H. magaliesbergensis, H. pseudoeximia, H. roggeveldensis, H. volkii, and H. xylopoda) are described, illustrated, and their relationships and distinguishing characters from nearest relatives are discussed. The chromosome number 2n = 22 for H. goldblattii is reported. Four species (H. astyla, H. crassistyla, H. volkii, H. xylopoda) are endemic to the Western Cape, three (H. clarkii, H. goldblattii, H. pseudoeximia) to the Northern Cape, two (H. biseriata, H. roggeveldensis) in both provinces, and one (H. magaliesbergensis) in Gauteng Province. All species of the genus are native to South Africa, with the ranges of some extending in neighboring Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland.
Bild-Text-Relationen in Narrativen Karten

Der Beitrag stellt die dokumentarische Analyse von Narrativen Karten vor. Sie wurden erhoben, um prareflexive und praktisch hervorgebrachte Raumkonstruktionen des Berufsalltags von Lehrer*innen zu untersuchen. Die der dokumentarischen Bild- und Textinterpretation zugrunde liegenden Kategorien und Arbeitsschritte ermoglichen einen Zugang zu impliziten Wissensbestanden in Bild-Text-Relationen. Dabei wird gezeigt, wie die Dokumente und Rekonstruktionen uber den gewahlten forschungspraktischen Zugang fur die raumbezogene praxeologische Erforschung des Lehrberufs fruchtbar gemacht werden konnen.
Diastolic function grading by American Society of Echocardiography guidelines and prediction of heart failure readmission and all-cause mortality in a community-based cohort.

Background Diastolic function (DF) guidelines have been simplified but lack extensive outcome data. Using a rural university heart failure (HF) database, we assessed whether DF grading could predict HF, HF readmission, and all-cause mortality (ACM). Methods In this single-center retrospective study that included 613 patients in sinus rhythm hospitalized for HF (HF with preserved-254 patients, with mid-range-216 patients, and reduced ejection fraction-143 patients), we recorded demographics, Doppler-echo, Framingham HF score, laboratories, HF readmission, and ACM with follow-up to 2167 days. Results Diastolic dysfunction (Ddys) parameters (left atrial volume index [LAVI] > 34 ml/m2 , tricuspid regurgitation [TR] velocity > 2.8 m/sec, and E/e' > 14) had moderate sensitivity (46.2%-65.0%) for predicting HF among all phenotypes combined with DF grading having moderate predictability and additive to a clinical composite for HF prediction (AUC = .677, P 34 ml/m2 : HR 1.56 [1.26-2.19]; E/e' > 14: HR 1.44 [1.21-1.99]; TR > 2.8 m/sec: H1.43 [1.19-1.88]; LV Dys grade II: HR 2.12 [1.42-2.96]; LV Ddys grade III: HR 2.39 [1.57-4.82]). Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the clinical and prognostic relevance of determining the severity of LV Ddys in patients with HF with regard to HF verification and HF readmission.
Life-cycle optimization of structural systems based on cumulative prospect theory: Effects of the reference point and risk attitudes

Abstract Reliability-, risk-, and utility-based life-cycle maintenance is a normative approach for rational decision-making regarding structural systems under uncertainty. However, since these indicators cannot reflect the preference of stakeholders, the obtained plans may not be optimal from their standpoints. One of the most popular models to describe people's decisions under risk is cumulative prospect theory (CPT). CPT can capture the attitudes towards high consequence and low probability associated with structural failure by the value function and probability weighting function, respectively. CPT can also handle different risk attitudes towards gains and losses by introducing a reference point. Previous studies on calibration of CPT were developed for economics, healthcare, and traveling rout choices. Their results may not hold for civil infrastructure. Therefore, the parameters of CPT (i.e. value function, probability weighting function, and reference point) are calibrated through a survey among students and practicing engineers in the field of structural engineering. The fitted model is applied to life-cycle maintenance of a steel girder bridge. The calibration results show that the reference point is set to a prescribed plan. It is shown by the illustrative example that the reference point and opposite risk attitudes can significantly affect optimal decisions when searching for riskier plans.
The Secretory Vesicle in Processing and Secretion of Neuropeptides

