cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
leper, hyena, and blacksmith in Kujamaat Diola thought

Taken together, the disposal of a dead leper and the funeral for a hyena shot while hunting provide a way into a set of categories developed in Kujamaat Diola thought. I begin with the funerals and proceed first to supply ethnographic background to Kujamaat ideas about lepers and hyenas; I then go on to consider the symbolics of each in relation to the other and to related categories. The symbolic analysis takes into account three interdependent processes: variable marking, associative linkages, and analogic systematics. [leprosy; hyenas; blacksmithing; marking; natural symbols; symbolic anthropology]
Does Strength of Phonological Representations Predict Phonological Awareness in Preschool Children

Previous research has shown a clear relationship between phonological awareness and early reading ability. This article concerns some aspects of spoken language skill that may contribute to the development of phonological awareness, as manifested in rhyme awareness and phoneme awareness. It addresses the hypothesis that phonological awareness abilities are associated with measures that purportedly tap into the strength of phonological representations. We examined rhyme awareness, phoneme awareness, articulatory skill, speech perception, vocabulary, and letter and word knowledge in 40 children, aged 4 to 6, who were just beginning to be exposed to formal reading experiences in private preschools. The children also received cognitive tests and tests of reading ability. The results did not validate strength of phonological representation as a unitary construct underlying phonological awareness more generally, but instead revealed a selective pattern of associations between spoken language tasks and aspects of phonological awareness. Speech perception was closely associated with rhyme awareness measures when age, vocabulary, and letter knowledge were controlled. Children with a less developed sense of rhyme had a less mature pattern of articulation, independent of age, vocabulary, and letter knowledge. Phoneme awareness was associated with phonological perception and production. Children with low phoneme awareness skills showed a different pattern of speech perception and articulation errors than children with strong abilities. However, these differences appeared to be largely a function of age, letter knowledge, and especially vocabulary knowledge. It is now well established that early reading problems are associated with difficulties in phonological awareness – difficulties in phoneme awareness being the clearest case in point (for reviews, see Lyon, 1994; Mann, 1998; Stanovich, 1993; Wagner & Torgesen, 1987). Despite the strong relationship between phonological skills and reading, the nature of the phonological deficits that underlie poor reading remains to be elucidated. Differences in performance on various measures of phonological awareness have been attributed to educational experi
Optimal control of nonlinear dynamic transportation systems

The problem of dynamic optimization of a class of mass transportation systems is formulated, and a method for optimal solutions is developed. The dynamic formulation is based on previously estimated supply decision functions and disaggregate demand specifications. Conditions for the existence and stability of solutions are derived to establish the necessary boundary conditions for the optimization. Maximization of a cost-effectiveness objective is sought subject to performance constraints, while cost is the control. The optimal control algorithm uses Pontryagin's necessary conditions of optimality with a penalty method. The initial values of the adjoint vector and the penalty coefficients are evaluated in such a way that the final conditions are satisfied and the extremal distances between the obtained trajectory and the constraints are imposed. >
Micellar carriers based on block copolymers of poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(ethylene glycol) for doxorubicin delivery

Diblock copolymers of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) with various compositions were synthesized. The amphiphilic block copolymers self-assembled into nanoscopic micelles and their hydrophobic cores encapsulated doxorubicin (DOX) in aqueous solutions. The micelle diameter increased from 22.9 to 104.9 nm with the increasing PCL block length (2.5-24.7 kDa) in the copolymer composition. Hemolytic studies showed that free DOX caused 11% hemolysis at 200 microg ml(-1), while no hemolysis was detected with DOX-loaded micelles at the same drug concentration. An in vitro study at 37 degrees C demonstrated that DOX-release from micelles at pH 5.0 was much faster than that at pH 7.4. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated that DOX-loaded micelles accumulated mostly in cytoplasm instead of cell nuclei, in contrast to free DOX. Consistent with the in vitro release and CLSM results, a cytotoxicity study demonstrated that DOX-loaded micelles exhibited time-delayed cytotoxicity in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
Perturbation of Nanoparticle on Deformed Microcavity

Here we studied the perturbation of nanoparticles on the resonances in deformed microcavities. Owing to the breaking of rotational symmetry in deformed cavities, the field distributions are not uniform along the cavity boundary and thus result in position dependent perturbation of a single scatterer. Combined with the directional emission of deformed cavities, such perturbation provides the possibility to detect the position of nanoparticle in the far field. Our numerical example shows that a position change of the nanoparticle in 100 nm on the boundary can induce a spectral shift of ~0.02 nm, which can be easily resolved by a conventional spectrometer.
The National Health Study for a New Generation of United States Veterans: Methods for a Large-Scale Study on the Health of Recent Veterans

