cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Precursory Signals Associated with the Interannual Variability of the Asian Summer Monsoon

Abstract In this work, the interannual variability of the Asian summer monsoon is studied by analyzing outputs of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project integration using the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres general circulation model. The main effort is devoted to exploring and understanding precursory signals associated with the interannual variability of the Asian monsoon and deciphering possible physical mechanisms responsible for the signals. It is found that strong precursory signals of highly anomalous Asian summer monsoon appear over the subtropical Asian region during the previous winter-spring seasons. Prior to a strong summer monsoon, the westerlies over subtropical Asia are weaker than normal, and vice versa. Dynamically consistent changes are found in other fields such as atmospheric temperature, geopotential height, and surface temperature. These precursory signals seem to have a barotropic structure in the troposphere. They exist over a broad region and last for two to three seasons...
Two-Degree-of-Freedom Hysteresis Compensation for a Dynamic Mirror Actuator

A low-computation, high-bandwidth, inverse-based hysteresis compensation and control strategy, not needing a priori knowledge of the desired trajectory, is presented. The resulting two degree-of-freedom controller is applied to a dynamic mirror with antagonistic piezoelectric stack actuation. Hysteresis compensation is performed by a finite-state machine activating polynomials for hysteresis inversion based on input signal slope. Residual error after hysteresis compensation is corrected by an LQR feedback controller. Experimental results demonstrate effectiveness of the hysteresis compensator and closed-loop system. For the input signal tested, a 91.5% reduction in hysteresis uncertainty is achieved at a 60 kHz sample rate.
Is There Bias against Simulation in Microsurgery Training

Background While other surgical specialties have embraced virtual reality simulation for training and recertification, microsurgery has lagged. This study aims to assess the opinions of microsurgeons on the role of simulation in microsurgery assessment and training. Methods We surveyed faculty members of the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery to ascertain opinions on their use of simulation in training and opinions about the utility of simulation for skills acquisition, teaching, and skills assessment. The 21-question survey was disseminated online to 675 members. Results Eighty-nine members completed the survey for a 13.2% response rate. Few microsurgeons have experience with high-fidelity simulation, and opinions on its utility are internally inconsistent. Although 84% of respondents could not identify a reason why simulation would not be useful, only 24% believed simulation is a useful measure of clinical performance. Nearly three-fourths of respondents were skeptical that simulation would improve their skills. Ninety-four percent had no experience with simulator-based assessment. Conclusion Simulation has been shown to improve skills acquisition in microsurgery, but our survey suggests that unfamiliarity may foster bias against the technology. Failure to incorporate simulation may adversely affect training and may put surgeons at a disadvantage should these technologies be adopted for recertification by regulatory agencies.
Development of A3000 Process Control Experimental System-Multi-volume System PID Control

Through analysing the characters of one-volume system,two-volume system,three-volume system,characters of the multi-volume which are chained together,and setting up mathematical models and measurement to discuss effect of this character to control system.As results,some experimental formula to adjust controller which control multi-volume object are proposed,and it can be applied in industrial product.
Surveillance of food-born pathogen in catering units of Shunyi District,Beijing

Objective To understand current status and dynamic change of contamination with food-born pathogen in catering units,in order to reduce risk of food-born disease and ensure food safety in Shunyi District during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.Methods In total,(1?105) specimens of nine kinds of instantly-served food were collected and tested for nine kinds of pathogens from June 2007 to May 2008 in Shunyi District,including Chinese-style salad,western-style salad,cooked meat,raw aquatic products,bread,fresh fruits,fresh juice,etc.Results Pathogen was found in 23 specimens of five kinds of food,with an overall detection rate of 2.1 percent,including 20 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and three strains of Listeria monocytogenes.Conditional pathogen was detected in five kind of food,including salad,bean products,cooked meat,cakes,etc.Conclusion Certain hidden hygienic troubles still existed in some instantly-served food,but risk of food-born diseases can be reduced during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games through a series of measures,such as hygienic standardization of food processing,strengthening training of health knowledge for food handlers.
Cleveland Clinic: Improving the Patient Experience

Healthcare has traditionally focused on medical outcomes and financial performance. The big question is always, "How much is it going to cost?" What would happen, though, if healthcare also considered the question of "How does the patient feel?" This case looks at the Cleveland Clinic's attempt to answer the latter question by attempting to institutionalize empathy as part of its delivery of care.
Stress analysis of failures in cord-rubber composites

