cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors and mediators of successful long-term withdrawal from antihypertensive medications. TONE Cooperative Research Group. Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND National guidelines recommend consideration of step down or withdrawal of medication in patients with well-controlled hypertension, but knowledge of factors that predict or mediate success in achieving this goal is limited. OBJECTIVE To identify patient characteristics associated with success in controlling blood pressure (BP) after withdrawal of antihypertensive medication. DESIGN The Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly tested whether lifestyle interventions designed to promote weight loss or a reduced intake of sodium, alone or in combination, provided satisfactory BP control among elderly patients (aged 60-80 years) with hypertension after withdrawal from antihypertensive drug therapy. Participants were observed for 15 to 36 months after attempted drug withdrawal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Trial end points were defined by (1) a sustained BP of 150/90 mm Hg or higher, (2) a clinical cardiovascular event, or (3) a decision by participants or their personal physicians to resume BP medication. RESULTS Proportional hazards regression analyses indicated that the hazard (+/- SE) of experiencing an end point among persons assigned to active interventions was 75% +/- 9% (weight loss), 68% +/- 7% (sodium reduction), and 55% +/- 7% (combined weight loss/sodium reduction) that of the hazard for those assigned to usual care. Lower baseline systolic BP (P < .001), fewer years since diagnosis of hypertension (P < .001), fewer years of antihypertensive treatment (P < .001), and no history of cardiovascular disease (P = .01) were important predictors of maintaining successful nonpharmacological BP control throughout follow-up, based on logistic regression analysis. Age, ethnicity, baseline level of physical activity baseline weight, medication class, smoking status, and alcohol intake were not statistically significant predictors. During follow-up, the extent of weight loss (P = .001) and urinary sodium excretion (P = .04) were associated with a reduction in the risk of trial end points in a graded fashion. CONCLUSIONS Withdrawal from antihypertensive medication is most likely to be successful in patients with well-controlled hypertension who have been recently (within 5 years) diagnosed or treated, and who adhere to life-style interventions involving weight loss and sodium reduction. More than 80% of these patients may have success in medication withdrawal for longer than 1 year.
Integration of Probabilistic and Physically-Based Modelling with Optimization Methods for Stormwater Infrastructure Rehabilitation

Probabilistic stormwater flows are determined using kinematic wave routing methods and long-term historical rainfall. A multiobjective chance constrained opti…
Cabells Scholarly Analytics

Cabells Scholarly Analytics is a database of journals describing peer-review policy, fees, quality metrics, and many more features that researchers find helpful in making decisions about where to publish. Consisting of the Whitelist of reputable journals and the Blacklist of questionable journals, Cabells aims to become a reliable source of information on the quality, competiveness, visibility, and integrity of journals. The Blacklist, specifically, is a dispassionate, potentially one-stop resource to help authors identify problematic journals. There is room for improvement, however, especially for the Whitelist, in accurately categorizing journals by discipline and transparently showing the methodology of calculated indices.
Chapter Three Autonomy, Despair, and Generativity in Erikson's Theory

Abstract The life-course perspective of Erik Erikson holds considerable promise as a conceptual framework within which to understand helplessness and lack of control in aging. In this chapter, a notation system is introduced for representing the formal aspects of Erikson's theory, including relationships between adjacent stages or crises. The notation system is employed as a tool to direct our attention to particular features of Erikson's theory. In a narrow sense, helplessness and lack of control can be understood as the experience and resolution of autonomy versus shame and doubt in the second stage of Erikson's theory and the subsequent modification of these ego qualities across the life course. To understand helplessness and lack of control in a broad sense, we must inquire into the antecedents of despair. The seventh stage of generativity versus stagnation, especially caring for children and grandchildren, is a crucial foundation for successful resolution of the eighth crisis of ego integrity versus despair. The loss of feelings of autonomy and the experience of helplessness in aging may derive from the initial development of autonomy within a cultural context of self-contained, compepitive, and achievement-oriented individualism.
Those strange glomus cells.

This article is based on a lecture given at the Symposium. It does not cover all the presented material, but contains some reflections on the subject of the talk.
The Origin and Evolution of Helium-Rich White Dwarfs

White dwarfs with helium-rich atmospheres constitute about one fifth of the white dwarfs hotter than 12,000 K. They appear to have a mass distribution similar to the hydrogen atmosphere (DA) stars, and are similar in other properties. However, the temperature distribution exhibits a deficiency of DB/DO stars in the interval 25,000–45,000 K, which implies evolution in the dominant surface composition as the stars cool. The hottest group of transition DO white dwarfs are the pulsating objects of the PG1159 class. The central star of Kl–16 is a related object, as may be the newly discovered very hot star H1504+65, which shows no detected surface features of either hydrogen or helium.
The Effect of Continuous Infusion on Tissue Distribution of 54Mn and 67Ga in Tumor-Bearing Animals

