cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TOP‐DOWN CONTROL OF SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA PRODUCTION BY PERIWINKLE GRAZING IN A VIRGINIA SALT MARSH

Top-down forces, such as grazing and predation, have long been thought to be unimportant in controlling plant growth in salt marshes. Instead, bottom-up forces, such as porewater ammonium and oxygen availability, are thought to be the primary regulating factors. In the field, we observed the periwinkle, Littoraria irrorata, grazing on live saltmarsh cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora. To examine the relative importance of periwinkle grazing and nutrient availability in controlling marsh grass growth, we manipulated snail and nitrogen levels in a season-long field experiment in a Virginia salt marsh. Snails differentially affected plant growth at varying nitrogen levels. In unfertilized plots, snail removal increased S. alterniflora aboveground production by 38%, whereas in nitrogen addition plots, snail removal increased cordgrass growth by 78%. Snail addition decreased aboveground production by 51% in unfertilized stands, while in fertilized stands, snail addition led to even greater reductions (66%). By comparison, nitrogen addition increased S. alterniflora production by 443% in snail removal treatments, while in controls and snail addition treatments, fertilization effects were dampened significantly, as nitrogen enrichment increased marsh grass growth by 322% and 189%, respectively. Feeding assays examining the rate at which snails ingested live S. alterniflora revealed that snail consumption alone could not be responsible for these large biomass reductions. Experimental results suggest that grazer-induced defoliation and grazer control of plant demand for nitrogen fertilizer were the likely mechanisms involved. A survey of salt marshes from Maryland to Georgia showed that periwinkle grazing on live S. alterniflora is widespread. Our results show that L. irrorata can exert strong top-down control of S. alterniflora production, and that this effect increases with increasing nitrogen avaliability. Together, these findings question the widely accepted notion that grazers play a relatively unimportant role in the salt marsh community.
Patterns of personal and social adjustment among sport-involved and noninvolved urban middle-school children.

This article examines patterns of adjustment among urban middle-school children as a function of involvement in organized team sports. Four hundred twenty-three seventh-grade students (216 boys and 207 girls) reported on their involvement in sport, self-esteem, delinquent activity, and drug use during the year preceding the survey. Physical education teachers rated social competence, shyness/withdrawal, and disinhibition/aggression. Compared with noninvolved children, sport-involved youth reported higher self-esteem and were rated by teachers as more socially competent and less shy and withdrawn. Sport-involved youth, including those in contact sports, were not rated as more aggressive than noninvolved children. And though sport-involved youth reported a slightly broader range of delinquent activities than noninvolved youth, sport-involved boys were actually less likely than noninvolved boys to have experimented with marijuana.
Communications services for real-time multimedia office applications

Multimedia applications, such as computer-based conferencing systems, require the use of communications services providing low transmission delays and the integration of various media. The needs of real-time multimedia applications within the office environment are analyzed. The needs of multimedia conferencing systems and image browsing applications are considered. The analysis is done by taking into account the use of current computer technologies and advanced public communications services. In particular, the use of available communications facilities, i.e., T1 links and frame-relaying packet mode services is analyzed. The main objective is to define system configurations for supporting real-time multimedia office applications making use of public communications services. >
The relationship between patient–provider communication and quality of life for children with asthma and their caregivers

AbstractObjective: This study examined whether patient–provider communication is associated with asthma-related quality of life (QOL) and asthma outcomes among children with asthma and their caregivers. Methods: Children ages 8–16 years with asthma and their caregivers (n = 296) were recruited at five pediatric practices in North Carolina. Children and caregivers reported demographic and clinical characteristics immediately after an audio-taped medical visit with their health care provider. During a home visit that took place 1 month after the medical visit, children and caregivers reported asthma-related QOL, and caregivers reported child asthma outcomes, including asthma symptom days and missed school days. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine whether patient–provider communication during the medical visit was associated with child and caregiver QOL and child asthma outcomes 1 month later. Results: On average, providers asked caregivers 4.5 questions and asked children 3 questions per...
Nonlinear system identification in impulsive environments

Nonlinear system identification has been studied under the assumption that the noise has finite second and higher order statistics. In many practical applications, impulsive measurement noise severely weakens the effectiveness of conventional methods. In this paper, /spl alpha/-stable noise is used as a noise model. In such case, the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion is no longer an appropriate metric for estimation error due to the lack of finite second-order statistics of the noise. Therefore, we adopt minimum dispersion criterion, which in turn leads to the adaptive least mean pth power (LMP) algorithm. It is shown that the LMP algorithm under the /spl alpha/-stable noise model converges as long as the step size satisfies certain conditions. The effect of p on the performance is also investigated. Compared with conventional methods, the proposed method is more robust to impulsive noise and has better performance.
Modeling Nonlinear Dependencies in Natural Images using Mixture of Laplacian Distribution

