cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association Between 5-Year Clinical Outcome in Patients With Nonmedically Evacuated Mild Blast Traumatic Brain Injury and Clinical Measures Collected Within 7 Days Postinjury in Combat.

Importance Although previous work has examined clinical outcomes in combat-deployed veterans, questions remain regarding how symptoms evolve or resolve following mild blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) treated in theater and their association with long-term outcomes. Objective To characterize 5-year outcome in patients with nonmedically evacuated blast concussion compared with combat-deployed controls and understand what clinical measures collected acutely in theater are associated with 5-year outcome. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective, longitudinal cohort study including 45 service members with mild blast TBI within 7 days of injury (mean 4 days) and 45 combat deployed nonconcussed controls was carried out. Enrollment occurred in Afghanistan at the point of injury with evaluation of 5-year outcome in the United States. The enrollment occurred from March to September 2012 with 5-year follow up completed from April 2017 to May 2018. Data analysis was completed from June to July 2018. Exposures Concussive blast TBI. All patients were treated in theater, and none required medical evacuation. Main Outcomes and Measures Clinical measures collected in theater included measures for concussion symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression symptoms, balance performance, combat exposure intensity, cognitive performance, and demographics. Five-year outcome evaluation included measures for global disability, neurobehavioral impairment, PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and 10 domains of cognitive function. Forward selection multivariate regression was used to determine predictors of 5-year outcome for global disability, neurobehavior impairment, PTSD, and cognitive function. Results Nonmedically evacuated patients with concussive blast injury (n = 45; 44 men, mean [SD] age, 31 [5] years) fared poorly at 5-year follow-up compared with combat-deployed controls (n = 45; 35 men; mean [SD] age, 34 [7] years) on global disability, neurobehavioral impairment, and psychiatric symptoms, whereas cognitive changes were unremarkable. Acute predictors of 5-year outcome consistently identified TBI diagnosis with contribution from acute concussion and mental health symptoms and select measures of cognitive performance depending on the model for 5-year global disability (area under the curve following bootstrap validation [AUCBV] = 0.79), neurobehavioral impairment (correlation following bootstrap validation [RBV] = 0.60), PTSD severity (RBV = 0.36), or cognitive performance (RBV = 0.34). Conclusions and Relevance Service members with concussive blast injuries fared poorly at 5-year outcome. The results support a more focused acute screening of mental health following TBI diagnosis as strong indicators of poor long-term outcome. This extends prior work examining outcome in patients with concussive blast injury to the larger nonmedically evacuated population.
Efficient Processing of Probabilistic Single and Batch Reachability Queries in Large and Evolving Spatiotemporal Contact Networks

With the rapid development of location sensors, it is now possible to accurately study how various items (such as viruses or messages) spread across populations of moving objects. In such applications, an item can propagate through the object population where two objects are close. Such a dynamic network of objects called a "contact network". In this paper, we define and study a family of probabilistic reachability queries in uncertain contact networks, where contacts between objects are probabilistic. A probabilistic reachability query verifies whether two objects are "reachable" with a probability no less than a threshold η. To enable efficient processing of probabilistic reachability queries on large uncertain contact networks, first, we present a series-parallel reduction technique that significantly reduces the size of the input uncertain contact network in order to shrink the search space while maintaining accuracy and second, we introduce Optimized Spatiotemporal Tree Cover, an index structure that leverages the spatiotemporal properties of the contact network. With an extensive analytical and empirical study, we demonstrate superiority of our proposed solution versus a baseline solution (i.e., Monte Carlo sampling) and the only other existing solution with 400% and 200% improvement in query processing time on average, respectively.
Improving Power Line Detection Based on Phase Difference in Radar Image

Previous framework on automatic power line detection based on millimeter-wave radar videos assumes the Bragg pattern of power lines are distinguishable with the background signals. This limits its ability in recognizing fine-grained power line signals within complex and noisy scenes. In this work, we propose a detection method that combines both characteristics of the amplitude and phase of the return radar signal. Experiments demonstrate that our proposed approach is able to detect the power lines accurately, efficiently and more robustly on a new two-channel dataset.
The Biopolitics of Defining “Mental Disorder”

What is psychiatry, and how does it relate to other medical and mental health disciplines? Apart from the obvious sociological answer—psychiatrists are physicians who have completed residency training in psychiatry—psychiatry has always struggled to define itself with precision. Unlike pediatrics or geriatrics, psychiatry does not define itself by reference to a specific demographic population. Unlike general surgery or anesthesiology or radiology, it does not define itself exclusively with reference to specific technologies or interventional practices: the majority of psychotropic medications in the United States are prescribed by nonpsychiatrists [1]. Unlike certain medical specialties such as nephrology or cardiology, psychiatry cannot lay exclusive claim to a particular body part or organ system: although psychiatry is often referred to as a “clinical neuroscience” [2], psychiatry at best shares this distinction with neurology, neurosurgery, and neuropsychology. Nor can psychiatry define itself according to a particular institutional structure of practice, since psychiatrists have long shed their historic identification with inpatient institutions and now work within a broad and diverse array of practice settings.
Theory of Surface Forces in Multivalent Electrolytes.

