cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum Calculations on Plant Cell Wall Component Interactions

Density functional theory calculations were performed to assess the relative interaction energies of plant cell wall components: cellulose, xylan, lignin and pectin. Monomeric and tetramer linear molecules were allowed to interact in four different configurations for each pair of compounds. The M05-2X exchange-correlation functional which implicitly accounts for short- and mid-range dispersion was compared against MP2 and RI-MP2 to assess the reliability of the former for modeling van der Waals forces between these PCW components. Solvation effects were examined by modeling the interactions in the gas phase, in explicit H2O, and in polarized continuum models (PCM) of solvation. PCMs were used to represent water, methanol, and chloroform. The results predict the relative ranges of each type of interaction and when specific configurations will be strongly preferred. Structures and energies are useful as a basis for testing classical force fields and as guidance for coarse-grained models of PCWs.
Does This Bag Make Me Look Good? The Impact of Post-Consumption Emotions on Re-Purchase Intention of Counterfeit Luxury Products

Individuals often consume products as a means of expressing themselves to those they interact with. Previous studies demonstrate that consumers use branded products to enhance their self-identity, highlight individuality, and increase social approval. (Geiger-Oneto et al., 2013), which is evident particularly in luxury consumption behavior (Vigneron & Johnson, 1999). As previous studies focused on examining predictors of luxury purchase intention (e.g., Bian & Forsythe, 2012), this study is interested in how consumers' post-purchase emotions influence their intention of re-purchasing a luxury counterfeit. In addition, this study proposes that the effects of goal incongruence on aroused emotions are contingent upon the agent who causes the emotions (i.e., self, others) This study adopts emotion theory and appraisal theories as conceptual framework to examine a study phenomenon of interest. Our findings demonstrated that different post-consumption emotions are generated differently depending on the causation agent. Results, discussion and implications are presented.
Using Soybean Oil to Improve the Durability of Concrete Pavements

One sustainable product that has shown promise in concrete application is commercially available soybean oil emulsion marketed for concrete curing. This paper describes research performed to determine what impacts soybean oil had on concrete and to evaluate the effectiveness as a curing agent. Soybean oil was tested for moisture retention and evaluated surface applied and integrally mixed. Depth of penetration was measured using several application schemes to determine effectiveness in reducing surface permeability. Deicer testing was then performed on straight cement samples and samples with 50% replacement of Portland cement with blast furnace slag. Results indicate that soybean oil substantially reduces moisture loss from fresh concrete and provides greatly improved deicer scaling resistance. For projects looking for more sustainable curing options or those located in environmentally sensitive areas where traditional curing compounds are not allowed, soybean oil may be a viable alternative.
Formulation of a Craig-Bampton Experimental Substructure Using a Transmission Simulator

Recently, a new experimental based substructure formulation was introduced, called Modal Constraint for Fixture and Subsystem (MCFS). This method reduces ill-conditioning by imposing constraints on substructure modal coordinates instead of the physical interface coordinates. The experimental substructure is tested in a free-free configuration, and the interface is exercised by attaching a flexible transmission simulator. An analytical representation of the fixture is then used to subtract its effects from the experimental substructure. The resulting experimental component is entirely modal based, and can be attached in an indirect manner to other substructures using MCFS. In contrast, this work presents a formulation in which the analytical representation of the transmission simulator is in the form of a Craig-Bampton (CB) substructure including fixed-interface modal coordinates and physical interface coordinates. The negative of the analytical representation of the transmission simulator is constrained to the experimental modal model using MCFS by eliminating the fixed-interface modal coordinates. The resulting experimental substructure contains a hybrid set of coordinates, including modal coordinates and the physical interface degrees of freedom, analogous to a CB representation. This new formulation offers the improved conditioning of the MCFS approach, but can be directly connected through the physical interface coordinates to other finite element based substructures.
A philosophy of risk assessment and the law : A case study of the role of philosophy in public policy

Etude du probleme de la regulation des substances toxiques dans l'environnement et sur le lieu de travail, du point de vue de la philosophie morale et de la loi. Mesurant la possibilite d'une science pour l'evaluation des risques cancerigenes, l'A. examine le statut moral de l'exposition d'autrui a des molecules toxiques ou a des polluants, au regard du droit environnemental, du droit constitutionnel et du droit administratif du travail qui font l'objet de debats au sein de la politique publique
Occupational back disability in U.S. Army personnel.

