cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion

Imaging modalities such as CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are powerful tools to detect and assess focal injury such as hemorrhagic lesions and edema and brain swelling in severe injury. However, acute and chronic injury at a cellular level is sometimes difficult to discern from normal features by anatomical imaging. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a unique noninvasive approach to assess injury at microscopic levels by quantifying cellular metabolites. The findings obtained with MRS in concussion and more severe head trauma are heterogeneous, reflecting the different time after injury, degree of injury and different physiologic and pathologic response of the brain to injury in individuals. The most important findings are that elevated lactate (and lipids) in apparently normal tissue observed 2–5 days after injury are indicators of severe global hypoxic injury and poor outcome. Also, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker for “healthy” neurons and axons, is generally reduced in traumatic brain injury signaling neuronal and axonal loss/damage. The extent of NAA reduction after injury is an objective and quantitative surrogate marker for the severity of injury and is useful for outcome prediction. In the cases of mild traumatic brain injury, choline (Cho) has been shown to be reflective of diffuse axonal injury and alterations in neurotransmitters such as glutamate (Glu) and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) have also been shown.
Collective Tracking with a Dynamic Leader

This chapter introduces a collective tracking problem in the presence of a dynamic leader. The problem has applications in formation flying, body guard, and target tracking. We solve the distributed collective tracking problem via a variable structure approach when there exists a dynamic leader who is a neighbor of only a subset of a group of followers, all followers have only local interaction, and only partial measurements of the states of the leader and the followers are available. In the context of collective tracking, we focus on both coordinated tracking and swarm tracking algorithms. The objective of coordinated tracking is that a group of followers intercepts a dynamic leader with local interaction. The objective of swarm tracking is that a group of followers moves cohesively with a dynamic leader while avoiding inter-agent collision with local interaction. Both single-integrator dynamics and double-integrator dynamics are considered. Several simulation examples are presented as a proof of concept.
Degradation models for hydrogen embrittlement

Abstract: In this chapter, we present a solid mechanics modeling and simulation effort to elucidate the linking of the macroscopic embrittlement phenomenology to the features of the microstructural degradation mechanisms ahead of a crack tip in the austenitic Fe–Ni–Co alloy IN903. In general, we find that the deformation and hydrogen fields in the fracture process depend strongly on the initial and boundary conditions, thus reflecting the variety of fracture modes. In particular, for intergranular crack growth in wedge opening load specimens in hydrogen gas we predict fracture process zones that are large in comparison to the typical characteristic diffusion distances. For ductile cracking in gaseous environments, we find that the process is controlled by the average spacing of the carbides.
Characteristics of a successful R.E.I. Clinic and Laboratory

This chapter explores a few hallmarks of successful REI clinics and laboratories. While all clinics should fulfill minimal guidelines set for in government oversight and regulations, the successful laboratory will go beyond such guidelines to actively improve the quality of service provided to patients. Pursuit of a high level of success necessitates ongoing employee education, monitoring and evaluation of patient outcomes, and a focus on the objectives set for the institution.
Contact Metallization for Advanced CMOS Technology Nodes

Continuous CMOS scaling is being driven by innovation of novel device architectures to improve device performances at lower power consumption [1]. However, middle-of-the-line (MOL) continues to be a key performance and yield detractor for scaling. To alleviate these challenges, disruptive MOL architectures and materials are being proposed. At the ≤ 10NM node, significant differences are already seen in the MOL architecture and materials used by leading semiconductor companies [2]–[4]. This is expected to continue to smaller CMOS nodes where contacts represent significant contribution to external resistance (Rext). Figure 1 illustrates the impact of scaling on source/drain (S/D) contact vertical resistance, which can be quantified as the sum of silicide contact resistance (R C ) and trench metallization resistance (R Ts ) [5]. It can be observed that at ≥ 20 nm trench bottom critical dimension (BCD), silicide contact resistance is the predominant contributor to the total vertical resistance. At these dimensions, it is critical to lower the specific contact resistivity $(\mathsf{p}_{\mathrm{C}})$ to reduce the vertical resistance. At narrow ( $\mathsf{p}_{\mathrm{C}}=0)$ contribution to the total vertical resistance starts to increase. In addition, below ~11 nm of BCD we see an inflection in resistance because of the change in transport from high resistive nucleation layers to liner/barrier materials. It should be noted that this figure was generated using resistance calculations for a simple trench dimension not specific to any technology and typical MOL materials.
“If You Have a Kid That’s Ready to Learn:” the Kindergarten Transition Experiences of Urban, Low-Income, African-American Preschoolers

Research suggests that children from urban, low-income African-American families lack school readiness skills and will experience challenging kindergarten transitions. Such studies emphasize family...
Quantum State and Doppler-Resolved Scattering of Thermal/Hyperthermal DCl at the Gas–Liquid Interface: Support for a Simple “Lever Arm” Model of the Energy-Transfer Dynamics

