cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integration of system phenotypes in microbiome networks to identify candidate synthetic communities: a study of the grafted tomato rhizobiome

Understanding factors influencing microbial interactions, and designing methods to identify key taxa, are complex challenges for achieving microbiome-based agriculture. Here we use a grafted tomato system to study how grafting and the choice of rootstock influence root-associated fungal communities. We then construct a phenotype-OTU network analysis (PhONA) using random forest and network models of the observed sequence-based fungal Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and associated tomato yield data. PhONA provides a framework to select a testable and manageable number of OTUs to support microbiome-based agriculture. We studied three tomato rootstocks (BHN589, RST-04-106 and Maxifort) grafted to a BHN589 scion and profiled the associated endosphere and rhizosphere fungal communities by sequencing the fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS2). The data provided evidence for a rootstock effect (explaining ~2% of the total captured variation, p < 0.01) on the fungal community. Moreover, the most productive rootstock, Maxifort, supported higher fungal species richness than the other rootstocks or controls. Differentially abundant OTUs (DAOTUs) specific to each rootstock were identified for both endosphere and rhizosphere compartments. PhONA integrates the information about individual OTU obtained via differential abundance tests and role analyses. It identified OTUs that were directly important for predicting tomato yield, and other OTUs that were indirectly linked to yield through their links to these OTUs. Fungal OTUs that are directly or indirectly linked with tomato yield represent candidate components of synthetic communities for testing in agricultural systems.
The breadth and potency of transdiagnostic cognitive risks for psychopathology in youth.

Objective Multiple cognitive risks from different theoretical paradigms (dysfunctional attitudes, negative inferential style, self-criticism, dependency, brooding) predict depression, but may be transdiagnostic vulnerabilities for multiple psychopathologies. Risk factors can be identified as broadly transdiagnostic and relatively specific to psychopathological outcomes by organizing the common and specific aspects of each respective construct using latent bifactor models, and by examining links between dimensions of risk and psychopathology. This study evaluated (a) whether a bifactor model of cognitive vulnerabilities, including a general cognitive risk dimension (c factor) and several specific dimensions replicated in early adolescents (Mage = 13.50 years) and extended to younger and older youth, and (b) how the general and specific cognitive risk dimensions related to the general psychopathology (p factor) and internalizing- and externalizing-specific dimensions. Method Community youth (N = 571; 55% female) reported on cognitive risks; youth and a caregiver reported on psychopathologies (depression, anxiety, aggression, conduct, attention problems). Results The cognitive risk bifactor model showed good fit and slight advantages over a correlated factors model. The bifactor model exhibited invariance across development and captured key associations that were identified when each individual cognitive risk was related to the bifactor model of psychopathology. The c factor strongly related to internalizing-specific, and moderately to the p factor and externalizing-specific dimensions. Specific cognitive risk dimensions (brooding, negative inferential style, dependency) related to all psychopathology dimensions. Conclusion A general cognitive vulnerability (c factor) transdiagnostically associates with a breadth of psychopathologies and most potently to internalizing-specific among youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Guest Editorial 2019 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference

This Special Issue of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits features expanded versions of key articles presented at the 2019 Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC) held at Hilton, Austin, TX, USA, from April 14 to April 17.
CO2 Biofixation via Spirulina sp. Cultures: Evaluation of Initial Biomass Concentration in Tubular and Raceway Photobioreactors

Many aspects can influence the CO2 biofixation efficiency by microalgae, including CO2 concentration, initial biomass concentration and photobioreactor configuration. This study evaluated two photobioreactors (raceway and tubular) and two initial biomass concentrations (0.2 and 0.4 g L−1) in the growth parameters and in the CO2 biofixation by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 cultures. The carbon source was replaced by 10% (v/v−1) of CO2 (0.05 vvm). Tubular photobioreactor cultures provided an increase of 43 and 62%, respectively, in the maximum specific growth rate and in the CO2 biofixation efficiency, compared with the raceway photobioreactor cultures. The lowest initial biomass concentration evaluated (0.2 g L−1) increased the growth parameter results, with a maximum specific growth rate of 42% higher than the cultures using the highest initial biomass concentration (0.4 g L−1). Spirulina sp. LEB 18 cultures in tubular photobioreactor with 0.2 g L−1 of initial biomass concentration showed a potential for CO2 biofixation.
Improving Access To Interpreter Services For Patients And Families With Limited English Proficiency

