cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A photo-thermoelectric technique for anisotropic thermal diffusivity characterization of nanowire/nanotube composites

Thermal properties of nanowire and nanotube arrays and their composites formed by deposition in a nanochannel alumina matrix have attracted a great research interest due to possible applications in high efficiency thermoelectric energy conversion and thermal management. A photo-thermoelectric technique was employed recently to perform anisotropic thermal diffusivity measurements in aligned carbon nanotube arrays, nanochannel alumina, and Bi and BiTe nanowire alumina composites. In this technique a thermal wave is produced into the specimen by absorption of laser radiation while the thermal wave is detected using a fast thermoelectric effect at the junction between a sharp wire probe and the sample surface. To allow effective heating and signal detection, additional thin-film layers may need to be deposited onto the samples. However, heat transport through the layers and the thermoelectric probe may affect the thermal transport measurements. This work discusses a heat conduction model that takes these effects into account and can be used to guide the selection of the probe and thin-film materials and thicknesses such that the accuracy of the thermal measurements is minimally affected. The discussion is illustrated with simulation results, calibration experiments, and examples of anisotropic thermal diffusivity characterization in aligned multiwall carbon nanotube arrays.
Vibrational Analysis of 1,2-Dibromopropane and 1,2-Dibromopropane-D6

Abstract Infrared spectra were obtained for 1,2-dibromopropane-d6 in the liquid and in the unannealed and annealed solid states. Vibrational assignments were made for the three conformers of 1,2-dibromopropane and the three conformers of 1,2-dibromopropane-d6 with the aid of normal coordinate calculations. All three possible conformers of CD2BrCDBrCD3 were found to be present in the liquid and unannealed solid, but the PHSHH conformer was absent in the annealed solid.
Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate-to-Lipid Ratios on Growth and Body Composition of Fingerling Channel Catfish

Abstract Eight isonitrogenous, isocaloric semipurified diets were formulated with varying levels of digestible carbohydrate (white dextrin) and lipid (salmon-oil — corn-oil mixture) to determine the effect of each as energy sources for fingerling channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). After an initial 2-wk conditioning period, the experimental diets were fed in triplicate to groups of channel catfish fingerlings weighing 201 ±2 g per 110-liter flow-through aquarium. The diets were fed at a rate of 3% of the total wet weight of fish per day, divided into three equal feedings and adjusted weekly for 9 weeks. At the end of the feeding period no significant differences were observed in the growth rates, feed conversion, protein deposition, or energy retention of fish fed diets containing carbohydrate-to-lipid ratios (CHO:L) of 0.45 to 4.5. The observed effects of dietary CHO:L ratio on liver histology and on liver and carcass composition had no adverse effects on growth rates or feed conversion. These data in...
Cervical Cancer Screening Interventions for U.S. Latinas: A Systematic Review

The high cervical cancer mortality rate among Latinas compared with other ethnic groups in the United States is of major concern. Latina women are almost twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as non-Hispanic white women. To improve Latina cervical cancer screening rates, interventions have been developed and tested. This systematic review was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of such studies. Studies involving both experimental and quasi-experimental designs were located (N = 6), and odds ratios were calculated for screening behavior. The pooled effect of these programs was negligible, and implications are derived from this finding.
Implementing evidence-based practice in the neuroscience intensive care unit.

Background Mechanical ventilation is associated with substantial morbidity in brain-injured patients. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an extubation readiness bundle to decrease duration of mechanical ventilation after brain injury. Methods Objective: To evaluate whether the implementation of an evidence-based care bundle can accelerate extubation readiness in brain-injured patients. Design: Before/after observational study. Setting: Two ICUs in one university hospital in France. Subjects: Brain-injured patients ventilated >24 hours with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤12 and an acutely abnormal brain computerized tomography. Intervention: One year of targeted education focused on a four-element treatment bundle consisting of lung protective ventilation, early enteral nutrition, standardization of antibiotherapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia and a systematic approach to extubation. Measurements: Observational data were recorded prospectively during the pre- and post-intervention periods. The primary endpoint was the duration of mechanical ventilation. Secondary endpoints included ventilator-free days at 28 and 90 days, ICU and 90 day mortality, development of hospital acquired pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome and unplanned or failed extubation. Results The study included 499 patients, 299 in the control phase and 200 in the intervention phase. Admission during the intervention phase was associated with lower mean tidal volume (P < 0.01), higher mean positive end-expiratory pressure levels (P < 0.01), and higher enteral intake in the first 7 days (P = 0.01). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 14.9 ± 11.7 days in the control phase and 12.6 ± 10.3 days in the intervention phase (P = 0.02). The hazard ratio (HR) for extubation was 1.28 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.04 to 1.57; P = 0.02) in the intervention phase. The adjusted HR was 1.40 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.76, P < 0.01) in multivariate analysis and 1.34 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.74, P = 0.02) in a propensity score-adjusted analysis. ICU-free days at day 90 increased from 50 ± 33 in the control phase to 57 ± 29 in the intervention phase (P < 0.01). Mortality at day 90 was 28.4% in the control phase and 23.5% in the intervention phase (P = 0.22). Limitations The major limitations of this work are those inherent in a before-after observational study design. Additionally, the authors do not present a needs assessment to support the design of their quality improvement initiative. Conclusions Targeted education focused on an evidence-based extubation readiness bundle was associated with a reduction in the duration of ventilation in brain-injured patients.
Probing valence electronic wave-packet dynamics by all x-ray stimulated Raman spectroscopy: A simulation study

