cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Removal of dicofol (Kelthane) residues from apple pomace.

Chemical and physical decontamination procedures for dicofol [1,1′-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethanol; Kelthane®], as applied to apples under controlled laboratory conditions, were studied on Red Delicious apple pomace (stems, cores, seeds, and peelings). Oven heating the contaminated pomace at 100°C for 24 hours, with and without excess moisture, removes 59.0% to 81.7% of the total dicofol residues. If the pomace is mixed with dry powdered alkali and heated, the residues are reduced 85.5% to 94.1%. If the pomace is mixed with dry powdered alkali and excess moisture, and heated, the total residues are reduced 98.7% to 99.1%. Vapor washing the pomace with water reduces the dicofol residues from 31.0% to 51.6%. Vapor washing the pomace with isopropanol reduces the dicofol by 65.6%. Cool-air drying, sunlight drying, ultraviolet light drying, and hot-air drying further reduces the total dicofol levels by 43.3%, 30.7%, 24.2%, and 40.6%, respectively, for the water-vapor-washed pomace, and 68.0%, 71.0%, 83.2%, and 94.0%, respectively, on the isopropanol-vapor-washed pomace. Dicofol residues can be effectively reduced on apple pomace by the above physical and chemical decontamination procedures. The decontaminated pomace can be utilized as a valuable feed by-product from apples.
Cumulative effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on EEG oscillations and attention/working memory during subacute neurorehabilitation of traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Objective To investigate in a randomized, double-blind design, cumulative effects of anodal tDCS on EEG oscillations and neuropsychological tests among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) undergoing subacute neurorehabilitation. Methods Twenty-six patients were randomly assigned to active ( n =13) or sham ( n =13) tDCS groups. EEGs were recorded at 6 different time points, assessing both immediate and cumulative effects of tDCS on EEG oscillations. Twenty minute sessions of 1mA anodal stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3, cathode placed at right supraorbital site, Fp2), were provided on 10 consecutive days. Neuropsychological tests were administered before and after the series of tDCS sessions. Results Theta was significantly reduced for active tDCS patients following the first tDCS session. Delta decreased and alpha increased, both significantly, for the active tDCS group after 10 consecutive tDCS sessions. No significant changes were seen for sham group. Decreases in delta were significantly correlated with improved performance on neuropsychological tests for the active tDCS group to far greater degree than for the sham group. Participants in the active tDCS group who had excess slow EEG activity in their initial recordings showed greater improvement on neuropsychological tests than other groups. Conclusion Results suggest that 10 anodal tDCS sessions may beneficially modulate regulation of cortical excitability for patients with TBI. Significance EEG-guided tDCS warrants further investigation as a potential intervention for TBI during subacute neurorehabilitation.
Effect of added dietary fat and bovine somatotropin on the performance and metabolism of lactating dairy cows.

Abstract Four early lactation Holstein cows (44 to 105 d postpartum) were used in a 4×4 Latin square experiment in a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments to study effects of added dietary fat and/or bovine somatotropin on performance and metabolism. Treatments were: 1) control diet plus placebo injection; 2) 5% added dietary fat (hydrolyzed blend of animal and vegetable fat) + placebo injection; 3) control diet + 50 IU bovine somatotropin/d; and 4) 5% added dietary fat + 50 IU bovine somatotropin/d. Dietary fat reduced dry matter intake (21.6 vs. 22.7 kg/d) and elevated plasma triglycerides (34.7 vs. 29.2 mg/100ml). Injection of somatotropin lowered blood urea nitrogen, increased plasma free fatty acids, and increased plasma somatotropin. Milk production, milk fat percent, and 4% FCM production were increased by the injection of somatotropin. Milk protein percent was decreased (3.30 vs. 3.44%) with added fat and tended to be lower with somatotropin. The percentage of short-chain fatty acids (C 6 to C 14 ) in milk fat decreased with added fat while the percentage of stearic and oleic acids in milk fat increased. Production responses for fat plus somatotropin and somatotropin treatments were similar. Under the conditions of this study, the addition of dietary fat with injection of somatotropin had little effect on production parameters compared with that found with somatotropin alone.
Variation of Radial Elasticity in Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Correlations between the local diameter and local radial elastic modulus in multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were investigated via ultrasonic force microscopy. Spatial cross-correlation analysis showed that local radial modulus variations were inversely correlated with local diameter gradients ("bamboo" structures) in MWNTs grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In contrast, uniform MWNTs grown via arc discharge exhibited no such correlation, indicating that reductions of elastic modulus previously reported for CVD-grown MWNTs originated from increased defect density associated with local increases in diameter.
Adenosine 3',5'--cyclic monophosphate dependent protein kinase and phosphoprotein phosphatase activities in rat islets of Langerhans.