Supersonically cooled deuterium chloride (10 K, DCl(J ≈ 0, 1)) has been scattered from the gas–liquid interface under thermal (Einc = 1.5(1) kcal/mol) and hyperthermal (Einc = 11.5(5) kcal/mol) conditions for a series of prototypical liquids (perfluoropolyether (PFPE), squalane, and glycerol), with the final DCl quantum states detected with narrow-band IR laser absorption methods to achieve rotational (J) and transverse Doppler (vy) resolutions. First of all, we see direct evidence for both trapping desorption (TD) and impulsive scattering (IS) components in the DCl distributions, with both TD rotational and transverse velocity components fully equilibrated with the liquid (TS ≈ Trot ≈ TDopp). Second, high-resolution laser dopplermetry on the IS component reveals quite efficient transfer from Einc into out-of-plane scattering of the DCl, in contrast with the notably inefficient channeling of the collision energy into end-over-end rotation. Third, though the rotational excitation efficiency is low, the imp...
2018 WSGC Collegiate Rocketry Competition

The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium hosts the Collegiate Rocket Launch Competition every year. The goal of the competition this year was to design and build a rocket to fly to 3000 ft and take a 360Â° photo upon landing. The rocket, Focal Point, used a single external camera that would rotate to achieve a panoramic video. After recovery, the video was stitched into a panoramic photo. Despite several unforeseen challenges on the day of the launch, Focal Point achieved three flights. To reduce weight and achieve an altitude closer to the goal of 3000 ft, six inches of body tube was removed for the final flight. This drastically improved our flight performance. Pioneer Rocketry is very proud to be able to win third place in this competition
Immunotherapy in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Past and Future Strategies for Optimization

To date, prostate cancer has been poorly responsive to immunotherapy. In the current review, we summarize and discuss the current literature on the use of vaccine therapy and checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Sipuleucel-T currently remains the only FDA-approved immunotherapeutic agent for prostate cancer. Single-agent phase 3 vaccine trials with GVAX and PROSTVAC have failed to demonstrate survival benefit to date. Clinical trials using combination approaches, including combination PROSTVAC along with a neoantigen vaccine and checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, are ongoing. Checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy clinical trials have demonstrated limited efficacy in advanced prostate cancer, and combination approaches and molecular patient selection are currently under investigation. The optimal use of vaccine therapy and checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer remains to be determined. Ongoing clinical trials will continue to inform future clinical practice.
How the Coronavirus Could Permanently Cut Near-Retirees’ Social Security Benefits

As a group, retirees are more financially insulated from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic than are most other demographic groups in the United States. Yet due to how the Social Security benefit formula interacts with the sharp economic downturn due to the Coronavirus, some groups of near-retirees are likely to suffer substantial permanent reductions to their Social Security retirement benefits. Assuming a 15 percent decline in the Social Security Administration's measure of economywide average wages in 2020, a middle-income worker born in 1960 could have his annual Social Security benefits in retirement reduced by around 13 percent, with losses over the retirement period in excess of $70,000. Methods of addressing this problem are discussed, including both ad hoc adjustments applying only to affected cohorts, and also permanent changes to the benefit formula to prevent similar benefit “notches” from occurring in the future.
Examining the Validity of Traffic Stop Data: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Police Officer Compliance:

Police departments rely on administrative rules to set organizational priorities and establish systems of accountability. To that end, several departments require officers to submit data describing...
Observations and Design Considerations for Spaceborne Pulse Compression Weather Radar

Pulse compression has enabled a new generation of low-cost and compact spaceborne weather radar systems. To successfully utilize pulse compression techniques for cloud and precipitation applications, the effects of Doppler-range migration must be considered during the design and operation of the radar. Pulse compression for spaceborne weather applications introduces additional interdependence between the radar system and the operations when compared with traditional pulsed radar systems, primarily as a result of the large platform velocities. Pulse compression signals for weather radar can be simulated with high fidelity to predict and optimize the radar’s performance. In this article, we evaluate the pulse compression performance of RainCube, a Ka-band precipitation radar in a CubeSat, through analysis and comparison of observations and radar simulations. Through these comparisons, design and operational considerations for pulse compression weather radar are discussed. This work shows that the optimal pointing angle for RainCube to achieve the finest vertical resolution is not at nadir, but when pointing forward approximately 2.25°, in the direction of the spacecraft’s orbit.
Vicarious Traumatization and Burnout among Service Providers for Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

Victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) are in need of multiple community services to aid in their recovery. Service providers are critical to ensuring these victims receive needed treatmen...
Modulated Elliptical Slot