Musculoskeletal disorders represent a prevalent source of outpatient visits, lost work time, hospitalization, and disability in the military. Recent research has identified patterns among military occupations, gender, and musculoskeletal disability. Although back disorders accounted for a high percentage of all cases, little is known about the relationship between job type and disability in soldiers. The present study analyzed 41,750 disability cases to determine (1) prevalence of work-related back disability diagnoses, (2) specific jobs associated with greater risk of back disability, and (3) association among gender, job type, and disability. The results indicate that (1) lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome represent the most prevalent diagnoses for back disability, (2) certain occupations were associated with higher back disability risk, and (3) specific jobs were identified in which females experienced higher rates of back disability than males. The nature of these high-risk jobs, and recent research on work disability factors in U.S. Army soldiers, suggest that a combination of ergonomic and individual/organizational psychosocial factors may play a role in the development, exacerbation, and maintenance of work disability. Future research that identifies specific job factors contributing to increased back disability risk should assist in the development of empirically based work site prevention programs to improve musculoskeletal health and readiness.
HDL Infusion Therapy

Over the last three decades, clinical trials utilizing statins to reduce LDL in high risk patients have resulted in a 30-40% reduction in clinical events [1-6]. However, despite a significant reduction in LDL, many patients continue to have clinical events. The residual risk present in statin treated high risk patients has resulted in the search for additional therapeutic approaches to reduce clinical events. Epidemiological studies have identified HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease [7, 8]. In addition, low HDL-C levels are often present in high risk patients [9], and analyses of clinical trials of statin therapy have indicated that the baseline level of HDL-C is an important determinant of the clinical benefit associated with statin treatment [1, 4, 5]. As a result, focus has now turned to increasing HDL as a potential approach to reduce the residual cardiovascular risk in statin treated patients.
The behavior of cell surface components during cell locomotion: A quantitative approach

The precise mechanism of cell locomotion is poorly understood despite extensive research into this area. The main reason for this is that it is a very complex phenomenon involving many interrelated cellular events. In order to move, a cell must first adhere to the substratum and then generate enough force to drive the cell forward. In addition, sustained movement in a particular direction always requires the polarisation of cells into a ‘front’ and ‘rear’ end. Despite experimental advances and progress in understanding these events, the molecular mechanism of cell locomotion and its control remain largely unknown. The purpose of this article is to describe how the experimental approach to cell locomotion has changed and to illustrate this with examples of recent work in this area from our laboratory.
Efficient Convex Optimization for Linear MPC

MPC formulations with linear dynamics and quadratic objectives can be solved efficiently by using a primal-dual interior-point framework, with complexity proportional to the length of the horizon. An alternative, which is more able to exploit the similarity of the problems that are solved at each decision point of linear MPC, is to use an active-set approach, in which the MPC problem is viewed as a convex quadratic program that is parametrized by the initial state \(x_{0}\). Another alternative is to identify explicitly polyhedral regions of the space occupied by \(x_{0}\) within which the set of active constraints remains constant, and to pre-calculate solution operators on each of these regions. All these approaches are discussed here.
Including animal to plant protein shifts in climate change mitigation policy: a proposed three-step strategy

Strong and rapid greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, far beyond those currently committed to, are required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. This allows no sector to maintain business...
Optimal Incentives to Abandon Investments

This paper formalizes two facts: (i) firms can abandon previously-funded projects, and (ii) managers have private information relevant for the abandonment decision. I show that, because of the abandonment option, it can be optimal to pay managers shut-down bonuses. This counter-intuitive finding is the consequence of managers losing the opportunity to manage abandoned projects, to learn new information, and to receive optimal informational rents. The key implication for executive compensation is that it can be efficient to pay bonuses to "failing" executives. This can mute, and even reverse, the expected positive relationship between optimal executive pay and the firm's performance. I also show that giving golden parachutes to executives of an acquisition target can be efficient, even following the target's poor performance. Finally, I show that regulatory intervention to preclude or restrict "pay-for-failure" limits the ability of firms to downsize, prolonging industry recessions and impeding reallocation of assets toward their most productive use.
Need an Antibiotic? There’s an App for That

* Abbreviations: ARTI — : acute respiratory tract infection DTC — : direct to consumer Antibiotics are the most common medications prescribed to children.1 Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) account for nearly three-fourths of antibiotic prescribing, dominated by syndromes that sometimes warrant antibiotic therapy (such as acute otitis media, acute sinusitis, and pharyngitis) as well as those that do not (such as the common cold, bronchiolitis, and acute bronchitis).2 A large proportion of antibiotic use is inappropriate, either because the wrong drug was given, the drug was prescribed for too long, or the drug should not have been given at all. Each scenario can harm patients through the emergence of antibiotic resistance, adverse drug effects, and disruption of the microbiome. This public health crisis has prompted outpatient antibiotic stewardship interventions, which have been shown to improve prescribing in the primary care setting.3 But there are other ways to get antibiotics. Urgent care and retail clinics have emerged as more convenient options for straightforward acute care, such as for ARTIs. In the era of smartphones, tablets, and high-speed Internet, however, there is an even easier way: direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine. This emerging industry (already with millions of annual consultations) allows 24/7 access to doctors in the comfort of your … Address correspondence to Jeffrey S. Gerber, MD, PhD, Roberts Center for Pediatric Research, Room 10364, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146. E-mail: gerberj{at}chop.edu
Abstract 698: Enhancing apoptosis to improve the therapy ofEGFR-mutant lung cancer