Our previous data indicates that 54Mn is cleared from the plasma at a rate such that only 0.1% remains in the blood of a rat 4 h after its injection [4] and the tracer becomes bound in the tissues to the extent that carrier Mn cannot displace it when injected 2 h following 54Mn administration [5].
Specific Mental Health Disorders: Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are often present in adolescence and young adulthood and are most prevalent among females. However, clinicians are seeing increasing numbers in males, children, and older adults as well. Although effective treatments exist, access to care is limited by financial cost and availability. Therefore, eating disorders often follow a chronic course with serious medical complications and the highest mortality of the mental illnesses. Optimal treatment is multidisciplinary (a typical team consists of a medical provider, dietitian, and mental health clinician experienced in treating eating disorders) and includes careful renourishment and medical stabilization in addition to psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic interventions.
Perturbation approximations for bathymetrically controlled ocean acoustic mode coupling

A perturbation approximation of mode coupling equations for acoustic propagation in a submarine canyon environment is presented. The vertical modes and mode coefficients are represented by nearly adiabatic dominant mode functions and correction terms that are sensitive to the horizontal gradient of the variable bathymetry. This approach allows for a more accurate representation of the bottom boundary condition, and eliminates computationally expensive implicit equations for the mode coefficients, replacing them with explicit equations for the nearly adiabatic contributions and the bathymetrically sensitive corrections. The presented method is applied to sloping bottom environments based on real bathymetric data to examine in detail the role of bottom variations in coupled mode propagation scenarios. [Work supported by the ONR.]
A 2.2 NEF Neural-Recording Amplifier Using Discrete-Time Parametric Amplification

This paper proposes a 2.2 noise efficiency factor (NEF) instrumentation amplifier for neural recording applications. A parametric amplifier based on the MOS C-V characteristic is designed as a pre-amplifier stage, lowering the input referred noise of the following stages by 3.4 x Sampling noise is minimized by oversampling the input signal and switching power is reduced by adopting an 8-phase soft-charging technique.
Fuel-Optimal Periodic Control of Passenger Cars in Cruise Based on Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle

Abstract This paper aims to exploit the fuel saving potential of a passenger car in cruising scenarios by deriving an optimal periodic control strategy based on Pontyagin’s Minimum Principle. Gear shifting and coupling between the engine and the driveline are explicitly included in the optimal control problem, and this leads to a hybrid system. By investigating the analytically derived optimal trajectory in the state space, we confirm the optimal periodic control. Considerable advantages in fuel economy up to 4.8% compared to conventional steady control are demonstrated.
Assessing Adult Attachment: Relation and Validity of two Dynamic- Maturational Model Approaches

Assessing attachment is essential yet challenging. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) provides the best appraisal of adult attachment but is time-intensive and costly. Likewise, concerns have been raised regarding the Berkeley-AAI coding and classification method. Meanwhile, self-report measures of adult attachment are time-efficient and low-cost, but their validity is questionable. The Dynamic-Maturational Model approach to the AAI (DMM-AAI) and a novel self-report measure – the Attachment Relationship Questionaire (ARQ) – may offer a solution. However, additional investigations regarding the validity of DMM-AAI are needed and the ARQ’s psychometric properties have not be tested. The validity of the DMM approach to the AAI and the predictive relationship between the ARQ and DMM-AAI classification were examined for 212 participants living the UK. Results indicated a strong positive relationship between high numbered attachment classification on the DMM-AAI and psychological treatment status, χ²(6) = 56.07, p < .001; Cramer’s V = .371, p < .001. Binomial logistic regressions between the ARQ and DMM-AAI found both single-statement and multi-statement predictive models were statistically significant. However, the ARQ accounted for only a small amount of the variance (R² ≤ 0.15). In conclusion, the DMM-AAI demonstrated strong construct validity, whereas the ARQ is not useful for assessment of adult attachment. Further investigation with a revised version of the ARQ that addresses psychometric concerns is suggested.
Moonlight, Adaptation, and Queer Time

Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight (2016), based on an unpublished play by Tarell Alvin McCraney (and on both writers’ lives growing up in a rough Miami neighborhood), illustrates the queer potential of adaptation. Although the film received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, this essay demonstrates the value of reading the film as an adaptation. Doing so helps us to see the film’s essential queerness, which has to do not just with its focus on a gay character but with its construction of time and space, its resistance to—and revision of—conventional narrative patterns. The analysis also suggests a strategy for approaching other adaptations—not as a contest between two competing works to see which one is more authentic, but as a collaboration among artists, readers, commentators, spectators.
Serum triglycerides and mortality risk across stages of chronic kidney disease in 2 million U.S. veterans

