cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of awareness rate of knowledge and formation rate of health behaviors about chronic non-communicable diseases in Nantong,2008-2011

Objective:To investigate the awareness rate of knowledge and formation rae of behavior about chronic non-communicable diseases in Nantong city,providing the basis for targeted intervention.Methods:A questionnaire survey was conducted among residents aged 15-69 years old,using multi-stage cluster sampling method.These residents were investigated about their related knowledge and behavior/skill.Results:4652 residents,2020 males and 2632 females were investigated from 2008 to 2011 over.The awareness rates of knowledge were 45.88%,44.72%,57.83% and 60.93% respectively,while the formation rates of behavior/skill were 33.46%,26.18%,44.46% and 44.95% from 2008 to 2011.The formation rates of behavior/skill were lower than the awareness rates of knowledge.As the time went,the awareness and fromation rates increased gradually.There were no statistical difference between males and females in the knowledge rate and the formation rate of behavior/skill.The formation rates of knowledge for 25-34 years old were the highest in all the aged groups.The formation rate of behavior/skill of the city citizens was higher than that of the couty citizens in 2011,and there was significant difference(P0.05).Conclusion:In the process of health education and health promotion,countermeasures should be taken in different populations to change their attitudes and improve their behavior,in order to prevent the occurrence of chronic non-communicable diseases effectivly.
The optimality of Jeffreys Prior for online density estimation and the asymptotic normality of maximum likelihood estimators

We study online learning under logarithmic loss with regular parametric models. We show that a Bayesian strategy predicts optimally only if it uses Jeffreys prior. This result was known for canonical exponential families; we extend it to parametric models for which the maximum likelihood estimator is asymptotically normal. The optimal prediction strategy, normalized maximum likelihood, depends on the numbern of rounds of the game, in general. However, when a Bayesian strategy is optimal, normalized maximum likelihood becomes independent of n. Our proof uses this to exploit the asymptotics of normalized maximum likelihood. The asymptotic normality of the maximum likelihood estimator is responsible for the necessity of Jeffreys prior.
Personal Change and the Continuity of Identity.

The current research examines what types of change are perceived as allowable versus disallowable in the self while still maintaining a sense of personal continuity. We find that overall, improvements are seen as more allowable than worsening or unspecified change, although this difference varies in magnitude based on the centrality of the trait being considered. Additionally, valence interacts with expectations of change, such that the differential impact of positive versus negative change on self-continuity is largest when positive change is expected, but is attenuated when negative change is expected.
Parturition pit: the bony imprint of vaginal birth.

Purpose To retrospectively evaluate for pits along the dorsum of the pubic body in females and compare the presence/absence of these pits to vaginal birth data.
Congenital lung malformations: a unified concept and a case report.

A left upper lobectomy in a 5-month-old infant revealed a specimen whose tissue, both grossly and microscopically, was characteristic of intra- and extrapulmonary sequestration, bronchial atresia, and adenomatoid cystic malformation. This case may be considered the missing link between the various congenital lung malformations, for it illustrates their interrelationship or their common origin. Atresia or malformation of the main bronchus seems to be the defect shared by all these anomalies. A similar bronchial abnormality probably is responsible for congenital lobar emphysema and for isolated congenital lung cysts.
Liposarcoma: Multimodality Management and Future Targeted Therapies

There are 3 biologic groups of liposarcoma: well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma, myxoid/round cell liposarcoma, and pleomorphic liposarcoma. In all 3 groups, complete surgical resection is central in treatment aimed at cure and is based on grade. Radiation can reduce risk of local recurrence in high-grade lesions or minimize surgical morbidity in the myxoid/round cell liposarcoma group. The groups differ in chemosensitivity, so adjuvant chemotherapy is selectively used in histologies with metastatic potential but not in the resistant subtype dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Improved understanding of the genetic aberrations that lead to liposarcoma initiation is allowing for the rapid development of targeted therapies for liposarcoma.
Providing meaningful change in the engineering classroom

This study aims to address how change agents assist engineering instructors in adopting new curriculum. During a two-day workshop, 16 mechanics of materials instructors from community colleges and universities around the Pacific Northwest developed hands-on activities and models that they later implemented in their classrooms. Five additional instructors became interested in the materials developed at the workshop through their interactions with some of the instructors that attended the workshop. After the workshop and during the academic year, a change agent was assigned to each instructor. The change agents communicated with their instructors on a regular basis in order to identify any needs the instructor had for implementing their new materials. Interactions between the instructors and change agents were tracked through the change agents' personal notes on their interactions and two semi-structured phone interviews held during and after the term in which the course was taught. Instructors most often requested assistance from the change agents in how to manage and use some of the materials. These interactions indicate that a change agent working in a pull-model approach encouraged the instructors to be more engaged in the change process throughout their entire course and therefore benefited their teaching and course effectiveness.
The New 2000 ACLS Guidelines

