cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Degree of difficulty of separation for fluid flow-facilitated particle separation systems

The degree of difficulty of separation (DDS), which is of critical importance in estimating the relative costs of alternative separation sequences or networks, has been hitherto unavailable for fluid flow-facilitated particle separation processes that are rate controlling. The expressions for DDSs are derived from the mechanisms and models of such processes as gravity sedimentation, centrifugation, and hydrocyclone separation. The resultant expressions differ substantially from those for equilibrium-staged separations, e.g. distillation.
GROUP THEORY AND THE HYDROGEN ATOM. II.

The internal 0(4) symmetry group of the nonrelativistic hydrogen atom is discussed and used to relate the various approaches to the bound-state problems. A more general group 0(1,4) of transformations is shown to connect the various levels, which appear as basis vectors for a continuous set of unitary representations of this noncompact group.
Epithelial V-Like Antigen Mediates Efficacy of Anti-Alpha4 Integrin Treatment in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Natalizumab inhibits the transmigration of activated T lymphocytes into the brain and is highly efficacious in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, from a pharmacogenomic perspective, its efficacy and safety in specific patients remain unclear. Here our goal was to analyze the effects of epithelial V-like antigen (EVA) on anti-alpha4 integrin (VLA4) efficacy in a mouse model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EVA has been previously characterized in human CD4 T lymphocytes, mouse thymic development, and choroid plexus epithelial cells. Further analysis here demonstrated expression in B lymphocytes and an increase in EVA+ lymphocytes following immunization. Following active induction of EAE using the MOG35–55 active immunization model, EVA deficient mice developed more severe EAE and white matter tissue injury as compared to wild type controls. This severe EAE phenotype did not respond to anti-VLA4 treatment. In both the control antibody and anti-VLA4 conditions, these mice demonstrated persistent CNS invasion of mature B lymphocyte (CD19+, CD21+, sIgG+), increased serum autoantibody levels, and extensive complement and IgG deposition within lesions containing CD5+IgG+ cells. Wild type mice treated with control antibody also demonstrated the presence of CD19+, CD21+, sIgG+ cells within the CNS during peak EAE disease severity and detectable serum autoantibody. In contrast, wild type mice treated with anti-VLA4 demonstrated reduced serum autoantibody levels as compared to wild type controls and EVA-knockout mice. As expected, anti-VLA4 treatment in wild type mice reduced the total numbers of all CNS mononuclear cells and markedly decreased CD4 T lymphocyte invasion. Treatment also reduced the frequency of CD19+, CD21+, sIgG+ cells in the CNS. These results suggest that anti-VLA4 treatment may reduce B lymphocyte associated autoimmunity in some individuals and that EVA expression is necessary for an optimal therapeutic response. We postulate that these findings could optimize the selection of treatment responders.
Magnetic Properties of Thin Films of Ferromagnetic Metals Produced by the Evaporation Method

Magnetic properties of thin films of iron, nickel and cobalt.---The films were deposited by the evaporation method on tin or aluminum foil, and the magnetic properties studied by an induction method for fields up to 139 gauss. The thickness of the films varied from 20 to 300 millimicrons (m\ensuremath{\mu}). The results are as follows. (1) The maximum value of the intensity of magnetization is of the same order of magnitude as for bulk metal. In the case of cobalt, however, it is evident from the curve that with higher fields values higher than any heretofore attained might be secured. The magnetization is independent of the crystal size and the thickness of the film. (2) The remanence is high for iron and cobalt. For nickel a low value was obtained, perhaps due to oxidation. The remanence depends on the crystal size but not on the thickness. (3) The coercive force is high for all three metals and changes abruptly to lower values as the thickness is increased beyond a critical value, which for iron, cobalt and nickel is about 55, 70 and 200 m\ensuremath{\mu} respectively. The high values of the coercive force may be due to the minute size of the crystals in the films. (4) The results combined with Steinberg's curves for the Hall effect in films, tend to contradict Kundt's conclusion that the Hall e.m.f. is proportional to the intensity of magnetization.
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Nonhuman Primates Culminating in Multiple Organ Failure, Acute Lung Injury, and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a clinicopathological manifestation of overexuberant acute-phase inflammation caused by infectious or noninfectious etiologies. The systemic release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and lipid and vasoactive mediators induces endothelial damage and microvascular thrombosis, potentially culminating in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) or failure (MOF). We present five cases in the pig-tailed macaque and olive baboon where SIRS resulted in MOF, ARDS, DIC, and the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome; each with gross and histological elements manifested as edema, deposition of fibrin, hemorrhage, and thrombosis. In the described cases, SIRS was the end-common pathway for multiple risk factors that parallel those documented in humans: major surgery, obstetric complications, and infection. The diagnosis of SIRS should be considered when evaluating nonhuman primate (NHP) cases of MOF manifesting with histological evidence of vascular leakage. Experimental manipulation of NHP models may be complicated by SIRS and accompanying rapid clinical decompensation. Such adverse events may compromise toxicological studies and should be avoided when possible.
Entry of Amphotropic Murine Leukemia Virus Is Influenced by Residues in the Putative Second Extracellular Domain of Its Receptor, Pit2