The femtosecond impulsive stimulated x-ray Raman signal from quinolinol is simulated and analyzed using the doorway-window representation of pump-probe spectroscopy. A valence electronic wave packet prepared by the pump, tuned on resonance with a given core hole, is localized in the vicinity of a selected atom and probed by a window localized on a different atom, selected by the probe pulse. All valence electronic states within the pulse bandwidths can be observed with high spatial and temporal resolution by monitoring the variation of the signal with the delay between the pulses. Natural orbital representation of the reduced single-electron density matrix is used to visualize the dynamics of the valence wave packet, described as a linear combination of determinants made of occupied and unoccupied Kohn-Sham orbitals.
Plant Microfossils and Geology: ABSTRACT

The role of palynology in the exploration for oil is essentially comparable with that of any other branch of paleontology. Advantages and limitations of sporomorphs, algae, miscellaneous protistans of uncertain affinity, and other similar-sized microfossils utilized in palynology as stratigraphic and paleoecologic indicators are briefly reviewed. The economic value of this relatively modern scientific field to the petroleum industry may be increased and hastened by avoiding some of the pitfalls which befell micropaleontology in its earlier years of application. Information should be developed simultaneously on the biology, ecology, and stratigraphy of these organisms. Palynologists now being trained should be encouraged to develop their knowledge of both geologic and biologic fundamentals. Research should be sponsored in industry research laboratories and in private or university laboratories--research which includes studies of the distribution and preservation of sporomorphs in modern sediments; relative significance of living assemblages to other types of organisms; development of methods and programs for mechanical classification of these microfossils and analysis of data; improvement of techniques for separating spores and similar fossils from End_Page 262------------------------------ the rocks; and development of environmental information by the study of the character of preservation, presence of reworked fossils, relative percentages of other organisms, and characteristics of sediments themselves. End_of_Article - Last_Page 263------------
Induction Motor Efficiency Test Methods

Electric motor drives are significant to the overall energy requirements of the country and the world. The majority of these electric motors are squirrel cage induction motors, and it is to the efficiency testing of these motors that this paper is directed. It is essential that motor efficiencies be determined accurately to allow true comparisons to be made between alternate offerings and to assess correctly the motor's share of system energy consumption. IEEE Standard 112, the recognized test procedure in the United States, has recently been revised. This paper presents the revised methods and compares this Test Procedure with IEC 34-2 and JEC-37. Each of these specifications includes a variety of basic methods for determining efficiency based on motor size and availability of test equipment. The National Electrical Manufacturers' Association has recommended the use of IEEE Standard 112, Method B for ac motors of 1-125 hp. Ranking of different methods in order of desirability and practicality of use is presented.
Mutations in the Human λ5/14.1 Gene Result in B Cell Deficiency and Agammaglobulinemia

B cell precursors transiently express a pre–B cell receptor complex consisting of a rearranged mu heavy chain, a surrogate light chain composed of λ5/14.1 and VpreB, and the immunoglobulin (Ig)-associated signal transducing chains, Igα and Igβ. Mutations in the mu heavy chain are associated with a complete failure of B cell development in both humans and mice, whereas mutations in murine λ5 result in a leaky phenotype with detectable humoral responses. In evaluating patients with agammaglobulinemia and markedly reduced numbers of B cells, we identified a boy with mutations on both alleles of the gene for λ5/14.1. The maternal allele carried a premature stop codon in the first exon of λ5/14.1 and the paternal allele demonstrated three basepair substitutions in a 33-basepair sequence in exon 3. The three substitutions correspond to the sequence in the λ5/14.1 pseudogene 16.1 and result in an amino acid substitution at an invariant proline. When expressed in COS cells, the allele carrying the pseudogene sequence resulted in defective folding and secretion of mutant λ5/14.1. These findings indicate that expression of the functional λ5/14.1 is critical for B cell development in the human.
Growth kinetic models for microalgae cultivation: A review

Microalgae-based biofuel has received increasing attention as one of the alternative energy sources because of its many advantages. Cultivation of microalgae is a crucial step for successful applications in the biofuel industry. Growth kinetic models are needed to provide an understanding of microalgal growth so that cultivation conditions can be optimized. This review study aims to provide an overview of the existing growth kinetic models for microalgae cultivation and identify knowledge gaps. The existing models were compiled and organized into three groups: those considering a single substrate factor, a light factor, or multiple factors including both substrate and environment. Three major knowledge gaps were identified in this review. For models considering multiple factors, the trade-off between the complexity of the model structure and the usability of the model must be managed. There is a need for appropriate incorporation of light and temperature in the growth model. This can be accomplished through developing an appropriate expression for temporally varying culture temperature and improving light expressions by considering the light attenuation and variation in sunlight intensity. Lastly, developing a generalized growth model for incorporation of species diversity is necessary for more realistic modeling of actual systems.
Effects of iloperidone, combined with desipramine, on alcohol drinking in the Syrian golden hamster.

