cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
8.3 A 10.5μA/MHz at 16MHz single-cycle non-volatile memory access microcontroller with full state retention at 108nA in a 90nm process

With the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming ubiquitous, there is an ever-increasing demand for lowering power dissipation, especially for sensor nodes, where low energy consumption translates to longer battery life or operation with a smaller/cheaper battery. At the heart of a sensor node is a microcontroller running code from an embedded non-volatile memory (NVM). In order to support increasing computational needs and low latency (the ability to respond quickly to an event), the microcontroller needs to run at high performance (8–16MHz) and still have low power dissipation. Since most of sensor-node applications are event driven, the nodes, when not active, go into standby mode, to reduce power dissipation. In order to minimize the total energy consumption, it is important to not only reduce active-mode power, but to also lower the power consumption in standby mode, and have the ability to switch between the modes with low latency and low transition energy. Multiple low-power microcontroller implementations have been discussed in literature. Some, such as [1,2,3], aggressively address active mode power, but have higher standby mode power and also do not support CPU state retention. Other approaches [4,5], aggressively address the standby mode power, but have higher active-mode power, especially for code running from non-volatile memory. In this paper, we present an ultra-low-power microcontroller which addresses both active as well as standby-mode power reduction, and hence results in significantly lower total energy over a wide range of active-mode to standby-mode ratios ("duty cycle").
Neurodevelopmental outcome in children born to mothers with hypertension in pregnancy: the significance of suboptimal intrauterine growth.

In this investigation of 45 children born to mothers with hypertension in pregnancy, our objective was to examine the role of a fetal risk factor (suboptimal intrauterine growth [SOIUG]) in determining developmental outcome. There were two groups of children: Group 1 (n=26; 10 males, 16 females; mean testing age 56.77 mo [SD 13.03], range 41–82 mo; mean gestational age 32.96 wks [SD 2.24], range 27–38 wks; mean birthweight 1984.42g [SD 563], range 1046–3515g) without, and Group 2 (n=19; 6 males, 13 females; mean testing age 57.63 mo [SD 14.86], range 40–84 mo; mean gestational age 34.21 wks [SD 2.10], range 29–39 wks, mean birthweight 1572g [SD 365], range 855–2690g) with SOIUG. We found that SOIUG was associated with a significant reduction in cognitive and motor skills (p<0.05). Visuospatial (p<0.01) as well as motor skills (p<0.001) were linearly associated with the extent of intrauterine growth deficit when the latter was treated as a continuous variable. To conclude, an increase in intrauterine growth deficit is accompanied by a proportionate decline in quality of developmental outcome in children born to mothers with hypertension in pregnancy.
An modular maximal vectors, I: bases, rank 2 families, and an introduction to products

This is the first in a brief series of articles constructing p—modular maximal vectors in an admissible lattice in a finite dimensional irreducible module of highest weight for a simple lie algebra of type An. There will be no limitation on the prime integer p. The constructions themselves will be directly applicable to most other simple types. The ultimate goal is, of course, a modular Weyl formula.
Visual processing in scotomata.

In contrast with other animals, when the occipital cortex is damaged in man, blindness occurs in spite of intact retinal projections to subcortical centers in the midbrain. By a proper selection of stimuli and responses, however, it can be shown that some information about the visual stimulus may be processed in regions of cortical blindness, even though the stimulus is “not seen”. One striking example of such processing occurs when dark, rather than bright flashes of light are presented in the scotoma. In this case the dark bars may actually be discriminated better in the scotoma than they are in the intact portion of the visual field. The nature of the residual discrimination has the properties of a primitive stereoscopic mechanism that ignores the sign of the stimulus disparity.
Secretory cells of the oviduct of the pig‐tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina, during the menstrual cycle and after estrogen treatment

The secretory cells of the oviductal epithelium in the pig-tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina, have been studied by light and electron microscopy. Changes during the menstrual cycle and after ovariectomy, with and without subsequent estrogen treatment, have been documented. During the early follicular phase the epithelium is recovering from deciliation and secretory cell atrophy that occur in the late luteal phase. A few fimbrial and a moderate number of ampullar and isthmic cells contain a few electron-dense, homogeneous secretory granules in their apical cytoplasm. During the late preovulatory and early post-ovulatory periods, secretory cell structure varies considerably. Fimbrial cells typically display apical protrusions that contain no or a few small, mainly homogeneous, secretory granules. The cytoplasm is crowded with elements of the Golgi complex, with granular endoplasmic reticulum profiles often intimately associated with mitochondria, and with variable numbers of polysomes and glycogen granules. In ampullar and isthmic cells secretory granules are more abundant than in fimbrial cells, and electron-lucent vacuoles appear. The granules are of two types: 1) those having an electron-dense, homogeneous matrix, and 2) those possessing lamellar structures within moderately dense matrices. The lamellae of the second type course in parallel arrays separated by a distance of approximately 15.5 nm and exhibit a periodicity of approximately 11.3 nm. Possible transitional stages between the lamellar granules and the vacuoles containing lamellar fragments are observed. Secretion occurs by exocytosis. During the late luteal phase no fimbrial cells have secretory granules. In the ampulla many of the cells have poor development of the organelles involved in secretory activity and have few or no secretory granules. In others, a moderate number of secretory granules are present; in one animal, exocytosis is observed. In the untreated ovariectomized animal no secretory granules occur, and the organelle content is much less than in the cycling and the estrogen-treated monkeys. In ovariectomized, estradiol-treated monkeys, some areas of all three oviductal segments are well stimulated whereas others display little or no secretory activity.
The Civil Rights Movement's Struggle for Fair Employment: A “Dramatic Events-Conventional Politics” Model

