cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Low-income Smokers Have Learned from Public Health Pedagogy: A Narrative Inquiry

Objectives: Health advocates have been working to educate the public about the harms of smoking for more than 50 years. However, smoking rates have reduced more slowly among people with low incomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate what low-income smokers have learned from a lifetime of exposure to public health education and how this knowledge may have translated into smoking-related behaviors. Methods: We used narrative inquiry and elicitation interview techniques. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and organized into themes using the constant comparative method. Results: All participants were aware of smoking-related harms to health but negative experiences with quitting, cessation medications, and healthcare professionals contributed to avoiding or rejecting educational messages. Participants' perceptions of hypocritical societal tobacco control policies also led some to believe that the harms of tobacco use were exaggerated, or were being used to control or manipulate them. This contributed to a distrust of the government, public health advocates, and healthcare providers. Conclusions: Low-income smokers were aware of the harms of smoking and that quitting would improve their health. Public health advocates should consider developing messages that attempt to foster trust in healthcare professionals and are consistent with low-income adult smokers' quitting experiences.
Thermal Resistance of Foodborne Pathogens and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 on Inoculated Pistachios

ABSTRACT Process control validations require knowledge of the resistance of the pathogen(s) of concern to the target treatment and, in some cases, the relative resistance of surrogate organisms. Selected strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (five strains), Listeria monocytogenes (five strains), and Salmonella enterica (five strains) as well as Salmonella Enteritidis phage type (PT) 30 and nonpathogenic Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 were inoculated separately (as individual strains) onto inshell pistachios. The thermal tolerance of each strain was compared via treatment of inoculated pistachios to hot oil (121°C) or hot water (80°C) for 1 min. Survivor curves in hot oil or hot water (0.5 to 6 min, n = 6 to 15) were determined for one or two of the most resistant strains of each pathogen, as well as E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30, and the Weibull model was fit to the data. A pilot-scale air-impingement oven was used to compare the thermal tolerance of E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 on pistachios with or without a brining pretreatment and at either dry (no steam) or 30% humidity (v/v) oven conditions. No significant difference in the time to a 4-log reduction in hot oil or hot water was predicted for any of the strains evaluated, on the basis of the 95% confidence interval. In the pilot-scale oven, E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was more thermally resistant than Salmonella in a broad set of differing treatments, treatment times, and temperatures. Salmonella is a suitable target pathogen of concern in pistachios for thermal processes because no other pathogen tested was more thermally resistant under the conditions evaluated. E. faecium NRRL B-2354 was at least as thermally resistant as Salmonella under all conditions evaluated, making it a good potential surrogate for Salmonella on pistachios. HIGHLIGHTS
Animal-Assisted Activity in Critically Ill Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot and Feasibility Trial:

Background:Limited evidence suggests the efficacy of animal-assisted activities (AAA) in improving biobehavioral stress responses in older patients in intensive care units (ICUs).Objectives:To asse...
Constructing a heterogeneous training dataset for emotion classification

Abstract Emotion classification deals with identifying emotions expressed within a text. Social media is generating a vast amount of emotion rich data in the form of tweets, status updates, blog posts etc. Tweets are a good representative of emotions a person usually expresses publicly. By analyzing the emotions in these tweets, one can get an idea of how a person feels about the subject they are referring to. Machine Learning (ML) techniques are widely used for analyzing emotions within the tweets. However, there are no balanced training datasets that can be used for training the ML classifiers. As a result, supervised classifiers demonstrate a poor performance with classifying emotions within texts particularly within the tweets. In addition to that, none of the available datasets are useful for training the classifiers to identify and classify emotions within the tweets. Therefore, in this paper we have proposed a novel approach for constructing a balanced heterogeneous training dataset for emotion classification of the tweets. Using the lexicon-based NRC classifier we have classified the textual instances in to four different emotions such as joyful, sad, angry and surprise. Using this as a training dataset we have trained six different machine learning models including the Multiclass Logistic Regression (MLR), Multinomial Naive Bayes (MLB), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Our study reveals that this approach has the potentiality in boosting the performance of the supervised classifiers for emotion classification within the tweets.
The Impact of Copyright Permissions Culture on the U.S. Visual Arts Community: The Consequences of Fear of Fair Use

As digital opportunities emerge in the visual arts — to produce multimedia art and digital scholarship, publish online, hold online museum exhibitions — old copyright frustrations have worsened in a field where getting permissions is routine. A national survey of 2,828 visual arts professionals, combined with 100 in-depth interviews of visual arts practitioners throughout the U.S., explored how visual arts professionals use the U.S. copyright doctrine of fair use. Results showed widespread lack of confidence and misconceptions about fair use; resulting exaggerated risk assessment; personal and social relations within the community that deter reliance on fair use; and consequent delays, deformations and failure to execute mission. The 2015 creation of a fair use code of best practices may alleviate the deformations found in this survey.
Advancing Social Equity: Examining the Impact of Gender, Place, and Race on Criminal Justice Administration in Alabama