Cardiovascular disease accounts for approximately one half of the 2 million deaths in the U. S each year. Of the deaths related to cardiovascular disease, 350,000 people die before reaching the hospital. The population is aging, and with it the incidence of cardiac arrests will increase because the prevalence of heart disease and arrhythmias increases with advancing age. With this in mind, the American Heart Association (AHA), the Committee on Emergency Cardiovascular Care, and the Subcommittees on Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Resuscitation’s have developed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiac care (ECC) guidelines for both the adult and for the pediatric population.
Allocating R&D Resources: A Quantitative Aid to Management Insight

The allocation of a firm 's research resources among the different phases of RD his experiences there ranged from heading Exxon's central basic research laboratory to managing all technical efforts (from basic research through engineering and plant and customer technical assistance) in several chemical product lines. At MIT, he has been doing and managing energy and environmental research, emphasizing global change issues, at the multidisciplinary Energy Laboratory. maweiss@mit.edu Sangman Kwak is a nuclear engineer (B.S., Seoul National University and Sc.D., MIT). He has specialized in decision- making analysis and probabilistic risk assessment. More recently, at MIT, he has worked in system dynamics modeling of nuclear waste environment cleanups and of nuclear power plants. He is a consultant to a leading producer of system dynamics software. skwak@mit.edu corporations, there is always a struggle between distributing profits to shareholders versus reinvesting in the organization, including R&D, for future growth. In the public sector, agencies such as the Department of Defense must decide between procurement in support of current capabilities versus R&D for future capabilities. A second level in the decision hierarchy is the allocation among phases of the R&D process, the sequence that leads toward commercialization. The phases are given different names in different industries. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, Phase 1 (the upstream-most phase of the sequence) is usually called discovery research, while Phase 2 is preclinical research and Phase 3 is clinical. In the chemical industry, the phases are often called basic research, applied research, and development. There can be more than three phases, for example if different levels of "demonstration" are considered to be part of the R&D process. Basic research managers argue for funds to support the new discoveries that will ultimately (they hope) prove of great value. …
Non-small-cell Lung Cancer With Brain Metastasis at Presentation.

Abstract Background Data on the prevalence of brain metastases at presentation in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited. We queried the National Cancer Data Base to determine prevalence, clinical risk factors, and outcomes of patients with NSCLC presenting with brain metastases. Patients and Methods Patients with NSCLC diagnosed between 2010 and 2012 were identified using the National Cancer Data Base. The risk of brain metastases for individual variables was summarized by odds ratios and calculated using logistic regression analysis. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method was used to calculate the median and 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS). Results Brain metastases were observed in 47,546 (10.4%) of the 457,481 patients with NSCLC overall. The prevalence of brain metastases was much higher (26%) in patients with stage IV disease at presentation. On multivariate analysis, younger age, adenocarcinoma or large cell histology, tumor size > 3 cm, tumor grade ≥ II, and node-positive disease were associated with brain metastases. The prevalence of brain metastases ranged from as low as 0.57% in patients with only 1 risk factor to as high as 22% in patients with all 5 risk factors. The median and 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS for patients with brain metastases were 6 months and 29.9%, 14.3%, and 8.4%, respectively, with the 3-year OS increasing to 36.2% in those with T1/2 and N0/1 undergoing surgery for the primary site. Conclusions In patients with NSCLC, the risk of brain metastases at presentation may be calculated based on 5 clinical variables. Selected patients with brain metastases at presentation may achieve prolonged benefit.
Time Dependent Antisymmetrized Geminal Power Theory using a Coherent State Formulation

It is shown that the set of Antisymmetrized Geminal Power (AGP) states for a given set of r spin orbitals form a set of charge-projected coherent states, with the number of particles n acting as the “charge”. The family of Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) states for the same set of spin orbitals form a set of coherent states that are generating functions for the AGP coherent states for all n. The approximate time evolution of the system generated by the quantum mechanical hamiltonian restricted to such states is described as a classical dynamics on a generalized phase space. The phase space is isomorphic to the coset space SO(2r)/U(r). Ramifications of this for the energy optimization of AGP states and HFB states are discussed. The Random Phase Approximation based on such states is derived by considering small amplitude oscillations in this phase space. This work generalizes the group theoretical approaches to Hartree-Fock and time dependent Hartree-Fock to correlated and non-number conserving states.
Afforestation Potential in the WANA Region to Sequester Carbon and Improve Soil Quality