Abstract cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphoprotein phosphatase activities have been found in isolated beta islets of Langerhans. A natural protein substrate for these enzymes has also been found.
Systematic review of trauma system effectiveness based on registry comparisons.

Background: Trauma registries offer distinct advantages and disadvantages when assessing the effectiveness of trauma systems. Detailed injury data and statistical comparisons that use TRISS methodology and the Major Trauma Outcome Study norms provide advantages over population-based or preventable death studies. However, miscodings and registry differences in injury severity coding limit the validity and generalizability of findings. The purpose of this study was to identify these strengths and weaknesses and to determine whether registry studies provide evidence of trauma system efficacy. Methods: A systematic review of published literature assessing trauma systems effectiveness by using registry-based data. Results: Eight of 11 articles reviewed provided comparable data and consistently demonstrated a 15 to 20% reduction in the risk of death comparing trauma system outcomes to Major Trauma Outcome Study norms. Conclusion: These studies provide evidence of the effectiveness of trauma systems. However, future studies that use trauma registries would be strengthened by including both prehospital and postdischarge trauma deaths, standardizing trauma registry inclusion criteria and developing a contemporary national reference norm for trauma outcome.
French antimilitarism before World War I: Gustave Hervé and L'Affiche Rouge of 1905

Gustave Herve's political emergence occurred amidst the Dreyfus Affair. This accelerated his radicalisation. By 1901 he attained notoriety for an apparent image of the tricolour on a dungpile. Soon, his antimilitarist movement called Herveism attempted to unite the revolutionary Left. After socialist unification, Herve led the most extreme faction and created a weekly newspaper, La Guerre sociale. In 1905 he joined the Association Internationale Antimilitariste (AIA) which issued a poster based on his ideas. His experience with the AIA presaged several transformations on the French Left. Before 1914 Herve was a strident voice within European socialism, advocating revolutionary means to prevent war. Years of incendiary campaigns failed to implement his ideas. Despite his dedication, the quixotic Herve grew frustrated with leftist divisions. His disillusionment arose from a naive reading of an anachronistic revolutionary tradition. Herve's sincere, yet romantic and eclectic, socialism exhibited atavistic fe...
Pleural Effusion Associated With Ipsilateral Breast and Arm Edema as a Complication of Subclavian Vein Catheterization and Arteriovenous Fistula Formation for Hemodialysis

A 38-year-old woman with end-stage kidney disease presented with a pleural effusion and profound edema of the ipsilateral arm and breast. A patent hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula access was present in the involved extremity. Brachiocephalic vein stenosis, as a result of previous dialysis catheter placement in the subclavian vein, was demonstrated by ultrasound imaging and Doppler analysis. Takedown of the arteriovenous fistula in the edematous arm along with living-related kidney transplantation caused immediate resolution of the breast and arm edema and rapid clearing of the effusion. An anatomic explanation for the findings is offered.
A Simple Physical Model for High Power Enrichment Emissions.

Abstract A model was developed to predict CO emissions from conventional automobiles during high-power operations. This effort is aimed at improving regulatory modeling through the use of parameterized physical modeling, with minimal parameterization. The emissions studied here are associated with command enrichment of the mixture at high power. An approximate mathematical formula for the rates of CO emissions relative to fuel consumption is established as a function of air-fuel ratio. The CO emissions are modeled by combining a fuel consumption model with a description of a vehicle's enrichment behavior. The methodology for the latter is based on steady state measurements of 29 vehicles at the Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and measurement of ten cars on a hard acceleration cycle by the California Air Resources Board. The research intended to find an approximate description of a vehicle's command enrichment with a minimum number of parameters. In particular, a single p...
Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Toward Personalized Medicine

Remarkable improvements in survival rates have made childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) a success story within pediatric oncology. The excellent outcomes for many patients with ALL have resulted in part from risk stratification based on well-established clinical and disease features of prognostic significance. Despite the progress that has been observed, relapses occur unpredictably, and treatment can be associated with acute and long-term toxicity. This has prompted efforts to better tailor ALL therapy in individual patients. In recent years, there has been a growing expansion in our knowledge of underlying disease biology as well as inherent patient characteristics, and this has contributed to a movement toward more personalized ALL therapy. In this article, we have focused on examples of how comprehensive genomic analyses are being utilized to individualize childhood ALL treatment as well as how these analyses may be further leveraged in the future.
Probation officer job burnout: A test of two theories