A novel modulated slot design has been proposed and tested. The proposed slot is aimed to replace the inefficient small dipoles used in conventional MST-based imaging systems. The developed slot is very attractive as MST array element due to its small size and high efficiency/modulation depth. In fact, the developed slot has been successfully used to implement the first prototype of a microwave camera operating at 24 GHZ. It is also being used in the design of the second generation of the camera. Finally, the designed elliptical slot can be used as an electronically controlled waveguide iris for many other purposes (for instance in constructing waveguide reflective phase shifters and multiplexers/switches).
The Cambridge Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe

Much remains uncertain about the life of Edgar Allan Poe, the mysterious author of one of the best-known American poems, 'The Raven', the Gothic romance The Fall of the House of Usher, and the first detective fiction, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. This book provides a balanced overview of Poe's career and writings, resisting the tendency of many scholars to sensationalise the more enigmatic aspects of his life. Benjamin F. Fisher outlines Poe's experiments with a wide range of literary forms and genres, and shows how his fiction evolved from Gothic fantasy to plausible, sophisticated psychological fiction. Fisher makes fruitful connections within this diverse body of work, and offers analyses of the major works. The critical afterlife of Poe's work is charted, and the book includes a guide to further reading, making this a handy starting-point for students and readers new to Poe.
An information market for multi-agent decision making : Observations from a human experiment

Intelligent decision support systems increasingly embrace agent-based mechanisms to cope with decentralized decision problems. In this paper, we focus on the economic market model commonly used as a blueprint for the design of autonomous multi-agent systems. We present an experimental information market in which the human traders have only limited information. We analyze the traders’ private preferences and their actual behavior in the market as they exchange and acquire information. We observe that while the traders’ individual preferences show a consistent deliberative pattern throughout the market experiment, their actual decision behavior in the market appears to be reactively driven by the decisions of the other traders. These observations from human traders may have important implications for the design of market-oriented multi-agent systems to address decision problems characterized by incomplete information.
Access Control Policy Models for XML

Security concerns have been rapidly increasing because of repeated security incidents such as unexpected personal information leakage. Since XML [38] has been playing an important role in IT systems and applications, a big surge of requirements for legislative compliance is driving enterprises to protect their XML data for secure data management as well as privacy protection, and the access control mechanism is a central control point. In this chapter, we are concerned with fine-grained (element- and attribute-level) access control for XML database systems, rather than with document-level access control. We use the term XML access control to address such fine-grained access control. The XML access control deals with XML data and access control policies as well as schema definitions, e.g. XML Schema [40], and queries, e.g. XQuery [36]. The scope of XML access control is not limited to a specific application but covers broader areas that involve XML-based transactional systems such as e-commerce applications (Commerce XML [7] etc.), medical and health record applications (HL7 [16] etc.), and newspaper article distribution and applications (NewsML [17] etc.).
Coded excitation plane wave imaging for shear wave motion detection

Plane wave imaging has greatly advanced the field of shear wave elastography thanks to its ultrafast imaging frame rate and the large field-of-view (FOV). However, plane wave imaging also has decreased penetration due to lack of transmit focusing, which makes it challenging to use plane waves for shear wave detection in deep tissues and in obese patients. This study investigated the feasibility of implementing coded excitation in plane wave imaging for shear wave detection, with the hypothesis that coded ultrasound signals can provide superior detection penetration and shear wave SNR compared with conventional ultrasound signals. Both phase encoding (Barker code) and frequency encoding (chirp code) methods were studied. A first phantom experiment showed an approximate penetration gain of 2 to 4 cm for the coded pulses. Two subsequent phantom studies showed that all coded pulses outperformed the conventional short imaging pulse by providing superior sensitivity to small motion and robustness to weak ultrasound signals. Finally, an in vivo liver case study on an obese subject (body mass index = 40) demonstrated the feasibility of using the proposed method for in vivo applications, and showed that all coded pulses could provide higher SNR shear wave signals than the conventional short pulse. These findings indicate that by using coded excitation shear wave detection, one can benefit from the ultrafast imaging frame rate and large FOV provided by plane wave imaging while preserving good penetration and shear wave signal quality, which is essential for obtaining robust shear elasticity measurements of tissue.
Applications of a Finite Element Analysis of Fatigue Crack Closure

ABSTRACT An elastic-plastic finite element simulation of fatigue crack closure is used to study several practical problems in fatigue crack propagation. Results show the effect of maximum stress, notch stress fields, and stress biaxiality on crack opening levels. These results are consistent with experimentally observed trends in crack growth rates. Simple correlations of the experimental data with closure-modified crack growth parameters are shown to be sufficient for many engineering purposes.
Energy-Efficient Mobile Cache Invalidation

