cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Particle Dispersion and Mass Transfer in Turbulent Shear Flows

DNS of condensation mass transfer in particle-laden incompressible turbulent mixing layers are performed. The flows are comprised of a particle-free condensable vapor mixing with micron-size porous particles. Simulations are performed at a single Reynolds number while varying the particle Stokes number, the mass transfer and convective time scales, and the vapor concentration at the particle surface. Convection-enhanced mass transfer and the surface concentration at the gas/particle interface are of great importance in accurately predicting gas–particle mass transfer rates. Particle slip velocities are varied by considering different particle Stokes numbers. Simulations utilizing the “perfect sink” assumption are compared with simulations in which the non-zero, steady-state surface concentration is calculated taking into account the sorption properties of porous particles. Results indicate that particle dispersion is greater at lower particle Stokes numbers. However the increased particle slip velocity in the higher particle Stokes number flows result in increased condensation. Furthermore, results show that the perfect sink assumption leads to an overprediction in the condensation mass transfer rate.
Fiscal decentralization and institutional quality on the business environment

Abstract Using country panel data from 2004 to 2012, we empirically analyze the effect of fiscal decentralization on the likelihood of business-friendly environments. Our results show that fiscal decentralization improves the business environment and the effect is strongest among lower-income countries.
Weed 'Em and Reap? Deselection of Political Science Books

Abstract Weeding academic library collections is widely acknowledged as a necessary and beneficial, but difficult, task. Little research has been done on how librarians approach weeding for a particular academic subject area and how they apply general weeding plans and criteria to a specific subject. This project examines the weeding practices of librarians with responsibility for managing book collections in political science and related disciplines through the use of a survey about their weeding experiences and perspectives. While survey respondents expressed similar motivations for weeding, the obstacles they encounter, and their approaches to developing weeding projects to those outlined in the literature, respondents were more confident about weeding and do it more frequently than one would expect from prior scholarship. Open text responses gave insight into how librarians apply broad and subjective weeding criteria, such as currency and relevance, to their politics-related collections.
ASSESSMENT OF TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC DILATATION IN THE SETTING OF AN OTHERWISE NORMAL MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION SCAN WITH CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Transient ischemic dilation (TID) on myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has been recognized as specific indicator for multi-vessel coronary artery disease, especially in the setting of concomitant perfusion defects. The clinical significance of TID in an otherwise normal MPI has been a subject of
Evaluating the MicroRNA Targeting Sites by Luciferase Reporter Gene Assay

MicroRNAs are post-transcriptional regulators that control mRNA stability and the translation efficiency of their target genes. Mature microRNAs are approximately 22-nucleotide in length. They mediate post-transcriptional gene regulation by binding to the imperfect complementary sequences (a.k.a. microRNA regulatory elements, MRE) in the target mRNAs. It is estimated that more than one-third of the protein-coding genes in the human genome are regulated by microRNAs. The experimental methods to examine the interaction between the microRNA and its targeting site(s) in the mRNA are important for understanding microRNA functions. The luciferase reporter gene assay has recently been adapted to test the effect of microRNAs. In this chapter, we use a previously identified miR-138 targeting site in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the RhoC mRNA as an example to describe a quick method for testing the interaction of microRNA and mRNA.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and incident pregnancy loss: The LIFE Study

Abstract Background Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have not been studied in relation to incident pregnancy loss in human populations, despite their ubiquitous exposure and purported reproductive toxicity. Objectives To investigate the association between preconception serum PBDE concentrations and incident pregnancy loss. Methods A preconception cohort of 501 couples was followed while trying to become pregnant, and for whom serum concentrations of 10 PBDE congeners were measured using gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Pregnancy was prospectively identified as a positive home pregnancy test on the day of expected menstruation. Incident pregnancy loss was defined for 344 singleton pregnancies as a conversion to a negative home pregnancy test, menses, or clinical diagnosis depending upon gestational age. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for individual and summed PBDEs and incident pregnancy loss, adjusting for relevant covariates and male partners’ information. In sensitivity analyses, inverse probability weighting was used to account for couples not becoming pregnant and, thereby, not at risk for loss. Results The incidence of prospectively observed pregnancy loss was 28%, and the serum concentrations of PBDE congeners in females were consistently associated with a higher hazard of incident pregnancy loss. Specifically, statistically significant hazard ratios (HRs) for incident pregnancy loss were observed for lower brominated PBDE congeners: 17 (HR 1.23; CI: 1.07–1.42), 28 (HR 1.25; CI: 1.03–1.52), 66 (HR 1.23; CI: 1.07–1.42), and homolog triBDE (HR: 1.25; CI: 1.05–1.49). Findings were robust to various model specifications explored in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Maternal preconception serum concentrations of specific PBDE congeners may increase the hazard of incident pregnancy.
Non-Academic Careers for STS Graduate Students: Hopping off the Tenure Track

