cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Satisfaction With Rapid HIV Testing in the Emergency Department

Objective Patient satisfaction with HIV screening is crucial for sustainable implementation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV testing recommendations. This investigation assesses patient satisfaction with rapid HIV testing in the emergency department (ED) of an urban tertiary academic medical center. Methods After receiving HIV test results, participants in the Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room (USHER) randomized controlled trial were offered a patient satisfaction survey. Questions concerned overall satisfaction with ED visit, time spent on primary medical problem, time spent on HIV testing, and test provider's ability to answer HIV-related questions. Responses were reported on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from very dissatisfied to very satisfied (defined as optimal satisfaction). Results Of 4,860 USHER participants, 2,025 completed testing and were offered the survey: 1,616 (79.8%) completed the survey. Overall, 1,478 (91.5%) were very satisfied. Satisfaction was less than optimal for 34.5% (10 of 29) of participants with reactive results and for 7.5% (115 of 1,542) with nonreactive results. The independent factors associated with less than optimal satisfaction were reactive test result, aged 60 years or older, black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and testing by ED provider instead of HIV counselor. Conclusion Most participants were very satisfied with the ED-based rapid HIV testing program. Identification of independent factors that correlate with patient satisfaction will help guide best practices as EDs implement CDC recommendations. It is critical to better understand whether patients with reactive results were negatively affected by their results or truly had concerns about the testing process.
Evaluation of Granular Surfactant-Modified/Zeolite Zero Valent Iron Pellets As a Reactive Material for Perchloroethylene Reduction

The use of permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) for groundwater remediation is based on two distinct mechanisms: sorption and transformation. With sorption as the main mechanism, contaminants sorb on the PRB materials and are retarded. With transformation as the main mechanism, the contaminants react with the PRB materials and then converted to less toxic or innocuous substances. In this study, we tested surfactant-modified zeolite/zero valent iron (SMZ/ZVI) pellets as a PRB material to retard and degrade perchloroethylene (PCE), utilizing both sorption and transformation processes. Batch PCE kinetic studies showed instantaneous PCE removal from the aqueous phase due to sorption and subsequent removal with time due to reduction. The separation of sorption from reduction can be used to obtain both the PCE distribution coefficient ( Kd ) and the pseudofirst-order reduction rate constant ( μobs ) from a single batch experiment. The calculated Kd and μobs values are 3.0 and 0.5 L∕kg and 0.14 and 0.05 h−1 for SM...
The effect of a variable dielectric coefficient and finite ion size on Poisson-Boltzmann calculations of DNA-electrolyte systems

The results of variable dielectric coefficient Poisson-Boltzmann calculations of the counter-ion concentration in the vicinity of an all-atom model of the B-form of DNA are presented with an emphasis on the importance of spatial variations in the dielectric properties of the solvent, particularly at the macro-ion-solvent interface. Calculations of the distribution of hard-sphere electrolyte ions of various dimensions are reported. The presence of a dielectric boundary significantly increases the magnitude of the electrostatic potential with a concomitant increase in the accumulation of small counter-ions in the groove regions of DNA. Because ions with radii greater than 2 A have restricted access to the minor groove, the effect there is less significant than it is within the major groove. Changes in the dielectric coefficient for the electrolyte solution, allowing variation from 10 to 25, 40, 60, and 78.5 within the first 7.4 A of the surface of DNA, substantially increases the calculated surface concentration of counter-ions of all sizes. A lower dielectric coefficient near the macro-ion surface also tends to increase the counter-ion density in regions where the electrostatic potential is more negative than -kT. Regardless of the choice of dielectric coefficient, the number of ions in regions where the electrostatic potential is less than -kT remains the same for 0.153 M added 1–1 monovalent electrolyte as for the case without added salt.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Collective excitations of nuclei in a relativistic mean-field theory

Abstract Collective excitations of finite nuclei are discussed in a model relativistic baryon-meson field theory. Eigenvalue equations for small amplitude motion about the static mean-field solutions assuming irrotational flow are derived. Variational estimates of the lowest modes are obtained.
Capturing interactions between nitrogen and hydrological cycles under historical climate and land use: Susquehanna watershed analysis with the GFDL land model LM3-TAN