This study seeks to explain the adoption of civil rights legislation across periods of insurgency as well as relative quiescence. The historically grounded thesis I advance argues that within a context of public apathy, dramatic events generate the "first wave" of civil rights concessions. These early policy successes, however, set in motion a sequence of events that both diminish the role of dramatic events and heighten the role of conventional political processes in subsequent "second wave" legislation. Time-series analyses of equal employment legislation are consistent with this "dramatic events-conventional politics" approach. Ifind that black protests and segregationist violence prompted legislation up to the breakthrough 1964 act but thatpublic opinion played the dominant role up to the passage of the landmark 1972 act. Conventional wisdom views segregationist violence, black protests, and black riots as largely responsible for the passage of breakthrough civil rights laws (Barkan 1984; Garrow 1978; McAdam 1982; Morris 1993; Piven & Cloward 1979). These dramatic events approaches are appealing because their claim that atypical events most efficaciously bring about breakthrough legislation seems reasonable. Yet these approaches largely ignore the role of conventional politics in the policymaking process, the most important of which is public opinion. Politicians want to be reelected, and they see voting in congruence with their constituents as an important
Utility of Subcutaneous Fat Aspiration for Diagnosing Amyloidosis in Patients With Isolated Peripheral Neuropathy

Objective To determine the value of subcutaneous fat aspiration in patients with sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy. Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients undergoing subcutaneous fat aspiration for suspected amyloidosis from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1999. We classified patients undergoing subcutaneous fat aspiration due to peripheral neuropathy into 2 groups: (A) those with isolated peripheral neuropathy and (B) those with any family history and laboratory or clinical findings typically associated with systemic amyloidosis. Results The study population consisted of 450 patients with peripheral neuropathy in whom fat aspiration was performed for suspected amyloidosis. This constituted 56% of all fat aspirations performed during the study period. Group A had 143 patients, and group B had 307 patients. None of the patients in group A had a positive subcutaneous fat aspirate, whereas 17 patients (6%) in group B had a positive subcutaneous fat aspirate ( P =.002, Fisher exact test). The subcutaneous fat aspirate was most commonly positive in patients with a monoclonal protein or other clinical findings associated with amyloidosis. Conclusions The yield of a subcutaneous fat aspirate in patients with isolated peripheral neuropathy and no other associated family history, signs, or symptoms of amyloidosis is low. Subcutaneous fat aspiration should be reserved for evaluating patients with peripheral neuropathy who also have findings associated with systemic amyloidosis.
The Separated Polar Winter Stratopause: A Gravity Wave Driven Climatological Feature

An examination of satellite-derived temperatures reveals that the winter polar stratopause is usually elevated and warmer than the adjacent midlatitude stratopause. This separated stratopause occurs in both hemispheres, but is more pronounced and persistent in the southern winter. It descends with time towards spring and exhibits week-to-week variability. Observational diagnostics and results from a two-dimensional model suggest that gravity-wave driving can account for this separated polar stratopause by driving a meridional circulation, with downwelling over the winter pole. In the model, the solar heating pattern induces stronger winter westerlies than summer easterlies, which leads to a stronger gravity-wave-driven circulation in the winter hemisphere. Spherical geometry and the high latitude location of the winter westerly jet combine to yield a concentrated region of downwelling. Model results suggest that descent of the temperature maximum with time is probably caused by wave/mean-flow interaction.
A Robertsonian translocation suppresses a somatic recombination pathway to loss of heterozygosity