Alcohol use disorder in patients with schizophrenia dramatically worsens their clinical course, and few treatment options are available. Clozapine appears to reduce alcohol use in these patients, but its toxicity limits its use. To create a safer clozapine-like drug, we tested whether the antipsychotic iloperidone, a drug that combines a weak dopamine D2 receptor blockade and a potent norepinephrine alpha-2 receptor blockade would reduce alcohol drinking, and whether its effect on alcohol drinking could be increased if combined with an agent to facilitate norepinephrine activity. Syrian golden hamsters (useful animal model for screening drugs that reduce alcohol drinking in patients with schizophrenia) were given free access to water and alcohol (15% v/v) until stable drinking was established. Animals (n = 6-7/group), matched according to alcohol intake, were treated daily with each drug (iloperidone; clozapine; haloperidol; desipramine [norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor]; with idazoxan [norepinephrine alpha-2 receptor antagonist]) or with a two-drug (iloperidone + desipramine; iloperidone + idazoxan) combination for 14 days. Moderate doses of iloperidone (1-5 mg/kg) significantly reduced alcohol drinking (p < 0.05) in the hamster, whereas higher doses (10-20 mg/kg) did not. In addition, 5 mg/kg of iloperidone reduced alcohol drinking to the same extent as clozapine (8 mg/kg), whereas haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg) did not. Moreover, iloperidone's effects were enhanced via the addition of desipramine (3 mg/kg), but not idazoxan (1.5/3 mg/kg). In this animal model, iloperidone decreases alcohol drinking as effectively as clozapine, and desipramine appears to amplify this effect. The data suggest that iloperidone, alone or in combination with desipramine, should be tested in patients with schizophrenia and alcohol use disorder.
The Digital Trial

On October 3, an Italian appeals court overturned Amanda Knox’s murder conviction and ordered her immediate release from prison. In 2009, both Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were found guilty of the 2007 sexual assault and fatal stabbing of Knox’s housemate, Meredith Kercher. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison. She served four years before being released.
HOW DOES CHINA FACE UP TO THE INFLUENCE ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE EXERTED BY SA8000

As more and more European and American multinational purchasers adopt SA8000 as a new standard to sellers,this unknown concept has become more important than before to Chinese enterprises.SA8000,developing on the base of the original labor standard,embodies the social consideration towards the labors and the constraints on employers such as manufacturers and sellers,etc.However,the implementation of this standard will have different influencs in a short time and a long time respectively.The new problems the domestic enterprises facing are whether the increase of cost and decrease of export in a short time can trade back the improvement of national status and the acceptance of global market in a long time,and whether the implementation can indicate national interests and requirements.
Perceptions of competency attainment in clinical dietetics: Academic Plan IV vs. dietetic internships

A national survey of all Plan IV representatives and dietetic internship directors in programs with a general or clinical emphasis was conducted to determine the level of competence in clinical dietetics expected of Plan IV graduates. Dietetic interns were asked to rate themselves on competency attainment at the beginning and near the end of the internship. The ADA's Role Delineation Study for Entry-level Personnel in Clinical Dietetics was used as the basis for the survey questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were returned by 137 Plan IV representatives (54%), 71 dietetic internship directors (75%), and 530 dietetic interns (62%). Highly significant differences were found among the three groups. Plan IV representatives had higher expectations of students than internship directors. Interns consistently rated their competency levels for all responsibilities below those indicated by either group of directors. All three groups indicated that students were better prepared for client-focus responsibilities than for professional or organizational-level responsibilities. Interns' self-ratings suggested that similar amounts of learning occurred in each of the three areas during the internship. Nutrition-related work experience immediately prior to the internship influenced students' perceived competency level at the beginning of the internship, but differences between those students and the ones with other or no work experience were overcome as students neared the end of their internships. For most major responsibilities, the students' perceived levels of competence did not change after the first few months of the internship.
Identification of key amino acid residues responsible for internal and external pH sensitivity of Orai1/STIM1 channels.