Stress analysis of two different types of cracks due to fatigue of cord-rubber composites has been carried out using micromechanical 2D and 3D finite element analysis. The von-Mises/Tresca stresses that characterize the severity of crack tips in rubber composites has been computed from the finite element analysis. Numerical results of von-Mises/ Tresca stress values are presented for two crack types and crack sizes under transverse strain and shear strain loading conditions. The results presented demonstrate that crack type, loading, and crack size have a strong effect on the values of von-Mises/Tresca stresses. The results of the von-Mises/Tresca stress should help in estimating the severity of local failures in cord-rubber composites.
Mode sequence, frequency change of nonsoft phonons, and LO-TO splitting in strained tetragonal BaTiO 3

Ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy revealed the existence of an unusual large-frequency shift occurring to a nonsoft mode of $E({\mathrm{TO}}_{4}$) when ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ is strained to a ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ substrate [D. Tenne et al., Science 313, 1614 (2006)]. It raised two interesting questions: (i) whether there are other nonsoft modes that possess similar or even larger strain-induced frequency shifts and (ii) how the mode sequence is altered by these shifts in frequency. Note that mode sequence is also pivotal in correctly indexing and assigning the spectroscopy peaks observed in all Raman experiments. By mapping out the evolutions of individual phonon modes as a function of strain using first-principles density functional perturbation calculations, we determine the mode sequence and strain-induced phonon frequency shifts in prototypical ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$. Our study reveals that the mode sequence is drastically different when ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ is strained to ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ compared to that in the unstrained structure, caused by multiple mode crossings. Furthermore, we predict that three other nonsoft modes, ${A}_{1}$(${\mathrm{TO}}_{2}$), $E({\mathrm{LO}}_{4}$), and ${A}_{1}$(${\mathrm{TO}}_{3}$), display even larger strain-induced frequency shifts than $E({\mathrm{TO}}_{4}$). The strain responses of individual modes are found to be highly mode specific, and a mechanism that regulates the magnitude of the frequency shift is provided. As another key outcome of this study, we tackle a long-standing problem of LO-TO splitting in ferroelectrics. A rigorous definition for the LO-TO splitting is formulated, which allows this critical quantity to be calculated quantitatively. The definition immediately reveals a new finding; that is, a large LO-TO splitting not only exists for $E({\mathrm{LO}}_{4}$), which is previously known and originates from a soft mode, it also occurs for a nonsoft ${A}_{1}$(${\mathrm{LO}}_{3}$) mode. The LO-TO splitting is shown to decrease drastically with compressive strain, and this decrease cannot be explained by the Born effective charges and high-frequency dielectric constants.
The Potential in Preparing Community Health Workers to Address Hearing Loss.

BACKGROUND In underserved areas, it is crucial to investigate ways of increasing access to hearing health care. The community health worker (CHW) is a model that has been applied to increase access in various health arenas. This article proposes further investigation into the application of this model to audiology. PURPOSE To assess the feasibility of training CHWs about hearing loss as a possible approach to increase accessibility of hearing health support services in an underserved area. RESEARCH DESIGN A specialized three-phase training process for CHWs was developed, implemented, and evaluated by audiologists and public health researchers. The training process included (1) focus groups with CHWs and residents from the community to raise awareness of hearing loss among CHWs and the community; (2) a 3-hr workshop training to introduce basic topics to prepare CHWs to identify signs of hearing loss among community members and use effective communication strategies; and (3) a 24-hr multisession, interactive training >6 weeks for CHWs who would become facilitators of educational and peer-support groups for individuals with hearing loss and family members. STUDY SAMPLE Twelve Spanish-speaking local CHWs employed by a federally qualified health center participated in a focus group, twelve received the general training, and four individuals with prior experience as health educators received further in-person training as facilitators of peer-education groups on hearing loss and communication. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data was collected from each step of the three-phase training process. Thematic analysis was completed for the focus group data. Pre- and posttraining assessments and case study discussions were used to analyze results for the general workshop and the in-depth training sessions. RESULTS CHWs increased their knowledge base and confidence in effective communication strategies and developed skills in facilitating hearing education and peer-support groups. Through case study practice, CHWs demonstrated competencies and applied their learning to specific situations related to effective communication with hearing loss, family support, availability of assistive technology, use of hearing protection, and making referrals for hearing health care. Needs were identified for ongoing training in the area of use of assistive technology and addressing situations of more severe hearing loss and its effects. CONCLUSIONS Initial results suggest it is feasible to train CHWs to engage community members regarding hearing loss and facilitate culturally relevant peer-health education and peer-support groups for individuals with hearing loss and their family members. In efforts to increase access to audiological services in rural or underserved communities, application of the CHW model with a partnership of audiologists deserves further consideration as a viable approach.
Collaborating for Impact: Special Collections and Liaison Librarian Partnerships . Eds. Kristen Totleben and Lori Birrell. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2016. 270p. $60.00 (ISBN 978-083898883-1).