Capturing dependencies in images in an unsupervised manner is important for many image processing applications. We propose a new method for capturing nonlinear dependencies in images of natural scenes. This method is an extension of the linear Independent Component Analysis (ICA) method by building a hierarchical model based on ICA and mixture of Laplacian distribution. The model parameters are learned via an EM algorithm and it can accurately capture variance correlation and other high order structures in a simple manner. We visualize the learned variance structure and demonstrate applications to image segmentation and denoising.
Go at Google

The Go programming language was conceived in late 2007 as an answer to some of the problems we were seeing developing software infrastructure at Google. The computing landscape today is almost unrelated to the environment in which the languages being used, mostly C++, Java, and Python, had been created. The problems introduced by multicore processors, networked systems, massive computation clusters, and the web programming model were being worked around rather than addressed head-on. Moreover, the scale has changed: today's server programs comprise tens of millions of lines of code, are worked on by hundreds or even thousands of programmers, and are updated literally every day. To make matters worse, build times, even on large compilation clusters, have stretched to many minutes, even hours.Go was designed and developed to make working in this environment more productive. Besides its better-known aspects such as built-in concurrency and garbage collection, Go's design considerations include rigorous dependency management, the adaptability of software architecture as systems grow, and robustness across the boundaries between components.This talk will explain how these issues were addressed while building an efficient, compiled programming language that feels lightweight and pleasant. Examples and explanations will be taken from the real-world problems faced at Google.
THE PECTORAL GIRDLE AND FORELIMB OF THE PRIMITIVE THERIZINOSAUROID FALCARIUS UTAHENSIS (THEROPODA, MANIRAPTORA): ANALYZING EVOLUTIONARY TRENDS WITHIN THERIZINOSAUROIDEA

ABSTRACT The recent discovery of a dense, paucispecific bonebed from the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation, central Utah, has yielded new information on the morphology and evolution of therizinosaurs. Detailed description of the pectoral girdle and forelimb of Falcarius utahensis—the predominant taxon recovered from this site—provides the basis for a species-level, phylogenetic investigation of this enigmatic group. The analysis, consisting of 32 characters arrayed among 13 taxa, supports previous assertions that Falcarius represents the basal-most known member of the clade. The analysis further supports a monophyletic Therizinosauroidea on the basis of seven unambiguous synapomorphies of the pectoral girdle and forelimb. Contrary to previous hypotheses, analysis of the pectoral girdle and forelimb suggests that Therizinosauridae is more appropriately defined as a derived clade including Nothronychus, Erlicosaurus, Neimongosaurus, Therizinosaurus, and Segnosaurus. Equally strong support is recover...
Looking at Everything in Context

The database eld has increasingly broadened past carefully controlled, closed-world data, to consider the much more complex space of data resources on the Web. In this area of \open" Web and contributed data, there are vast quantities of raw data | but there is a limited understanding about real or realistic usage scenarios and problems. In turn, this has made it dicult to assess the eectiveness of data integration and structured search techniques. To take the next step, data integration researchers need to pool their resources around a small number of cloud-hosted \hub" applications with real users, to gain access to the sorts of workload-driven evaluations that are only possible in industry today. We present our early work on the Habitat system, an extensible data hosting and management platform for evaluating integration techniques in situ. We describe an initial deployment in a neuroscience setting, including \midterm" lessons learned in building the platform and community. We conclude with a set of research challenges that we believe will be instrumental in accelerating open data integration.
How the Secure Use of Technology Could Influence Travel to and from School for Elementary School-Aged Children

A child’s ability or opportunity to walk or bicycle to school is determined by his or her parents who must weigh a number of different factors in this decision. For this study, the concerns expressed by parents were evaluated along with exploring possible technological solutions that could be used to address these concerns and to guide policy decisions. Data were collected over a six-month period utilizing an online survey sent to parents of elementary school-aged children in Idaho. The findings suggest that parents’ primary concerns regarding school safety included: distance to school, the possibility of a traffic and pedestrian accident, and child abduction by strangers. Parents were most comfortable with minimally to moderately invasive technological solutions including phone calls if students did not arrive in school, established checkpoints for students to pass en route to school, live streaming videos in the classroom, and GPS tracking of their child’s backpack.
The kinetics of the reaction between antibody and bovine serum albumin using the Farr method.

Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service. sulin are separated on the basis of a differential mobility in paper. A small number of kinetic experiments utilizing the Farr method were reported previously by Farr (1) and by the author (7-9). The present paper represents a more extensive experience with the method and compares the equilibrium constants obtained from kinetic studies
Factors related to growth of psittacosis virus strain 6BC. III. Uracil and related compounds.

SummaryThiouracil inhibited the growth of psittacosis virus (6BC) in tissue cultures at concentrations which had no obvious toxic effects on the host tissues. In tolerated amounts 6-methylthiouracil, 6-methyluracil, diazouracil, and uracil had no effect on virus growth. These experiments suggest that some aspect of the intracellular metabolism of uracil is essential for the multiplication of psittacosis virus (6BC).
Low-country lessons.