Aqueous electrolyte solutions containing multivalent ions exhibit various intriguing properties, including attraction between like-charged colloidal particles, which results from strong ion–ion cor...
The role of electrical anisotropy and effective conducting thickness in understanding and interpreting static resistance measurements in CFRP composite laminates

This study is focused on (i) the experimental characterization of the anisotropic electrical resistivity of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites and (ii) the development and experiment...
Efficacy of pulsed‐ultraviolet light for inactivation of Salmonella spp on black peppercorns

Efficacy of pulsed ultraviolet (PUV) to inactivate Salmonella pure culture and on inoculated black peppercorns was evaluated. Black peppercorns inoculated with Salmonella were subjected to PUV treatment (0.28 J/cm2 /pulse) using two different sample holders, on a traditional flat surface or on a wave-shaped surface to increase surface exposure of peppercorns to PUV through light reflection. The temperature change on black peppercorns surface during treatment was recorded, and the effect of cooling period during PUV treatment was studied. PUV treatment of two pulses reduced Salmonella population by more than 6 log CFU/mL in phosphate-buffered saline. Continuous PUV treatment (80 pulses on each side) using a wave-shaped surface was able to reduce Salmonella by 1.9 log CFU/g; same treatment using flat surface reduced Salmonella by less than 1.5 log CFU/g. The temperature on peppercorns surface increased to 65 °C after 80 pulses continuous PUV treatment. Adding 280 s cooling time after every 20 pulses reduced the temperature from 65 to 40 °C and achieved similar Salmonella inactivation (P > 0.05) as the continuous PUV treatment. Results from this study showcase the effectiveness of PUV treatment for reducing Salmonella level on black peppercorns surface and provided insights on the potential implementation of PUV treatment at the industrial level. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Results from this study showcased the effectiveness of PUV treatment for reducing Salmonella level on black peppercorns surface and provided insights on the potential implementation of PUV treatment at the industrial level.
‘Fairytale Princess’ and ‘Red Hot’ — Red Lance-leaved Caladium Cultivars

Caladiums are valued in landscapes and containers for their colorful and variable-shaped leaves. Two types of caladium cultivars exist in commercial production: fancy- and lance-leaved. ‘Florida Sweetheart’ is the most popular lance-leaved commercial cultivar of all colors. It produces wide lance leaves with a rosy color and relatively large tubers. ‘Florida Red Ruffles’ is the most popular red, lance-leaved commercial cultivar among caladium growers, greenhouse growers, and nurseries. It has excellent sunburn tolerance. Both cultivars were introduced by the University of Florida (UF) caladium breeding program. This 9-page fact sheet was written by Zhanao Deng, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, August 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep481
Managing Ischemic Stroke in Patients Already on Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Practice Survey.

Abstract Background and purpose We sought to understand practice patterns in management of patients who have ischemic stroke while adherent to oral anticoagulation for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the United States (US). Methods We distributed an iteratively revised online survey to US neurologists in May-June 2019. Survey questions focused on clinicians’ practices regarding diagnostic evaluation and secondary prevention after ischemic stroke in patients already on oral anticoagulation for NVAF. Standard descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’ characteristics and responses. Results Of the 120 participating clinicians, 79% were attending physicians. Most respondents (66%) were trained in vascular neurology, and 79% were employed in hospital-based, academic settings. For patients with ischemic stroke despite anticoagulation, most respondents indicated that they obtain extracranial and intracranial vessel imaging (72% and 82%, respectively). Most respondents (83%) routinely change therapy to a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for patients experiencing ischemic stroke while on warfarin. In cases of ischemic stroke while on a DOAC, 38% of respondents routinely switch agents, 42% do not routinely switch agents, and 20% routinely add an antiplatelet agent. In this scenario, 83% of respondents who switch agents indicated that the reason was a possible better response to a drug that acts through a different mechanism. The most common reason for not switching while on a DOAC was the lack of randomized trial data. Conclusions There is a high degree of variability in practice patterns among US neurologists caring for patients with ischemic stroke while already on oral anticoagulation for NVAF.
The Enactment of a “Postfeminist Sensibility”: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Teens’ Constructions of Dating Abuse Among Their Peers:

At a societal level, postfeminist and neoliberal companion discourses have minimized structural determinants of dating abuse while elevating individual characteristics such as personal responsibili...
Update on First-Line Combination Treatment Approaches in Metastatic Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

The treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has significantly evolved in recent years with a deeper understanding of the molecular make-up of the disease and the clinical development of therapies with novel mechanisms of action. While some patients with more indolent disease may benefit from local therapy such as metastasectomy or cytoreductive nephrectomy, others may safely embark on an active surveillance program or be offered targeted therapy. Yet, a combination regimen including an ICI is the most effective regimen and should be considered in most mRCC cases. Ongoing studies will help determine which factors can be further used to optimize treatment selection and personalize disease management.
The concept of life in German Idealism and its Aristotelian roots

The aim of this short essay is to sketch an introductory account of the concept of life in German Idealism and to argue that it is both a philosophically robust concept and a productive lens throug...
Linguistic Processing of Text for Large-Scale Conceptual Information Retrieval System

This paper describes our large-scale effort to build a conceptual Information Retrieval system that converts a large volume of natural language text into Conceptual Graph representation by means of knowledge-based processing. In order to automatically extract concepts and conceptual relations between concepts from texts, we constructed a knowledge base consisting of over 12,000 case frames for verbs and a large number of other linguistic patterns that reveal conceptual relations. They were used to process a Wall Street Journal database covering a period of three years. We describe our methods for constructing the knowledge base, how the linguistic knowledge is used to process the text, and how the retrieval system makes use of the rich representation of documents and information needs.
Plug‐in tests for nonequivalence of means of independent normal populations

In this paper, we consider the problem of testing nonequivalence of several independent normal population means. It is a well-known problem to test the equality of several means using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). Instead of determining the equality, one may consider more flexible homogeneity, which allows a predetermined level of difference. This problem is known as testing nonequivalence of populations. We propose the plug-in statistics for two different measures of variability: the sum of the absolute deviations and the maximum of the absolute deviations. For each test, the least favorable configuration (LFC) to ensure the maximum rejection probability under the null hypothesis is investigated. Furthermore, we demonstrate the numerical studies based on both simulation and real data to evaluate the plug-in tests and compare these with the range test.
Entire Relaxation Path for Maximum Entropy Problems

We discuss and analyze the problem of finding a distribution that minimizes the relative entropy to a prior distribution while satisfying max-norm constraints with respect to an observed distribution. This setting generalizes the classical maximum entropy problems as it relaxes the standard constraints on the observed values. We tackle the problem by introducing a re-parametrization in which the unknown distribution is distilled to a single scalar. We then describe a homotopy between the relaxation parameter and the distribution characterizing parameter. The homotopy also reveals an aesthetic symmetry between the prior distribution and the observed distribution. We then use the reformulated problem to describe a space and time efficient algorithm for tracking the entire relaxation path. Our derivations are based on a compact geometric view of the relaxation path as a piecewise linear function in a two dimensional space of the relaxation-characterization parameters. We demonstrate the usability of our approach by applying the problem to Zipfian distributions over a large alphabet.
Improved FM demodulation in a fading environment

Analog frequency modulation remains an important format for wireless communications, such as in the AMPS cellular telephone standard. Frequency modulation codes the signal as the instantaneous frequency of the transmitted waveform, so FM demodulation corresponds to the problem of instantaneous frequency (IF) estimation. Time-frequency methods have been shown to provide better IF estimates at low-SNR, which makes them attractive for FM demodulation in low-SNR scenarios. However, fading is a common problem in mobile wireless communications. We demonstrate here that a high-performance IF estimation method based on an adaptive short-time Fourier transform works well under fading conditions and offers much better performance than traditional methods such as a phase lock loop (PLL). While more expensive than PLLs, basic versions of this approach should be implementable in real time on a single DSP microprocessor.
Test results of an experimental autonomous aircraft landing system utilizing a 94 GHz FM-CW imaging radar

An experimental system capable of aiding a pilot during adverse weather landings, primarily dense fog, has been built and tested both on the ground and in flight. The system includes a 94-GHz FM-CW (frequency-modulation continuous-wave) radar as the front-end sensor and a back-end digital signal and image processor for image generation, enhancement, and transformation. The high-performance 94-GHz radar utilizes a twisted Cassegrain reflector, an external ILO, and an HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) MIMIC (millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuit) LNA (low-noise amplifier) image-reject mixer front end to overcome the low transmitted power and poor receiver noise qualities of typical W-band radar systems. The back-end processing hardware uses a number of processors in a flexible and reconfigurable pipeline architecture for implementation of a variety of enhancement algorithms. Test results recorded on the ground and in flight indicate that this system has future commercial promise. >
Introduction of mechatronics in pre-college programs and freshman design course in an active and cooperative learning framework