“In a twenty-first-century academic library, its unique collections distinguish it from other libraries.” So reads the first line of Collaborating for Impact: Special Collections and Liaison Librarian Partnerships , which focuses on ways that special collections librarians and liaison librarians in academic libraries have worked together to benefit their libraries and campuses. The volume is edited by two librarians from the University of Rochester who themselves are special collections and liaison librarians.
Translating national level forest service goals to local level land management: carbon sequestration

The USDA Forest Service has many national level policies related to multiple use management. However, translating national policy to stand level forest management can be difficult. As an example of how a national policy can be put into action, we examined three case studies in which a desired future condition is evaluated at the national, region, and local scale. We chose to use carbon sequestration as the desired future condition because climate change has become a major area of concern during the last decade. Several studies have determined that the 193 million acres of US national forest land currently sequester 11 to 15% of the total carbon emitted as a nation. This paper provides a framework by which national scale strategies for maintaining or enhancing forest carbon sequestration is translated through regional considerations and local constraints in adaptive management practices. Although this framework used the carbon sequestration as a case study, this framework could be used with other national level priorities such as the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) or the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
A Multimedia Dissection Module for Scalp, Meninges, and Dural Partitions.

Introduction For students beginning their medical education, the neuroscience curriculum is frequently seen as the most difficult, and many express an aversion to the topic. A major reason for this...
Factors influencing prostate cancer patterns of care: An analysis of treatment variation using the SEER database.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to describe the trends and factors that influence the initial treatment of men with localized prostate cancer (PC) in the United States between 2004 and 2014. Methods and materials The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to identify patients with primary prostate adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2014. Patients were staged in accordance with the American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition criteria and stratified according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines risk group classification. Descriptive statistics describing treatment patterns by year of diagnosis, age, risk group, insurance status, and region were performed. Results A total of 460,311 male patients were identified with sufficient information to be categorized into National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk groups. Overall, 30.9% of patients had low-risk disease, 38.1% were intermediate risk, 20.2% were high risk, 4.4% were very high risk, 1.6% were node-positive, and 4.7% had metastatic disease. During the study period, there was a 60% decrease in brachytherapy monotherapy utilization for patients with PC, and no definitive treatment increased from 20.3% in 2004 to 26.3% in 2014. There were regional treatment variations and discrepancies in treatment by age. Radical prostatectomy was performed on a greater proportion of insured patients than patients with Medicaid or those who were uninsured, but radiation therapy and no definitive treatment was administered to a greater proportion of uninsured and Medicaid patients. Conclusions PC treatment shows declining trends in brachytherapy utilization, increases in conservative management, and stability of surgical procedures over time. There is wide variation by geographical region, age, and insurance status.
Reinforcement learning framework for collaborative agents interacting with soldiers in dynamic military contexts

Modern Soldiers increasingly rely on computational and autonomous systems for the completion of their missions1,2. Challenges arise around the use of such systems that depend largely on the relationship between agents and human actors3 . Improving agents in the field requires the development of adaptive, human-aware systems that learn behaviors based on the needs of their human counterparts, acting effectively as teammates rather than tools4 . The development of such agent teammates is non-trivial, but recent advances in machine-learning and artificial-intelligence are promising. We identify deep reinforcement learning (RL)5 , multi-agent RL6 , and human-guided RL7 as powerful tools for the creation of adaptive agent teammates. We propose a three-armed approach to the development of agent teammates that leverages these advances in RL. First, multi-agent deep learning can be used to solve increasingly complex problems. Second, human-guided reinforcement can be used to constrain agent behavior and speed up the discovery of optimal strategies. Third, human behavioral profiles derived from surveys of work-interest variables for specific military occupation specialty (MOS) codes can be used to tailor agent behavior to the needs of Soldiers. This approach addresses the necessary computational framework, the learning paradigm needed to discover behavior, and the human dimension that contextualizes behavior.
Definition of a morphism: I

We will certainly want to know when 2 algebraic sets are to be considered isomorphic. More generally, we will need to define not just the set of all algebraic sets, but the category of algebraic sets (for simplicity, in Chapter 1, we will stick to the irreducible ones).
Insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia: The key player between cigarette smoking and cardiovascular disease?

Hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and endothelial dysfunction are characteristic findings in insulin-resistant individuals, and all of these abnormalities have been identified as increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Smokers tend to be relatively insulin resistant, hyperinsulinemic, and dyslipidemic, with evidence of endothelial dysfunction, as compared with nonsmokers, and recent epidemiologic data have suggested that CVD in smokers is primarily seen in those individuals who also have the characteristic findings of insulin resistance. Based on these observations, it is argued that insulin resistance and its consequences represent a major mechanistic link between cigarette smoking and CVD. It is also postulated that the enhanced CVD risk in smokers, resulting from hyperinsulinemia, abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism, and endothelial dysfunction, will primarily be present in those smokers who are insulin resistant. As a corollary, it is suggested that CVD risk in individuals who cannot, or will not, stop smoking can be reduced by therapeutic efforts aimed at attenuating the adverse effects of insulin resistance and its consequences.
Suppression of puberty in transgender children.

Suppression of puberty should become the standard of care for gender identity disorder: it is safe and reversible, allows children more time to explore their gender identities, and prevents the development of difficult-to-reverse physical features. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
The Role of Moral Hazard in the Housing Boom and Bust

The recession of 2007 to 2009 provided a textbook illustration of the ways in which government policies intended to expand credit and capital investment can engender perverse incentives and foster systematic malinvestment. This paper will examine how politically motivated efforts by government sponsored enterprises to increase homeownership combined with loose monetary policy to generate a rash of moral hazard relationships between borrowers and lenders, lenders and GSE’s, GSE’s and the American taxpayer. The first three sections of this paper will explore the extent to which government policy was responsible for cultivating moral hazard problems in those relationships. The fourth and final section will explore the extent to which the structure of those relationships has been either mitigated or perpetuated in the decade since the bust.
A Nonmathematical Review of Optimal Operator and Experimental Design for Uncertain Scientific Models with Application to Genomics.

Introduction The most basic aspect of modern engineering is the design of operators to act on physical systems in an optimal manner relative to a desired objective - for instance, designing a con-trol policy to autonomously direct a system or designing a classifier to make decisions regarding the sys-tem. These kinds of problems appear in biomedical science, where physical models are created with the intention of using them to design tools for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Methods In the classical paradigm, our knowledge regarding the model is certain; however, in practice, especially with complex systems, our knowledge is uncertain and operators must be designed while tak-ing this uncertainty into account. The related concepts of intrinsically Bayesian robust operators and op-timal Bayesian operators treat operator design under uncertainty. An objective-based experimental de-sign procedure is naturally related to operator design: We would like to perform an experiment that max-imally reduces our uncertainty as it pertains to our objective. Results & discussion This paper provides a nonmathematical review of optimal Bayesian operators directed at biomedical scientists. It considers two applications important to genomics, structural interven-tion in gene regulatory networks and classification. Conclusion The salient point regarding intrinsically Bayesian operators is that uncertainty is quantified relative to the scientific model, and the prior distribution is on the parameters of this model. Optimization has direct physical (biological) meaning. This is opposed to the common method of placing prior distri-butions on the parameters of the operator, in which case there is a scientific gap between operator design and the phenomena.
Analysis of middle ear morphology for design of a transnasal endoscope

Cholesteatomas are benign lesions that form in the middle ear (ME). They can cause debilitating side effects including hearing loss, recurrent ear infection and drainage, and balance disruption. The current approach for positively identifying cholesteatomas requires intraoperative visualization either by lifting the ear drum or transmitting an endoscope through the ear canal and tympanic membrane – procedures which are typically done in and operating room with the patient under general anesthesia. We are developing a novel endoscope that can be inserted trans-nasally and could potentially be used in an outpatient setting allowing clinicians to easily detect and visualize cholesteatomas and other middle ear conditions. A crucial part of designing this device is determining the degrees of freedom necessary to visualize the regions of interest in the middle ear space. To permit virtual evaluation of scope design, in this work we propose to create a library of models of the most difficult to visualize region of the middle ear, the retrotympanum (RT), which is located deep and posterior to the tympanic membrane. We have designed a semi-automated atlas-based approach for segmentation of the RT. Our approach required 2-3 minutes of manual interaction for each of 20 cases tested. Each result was verified to be accurate by an experienced otologist. These results show the method is efficient and accurate enough to be applied to a large scale dataset. We also created a statistical shape model from the resulting segmentations that can be used to synthesize new plausible RT shapes for comprehensive virtual evaluation of endoscope designs and show that it can represent new RT shapes with average errors of 0.5 mm.
The association between caffeinated alcoholic beverages and the perpetration of intimate partner violence