BACKGROUND: Health disparities among patients with limited English -proficiency (LEP) are well documented in the literature. Barriers to communication for LEP patients affect quality of care, length of stay and readmission rates. Our aim is to increase the frequency of interpretations on the pediatric inpatient floors from 1.7 interpretations per patient per day (baseline) to 2.5 interpretations per day by 12/31/2018. METHODS: A 2016 needs assessment was conducted to identify opportunities to improve care for patients and families with LEP. One of …
Home gardening and urban agriculture for advancing food and nutritional security in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite a 2.3% increase in world cereal production in 2019 over 2018, the number of people facing severe food insecurity may double from 135 million in January 2020 to 265 million by the end of 2020. The problem of food and nutritional insecurity is severe in urban centers, where the global population is projected to increase (%/year) by 1.84, 1.63, and 1.44 between 2015 to 2020, 2020 to 2025, and 2025 to 2030, and it will increase overall from 54% in 2016 to 60% by 2030. The number of megacities (>10 million people) will increase from 34 in 2015 to 41 by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated food insecurity in urban centers because of the disruption in the food supply chain, aggravation of the physical and economic barriers that restrict access to food, and the catastrophic increase in food waste because of labor shortages. Thus, there is a need to adopt more resilient food systems, reduce food waste, and strengthen local food production. Enhancing availability at the household and community levels through home gardening and urban agriculture is an important strategy. Food production within the cities include small land farming in households, local community gardens, indoor and rooftop gardens, vertical farming, etc. Home gardening can play an important role in advancing food and nutritional security during and after the COVD-19 pandemic, while also strengthening the provisioning of numerous ecosystem services (i.e., plant biodiversity, microclimate, water runoff, water quality, human health). However, risks of soil contamination by heavy metals must be addressed.
The Erotic in Foreigner Incorporation: First Encounters Between Germans and Syrians

Early encounters between Syrian refugees and Germans are integral to the dynamics of social incorporation and the creation of mutual belonging. They include an erotic element that is often acknowledged but rarely reflected upon. Based on collaborative research in Berlin, this chapter reflects on the significance of the erotic in foreigner incorporation and how it contributes to a sense of belonging to a social unit. In several examples of interactions, first encounters are shown to display thickly layered forms of intersubjectivity in which projection, projective identification, and the mutual modification of projections play out.
Less severe clinical symptoms of Norwalk virus 8fIIb inoculum compared to its precursor 8fIIa from human challenge studies.

Noroviruses (NoV) are a leading cause of epidemic gastroenteritis. Human challenge studies have been used to examine the infectivity, pathogenicity, and host immune response to NoV as well as vaccine efficacy. The goal of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of data from five previously completed human challenge trials and compare the response to the secondary NV inoculum (8fIIb) to its precursor (8fIIa). We investigated a total of 158 subjects: 76 subjects were experimentally challenged with NV inoculum 8fIIa, and 82 subjects were challenged with 8fIIb. We compared demographic characteristics, infection, illness, mean severity score, blood types, and duration of viral shedding between the two groups of subjects. There were no statistically significant differences in overall infection and illness rates between subjects inoculated with 8fIIa and 8fIIb. However, individuals challenged with 8fIIa had significantly higher severity scores (5.05 vs. 3.22, p = .008) compared with those challenged with 8fIIb. We also observed that infection with 8fIIb was associated with significantly longer duration of viral shedding compared with 8fIIa (11.0 days vs. 5.0 days, p = .0005). These results have serious implications for the development of new NoV inocula for human challenge studies to test candidate vaccine efficacy-where illness severity and duration of viral shedding are important outcomes.
Expectativas dos utentes na consulta nos cuidados de saúde primários

Objetivos: Caracterizar as expectativas dos utentes face a consulta de medicina geral e familiar (MGF) e analisar se existe relacao entre o cumprimento das expectativas do utente e as caracteristicas sociodemograficas, com a satisfacao no final da consulta. Metodos: Consistiu num estudo observacional transversal, realizado numa Unidade de Saude Familiar (USF) durante quatro semanas. Os utentes que se dirigiam a uma consulta programada eram questionados sobre o interesse em responder a um inquerito anonimo. A primeira pagina, lida e preenchida antes da consulta, consistiu em dados sociodemograficos (idade, genero, escolaridade), numero de consultas que teve na USF no ultimo ano e expectativas presentes antes da consulta. A segunda pagina, respondida apos a consulta, consistiu num questionario para analisar as expectativas cumpridas na consulta e outro para avaliar a satisfacao com os cuidados medicos. Resultados: Obtiveram-se 65 inqueritos validos. Verificou-se que a expectativa mais frequente antes da consulta consistia em receber informacao sobre os resultados dos exames auxiliares de diagnostico e a expectativa mais cumprida foi a explicacao sobre o tratamento. Quanto ao grau de satisfacao no final da consulta, a media de satisfacao foi de 4,2 em 5 pontos. Verificou-se que os utentes estavam mais satisfeitos com o grau de confidencialidade e a forma como o medico o/a ouviu. Observou-se maior grau de satisfacao em utentes com grau de escolaridade superior, com maior numero de expectativas cumpridas e com maior numero de acoes realizadas e que nao eram expectativas que o doente levava para a consulta. Conclusoes: E importante identificar as expectativas que os doentes levam para a consulta, pois os utentes que reportam elevado numero de expectativas cumpridas tem um elevado nivel de satisfacao, o qual pode ser atualmente considerado como um importante indicador da qualidade de saude.
The Impact of Residential Racial Segregation on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment and Outcomes