Abstract Data from a sample of approximately 400 New York State probation officers were analyzed to test two leading theories of job burnout—Maslach's (1982) theory emphasizing client contact as the central cause of burnout and Cherniss' (1980a,b) theory, which highlights the relationship between organizational factors and burnout. Consistent with past descriptions of officer-offender interaction, the findings suggest that officers do not perceive such interactions to be stressful and, accordingly, report relatively low levels of burnout. Although the findings do not support Maslach's theory, the data appear to support Cherniss in that lack of organizational responsiveness seems to be related to burnout. Although the Maslach burnout paradigm may not be entirely relevant for probation officers, the findings do suggest several interventions to improve the job situation of officers, including greater attention to factors traditionally associated with enhancing job satisfaction, especially among newly hired workers.
Mass loss, long-period variables, and the formation of circumnebular shells

We have found that the rate of mass loss M increases with an increase in the period of pulsation for Mira-type variables. This result suggests that the rate of mass loss is accelerated with time until a maximum value is reached before the ejection of the outer envelope. The matter from the continuous mass loss during the evolution of the star produces supersonic shock waves that sweep up the interstellar gas upon encountering the interstellar medium, so that a shell is formed. This phenomenon may account for the observations of extended regions of emission that surround planetary nebulae.
Hyperoxia-induced apoptosis does not require mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and is regulated by Bcl-2 proteins.

Exposure of animals to hyperoxia results in lung injury that is characterized by apoptosis and necrosis of the alveolar epithelium and endothelium. The mechanism by which hyperoxia results in cell death, however, remains unclear. We sought to test the hypothesis that exposure to hyperoxia causes mitochondria-dependent apoptosis that requires the generation of reactive oxygen species from mitochondrial electron transport. Rat1a cells exposed to hyperoxia underwent apoptosis characterized by the release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase-9, and nuclear fragmentation that was prevented by the overexpression of Bcl-XL. Murine embryonic fibroblasts from bax−/−bak−/− mice were resistant to hyperoxia-induced cell death. The administration of the antioxidants manganese (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin, ebselen, andN-acetylcysteine failed to prevent cell death following exposure to hyperoxia. Human fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080) lacking mitochondrial DNA (ρ0 cells) that failed to generate reactive oxygen species during exposure to hyperoxia were not protected against cell death following exposure to hyperoxia. We conclude that exposure to hyperoxia results in apoptosis that requires Bax or Bak and can be prevented by the overexpression of Bcl-XL. The mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species is not required for cell death following exposure to hyperoxia.
Gender Differences in Pension Wealth: Estimates Using Provider Data

Information from pension providers was examined to investigate gender differences in pension wealth at midlife. For full-time wage and salary workers approaching retirement age who had pension coverage, median pension wealth on the current job was 76% greater for men than women. Differences in wages, years of job tenure, and industry between men and women accounted for most of the gender gap in pension wealth on the current job. Less than one third of the wealth difference could not be explained by gender differences in education, demographics, or job characteristics. The less-advantaged employment situation of working women currently in midlife carries over into worse retirement income prospects. However, the gender gap in pensions is likely to narrow in the future as married women's employment experiences increasingly resemble those of men.
El Niño, La Niña, and the Nonlinearity of Their Teleconnections

The paradigm of an atmospheric system varying linearly with respect to extreme phases of the El Nino- Southern Oscillation is questioned. It is argued that the global response to tropical Pacific sea surface temperature forcing will be inherently nonlinear. A physical basis for this intrinsic nonlinearity is the thermodynamic control on deep convection. Climate statistics for warm and cold events of the tropical Pacific are analyzed separately for the northern winter periods during 1950-96. Composite analysis of 500-mb heights reveal planetary-scale teleconnection patterns, as noted in earlier studies. A new result is the evidence for an appreciable 358 longitude phase shift between the warm and cold event circulation composites, and the two wave trains appear to have different tropical origins. A large nonlinear component in North American surface climate anomalies is also found, which is consistent with such a phase shift in teleconnections. In the Tropics, rainfall anomalies also show evidence of nonlinear behavior. The maximum rain anomalies along the equator are located east of the date line during warm events, but west of the date line during cold events. The interpretation of this behavior is complicated, however, by the fact that composite warm event SST anomalies are not the exact inverse of their cold event counterparts. Idealized atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) experiments are performed in order to test the question of whether the observed nonlinearity is an intrinsic property of the atmospheric system. The model is forced with a composite SST anomaly that undergoes a realistic seasonally varying ENSO life cycle, as described by E. Rasmusson and T. Carpenter. Both positive and negative phases of the SST anomaly are used, and a 40-member ensemble of warm and cold event model simulations is conducted. A nonlinear climate response in the AGCM is found that closely resembles the observed composites, including a shift in the equatorial positions of the maxmium rain responses and a phase shift of teleconnection patterns in the upper troposphere. Barotropic model experiments indicate that the inherent nonlinearity in the tropical rain response may itself be responsible for the phase shift in the extratropical teleconnection patterns.
The Dream in Contemporary Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: This article offers selective reviews of cogent sectors of research regarding the dream in contemporary psychiatry. METHOD: First, the author discusses relatively recent research (1953–1999) on the neurobiology and clinical psychophysiology of dreaming sleep; second, he reviews experimental cognitive neuroscientific studies of perception, emotion, and memory and the putative interrelationships among them in generating dream imagery; and third, he interprets psychoanalytic studies (1900–1999) on related aspects of dreams and the dream process. RESULTS: Exploration for interrelationships among information from these three areas entails discussion of the mind/brain problem. These considerations illuminate some of the logical and interpretive dilemmas that enter into debates about Freud’s theory of the dream. CONCLUSIONS: The author proposes a preliminary psychobiologic concept of the dream process and discusses, in light of the foregoing considerations, the importance of collaborative research for...
Management of atherosclerotic renovascular disease after Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL)