Science, Technology & Society (STS) graduate programs primarily train graduate students to work in tenure track academic jobs. However, there are not enough tenure track academic jobs to match the supply of STS graduate students, nor does every STS graduate student want to become an academic. As a start to addressing these challenges, we hosted workshops before the 2017 Society for the Annual Meeting of the Society Studies of Science and the 2018 ST Global conference. In those workshops, panelists with PhDs in STS and related fields and working in non-academic faculty careers such as government agencies, non-profit foundations, and industry emphasized that students must showcase how their skills are useful to non-academic organizations. The panelists offered a wealth of stories on how their STS perspective supported their careers, yet most had faced implicit and explicit mentoring from STS faculty that ran counter to their career aspirations. The conversations centered on reframing research and conveying to potential employers how their STS training would support their future careers. A takeaway point that resonated with many participants was the need for STS graduate programs to rethink how they market themselves, recruit students, and critically reflect upon the measures of success. By implicitly steering graduate students solely towards an academic career, STS graduate training will miss an opportunity to make a positive impact on society.
Free-form micro-optical elements heat up

Engineering the thermal profile of a polymer by means of conducting microwires provides a path towards versatile tunable optical elements.
Telemedicine, a tool for follow-up of infants discharged from the NICU? Experience from a pilot project

Follow-up of infants from the NICU by neonatologist is limited to premature and complicated infants although parents of infants with advanced gestation may have concerns as well. We compared parental questions of infants < 35 weeks gestation (group A), during virtual telemedicine visits, to ≥35 week infants (group B). In a retrospective cohort study, questions asked by parents were extracted from the electronic medical record of all infants post discharge from the NICU, after their pediatrician visit. Gestation and birth weight of infants in group A were significantly lower than group B but their stay was longer. There were no significant differences in the number of parents who had questions, between the groups (A 68.1% vs B 67.3%, p = 0.91, 95% CI 0.46–1.99, OR = 0.96). Telemedicine is a feasible tool for follow-up of NICU infants post discharge. Parents of infants with advanced gestation and weight may benefit from NICU follow-up.
Response surface models: To reduce or not to reduce?

In classical response surface methodology, the optimization step uses a small number of important factors. However, in practice, experimenters sometimes fit a second-order model without previous ex...
EFFICACY OF PRIMARY SURGICAL VERSUS MEDICAL INTERVENTION FOR TREATMENT OF LEFT-SIDED INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS

Background Left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Our primary aim is to compare clinical outcomes of staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal IE patients who undergo valve replacement surgery and outcomes of patients who are treated solely with antibiotics. Methods All patients were treated medically or surgically for left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, or enterococcal IE at our institution from 1998 to 2014 and were retrospectively studied. The primary outcome of interest was 30-day and 1-year mortality, and secondary outcomes included posttreatment septic shock, embolic events, stroke, and end-stage renal disease at 30 days. Inverse probability treatment weights, derived from propensity scores, were used to balance the medical and surgical cohorts across clinical risk factors, The Society of Thoracic Surgeon scores, and pathogens. Outcomes were compared comprehensively and in a staphylococcal-only subanalysis. Results Study population consisted of 245 surgical patients and 164 medical patients. Mortality at 30 days was higher in the medical cohort, both in aggregate and for staphylococcal only (all, 7% vs 16%, P Conclusions Compared with medical management, valve replacement surgery in patients with left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, or enterococcal IE appears to confer a survival advantage at 30 days and 1 year.
Ehrlichia chaffeensis Uses an Invasin To Suppress Reactive Oxygen Species Generation by Macrophages via CD147-Dependent Inhibition of Vav1 To Block Rac1 Activation.