This article explores how the intersections of gender, place, and race impact the socially equitable application of criminal justice administration in Alabama. Specifically, most re-entry programs fail to address the varied and unique post-carceral needs of Black women. As such, this work examines the obstacles and opportunities for non-profit re-entry program administrators who seek to uphold the civil and human rights of Black women and highlights best practices in providing meaningful re-entry and reintegration services to women from historically under-resourced communities. Using social equity’s theoretical principles in criminal justice, this article spotlights Alabama’s re-entry programs and explores what occurs at the juncture of social equity, community-based criminal justice administration, and recidivism; this article also illustrates the interconnectedness of these three concepts.
21 Basic Control Systems Design

The purpose of a control system is to produce a desired output. The control system is seen to provide two basic functions: to respond to a command input that specifies a new desired value for the controlled variable and to keep the controlled variable near the desired value in spite of disturbances. This chapter presents a brief overview of some available transducers and error detectors. It discusses actuators and devices that are used to implement the control logic. The control logic elements are designed to act on the error signal to produce the control signal. The algorithm that is used for this purpose is called the control law, the control action, or the control algorithm. The chapter provides an overview of the general categories of digital controllers that are commercially available. This is followed by a summary of the software currently available for digital control and for control system design. Keywords: actuators; control law; control systems design; controller hardware; digital controllers; error detectors; transducers
CWDM vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser array spanning 140 nm of the C, S, and L fiber transmission bands

We demonstrate record wavelength span from an 8-channel WDM VCSEL array operating CW to 65/spl deg/C from 1470 to 1610 nm with precise 20-nm channel spacing. Devices are fabricated using nonplanar wafer bonding and fully-oxidized DBRs.
Rationality in the full-information model

We study rationality in protocol design for the full-information model, a model characterized by computationally unbounded adversaries, no private communication, and no simultaneity within rounds. Assuming that players derive some utility from the outcomes of an interaction, we wish to design protocols that are faithful: following the protocol should be an optimal strategy for every player, for various definitions of “optimal” and under various assumptions about the behavior of others and the presence, size, and incentives of coalitions. We first focus on leader election for players who only care about whether or not they are elected. We seek protocols that are both faithful and resilient, and for some notions of faithfulness we provide protocols, whereas for others we prove impossibility results. We then proceed to random sampling, in which the aim is for the players to jointly sample from a set of m items with a distribution that is a function of players’ preferences over them. We construct protocols for m≥3 that are faithful and resilient when players are single-minded. We also show that there are no such protocols for 2 items or for complex preferences.
Customizing IDL mappings and ORB protocols

Current mappings of IDL to implementation languages such as C++ or Java use CORBA specific data-types, which makes it imperative for an object implementation to be CORBA-compliant. While being completely CORBA-compliant ensures portability and interoperability, several classes of enterprise applications may only require interoperability with other CORBA applications. Other applications may be constrained by such factors as a large existing code-base or a widely used communication protocol. In many cases, these applications can benefit from the concise expressiveness of IDL without committing to the overhead of using a general-purpose CORBA ORB. To aid this process, we propose a new approach to ORB design where the IDL mapping and ORB protocol is completely configurable. As a motivation, we present our use of IDL in the development of a large in-house application. In this application, all interfaces are specified using IDL, which is mapped to C++ using a custom mapping. We then present an architecture for a template-driven IDL compiler and describe the implementation of a prototype we built. With this compiler architecture, an IDL mapping can easily be specified and customized by writing an appropriate template.
Sphingolipid biosynthesis and inflammatory signaling in asthma (605.21)

Objective- SNPs located within human chromosomal region 17q21 are strongly associated with the incidence of inherited asthma and have been correlated by others to elevated transcript levels of nearby genes, including ORMDL3. Studies in yeast have identified the yeast ORMDL3 orthologs, as negative regulators of the serine palmitoyl-CoA transferase (SPT) enzyme complex. This study investigates the role of mammalian ORMDL3. Methods and Results- To further understand the function ORMDL3, a stable doxycycline-inducible human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line was developed that overproduces ORMDL3 up to 40-fold compared to control cells. SPT activity in ORMDL3 overexpressing cells was reduced to 40-60% compared to that of control cells. Sphingolipidomic analysis revealed that all sphingolipid species, were reduced in these cells, consistent with significant inhibition of SPT activity. Conversely, combined RNAi-mediated knockdown of all ORMDL isoforms resulted in higher SPT activity and increased sphingolipids. H...
Chapter Eleven - Recent Advances in Auxin Biosynthesis and Conjugation