Many patients with occlusive atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) may be managed effectively with medical therapy for several years without endovascular stenting, as demonstrated by randomized, prospective trials including the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) trial, the Angioplasty and Stenting for Renal Artery Lesions (ASTRAL) trial and the Stent Placement and Blood Pressure and Lipid-Lowering for the Prevention of Progression of Renal Dysfunction Caused by Atherosclerotic Ostial Stenosis of the Renal Artery (STAR) and ASTRAL. These trials share the limitation of excluding subsets of patients with high-risk clinical presentations, including episodic pulmonary edema and rapidly progressing renal failure and hypertension. Although hemodynamically significant, ARVD can reduce renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate; adaptive mechanisms preserve both cortical and medullary oxygenation over a wide range of vascular occlusion. Progression of ARVD to severe vascular compromise eventually produces cortical hypoxia, however, associated with active inflammatory cytokine release and cellular infiltration of the renal parenchyma. In such cases ARVD produces a loss of glomerular filtration rate that no longer is reversible simply by restoring vessel patency with technically successful renal revascularization. Each of these trials reported adverse renal functional outcomes ranging between 16 and 22% over periods of 2-5 years of follow-up. Blood pressure control and medication adjustment may become more difficult with declining renal function and may prevent the use of angiotensin receptor blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The objective of this review is to evaluate the current management of ARVD for clinical nephrologists in the context of recent randomized clinical trials and experimental research.
Structure–Activity Correlations for Au Nanoclusters Supported on TiO2

The catalytic performance of reducible metal-oxide-supported Au nanoclusters displays striking dependencies on several factors such as dispersion, support, pretreatment, and preparation methods. Planar model Au/TiO2 catalysts have been prepared in ultrahigh vacuum in order to investigate the strong size dependence of low-temperature CO oxidation. It is demonstrated that the experimentally observed structure sensitivity of CO oxidation on Au/TiO2 may be rationalized by a quantum size effect. Via scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) and elevated pressure reaction kinetics measurements, we show that a clear correlation exists between the structural, electronic, and reactivity properties of supported Au nanoclusters.
Family of Origin as a Supervisory Consultative Resource

This article describes the rationale and methodology of a supervisory approach that recruits family-of-origin members as resources to help resolve professional dilemmas. We have found that professional impasses resonate with family-of-origin themes. As supervisory consultants, family-of-origin members have access to family stories, rules, myths, and resources that can provide new messages for a more differentiated use of self in the clinical setting. The standard format of this family supervisory consultation is separated in three phases. First, the supervisor discusses and explores the nature of the supervisee's professional dilemma (i.e., difficulty with angry clients). Second, the supervisor explores the evolution of this same theme through the historical and personal stories of the family-of-origin members. Third, the supervisee anonymously presents a specific case that exemplifies this theme. The supervisor, along with consultation from the family, focuses on the development of a more flexible use of self in the therapeutic system. Thus, the session begins and ends with the professional development of the supervisee. However, there is personal sharing during the second phase, so there are sections that address developmental, supervisory, and ethical considerations. Even though the goal of this meeting is to promote professional growth, personal and family changes are common by-products. Four supervisory anecdotes illustrate this approach to supervision.
Validity and Power in Hemodynamic Response Modeling: A Comparison Study and a New Approach

One of the advantages of event-related functional MRI (fMRI) is that it permits estimation of the shape of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) elicited by cognitive events. Although studies to date have focused almost exclusively on the magnitude of evoked HRFs across different tasks, there is growing interest in testing other statistics, such as the time-to-peak and duration of activation as well. Although there are many ways to estimate such parameters, we suggest three criteria for optimal estimation: 1) the relationship between parameter estimates and neural activity must be as transparent as possible; 2) parameter estimates should be independent of one another, so that true differences among conditions in one parameter (e.g., hemodynamic response delay) are not confused for apparent differences in other parameters (e.g., magnitude); and 3) statistical power should be maximized. In this work, we introduce a new modeling technique, based on the superposition of three inverse logit functions (IL), designed to achieve these criteria. In simulations based on real fMRI data, we compare the IL model with several other popular methods, including smooth finite impulse response (FIR) models, the canonical HRF with derivatives, nonlinear fits using a canonical HRF, and a standard canonical model. The IL model achieves the best overall balance between parameter interpretability and power. The FIR model was the next-best choice, with gains in power at some cost to parameter independence. We provide software implementing the IL model.
Six senses in the literature. The bleak sensory landscape of biomedical texts.