In mammals, loss of APC/Apc gatekeeper function initiates intestinal tumorigenesis. Several different mechanisms have been shown or proposed to mediate functional loss of APC/Apc: mutation in APC/Apc, non-disjunction, homologous somatic recombination and epigenetic silencing. The demonstration that, in the C57BL/6 (B6) Apc(Min/+) mouse model of inherited intestinal cancer, loss of Apc function can occur by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) through somatic recombination between homologs presents an opportunity to search for polymorphisms in the homologous somatic recombination pathway. We report that the Robertsonian translocation Rb(7.18)9Lub (Rb9) suppresses the multiplicity of intestinal adenomas in this mouse model. As the copy number of Rb9 increases, the association with the interphase nucleolus of the rDNA repeats centromeric to the Apc locus on Chromosome 18 is increasingly disrupted. Our analysis shows that homologous somatic recombination is the principal pathway for LOH in adenomas in B6 Apc(Min/+) mice. These studies provide additional evidence that neoplastic growth can initiate in the complete absence of canonical genomic instability.
A novel approach to Airborne Wind Energy: Overview of the EAGLE System project

This paper describes the design, modeling and development of a novel Airborne Wind Energy system (the EAGLE System), designed to handle a 2.5 kW, 25 kW or 100 kW aloft generator at varying altitudes. The system combines a hybrid tethered lighter-than-air and aerodynamic lift based flyer supporting a counter-rotating wind power generator payload, and a nonlinear-robust MIMO control system, with longitudinal and lateral control capabilities. Within this design, the power generation and lift systems are separate and do not rely on each other for operation. Overviews of the modeling, controller design, payload variations, and future prototyping are included topics.
A bubbling fluidization model using kinetic theory of granular flow

Detailed knowledge of solids circulation, bubble motion, and frequencies of porosity oscillations is needed for a better understanding of tube erosion in fluidized bed combustors. A predictive two-phase flow model was derived starting with the Boltzman equation for velocity distribution of particles. The model is a generalization of the Navier-Stokes equations of the type proposed by R. Jackson, except that the solids viscosities and stresses are computed by simultaneously solving a fluctuating energy equation for the particulate phase. The model predictions agree with time-averaged and instantaneous porosities measured in two-dimensional fluidized beds. Observed flow patterns and bubbles were also predicted.
A Mandibular Autorepositioning Appliance

Biteplanes and Hawley biteplates should not be used in the treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction; they allow the temporalis and masseter muscles to pull the condyles up into the fossae of the temporomandibular joints. The mandibular autorepositioning appliance simultaneously enables the mandible and the condyles to position themselves physiologically.
A dynamic knockout reveals that conformational fluctuations influence the chemical step of enzyme catalysis

Conformational dynamics play a key role in enzyme catalysis. Although protein motions have clear implications for ligand flux, a role for dynamics in the chemical step of enzyme catalysis has not been clearly established. We generated a mutant of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase that abrogates millisecond-time-scale fluctuations in the enzyme active site without perturbing its structural and electrostatic preorganization. This dynamic knockout severely impairs hydride transfer. Thus, we have found a link between conformational fluctuations on the millisecond time scale and the chemical step of an enzymatic reaction, with broad implications for our understanding of enzyme mechanisms and for design of novel protein catalysts.
Genetics of factors affecting the life history ofDrosophila melanogaster. IV. Cytoplasmic/maternal factors affect egg insertion behavior

The genetic basis of insertion behavior of laboratory strains ofDrosophila melanogaster was examined. Reciprocal crosses among five strains revealed a significant effect of interaction between cytoplasmic/maternal factors and the chromosomal genotype in determining the insertion tendency, thus complicating the characterization of the dominant/recessive nature of the insertion genes. The majority of heterozygous combinations demonstrated dominance or partial dominance for the higher insertion tendency over low insertion, while a few combinations produced results to the contrary. These could be due to a more complex genetic basis of insertion behavior than a simple dominant/recessive relationship or else to the cytoplasmic/maternal-chromosome interactions. Examination of the effects of each chromosome revealed the greates contributions to insertion tendency from the second and third chromosomes, with a significant effect of interaction or nonadditivity of the insertion genes in these two chromosomes in the genotypes tested. The X and fourth chromosomes appear to contribute a small effect in some strains.
The linear vectorcardiogram

Abstract A simple method of linear presentation of the vectorcardiographic parameters is presented. A discussion as to its possible usefulness is included. Illustrative examples of the changes in the linear vcctorcardiogram in specific clinical entities are utilized. These include the normal linear vcctorcardiogram and the linear vector-cardiogram in the presence of myocardial infarction, right bundle branch block, left bundle branch block, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, right ventricular hypertrophy, and left ventricular hypertrophy.
Hyperthyroidism in the Adolescent

IN CONSIDERING ANY large series of patients with Graves’ disease, one is invariably confronted with a few cases occurring in children and adolescents. These cases present exceptional problems in management and therapy, for the physician must consider not only the most expedient methods of treatment but every agency involved in the treatment in its relation to the normal mental and physical development of the child. Thyroidectomy has been claimed to be an undesirable procedure because, it has been said, postoperative myxedema is an all too frequent result. The consequences of such an operative misadventure have received much attention in the literature and importance has been attached to the impairment of growth and mental stunting occasioned thereby. It has also been said that postoperative recurrences are more frequent in young persons with Graves’ disease than in adults. The danger that a basis for the evolution of serious behavior problems, psychoneuroses, and psychoses may be created during the period...
Self-esteem, attitude similarity, and attraction