Background: Problematic alcohol use is a recognized risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration.Objective: The use of caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CAB) appears to be associated with high-risk drinking behavior but the relationship between CAB use and IPV has yet to be explored.Methods: Sixty male and 40 female married or dating participants responded to an online survey including measures of past-year alcohol use and partner violence.Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed that CAB users were significantly more likely to perpetrate physical assault and partner injury after controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, income, and heavy alcohol use. The relationship between CAB use and perpetration of sexual coercion was better accounted for by heavy alcohol use.Conclusion: Results from the current study suggest that there exists an independent link between CAB use and partner violence perpetration.
The “Two Mr. Wilsons”: Party Government, Personal Leadership, and Woodrow Wilson’s Political Thought

Woodrow Wilson’s political thought on statesmanship and governance reveals a consistent tension between party and personal leadership. I trace three phases of Wilson’s political thought, analyzing ...
Dose to the cardio-pulmonary system and treatment-induced electrocardiogram abnormalities in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract Introduction High dose radiotherapy (RT) has been associated with unexpectedly short survival times for locally advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients. Here we tested the hypothesis that cardiac substructure dose is associated with electrocardiography (ECG) assessed abnormalities after RT for LA-NSCLC. Materials and methods Pre- and post-RT ECGs were analyzed for 155 LA-NSCLC patients treated to a median of 64 Gy in 1.8–2.0 Gy fractions using intensity-modulated RT plus chemotherapy (concurrent/sequential: 64%/36%) between 2004 and 2014. ECG abnormalities were classified as new Arrhythmic, Ischemic/Pericardial, or Non-specific (AΔECG, I/PΔECG, or NSΔECG) events. Abnormalities were modeled as time to ECG events considering death a competing risk, and the variables considered for analysis were fractionation-corrected dose-volume metrics (α/β = 3 Gy) of ten cardio-pulmonary structures (aorta, heart, heart chambers, inferior and superior vena cava, lung, pulmonary artery) and 15 disease, patient and treatment characteristics. Each abnormality was modelled using bootstrapping and a candidate predictor was suggested by a median multiple testing-adjusted p-value ≤0.05 across the 1000 generated samples. Forward-stepwise multivariate analysis was conducted in case of more than one candidate. Results At a median of eight months post-RT, the rate of AΔECG, I/PΔECG, and NSΔECG was 66%, 35%, and 67%. Both AΔECG and I/PΔECG were associated with worse performance status (p = 0.007, 0.03), while a higher superior vena cava minimum dose was associated with NSΔECG (p = 0.002). Conclusion This study suggests that higher radiation doses to the cardio-pulmonary system lead to non-specific ECG abnormalities. Reducing dose to this system, along with effective tumor control, is likely to decrease radiation-induced cardiac toxicity.
On the Impact of Singularities in the Two-State Adiabatic to Diabatic State Transformation: A Global Treatment

Diabatizations based on molecular properties can remove the singularity in the derivative coupling at a conical intersection in the diabatic representation. Yet, they can also create new singularities in the derivative couplings because of the defining equations of the adiabatic to diabatic state transformation. In the iconic two-state case, these singularities occur at points termed diabolical singular points and form a seam of dimension Nint-2, where Nint is the number of internal degrees of freedom. This seam is of the same dimension as the conical intersection seam, but is distinct. Here, the global topography of the diabolical singularity seam of 1,21A states of ammonia is reported using a Boys localization (BL) dipole-based diabatization and juxtaposed with a previously reported global representation of the coupled electronic state potential energy surfaces. The principal finding is that the seam of BL diabatization-induced singularities passes very close to the key saddle point on the 21A potential energy surface which connects the 21A equilibrium structure with the NH2(X,A) + H channel. The construction and detailed study of the reported diabolical singularity seam is made possible by a recently constructed analytic representation of the dipole and transition dipole moment surfaces.
Chloroform Hydrodechlorination on Palladium Surfaces: A Comparative DFT Study on Pd(111), Pd(100), and Pd(211)

Palladium has been shown to be an effective catalyst for chloroform hydrodechlorination, which serves as a promising treatment method for industrial chloroform waste. To investigate the structure sensitivity of this chemistry on Pd surfaces, we performed a density functional theory (DFT, GGA-PW91) study of the chloroform hydrodechlorination reaction on three distinct facets: Pd(111), Pd(100), and Pd(211). Based on the DFT results, the binding strengths of most surface intermediates generally increase in the following order: Pd(111) < Pd(100) < Pd(211). On all three Pd facets, methane is formed as the preferred reaction product through a pathway in which CHCl3* is fully dechlorinated to CH* first, and then hydrogenated to CH4. We constructed potential energy diagrams (PED) and compared the reaction energetics for chloroform hydrodechlorination on the three Pd facets. We propose that the competition between the desorption of chloroform and its initial dechlorination to form CHCl2* likely determines the hydrodechlorination activity of the catalyst. On Pd(111), the desorption of chloroform is energetically favored over its dechlorination while the dechlorination barriers are lower than the desorption barriers on Pd(100) and Pd(211). On the other hand, Pd(100) and Pd(211) bind atomic chlorine stronger and also catalyze the formation of atomic carbon effectively; both are potential site-blocking species. Our results suggest that the more open facets and step edge sites of a Pd nanoparticle may carry higher intrinsic activity towards chloroform hydrodechlorination than the close-packed facets, yet these under-coordinated sites are more prone to catalyst poisoning.
Utilization of mobile application improves perioperative education and patient satisfaction in general surgery patients.