We developed a process model LM3-TAN to assess the combined effects of direct human influences and climate change on terrestrial and aquatic nitrogen (TAN) cycling. The model was developed by expanding NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory land model LM3V-N of coupled terrestrial carbon and nitrogen (C-N) cycling and including new N cycling processes and inputs such as a soil denitrification, point N sources to streams (i.e., sewage), and stream transport and microbial processes. Because the model integrates ecological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes, it captures key controls of the transport and fate of N in the vegetation–soil–river system in a comprehensive and consistent framework which is responsive to climatic variations and land-use changes. We applied the model at 1/8° resolution for a study of the Susquehanna River Basin. We simulated with LM3-TAN stream dissolved organic-N, ammonium-N, and nitrate-N loads throughout the river network, and we evaluated the modeled loads for 1986–2005 using data from 16 monitoring stations as well as a reported budget for the entire basin. By accounting for interannual hydrologic variability, the model was able to capture interannual variations of stream N loadings. While the model was calibrated with the stream N loads only at the last downstream Susquehanna River Basin Commission station Marietta (40°02' N, 76°32' W), it captured the N loads well at multiple locations within the basin with different climate regimes, land-use types, and associated N sources and transformations in the sub-basins. Furthermore, the calculated and previously reported N budgets agreed well at the level of the whole Susquehanna watershed. Here we illustrate how point and non-point N sources contributing to the various ecosystems are stored, lost, and exported via the river. Local analysis of six sub-basins showed combined effects of land use and climate on soil denitrification rates, with the highest rates in the Lower Susquehanna Sub-Basin (extensive agriculture; Atlantic coastal climate) and the lowest rates in the West Branch Susquehanna Sub-Basin (mostly forest; Great Lakes and Midwest climate). In the re-growing secondary forests, most of the N from non-point sources was stored in the vegetation and soil, but in the agricultural lands most N inputs were removed by soil denitrification, indicating that anthropogenic N applications could drive substantial increase of N 2 O emission, an intermediate of the denitrification process.
Biosignals: PsychoPhysio-Signal Processing concept

This paper introduces the concept of PsychoPhysio-Signal Processing (PPSP), which may partially combine psychology (e.g. psycho-physiology, neuro-psychology), urology, bio- engineering, applied mathematics (e.g. data analysis), and signal processing techniques to be helpful for design, model, manufacture, and analyze of theoretical and experimental systems for (human) sexual behaviors. For example, a real-time system is introduced to automatically detect movement artifacts existing in vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) measures to eliminate time-consuming handy artifact removing.
Analysis of Squeeze Film Dampers Operating With Bubbly Lubricants

Rotor-bearing systems supported on squeeze film dampers (SFDs) show large amplitude vibratory motions when traversing critical speeds. At these operating conditions air is drawn into the damper thin film clearance generating a bubbly mixture with the lubricant and producing SFD forces not readily predictable with currently available analysis. A continuum model is proposed for describing the motion of a bubbly fluid in an open ended SFD operating with circular centered journal orbits. Computed predictions for peak-peak dynamic pressures and fluid film forces agree reasonably well with experimental measurements conducted on a SFD test rig operating with a controlled air in oil mixture. The bubbly flow model provides an initial procedure towards the reliable design of SFDs in actual operating conditions.
Policy Innovation in a Cold Climate The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was the culmination of 8 years of conflict and compromise. Whether this legislation was caused by socioeconomic change, interest group pressure, or party politics is the question current research has addressed. Although socioeconomic change exerted pressures on citizens, that pressure could not be translated into policy enactment without the mobilization of interest groups and politicians in an effective issue network. By examining closely three dimensions of the FMLA—the duration, scope, and remuneration—it is possible to specify causes of successful policy enactment. The breadth of the coalition fighting for the for the FMLA, and their ideological cohesiveness, presented a powerful front to legislators who were being pressured by business and Republican leaders to fight the bill. Even within a hostile political climate, interest group cohesion and strategic alliances allowed policy attainment.
In vivo imaging of epileptic activity using 2-NBDG, a fluorescent deoxyglucose analog

Accurately locating epileptic foci has great importance in advancing the treatment of epilepsy. In this study, epileptic seizures were first induced by intracortical injection of 4-aminopyridine in rats. A fluorescent deoxyglucose substitute, 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG), was then continuously injected via the tail vein. Brain glucose metabolism was subsequently monitored by fluorescence imaging of 2-NBDG. The initial uptake rate of 2-NBDG at the injection site of 4-aminopyridine significantly exceeded that of the control injection site, which indicated local hypermetabolism induced by seizures. Our results show that 2-NBDG can be used for localizing epileptic foci.
Rapid Prototyping of Large-scale Analog Circuits With Field Programmable Analog Array

Modern advances in reconfigurable analog technologies are allowing field-programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) to dramatically grow in size, flexibility, and usefulness. This paper presents rapid prototyping results of a bandpass filter as a sample analog circuit using our floating-gate based large-scale FPAA. A major source of parasitics introduced during the circuit mapping process is interconnect switches used for routing. Our goal is to obtain models of the mapped circuits that can be simulated using SPICE in order to observe the impact of interconnect parasitics on the relevant analog metrics. Our results indicate that the mapped analog circuits obtain desired responses even with interconnect parasitics, clearly demonstrating the practicality of our FPAA.
A meta‐analytic review of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology: Has the rate of malignancy in indeterminate lesions been underestimated?