Changes of intracellular and extracellular pH are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, in which regulation of the Ca2+ release activated Ca2+ channel (ICRAC) by pH has been implicated. Ca2+ entry mediated by ICRAC has been shown to be regulated by acidic or alkaline pH. Whereas several amino acid residues have been shown to contribute to extracellular pH (pHo) sensitivity, the molecular mechanism for intracellular pH (pHi) sensitivity of Orai1/STIM1 is not fully understood. By investigating a series of mutations, we find that the previously identified residue E106 is responsible for pHo sensitivity when Ca2+ is the charge carrier. Unexpectedly, we identify that the residue E190 is responsible for pHo sensitivity when Na+ is the charge carrier. Furthermore, the intracellular mutant H155F markedly diminishes the response to acidic and alkaline pHi, suggesting that H155 is responsible for pHi sensitivity of Orai1/STIM1. Our results indicate that, whereas H155 is the intracellular pH sensor of Orai1/STIM1, the molecular mechanism of external pH sensitivity varies depending on the permeant cations. As changes of pH are involved in various physiological/pathological functions, Orai/STIM channels may be an important mediator for various physiological and pathological processes associated with acidosis and alkalinization.
Where there is hope, there is life: toward a biology of hope.

Argues the thesis that where there is hope there is life. Grounds this thesis philosophically and theologically, then reviews it from the medical and nursing literature, and illustrates it in a vig...
Max Scheler: Focusing on Rarely Seen Complexities of Phenomenology

In outlines of the history of contemporary European philosophy (1900-) it is a common practice to consider Husserl (1859–1938), Max Scheler (1874–1928), and Heidegger (1889-) as principal founders of phenomenological thought. Indeed, Husserl’s Logische Untersuchungen (1900–01), Scheler’s Der Formalismus in der Ethik und die materiale Wertethik (1913), and Heidegger’s Sein und Zeit (1927) are cornerstones in the development of contemporary German philosophy which have substantially influenced such thinkers as Ortega y Gasset, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, and N. Hartmann, to mention but a few. Ortega’s great admiration for Scheler is well known. N. Hartmann’s Ethik is incomprehensible without Scheler’s ethics of values. Even Heidegger, who only recently spoke of Scheler’s sudden death as an “irreplaceable loss,” gives evidence of significant traces of Schelerian thinking in his Sein und Zeit. Yet, Scheler’s distinguished place in contemporary thought remains somewhat obscure and unacknowledged. Paradoxically, this obscurity is due both to his versatility and his unpolished style, as well as to his almost volcanic temperament, and the multitude of themes with which he deals.
The Case for Complicity-Based Religious Accommodations

In recent years, religious objectors in high-profile religious liberty cases such as Burwell v. Hobby Lobby and Zubik v. Burwell have claimed that government policy would force them to become complicit in the moral wrongdoing of third parties. In their article Conscience Wars: Complicity-Based Conscience Claims in Religion and Politics, 124 Yale L.J. 2516 (2015), Professors Douglas NeJaime and Reva Siegel argue that these complicity-based religious liberty claims should be disfavored. According to their theory, complicity-based claims differ from other religious liberty claims in both "form" and "social logic" because they impose "material" and "dignitary harms" on third parties. This article argues that NeJaime and Siegel's third party harm theory is fundamentally flawed, and that complicity-based religious accommodations are both a traditional and necessary part of the American legal framework. Part I examines past Supreme Court precedent in the area of free exercise and finds significant support for complicity-based accommodations. Part II reevaluates the magnitude and legitimacy of the asserted third party harms, then weighs the inconveniences imposed on third parties against the injuries to religious objectors should accommodations be weakened or withdrawn. Part III contends that culture war conflicts will not be resolved through the elimination of religious accommodations in the complicity context, and proposes a subsidiarity-based alternative to imposing coercive legal penalties on religious objectors.
Nuclear Spin Dissipation in Magnetic Macroscopic Quantum Phenomena

Nuclear spins have turned out to be a major source of dissipation in the macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) and coherence (MQC) of the total moment of a ferromagnetic particle, or of the Neel vector of an antiferromagnetic particle. This paper reviews theoretical calculations of the effect of nuclear spins on these phenomena, and discusses experimental claims to have seen MQC in this light.
Costs of Transforming Established Primary Care Practices to Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs)

Background: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) shows promise for improving care and reducing costs. We sought to reduce the uncertainty regarding the time and cost of PCMH transformation by quantifying the direct costs of transforming 57 practices in a medical group to National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)-recognized Level III PCMHs. Methods: We conducted structured interviews with corporate leaders, and with physicians, practice administrators, and office managers from a representative sample of practices regarding time spent on PCMH transformation and NCQA application, and related purchases. We then developed and sent a survey to all primary care practices (practice-level response rate: initial recognition—44.6%, renewal—35.7%). Direct costs were estimated as time spent multiplied by average hourly wage for the relevant job category, plus observed expenditures. Results: We estimated HealthTexas9 corporate costs for initial NCQA recognition (2010–2012) at $1,508,503; for renewal (2014–2016), $346,617; the Care Coordination resource costs an additional ongoing $390,790/year. A hypothetical 5-physician HealthTexas practice spent another estimated 239.5 hours ($10,669) obtaining, and 110.5 hours ($4,957) renewing, recognition. Conclusion: Centralized PCMH support reduces the burden on practices; however, overall time and cost remains substantial, and should be weighed against the mixed evidence regarding PCMH9s impact on quality and costs of care.
New cross-strain protective influenza vaccine using self-attenuated influenza virus