This article describes the methodology used in the "National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans," a large-scale longitudinal study of the health of 30,000 Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) veterans, and 30,000 veterans who were not deployed to these conflicts. Veterans could participate by mail, online, or through a computer-assisted telephone interview. A medical records review was also conducted to validate responses to the survey. The response rate was 34.3%, with 20,563 surveys accepted. This study underscores the complexity of sampling and studying this population of recent veterans.
Old groundwater in parts of the upper Patapsco aquifer, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Maryland, USA: evidence from radiocarbon, chlorine-36 and helium-4

Apparent groundwater ages along two flow paths in the upper Patapsco aquifer of the Maryland Atlantic Coastal Plain, USA, were estimated using 14C, 36Cl and 4He data. Most of the ages range from modern to about 500 ka, with one sample at 117 km downgradient from the recharge area dated by radiogenic 4He accumulation at more than one Ma. Last glacial maximum (LGM) water was located about 20 km downgradient on the northern flow path, where the radiocarbon age was 21.5 ka, paleorecharge temperatures were 0.5–1.5 °C (a maximum cooling of about 12 °C relative to the modern mean annual temperature of 13 °C), and Cl–, Cl/Br, and stable isotopes of water were minimum. Low recharge temperatures (typically 5–7 °C) indicate that recharge occurred predominantly during glacial periods when coastal heads were lowest due to low sea-level stand. Flow velocities averaged about 1.0 m a–1 in upgradient parts of the upper Patapsco aquifer and decreased from 0.13 to 0.04 m a–1 at 40 and 80 km further downgradient, respectively. This study demonstrates that most water in the upper Patapsco aquifer is non-renewable on human timescales under natural gradients, thus highlighting the importance of effective water-supply management to prolong the resource.
Pseudo-differential operator involving generalized Hankel–Clifford transformation

Pseudo-differential operators (p.d.os) involving generalized Hankel–Clifford transformation associated with the symbol a(x,y) whose derivatives satisfy certain growth condition are defined and the Zemanian type function spaces ℍβ(I) and &#x1d54a;α(I) are introduced. It is shown that p.d.o’s are continuous linear map of the space ℍβ(I) and &#x1d54a;α(I) into itself. Also an Integral representation of p.d.o is obtained.
Inflection and Agreement

The basic principles of Tzotzil agreement are simple: the predicate of a clause agrees with its (final) 1 and 2, and a possessed noun agrees with its genitive. As noted in chapter 1, predicate agreement in Tzotzil is ergative. Central to the agreement system are two sets of affixes, termed sets A and B. Set A marks agreement both with ergatives (subjects of transitive predicates) and genitives, while set B marks agreement with absolutives (subjects of intransitive predicates and direct objects). These affix sets mark person and, in some cases, number. A distinct set of plural suffixes cooccurs with those A and B affixes which do not mark number. Example (1) illustrates agreement with 1,2, and genitive: $$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {L - i - s - maj a - tot.} \\ {cp B1 A3 hit A2 father} \\ {Your{\text{ father hit me}}{\text{.}}} \end{array}$$ (1)
The Political Economy of Religious Revival

This article assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the religious economy approach by applying it to the religious revival across contemporary Russia and China. This comparison shows that the religious economy framework is beneficial in explaining some aspects of the communist and post-communist religious change, including macroeconomic market trends and why some faiths thrive while others fail. However, it has less explanatory power in explaining religious-state relations under market constraints — that is, how religious groups interact with state regulators to survive and grow; the range of options available to religious actors and their payoffs; and the political consequence of this interaction. This article draws on fieldwork in both countries to illustrate the benefits of grounding the religious economy approach more deeply in politics. The political economy of the marketplace reveals how and why religious groups engage the state to survive, and that they are becoming influential political and economic actors.
Extended Production of Insulin by Isolated Rabbit Pancreatic Islets; Evidence for Biosynthesis of Insulin:

SummaryMethods for prolonged primary suspension cultures of rabbit pancreatic islets were established, and incorporation of carbon-14 labeled amino acids into insulin and other proteins was demonstrated.
The June Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee and Certain Questions Concerning Scientific Organization of the Struggle Against Crime

The June Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee posed the question of further intensification of ideological and educational activity, elevation of the educational and cultural level of the people, and struggle against bourgeois ideology. The primary aspects of all our ideological work at present are the training of all working people in the spirit of lofty ideals, devotion to communism, and a communist attitude toward labor and the public economy, the complete overcoming of vestiges of bourgeois attitudes and morality, the rounded and harmonious development of the personality, and the creation of a rich intellectual and moral culture.
Renewing US medical students’ interest in primary care: bridging the role model gap