The region of West Asia and North Africa (WANA) is characterized by hot, dry climates which provide little support for vast areas of forests. This region currently contains 106.3 million ha of forests, which represents a 4 % decrease since 1990. These forests have suffered from a long history of degradation and over exploitation which has impacted soil quality and in some cases caused desertification to occur. Afforestation has benefits of sequestering C, stabilizing soil, and placing C and other elements into the soil, thus rehabilitating the soil. Many different tree species have been examined for afforestation purposes within the WANA region, and great care needs to be given to match species with site. Early successional and edaphic climax species may be candidates as they are typical of harsh environments. Based on reported species, C sequestration rates will vary from 0.3 to 3.6 tC/ha/year. Afforestation will enhance the sequestering of C in the soil, but only if the plantations exist on the site for relatively long periods. Most C is sequestered in the forest floor and the upper soil layer in the initial years after planting from the litter that begins to accumulate.
Development and use of chromosome segment substitution lines as a genetic resource for crop improvement

CSSLs are a complete library of introgression lines with chromosomal segments of usually a distant genotype in an adapted background and are valuable genetic resources for basic and applied research on improvement of complex traits. Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) are genetic stocks representing the complete genome of any genotype in the background of a cultivar as overlapping segments. Ideally, each CSSL has a single chromosome segment from the donor with a maximum recurrent parent genome recovered in the background. CSSL development program requires population-wide backcross breeding and genome-wide marker-assisted selection followed by selfing. Each line in a CSSL library has a specific marker-defined large donor segment. CSSLs are evaluated for any target phenotype to identify lines significantly different from the parental line. These CSSLs are then used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) or causal genes. CSSLs are valuable prebreeding tools for broadening the genetic base of existing cultivars and harnessing the genetic diversity from the wild- and distant-related species. These are resources for genetic map construction, mapping QTLs, genes or gene interactions and their functional analysis for crop improvement. In the last two decades, the utility of CSSLs in identification of novel genomic regions and QTL hot spots influencing a wide range of traits has been well demonstrated in food and commercial crops. This review presents an overview of how CSSLs are developed, their status in major crops and their use in genomic studies and gene discovery.
Radiological feature of skip-segment Hirschsprung's disease.

A term neonate was hospitalised for progressive abdominal distension and delayed meconium passage on his third day of birth. Plain abdominal radiograph revealed no gas in the distal colon. Constrast enema study revealed narrow rectosigmoid and descending colon with a transitional zone at the left transverse colon (figure 1). Rectal biopsy was performed, which showed an absence of ganglion cells in the lamina propria. Diagnosed with long-segment Hirschsprung disease (HD), the patient was managed with rectal irrigations at home. At the age of 3 months, he underwent laparoscopic transanal pull-through procedure. At laparoscopy, the distal colon was collapsed with a classic …
Breaking Convention for Another Dimension.

Building a cardiology career leaves little room for creative pursuits. Creative inclinations wither away as methodical approach presides…
Identity Reconfiguration and the Core Needs Framework: Exit Narratives among Former Far-Right Extremists

This empirical study examines intensive interview data collected from eight (N=8) former members of white supremacist organizations in order to understand the meanings of exit – that is, disengagement and deradicalization – from the extremist’s perspective. Using a thematic analysis approach, our findings build on the distinction in the existing exit literature between push and pull factors and the process of role exit identified by Ebaugh (1988). These push and pull factors as well as social identity, we argue, are subsumed within a complex exit process, which includes disengagement, identity deconstruction, and transgressive and transitional relationships. For some, this process culminated in an accomplished identity reconstruction and deradicalization. Most importantly, our findings suggest that exit is linked to entry by a developmental drive that we call the participant’s core need. The core need was the background motivator of entry, disengagement, exit, and ultimately deradicalization. We think that this identity reconfiguration and core needs framework may help make heterogenous exit trajectories that have remained puzzling for researchers more understandable.
Radiotherapy for Aggressive Meningiomas and Recurrent Low Grade Tumors

High-grade meningiomas, classified as World Health Organization (WHO) Grade II or III lesions, represent rare central nervous system tumors, with significantly worse local control of disease and disease-free survival than their benign, WHO Grade I counterparts. Similarly, recurrent meningiomas, too, confer markedly worse clinical outcomes, even for low-grade disease. This chapter discusses standard of care management for WHO Grade II and III and recurrent meningiomas, including surgical resection, as well as external beam radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery. The evidence regarding disease outcomes is reviewed in details, as are specifics of radiation indications, dosing, fractionation, treatment planning, radiation delivery, and adverse effects of treatment. Practice patterns for WHO Grade II and III and recurrent meningioma patients are discussed. Additionally, emerging radiographic techniques for diagnosis, delineation, and treatment of meningiomas are addressed.
The Interaction between Accrual Management and Hedging: Evidence from Oil and Gas Firms

This research investigates whether oil and gas producing firms use abnormal accruals and hedging with derivatives as substitutes to manage earnings volatility. Firms engaged in oil exploration and drilling are exposed to two kinds of risks that can cause earnings volatility: oil price risk and exploration risk. Firms can use abnormal accrual choices and/or derivatives to reduce earnings volatility caused by oil price risk, but cannot directly hedge the operational risk of unsuccessful drilling. Because hedging and using abnormal accruals are costly activities, and because prior research suggests managers do not eliminate all volatility (Haushalter 2000; Barton 2001), we expect that, at the margin, managers will use these smoothing mechanisms as substitutes to manage earnings volatility. Our results suggest a sequential process whereby managers of oil and gas producing firms first determine the extent to which they will use derivatives to hedge oil price risk, and then, especially in the fourth quarter, ma...
Device profile of the percept PC deep brain stimulation system for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and related disorders.