Auxin was the first plant hormone ever identified, yet it is probably the least understood among the plant hormones in terms of biosynthesis and metabolism. The study of the biosynthetic pathway and metabolism of auxin has been hampered in past years by genetic redundancy and complexity, but more modem tools have aided great strides in recent progress in the fields of auxin biosynthesis and conjugation. The current understanding of auxin homeostasis mainly originated from research that used Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system. It will be important to investigate whether different plant species have different ways of handling auxin homeostasis. It will be especially interesting to explore how the various genes and pathways interact, and the relative contributions of each to auxin homeostasis and, ultimately, to the overall development of the plant.
Tachyons in a gravitational field

Equations of motion are derived for tachyons moving in the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild geometry. The equations are solved for small deflections of tachyon paths by a mass like the Sun; it is found that infinite-velocity tachyon paths bend half as much as photon paths. The radii of (unstable) circular orbits are also computed. In each case it is shown that tachyon paths form a natural extension of the well-known tardyon and photon paths.
The Lagrange Multiplier, Part One

Technology allows us to examine, in a way not posible with pencil and paper, the ideas behind the Lagrange Multiplier technique. The following problem is a standard textbook exercise involving, if we will, Lagrange Multipliers. The solution will be embellished with additional explorations into the meaning of the calculations.
Base excision repair.

From the simplest to the most complex organism, cells have to perform a myriad of tasks to ensure cellular maintenance, survival, reproduction and even cell death. The orchestration of these tasks is performed by the many cellular proteins coded for in our genetic material, or DNA. DNA has thus been called the blueprint of life and as such, was once expected to be a stable informational molecule. Paradoxically, DNA is quite dynamic and constantly subject to change. The processes of recombination and transposition can transfer large tracts of genetic material between distant locations within a genome and even between genomes. DNA is also subject to alterations in its sequence and chemical composition of its bases. Many of these alterations result from errors that occur during the processes of DNA replication or recombination or even DNA repair itself. The inherent dynamic nature of the DNA molecule can be largely beneficial in an evolutionary sense; it is indeed desirable that a fine balance between genetic change and genetic stability is achieved within any given population. However, excessive or uncontrolled genetic change is often detrimental and many pathological conditions have genetic instability as an underlying basis. Because maintaining genetic stability is extremely important, it is not surprising that cells evolved a multitude of mechanisms to repair DNA damage, along with back-up systems that control how cells respond to unrepaired DNA damage, such as cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death, or apoptosis. DNA damage is classified into two major classes, namely “spontaneous” and “environmentally induced”. Spontaneous DNA damage normally results from replication errors or from the inherent instability of the DNA molecule. It is believed that a very large number of lesions occur in any
Questioning: An Effective Teaching Method

(1990). Questioning: An Effective Teaching Method. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 63, No. 9, pp. 420-422.
Unintended Pregnancy in the Native Hawaiian Community: Key Informants' Perspectives.

CONTEXT: Native Hawaiians experience the highest reported rate of unintended pregnancy of any ethnic group in Hawaii. Understanding the context in which they make decisions that influence pregnancy and pregnancy planning is essential to reducing this rate. METHODS: A qualitative study was carried out in partnership with a community health center serving a large Native Hawaiian population to explore how Native Hawaiians conceptualize pregnancy and pregnancy planning. Between August and October 2013 semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 diverse key informants from the Hawaiian community. Content analysis was used to identify themes and patterns that emerged from the interviews. RESULTS: Core Hawaiian values of children and family strongly affect how Native Hawaiians view pregnancy pregnancy planning and unintended pregnancies. Ohana (families) are large and characterized by tremendous support which is perceived to lessen the burden of an unintended pregnancy. Pregnancies whether planned or not are seen as blessings because children are highly valued. Because of these concepts there is an expectation for women to continue unplanned pregnancies. Although Hawaiians ascribe value to planning pregnancies and hope that children are born under what they identify as ideal circumstances they acknowledge that these circumstances are not necessary and often do not occur. CONCLUSION: The concepts of family and children serve as core values to Native Hawaiians and are linked to the ways in which they view pregnancy and pregnancy planning. Copyright (c) 2015 by the Guttmacher Institute.
Behavioral Self-Modification in Instructional Settings: A Review

This critical survey of the topic points out the impact on learning, the extent of behavioral change, and areas where research is needed.
Nuclear grooves: a useful criterion in the cytopathologic diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

A recent report emphasized the usefulness of the grooved nucleus as a diagnostic criterion of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in histopathologic material. The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether grooved nuclei can serve as an additional diagnostic criterion for PTC in cytologic material obtained by fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Slides from 124 consecutive thyroid FNAs were reviewed. Specimens included 11 PTCs, one follicular carcinoma, six follicular adenomas, eight follicular neoplasms not otherwise specified, 10 cases of chronic thyroiditis, and 88 colloid nodules/adenomatous goiters. Among the PTC cases, grooved nuclei were found in all 11 (100%), intranuclear inclusions in nine (82%), papillary fragments in seven (64%), and psammoma bodies in two (18%). Nuclear grooves were also observed in two of the 113 non-PTC cases (1.8%), both of which were colloid nodules, one with extensive Hurthle-cell change. The grooved nuclei were best identified on Papanicolaou-stained material. They were inconspicuous and difficult to identify in air-dried Diff-Quik-stained material. It appears that the recognition of grooved nuclei among tumor cells is a valuable diagnostic feature of PTC in cytologic material stained with polychromatic Papani-colaou stain.
(Re)producing Identity and Creating Famine in Nuala O'Faolain's My Dream of You