The number of primary care physicians in the USA continues to decline as the number needed rises. In 2008, office visits to primary care physicians in the USA were estimated to be 462 million, which is greater than 50% of all office visits Americans made; this number is projected to increase 22% to 565 million visits in 2025.1 According to the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there were approximately 209 000 practising primary care physicians in 2010, representing less than one-third of all US physicians involved in direct patient care.2 Additionally, national health care reform via President Obama's 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is expected to expand insurance coverage to over 30 million Americans, leading to an anticipated shortage of more than 65 000 primary care physicians by 2025.3 Newly trained physicians are demonstrating a preference to specialise over choosing primary care careers. Clearly, in order to address the primary care workforce shortage, the US medical education system must make changes. Too few US medical students are choosing to become primary care physicians—which includes family physicians, general internists and general paediatricians. Residency fill rates by US graduates into family medicine fell from 73% to 44% between 1996 and 2008.4 Meanwhile, the number of internal medicine and paediatrics residents practising primary care has dropped sharply. Subspecialisation rates jumped from 52% to 62% for internal medicine, and from 27% to 42% for paediatrics between 1995 and 2005.4 In 2009–2011, only 22% of internal medicine residents planned to pursue primary care careers.5 As of 2012, there has been a small increase in the number of medical students choosing to train in primary care, but there continues to be a greater preference for subspecialties.6 For medical students contemplating primary care, significantly lower income levels compared …
MORTALITY OUTCOMES FOR CATHETER-BASED EMBOLECTOMY FOR TREATMENT OF ACUTE PULMONARY EMBOLISM: A COMPREHENSIVE META-ANALYSIS

Untreated high-risk pulmonary embolism is associated with a high mortality rate. Catheter-based treatment of pulmonary embolism may provide effective immediate treatment without the inherent bleeding risks of systemic thrombolysis, but outcomes data regarding this approach are limited. We searched
Volatile Chemical Germination Stimulators of Rust and Other Fungal Spores

(1992). Volatile Chemical Germination Stimulators of Rust and Other Fungal Spores. Mycologia: Vol. 84, No. 3, pp. 277-288.
Financial Assistance for Graduate Students in Marketing, 1963–1964:

Here is a picture of the financial assistance available during 1963–1964 at leading schools of business throughout the U.S.A. for graduate students in marketing.There were 100 institutions that fur...
Spatial characteristics of early successional habitat across the Upper Great Lakes states

Abstract Creation and management of early successional forest (ESF) is needed to halt and reverse declines of bird species dependent on pioneering plant species or young forests. ESF-dependent bird species require specific structural forest classes and are sensitive to forest age (a surrogate for forest structure), patch size, proximity to patch edges, and the juxtaposition of forest age classes. To date, ESF conservation plans have relied on spatially inexplicit data, lacking patch and landscape metrics, to set habitat goals and to track habitat trends. In a previous study, we used Landsat time series stacks and a vegetation-change-tracker algorithm to track forest canopy disturbances and subsequent regrowth from 1990 to 2009 across the Upper Great Lakes Young Forest Initiative region. Based on canopy disturbance histories, we assigned forest age classes to forest classes of the National Land Cover Database of 2011. In the present study, we used this spatial product to assess areas, patch and edge metrics, and land protection statuses of deciduous-mixed forest and woody wetland age classes. We defined ESF using four 5-year-age classes (1–5, 6–10, 11–15, 16–20 years old) and their aggregate (1–20 years old) whereas forest >20 years old was referred to as ‘persisting’. Aggregated across 5-year-age classes, ESF of deciduous-mixed forest covered 3.4% and 0.9% of Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) 12 (Boreal Hardwood Transition) and 23 (Prairie Hardwood Transition), respectively, whereas woody wetland ESF constituted 1.0% and 0.2% of the same BCRs. For both deciduous-mixed forest and woody wetlands, ESF often occurred in patches ⩾1 ha, but most ESF also occurred near patch edges created by adjacencies with persisting forest. Most ESF fell on lands with an unprotected or unknown protection status regardless of forest class. Regionally, ESF covered less area, occurred in smaller patches and nearer to edges, and more often fell on lands of unprotected or unknown protection status in BCR 23 than in BCR 12. Our results advance ESF conservation by providing insight into spatial characteristics that influence habitat quality and by establishing a baseline for habitat management planning and monitoring.
Improvement of determination of chromium in foods by graphite gurnace atomic absorption spectrometry

[Objective]To improve the national standard method of measuring chromium in food by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.[Methods]After being carbonized,the samples were transferred into a muffle furnace to ash completely.The cooled ash samples were dissolved by concentrated hydrochloric acid,diluted to 25 mL with distilled water and final hydrochloric acid concentration of 3%.Finally,the chromium was detected by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer.[Results] The recovery rates of added standard with five different kinds of samples(corn,peanut,radish,cabbage and chicken) were 95%-105%.By measuring the chromium in certified reference materials,the relative standard deviations(RSD) were 1.8%-5.4% and the results were within the given standard value range.The detection limit of the method was 0.001 mg/kg(sample weight was 2 g).[Conclusion]This method has small background interference,simple steps,feasibility,and good accuracy and precision in determination of chromium in food samples.Therefore,it is very suitable for the determination of chromium in food samples.
Through the Glass Darkly: Ursule Mirouët