Human cells express distinct but related receptors for the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) and the amphotropic murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV), termed Pit1 and Pit2, respectively. Pit1 is not able to function as a receptor for A-MuLV infection, while Pit2 does not confer susceptibility to GALV. Previous studies of chimeric receptors constructed by interchanging regions of Pit1 and Pit2 failed to clarify the determinants unique to Pit2 which correlate with A-MuLV receptor function. In order to identify which regions of Pit2 are involved in A-MuLV receptor function, we exchanged the putative second and third extracellular domains of Pit1, either individually or together, with the corresponding regions of Pit2. Our functional characterization of these receptors indicates a role for the putative second extracellular domain (domain II) in A-MuLV infection. We further investigated the influence of domain II with respect to A-MuLV receptor function by performing site-specific mutagenesis within this region of Pit2. Many of the mutations had little or no effect on receptor function. However, the substitution of serine for methionine at position 138 (S138M) in a Pit1 chimera containing domain II of Pit2 resulted in a 1,000-fold reduction in A-MuLV receptor function. Additional mutations made within domain II of the nonfunctional S138M mutant restored receptor function to nearly wild-type efficiency. The high degree of tolerance for mutations as well as the compensatory effect of particular substitutions observed within domain II suggests that an element of secondary structure within this region plays a critical role in the interaction of the receptor with A-MuLV.
Interfaces and properties of Al – Si alloy zircon particulate composites

Zircon-particle-dispersed Al−13.5Si−2.5Mg is a structural composite material being investigated for lightweight, tribological applications. The conventional, powder-processed material, in the temperature range of 22–100 °C, yielded a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) of 7.8 × 10 −6 °C at 0.15 volume fraction ( V f ), a 64% reduction of that of the alloy. The dry sliding wear rate and the coefficient of friction measured by the pin-on-the-plate technique at 4 kg load decreased significantly by 99% and 35.5%, respectively. A significant reduction, by 29%, in wear rate of the alloy was observed to occur only when more than 0.03 V f zircon was dispersed. An x-ray study showed that the interface reaction products consist of compounds of Mg, Ce, Cu, and Nb. Tensile failure of the reaction-sintered parts revealed a ductile mode of fracture, with the path traversing both through voids and the bonded particles while interface failure was observed in parts without Mg. An analysis of both the tribological and tensile properties showed that an optimal performance of this alloy at 0.15 V f zircon is achieved when the Mg content is between 2.5 and 3.5 wt. %.
Behavior of the ATP grasp domain of biotin carboxylase monomers and dimers studied using molecular dynamics simulations

The enzyme biotin carboxylase (BC) uses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to carboxylate biotin and is involved in fatty acid synthesis. Structural evidence suggests that the B domain of BC undergoes a large hinge motion of ∼45° when binding and releasing substrates. Escherichia coli BC can function as a natural homodimer and as a mutant monomer. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we evaluate the free energy profile along a closure angle of the B domain of E. coli BC for three cases: a monomer without bound Mg2ATP, a monomer with bound Mg2ATP, and a homodimer with bound Mg2ATP in one subunit. The simulation results show that a closed state is the most probable for the monomer with or without bound Mg2ATP. For the dimer with Mg2ATP in one of its subunits, communication between the two subunits was observed. Specifically, in the dimer, the opening of the subunit without Mg2ATP caused the other subunit to open, and hysteresis was observed upon reclosing it. The most stable state of the dimer is one in which the B domain of both subunits is closed; however, the open state for the B domain without Mg2ATP is only approximately 2kBT higher in free energy than the closed state. A simple diffusion model indicates that the mean times for opening and closing of the B domain in the monomer with and without Mg2ATP are much smaller than the overall reaction time, which is on the order of seconds. Proteins 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Shunt RF MEMS contact switch based on PZT-on-SOI technology

This paper presents a novel RF MEMS contact switch based on PZT-on-SOI technology. PZT transducers provide 0.7 mN contact force at 16V bias voltage. Single crystal Si actuators, formed from the SOI device layer, ensure 0.7 mN restoring force. The switch has −0.1 dB insertion loss, −29.0 dB return loss and −27.4 dB isolation at 2 GHz. Unpackaged devices were tested in a single-cycle-resolution reliability test system and demonstrated lifetime of 100 million cycles.
PRODUCTION OF CAGED CHANNEL CATFISH IN AN ILLINOIS SURFACE MINE LAKE