Background In the general population, elevated triglyceride (TG) levels are an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. However, in chronic kidney disease, the association of serum TGs with mortality is less clear. Objective We sought to examine the association of TGs with mortality across chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages in a large cohort of U.S. veterans. Methods We examined 2,086,904 U.S. veterans with a TG measurement obtained between a baseline period of October 2004 and September 2006, with follow-up until December 2014 (median [interquartile range {IQR}]: 9.2 [6.5, 9.9] years). Associations of TGs with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality across CKD stages were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results Patients were 64 ± 14 years old with a median (IQR) baseline TG of 129 [88, 193] mg/dL and estimated glomerular filtration rate of 76 [61, 91] mL/min/1.73 m2. More advanced CKD was associated with higher odds of TGs ≥ 240 mg/dL. Low levels of TGs Conclusion Associations of elevated TGs with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were incrementally attenuated across more advanced stages of CKD.
Democratic decentralization, microcredit, and the workings of local government in rural India:

While democratic decentralization in India has commonly been studied as a project of deepening democracy, this article discusses decentralization as a form of state spatial restructuring in the epo...
Optimal Dosing of Enoxaparin to Achieve Therapeutic Anticoagulation in Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose The early post-heart transplantation (HT) period entails frequent biopsies, which poses a unique challenge to administration of therapeutic anticoagulation when indicated. Heightened sensitivity to enoxaparin has been described primarily in lung transplant recipients but has not been assessed in relation to anti-Xa levels specifically in HT recipients. Herein we report our institutional experience with a range of doses of enoxaparin relative to anti-Xa levels. Methods We examined HT recipients who received therapeutic anticoagulation with enoxaparin and included patients with steady state anti-Xa levels at appropriate post-dosing time intervals (i.e. 4 hours) and GFR > 30. Based on suspected heightened sensitivity to enoxaparin, we initiated doses below 1mg/kg every 12 hours (Q12). Spearman's rank correlation was used to relate non-parametric data. Results A total of 14 patients (2016-2019) were included. Average age at the time of enoxaparin exposure was 62 years, 71% were male. Four patients (29%) had a GFR 30-60 while 10 patients (71%) had a GFR > 60. Of 39 anti-Xa levels collected, levels correlated with dose of enoxaparin in mg/kg (rho=0.48, p=0.002, Figure) but not GFR (rho=0.04, p=0.80). Dosing of 1 mg/kg Q12 resulted in average anti-Xa levels above the therapeutic range (mean ± SEM: 1.13±0.23 IU/mL), whereas doses of 0.6mg/kg Q12 resulted in average levels of 0.75±0.07 IU/mL, the midpoint of the desired therapeutic anticoagulation range. Lower doses of enoxaparin (between 0.2-0.5 mg/kg Q12, including those used for prophylaxis) often resulted in anti-Xa levels approaching the therapeutic range (Figure). Conclusion In our small population of HT recipients requiring therapeutic anticoagulation, use of enoxaparin 0.6 mg/kg BID results in average anti-Xa levels at the midpoint of the therapeutic range (0.75 IU/mL) and represents a preferable dosing strategy to FDA-label dosing of 1mg/kg Q12.
Outreach is not a "one-shot”: Critical approaches to outreach

In this column, the author explores how outreach to underserved students can be achieved through a critical librarianship approach, which first requires centering students’ voices in order to properly establish a relationship of trust.
The interplay between HIV and COVID-19: summary of the data and responses to date.

Purpose of review We examine the interplay between the HIV and COVID-19 epidemics, including the impact of HIV on COVID-19 susceptibility and severe disease, the effect of the COVID-19 epidemic on HIV prevention and treatment, and the influence of the HIV epidemic on responses to COVID-19. Recent findings Evidence to date does not suggest that people living with HIV (PLWH) have a markedly higher susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, with disparities in the social determinants of health and comorbidities likely having a greater influence. The majority of literature has not supported a higher risk for severe disease among PLWH in Europe and the United States, although a large, population-based study in South Africa reported a higher rate of death due to COVID-19. Higher rates of comorbidities associated with COVID-19 disease severity among PLWH is an urgent concern. COVID-19 is leading to decreased access to HIV prevention services and HIV testing, and worsening HIV treatment access and virologic suppression, which could lead to worsening HIV epidemic control. Conclusion COVID-19 is threatening gains against the HIV epidemic, including the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic goals. The ongoing collision of these two global pandemics will continue to need both study and interventions to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on HIV efforts worldwide.
Introductory Medical Spanish Elective: Creating and Evaluating a Case-Based Course Compatible with an 18-Month Pre-Clinical Medical Curriculum