The burgeoning field of "Mechatronics" has been evolving over the last few decades as a new field of pedagogy within the engineering curricula. "Mechatronics" synergistically combines engineering mechanics, electronics, and computer technology. The development may be attributed to the growing number of applications and product development at the interfaces of traditional disciplinary boundaries within the broad area of engineering education. Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) is facilitating such efforts by encouraging engineering programs to promote design activity in multidisciplinary teams among engineering students. In this paper student activities related to Summer Engineering Bridge Program (SEBP) and "Introduction to Engineering Design", a required course for all freshman engineering majors at University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) are discussed. SEBP is a NASA sponsored pre-college program for high school students in transition to college. The program is designed for prospective engineering majors and is designed to bridge the gap between high school education and expected standards for freshman engineering majors. Both the SEBP and the Introduction to Engineering Design course requires students to participate in a "mechatronic" design project while cooperating with one another in teams of four or five members.
The knowledge and use of birth control in the year 2000: the future needs of minority women

Objective: To assess the knowledge, main complaints, side effects, and satisfaction of minority women using various methods of birth control (BC). Methods: Three hundred thirty randomly selected charts of women using various BC methods were reviewed retrospectively. The study population consisted mainly of African-American (AA) and Hispanic (HP) women. Results: The most common methods of BC used by AA and HP women were condomS (28%), BC pills (19%), and Depo-Provera (13%). Main complaints were weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, nausea, and vomiting. The side effects and other complications were comparable between the two groups. Significant numbers (65%) of younger AA and HP women (median age: 24 years) expressed a strong desire to learn more about BC compared with older women (median age: 29 years). The abortion rate was significantly (P = 0.01) higher in younger (<30 years) AA and HP women compared with older groups who used BC methods. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that young minority women have insufficient knowledge about BC methods and the health benefits and relative risks of BC. To reduce the high rate of abortions and the risk of unplanned or unwanted and ectopic pregnancies, as well as future fertility, more counseling is needed for minority women.
Numerical scheme to determine the photonic properties of tunable crystals

The dielectric distribution and polarizability of certain materials, e.g., the liquid dielectrics, change in response to the external electromagnetic field. Since their photonic properties can be adjusted by controlling the applied field, these materials can be used to construct tunable photonic band gap crystals. Due to recent advances in tunable photonic bandgap materials technology, it has become necessary to determine the properties of the propagating fields accurately. Numerical methods currently in use are quite cumbersome and place limits on the accuracy of the solutions. A numerical scheme is developed here by expressing the solution in the framework of the Feynman path integral formulation of quantum mechanics. The formulation describes the evolution of the solution in terms of a propagator, which can be determined by the method of fast Fourier transforms. The resulting numerical scheme is more efficient and reliable than other similar methods.
Productivity and Ergonomic Investigation of Bent-Handle Pliers.

Awkward wrist posture is generally considered an occupational risk factor for hand/wrist disorders, leading to the ergonomic design principle of "bend the tool, not the wrist." Sixteen participants performed a computer jumper installation task and a simple assembly task while productivity, wrist posture, and shoulder posture were measured. The work surface orientation (vertical and 45 degrees) and the level of constraint placed on the user (constrained grip and unconstrained grip) were also varied. The results indicate that the beneficial effects of the bent-handle pliers are task dependent. In the computer jumper task the bent-handle pliers resulted in 5.3% faster task performance, whereas in the assembly task performance was 4.9% faster with the straight-handle pliers. The bent-handle pliers reduced shoulder deviations by 50% in the jumper installation task, and ulnar deviation was reduced by 12% and 22% for the jumper installation task and the assembly task, respectively (all significant at p < .05). However, allowing participants to hold the pliers in a grip configuration of their choosing (unconstrained technique) often reduced these postural benefits. In applying these results to workplace design activities, one should recognize that the ergonomic utility of bent-handle pliers can be considerable but that the 3-D kinematics characteristics of the task must be considered.
Respiratory viral infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons.

The acute respiratory illnesses are the most common type of acute illness in the United States today. The respiratory viruses--which include influenza viruses, parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and adenoviruses--cause the majority of these illnesses. Some of these viruses cause illness throughout the year, whereas others are most common in winter. All population groups experience these infections and illnesses. As the number of elderly persons and those with underlying disease increases, awareness is growing that these common infections can have serious consequences. This has recently been emphasized for immunocompromised persons. At the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), infection surveillance of mostly hospitalized adults with leukemia or a recent bone marrow transplant yielded a respiratory virus from 181 of 668 (27.1%) respiratory illness episodes. In descending order of frequency, infections with RSV, rhinoviruses, influenza viruses, parainfluenza viruses, and adenoviruses were detected in each of three surveillance years. High frequencies of nosocomial acquisition occurred, as has been noted in prior reports. Similarly, persistence of infection and high frequencies of pneumonia and death among infected patients occurred, which have also been noted earlier. At MDACC, pneumonia occurred in 58-78% of infected patients, and 22-44% died. The role of the virus infection in many cases of pneumonia is uncertain, but death from pure viral pneumonia is well documented. A number of immune deficiencies in this patient population and options for control of these infections have been described that can, respectively, account for the medical problem and provide ways to approach prevention and treatment.
Bacteria as Bullies: Effects of Linguistic Agency Assignment in Health Message