Live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) are derived from disease-causing pathogens and are effective way for prevention of infectious disease. Classical LAVs are produced experimentally by repeated passaging of a virus in cultured cells, but this method is not always reliable and safe because in some cases, there is a reversion to wild-type virulence. Several methods have been employed to improve them, but the efficacy and safety are still a challenge. In this study, we have developed a self-attenuated RNA virus expressing a functional and mammalian species-specific artificial microRNA. Using influenza virus as a model, we designed an artificial miR-93 cassette for insertion into NS gene segment of influenza viral genome, which produces a specific amiRNA for inhibiting NP gene expression that would result in a virus which is attenuated in mammalian cells. The resulting engineered self-attenuated influenza virus, PR8-amiR-93NP, produced mature and functional artificial microRNA against NP in mammalian cells, but could be propagated at a high yield with the traditional influenza virus production method in embryonated chicken eggs. Furthermore, PR8-amiR-93NP was attenuated by 100 fold in mice compared with its wild-type counterpart. In animal experiments, intranasal vaccination with PR8-amiR-93NP induces antigen-specific antibody responses and protective immunity against heterologous influenza virus strains. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that this self-attenuation approach provides a safe and effective platform for generation of live attenuated influenza vaccine, as a next generation nasal spray influenza vaccine.
Burdens of Proof in Modern Discourse. By Richard H. Gaskins

(1995). Burdens of Proof in Modern Discourse. By Richard H. Gaskins. Argumentation and Advocacy: Vol. 32, SPECIAL ISSUE: ARGUMENTATION AND THE U.S. SENATE, pp. 108-110.
Boundary-Layer Stability — Asymptotic Approaches

The stability of boundary-layer flows and their subsequent transition from a laminar state to a folly turbulent one has been the subject of intense study — theoretically, experimentally, and numerically — for many years. Indeed, hydrodynamic stability has generally been considered to be one of the central problems of fluid dynamics for over a century, and an explanation of boundary-layer stability and transition, in particular, has as yet to be described by a folly rational theory based on first principles, as noted by Reshotko [1], even though substantial progress has been made to this end during the past two decades.
Brace Considerations in PCL Instability and the Multiple Ligament Injured Knee

Knee braces, used both in operative and nonoperative treatment, play an integral role in the management of ligamentous knee injuries. Numerous knee braces are available, varying by design and intention of use. Rehabilitative braces allow protected motion of either newly injured or postoperative knees. Functional braces control normal and abnormal motions caused by a failure of native soft-tissue restraints of the knee.
If Piracy Is the Problem, Is DRM the Answer?

Piracy of digital content is considered a serious problem by content companies. Digital Rights Management is considered a potential solution to this problem. In this paper we study to what degree DRM can live up to this expectation. We conclude that given the current and foreseeable state of technology the content protection features of DRM are not effective at combating piracy.
Chinese Oil Investments in Venezuela: Could the Business Case Work in the Absence of Exogenous Motivators?

Venezuela constitutes a unique case for examining Chinese NOCs’ CSR commitments. Among Latin American oil producers, Venezuela hosts the biggest amount of Chinese investments and was the largest provider of Chinese oil imports. The country’s hydrocarbons sector promised tremendous fortunes for oil companies. In spite of having the strongest presence, Chinese NOCs were found to be least committed to CSR in Venezuela. This worst-case scenario is explained directly by a non-conductive business environment in which CSR in the oil sector is featured by a top-down, paternalistic philosophy. More importantly, Venezuela’s CSR-unfriendly business environment is causally related to, first, its populist oil regulatory regime under which efficiency and transparency gave way to centralization and ominous government control, and, second, an extremely polarized, politicized civil society in which oppositional forces (often critical of oil projects) were often marginalized and co-opted by the socialist government in existential struggles with pro-government forces.
Systemic Corticosteroid and Antibiotic Use in Hospitalized Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation.

Background: Effective inpatient chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation management is critical to appropriately manage health care resources. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obs...
Healthcare Reductions and the “Donut Hole”

Near the end of the Clinton administration, the healthcare provider community was ably demonstrating the negative impact of the reductions enacted under the Balanced Budget Act, and Congress made efforts to moderate reductions by delaying implementation. Just months after Bush II’s inauguration, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, put anti-terrorism initiatives at the top of the legislative agenda, but some healthcare progress was still made. Under the leadership of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, allowing private health insurers to directly compete with Medicare. In 2005, Congress passed the Deficit Reduction Act which continued the BBA delays but also made changes to the Medicaid program. It was followed by the 2006 Tax Relief and Health Care Act which allowed another extension to delay implementation of the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, authorized an increase in Medicare Part B reimbursements for providers, and gave more flexibility to states to adapt and adopt their Medicaid programs to market forces. Near the end of Bush’s second term, the country slid into recession causing many employees to again lose healthcare benefits, bringing the struggles of the uninsured and underinsured back into the spotlight.
Copper associates with differential methylation in placentae from two US birth cohorts