Abstract: Background Despite decreases in lung cancer incidence, racial disparities in diagnosis and treatment persist. Residential segregation and structural racism have effects on socioeconomic status for black people, affecting healthcare access. This study aims to determine the impact of residential segregation on racial disparities in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment and mortality. Methods Patient data were obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database for black and white patients diagnosed with NSCLC from 2004-2016 in the 100 most populous counties. Regression models were built to assess outcomes of interest – stage at diagnosis and surgical resection of disease. Predicted margins assessed impact of index of dissimilarity (IoD) on these disparities. Competing risk regressions for black and white patients in highest and lowest quartiles of IoD were used to assess cancer-specific mortality. Results Our cohort had 193,369 white and 35,649 black patients. Black patients were more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stage than white patients with increasing IoD. With increasing IoD, black patients were less likely to undergo surgical resection than white. Disparities were eliminated at low IoD. Black patients at high IoD had lower cancer-specific survival. Conclusions Black patients were more likely to present at advanced disease, were less likely to receive surgery for early stage, and had higher cancer-specific mortality at higher IoD. Our findings highlight the impact of structural racism and residential segregation on NSCLC outcomes. Solutions to these disparities must come from policy reforms to reverse residential segregation and deleterious socioeconomic effects of discriminatory policies.
Treatment of metastatic disease with immune checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab: Effect of performance status on clinical outcomes.

e18689Background: While guidelines exist for appropriate use of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting based on performance status, such recommendations are less readily available for immune checkp...
A Fatigue Damage Model for Life Prediction of Injection-Molded Short Glass Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites

Short glass fiber-reinforced (SGFR) thermoplastics are used in many industries manufactured by injection molding which is the most common technique for polymeric parts production. Glass fibers are commonly used as the reinforced material with thermoplastics and injection molding. In this paper, a critical plane-based fatigue damage model is proposed for tension–tension or tension–compression fatigue life prediction of SGFR thermoplastics considering fiber orientation and mean stress effects. Temperature and frequency effects were also included by applying the proposed damage model into a general fatigue model. Model predictions are presented and discussed by comparing with the experimental data from the literature.
Compound deletion of thrombospondin-1 and -2 results in a skeletal phenotype not predicted by the single gene knockouts.

Abstract The trimeric thrombospondin homologs, TSP1 and TSP2, are both components of bone tissue and contribute in redundant and distinct ways to skeletal physiology. TSP1-null mice display increased femoral cross-sectional area and thickness due to periosteal expansion, as well as diminished matrix quality and impaired osteoclast function. TSP2-null mice display increased femoral cross-sectional thickness and reduced marrow area due to increased endosteal osteoblast activity, with very little periosteal expansion. Osteoblast lineage cells are reduced in TSP2-null mice, but not in TSP1-null. The functional effects of combined TSP1 and TSP2 deficiency remain to be elucidated. Here, we examined the spectrum of detergent soluble proteins in diaphyseal cortical bone of growing (6-week old) male and female mice deficient in both thrombospondins (double knockout (DKO)). Of 3429 detected proteins, 195 were differentially abundant in both male and female DKO bones. Physiologically relevant annotation terms identified by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis included “ECM degradation” and “Quantity of Monocytes.” Manual inspection revealed that a number of proteins with shared expression among osteoclasts and osteocytes were reduced in DKO bones. To associate changes in protein content with phenotype, we examined 12-week old male and female DKO and WT mice. DKO mice were smaller than WT and in male DKO, femoral cross section area was reduced. Some of the male DKO femora also had a flattened, less circular cross-section. Male DKO bones were less stiff in bending and they displayed reduced ultimate load. Displacements at yield load and at max load were both elevated in male DKO. However, the ratios of post-yield to pre-yield displacements significantly diminished in DKO suggesting proportionally reduced post-yield behavior. Male DKO mice also exhibited reductions in trabecular bone mass, which were surprisingly associated with equivalent osteoblast numbers and accordingly increased osteoblast surface. Marrow-derived colony forming unit-fibroblastic was reduced in male and female DKO mice. Together our data suggest that when both TSP1 and TSP2 are absent, a unique, sex-specific bone phenotype not predicted by the single knockouts, is manifested.
10 Reflections on the Current Status and Future Directions of Chemical Reaction Engineering