Caching data in a wireless mobile computer can significantly reduce the bandwidth requirement. However, due to battery power limitation, a wireless mobile computer may often be forced to operate in a doze or even totally disconnected mode. As a result, the mobile computer may miss some cache invalidation reports. In this paper, we present an energy-efficient cache invalidation method for a wireless mobile computer. The new cache invalidation scheme is called grouping with cold update-set retention (GCORE). Upon waking up, a mobile computer checks its cache validity with the server. To reduce the bandwidth requirement for validity checking, data objects are partitioned into groups. However, instead of simply invalidating a group if any of the objects in the group has been updated, GCORE retains the cold update set of objects in a group if possible. We present an efficient implementation of GCORE and conduct simulations to evaluate its caching effectiveness. The results show that GCORE can substantially improve mobile caching by reducing the communication bandwidth (thus energy consumption) for query processing.
An Urgent Need to Understand and Address the Safety and Well-Being of Hospital "Sitters"

BACKGROUND: Hospital sitters provide continuous observation of patients at risk of harming themselves or others. Little is known about sitters' occupational safety and well-being, including experiences with patient/visitor-perpetrated violence (type II). METHODS: Data from surveys, focus groups, individual interviews at six U.S. hospitals were used to characterize the prevalence of and circumstance surrounding type II violence against sitters, as well as broader issues related to sitter use. RESULTS: Sitter respondents had a high 12-month prevalence of physical assault, physical threat, and verbal abuse compared to other workers in the hospital setting. Sitters and other staff indicated the need for clarification of sitters' roles regarding patient care and sitter well-being (e.g., calling for assistance, taking lunch/restroom breaks), training of sitters in personal safety and de-escalation, methods to communicate patient/visitor behaviors, and unit-level support. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of type II violence against hospital sitters is concerning. Policies surrounding sitters' roles and violence prevention training are urgently needed. Am. J. Ind. Med. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
An authentication middleware for prevention of information theft (AMPIT)

Information theft or data leakage is a growing concern for companies as well as individual users. Intruders can easily copy huge amount of confidential data using hand-held devices such as USB flash drives, iPods, digital cameras or any other external storage devices. Data theft can simply occur through both insiders and outsiders of a corporation. It is becoming the biggest challenge for corporates, since the storage devices are becoming smaller in size, easier to use, have higher capacity and data transmission speed. Furthermore, these devices can easily be misplaced or stolen and sensitive data can easily be exposed. In this paper we present a multilevel password verification system for prevention of information theft by removable devices to protect data leakage by various portable devices. Our proposed system consists of three main modules: 1) portable storage device monitoring, 2) activity logging and data encryption, and 3) device authorization. These modules corporate with each other to provide required security, and prevent information theft from the individual users and companies.
Modeling the neurovascular niche: VEGF- and BDNF-mediated cross-talk between neural stem cells and endothelial cells: An in vitro study

Neural stem cells (NSCs) exist in vascularized niches. Although there has been ample evidence supporting a role for endothelial cell-derived soluble factors as modulators of neural stem cell self-renewal and neuronal differentiation there is a paucity of data reported on neural stem cell modulation of endothelial cell behavior. We show that co-culture of NSCs with brain-derived endothelial cells (BECs) either in direct contact or separated by a porous membrane elicited robust vascular tube formation and maintenance, mediated by induction of vascular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and activation of vascular VEGFR2 and TrkB by NSC NO. Nitric oxide (NO) scavengers and sequestration of VEGF and BDNF blunted this induction of tube formation, whereas addition of exogenous NO donor, rBDNF and rVEGF rescued the induction of tube formation. Further, rBDNF enhanced NSC eNOS activation and NO generation, suggesting an inducible positive feed-back signaling loop between NSCs and BECs, providing for homeostasis and responsiveness of the resident NSCs and BECs comprising the neurovascular niche. These findings show the importance of reciprocal modulation of NSCs and BECs in induction and maintenance of the neurovascular niche and underscores their dynamic interactions.
Effects of Hyperglycemia and Mannitol Infusions on Renal Hemodynamics in Normal Subjects