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fingerlings representing four size ranges (5.1–10.2, 10.3–15.2, 15.3–20.3 and 20.4 to 25.4 cm) were reared in 0.28 m3 cages at densities of 600 fish/m3. Five replicate cages containing each size group were stocked in a surface mine lake of approximately 1.5 ha in late June, 1984. The fish were fed six days per week at the rate of 3% of body weight with feeding rate adjustments every two weeks. At harvest in mid-October, 1984, fish stocked at an initial length range of 20.4–25.4 cm were of marketable size on average (379.8 g). Fish in the next smaller size range were marginal for marketing on the average, while those in the two smallest size ranges were submarketable. Results indicated that single season production of channel catfish in cages in southern Illinois would require the stocking of relatively large fingerlings; however, small fingerlings could be easily reared to market size in less than two complete growing seasons. The technique could provide food for owners of such water bodies and might provide supplemental income.
Exploiting eDRAM bandwidth with data prefetching: simulation and measurements

Compared to conventional SRAM, embedded DRAM (eDRAM) offers power, bandwidth and density advantages for large on-chip cache memories. However, eDRAM suffers from comparatively slower access times than conventional SRAM arrays. To hide eDRAM access latencies, the Blue Gene/L(&) supercomputer implements small private prefetch caches. We present an exploration of design trade-offs for the prefetch D-cache for eDRAM. We use full system simulation to consider operating system impact. We validate our modeling environment by comparing our simulation results to measurements on actual Blue Gene systems. Actual execution times also include any system effects not modeled in our performance simulator, and confirm the selection of simulation parameters included in the model. Our experiments show that even small prefetch caches with wide lines efficiently capture spatial locality in many applications. Our 2kB private prefetch caches reduce execution time by 10% on average, effectively hiding the latency of the eDRAM-based memory system.
Experimental studies of the deformation of a synthetic capsule in extensional flow

Experiments are described to study the motion and deformation of a synthetic, liquid-filled capsule that is freely suspended in hyperbolic extensional flow. The capsule is a composite particle consisting of a viscous liquid drop surrounded by a thin polymeric membrane. The method used to fabricate capsules suitable for macroscopic flow experiments is described. The deformation of the capsule is measured as a function of strain rate for an extensional flow generated in a four-roll mill. The data agree well with results from small-deformation theory developed by Barthes-Biesel and co-workers, provided the deformation of the capsule is not too large. Using the theory to correlate the experimental data produces an estimate for the elastic modulus of the membrane that agrees reasonably well with the elastic modulus obtained by an independent technique. However, for sufficiently large strain rates, the membrane exhibits strain hardening and a permanent change in its structure, both of which are reflected in the shape of the capsule.
Confronting the Youth Sports Concussion Crisis: A Central Role for Responsible Local Enforcement of Playing Rules

The sports world faces an epidemic of concussions, particularly in contact and collision sports. National attention once focused on concussions suffered by professional athletes, but we now know that concussions can happen in almost any sport and at any age. This article concerns the effect of playing rules on efforts to prevent concussions in youth sports. We can significantly reduce rates of sports-related concussions by periodically reviewing safety-based playing rules in light of medical learning, and then by assuring their enforcement by coaches, officials and parents who remain committed to sportsmanship and mutual respect in local games. Primary responsibility for rulemaking rests with national youth sports governing bodies (USA Soccer, USA Hockey and others), and with state high school activities associations that oversee the interscholastic sports programs conducted by their member secondary schools. National and state rulemaking, however, does not end the story because youth games are played on fields and other local venues largely beyond the direct supervision of national and state bodies. The rules stand the best chance of protecting players when coaches, administrators, game officials and parents enforce the rules responsibly. Legal constraints play only a limited role in producing greater safety from concussions in youth sports. Most states have taken a giant step forward by enacting concussion legislation that, while not displacing safety-based review and enforcement of playing rules, holds potential to make life better for the nation’s youngest athletes. Tort litigation, however, has played comparatively little direct role in preventing youth league concussions. The specter of tort suits by injured players might accelerate safety initiatives by jeopardizing the availability of insurance at favorable rates, or by leaving individual parents reluctant to enroll their children. Any such potential longer-term influence on prevention efforts, however, has only residual effect on a player injured today.
Tinel or not Tinel

Un signe de Tinel positif traduit la regeneration des axones, soit que le nerf, sectionne, ait ete repare chirurgicalement soit que le nerf se repare lui-meme au cours d'une compression (compression du canal carpien, de la loge de Guyon, du canal tarsien)
Discordance in spatial patterns of white pine (Pinus strobus) size‐classes in a patchy near‐boreal forest