Nuala O'Faolain's novel My Dream of You connects the Great Famine and contemporary women's status in the Republic of Ireland. Her narrative structure juxtaposes an embedded story from the 1840s with the main story arc, set in contemporary Ireland, relating the legacy of the Great Famine both to postcolonial attitudes about food and eating and to women's limited political roles in the Republic. The text presents mirrored female characters from the famine-era Big House and the mid-twentieth century to create a gendered association between the eras. This textual strategy of spiraling from the Famine to more recent oppression of women provides insight into Ireland's obsessive control of female reproductive ability. O'Faolain's text repeats images of land, fertility, food production (and consumption), women's bodies, and reproduction, suggesting a link between the failure of the land to produce food and the need to control unruly female bodies. Women's bodies and their fertility become ciphers for the health o...
Coverable badges and resource defence in birds

We propose a hypothesis to account for the evolution of coverable patches of conspicuous coloration in birds. According to the hypothesis: (1) resource defenders use ‘colour badges’ to thwart conspecific intrusions; (2) individuals not intent on challenging owners signal submissiveness with covered badges; and (3) because ownership status may change within seasons, individuals benefit from being able to produce both signals interchangeably. Coverable badges are believed to be reliable indicators of status because ‘cheaters’ may pay the cost of escalated fighting with opponents. In tests with red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) we found that territorial males discriminated between mounts of conspecifics with blackened epaulettes and mounts of male Brewer's blackbirds (Euphagus cyanocephalus) and, thus, rejected the alternative species recognition hypothesis. The coverable badge hypothesis was supported by evidence that: territory owners were most aggressive toward redwing mounts showing the most red; males intruding into occupied territories covered their epaulettes; and floating males that took over experimentally vacated territories behaved as legitimate owners only minutes after entry. This hypothesis provides the first adequate explanation of the function of the coverable and conspicuous epaulettes of redwings.
Generalized nonlinear minimal residual (GNLMR) method for iterative algorithms

Abstract Most iterative methods for solving steady-state problems can be shown to be equivalent to solving time-dependent problems of either parabolic or hyperbolic type. The relaxation factor used in accelerating an iterative method to obtain the converged solution plays the same role as the time step size used in advancing the transient solution to the steady state solution for a time-dependent problem. With this transformation, one can expose the mechanism of the acceleration schemes. In the presented study, this time-dependent approach together with the single-iteration, multi-step algorithm are applied to generalize the nonlinear minimal residual (NLMR) method for iterative solutions of linear and nonlinear problems. Most importantly, both theoretical studies and numerical experiments confirm the monotone convergence behavior of the generalized NLMR method. With the multi-step algorithm, it is found that both the rate and the smoothness of convergence of the NLMR method can be improved even further. Several interesting problems that originated from this method are also discussed.
Neuropeptide Y attenuates NMDA-induced phase shifts in the SCN of NPY Y1 receptor knockout mice in vitro

Abstract Neuropeptide Y (NPY) blocks the effect of light on the mammalian circadian clock during the subjective night. The present study explores the role of the NPY Y1 receptor in this interaction. The effect of NPY when co-applied with NMDA, a glutamate agonist that can mimic the effect of light, was examined in NPY Y1−/− mice (background strain 129SVXBalb/c) using electrophysiology. Cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the master circadian pacemaker, show a circadian rhythm in spontaneous firing rate that can be recorded in vitro. The results demonstrated that NPY attenuated the phase shifts to NMDA in both the Y1−/− mice and control mice, indicating that the Y1 receptor does not mediate the NPY blockade of photic-like phase shifts. The peak in frequency in the untreated control brain slices from Y1−/− mice was advanced by approximately 1 h as compared to the Y1+/+ mice. The Y1 receptor may contribute to a functional model of circadian rhythms, but apparently is not essential for the effects of NPY on photic phase shifts.
DARK ADAPTATION AND VISUAL SENSITIVITY IN SHALLOW AND DEEP‐DIVING PINNIPEDS1