Introduction: Several software and hardware advances in the field of deep brain stimulation (DBS) have been realized in recent years and devices from three manufacturers are available. The Percept™...
Mapping human brain organoids on a spatial atlas.

Brain organoids are tridimensional, self-organizing cultures derived from pluripotent stem cells that recapitulate aspects of human neurodevelopment and can be applied toward investigating neural disease and evolution. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Fleck et al. (2021) describe a computational platform for mapping cell identity in organoids.
What's race got to do with it?: informant rating discrepancies in neuropsychological evaluations for children with ADHD.

Objective To evaluate race-based discrepancies in informant ratings and in rates of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis among a clinically referred sample of Black and White children. Method Demographic information and ratings of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and conduct were collected from caregivers and teachers as part of neuropsychological evaluations at an outpatient clinic. The final sample included 3,943 children (6-18 years), of which 70% were White and 30% were Black. Results Teachers, but not caregivers, endorsed more inattentive symptoms and conduct problems for Black than for White children, irrespective of ADHD diagnostic status and socioeconomic status (SES), and after controlling for child sex, child age, and learning difficulties. Teachers endorsed more hyperactive/impulsive symptoms for Black children with ADHD of lower SES than for White children with these characteristics. Caregivers of Black children of higher SES reported fewer hyperactive/impulsive symptoms than caregivers of White children of higher SES. Despite differences in teachers' ratings by race, diagnostic rates of ADHD in the context of neuropsychological evaluations were comparable for Black and White children. Conclusions Consistent with previous literature, teachers endorsed more ADHD and conduct problems in Black children. Within our clinically referred sample, this may reflect teacher bias rather than actual prevalence differences by rafce, given that Black caregivers endorsed fewer or similar numbers of symptoms relative to White caregivers. This lack of racial disparities in rates of ADHD diagnosis is inconsistent with findings in community- and population-based samples, and reflectspossible benefit of the use of neuropsychological evaluations in diagnostic decision-making for ADHD.
Everyone Else Is Making a Mistake: Effects of Peer Error on Saving Decisions

This paper describes an intervention to increase retirement saving among 1,254 federal employees. Specifically, we sent two emails encouraging employees to leave the default retirement contribution amount (3 percent of salary) and start saving enough to get the full match available to them (at least 5 percent of salary). Email 1 provided employees with personalized information, while Email 2 included similar information about their peers. We find that after 3.5 months, those who received either email were more than twice as likely to increase their contributions compared to those who received no email. Results both support previous research that personalized information can motivate action and raise questions about the nuances of peer influence.
How Does the Quiet Ego Relate to Happiness? A Path Model Investigation of the Relations Between the Quiet Ego, Self-Concept Clarity, and Well-Being

The quiet ego refers to a self-construal that is balanced and growth-oriented in its stance toward the self and others. It is conceptualized as representing the intersection of four characteristics: inclusive identity, perspective taking, detached awareness, and growth-mindedness. As a relatively new construct, the quiet ego has been validated in domains relating to balance, compassion, and growth. However, its construct validity has rarely been examined with regard to other aspects of self-identity that are both conceptually similar and have implications for well-being. Building on existing work on the quiet ego and self-concept clarity, we first examined the quiet ego’s theoretical relation with self-concept clarity (Study 1, N = 1099) using a confirmatory factor analysis approach and then investigated its associations with psychological well-being and self-esteem from the perspective of self-concept clarity using path modeling (Study 2, pre-registered, N = 500). We found that the quiet ego was positively associated with self-concept clarity and that the quiet ego predicted psychological well-being and self-esteem indirectly via its association with self-concept clarity.
A hybrid experimental and numerical technique for evaluating residual strains/stresses in bonded lap joints