From five proud southern women, I learned a few things about nursing that my textbooks didn't cover.
The Origin, Morphology, and Innervation of Aphid Stylets (Homoptera)

Two axons are identified in each mandibular canal of the aphid, a condition which had been predicted almost since the turn of the century. The identification of previously unknown stylet ultrastructures permits proposal of a “one cell-one stylet” theory of origin which may apply to all insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. The functions of some of these ultrastructures are discussed.
Behavioral Skills Training to Improve the Abduction-Prevention Skills of Children with Autism.

A concurrent multiple baseline across participants design evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on abduction-prevention skills of four children with autism. Across phases, confederates presented four types of abduction lures: (a) simple requests, (b) appeals to authority, (c) assistance requests, and (d) incentives. During baseline, lures resulted in children leaving with confederate strangers. During intervention, BST targeted a three-step response (i.e., refuse, move away, and report) and the abduction-prevention skills of all participants improved. Improvements generalized to novel settings and confederates and were maintained at 4 weeks. There is currently limited research on abduction-prevention pertaining to individuals with ASD. BST can be used to teach abduction-prevention skills to individuals with ASD. BST can be effective at teaching appropriate responses to multiple types of abduction lures. The effects of BST on multiple responses to multiple types of lures can generalize across settings and people and maintain over time.
Thyroid hormones in human follicular fluid and thyroid hormone receptors in human granulosa cells

Objective To demonstrate the presence of thyroid hormone in human follicular fluid (FF) and the binding of antithyroid hormone antibodies in human granulosa cells (GCs). Design Follicular fluids and GCs collected from women undergoing oocyte retrieval after superovulation. Setting In Vitro Fertilization-America/Allegheny General Hospital and Reproductive Sciences Research Laboratories, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Medical College of Pennsylvania/Allegheny Campus. Main Outcome Measures Follicular fluid levels of triiodothyronine (T 3 ) determined by a microparticle enzyme immunoassay and FF levels of thyroxine (T 4 ) determined by a fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Three anti-thyroid receptor antibodies were used to determine the presence of thyroid receptor. The binding of these antibodies in GCs was assessed by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Results Both T 3 and T 4 were present in the FF of eight patients studied. A large majority of the samples of individual fluids fell within the normal range for serum. There was a positive correlation between serum T 4 values and FF T 4 values. The three antithyroid receptor antibodies showed positive nuclear staining of GCs by fluorescent microscopy. The antibody to all thyroid hormone receptors yielded 35% positive cells by flow cytometry, and the site specific antibody for either the α- 1 or β- 1 receptors yielded 78% and 44% positive cells, respectively. Conclusion These data demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of T 3 and T 4 in human FF and the presence of T 3 binding sites in human GCs and suggest a role for thyroid hormone in the regulation of human GCs.
The turnover numbers of acetylcholinesterase forms.

The turnover numbers of different acetylcholinesterase forms from electric eel, including the 18 S, 14 S, and 8 S asymmetrical forms and the 11 S lytic form, were measured using an extraordinarily active phosphorylating inhibitor, 7-(diethoxyphosphinyloxy)-N-methylquinolinium ion, as a titrating agent for the concentration of active sites. The 18 S and 14 S forms were about equally active. The 8 S and 11 S forms were about 35% more active than the 18 S and 14 S forms.
When the Perpetrator Is a Partner Arrest and Charging Decisions in Intimate Partner Sexual Assault Cases—A Focal Concerns Analysis

Law enforcement officials and prosecutors have been called “gatekeepers” of the criminal justice system, as their discretionary decisions determine case outcomes. Using the focal concerns perspective as our theoretical foundation, we explore the factors that influence arrest and charging decisions in intimate partner sexual assaults (IPSA) reported to Los Angeles law enforcement in 2008. Quantitative findings are supplemented with qualitative examples from Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives interviewed in 2010 and charge evaluation sheets from complaints referred to Los Angeles prosecution in 2008. Attempting to expand its theoretical relevance, we develop an alternative conceptualization and operationalization of the focal concerns perspective that is more appropriate to IPSA cases. Findings suggest that arrest decisions are motivated by suspect blameworthiness, community protection, and practical constraints and organizational consequences. In addition, charging decisions are influenced by ...
Effect of Clomiphene Citrate on Corticosteroid-Binding Globulin and Serum Progesterone Levels during Ovulation Induction

Mid-luteal phase serum progesterone, cortisol, and corticosteroid-binding globulin concentrations were measured in 46 conception cycles and in 19 ovulatory, non-conception cycles in patients with spontaneous ovulation and following ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate (Clomid) or human menopausal gonadotropin. Significant elevations (P
TU-H-206-03: Characterizing B1 Inhomogeneities in DCE MRI

