cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical pharmacy services, pharmacist staffing, and drug costs in United States hospitals.

We evaluated direct relationships and associations among clinical pharmacy services, pharmacist staffing, and drug costs in United States hospitals. A database was constructed from the 1992 American Hospital Association's Abridged Guide to the Health Care Field and the 1992 National Clinical Pharmacy Services database. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for severity of illness, was employed to determine the associations. The study population consisted of 934 hospitals. Four clinical pharmacy services were associated with lower drug costs: in-service education, $77,879.19 ± $56,203.42 (a total of $48,518,735.37 for the 623 hospitals offering this service, p=0.016); drug information, $430,579.84 ± $299,232.76 ($90,852,346.24 for the 211 hospitals offering this service, p=0.015); drug protocol management, $137,333.67 ± $98,617.83 ($45,045,443.76 for the 328 hospitals offering this service, p=0.049); and admission drug histories, $213,388.21 ± $201,537.85 ($5,548,093.46 for the 26 hospitals offering this service, p=0.011). As staffing increased for hospital pharmacy administrators (p<0.0001), dispensing pharmacists (p<0.0001), and pharmacy technicians (p<0.0001), drug costs increased. As staffing increased for clinical pharmacists, drug costs decreased (p=0.018). The results of this study show that increased staff levels of clinical pharmacists and some clinical pharmacy services are associated with reduced hospital drug costs.
Evidence That Soil Aluminum Enforces Site Fidelity of Southern New England Forest Trees

Abstract Tree species composition of hardwood forests of the northeastern United States corresponds with soil chemistry, and differential performance along soil calcium (Ca) gradients has been proposed as a mechanism for enforcing this fidelity of species to site. We conducted studies in a southern New England forest to test if surface-soil Ca is more important than other factors in determining survival of seedlings of six common canopy tree species. Our hypothesis was that the calcicole species Acer saccharum and Fraxinus americana would show elevated survival rates at higher Ca levels, and that the calcifuge species A. rubrum, Fagus grandifolia, Quercus rubra, and Tsuga canadensis would show lower survival at high Ca. Other factors examined were 1) exchangeable magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and aluminum (Al); 2) understory light availability; and 3) identity of overstory tree species. In one study, seedlings were transplanted into plots fertilized with Ca or Mg sulfate and survival was measured over 2 ...
Male wing color properties predict the size of nuptial gifts given during mating in the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor)

In many animals, males bear bright ornamental color patches that may signal both the direct and indirect benefits that a female might accrue from mating with him. Here we test whether male coloration in the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor, predicts two potential direct benefits for females: brief copulation duration and the quantity of materials the male passes to the female during mating. In this species, males have a bright iridescent blue field on the dorsal hindwing surface, while females have little or no dorsal iridescence. Females preferentially mate with males who display a bright and highly chromatic blue field on their dorsal hindwing. In this study, we show that the chroma of the blue field on the male dorsal hindwing and male body size (forewing length) significantly predict the mass of material or spermatophore that a male forms within the female’s copulatory sac during mating. We also found that spermatophore mass correlated negatively with copulation duration, but that color variables did not significantly predict this potential direct benefit. These results suggest that females may enhance the material benefits they receive during mating by mating with males based on the coloration of their dorsal hindwing.
Mechanisms of Evolutionary Changes in Timing, Spatial Expression, and mRNA Processing in themsp130Gene in a Direct-Developing Sea Urchin,Heliocidaris erythrogramma

Abstract Developmental processes associated with skeletogenesis differ in the direct-developing sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma from that in Heliocidaris tuberculata and other indirect-developing species. In H. erythrogramma, the differences include ingression of a much higher number of mesenchyme cells, failure of the cells to form the typical ring pattern of cells prior to the onset of skeletogenesis, a significantly reduced larval skeleton, and a delay in timing of expression of the skeletogenic cell-restricted gene msp130. We report that the heterochronic change in msp130 expression is regulated at the level of transcription. By transient expression of reporter constructs containing msp130 promoter regions from direct- and indirect-developing species, we found that this evolutionary change in regulation is consistent with changes in the timing of action of trans -acting factors in skeletogenic mesenchyme cells. We further used these experiments to show that the H. erythrogramma promoter contains elements required for correct spatial expression in the primary mesenchyme cells of an indirect-developing host. We finally show that alternate processing of H. erythrogramma msp130 is thus far specific to this species and not an aspect of adult skeletogenesis.
Test bed evaluation of future power distribution systems with renewable resources

Recently, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has inaugurated an Engineering Research Center dedicated to Future Renewable Electric Energy Distribution Management (FREEDM). The premise of the center is to enable the utilization of renewable resources in power distribution systems through the utilization of solid state controllers and direct digital control. The center is at an initial stage and the focus of some effort is on the development of a test bed that will allow the evaluation of alternative system configurations, controls, solid state controllers, and operations strategies. This paper describes some of those considerations and the requirements for a test bed for a future power distribution system with renewable resources.
Understanding Child Sexual Abuse by Catholic Priests from a Situational Perspective