EGFR-TKIs have shown clinical efficacy in EGFR-mutant lung cancer patients, but most of the cases eventually develop resistance to the drugs, including the third-generation EGFR-TKI. Here, we develop a cell death mechanism-based combination strategy to enhance the therapeutic effect of EGFR-TKIs as well as to overcome the acquired resistance to EGFT-TKI in EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Through high-throughput screening of a custom pathway inhibitor library (-1000 drugs), we discovered Aurora kinase inhibitors that synergized with a third-generation EGFR-TKI (AZD9291) to induce apoptosis in EGFR-mutant lung cancer cells. Aurora kinase inhibitors enhanced AZD9291-mediated induction of BIM and PUMA, two important sentinels interconnecting the EGFR signal transduction pathway and the mitochondrial apoptotic machinery BAX and BAK. Combined inhibition of Aurora kinases and EGFR prevented the emergence of EGFR-TKI resistant clones in clonogenic assays. Interestingly, AZD9291 resistant lung cancer cells exhibited greater sensitivity to Aurora kinase inhibitors compared with parental cells. In conclusion, we found that the combination of AZD9291 and Aurora kinase inhibitors synergistically induced BIM and PUMA-mediated apoptosis, which may render a promising strategy to improve the therapy of EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Citation Format: Kosuke Tanaka, Song Han, Yogesh T. Ganesan, James J. Hsieh, Emily H. Cheng. Enhancing apoptosis to improve the therapy of EGFR-mutant lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 698.
Abnormalities in cerebral hemodynamics and changes with surgical intervention in neonates with congenital heart disease.

Abstract Objective To use novel optical techniques to measure perioperative cerebral hemodynamics of diverse congenital heart disease (CHD) groups (two-ventricle, d-transposition of the great arteries [TGA], and single ventricle [SV]) and (1) compare CHD groups with healthy controls preoperatively and (2) compare preoperative and postoperative values within each CHD group. Methods Frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy were used to measure cerebral oxygen saturation, cerebral blood volume, cerebral blood flow index, cerebral oxygen extraction fraction (OEF, calculated using arterial oxygen saturation and cerebral oxygen saturation), and an index of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption in control and CHD neonates. Preoperative CHD measures were compared with controls. Preoperative and postoperative measures were compared within each CHD group. Results In total, 31 CHD neonates (7 two-ventricle, 11 TGA, 13 SV) and 13 controls were included. Only neonates with SV CHD displayed significantly lower preoperative cerebral blood flow index (P Conclusions Differences in cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism were observed in diverse CHD groups compared with controls. Increased OEF appears to be a compensatory mechanism in neonates with TGA and SV. Studies are needed to understand the relationship of these metrics to outcome and their potential to guide interventions to improve outcome.
Evolutionary Medicine – A Great Way to Teach Biology

Great teaching is often all about the questions posed to students. When learners get their teeth into an interesting question, they grow as they chew on it. As physicians, we have discovered that disease makes more sense if you ask evolutionary questions, and these questions make a great starting point for science education. One of Darwin's two main questions was how species are related to each other. His answer was that all organisms have common ancestors. This is the foundation for studies of phylogeny. To teach phylogenetic trees, you can use canids or birds, but students are particularly interested if they are tracing the origins of HIV or tuberculosis, or the history of human traits, such as the appendix. Darwin's other question was about why bodies work so well. His answer was natural selection. The characteristics of individuals who have more offspring than others become more common over the generations. This explains why kidneys, hearts, eyes, and brains are so astoundingly well suited to their purposes. As physicians, we constantly confront a very different question. If natural selection is so …
New dimensions in spirituality, religion, and aging: edited by Vern L. Bengtson and Merril Silverstein, New York, Taylor and Francis, 2019, 293 pp., $39.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-138-61481-9

New Dimensions in Spirituality, Religion, and Aging incorporates, refines, and expands rich longitudinal and cross-disciplinary perspectives often overlooked or devalued. On the one hand, gerontolo...
Alternatives to logistic regression models in experimental studies

Experiments in psychology or education often use logistic regression models (LRMs) when analyzing binary outcomes. However, a challenge with LRMs is that results are generally difficult to understa...
Re-examining decompressive craniectomy medial margin distance from midline as a metric for calculating the risk of post-traumatic hydrocephalus.