Summary Subjects evaluated three stimulus persons on several rating scales who were either 10%, 50%, or 90% similar to themselves in attitudes Subjects were divided into low, moderate, and high self-esteem groups on the basis of an earlier Q sort The results showed a strong positive relation between perceived similarity and positive attribution for each of the dependent variables, including liking, sophisticated, intelligent, sincere, happy, and a social distance scale A negative relation was obtained for two undesirable traits, arrogant and cynical Self-esteem interacted with similarity on several of the measures The difference between self-esteem groups was largely restricted to highly dissimilar stimulus persons Moderate esteem subjects were more favorable toward dissimilar persons than either of the other two groups, and the high and low groups tended to resemble each other more than either group resembled the moderate esteem group These results were discussed in terms of the relation between self-esteem and adjustment, and in terms of McGuire's (1968) theory that predicts a nonmonotonic relation between self-esteem and attitudes.
Time-to-event voxel-based techniques to assess regional atrophy associated with MCI risk of progression to AD

Objective When using imaging to predict time to progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD), time-to-event statistical methods account for varying lengths of follow-up times among subjects whereas two-sample t-tests in voxel-based morphometry (VBM) do not. Our objectives were to apply a time-to-event voxel-based analytic method to identify regions on MRI where atrophy is associated with significantly increased risk of future progression to AD in subjects with MCI and to compare it to traditional voxel-level patterns obtained by applying two-sample methods. We also compared the power required to detect an association using time-to-event methods versus two-sample approaches.
Properties of an Interior-Point Mapping for Mixed Complementarity Problems

Using a unified theory of local homeomorphic maps, we establish some basic properties of a fundamental mapping associated with the family of path-following interior-point methods for solving a mixed nonlinear complementarity problem.
Optimal transceiver scheduling in WDM/TDM networks

In this paper, we study the benefits of using tunable transceivers for reducing the required number of electronic ports in wavelength-division-multiplexing/time-division multiplexing optical networks. We show that such transceivers can be used to efficiently "groom" subwavelength traffic in the optical domain and so can significantly reduce the amount of terminal equipment needed compared with the fixed-tuned case. Formulations for this "tunable grooming" problem are provided, where the objective is to schedule transceivers so as to minimize the required number of ports needed for a given traffic demand. We establish a relationship between this problem and edge colorings of graphs which are determined by the offered traffic. Using this relationship, we show that, in general, this problem is NP-complete, but we are able to efficiently solve it for many cases of interest. When the number of wavelengths in the network is not limited, each node is shown to only require the minimum number of transceivers (i.e., no more transceivers than the amount of traffic that it generates). This holds regardless of the network topology or traffic pattern. When the number of wavelengths is limited, an analogous result is shown for both uniform and hub traffic in a ring. We then develop a heuristic algorithm for general traffic that uses nearly the minimum number of transceivers. In most cases, tunable transceivers are shown to reduce the number of ports per node by as much as 60%. We also consider the case where traffic can dynamically change among an allowable set of traffic demands. Tunability is again shown to significantly reduce the port requirement for a nonblocking ring, both with and without rearrangements.
Visual outcomes after wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis with and without iris registration

Purpose To compare the clinical outcomes of wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis in eyes in which iris registration was used (IR group) and eyes in which iris registration would not engage (no-IR group). Setting Shiley Eye Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA. Methods This retrospective analysis comprised 112 eyes of 64 patients who had wavefront-guided LASIK using the Visx CustomVue S4 IR platform (Advanced Medical Optics) for myopia or myopic astigmatism. The safety, efficacy, predictability, and need for enhancement at the 3-month follow-up were evaluated and compared between the IR group and the no-IR group. Results By 3 months postoperatively, all eyes in the IR group and 93% of eyes in the no-IR group had the same best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) as preoperatively or had gained 1 to 2 lines of BSCVA. No eye in either group lost more than 1 line of BSCVA ( P = 0.12). Ninety-six percent of eyes in the IR group and 93% in the no-IR group were within ±0.50 diopter (D) of the postoperative manifest refraction spherical equivalent ( P = 0.24), and all eyes were within ±1.00 D of emmetropia. Four eyes in the IR group and 11 in the no-IR group required retreatment during the follow-up period ( P = 0.1). Conclusion The results in the IR group and the no-IR group were comparable, with no statistically significant differences in measured outcomes.
A GENERAL METHOD FOR CALCULATING NATURAL CONVECTION FLOWS IN CLOSED LOOPS