Most sexual offense research focuses on offender motivation and individual risk factors rather than the criminal events themselves. This article provides an analysis of data from two studies on child sexual abuse by Catholic priests to help understand the opportunities clergy had or created to abuse youth. Findings show that situational factors played a role in victim choice among a heterogeneous group of abusers. Priests abused more male than female victims and had significantly greater access to male youth historically. When access to female youth increased in the 1990s, abuse of females as a percentage of victims also increased. The article concludes with a discussion about how ecological information can be used to craft intervention policies to prevent sexual offenses.
The Dance of Closeness-Distance in Couple Relationships after the Death of a Parent

In-depth interviews of 18 couples focused on the couple relationship after a partner experienced the death of a parent. Working from a view of couple relationships as involving a dance of closeness...
Computing tertiary structures of proteins.

Using only data on sequence, a method of computing a low-resolution tertiary structure of a protein is described. The steps are: (a) Estimate the distances of individual residues from the centroid of the molecule, using data on hydrophobicity and additional geometrical constraints. (b) Using these distances, construct a two-valued matrix whose elements, the distances between residues, are greater or less thanR, the radius of the molecule. (c) Optimize to obtain a three-dimensional structure. This procedure requires modest computing facilities and is applicable to proteins with 164 residues and presumably more. It produces structures withr (correlation between inter-residue distances in the computed and native structures) between 0.5 and 0.7. Furthermore, correct inference of two or three long-range contacts suffices to yield structures withr values of 0.8–0.9. Because segments forming parallel or antiparallel folding structures intersect the radius vector at similar angles, from centroidal point distances it is possible to infer some of these long-range contacts by an elaboration of the procedure used to construct the input matrix. A criterion is also described which can be used to determine the quality of a proposed input matrix even when the native structure is not known.
Occurrence of the Copepod Parasite Lernaea cyprinacaea in a Stream Fish Population

Abstract Although Lernaea cyprinacaea is often an epizootic in lakes, ponds, and hatcheries, its occurrence and intensity of infection in a central Tennessee stream system were quite low. Ten of the 13 species of fish collected in the Blackburn Fork watershed (Tennessee) were infected and intensity of infection was highest during the warmest of the seasons. There was also a tendency for the rate of infection to be higher in fish from smaller streams. Adult female L. cyprinacaea showed a definite affinity for attachment to the host fish body near the base of a fin.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR OF CASEIN SOLUTIONS

The experiments on casein solutions therefore confirm the conclusion at which we arrived from the behavior of gelatin and crystalline egg albumin that the forces determining the combination between proteins and acids or alkalies are the same forces of primary valency which also determine the reaction between acids and alkalies with crystalloids, and that the valency and not the nature of the ion in combination with a protein determines the effect on the physical properties of the protein.
Macroscopic and modern microscopic NDE methods for adhesive-bonded structures

Abstract Unlike mechanical tests, NDE methods cannot be used to obtain direct strength information. However, these methods can detect various types of flaw in adhesive joints and therefore predict the performance of the structure. Some of the methods can also be used to follow the curing processes in complex joints and the rates and mechanisms of water or solvent penetration into adhesive joints. Most of the early methods were developed for metal-to-metal joints, honeycomb structures or composite materials used in the aerospace industry. These typically macroscopic techniques include acoustic, thermographic, holographic and most of the ultrasonic and radiographic methods. More recently, microscopic techniques have been developed for problems existing in other industries and in adhesivess research and in other industries and in adhesives research and development. These methods include ultrasonic microscopy, computed X-ray tomography and NMRI . The importance of the NDE methods will increase during the next few years, because of the increasingly widespread use of adhesives in various demanding applications. Development in NDE methods can also be expected to be fast and the resolution, sensitivity and speed of evaluation will improve with computer-controlled methods.
Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait

John H. Holliday, D.D.S., better known as Doc Holliday, has become a legendary figure in the history of the American West. In "Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait", Karen Holliday Tanner reveals the real man behind the legend. Shedding light on Holliday's early years, in a prominent Georgia family during the Civil War and Reconstruction, she examines the elements that shaped his destiny: his birth defect, the death of his mother and estrangement from his father, and the diagnosis of tuberculosis, which led to his journey west. The influence of Holliday's genteel upbringing never disappeared, but it was increasingly overshadowed by his emerging western personality. Holliday himself nurtured his image as a frontier gambler and gunman.Using previously undisclosed family documents and reminiscences as well as other primary sources, Tanner documents the true story of Doc's friendship with the Earp brothers and his run-ins with the law, including the climactic shootout at the O.K. Corral and its aftermath. This first authoritative biography of Doc Holliday should appeal both to historians of the West and to general readers who are interested in his poignant story.
Market signaling: An example of a two-person decision problem with a dynamic information structure