Abstract Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a life-saving procedure in severe traumatic brain injury, but is associated with higher rates of post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH). The relationship between the medial craniectomy margin’s proximity to midline and frequency of developing PTH is controversial. The primary study objective was to determine whether average medial craniectomy margin distance from midline was closer to midline in patients who developed PTH after DC for severe TBI compared to patients that did not. The secondary objective was to determine if a threshold distance from midline could be identified, at which the risk of developing PTH increased if the DC was performed closer to midline than this threshold. A retrospective review was performed of 380 patients undergoing DC at a single institution between March 2004 and November 2014. Clinical, operative and demographic variables were collected, including age, sex, DC parameters and occurrence of PTH. Statistical analysis compared mean axial craniectomy margin distance from midline in patients with versus without PTH. Distances from midline were tested as potential thresholds. No significant difference was identified in mean axial craniectomy margin distance from midline in patients developing PTH compared with patients with no PTH (n = 24, 12.8 mm versus n = 356, 16.6 mm respectively, p = 0.086). No significant cutoff distance from midline was identified (n = 212, p = 0.201). This study, the largest to date, was unable to identify a threshold with sufficient discrimination to support clinical recommendations in terms of DC margins with regard to midline, including thresholds reportedly significant in previously published research.
Immune Activation and Microbial Translocation as Prognostic Biomarkers for AIDS-Related Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the AMC-034 Study.

Purpose: AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ARL) is the most common cancer in HIV-infected individuals in the United States and other countries in which HIV-positive persons have access to effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Our prior work showed that pretreatment/postdiagnosis plasma levels of some cytokines, such as IL6, IL10, and CXCL13, have the potential to serve as indicators of clinical response to treatment and survival in ARL. The aims of this study were to identify novel prognostic biomarkers for response to treatment and/or survival in persons with ARL, including biomarkers of microbial translocation and inflammation. Experimental Design: We quantified plasma levels of several biomarkers (sCD14, LBP, FABP2, EndoCab IgM, IL18, CCL2/MCP-1, sCD163, IP-10/CXCL10, TARC/CCL17, TNFα, BAFF/BLyS, sTNFRII, sCD44, and sIL2Rα/sCD25) by multiplexed immunometric assays (Luminex) or ELISA in plasma specimens obtained from ARL patients enrolled in the AMC-034 trial, which compared infusional combination chemotherapy (EPOCH: etoposide, vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone) with concurrent or sequential rituximab. Plasma was collected prior to the initiation of therapy (n = 57) and after treatment initiation (n = 55). Results: We found that several biomarkers decreased significantly after treatment, including TNFα, sCD25, LBP, and TARC (CCL17). Moreover, pretreatment plasma levels of BAFF, sCD14, sTNFRII, and CCL2/MCP-1 were univariately associated with overall survival, and pretreatment levels of BAFF, sTNFRII, and CCL2/MCP-1 were also associated with progression-free survival. Conclusions: Our results suggest that patients with ARL who responded to therapy had lower pretreatment levels of inflammation and microbial translocation as compared with those who did not respond optimally.
Hate crime laws and sexual orientation

This article provides definitions for hate crimes, a summary of national data on hate crime incidents, and descriptions of federal and state hate crime laws. The author presents various arguments in support of and against hate crime laws, and the inclusion of sexual orientation in such laws. The author contends that it is illogical and a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to exclude sexual orientation from hate crime laws. The perpetrators of hate crime incidents, regardess of the target group, have similar motives and perpetrate similar types of assaults; the victims experience similar physical and psychological harm. Excluding a class of persons who are targets of hate crimes denies them equal protection under the law because the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment establishes a fundamental right to equal benefit of laws protecting personal security
The Wheel Abrasion Experiment-how abrasive is the Martian dust?

The Wheel Abrasion Experiment (WAE) is one of the technology experiments on the Mars Pathfinder Rover (Sojourner) which will land and begin operations on the planet Mars in July, 1997. By abrading thin film metallic surfaces on one of Sojourner's wheels, and detecting the resulting changes of reflectivity with a special photovoltaic sensor, WAE will measure the abrasive characteristics of the Martian sand or dust. In this paper, the authors review the purpose of the experiment its general design and functionality, specifics about the wheel design and construction, the ground tests necessary for it to yield meaningful answers and what it might tell us about the surface of Mars for use on future robotic rovers and possible future manned exploration. Ground tests have already revealed the possibility of significant charging on wheeled vehicles in the Martian atmosphere. Further tests may enable the better design of future vehicles for use on Mars.
MMSE interference suppression for joint acquisition and demodulation in CDMA systems