Purpose: Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) MRI is a valuable technique for measuring perfusion and permeability characteristics of tumors. Exogenous contrast concentrations are calculated based on changes in T1 measured using fast 3D gradient echo (FLASH) sequences. However, the slab selective pulses used in 3D MRI may result in B1 inhomogeneities across the volume of interest that can lead to errors in T1 and thus the estimated gadolinium concentration. We compared three FLASH DCE sequences (GRE, TWIST, and VIBE) to determine their signal homogeneity across slices and the accuracy in calculating T1 using acquisitions with variable flip angles. Methods: The sequences were tested at 3 T on a Siemens mMR (VB20P) using a doped water phantom 3.75 g/L NiSO4 - 6H2O + 5 g/L NaCl (T1 = 104 ms) and a 2% agar, 0.67% NaCl phantom (T1= 1.71 s). 2D EPI B1 maps and inversion recovery T1maps were acquired for ground truth. 3D MRI was acquired at different flip angles to generate a T1 map. Regions of interest were drawn to measure signal inside the phantoms as a function of slice position. The T1 for each slice ROI was fit to the FLASH steady-state model of magnetization. Results: Based on the data, GRE gave the most uniform signal homogeneity and T1 values in the middle slices of the 3D volume. The 3D VIBE sequence had the largest region of signal inhomogeneity compared to the 3D GRE and TWIST sequences. VIBE's B1 inhomogeneity is inconsistent at low flip angles. However, VIBE resulted in more slices with T1 values similar to the ground truth. Conclusion: The central 1/3 of the slices yielded signals that result in T1 fits consistent with the ground truth. However, the remaining slices required some form of B1 inhomogeneity correction for quantitative DCE analysis. The research was supported in part by NIH NCI Grant R01CA159471.
Lancing Liposomes: Unlocking the Mechanism of Short Amphiphilic Beta Sheet Forming Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the innate immune system in humans and many other forms of life, exhibiting selective activity against bacterial cells, while leaving host cells unaffected. Of particular importance for this action is the difference in phospholipid composition of bacterial cells from cells of human tissue. Because of their antimicrobial and microbicidal characteristics, AMPs are of great interest for applications in human health, and non-natural AMPs have been devised to optimize the microbicidal characteristics of natural AMPs. It has been found that when dyad repeats are used in the pattern (XY)n, where X is a hydrophobic amino acid residue and Y is a cationic residue, a β-sheet secondary structure forms, and that these peptides are capable of killing bacteria, biofilms, and fungi. In this work, we design a synthetic 8 residue peptide using the (XY)¬¬n motif and conduct a series of biophysical tests on membrane mimicking lipid vesicles to elucidate a mechanism of antimicrobial action. A battery of biophysical tests is used to elucidate the significance of phospholipid membrane composition and the mechanism by which this peptide acts against bacterial cells. These studies include vesicle turbidity, kinetic vesicle leakage, and membrane fusion FRET assays. Taken together with previously performed biological assays, these results can aid in the elucidation of critical components of AMPs and in the design of stronger, more selective, AMPs.
The Microeconomics of Invention and Innovation

When Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe on the negotiating table of the United Nations, challenging President John F. Kennedy, ‘We will bury you’, the West was alarmed. At the heart of Khrushchev’s challenge was not necessarily a military threat, but rather an economic one. After all, the Soviets had beaten the Americans in the space race with the launching of the Sputnik just a few years earlier; and perhaps even more disconcerting was the growth in Soviet productivity, which appeared to greatly exceed that in the West during the 1950s.
A systematic review of the literature on disorders of sleep and wakefulness in Parkinson's disease from 2005 to 2015

Sleep disorders are among the most common non-motor manifestations in Parkinson's disease (PD) and have a significant negative impact on quality of life. While sleep disorders in PD share most characteristics with those that occur in the general population, there are several considerations specific to this patient population regarding diagnosis, management, and implications. The available research on these disorders is expanding rapidly, but many questions remain unanswered. We thus conducted a systematic review of the literature published from 2005 to 2015 on the following disorders of sleep and wakefulness in PD: REM sleep behavior disorder, insomnia, nocturia, restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements, sleep disordered breathing, excessive daytime sleepiness, and circadian rhythm disorders. We discuss the epidemiology, etiology, clinical implications, associated features, evaluation measures, and management of these disorders. The influence on sleep of medications used in the treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms of PD is detailed. Additionally, we suggest areas in need of further research.
Uptake of the centers for medicare and medicaid obesity benefit: 2012-2013.