ABSTRACT The obligatory intracellular pathogen Ehrlichia chaffeensis lacks most factors that could respond to oxidative stress (a host cell defense mechanism). We previously found that the C terminus of Ehrlichia surface invasin, entry-triggering protein of Ehrlichia (EtpE; EtpE-C) directly binds mammalian DNase X, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell surface receptor and that binding is required to induce bacterial entry and simultaneously to block the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by host monocytes and macrophages. However, how the EtpE-C−DNase X complex mediates the ROS blockade was unknown. A mammalian transmembrane glycoprotein CD147 (basigin) binds to the EtpE-DNase X complex and is required for Ehrlichia entry and infection of host cells. Here, we found that bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) from myeloid cell lineage-selective CD147-null mice had significantly reduced Ehrlichia-induced or EtpE-C-induced blockade of ROS generation in response to phorbol myristate acetate. In BMDM from CD147-null mice, nucleofection with CD147 partially restored the Ehrlichia-mediated inhibition of ROS generation. Indeed, CD147-null mice as well as their BMDM were resistant to Ehrlichia infection. Moreover, in human monocytes, anti-CD147 partially abrogated EtpE-C-induced blockade of ROS generation. Both Ehrlichia and EtpE-C could block activation of the small GTPase Rac1 (which in turn activates phagocyte NADPH oxidase) and suppress activation of Vav1, a hematopoietic-specific Rho/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor by phorbol myristate acetate. Vav1 suppression by Ehrlichia was CD147 dependent. E. chaffeensis is the first example of pathogens that block Rac1 activation to colonize macrophages. Furthermore, Ehrlichia uses EtpE to hijack the unique host DNase X-CD147-Vav1 signaling to block Rac1 activation. IMPORTANCEEhrlichia chaffeensis is an obligatory intracellular bacterium with the capability of causing an emerging infectious disease called human monocytic ehrlichiosis. E. chaffeensis preferentially infects monocytes and macrophages, professional phagocytes, equipped with an arsenal of antimicrobial mechanisms, including rapid reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation upon encountering bacteria. As Ehrlichia isolated from host cells are readily killed upon exposure to ROS, Ehrlichia must have evolved a unique mechanism to safely enter phagocytes. We discovered that binding of the Ehrlichia surface invasin to the host cell surface receptor not only triggers Ehrlichia entry but also blocks ROS generation by the host cells by mobilizing a novel intracellular signaling pathway. Knowledge of the mechanisms by which ROS production is inhibited may lead to the development of therapeutics for ehrlichiosis as well as other ROS-related pathologies.
Standard-Cell Scaling Framework with Guaranteed Pin-Accessibility

With the scaling of VLSI technologies, the design-technology co-optimization (DTCO) requires prompt development of standard cell libraries to explore scaling effects of various cell architectures. However, standard cell layout design demands holistic efforts for processing transistor placement and in-cell routing due to the limited routing tracks and complicated design rules. Thus, an automatic design framework of standard cell layout became essential in the advanced scaling. Conventional heuristic/divide-and-conquer approaches lack the optimality of solutions because of the limited solution space. In this paper, we propose a novel standard cell scaling framework that simultaneously finds an optimal solution in placement and routing with the pin-accessibility. To ensure the minimum number of pin-access points, we devise strict Boolean counter-based design constraints. We validate our framework using scaling parameters and cell architectures across sub-7nm technology nodes.
Disparities in precision medicine—Examining germline genetic counseling and testing patterns among men with prostate cancer

Abstract Introduction This study sought to examine whether germline genetic counseling and testing were employed differentially among men with prostate cancer by race and/or ethnicity and other social factors. Methods In this retrospective analysis, all patients with prostate cancer listed as a visit diagnosis during the study period (April 2011 to August 2020) were identified from electronic health records. Patient characteristics were collected along with genetic counselor visits and germline genetic testing results in electronic health records. Multivariable analyses were performed with the primary outcome defined as the receipt of a genetic counseling visit and receipt of genetic testing. Results A total of 14,610 patients with a prostate cancer diagnosis code were identified. The majority of patients were White (72%), aged >=65 years (62.7%), English-speaking (95%), married (71.4%), and publicly insured (58.7%). A total of 667 patients completed an appointment with a genetic counselor. A total of 439 patients received germline genetic test result, of whom 403 (91.8%) had also completed an appointment with a genetic counselor. Patients that were 65 years or older (adjusted odds ratio 0.53, 95%CI 0.44–0.65) and non-English proficient (adjusted odds ratio 0.71, 95%CI 0.42–1.21) were less likely to receive genetic counseling. Receiving genetic counseling was the strongest independent predictor of receipt of genetic testing. Conclusions The results of the current study highlight that the role of social factors in contributing to disparities in genetic counseling and testing among men with prostate cancer. These results underscore the importance of developing novel strategies to tackle contributors of observed disparities including language, age, and insurance status.
Measurement and Quality of Wool Mordant Effluent

Three mordant concentrations, 7%, 12%, and 17% by the weight of fiber (wof) were examined. The effluent characteristics of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) were also measured. ASTM D5673-16 Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry was used to measure the Al ions in the treated liquors and in the substrates. COD and TOC were measured using the COD 8000 method and the TOC analyzer. Both for fabric and yarn, the Al remaining in the substrate decreased with an increase in PAS. The 7% wof PAS concentration was significantly more efficient (p<0.050) compared to the often recommended 12% concentration. This research supports the use of PAS as a mordant for the selected wool substrates when the effluent is neutralized. Further studies could investigate lower concentrations of PAS, the feasibility of reusing the treated liquors, and the impact of PAS amount to dye color parameters.
Individual Molecular Motors use Low Forces to bypass Roadblocks during Collective Cargo Transport