Abstract This paper investigates the processing-induced residual strains developed in the adhesive layer of a single lap joint consisting of glass-fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) adherends bonded with a thermoplastic adhesive, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). High-resolution optical fiber sensors were embedded inside the adhesive for in-situ monitoring of strains and temperature during the processing and cooling cycle. The experimental fiber-optic strains are the total strains experienced by the fiber and do not represent the strains in the adhesive because of interfacial effects between the fiber and the adhesive. Hence, a detailed finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed that included the optical fiber within the bondline. The experimentally measured optical fiber strains were first used to calibrate the FE models at each cooling rate. These FE models were then used to predict residual strains and stresses in the bulk adhesive. The FE models showed that the strains calculated along the optical fiber provided a close approximation to the actual strains experienced by the ABS adhesive around it at the center of the overlap region. The experimental technique, with appropriate post-processing, can be used to get a reliable first-hand approximation of the residual strains induced in the bulk adhesive during curing/processing. A critical conclusion from the FE investigation is that, for all cooling rate cases, the von-Mises residual stresses generated inside the bulk ABS adhesive ranged between 65 and 80% of its tensile strength, which showcases the importance of processing-induced residual stresses and their effects on safety-critical components like bonded joints. The hybrid FE-experimental approach used in this work can be extended to other joint geometries and material configurations.
Physics-aware deep edge detection network

In this paper, we describe an effort to build a new deep edge detection method designed to detect weather-related phenomena such as clouds and planetary boundary layer heights present in backscatter profile imagery. This method builds on the existing deep model called Holistically-Defined Edge Detection (HED), which was shown to perform better than other information theory and convolutional network techniques for edge detection. Though HED outperforms techniques such as Canny Edge detection, HED’s performance is based on it being trained on natural images with very little noise. Weather-related backscatter profiles, such as those generated from LIDAR-based ceilometers, often contain noise. In addition, there is often less of a difference in the pixel density between edges and non-edges, and due to atmospheric dynamics, continuous edges are not always detected in the images. Under these conditions when using HED, subtle but useful edges are lost from side outputs during the fusing process while the network is being trained. Canny Edge detection also does not perform well under these conditions, as it determines edges based on the differences in pixel density. We describe a new edge detection deep network developed specifically for overcoming these issues by applying physics-aware attention mechanisms to the side outputs of the HED learning process. We show how this method is able to learn the subtle edges as opposed to HED or Canny, when used to identify planetary boundary layer heights which involves distinguishing the mixing layer, residual layer, and nocturnal layer in addition to the cloud heights for ceilometerbased backscatter. Though the intent of this network is to learn planetary boundary layer heights and cloud heights, this method could be applied to other weather-related phenomena and applied to backscatter imagery generated from other sources such as satellites.
Development and Validation of a Risk-Adapted Scoring Model for Metachronous Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma following Radical Cystectomy.

Introduction:The incidence and risk factors for metachronous upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) following radical cystectomy (RC) remain incompletely defined, which has limited the ability to ...
HERO: Hessian-Enhanced Robust Optimization for Unifying and Improving Generalization and Quantization Performance

With the recent demand of deploying neural network models on mobile and edge devices, it is desired to improve the model's generalizability on unseen testing data, as well as enhance the model's robustness under fixed-point quantization for efficient deployment. Minimizing the training loss, however, provides few guarantees on the generalization and quantization performance. In this work, we fulfill the need of improving generalization and quantization performance simultaneously by theoretically unifying them under the framework of improving the model's robustness against bounded weight perturbation and minimizing the eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix with respect to model weights. We therefore propose HERO, a Hessian-enhanced robust optimization method, to minimize the Hessian eigenvalues through a gradient-based training process, simultaneously improving the generalization and quantization performance. HERO enables up to a 3.8% gain on test accuracy, up to 30% higher accuracy under 80% training label perturbation, and the best post-training quantization accuracy across a wide range of precision, including a >10% accuracy improvement over SGD-trained models for common model architectures on various datasets.
The low transverse muscle-cutting incision in gynecological surgery.

Abstract 1. 1. A review of 96 cases of low transverse abdominal incisions of the Maylard type performed on the Gynecological Service at the Louisville General Hospital is presented. 2. 2. This incision is based upon sound anatomical and physiological principles and offers the following clinical advantages: (1) better exposure, (2) easier closure, (3) a stronger wound, (4) less incisional pain, (5) lower morbidity and mortality, and (6) better cosmetic results. 3. 3. Except for emergency laparotomy, the transverse incision is the most logical approach to pelvic pathology and should be used more frequently by the gynecological surgeon.
Follow-up of pregnancies complicated by placental mosaicism diagnosed by chorionic villus sampling

Thirty-nine (2.3 per cent) of 1724 chromosome studies from diagnostic chorionic villus samplings (CVS) done between 1983 and 1990 showed either level III (true) mosaicism (1.2 per cent) or level II (pseudo-) mosaicism (1.1 per cent) for chromosomal aneuploidy. Follow-up information on these 39 pregnancies was collected from questionnaires to families, paediatricians, and obstetricians. For all cases in which the pregnancy was continued and further testing was accomplished, the mosaicism was felt to be confined to the placenta. As compared with a control group of pregnancies evaluated by CVS with normal karyotypes, there was no increased incidence of pregnancy loss, congenital malformations, or developmental delay in the infants. Although intrauterine growth retardation occurred in several of the level III mosaic cases, adequate catch-up growth has been demonstrated.
High-performance p-n-p AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors: A theoretical analysis