In Ursule Mirouet, the reader traipses “Through the Glass Darkly” into the Scenes from Provincial Life. The novel begins with the vision of Levrault-Minoret, a malevolent giant, who unsuccessfully attempts to protect his self-centered, indigenous world from the fast-moving society of his day. He represents the provinces that are different in form and substance from Paris. Despite the attempt to repulse outsiders, readers are now invited to watch the osmotic influences of Paris spread throughout France while building the new capitalistic, industrialized society. Ursule Mirouet’s plot serves as a gateway into the occult, family, and justice. In the course of the Minoret family’s illegitimate efforts to steal Ursule’s inheritance, Balzac also unveils the growing importance of commerce and money.
Abstract 161: Visceral Obesity and Calcific Aortic Valve Disease Is Mediated by S100/Calgranulin

Purpose: Circulating serum levels of human S100/calgranulins have been associated with diabetes, coronary artery disease and increased cardiovascular mortality in clinical studies. To test whether S100/calgranulins are biomarker of inflammation or directly mediate disease, we exploited the fact that mice lack the gene for S100A12, and generated a novel humanized mouse with transgenic expression of human S100/calgrnaulin. Methods: hBAC-S100 mice were generated in C57BL6/J mice by expression of a bacterial artificial chromosome of the human S100/calgranulin gene cluster containing genes and regulatory elements for S100A8/9 and S100A12 (60kb). F3 animals and wild type (WT) control littermate mice were maintained in pathogen free barrier facility with free access to water and regular rodent chow diet and studied at age 1, 3 and 12 months. Results: S100A12 protein is expressed in myeloid circulating blood cells and present in the serum of hBAC-S100 mice (25 ng/ml serum), but was not detected in WT mice. BAC-S100 mice developed normal and showed marked increase in visceral adiposity at 12 months upon DEXA scanning (25% vs 12%, p Conclusion: Circulating myeloid derived human S100/calgranulin is sufficient to induce a sustained inflammatory state and is associated with the development of adiposity, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and aortic valve calcification in chow fed C57BL6 mice.
Surgical Performance in Minimally Invasive Surgery Plus Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation Phase III Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive thrombolytic evacuation of intracerebral hematoma is being investigated in the ongoing phase III clinical trial of Minimally Invasive Surgery plus recombinant Tissue plasminogen activator for Intracerebral hemorrhage Evacuation (MISTIE III). OBJECTIVE To assess the accuracy of catheter placement and efficacy of hematoma evacuation in relation to surgical approach and surgeon experience. METHODS We performed a trial midpoint interim assessment of 123 cases that underwent the surgical procedure. Accuracy of catheter placement was prospectively assessed by the trial Surgical Center based on prearticulated criteria. Hematoma evacuation efficacy was evaluated based on absolute volume reduction, percentage hematoma evacuation, and reaching the target end-of-treatment volume of <15 mL. One of 3 surgical trajectories was used: anterior (A), posterior (B), and lobar (C). Surgeons were classified based on experience with the MISTIE procedure as prequalified, qualified with probation, and fully qualified. RESULTS The average hematoma volume was 49.7 mL (range 20.0-124), and the mean evacuation rate was 71% (range 18.4%-99.8%). First placed catheters were 58% in good position, 28% suboptimal (but suitable to dose), and 14% poor (requiring repositioning). Posterior trajectory (B) was associated with significantly higher rates of poor placement (35%, P = .01). There was no significant difference in catheter placement accuracy among surgeons of varying experience. Hematoma evacuation efficacy was not significantly different among the 3 surgical approaches or different surgeons' experience. CONCLUSION Ongoing surgical education and quality monitoring in MISTIE III have resulted in consistent rates of hematoma evacuation despite technical challenges with the surgical approaches and among surgeons of varying experience.
Approximation of Large-Scale Dynamical Systems: An Overview

Abstract In this talk we will survey methods for the approximation of large-scale dynamical systems. There are two basic families, namely the SVD-based and Krylov-based approximation methods. The former family is based on the singular value decomposition and the second on moment matching. While the former has many desirable properties including an error bound, it cannot be applied to systems of high complexity. The strength of the latter on the other hand, is that it can be implemented iteratively and is thus appropriate for application to high complexity systems. An effort to combine the best attributes of these two families leads to a third class of approximation methods, which will be referred to as SVD/Krylov. The talk will survey these methods and conclude with a new result concerning model reduction with preservation of passivity which is appropriate for application to large-scale circuits arising in VLSI chip performance verification.
Design and Analysis of a W-Band Metasurface-Based Computational Imaging System