Summary 1 White pines (Pinus strobus) in a c. 1 ha near-boreal aspen-red maple stand in the western Great Lakes region, USA, were allocated to five size-classes that were tested for discordance of their spatial patterns (i.e. within-size-class spatial distribution of individuals and spatial associations among different size-classes). The size-classes were 0.5–1 m tall, 1–2 m tall, 2–4 m tall, > 4 m tall but 20 cm d.b.h. The size-classes also differed in age. Their spatial patterns were analysed using formulae for spatial autocorrelation with categorical data at neighbourhood (0–14 m) and stand (0–70 m) scales. 2 Size-classes clustered in neighbourhoods that differed in size ranging from 6 m in diameter (size-class 2) to 40 m (size-class 3), suggesting that the pattern of each size-class is due to a different set of environmental factors. Similar size-classes tended to be randomly or positively associated at neighbourhood scales, while the most dissimilar size-classes occupied different neighbourhoods. 3 Size-classes 1 and 2 were located farther away from seed trees than size-class 3, which was farther away than size-class 4. Thus periodic seedling invasion of a deciduous matrix may be followed by the gradual retraction of older size-classes into a refuge near the mature seed source where competition from shrubs and overstorey trees is lower. Although the lack of fine-scale clustering suggests density-dependent mortality within the refuge, few older individuals were found outside this area. 4 Two regeneration bottlenecks may structure white pine populations. First, recruitment into size-class 2 is restricted to small patches (possibly in understorey gaps) within neighbourhoods with abundant size-class 1. Relatively unrestricted recruitment to size-class 3 follows, and after that recruitment to size-class 4 is again limited, this time to refugia with sparse canopy near adult trees.
CCK-8 infusion increases plasma LMW alkaline phosphatase coincident with enterohepatic circulation of bile acids

Bile acids may facilitate the release of liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP) from its hydrophobic membrane anchor. The purpose of this study was to determine whether such a facilitatory role could be observed during the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in dogs. Increased hepatic ALP activity was induced in four dogs by daily injections of 4 mg.kg-1.day-1 of prednisone for 10 days. Intravenous infusions of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) were given before treatment and on treatment days 3, 5, 7, and 10 to induce gallbladder emptying and the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Blood samples were taken hourly for 4 h before and for 4 h after CCK-8 infusion. These showed that plasma ALP activity increased significantly only after CCK-8 infusion. Gel exclusion chromatography, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and octyl Sepharose phase separation showed that the increased ALP activity was a hydrophilic, low-molecular-weight (LMW) isoform, which is consistent with phospholipase release. Histochemical staining of endogenous ALP activity showed increased ALP activity over sinusoidal surfaces of prednisone-treated dogs. There was also an increased serum-to-tissue ratio of ALP activity in the prednisone-treated dogs, suggestive of increased release of ALP into blood. It was concluded that bile acids probably play a facilitatory role in the enzymatic release of ALP from the sinusoidal surface of hepatocytes, which may be accentuated by the presence of increased amounts of ALP on the sinusoidal surface in some disease states.
Physiological and Anthropometric Assessment of Successful Teenage Female Distance Runners

Abstract Physiological and anthropometric measures were taken in a group of young women, mean age = 16.2 years, who had been training regularly by running approximately 50 miles per week for 2 years. Their mean [Vdot]O2 max of 63.24 ml/kg·min−1 is among the highest ever recorded in a group of young women. Anthropometric measures included: selected segment lengths, diameters, skinfolds, and circumferences. These young women appear to be of average height, low in body weight and subcutaneous body fat, have a high component of ectomorphy, and a smaller overall skeletal framework than nonathletes.
Institutional deliveries weakly associated with improved neonatal survival in developing countries: evidence from 192 Demographic and Health Surveys

BACKGROUND: Child and maternal mortality remain high in many developing countries. A principal strategy used in low- and middle-income countries is increasing the proportion of pregnancies delivered at facilities. Although this strategy is reasonable with high quality facilities evidence for the protective effects of facility deliveries is mixed. METHODS: We pooled 1.47 million birth records collected by the Demographic and Health Surveys to estimate the association between institutional deliveries and early neonatal mortality. Subsample analysis and instrumental variable estimation were used to assess and correct the extent to which mortality differentials are biased by an increased likelihood of facility attendance for high-risk deliveries. RESULTS: No associations between institutional deliveries and early neonatal mortality were found in the pooled sample [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.995 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.966-1.025)]. When stratified by facility type protective effects were found for private facilities (aOR 0.876 95% CI 0.840-0.914) but not for public hospitals or health centres. Significant protective effects were found when past behaviour was used to eliminate selection bias generated by short-term responses to medical need (aOR 0.884 95% CI 0.814-0.961). At the community and country levels strong positive associations were found between early neonatal mortality among facility deliveries and the prevalence of institutional deliveries. CONCLUSION: Facility deliveries have the potential to reduce early neonatal mortality in developing countries. The results presented suggest that the quality utilization and protective effects of institutional deliveries vary widely across countries; major improvements in both utilization and quality of care will be needed to achieve further improvements in maternal and child health. (c) The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.
INVISCID MULTIPHASE FLOWS: BUBBLING BEDS