Publisher Summary The range of subjects encompassed by chemical reaction engineering is broad and includes reaction kinetics, catalysis, and reactor modeling. While research on kinetics and catalysis considerably predates that on reactor modeling, today all three subjects are closely related. This chapter outlines the history of chemical reaction engineering, highlighting its evolution and sphere of application. The current status of the field is then summarized, and the contemporary challenges for reaction engineers are identified. Finally, several generic problems requiring research in the coming five to ten years are discussed.
Sherry Garland. My Father's Boat. Illustrated by Ted Rand; and Ted Lewin The Storytellers

Both children's books present the family as a multigenerational workforce that is still in existence in the United States and around the world. In these stories, younger generations carry on the tr...
Cost-effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer but at an increased cost. In this study, the authors evaluated the cost-effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: A Markov decision-analytic model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of 4 treatment regimens: gemcitabine alone, gemcitabine plus conventional radiotherapy, gemcitabine plus intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); and gemcitabine with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Patients transitioned between the following 5 health states: stable disease, local progression, distant failure, local and distant failure, and death. Health utility tolls were assessed for radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments and for radiation toxicity. RESULTS: SBRT increased life expectancy by 0.20 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) at an increased cost of $13,700 compared with gemcitabine alone (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio [ICER] = $69,500 per QALY). SBRT was more effective and less costly than conventional radiotherapy and IMRT. An analysis that excluded SBRT demonstrated that conventional radiotherapy had an ICER of $126,800 per QALY compared with gemcitabine alone, and IMRT had an ICER of $1,584,100 per QALY compared with conventional radiotherapy. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the probability of cost-effectiveness at a willingness to pay of $50,000 per QALY was 78% for gemcitabine alone, 21% for SBRT, 1.4% for conventional radiotherapy, and 0.01% for IMRT. At a willingness to pay of $200,000 per QALY, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 73% for SBRT, 20% for conventional radiotherapy, 7% for gemcitabine alone, and 0.7% for IMRT. CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that IMRT in locally advanced pancreatic cancer exceeds what society considers cost-effective. In contrast, combining gemcitabine with SBRT increased clinical effectiveness beyond that of gemcitabine alone at a cost potentially acceptable by today's standards.
El discurso anticlerical en Fernando Vallejo, o cómo narrar sin religión

Este articulo estudia el papel de lo sagrado y la religion en el desarrollo de la novela hispanoamericana. Gonzalez examina la narrativa de Vallejo como parte de las narrativas desacralizadoras del postboom, que respondieron a las novelas enciclopedicas y totalizadoras del boom resistiendose a la tendencia moderna de hacer de los textos literarios textos sagrados, fuentes de revelacion de saberes trascendentes sobre los origenes de la nacion. A traves de su reflexion sobre las manifestaciones esteticas de la desacralizacion en Vallejo, Gonzalez no solo situa a Vallejo en el contexto mas amplio de la literatura hispanoamericana, sino que aporta tambien una manera de aproximarse a sus posturas antirreligiosas.
Pulmonary metastases in patients with recurrent, treatment‐resistant meningioma

BACKGROUND: Meningioma is the most common extra-axial primary intracranial tumor in adults that rarely metastasizes outside of the central nervous system (CNS). Among recognized sites of metastases, the lung is the most common, but the importance of lung metastases relative to prognosis is unknown. 111Indium (111In)-octreotide scintigraphy (octreotide scanning) is a valuable imaging modality with which to evaluate intracranial meningiomas and their response to treatment with somatostatin analogues and has the potential to identify extracranial metastatic disease. METHODS: In this retrospective multicenter study, adult patients treated for recurrent meningioma were identified. These patients underwent 111In-octreotide positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging (octreotide scintigraphy) and were found to have positive octreotide uptake in their lungs. RESULTS: Six cases were identified with recurrent meningioma (after surgery, radiotherapy, and at least 1 chemotherapy agent) and pulmonary lesions by octreotide scintigraphy. Biopsy of a pulmonary lesion in 1 patient confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic meningioma. Patients with metastatic pulmonary involvement identified by 111In-octreotide scintigraphy in this case series had an overall survival of 6 months, which is less than that reported from previously published series of patients with unknown systemic disease status. CONCLUSIONS: 111In-octreotide scintigraphy is useful for assessing both CNS disease and extracranial metastases. The presence of pulmonary metastases appears to negatively affect survival in patients with recurrent meningioma. The usefulness of 111In-octreotide scintigraphy should be considered in staging patients with recurrent meningioma who are considered for further treatment. A prospective study to confirm this finding is warranted. Cancer 2011;. Published 2011 by the American Cancer Society.
Measuring radiotherapy setup errors at multiple neck levels in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC): A case for differential PTV expansion.