We design and numerically analyze a coherent computational imaging system that utilizes a sparse detector array of planar, frequency-diverse, metasurface antennas designed to operate over the $W$ -band frequency range (75–110 GHz). Each of the metasurface antennas consists of a parallel plate waveguide, into which a center coaxial feed is inserted into the lower plate, launching a cylindrical guided wave. A dense array of metamaterial resonators patterned into the upper plate couples energy from the waveguide to free space radiative modes. The resonance frequency of each element, determined by its specific geometry, can be positioned anywhere within the $W$ -band. The geometry of each element is chosen to produce a resonance frequency selected randomly from the $W$ -band. Since a random subset of elements is resonant at any given frequency, the metasurface antenna forms a sequence of spatially diverse radiation patterns as a function of the excitation frequency. We analyze the metasurface aperture as an imaging system, optimizing key parameters relevant to image quality and resolution, including: aperture size; density and quality factor of the metamaterial resonators; number of detectors and their spatial distribution; bandwidth; and the number of frequency samples. A point-spread function analysis is used to compare the metasurface imager with traditional synthetic aperture radar. The singular value spectrum corresponding to the system transfer function and the mean-square-error associated with reconstructed images are both metrics used to characterize the system performance.
Dual-resonator MEMS magnetic sensor with differential amplitude modulation

We report a new Lorentz force magnetic sensor employing a matched pair of silicon micromechanical resonators on the same die. The two resonators are operated as closed-loop oscillators, where the change in oscillation amplitude is used as a measure of the magnetic field strength. The magnetometer, consisting of the two identical oscillators having opposing axes of field sensitivity, produces two similar oscillation amplitudes with nearly identical temperature sensitivities, providing continuous temperature compensation. Differential amplitude modulated (AM) output from the two oscillators reduces the sensor's offset by a factor of 12 to 26 μT, and suppresses the effect of the resonator's temperature coefficient of quality factor (TCQ) on the output, reducing the maximum drift error by a factor of 15 to ±0.49 μT, improving the sensor's bias instability from 86 nT to 26 nT, and increasing the averaging time to reach the bias instability from 1 s to 10 s. With 44-μW power dissipation, the sensor achieves a resolution of 50 nT/√Hz, limited by Brownian noise.
The Champlain Canal as a non-indigenous species corridor

Canals that link previously unconnected drainages remain one of the largely unaddressed vectors of exotic species transfer. Aquatic organisms are generally assumed to pass through canals actively, by passive movement, or mediated by boats; here, we demonstrate that population range extension within canals is also a dispersal mode. Our study was focused on the northern section of the Champlain Canal, which links Lake Champlain (Vermont-New York-Quebec) to the Hudson River. We sampled three dewatered locks in 2008, 2010, and 2011, and the canal channel in 2010 and 2011 using gillnets, minnow traps, electroshocking, hand nets, ichthyoplankton nets, benthic dredge, petit ponar, and hand picking; collections focused on fishes, plants, and molluscs. Secchi disk, dissolved oxygen, and temperature data were collected at the surface and bottom of the canal throughout the sampling period. We collected 43 fish species, one fish hybrid, 29 molluscs, 26 plants, three crayfish species, mudpuppy, and one species of freshwater sponge. Almost half of these species are exotic to one or both of the connected drainages. Among the fishes, evidence of reproduction within the canal was found for over half of the species. Thus, the Champlain Canal is not simply a route for invasions, but is a semi-natural ecosystem with a rich community of self-sustaining species. Canal construction or retro-fitting with barriers that ecologically separate the connected waterways could significantly reduce the threat of aquatic invasions.
Diversity in virtual math teams

Considerable effort has recently been put into the creation of web-accessible digital libraries with a wealth of information that could be used for educational purposes. However, the overwhelming proportion of this effort has been dedicated to developing information storage and retrieval technologies or to compiling collections of documents. Our focus is on developing contexts in which these informational resources can be used for learning by students. In particular, we want to address the question of how to open up digital libraries for collaborative learning.
Microbial diversity and nitrogen‐metabolizing gene abundance in backyard food waste composting systems

AIMS The microbial diversity of backyard compost piles is poorly understood compared to large-scale, highly regulated composting systems. The purpose of this study was the identification of the microbial community composition and associated change over time among three different backyard composting styles. METHODS AND RESULTS Food waste was composted in a household backyard compost bin, a small-scale aerated windrow or a semi-aerated static pile. Samples were obtained from each sequential phase of the composting process for 16s rRNA sequencing and relationships between temperature, moisture and microbial communities were examined. The Bacilli dominated in the early phases of composting then transitioned to Proteobacteria in the later stages. Different bacterial species increased and decreased dramatically in different composting systems and at different phases of the composting process. We performed qPCR to quantify gene abundance of nirS to profile the nitrogen-metabolizing bacteria present in each composting system. Gene abundance of nirS varied with temperature, but peaked during the cooling phase in the aerated windrow. CONCLUSIONS Although the phases of decomposition were not as distinct as large-scale regulated piles, the microbial diversity mirrored the appropriate phases. Interestingly, different backyard composting styles were marked by the predominance of certain bacterial species. In particular, nitrogen-metabolizing bacterial communities peaked in the later stages of decomposition. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY A profile of the compost microbiome yields important clues about how differences in backyard food waste composting systems influence bacterial species that may facilitate or hinder nitrogen metabolism.
Area-array Design Principles