When describing health threats, communicators can assign agency to the threat (e.g., “Hepatitis C has infected 4 million Americans”) or to humans (e.g., “Four million Americans have contracted hepatitis C”). In an online experiment, the authors explored how assignment of agency affects perceptions of susceptibility and severity of a health threat, response efficacy, self-efficacy, fear arousal, and intentions to adopt health-protective recommendations. Participants were 719 individuals recruited through Mechanical Turk (www.mturk.com), a crowdsource labor market run by Amazon (www.amazon.com). The participants were assigned randomly to read 1 of 8 flyers defined by a 2×4 (Agency Assignment×Topic) factorial design. Each flyer examined 1 health threat (E. coli, necrotizing fasciitis, salmonella, or Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae) and was written in language that emphasized bacterial or human agency. Perceived susceptibility and severity were highest when bacterial agency language was used. Respo...
Dynamical multiple-time stepping methods for overcoming resonance instabilities.

Current molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules using multiple time steps to update the slowly changing force are hampered by instabilities beginning at time steps near the half period of the fastest vibrating mode. These “resonance” instabilities have became a critical barrier preventing the long time simulation of biomolecular dynamics. Attempts to tame these instabilities by altering the slowly changing force and efforts to damp them out by Langevin dynamics do not address the fundamental cause of these instabilities. In this work, we trace the instability to the nonanalytic character of the underlying spectrum and show that a correct splitting of the Hamiltonian, which renders the spectrum analytic, restores stability. The resulting Hamiltonian dictates that in addition to updating the momentum due to the slowly changing force, one must also update the position with a modified mass. Thus multiple-time stepping must be done dynamically.
Mg2+ antagonism on Ni2+-induced changes in microtubule assembly and cellular thiol homeostasis

Abstract As an essential metal for cell metabolism, Mg 2+ is known to exert antagonism on Ni 2+ genotoxic and other effects. This study examined the influence of Mg 2+ on Ni 2+ -induced changes in microtubule (MT) assembly in vitro, cytoplasmic MT organization, cellular glutathione (GSH), and cytoskeletal and cytosolic protein sulfhydryls (PSH). As determined by a turbidity assay at 27°C, Ni 2+ enhanced the in vitro MT assembly in a Pipes buffer by shortening the initial lag (nucleation phase) and increasing the rate of polymerization with a higher final plateau. However, presence of 1 m M exogenous MgCl 2 abolished the Ni 2+ enhancing effect. Exposure of 3T3 cells to 2 m M NiCl 2 for 20 hr resulted in perinuclear bundling of MTs and decreases in cytoskeletal and cytosolic PSH and cellular GSH levels. However, coincubation of cells with MgCl 2 (1.25–20 m M ) added to the culture medium markedly diminished the Ni 2+ injury to MT organization. Under these conditions the Ni 2+ interference with PSH was blocked such that both the cytoskeletal and cytosolic PSH levels returned to the range of control cells without metal treatment. Treatment of cells with Mg 2+ (1.25–5 m M ) for 20 hr slightly increased, while with higher Mg 2+ doses (>10 m M ) decreased, cellular GSH content. Importantly, in Ni 2+ -treated cultures, addition of Mg 2+ (1.25–10 m M ) elevated GSH levels to ≥200% of that in cells treated with Ni 2+ alone. Furthermore, these Ni 2+ and Mg 2+ (1.25–10 m M ) treated cells actually maintained GSH levels which were essentially unchanged from the basal level of control cells with no metal treatment. Although Mg 2+ replacement of Ni 2+ bound to MT proteins could be an important mechanism, cellular GSH may also be a critical factor in Mg 2+ antagonism on Ni 2+ -enhanced MT assembly in view of the essential role of tubulin PSH in modulating MT assembly and, in turn, the GSH modulation of PSH.
Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) Significantly Increases the Utilization of Hospital Resources in Premature Infants 1216