Abstract A method is presented for calculating natural convection flow and heat transfer rates in closed loops consisting of sections with different cross-sections, lengths, friction factors and thermal boundary conditions. On application to tilted square loops, the method yields good agreement with experimental velocity data obtained by Acosta et at. ]Warme StofTubertragung 21,268 (1987)[ over a wide range of tilt angles.
On the Minimum Labelling Spanning bi-Connected Subgraph problem

We introduce the minimum labelling spanning bi-connected subgraph problem replacing connectivity by bi-connectivity in the well known Minimum Labelling Spanning Tree problem. A graph is bi-connected if, for every two vertices, there are, at least, two vertex-disjoint paths joining them. The problem consists in finding the spanning bi-connected subgraph or block with minimum set of labels. We adapt the exact method of the minimum labelling spanning tree problem to solve this problem and the basic greedy constructive heuristic, the Maximum Vertex Covering algorithm. This procedure is a basic component in the application of metaheuristics to solve the problem.
Democracy, War Initiation, and Victory

How do nation-states' political institutions affect the relations between states? This article addresses that question by testing the predictions of different theories linking political institutions to war outcomes. Specifically, rent-seeking and regime legitimacy theories predict that all democratic belligerents are more likely to win wars because they fight more effectively. Alternatively, other theories focusing on the domestic political vulnerability of leaders and the marketplace of ideas predict that democracies are likely to be more careful about choosing when to start war. This would mean that only democratic initiators are more likely to win. Analyzing all interstate wars from 1816 to 1982 with a multivariate probit model, we find that democratic initiators are significantly more likely to win wars; democratic targets are also more likely to win, though the relationship is not as strong. We also find empirical support for several control variables, including strategy, terrain, and capability.
Practical output tracking of nonlinear systems with applications to underactuated mechanical systems

Shows that for a significant class of nonlinear systems with uncontrollable unstable linearization, global practical output tracking is achievable by smooth feedback, although asymptotic output tracking is usually not possible, even locally. Smooth tracking controllers are explicitly constructed via a modified adding a power integrator approach. This design method also leads to solutions to various open control problems, including practical output tracking of an underactuated unstable two degrees of freedom mechanical system.
Fluid Property Prediction of Siloxanes with the Aid of Artificial Neural Nets

It is a time-consuming task to develop models or empirical equations which would accurately predict fluid properties of polymers as a function of chemical constitution and other experimental variables. Consequently, extensive experimental data have been published in the literature. When such experimental data are available, considerable time can be saved by the use of artificial neural network (ANN) technique based model approaches. Even though these ANNs have been in existence for a long time, their use in predicting fluid properties is still rather limited. In this paper, an attempt has been made to predict the fluid properties of different siloxanes as a function of their molecular configurations with the aid of ANN.
Nonlinear optics with WGM crystalline resonators: advances and puzzles

In this paper we discuss theoretical aspects of achieving ultrahigh Q-factors in crystalline whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators as well as peculiarities of parametric frequency conversion, low threshold parametric oscillations based on degenerate four-wave mixing, photorefractivity, and thermo-optical instabilities observed in the resonators.
Factors Influencing Intentions of Nursing Personnel to Leave Employment in Long-Term Care Settings:

This study examines factors associated with the intentions of nurses to leave their present employment in a long-term care (LTC) setting. The study examines differences in the personal characteristics, job-specific characteristics, job satisfaction, and perceived job mobility of two groups of nurses currently employed in LTC facilities; those who report that they intend to stay at the nursing home where they are employed (n = 147) and those who intend to leave (n = 45). Nearly half of the factors that were examined (9 of 20) were statistically significantly associated with nurses' self-reports of their intention to leave. Of the significant associations, seven were job-specific characteristics or dimensions of job satisfaction. The implications of these findings are that a significant majority of the factors that influence a nurse's intention to leave may be within the realm of control of nurse executives and nursing home administrators. Results are discussed within the context of three general areas wher...
The Demand for High-Speed Access to the Internet:

The demand for Internet access continues to grow at a dramatic rate. While the primary mode of access has been dial-up service, recent innovations have allowed even residential subscribers the option of obtaining affordable highs-peed or broadband access. In particular, cable television companies have begun to offer cable modems and many local exchange telephone companies are beginning to offer various forms of digital subscriber line (DSL) service. This chapter analyzes the demand for broadband access to the Internet by US households. Using a very large data set of US households with over 32,000 observations, we estimate a discrete-choice model for the demand for Cable Modems. Preliminary elasticity estimates indicate cable-modem Internet access demand to be price-elastic.
Semantic Annotation of Mobility Data using Social Media