Objective To assess the use of the Medicare Obesity Benefit (MOB) by a licensed physician or associate provider in an outpatient setting in older adults. Methods A serial cross-sectional analysis of fee-for-service Medicare claims (2012 and 2013) was used to assess the use of the MOB. Number and proportion of Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 using the benefit were assessed. Correlation between state-obesity rates and MOB uptake was determined based on state-specific obesity prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Results There were 27,338 (0.10%) Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 in 2012 using the MOB and slightly more in 2013 (n = 46,821 [0.17%]). Mean age of MOB users in both years was 73 years, and 62% were females. Use declined with older age and was highest in the Northeast and lowest in the Midwest. High state obesity prevalence was not correlated with higher uptake of the MOB. Estimated proportion of persons with obesity using the MOB was 0.35% and 0.60% in successive years. A mean of 1.99 and 2.16 claims/MOB user was observed. Conclusions While the rate of MOB use increased in the second full year of its implementation, few were availing themselves of this benefit.
Inferring Web API Descriptions from Usage Data

We describe a set of techniques to infer structured descriptions of web APIs from usage examples. Using trained classifiers, we identify fixed and variable segments in paths, and tag parameters according to their types. We implemented our techniques and evaluated their precision on 10 APIs for which we obtained: 1) descriptions, manually written by the API maintainers, and 2) server logs of the API usage. Our experiments show that our system is able to reconstruct the structure of both simple and complex web API descriptions, outperforming an existing tool with similar goals. Finally, we assess the impact of noise in the input data on the results of our method.
Polyhedral Mesh Generation and Optimization for Non-manifold Domains

We present a preliminary method to generate polyhedral meshes of general non-manifold domains. The method is based on computing the dual of a general tetrahedral mesh. The resulting mesh respects the topology of the domain to the same extent as the input mesh. If the input tetrahedral mesh is Delaunay and well-centered, the resulting mesh is a Voronoi mesh with planar faces. For general tetrahedral meshes, the resulting mesh is a polyhedral mesh with straight edges but possibly curved faces. The initial mesh generation phase is followed by a mesh untangling and quality improvement technique.We demonstrate the technique on some simple to moderately complex domains.
Impact of Early-Life Exposures to Infections, Antibiotics, and Vaccines on Perinatal and Long-term Health and Disease.

Essentially all neonates are exposed to infections, antibiotics, or vaccines early in their lives. This is especially true for those neonates born underweight or premature. In contrast to septic adults and children who are at an increased risk for subsequent infections, early life exposure to infection during the neonatal period is not associated with an increased risk of subsequent infection and may be paradoxically associated with reductions in late onset sepsis in the most premature. Perinatal inflammation is also associated with a decreased incidence of asthma and atopy later in life. Conversely, septic neonates are at increased risk of impaired long-term neurodevelopment. While the positive effects of antibiotics in the setting of infection are irrefutable, prolonged administration of broad-spectrum, empiric antibiotics in neonates without documented infection is associated with increased risk of late onset sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, or death. Vaccines provide a unique opportunity to prevent infection-associated disease; unfortunately, vaccinations have been largely unsuccessful when administered in the first month of life with the exception of vaccines against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Future vaccines will require the use of novel adjuvants to overcome this challenge. This review describes the influence of infections, antibiotics, and vaccines during the first days of life, as well as the influence on future health and disease. We will also discuss potential immunomodulating therapies, which may serve to train the preterm immune system and reduce subsequent infectious burden without subjecting neonates to the risks accompanied by virulent pathogens.
Minimum Wages, Spillovers and the Unconditional Wage Distribution in Urban China: Do Ethnic Minorities Benefit?

This paper examines minimum wage effects on workers’ wages in China’s ethnic minority urban areas using publicly available minimum wage data combined with proprietary household data. The identification strategy relies on a recent estimator developed in Powell (2015) capable of studying the minimum wage effects on the unconditional wage distribution in an instrument variable (IV) setting. The results show that minimum wage effects lead to wage compression at both the lower and upper parts of the unconditional wage distribution, although the extent to which wages are affected varies quite substantially for Han and ethnic minority workers. At the bottom part of the distribution, minimum wages increase wages for both Han and ethnic minority workers, although the size of the effect is larger for the latter group, implying a reduction in the ethnic wage gap for lower-wage workers. Conversely, at the upper part of the distribution, higher minimum wages reduce wages for Han workers despite failing to have any statistically significant effect on ethnic minority workers. The results imply that employers react to the higher labor costs associated with minimum wages by constraining the wages for higher paid Han, but not ethnic minority, workers.
Problems with systems of medical equipment provision: an evaluation in Honduras, Rwanda and Cambodia identifies opportunities to strengthen healthcare systems