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of chronic lung disease (CLD) on length of stay (LOS) and days of ventilator support (Vent days) in neonates discharged home from our neonatal intensive care unit. Setting: All neonates with a gestational age <34wks admitted to Crawford Long neonatal intensive (level III) care unit between July 1992 and August 1997. Methods: Data for all neonates admitted to our unit are prospectively entered into a computerized database. From this database, we compared the differences in average LOS and Vent days in neonates who developed CLD to those who did not. We excluded patients who were back transported to other institutions before discharge (n=79, 13% of admissions). CLD was defined as need for oxygen or ventilator support beyond 36 weeks post conception age. We used a Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA to compare differences in LOS and Vent days. Results: Of 534 neonates admitted, 489 (92%) survived and were discharged home. Fifty-seven (13%) of the 489 had CLD. Data on LOS and Vent days were missing on 15 patients, 2 with CLD and 13 without CLD. The average LOS and Vent days were significantly longer for neonates with CLD (see table, data listed as mean (std); *p<0.03 for all comparisons). Conclusions: The development of chronic lung disease in premature neonates has a marked effect on LOS and Vent days. These data emphasize the health care consequences of CLD in premature neonates.
Girls in Detention: The Results of Focus Group Discussion Interviews and Official Records Review

This study examined the risk factors related to delinquency in an effort to describe the problem of rising female juvenile delinquency. It also examined the context of family environments in which female juvenile delinquents live. Using a triangulated methods approach, the data collected via focus group discussions with 30 female residents in a Regional Detention Center and 100 official intake records revealed that childhood maltreatment, parental incarceration, and school discipline problems were significant risk factors associated with delinquency. Focus group results also indicated that most female delinquents were victims of sexual and physical abuse. Many had family members who engaged in violence and alcohol and other substance use, and the girls themselves engaged in these activities at a young age. To address the growing problem of female delinquency and develop more effective intervention and prevention programs for girls, it is necessary to understand the importance of the family environment in ...
Microlens array for staring infrared imager

This paper describes the fabrication and testing of 64 X 96 arrays of microlenses used for fill-factor enhancement of uncooled infrared detector arrays. Each lenslet represents a f/0.9 Fresnel phase lens at 10 micrometers wavelength. All arrays were etched into silicon wafers as either 8-level or 16-level staircase kinoforms. When integrated with a detector array having 20 fill factor, these microlens arrays were capable of increasing the magnitude of the measured signal with f/2.2 fore-optics by 2.5-fold.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Phytosterol Distribution in Fractions Obtained from Processing of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles Using Sieving and Elutriation

ABSTRACT In an earlier study, the combination of sieving and elutriation was effective in separating fiber from distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), the coproduct remaining after ethanol production from corn. To separate fiber, air was blown through sieve fractions in an elutriation column. Material carried by air to the top of the elutriation column was the lighter fraction; material that settled in the bottom was the heavier fraction. Separation of fiber from DDGS resulted in two products: 1) elusieve fiber with high neutral detergent fiber (NDF), which was obtained by combining lighter fractions; and 2) enhanced DDGS with reduced fiber (low NDF) and increased fat and increased protein contents, which was obtained by combining material remaining after separation of lighter fractions. There were no differences in phytosterol distributions (St:E, St, and FPE) among sieve categories. Phytosterol contents of oil from the lighter fractions were higher than or the same as the corresponding heavier fr...
Rehabilitation of the cancer patient at home.

Objectives: To provide a framework for considering home nursing care of the cancer patient within the context of cancer rehabilitation and to briefly review various aspects of cancer rehabilitation. Data sources: Review articles and reference books of current and classic works that discuss cancer rehabilitation. Conclusions: Rehabilitation is an important concept that should transcend cancer care in all settings, and one that naturally fits with home care. The effects of cancer and cancer treatment on the individual's quality of life, eg, psychological and social factors, sexual functioning, nutrition, fitness and exercise, symptom management, and physical disabilities are important considerations in the rehabilitation needs of persons with cancer. Implications for nursing practice: It is the challenge of the home health nurse to promote optimal functioning of cancer patients in their home environment. Assessment of the cancer patient's rehabilitation needs, skilled interventions, establishment of realistic goals, and coordinating care between members of the rehabilitation team are major responsibilities.
Design of a Comfortable Rotor Airfoil Using Distributed Piezoelectric Actuators

In the present study, several design methodologies are developed for determining the optimal distribution of a limited amount of piezoelectric material aft of the spar in a conformable rotor airfoil section. The design objectives are to maximize the trailing-edge deflection under actuation loads and simultaneously minimize the airfoil deflection under aerodynamic loads. Energy-like functions, mutual potential energy (MPE) and strain energy (SE), are used as measures of the deflections created by the actuation and aerodynamic loads, respectively. The design objectives are achieved by maximizing a multicriteria objective function that represents a ratio of the MPE to SE. Several design optimization techniques are evaluated including topology, geometry, sequential topology-geometry, and concurrent topology-geometry optimizations. The results of the study indicate that the optimized conformable airfoil section obtained using the concurrent topology-geometry optimization can produce a downward trailing-edge deflection equivalent to 4.24 deg of effective flap angle from the actuation loads, with the peak-to-peak deflection being nearly twice the downward deflection. The airfoil deformation caused by the aerodynamic loads alone is extremely small (less than 0.24 deg). Key features of the optimized airfoil are arrangement of actuators near the spar that act to stretch and shrink the skin and a bimorph like mechanism from midchord to the trailing edge. Additional results include a strain analysis, aerodynamic lift-and-drag increment study, and an examination of the effects of skin thickness and volume constraint of the active material.
Changes in gene position are accompanied by a change in time of replication