“It is beyond our power to fathom,Which way the word we utter resonates,Thus, like a sudden grace that comes upon us,A gift of empathetic understanding emanates.” Fyodor Tyutchev (1803–1873), Russian poet (Translated by Mikhail N. Epstein at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA). When we read prose—whether technical or literary—our mind parses sentences to recover their meaning. Yet, the flow of the words themselves can invoke surprising or unexpected sensory responses, even for the writer. Even a very rational and technical text can typically affect the reader on multiple cognitive levels, in addition to its basic task of transmitting the author‐intended meaning. > Prose in particular can modify an unsuspecting reader's physiological and emotional states profoundly Prose in particular can modify an unsuspecting reader's physiological and emotional states profoundly. The semantic priming test in modern psychology exploits this phenomenon—for example, people start to feel and behave as though they have suddenly grown older after they have read a scrambled sequence of words enriched with ageing‐related connotations (Srull & Wyer, 1979). The priming effect is largely independent of our conscious understanding of a text: autistic children, whose text comprehension is mildly impaired, respond to semantic priming the same way as non‐autistic children (Saldana & Frith, 2006). Furthermore, our emotional response to a sequence of words depends in part on our genetic background. Children of parents with bipolar disorder, for example, have been shown to react much more vividly to words that have undertones of social threat than children in a control group (Gotlib et al , 2005). Semantic priming can significantly affect the model of the outside world reported by our senses; merely naming an odour ‘cheddar cheese” or ‘body odour” can determine our perception of it as being pleasant or nauseating (de Araujo et al , 2005). The selection of words in a …
Understanding competitive advantage in the general hospital industry: evaluating strategic competencies

This study examines the drivers of competitive advantage within the hospital industry. Specifically, we examine both the direct and joint effects of market structure, firm-level competencies, and interorganizational relationships on organizational performance. The results of this approach indicated that managers, through their strategic actions related to the capabilities and relationships they develop and deploy, can establish advantageous competitive positions and influence the negative effects of market structure by developing important strategic competencies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Primary visual response (M100) delays in adolescents with FASD as measured with MEG

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are debilitating, with effects of prenatal alcohol exposure persisting into adolescence and adulthood. Complete characterization of FASD is crucial for the development of diagnostic tools and intervention techniques to decrease the high cost to individual families and society of this disorder. In this experiment, we investigated visual system deficits in adolescents (12-21 years) diagnosed with an FASD by measuring the latency of patients' primary visual M100 responses using MEG. We hypothesized that patients with FASD would demonstrate delayed primary visual responses compared to controls. M100 latencies were assessed both for FASD patients and age-matched healthy controls for stimuli presented at the fovea (central stimulus) and at the periphery (peripheral stimuli; left or right of the central stimulus) in a saccade task requiring participants to direct their attention and gaze to these stimuli. Source modeling was performed on visual responses to the central and peripheral stimuli and the latency of the first prominent peak (M100) in the occipital source timecourse was identified. The peak latency of the M100 responses were delayed in FASD patients for both stimulus types (central and peripheral), but the difference in latency of primary visual responses to central vs. peripheral stimuli was significant only in FASD patients, indicating that, while FASD patients' visual systems are impaired in general, this impairment is more pronounced in the periphery. These results suggest that basic sensory deficits in this population may contribute to sensorimotor integration deficits described previously in this disorder.
LexRank: Graph-based Centrality as Salience in Text Summarization

We introduce a stochastic graph-based method for computing relative importance of textual units for Natural Language Processing. We test the technique on the problem of Text Summarization (TS). Extractive TS relies on the concept of sentence salience to identify the most important sentences in a document or set of documents. Salience is typically defined in terms of the presence of particular important words or in terms of similarity to a centroid pseudo-sentence. We consider a new approach, LexRank, for computing sentence importance based on the concept of eigenvector centrality in a graph representation of sentences. In this model, a connectivity matrix based on intra-sentence cosine similarity is used as the adjacency matrix of the graph representation of sentences. Our system, based on LexRank ranked in first place in more than one task in the recent DUC 2004 evaluation. In this paper we present a detailed analysis of our approach and apply it to a larger data set including data from earlier DUC evaluations. We discuss several methods to compute centrality using the similarity graph. The results show that degree-based methods (including LexRank) outperform both centroid-based methods and other systems participating in DUC in most of the cases. Furthermore, the LexRank with threshold method outperforms the other degree-based techniques including continuous LexRank. We also show that our approach is quite insensitive to the noise in the data that may result from an imperfect topical clustering of documents.
Recompose: direct and gestural interaction with an actuated surface