BACKGROUND The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) provides a 6-tier diagnostic framework using uniform criteria in reports of thyroid aspirates. One of the major advantages of this framework is its association with defined risks of malignancy, allowing standardized management algorithms for each diagnosis. The objective of the current meta-analysis was to demonstrate the feasibility of using TBSRTC among specimens in the atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AUS/FLUS) and follicular neoplasm or suspicious for neoplasm (FN/SFN) categories. The authors also evaluated both the morphologic features and the risk of malignancy in the presence of Hurthle cells. METHODS A literature search was performed of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for English-language studies published from January 2008 to December2014. Studies were considered eligible only if they evaluated the risk of malignancy for specimens in the AUS/FLUS and/or FN/SFN categories and included surgical follow-up. RESULTS In total, 51 articles were identified that used TBSRTC criteria and provided data for a total of 145,928 fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens. Of these, FNAs that had surgical follow-up were selected among the AUS/FLUS (N = 4475) and FN/SFN (N = 3202) specimens. The overall rate of malignancy was 27% for the AUS/FLUS category and 31% for the FN/SFN category. CONCLUSIONS The AUS category was characterized by limited reported follow-up and surgical outcome. The data demonstrated that FNAs with an AUS diagnosis had a higher risk of malignancy than the risk according to published TBSRTC criteria, whereas the percentage of malignancy in FNAs with an FN/SFN diagnosis did not differ from that according to TBSRTC. Hurthle cell lesions represent a challenging category, underlying the importance of further studies to define whether they can be diagnosed in the AUS/FLUS category rather than the FN/SFN category. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2015;123:713–722. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Reacting Mixing-Layer Computations in a Simulated Turbine-Stator Passage

Mixing layers composed of gaseous fuel and oxidizer streams with and without chemical reactions are studied by performing two-dimensional numerical simulations. Various channels are considered. The mixing layer in the unidirectional (straight) channel is subjected to an imposed streamwise acceleration, whereas the mixing layer in the curved channel is subjected to both transverse and streamwise accelerations. The flow accelerates from low subsonic speed to low supersonic speed for all cases considered. In this paper, we focus on the development of the mixing layer from laminar flow to the transition regime. The full Navier―Stokes equations coupled with multiple-species equations and the energy equations with chemical reactions are solved using a finite difference numerical scheme. The effects of turning are investigated on two different flow configurations: one has faster and lighter airstream on the outside of the curve and slower and heavier fuel stream on the inside of the curve; the other configuration is the inverse of the previous one. Mixing layers in a turbinelike passage are also studied.
Myocarditis, Pericarditis, and Dilated Cardiomyopathy after Smallpox Vaccination among Civilians in the United States, January–October 2003

Myocarditis was reported after smallpox vaccination in Europe and Australia, but no association had been reported with the US vaccine. We conducted surveillance to describe and determine the frequency of myocarditis and/or pericarditis (myo/pericarditis) among civilians vaccinated during the US smallpox vaccination program between January and October 2003. We developed surveillance case definitions for myocarditis, pericarditis, and dilated cardiomyopathy after smallpox vaccination. We identified 21 myo/pericarditis cases among 37,901 vaccinees (5.5 per 10,000); 18 (86%) were revacinees, 14 (67%) were women, and the median age was 48 years (range, 25-70 years). The median time from vaccination to onset of symptoms was 11 days (range, 2-42 days). Myo/pericarditis severity was mild, with no fatalities, although 9 patients (43%) were hospitalized. Three additional vaccinees were found to have dilated cardiomyopathy, recognized within 3 months after vaccination. We describe an association between smallpox vaccination, using the US vaccinia strain, and myo/pericarditis among civilians.
Social Networks, Recruitment, and Volunteering: Are Social Capital Effects Conditional on Recruitment?:

Prior research has found that several types of social networks—social and associational ties, religious involvement, and recruitment contacts—promote volunteering. This article extends the literature by examining whether social tie diversity matters for volunteering and whether the effects of social networks are conditional on being recruited or not. Using the 1999 Giving and Volunteering Survey, the authors estimated probit models of being asked to volunteer and volunteering. The results show that social tie diversity, the number of associational ties, and religious involvement are each associated with recruitment. Recruitment itself is an important predictor of volunteering. Religious involvement is associated with higher probabilities of volunteering conditional on being asked, whereas social tie diversity and the number of associational ties increase volunteering among those not asked.The results indicate that associations between social networks and volunteering depend on both recruitment and whether...
Determination of Group A Streptococcal Anti-M Type-Specific Antibody in Sera of Rheumatic Fever Patients after 45 Years

Group A streptococcal M type-specific protective antibodies—especially their persistence in humans—are incompletely understood. Such information is essential for understanding the epidemiology and pathogenesis of these infections and their sequelae and is equally crucial for producing a group A streptococcal vaccine. We studied 2 adults for type-specific antibody 45 years after they experienced documented rheumatic fever.
Experimental evaluation of some rapid single flux quantum cells