This chapter discusses multiphase flows in bubbling beds. To understand multiphase flow phenomena, such as bubble formation near the grid for uniform flow, simpler models are frequently useful. In single-phase fluid mechanics, the representation of the Navier–Stokes equation in terms of a vorticity transfer equation is often useful. With such an approximation normally made in free convection heat transfer, the stream function and the vorticity remain the same as in single-phase flow, as porosities only change where they occur as differences. Analytical solutions to such a linearized equation are used to describe solids tracer injection into fluidized beds. An analysis with more simplification can be used to show that a point source of gas injected into a two-dimensional fluidized bed will produce a circular bubble. In one dimension, the basic variables are the pressure, the porosity, and the gas and the solids velocities. In homogeneous flow, as in compressible single phase pipe flow, the variables reduce themselves to just the velocity and the pressure determined by their respective conservation of mass and momentum equations. The bubble frequency is obtained by counting the total number of bubbles and the total number of movie frames. From the known filming rate, the bubble frequency is determined.
Tax Complexity: A Sine Qua None for Tax Fairness

Taxation for every country is more than just an expression of a country’s sovereignty; it is a condition of each country’s existence and ability to meet its most basic responsibilities to its people. From inception of tax systems throughout the world, only complaints about tax complexity have grown as fast as complexity of the tax systems themselves. The debate over tax simplicity and Tax complexity has long occupied tax practitioners and tax policy aficionados. Some have argued that tax simplicity, meaning simple tax systems, should be the only guiding principle for tax policy makers throughout the world. Others, going even 2 500 years back (with the biblical tithing); have taken their argument to the extreme by claiming that no tax system can be simple. The tendency however, at least in theory, is a convergence between most in this debate to agree that tax simplicity is more advantageous. Some arguments put forward include the easy compliance, more participation, less transaction costs. These arguments are true facts and known to everyone but they do not carry the day. Known advantages of simplicity in tax seem paradoxical with the ever growing complexity of tax systems. Complexity has grown so exponentially throughout the world that it seems fair to ask, after Blaufus and Ortlied: “Is Simple Better”? Why is it that tax complexity keeps thriving? Why is it that tax systems throughout the world are becoming more and more complex? Why is it that whatever the form of taxation considered, whether direct or indirect, whether local or global, complexity seems to be the common trend of tax systems worldwide?As recognized by many including former senator Russell Long, tax complexity is “there in the effort to do more perfect justice”. Though arguments of tax simplicity are legitimate, they do not consider and weight the main raison why Tax Complexity is a necessity. This essay intends to show that tax fairness can only be achieved through “complexified” tax systems. Tax complexity is thus a sine qua none, a condition without which there would be no fairness in tax. To acknowledge the legitimate arguments put forward by proponents of tax simplicity, we recognize that we all would like to have simple tax systems, easy to comply with and easy to administer. However, if these advantages can only be obtained through sacrificing fairness, then we should not pursue simplicity. In fact, if the cost of simplicity is fairness, if the results of simplicity are unfair, if the choice is between simplicity and fairness, then there is no place for simplicity in modern tax systems where the need for fairness is forever more pressing.This essay demonstrates that tax complexity is necessary for tax fairness through analysis of tax systems throughout the world. We will analyze how complexity achieves fairness in direct tax systems such as the United States on the one hand, and how complexity achieves tax fairness in indirect, consumption based tax systems such as Cameroon or France on the other hand.
IV. There is more to taste than meets the tongue

The tongue is the principal organ that provides sensory information about the quality and quantity of chemicals in food. Other information about the temperature and texture of food is also transduced on the tongue, via extragemmal receptors that form branches of the trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, and vagal nerves. These systems, together with information from the gastrointestinal (GI) system, interact to determine whether or not food is palatable. In this themes article, emphasis is placed on the integrative aspects of gustatory processing by showing the convergence of gustatory information with somatosensory, nociceptive, and visceral information (from the GI system) on the tongue and in the brain. Our thesis is that gustation should be thought of as an integral part of a distributed, interacting multimodal system in which information from other systems, including the GI system, can modulate the taste of food.
On the spectrum of combustion noise

In this paper, it is proposed that the spectral shape of combustion noise is the same as the similarity spectrum of the noise from the large turbulence structures of high-speed jets. This is true regardless of the turbulence level in the combustion process, the equivalence ratio of the fuel or whether the fuel is a gas or a liquid as long as it is hydrocarbon. At the present time, the mechanism by which combustion noise is generated is still not known. So, it is not possible to prove the correctness of the proposal theoretically or computationally. Here, an empirical approach is followed. Comparisons between the similarity spectrum and many sets of combustion noise spectra are made. The spectra are from open flames, low speed jets, can-type combustor, auxiliary power units and turbofan engines noise measurements. Good agreements are found offering favorable support for the proposal.
Does hospitality diversity education make a difference in undergraduate students’ emotional intelligence