Abstract Background and purpose We aim to quantify the magnitude of the systematic and random setup errors at three different anatomical levels of the neck in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) when clivus matching is used, and recommend appropriate PTV margins for each level. Material and methods Thirty-six patients undergoing image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) each with 9 scheduled CBCTs were reviewed. The magnitude of setup errors were measured at the level of the clivus, C4 and C7 vertebrae, before and after CBCT correction. The 3D displacements, systematic and random errors were calculated for each level. The appropriate PTV expansion was determined using Van Herk's formula. Results Mean 3D displacement was 1.88, 2.66 and 3.35mm at the clivus, C4 and C7 before correction. The differences were statistically significant ( p Conclusions Variability is seen in setup errors at the clivus, C4 and C7 vertebral levels. A variable planning margin approach with reduced margin at the clivus is recommended. Use of daily CBCT allows the PTV expansion to be reduced to 1.2mm.
Biomechanics of wheelchair propulsion as a function of seat position and user-to-chair interface

This study investigated the biomechanics of lever and hand-rim propulsion and the effects of seat position on propulsion mechanics. Nine able-bodied and six paraplegic spinal cord injured persons participated. Subjects performed hand-rim and lever propulsion on a wheelchair test simulator at a speed and load of 3km/hr and 7.5 watts/side, respectively. A 2 x 3 matrix of randomized seat positions was used. Three-dimensional motion measures of the trunk, shoulder, elbow, and wrist were collected over four-second sample periods for each seat position. Hub torque and stroke arc measurements were determined. Upper extremity motions were significantly different (p less than .05) for the two methods of propulsion. Hand-rim propulsion required less elbow motion, greater shoulder extension, less shoulder rotation and less arm abduction than lever propulsion. Both methods of propulsion required a substantial amount of internal rotation at the shoulder. Seat position changes had a greater effect on joint motion ranges when hand-rim propulsion was performed. No significant differences (p greater than .05) were found for trunk motion for the treatments. The findings provide additional information for development of a model for the optimization of wheelchair propulsion.
Optimizing Manganese Fertilization for the Suppression of Take-All Patch Disease on Creeping Bentgrass

Take-all patch, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) Arx. & D. Olivier var. avenae (E.M. Turner) Dennis, is a destructive disease of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). Previous research has shown that Mn fertilization can reduce the severity of take-all patch, but further research is needed to assess the impact of Mn rate and the time of its application on disease development and on the extended residual impact of Mn fertilization on disease suppression. The objective of the current study was to determine the best rate and time of Mn application for the suppression of foliar symptoms of take-all patch on creeping bentgrass. On a golf course fairway naturally infested with G. graminis var. avenae, Mn (as MnSO 4 ) treatments were applied as single applications in either October or April of 1998, 1999, or 2000 at 0, 1.25, 4.50, 6.75, or 9.00 kg ha -1 of Mn. The severity of take-all patch was assessed each year during May and June when foliar symptoms were apparent. Throughout the study, compared with untreated turf, Mn effectively reduced disease severity when applied either in April or in October. Moreover, the 2.25 kg ha -1 Mn application rate was generally as effective in suppressing the disease as were higher application rates, except in the third year of the study when higher rates were more effective. Findings also suggest that across time previous applications of Mn fertilizer were less effective in suppressing take-all patch than were the most recent applications of Mn.
Performance Analysis of Link Rendezvous Protocol for Cognitive Radio Networks

A link rendezvous protocol is proposed in the context of first responder applications. These applications require protocols that can withstand the total loss of infrastructure, evolve autonomously, and scale to meet the capacity demands of a crisis. Our protocol does not rely on critical infrastructure. It is designed to be spectrally efficient and it minimizes the risk of interference to ongoing communications. We present an overall process which facilitates establishing and maintaining self-configuring networks based upon a service paradigm. We then present the link rendezvous process in detail. At the heart of this process is an attention signal composed of a carrier with carefully designed side tones. The parameters and performance metrics associated with this attention signal and link rendezvous protocol are discussed. The probabilities of false positives and negatives in the detection of this signal are analyzed numerically. Time to connect factors are also analyzed.
Speculation-aware Cluster Scheduling