Some basic cells in the rapid single-flux quantum (RSFQ) family of superconductive logic circuits were studied. An input stage, a buffer, and an OR gate were simulated and laid out for a standard niobium-based fabrication process. The resulting circuits perform properly for clock speeds up to 1 GHz. For the simpler circuits tested, the measured margins are wide, consistent with simulations, and not very dependent on clock speed. However, margin decreases with increased circuit complexity. The input stage converts a rising edge into an SFQ pulse, which has a small amplitude and narrow width in time. On the present circuits, these pulses are about 200 mu V in amplitude and 10 ps in width. To facilitate measurement, the authors have chosen as the output an asymmetrical superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) consisting of two Josephson junctions. It converts SFQ pulses into 2.5 mV latching output levels on chip. By inductively coupling SFQ pulses into the SQUID loop, DC current isolation between the RSFQ circuit-under-test and the output stage is provided. The SQUID was optimized for 2 GHz operations. >
Isolated Russell Body Duodenitis with Concurrent Helicobacter Pylori Gastritis

Russell body duodenitis (RBD) is a rare entity characterized by the accumulation of numerous cells with Russell bodies (RB) in the duodenal mucosa. The two previously reported cases were not associated with H. pylori infection. Herein, we report a case of RBD in a 59-year-old female patient with concurrent H. pylori gastritis. The polytypic nature of RB-containing plasma cells and the lack of immunoreactivity for cytokeratin indicate a benign nature. Our findings also support the notion that defective excretion of immunoglobulin, rather than the accumulation of H. pylori , is the underlying mechanism for RB formation. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jmc905w
Alcohol Abuse, Prevention Issues, and The Black Community

Alcohol abuse and its related difficulties present major concerns for public health professionals. It has been associated with both increased morbidity and premature mortality. Although alcohol abuse is a problem of great magnitude for society in general, minority communities experience its overall negative impact more severely than do other groups. Furthermore, the rate ofproblematic drinking among members of the lower socioeconomic status group has been estimated to be almost three times higher than that of the general adult U.S. population. This is particularly disturbing given thefact that a disproportionate number of minority people are classified within lower SES groupings. The lack of an adequate conceptualization of a public health strategy contributes significantly to the problems of alcohol abuse prevention in the Black community. Priority must be given to national policies that foster the development and delivery of primary prevention services targeted for minority populations.
LooM: An Anonymity Quantification Method in Pervasive Computing Environments

We propose a novel anonymity quantification method for privacy protection in pervasive computing environments. Its main feature is that it can quantitatively control anonymity by a single value (disclosure threshold value) using a classification algorithm of the decision tree. The value is not affected by the user set size or the contents of private information. This property was confirmed by evaluation using sample databases. In order to decide the disclosure threshold value for controlling anonymity, we established a model of privacy information disclosure that achieves a balance (equilibrium point) between users privacy protection requirements and service providers disclosure requirements. Applying web questionnaire data to this model, we found the equilibrium point for each service.
Effects of a Novel Sterilization Process on Soft Tissue Mechanical Properties for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Allografts

Background: Allograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction provides benefits such as earlier return to activities and less pain, but concerns remain regarding potential infection and biomechanical stability.Hypothesis: There is no difference in biomechanical properties of soft tissue allografts treated with the Biocleanse tissue sterilization process compared with irradiated and fresh-frozen allografts.Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.Methods: Thirty-six tibialis anterior allografts were equally divided between Biocleanse, irradiated, and fresh-frozen groups. Grafts were measured for cross-sectional area and looped over a smooth rod with the free sutured ends of the graft fixed in custom clamps. Specimens were tensioned to 10 N for 2 minutes and then loaded between 50 and 300 N for 1000 cycles followed by a failure test. Data for creep (mm); stiffness (N/mm) at cycles 1, 10, 100, and 1000; failure load (N); and failure stress (MPa) were compared with a one-way analysis of variance (P < .05)....
Correctional Officer Professional Orientation A Replication of the Klofas-Toch Measure

In light of the increasing interest in research on correctional officers, data are presented concerning the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the Klofas-Toch professional orientation i...
Temperature dependence of DC voltage activated Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 TiO 3 solidly mounted resonator

Temperature dependent scattering parameter data was collected on a 30 × 30 µm2 voltage activated barium strontium titanate solidly mounted resonator. The frequency variation over the temperature range of −40°C to 120°C normalized to room temperature was as low as 0.41% and as high as 0.84%. The resonant frequency measurements also show a step at −10°C which is believed to be a structural phase transition of the ferroelectric material. The data was collected at a dc bias voltage range of 0V to 30V in 5V increments.
Permutation capacity of WDM switching networks with limited-range wavelength conversion