Abstract A cargo encounters many obstacles during its transport by molecular motors as it moves throughout the cell. Multiple motors on the cargo exert forces to steer the cargo to its destination. Measuring these forces is essential for understanding intracellular transport. Using kinesin as an example, we measured the force exerted by multiple stationary kinesins in vitro, driving a common microtubule. We find that individual kinesins generally exert less than a piconewton (pN) of force, even while bypassing obstacles, whether these are artificially placed 20-100 nm particles or tau, a Microtubule Associated Protein. We demonstrate that when a kinesin encounters an obstacle, the kinesin either becomes dislodged and then re-engages or switches protofilaments while the other kinesins continue to apply their (sub-)pN forces. By designing a high-throughput assay involving nanometer-resolved multicolor-fluorescence and a force-sensor able to measure picoNewtons of force, our technique is expected to be generally useful for many different types of molecular motors.
Economic Geography of U.S. Apparel Trade: Home Market and Vertical Linkage Effects

A partial equilibrium trade model is used to test the role of vertical linkages and home market effects on the pattern of U.S. apparel trade, while controlling for trade costs and comparative advan...
Role of color flow Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of acute scrotal pain

Color flow Doppler ultrasound is a critical tool in the assessment of the scrotum. Ultrasound is the first-line imaging modality and can rapidly differentiate between surgical and nonsurgical conditions, allowing for appropriate and prompt patient management. We review the role of color flow Doppler in the evaluation of acute scrotal pain, highlighting some of the most commonly seen pathologies such as epididymo-orchitis and testicular torsion.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in ovarian cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Abstract Purpose To determine the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and define clinical risk factors associated with the development of new-onset VTE in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for ovarian cancer (OC). Methods An institutional ovarian cancer database was used to identify all OC patients receiving NACT from 04/2015–09/2018. VTE events were recorded and included clinically diagnosed deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). The incidence of VTE events was categorized according to treatment phases (P): P0) First visit/prior to induction of NACT; P1) during NACT before interval debulking surgery (IDS); P2) intraoperative through day 28 post-IDS; P3) during adjuvant chemotherapy. Results A total of 290 patients were identified during the study period. Seventy-five (25.9%) developed a VTE at some point from time of presentation through the peri-operative period. Forty (13.8%) presented with VTE prior to initiation of NACT. An additional 27 (11.6%) developed a VTE during NACT (P1); 6 (3.9%) during the intraoperative and 28-day post-operative period (P2); and 2 (1.3%) during the adjuvant period (P3). The overall VTE rate was 25.9% (n = 75). FIGO stage IV disease was the only factor associated with increased risk for a new-onset VTE [Odds Ratio (OR): 3.9 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.2–13.6; p = 0.03]. Conclusions Patients receiving NACT for advanced OC are at extremely high risk for developing thromboembolic events, either at initial presentation or during induction of NACT, a treatment phase that is traditionally without use of prophylactic anticoagulation. Since Khorana scoring is not predictive in this population, clinicians might need to consider increased screening or use of prophylactic anticoagulation in patients receiving NACT for OC, particularly in advanced metastatic disease.
The practice of government public relations

Introduction Grant Neeley and Kendra Stewart Government Public Relations: What Is It Good For? Mordecai Lee REACHING THE CITIZENRY: THE TOOLS OF GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS Media Relations Jerome Sadow Government Websites Napoleon Byars Public Information Campaigns Jenifer E. Kopfman and Amanda Ruth-McSwain Crisis Public Relations for Government Communicators Brooke Fisher Liu and Abbey Blake Levenshus Web 2.0 Leila Sadeghi MANAGING GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS Strategic Communication Planning Diana Knott Martinelli Ethics in Government Public Relations Shannon A. Bowen Doing Right and Avoiding Wrong with the Law and Politicians Kevin R. Kosar Internal Public Relations for Personal and Program Success Anne Zahradnik Using Monitoring and Evaluation to Measure Public Affairs Effectiveness Maureen Taylor Conclusion Grant Neeley and Kendra Stewart CD-ROM Contents: Chapter 5 Checklist Jenifer E. Kopfman and Amanda Ruth-McSwain Chapter 6 Additional Resources Brooke Fisher Liu and Abbey Blake Levenshus Chapter 7 Checklist Leila Sadeghi Chapter 8 PowerPoint (R) Presentation Diana Knott Martinelli Chapter 8 Workbook Pages Diana Knott Martinelli Chapter 10 Addendum Kevin R. Kosar Case Study: Information Wars in Russian Politics Elena Denezhkina and Paul Dezendorf Case Study: Sex Offender at the Recreation Complex Grant Neeley Case Study: An Illustration of the Impact of Active Community Engagement and Information Targeting Rock Hill, South Carolina Scott Huffman and Paul Dezendorf Case Study: Government Public Relations and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services Website Meg Warnemen
Steklov-Poincaré skinning