The advancement in silicon device technology with its associated frequency increases is having a major affects across all electronic market segments. These range from basic consumer electronics to high-performance computer and communications systems. As semiconductor ground rules and densities continue to improve, the resulting smaller chips are enabling more and more function to be integrated on an individual die; thus, enabling even smaller and lower cost chips than exist today. These relatively inexpensive parts are finding their way into affordable electronic products such as personal computers, cellular telephones, and palmtop computers.
A study of the value of requesting information from drug manufacturers for systematic reviews; 9 years of experience from the drug effectiveness review project.

Systematic reviews (SRs) depend on comprehensive searches for evidence to provide balanced, accurate results. Requesting published and unpublished studies from pharmaceutical manufacturers has been proposed as a method to engage industry stakeholders and potentially reduce reporting bias. The Drug Effectiveness Review Project (DERP) has been requesting such evidence since 2003; the purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the type and impact of the evidence received. Data from “dossiers” submitted by pharmaceutical manufacturers for a set of 40 SRs conducted for DERP from July 2006 to June 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. Characteristics of data submitted in dossiers, including numbers, types, and characteristics of studies submitted and then included in DERP SRs, were abstracted. Time trends, study quality, publication status, and whether the submission represented a unique study or supplemental data to a published study were assessed. The impact of this evidence on SR conclusions was assessed using dual review. Differences were resolved through a consensus. Over 9 years, 160 dossiers were received, relating to 40 DERP SRs. Out of 7360 studies/datasets submitted, 2.2% (160) were included in a SR. The ratio of submitted-to-included increased over time. Most were unique studies (23% were supplemental data sets), and almost 42% of the studies were unpublished. The majority of the studies were rated fair quality, with 7.3% rated good and 14% rated poor quality by the original SR authors. Considering all literature search sources, 7.2% of all studies included in the 40 SRs came from a dossier, and 16% of dossier studies were included in a meta-analysis. The dossier studies resulted in changes to conclusions in 42% of the SRs. Out of 46 unpublished unique studies included in a SR, 25 (54%) influenced the conclusions in favor of the manufacturers drug, 8% favored a competitor drug, and 40% favored neither. In 92% of cases favoring the manufacturer’s drug, the dossier study was the only evidence for that drug in a specific population or outcome. In SRs conducted for DERP, few studies submitted by pharmaceutical manufacturers were ultimately included in a SR. The included data helped to reduce reporting and publication bias by filling important gaps and in some cases led to altered conclusions.
Pediatric Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Our Experience and a Review of the Literature

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in pediatric patients is less common than in adults. Tall, thin adolescent males are most commonly affected. While clinical guidelines exist for the adult pop...
Pharmacy Student Perceptions of the Entrustable Professional Activities.

Objective. To determine pharmacy students’ perceptions and self-reported preparedness to perform the 15 core entrustable professional activities (EPA) established by the American Association of Col...
Alveolar soft part sarcoma

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare sarcoma that typically arises in the lower extremity in adolescents and young adults between 15 and 40 years of age. Distribution by age and site in adults is shown in Figs. 17.1 and 17.2 for all adult ASPS. In children, a number of cases arise from the tongue and orbit, where it can be confused to some degree with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. ASPS is extremely rare, even at referral centers, which have been hard pressed to identify more than one to two patients a year per center in published series [1–3]. It frequently presents with innumerable small, round metastatic lesions in the lungs and shows a very slow rate of progression, one reason for the late presentation of what is often a primary >10 cm in greatest dimension. Progression is typically slow, but ultimately taking the patient’s life after 10–15 years of metastatic disease. Brain metastases are a particular feature of ASPS, with an incidence at least thrice of that of other sarcomas in one series and documentation in other series [4–7].
Kratom—Pharmacology, Clinical Implications, and Outlook: A Comprehensive Review

Kratom, or Mitragyna, is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia, with unique pharmacological properties. It is commonly consumed by preparing the leaves into decoction or tea, or by grinding them into a powder. Recent evidence has revealed that kratom has physiological effects similar to opioids, including pain relief and euphoria, as well as stimulant properties, which together raise potential concern for dependence and addiction. Moreover, growing evidence suggests that the prevalence of kratom use is increasing in many parts of the world, raising important considerations for healthcare providers. This manuscript will discuss the most current epidemiology, pharmacology, toxicity, and management related to kratom, while seeking to provide a contemporary perspective on the issue and its role in the greater context of the opioid epidemic.
Misinformation Harms During Crises: When The Human And Machine Loops Interact