ABSTRACTSoft skills are typically referred to as the attributes exhibited or contained by an individual that display his/her ability to interact with others. Two types of soft skills that are often discussed within the hospitality industry are diversity awareness and emotional intelligence. Diversity may be explained or defined as a state of unlikeness, the conditions of being different, and all things that make us different. Areas where differences may exist include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political affiliation and emotional reaction. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been defined as the ability to perceive, understand, regulate, and harness emotions in the self and others. How one deals with emotion is one characteristic that varies from culture to culture. Research has shown that EI may be a contributing factor in a moment of truth being considered a failure or success. The purpose of this study was to examine if unde...
Communicating Respect for Patients as Persons: A Qualitative Study

Background : Respect for persons is regarded as an important value in medical ethics, and yet, there is little written in the bioethics or professionalism literature about what respect actually entails in day-to-day clinical practice. Objective : To describe respectful behaviors and attitudes from the patient’s perspective. Methods: We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 29 adults who saw their primary care physician on a regular basis. This sample consisted of 15 women and 14 men; 19 were African American and 10 were white. Patients were asked to describe their ideas about respect and to provide examples that illustrated respect and disrespect on the part of the physician. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify major themes for each interview and to link together related themes across all interviews. Results : Participants identified four definitions of respect: being treated ‘as a person’, being treated as an equal, being treated as the physician would want to be treated, and being cared about. Patients readily identified behaviors that they associated with respect. These included listening to and understanding the patient, being polite (e.g. greeting and addressing the patient by name), explaining things in a way he or she can understand, allowing patient input into the treatment plan, attending to privacy/modesty, spending enough time, and being thorough. Conclusions: Patients are aware of, and sensitive to, subtle verbal, behavioral, and attitudinal cues from the physician that are interpreted as conveying respect or disrespect, and these cues may strongly influence the medical encounter. Cultivating an attitude of respect for patients, and communicating that respect through specific behaviors, can help create a more patient-centered healthcare system that embodies the values of the people it serves.
Colorectal surgical site infection reduction strategies

Abstract Objective PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend is a 379 bed hospital; 15,060 surgical procedures were performed in 2014 with 254 being colorectal surgical cases. Using the ACS NSQIP program the hospital was identified as a high outlier for surgical site infection (SSI) in all cases and in colorectal procedures in our July 2012 semiannual report (SAR). Methods A best practice bundle to reduce SSI's and a colorectal enhanced recovery pathway were concurrently initiated Results After implementation of these best practice elements, our ACS NSQIP results showed a reduction in our colorectal SSI rate from 17.58% for 2011 to 5.11% (1st decile/low outlier) in the January 2015 SAR. Our SSI rate for all cases were reduced from 4.87% to 1.71% (1st decile/low outlier) during the same time period. A reduction in length of stay for our colorectal surgical patients was also noted. Conclusions The ACS NSQIP program was essential to identify colorectal SSI as an area of concern and for providing data to drive quality improvement measures.
Biologic effects of stress and bonding in mother-infant pairs.

ObjectiveMaternal stress in humans influences behavior of children and can be assessed using biological markers. Mothers and their one-month-old infants were recruited from an existing study to exa...
The reception of the two chapters and the invention of the author

To turn from the question of Gibbon's intentions and performance in writing chapters 15 and 16 of the Decline and Fall to that of their reception in the years preceding publication of his second volume is to encounter the question of how his respondents interpreted these intentions and whether their interpretations coincide with those of a historian today. This is in turn to encounter two further problems. The language used by Gibbon of which his critics complained was indirect and allusive; they interpreted it as conveying a set of intentions subversive of revealed Christianity. The historian seeking to estimate Gibbon's intentions encounters the same problem of indirectness, and must decide how far they were as subversive as their critics said they were. It is a further problem, however, that most historians until very recently, being agnostic and post-Christian, have taken as granted a process of Enlightenment amounting to a subversion of Christianity, in which Gibbon took part. As a curious consequence of this assumption, they have on the one hand despised Gibbon's Christian critics as impotent defenders of a religion doomed to subversion, while on the other accepting an account of his intentions as subversive as indistinguishable from that of his adversaries. They agree that Gibbon intended to subvert the Christian revelation by irony and innuendo, while accepting and applauding his success in doing so.
Active Microwave Thermography for Defect Detection of CFRP-Strengthened Cement-Based Materials