Early diabetes mellitus is characterized by an increase in glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow which may initiate and potentiate glomerular injury which ultimately results in diabetic nephropathy. To investigate the role of hyperglycemia per se in mediating these hemodynamic changes, eight healthy adults had inulin clearance, creatinine clearance, and para-aminohippurate (PAH) clearance after steady state conditions of hyperglycemia were achieved (549 +/- 86). Clearances were repeated during equivalent osmotic diuresis with Mannitol. Euvolemia was maintained by quantitative fluid and electrolyte replacement of urinary losses. Mean inulin clearances were 87 +/- 6, 87 +/- 5, and 81 +/- 4 ml/min during control, glucose, and mannitol periods (p = ns). Creatinine clearance overestimated inulin clearance by 15-32% but there were no differences between control glucose and mannitol periods. PAH clearance fell from control values of 595 +/- 29 to 340 +/- 22 ml/min during hyperglycemia (p less than .05). During osmotic diuresis with mannitol PAH, clearance rose to control values. In vitro studies excluded the possibility that conjugation between glucose and PAH can explain the clearance results. These results in normal subjects documenting renal vasoconstriction with hyperglycemia are of particular interest in view of recent experimental data suggesting that failure to vasoconstrict characterizes the hemodynamics of early diabetes.
An ultrastructural analysis of the epithelial-fiber interface (EFI) in primate lenses.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive ultrastructural analysis of the epithelial-fiber interface (EFI) in normal adult primate ( Macaque nemestrina and fascicularis ; 6–9 years old, n = 10) lenses. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to initially characterize the gross size, shape and three-dimensional organization of central zone (cz) epithelial cells and the anterior ends of elongating fibers beneath these cells. This fiducial information was essential to properly orient lens pieces in freeze fracture specimen carriers for the production of replicas with unambiguously identifiable EFI. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of replicas and thin-sectioned material were used to ultrastructurally analyse the cz EFI. TEM thin-sectioned material was also used to ultrastructurally analyse the pregerminative (pgz), germinative (gz) and transitional zone (tz) EFI. Correlative SEM and TEM of cz EFI components revealed that the apical membrane of both epithelial and elongating fiber cells were irregularly polygonal in shape, and aligned in parallel as smooth, concave-convex surfaces. However, whereas epithelial cell apical surfaces had minimal size variation, elongating fibers were larger and considerably variable in size. Quantitative analysis of > 10 000 μm 2 cz elongating fiber apical surfaces failed to detect any gap junctions defined in freeze fracture replicas as complementary aggregates of transmembrane proteins (connexons) conjoined across a narrowed extracellular space. However, a comparable frequency of vesicular events was noted in this region as quantified previously in adult and embryonic chick lens. Correlative TEM analysis > 1500 linear micrometers of thin-sectioned EFI from this region confirmed the presence of epithelial-epithelial gap junctions, elongating fiber-elongating fiber gap junctions, and an extreme paucity of epithelial-elongating fiber gap junctions. In contrast, TEM analysis of > 1000 linear micrometers of thin-sectioned pgz, gz and tz EFI, confirmed the presence of epithelial-epithelial gap junctions, elongating fiber-elongating fiber gap junctions, numerous epithelial-elongating fiber adherens junctions and a few epithelial-elongating fiber gap junctions. Thus, the results of this and previous quantitative morphological and physiological studies (electronic and dye coupling) demonstrate that there is limited coupling between cz epithelial cells and underlying elongating fibers. Furthermore, the absence of gap junctional plaques in cz EFI freeze-fracture replicas and either pentalaminar or septalaminar profiles in correlative thin-sections, suggests that this limited coupling could be mediated via isolated gap junction channels. However, the results of this and previous quantitative studies further show that a greater degree of coupling exists across the pgz, gz and tz regions of the EFI and that this coupling is likely to be mediated by gap junction plaques. Finally, this and other studies continue to demonstrate that transcytotic processes play a role in lens physiology at the EFI.
Direct observation of the entropic potential in a binary suspension.

By tracking the Brownian trajectory of a sphere of 1 \ensuremath{\mu}m radius in a suspension of 35 nm radius beads, we probe the depth of the entropic potential experienced by a large sphere close to the cell wall. This potential is caused by the pressure exerted by the fluid of small beads when they cannot fit in the gap between the large bead and the wall. We find that the potential depth is of order $\mathrm{kT}$. Its dependence on the volume fraction of small spheres is significantly overstimated by a theory which treats the small beads as an ideal gas.
A Clinical, Fluorescein Angiographic, and Electron Microscopic Correlation of Cystoid Macular Edema

Electron microscopic findings in an eye removed from a woman who had biomicroscopic and angiographic signs of cystoid macular edema occurring in association with a peripheral choroidal melanoma disclosed evidence that the anatomic basis for the biomicroscopic and angiographic changes was the polycystic expansion of the extravascular compartment of the retina by serous exudate and not, as previously reported, edema of the Mueller's cells.
Expiratory Muscle Strength Training in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis Having Mild to Moderate Disability: Effect on Maximal Expiratory Pressure, Pulmonary Function, and Maximal Voluntary Cough