A substantial amount of equipment is out-of-service in the developing world. Out-of-service equipment limits access to important medical procedures. We measured the amount of out-of-service donated, purchased and loaned medical equipment and documented the barriers to returning them to service in hospitals in Honduras, Rwanda and Cambodia. From 2010 to 2012, we completed a cross-sectional survey of 3421 pieces of medical equipment in five departments from 64 hospitals. The time since arrival, source (donated, purchased or loaned), service contract status and functionality were determined. For any partially or non-functional equipment, the barriers to placing the equipment back into service were documented. In the first year, donated equipment was significantly more likely to be out-of-service than purchased and loaned equipment combined (p < 0.01), where the latter presumably gets more hospital scrutiny before acquisition. But, purchased equipment was more likely to be out-of-service than donated equipment 5 to 6 years after arrival (p < 0.05). Loaned equipment had the highest in-service rates. Service contracts did not significantly decrease out-of-service rates, except for high-complexity equipment (p < 0.001). The largest barrier to placing equipment back into service, according to technicians, was access to spare parts, accessories and consumables. Given the considerable out-of-service rates, the most sustainable and efficacious points of intervention could be the training of local technicians and leasing (rather than donating or purchasing) equipment in order to improve the availability of medical equipment and thus increase access to medical procedures.
Design and Evaluation of a One-Semester General Chemistry Course for Undergraduate Life Science Majors

The chemistry curriculum for undergraduate life science majors at Purdue University has been transformed to better meet the needs of this student population and prepare them for future success. The curriculum, called the 1-2-1 curriculum, includes four consecutive and integrated semesters of instruction in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, taken by students in their first two years. As part of this curriculum, a one-semester general chemistry course, General Chemistry with a Biological Focus (GCBF), was created and evaluated. The course covers all topics typically taught in general chemistry, but with a shift in emphasis toward topics relevant to chemistry in biological systems. Students who took this new course performed better in subsequent organic chemistry courses compared with their peers who took a traditional two-semester general chemistry course.
A study on the Langmuir adsorption for quartz crystal resonator based low pressure CO2 gas sensor

Abstract Quartz Crystal Resonator (QCR) has been proved to be effective for CO2 gas sensing, however, the mechanism of this sensing process remains unclarified. This paper proposes an innovative modeling for a QCR-based CO2 gas sensor. The proposed modeling is based on the Langmuir Adsorption Theorem and the Sauerbrey equation of QCR. The Langmuir Adsorption Theorem assumes that a monolayer of gas molecules is formed at the maximum gas concentration while each adsorbate molecule is assumed to take only one active site on the adsorbent surface. Therefore, the Sauerbrey equation is modified by combining Langmuir Adsorption Theorem and then the effect of both surface concentration and Langmuir constant are investigated and analyzed. Different from traditional analysis, the proposed modeling works well on not only the linear relationship between CO2 concentration and frequency shift at low CO2 concentration but also the non-linear saturation stage at higher CO2 concentration. Moreover, a lab experiment is carried out to verify the Langmuir-Sauerbrey adsorption modeling. Surface concentration constant and Langmuir constant are retrieved from the experiment and considered as material properties for gas sensing capability. The proposed modeling could also be applied to most QCR-based gas sensor, in which physical adsorption is mainly involved. Additionally, determination of surface concentration constant and Langmuir constant will benefit the understanding of many other gas sensing process.
Wellens’ Syndrome: An Atypical Presentation of an Already Silent Killer

Wellens’ syndrome is a phenomenon of T-wave inversions seen in the precordial leads of the electrocardiogram in the patients with unstable angina. This finding is seen in the pain-free state. Two different patterns have been described. Type A presents with biphasic T waves in V2-V3 and type B presents with symmetrical deep T-wave inversions in V2-V3. This etiology signifies critical stenosis in proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD). We describe a patient who was admitted for an elective surgery without a history of chest pain noted to have Wellens pattern T-wave inversions on telemetry and found to have 60-70% stenosis in mid LAD. J Med Cases. 2018;9(6):173-176 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3058e
High Force Sensitivity Composite Nanofluidic AFM Cantilever

The objective of this paper is to design and fabricate a low stiffness cantilever with an enclosed nanofluidic channel. This paper addresses the primary challenge of current hollow cantilever design, and introduces the use of a thermally decomposable polymer as the enabling technology to form a reduced stiffness, and thus higher sensitivity, cantilever. A numerical stiffness model is first developed to identify the critical geometric parameters necessary for structural soundness and bendability. A new sacrificial material is then introduced to cantilever fabrication that uses a low temperature top coat layer of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition nitride. Experimental measurement of the film’s internal stress and the resulting bending radius of a composite cantilever are used to characterize residual stress from film deposition as a new design parameter, unique to this method, which was mitigated by a thorough analysis of the combined effect of film properties and cantilever mechanics. A numerical model is developed for optimizing cantilever geometry and refining film process parameters to minimize the internal stress of the cantilever, whilst achieving a low stiffness, high sensitivity, and composite nanofluidic atomic force microscopy cantilever. [2017-0047]
The Effect of Signed-Out Emergency Department Patients on Resident Productivity.