The AlGaAs/GaAs P-n-p heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is shown by a simple analysis to exhibit millimeter wave and digital switching performance comparable to similar N-p-n structures. For example, a P-n-p HBT with a 1-µm emitter stripe and 34-µm2total area yields f_{\tau} = 31 GHz, f_{\max} = 94 GHz, and an intrinsic switching speed \tau_{s} = 8 ps. A similar N-p-n structure exhibits f_{\tau} = 56 GHz, f_{\max} = 102 GHz, and \tau_{s} = 8 ps.
Shallow bias in Mediterranean paleomagnetic directions caused by inclination error

A variety of paleomagnetic data from the Mediterranean region show a strong bias toward shallow inclinations. This pattern of shallow inclinations has been interpreted to be the result of (1) major northward terrane displacement, (2) large nondipole components in the Earth’s magnetic field, and (3) systematic inclination flattening of the paleomagnetic directions. Here, we use the observation that, in addition to the well-known variation of magnetic inclination with latitude, the N–S elongation of directional dispersion also varies, being most elongate at the equator and nearly symmetric at the poles. Assuming that inclination shallowing follows the relationship long known from experiment, we invert the inclinations using a range of ‘‘flattening factors’’ to find the elongation/inclination pair consistent with a statistical model for the paleosecular variation. We apply the so-called ‘‘elongation/inclination’’ method to the extensive paleomagnetic data sets from the Miocene sediments of the Calatayud basin (Spain) and the island of Crete (Greece). After correction, the Spanish data are in good agreement with the expected middle Miocene latitude of the region. The data from Crete suggest that it occupied a position in the late Miocene about 275 km north of the predicted location. This is in agreement with the geological and geodynamical models for the east Mediterranean region, which indicate that slab rollback processes in combination with Anatolian push generated southward migration of Crete. The 7.5 million year average displacement rate of Crete estimated by the E/I method is 37 mm/yr to the south, which closely coincides with present-day rates based on global positioning system (GPS) and model measurements. We also show that inappropriate tilt corrections lead to a shallow inclination bias as well, explaining that observed in studies of lava flows of the region. We conclude that the east Mediterranean inclination anomaly is caused by sedimentary inclination error and not by a persistent octupolar contribution to the geomagnetic field, or northward transport. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Sedimentology of Mudflow Deposits in Mississippi River Delta-Front Environment: ABSTRACT

Shelf deposits of the active Balize Lobe of the Mississippi River delta, are constantly displaced from their original depositional environments by a variety of deformational and mass-movement processes. Consequently, hydraulically controlled sedimentation patterns are altered in favor of sediment displacement to deeper water settings. High-resolution seismic and side-scan sonar surveys have shown that complex mudflow systems are the most important means of sediment transport from the upper and intermediate delta front to deeper shelf and upper-slope environments. With expanding exploration and production of hydrocarbons from shelf depths and deeper, it has become important to identify and understand both the surficial and subsurface characteristics of sediments associated with sea floor instabilities. The sedimentology of mudflow deposits has been determined from End_Page 521------------------------------ detailed x-ray radiography (for sediment structure) and x-ray diffraction (for clay mineralogy) analyses evaluated in conjunction with their geotechnical properties (shear strength, Atterberg limits, etc). Sediments from each major part of the mudflow system (gully heads, chutes, and mudflow lobes) share a set of common sedimentary structures. The most complicated deposits are the wide-spread and rapidly deposited mudflow lobes. They are composed of overlapping wedges of highly remolded, low-shear-strength deposits, separated by thin, interlobe units of acoustically reflective and slowly accumulated hemipelagic sediment. Gas-related features, convolute structures, inclined bedding, evidence of flowage, and indications of thorough mixing are found in mudflow lobe deposits. Clay mineral assemblages are typical of rapidly deposited prodelta clays (smectite:kaolinite:illite ^approx 4:4:1). In contrast, thin interlobe units and distal shelf sediments contain evidence of biogenic activity (micro-organism tests, burrows, and shell fragments) and diagenetic products. Interlobe and distal shelf deposits have clay mineral suites characterized by an increase in kaolinite and illite at the expense of smectite, which allows for distinction of individual flows and the general mudflow base. End_of_Article - Last_Page 522------------
Toward resolving family-level relationships in rust fungi (Uredinales)