Stragglers are a crucial roadblock to achieving predictable performance in today's clusters. Speculation has been widelyadopted in order to mitigate the impact of stragglers; however speculation mechanisms are designed and operated independently of job scheduling when, in fact, scheduling a speculative copy of a task has a direct impact on the resources available for other jobs. In this work, based on a simple model and its analysis, we design Hopper, a job scheduler that is speculation-aware, i.e., that integrates the tradeoffs associated with speculation into job scheduling decisions.
Environmentally Friendly Processing of Photoresists in scCO2 and Decamethyltetrasiloxane

The chemical waste generated in today's microelectronic fabrication processes has driven the need to develop a more environmentally benign process. Supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) has been evaluated as an environmentally friendly solvent for photoresist development. It is nontoxic, nonflammable, and inert under most conditions. It also possesses advantages such as liquid-like densities, gas-like diffusivity, and zero surface tension. Although scCO 2 is a poor solvent for most polymers, certain fluorine-and silicon-containing polymers have shown solubility in scCO 2 . Previously, negative-tone patterns of 100nm have also been developed in scCO 2 using conventional photoresists such as ESCAP and PBOCST with the aid of fluorinated quaternary ammonium salts (QAS). However, the incorporation of fluorine degrades plasma etch resistance, and because of their persistence in nature, fluorinated compounds are coming under increased scrutiny. In order to make the process more environmentally benign, the elimination of fluorine is desirable. Some molecular glass photoresists without the incorporation of fluorine and silicon have thus been designed and synthesized to be processed in scCO 2 . In addition to scCO 2 , another environmentally friendly, low VOC solvent, decamethyltetrasiloxane has also been investigated to develop conventional photoresists. In this paper, we demonstrate the patterning of photoresists in both scCO 2 and decamethyltetrasiloxane.
Are Riparian Bur Oak Phreatophytic? A Stable Water Isotope Study in Homestead National Monument, Nebraska

ABSTRACT: Recently, it has been found that several species of oaks (e.g. Q. douglasii) are phreatophytes, or predominately use groundwater. The objectives of our study were to determine if riparian bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) also used groundwater. This study took place in Homestead National Monument (Homestead, NM), Nebraska, where bur oak grow within the historical floodplain of Cub Creek with groundwater six to seven meters below the surface. Plant and soil samples for isotopic analysis were collected from three sites during 2008 and 2009. Water table depth was measured continuously, and river stage and precipitation were monitored daily by Homestead NM staff. We analyzed river water, groundwater, twig xylem water, and soil water for natural abundance of oxygen isotopes (which can be used as a natural tracer to identify different sources of water). A three-pool mixing model indicated that bur oak were using from 70% to 88% groundwater, 10% to 12% deep soil water, and a maximum of only 8% from shallow ...
Reflections on Lupus and the Environment in an Urban African American Community

Exposure to environmental hazards is hypothesized to play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases such as lupus. The Buffalo Lupus Project examined the relationship between a high incidence of disease and exposure to a toxic waste site in a poor, urban minority neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. The purpose of this study is to explore patients’ experiences and concerns with their living environment and their perceptions of environmental effects on their health and disease status in an urban African American community with a high burden of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. To this end, we conducted two focus groups with a total of 13 community participants diagnosed with lupus. Participants were recruited through mail invitations and a semi-structured interview guide was used to gather information. Data analysis followed a theory-driven immersioncrystallization approach. Findings shed light on the following issues: 1) Environmental impact on illness; 2) Exposure to environmental hazards; 3) Community awareness about lupus; 4) Environmental determinants of lupus; and 5) Strategies for environmental action. The participants’ experiences highlighted areas for improvement in environmental conditions as well as ARTICLES
Temporal methods: Multi-dimensional modeling of sequential circuits

This paper discusses a mechanism for modeling the state-changing behavior of sequential devices.Temporal methods encode the temporal relationship between device variables and allow us to generalize temporal behaviors by extending Hamscher's notion of temporal abstraction. In this paper we formally define temporal methods, and describe our use of them in modeling sequential circuits. We also describe tarms, our temporal reason maintenance system which supports diagnostic reasoning about sequential circuits within the generic model-based diagnostic system (gmods).
Regression of duodenal gastrinomas in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I after parathyroidectomy.