An economic model of the job market is formulated as a two-person decision problem with dynamic information structure. The role of the decentralized information is investigated in terms of finding equilibrium solutions and properties of these solutions, such as stability, multiple solutions, and threshold effects of signaling cost and noise.
Tactile Stimulus Fading in Treating Vaginismus

Severe vaginismus in a 22-year-old married female was successfully treated by systematically fading in tactile stimuli which successively approximated intra-vaginal penile stimulation. Prior trials with a gynecological dilator and a course of standard imaginal and in vivo desensitization had been unsuccessful. In the present treatment, new stimulus steps were interspersed with previously conditional stimulus steps and were introduced during performance of the desired terminal behavior (i.e., during sexual intercourse-like sensory-motor behavior of the patient). Fading is briefly compared to standard methods of introducing hierarchy items.
Short- and Long-Term Cognitive Outcomes in Intensive Care Unit Survivors

Evidence increasingly suggests that cognitive impairment is common in intensive care unit survivors, although the nature, severity, and natural history remain unclear. Although the cognitive impairments improve over time in some individuals, they often fail to completely abate. While the functional correlates of these impairments are under-studied, cognitive impairments may adversely impact quality of life, ability to return to work or to work at previously established levels, and ability to function effectively in emotional and interpersonal domains. The potential etiologies of cognitive impairments in intensive care unit survivors are not fully understood and are likely heterogeneous and vary widely across patients. The contributions of these many factors may be particularly significant in patients with pre-existing vulnerabilities for the development of cognitive impairments, such as mild cognitive impairment, dementia, prior traumatic brain injury, or other comorbid disorders, as well as predisposing genetic factors.
Disinfection by-product formation and mitigation strategies in point-of-use chlorination of turbid and non-turbid waters in western Kenya.

In drinking water catchments, reduction of pathogen loads delivered to reservoirs is an important priority for the management of raw source water quality. To assist with the evaluation of management options, a process-based mathematical model (pathogen catchment budgets - PCB) is developed to predict Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. coli loads generated within and exported from drinking water catchments. The model quantifies the key processes affecting the generation and transport of microorganisms from humans and animals using land use and flow data, and catchment specific information including point sources such as sewage treatment plants and on-site systems. The resultant pathogen catchment budgets (PCB) can be used to prioritize the implementation of control measures for the reduction of pathogen risks to drinking water. The model is applied in the Wingecarribee catchment and used to rank those sub-catchments that would contribute the highest pathogen loads in dry weather, and in intermediate and large wet weather events. A sensitivity analysis of the model identifies that pathogen excretion rates from animals and humans, and manure mobilization rates are significant factors determining the output of the model and thus warrant further investigation.
Three-Dimensional Solar Wind Modeling Using Remote-Sensing Data

We have developed a computer-assisted tomography (CAT) technique that iteratively modifies a kinematic solar wind model to least-squares fit heliospheric remote sensing observations (interplanetary scintillation and Thomson-scattering observations). These remote sensing data cover a large range of solar elongations, and access high-latitude regions over the solar poles. The technique can be applied to a time-independent solar wind model, assuming strict co-rotation, or, when sufficient remote sensing observations are available, to a time-dependent model. For the time-dependent case the technique depends primarily on outward motion of structures in the solar wind to provide the perspective views required for a tomographic reconstruction. We show results of corotating tomographic reconstructions primarily using IPS velocity observations from the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory (STELab, Nagoya, Japan), and include comparisons with in situ velocity data out of the ecliptic (Ulysses) and in the ecliptic (ACE).
Multi-Layer Barrel-Wound Foil Winding Design

Multi-layer windings can effectively decrease losses in high-frequency inductors and transformers in many applications. A simple way to achieve lower losses in barrel-wound foil windings for transformers, by incorporating multiple layers with proper interchange of layer positions to ensure the same flux and current in each layer, is introduced. This method of layer interchange has already been applied to toroidal inductors and in this paper it is shown how to modify it to apply it to barrel-wound foil windings such as windings on E-E cores, pot cores and U-U cores.
A new analytical reaction for ascorbic acid

Abstract In two drops of a test solution, which was treated with a nitrite, as little as 50 μg of ascorbic acid developed a red color with a pellet of potassium hydroxide. Cystine, glutathione, and many other constituents of plant- and animal-body fluids did not give this test. Unlike glucose, fructose interfered with the test. Large quantities of tannic acid or cysteine in an acidic medium gave a red color with a nitrite. The color due to cysteine was destroyed by shaking vigorously with 6 N nitric acid or by adding solid potassium hydroxide. Tannic acid was separated from ascorbic acid by dissolving lead acetate in the test solution, saturating it with hydrogen sulfide, and filtering.
Massively parallel localization of pulsed signal transitions using a GPU