Abstract Chiara T, Martin AD, Davenport PW, Bolser DC. Expiratory muscle strength training in persons with multiple sclerosis having mild to moderate disability: effect on maximal expiratory pressure, pulmonary function, and maximal voluntary cough. Objective To determine the effect of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) on maximal expiratory strength, pulmonary function, and maximal voluntary cough in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) having mild to moderate disability. Design Before-after trial. Setting Assessments were completed in the privacy of the subject's home or exercise physiology laboratory. Participants Seventeen persons with MS were age- and sex-matched to 14 healthy controls. Intervention Eight weeks of EMST and 4 weeks of detraining. Main Outcome Measures Maximal respiratory pressures, pulmonary function, and maximal voluntary cough were assessed 3 times (pretraining, posttraining, detraining). Maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) was assessed weekly and training intensity adjusted based on the new measurement. Results Subjects with MS had lower MEP, decreased pulmonary function, and weaker maximal voluntary cough at each assessment. EMST increased MEP and peak expiratory flow. However, improvement in maximal voluntary cough only occurred in subjects with a moderate level of disability when the MS group was subdivided into mild and moderate disability levels based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale. Conclusions EMST is a viable tool to enhance the strength of the respiratory muscles. However, further work is needed to determine the best parameters to assess change in cough following EMST.
Mate preferences among Hadza hunter-gatherers.

The literature on human mate preferences is vast but most data come from studies on college students in complex societies, who represent a thin slice of cultural variation in an evolutionarily novel environment. Here, I present data on the mate preferences of men and women in a society of hunter-gatherers, the Hadza of Tanzania. Hadza men value fertility in a mate more than women do, and women value intelligence more than men do. Women place great importance on men’s foraging, and both sexes rate character as important. Unlike college students, Hadza men place considerable importance on women being hard-working, and Hadza women cite looks about as often as men do.
Risk perception: Changing the terms of the debate

Abstract Involuntary risk has a new, quite different meaning today than the term did when used in 1969 by Chauncey Starr. He believed that the public, in its trust in authority, would accept an imposed risk, and he saw the difficulty with involuntary risk as one of delay in feedback time. Today, public trust in authority is at a low ebb, and involuntary risks are more likely to be resented and rejected. So “involuntary risk” represents a different kind of problem in 1989 than it did in 1969. With more historical perspective, differences over risk assessment and risk perception will not be entangled in differences in the meanings of the terms.
A CONVENIENT PROCEDURE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PYRROLIDONECARBOXYLIC ACID AND RELATED COMPOUNDS.

Abstract A procedure is described for the quantitative determination of pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid by gas-liquid chromatography. The sample is treated with methanol containing hydrogen chloride; more than 97% of the pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid present is converted to the corresponding methyl ester under these conditions. Chromatography is carried out on a column of Chromosorb W coated with 0.2% by weight of each of three liquid phases (Versamid, neopentylglycol succinate, and Carbowax 1540) over the temperature range 130–150°. Samples containing 5 × 10−10 to 5 × 10−8 mole of pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid have been analyzed. The same system is also useful for the separate determination of pyrrolidone, α-methylpyrrolidonecarboxylic acid, and piperidonecarboxylic acid.
Determination of the radiation dose from administered apolipoprotein tracers in humans

Radioactive tracers are routinely used in investigation of the metabolism of apolipoprotein kinetics. Here, metabolic studies of apolipoprotein tracers labeled with radioiodine were analyzed to determine the absorbed radiation dose received by the subject. This analysis used compartmental modeling techniques to evaluate the radiation dose to various organs and the total body resulting from radioiodinated tracer injection. In this approach, we combined the published kinetic models of iodine and those of specific apolipoproteins. From the solution of the integrated compartmental models, residence times of the radiation in various source organs, in particular the thyroid, whole body, bladder, and red bone marrow, have been determined for the apolipoproteins apoA-I, apoA-II, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-apoB, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-apoB, each labeled with iodine 123, 133, 124, 131, 126, and 125. These tabulated values were used to calculate radiation doses to the different target organs. The thyroid is the organ that receives the largest dose of delivered radiation, and the importance of the duration of administration of iodine salts in blocking radiation to the thyroid is demonstrated. Optimal block times of 28 days for 131I and 42 days for 125I-labeled apolipoprotein tracers are proposed. When such a protocol is followed, the radiation dose to the thyroid and other organs is small by comparison to radiation doses allowed for workers whose occupation exposes them to radiation. The importance of frequent voiding to reduce the radiation dose to the bladder has also been demonstrated.
Calculation of the Response of a Composite Plate to Localized Dynamic Surface Loads Using a New Wave Number Integral Method

This study is motivated by the need for an efﬁcient and accurate tool to analyze the waveﬁeld produced by localized dynamic sources on the surface or the interior of isotropicplates and anisotropic composite laminates. A semi-analytical method based on the wavenumber integral representation of the elastodynamic ﬁeld is described that reduces theoverall computational effort signiﬁcantly over other available methods. This method isused to calculate the guided wave ﬁeld produced in a thin unidirectional graphite/epoxycomposite laminate by a dynamic surface point load. The results are compared with thoseobtained from a ﬁnite element analysis, showing excellent agreement, except for minordifferences at higher frequencies. A recently discovered feature of the calculated surfacemotion, namely, a spatially periodic ‘‘phase reversal’’of the main pulse with propagationdistance, is observed in both cases. The present work is expected to be helpful in devel-oping impact damage monitoring systems in defect-critical structural components throughreal time analysis of acoustic emission wave forms. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1828064#
Targeting the RAS pathway in melanoma