We introduce a novel and efficient simulation technique for generating physics-based skinning animations of skeleton-driven characters with full support for collision handling. Although physics-based approaches may use a volumetric (e.g. tetrahedral) flesh model, operations such as rendering, collision processing and user manipulation directly involve only the surface of this mesh. Motivated by this fact we define an elastic model of the skin surface which, while directly using only the surface degrees of freedom, exhibits a mechanical response that captures the full volumetric flesh behavior. We achieve this unusual result by combining three fundamental contributions: First, we present a material model which offers a plausible approximation to corotational elasticity at significantly reduced cost, by computing local rotations via procedural skinning rather than deriving them from the mesh deformation; the result is a force model which is affine on vertex positions, with coefficients dependent on the skeletal pose (but not on the deformation). Second, we use this force model to derive a direct mapping between surface vertex positions and resulting equilibrium forces on the same boundary vertices, which is a discrete version of the Steklov-Poincare operator of the volumetric elastic model. This mapping is conveniently shown to also be affine (with pose-dependent coefficients), but with a dense stiffness matrix which renders direct numerical solution impractical. However, as a third and final step we show how a modified Newton iteration and a skinning-inspired preconditioner can solve the boundary problem with a competitive runtime cost. We assess the efficacy of our solution in simulations of high resolution human flesh models, with full external and self-collision processing.
Constrained Maximum Entropy Methods in an Image Reconstruction Problem

Maximum entropy and maximum likelihood methods are compared for a simplified version of a medical imaging problem. Iterative reconstructions are tracked by plotting successive values of log-likelihood and entropy, and we find a tradeoff between these two measures of fit. Maximum likelihood is found to fit the data more closely, but maximum entropy creates more reasonable images. We conclude that the former uses the data efficiently, but the latter gives a better choice of image. This reasoning leads to a somewhat Bayesian version of the constrained maximum entropy method of Gull and Daniell (1978). The constraint of that method is interpreted from a Bayesian perspective.
Woman battering and welfare reform : The view from a welfare-to-work program

This research compares employment training program staff estimates (N = 118) and enrollee reports (N = 122) of woman battering, that is, the physical violence and other abuse men deploy against their wives and girlfriends. The vast majority of staff estimate that woman battering obstructs the transition from welfare to work for at least some of their clients. Overall, staff respondents' relative sense of the frequency of battering quite accurately reflects enrollee reports. However, staff are especially reluctant to give estimates of physical violence and injury. Moreover, many give very low estimates for those items that are obvious markers of battering, which enrollees report at nontrivial levels. Such discrepancies are particularly disturbing because successful welfare reform implementation depends in part on staff understandings of woman battering as an obstacle to welfare-to-work transition
Applying Section 2 to the New Vote Denial

Over the past decade, many states have enacted laws that make it more difficult for eligible citizens to vote. In 2006, I labeled such restrictions the “new vote denial,” comparing them to practices that were used to disenfranchise African Americans before enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (“VRA”). Much has happened since then. Voting rights advocates have challenged state voting restrictions under both the Fourteenth Amendment and Section 2 of the VRA, with mixed success. In 2014, the Supreme Court was asked to intervene in four cases involving Section 2 vote denial claims. The Court allowed voting restrictions to take effect in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas, while temporarily stopping Wisconsin’s voter ID law. Yet the legal test governing Section 2 vote denial claims remains uncertain. This article proposes a three-part test for Section 2 vote denial claims, one that builds upon my previous scholarship, the work of other scholars, and decisions by the Supreme Court and lower courts. First, plaintiffs would have to demonstrate that the challenged practice has a disparate impact on minority voters. Second, plaintiffs would have to demonstrate that the disparate impact is traceable to the challenged practice’s interaction with social and historical conditions, including but not limited to intentional discrimination by the state. Third, courts should balance the harm to minority voters against the state’s proffered interests. At this stage, the burden would lie with the state to show by clear and convincing evidence that the challenged practice’s benefits outweigh its harms to voters. Because my proposed test draws on the standard for vote denial claims under the Fourteenth Amendment, its application falls safely within the scope of Congress’ constitutional enforcement power. Section 2 litigation is no panacea, but could serve as an effective shield against some forms of the new vote denial, complementing constitutional claims. Part I of the Article provides background on Section 2, focusing on the uncertainty over the precise standard that should govern burdens on participation. Part II discusses lower court decisions on vote denial claims under Section 2. Part III presents a refined standard for vote denial claims under Section 2, one that addresses practical problems that have emerged in lower court decisions and is consistent with Congress’ enforcement power. Part IV concludes with some observations on benefits and limitations of the race-discrimination model in preserving access to the vote.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—WOMAN'S SEXUAL HEALTH: Prevalence of Psychiatric Illness in Women in an Oncology Sexual Health Population: A Retrospective Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Introduction Oncology patients often present to healthcare providers with a history of pre‐existing psychiatric conditions. Associated treatments are well known to impact sexual functioning. The identification of these confounding conditions and medications is an integral part of the comprehensive management of sexual dysfunction in oncology patients. Aim To report the prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses and agents in an oncology sexual health clinic. Methods A retrospective review was performed using 204 sequential charts of patients who attended the Sexual Health Program at Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer Center from March 2003 through August 2004. Main Outcome Measures All patients were evaluated by a sexual medicine gynecologist and received an extensive medical history, psychosexual assessment, and a focused gynecologic examination. Results Fourteen patients (7%) did not have cancer and were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 190 patients, the median age at initial visit was 48 years (range 22–76) and the majority of patients were menopausal (87%). The most common diagnosis was breast cancer (44%). One hundred twenty‐eight patients (67%) had prior pelvic surgery and 43 (23%) had prior pelvic radiation. The most frequently encountered sexual complaints were dyspareunia (65%), vaginal dryness (63%), hypoactive desire disorder (46%), and orgasmic dysfunction (7%). At initial presentation, 52 patients (27%) reported having a prior or concurrent psychiatric diagnosis and 72 (38%) were taking an anti‐depressant and/or an anxiolytic. Treatment recommendations for sexual dysfunction consisted of psychosexual counseling, psychiatric referral, vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, hormonal therapy with minimally absorbed vaginal estrogen suppositories, vaginal dilators, and/or skilled exercise. Conclusion Psychiatric conditions are commonly encountered in the oncology population as are the medications to treat them. Because it is well established that these medications are often implicated in sexual dysfunction, further research is needed to determine the mechanism of action within the desire pathway of the cancer patient and treatment of such disorders. Amsterdam A, Carter J, and Krychman M. Prevalence of psychiatric illness in women in an oncology sexual health population: a retrospective pilot study. J Sex Med 2006;3:292–295.
The subjective effect of multiple co-channel frequency modulated television interference