Pinnipeds forage almost exclusively underwater. Consequently, observing them is difficult and relatively little is known of how they use their senses to locate prey, avoid predators, and navigate while diving. Vision has been presumed to be of primary importance, although previous measurements of visual functioning in pinnipeds have been restricted to just a few shallow-diving species. As diving pinnipeds experience rapid changes in light levels during descent/ascent and low light levels at depth, it has not been clear whether they possess visual capabilities adequate for use while diving, particularly in the case of deep-diving species. To examine this issue, behavioral psychophysics have been used to assess and compare the dark adaptation rates and relative light sensitivities of a deep-diving pinniped (northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris), two shallow-diving species (California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, and harbor seal, Phoca vitulina), and a human subject. In comparison to the human subject, both the California sea lion and the harbor seal dark-adapted relatively quickly and were more light sensitive. These findings suggest that both of these species are well suited for vision in the moderately dim shallow-water environments in which they dive to forage. In contrast, the elephant seal reached complete dark adaptation in less than half the time taken by the other pinnipeds, and it was significantly more light sensitive. Unlike the shallower-diving species, the visual abilities of the elephant seal are commensurate with the extreme conditions experienced while deep diving. Thus, we conclude that elephant seals are sufficiently adapted to rely on vision underwater, even while diving to depths in excess of 1000 meters where bioluminescence may be the sole source of ambient light.
Reciprocal altruism and food sharing decisions among Hiwi and Ache hunter–gatherers

The common occurrence of food transfers within human hunter–gatherer and forager–horticulturalist groups presents exciting test cases for evolutionary models of altruism. While kin biases in sharing are consistent with nepotism based on kin selection, there is much debate over the extent to which reciprocal altruism and tolerated scrounging provide useful explanations of observed behavior. This paper presents a model of optimal sharing breadth and depth, based on a general non-tit-for-tat form of risk-reduction based reciprocal altruism, and tests a series of predictions using data from Hiwi and Ache foragers. I show that large, high variance food items are shared more widely than small, easily acquired food items. Giving is conditional upon receiving in pairwise interactions and this correlation is usually stronger when the exchange of value rather than quantities is considered. Larger families and low producing families receive more and give less, consistent with the notion that marginal value may be a more salient currency than quantity.
Effect of hypercholesterolemia on blood cell production and leukemia progression in the chick

Abstract Chicks with myeloblastic leukemia (induced by avian myeloblastosis virus, AMV) had an increased chance of mortality if they were made hypercholesterolemic (HC) with a dietary supplement (1% cholesterol). Since the increased mortality could have resulted from an affect of HC on blood cell production, a study was done to determine the relationship between these two parameters. The marrow of HC, uninfected chicks was markedly hypocellular when compared to normocholesterolemic controls. Many of the cells in the HC animals had cytoplasmic vacuolation which often resulted in a foam appearance. Electron microscopy revealed the vacuoles to be lipid vesicles and also showed that, in general, the cytoplasm was distended and contained fewer organelles. These defects were apparent in all cell lines, especially as the cells became progressively more differentiated. An end result was a decreased percentage of fully mature cells. Erythrocytic differentiation appeared to be particularly affected, and the erythrocyte/leukocyte ratio was decreased. Many erythrocytic cells exhibited anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, and fragmented nuclei. Finally, in vitro clonogenic studies showed that colony formation in soft agar by monocytic progenitor cells was markedly affected. These cells, which normally differentiate in vitro into monocytes and small macrophages and exhibit a high proliferative potential (clone size ⩾ 50 cells at 7 days), quickly differentiated into very large, highly vacuolated cells of very low replicative potential (clone size ⩽ 10 cells). The cloning of granulocytic progenitors was not affected. Although the marrow was adversely affected, changes in the peripheral blood of HC chicks were minimal. However, the number of circulating basophils appeared to be increased in the HC chick and to persist longer in the leukemic chick if they were HC. In conclusion, this study identifies at least one phenomenon which may be involved in the increased mortality of HC, leukemic chicks, i.e., a severely compromised marrow. Other possible mechanisms of the increased mortality as well as the implication of increased basophils are discussed.
Emotion dysregulation facets as mediators of the relationship between PTSD and alcohol misuse

Abstract Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol misuse, which frequently co-occur among combat veterans, have been linked to emotion dysregulation. Emotion dysregulation may explain the link between PTSD and alcohol misuse, and this investigation tested emotion dysregulation as a mediator of that relationship. Method Correlations between PTSD symptoms and cluster symptoms, emotion dysregulation full and subscales, and alcohol misuse were examined in a sample of 139 combat Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn veterans (45% African American; 89% men). Emotion dysregulation full scale and subscales were examined as mediators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and alcohol misuse for the full sample and men only. Results PTSD symptoms and symptom clusters, emotion dysregulation, and alcohol misuse showed positive correlations for the full sample and men only. Neither the full scale of emotion dysregulation nor the facets of emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and alcohol misuse for the full sample; among men, the Impulse Control Difficulties when Upset and Lack of Emotional Clarity subscales were mediators of that relationship. Conclusions Impulse control difficulties and lack of emotional clarity may play an important role in the link between PTSD and alcohol misuse for male veterans and should be an important target in treatment for individuals with both disorders. Addressing impulse control difficulties and lack of emotional clarity in those with PTSD and alcohol misuse may improve outcomes by helping individuals identify and describe upsetting emotions and develop healthy coping alternatives to alcohol misuse.
Characterization of facial paresis in hemifacial microsomia.