The globin and immunoglobulin multigene families have been used to study the effect of chromosomal organization on the time of gene replication. Some of the genes are late-replicating, providing the first identification of late-replicating sequences that are not highly repetitive. One is a member of the mouse alpha-globin gene family, which consists of genes mapping to three different chromosomes. The other genes in this family replicate early during S. Our studies demonstrate that immunoglobulin gene rearrangements and rearrangements between these genes and the c-myc oncogene are accompanied by dramatic differences in their temporal order of replication. We conclude that a gene's position in the chromosome, rather than its sequence, determines the time of replication. We suggest that the differences in association with gene rearrangement result from changes in the proximity of the affected gene to sites that control the temporal order of replication during S.
Study on the initial evolution of ring-like vortices generated by MVG

In this paper, the initial evolution of ring-like vortices which are found behind the MVG-controlled supersonic flow is studied. It is verified that the ring-like vortices can come from the upstream vortex structure and be generated by shear layer instability at the boundary of the momentum deficit as well. However, because of the inflow’s fully developed turbulent flow, the lower boundary layer underneath the ring-like vortex structure will influence the formation of the vortex rings a lot. Furthermore, it is also found that certain vortex structures in the lower boundary layer can be lifted up and become the ring-like vortex. The formation and development of the ring-like vortices is more complicated under the consideration of the influence of the fully developed turbulent inflow.
Acquired epileptiform opercular syndrome: a second case report, review of the literature, and comparison to the Landau-Kleffner syndrome

A 5-year-old girl developed recurrent prolonged episodes of severe oral apraxia, dysarthria, and drooling, similar to the opercular syndrome in children. Each episode lasted several weeks to > 6 months and was associated with exacerbation of epileptiform activity in her EEG. Electrographic status epilepticus during slow wave sleep (ESES) was recorded during three of the exacerbations. The EEG improved markedly when clinical symptoms subsided. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were not effective, although there was some improvement when they were combined with a ketogenic diet. A similar case was described by Roulet et al. We believe that this is a distinct epileptic syndrome, equivalent to the Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS).
Structure-Function Analysis of G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase-5 ROLE OF THE CARBOXYL TERMINUS IN KINASE REGULATION

Many G protein-coupled receptors are phosphorylated and regulated by a distinct family of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) that specifically target the activated form of the receptor. Recent studies have revealed that the GRKs are also subject to post-translational regulation. For example, GRK5 activity is strongly inhibited by protein kinase C phosphorylation and by Ca2+-calmodulin binding. Ca2+-calmodulin binding also promotes GRK5 autophosphorylation, which further contributes to kinase inhibition. In this study we identify two important structural domains in GRK5, a phospholipid binding domain (residues 552–562) and an autoinhibitory domain (residues 563–590), that significantly contribute to GRK5 localization and function. We demonstrate that the C-terminal region of GRK5 (residues 563–590) contains residues autophosphorylated in the presence of calmodulin as well as the residues phosphorylated by protein kinase C. Deletion of this domain increases the apparent affinity of GRK5 for receptor substrates 3–4-fold but has no effect on nonreceptor substrates. These findings define residues 563–590 of GRK5 as an autoinhibitory domain with efficacy that is regulated by phosphorylation. Another C-terminal domain in GRK5 that appears to be functionally important is found between residues 552 and 562. Deletion of this region significantly inhibits kinase phosphorylation of membrane-bound receptor substrates but has no effect on soluble substrates. Additional studies reveal that this domain is critical for GRK5 interaction with phospholipids and for the intracellular localization of the kinase. Interestingly, similar regions in GRK4 and GRK6 appear to be palmitoylated (and involved in membrane interaction), suggesting evolutionary conservation of the function of this domain.
GERD: the potential for endoscopic intervention.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder that significantly affects patients’ quality of life. Most patients with symptomatic GERD do not have erosive reflux disease. Frequent trans
Retinoblastoma protein: a molecular regulator of chronic venous insufficiency.