In this paper we present Recompose, a new system for manipulation of an actuated surface. By collectively utilizing the body as a tool for direct manipulation alongside gestural input for functional manipulation, we show how a user is afforded unprecedented control over an actuated surface. We describe a number of interaction techniques exploring the shared space of direct and gestural input, demonstrating how their combined use can greatly enhance creation and manipulation beyond unaided human capability.
Swallow Stronger and Safer: Past, Present, and Future of the SwallowSTRONG Device

This article discusses oropharyngeal strengthening for swallowing rehabilitation in adults. Reduced oropharyngeal strength is common in older adults and adults with age-related medical conditions r...
Evidence Report on the Occurrence, Assessment, and Treatment of Depression in Cancer Patients

This evidence-based report reviews the empiric literature on depression in people with cancer with a focus on three areas: occurrence, assessment, and treatment. More than 350 studies were identified through searches of the English-language literature published between 1966 and September 2001. Reports of occurrence are limited to prevalence studies, and prevalence rates vary widely despite standardized assessments. Rates of major depressive disorder and depressive symptoms comorbid with cancer appear to be 10%-25%. Although multiple instruments are available for assessing depressive symptoms, a clinical interview using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria is the standard to which assessments are compared. Some data exist for the efficacy of psychosocial and pharmacologic treatments for depression in this population. No randomized, controlled studies of alternative medicine interventions were identified.
Dynamics modeling and analysis of gene guns for gene therapy

The gene gun is an important apparatus for continuous gene transfection and is widely regarded as a common delivery device for gene therapy. The gene transfer process is a highly dynamics process. To achieve effective treatment, the gene transfer process needs to be well understood and controlled. Unfortunately, no dynamics model is available to analyze the process in the literature. In this paper, a dynamics model of the gene gun is proposed. Based on the mathematical model, simulation studies have been conducted. Relations of penetration depth with helium pressure, acceleration distance, macro-carrier mass, and micro-carrier radius are discussed. The results agree well with experimental results in the literature
The Influence of Teachers’ Efficacy and Beliefs Regarding Mathematics Instruction in the Early Childhood Classroom

This was a correlational study conducted with a population of prekindergarten educators from a large, metropolitan school district. The purpose was to examine if there were relationships between and among early childhood teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, their beliefs about the importance of mathematics, and their mathematics instructional practices. Examining teachers’ efficacy and beliefs can inform educational practice and help to differentiate between more and less successful instructional practices when teaching mathematics in the early childhood classroom. Data were collected on teacher efficacy and teacher beliefs about the importance of mathematics with two self-report questionnaires. The hypothesis that the teachers higher in efficacy will rate the importance of mathematics higher on the teacher-belief scale than the teachers with lower efficacy was found to be true with this sample, but the correlation was weak. The level of efficacy of the early childhood teachers in this sample confirmed that ...
Dry-Season Tracks in Dinosaur-Triggered Grainflows

Thousands of animal tracks are preserved in wind-blown cross-strata of the Lower Jurassic Navajo Sandstone at Coyote Buttes on the Arizona-Utah border, USA. Tracks deform thin grainflows that were deposited on the slip faces of large dunes. In cross-section, laminae (pin stripes) are smoothly folded, and are only very rarely broken. There is no sign of a central shaft left open when the trackmaker's foot was withdrawn from the substrate. At the top of each track, folded laminae are truncated by the pin stripe that marks the base of the next (younger) grainflow. Within some trackways, progressively younger tracks move up-section to younger grainflows. The folded, unbroken pin stripes and absence of a distinct shaft fill are inconsistent with a moist-sand (cohesive) substrate. Stratigraphic relationships between tracks and grainflows indicate that, as the animals moved across the slip face, they triggered dry avalanches, and then stepped on the newly deposited grainflows. Although scour by grainflows can remove shallow tracks, the loose packing (high porosity) of grainflows ensures that the feet of larger animals will penetrate well below the level of the next erosive surface. Although dry dune sand previously has been denigrated as a medium for track preservation, this example shows that dry eolian grainflows, due to their loose packing and their position in the zone of flow separation on the dune lee slope, can preserve abundant, clear tracks. A dry-sand origin of the tracks corroborates an earlier interpretation of the grainflows as December–February (dry season) deposits of cross-equatorial winds.
Abstract 158: Temporal Trends in tPA Administration Among Very Elderly Hospitalized with Ischemic Stroke in the United States