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the biochemical processes by which the secretory vesicle maintains its contents chemically and energetically ideal for propeptide processing and exocytotic secretion. The fact that the secretory vesicle is the site of processing of propeptides would imply that on exocytosis all of the contents of the vesicle would be secreted, including the enzymes, all the products, and cofactors. Experimental evidence to date supports this contention. On the other hand, some of the secreted products may feedback on the secretory cell itself to modify its activity. For example, dynorphin cosecreted with vasopressin is thought to have modulatory effects on the posterior pituitary neurosecretory nerve endings, which are endowed with opiate receptors. Because the secretory–vesicle compartment is the processing site, different cell types could use the same precursor protein to arrive at different biologically active peptides and thus different utilities for the same gene product in different tissues and/or at different stages of embryonic development.
Contingency Table, Square

This article discusses the analysis of contingency tables for which the number of rows equals the number of columns. Three types of models for such tables are discussed: marginal models for comparing margins of the table, log linear models for describing the joint distribution and the association patterns, and conditional models that consider the distribution of one of the categorical variables conditional on the outcome for the other one. Other topics discussed include testing marginal homogeneity and symmetry, the models of quasisymmetry and quasi-independence, and modeling agreement. Keywords: agreement; categorical data; loglinear models; marginal homogeneity; McNemar test; quasi-independence; quasisymmetry; symmetry
Radiation-induced loss of cell surface CD47 enhances immune-mediated clearance of human papillomavirus-positive cancer

The increasing incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) demands development of novel therapies. Despite presenting at a more advanced stage, HPV(+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have a better prognosis than their HPV(-) counterparts. We have previously demonstrated that clearance of HPV(+) OSCC during treatment with radiation and chemotherapy requires an immune response which is likely responsible for the improved clinical outcomes. To further elucidate the mechanism of immune-mediated clearance, we asked whether radiation therapy induces tumor cell changes that allow the body to recognize and aid in tumor clearance. Here, we describe a radiation-induced change in tumor surface protein expression that is critical for immune-mediated clearance. Radiation therapy decreases surface expression of CD47, a self-marker. CD47 is frequently overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and radiation induces a decrease of CD47 in a dose-dependent manner. We show that both in vitro and in vivo tumor cell CD47 protein levels are restored over time after sublethal radiation exposure and that protein levels on adjacent, normal tissues remain unaffected. Furthermore, reduction of tumor cell CD47 increases phagocytosis of these cells by dendritic cells and leads to increased interferon gamma and granzyme production from mixed lymphocytes. Finally, decreasing tumor cell CD47 in combination with standard radiation and chemotherapy results in improved immune-mediated tumor clearance in vivo. These findings help define an important mechanism of radiation-related immune clearance and suggest that decreasing CD47 specifically on tumor cells may be a good therapeutic target for HPV related disease.
Structure and Synthesis of the Unstable Hemoglobin Sabine (α2β291 Leu → Pro)