Minimum mean squared error (MMSE) demodulation for direct-sequence CDMA systems eliminates the near-far problem, and can be implemented adaptively (i.e., without explicit knowledge of the parameters of the multiple-access interference), given a training sequence for the desired transmission. However, prior to timing acquisition, the receiver does not know the phase of the training sequence, i.e., it does not know, for a given observation interval, which bit of the training sequence contributes the most signal energy. Conceivably, this timing information could be obtained using conventional acquisition techniques by correlating over long enough intervals and applying enough power control to resolve the near-far problem. In this paper, however, we present an adaptive approach to the problem of near-far resistant joint acquisition and demodulation. Our method is to use a training sequence with a short period P, and run P adaptive algorithms either serially or in parallel, one for each assumed phase of the training sequence. The adaptive algorithm that yields the least mean squared error (MSE) corresponds to the correct phase, and yields in addition an MMSE correlator that can be used for continued training or for decision-directed adaptation. Thus, acquisition results in a near-far resistant demodulator that implicitly accounts for the timings and amplitudes of all the transmissions without explicitly estimating even the timing of the desired signal. We note that a method for joint acquisition and demodulation that does not require a training sequence has also been devised.
Coupling of [Ca2+](i) and ciliary beating in cultured tracheal epithelial cells

The molecular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of ciliary beating frequency (CBF) are only partially characterized. To determine whether elevation of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) can cause an increase in CBF, we measured CBF and Ca2+ in single cells. Ovine tracheal epithelial cells, obtained by dissociation with protease, were grown in primary culture for 1 to 28 days in a mucus-free system. CBF of a single cilium was measured by digital video phase-contrast microscopy and on-line Fourier-transform analysis. Changes in [Ca2+]i from single cells were determined with fura-2, using ratio imaging video microscopy. Activation of a muscarinic pathway with 10 microM ACh (acetylcholine) increased [Ca2+]i from 53 +/- 9 nM (mean +/- s.e.m.) to 146 +/- 12 nM or to 264 +/- 51% above initial baseline. In the same cells, ACh increased CBF from a baseline of 7 +/- 0.5 Hz to 9 +/- 0.2 Hz or to 31 +/- 2.8% above baseline (n = 14). The elevations of both [Ca2+]i and CBF were transient and relaxed back to an elevated plateau (10/14 cells) as long as ACh was present. To elevate [Ca2+]i by mechanisms independent of a G-protein-coupled receptor, we measured [Ca2+]i and CBF of the same cells in extracellular solutions with either 0 Ca2+ (+ 1 mM EGTA) or 10 mM Ca2+. Both signals rose and fell with similar kinetics in response to changing [Ca2+]0, suggesting that changes in [Ca2+]i alone can modulate CBF. In a second independent manipulation, cells were treated with 1 microM thapsigargin, an irreversible inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase. Upon thapsigargin addition, 37 of 42 cells showed a transient [Ca2+]i increase and, as measured in different experiments, 8 of 9 cells showed a transient increase in CBF. Interestingly, application of ACh after cells were treated with thapsigargin produced decreases in both [Ca2+]i and CBF in 8/8 cells. Lastly, after 1–3 days in culture, addition of 10 microM ACh often produced [Ca2+]i oscillations rather than transients in [Ca2+]i. Measurements of CBF in these cells showed frequency modulation of CBF with the same peak-to-peak time interval as the Ca2+ oscillation. These results show that: (1) CBF can be measured from a single cilium and monitored on-line to track changes; (2) CBF and [Ca2+]i can be measured in the same single cell; (3) transient changes in [Ca2+]i (induced by 4 different manipulations) are associated with kinetically similar changes in CBF; and (4) [Ca2+]i oscillations are coupled to frequency modulation of ciliary beating.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Parsimony and the Fisher–Wright debate

In the past five years, there have been a series of papers in the journal Evolution debating the relative significance of two theories of evolution, a neo-Fisherian and a neo-Wrightian theory, where the neo-Fisherians make explicit appeal to parsimony. My aim in this paper is to determine how we can make sense of such an appeal. One interpretation of parsimony takes it that a theory that contains fewer entities or processes, (however we demarcate these) is more parsimonious. On the account that I defend here, parsimony is a ‘local’ virtue. Scientists’ appeals to parsimony are not necessarily an appeal to a theory’s simplicity in the sense of it’s positing fewer mechanisms. Rather, parsimony may be proxy for greater probability or likelihood. I argue that the neo-Fisherians appeal is best understood on this interpretation. And indeed, if we interpret parsimony as either prior probability or likelihood, then we can make better sense of Coyne et al. argument that Wright’s three phase process operates relatively infrequently.
Optical pulse broadening in long fibre waveguides