Copper is an essential trace nutrient and an enzymatic cofactor necessary for diverse physiological and biological processes. Copper metabolism is uniquely controlled in the placenta and changes to copper metabolism have been linked with adverse birth outcomes. We investigated associations between patterns of DNA methylation (DNAm; measured at >485 k CpG sites) and copper concentration measured from placentae in two independent mother-infant cohorts: the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS, n = 306) and the Rhode Island Child Health Study (RICHS, n = 141). We identified nine copper-associated differentially methylated regions (DMRs; adjusted P < 0.05) and 15 suggestive CpGs (raw P < 1e-5). One of the most robust variably methylated CpGs associated with the expression of the antioxidant, GSTP1. Our most robust DMR negatively associates with the expression of the zinc-finger gene, ZNF197 (FDR = 4.5e-11). Genes co-expressed with ZNF197, a transcription factor, are enriched for genes that associate with birth weight in RICHS (OR = 2.9, P = 2.6e-6, N = 194), genes that are near a ZNF197 consensus binding motif (OR = 1.34, P = 0.01, N = 194), and for those classified in GO biological processes growth hormone secretion (P = 3.4e-4), multicellular organism growth (P = 3.8e-4), and molecular functions related to lipid biosynthesis (P = 1.9e-4). Further, putative transcriptional targets for ZNF197 include genes involved in copper metabolism and placentation. Our results suggest that copper metabolism is tied to DNAm in the placenta and that copper-associated patterns in DNAm may mediate normal placentation and foetal development.
Design, modeling, and experimental validation of an acoustofluidic platform for nanoscale molecular synthesis and detection.

Microfluidic technologies are increasingly implemented to replace manual methods in biological and biochemical sample processing. We explore the feasibility of an acoustofluidic trap for confinement of microparticle reaction substrates against continuously flowing reagents in chemical synthesis and detection applications. Computational models are used to predict the flow and ultrasonic standing wave fields within two longitudinal standing bulk acoustic wave (LSBAW) microchannels operated in the 0.5–2.0 MHz range. Glass (gLSBAW) and silicon (siLSBAW) pillar arrays comprise trapping structures that augment the local acoustic field, while openings between pillars evenly distribute the flow for uniform exposure of substrates to reagents. Frequency spectra (acoustic energy density Eac vs frequency) and model-predicted pressure fields are used to identify longitudinal resonances with pressure minima in bands oriented perpendicular to the inflow direction. Polymeric and glass particles (10- and 20-µm diameter polystyrene beads, 6 µm hollow glass spheres, and 5 µm porous silica microparticles) are confined within acoustic traps operated at longitudinal first and second half-wavelength resonant frequencies (f1,E = 575 kHz, gLSBAW; f1,E = 666 kHz; and f2,E = 1.278 MHz, siLSBAW) as reagents are introduced at 5–10 µl min−1. Anisotropic silicon etched traps are found to improve augmentation of the acoustic pressure field without reducing the volumetric throughput. Finally, in-channel synthesis of a double-labeled antibody conjugate on ultrasound-confined porous silica microparticles demonstrates the feasibility of the LSBAW platform for synthesis and detection. The results provide a computational and experimental framework for continued advancement of the LSBAW platform for other synthetic processes and molecular detection applications.
An Analytical Solution of Electromagnetic Radiation of a Vertical Dipole Over a Layered Half-Space

An analytical solution for the wave scattering generated by a vertical dipole above horizontally stratified media is proposed. The solution to the problem is given in terms of 2-D Fourier transforms, which leads to Sommerfeld-type integrals. The solution is decomposed into three terms and an analytical closed-form solution as a function of physical layers specification for the electric field intensity is deduced from the results. Two terms are expressed with hyperbolic functions and the third term is presented using the Gauss error function. A numerical evaluation of the integrals that constitute the formal result of the problem validates the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed solution at various frequencies as well as at different distances from the source. The presented solution is also implemented for the particular case of surface ocean scattering in the high frequency (HF) band and the overall behavior of the solution, which consists of three terms, is evaluated by their distance from the antenna in the near field and far-field regions.
Fördert Spiritualität die Gesundheit von Fachkräften in Kitas

Kann Spiritualitat Gesundheit erhalten? Psychologische und religionspsychologische Indizien sprechen dafur. Allerdings hangt es von der Art der Spiritualitat ebenso ab wie vom Gesundheits- und Professionsverstandnis. Beides wird geklart und auf Spiritualitat in Kindertageseinrichtungen bezogen, um abschliesend Perspektiven aufzuzeigen.
Chapter II.7 – Wound Healing