As the geostationary orbit/spectrum becomes saturated, there is a need for the ability to reuse frequency assignments. Protection ratios (the ratio of wanted signal power to interfering signal power at the receiver) play a key role in determining efficient frequency reuse plans. A knowledge of the manner in which multiple sources of co-channel interference combine is vital in determining protection ratio requirements such that suitable margin may be allocated for multiple interfering signals. Results of tests examining the subjective assessment of multiple co-channel frequency modulated television signals interfering with another frequency modulated TV system are presented.
Robust Control of a Flexible System - Covering Parametric Uncertainty with a Non-Parametric Model

In this paper we consider the robust control of a free-free Euler-Bernoulli beam model having 20% uncertainty in the modal frequencies. Using the H ? design framework and non-parametric uncertainty models, we design for robust performance. The novelty of this work rests on the fact that we try to reduce the conservatism in using disks to cover the parametric uncertainty.
Primary Malignant Lymphoma Cutis in an Infant: Case Report and Review of Literature

A 6-month-old infant with primary malignant cutaneous lymphoma is presented. The histologic differentiation between benign cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia and cutaneous malignant lymphoma is discussed. Intensive therapy is warranted at the onset because of early dissemination and poor response to treatment after dissemination.
Flexible Terahertz Metamaterials for Frequency Selective Surfaces

While recent years have seen great advances in the generation, detection, and application of terahertz frequency radiation, this region of the electromagnetic spectrum still suffers from a lack of efficient and effective frequency specific optical components. While such terahertz devices do exist, they are often limited by the materials they are based on and a lack of frequency selectivity and tunability. Metamaterial devices can provide frequency resonant behavior in the form of transmissive and reflective filters. Such a frequency selective surface can also be made tunable via the use of a flexible substrate. In this talk, we will highlight work involving the design, fabrication, and characterization of terahertz metamaterial devices based on flexible substrates. Finite element method simulations have been utilized to design a split-ring resonator (SRR) structure on a flexible SU8 polymer substrate with a targeted 250 GHz resonant response. Multiple configurations of SRR arrays have been fabricated on free standing SU8 substrates. These devices have subsequently been characterized using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and imaging systems. The metamaterial devices have shown selective transmission and reflection over a narrow range of frequencies near the targeted resonance at 250 GHz. Details of both the design, fabrication, and characterization will be discussed.
A putative nucleoside triphosphate-binding domain in the nonstructural protein of B19 parvovirus is required for cytotoxicity.

Abstract Cytotoxicity secondary to B19 parvovirus infection is due to expression of the viral nonstructural protein. Nonstructural proteins of many parvoviruses contain a well-conserved nucleoside triphosphate (NTP)-binding motif, which has been shown to be essential for a variety of protein functions. We show here that cytotoxicity of the B19 parvovirus nonstructural protein was abolished by single mutations of amino acids within the NTP-binding domain, especially within the A motif, implicating NTP-binding in virus-induced cell death.
The Electrified Interphase

Whereas homogeneous systems are relatively easily described, cellular processes are heterogeneous and more difficult to describe. Because so many processes occur that require the exchange of components across at least one phase, it is extremely valuable for the biological scientist to have an understanding of the forces and structures that act in the zone of transition between phases. When different phases come in contact with each other, an interface between them occurs. This interface is a surface, and the properties of a surface are different from those of either of the phases responsible for creating it. Additionally, the changeover between phases is never instantaneously abrupt, but instead there is a zone of transition extending from the surface for a finite distance into the bulk of each of the phases where the properties are representative of neither bulk phase. The surface and the regions immediately adjacent are termed the interphase, a very useful distinction. The properties of interphases will be the subsequent focus of this section.
Why Study Social Entrepreneurship