Abstract As a result of research, the propagation characteristics of optical waveguides are becoming well enough understood for system evaluation. In this paper material and structural properties of the waveguide are related to measurements made on present experimental waveguides. Among the conclusions drawn from this work are that intermodal dispersion provides the dominant pulse broadening contribution but that this has been reduced to the nanosecond region by radial index gradient control. For present source spectral bandwidths, material dispersion is not a major contribution to pulse broadening. Waveguides up to 3 km long can be made with negligible intrinsic mode coupling. This gives rise to the possibility of either internal or external control to increase the information carrying capacity of the waveguide. External control has already been demonstrated. However, additional work is required to make this practical.
Arm and Hand Movement in Children Suspected of Having Autism Spectrum Disorder

The aim of this study was to describe arm and hand movement in children suspected of having autism spectrum disorder (ASD; age range 29–43 months). A videotaped retrospective review of five childre...
Living well and dying faithfully: Christian practices for end-of-life care

Living well and dying faithfully: Christian practices for end-of-life care, edited by John Swinton and Richard Payne, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009, xxiv + 287 pp...
Pneumothorax due to Ball-Valve Obstruction of an Endotracheal Tube in a Mechanically Ventilated Patient

Barotrauma is a well-known complication of mechanical ventilation, thought to be related to alveolar rupture from localized hyperinflation. Mishaps related to endotracheal intubation can lead to barotrauma such as inadvertent intubation of the right mainstem bronchus. In this report, we describe pneumothorax as a consequence of ball-valve occlusion, a previously undescribed endotracheal tube malfunction.
Production of superheated steam from vapor-dominated geothermal reservoirs

Abstract Vapor-dominated geothermal systems such as Larderello, Italy, The Geysers, California, and Matsukawa, Japan yield dry or superheated steam when exploited. Models for these systems are examined along with production data and the thermodynamic properties of water, steam and rock. It is concluded that these systems initially consist of a water and steam filled reservoir, a water-saturated cap rock, and a water or brine-saturated deep reservoir below a water table. Most liquid water in all parts of the system is relatively immobilized in small pores and crevices; steam dominates the large fractures and voids of the reservoir and is the continuous, pressure-controlling phase. With production, the pressure is lowered and the liquid water boils, causing massive transfer of heat from the rock and its eventual drying. Passage of steam through already dried rock produces superheating. After an initial vaporization of liquid water in the reservoir, the decrease in pressure produces increased boiling below the deep water table. With heavy exploitation, boiling extends deeper into hotter rock and the temperature of the steam increases. This model explains most features of the published production behavior of these systems and can be used to guide exploitation policies.
Continuous coherent transient optical processing in a solid.

We report what is to our knowledge the first experimental demonstration of a continuous coherent transient optical processor. A 13-bit pattern was stored as a spectral population grating in the Eu3+-ion ground state in a Eu3+:Y2SiO5 crystal. A 3120-bit data stream was processed continuously, yielding a cross-correlation signal that agreed well with theory. The data stream’s duration exceeded both the absorbing transition’s homogenous transverse dephasing time and upper-state lifetime. This experiment showed that by permanently storing the pattern as a population grating in the absorber’s ground state, coherent transient optical devices provide continuous, real-time data processing capability.
Fracture Behavior of the Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System

Stable crack-growth and fracture-toughness experiments were conducted using precracked specimens machined from LI-900 reusable surface insulation (RSI) tiles of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) at room temperature. Similar fracture experiments were conducted on fracture specimens with preexisting cracks at the interface of the tile and the strain isolation pad (SIP). Stable crack growth was not observed in the LI-900 tile fracture specimens which had a fracture toughness of 12.0 kPa sq rt of m. The intermittent subcritical crack growth at the tile-pad interface of the fracture specimens was attributed to successive local pull-outs due to tensile overload in the LI-900 tile and cannot be characterized by linear elastic fracture mechanics. No subcritical interfacial crack growth was observed in the fracture specimens with densified LI-900 tiles where brittle fracture initiated at an interior point away from the densification.
Phanerozoic ocean cycles and sedimentary-rock-hosted gold ores

The worldwide occurrence of Au ores associated with Phanerozoic strata reveals a bimodal temporal association with either older Paleozoic or younger Mesozoic successions. These strata were deposited mostly in passive-margin environments synchronously with formation of volcanogenic massive-sulfide ores on active margins, during times of high sea level, widespread submarine oceanic volcanism, reduced and, at least locally, sulfidic oceans, and episodes of ocean anoxia. This correspondence of ocean properties and ages of strata that host Au seems beyond coincidence. Cause and effect cannot yet be described with confidence, but beyond the evolution of chemically reduced strata, the reduced oceans may also have been favorable to the enhancement of Au in certain strata that may constitute metallotects of Au.
Where Does All the Money Go? Measuring Effects of Agricultural Policy Transfers on Farm Income: Discussion