Computer clock speeds which had been increasing tremendously over years is now slowing down and has reached its limit of saturation. In order to overcome this saturation of the clock speed, aggressively pursuing optimizations techniques are being developed to get more work done in each clock cycle in favor of parallel computing and concurrent programming. The GPUs massive parallel computing is now evolving as significantly faster processor than any other multi-core processors. The measurement analysis algorithm also has to be modified in order to make use of this parallelism. This paper presents one such measurement analysis, transition localization, which basically computes the high to low and vice versa transitions of a stream of signals in parallel. Measuring signals have dependencies on their previous signals when computed serially. However, now there is a parallel solution developed on the GPU which not only makes this algorithm efficient but also faster than any multi-core processors.
A spectral integral method for periodic and nonperiodic structures

For a homogeneous scatterer with arbitrary geometry in free space, the surface integral equation method is a powerful tool to calculate the scattered electromagnetic fields. The method of moments (MoM) is a classical method for solving such integral equations, and has recently been accelerated by the fast multipole method (FMM). We propose a spectral integral method as an alternative way of solving the surface integral equation efficiently. We apply it to both periodic and nonperiodic electromagnetic problems involving PEC and dielectric objects. The main ingredients of the method are the use of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm and the subtraction of singularities in Green's functions to achieve a spectral accuracy in the integral. The accuracy and efficiency of the method is markedly improved from the method of moments as the sampling density can be reduced to less than three points per wavelength. The method can be further extended to three dimensions.
A Computational Geometry Approach to Automated Pulmonary Fissure Segmentation in CT Examinations

Identification of pulmonary fissures, which form the boundaries between the lobes in the lungs, may be useful during clinical interpretation of computed tomography (CT) examinations to assess the early presence and characterization of manifestation of several lung diseases. Motivated by the unique nature of the surface shape of pulmonary fissures in 3-D space, we developed a new automated scheme using computational geometry methods to detect and segment fissures depicted on CT images. After a geometric modeling of the lung volume using the marching cubes algorithm, Laplacian smoothing is applied iteratively to enhance pulmonary fissures by depressing nonfissure structures while smoothing the surfaces of lung fissures. Next, an extended Gaussian image based procedure is used to locate the fissures in a statistical manner that approximates the fissures using a set of plane ldquopatchesrdquo. This approach has several advantages such as independence of anatomic knowledge of the lung structure except the surface shape of fissures, limited sensitivity to other lung structures, and ease of implementation. The scheme performance was evaluated by two experienced thoracic radiologists using a set of 100 images (slices) randomly selected from 10 screening CT examinations. In this preliminary evaluation 98.7% and 94.9% of scheme segmented fissure voxels are within 2 mm of the fissures marked independently by two radiologists in the testing image dataset. Using the scheme detected fissures as reference, 89.4% and 90.1% of manually marked fissure points have distance les2 mm to the reference suggesting a possible under-segmentation of the scheme. The case-based root mean square (rms) distances (ldquoerrorsrdquo) between our scheme and the radiologist ranged from 1.48plusmn0.92 to 2.04plusmn3.88 mm. The discrepancy of fissure detection results between the automated scheme and either radiologist is smaller in this dataset than the interreader variability.
Statistical Thermodynamics of Irreversible Aggregation: The Sol-Gel Transition

Binary aggregation is known to lead, under certain kinetic rules, to the coexistence of two populations, one consisting of finite-size clusters (sol), and one that contains a single cluster that carries a finite fraction of the total mass (giant component or gel). The sol-gel transition is commonly discussed as a phase transition by qualitative analogy to vapor condensation. Here we show that the connection to thermodynamic phase transition is rigorous. We develop the statistical thermodynamics of irreversible binary aggregation in discrete finite systems, obtain the partition function for arbitrary kernel, and show that the emergence of the gel cluster has all the hallmarks of a phase transition, including an unstable van der Waals loop. We demonstrate the theory by presenting the complete pre- and post-gel solution for aggregation with the product kernel.
Inelastic Buckling of Spherical Shells

A numerical procedure is presented for determining the unsymmetrical buckling pressure for clamped, elastic-plastic spherical shells. The general deep-shell equilibrium equations are used along with an incremental plasticity theory based on the Prandtl-Reuss equations. The material is assumed to obey a Ramberg-Osgood type uniaxial stress-strain law. A linear eigenvalue problem is formulated where the buckling pressure is obtained by plotting the pressure versus the determinant of the stability matrix. Coefficients in the governing system of homogeneous equations are evaluated by solving the nonlinear problem for the axisymmetric deformation prior to unsymmetrical buckling. Buckling pressures are computed for a wide range of geometries and compared with existing theoretical results.
Social Referencing as a Learned Process