Social Entrepreneurship is a hot topic. Many students are passionate about making a positive difference in the world and wish to channel their passion and intellect into meaningful action. An increasing amount of universities offer opportunities for students to explore social entrepreneurship in the classroom. Many offer ways to engage with community based social enterprises to provide activity-based learning experiences. Still, many students have never really heard of Social Entrepreneurship and to some it may be a “wolf in sheep skin (Bloom & Pirson, 2010; Pirson & Bloom, 2012)” I believe that most students, especially from the new millennial generation will find social entrepreneurship appealing in many ways (Bloom & Pirson, 2010).
HIGH-TEMPERATURE DRYING OF THICK CONCRETE SLABS

The foremost requirement for deep polymer impregnation of thick concrete slabs is thorough drying to remove all evaporable water from the pore system in concrete. To facilitate rapid repair of bridge decks with polymer impregnation, it is desirable to dry the concrete from the surface with surface temperatures not exceedings 700-800°F (370-420°C). A time-temperature-moisture loss study is presented on six 24x24x6-in.(610x610x150-mm) concrete slabs, a 72x72x8-in.(1800x1800x200-mm) slab and a small section of 7-1/2-in. (190-mm) bridge deck. The specimens were dried from one surface using an automated propane gas fired torch assembly. The feasibility of high-temperature drying of concrete without cracking problems is demonstrated and a criterion for safe and rapid drying to the depth of 4-6-in.(100-150-mm) in the field is developed.
Fates of seedling carpets in an Amazonian floodplain forest: intra‐cohort competition or attack by enemies?

Summary 1. The operation of ‘negative density-dependence’ in seedling cohorts in tropical forests is empirically well-established, but only at a phenomenological level that leaves open the question of why seedlings conspecific with an overtopping parent tree experience higher mortality than heterospecifics. The distinction is of theoretical importance because distinct mechanisms are involved. 2. We consider the two most debated possibilities: seedling mortality resulting from classical Lotka–Volterra density-dependence and seedling mortality resulting from the action of biotic agents, as postulated for the Janzen–Connell mechanism. Our study is the first to identify the full spectrum of mortality factors affecting both conspecific and heterospecific members of seedling cohorts. 3. We took advantage of the occurrence of ‘seedling carpets’, dense concentrations of seedlings that appear following fruiting events under reproductive individuals of some species. In these ‘carpets’, seedlings conspecific with the overtopping parent tree predominate numerically, but heterospecific seedlings are also typically present. Here, we investigated the differential survival of conspecific versus heterospecific seedlings under focal trees of four species: Calatola microcarpa (Icacinaceae), Clarisia racemosa (Moraceae), Matisia cordata (Bombacaceae/Malvaceae) and Sorocea pileata (Moraceae). 4. We show that mortality rates of conspecific seedlings are much higher than those of heterospecific seedlings and that most conspecific mortality (64–100%) resulted from host-restricted arthropod herbivores and/or fungal pathogens, whereas the mortality of heterospecific seedlings resulted from a variety of other causes. 5. Synthesis. Conspecific seedlings died following attack by apparently host-restricted arthropods or fungi and eventually experienced 100% mortality. The results are inconsistent with classical intra- and inter-specific competition and consistent with the actions of distance-responsive and/or density-responsive ‘enemies’, as postulated 40 years ago by Janzen and Connell.
An Endangered River Runs Through Us

In the dead of winter a few bald eagles fish in the Iowa River at the Burlington Street Dam. From a narrow window on the third floor of the riverside building where I work, I occasionally look up from my desk and into the intimate design of a six-foot wingspan. On other occasions, deep in thought, I stare with empty eyes at the brown eddies emerging from under the Iowa Avenue bridge until a fuchsia or foamy substance erupts from the drainage pipe across from me. When Fm being a good river citizen, I call Environmental Health Service, quietly demand an answer, and get one. For more than fif teen years, I dwelled in this way beside the Iowa River. In the summer of 2007, I changed. That summer, I saw a list of the ten most endangered rivers in the United States issued by the American Rivers organization. The Iowa River was third on that list. Even though this ranking was as much political strategy as scientific fact, I knew without a doubt that the dangers to the river were real. Borrowing Norman Maclean's lovely title, A River Runs Through It, a bioregional politics of watershed jurisdiction, and a lot of fine people's good work on this and other rivers, I organized three river tours and traveling lectures that I called "An Endangered River Runs Through Us." My fond hope was that in organizing docent-informed bus tours, on-site presentations at locations such as creek testing stations, water treatment plants, and hydrological dams, as well as public lectures in the Iowa River watershed, I could instigate the for mation of a citizens' watershed alliance. The Iowa River runs through a university campus that harbors the expertise to protect it?and it runs through a score of towns and perhaps hundreds of farms from above the city of Iowa Falls in Hardin County to below the confluence with the Cedar River at Columbus Junction. My aim was to set that scientific and technological expertise in motion and bring it to a pub lic that has its own local expertise to give back. From the summer of 2007 through the spring of 2008, two students (Cory Sanderson and
Chapter 1 Principles and Characteristics of Integratable Active and Passive Optical Devices