Abstract Introduction Clear and accurate communication is paramount in delivering high quality surgical care. Through the development of a mobile application, we provided patients with a source of education and instruction throughout the peri-operative period. Methods Patients >18 years old with a smart-phone undergoing elective general surgery procedures were eligible. Patients received perioperative educational materials and text message reminders of time-sensitive events via the application. A System Usability Scale and survey was administered. Results 100 patients were enrolled; 51% completed the survey. The average SUS score was 86, correlating with >90th percentile usability. 86% of patients felt that the application improved their surgical experience, 96% said the application provided essential reminders, and 90% felt that application clarified information. 84% of patients did not identify any inconsistency between the application and surgeon. Conclusion Utilizing patient’s smart phones to aid in perioperative education is feasible and improves patient satisfaction. This application has a high usability score, indicating ease of use.
Flow Chart Models for Using Tests.

Effectively integrating tests into the counseling process is often a difficult problem for counselors. Flow chart models that systematically describe and analyze the counselor's functioning can be ...
Reactions of Sulfenic Acids with Amines, Thiols, and Thiolates Studied by Quantum Chemical Calculations

Abstract Biological sensor molecules for oxidative stress often rely on the oxidation of thiols to sulfenic acid intermediates. How this transformation induces a physiological response often relies on the fate of sulfenic acid. Sulfenic acids will react with other biologically relevant nucleophiles such as amines, thiols, and thiolates. In the presence of excess oxidants, the sulfenic acid can be further oxidized. The free energy of reaction (ΔG) and free energies of activation (ΔG‡) were determined for the reactions of sulfenic acid with amines, thiols, and thiolates. The methods employed included B3LYP, B3P86, HF, M06-2X, and MP2, and the effect of water solvation on the reactions was estimated using the integral equation formulation of the polarizable continuum model (IEF-PCM). A front-side approach of the sulfenic acid for amines, thiols, and thiolates was observed. In addition to front-side attack, a back-side transition state was converged for the more nucleophilic thiolates in several cases.
Research Note: All-trans retinoic acids induce adipogenic differentiation of chicken embryonic fibroblasts and preadipocytes.

Abstract Adipocytes store excess energy in the form of lipids, whereas fat accretion contributes to feed efficiency, meat quality, and female reproduction in poultry. As a metabolite of vitamin A, all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) has been shown to have influence over metabolic functions such as lipid and energy homeostasis, as well as adipogenesis. Although atRA has been known to function as a regulating factor in mammalian adipogenesis, the effects of atRA on adipogenesis has not been studied in chickens. In this study, chicken preadipocytes isolated from leg fat tissues at embryonic day (E) 14 and chicken embryonic fibroblasts (CEF) harvested at E5 were cultured. The preadipocytes and CEF in culture with 10% chicken serum were treated with various concentrations (0 μmol, 100 μmol, or 150 μmol) of supplemented atRA for 48 h. In these cells, cytoplasmic lipid droplet accumulation and mRNA expression for adipogenic genes were analyzed by Oil-Red-O staining and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Analysis of the relative amount of Oil-Red-O staining (lipid accumulation) revealed that all 3 variables increased in a dose-dependent manner, in response to increasing atRA supplementation. Genes involved in adipocyte differentiation, fatty acid transport, and triacylglycerol synthesis in both E14 preadipocytes and E5 CEF were upregulated by supplementation of atRA. These data demonstrated that atRA alone promoted adipogenesis of embryonic preadipocytes and fibroblasts in vitro, suggesting that atRA has an influential role in multiple stages of adipogenesis in chicken embryos.
Neutrophil Activation and Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation in Dialysis Patients.