written and thought provoking. The article by Alston is intriguing in framing agricultural re search as one of a menu of policy options for transferring income to farmers. Underin vestment in agricultural research?which is all but impossible to explain on social welfare grounds?becomes easier to explain once it is viewed in these political economy terms. As Alston notes, there is significant uncer tainty about whether the beneficiaries of agri cultural research will be producers, consumers, or both; if producers as a whole benefit, who among them will be beneficiaries, when will they benefit, and by how much? One sug gestion for future research is to empirically examine whether these factors can explain differences in agricultural research spending across commodities. Other things equal, Al ston's framework suggests that agricultural commodities with a more stable set of produc ers over time, and commodities where there is less heterogeneity among producers, should be less likely to experience underinvestment in research. The article by Thompson, Mishra, and Dew bre is a valuable contribution to the literature
The seating of one-piece and soldered fixed partial dentures

This laboratory study compared the seating of one-piece castings with that of soldered fixed partial dentures. Two investments were investigated, five American Dental Association type III and five metal ceramic alloy fixed partial dentures were made by using the conventional indirect technique. The investing and casting protocol was designed to produce an ideal fit of the individual complete crown abutments, not the fixed partial denture. Independent seating of each retainer provided a baseline measurement for complete seating and was compared with fixed partial denture seating. Fixed partial dentures were then sectioned and reassembled by soldering twice, using a low- and high-expansion investment. Statistical evaluation identified significant differences between the metals and the techniques. Marginal discrepancies with one-piece casting and lower (0.6%) thermal-expansion soldering were clinically unacceptable. A clinically acceptable fit was obtained with the higher (1%) thermal-expansion soldering investment.
Identification, characterization, and precise mapping of a human gene encoding a novel membrane-spanning protein from the 22q11 region deleted in velo-cardio-facial syndrome

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) and DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) are characterized by a wide spectrum of phenotypes including cleft palate, conotruncal heart defects, and facial dysmorphology. Hemizygosity for a portion of chromosome 22q11 has been detected in 80-85% of VCFS/DGS patients. Using a cDNA selection protocol, we have identified a new gene, TMVCF (transmembrane protein deleted in VCFS), which maps to the deleted interval. The genomic locus is positioned between polymorphic markers D22S944 and D22S941. TMVCF encodes a small protein of 219 amino acids that is predicted to contain two membrane-spanning domains. TMVCF is expressed abundantly in human adult lung, heart, and skeletal muscle, and transcripts can be detected at least as early as Day 9 of mouse development.
The Interaction between Comparative Advertising and Copy Claim Variation

Despite conceptual benefits expressed for comparative advertising, most studies have found it relatively ineffective and lacking credibility. By means of a field experiment, the author explores the...
Green with Envy

Users' computing behavior is very complex, and capturing it fully is a true Grand Challenge. Yet it seems obvious that if we can predict that behavior more accurately, we could design more energy-efficient systems. We must leverage behavioral information in both directions. On one hand, we need to understand how people interact with computers and design software and hardware that make interaction efficient without wasting energy. On the other, we need to motivate changes in human behavior to make more efficient use of current and future systems.
Cybercrime and cyber-security issues associated with China: some economic and institutional considerations

China is linked to cybercrimes of diverse types, scales, motivations and objectives. The Chinese cyberspace thus provides an interesting setting for the study of cybercrimes. In this paper, we first develop typology, classification and characterization of cybercrimes associated with China, which would help us understand modus operandi, structures, profiles and personal characteristics of cybercrime organizations and potential perpetrators, the signature aspects and goals of cybercrimes, the nature and backgrounds of the criminal groups involved, characteristics of potential targets for criminal activities, the nature and extent of the damage inflicted on the victims and the implications to and responses elicited from various actors. We then examine this issue from developmental and international political economy angles. Specifically, we delineate salient features of China's politics, culture, human capital and technological issues from the standpoint of cyber-security and analyze emerging international relations and international trade issues associated with this phenomenon. Our analysis indicates that China's global ambition, the shift in the base of regime legitimacy from MarxLeninism to economic growth, the strong state and weak civil society explain the distinctive pattern of the country's cyber-attack and cyber-security landscapes.
A control analysis of high-performance hybrid electric vehicles

This paper presents a control analysis of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) designed for high-performance applications. Comparisons are made between performance-oriented HEVs and those primarily concerned with fuel economy and efficiency. In order to examine the key differences between these two classes of vehicles, a case study is carried out using a hybrid-electric racer designed and built at Illinois Institute of Technology. Different control strategies are discussed with an accompanying model, as well as simulation and experimental results to support the discussion.
Is Panic Disorder Linked to Cognitive Avoidance of Threatening Information