Social referencing has been conceived as the process whereby, in the fourth quarter of their first year, human infants seek out and use information in the facial (but also vocal and/or gestural) emotional expressions of others (most often the mother) to cue/guide their responding in contexts of uncertainty or ambiguity (Campos & Stenberg, 1981; Klinnert, Campos, Sorce, Emde, & Svejda, 1983). Social referencing also has been characterized as infants’ perception and use of other persons’ interpretations of a situation to form their own understanding of that situation (Feinman, 1982; Feinman & Lewis, 1983). Up to now, the infant social referencing literature has devoted almost total emphasis to describing and delineating this phenomenon, and to emphasizing the feature of affective communication between mother and infant (Campos & Stenberg, 1981; Feinman, 1983, 1985; Gunnar & Stone, 1984; Hornik & Gunnar, 1988; Klinnert, Emde, Butterfield, & Campos, 1986; Walden & Ogan, 1988; Zarbatany & Lamb, 1985). To date, the main etiological theory in the literature has been preformationist, that infant social referencing involves prewired responses and perceptions, a “prewired communication process” (Campos, 1983).
Segmenting the collegiate football game spectator: a cluster analysis approach

Purpose – The purposes of this paper is to segment spectators of collegiate football game using a cluster analysis and to determine differences between spectator clusters based on motivations, satisfaction, and demographic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach – A survey instrument was utilized, and a total of 407 usable data were gathered through a convenience sampling method at a main campus in the Southern USA. A discriminant analysis was employed to create cluster profiles including demographic variables not previously included in the clustering procedure. Cluster analysis is a procedure used to determine best group segmentation. Findings – Through a factor-cluster analysis, two distinct groups are identified as attendees of collegiate football games: far-away fans and seasoned sideliners. Knowing the different spectators in event attendance allows marketers of collegiate sport events to effectively target segments and attract larger numbers of visitors to each event. Although the results indic...
Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography: analysis of the normal pancreatogram.

Thirty-five pancreatograms were selected from 62 which were obtained during endoscopic cannulation of the papilla of Vater with retrograde injection of radiopaque medium. Pancreatograms were selected on the basis of the quality of the study and on the absence of any clinically demonstrable pancreatic disease. Measurements were made of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) in the head, body, and tail, as well as the length of the duct. Althought there is a wide range of normal, practical reference figures for the diameters of the main duct in the head, body, and tail are 3, 2, and 1 mm, respectively. The length averages 15.4 cm. No correlation was found between the measurements and the body surface area, age, or sex of the patient. Comparisons are made with other autopsy and endoscopic studies, and attention is focused on the salient anatomic features, including normal points of narrowing of the duct, the accessory pancreatic duct (APD), and the main pancreatic duct branches (MPDB).
Phytophagous insect faunas of Dicoria canescens and Iva axillaris, native relatives of ragweeds, Ambrosia spp., in southern California, with analyses of insect associates of Ambrosiinae

This study completes a series of faunistic surveys of all genera and most species that compose the Subtribe Ambrosiinae of the Tribe Heliantheae (Asteraceae) in southern California. Phytophagous insects representing 7 orders, 30 families, 68 genera, and 77 species compose the insect fauna of Dicoria canescens Torrey & Gray in southern California. Similarly, phytophagous insects representing 7 orders, 25 families, 39 genera, and 47 species compose the insect fauna of Iva axillaris Pursh. Most insects on these native herbs are ectophagous, sap- and foliage-feeding insects. More than half, 38 (51%) of 74 of the identified species on D. canescens occur on other Ambrosiinae ( Ambrosia, Hymenoclea , and Xanthium spp.), as do 17 (46%) of 36 identified species on I. axillaris . Sixteen (21%) of the 74 species on D. canescens only feed on Heliantheae, including eight oligophagous species restricted to the Ambrosiinae and four monophages. On I. axillaris , 9 (25%) of the 36 species were restricted to the Heliantheae, including one oligophagous and three monophagous species. In total, 412 species of insects are now known to be associated with Ambrosiinae in southern California, 293 (71%) of which have been identified to species. Trophic, taxonomic, niche, and distributional characteristics of these phytophagous insects on Ambrosiinae are analyzed and compared with faunas of other species groupings and subtribes of native Asteraceae in North America and Europe. These findings also are reviewed and discussed relative to the biological control of ragweeds in North America and abroad.
Virtual Simulation for Training of Oil-field Safety Task Operation

Virtual simulation for the training system of oil-field safety task operation was created based on virtual reality technology. This system has the function of interactive training. Close demostration, guided operation and open operation training mode were proposed. The development framework of 3D interactive virtual simulation was given and the developed process and technologies of four stages for the framework are discussed in detail. The virtual human elementary actions which used to represent the simulation were abstracted to resolve behavior defining and re-availability. Hand shapes of virtual human appeared in virtual simulation were also classified and described. Finally, the functions of scene driving engine were introduced by descriptions of perception environment, behavior controlling, motion controlling and collision detecting, which coordinated the interactive action between virtual human and operated objects and controlled the changes of virtual scene. The cost, safety and effect for the training of oil-field task operation can be effectively improved by application of our system.
Influence of Water Content and Aging on Temperature Domain Dielectric Spectroscopy and Activation Energy of the Transformer Oil Impregnated Papers