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the principles and characteristics of integratable active and passive optical devices. Integrated optics is an effort to make optical systems compatible with modern thin-film technology. The objectives of integrated optics have evolved from total optical integration to partial optical integration and from developing an encompassing integrated-optics technology to exploring and realizing guided-wave optical devices that are potentially integratable. The chapter illustrates passive dielectric waveguides, composite waveguide systems that involve interactions between guided waves, and guided-wave control devices. The chapter concludes with a discussion on semiconductor lasers and the problems as well as the prospects of optical integration.
Rehabilitation and Muscle Testing

Measurement of muscle function and strength is an essential component of many neurological and physical exams. Such evaluation of muscle strength is necessary for differential diagnosis, to determine the presence of disability, to plan potential treatments, and to track the effectiveness of treatments. As outcomes-based medical practice bocomes more prevalent, the need for quantitative outcomes assessment of muscle strength will become even more critical. Several assessment techniques and tools are currently available. Manual muscle testing is the most widely used method to assess muscle function, however, its reliability and accuracy are questionable. when greater accuracy of results is needed, instruments are available that provide precise readouts of resistive force that muscle works against (i.e., hand dynamometers, pinch grips, and computer-controlled dynamometers). More advanced muscle asessment methods include mathematical modeling of muscle activity and electromyogram recording of skeletal muscle contractions. Finally, stimulated muscle force assessment is discussed as a versatile approach for quantitative involuntary muscle torque. Keywords: muscle strength; muscle assessment methods; isometric muscle test; muscle torque; manual muscle test; dynamometer; mathematical model; electromyogram; stimulated muscle force assessment
Microscopic treatment of Pauli blocking in strongly damped collisions

Microscopic features of Pauli blocking for the analysis of strongly damped collisions are incorporated by considering the effect of this blocking on the elementary process of random single-nucleon transfer. We discuss a dynamical model with the inclusion of collective degrees of freedom and thermal fluctuation in these degrees of freedom as well as Pauli blocked transfer. Comparing our calculated dσ/dEloss and dσ/dZ with experimental data we find that Pauli blocking is very significant.
Transient switching overvoltages and compatibility of rotating machine insulation

The periodic upsurge of interest in the subject of switching overvoltages is usually based on a limited approach, often without numerate proof of the supposed practical criteria. This article shows that there is adequate background information to permit an informed view to be established, and demonstrates that the potential problem of a lack of understanding between the interrupter and rotating machine manufacturers is not real, although more information on interrupter performance is needed.
All-fiber mode-locked dissipative Thulium-doped fiber laser by optically deposited SWCNTs

Dissipative solitons from an all-fiber Thulium-doped fiber (TDF) ring oscillator are generated by using optically deposited single-wall carbon nanotubes as the saturable absorber (SA) and high numerical aperture (NA) fiber of measured normal dispersion is introduced to produce large net normal dispersion at 1.9μm.
Ultrafiltration of protein and humic substances: effect of solution chemistry on fouling and flux decline

Abstract The rate and extent of adsorption of a protein and a humic acid onto membranes was measured at varying conditions of pH and ionic strength. The resistance-in-series approach was used to calculate reversible and irreversible fouling resistances, which were then compared for static (no flow) and dynamic runs in order to determine the effect of convective flow and electrostatic interactions on fouling behavior. Although convective forces tended to increase the amount of material accumulated near the membrane surface, electrostatic interactions played a stronger role, as evident in the irreversible adsorption results for the static and dynamic cases. Electrostatic interactions affected reversible and irreversible resistances. Both resistances were higher at the isoelectric point (iep) of the protein and decreased at higher pH values. Humic acid adsorption decreased as pH was increased from 4.7 to 10. Humic acid filtration resulted in a higher resistance per unit mass than protein filtration.
Stock-price response to profit sharing in unionized settings

Prior research shows that stock price responds favorably to managerial incentive schemes which lower costs and stimulate growth. This article analyzes the consequence for shareholders of introducing profit sharing in unionized firms. Positive abnormal returns were associated with the announcement of collective agreements incorporating risk-sharing components, especially when the firm was experiencing preexisting financial distress. The realized gains generally exceeded that which could be attributed to strike activity or negotiated wage reductions. However, there was no indication that profit sharing decreased the perceived risk of investing in the firm.