Recent developments in sensors, GPS and smart phones have provided us with a large amount of mobility data. At the same time, large-scale crowd-generated social media data, such as geo-tagged tweets, provide rich semantic information about locations and events. Combining the mobility data and surrounding social media data enables us to semantically understand why a person travels to a location at a particular time (e.g., attending a local event or visiting a point of interest). Previous research on mobility data mining has been mainly focused on mining patterns using only the mobility data. In this paper, we study the problem of using social media to annotate mobility data. As social media data is often noisy, the key research problem lies in using the right model to retrieve only the relevant words with respect to a mobility record. We propose frequency-based method, Gaussian mixture model, and kernel density estimation (KDE) to tackle this problem. We show that KDE is the most suitable model as it captures the locality of word distribution very well. We test our proposal using the real dataset collected from Twitter and demonstrate the effectiveness of our techniques via both interesting case studies and a comprehensive evaluation.
Mechanisms Influencing Crystal Breakage Experiments in Stirred Vessels

Crystal breakage experiments in saturated solutions and nonsolvents often fail to accurately represent breakage in a suspension crystallizer because the saturated solution experiments have other mechanisms occurring, and the nonsolvent experiments have different particle dynamics and hydrodynamics. This research investigates NaCl crystal breakage in an aqueous saturated solution and in the nonsolvent acetonitrile at different magma densities and agitation rates to determine the significance of these effects. It is concluded that due to significant agglomeration in a saturated solution a nonsolvent should be used. The approach of performing experiments with both suspension fluids at the same magma density, and using the Zwietering correlation to adjust the agitation rate of the nonsolvent experiment for comparison with the saturated solution is shown to decrease the differences between the resulting crystal size distributions compared to operating both systems at the same agitation rate.
Walls of Silence and Late Twentieth Century Representations of the Foreign Female Domestic Worker: The Case of Filipina and Indonesian Female Servants in Malaysia

This article analyzes the distinct ways in which public walls of silence continue to surround the absence of labor rights and benefits for foreign female domestic workers in the receiving country o...
The Rheological Properties of Daqing Crude Oil and the Research of Emulsification-viscosity-depression

The rheological properties of Daqing crude oil were studied at different temperatures,and a kind of viscosity reducer,named ASA-2,was synthesized,and its salt resistance was tested.The viscosity-reducing results of three kinds of commercial viscosity reducers,JN-8,HW-9,AG-13,were compared with that of ASA-2.The experimental results showed that when the temperature was below 30℃,Daqing crude oil had high viscosity and was of the properties of the Bingham fluid;when the temperature was above 40℃,the properties of Daqing crude oil was close to the Newtonian fluid;The salt resistance of ASA-2 was tested,and calcium chloride tolerance could reach 90 mg·L-1,magnesium chloride tolerance could reach 40 mg·L-1,sodium chloride tolerance could reach 31 000 mg·L-1.When the content of water was only 3%,the viscosity-reducing rate of ASA-2 could reach 88.5% at 30℃,meeting the requirements of transportation.Because of the good performance and relative low price,ASA-2 has the value of development and application.
395 AMBULATORY CARE SENSITIVE CONDITIONS AND RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PEDIATRIC INPATIENT ADMISSION SEVERITY, LENGTH OF STAY, CHARGES AND MORTALITY

Background Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) are potentially preventable reasons for hospital admission. African-American (AA) and Hispanic children have less access to care than non-minorities. Objectives To examine pediatric admission severity, hospital utilization, and mortality measure in children with ACSC for evidence of racial disparity in care. Methods Data from the 2000 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids9 Inpatient Database (HCUP KIDs), a national inpatient discharge survey database, were used to examine hospital admissions for children age 0-18 years admitted for an ACSC first diagnosis. The ACSC diagnoses examined were asthma, pneumonia, upper airway conditions, seizures, cellulitis, and dehydration. Hospital utilization was measured as length of stay and charges. Admission severity is defined as emergent, urgent, elective, or other. Race/ethnicity was defined as Hispanic and non-Hispanic white, AA, and other. The analyses accounted for the complex sample design and are reported as means and 95% confidence interval. Results ACSC diagnoses account for 26.15% of pediatric inpatient admissions. AA children are more likely to be admitted emergently than Hispanic or white children (61% vs 37%, 38%; p Conclusions Children of different race/ethnicities admitted for ACSC conditions appear to be different on admission and have different hospital utilization once admitted. Examination of racial disparities of inpatient care must carefully control for these admission differences that are likely effects of differences in access to care. Existing data are of concern because missing data appear to also be different by race/ethnicity.
107 ACHROMOBACTER (ALCALIGENES) XYLOSOXIDANS SS XYLOSOXIDANS PNEUMONIA AND BACTEREMIA IN A 67-YEAR-OLD CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENT.