Rust fungi (Basidiomycota, Uredinales) consist of more than 7000 species of obligate plant pathogens that possess some of the most complex life cycles in the Eumycota. Traditionally, a limited number of synapomorphic characters and incomplete life-cycle and host-specificity data have hampered phylogenetic inference within the Uredinales. The application of modern molecular characters to rust systematics has been limited, and current contradictions, especially in the deeper nodes, have not yet been resolved. In this study, two nuclear rDNA genes (18S and 28S) were examined across the breadth of the Uredinales to resolve some systematic conflicts and provide a framework for further studies of the group. Three suborders of rusts are recovered. Of the 13 rust families most widely accepted, 8 are supported in full or in part (Coleosporiaceae, Melampsoraceae, Mikronegeriaceae, Phakopsoraceae p.p., Phragmidiaceae, Pileolariaceae, Pucciniaceae, Raveneliaceae), 3 are redundant (Cronartiaceae, Pucciniastraceae, Pucciniosiraceae), and the status of 2 (Chaconiaceae, Uropyxidaceae) could not be resolved. The Mikronegeriaceae and Caeoma torreyae are the most basal rusts sampled. It is concluded that morphology alone is a poor predictor of rust relationships at most levels. Host selection, on the other hand, has played a significant role in rust evolution.
The Genetic Flock Algorithm

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate a new algorithm for optimization. The new algorithm is named the Genetic Flock Algorithm. This algorithm is a type of hybrid of a Genetic Algorithm and a Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm. The paper discusses strengths and weaknesses of these two algorithms. It then explains how the Genetic Flock Algorithm combines features of both and gives details of the algorithm. All three algorithms are compared using eight standard optimization problems that are used in the literature. It is shown that the Genetic Flock Algorithm provides superior performance on 75% of the tested cases. In the remaining 25% of the cases it outperforms either the Genetic Algorithm or the Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm; it is never worse than both. Possible future improvements to the Genetic Flock Algorithm are briefly described.
The Experience of Recovery Following Lacunar Stroke

Little is known about the experience of recovery following stroke. A longitudinal, descriptive ethnography formed the basis of the study described in this article, in which 120 interviews were conducted over a period of 6 months with 13 individuals who had experienced lacunar infarcts of the internal capsule of the brain. Participants were interviewed within 72 hours of the infarct and during the acute and rehabilitation phases of recovery. This article discusses the experience of the recovering body and plateaus in this recovery, as well as the phenomena of experimentation with tasks, transformation by familiar surroundings, and sequential focus on involved limbs.
A generating function for the Euler characteristic of out(Fn)

Let A be a group satisfying suitable homological finiteness conditions, and A' C A any torsion-free subgroup of finite index. Then the rational Euler characteristic %(A) of A is defined as x(A')/[A : A ' ] 9 where #(/4') is the usual alternating sum of the ranks of the homology groups H^A'.J.) (cf. [10]). The rational Euler characteristic has good multiplicative properties which often make it easier to compute and more appropriate for groups with torsion than the usual Euler characteristic, In addition, for many groups there is a strong connection between X(A) and number theory. Harder [5] has shown that the rational Euler characteristics of arithmetic groups are closely related to values of zeta functions. In particular, the rational Euler characteristics of the Z-points of algebraic groups can often be given in terms of Bernoulli numbers. Harer and Zagier [7] have shown that the rational Euler characteristics of mapping class groups can likewise be given as simple formulas involving Bernoulli numbers. In this paper, we concentrate on the group Out(Fn) of outer automorphims of a free group on n generators. In [3] it is shown that Out(/^) has homological finiteness properties in common with arithmetic groups and mapping class groups; specifically, it is of type VFL (cf. [1]). In general, however, very little is known about the homology of Out(/?). In this paper, we study the rational Euler characteristic %(Out(/^)), and in particular, we give an effective method for computing it. In an interesting departure from the arithmetic case, we do not know whether there is a formula for #(Out(/^)) in terms of Bernoulli numbers, though the denominators share some divisibility properties with the denominators of Bernoulli numbers. The authors would like to thank Ken Brown for many helpful comments and suggestions.
Spirituality in critical care: patient comfort and satisfaction.

Abstract Creating an environment of compassion where patients feel that their emotional and spiritual needs are met is at the heart of holistic care. Patient satisfaction surveys address this powerful aspect of care and nurses find themselves in the position of making an impact. The nurse is at the bedside when crisis occurs, both physical and spiritual. Superficial attention to matters of spirituality is no longer acceptable. Nurses need to examine spirituality within themselves and be available when the patients give the invitation to join them in the struggle for peace. The critical care unit is most vulnerable because the intensity of illness is so great. Conscious or unconscious, the patient needs human touch and consolation, which transcends technology. Indifference to this is all but negligence on the part of the nurse. Addressing this through careful care planning and joining the "fellowship of pain" brings the nurse into the healing process. "Burnout" decreases as care increases, and nurses experience the healing process themselves as well.
Exercise intolerance associated with a novel 8300T > C mutation in mitochondrial transfer RNAlys.