Abstract Background Transitions of care and patient hand-offs between physicians have important implications for patient care. However, what effect caring for signed-out patients has on providing care to new patients and education is unclear. Objective We sought to determine whether the number of patients a physician receives in sign-out affects productivity. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study, conducted at an emergency medicine residency program. A general estimation equation was constructed to model productivity, defined as new patients evaluated and relative value units (RVUs) generated per shift, relative to the number of sign-outs received, and training year. A secondary analysis evaluated the effect of signed-out patients in observation. Results We evaluated 19,389 shifts from July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2017. Postgraduate year (PGY)-1 residents without sign-out evaluated 10.3 patients (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.83 to 10.7), generating 31.6 RVUs (95% CI 30.5 to 32.7). Each signed-out patient was associated with −0.07 new patients (95% CI −0.12 to −0.01), but no statistically significant decrease in RVUs (95% CI −0.07 to 0.28). PGY-2 residents without sign-out evaluated 13.6 patients (95% CI 12.6 to 14.6), generating 47.7 RVUs (95% CI 45.1 to 50.3). Each signed-out patient was associated with −0.25 (95% CI −0.40 to −0.10) new patients, and −0.89 (95% CI −1.22 to −0.55) RVUs. For all residents, observation patients were associated with more substantial decreases in new patients (−0.40; 95% CI −0.47 to −0.33) and RVUs (−1.11; 95% CI −1.40 to −0.82). Conclusions Overall, sign-out burden is associated with a small decrease in resident productivity, except for observation patients. Program faculty should critically examine how signed-out patients are distributed to address residents’ educational needs, throughput, and patient safety.
The Complete Photonic Band Gap in Inverted Opals: How Can We Prove it Experimentally?

Ever since a complete photonic band gap was predicted to exist in periodic structures,1,2 experimentalists have been trying to observe this effect at optical frequencies. Much of this effort has focused on fabricating three-dimensionally periodic structures (also called photonic crystals)3 that have the proper symmetry, lattice spacing, refractive index, etc. to obtain a complete band gap.4 Once the correct structure is made, one might imagine that the existence of the band gap will be simple to verify. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. As was shown in the microwave regime, where the photonic band gap was first demonstrated,5,6 such measurements are far from trivial even in near-perfect millimeter-scale structures. Similar measurements in micron-scale optical photonic crystals should be even more challenging. For example, residual disorder will always be present in these structures and will complicate the analysis. Thus, it is useful to ask how one might experimentally verify a band gap in an optical photonic crystal. Here we discuss some aspects of this issue. In particular, we consider potential solutions for photonic crystals made by the so-called self-assembly methods.
Calcium-Activated Chloride Channels

Emerging functional evidence demonstrates the importance of membrane potential in the regulation of many intracellular signaling processes. The efflux of chloride through the plasma membrane has been identified as a major contributor to plasma membrane depolarization in airway smooth muscle. Early studies demonstrated that calcium arising from intracellular sources and released by ryanodine or IP3 receptor activation on the sarcoplasmic-reticulum-induced plasma membrane chloride currents. Moreover, external calcium entry through voltage-dependent calcium channels was shown to augment calcium-activated chloride currents. One of the earliest studies in this area suggested a role for chloride influencing uptake and release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in addition to chloride flux’s effect on plasma membrane electrical potential. Recently the elusive proteins responsible for calcium-activated chloride currents in many cells (TMEM16/anoctamin family) were cloned, which has renewed interest in the field of calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs). Anoctamin 1 has been identified on the apical side of airway epithelium, is critical to fluid secretion, and has been associated with increased mucin secretion in asthmatics. Anoctamin 1 is critical to the development of the trachea as global knockout mice exhibit severe tracheomalacia. Anoctamin 1 has been immunochemically localized to airway smooth muscle and human bronchi were shown to contract less effectively in the presence of benzbromarone, an antagonist of these channels. Studies of the TMEM16/anoctamin family of CaCCs are revolutionizing the understanding of calcium-activated chloride currents in many cell types, and emerging evidence suggests that this channel also contributes to the regulation of airway smooth muscle tone.
Directed Foliar Sprays of Forestry Herbicides for Loblolly Pine Release

t Thii research was sponsored by a grantfrom the Georgia Forestry Commission.The assistance and cooneration of MeadCoated Board,Columbus, GA, and theAr- muchee Ranger District, USDA Forest Ser-vice, LaFayette, GA, are gratefully recog-nized.Use of trade names is for reader’s infor-mation and does not constitute official en-dorsement or approval by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture to the exclusion of anyother suitable product or process.Pesticides used improperly can be inju-rious to humans, animals, and plants.Follow the directions and heed all precau-tions on the label. Store pesticides in orig-inal containers under lock and key out ofthe reach of children and animals and awayfrom food and feed. Remember to read theentire product label and
Research Note: Evaluation of several inoculation procedures for colonization of day-old broiler chicks with Salmonella Heidelberg.