Nondestructive testing (NDT) of rehabilitated cement-based materials (RCMs) with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites is quite important in the transportation and infrastructure industries. Among various NDT methods, active microwave thermography (AMT) has shown good potential. This method uses microwave energy to heat a structure of interest, and subsequently the surface thermal profile is measured using a thermal camera. In this paper, the application of AMT for defect detection (unbond, delamination, and crack) in CFRP composites used in RCMs is presented. More specifically, the effect of defect size and depth and polarization on the resultant surface thermal profile with defects is first studied through simulation. The effect of polarization on detection of defects with regard to the orientation of CFRP fibers is also experimentally investigated. Finally, a quantitative analysis of the measured results based on the thermal contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for all the three aforementioned defect types is presented. The results show that the SNR is improved when utilizing perpendicular (compared with parallel) polarization, and that the maximum effective heating time is $\sim 60$ s, even for small defects.
The search for an elusive cutoff remains: Problems of binary classification of heavy drinking as an endpoint for alcohol clinical trials

Abstract Background To examine whether a clinically meaningful alcohol consumption cutoff can be created for clinical samples, we used receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves to derive gender-specific consumption cutoffs that maximized sensitivity and specificity in the prediction of a wide range of negative consequences from drinking. Methods We conducted secondary data analyses using data from two large clinical trials targeting alcohol use disorders: Project MATCH (n = 1726) and COMBINE (n = 1383). Results In both studies, we found that the ideal cutoff for men and women that maximized sensitivity/specificity varied substantially both across different alcohol consumption variables and alcohol consequence outcomes. Further, the levels of sensitivity/specificity were poor across all consequences. Conclusions These results fail to provide support for a clinically meaningful alcohol consumption cutoff and suggest that binary classification of levels of alcohol consumption is a poor proxy for maximizing sensitivity/specificity in the prediction of negative consequences from drinking. Future research examining consumption-consequence associations should take advantage of continuous measures of alcohol consumption and alternative approaches for assessing the link between levels of consumption and consequences (e.g., ecological momentary assessment). Clinical researchers should consider focusing more directly on the consequences they aim to reduce instead of relying on consumption as a proxy for more clinically meaningful outcomes.
Overview of vestibular and balance disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the basic vestibular and ocular motor anatomy, and physiology relevant to patients with balance disorders. Then with a foundation of physiological and anatomical principles in mind, the historical features and special bedside examination techniques for evaluating the dizzy patient are discussed. It explores that great advances have been made in the past half century in the ability to study and quantify the characteristics of eye movements, and the influence of the vestibular and optokinetic systems on ocular motor control. This, combined with careful clinical observation of patients, has led to the discovery of new disorders, such as superior canal dehiscence and treatments like the canalith repositioning procedure. The chapter also reviews that rational model of the neural basis for vestibular and ocular motor control can be created, and tested experimentally with great precision.
Phase I Trial of the Targeted Alpha-Particle Nano-Generator Actinium-225 (225Ac)-HuM195 (Anti-CD33) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

HuM195, a humanized anti-CD33 antibody, targets myeloid leukemia cells and has modest activity alone against AML. To increase the antibody’s potency and allow single cell killing, but avoid the nonspecific cytotoxicity associated with β-emitting isotopes, the α-emitter bismuth-213 ( 213 Bi) was initially conjugated to HuM195. In phase I and II trials, 213 Bi-HuM195 was capable of inducing remissions in AML after partial cytoreduction with cytarabine. Therapeutic applications of 213 Bi, however, are limited by its 46-minute half-life. The isotope generator, 225 Ac, a radiometal which yields 4 α-emitting isotopes and has a 10-day half life, can be conjugated to a variety of antibodies using the bifunctional chelate DOTA-SCN. 225 Ac-containing immunoconjugates can kill in vitro at radioactivity doses 1000 times lower than 213 Bi analogs and prolong survival of animals in several xenograft models (McDevitt et al. Science 2001). We are conducting a first-in-man phase I dose escalation trial to determine the safety, pharmacology, and biological activity of such an in vivo isotope generator using 225 Ac-HuM195. Seven patients (median age, 61 years; range, 46–77) with relapsed (n=3) or refractory (n=4) AML were treated to date. Three had poor-risk cytogenetics. Patients received a single infusion of 225 Ac-HuM195 at doses of 0.5 (n=3), 1 (n=3), or 2 μCi/kg (n=1). Total administered activities of 225 Ac ranged from 23–170 μCi, and HuM195 doses ranged from 1–1.9 mg. No acute toxicities were seen. One of 2 patients evaluable for neutropenia developed an ANC 225 Ac-HuM195. No other grade 3–4 extramedullary toxicities were observed. No evidence of radiation nephritis has been seen, with follow-up to 10 months. To determine pharmacokinetics over 10 days following treatment, we analyzed plasma by gamma counting at 2 energy windows for 2 of the 225 Ac daughters, francium-221 ( 221 Fr) and 213 Bi. Two phase elimination kinetics were seen with mean plasma half-lives t 1/2 -α and t 1/2 -β of 2.9 and 54 hours, respectively. These results are similar to other HuM195 constructs containing long-lived radioisotopes. Antileukemic effects included elimination of peripheral blood blasts in 3 of 6 evaluable patients and dose-related reductions of >33% of BM blasts in 4 patients at 4 weeks following treatment. One patient had 3% bone marrow blasts after therapy. This is the first study to show that targeted therapy with an in vivo α-particle generator is feasible in humans. 225 Ac-HuM195 appears safe and has antileukemic activity. Accrual to this trial continues.
Memory leak detection in android applications based on code patterns