We used a directed-forgetting paradigm to investigate whether panic disorder patients cognitively avoid threatening information. To determine if hemispheric laterality predicts processing biases in this paradigm, we used dichotic listening methods to ascertain participants' auditory perceptual asymmetry (PA). Panic disorder patients and healthy control participants viewed a series of intermixed threat, positive, and neutral words, each followed by an instruction to either remember the word or forget it. They then performed free recall and recognition tests for all words, irrespective of initial instructions. Directed-forgetting effects occurred equally for all word types: both groups recalled remember-words better than forget-words. Because this task is strongly affected by encoding style, panic patients as a group do not seem to avoid encoding threat cues. However, PA analyses revealed that cognitive avoidance of threat forget-words was significantly associated with greater left hemisphere bias in the control group and nonsignificantly associated with lesser left hemisphere bias in the panic disorder group.
Graph search beyond text: Relational searches in semantic hyperlinked data

We present novel indexing and searching schemes for semantic graphs based on the notion of the i.degrees of a node. The i.degrees allow searches performed on the graph to use “type” and connection information, rather than textual labels, to identify nodes. We aim to identify a network graph (fragment) within a large semantic graph (database). A fragment may represent incomplete information that a researcher has collected on a sub-network of interest. While textual labels might be available, they are highly unreliable, and cannot be used for identification of hidden networks. Since this problem comes from the classically NP-hard problem of identifying isomorphic subgraphs, our algorithms are heuristic.
Activity Patterns of Two Species of Neotropical Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from Costa Rica

ABSTRACT Natural history studies serve as important foundations for future investigations of behavioral ecology and provide biologists with critical information needed for the development of empirical research programs. Relatively little is known about the biology of most species of Neotropical harvestmen in Central America. In this field study, we investigated the activity patterns of two common species Cynorta marginalis (Cosmetidae) and Prionostemma sp. (Sclerosomatidae) in a wet tropical forest in Costa Rica. We used visual encounter surveys along randomly selected transects to compare the relative abundance of these species during morning, afternoon, evening, and late night sampling periods. To generate ethograms, we observed up to three individuals of each species for 10 min along each transect, generating 69 behavioral observations for C. marginalis and 51 for Prionostemma. Both species occupy perches on vegetation and are generally nocturnal with respect to activity. After dusk, individuals of C. ...
Comparison of Stainless Steels for High-Pressure Hydrogen Service

Type 316/316L austenitic stainless steels are considered the benchmark for resistance to hydrogen embrittlement in gaseous hydrogen environments. Type 316/316L alloys are used extensively in handling systems for gaseous hydrogen, which has created engineering basis for its use. This material class, however, is relatively expensive compared to other structural metals including other austenitic stainless steels, thus the hydrogen fuel cell community seeks lower-cost alternatives. Nickel content is an important driver of cost and hydrogen-embrittlement resistance; the cost of austenitic stainless steels is largely determined by nickel content, while high nickel content generally improves resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. These circumstances create the perception that less-expensive grades of austenitic stainless steels are not appropriate for hydrogen service. While other grades of austenitic stainless steels are generally more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, in many cases the hydrogen-affected properties are superior to the properties of materials that are considered acceptable, such as aluminum alloys and A-286 austenitic stainless steel. In this paper, the properties of a variety of austenitic stainless steels are compared with the aim of promoting the consideration of a wider range of austenitic stainless steels to reduce cost and reduce weight of high-pressure components for hydrogen service.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Factors affecting peanut butter preference

A sensory evaluation test with 320 subjects provided information pertinent to the preference of peanut butters. Results of paired preference test indicated that more than half the subjects (59%) preferred the “old fashioned” sample; flavor (aroma and taste) would have to be the primary reason since particle size was nearly the same in the prepared test samples. Chi-square tests of independence showed that the preference for the “old fashioned” sample was dependent on age (P<.05) and sensory attributes of flavor and textural perception (P<.05). Results of the survey showed that 47% of the total responding subjects listed “crunchy” peanut butter as their favorite type. Selection of one’s favorite brand of commercial peanut butter was found to be based primarily on its particle size.
A Felony Has Been Committed in the Operating Room: An Interactive Approach to Annual Competency

Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The program was implemented after the development and standardization of patient information with the guidance from maternal–fetal medicine with two tiers of 15 high-risk conditions. An emphasis of the program design was educating patients about disease processes that affect health and complicate future pregnancies. A computerized system for referral, tracking, and documentation was developed. After a referral is received, education and recommendations are given to the patient postpartum. Follow-up care is provided and a comprehensive summary form is completed. The patient benefits from a cultivated relationship with the navigator who serves as a contact person and as a liaison between providers. The program design complements the continuum of care and identifies high-risk conditions that affect postpartum care, the interconception interval, and subsequent pregnancies. Navigator use in obstetrics can ensure that the high-risk patient has dedicated follow-up care after discharge through preconception.