Abstract Before starting a study with many birds, it helps to know the method of chick inoculation. The objective was to compare 3 methods of Salmonella challenge (oral gavage [OR], intracloacal inoculation [IC], and seeder bird [SB]). Day-old broiler chicks (n = 100) were inoculated with 106 colony forming units (CFU) per chick of a marker strain of Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) with each route of inoculation. Chicks (n = 25) inoculated by each route were placed in floor pens on fresh pine shavings litter. For the seeder batch, 5 colonized chicks, each orally gavaged with 106 CFUs, were placed with 20 pen mates. Two weeks after inoculation, 10 birds from each pen and the 5 inoculated seeder birds were euthanized, the ceca were aseptically removed and macerated with a rubber mallet and weighed, and 3 times (w/v) buffered peptone was added and stomached for 60 s. Serial dilutions were made and plated onto Brilliant Green Sulfa plates containing 200 ppm nalidixic acid. Plates were incubated along with the stomached ceca for 24 h at 37°C. If no colonies appeared on the plates, an additional plate was streaked from the preenriched bag and incubated for 24 h at 37°C. In addition to all seeder birds being positive, the number of SH-positive birds out of 20 sampled in each group was 13, 17, and 7 for OR, IC, and SB, respectively. The level of SH per g of ceca and cecal contents was log (SE) 3.0 (0.7), 2.0 (0.4), and 2.6 (0.4) for OR, IC, and SB, respectively. After enrichment, the number of colonized birds out of 20 was 18, 20, and 10 for OR, IC, and SB, respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that IC is the method to use to ensure most of the challenged birds are colonized. However, if you prefer to have a smaller percentage of the birds colonized with higher levels, then OR might be better.
Cefiderocol: A Novel Agent for the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Organisms.

Cefiderocol, formerly S-649266, is a first in its class, an injectable siderophore cephalosporin that combines a catechol-type siderophore and cephalosporin core with side chains similar to cefepime and ceftazidime. This structure and its unique mechanism of action confer enhanced stability against hydrolysis by many β-lactamases, including extended spectrum β-lactamases such as CTX-M, and carbapenemases such as KPC, NDM, VIM, IMP, OXA-23, OXA-48-like, OXA-51-like and OXA-58. Cefiderocol’s spectrum of activity encompasses both lactose-fermenting and non-fermenting Gram-negative pathogens, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. Cefiderocol recently received US Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, and is currently being evaluated in phase III trials for nosocomial pneumonia and infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. The purpose of this article is to review existing data on the mechanism of action, microbiology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of cefiderocol to assist clinicians in determining its place in therapy.
Recognizing the Role of Religion in Environmental Legal Norms

Intergenerational equity is also a chief concern of climate change adaptation efforts and sustainable development. According to much religious teaching, present generations should keep the environment healthy and safe for inheritance by future generations. This duty-based approach is substantially different from a rights-based approach, and can widen legal and moral tools for environmental protection. The indirect impacts of energy production, generation, and consumption increase the burden on third world nations in energy production, often for the benefit of the nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”), including the United States. But environmental destruction that can come from these industrial activities violates the public interest, especially when it causes air, soil, or water pollution. Reframing environmental protection as a religious issue can address neoconservative tendencies toward business expansion and laissez faire economics. The concern is that those who contribute most to carbon pollution will not be around to face its impacts.
Peri-pubertal administration of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) affects reproductive organ development in male but not female Sprague Dawley rats.

Abstract Nitrotriazolone (3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one; NTO) is an insensitive munition that has demonstrated effects on reproductive organs in adult male rats. NTO was administered to male (0, 250, and 500 milligrams per kilogram per day (mg/kg-day)) and female (0, 500, and 1000 mg/kg-day) Sprague-Dawley rats (15/sex/group) via oral gavage from weaning through post-natal day 53/54 and 42/43, respectively. Age and body mass at vaginal opening (VO) and preputial separation (PPS), as well as all measures of estrous cyclicity were not affected by treatment with NTO. Males treated with NTO exhibited reductions in testis mass associated with tubular degeneration/atrophy. Less pronounced reductions in accessory sex organ masses were also observed in the 500 mg/kg-day group. Treatment with NTO did not affect thyroid hormone or testosterone levels. These findings suggest that NTO is not acting as an estrogen or thyroid active compound, but may indicate effects on steroidogenesis and/or direct testicular toxicity.
Modifying Harmful Beliefs About Academic Setbacks: An Attribution Retraining Intervention for African-American Middle School Students at Risk for Academic Failure

Ongoing reports of the achievement gap suggest the need for effective interventions that can increase motivation and academic outcomes for African-American youth. This study describes a 3-week evidence-based attribution retraining intervention designed to alter harmful beliefs associated with academic failure among African-American middle school students. Guided by attribution theory, the lessons in the intervention were designed to help students modify maladaptive attributions for academic failure and understand that positive academic outcomes could be obtained through increased preparation and effort. Participants included 64 6 th graders identified as low achieving who were randomly assigned to either a treatment or wait-list control group. Results showed significant increases in adaptive attributions and decreases in maladaptive attributions for the treatment group compared to the control group. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.