In order to evaluate water content and aging status of oil impregnated papers correctly, we used Concept 80 broadband dielectric spectrometer to measure the frequency domain spectroscopy and temperature domain spectroscopy of oil impregnated papers with different water content and aging status, and then calculated the papers' activation energy based on the Arrhenius equation. The results show that, at the same temperature, the dissipation factor of oil impregnated paper increases with the increase of water content or aging status. However, with increasing temperature, the dissipation factor of oil impregnated papers with the same water content but different aging status or the same aging status but different water content differs more and more. A two-way ANOVA analysis with no interaction is used to analyze the experimental data, showing that water content has a significant influence on activation energy while aging status has no influence. In oil impregnated papers, activation energy is linearly related to water content, so it can be used to evaluate water content while eliminating the influence of measuring temperature on frequency domain spectroscopy.
The "Cryptic" Escherichia.

In 2009, five monophyletic Escherichia clades were described and referred to as “cryptic” based on the inability to distinguish them from representative E. coli isolates using diagnostic biochemical reactions. Since this original publication, a number of studies have explored the genomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic diversity of cryptic clade isolates to better understand their phylogenetic, physiological, and ecological distinctiveness with respect to previously named Escherichia species. This chapter reviews the original discovery of the cryptic clades, discusses available evidence that some are environmentally adapted, and evaluates current support for taxonomic designations of these microorganisms. The importance of these clades to clinical research, epidemiology, population genetics, and microbial speciation is also discussed.
Spiral spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis with spectrally and spatially selective radiofrequency excitation: comparison with fat-saturated fast spin-echo imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe their initial clinical experience in comparing a spiral spin-echo technique with a fat-saturated fast spin-echo technique for imaging the pelvis. METHODS: A total of 18 patients were imaged with both spiral spin-echo and fat-saturated fast spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging. The spiral spin-echo technique combines a spectrally and spatially selective radiofrequency excitation with a spiral k-space trajectory. This technique permits rapid acquisition of T2-weighted water-only images. RESULTS: The spiral spin-echo images were judged superior to the fat-saturated fast spin-echo images in terms of uniformity of fat suppression and absence of flow-related artifacts. However, the overall image quality of the spiral spin-echo images was inferior to that of the fat-saturated fast spin-echo images, as a result of blurring caused by off resonance effects. The two techniques were judged equivalent in terms of conspicuity of the abnormality and diagnostic information. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that the spiral spin-echo technique holds promise, particularly if combined with a deblurring algorithm.
Dopaminergic control of aldosterone secretion is independent of the renin-angiotensin system in rats.

1. In rats, intra-arterial metoclopramide, a dopamine antagonist, resulted in an elevation of plasma aldosterone at 5 min and plasma renin activity at 10 min and peak aldosterone and renin responses at 10 and 30 min respectively. 2. Pre-administration of l-dopa blunted and delayed aldosterone and renin responses to metoclopramide, indicating that metoclopramide-induced plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity increments are mediated by a direct effect of blockade of dopamine receptors rather than other effects of this drug. 3. Pre-administration of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (SQ 14 225) and the angiotensin II antagonist, saralasin, as well as bilateral nephrectomy did not significantly affect the aldosterone response to metoclopramide, Thus dopaminergic modulation of aldosterone secretion occurs independently of alterations in the renin-angiotensin system. 4. Modulating effects of dopamine on plasma aldosterone are probably mediated by direct effects as well as by interaction with other factors influencing aldosterone secretion at the adrenal zona glomerulosa.
Pulses in the sand: Impulse response analysis of wireless underground channel

Wireless underground sensor networks (WUSNs) are becoming ubiquitous in many areas and designing robust systems requires extensive understanding of the underground (UG) channel characteristics. In this paper, UG channel impulse response is modeled and validated via extensive experiments in indoor and field testbed settings. Three distinct types of soils are selected with sand and clay contents ranging from 13% to 86% and 3% to 32%, respectively. Impacts of changes in soil texture and soil moisture are investigated with more than 1,200 measurements in a novel UG testbed that allows flexibility in soil moisture control. Time domain characteristics of channel such as RMS delay spread, coherence bandwidth, and multipath power gain are analyzed. The analysis of the power delay profile validates the three main components of the UG channel: direct, reflected, and lateral waves. It is shown that RMS delay spread follows a log-normal distribution. The coherence bandwidth ranges between 650 kHz and 1.15MHz for soil paths of up to 1m and decreases to 418 kHz for distances above 10m. Soil moisture is shown to affect RMS delay spread non-linearly, which provides opportunities for soil moisture-based dynamic adaptation techniques. The model and analysis paves the way for tailored solutions for data harvesting, UG sub-carrier communication, and UG beamforming.
A Cross-National Perspective on Cause Related Marketing and Consumers’ Willingness to Buy “Green” Merchandise: A Preliminary Report