An application running on an android mobile platform may sometimes crash in the midst of its lifecycle without the user triggering an explicit close action. This is due to memory leaks in the system which are introduced due to insufficient memory handling mechanisms. Memory leaks are not easily identified by testing the application. There are a few tools to identify memory usage over time for an application running on an android device. Most of them track of the heap (Memory allocated for an application) or the references to objects in the activity lifecycle. We propose to identify memory leak vulnerabilities in the application during development and testing by identifying certain usages of code or code patterns in the application. This allows the application developers to correct the error easily because the part of the code which is responsible for the memory leak will be explicitly indicated.
A Trail-Following Robot Which Uses Appearance and Structural Cues

We describe a wheeled robotic system which navigates along outdoor “trails” intended for hikers and bikers. Through a combination of appearance and structural cues derived from stereo omnidirectional color cameras and a tiltable laser range-finder, the system is able to detect and track rough paths despite widely varying tread material, border vegetation, and illumination conditions. The approaching trail region is efficiently segmented in a top-down fashion based on color, brightness, and/or height contrast with flanking areas, and a differential motion planner searches for maximally-safe paths within that region according to several criteria. When the trail tracker’s confidence drops the robot slows down to allow a more detailed search, and when it senses a dangerous situation due to excessive slope, dense trailside obstacles, or visual trail segmentation failure, it stops entirely to acquire and analyze a ladar-derived point cloud in order to reset the tracker. Our system’s ability to negotiate a variety of challenging trail types over long distances is demonstrated through a number of live runs through different terrain and in different weather conditions.
Isolation and Purification of Cytochalasin E and Two Tremorgens from Aspergillus Clavatus

(1974). Isolation and Purification of Cytochalasin E and Two Tremorgens from Aspergillus Clavatus. Plant Foods for Man: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 113-119.
Where Has All the Psyche Gone? Searching for Treatments That Focus on Psychological Issues

The field of psychotherapy can be aided by adopting an integrative model that follows a comprehensive biopsychosocial perspective. Unfortunately, recent advances in the field of psychopharmacology have appeared to overshadow the gains that can be made through psychotherapy. Psychotherapists need to protect the “psyche” that lies at the core of their treatment. Psychotherapy can promote changes in cognitive processes that help to reduce psychiatric symptoms and enhance adaptive functioning. Psychotherapists should not neglect the role of biological or social factors in the etiology or treatment of mental illness. Many clients benefit from a comprehensive biopsychosocial model and interdisciplinary collaboration among mental health professionals. Psychotherapists can maintain a strong emphasis on psychological functioning, while colleagues from other fields focus on the biological and social aspects of mental illness. Furthermore, it seems important for psychotherapists to emphasize the unique qualities of psychotherapy that are distinct from the social support that is provided from a close and confiding friendship.
Intracellular Potassium and Chloride Measurements in Sheep Cardiac Purkinje Fibers

When liquid ion exchanger, ion selective microelectrodes, with tip diameters of less than 0.5 were developed (Walker, 1971), it seemed reasonable to use them to measure intracellular potassium and chloride activities, ai(K) and ai(Cl), in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibers. This preparation was chosen for two reasons, it has been a popular preparation for cardiac electrophysiologists so there is a considerable literature describing their electrophysiology and, since they exhibit relatively weak mechanical activity, they are suitable for microelectrode recording.
Effect of spectacle correction on the progression of myopia in children--a literature review

Background Methods used to attempt to control childhood myopia progression have included various types of spectacle correction. The most commonly studied technique has been the use of bifocal lenses. Methods The literature on the effects of bifocals, undercorrection, and part-time wear of spectacles on the rate of myopia progression in children was reviewed. Results The data available on undercorrection and part-time wear of spectacles is limited. There have been several studies on the effects of bifocals. Some studies reported no effect with bifocals, some studies reported reduced rates with bifocals, and some noted lower rates with bifocals may be associated with particular ocular or visual findings. Conclusions Critical analysis of the literature suggests that when the nearpoint phoria is eso, greater rates of progression occur, and that some degree of myopia control may be established by shifting the phoria into the normal range by spectacle corrections such as bifocals.