Purpose.Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and varicose vein (VV) formation is characterized histologically by the transformation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) from a contractile to a secretory phenotype and by intense collagen deposition. The subcellular regulation point for these processes may be the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), a known inhibitor of cellular proliferation and regulator of differentiation. We hypothesize that pRb phosphorylation is associated with VV formation and functions as a possible subcellular regulator. Methods.Patients were separated into two groups. Group 1 (n= 6) consisted of vein specimens obtained from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Group 2 (n= 6) consisted of patients with symptomatic CVI and duplex confirmed refluxing greater saphenous veins (GSVs) who required GSV stripping. Western blots of GSV protein extracts were performed with anti-human pRb monoclonal antibodies and the degree of nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated pRb was determined. Results were quantified using image analysis of band intensities (computer calibrated intensity units). The ultrastructural appearance of SMCs and the vein wall architecture were qualitatively analyzed with electron microscopy in both groups. Results.Phosphorylated pRb from varicose GSVs exhibited intensities of 523 ± 188 units, while phosphorylated pRb from normal GSVs demonstrated intensities of 153 ± 41 units (P< 0.05). SMCs in varicosed GSVs were surrounded by disorganized collagen deposits and displayed a secretory phenotype with spherical vacuolated cells. SMCs from normal GSVs appeared spindle shaped with a purported contractile phenotype and a well-structured extracellular matrix. Conclusion.Our data demonstrate that VV formation, in patients with CVI, is associated with phosphorylated pRb and the transformation of SMCs from a contractile to a secretory ultrastructural morphology. The data suggest that SMC dedifferentiation is regulated by pRb and that disinhibition of this protein (phosphorylation) may be an significant factor in the development of lower extremity varicosities.
Design of an efficient VLSI architecture for non-linear spatial warping of wide-angle camera images

Endoscopic images are subjected to spatial distortion due to the wide-angle configuration of the camera lenses. This barrel type of non-linear distortion should be corrected before these images are subjected to further analysis for diagnostic purposes. An efficient digital architecture suitable for an embedded system which can correct the barrel distortion in real-time is presented in this paper. The theoretical approach of this spatial warping technique is based on least-squares estimation. The images in the distorted image space are mapped onto the corrected image space by using a polynomial mapping model. The polynomial parameters include the expansion coefficients, back-mapping coefficients, distortion centre and corrected centre. Several experiments were conducted by applying the spatial warping algorithm on many endoscopic images. A digital architecture suitable for hardware implementation of the distortion correction technique is developed by mapping the algorithmic steps onto a linear array of processing modules. Each module of a particular unit communicates with its nearest neighbours. The spatial warping architecture implemented and simulated with Altera's Quartus II software shows an overall computation time of 1.8 ms with 50 MHz clock for an image of size 256×192 pixels, which confirms that the spatial warping module could be mounted as a dedicated unit in an endoscopy system for real-time applications.
Reigning Cats and Dogs: A Pet-Enhancement Bias and Its Link to Pet Attachment, Pet-Self Similarity, Self-Enhancement, and Well-Being

We extended past research on the self-enhancement bias and the mere ownership effect to examine whether people have favorably distorted views of their pets. Participants in Study 1 rated their own pet and the average pet on a series of desirable and undesirable personality traits. Participants rated their own pet more favorably than the average pet, revealing a pet-enhancement bias. Study 2 found that the extent of bias was positively correlated with pet attachment, pet–self similarity, and self-enhancement. Pet enhancement was also correlated with some indexes of subjective well-being but for only a subsample of participants. Pet–self similarity was more consistently related to well-being. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the potential psychological and physiological benefits that can be derived from people's perceptions of their pets.
A New Typology of Religion Based on Needs and Values

Abstract Religious experience is notoriously difficult to classify, though various attempts have been made. This article presents a new typology based on Maslow's theory of motivation (popularly known as the ‘hierarchy of needs'), which places needs and values at the forefront of human psychology. I argue that his model can be applied to religion to help explain spiritual choices and consequently the interrelation between demand and supply, thus accounting for the diversity of religion available in contemporary society. The model is particularly applicable to new religious movements (NRMs) in which membership is by voluntary choice. Needs and values are the key factors determining why people join an NRM and which movement they choose.
Quality of Life Issues in Lung Cancer: New Symptom Management Strategies

Quality of life for persons with lung cancer can be maximized with a host of innovative treatment strategies and comfort measures. Individuals with cancer hope for a cure; when that is not realistic, they hope for quality of life for however long it may be. As health care professionals, we have the responsibility to exhaust all avenues to provide this quality of life.
Extracting and restructuring the design of large systems

Extraction of the structural and, to a lesser degree, functional and dynamic properties of systems composed of modules and subsystems is treated. The process is equivalent to reverse engineering a system-level design description. The approach used is to map the resource exchange among modules and then derive a hierarchical design description using a system-restructuring algorithm. The medium for the design description is a module interconnection language, NuMIL. The performance of the algorithm shows that it is practical. >
Metamaterials for RF applications

This paper presents progress in microwave applications of metamaterial structures, specifically the so-called left handed materials or double negative materials. Emphasis is placed on the Composite Right/Left Handed (CRLH) transmission line structures. Several microwave components with unique properties based on the engineered dispersion and mode characteristics are presented. A different approach based on the evanescent wave coupling is briefly mentioned.