Mutations in the mitochondrial genome contribute to the pathophysiology of many neuromuscular diseases. Recently there has been an increased appreciation of the role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in the etiology of exercise intolerance. Using TTGE (temporal temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis) and sequence analyses of the entire mitochondrial genome, we identified a novel heteroplasmic mutation (8300T>C) in the tRNAlys gene (MTTK) from a patient with unexplained exercise intolerance. The mutation was present in blood, hair, and muscle, with the highest percentage of heteroplasmy found in muscle. The results of muscle respiratory chain enzyme analysis are consistent with tRNA mutation. These data suggest that this novel mutation is yet another mtDNA mutation associated with muscle disease and should be considered in patients with similar symptoms. Muscle Nerve, 2006
A Simple Bioassay for Antioxidants Based on Protection of Tetrahymena pyriformis from the Photodynamic Toxicity of Benzo(a)Pyrene

A Simple Bioassay for Antioxidants Based on Protection of Tetrahymena pyriformis from the Photodynamic Toxicity of Benzo(a)Pyrene
Dissolved amino acids in the equatorial Pacific, the Sargasso Sea, and Biscayne Bay1

Seawater samples from several depths in the Sargasso Sea and equatorial Pacific and from surface stations in Biscayne Bay were analyzed for dissolved free amino acids and dissolved combined amino acids by a ligand-exchange chromatography technique. Enantiomeric ratios of dissolved total amino acids from Atlantic and Pacific samples were also determined. On the basis of these ratios, a bacterial source is postulated for the origin of the dissolved n-amino acids in seawater. The possible contributions from chemical raccmization are compared to biological production as a source for these n-amino acids. Because of the importance of dissolved amino acids in the marine food chain, the role of these compounds as excretion products and as nutrient sources is being thoroughly investigated in estuarine and nearshore environments ( e.g. Riley and Segar 1970; Wheeler et al. 1974; Crawford et al. 1974; North 1975). The abundance, distribution, and role of amino acids in the open ocean has received much less attention (Pocklington 1972; Lee and Bada 1975). The role of amino acids is not necessarily the same in coastal and open ocean environments, especially considering the much lower (about a tenth) concentrations found
Surgical Referral for Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Population-Based Survey.

Surgical resection is underutilized for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Although the causes of underutilization are poorly understood, provider attitudes towards surgical referral may be contributory. We sought to understand medical oncologists’ perspectives on referral for CLM. Medical oncologists who treat colorectal cancer in the US state of Michigan were surveyed. We characterized respondents’ attitudes regarding clinical and tumor-related contraindications to liver resection for CLM, as well as referral and treatment preferences using case-based scenarios. We then evaluated practice characteristics and treatment preferences between physicians. A total of 112 eligible responses were received (46 % response rate). Nearly 40 % of respondents reported having no liver surgeons in their practice area. Commonly perceived contraindications to liver resection included extrahepatic disease (80.3 %), poor performance status (77.7 %), the presence of >4 metastases (62.5 %), bilobar metastases (43.8 %), and metastasis size >5 cm (40.2 %). Compared with high-referring physicians, low-referring physicians were just as likely to refer a patient with very low recurrence risk (89.3 vs. 98.3 %; p = 0.099), but much less likely to refer a patient with moderate risk (0 vs. 82.8 %; p < 0.001). High-referring physicians were more likely to consider resection for scenarios consistent with higher recurrence risk (31.0 vs. 10.7 %; p = 0.05). We found wide variation in surgical referral patterns for CLM. Many felt that bilobar disease and tumor size were contraindications to liver-directed therapy despite a lack of supporting data. These findings suggest an urgent need to increase dissemination of evidence and guidance regarding management for CLM, perhaps through increased specialist participation in tumor boards.
Reliability and Validity Issues for Two Common Measures of Medical Students' Attitudes toward Older Adults

Results are reported from 2 common measures of medical student attitudes toward older adults: Maxwell-Sullivan Attitude Survey (MSAS); and UCLA Geriatrics Attitude Survey (GAS), with students entering the University of South Carolina School of Medicine (USCSM) in the period 2000–2005. A reliability analysis incorporating item means, Cronbach's alpha, item correlation matrix, and, Spearman-Brown prediction for positively and negatively worded items was conducted. Internal consistency results were unacceptable, revealing reliability and validity problems in this sample of medical students. Reconsideration of the use of these common measures, and a reframing of attitudes of medical students toward older adults seem appropriate.
Toward occupational safety criteria for vocalization

Setting safe limits for sound exposure to humans has been an active part of audiology. Little has been done, however, to address safety limits on the sound production side. Vocologists should become active in limiting competing noises when vocal communication is required or desired. In restaurants, public transportation vehicles, convention halls, bars and other places of business or recreation, there is often a disregard for the loudness level of conversation required. For some, there is also insufficient protection for the duration of occupational vocalization and a lack of a built-in recovery time. Some suggestions for voice dosimetry measures are given.