We report a case of A. xylosoxidans pneumonia and bacteremia in a 67-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with a 2-day history of hemoptysis. Four days prior to his presentation, he starts to cough, for which he saw his primary care doctor. As his INR at that time was high, he was told to stop his Coumadin for a day or two. The next day, he started coughing up blood and was brought to the ER. At arrival, his BP was 152/58 mm Hg, PR 88/min, afebrile, tachypneic with mild respiratory distress. Pertinent examination include bibasilar crackles with diffuse ronchi and a large, 8 cm by 4 cm superficial ulcer of the right leg over the anterior tibial bone with purulent foul-smelling drainage from the wound. Chest CT revealed bilateral infiltrates and underlying interstitial disease. He was started on intravenous moxifloxacin. As the patient was coughing blood and become febrile, an infectious disease consult was obtained. The patient was started on empiric therapy with imipenem and vancomycin for pneumonia and right leg cellulitis. Sputum and blood culture grew Achromobacter xylosoxidans SS xylosoxidans. Microorganism was sensitive to imipenem but resistant to many antibiotics. Over the next 2-3 days, the patient clinically improved significantly. Discussion Achromobacter xylosoxidans was first described by Yabuuchi and Ohyama in 1971. Phylogenetically and biochemically, Achromobacter is closely related to the genus Brucella. The bacterium is an aerobic, motile gram-negative bacillus that is oxidase and catalase positive. It is usually found in soil and water and can occasionally be recovered from the respiratory and the GI tract, mostly in individuals with health care contact. Infections with Achromobacter have been described in various clinical settings both in immunocompromised and nonimmunocompromised patients. Isolates have been recovered from blood, peritoneal fluids, pleural fluids, urine, respiratory secretions, and wound exudates. Bacteremia, often related to intravascular catheters, has been reported as well. Biliary tract sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, peritonitis, urinary tract infection, osteomyelitis, prosthetic knee infection, and prosthetic valve endocarditis have also been reported. Mortality is reported to be about 15%. Risk factors associated with increased mortality were neutropenia and age over 65.
Management of coarctation with multiple calcified aneurysms of the intercostal arteries in adults

Coarctation of the aorta in adult patients carries an increased but acceptable surgical risk. Our experience emphasizes the technical advantage of an alternative, simpler surgical procedure, such as bypass grafting between the subclavian artery and descending aorta, when one is faced with a friable aorta and concomitant large aneurysms of the intercostal arteries.
Antagonism of the Neurochemical Effect of Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone by Its Peptide Analog

Besides its role in the regulation of endocrine functions, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; pGlu-His-Pro-NH2) has been long recognized as a modulatory neuropeptide in the central nervous system (CNS) [1]. The most prominent CNS effect of TRH is cholinergic, and a robust effect of TRH on the stimulation of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis [2] and, therefore, the subsequent increase of the ACh level [3] have been shown in animals. One of the obstacles to a better understanding of the role of TRH in mediating central functions has been the absence of selective antagonists of the TRH receptor(s) [4]. The tripeptide pGlu-Glu-Pro-NH2 with structural and immunological similarities to TRH has been recently shown to have inhibitory and stimulatory actions within the avian hypothalamo-pituitary axis, and to act as a TRH receptor antagonist within this axis based on suppression of TRH-induced growth hormone (GH) release from pituitary glands, competitively displacing [3H]Me-TRH, and lowering of GH level in pentobarbital-anesthetized fowl [5]. In addition, pGlu-Glu-Pro-NH2 did not down-regulate TRH-receptors. However, studies involving pGlu-Glu-Pro-NH2 as a potential TRH antagonist and addressing central functions of the neuropeptide in mammals have not been done. We tested the hypothesis that pGlu-Glu-Pro-NH2 is able to antagonize the neurochemical action of TRH in the rat brain by using in vivo intracranial microdialysis as an experimental method [6].
Transfusion Ethics in a Pediatric Jehovah’s Witness Trauma Patient: Simulation Case

Abstract Introduction Current ethical practice allows for adult patients with decision-making capacity to refuse blood transfusion, even at the cost of high morbidity or mortality. However, for an ...
Adolescents' Responses to Pictorial Warnings on Their Parents' Cigarette Packs

Abstract Purpose Pictorial cigarette pack warnings are a promising policy solution to increase smoking cessation among adults. However, little is known regarding adolescents' responses to pictorial warnings, particularly in real-world settings. Methods Participants were 112 adolescent children, ages 13–17, whose parents received either text-only warnings on the side of their cigarette packs or pictorial warnings on the top half of the front and back of their cigarette packs for 4 weeks as part of a trial. We measured adolescents' recall and recognition of these warnings, negative emotional reactions to the warnings, perceived effectiveness of the warnings, social interactions about the warnings, and smoking risk beliefs. Results Adolescents accurately recalled pictorial warnings more often than text-only warnings (82% vs. 19%, p p p p p Conclusions Pictorial warnings on cigarette packs may have important effects on adolescent children of smokers. Future research should further investigate the impact of such messages on adolescents' susceptibility to smoking initiation and interest in quitting smoking, particularly as the United States and other countries work to implement pictorial warning regulations.
Superior isolation of antigen-specific brain infiltrating T cells using manual homogenization technique