Hemoglobin Sabine (β91 Leu→Pro) is an unstable molecule present at low concentrations (12% of total hemoglobin) in the peripheral blood of one individual. The following results of structural studies demonstrated that hemoglobin Sabine existed predominantly as an α2β2 tetramer with two heme groups associated with the α chains only. (a) Quantitative analyses of the heme and globin parts showed that hemoglobin Sabine had a molar heme-globin ratio of one-half that of hemoglobin A. (b) Hemoglobin Sabine had an s20, w of 4.04 compared to 4.34 for hemoglobin A. (c) Dissociation of the α and β chains by treatment with p-chloromercuribenzoate showed that heme was associated with α chains only. Moreover, 14C-labeled hemoglobin Sabine co-migrated with 3H-labeled α2hβ2o semihemoglobin, an artificially constructed tetramer of globin A chains having heme groups associated with only the α chains. When hemin was added to this preparation, the electrophoretic mobility of the semihemoglobin, but not that of hemoglobin Sabine, was changed to that of normal hemoglobin A. This result suggests that hemoglobin Sabine lacks a full complement of heme groups because of a decreased affinity for heme. There was a balanced production of total cellular heme and globin chains, as determined by [14C]glycine incorporation into these components. When blood cells were incubated with [3H]leucine, the rates of incorporation of radioactivity into hemoglobins Sabine and A were similar. Analyses of the rates of labeling of the individual α and β chains in both hemoglobins showed that initially unlabeled α chains combined with labeled, newly synthesized β chains. However, there was a rapid turnover of newly synthesized hemoglobin Sabine β chains, and, concomitantly, as time progressed, a significant increase in the α chain fraction of radioactivity in hemoglobin Sabine compared to that in hemoglobin A. When cells were pulse labeled for short time periods the rate of synthesis of the β chain in hemoglobin Sabine was found equal to that of the β chain in hemoglobin A. A soluble pool of rapidly labeled α chains was detected which appeared to be precursors to both of the completed hemoglobins. A model of hemoglobin Sabine synthesis and assembly is suggested in which (a) the lower blood concentration occurs entirely because of rapid removal of some of the newly synthesized βSabine-globin chains from the soluble phase of the cells and not because of decreased chain synthesis, and (b) newly synthesized α chains are brought into the hemoglobin Sabine molecule primarily by an exchange between the pool of soluble α chains and the pre-existing hemoglobin Sabine α chains. This model is in agreement with those proposed by other investigators in their studies of unstable hemoglobins of a similar nature.
Ground motion scaling methods for linear‐elastic structures: an integrated experimental and analytical investigation

SUMMARY The task of selecting and scaling an appropriate set of ground motion records is one of the most important challenges facing practitioners in conducting dynamic response history analyses for seismic design and risk assessment. This paper describes an integrated experimental and analytical evaluation of selected ground motion scaling methods for linear-elastic building frame structures. The experimental study is based on the shake table testing of small-scale frame models with four different fundamental periods under ground motion sets that have been scaled using different methods. The test results are then analytically extended to a wider range of structural properties to assess the effectiveness of the scaling methods in reducing the dispersion and increasing the accuracy in the seismic displacement demands of linear-elastic structures, also considering biased selection of ground motion subsets. For scaling methods that are based on a design estimate of the fundamental period of the structure, effects of possible errors in the estimated period are investigated. The results show that a significant reduction in the effectiveness of these scaling methods can occur if the fundamental period is not estimated with reasonable certainty. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design of an intelligent control system for remotely operated vehicles

The application of a neural network controller is described. Three learning algorithms for online implementation of the controller are discussed. These control schemes do not require any information about the system dynamics except an upper bound of the inertia terms. Selection of the number of layers in the neural network, the number of neurons in the hidden layer, initial weights for the network, and the critic coefficient was done based on the results of preliminary tests. The performances of the three learning algorithms were compared. The effectiveness of the neural net controller in handling time-varying parameters and random noise was tested by a case study on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system for robotic underwater operations. The results of the comparisons and the testing are presented in detail. >
Do Postpartum Nursery Visits by the Primary Care Provider Make a Difference

A prospective, randomized, clinical trial was conducted to investigate whether a postpartum visit between a mother and her neonate's future primary care provider combined with telephone access would improve health care utilization, enhance identification of the provider as a source of advice, increase maternal knowledge of infant care, and decrease maternal anxiety and depression. Of 251 mother-neonate pairs, 122 were randomized to the control group and 129 to the intervention group. Outcome variables included health care utilization and results of maternal interviews. More mothers in the intervention group made a scheduled clinic visit in the first 30 days (P = .003), were more likely to seek some form of care at the clinic (P = .006), and tried to reach their physician by phone more often than the control group (P less than .001). There were no differences between the groups' emergency room utilization, the percent who received immunizations by 90 days of age, maternal knowledge of infant care, maternal anxiety, or postpartum depression. The intervention succeeded in improving some measures of health care utilization and results suggest that the relationship between the mother and clinician was strengthened.
Regina Lectures on Fat Points

These notes are a record of lectures given in the Workshop on Connections Between Algebra and Geometry at the University of Regina, May 29–June 1, 2012. The lectures were meant as an introduction to current research problems related to fat points for an audience that was not expected to have much background in commutative algebra or algebraic geometry (although Sects. 8 and 9 of these notes demand somewhat more background than earlier sections).