This paper describes an on-going study to ascertain differences between United States consumers and Croatian consumers in terms of their attitudes toward Cause Related Marketing and their willingness to purchase “green” merchandise.
CHAPTER XIII – Applications of the Gibbs Free Energy and the Gibbs Chemical Potential

By combining the elements of chemistry with the elements of cookery, we have found it possible in our own experience to stimulate interest and avoid repetition, thus saving a very large amount of time for the student, and at the same time to establish early the habit of seeking a scientific explanation for each observation made in everyday life.
Outcomes in neuroendocrine bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy.

e16004Background: Management of localized or locally-advanced neuroendocrine (NE) bladder cancer is difficult as outcomes tend to be poor regardless of treatment. We sought to characterize our inst...
Alternating low quality hay with access to annual ryegrass pastures affected stocker performance1

Little is known about the effect of limiting access to high nutritive value pastures on subsequent pasture and stocker response when alternating with low quality bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) hay. In 3 consecutive years, 54 steers were randomly allotted to 3 treatments: (1) CON steers were continuously stocked on annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lamarck; Munz, 1973) pastures (1,040 kg of BW/ha); (2) HY24 steers grazed 50% of the area assigned to the CON treatment (2,081 kg of BW/ha) every other day. Steers grazed annual ryegrass for 24 h and then returned to a barn for 24 h where bermudagrass hay was fed; (3) HY72 steers grazed 50% of the area assigned to the CON treatment (2,079 kg of BW/ha) for 96 h and then returned to the barn for 72 h where bermudagrass hay was fed. There was a year effect (P < 0.05) on forage and animal performance. Treatment affected forage mass, nutritive value, and forage growth rate (P < 0.05). Estimated ryegrass DMI was influenced (P = 0.03) by treatments as was ADG (P < 0.001) and gain per hectare (P < 0.001). Treatment effect (P < 0.05) on plasma urea-N and nonesterified fatty acids is probably explained by the lower DMI in HY24 and HY72 compared with CON and the lower intake of hay in HY72. Alternating hay feeding with access to ryegrass (24 h pasture, 24 h hay) allowed for increasing stocking rates (kg of BW/ha) and productivity on annual ryegrass compared with longer periods of hay feeding, which negatively affected animal performance and BW gain per hectare.
Biology and Transactional Analysis: Integration of a Neglected Area:

Transactional analysis has been enriched by its integration with a variety of psychosocial, developmental, and therapeutic approaches. What has been missing, however, has been a comparable integrat...
Systemic Therapy of Atopic Dermatitis: When, How, for How Long?

The increasingly recognized nature of atopic dermatitis/AD as a cytokine-driven, systemic disease has led to rapid development of target-specific therapies. We review advances in systemic treatments for AD, including indications for use, as well as available data on safety and efficacy. Of the traditional therapies for recalcitrant AD, cyclosporine has been considered the short-term treatment of choice. Novel biologic and small molecule therapies are rapidly emerging, with dupilumab/anti IL-4R, being the first biologic therapy approved for AD that shows clinical and molecular efficacy. Severe AD is emerging as a systemic disease and mandates better and safer systemic treatments. Targeted treatments against Th2 and other cytokine pathways with novel agents are rapidly changing the therapeutic arena for AD with testing and/or development of many agents for AD patients, for more efficacious long-term disease control.
Two antenna arrays for remote sensing applications

This paper presents two array designs as feeds for parabolic reflector antennas for satellite remote sensing applications. The designs are 4×4 in dimensions and fit within the surface area of one side of a CubeSat. Both arrays are dual-frequency and dual-polarization and are designed on different substrates. The frequencies of interest are 14 GHz and 35 GHz, and the polarizations are vertical and horizontal (or 0° and 90°). One array is designed solely on a Roger RO4003C material, while the other is designed on the RO4003C for the antennas layer and on an RT/Duroid 6010 for the feeding network. The designs are multi-layer and different challenges are being met. For integration purpose, the feed layers must be placed on the same substrates, which in turn require the elimination of any overlapping as well as increased spacing between adjacent lines. Symmetry for the feeds is ensured by using corporate feed networks as the array size (4×4) results in acceptable losses. Parametrization of the feed provided the flexibility to adjust element spacing and achieve a fully nested design where the 35 GHz array lies inside the empty space of a 2×2, 14 GHz sub-array. Also, adequate space for the integration of surface mounted amplifiers directly on the feed network layer is provided. The proposed array occupies only 8.7 cm × 7.2 cm and has similar radiation patterns at both frequencies and polarizations with an excellent front-to-back ratio.
Motivating factors for dual-method contraceptive use among adolescents and young women: a qualitative investigation