Effective recovery of activated brain infiltrating lymphocytes is critical for investigations involving murine neurological disease models. To optimize lymphocyte recovery, we compared two isolation methods using brains harvested from seven-day Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) and TMEV-OVA infected mice. Brains were processed using either a manual dounce based approach or enzymatic digestion using type IV collagenase. The resulting cell suspensions from these two techniques were transferred to a percoll gradient, centrifuged, and lymphocytes were recovered. Flow cytometric analysis of CD45hi cells showed greater percentage of CD44hiCD62lo activated lymphocytes and CD19+ B cells using the dounce method. In addition, we achieved a 3-fold greater recovery of activated virus-specific CD8 T cells specific for the immunodominant Db:VP2121-130 and engineered Kb:OVA257-264 epitopes through manual dounce homogenization approach as compared to collagenase digest. A greater percentage of viable cells was also achieved through dounce homogenization. Therefore, we conclude that manual homogenization is a superior approach to isolate activated T cells from the mouse brain.
Phylogenetic analysis suggests joint control of transmission mode in a grass-endophyte symbiosis

How symbionts are transmitted between hosts is key to determining whether symbioses evolve to be harmful or beneficial. Vertical transmission favors mutualistic symbionts, and horizontal transmission more virulent ones. Transmission mode evolution itself depends on whether the host or symbiont can respond to selection on transmission mode. When hosts control the transmission mode, vertical transmission should evolve under more restrictive circumstances than when symbionts are in control. We take a phylogenetic approach to determine whether the host, symbiont, or both control transmission mode using the pooid grass-epichloid endophyte symbiosis as a model system. This study is the first to investigate control of transmission mode evolution in a phylogenetic context. We find a signal of host phylogeny but only in conjunction with symbiont identity. This pattern suggests joint control of transmission mode by the host and symbiont. It also suggests that non-genetic or non-conserved symbiont traits may determine whether host traits lead to vertical or horizontal transmission.
How to Train Teachers of Communication Skills: The Oncotalk Teach Model

Just as communication is a skill that must be learned, teaching ­communication skills requires a methodology based upon known educational principles. “Positive psychology,” which emphasizes skills needed to produce results; adult learning theory, which emphasizes the “activation” and motivation of learners; and social learning theory, which promotes the importance of practice in learning skills; all inform the implementation of specific techniques to promote learning. These techniques include providing realistic examples of teaching scenarios; ensuring a relevance to common challenges faced by learners; a respect for individual learners’ skill level; providing cognitive “road maps” that guide the learner as “how to do it” in communicating effectively; respect for the self-generated goals of the learner; and an opportunity for learners to practice in a safe environment. An efficient way of teaching communication skills is to apply these principles in a small group setting where learners can support and learn from one another. This chapter describes a teaching format based upon these concepts applied to a course for teaching communication skills to medical oncology fellows. It illustrates how the process of teaching oncology attending physicians from major cancer centers to teach communication skills was implemented using a “retreat” model with distance learning. It identifies skills necessary to be a teacher of communication skills by describing not only the skills targeted for development in the fellows but in a parallel fashion the skills applied by the faculty themselves in promoting the development of the learners.
Retention of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane.

Silane coupling agents are commonly employed to link an organic polymer to an inorganic substrate. One of the widely utilized coupling agents is 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APTES). In this study, the authors investigated the ability of APTES to retain thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm) on hydroxylated surfaces such as glass. For comparison purposes, the authors also evaluated the retention behaviors of (1) polystyrene, which likely has weaker van der Waals interactions and acid–base interactions (contributed by hydrogen-bonding) with APTES, on APTES as well as (2) pNIPAAm on two other silane coupling agents, which have similar structures to APTES, but exhibit less interaction with pNIPAAm. Under our processing conditions, the stronger interactions, particularly hydrogen bonding, between pNIPAAm and APTES were found to contribute substantially to the retention of pNIPAAm on the APTES modified surface, especially on the cured APTES layer when the interpenetration was minimal or nonex...
Response by Obokata and Borlaug to Letter Regarding Article, “Role of Diastolic Stress Testing in the Evaluation for Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Simultaneous Invasive-Echocardiographic Study”

We thank Drs Smiseth and Nagueh for their interest in our recent publication testing the role of invasive and noninvasive diastolic stress testing in the evaluation of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).1 The authors point out how the hemodynamic data collected in our study provides a unique opportunity to understand more about the determinants of exercise capacity in patients with HFpEF. We agree, and in fact we have published a different article from this cohort specifically devoted to that question.2 The goal of this article was not to characterize the pathophysiology but to examine the role of exercise testing in the …