ObjectiveTo provide an overview of the incidence, characteristics, and proposed etiologic mechanisms of facial paresis in patients with manifestations of hemifacial microsomia.Data SourcesPubMed database for English-language studies with no date restrictions.Review MethodsA comprehensive literature review was performed identifying all studies that discussed incidence, characterization, or etiologic mechanisms for facial paresis in hemifacial microsomia/oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum.ConclusionsThis review supports that the prevalence of facial weakness in the spectrum of hemifacial microsomia/oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum ranges from 10% to 45%. Most of these patients have involvement of all facial nerve branches or lower branches only. The most commonly involved single nerve branch has yet to be described. The 2 most common associated anomalies involve the mandible and auricle. Dysmorphogeneisis of the temporal bone and its effects on the facial nerve are most likely implicated in the cause of fac...
ZI round, a MIP rounding heuristic

We introduce a new pure integer rounding heuristic, ZI Round, and compare this heuristic to recent extremely fast pure integer rounding heuristic Simple Rounding. Simple Rounding was introduced in the non-commercial code SCIP. ZI Round attempts to round each fractional variable while using row slacks to maintain primal feasibility. We use the MIPLIB 2003 library for the test set. The average time in our run per instance for both Simple Rounding and ZI Round was 0.8 milliseconds, but ZI Round found more feasible solutions with a the same or better objective value. Also the average time to solve the lp relaxation per instance was 2.2 seconds, so these two rounding heuristics are several magnitudes faster than other heuristics which must use the lp solver, including diving heuristics. We also show that ZI Round performs well on a set covering class and a railway crew scheduling class.
A 256 x 256 2-D array transducer with row-column addressing for 3-D rectilinear imaging

We present simulation and experimental results from a 5-MHz, 256times256 2-D (65536 elements, 38.4times38.4 mm) 2-D array transducer with row-column addressing. The main benefits of this design are a reduced number of interconnects, a modified transmit/receive switching scheme with a simple diode circuit, and an ability to perform volumetric imaging of targets near the transducer with transmit beamforming in azimuth and receive beamforming in elevation. The final dimensions of the transducer were 38.4 mm times 38.4 mm times 300 mum. After a row-column transducer was prototyped, the series resonance impedance was 104 Omega at 5.4 MHz. The measured -6 dB fractional bandwidth was 53% with a center frequency of 5.3 MHz. The SNR at the transmit focus was measured to be 30 dB. At 5 MHz, the average nearest neighbor crosstalk was -25 dB. In this paper, we present 3-D images of both 5 pairs of nylon wires embedded in a clear gelatin phantom and an 8 mm diameter cylindrical anechoic cyst phantom acquired from a 256 times 256 2-D array transducer made from a 1-3 composite. We display the azimuth and elevation B-scans as well as the C-scan for each image. The cross-section of the wires is visible in the azimuth B-scan, and the long axes can be seen in the elevation B-scan and C-scans. The pair of wires with 1-mm axial separation is discernible in the elevational B-scan. When a single wire from the wire target phantom was used, the measured lateral beamwidth was 0.68 mm and 0.70 mm at 30 mm depth in transmit beamforming and receive beamforming, respectively, compared with the simulated beamwidth of 0.55 mm. The cross-section of the cyst is visible in the azimuth B-scan whereas the long axes can be seen as a rectangle in the elevation B-scan and C-scans.
Hematogenous histoplasmosis in the immunocompromised child.

Hematogenous (disseminated) histoplasmosis occurred in 31 of 4158 children with cancer or immune deficiency disorders. Approximately half of the 31 patients had pulmonary lesions, reacted to the histoplasmin skin test, and generated complement-fixing antibodies to Histoplasma capsulatum . In a comparative study delayed hypersensitivity to histoplasmin was demonstrated in 36 (5.7%) of 634 children at the time of diagnosis of cancer. Patients with cancer who were reactive to histoplasmin before treatment were at no greater, and possibly less, risk for hematogenous histoplasmosis than were nonreactors. All of the 27 patients who received treatment for >1 day recovered; three had recurrences that responded to treatment.
Core structure of aligned chitin fibers within the interlamellar framework extracted from Haliotis rufescens nacre. Part I: Implications for growth and mechanical response