Metastatic melanoma is a highly lethal type of skin cancer and is often refractory to all traditional chemotherapeutic agents. Key insights into the genetic makeup of melanoma tumors have led to the development of promising targeted agents. An activated RAS pathway, anchored by oncogenic BRAF, appears to be the central motor driving melanoma proliferation. Although recent clinical trials have brought enormous hope to patients with melanoma, adverse effects and novel escape mechanisms of these inhibitors have already emerged. Definition of the limits of the first successful targeted therapies will provide the basis for further advances in management of disseminated melanoma. In this review, the current state of targeted therapy for melanoma is discussed, including the potent BRAF V600E inhibitor vemurafenib.
Thermal diffusivity of heteroepitaxial diamond films: Experimental setup and measurements

Abstract The thermal diffusivity of heteroepitaxial CVD diamond films grown on iridium buffer layers has been measured using a combined laser flash and converging thermal wave setup. Absolute values and anisotropy for a fiber-textured reference sample were in the range of former reports in the literature. The in-plane thermal conductivity for three heteroepitaxial samples grown on Ir/YSZ/Si(001) as deduced from the diffusivity measurements was around 20 W/cm K, similar to high purity large grain polycrystalline films. Laser flash measurements of the perpendicular diffusivity suggest that the defect rich first microns of the heteroepitaxial films represent a thermal series resistance which limits the perpendicular heat transport especially for thin films. For the parallel component of the diffusivity the contribution of this shunt resistance is negligible. The absolute values for the parallel component in the heteroepitaxial films with in-plane angular spread of the crystal lattice below 0.5° were discussed in the framework of the model proposed by Klemens for phonon scattering by grain boundaries. The present data indicate that the remaining defects in heteroepitaxial diamond films with low mosaic spread are significantly less detrimental for the heat transport than large angle grain boundaries. In addition we speculate that the exclusive deposition on the {100} growth sector may also reduce the influence of nitrogen in the gas phase on the heat transport properties.
Interactions of SO2 with sodium deposited on silica

Abstract The interaction of SO 2 with sodium-covered surfaces of CaO (100) at 373, 473, and 673 K was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An auger parametric study indicated that the sodium was deposited on CaO in a Na + state which is closest to the form of sodium silicate. A scanning Auger mapping analysis indicated that the sodium was randomly distributed on the CaO surface; while scanning electron microscopy showed drastic changes in surface morphology after sodium deposition. SO 2 reacted with clean CaO at all three temperatures. However, when sodium was deposited on CaO, there was a significant increase in SO 2 adsorption, and adsorption increased with increasing sodium deposition. The adsorbed sulfur was identified as sulfite, on both clean CaO and sodium-covered CaO at 373, 473, and 673 K. It was postulated that SO 2 may be reacting with Ca-O-Na type species and that surface oxygens participated in the reaction to form sulfite. The reactivity of the sodium-covered CaO decreased when the temperature was increased from 373 to 673 K. Sticking probability calculations indicated that the reaction may be first-order, i.e., direct one-site adsorption. The initial sticking probability was lower on the sodium-covered surface at low sodium coverage than on the pure CaO surface.
Chemical synthesis of two novel diaryl ether dimers of estradiol-17β

Abstract We recently detected the formation of estradiol-17β (estradiol) dimers, linked together through a diaryl ether bond between the C-3 phenolic oxygen of one estradiol molecule and the 2- or 4-position aromatic carbon of another estradiol, following incubations of [ 3 H ]estradiol with human liver microsomes or cytochrome P450 enzymes in the presence of NADPH. Using estradiol as the starting material, we designed a four-step method for the chemical synthesis of these two estrogen dimers with the Ullmann condensation reaction as a key step. Step 1: Synthesis of 2- or 4-bromoestradiol from estradiol. Step 2 : Protection of the C-3 phenolic hydroxyl group of the 2- or 4-bromoestradiol. Step 3 : The Ullmann condensation reaction between the phenol-protected bromoestradiol and the estradiol potassium salt under our modified reaction conditions (with a 41% product yield). Step 4 : Removal of the C-3 benzyl group by catalytic hydrogenation. The chromatographic and various spectrometric properties of the two synthesized compounds were identical to those metabolically formed by human cytochrome P450 3A4.
Influence of left ventricular remodeling on atrial fibrillation recurrence and cardiovascular hospitalizations in patients undergoing rhythm-control therapy.