The current fast-growing Internet and multimedia applications are demanding more and more network capacity every day. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) appears to be the solution of choice for multiplying network capacity. Wavelength conversion is the key technology in contention resolution for WDM switching networks. In this paper, we introduce a systematic approach to the analysis of the permutation capability of WDM switching networks with limited-range wavelength conversion. Such analysis requires nontrivial extensions from that of a traditional electronic switching network. Using our model we demonstrate that the performance of a WDM network with limited-range wavelength conversion is greatly improved over that of a WDM network with no wavelength conversion in terms of permutation capacity.
Dick Karp: The Polynomial Hierarchy

Dick Karp may be said to have founded the polynomial hierarchy by showing the sweep of the polynomial-time reductions by which it is organized into levels. The chapter mainly discusses a theorem by Ravi Kannan on circuit lower bounds whose proof uses the second through fourth levels in a non-constructive manner, and asks whether it can be done more effectively using the second level alone.
The implications of poor maternal nutritional status during pregnancy for future lactational performance.

Data from Bangladesh and other developing countries suggest that poor maternal nutritional status before and during pregnancy has an adverse effect on birth weight breast milk production and thus infant growth and mortality. Breast feeding can further jeopardize an undernourished womans nutritional status in the postpartum period. Women from Bangladesh fall at the bottom internationally in terms of both body mass indices before pregnancy and weight gain during pregnancy. In a longitudinal study (1975-78) of 2500 women in Matlab the mean prepregnancy weight was about 41 kg and mean arm circumference was only 22.1 cm. During pregnancy the mean weight gain was 4.8 kg compared with the recommended standard of 12.5-18 kg for underweight women. Study subjects tended to return to their prepregnancy wright sometime in the 1st 3 postpartum months. The majority of women surveyed actually lost arm circumference during pregnancy indicating that pregnancy was depleting maternal stores of fat and lean tissue. Women with the lowest weight gains during pregnancy and those who lost most arm circumference were more likely to experience a stillbirth or infant death. Infants who survived the 1st year of life did so at the expense of the mothers nutritional status. Interventions are essential to ensure that women in developing countries to not enter pregnancy in a nutritionally disadvantaged state that they gain an adequate amount of weight during pregnancy to enable them to lay down energy stores for lactation and that daily caloric intakes are increased during lactation to avert maternal depletion.
Failure of cortisone to delay or to prevent the healing of fractures in rats.

The administration of from two to four milligrams of cortisone daily to young adult white rats did not perceptibly delay the healing or alter the microscopic appearance of the process of repair of experimental fractures in these animals.
Novel Approaches to Optimization of Levodopa Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Levodopa (LD) is the most effective medication to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, motor fluctuations and drug-induced dyskinesia compromise the long-term success of levodopa therapy in PD. These response complications are due, at least in part, to fluctuating LD plasma levels (as a result of erratic gastric emptying, variable jejunal absorption, and most importantly, the short half-life of LD) with standard levodopa formulations. Keeping levodopa concentrations as constant as possible is the target for improving the pharmacokinetics and developing new ways of LD administration. In this article, we review novel oral and non-oral LD formulations including the ones that have successfully completed phase 3 clinical trials and have come to market and ones that are still in earlier phases of clinical development.
Convergence of common proximal methods for l 1 -regularized least squares

We compare the convergence behavior of ADMM (alternating direction method of multipliers), [F]ISTA ([fast] iterative shrinkage and thresholding algorithm) and CD (coordinate descent) methods on the model l1-regularized least squares problem (aka LASSO). We use an eigenanalysis of the operators to compare their local convergence rates when close to the solution. We find that, when applicable, CD is often much faster than the other iterations, when close enough to the solution. When far from the solution, the spectral analysis implies that one can often get a sequence of iterates that appears to stagnate, but is actually taking small constant steps toward the solution. We also illustrate how the unaccelerated ISTA algorithm can sometimes be faster compared to FISTA when close enough to the solution.
Stabilization, Aggregation, and Gelation of Microsphere Induced by Thermosensitive Microgel

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels are adsorbable to the surface of polystyrene (PS) microspheres in the experimental temperature range (25–40 °C) and can induce aggregation of microspheres through the bridging mechanism. The bridging mechanism proceeds in two elementary steps: the first is an adsorption (negligible desorption relatively) of free microgel to one microsphere surface, and the next is a reversible connection of the adsorbed microgel to another microsphere surface. The surface coverage is found as an important factor in triggering the stabilization, aggregation, and gelation of the mixtures. And most importantly, the nonnegligible dynamic disconnection of a bridge is the essential prerequisite for structure or state transition. For mixtures with the same concentration of microsphere, depending on the concentration of microgel, various transitions can be induced by changing temperature, including the transition from a weaker gel to a stronger gel, from a fluid to a bridging gel and...
A Human-Operant Investigation of Preceding- and Following-Schedule Behavioral Contrast