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Analysis of ultrasonic scattering in blood via a continuum approach

Since the pioneering work by Reid et al. on measuring ultrasonic scattering in blood, this phenomenon has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally. The knowledge on ultrasonic scattering properties of blood is needed for the design of ultrasonic methods for measuring blood flow, and a better interpretation of ultrasonic images. The development of high frequency intravascular or intracardiac imaging devices raises the possibility of measuring blood properties, e.g., erythrocyte aggregation and fibrinogen concentration, in situ. A number of theoretical approaches have been developed to analyze this phenomenon where in general ultrasound wavelength is much greater than the erythrocytes. These results show that the backscattering coefficient of blood, defined as power backscattered by a unit volume of blood per steradian per unit incident intensity, is proportional to variance of the erythrocyte number fluctuation and backscattering cross-section of a single erythrocyte. In this paper, we will show that similar results can also be obtained by taking a continuum approach.
Influence of Nitric Acid on Uranyl Nitrate Association in Aqueous Solutions: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

Uranyl ion complexation with water and nitrate is a key aspect of the uranium/plutonium extraction process. We have carried out a molecular dynamics simulation study to investigate this complexation process, including the molecular composition of the various complex species, the corresponding structure, and the equilibrium distribution of the complexes. The observed structures of the complexes suggest that in aqueous solution, uranyls are generally hydrated by 5 water molecules in the equatorial plane. When associating with nitrate ions, a water molecule is replaced by a nitrate ion, preserving the five‐fold coordination and planar symmetry. Analysis of the pair correlation function between uranyl and nitrate suggests that nitrates bind to uranyl in aqueous solution mainly in a monodentate mode, although a small portion of bidentates occur. Dynamic association and dissociation between uranyls and nitrates take place in aqueous solution with a substantial amount of fluctuation in the number of various uran...
Innate immune functions of plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are specialized immune cells capable of producing large amounts of type I interferon (IFN) and other proinflammatory cytokines in response to viral infections. To date, a multicomponent cytoplasmic transductional-transcriptional complex and a spatiotemporal mechanism have been revealed in pDCs that mediate the rapid and robust IFN production after Toll-like receptor activation. Multiple regulatory mechanisms involving surface receptors, intracellular and exogenous factors as well as virally encoded molecules have been shown to modulate the IFN responses in these cells. The unique innate immune functions of pDCs are crucial both in infectious diseases and in autoimmune diseases. The recent research progress provides an in-depth understanding of the biology of pDCs and a sensible basis for future therapeutic interventions.
Problem #11 solved in REDUCE: a case study in program translation

This report is an account of the hand translation of a program from the SCRATCHPAD/360 language into the REDUCE language [1]. The program is a solution of SIGSAM Problem #11 [2], as solved in SCRATCHPAD by R. D. Jenks in [3]. This report can be regarded as a tutorial in some of the aspects of REDUCE, or as a case study of what is involved in the translation of a program between languages which have similar but not identical constructs.
Meta-analytic investigation of the effectiveness of self-regulatory components in the treatment of adult problem behaviors.

The present paper utilized meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of interventions in which components of self-regulation theories (e.g., self-monitoring, self-reinforcement) were the primary treatment intervention utilized in treating habit disturbances, depression, anxiety and health-related problems with adults. The effect size (ES)1 comparing interventions utilizing all combinations of self-regulatory components to no intervention at all was d = .25 (p < .005). The ES comparing interventions utilizing self-monitoring (SM) plus any other self-regulatory component(s) to interventions utilizing SM alone was d = .42 (p < .001). Differential effectiveness was demonstrated for various combinations of self-regulatory components.
Hyperspectral Microscopy of Flowing Cells

We present a system that collects a bright field image and a set of hyperspectral fluorescence images of cells travelling through a microfluidic channel, using a single monochrome camera and a linear variable bandpass filter.
The role of communication competencies in international business relationship development

Abstract Effective communication between international business partners is critical for global success. Underlying national and organizational cultural differences in international business relationships creates hurdles to effective communication, hindering performance. To assist managers in understanding this issue, a model of communication effectiveness for international relationship development, derived from industry examples, theory, and a dataset consisting of 123 qualitative interviews conducted with American, Canadian, Chinese, and Japanese managers is presented. Further, in order to assist managers in the task of developing more effective communications, a six-step process aimed in directing managerial action is presented. By proactively managing its communications, a firm can develop stronger international business relationships facilitating the rapid response to market opportunities and challenges.
Development of neural lobe-like neurovascular contact regions after intrahypothalamic transection of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial tract.