Limited English proficiency patients experience high rates of medical errors and receive lower quality of care. To better prepare the healthcare workforce, Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) members at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) developed an Introductory Medical Spanish course to complement an 18-month pre-clinical curriculum. This 10-week elective course consisted of 2 h of weekly instruction, two Cafecito cultural sessions, and one clinical standardized assessment (CSA). The authors used Bloom’s taxonomy as a theoretical framework to design course components. Pre- and post-course surveys captured comfort scores with performing a history and physical (H&P) and building rapport in Spanish. Change in comfort was analyzed via paired T-test in STATA. The authors performed a content analysis of CSA feedback and a thematic analysis of Cafecito reflections. Fifteen preclinical medical students in cohort 1 and sixteen in cohort 2 completed the 10-week course. Comfort scores significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 2.87 and 1 point(s) for cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. There were differences between cohorts 1 and 2, including self-reported language fluency (93% vs 47% “beginner” level) and value of the cultural sessions (73% vs 50%), respectively. Qualitative content analysis of CSA feedback and thematic analysis of Cafecito reflections revealed students successfully applied learned material to a new case and developed a newfound appreciation for Latinx public health issues. This course effectively increased students’ comfort using medical Spanish which successfully translated into simulated patient environments. It also provided a space to discuss nuances of health and Latinx cultures with peers. Ultimately, this course’s feasible, effective structure can serve as a model to complement condensed pre-clinical undergraduate medical education (UME) curricula.
Introduction to 4D printing: methodologies and materials

Abstract 4D printing, initially defined as “3D printing + time” with the fourth dimension to be time, has attracted tremendous interest in various research fields since 2013. 4D printing allows a 3D-printed structure to change its shape, property, or functionality with time in response to external stimuli. 4D printing technique involves the interdisciplinary research of smart materials, 3D printing techniques, and design/modeling. This chapter provides a general introduction to 4D printing, with a focus on the printing methodologies and material systems. After a brief overview of the history of 4D printing and basic components, we elaborated on the four major material systems using different printing approaches for 4D printing. For the material systems, the extensively studied shape-programmable materials including shape memory polymer, hydrogel composites, liquid crystal elastomers, and magnetoactive materials are summarized. The trend, perspectives, and potential applications of 4D printing are discussed.
Analysis of Real-World Language Use in a Person With Wernicke's Aphasia

Purpose In this study, we evaluate the use of a technology called the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) Pro System to quantify the language of a participant with severe Wernicke's aphasia in the...
The Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Model as a Pedagogical Framework for Clinical Nursing Educators.

BACKGROUND Clinical education is essential to the development of nursing students and future nursing practice. However, research often focuses on pedagogies used in the classroom and not in the clinical environment. PROBLEM Presently, there is no framework in nursing education to describe the subject matter and pedagogical knowledge educators draw upon when teaching in the clinical setting. APPROACH This article describes how the mathematical knowledge for teaching framework was applied to nursing education to examine clinical educators' subject matter and pedagogical knowledge. OUTCOMES By applying the framework, facets of subject and pedagogical knowledge used by clinical educators were identified, defined, and described. CONCLUSIONS Applying the mathematical knowledge for teaching framework to clinical education may be an initial step to describe the types of knowledge that nursing educators draw upon in the clinical setting. It may also be used in the design of professional development and mentoring programs for nurse educators.
The Influence of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Follow-up on Survival in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy.

Purpose/Objective(s) Cancer patients with lower socioeconomic status (SES) have been shown to have worse outcomes, but the influence of neighborhood-level SES has not been well-established. One widely used geographic measure of SES is via a publicly available, U.S. Census-based neighborhood disadvantage metric called the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). We hypothesized that residence in a lower SES neighborhood, as indicated by higher ADI, would be associated with worse progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Materials/Methods A retrospective review was conducted using an institutional database containing patient and disease characteristics including race, smoking status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores. Neighborhood-level factors, such as ADI and rural-urban codes, were incorporated by applying clinical informatics to manage large-scale data. Loss to follow-up was defined as being alive but with no follow-up > 6 months after completing SABR. Kaplan-Meier with log-rank analysis and Cox regression were conducted for PFS and OS, and logistic regression was performed to evaluate for predictors of loss to follow-up. Statistical significance was set at P Results There were 513 patients treated from 2004-2018 with a median follow-up of 25 months (range: 0-190). Median PFS was 20 months, and median OS was 36 months. The median age was 73 years; 45% were male, 14% were Black, 30% were actively smoking, 74% were from an urban neighborhood. Median SABR dose was 54 Gray in 3 fractions. ADI scores ranged from 21.68 to 156.85 and were normally distributed; the first quintile mean ADI was 71.49 (least disadvantaged) and the fifth quintile mean ADI was 124.97 (most disadvantaged). On Kaplan-Meier (log-rank) analysis, loss to follow-up was associated with worse PFS and OS (P Conclusion Loss to follow-up, urban home location, and lower socioeconomic status, as represented by higher ADI values, were found to be independently associated with worse OS, suggesting the importance of considering SES and potential barriers to follow-up in patient care.
Interspecific Variation in Aggressive Fighting Behavior of Shelter-Building Caterpillars