Rationale & Objective The removal of metabolic waste by passing blood through synthetic tubing and membranes generates an immune response, even with the most biocompatible materials available. We evaluated blood levels of neutrophil activation and cell death during dialysis to devise a set of markers by which future dialysis interventions might be measured for biocompatibility. Study Design Observational, case control. Setting & Participants 30 patients with end-stage kidney disease in Seattle, WA, evaluated during 30 dialysis procedures in out- and inpatient settings were compared with 27 healthy (negative) controls and 20 nondialysis patients with systemic lupus erythematosus as positive controls. Predictor(s) Blood levels of neutrophil activation (calprotectin and peroxidase activity) and cell death (cell-free DNA and neutrophil extracellular traps) were assayed. Outcome(s) Markers of neutrophil activation and cell death can be used to assess immune response during dialysis. Analytical Approach Descriptive analysis and group comparisons. Results Intradialytic levels of neutrophil activation markers are higher than prehemodialysis levels (P Limitations Low sample size with heterogeneous patient cohort. Conclusions Neutrophil activation occurs during hemodialysis, potentially contributing to endothelial inflammation and damage. Neutrophil activation markers are novel and sensitive measures of biocompatibility for improving dialysis.
Calibration of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Shallow Radar (SHARAD) data for subsurface probing and surface reflectivity studies

Abstract The Shallow Radar (SHARAD) instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been operating since 2006, revealing the detailed layered structure of the polar caps, mid-latitude glacial deposits, and a range of volcanic features. Here we address the major sources of change in the effective gain and signal-to-noise ratio of data collected by SHARAD: (1) the altitude and background noise level, (2) the configuration of the solar arrays (SA) and high-gain antenna (HGA), (3) ionospheric attenuation, and (4) the roll angle of MRO. Background noise fluctuations have a range of ~5 dB, and electromagnetic interference may significantly affect comparisons among limited bands of the full spectrum. We use the dense spatial coverage of sounder data to define a model for gain as a function of SA and HGA orientations, and demonstrate its predictive capability over a 4-dB range with radargrams collected under different configurations. Ionospheric attenuation as a function of the phase distortion correction used in radargram processing is refined through a larger dataset than available in earlier studies. Gain improvements due to MRO rolls up to 28o are also a function of the SA-HGA configuration, such that the maximum span of combined SHARAD gain contributions is about 7 dB. After calibration, Planum Boreum in the north polar layered deposits is ~3 dB less reflective than Planum Australe, and multi-band analysis suggests destructive interference occurs in the more densely layered shallow structure of the northern cap. The new calibration model allows targeting of future observations during optimum conditions over features of interest.
Joint contact stress improves in dysplastic hips after periacetabular osteotomy but remains higher than in normal hips.

Aim:The purpose of this study was to use computational modeling to determine if surgical correction of hip dysplasia restores hip contact mechanics to those of asymptomatic, radiographically normal...
Signaling by extracellular ATP: physiological and pathological considerations in neuronal-astrocytic interactions.

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses some of the work concerning ATP release from nerve cells, as well as some properties of purinergic receptors, and also describes studies on the effects of extracellular ATP on astrocytes. ATP that is released into the extracellular space activates specific cell surface receptors. Two major types of purinergic receptors, P1 and P2, are distinguished based on: (a) the relative potencies of ATP, ADP, AMP and adenosine; (b) the selective actions of antagonists, especially methylxanthines; and (c) effects on adenylatecyclase vs. prostaglandinsynthesis. In astrocytes, it has been shown that ATP evokes an increase in calcium influx, as well as inositol trisphosphate formation and calcium mobilization. An initial investigations into the effect of extracellular ATP on astrocytes cultured from cerebral cortices involved studies on 45 Ca flux. The investigation suggested the presence of low and high affinity purinergic binding sites on cultured astrocytes and that ATP-evoked calcium uptake is mediated by a P2 purinergic receptor in cultured astrocytes. One of the second messenger functions of calcium is the activation of protein phosphorylation systems, which in turn lead to a cascade of events culminating in such physiological responses as neurotransmitter synthesis and release, ionic permeability, receptor function, energy metabolism, and cell growth.
Computing foundations for the scientist a new approach for non-majors