Background: Rates of tPA administration in very elderly (age≥80) have historically been lower than the general population, perhaps due to their under-representation in thrombolysis stroke trials. While the population of very elderly individuals is rapidly growing, nationwide trends in tPA administration and stroke outcomes in this group have not been well described. Methods: Data were obtained from all US states that contributed to the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. All patients (N=5,959,914) admitted to hospitals between 2000 and 2010 with a discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke (ICD9 codes) were included. Primary analysis was the proportion of patients who received tPA administration stratified by age (18-64yo, 65-79yo, ≥80yo) temporally. Survey - weighted Poisson regression was used to estimate the standardized rate for each year and compare the trend for yearly change between age categories. Result: Hospitalizations for acute stroke in the US were roughly split 1/3 into each age category: 80 years of age or older (35%), between 65 to 79 years of age (37%), and 18 to 64 years of age (28%). tPA administration rate increased by year from 2000 to 2010 regardless of age. In 2000, tPA administration rate was 1.02%, 0.92%, 0.47% in patients aged 18-64, 65-79yo, ≥80 years of age, respectively. In 2010, tPA administration rate was 3.61%, 3.87%, 3.55%, respectively. The magnitude of change was the greatest in very elderly individuals age 80 or older with the rate of increase of 1.25 (1.25-1.26), compared to other age groups 1.15 (1.15-1.16) for age 18-64yo, and 1.17 (1.17-1.18) for age 65-79yo. Conclusion: Over the last decade, the rate of tPA administration for acute ischemic stroke in the United States have increased for every age group. The magnitude of increase was the greatest in very elderly individuals aged 80 or above. Given the rapidly ageing US population, avenues for improving safe and effective administration of tPA among very elderly with stroke need to be further explored. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Misunderstanding Marriage and Missing Religion

This Essay is part of a Symposium that considered the virtues and vices of “E-marriage.” That idea, proposed by Professors Adam Candeub and Mae Kuykendall, seeks to “modernize marriage” by using a variation on older notions of proxy marriage, where a couple need not be physically present in order to be “married” in a state. In essence, the Symposium challenged the assumption of presence in a state dictating decision-making about who may marry and under what procedures (infused with an element, at times, of using electronic means to be “present” in another jurisdiction). Candeub and Kuykendall’s article and, even more so, the Symposium are notable both for their assumption of state control and for their lack of discussion about religion. This Essay offers correctives to both matters. First, it is not possible to entertain a conversation about marriage without simultaneously having a discussion about its multi-faceted nature as pre-political, contractual, and covenantal. Marriage is not simply a creation of the state that can be altered at a whim, but a deeply personal matter imbued with community (and usually religious) overtones and involving the consent of two individuals. Second, one must talk about religion when discussing marriage. Merely avoiding talking about religion and the important role it has played and continues to play will not advance the conversation about the nature of marriage. In fact, if one goal of the Candeub and Kuykendall proposal is to “lessen the impetus for protracted political, legal, and cultural struggles over same-sex marriage,” then omitting religion from the discussion will certainly consign the proposal to failure. It is likely, instead, that such a proposal will operate only as an accelerant in the ongoing social debate, for it will be viewed as a Trojan horse to promote same-sex marriage.
VRML use for Iterative Usability Testing of user Interfaces: A Novel Continuum Robotic Limb Example

Our team has developed a teleoperated robotic arm based on the biological model of an octopus. This “OctArm” has several advantages over traditional robotic designs, including the ability to grasp fragile objects with soft compliance, distributed pressure and the ability to pick up large or irregularly shaped objects. The development of an operator interface using a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) simulation has been a major focus. The simulation is used for both portable usability testing and as a visual display aid during the operation of the arm. Usability tests have been completed in the laboratory and the interface was tested in the field during an event sponsored by the Alliance for Robot Assisted Crisis Assessment and Response (ARACAR). VRML has proved to be a very useful tool for the development of the operator interface, robot control strategies, and training regimes. The use of VRML as a usability tool will be demonstrated.
A Versatile PDMS/Paper Hybrid Microfluidic Platform for Sensitive Infectious Disease Diagnosis

Bacterial meningitis is a serious health concern worldwide. Given that meningitis can be fatal and many meningitis cases occurred in high-poverty areas, a simple, low-cost, highly sensitive method is in great need for immediate and early diagnosis of meningitis. Herein, we report a versatile and cost-effective polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/paper hybrid microfluidic device integrated with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the rapid, sensitive, and instrument-free detection of the main meningitis-causing bacteria, Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis). The introduction of paper into the microfluidic device for LAMP reactions enables stable test results over a much longer period of time than a paper-free microfluidic system. This hybrid system also offers versatile functions, by providing not only on-site qualitative diagnostic analysis (i.e., a yes or no answer), but also confirmatory testing and quantitative analysis in laboratory settings. The limit of detection of N. meningitidis is about 3 copies per LAMP zone within 45 min, close to single-bacterium detection sensitivity. In addition, we have achieved simple pathogenic microorganism detection without a laborious sample preparation process and without the use of centrifuges. This low-cost hybrid microfluidic system provides a simple and highly sensitive approach for fast instrument-free diagnosis of N. meningitidis in resource-limited settings. This versatile PDMS/paper microfluidic platform has great potential for the point of care (POC) diagnosis of a wide range of infectious diseases, especially for developing nations.
Cost comparison of seven antibiotic combinations as empiric therapy in a simulated febrile neutropenic patient.