Herbivorous insects rarely directly compete over food resources, except in the case of concealed feeders when the food source also serves as shelter and territory. The objective of this study was to characterize the competitive behaviors of four common, co-occurring caterpillar species that tie together overlapping leaves on white oak – Psilocorsis quercicella (Oecophoridae), P. cryptolechiella, P. reflexella, and Pseudotelphusa quercinigracella (Gelechiidae). Artificial leaf ties were created by clipping a piece of transparency paper to a white oak leaf. An ‘occupant’ caterpillar was allowed to build a shelter between the transparency paper and leaf, after which an ‘intruder’ caterpillar was introduced into the leaf tie. Caterpillars were observed pushing and hitting one another to gain or maintain access to the shelter. The occupant caterpillar maintained possession of the shelter in 52 % of the interactions, the intruder usurped the shelter from the occupant in 24 % of the interactions, and the caterpillars shared the shelter in 24 % of the interactions. The four species examined differed significantly in their behavior toward other caterpillars, and ordered most to least aggressive are P. reflexella, P. cryptolechiella, P. quercicella, and Pse. quercinigracella. There were also behavioral differences within and between species when acting as an occupant or an intruder. Psilocorsis cryptolechiella was more aggressive and Pse. quercinigracella was less aggressive when defending a shelter than when attempting to usurp a shelter. It was also found that the four focal caterpillar species, when collected from naturally colonized leaf ties, co-occur significantly less often than expected when compared to a null model. It appears that direct competition for shelters that serve as a territory as well as a food source is frequent and influences the composition of the leaf-tying caterpillar community.
The effect of inorganic and organic supplements on the microbial degradation of phenanthrene and pyrene in soils

The effects of several bioremediation stimulants, including potentialmetabolism pathway inducers, inorganic/organic nutrients, and surfactants onthe metabolism of phenanthrene and pyrene, as well as the populationdynamics of PAH degrading microorganisms was examined in five soils withdiffering background PAH concentrations, exposure histories and physicalproperties. Most of the supplements either had no significant effect ordecreased the mineralization of [14C]-phenanthrene and[14C]-pyrene in soil slurry microcosms. The effect of aparticular supplement, however, was often not uniform within or acrosssoils. Decreased mineralization of [14C]-phenanthrene and[14C]-pyrene was usually due to either preferential use of thesupplement as carbon source and/or stimulation of non-PAH degradingmicroorganisms. Many of the supplements increased populations ofheterotrophic microorganisms, as measured by plate counts, but did notincrease populations of phenanthrene degrading microorganisms, as measuredby the [14C]-PAH mineralization MPN analysis or cellularincorporation of [14C]-PAH. These results suggest that the PAHdegrading community at each site may be unique in their response tomaterials added in an attempt to stimulate PAH degradation. Thecharacteristics of the site, including exposure history, soil type, andtemporal variation may all influence their response.
Adolescents' Willingness to Utilize Online Counseling

This study was a descriptive examination of the likelihood that adolescents would utilize online counseling to address their school counseling needs as compared to face-to-face counseling. Ninth to twelfth grade students at a suburban high school with proximity to a large metropolitan city were chosen for this study. This convenience sample was chosen due to the high academic profile of the students, the integration of computers into the school curriculum, the strong utilization of the counseling program, and the high counselor/student ratio. The research questions were explored using a two-part questionnaire with a sample size of 300. Individual Internet frequency and type of use as well as knowledge of the services that were available to them at their school were assessed. Counseling style preference for either online or face-to-face counseling was compared for specific school related issues. Frequency tables and cross tabulations were used to analyze the data. As would be expected, analyses showed that students were frequent users of the Internet as well as frequent users of email and instant messaging. They were mostly unaware of the counseling services that were offered at their school and
Model reference adaptive fuzzy logic control for vehicle guidance

A formulation is made for a model reference adaptive fuzzy logic control (MRAFLC) algorithm for the automatic vehicle guidance problem. The goal is to make the output of the closed-loop system, under fuzzy logic control, follow a reference output, generated by a fuzzy system. Using Lyapunov theory, convergence between the actual output and the reference output is discussed as well as the state bounded stability. Advantages of using the MRAFLC in vehicle guidance, such as adapting the controller to changes in operating conditions, are shown by simulation results applying the MRAFLC to a full-sized automobile.
Once more into the barrier: Reply to another comment by B.D. Kay and M.E. Coltrin☆

Abstract The most recent comments by Kay and Coltrin are contrasted with the actual state of the current literature.
Metabolic Damage and Premature Thymus Aging Caused by Stromal Catalase Deficiency

T lymphocytes are essential mediators of immunity that are produced by the thymus in proportion to its size. The thymus atrophies rapidly with age, resulting in progressive diminution of new T cell production. This decreased output is compensated by duplication of existing T cells, but it results in gradual dominance by memory T cells and decreased ability to respond to new pathogens or vaccines. Here, we show that accelerated and irreversible thymic atrophy results from stromal deficiency in the reducing enzyme catalase, leading to increased damage by hydrogen peroxide generated by aerobic metabolism. Genetic complementation of catalase in stromal cells diminished atrophy, as did chemical antioxidants, thus providing a mechanistic link between antioxidants, metabolism, and normal immune function. We propose that irreversible thymic atrophy represents a conventional aging process that is accelerated by stromal catalase deficiency in the context of an intensely anabolic (lymphoid) environment.
Computer design of a high explosive velocity augmented kinetic energy penetrator