During humanitarian crises, there is a need for a large amount of information in a short period of time. Such need creates the base for misinformation such as rumors, fake news or hoaxes to spread within and outside the affected community. This results in (mis)information harms that can generate serious short term or long-term consequences. In such situations, there is a need for a joint human-machine effort to mitigate such harms. Computational scientists have created misinformation detection systems and algorithms, while social scientists have examined the roles of involved parties, examined the way misinformation spreads and convinces people. However, there has been no work, to our knowledge, in examining situations when the machine and human interact with each other in the context of misinformation. In order to systematically examine the harms from misinformation, we draw on Activity Theory to suggest a suitable framework. Such a framework enables interactions among the human and machines and their respective loops for the purpose of mitigation of misinformation harms
Is gardening associated with greater happiness of urban residents? A multi-activity, dynamic assessment in the Twin-Cities region, USA

Abstract As cities seek to become more livable and environment-friendly, activities like bicycling, walking, and urban gardening (household and community-gardening) are receiving much attention. However, few field studies have measured well-being of urban gardening, particularly during household gardening. Our study develops protocols to measure emotional well-being (EWB) reported during household gardening, comparing it with other leisure and day-to-day activities. We also explore how gardening EWB varies across gardener type (vegetable vs ornamental), demographics, neighborhood type, and companionship during gardening. Using a recently developed app-based Day Reconstruction Method, EWB was measured across 370 participants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, USA, wherein 118 (32%) reported engaging in household gardening. Innovatively, five measures of EWB were computed for each participant for each activity type: average net affect, average happiness, average meaningfulness, the frequency of experiencing peak positive emotions (happiness and meaningfulness). Among all three average EWB measures, gardening is among the top 5 out of 15 activities assessed, and, is not statistically different from biking, walking and eating out. All four of these activities fall behind other leisure/recreation activities, which ranks first. For frequency of experiencing peak happiness, only other leisure/recreation activities were statistically higher than all the remaining (14) activities. Average net affect of gardening was significantly higher for vegetable gardeners (vs ornamental), for low-income gardeners (vs higher income) and for women. Companionship while gardening at home, race/ethnicity and urban versus suburban location showed no significant difference. Livability and equity considerations based on these EWB findings, and their impacts on urban food plans, are discussed.
Rehabilitation of patients with primary breast cancer: assessing the impact of adjuvant therapy.

During the past decade, the primary treatment of breast cancer has become increasingly complex owing to the use of radiation therapy as an alternative to mastectomy (Fisher et al. 1985; Veronesi et al. 1981) and the more extensive use of adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy (Bonadonna and Valagussa 1987; Lippman 1986, Report from the Breast Cancer Trials Committee 1987). With these changes in primary therapy has come increased participation of the patient in treatment decisions, frequently intensifying the psychologic difficulties she must face (Holland and Rowland 1987; Sinsheimer and Holland 1987). Primary therapy is often protracted and no longer ends with the initial surgery, but continues for an additional 2–3 months if breast conservation therapy is used, with further extension of the period of initial treatment from months to years if adjuvant therapy is used. In addition, adjuvant therapy is now being extended to a larger segment of the population with breast cancer (e.g., treatment of node-negative patients) (Report from the Breast Cancer Trials Committee 1987; Bonadonna et al. 1986). Breast cancer patients currently face a wide range of physical, psychosocial, and economic problems as a consequence of these events.
INFLUENZA VIRAL RNA TRANSCRIPTS SYNTHESIZED IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

ABSTRACT. In influenza virus-infected cells, RNA complementary to virion RNA (complementary RNA or cRNA) constitutes the entirety of the viral mRNA, and thus influenza virus can be classified as a “negative-strand” virus. Viral cRNA contains poly A and a 7mG cap structure, and directs the synthesis of most, if not all, of the virus-specific proteins in wheat germ extracts. Viral cRNA contains internal N 6 mA residues, distinguishing this mRNA from the mRNA's of cytoplasmic viruses. Like virion RNA, the cRNA is segmented, and the size and number of cRNA segments is similar to that of the vRNA segments. The virion-associated transcriptase is capable of synthesizing RNA which possesses some, but not all, of the characteristics of in vivo cRNA. In the presence (but not in the absence) of ApG or GpG, the transcriptase synthesizes RNA which is of the same size as in vivo cRNA, and which contains poly A. No capping or methylation of the RNA has been detected in vitro . The significance of an apparently incomplete virion transcriptase will be discussed.
Value co-creation dimensions and challenges in EHR systems

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are the cornerstone of the healthcare industry. Looking through the combined theoretical lens of value co-creation (VCC) and the relational view, this article...
Field evaluation of vegetation growth in geocell-reinforced unpaved shoulders