Abstract Objective This qualitative study explores how adolescents and young women perceive the need for and describe the use of dual method contraception. Study design We interviewed 20 sexually active women aged 16–24 who attended an adolescent-focused Title X family-planning clinic and were using a non-barrier contraceptive method. We used a semi-structured interview guide that included domains related to sexual activity, knowledge of and use of contraceptives and condoms, and relationship factors. We coded transcripts using grounded theory techniques and used an iterative process to develop overarching themes. Results Dual method contraceptive users primarily discussed pregnancy prevention as their motivating factor. Many expressed anxieties over an unplanned pregnancy and reported condom use as “back-up” contraception. Risk perception for pregnancy or STI acquisition did not necessarily change as relationship trust increased, but rather, their anxiety regarding the negativity of such outcomes decreased. Dual-method contraception use decreased when participants reported that condoms were not readily available, or when they self-described immaturity. Less frequently, participants reported dual method use for sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, and many substituted STI testing for condom use. Contraceptive type (short-acting vs. long-acting) did not influence reported attitudes towards dual method use. Conclusion Health educators and clinicians encourage condom use in young women due to the significant morbidity associated with STI acquisition. Most participants in our study view condoms as a way to improve pregnancy prevention. Acknowledging and addressing this divergence in motivation will allow caregivers to improve strategies for communicating the importance of dual method use. Implications Young women primarily describe pregnancy prevention as the reason for dual method use, STI protection is less salient. Consideration of this viewpoint by health educators and clinicians will allow us to communicate more effectively to prevent STI morbidity.
Memcapacitive reservoir computing

Memristors have successfully been used to build efficient reservoir computers. The power consumption of memristive reservoirs, however, is bounded by the resistive nature of such devices. Here, we show that memcapacitors, another device in the mem-device family, offer great promise for power-efficient reservoir computers. We simulated memcapacitive reservoirs with two different device models and benchmarked them with the NARMA-30 and the MNIST task. The results were compared to two memristive reservoirs as well as to a software echo state network. The memcapacitive reservoirs achieved comparable performance as the memcapacitive reservoirs but reduced the power consumption by about a factor of 500× for both tasks. We argue that memcapacitive reservoirs thus have great potential for low-power neuromorphic applications.
Orbital-dependent correlations in PuCoGa 5

We investigate the normal state of the superconducting compound ${\mathrm{PuCoGa}}_{5}$ using the combination of density functional theory (DFT) and dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT), with the continuous time quantum Monte Carlo (CTQMC) and the vertex-corrected one-crossing approximation (OCA) as the impurity solvers. Our DFT+DMFT (CTQMC) calculations suggest a strong tendency of Pu-$5f$ orbitals to differentiate at low temperatures. The renormalized $5{f}_{5/2}$ states exhibit a Fermi-liquid behavior whereas one electron in the $5{f}_{7/2}$ states is at the edge of a Mott localization. We find that the orbital differentiation is manifested as the removing of $5{f}_{7/2}$ spectral weight from the Fermi level relative to DFT. We corroborate these conclusions with DFT+DMFT (OCA) calculations which demonstrate that $5{f}_{5/2}$ electrons have a much larger Kondo scale than the $5{f}_{7/2}$.
Stereological Analysis of Microglia in Aged Male and Female Fischer 344 Rats in Socially Relevant Brain Regions.

Aging is associated with a substantial decline in the expression of social behavior as well as increased neuroinflammation. Since immune activation and subsequent increased expression of cytokines can suppress social behavior in young rodents, we examined age and sex differences in microglia within brain regions critical to social behavior regulation (PVN, BNST, and MEA) as well as in the hippocampus. Adult (3-month) and aged (18-month) male and female F344 (N = 26, n = 5-8/group) rats were perfused and Iba-1 immunopositive microglia were assessed using unbiased stereology and optical density. For stereology, microglia were classified based on the following criteria: (1) thin ramified processes, (2) thick long processes, (3) stout processes, or (4) round/ameboid shape. Among the structures examined, the highest density of microglia was evident in the BNST and MEA. Aged rats of both sexes displayed increased total number of microglia number exclusively in the MEA. Sex differences also emerged, whereby aged females (but not males) displayed greater total number of microglia in the BNST relative to their young adult counterparts. When morphological features of microglia were assessed, aged rats exhibited increased soma size in the BNST, MEA, and CA3. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive characterization of microglia number and morphology under ambient conditions in CNS sites critical for the normal expression of social processes. To the extent that microglia morphology is predictive of reactivity and subsequent cytokine release, these data suggest that the expression of social behavior in late aging may be adversely influenced by heightened inflammation.
A Simple Algorithm for Computing the Non‐Central F Distribution

A simple algorithm is given for evaluating the non‐central F or the non‐central beta distribution, assuming that a central F or a central beta routine is available.