Abstract The results of a combined analytical/experimental design of a high-explosive velocity augmented kinetic energy penetrator are presented. The objective of the analysis is the design of a velocity augmenter and main charge case. The augmenter design must conform to restrictive volume constraints and provide maximum impulse to the main charge which, in turn, must survive the augmenter loading and penetrate the target. An explicit finite element hydrodynamic computer code, DYNA2D, employing arbitrary zoning, two-way sliding with gaps, and high explosive equation-of-state is employed as the analytical tool. High strain rate material models are used and predictions are compared to experimental deformations. Shock wave interactions in the main charge case are analyzed and a combination of shock attenuation and wave trapping is employed to reduce loads below failure limits. The final design provides maximum velocity augmentation while staying within volume constraints and maintaining main charge case integrity. Computed deformations and velocities are experimentally verified. This design analysis method using state-of-the-art code and computer capabilities is shown to be an effective method of simplifying the design process as well as providing necessary design optimization data not previously available.
VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP AMONG BLACK AMERICANS: THE POST-CIVIL RIGHTS ERA

This article discusses voluntary association membership among black Americans in the post-civil rights era. Previous empirical studies comparing black to white social participation are critically assessed. A model composed of social class and intragroup regionality variables is offered to explain membership patterns as a manifestation of vertical and horizontal differentiation in the black American social structure. The analysis of empirical data collected by telephone interviews (N = 321) in a southwest Chicago community revealed that education most accurately predicts membership across associations but that occupation and regionality are also important variables. The analysis showed that members of church groups and civil rights groups are likely to be women from the rural South with at least 12 years of education. These findings suggest that explanations of black American life in the post-civil rights era may wish to consider vertical as well as horizontal differentiation. Voluntary association membership is an important aspect of black American life. Traditionally, organizations such as church groups, civil rights groups, sororities, fraternities, youth groups, and community service groups have been a source of strength and leadership development in the black community. In this light it is somewhat surprising to find that much of the research on voluntary association activity among blacks suffers from a lack of theoretical perspective. Empirical studies have tended to compare the participation rates of whites to blacks in various social and political activities. As a result, only a glimpse of the voluntary association patterns of black Americans is provided, and blacks tend to be portrayed as belonging to too many expressive associations and/or to too few instrumental associations. This portrayal has had the unfortunate effect of creating a stereotypical image of black associational life as deviant, if not frivolous. This article will attempt to correct this problem by analyzing voluntary association membership among blacks in the post-civil rights era. "Voluntary association" refers to formal organizations, regardless of size, in which membership is usually voluntary.
EFFECT OF ESTROGEN ON THYROIDAL IODIDE TRAPPING AND CONVERSION OF INORGANIC I131 TO PROTEIN BOUND I13112

ESTRUS and the administration of estrogen have been correlated with alterations of thyroid function and structure (1, 2). The mechanism and site of action of ovarian hormones on the thyroid have not been elucidated, although it has often been assumed that thyroidal effects were mediated by the hypophysis and thyrotrophin (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8). This investigation was undertaken to define more precisely the locus of action of estrogen on thyroid function. For this purpose the effect of estrogen on the “iodide trapping” mechanism of the thyroid and on the conversion of inorganic I131 to protein bound I131 was studied in castrate male and hypophysectomized female rats.
Low-temperature molar heat capacities and entropies of MnO2 (pyrolusite), Mn3O4 (hausmanite), and Mn2O3 (bixbyite)

Abstract Pyrolusite (MnO2), hausmanite (Mn3O4), and bixbyite (Mn2O3), are important ore minerals of manganese and accurate values for their thermodynamic properties are desirable to understand better the {p(O2), T} conditions of their formation. To provide accurate values for the entropies of these important manganese minerals, we have measured their heat capacities between approximately 5 and 380 K using a fully automatic adiabatically-shielded calorimeter. All three minerals are paramagnetic above 100 K and become antiferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic at lower temperatures. This transition is expressed by a sharp λ-type anomaly in Cpmo for each compound with Neel temperatures TN of (92.2±0.2), (43.1±0.2), and (79.45±0.05) K for MnO2, Mn3O4, and Mn2O3, respectively. In addition, at T ≈ 308 K, Mn2O3 undergoes a crystallographic transition, from orthorhombic (at low temperatures) to cubic. A significant thermal effect is associated with this change. Hausmanite is ferrimagnetic below TN and in addition to the normal λ-shape of the heat-capacity maxima in MnO2 and Mn2O3, it has a second rounded maximum at 40.5 K. The origin of this subsidiary bump in the heat capacity is unknown but may be related to a similar “anomalous bump” in the curve of magnetization against temperature at about 39 K observed by Dwight and Menyuk.(1) At 298.15 K the standard molar entropies of MnO2, Mn3O4, and Mn2O3, are (52.75±0.07), (164.1±0.2), and (113.7±0.2) J·K−1·mol−1, respectively. Our value for Mn3O4 is greater than that adopted in the National Bureau of Standards tables(2) by 14 per cent.
Spawning event of Pherecardia striata followed by washed up individuals in Hawaii