By means of consecutive alkaline and proteolytic treatments of the organic framework’s interlamellar layers extracted from the nacre of H. rufescens, we have exposed a core of aligned parallel chitin fibers. Our findings both verify basic elements of the interlamellar layer structural model of Levi-Kalisman et al. (2001) and extend the more detailed model of Bezares et al. (2008, 2010). We observe via SEM imaging of square millimeter sized samples, which include numerous interlamellar layers and micron sized, yet nanocrystalline, CaCO3 tiles whose native orientation within the shell was first documented, that the chitin fibers in all layers are aligned normal to the growth direction of the shell. Similar alignment has been suggested in the literature for two other classes of mollusks, viz. N. rupertus and P. martensii (Weiner and Traub, 1983; Wada, 1958), suggesting that this may be a more general motif. We find that in order to expose the chitin core it is necessary to first remove protein by an alkaline treatment followed by enzymatic digestion with proteinase-K. We also observe what appear to be the points of traversal of the exposed chitin core by mineral bridges. The implications of these findings touch directly and most specifically upon the expected mechanical properties of organic framework layers such as stiffness and relaxation time constants, viz. they should be planeorthotropic. Single interlamellar layers extracted from nacre should, by implication, also exhibit an orthotropic stiffness. These novel findings provide the structural picture required for a complete anisotropic, time dependent, constitutive description of nacre long thought to be a paradigm of structural optimization. Such a model is briefly described herein and is developed, in full, in Part II of this series.
A Rare and Serious Unforeseen Complication of Cutting Balloon Angioplasty

Cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) is one of the adept ways of treating “in-stent restenosis.” Various complications related to cutting balloon angioplasty have been reported including arterial rupture, delayed perforation and fracture of microsurgical blades. Here we report a very unusual and inadvertent extraction of a stent previously deployed in the ramus intermedius coronary branch by a cutting balloon catheter. This required repeat stenting of the same site for an underlying dissection. Even though stent extraction is a rare complication it can be serious due to dissection, perforation, and closure of the artery. Physicians performing coronary artery interventions would need to be aware of this rare and serious complication especially if any difficulty is encountered while withdrawing the cutting balloon. Therefore, after removal, cutting balloon should be examined thoroughly for possible stent dislodgment or extraction when used for “in-stent restenosis.”
Theophylline toxicity: clinical features of 116 consecutive cases.

Abstract purpose: To examine the predisposing factors, clinical and laboratory characteristics, management, course, and outcome of consecutive cases of theophylline toxicity in an outpatient setting. patients and methods: Toxicology records and hospital charts of consecutive patients with a serum theophylline concentration (STC) greater than 30 mg/L (167 μmol/L) identified in the emergency departments (EDS) of a University Medical Center and a Veterans Administration Medical Center were reviewed. results: Ten percent and 2.8% of 5,557 consecutive STCs measured in the EDs over 2 years were greater than 20 mg/L (111 μmol/L) and greater than 30 mg/L (167 μmol/L), respectively. One hundred sixteen cases with STC greater than 30 mg/L were identified. Fourteen (12%) and 102 (88%) were due to acute overdose and chronic overmedication, respectively. Principal predisposing factors included patient and/or physician dosing errors and conditions or medications that reduce theophylline clearance. One or more toxic manifestations were present in 109 (94%) cases. Fifty percent of patients had mild toxicity, 38% had moderate toxicity, and 7% had severe or life-threatening toxicity. Seven (6%) patients died when STC was still in the toxic range and/or as a result of toxicity. Acute overdose was associated with higher peak STC (p conclusion: Toxic-range STCs are relatively common in the ED population, occur primarily as a result of patient and physician dosing errors, and cause a broad range of toxic manifestations of varying severity. Peak STC correlates with the severity of toxicity and outcome for acute overdose but not chronic overmedication intoxication. Previously published criteria for prophylactic charcoal hemoperfusion accurately identify patients with acute overdose but not patients with chronic overmedication at risk for serious complications and death.
Application And Verification Of Wavelength Scaling For Near Specular Scatter Predictions

When performing scatter measurements, it is always difficult to acquire accurate scatter data close to the specular beam. Most scatterometers are unable to obtain scatter information closer than one or two degrees from specular. In nearly all cases finite detector apertures and instrument background levels are the limiting factors. Since it is impossible to obtain infinitely small detector apertures or scatter-free system optics, an alternative approach to this problem must be used. A wavelength scaling law based on Fourier theory offers such an approach. This paper presents wavelength scaling data with test wavelengths ranging from 0.325 to 10.6 gm. Upon verifying wavelength scaling over common spatial frequency bandwidths, it is shown that scattering information at small angles from specular can be predicted with a high degree of confidence.
Effects of various tachykinins on pituitary LH secretion, feeding, and sexual behavior in the rat.

SUMMARY Our investigations of the four tachykinins tested have shown that NPK characteristically evoked a spectrum of biological effects in male and female rats. NPK suppressed pituitary LH release by inhibiting the release of hypothalamic LHRH, presumably by activation of NK-2 tachykinin receptor subtypes. However, NPK may also act at the level of gonadotrophs to stimulate LH release in male rats. Central injection of NPK rapidly disrupted copulatory behavior in sexually active male rats. NPK also suppressed feeding, but, in this case, peripheral injections were more effective than central injections. Taken together, these observations strongly imply that NPK may be an inhibitory messenger molecule in the hypothalamic control of reproduction, sexual, and feeding behaviors.
Resources for individual and team growth.