In this workshop participants will be equipped to teach and adapt a new type of computing course for non-majors at their institution. Most courses for non-majors take one of the following forms: 1) learn to use specific software (often office suite) 2) learn to program 3) CS0 breadth survey teaching what computers are and how they work. As the use of computing in all disciplines becomes more pervasive and complex, a new option should be considered: an integration of computing within the specific discipline(s) and the foundational computing knowledge that is important in that area. The Computing Foundations for the Scientist course is one such instanced developed to teach science majors how to better use and understand technology as they do this work. This work includes 5 modules of computing (covering areas such as sources of errors, algorithm analysis, data storage, and data structures) and 11 scientific modules (from biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, and mathematics). These 16 modules can be combined in different ways to form an independent course or subsets can be integrated into existing courses. The idea is that most scientists are using complex software but may not understand enough of what is going one behind the scenes to take full advantage of the results generated by the computer. This course does this. In addition, this course models how this idea can be applied to other disciplines (such as Computing Foundations for the Social Scientist, Computing Foundations for the Artistic, Computing Foundations in the Health Care Industry, etc.) This workshop will include: 1) An overview of the different approaches for non-majors 2) An overview of the course 3) A detailed look at a few modules (with hands experience being available) 4) Time for discussion about the different ways this work can be taken to the home institutions. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number (0942362). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Colonies Complicate Small Power Politics II

In their determination to adhere to a small power policy the Dutch at times found the possession of extensive and important colonial territories, situated in strategic corners of the world, a source of embarassment.1 On the one hand, the colonies sometimes made it difficult to avoid all involvements with Great Powers, and, on the other, they gave the Netherlands a position and an influence in world politics quite out of proportion to its homeland population.
Tilings by regular polygons—II: A catalog of tilings

Abstract Several classification theorems involving highly symmetric tilings by regular polygons have been established recently. This paper surveys that work and gives drawings of these tilings—many of which were not shown in the original papers. Included are all tilings with at most three symmetry classes (orbits) of tiles, vertices or edges and those tilings which satisfy certain homogeneity criteria; i.e. tilings where locally congruent portions of the tiling are always equivalent under a global symmetry of the tiling.
Multirate adaptive filtering for immersive audio

This paper describes a method for implementing immersive audio rendering filters for single or multiple listeners and loudspeakers. In particular, the paper is focused on the case of single or two listeners with different loudspeaker arrays to determine the weighting vectors for the necessary FIR and IIR filters using the LMS (least-mean-squares) adaptive inverse algorithm. It describes transform-domain LMS adaptive inverse algorithm that is designed for crosstalk cancellation necessary in loudspeaker-based immersive audio rendering. Specifically, each weighting vector of the inverse filter is generated based on psychoacoustic critical band filters and uses the LMS adaptive inverse algorithm to improve performance in the sensitive frequency bands. We also investigate the sensitivity of the listening position under different number of listeners and loudspeakers with various loudspeaker geometries. Performance is measured based on the ipsilateral signal to contralateral signal (crosstalk) ratio that results from the different filter types with and without psychoacoustic critical band filtering.
Specific macrophage immunity to vaccinia virus: macrophage-virus interaction

Macrophage immunity to vaccinia virus was examined by measuring replication of vaccinia virus in immune and nonimmune rabbit peritoneal macrophages. Vaccinia virus multiplied in macrophages from normal rabbits but failed to replicate in macrophages from immune rabbits. The specificity of vaccinia restriction was demonstrated by the ability of myxoma virus to replicate in nonimmune and vaccinia-immune macrophages. Vaccinia virus absorbed equally well to immune and nonimmune macrophages, but only a small fraction of immune cells supported synthesis of virus antigen. Virus eclipse and infective center neutralization studies suggested that much of the virus remained at the plasma membrane of immune macrophages, even after prolonged incubation in culture. These data support our previous suggestions that macrophages may contribute to specific immunity against vaccinia virus.
Assessment of phytoestrogen and mycoestrogen recognition by recombinant human estrogen receptor-α using ligand titration arrays.

Introduction Exposure to phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens has emerged as a public health issue due to their potentially endocrine disruption activities resulting from direct interaction with sex-steroid hormone receptors. There is a significant requirement for comprehensive, reproducible methods to determine the extent of estrogen mimicry by compounds encountered in the environment to estimate risk:benefit ratios, particularly in humans. Objective To develop a systematic approach for assessing recognition of chemically diverse compounds by human estrogen receptor proteins to aid in their assessment as endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs). Methods Recombinant human estrogen receptor-α protein (rhERα) was expressed in Saccharomyces cervisiae as an ubiquitin fusion under control of a CUP1 promoter and partially purified with heparin affinity chromatography in the unliganded state. A novel radio-ligand binding array was developed to evaluate structurally diverse compounds, both naturally occurring and synthetic, for estrogen binding activity and affinity. Results Binding affinities of suspected estrogen mimics for rhERα were calculated over a range of [3H]estradiol-17β concentrations using Lundon OneSite® and Compete® software. Conclusion β-zearalanol, a mycoestrogen similar to zearalenone used as an ICCVAM validation substance for the in vitro estrogen receptor binding assays (ICCAM report), was employed as a model estrogen mimic to illustrate the approach, methods and calculations using these techniques. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.