Pherecardia striata (Kinberg 1857) is a polychaete worm of the family Amphinomidae. Amphinomids are known as ‘fireworms’ due to the discomfort and itching sensation if touched. P. striata is an active predator that can swallow pieces of fish and live prey such as small crabs, shelled gastropods, and other worms and even be hand fed in aquaria (Glasby and Bailey-Brock 2001). This is a large species reaching up to 20 cm in length in Hawaii and distributed throughout the IndoPacific (Bailey-Brock 1987). In Hawaiian shallow coral reefs, this species is known to spawn on a summer night, an event most likely triggered by a full moon. The spawning event was photographed on the night of July 25, 2005 in Coconut Island, Kaneohe Bay (Darlyne Murawski pers. comm.) and featured in Holland (2007) in a special issue of National Geographic. On the morning of August 17, 2014, dozens of individuals of Pherecardia striata were found dead at Kahanamoku Beach, 21.281602, -157.838943 (Fig. 1). Nearly ten years before, on August 6, 2004, about 200 individuals were found in a nearby beach (Ala Moana Beach , 21.288693, -157.847722) as reported in a local newspaper (Fujimori 2004). Although spawning events for this species are known to occur annually, heavy rains may have caused the massive deaths of individuals reported in 2004 and 2014. Predictions on spawning events of marine worms are very exact for the palolo worm (Palola viridis Gray in Stair, 1847) that spawns at the third quarter of the moon in October or November. This event is highly celebrated as the worms are eaten raw in the South Pacific. The three spawning events recorded for Pherecardia striata are documented herein for the third quarter of the moon of July or August and can be further investigated and celebrated by night divers and tourists.
Electrical conductivity of high digenite (Cu2−xS) at controlled sulfur activities

Abstract The electrical conductivity of digenite (Cu 2− x S) is measured at controlled sulfur activities in the temperature range 475– 650°C. A defect model in digenite is proposed which is consistent with our conductivity data and non-stoichiometry data from literature. The observed conductivity temperature relationship is analysed to determine the controlling mechanism for conductivity.
Optical Micromachined Ultrasound Transducers (OMUT) – a New Approach for High Resolution Imaging

Piezoelectric ultrasound (US) transducers are at the heart of almost any ultrasonic medical imaging probe. However, their sensitivity and reliability severely degrade in applications requiring high frequency (>20 MHz) and small element size (<0.1 mm). Alternative technologies such as capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUT) and optical sensing and generation of ultrasound are being investigated. In this paper we present our first steps in developing optical micromachined ultrasound transducers (OMUT) technology. OMUTs rely on microfabrication techniques to construct micron-size air cavities capped by an elastic membrane. The membrane functions as the active ultrasound transmitter and receiver. We will describe the design and testing of prototype OMUT devices which implement a receive-only function. The cavity detector is an optical cavity which its top mirror is deflected under the application of pressure. The intensity of a reflected light beam is highly sensitive to displacement of the top membrane if the optical wavelength is at near-resonance condition. Therefore, US pulses can be detected by recording the reflected light intensity. The sensitivity of the device depends on the mechanical properties of the top membrane and optical characteristics of the optical cavity. The device was fabricated using SU8 as a structural material and gold as a mirror. We have developed a new bonding method to fabricate a sealed, low roughness, high quality optical cavity. The 60μm cavity with the 8.5 μm top membrane is tested in water with 25MHz ultrasound transducer. The NEP of the device for bandwidth of 28MHz was 9.25kPa. The optical cavity has a finesse of around 23.
Has human olfaction evolved primarily to provide flavor to foods

Olfaction has been viewed historically as a sensory system of little importance to humans. In 1798, the renowned German philosopher Immanuel Kant stated, ‘To which organic sense do we owe the least and which seems to be the most dispensable? The sense of smell. It does not pay us to cultivate it or to refine it in order to gain enjoyment; this sense can pick up more objects of aversion than of pleasure (especially in crowded places) and, besides, the pleasure coming from the sense of smell cannot be other than fleeting or transitory’ [1].
Automated Progress Monitoring Using Unordered Daily Construction Photographs and IFC-Based Building Information Models