Total costs, drug and supply costs, and personnel costs for 14 days of therapy with seven therapeutically equivalent i.v. antibiotic combinations were calculated for a simulated febrile neutropenic patient. The cost for each antibiotic regimen was calculated using a previously developed computerized model that included the cost elements involved in preparation, administration, and pharmacokinetic monitoring of i.v. antibiotic therapy. Comparative costs for the seven antibiotic regimens were determined by inserting the costs of the individual elements into the model. Total costs for the 14 days of therapy varied greatly among the seven regimens, ranging from $908 to $2543. Antibiotics constituted the greatest percentage of total expenditures for each regimen (64-92%). Costs were increased substantially when a third-generation cephalosporin was included in the regimen. Antibiotic costs correlated strongly with total costs, while personnel costs correlated poorly with total costs and accounted for only 6-30% of the total expenditures. Computerized analysis of all costs involved in antimicrobial therapy for this simulated neutropenic patient showed that total costs varied widely in direct proportion to antibiotic costs. In selecting antimicrobial agents for high-risk patients, costs should be considered along with efficacy.
Prediction and Validation of Mars Pathfinder Hypersonic Aerodynamic Data Base

Postflight analysis of the Mars Pathfinder hypersonic, continuum aerodynamic data base is presented. Measured data include accelerations along the body axis and axis normal directions. Comparisons of preflight simulation and measurements show good agreement. The prediction of two static instabilities associated with movement of the sonic line from the shoulder to the nose and back was confirmed by measured normal accelerations. Reconstruction of atmospheric density during entry has an uncertainty directly proportional to the uncertainty in the predicted axial coefficient. The sensitivity of the moment coefficient to freestream density, kinetic models and center-of-gravity location are examined to provide additional consistency checks of the simulation with flight data. The atmospheric density as derived from axial coefficient and measured axial accelerations falls within the range required for sonic line shift and static stability transition as independently determined from normal accelerations.
A modified dry ice-baited trap for collecting hematophagous Diptera.

DeFoliart & Morris (1967, J. Med. Ent. 4: 360–62) described a CO2-baited trap that was used to collect bloodsucking Diptera for possible arbovirus isolation. The trap catches also were used to determine seasonal occurrences of Diptera (DeFoliart, Rao & Morris, 1967, J. Med. Ent. 4 : 363–73). After field use for 2 years, 1965 and 1966, the trap was redesigned before the beginning of the 1967 season. Changes in design were instituted mainly to retain flies in a live rather than a frozen condition in the field, to eliminate the chance of CO2 having an adverse effect on arbovirus-infected specimens, to permit a longer interval between visits to trap sites to pick up the catch, to reduce the overall trap size and to increase the ease of trap construction.
Lindsley and Sandler et al. on Gene Dosage and the Drosophila Genome.

![Figure][1] Lindsley and Sandler et al. is, arguably, the first Drosophila functional genomics article; it even has “genome” in its title. The authors generated flies duplicated or deleted for specific, mapped regions across the major autosomes by making and combining Y:autosome
Probabilistic demand allocation for cloud service brokerage

Functioning as an intermediary between cloud tenants and providers, cloud service brokerages (CSBs) bring about great benefits to the cloud market. To maximize its own profit, a CSB is faced with a challenge: how to reserve servers and distribute tenant demands to the reserved servers such that the total reservation cost is minimized while the reserved servers can satisfy the tenant service level agreement (SLA)? Demand prediction and demand allocation are two steps to solve this problem. However, previous demand prediction methods cannot accurately predict tenant demands since they cannot accurately estimate prediction errors and also assume the existence of seasonal periods of demands. Previous demand allocation methods only aim to minimize the number of reserved servers rather than the server reservation cost, which is more challenging. To solve this challenge, we propose a Probabilistic Demand Allocation system (PDA). It predicts demands and more accurate prediction errors without the assumption of the existence of seasonal periods. It then formulates a nonlinear programming problem and has a decentralized method to find the problem solution. In addition to overcoming the shortcomings in previous methods, PDA is novel in that rather than separately conducting the prediction and demand allocation, it considers prediction errors in demand allocation in order to allocate demands with offsetting prediction errors (e.g., −1 and +1) to the same server, which helps find the problem solution. Both simulation and real-world experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our system in reducing servers' reservation cost.