ABSTRACT A selected annotated bibliography for parish nurses, health care chaplains, and community clergy is presented. The last section provides references to materials that speak to specific opportunities for ministry that interest these professionals, including aging, bereavement, the sick, counseling for emotional support, and domestic violence.
Plasma Cerenkov Maser

The design of GW level plasma Cherenkov masers is discussed. Using linear and particle simulation computer codes, it is shown that extrapolation of the 0.1 GW level Russian PCM to GW levels can result in decreased microwave generation efficiency. Techniques to increase the efficiency are discussed. Higher energy and thinner beams are shown to increase the efficiency. The result is that a high efficiency ( ~10%), GW level PCM is possible.
Videothoracoscopic wedge excision of the lung

Recent advances in video technology and endoscopic instrumentation have expanded the use of thoracoscopy from diagnosis to treatment of pulmonary parenchymal disease. We recently performed 14 pulmonary wedge excisions using videothoracoscopic techniques in 10 patients (7 women and 3 men). Median age was 60 years (range, 21 to 82 years). Indications were small peripheral solitary pulmonary nodules in 4 patients, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in 4, and recurrent pneumothoraces in 2. Thoracoscopic wedge excisions were accomplished using double-lumen endotracheal anesthesia and a percutaneous stapling device. Tissue diagnosis was obtained in all patients; 6 had benign disease, 3 had metastatic cancer, and 1 had diffuse bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma. Median operating time was 90 minutes (range, 40 to 140 minutes). There were no operative deaths. The single complication was a prolonged air leak. Median hospitalization was 5 days (range, 3 to 16 days). All patients returned to full activity within 10 days of discharge. Median follow-up was 6 months (range, 5 to 8 months). We conclude that videothoracoscopic wedge excision is a safe and effective procedure for selected small peripheral indeterminate pulmonary nodules, diffuse interstitial lung diseases, and recurrent spontaneous pneumothoraces. Further evaluation and prospective studies are indicated.
Arithmetic and Fourier transform for the PYXIS multi-resolution digital Earth model

This paper investigates a multi-resolution digital Earth model called PYXIS, which was developed by PYXIS Innovation Inc. The PYXIS hexagonal grids employ an efficient hierarchical labeling scheme for addressing pixels. We provide a recursive definition of the PYXIS grids, a systematic approach to the labeling, an algorithm to add PYXIS labels, and a discussion of the discrete Fourier transform on PYXIS grids.
Decreased uptake and altered subcellular disposition of testicular cadmium as possible mechanisms of resistance to cadmium-induced testicular necrosis in inbred mice.

Abstract Mechanisms responsible for resistance to Cd-induced testicular necrosis in inbred mice were investigated using strains resistant (A/J) or susceptible (129/J) to Cd-induced testicular damage. Cadmium accumulation was measured in testes of both strains 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after intravenous injection of 1 μmol 109CdCl2/kg. The subcellular disposition of Cd was determined at 15 min, 6 h and 24 h by fractionation of testicular cytosol on Sephadex G-75 Superfine. Testicular accumulation of Cd was 5–6 times less in A/J mice than in 129/J mice at all time points examined. Gel filtration revealed 4 Cd-binding peaks; in both strains testicular Cd was bound to a protein with a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 30 000 and to metallothionein (MT). The fraction of the total testicular Cd bound to the 30 000 Mr protein was similar in both strains after 15 min (13–18%) and declined rapidly to 5–7% by 6 h. A/J testes had a significantly greater fraction of the total Cd bound to MT both 15 min and 6 h after dosing than 129/J testes (34% vs. 20% at 15 min; 38% vs. 24% at 6h). By 24 h both strains had approximately 43% of the total testicular Cd bound to MT. The results indicate 2 possible mechanisms of resistance to Cd-induced testicular necrosis in inbred mice: decreased testicular Cd uptake and sequestration of a greater fraction of the tissue Cd by MT.
ALTERED KINETICS OF TAP-1 GENE EXPRESSION IN MACROPHAGES FOLLOWING STIMULATION WITH BOTH IFN-GAMMA AND LPS

With recent studies suggesting a key role for professional antigen presenting cells in the induction of major histocompatibility class I cellular immune responses, we initiated studies on the regulation of Tap-1 and Tap-2 gene expression in macrophages. Stimulation of the human macrophage cell line THP-1 with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) resulted in maximal induction of both Tap-1 and Tap-2 mRNA within 24 hr. Nuclear run-on analyses showed that the increased expression of Tap-1 and Tap-2 was controlled at the level of transcription. Half-life studies demonstrated that mRNAs for both genes became destabilized after stimulation of THP-1 cells with IFN-gamma for 24 hr, suggesting that a posttranscriptional mechanism down-regulates TAP gene expression following activation. Treatment of cells with both IFN-gamma and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) altered the kinetics and amount of Tap-1 mRNA and protein expression, compared to those with stimulation with IFN-gamma alone. These data suggest that LPS enhances the ability of macrophages stimulated with IFN-gamma to initiate a cellular immune response by altering the kinetics of TAP gene expression.