Abstract Fifteen days after bilateral transection of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial tract at the level of the lateral retrochiasmatic area, neurovascular contact regions had developed proximal to 66% of the lesions. Contact regions developed in every case when neural lobe explants were placed into the lesions, and near approximately half of the lesions into which small pieces of sciatic or optic nerve were transplanted. Neurovascular contact regions were characterized by microvascular networks surrounded by dense neurophysin-immunoreactive plexuses. At the fine structural level, the organization of such regions resembled that of the neural lobe, with the single exception that capillaries were not fenestrated. Nemerous neurosecretory axons were present, and palisades of neurosecretory axon terminals abutted perivascular basal laminae. Lamellopodia from glial cells partially ensheathed regenerating neurosecretory axons and often lay between terminals and the perivascular basal lamina. Terminals with many microvesicles and few neurosecretory granulated vesicles provided morphological evidence of hormone release.
Builders of empire: The role of the crown agents in imperial development, 1880–1914

(1977). Builders of empire: The role of the crown agents in imperial development, 1880–1914. The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History: Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 310-330.
Practical Behavior Change Counseling in Primary Care

Unhealthy behaviors lead to significant preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Primary care providers are in a unique position to address these issues with patients. Despite the importance and opportunity for health behavior counseling in primary care, reported rates are low. This article presents a practical model for health behavior counseling in everyday clinical practice.
Selective production of rat mutant selenoprotein W with and without bound glutathione

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) analysis of a 6x His-tagged recombinant form of rat mutant selenoprotein W (RMSW) reveals that aerobic growth conditions primarily produce a form of RMSW without bound glutathione (10,305 Da) whereas anaerobic conditions produce a glutathione-bound (305 Da) form (10,610 Da). Purification of RMSW was achieved with a procedure employing acetone precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography, in addition to Ni-NTA agarose chromatography. Additional steps, including polyvalent metal ion binding (PMIB) resin chromatography and CM-cellulose chromatography, were necessary after elution from the Ni-NTA agarose column, in order to maintain solubility of the purified protein.
The definition of daytime and nighttime influences the interpretation of ABPM in children

To test if an arbitrary definition of day and night periods that differs to patient-reported awake and sleep periods leads to inaccuracies in interpretation of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). A single-center, retrospective review was performed comparing three different methods to classify day and night periods following a single 24-h ABPM: method A: Patient's record during monitoring; method B: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm day and 11:00 pm to 7:00 am night; method C: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm day and midnight to 6:00 am night. We included 149 studies in 149 children with a mean ± SD age of 13.0 ± 3.4 years. Reported sleep duration was 9.2 ± 1.3 h. Significant differences resulted between three methods for the means of several ambulatory BP parameters including indexed BP values during day, BP load, and nocturnal dipping status. During monitoring [median (range)], 7.5% (0.0–27.5%) readings were misclassified using method B and 0.0% (0.0–20.0%) using method C (p < 0.0001). This misclassification resulted in change of hypertension status for 11.4% (17/149) patients using method B and 9.4% (14/149) patients using method C (p = 0.70). Misclassification of measurements during ABPM can introduce significant errors in its interpretation. The clinical impact of these findings needs further evaluation in larger prospective studies.
Oxidation-reduction and transient kinetic studies of spinach ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase.

Abstract Spinach leaf ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase has been shown to contain one FMN but no FAD. The oxidation–reduction midpoint potentials of the FMN and the other prosthetic group, a [3Fe–4S] 1+,0 cluster, have both been estimated to be −225 mV by cyclic voltammetry. Confirmation of the isopotential nature of the two prosthetic groups of the enzyme has been obtained using deazariboflavin phototitrations. Flash photolysis measurements have allowed determination of the second-order rate constants for reduction of both of the prosthetic groups of the enzyme by the 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone radical.
ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR MAINTAINED BY ESCAPE FROM ATTENTION AND ACCESS TO TANGIBLE ITEMS

The results obtained from two consecutive functional analyses conducted with a 6-year-old child with autism are described. In the initial functional analysis, the highest rates of problem behavior occurred in the play condition. In that condition, the delivery of attention appeared to occasion problem behaviors. A second functional analysis was conducted wherein an escape from attention condition and a tangible condition were added. In the second functional analysis, higher rates of responding were observed in the escape from attention and tangible conditions. The results suggested that problem behavior was maintained by negative reinforcement in the form of escape from attention and positive reinforcement in the form of gaining access to preferred tangible items. Problem behavior was treated using functional communication training combined with noncontingent reinforcement.
Correlation of Psychophysiologic Variables with Vocational Rehabilitation Outcome in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Despite the magnitude of the public health problem presented by respiratory diseases, there have been few studies concerned with vocational rehabilitation (VR) potential of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Certain physiologic variables which show a high degree of relationship to VR success are identified. The three independent variables which most highly correlate with the VR potential of patients with COPD are the percentages predicted for the first-second forced expiratory volume (FEV 1.0 ), forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75 percent of the forced vital capacity (FEF 25-75 percent), and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV). The mean ‘cutting' percentages for inclusion in VR programs were 50, 27, and 40, respectively. The emotional variables studied do not differentiate potential VR success or failure as clearly as the physiologic factors. The criteria set forth not only can be used by rehabilitation workers but could serve as a basis for future demonstration studies.