Publisher Summary Wound healing complications, such as nonhealing wounds, excessive scar tissue formation, or loss of tissue function, represent a major clinical issue in today's health care. Wound healing is a complex process involving a number of types of cellular and molecular events over many months. Because of severe tissue injury, blood vessels are disrupted, leading to coagulation and platelet aggregation and degranulation. The fibrin-rich clot that results serves to achieve hemostasis over the short term, and acts as a provisional matrix for cell migration and attachment over the longer term. Platelet degranulation is also a rich source for growth factors that stimulate the healing process. Tissue-engineering and biomaterials approaches may be useful for the treatment of many of these wound-healing complications. Some of the goals of such approaches may be to increase the rate of tissue regeneration, support and guide tissue regeneration to improve function of the healed tissue, or provide barriers to scar tissue formation.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Survival Among Women Diagnosed with Invasive Cancer of the Anal Canal: an Analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Data.

To identify differences in survival among women diagnosed with cancer of the anal canal from varying racial and ethnic backgrounds. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry between the years of 1975 and 2016 were analyzed, which included 19,048 women with cancer of the anal canal. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression (HRs) was performed to examine the relative risk of dying among women with anal cancer. Multivariable odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to examine odds of highly fatal disease (death within 12 months from diagnosis). Non-Hispanic Black women (n = 1694) had greater risk of dying when compared with non-Hispanic White women (n = 15,821) with anal cancer (HR = 1.26, CI: 1.17–1.35), independent of other prognostic indicators. Stratifying by age at diagnosis, risk of death was highest for non-Hispanic Black women diagnosed younger than age 50 years compared with non-Hispanic White women of similar age (HR = 1.60, CI: 1.34–1.89), and lowest for Hispanic women (n = 1533) older than 74 years at diagnosis (HR = 0.80, CI: 0.69–0.92). Stratifying by stage at diagnosis, disparities were not observed. When comparing across years of diagnoses, non-Hispanic Black women consistently had poorer survival compared with non-Hispanic White women diagnosed in the same year intervals. Finally, non-Hispanic Black women had greater odds of highly fatal disease (OR = 1.23, CI: 1.08–1.40) compared with non-Hispanic White women. Non-Hispanic Black women with anal cancer continue to experience poorer survival compared with non-Hispanic White women, whereas disparities were not identified for Hispanic women.
Cooled Radiofrequency Genicular Neurotomy

Knee osteoarthritis, a chronic degenerative condition, can be a debilitating and limiting process with affected patients presenting with symptoms such as pain, restrictive range of motion, and swelling. This condition commonly afflicts millions of people with a higher incidence among the elderly that results from chronic mechanical repetitive loading. The treatment of pain generating conditions such as arthritis in large joints is complex requiring interventions of varying focuses such as weight loss, anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid, hyaluronic and viscosupplementation injections, and prescription opioids. A gap in the treatment options of this ailment currently exists between short term pain solutions and surgical approaches such as total knee arthroplasty that may offer longer pain relief. Cooled radiofrequency ablation is an emerging technique that offers a minimally invasive alternative for treating knee pain with a clinical relevance in patients who are not surgical candidates due to coexistent medical comorbidities or those who are undesiring of surgery. This procedure uses radiofrequency ablation that blocks genicular nerves from transmitting knee pain signals to the brain. Further research will allow the application of this technique to treat other sensory nerves in large joints such as the hip and shoulder.
Evidence of Buried Junction in CdSeTe Absorbers

The introduction of Se induced band gap gradients have been shown to be a promising path for improving CdTe devices. Controlling maximum selenium concentration during deposition should allow for better device performance. In this work electron beam induced current maps were measured for CdSeTe/CdTe devices with as-grown selenium concentration between 0 and 20 percent. Results show a collection profile which has not been seen before in similar devices. EBIC results and several interpretations are presented.
Calf Vein Thrombosis Outcomes Comparing Anticoagulation and Serial Ultrasound Imaging Management Strategies.

Abstract Objective To compare outcomes among patients with calf deep vein thrombosis (DVT) stratified by management strategy because distal or calf DVT is said to have low rates of propagation, embolization, and recurrence and, as such, guideline recommendations include provisions for serial imaging without treatment. Patients and Methods Consecutive patients with ultrasound-confirmed acute DVT involving the calf veins (January 1, 2016, to August 1, 2018) were identified by scrutinizing the Gonda Vascular Center Ultrasound database. Patients were segregated into 2 categories depending on management strategy; anticoagulation vs serial surveillance ultrasound without anticoagulation. Outcomes including venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, bleeding, death, and net clinical benefit were compared by treatment strategy. Results There were 483 patients with calf DVT identified; 399 were treated with anticoagulation therapy and 84 were managed with surveillance ultrasound. Patients in the surveillance group were older (70.0±13.9 vs 63.0±14.9 years; P Conclusion Patients with calf DVT treated with anticoagulants had significantly better outcomes compared with those managed by a strategy of serial ultrasound surveillance without increasing bleeding outcomes.
Prophylactic Drainage after Appendectomy for Perforated Appendicitis in Adults: A Post Hoc Analysis of an EAST Multi-Center Study