AbstractAccurate and efficient tracking, analysis and visualization of as-built (actual) status of buildings under construction are critical components of a successful project monitoring. Such information directly supports control decision-making and if automated, can significantly impact management of a project. This paper presents a new automated approach for recognition of physical progress based on two emerging sources of information: (1) unordered daily construction photo collections, which are currently collected at almost no cost on all construction sites; and (2) building information models (BIMs), which are increasingly turning into binding components of architecture/engineering/construction contracts. First, given a set of unordered and uncalibrated site photographs, an approach based on structure-from-motion, multiview stereo, and voxel coloring and labeling algorithms is presented that calibrates cameras, photorealistically reconstructs a dense as-built point cloud model in four dimensions (th...
Applications Of Heterodyne Interferometry To Disc Drive Technology

The challenges to metrology provided by the extreme precision required by disc memory technology is described. Heterodyne interferometry is shown to be able to meet the metrology requirements and to provide a more direct interpretation of the results than other methods.
Tracing Beta Strands Using StrandTwister from Cryo-EM Density Maps at Medium Resolutions

Summary Major secondary structure elements such as α helices and β sheets can be computationally detected from cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) density maps with medium resolutions of 5–10 A. However, a critical piece of information for modeling atomic structures is missing, because there are no tools to detect β strands from cryo-EM maps at medium resolutions. We propose a method, StrandTwister, to detect the traces of β strands through the analysis of twist, an intrinsic nature of a β sheet. StrandTwister has been tested using 100 β sheets simulated at 10 A resolution and 39 β sheets computationally detected from cryo-EM density maps at 4.4–7.4 A resolutions. Although experimentally derived cryo-EM maps contain errors, StrandTwister's best detections over 39 cases were able to detect 81.87% of the β strands, with an overall 1.66 A two-way distance between the detected and observed β traces. StrandTwister appears to detect the traces of β strands on major β sheets quite accurately, particularly at the central area of a β sheet.
The song of the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae in the West Indies

Songs of the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae were recorded and analyzed from Grand Turks in the Bahamas to Venezuela. The design features of the song are as follows. The basic song evolves through a series of different sounds in a fixed order. The song is produced only in the winter tropical calving grounds, just before the whales arrive on the banks. Redundancy is high in that syllables, motifs, phrases and the entire song are repeated. Low, intermediate, and high-frequency sounds are scattered throughout the song. One sound is associated with blowing. The song appears to be partially different each year and there are some differences within a year between banks which may indicate that dialects are present. It is suggested that songs from other populations are quite different. The apparent yearly changes do not occur at one point in time. Only single individuals produce the song and they are hypothesized to be young, sexually mature males. The implications of these various design features are discussed.
Pulseless electrical activity with witnessed arrest as a predictor of sudden death from massive pulmonary embolism in outpatients.

Abstract Background: the objective was to determine clinical characteristics that can quickly distinguish sudden death from massive pulmonary embolism (MPE) from other causes of sudden death. Methods and results: all medical examiner reports from Charlotte, NC from 1992 to 1999 ( n =4926) were hand-searched for cases of sudden death which met the inclusion criteria: non-traumatic death, age 18–65 years, transported to an emergency department (ED), and autopsy performed. Supplemental data from ED and prehospital records were retrieved to complete documentation. Data were analyzed by univariate odds ratios (OR) followed by chi-square ( χ 2 ) recursive partitioning for decision tree construction. Three hundred eighty four cases met inclusion criteria; MPE was the second most frequent cause of cardiac arrest in this cohort (37/384, 9.6%). The mean age of subjects with MPE (40.2±11.1 years) was significantly lower compared with non-PE subjects (46.5±9.9 years). Pulseless electrical activity was observed as the initial arrest rhythm (primary PEA) in 52/384 (13.5%) subjects. Out of 52 subjects with primary PEA, 28 (53%) died from MPE. Odds ratio data indicated significant association of MPE with female gender, arrest witnessed by medical providers, presence of primary PEA, and return of spontaneous circulation. The most accurate decision rule to recognize MPE consisted of witnessed arrest+primary PEA. This rule generated sensitivity=67.6% and specificity=94.5% and yielded a posttest probability of MPE of 57%. Conclusions: outpatients with witnessed cardiac arrest and primary PEA carry a high probability of MPE.
Part-set cueing and the generation effect: An evaluation of a two-mechanism account of part-set cueing

The part-set cueing effect refers to paradoxical memory impairment often observed when elements from a set of items appear as ostensibly helpful retrieval cues during testing of memory for the set. We tested predictions of a two-mechanism account of part-set cueing—that, without enhanced relational processing, standard encoding leaves items susceptible to cueing-induced inhibition that persists after cues are removed; and that increasing item-specific encoding increases this persisting inhibition. Experiment 1 used antonym generation during study to increase item-specific encoding relative to standard encoding. Tests using item-specific probes revealed greater cueing-induced impairment for the generation condition, as predicted. However, when part-set cues were later removed, this impairment abated significantly in the generation condition and even disappeared in the standard-encoding condition—effects not predicted by the two-mechanism account, challenging its completeness. In Experiment 2, we ruled out ...