Abstract Unpaved shoulders have been commonly used in rural areas due to the consideration of economy and low traffic demand. Unpaved shoulders are often vegetated and have relatively low load carrying capacities. To accommodate temporary heavy truck loads and/or agriculture vehicle loads, geosynthetics, such as geogrid and geocell, have been used as reinforcement to stabilize unpaved shoulders. While the geosynthetic increases the load carrying capacity of the shoulder, it may negatively influence the vegetation that is planted on the shoulder. To investigate the effect of geosynthetic reinforcement on vegetation, outdoor field vegetation tests were conducted in this study. The primary method was to compare the growth of vegetation, mainly perennial ryegrass and tall fescue, on different mixes of surface layers at the same thickness with and without geosynthetic reinforcement. Geocell reinforcement was used in this study. Different base course and topsoil combinations were investigated including: (1) 200-mm thick topsoil; (2) 200-mm thick soil-aggregate mixture (50% aggregate); (3) 50-mm thick topsoil over 150-mm thick soil-aggregate mixture (50% aggregate), and (4) 50-mm thick aggregate over 150-mm thick soil-aggregate mixture (50% aggregate). Each test section was 1.5 m long and 1.5 m wide. During the test, soil moisture content, soil temperature, and precipitation were measured. To evaluate the vegetation growth, grass blade length and population density were recorded periodically. The effect of geocell inclusion on the vegetation was evaluated by comparing the geocell-reinforced sections with the unreinforced sections.
Opportunities in nano-optics for sensing and precision metrology

Transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors are ultrathin thin semiconductors that host a rich suite of photophysical phenomena. Excitons govern light-matter interactions in these 2D semiconductors and are fundamental packets of energy that can be manipulated with external stimuli and nanofabricated environments for next-generation technologies. Using nano-optical spectroscopy techniques to access excitonic physics at extreme length scales, a striking diversity of excitonic phenomena has been identified in these 2D materials, including heterogeneity due to edge states and charge puddles. Our latest findings highlight how strain localizes excitons on length scales that are commensurate with their size due to wrinkling phenomena that are unique to 2D materials. These results demonstrate the potential of monolayer semiconductors to be utilized for nanoscale optoelectronic devices with unique functionalities derived from excitonic physics.
“Can I Not Be Suicidal on a Sunday?”: Understanding Technology-Mediated Pathways to Mental Health Support

Individuals in distress adopt varied pathways in pursuit of care that aligns with their individual needs. Prior work has established that the first resource an individual leverages can influence later care and recovery, but less is understood about how the design of a point of care might interact with subsequent pathways to care. We investigate how the design of the Indian mental health helpline system interacts with complex sociocultural factors to marginalize caller needs. We draw on interviews with 18 helpline stakeholders, including individuals who have engaged with helplines in the past, shedding light on how they navigate both technological and structural barriers in pursuit of relief. Finally, we use a design justice framework rooted in Amartya Sen’s conceptualization of realization-focused justice to discuss implications and present recommendations towards the design of technology-mediated points of mental health support.
Incorporation of post-earthquake fire (PEF) and subsequent aftershock for performance analysis of steel buildings

Abstract The advancements in analysis and design approaches considering the seismic loads have helped safeguard buildings against structural failure and collapse. However, design objectives should also consider the associated effects and performance evaluation incorporating the sequential effects. Improving the performance of buildings at both the asset and community levels is now of major interest in the field of structural engineering. This research addresses the advancement toward this goal by incorporating post-earthquake fire and aftershock to multi-hazard design methodology. A set of mid-rise buildings – 3-, 9-, and 20-story moment resisting steel frames, characteristic of those found in rapidly growing metropolitan areas of US, are selected for the study considering the relative vulnerability to post-earthquake fire. The analyses of the responses are based on advanced finite element simulation methods/techniques and corresponding approaches. ABAQUS/CAE is primarily employed for the simulation and analysis. The effects of fire are thoroughly studied from the literature and considered explicitly, and the analysis is performed for a complete cycle of main shock (full-intensity) –fire- aftershock (reduced intensity) earthquake. The research commences with the investigation of the effects of modeling approach-- using beam element and using solid element with slab, on Post Earthquake Fire (PEF) study of a single room model. At the end of a complete sequence, the model developed using 3D solid elements are found to underestimate the stiffness loss by around 15% compared to those developed using 2D beam elements. The behaviors of selected steel moment resisting frame buildings then simulated with PEF are investigated to quantify the overall performance behavior of the building system. Inter-story Drift Ratio (IDR) and Stiffness Degradation over the complete sequence of events are chosen as the damage measures. The same approach is applied to a real building in California and the performance behavior is studied. All the building systems studied show the significant damages and change in behavior after incorporating the fire and aftershock. In all building sets, the stiffness loss (global) due to mainshock alone (2% to 10% in the cases studied) is very less as compared to the stiffness loss due to fire alone (6% to 15%) and aftershock (10% to 25%) alone.