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diastolic dysfunction may derive benefit from being in sinus rhythm but no data are available to support this strategy in them. We sought to investigate effect of left ventricular remodeling on cardiovascular outcomes in AF patients undergoing rhythm control strategy. Methods We identified 1088 patients with echocardiographic data on left ventricular mass (LVM) enrolled in the AFFIRM trial. Using the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) criteria, patients were divided into 4 categories: 1) normal geometry, 2) concentric remodeling, 3) eccentric hypertrophy, and 4) concentric hypertrophy. The primary endpoint was AF recurrence and the secondary endpoint was cardiovascular hospitalization (CVH). Results In rhythm control arm, median time to recurrence in patients with concentric LVH was 13.3months (95% CI 8.2–24.5) vs. 28.3months (95% CI 20.2–48.6) in patients without LVH. Concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was independently predictive of AF recurrence (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10–2.01, p=0.01) in rhythm control arm, but not in overall population or rate control arm. Both concentric and eccentric LVH were independently predictive of cardiovascular hospitalization (CVH) in the overall population, with respective HRs of 1.36 (1.04–1.78, p=0.03) and 1.38 (1.02–1.85, p=0.04). Conclusion Concentric LVH is predictive of AF recurrences when a predominantly pharmacologic rhythm-control strategy is employed. Different patterns of LVH seem to be important determinants of outcomes (AF recurrence and CVH). These findings may have important clinical implications for the management of patients with AF and LVH. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
On the braid groups for the Möbius Band

Abstract In this note, we consider the topological and homological properties of braid groups for the Mobius Band M . We show that there is an isomorphism as algebras H ∗ (C( M ;S 2n ); F )≅ H ∗ (S 2n+1 ×ΩS 2n+1 ; F ), where F denotes either Q or F p with p >2. The integer homology of Br( M ,k) is also given.
Multimedia Delivery Systems: A Bridge between Teaching Methods and Learning Styles

The major premise of this article is that current and emerging applications of electronic and computer technologies can assist marketing educators in teaching college-level business students both task-related and critical thinking skills. The article (1) reviews selected learning style and teaching style literature, (2) provides examples of new multimedia technologies and delivery systems, (3) proposes a framework that can serve as an organizing structure for choosing an appropriate multimedia delivery system, and (4) briefly outlines implications for researchers, educators, and students.
Vertical separation of windows using spandrel walls and horizontal projections

Actual fires and full-scale tests demonstrate the hazard of the “leap frog” spread of fire from a window to the one above. A spandrel wall or a horizontal projection (such as a canopy or a balcony), installed above an exposing window, protects storeys above from flames issuing from the opening. The described tests show that a horizontal projection is very effective; however, for a spandrel wall to be equally effective, an impractical height of spandrel is required.
Separation of topological forms of plasmid DNA by anion-exchange HPLC: Shifts in elution order of linear DNA

We sought to establish a single anion-exchange HPLC method for the separation of linear, open circular and supercoiled plasmid topoisomers using purified topoisomeric forms of three plasmids (3.0, 5.5 and 7.6 kb). However, finding one condition proved elusive as the topoisomer elution order was determined to depend on salt gradient slope. The observed change in selectivity increased with plasmid size and was most pronounced for the linear form. Indeed, the elution order of the linear 7.6 kb plasmid was reversed relative to the supercoiled form. This observation may have implications for methods used in quality control of plasmid DNA.
Crack propagation in piezoelectric materials under combined mechanical and electrical loadings

A finite element technique is used to study the stress distributions at the crack tip of a piezoelectric ceramic because of the mechanical and/or electrical loads. The stress distributions at the crack tip are found to be in conformity with those predicted theoretically by Sosa and Pak. For combined mechanical and electrical loads, the stress intensity factor at the crack tip is observed to increase with an increase in the electrical to mechanical load ratio for a negative applied electric field (electric field opposite to the direction of poling) which is in agreement with the experimental findings of Wang and Singh. For the positively applied electric field, compressive stresses are found to develop around the crack tip for high electrical to mechanical load ratios. For combined mechanical and electrical loads, the stress distributions at the crack tip under applied stress is found to be significantly different from those under applied strain. It is shown that a negative applied electric field with a tensile strain perpendicular to the crack surface increases the crack propagation.
Shrinkage of fluorozirconate glass fibers at low temperatures

Abstract Heavy-metal fluoride glass fibers were subjected to sub-sub-Tg annealing. The glasses possessed Tg values in the range 260–320°C whereas the low-temperature heat treatments ranged from 100–200°C. The heat treatments were performed in a dry box. The fibers exhibited axial shrinkage at temperatures as low as 100°C. The shrinkage increased with heat treatment temperature such that ZBLA glass fibers exhibited 0.3% axial shrinkage at 200°C. It is suggested that the shrinkage of fluorozirconate glass fibers may well be related to the large specific volume of the fibers as compared to the bulk glass.