Background: We sought to assess the efficacy of prophylactic abdominal drainage to prevent complications after appendectomy for perforated appendicitis. Methods: In this post hoc analysis of a pros...
Youth identities and affinities on the move: using a transliteracies framework to critique digital dichotomies

A number of literacy theorists have worked to describe what is new and different about youth enactments of literacy in the digital age. In doing so, many invoke “digital dichotomies,” or opposition...
Portkey: Adaptive Key-Value Placement over Dynamic Edge Networks

Owing to a need for low latency data accesses, emerging IoT and mobile applications commonly require distributed data stores (e.g., key-value or KV stores) to operate entirely at the network's edge. Unfortunately, existing KV stores employ randomized data placement policies (e.g., consistent hashing) that ignore the client mobility and resulting variance in client-server latencies that are inherent to edge applications---the effect is largely suboptimal and inefficient data placement. We present Portkey, a distributed KV store that dynamically adapts data placement according to time-varying client mobility and data access patterns. The key insight with Portkey is to lean into the inherent mobility and prioritize rapid but approximate placement decisions over delayed optimal ones. Doing so enables the efficient tracking of client-server latencies despite edge resource constraints, and the use of greedy placement heuristics that are self-correcting over short timescales. Results with a realistic autonomous vehicle dataset and two small-scale deployments reveal that Portkey reduces average and tail request latency by 21-82% and 26-77% compared to existing placement strategies.
Metabolic Control by the Cyclic Cascade Mechanism: a Study of E. coli Glutamine Synthetase

The cyclic cascade model was developed through detailed studies on the regulation of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase. This enzyme catalyses the biosynthesis of glutamine and since the amide nitrogen atom of glutamine is a preferred nitrogen source for the biosynthesis of virtually all amino acids, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, NAD and glucosamine-6-phosphate, it is rigorously regulated in bacteria which synthesize their own amino acids. [For reviews, see Stadtman & Ginsburg (1974), Stadtman & Chock (1978), Chock et al., (1980), Rhee et al., (1985).]
Ascorbic acid prolongs the viability and stability of isolated perfused lungs: A mechanistic study using 31P and hyperpolarized 13C nuclear magnetic resonance.

Abstract Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has recently shown promise as a means of more accurately gauging the health of lung grafts and improving graft performance post-transplant. However, reperfusion of ischemic lung promotes the depletion of high-energy compounds and a progressive loss of normal mitochondrial function, and it remains unclear how and to what extent the EVLP approach contributes to this metabolic decline. Although ascorbate has been used to mitigate the effects of ischemia–reperfusion injury, the nature of its effects during EVLP are also not clear. To address these uncertainties, this study monitored the energy status of lungs during EVLP and after the administration of ascorbate using 31 P and hyperpolarized 13 C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). Our experiments demonstrated that the oxidative phosphorylation capacity and pyruvate dehydrogenase flux of lungs decline during ex vivo perfusion. The addition of ascorbate to the perfusate prolonged lung viability by 80% and increased the hyperpolarized 13 C bicarbonate signal by a factor of 2.7. The effect of ascorbate is apparently due not to its antioxidant quality but rather to its ability to energize cellular respiration given that it increased the lung’s energy charge significantly, whereas other antioxidants (glutathione and α-lipoic acid) did not alter energy metabolism. During ascorbate administration, inhibition of mitochondrial complex I with rotenone depressed energy charge and shifted the metabolic state of the lung toward glycolysis; reenergizing the electron transport chain with TMPD ( N,N,N',N' -tetramethyl- p -phenylenediamine) recovered metabolic activity. This indicates that ascorbate slows the decline of the ex vivo perfused lung’s mitochondrial activity through an independent interaction with the electron transport chain complexes.
Spontaneous transfer of lipids between membranes.

Lipid transfer between different biological surfaces was first observed many years ago (Hahn and Hevesy, 1939a,b; Hagerman and Gould, 1951). Since those early observations, several different types of lipid transfer have been discerned: (1) lipid transfer mediated by soluble proteins; (2) lipid transfer due to vesicle budding from one membrane followed by fusion with a target membrane; and (3) lipid transfer that occurs spontaneously either by lipid monomer diffusion through the aqueous medium or by transient contact following intervesicular collisions. Although types (1) and (2) have been the subject of several reviews (Spener and Wirtz, 1985; Wirtz et al., 1986; Helmkamp, 1986; Sleight, 1987; Dawidowicz, 1987a), far less attention has been devoted to spontaneous lipid transfer. In the recent reviews in which spontaneous lipid transfer has been discussed, the coverage usually has been focused on cholesterol and/or phospholipids (Lange, 1986; Sleight, 1987; Dawidowicz, 1987b; Phillips et al., 1987). This review will be devoted primarily to spontaneous lipid transfer as it occurs between membranes and will include several different lipids.