Behavioral contrast occurs when a change in the rate of reinforcement in one context results in a change in behavior in the opposite direction in another context. Research findings with nonhumans regarding the symmetry of positive and negative contrast have been mixed, especially regarding the relative influence of preceding and following schedules of reinforcement. Research has also been mixed regarding the extent to which systematic within-session contrast is demonstrated. Despite applied implications of contrast, the vast majority of research has been conducted with nonhumans. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the differential influence of preceding- and following-schedules of reinforcement on positive and negative behavioral contrast, as well as within-session contrast, with adult humans with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in a 3-component human-operant arrangement. Positive contrast was found in 5 of 6 cases, whereas negative contrast was found in only 2 of 6. The effect of the following schedule was larger with positive contrast, but the effect of the preceding schedule was larger with negative contrast. There were no systematic within-session effects characteristic of behavioral contrast.
The Volume Fraction Profile of Terminally Adsorbed Polymers

We have used neutron reflectivity to measure the concentration profile of carboxylic acid-terminated polystyrene at the liquid/solid interface. Two isotopic systems were studied: (1) deuterated polystyrene (DPS) in cyclohexane and (2) polystyrene (PS) in deuterated cyclohexane. Although measured at 24°C (a poor solvent condition), the high grafting density of PS tethered chains causes the chains to weakly stretch to 3-5 times its unperturbed dimension. Although of similar molecular weight, the height of the DPS layer is about 50% higher than that of the PS. In both systems, the volume fraction of polymer near the wall is ~ 0.60. For the DPS system, reflectivity profiles can be simulated using a parabolic profile with a depletion layer at the silicon-liquid interface. However, in the PS system, no depletion is observed. Here, the shape. of the PS concentration profile is parabolic with a rounded tail.
Computational Assessment of the SparkJet Flow Control Actuator

Practical application of active flow control is dependent upon the development of robust actuators that are reliable, low cost, and responsive, and that consume little power. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) is investigating a promising device for high-speed flow control called the SparkJet actuator. This actuator, which produces a synthetic jet with high exhaust velocities, holds the promise of manipulating highspeed flows without active mechanical components. Combined computational and experimental techniques are being applied to investigate the operating characteristics of a cavity SparkJet device for control of the flow on and near external surfaces. This paper focuses on the assessment of the actuator using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Time-dependent computations of firstand second-generation SparkJet designs exhausting into quiescent air are used to demonstrate the operating cycle. A numerical parametric study of the second-generation design characterizes the performance attributes (single-pulse) of the device as a function of orifice size, chamber volume, and energy deposited. __________________ ∗ Engineer, Senior Professional Staff, AIAA Associate Fellow † Engineer, Senior Professional Staff, AIAA Member ‡ Assistant Supervisor, Aeronautical Science and Technology Group, AIAA Member § Supervisor, Aeronautical Science and Technology Group, AIAA Associate Fellow Nomenclature Aex = Orifice cross-sectional area Cv = Specific heat capacity at constant volume Dex = Orifice diameter E = Internal energy e = Energy per unit mass M = Mass P = Gas pressure Q = Energy deposited q = Heat added per unit mass R = Universal gas constant S = Control surface t = Time T = Gas temperature Td = Plasma discharge temperature Tw = Wall temperature U = Gas velocity Uex = Gas velocity at orifice exit V = Control volume Vch = Actuator chamber volume Vy = Vertical component of gas velocity γ = Ratio of specific heats ρ = Gas density
Acute appendicitis in senior citizens.

Why is perforation so common in acute appendicitis of the elderly? Delay in seeking medical attention seems to be the main reason. The perforation rate was 68 percent in a series of 44 patients 65 years of age or older. But sound surgical principles-frequent use of the McBurney incision, draining the peritoneal cavity, antibiotics, relieving distention, and controlling fluids-kept the mortality rate low.
Screening the RET Proto-Oncogene Mutation in the Hirschsprung's Disease by DHPLC

Objective: To investigate RET proto-oncogene mutation in patients with Hirschsprung's disease by the DHPLC fragment analysis system. Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood sample of 32 patients with Hirschsprung's disease. The exons of 11, 13, 15 of RET were amplificated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) respectively. Heteroduplexes were analyzed by the WAVE DNA fragment analysis system with the DNA Sep cartridge. Results: Double peak was detected in 13 patients by WAVE system. One patient had a RET gene mutation in exon 15 (Gln849Lys). RET polymorphic variants were detected in 3 patients, of which one with Ser667Ser in the exon 11 and two with Leu 746 Leu in the exon 13. Conclusion: DHPLC is an efficient method for the screen of gene mutation. Our findings suggested that not only RET mutation, but RET polymorphic variants may contribute to the occurrence of Hirschsprung's disease.
Rural Economic Development

Chinese farmers have always loved the land. In an agricultural society land is the only means of livelihood for most of the population. Therefore land ownership, development policy, and the distribution of land by the past imperial government is of grave concern to those who owned land and those who farmed it. From the ancient practice of ‘well-field system’1 of cultivation to other policies of land distribution and ownership, China has gone through many systems of land disposition. Historically, land was concentrated in the hands of the few rich, educated ruling elite of the society. It was a perpetual system of landlord exploitation which began with the Sung dynasty. Over the centuries those who became rich would invest their money in land ownership, while the poor were reduced to the status of tenants. They had to work hard in order to pay the landowner and still have enough to live on. In bad years they relied on the mercy of the benevolent landowner for support to prevent them from starvation. Such a practice had disastrous consequences. Eventually, the system was disrupted by Western imperial powers toward the end of the nineteenth century. Sun Yat-sen’s revolution of 1911 proposed a land distribution policy of peaceful reform to give ownership of land to the tillers. He suggested that increased land value should belong to the public through higher tax or government repossession of the land if the owner did not want to pay the high tax.
Transient Heat Transfer in Food Processing

This chapter attempts to predict temperature in a liquid food heated in a steam-jacketed kettle using a mathematical model that predicts temperature in the kettle as a function of time and measures the transient heat transfer in spherical-shaped foods. It also discusses how to calculate temperature inside an infinite cylinder and an infinite slab during heating or cooling processes, using analytical solutions of the governing partial differential equation and that of the governing heat transfer equation written for an infinite slab-shaped object, respectively. Heat transfer in an infinite slab occurs from only two opposing surfaces; the heat transfer from the other four sides of the slab is considered negligible. Prediction of transient heat transfer in a finite cylinder, on the other hand, requires the use of analytical solutions obtained for both infinite cylinders and infinite slabs. The temperature ratios determined for both the infinite shapes are multiplied to calculate the temperature ratio for a finite cylinder. Prediction of temperature of a desired location inside a cube requires an infinite slab solution.
Metabolic and Endocrine Factors in Regulation of Nutrient Balance

In mammals, fat deposits represent the major store of energy. In a normal human being, for example, the nutrient intake may average 2000 kcal/day in an individual whose energy stores are 150000 kcal or 75 times larger than the daily intake. Energy intake occurs as discreet, periodic meals which are used for metabolic needs and for repletion of nutrient stores. The energy stores, on the other hand, supply metabolic fuels between meals and during longer periods of deprivation.
Hadean Zircon Petrochronology

The inspiration for this volume arose in part from a shift in perception among U–Pb geochronologists that began to develop in the late 1980s. Prior to then, analytical geochronology emphasized progressively lower blank analysis of separated accessory mineral aggregates (e.g., Krogh 1982; Parrish 1987), with results generally interpreted to reflect a singular moment in time. For example, a widespread measure of confidence in intra-analytical reliability was conformity to an MSWD (a form of χ2 test; Wendt and Carl 1991) of unity. This approach implicitly assumed that geological processes act on timescales that are short with respect to analytical errors (e.g., Schoene et al. 2015). As in situ methodologies (e.g., Compston and Pidgeon 1986; Harrison et al. 1997; Griffin et al. 2000) and increasingly well-calibrated double spikes (e.g., Amelin and Davis 2006; McLean et al. 2015) emerged, geochronologists began to move away from interpreting geological processes as a series of instantaneous episodes (e.g., Rubatto 2002). At about the same time, petrologists developed techniques that permitted in situ chemical analyses to be interpreted in terms of continuously changing pressure–temperature–time histories (e.g., Spear 1988). The recognition followed that specific mineral reactions yielded products that could be directly dated or interpreted in terms of protracted petrogenetic processes. Part of this shift was due to an appreciation that trace elements in accessory phases could identify the changing nature of modal mineralogy during crystal growth (e.g., Pyle et al. 2001; Kohn and Malloy 2004) and thus potentially relate petrogenesis to absolute time. The transition to petrochronology was complete upon recognition that high MSWDs were in fact the expected case for most metamorphic minerals (Kohn 2009). One of the great frontiers for fundamental discovery in the geosciences is earliest Earth (DePaolo et al. 2008). However, investigations of the first five …
Social Media Education: Industry Leader Recommendations for Curriculum and Faculty Competencies:

Social media have affected daily activities, communication practices, and business practices throughout society. Social media are more frequently embraced in higher education as well. One indication of this growth is the fact that more than half of all teaching faculty use social media at least monthly for professional reasons, with professors in professions and applied sciences being at the forefront of the use. Interviews with more than 20 industry professionals representing nonprofits, corporations, and subject matter experts provide insights into key considerations for social media education. Future social media education should provide not only academic training but also industry expertise.
Nitrogen dynamics vary across hydrologic gradients and by forest community composition in the perhumid coastal temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska

Nitrogen (N) limitation constrains plant growth, but complex interactions among species and ecosystems hinder our ability to identify primary drivers of N availability. Hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological processes interact spatially and temporally, requiring measurements of N across diverse ecosystem types and as a function of both site conditions and vegetation composition. We measured initial exchangeable and mineralized N along a hydrologic gradient in the Alaskan perhumid coastal temperate rainforest to test a conceptual model of linkages between N availability and landscape, hydrologic, and ecosystem characteristics in temperate forests. Mineralization was closely associated with inorganic N concentrations. Inorganic N as NH4+ generally increased with increasing depth to groundwater but was strongly determined by plant–water interactions. Exchangeable and mineralized N were closely linked to tree species, forest biomass, and hydrologic regime regardless of ecosystem type. The emergence of tre...
Stabilizing effect of ion complex formation in lithium–oxygen battery electrolytes

Abstract Glyme-based electrolytes with various lithium bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide (LiTFSI) salt concentrations have been investigated for their use in Li‑oxygen battery applications. Charge/discharge cycling with a cycle capacity of 500 mAh·g−1 showed an improvement as high as 300% for electrolytes containing higher LiTFSI concentrations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies of Li-O2 full cells and Raman spectroscopy studies on the discharged cathodes revealed that the superior cyclability at higher LiTFSI contents was due to a decrease in the rate of growth of glyme degradation products (lithium carbonate species). Raman spectroscopy analyses of the electrolytes also suggested that the increase in LiTFSI concentration afforded the formation of cationic and anionic complexes that helped mitigate the tetraglyme degradation.
Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability.

Improving diet quality while simultaneously reducing environmental impact is a critical focus globally. Metrics linking diet quality and sustainability have typically focused on a limited suite of indicators, and have not included food waste. To address this important research gap, we examine the relationship between food waste, diet quality, nutrient waste, and multiple measures of sustainability: use of cropland, irrigation water, pesticides, and fertilizers. Data on food intake, food waste, and application rates of agricultural amendments were collected from diverse US government sources. Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index-2015. A biophysical simulation model was used to estimate the amount of cropland associated with wasted food. This analysis finds that US consumers wasted 422g of food per person daily, with 30 million acres of cropland used to produce this food every year. This accounts for 30% of daily calories available for consumption, one-quarter of daily food (by weight) available for consumption, and 7% of annual cropland acreage. Higher quality diets were associated with greater amounts of food waste and greater amounts of wasted irrigation water and pesticides, but less cropland waste. This is largely due to fruits and vegetables, which are health-promoting and require small amounts of cropland, but require substantial amounts of agricultural inputs. These results suggest that simultaneous efforts to improve diet quality and reduce food waste are necessary. Increasing consumers’ knowledge about how to prepare and store fruits and vegetables will be one of the practical solutions to reducing food waste.
Doing science in difficult socioeconomic circumstances.

Doing scientific research can be a challenging, but creative and rewarding career. However, the challenge of doing research is orders of magnitude more difficult for scientists lacking access to th...
Temporal Backpropagation: An Efficient Algorithm for Finite Impulse Response Neural Networks

The traditional feedforward neural network is a static structure which simply maps input to output. To better reflect the dynamics in the biological system a network structure is proposed which models each synapse by a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) linear filter. An efficient gradient descent algorithm is derived which will be shown to be a temporal generalization of the familiar backpropagation algorithm.
Surface Contamination: An Overview

Surface contamination is of great concern wherever surfaces are used, and there is a legion of products, processes and technologies where surfaces play a very vital role. There is no universally acceptable or applicable definition of a “clean” surface, as a clean surface can be defined in a variety of manners depending upon the purpose of and the requirements imposed on the surface. Generally speaking, a clean surface is one which is free from contaminants, and any unwanted matter or energy is regarded as a contaminant.
Critique of ‘Bourgeois’ Theories of Knowledge

The massive attacks made by Soviet philosophers on the philosophers and philosophic systems of the non-Communist world contain a wealth of information on the exact conception which contemporary Soviet philosophers have of their own system. This seems due to two causes. First, these attacks are officially sanctioned and encouraged by the ideological pontiffs and political leaders. As a result, ‘inaccuracies’ in the presentation of Marxism-Leninism — which are often fruitful developments of dialectical materialism and, therefore, would hardly be allowed in a non-polemical context — are passed over for the sake of victory. In the second place, the need of meeting and defeating other philosophies puts the Soviet philosopher in the presence of philosophical problems with which he is unfamiliar or which he has not been able to openly discuss since they were not mentioned by the classical sources.1
Lessons from the discontinuation of extracorporeal photopheresis.

ECP is an effective therapy that improves outcomes in patients with chronic lung allograft dysfunction , and is worth paying for.